Battle of Marnadal

Battle of Marnadal Part of the Eighteen Years' War Imperials at Marnadal, 1546 Date: 1546 Location: Marnadal, Grand Kingdom of Urguan Result: Imperial Victory Preceded by: Siege of Kal'Ordholm Followed by: Siege of Fort Dunamis Belligerents Holy Orenian Empire and Allies: Holy Orenian Empire Principality of Laureh'lin The Grand Kingdom of Urguan and Allies: Grand Kingdom of Urguan The Horde of Dunamis The War Uzg Commanders and leaders Holy Orenian Empire and Allies: John I, Holy Orenian Emperor Joseph, Baron of Franzenburg Lord Henry Rothesay Augustus, Archduke of Lorraine and Kaedrin High Pontiff Lucien III † Prince Tristin of Laureh'lin Grand Kingdom of Urguan and Allies: Grand King Rhewen Frostbeard Belegar Ireheart Rex Ubba'Ugluk Richard Revlis † Sultan Kharadeen Strength Holy Orenian Empire and Allies: 14,000 men and elves Grand Kingdom of Urguan and Allies: 12,000 men and dwarves Casualties Holy Orenian Empire and Allies: ~1300 dead Grand Kingdom of Urguan and Allies: ~2000 dead

The Battle of Marnadal was a field battle during the Eighteen Years' War between the Imperial forces of John I, Holy Orenian Emperor and his generals Josef Vladov and Archduke Augustus and the Urguanite host of Grand Marshal Belegar Ireheart, alongside Richard Revlis, who commanded the Dunamian presence in the army. During this battle, Rex Ubba'Ugluk of the War Uzg officially declared war on the Empire after suffering attacks at the hands of Archduke Augustus. The battle constituted as the beginning of the Imperial offensive against the Dunamites by the Empire during the Eighteen Years' War.

Prelude

The bloody rout at Kal’Ordholm was a disaster for Orenian command. With both of their conquests into the dwarven heartland failed, the war looked to be at a stalemate. Emperor John I contemplated a new strategy, to attack the dwarves' allies rather than superior Urguanite citadels themselves. His first target, with the counsel of Archduke Augustus, was the mercenary horde of Dunamis who had plagued Oren previously in Athera and reemerged after the fall of Adria. The now reimbursed Imperial host neared Ard’Ghorrock and the plain of Marnadal on the 15th of the Grand Harvest, 1546, forcing the counter host of Dunamis mercenaries, Khalestine warriors, Orcish brutes and a dwarven volunteer group under the overall command of Richard Revlis to commit to an engagement.

Battle

The battle began with an unexpected charge from the lightly armoured dunamis horsemen towards the advancing Imperial host. d’Amaury countered with his own Lotharingen cavalry, fewer in number, but more heavily armoured. After a brief fight, Imperial footmen swarmed the enemy horsemen, forcing their retreat off the battlefield, though sustaining heavy losses to their own horse. Revlis ordered that Khalestinian Mubarizun and a small dwarven contingent make their way up to a small incline, hoping for a terrain advantage against the overwhelming Imperial numbers.

Imperials quickly clashed with the main Dunamite battle line, engaging in hours of pitched combat. An opening was formed on the right flank, with the dwarven force beginning to wither away from casualties. D’Amaury rallied a few of the scattered Imperial units and the last of the Lotharingen horse and charged through the breach, taking a severe wound in the process. Revlis countered with his own charge, leading Dunamis marauders from the front in an attempt to shore up the breach. He is believed to be killed in this endeavour, though a body is never identified as his. On the left, Duke John and his Carnatian axemen had made headway against the Mubarizun, forcing their withdrawal from the field. Targoth Urik’Azog, seeing Revlis missing and the left collapsing, took his unscathed Orcs and retreated off the hill, making for a better defensive position with the battered corps of Dunamis in tow.

The hill was overtaken with bruised and almost dilapidated Imperial infantry. Pope Lucien III and his papal guard rallied the wavering Imperial soldiers, leading the final charge against the fortified orcs. Azog countered with a charge of his own, taking his last brutes to battle the shaken Imperials. Pope Lucien was struck down by the Targoth but the remaining Orcs were almost surrounded and forced off the battlefield by Duke John. However, Azog’s charge allowed for Dunamis and the rest of their force to retreat into Fort Dunamis, saving them from total defeat by Imperial hands.

Aftermath

Victory at Marnadal allowed for Imperial forces to continue their offensive and lay siege to Fort Dunamis and take a dwarven ally out of the war. The death of Richard Revlis resulted in a co-marshalship of Dunamis, led by Danis Revlis and Daeron Culnamo. The unexpected death of Lucien III resulted in the quick election of Tobias I as Pontiff of the Canonist Faith.