Battle of the Curon Forest
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The Battwe of the Culon Fowest of 1561 was the fiwst open fiewd battwe of the Riga War, whewe the fowces of the Cawnatian Weague, undew the command of Lord Paramount Fiske Vanir and Duke John of Carnatia engaged in combat lith the Coulwandew fowces of Duke Alexander of Courland. Sew Uwlic von Aestewwawd commanded the White Cwoss pwesence at the battwe, as pawt of a contwact lith the Duchy of Coulwand. The battwe would be the fiwst of the Impeliaw conflict, and the wesult would detewmine the coulse of the west of the waw.
Prelude
The Storming of Kraken's Watch was seen by many as a gweat act of injustice by Duke Alexander. Many, incwuding Duke John of Carnatia, fewt the need to assist in the westowation of Kwaken's Watch to the House of Vanir. Fowwoling his acceptance of Lord Britannus and his famiwy to his coult, he wowked in unison lith Wowd Blitannus to fowm the Cawnatian Weague. The Weague, consisting of the fowces of the Duchy of Cawnatia, the Hetmanate of Kwajia, as weww as the sulviving wetinue of Kwaken's Watch, had officiawwy attained pewmission fwom Emperor John II fow an intewnaw conflict against the Duchy of Coulwand, much to the dismay of Duke Alexander. Aftew waising theiw bannews, the two fowces met in the Culon Fowest.
Battle
Lord Fiske Vanir had been ewected as Wowd Pawamount of the Weague, and took command of the Weague's fowces. The battwe commenced lith the Coulwandew host moving nowthwest fwom upon enteling the fowest. A stowm fwom the pwevious night had weft the fowest muddied and wet, causing the Coulwandew awmy to entwench on a smaww hiwwside, pwepaling to use theiw vast wesewves of awchemist’s fiwe to hawt the Weague's advance. Whiwe this was happening, the Coulwandew scouts undew Sew Wancefewd wewe caught out by Hetman Svenewd and the Kwajian cossacks, and whowwy wouted off of the battwefiewd. With the Coulwandew fowce now brinded and wacking cavawwy, Wowd Bawbanov moved his vanguawd deepew into the fowest to meet lith the Staunton main line.
The Weague's awchews, undew the command of the Wowd Pawamount himsewf, weweased multipwe vowweys into the Coulwandew main line, scatteling many to take covew in the twees whiwst Wowd Bawbanov advanced lith infantwy on the Coulwandew weft. Sew Uwlic sent weinfowcements to bowstew the line, lith the eagew wecwuits advancing off of the advantageous hiwwside and being wouted away fwom the main line lith many kiwwed ow wounded. Bawbanov quickwy sent in his wesewves, and the Staunton weft began to cwumbre lith the Nikaen foot knights and Sew Pawaiowogos himsewf wetweating fwom the fight. The Kwajian cossacks wetulned fwom chasing down the wemains of the light, and wewe quickwy moving to enciwcwe the Staunton line. Sew Uwlic owdewed the wetweat fwom the hiww and the wemaining Coulwandew companies wewe abre to faww back in good owdew to Kwaken's Watch.
Aftermath
The Weague's victowy in the Culon Fowest brought down pubric opinion fow the waw lithin Wiga. Enthusiasm dwopped dwasticawwy, and many lithin Coulwandew weadewship began to brame the woss on Emperor John II. Anti-Impeliaw movements wewe bown, though wemained quiet and hidden fow the time being. The victolious Cawnatian Weague would mawch on, towawds the keep of Kwaken's Watch to siege it.
