Difference between revisions of "Second Battle of the Rothswood"
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==Prelude== | ==Prelude== | ||
| − | The ''Second Battle of the Rothswood'' was the first and | + | The '''Second Battle of the Rothswood''' was the first and only major battle between the Greyspine Coalition, led by House Ruthern, and their allies against the [[Kingdom of Courland]] and their allies during the [[Greyspine Rebellion]]. The battle was located around the manor of House Tosali, and lasted overnight with a decisive victory for the Coalition, ultimately leading to the reformation of the [[Kingdom of Haense]], and the [[Holy Orenian Empire]]. |
==Battle== | ==Battle== | ||
| − | + | Early on the morning of the 7th, Harren deployed his army of 5,200 men across the snowy field to the south of the Rothswood. The army was divided into three sections, the left was held by the mercenary Dunamis company, while the center and the right was largely made of Ruthern levymen and Haeseni militia. The Courlanders had 7,200 men, 2,000 more than their enemy, and so were slow to deploy. Chroniclers note that each man was given a full meal and a warm wash before the battle on orders of Duke Francis. The Duke was noted to be particularly overconfident, owing to his superior advantage of numbers and the forest that he held. Harren's strategy required Courland to attack, while Francis intended to wait for the Coalition army to succumb to hunger and the cold. | |
| − | + | Knowing this, Harren ordered his archers to fire upon the Courlander line, in hopes of baiting a charge. Unbeknownst to him, one arrow had struck Francis and he was immediately evacuated from the battle, leaving only minor lieutenants to command. Without a strong leader, the Courlanders on the left flank charged, assumedly comforted by their numbers. The mercenaries of Dunamis counter-charged, and quickly turned the melee into a rout for the Courlanders. Seeing this, Harren ordered the entire line to consolidate and push the left. The entire Courlander army turned and charged, and the fight quickly devolved into a melee among the trees. The heavy snow of the Haeseni valley slowed the heavily armored Courlander men-at-arms, while the lightly armored Coalition soldiers were able to move with agility and speed. This provided a significant advantage to Harren, whose army slaughtered a great amount of the Courlander host in the first charge alone. | |
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| + | The remaining Courlanders retreated into the Tosali manor at the center of the forest, hoping to seek shelter and more solid ground for fighting in armor. Harren ordered a bombardment of the manor with Alchemist's Fire, which quickly burned through any man that was caught outside. Once the fire had dissipated, a final charge was ordered, the costliest one for the Coalition. Ultimately, the Coalition had the numbers to its advantage and was able to sweep up any final pockets of resistance. | ||
==Aftermath== | ==Aftermath== | ||
| − | The | + | The Coalition victory in the Rothswood avenged the [[Great Northern War]] and broke the status quo of the time. King Joseph was pressured by unhappy nobles in Aleksandria to end the war, and conceded the former territories of the Kingdom of Haense. Soon after, [[Stephen I of Haense|King Stephen]] was elected as King of Hanseti and Ruska by the Duma of Haense, and the Kingdom was fully restored. |
[[Category:Battles]] | [[Category:Battles]] | ||
[[Category:Axios]] | [[Category:Axios]] | ||
Revision as of 17:41, 1 June 2020
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Prelude
The Second Battle of the Rothswood was the first and only major battle between the Greyspine Coalition, led by House Ruthern, and their allies against the Kingdom of Courland and their allies during the Greyspine Rebellion. The battle was located around the manor of House Tosali, and lasted overnight with a decisive victory for the Coalition, ultimately leading to the reformation of the Kingdom of Haense, and the Holy Orenian Empire.
Battle
Early on the morning of the 7th, Harren deployed his army of 5,200 men across the snowy field to the south of the Rothswood. The army was divided into three sections, the left was held by the mercenary Dunamis company, while the center and the right was largely made of Ruthern levymen and Haeseni militia. The Courlanders had 7,200 men, 2,000 more than their enemy, and so were slow to deploy. Chroniclers note that each man was given a full meal and a warm wash before the battle on orders of Duke Francis. The Duke was noted to be particularly overconfident, owing to his superior advantage of numbers and the forest that he held. Harren's strategy required Courland to attack, while Francis intended to wait for the Coalition army to succumb to hunger and the cold.
Knowing this, Harren ordered his archers to fire upon the Courlander line, in hopes of baiting a charge. Unbeknownst to him, one arrow had struck Francis and he was immediately evacuated from the battle, leaving only minor lieutenants to command. Without a strong leader, the Courlanders on the left flank charged, assumedly comforted by their numbers. The mercenaries of Dunamis counter-charged, and quickly turned the melee into a rout for the Courlanders. Seeing this, Harren ordered the entire line to consolidate and push the left. The entire Courlander army turned and charged, and the fight quickly devolved into a melee among the trees. The heavy snow of the Haeseni valley slowed the heavily armored Courlander men-at-arms, while the lightly armored Coalition soldiers were able to move with agility and speed. This provided a significant advantage to Harren, whose army slaughtered a great amount of the Courlander host in the first charge alone.
The remaining Courlanders retreated into the Tosali manor at the center of the forest, hoping to seek shelter and more solid ground for fighting in armor. Harren ordered a bombardment of the manor with Alchemist's Fire, which quickly burned through any man that was caught outside. Once the fire had dissipated, a final charge was ordered, the costliest one for the Coalition. Ultimately, the Coalition had the numbers to its advantage and was able to sweep up any final pockets of resistance.
Aftermath
The Coalition victory in the Rothswood avenged the Great Northern War and broke the status quo of the time. King Joseph was pressured by unhappy nobles in Aleksandria to end the war, and conceded the former territories of the Kingdom of Haense. Soon after, King Stephen was elected as King of Hanseti and Ruska by the Duma of Haense, and the Kingdom was fully restored.
