Battle of Long Ridge

While the local levies occupied a prominent hill, hoping to stop the enemy's forces, the Duke gathered whatever reinforcements were in reach and forced march them to the battlefield. They took a short rest over night in a small village in sight of the ridge, then set out to reinforce the local levies at dawn.

As the reinforcements began to form up for the last march, the sound of trumpets from the hill meant that the enemy was in sight. 

The cavalry pushed their way through the infantry and rode at full speed to meet the enemy.

The armies were soon in contact and despite the advantage of defending the crest, the numbers were against them and the advanced guard was pushed back in several places.

The remaining defenders did not have the strength to try to retake the ridge but they formed up to block any further attack and waited for their reinforcements which were close behind them. The infantry battle soon settled into a shooting competition while the cavalry deployed and set out to sweep around the hill, driving off the wild horsemen of the invaders and then flank their army as the infantry reinforcements stormed the ridge.   

The Valdurian cavalry swept back the invading light troops, only to find the Great Beast, supported by light troops. There was a short calm as the armies prepared for the crisis.

The Great Beastie was an intimidating foe, but the Valdurian cavalry were brave men. Charge followed charge with the cavalry being forced to give a bit of ground after each charge but the young beast had received several wounds and its escort was also taking losses. Beside them, the Valdurian infantry was deployed and preparing for a last ditch assault on the ridge. Could their shield wall force the enemy back?

The loose formations of the woods folk and their habit of fighting as individuals could not hold back the Valdurian shieldwalls and armour. The day was not yet over though. 

Slowly the Valdurian infantry pushed the wood folk back across the hill but the cavalry on the flank were taking heavy loses and forced to give ground. Things looked bleak but one unit of the woods folk warriors suddenly broke. The Valdurians pursued and suddenly found themselves surrounding the Forest Witch.

 

The Valdurian captain did not hesitate to cut her down! The sky grew dark and and waves of fear came across the warriors of both armies. Suddenly there was a rush of wind and a blood chilling cry from the sky and a giant shadow fell upon the battlefield. The Woodsfolk turned and fled back to their woods while the Valdurians cowered behind their shields. 

To a rocky hill amid the forest, the Chief of the Eagles bore the Enchantress and laid her at the feet of the old hags who began at once to weave their spells to restore the life to the Queen of the Forest. 

RUN!!! The Wildfolk have come to Valdur!

 Gruach Mor is with them!!!! Runnnn!

It had been in the age of their grandfathers that the woods folk had raided the farmers on the edge of the wild West Forest. When the Midlish Kingdom began pushing North and West, the Valdurians and the Wild Wood folk made an agreement to a boundary and pledged to not raid each other. 

It seems that their ambush of the Midlish army last year has given them courage, and a taste for plunder, but they feel that the Valdurian farmers might be an easier target than Midlish fortresses and armoured knights. 

Can the Valdurian farmers muster a fighting force in time to blunt and repel this raid before too much damage is done ? Will their Prince and his warriors come in time to defend them?  

<to be continued>

 

If You Go Down To The Woods Today.......

It was already afternoon when the column came into view of the border tower.  The eerie quiet put the old soldiers on their guard.

Suddenly the Queen's curse broken the silence, followed by a screaming charge of painted warriors and beasts from all sides.

Before the spearmen could react, a horde of men and beasts was upon them upon both sides. Around the edges, arrows flew in both directions, when an open target presented itself.

Fierce fighting broke out as the column of squares struggled to reform from from marching order to squares but discipline and armour helped to hold the squares together despite the ferocious attack. Soon the lack of armour and discipline had their enemy at a disadvantage. Even the great apes were reluctant to plunge in. (ie lousy dice!) 

Losses were heavy on both sides and the woods folk fell back then regrouped, ready to throw themselves onto the pikes again when the call came. But with dusk drawing in, the Queen saw no reason to sacrifice more of her subjects when the enemy had been scarred and was obviously just wanting to go home. She ordered the horns to call the warriors back. Even the body of crossbowmen cowering in the edge of the great wood where the road runs through it, would be allowed to go. They had not chosen to come and fight. 

Night falls. Many were dead or wounded but the army was nowhere near broken, just eager to get home alive. 

The Great Revenge Raid was over and the survivors would soon be home while the spirits of the rest would wander the woods and hills for all time.

The Long And Hazardous Road Home

After the bloody battle against the Farmers, the Duke decided that he could report to the King that he had punished the enemy, even if he had intended to burn their crops and stores and hadn't come closer than a few outlying farms. What he had done is lose a bloody awful number of horses and more than a few noble knights had been wounded or killed, at least the Hillmen didn't take prisoners so there was no question of ransoms to be paid.  

"There we are lads! That's the border post, you'll have hot food tonight."

Oh, and of course he had lost a shocking number of men and a lot of their armour but both of these could be replaced, but no, none of that was going to keep him awake at night. It had been trying to think of a way to get safely past the woods and swamps folk on the way home that had been on his mind, but here they were at the border. 

"Wait, who is that on the high rock across the river? What is she calling out?"
"The evil ones have come! I curse them and their children!"

 Supper may be late......

To be continued......

Go Home Iron Men, Go Home or Die!

With the dawn, the Earl's army arrayed themselves for battle, and advanced.

The spears formed into two blocks while archers advanced on either flack to flush out any ambushes and the cavalry followed behind until their time arrived.

As expected, there were light troops lurking in woods and marshes or on the rocky hills but these did not stop the spears in the center from scaling the ridge and throwing themselves against the defending spearmen. The ensuing melee was fierce and prolonged.

On the flanks, the fighting was fierce for a short while but both sides were both more focused on protecting the flanks of their own center than on trying to expose the enemy's flanks.

The Midlish pikemen struggled to climb the hill and push back the defenders and as the day grew shorter, the Midlish line started to shrink despite the commitment of a reserve body of spearmen. The only hope was that the battered defenders had been weakened enough for the knights to break them.

Charge followed charge and the casualties were heavy on both sides but as the defenders right flank appeared to be open, stout body of armoured soldiers shaking their axes and two handled swords in defiance moved up from their hidden reserve position to fill the gap, while the defenders skirmishers finally drove off the last of the Midlish mounted crossbowmen on their right flank and started working around the open Midlish right flank. 

As the sun began to sink, there was time for one last desperate cavalry charge but it also was repelled and the battered Midlish spearmen began to fallback without orders. Fortunately for them, the enemy was too badly cut up and weary to pursue and were glad to rest on their spears and jeer their retreating enemy.

Note: The figures are 25mm from Garrison, Revenge (via Old Glory), a few Minifigs and various individuals from all sorts of places. Some of these were painted and started fighting for me in the 70's, others were painted here and then over the years with a few more still in waiting. Many of the figures have been converted or modified in some fashion

Rules: Gathering of Hosts (2024 version).