Chapter I - Otremer - II/04

II/04

The Duke saw that his lines is breaking up but instead of making a retreat to reorganize the lines he ordered his archers to fire into the front line. He was too confident but less artful in warfare. His bowman fired continously into the lines making more damage to his own comrades than the enemy. The Duke's lines finally broken up and his men begun to flee.

Said's Duke gone mad. He ordered a full scale attack for his elite knights. They've beaten up the archers in front of them making tham scatter and confused. The knights rush could not be effective as they could not speed up for the charge because they reached his fleeing first line. They slowed down to nearly stop as they tried no to trample thier own comrades.

The Guild's assassins with the leading of Urak noticed the confusion and begun to chase the fleeing lines. As they reached the knights crowded with the scattered spearmen Urak made his order - Forget the scalps and take the knights down! CHARGE! - and the assassins jumped onto the horses and dropped the knights down. They scared the horses so the heavy armored men dropped to the ground. It was not a battle anymore. It was pure massacre. 

The king's forces maintained the lines and slowly followed the retreating Duke and his army. The Duke reached Said. He ordered to close the gates immediately. Most of his remaining forces trapped in front of the city gates. The Guild's warriors killed 'em all.

- No mercy to the traitors! Punish 'em!! - screamed Urak.

Korak knew that his remaining forces are far not enough to maintain a sige on Said. The Duke suffered great losses by his wrong decisions but he still got enough men to hold the city walls for weeks or even till the norhtern hordes arrival. The king confered with Nomak. They agreed that they do not have the forces for a siege nor an attack. They had to decide if they are gonna fall back to Alaid and gather the kingdom's army to face the Duke's and the Warlords's armies or try to take Said and hope to defend it. They have no time to think or to prepare.

Korak, king of the seven cities wanted to finish the rebellion and the invasion before it's start hoping that if he takes down the inner ally of the northerns they will rethink their plans. The king did not know however that the nord forces were closer than he ever dreamt. ...

Chapter I - Otremer - II/03

II/03

Monthes later...

The two armies stood on a flat height face to face. Not far from the city of Said. The Duke of Said's army with it's yellow flags were arranged in three rows. The archer stood in the first row. About 400. The second row stood in a loose formation, Spearman and man-at-arms. The man-at-arms were equipped well. Their chainmails and shield were nearly new and their yellow coat of arms were shining in the morning sun. The spearmans were mostly town militia man and some professional mercenary. A bit more than 500 man-at-arms 1 000 spearmen, and on the third row the Duke and his 150 elite knights.

The Duke were to defend but he felt so confident about his victory he marched out of his city to fight a "traditional" battle. The invader was the true king of Said. Korak the king of the seven cities Ulan, Akbar, Acron, Alaid, Kugel, Al'iktel and Said. The Duke raised against his king with the help of the northern Warlords, whom promised him the title of "King of the seven cities" after they conquered the kingdom. With such an ally the Duke were certain in his victory.

But there were a little problem with his plans. That Korak acted swiftly and made a pre-attack to maintain the unity of the realm in facing the northern invade.

Korak's army were however smaller in numbers. He only had two rows standing on the field. In the first line stood the well trained armored spearmen in a thick line, all the 800 soldiers. 150 archers and about 100 field assassins in the second line. The archers stood on the left flank and in the center. The assassins strengthened the right flank.

The field assassins are an elite group of light armed warriors. They were loyal to whom they were payed by. They were more dangerous even in small numbers than 1 000 swordsmans.

Korak had little time to prepare to prevent the warlords armies to arrive so he had to pay large sums of gold for some mercenaries as he had no time to gether his forces. He was happy to accept the services of the Guild but he thought that there will be a bit more than only 100 field assassins beside their renown. 

The Duke was impatient as he wanted to get back to his palace fabricating his future plans so he signald attack. Korak was surprised by his enemy's move but Nomak made him calm down.

-Don't worry lord. They've made a great favor for us.

- Good. So let them come like man!

- Urak! Lead the front. Charge by my signal! - ordered Nomak.

- At once sire! - Urak replied.

The duke's army marched up crying battle. As they got closer the archers begun to fire and the loose form of the second row gone thick as they left the archers. The knights walked slowly and they stopped behind the archers.

The Captain leading the king's army made his orders:

- Hold 'em! HOLD!!

The two army crashed. The shield wall held the duke's men. The forces matched evenly. The king's archers pulled back a little to be able to fire the charging town militia. The spearman held the attack well but they got tired and the man-at-arms of the duke gained space. Nomak than made the signal to Urak. The field assassins did not fought till that point.

Urak saw the signal and made his orders:

- Ready! ... Spearman! OPEN UP! - The right flank splited up in no time. The assassins raided out swarming the duke's left flank. The duke's town militia got scared and begun to flee as their first line fall down in pieces just in a minute. The king's right flank closed back behind the Guild's forces and begun to push to the center to maintain the lines.  ...