Battle of Westmark

The Battle of Westmark

The Battle of Westmark Part of the Riga War

Battle of Westmark, 1563

Storming of Kraken's Watch Part of the Riga War Storming of Kraken's Watch, 1558 Date: 12th of Sun's Smile, 1558 Location: Courland, Oren Result: Courlander Victory Followed by: Battle of the Curon Forest Belligerents House of Vanir: Retinue of Kraken's Watch Duchy of Courland: Courlander Levy House Palaiologos Commanders and leaders House of Vanir: Britannus, Baron of Kraken's Watch Ser Asher Highwind Duchy of Courland: Ser Demetrius Palaiologos Ser Aymar Fournier Strength House Vanir and Allies: 300 garrisoned men House Staunton and Allies: 700 Courlander soldiers Casualties House Vanir and Allies: ~120 dead 20 injured House Staunton and Allies: ~70 dead 30 injured

The Battle of Westmark was the final battle of the Riga War, fought on the 7th of the Sun’s Smile, 1563. After their decisive storming of Kraken’s Watch, Imperial and Coalition forces united and crossed the River Westmark into traditional Staunton demesne; something that Aleksander Staunton would quote as their ‘crossing the bridge into hell.’ The King, burning with passion and fever, gave a rousing speech to his grand host, before retiring to his palace, terribly ill, and conferring command to his young son, Count Sven Staunton of Curon. Prelude The Imperial forces had humiliated the Courlanders at Kraken’s Watch with their sudden change of mind and victory. Aleksander, feeling himself betrayed by the Emperor, who had married his sister to him, knew that there could be no returning to the Empire with such treacherous leadership. A day after the siege of Krakens Watch and the Empire’s betrayal of Courland, the Kingdom of Courland was forged. Aleksander declared himself King of an independent Courlandic Kingdom, becoming a major signatory and ally of the Axis Powers. The Empire, in turn, called publicly upon it’s banners and rallied at Griffon’s Roost, the Carnatian hold, before marching on to Kraken’s Watch and camping. Two weeks before the battle, they broke camp and fast and crossed the bridge on the River Westmark, burning fields and villages as they came to the city. Only a mile outside the city, within sight of the palace and of Riga, they camped again and began preparing siege weapons. Battle The King Aleksander roused the army on the dawn after their arrival, gave the ‘Staunton Address’, had them armed and fed them with triple rations, before deferring command to Count Sven of Curon, his son. However Aleksander’s new kingdom, that sought to abolish the Horen dynasty, attracted many foreign armies to his aid most notably the Dreadlandic forces and a handful of Caliphate cavalry. 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.