Strategist Solos' Mission

[Prince Toad]

Solos Tyr
Nation: Remiurn
Rank: Strategist
Specialty: Crossbowmen
Gold: 0
Battle Record: 2-0
Generalship: 400
Charisma: 375
Sixth Sense: 250
Battle Skill: 200
Troop Morale: Good
Troops
60/60 Pikemen
22/22 Knights
10/10 Gargoyle Riders
27/27 Archers
112/112 Crossbowmen
23/23 Horse Archers
10/10 Pegasus Archers
1/1 Spy
6/6 Mages
4/4 Healers
1/1 Assassin
1/1 Guard
1/1 Subcommander (Alex)
_________________
278 Total

Your first assignment is basic training, to show you the ropes of battle.

Battlefield Info

As you are from Remiurn, the battlefield is mostly flat highlands. To the sides are mountains; behind your own troops is a small downward slope, same for the enemy.

Enemy Troop Estimate

Your sixth sense estimates the enemy at around 200 troops, the greatest portion of which appears to be infantry. Your spy informs you that the majority of their troops are pikemen, which is what he is posing as.

Enemy Commander Info

Your spy informs you that the enemy commander, Talir, specializes in pikemen. No surprise there.

How do you want to organize your troops? You are shown the basic "line" formation, where your cavalry are at the front, heavy infantry next, light and medium infantry after that, archers and crossbowmen next, and finally horse archers as well as random units. Flying units are the same, but in the air, starting with your wyvern riders and then your pegasus archer behind. You can divide your troops into squadrons if you want. You may lead one, and your subcommander may lead one. Alternatively, you can just command your units as a whole. You are shown the basic commands-- advance, retreat, and hold ground, all of which are doable from the line formation.

What are your commands?

[ July 05, 2004, 12:09 PM: Message edited by: Prince Toad ]

[KirbyBoy2000]

Line formation seems good. My mages, crossbowmen, and Pegasus Archers will fire upon the pikemen. My Pikement will form a wall to defend the ranged units. Horse Archers are to fire on other units that aren't pikemen. The Knights are to stay back away from the pikemen, and The Gargoyle Riders are to stay back and try to defend the pegasus archers.

[Prince Toad]

Your units form up in line formation, except the knights, who stay behind the pikemen. The crossbows release withering fire on the enemy pikes, causing, by your estimate, about two thirds of them to leave the field. (You're using practice, blunt weapons.) The mages knock out a couple more, and all but one pegasus archer connect after taking to the air. The horse archers take out only three knights.

The enemy's knights charge immediately, seeing the threat of your crossbows. Their superior speed brings them very close to your line before your army recovers from its attack. The pikemen, surprisingly fast even for Remiurn's, also advance rapidly. By next turn, they'll be attacking. The gargoyles advance, but slower. His crossbows open fire, hitting about half of your pikemen. His horse archers manage to hit two of your pegasus archers with impressive shots.

Your commands?

[KirbyBoy2000]

Insomnia Post. -well, it was late when I started typing it.

Ranged:About half of my Crossbowmen will shoot at the incoming pikemen, with Horse Archers assisting them. The rest of my Crossbowmen will shoot at the Knights. Pegasus Archers are to shoot at the Knights.
Melee:Some pikemen will stay behind, the others will go out and attack the knights. My Knights are to go out and fight the horse archers, or other knights if they can't reach them. My gargoyle riders will attack the knights or pikemen and try to clear a path to the horse archers if there isn't one.
Other: Mages attack gargoyle riders. Healers... heal?

[Prince Toad]

Just so you know, lighter ranged units might not kill heavier enemies in actual battle (like peg archers vs. knights), but right now any hit is a kill.

Your crossbowmen and pegasus archers release. Due to your proficiency with them, every last pikemen is sent to the side, but only about half of the fast-moving knights are hit. The enemy's crossbowmen and horse archers take out all but five of your pikemen, and seven of your gargoyle riders. Your mages knock out two gargoyle riders.

Your pikemen try to form up, but with only five, it's not much use. While two enemy knights are scored, each of your pikemen is hit, and ten of your crossbowmen are as well. Your own knights counter and take out most of the enemy knights-- the remainder are finished by your gargoyle riders-- but the horse archers are out of reach. The enemy gargoyle riders swoop in and take out your pegasus archers.

Looking over your troops, you count three gargoyle riders, all 20 knights and horse archers, about 70 crossbowmen, and the two mages. The enemy is down to three gargoyle riders, the five horse archers, and about two score crossbowmen.

Your commands? (Check the main topic to see how to write them.)

[KirbyBoy2000]

Umm.. take out everything? Maybe if things mattered more I'd be more cautious... But right now it seems pretty much one sided.

[Prince Toad]

You know, two score = 40... it's not quite over with yet.

[KirbyBoy2000]

Crossbowmen: about 10 will shoot the gargoyle riders. The rest will attack the crossbowmen.
Mages: Attack Gargoyle Riders.
Horse Archers:Half Shoot Horse Archers, The others will attack the crossbowmen.
Knights: 1/4th will attack the orse archers, the rest will attack the crossbowmen.

[Prince Toad]

That'll do it. Every enemy soldier has been defeated, and you are the victor.

You are granted 1000 gold for winning the field training, which may be spent however you please. It's also a good nudge towards promotion.

You can spend that gold and then report for your first assignment.

[KirbyBoy2000]

I'll buy: 2 Mages, a Pegasus Archer, 20 Crossbowmen, 20 archers.

[Prince Toad]

Your purchases finished, you go to receive your orders.

On what is known in Remiurn as the War Wall, you find a pair of missions available for Tacticians.

1) Defense of a minor fortress at the edge of the highlands
2) Decoy force for a Battle Commander's invasion

There are several others, similarly low-class missions, but these are the only two that have not been taken. Your choice?

[KirbyBoy2000]

Defend the fort.

[Prince Toad]

You cross out the mission and sign your name in the line next to it.

Gathering your troops, you head to the fort. It seems like it's falling apart as you enter. The area is minor and unimportant, but a skirmish force under a new commander from Dyrn is expected.

Battlefield Info

The fort is walled on each side, with a gate to the east, but it is all in a poor state of repair. The walls could probably be hacked apart if you aren't careful. Beyond the fort are the flat highlands typical of Remiurn on all sides, with some hills containing iron ore mines farther west. Dyrn is to the east of Remiurn. You can see for miles on every side. The first obstruction is the hill range to the west.

Pre-Battle

Where do you wish to deploy your troops?

[KirbyBoy2000]

I shall name my subcommander Alex, and let him figure out what to do with the pikemen and cavalry units. I will also leave him 2 healers
My Archers, Crossbowmen, and Mages will go to the fort to prepare to shoot enemies. Flying units will stay down untill further orders. my remaining healer will go into the fort.

[Prince Toad]

Pre-Combat Orders

The enemy is flanking the fort. A contingency of mixed melee cavalry and infantry is coming from the west, and a large band of mixed long range, including foot, mounted, and flying, is coming from the east.

Choose where to deploy your spy, as well as orders for your troops.

[KirbyBoy2000]

spy to the ranged army. I'll give Alex all of the flying units, and take away about half of his knights. I will then send him toward the melee army.
Crossbowmen: Half to guard and attack the melee side, the rest to guard and attack the ranged side.
Archers: Same as crossbowmen
Mages: Same.
Knights: Rush the ranged side and take out any archers and horsemen I can.

[Prince Toad]

You deploy your forces as stated. Your spy relates information back to you.

Enemy Troop Estimate

Your spy reports from the east, where the ranged units are. They have about fifty each archers, crossbowmen, and-- beware-- pegasus archers. They have twenty horse archers as well, and ten knights as melee emergency units.

You look to the west. Your sixth sense tells you there are 500 units. About two hundred appear to be light and heavy cavalry, which you can't tell apart at this distance, and another three hundred look like infantry. You don't see any pikes, but you can't tell if they're mercenaries or soldiers, or a mix.

Enemy Commander Info

Your spy informs you that the commander, Yunor-- who is indeed on the east flank-- specializes in pegasus archers. He's in the air, well out of bowshot.

You don't know whether there's a subcommander or not on the western flank. They don't seem very organized, but that could be due to Dyrn's general lack of quality units and training-- you don't know if that extends to their subcommanders or not.

****************************

Alex takes the troops you sent him to the western side of the fort.

Alex commands his crossbowmen to shoot their cavalry, and his archers to shoot their infantry. He signals that they've hit their targets. Your own crossbowmen, having no orders, shoot blindly at the enemy, as well as your archers. Many of them bring down some enemy. They duck behind the walls. Their long range advances toward the fort, having been out of range. Their pegasus archers take wing, but don't fire.

Their knights on your end charge forward at the walls. They'll reach next turn.

On the other side, Alex signals that they are charging as well.

Your orders?

[KirbyBoy2000]

Half of my Crossbowmen + Me and Guard w/ Crossbows: Shoot the knights advancing at the fort.
Other Crossbowmen, All Archers, and Mages: shoot at ranged units, Archers going mainly for the pegasus archers.
My Knights: Go out to attack the archers and horse archers.

[Prince Toad]

You, your guard, and the half of your crossbows shooting manage to unhorse and presumably kill all of the enemy knights. The other ranged units and mages on your side between them bring down all enemy crossbowmen and even a few archers, although no horse archers or pegasi. Your archers only hit two pegasi, but their riders are knocked off and killed. Their archers and horse archers shoot at the fort. Most of their arrows bounce off the crenellations or fall short, but you notice three of your crossbowmen fall. Then their pegasus archers, who are by now above the wall height, release their arrows. You see about fifteen more crossbowmen, as well as three of your archers, fall. They will be above the fort next turn.

Alex's long range loose. His horse archers are shooting blindly, but appear to be hitting anyway, and his pegasi have taken to the air. The rest have targets.

You note Alex's pikemen assembling at the western gate, with his knights behind. He notices the pegasus archer problem, and has sent his gargoyle riders back to you for orders.

The enemy's horsemen crash into the gate. It holds, but barely. Alex signals that there are many infantry behind, although he has taken out their pikemen and knights.

Your knights charge out at the ranged units. Between them they take down about seventeen archers.

Your orders?

[ June 13, 2004, 04:34 PM: Message edited by: Prince Toad ]

[KirbyBoy2000]

Half of Crossbowmen, and Archers: Shoot pegasus archers.
Other Half of Crossbowmen,Mages, Me, and My guard: Assist Alex by shooting some melee units.
Knights: Take out horse archers and archers.
Gargoyle Riders: Attack Pegasus Archers.