The Battle for Eclano

The Realm of Portomaggiore. The end of autumn, IC2404

The Villa Bruscatta was neatly laid out. It had an ancient, sturdy temple, possessing chapel-alcoves dedicated to Morr, Myrmidia and Mercopia, and minor altars for several other gods of note, while the house was a more modern affair. Both were incorporated into a walled yard, beside which was a well-tended orchard. Laying in a wide valley in the Savuolo Hills, to the east of the ancient road running south of Portomaggiore, it was normally a very haven of peace. Today was to prove an exception.

A substantial force of Sartosan pirates, a detached part of Admiral Volker’s invading army commanded by the sorcerer Adus Arcabar, had begun ravaging the entire region of Eclano, and was closing on the villa to increase its haul of loot. As they drew within sight of the villa, an advance party from the other half of the army arrived, being Captain Kardreath Leadforge’s Sea Slayers, a dwarven crew who had continued to march in the darkest hours of the night while the rest of Volker’s force rested. Leadforge reported that the Portomaggioran city garrison was closing in on the villa too. But not to worry, he added, as Admiral Volker was also on his way and should be there soon.

Ah, but will it be soon enough? thought Arcabur.

Still, it could prove ruinous to attempt a retreat, for then the enemy might gain the initiative, able to pick them off piecemeal as they withdrew. Besides, the Admiral, whom Arcabar considered a good friend, was not a man he wanted to disappoint, and so he ordered his force to array in line of battle as they closed in on the villa. They would see if they could keep the enemy busy long enough for Volker to arrive.

He himself joined Captain Garique’s crew, a body of handgunners, on the right of the line nearest to the villa.

Another smaller company of handgunners stood to their immediate left, being part of Captain Van Baas’s crew, while the newly arrived dwarfs were beyond, with Captain Van Baas’s crew on the battle-line’s far flank.

Captain Leadforge led the cheering from his regiment, while Van Baas brooded in his usual manner, employing his hook-hand to give rest to his cutlass blade.

The Sartosan artillery pieces, big and small, were placed to the far left of the line, with the sakers higher than the swivels.

These were entirely unprotected, perhaps because the Sartosans presumed that anything attempting to close on them would be torn to pieces by the sheer weight of firepower they could bring to bear? And yet, a body of enemy light horse was indeed riding upon that flank …

… and boldly crested a hill to stare right at the serried muzzles.

Upon the enemy’s other flank there were more pistoliers – two companies – beside a ribaudequin with brass barrels.

These too now promptly advanced – more cautiously than their counterparts on the far left of their line – riding through the orchard and thus concealing their movement.

This pincer-movement of light horse seemed to prove that the Portomaggiorans had come here to fight. The force massed in the centre of the Portomaggioran’ line was clearly intended to be a defensive garrison, for the vast majority were missile troops, with a large regiment of Sea Guard handgunners, a body of mercenary dwarven crossbows and the local Eclanian militia crossbowmen, the latter mustered under an impressive Portomaggioran standard bearing a Falconi emblem (revealing that much of Eclano was Lord Alessio’s family estates).

The main fighting regiment was beside the handgunners, being the Sea Guard swordsmen, an elite body under the command of Lord Nero Acciaio, military governor of the city state in Lord Alessio’s absence. One of the garrison’s two wizards was also among their ranks, the other having joined the handgunners.

Even more crossbowmen had taken position on the higher ground to the right of their line, ordered to keep an eye out for the enemy relief force known to be marching from Scalea.

Behind these was the garrison’s second fighting regiment, the mercenary dwarfs under Girseak Irongrim, being mostly his own clan warriors. And behind them were four brutes carrying cannons, or ‘leadbelchers’ as they called themselves, these having the potential to be most destructive both when shooting and when fighting.

While the Sartosans in the main line shuffled a little to better align themselves to the foe, with Captain Garique’s personally commanded handgunners wheeling about …

… to get a better line of sight on whatever was disturbing the trees of the orchard …

… the swivel gunners turned their attention upon the little company of horse up ahead …

… bringing two of them down. The survivors were not dismayed by their comrades’ demise and continued their ride.

Arcabar intended, now he could se what was moving through the trees, to conjure a fireball at the pistoliers in the orchard  …

… but his efforts were thwarted by the enemy’s wizards, who unwound the etheric vapours he was coiling to form a fiery flash.

The three cannons all targeted the main dwarf regiment, two employing chain-shot, but only one was to prove successful, killing five.

Irongrim’s warriors were battle hardened veterans however, and despite not one being unspattered by blood, they began their advance, the ogres following behind, matching the dwarfs’ slow pace.

The last of the pistoliers on that flank, keen both to avoid further harm and to contribute to the struggle, rode quickly to the close flank of enemy’s artillery …

… but perhaps due to being somewhat shaken, their shots all missed.

On the other flank, the Harbour Guard swordsmen marched up beside the chapel …

… while the wizard with them attempted to summon a magical burning gaze on Garique’s handgunners.

Arcabar sensed the impending danger and used his precious scroll to dispel the attack. The wizard with the Sea Guard handgunners, however, had also conjured fire magic …

… hurling a fireball at the smallest of the two enemy handgunner companies. This killed more the half of them. Despite this harm, those remaining stayed put.

While the crossbowmen on the hill managed to bring down one of the swivel gunners, two of the ogres could aim their muzzles at Van Baas’s regiment. Their blast killed two, then the dwarfs put down another three and the Eclanian standing force crossbows added another casualty. Van Baas and his men barely flinched. The grey coated captain simply stared intently at the foe, as if he knew something they did not.

(End of Turn 1)