Difference between revisions of "Battle of Westmark"

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|<span style="font-size:small;">'''Northern Coalition:''' <br> [[Britannus Vanir|Britannus, Baron of Kraken's Watch]] <br> [[Jan Kovachev|John, Duke of Carnatia]] <br> Lord Peter Barbanov <br> Ser Rickard Barrow </span>
 
|<span style="font-size:small;">'''Northern Coalition:''' <br> [[Britannus Vanir|Britannus, Baron of Kraken's Watch]] <br> [[Jan Kovachev|John, Duke of Carnatia]] <br> Lord Peter Barbanov <br> Ser Rickard Barrow </span>
 
|-
 
|-
|<span style="font-size:small;">'''Duchy of Courland and Allies:''' <br> [[Alexander Staunton|Alexander, Duke of Courland]] <br> Sveneld, Hetman of Krajia <br> George Staunton </span>
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|<span style="font-size:small;">'''Duchy of Courland and Allies:''' <br> [[Alexander Staunton|Alexander, Duke of Courland]] <br> Sveneld, Hetman of Krajia <br> Sven Staunton </span>
 
|-
 
|-
 
|- class="wikitable" style="background:#cbe; text-align:center; margin-left: 10px;"
 
|- class="wikitable" style="background:#cbe; text-align:center; margin-left: 10px;"
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|'''Casualties'''
 
|'''Casualties'''
 
|-
 
|-
|<span style="font-size:small;">'''Northern Coalition:''' <br> 1700 dead <br> 500 wounded <br> [[Peter of Haense|Lord Peter Barbanov]] captured </span>
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|<span style="font-size:small;">'''Northern Coalition:''' <br> 3200 dead <br> 500 wounded <br> [[Peter of Haense|Lord Peter Barbanov]] captured </span>
 
|-
 
|-
|<span style="font-size:small;">'''Duchy of Courland and Allies:''' <br> 1200 dead <br> 400 wounded </span>
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|<span style="font-size:small;">'''Duchy of Courland and Allies:''' <br> 2200 dead <br> 400 wounded </span>
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
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== Prelude ==
 
== Prelude ==
  
The defeat at the [[Siege of Kraken's Watch]] forced the remaining Courlander host into full retreat to Riga. Duke Alexander had been brooding over his losses from the [[Siege of Kraken's Watch]] and was unable to effectively command Courlander forces. Taking up the mantle of leadership, George called for retaliation for those lost at the siege and began reforming the Courlander army. Hetman Sveneld, who had felt a sense of betrayal from his former ally, [[Jan Kovachev|Duke John of Carnatia]], left the Coalition and declared his intention to side with Duke Alexander.
+
The defeat at the [[Siege of Kraken's Watch]] forced the remaining Courlander host into full retreat to Riga. Duke Alexander had been brooding over his losses from the [[Siege of Kraken's Watch]] and was unable to effectively command Courlander forces. Taking up the mantle of leadership, Sven Staunton called for retaliation for those lost at the siege and began reforming the Courlander army. Hetman Sveneld, who had felt a sense of betrayal from his former ally, [[Jan Kovachev|Duke John of Carnatia]], left the Coalition and declared his intention to side with Duke Alexander.
  
 
Upon receiving word of the Hetman's betrayal, Duke John began rallying more forces from Carnatia, ushering them in to the main camp at Kraken's Watch. Two weeks before the battle, they broke camp and crossed the bridge on the River Westmark, prepared to meet a small host consisting entirely of Courlander and Krajian soldiers. Upon their arrival, they were surprised by the size of the enemy force, and quickly began to form ranks as the Courlander host prepared to charge.
 
Upon receiving word of the Hetman's betrayal, Duke John began rallying more forces from Carnatia, ushering them in to the main camp at Kraken's Watch. Two weeks before the battle, they broke camp and crossed the bridge on the River Westmark, prepared to meet a small host consisting entirely of Courlander and Krajian soldiers. Upon their arrival, they were surprised by the size of the enemy force, and quickly began to form ranks as the Courlander host prepared to charge.
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== Battle ==
 
== Battle ==
  
As the horns of battle sounded, Staunton immediately ordered his archers to climb to higher ground in front of the palace of Westmark, allowing them to fire down upon the Coalition's forces, who took cover within the ditches alongside the roads. Seeing this, Kovachev ordered for his skirmishers to return fire, causing minor casualties among the enemy archers. Attempting to force the enemy archers to retreat from their position, Kovachev sent forward his cavalry in a full charge at the enemy skirmishers, who Staunton called back to the main lines. As the cavalry charged however, a surprise flank from Krajian cossacks and orcish raiders caught ahold of the cavalry, causing them to rout.
+
The young Count Sven used his tactical intelligence to gain an advantage by placing his footmen and archers on higher ground, just below the mountainous Staunton Palace. He kept his cavalry on his right flank, his left secured by a steep incline. He ordered every archer to loose every arrow available to them, many of which found their mark on the disorientated Raevir and Imperial forces whilst the cavalry protecting his right flank was ordered to chase down the Imperial cavalry. After many hours of arrow fire and small cavalry engagements Sven was convinced that the Raevir and Imperial line had been damaged enough such that a full frontal charge from his main infantry from atop the hill would send the Raevir and Imperial armies into a full retreat or face certain death. Such was the case with many pockets of Raevir soldiers who resented retreating being mown down by the now superior Staunton cavalry with the Staunton and Dreadlandic heavy infantry mopping up what was left behind. The battle was a '''decisive Courlandic victory''' with Sven handing the news himself to his bed-ridden father.
 
 
Seeing that the Coalition's cavalry had been forced off the field, Staunton ordered a full charge at the Coalition's lines with his own cavalry and infantry. Ser Rickard Barrow attempted to have his men hold the line but at the sight of the enemy charge, many retreated as they were newer recruits straight from Carnatia. The few men that did hold their ground found themselves surrounded by enemy infantry, with the Krajian cavalry cutting down the routing infantry. In an attempt to relieve his men, Lord Barbanov would take a contingent of the infantry and strike at the Courlander troops from behind, providing a long enough distraction for Barrow and his regiment to pull out of the fight. This was successful, and many troops were able to retreat from the fight. However, an arrow from a Courlander archer,
 
  
 
== Aftermath ==  
 
== Aftermath ==  
  
 
Following the coup of Aleksander Staunton, the conspirators freed the newly captive Petyr Barbanov and allowed him to return to Carnatia.
 
Following the coup of Aleksander Staunton, the conspirators freed the newly captive Petyr Barbanov and allowed him to return to Carnatia.

Revision as of 19:59, 5 January 2017

The Battle of Westmark
Part of the Riga War
Battle of westmark.jpg
The Battle of Westmark, 1563
Date: 7th of Sun's Smile, 1563
Location: River Westmark, Barony of Kraken's Watch
Result: Courlander Victory
Preceded by: Siege of Kraken's Watch
Belligerents
Northern Coalition and Allies
Duchy of Carnatia
Barony of Kraken's Watch
Imperial Volunteers
Duchy of Courland and Allies:
Duchy of Courland
Hetmanate of Krajia
Commanders and leaders
Northern Coalition:
Britannus, Baron of Kraken's Watch
John, Duke of Carnatia
Lord Peter Barbanov
Ser Rickard Barrow
Duchy of Courland and Allies:
Alexander, Duke of Courland
Sveneld, Hetman of Krajia
Sven Staunton
Strength
Northern Coalition:
3100 Carnatian Soldiers
1500 Imperial volunteers
Duchy of Courland and Allies:
3500 Courlander soldiers
1000 Krajian Cossacks
Casualties
Northern Coalition:
3200 dead
500 wounded
Lord Peter Barbanov captured
Duchy of Courland and Allies:
2200 dead
400 wounded

The Battle of Westmark was the final battle of the Riga War, between the Duchy of Courland and the Coalition army of Duke John of Carnatia and his generals Ser Rickard Barrow and Britannus Vanir. The Courlander host was commanded by Sven Staunton and Hetman Sveneld. The result of this battle marked the start towards rebellion in both Courland and Krajia.

Prelude

The defeat at the Siege of Kraken's Watch forced the remaining Courlander host into full retreat to Riga. Duke Alexander had been brooding over his losses from the Siege of Kraken's Watch and was unable to effectively command Courlander forces. Taking up the mantle of leadership, Sven Staunton called for retaliation for those lost at the siege and began reforming the Courlander army. Hetman Sveneld, who had felt a sense of betrayal from his former ally, Duke John of Carnatia, left the Coalition and declared his intention to side with Duke Alexander.

Upon receiving word of the Hetman's betrayal, Duke John began rallying more forces from Carnatia, ushering them in to the main camp at Kraken's Watch. Two weeks before the battle, they broke camp and crossed the bridge on the River Westmark, prepared to meet a small host consisting entirely of Courlander and Krajian soldiers. Upon their arrival, they were surprised by the size of the enemy force, and quickly began to form ranks as the Courlander host prepared to charge.

Battle

The young Count Sven used his tactical intelligence to gain an advantage by placing his footmen and archers on higher ground, just below the mountainous Staunton Palace. He kept his cavalry on his right flank, his left secured by a steep incline. He ordered every archer to loose every arrow available to them, many of which found their mark on the disorientated Raevir and Imperial forces whilst the cavalry protecting his right flank was ordered to chase down the Imperial cavalry. After many hours of arrow fire and small cavalry engagements Sven was convinced that the Raevir and Imperial line had been damaged enough such that a full frontal charge from his main infantry from atop the hill would send the Raevir and Imperial armies into a full retreat or face certain death. Such was the case with many pockets of Raevir soldiers who resented retreating being mown down by the now superior Staunton cavalry with the Staunton and Dreadlandic heavy infantry mopping up what was left behind. The battle was a decisive Courlandic victory with Sven handing the news himself to his bed-ridden father.

Aftermath

Following the coup of Aleksander Staunton, the conspirators freed the newly captive Petyr Barbanov and allowed him to return to Carnatia.