NationStates Jolt Archive

The Incognitian commander of marines, General Kingston, left his aides organising the landing for a while, and strode over to meet his Frozopian counterpart. They needed to co-ordinate their defenses, for one thing. For another, while he had been told of what was discussed by the Admiral, the role his men were to play here had not been directly mentioned.

"You!" To the first Frozopian who looked to hold rank. "Tell your general that the commander of the Incognitian marines wishes to speak with him, or a subordinate senior enough to alter the positioning of your defensive lines."

Conor looked up and openned his mouth to give an angry retort but William cut in.
"I am William, the commander of the Frozopians. And this is Conor, commander of horses. You wish to discuss our beach head?"

Kingston surreptitiously kicked himself. All very well talking to some lowly captain thus, but to unwittingly address the commanding general as "You!"...

Swiftly getting back to business;

"Yes. I know the Admiral discussed our fleet's role in this, but I do not think the Marines' contribution was discussed. What role should a force of arquebusiers and pikemen play in the plans on land?

Also, our defensive line is earthen ramparts, yours a wooden palisade. These will be difficult to match up. How do you wish to go about it?"

Lord General Nakamura is ashore with his aides and guards and he inspects the kirisuban camp and their defences. Samurai archers were also watching 50 feet out in all directions using a fox hole each to make their presence less obvious.

"Do not worry. Our idea's of a beach head are not so different: We use Earthen ramparts and palisade, a mix of both to create a very defensive position. We shall form a large rectangle several 100 meters in width and length around our current position. But you are right. It would be better if we worked with cohesion. I put the construction work and my men in your hands, at least temporarily untill the construction is done. Your men seem capable enough, and every Frozopian contributes to building. We also have 2000 engineers who hold expertise in the area. Remember there are several "Ready made" gates and walls to be carried ashore. I suggest you ask the Kiriusuban and the Ostians to make a similiar arrangement."

William paused, and then began again.
"Untill we can make definate naval raids, when we are sure of the demise of the enemy navy, your marines and arquebusiers should stay with the main force. Like all our infantry we will work as the main battle force: Soon I think we will be required to besiege the enemy, so we will need all the troops we have at hand. However your troops can stay and guard the beach head if they so wish."

"Soon we will be carrying out horse raids on the enemy. I will not lead infantry raids untill we are more certain of the enemy force. Now excuse me, I must see General Nakamura."

Walking towards the formidable man, William began:
"Lord General! It is time to take a horse raid on the enemy! Stir up some trouble to the south of here, and scout the land. 8000 of our Frozopian light cavalry have landed, and teamed with your Samurai horse archers they should cause hell. Conor." William indicated his brother "Will command the Frozopian horses. Are your men ready?"

OOC: North of Rockhampton? That puts you right on the edge of the jungle. You've only got barley any grain stores up there you know, your in the heaverly forested area.

IC: The next part of the Asutians plan was becoming clear. The lands north of the great river. (Thats the one to the north of grafton) was being evacuated, it's populance told to take what stores they ahd and to head for the cities. There grain and livestock and supplies where to be stroed in the cities, or destroyed. A vast pall of smoke rose over the land as Asutian messangers, burnt the crops.

Even now refugee camps where forming outside the major cities, the grain stores piling up. There was enough food here to last hundreds of thosuands of people for years, longer if salted and rasioned correctly. The cities where becoming overcrowdered as familly struggled to fit into rooms designed for one person, but such is the hardships of war.

Men brought out old swords and sheilds from hiding, relecs from there grandparents time. They sharpened them up and went out ins earch of work and food-a new law said that those that where not part of the maltia would not get there grain rations. (Excluding old people and children odviously)

To the south of the river the main Austian army, hundreds of thousands strong, assembled and went about it's duty. It's duty was clear, to destroy every bride on the river except for the two largest. They went about the task slowly and methodially, burning the wooden bridges once the townsfolk had got to the south of the river and using blackpowder to destroy the stone bridges. The work would take days but the Austians had the luctury of time.

The two bridges where now crowdered with refugees heading south, quing to get south, surving of handouts and there own supplys. many died from starvation and the crush but many, many more got south and survived. The army had split into 2 parts, 150,000 men to defend each bridge.

Meanwhile the Austian navy left p[ort, sailing east under a strong win for 2 weeks then they headed north, bypassing the enermy fleet entirly.

OOC: I know this policy isn't going to work completly. A lot of grainwill be distroyed, there will be some Asutian who refuse to leave. it'll cause desise and squalor. A lot of problems will arise. Starvation will be a rpoblem in a year or so. But theres only enough out there to keep your army going for 4-5 months, okay. even if you scour the entire place. Sending foraging partys into the jungle is odviously stupid, don't expect many to coem abck.

OOC: Your wasting your time. Terror and Angerman are a few miles away, and will be more than able to supply us, supplemented by our food that we ship in and capture. Im not worried about being on the edge of a forrest (ok maybe leave a mile or two gap in between the beach head and the forrest). BTW is rockhampton a city in your Aust? Hm thats alot of bridges to destroy, have fun.

As for lasting years, well Im not sure thats possible. I mean your flocking all your people into a few cities, people who wont be able to bring much food themselves but will eat just as much. But we will see.

Oh and have you evacuated Bambinio?

IC:
The first scouts were returning bringing news, so William gathered all the war leaders to hear the news. William was gleefull when he heard the news of the Austian forces splitting.
"The fools! We can finish them off one by one now. That is good news indeed. But where are they sending them too? That is what I would like to know."

"Theres a river you say? Probably they have pulled their forces to several likely crossing points or something simialar. Maybe to a couple of cities instead. Other scouts will bring us that news."

OOC: Your wasting your time. Terror and Angerman are a few miles away, and will be more than able to supply us, supplemented by our food that we ship in and capture. Im not worried about being on the edge of a forrest (ok maybe leave a mile or two gap in between the beach head and the forrest). BTW is rockhampton a city in your Aust? Hm thats alot of bridges to destroy, have fun.

As for lasting years, well Im not sure thats possible. I mean your flocking all your people into a few cities, people who wont be able to bring much food themselves but will eat just as much. But we will see.

Oh and have you evacuated Bambinio?

IC:
The first scouts were returning bringing news, so William gathered all the war leaders to hear the news. William was gleefull when he heard the news of the Austian forces splitting.
"The fools! We can finish them off one by one now. That is good news indeed. But where are they sending them too? That is what I would like to know."

"Theres a river you say? Probably they have pulled their forces to several likely crossing points or something simialar. Maybe to a couple of cities instead. Other scouts will bring us that news."
OOC: No, I've evacuated everyone to the south adn the cities. Your supply line may be drastically cut soon as well. we already established that it's going to be almost impossable to supply your army from the sea. You said yourself you'd need to live off the land.

And you wouldn't know about it yet. You landed north of rockhampton, (a city, small but still a city. pop: 50,000, probably about double that now.) now the bridges I'm distroying are hudnreds of miles to the osuth. Probably thousands, your talking about an entire contentant ehre. The distances are huge. It shouldn't take me long to destroy the bridges on this one river, the biggest in oz, far to the south.

OOC: I agree with Frozo on that one. Though food from me will get expensive, it's a good harvest, so we'll be okay.

IC: In accordance with standard practice, sloops were patrolling around the fleet; more than that, they were exploring down the coast to where the enemy navy was believed to be cowering.

One in particular, caught sight, though only from the masthead, through a telescope, of a vast fleet of ships. They were clearly going to be Austian, and unless they had seen them all, looked to be most of the Austian fleet. They were heading East.

The sloop had returned to the fleet. On the way, several other sloops had been sighted and signalled, so the news was alrady on the way to both the next contingent of the Navy on it's way to Aust, and to Nescia.

The message was soon passed to the other naval commanders; and the fleet sailed North-East, on the assumption that the Austians would turn North. If they did, they had no more than a couple of days head start, and would be likely to come across the Incognitians at some stage. Either shortly before, or shortly after, the rendezvous of the two parts of the fleet.

+++++++++On land.

With the building of defences duly co-ordinated, so the earthworks and palisades formed one encampment, General Kingston had returned to disembarking his men from the ships.
He now had a message from his naval colleague, Admiral Knox:
"Sirs, the Austian fleet has been spotted heading East. Our navy is about to depart, to intercept them; it is thought likely they will turn North. Your naval commanders have been informed; our ships are all going in search of the enemy fleet."

OOC: I agree with Frozo on that one. Though food from me will get expensive, it's a good harvest, so we'll be okay.

IC: In accordance with standard practice, sloops were patrolling around the fleet; more than that, they were exploring down the coast to where the enemy navy was believed to be cowering.

One in particular, caught sight, though only from the masthead, through a telescope, of a vast fleet of ships. They were clearly going to be Austian, and unless they had seen them all, looked to be most of the Austian fleet. They were heading East.

The sloop had returned to the fleet. On the way, several other sloops had been sighted and signalled, so the news was alrady on the way to both the next contingent of the Navy on it's way to Aust, and to Nescia.

The message was soon passed to the other naval commanders; and the fleet sailed North-East, on the assumption that the Austians would turn North. If they did, they had no more than a couple of days head start, and would be likely to come across the Incognitians at some stage. Either shortly before, or shortly after, the rendezvous of the two parts of the fleet.

+++++++++On land.

With the building of defences duly co-ordinated, so the earthworks and palisades formed one encampment, General Kingston had returned to disembarking his men from the ships.
He now had a message from his naval colleague, Admiral Knox:
"Sirs, the Austian fleet has been spotted heading East. Our navy is about to depart, to intercept them; it is thought likely they will turn North. Your naval commanders have been informed; our ships are all going in search of the enemy fleet."
OOC: terror, see invasion of K. thread. Your sloops would have been spotted and attacked, I have small quick ships myself you know. You certainly wouldn't have been able to track me for more than 3 or 4 days before it became too far away from your main fleet. And your ships will probably miss me, it's a big world you know and ships are very small. And you probably don't anticipate me going so far east, you'll proably over shoot me.

OOC: Your right on the land scout thing. My bad. I forgot the distance. As for supplies that is a big IF you cut our supplies. Even if you do destroy our navy, it will be incredibly difficult for you stop the Terror ships.

Also for your cities. I think you maybe fine for food, but what about water? Because an invading force would dam any nearby rivers, so how would they last a siege? Hundreds of wells wont do it (and is completely unrealistic), and there wont be that much rain.

And have you evacuated Bambinio? Is there a city where Rockhapton is located?

OOC: I know you have your own small swift ships, but you aren't going to get all of mine. Word will get through.

I'm not trying to track you, just get word out that you've sailed.

Strangely enough, if my men think you're heading east and then north (that's a guess because we know of nothing either due east or south east to interest you) they'll head home, using the communications links and resources of the home islands to hope to find you. And the fact that you've made such a massive detour makes us more likely to be ahead of you.

"So, what is our plan now on land?" Kingston asked.
"When do we move south?"

Meanwhile the fleet departed, with all possible speed; now carrying only their own complements of marines, this was swifter than their arrival.
The Frozopian naval vessels were welcome to follow, as were the Kirisubans, but some vessels had to stay with the army; and the Ostian galleys were too slow in the open sea to be worth bringing. (OOC: No offence Ostia)

OOC: Froztopia, please explain how your scouts travelled thousands of miles in a day? Hwere talking about distances that would take at least a week in MT let alone in PT, in PT where talking MONTHS. You probably, have at best, a vague idea of the forces arrayed against you within 20 miles, and the psoitioning of the citys ect. Certainly you do not know whats happening thousands of miles to the south. You may have an idea that i'm using a 'scorched earth policy but no actual idea how big it is.

IC: One knock on effect of the evacuation of almost 1 million extra people into the south of the coutnry, 5% of the coutnrys population was a increase in the number of emigrants to the itun (new Lands) of Aust, the fertile plains of the east of Aust. with only 2 million people living there currently hudnreds of ships where now shipping refugees over to the other side of the coutnry...

"It is my strong opinion that we should move now, while their navy is away. We must take and hold a major port, to facilitate the transport of supplies and reinforcements. I think we should march for Bambinio now."

OOC: Your right on the land scout thing. My bad. I forgot the distance. As for supplies that is a big IF you cut our supplies. Even if you do destroy our navy, it will be incredibly difficult for you stop the Terror ships.

Also for your cities. I think you maybe fine for food, but what about water? Because an invading force would dam any nearby rivers, so how would they last a siege? Hundreds of wells wont do it (and is completely unrealistic), and there wont be that much rain.

And have you evacuated Bambinio? Is there a city where Rockhapton is located?

Can you not friggin read!? Sheesh man. Bloody read this post! I am getting really sick of this.....

IC:
"The men have been working all day at these defences and are tired, but perhaps you are right. Our scouts have marked a rough route we can take southwards till we reach some roads. Give the men 3 hours to rest and prepare, and then we march throughout the night. Agreed?" William turned to Conor: "Tell the Kirisuban and the Ostians our plan, and prepare your horse troop. I want you to leave in an hour. You must scour the path with your horseman."

"Yes brother." Conor turned and headed to the allied generals, telling them the new orders before gathering his own captains. He also paused to ask the Kiriusuban general to lend the Frozopians the horse archers.

Kingston nods, and departs. He can soon be heard bellowing orders; and but for posting sentries from amongst those men best rested, the remainder of his marines are resting within minutes. In three hours time, they will be swiftly ready to move again.

Lord General Nakamura gives the order and places a Christian samurai that can speak latin in charge of them.

the samurai goes over to Lord Conor and introduces himself as Captain Omura.

Can you not friggin read!? Sheesh man. Bloody read this post! I am getting really sick of this.....

IC:
"The men have been working all day at these defences and are tired, but perhaps you are right. Our scouts have marked a rough route we can take southwards till we reach some roads. Give the men 3 hours to rest and prepare, and then we march throughout the night. Agreed?" William turned to Conor: "Tell the Kirisuban and the Ostians our plan, and prepare your horse troop. I want you to leave in an hour. You must scour the path with your horseman."

"Yes brother." Conor turned and headed to the allied generals, telling them the new orders before gathering his own captains. He also paused to ask the Kiriusuban general to lend the Frozopians the horse archers.
OOC: Sory, missed the post. Water will be problkem, odviously we have lot of wells and a rive running through the city (Blocking that wold be kinda hard...where talking somthing like the Rhine here!)

And terrors ships are heading north.

If we cant block it (maybe not even block it, just divert it), then we could poison it. I look forward to exposing this weakness: Wells cant feed a whole city.

OOC: My ships have gone north. But hey, so have yours. That leaves the field wide open for my merchants to supply the army. If not, word will soon get back, and the remaining part of my (very soon to be stretched) navy will be committed. We'll see.

On the river, we don't have to make you run out of water. We could just use the fact there's a massive river to gain access. If it's that size you can't exactly fortify all access to it :cool:

"It is good to meet you captain. We leave in 1 hour, to raid the enemy as we head south. Make sure your Samurai stay out of any intense combat: Dont let our forces get trapped." Conor spoke some further to the captain, before and hour later the raiding force left the beach head, roughly 8000 Frozopian light cavalry and 500 Samurai horse archers.

Travelling south, they seeked any small enemy garrisons to destroy them, but it soon became apparent that the enemy had fled anyways.........

"they knew we were coming and retreated so they could either shorten their supply lines or regroup" Captain Omura suggests to Lord Conor.

"either way they don't want to fight us yet. Giving ground so you fight at a better location is a sound strategy in any country"

In the city of Bambinio a great work was taking palce, hudnreds of people being commited to it. General ySung watched as more loads of rubble where carried past. What he was proposing was a radical plan, far diffrent from anything ever attempted before...

The allied horsemen scoured the land, spreading out in a fan, but most of what was in their path was unoccupied.
Heading further and further south they found the land even more empty, but there was still much to be gained.

Many Austians had disobeyed their emperors orders, and many did not have the time to take everything away. There was lifestock that had been driven into the hills that the allies found, there was the farms produce buried under various floor boards, and the Frozopians, effiecient raiders as ever, found them.

It was not a great amount of food, but it was far better than nothing.

Soon the allied force was marching south: 5000 Frozopians and more allies (OOC: you guys give the numbers) were left to defend the beach head and secure the surrounding territory.

Soon the allied forces were marching south at an alarming rate, confident of security due to their horsemen securing the route. As the night passed, they got closer and closer to Bambinio.

1000 marines remained with the beach-head. Many of them were not primarily soldiers, but were focussed on recieving the supplies sent from Incognitia on merchant vessels.
Another 1000 of the 10,000 had been devoted to making sure the supplies reached the main force.

When they reached Bambinio they would find the gates wide open, the streets empty...

OOC: Short, information post ehre.

while some of the Kirisuban army marched with the allies (6000 of them) a lot of the kirisuban army had stayed to defend the beachhead (7000 of them.).

with their defences in place they kept alert for enemy movements and Lord General Nakamura in his command tent had a lot to think about. he knew if this fell the invasion wouldn't stand a chance.

the 13 Kirisuban warjunks were also present each with 60 well armed samurai aboard each one.

OOC: You're just giving us a perfectly servicable port? Nice one.
But...even though he's withdrawn, I advise caution in taking possession, guys.

Conor gaped at what he was seeing. The city (ooc: walled?) seemed to be empty: No inhabitants manned the walls or stood at the gates. Instead the gate was left wide open.
Surely not. No way. Conor thought.
A horseman spoke:
"They.....fled? They abandonned this city?"
"It cant be so!" Another horseman spoke.

Conor spoke.
"This makes no sense. The Austian country people had fled their land already, which was understandable, but to abandon this walled city? I do not accept it. You." Conor pointed at one of his men. "Dismount and go through that gate. Be wary, very wary. Take 10 men, unmounted, and find out whats going on. I have a bad feeling about this."

The men nodded, hiding their fear. If Conor was right, if it was a trap of some form, they were unlikely to survive.

Approaching the gate on horseback until they were 40 meters away, they dismounted and approached the gate. At the same time, Conor's cavalry unit stayed a further 300 meters away. Although many of his men scoffed his cautiousness, they respected him also.

OOC: yes walled, and they shouldn't find anything, mind if i Rp this quickly.

IC: As the men entered the city they would find it completly empty of people, devoid of any life. if they listened carefully they might here a slight rustleing or chink of armour but that could easly be dismissed as the wind.

The main street that led towards the palace in the center of the city was long and terranced-a solid wall of hosues. The whitewashed woodenwalls where of a strange design- the walls didn't quite reahced the roofs that where supported by the occasianial pillar.

Should the men open a door into the hosue they would find a basic kitchen, empty of supplies.

The 10 men did what they knew to do. Following a route that looked like it would lead to the gate house and the gate mechanism, their first step to securing the city was to secure the device. Then they could spend more time exploring the remains of the city, before returning to Conor confirm its security.

Leading them was Ryan, and Ryan was worried. This whole city gave him a bad feeling, and he had no doubt in his mind that the enemy had left it empty not because they were fearfull (how fearfull could they be, behind these great walls? Ryan thought) but because of some ulterior purpose. Ryan would do his job extensively, before giving it the Ok.

Besides Ryan was quite sure he heard the clink of armour at one stage, and it was not armour of his own men.......

OOC: How many men are you hiding? Because its kind of hard to hide an army.......

The 10 men did what they knew to do. Following a route that looked like it would lead to the gate house and the gate mechanism, their first step to securing the city was to secure the device. Then they could spend more time exploring the remains of the city, before returning to Conor confirm its security.

Leading them was Ryan, and Ryan was worried. This whole city gave him a bad feeling, and he had no doubt in his mind that the enemy had left it empty not because they were fearfull (how fearfull could they be, behind these great walls? Ryan thought) but because of some ulterior purpose. Ryan would do his job extensively, before giving it the Ok.

Besides Ryan was quite sure he heard the clink of armour at one stage, and it was not armour of his own men.......

OOC: How many men are you hiding? Because its kind of hard to hide an army.......
OOC: Well I've knocked in the entire block, (except for 1 room next to eahc door), on each side of the street, Austians live in big housing blocks to save space. (So no street between hosues, the think hotel rooms style). So you've got these very, very big, empty blocks....Os I'd say about 4,000, all squased in. the rest of my armies down near the docks waiting to eb called upon. The 4,000 are my elite though.

I have about 1 bloke in each twer in a sealed off room.

OOC: kk. Is it ok to secure the gate house?
IC:
As the Frozopians made their way to the gate house, Ryan glanced around the surroundings. It was a long way from home: a world apart from the small frozen village Ryan himself was born in. Instead these people favoured large ugly houses,
Like rats
Ryan thought.

The army marched on. The 8,000 marines remaining with the main force were marching in column of route. It would take them about 5 minutes to get from column of route into battlefield formation when the need arose. Part of that time would be lighting their slow-match, so that they could fire their muskets. However, their scouts were miles ahead, and would give them much more warning than that of any enemy assault.
The men were in good spirits, singing as they marched.

William grinned, listening to the roar of the marching troops. It seemed no-one knew the lyrics to the song: the Terror Incognitians had started it and the rest of allies copied it, all their voices culminating to make one loud chant. Even the Kiriusubans attempted to follow the lyrics, despite their ineptness with Latin.

There were 45,000 Frozopians with the main force: 3000 were the heavy cavalry, pushing their horses at a pace not beyond that of the infantry so as not to tire their mounts, and 3000 were engineers. The rest were 20,000 Frozopian infantry and 17,000 longbowmen, all marching in swift organised columbs making swift progress southwards.

At the back of the columb were wagons, mules and horses carrying food and equipment. This unit was heavily guarded by 2000 Frozopian light cavalry and more infantry and bowmen. William frowned. Many of the animals had been lost in the journey, including 1800 Frozopian soldiers, although losses were higher among the ships actuall crews, as men were sweapt over board in the rough seas.

Still William was confident the allies would win.

OOC: kk. Is it ok to secure the gate house?
IC:
As the Frozopians made their way to the gate house, Ryan glanced around the surroundings. It was a long way from home: a world apart from the small frozen village Ryan himself was born in. Instead these people favoured large ugly houses,
Like rats
Ryan thought.
OOC: Sure, I want the gates to stay open. This should go perfectly-I've rehearsed it enough times. it think you can guess my plan.

The 10 men had secured the gate house, and now was time to signal the first horn. Pushing it to his lips, Ryan let off six blasts for Conor's men to hear, before the 10 men walked outside and began to explore the city. 10 minutes later and 30 other Frozopians joined them, also on foot, scouring the city trying to make sense of the enemies abandonment of the city. Staying together, their scan of the city was swift and meticulous......

The 10 men had secured the gate house, and now was time to signal the first horn. Pushing it to his lips, Ryan let off six blasts for Conor's men to hear, before the 10 men walked outside and began to explore the city. 10 minutes later and 30 other Frozopians joined them, also on foot, scouring the city trying to make sense of the enemies abandonment of the city. Staying together, their scan of the city was swift and meticulous......
OOC: I think I'll let the 30 live, if they go insdie the palace (Like a keep in a Castle) though they will die. Mainly because almost the entire populance is in there. The gates are wide open, but if you step in there then you'll be surroudned by archers...and die.

OOC: The whole populace in one keep? Surely the keeps too small? And good luck keeping your army locked up for the next 3-4 days untill the main army reaches the city. Also I dont really understand how you are hiding these 4000 troops: You have brocken up the inside of the big buildings to hide them, but whats to stop my men walking through a door and finding them?

IC:

The 40 Frozopians could see very little but there was signs of recent building works, which was definatly suspicious. People who abandon a city do not start building things.

However the 40 found little else, and returned to Conor bringing the news of the city. Conor then gave orders to another 40 men this time on horseback to head deeper into the city and to secure the central keep. For now the Frozopians would camp outside, and the men did not complain: They much prefered the comfort of the outsides than the closed feelings within the city.

OOC: The whole populace in one keep? Surely the keeps too small? And good luck keeping your army locked up for the next 3-4 days untill the main army reaches the city. Also I dont really understand how you are hiding these 4000 troops: You have brocken up the inside of the big buildings to hide them, but whats to stop my men walking through a door and finding them?

IC:

The 40 Frozopians could see very little but there was signs of recent building works, which was definatly suspicious. People who abandon a city do not start building things.

However the 40 found little else, and returned to Conor bringing the news of the city. Conor then gave orders to another 40 men this time on horseback to head deeper into the city and to secure the central keep. For now the Frozopians would camp outside, and the men did not complain: They much prefered the comfort of the outsides than the closed feelings within the city.
OOC: We've left 11 room, outside the doors, standing. And I'm not planning to keep my people inside the keep. It's a tempory soloution. What i want to do is get your army to march insdie the city and then I'll spring my trap. i thought your main army had already reached the walls. if not I'll just have to do my original plan. :(


IC: The enermy made there way inside the keep watched by a almost 5,000 archers-every Austian armcher there was. As soon as the men where insdie the courtyard they wehre met by a hail of arrows.

"SHIT!" One of the horsemen screamed as several arrows tore into him, knocking him heavily to the ground. More arrows poured forth, 100's of them and the Frozopians barely had time to reach for their shields. Horses screamed, falling to the ground and kicking their hoofs as arrows poured downwards.

The group burst into a gallop, making for the gate and then they were through: Only 9 made it away and 4 of them looked to carry arrow wounds but they were galloping down the main road and to the gate.

Reaching for his horn, Tim blew the 3 blasts signalling danger, as the horseman made their swift escape........

Conor heard the blasts and swore. It looked like the enemy were more than active in the city, and Conor could do little to stop the enemy. Conor would of liked to at least secure the gate house of the outer wall, but he doubted he could hold the thing for 2 or 3 days untill the main army caught up with the horse division.

Instead Conor sent a messenger to find William and tell him about the city.....

Hearing bells from the keep the Austian elites ran from the houses in the ways they had vbeen rodered thoo, the walls of the hosues quite litterall lifting up. (OOC: Think garage doors.) Within a minuates hundreds of theem where in the street, most made there way towards the gatehouse intending to fight and kill the enermy inside and resecure it. Others formed a like wall aorund the gate so that the enermy couldn;t escape.

OOC: No-ones in the gate house.

IC:
Tim swore, pulling his horse to a halt. The enemy were blocking the gate, or at least thats what it looked like. That left Tim no choice. Jumping from his mount, he and his men immediatly sprinted into a side street and then an ally. Dashing madly, Tim was confident that before long the enemy would be long behind them. Unfortunately Tim was worried that untill the Frozopians took the city, the small band of unmounted horsemen would be trapped.........

OOC: No-ones in the gate house.

IC:
Tim swore, pulling his horse to a halt. The enemy were blocking the gate, or at least thats what it looked like. That left Tim no choice. Jumping from his mount, he and his men immediatly sprinted into a side street and then an ally. Dashing madly, Tim was confident that before long the enemy would be long behind them. Unfortunately Tim was worried that untill the Frozopians took the city, the small band of unmounted horsemen would be trapped.........
OOC: I thought you said that you where securing the gatehouse?

OOC: kk. Is it ok to secure the gate house?
IC:
As the Frozopians made their way to the gate house, Ryan glanced around the surroundings. It was a long way from home: a world apart from the small frozen village Ryan himself was born in. Instead these people favoured large ugly houses,
Like rats
Ryan thought.

Thats where I got my impression from.

OOC: That was the first group. But they left it.

OOC: That was the first group. But they left it.
OOC: Oh, right. Ill just sacure them and close the gates then.

OOC: ok, do my group escape (hiding in the city)?
Also how big is your city, what is the surrounding terrain like and how many gates are their?
IC:
Conor swore as the gates slammed shut. 40 men dead, all because Conor had foolishly explored deeper. The Austians would pay: Conor would make sure of it.

And to make this certain, Conor would patrol the city. His cavalry force was to be split in half: Half would head further south, raiding the enemy. The other half would make sure no-one leaves this city alive......

OOC: Aust it would be really useful if you drew a rough map of the city and its surroundings, because this is kinda hard otherwise.

IC:
The main army had reached the city, marching through desolate lands as they travelled the roads that snaked southwards. William was relieved: The enemy seemed quite happy to let them march unopposed, or at least for now.

William was pleased to find that Conor had already started a perimeter around the city: The Frozopian horsemen had let no men pass, cutting off any attempts to do so with rapid fire raids.

Now the allies could estabilish a proper ring around the city, and even began to unload various siege weapons: Everything from the few cannons to trebuchet and ballistae. The allies also began to tear down any nearby timber: William hoped to construct some more weapons, maybe even a few siege towers. Hopefully tomorrow, bombardment would begin.

Making sure no surprise attack was made on those besieging the city was Conor's job: his horseman scoured the land in all directions, making sure no counter attacks would be made unheeded.

As the men began to estabilish camp, William called the allied generals to him: It was time to discuss the siege.

OOC: Aust it would be really useful if you drew a rough map of the city and its surroundings, because this is kinda hard otherwise.

IC:
The main army had reached the city, marching through desolate lands as they travelled the roads that snaked southwards. William was relieved: The enemy seemed quite happy to let them march unopposed, or at least for now.

William was pleased to find that Conor had already started a perimeter around the city: The Frozopian horsemen had let no men pass, cutting off any attempts to do so with rapid fire raids.

Now the allies could estabilish a proper ring around the city, and even began to unload various siege weapons: Everything from the few cannons to trebuchet and ballistae. The allies also began to tear down any nearby timber: William hoped to construct some more weapons, maybe even a few siege towers. Hopefully tomorrow, bombardment would begin.

Making sure no surprise attack was made on those besieging the city was Conor's job: his horseman scoured the land in all directions, making sure no counter attacks would be made unheeded.

As the men began to estabilish camp, William called the allied generals to him: It was time to discuss the siege.
OOC: I'm Crap at maps. :( It's a 3 sided city, about 1 mile for each wall. (Square) Theres 2 gates in each wall and well, I'l have a go.
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The `````````````````` is the river, theres a wall on the other sdie BTW.. It's pritty flat around ehre, very agracultural, a lot of little barns ect (All burnt out and crops destroyed ect. Like All Austian Citys, the walls are massive with a lot of towers, each tower has a trebuchet of it's own and the walls have a lot of Bastilla in them. (Reamber I took the Bastilla from all the outerlying towers.)

You'll find it very hard to udnermine the walls, they go down a long way to stop just that.

OOC: Try using paint instead of just .'s and -'s. I dont really understand that map.

As for trebuchets in the towers, arent trebuchets too big for any tower? You would need a large amount of flat land to set up one. As for undermining, I dont see why it would matter. Just take a little more time.

Also I really hope not all your cities are like this. Because the city you described is kind of top tier middle ages, and theres no way any nation could support very many.

IC:
Karnak, the head engineer of the Frozopian force, eyed the walls warily. It would take time to capture this city, but Karnak was confident it was possible.
Battering rams seemed to be the way.

Trebuchets and cannons could be used to destroy the area's above the gates and to weaken the actual gates themselves. Then several rams could be pushed against the walls, slamming into the gate. The enemy would be unable to position themselves above the gates: The damage will be too extensive and hence the enemy will be unable to pour anything like hot oil on the Frozopians.

The rams would have to be incredibly solid, but it would not be too difficult nor time consuming to make them.

At the same time an escalade could be used. The city's surface area was 3 miles excluding the river: Any force would be incredibly stretched over such a humongous area, giving plenty of space for the Frozopians to rush unto.

Heading to the meeting of generals, Karnak explained his arguments to the allied leaders.

General Kingston spoke next:
"Gentlemen, we have with us a dozen heavy siege cannon from the Royal Siege Train. We can dig embrasures for them, and bombard the gate, or it's protective towers.
We also have two howitzers; these fire at a high angle, over the walls and into the city, to spread panic and disrupt internal movements."

OOC: Try using paint instead of just .'s and -'s. I dont really understand that map.

As for trebuchets in the towers, arent trebuchets too big for any tower? You would need a large amount of flat land to set up one. As for undermining, I dont see why it would matter. Just take a little more time.

Also I really hope not all your cities are like this. Because the city you described is kind of top tier middle ages, and theres no way any nation could support very many.

IC:
Karnak, the head engineer of the Frozopian force, eyed the walls warily. It would take time to capture this city, but Karnak was confident it was possible.
Battering rams seemed to be the way.

Trebuchets and cannons could be used to destroy the area's above the gates and to weaken the actual gates themselves. Then several rams could be pushed against the walls, slamming into the gate. The enemy would be unable to position themselves above the gates: The damage will be too extensive and hence the enemy will be unable to pour anything like hot oil on the Frozopians.

The rams would have to be incredibly solid, but it would not be too difficult nor time consuming to make them.

At the same time an escalade could be used. The city's surface area was 3 miles excluding the river: Any force would be incredibly stretched over such a humongous area, giving plenty of space for the Frozopians to rush unto.

Heading to the meeting of generals, Karnak explained his arguments to the allied leaders.
OOC: It's one of the 5 biggest in Aust, i can afford to protect it. And catapults would be a better destcription. I'm crap with paint, and i find it hard to use. that was just to show the walls the ..................don't mean anything. the gaps are the gates.

your rams would come udner constant fire from my bastilla. I also think it's unlikly trebucets could do that much damage-it took cannon weaks to break a stone wall, trebuctes have less power.

"Tomorrow we give them a chance to surrender. And then, if they refuse, bombardment they shall recieve. Once the enemy morale is weakened sufficiently, a lightning fast escalade will do the job, maybe we could use battering rams to distract them from the wall we wish to attack. Therefore we should maintain bombardment around the northern gate and wall area, saving the howitzers for the cities inhabitants. Frozopia has its own cannons to use and we are constructing the other weapons such as Rams and ladders."

OOC: Isnt this a coastal city with a port? Shouldnt there be a sea front on the map?

"Tomorrow we give them a chance to surrender. And then, if they refuse, bombardment they shall recieve. Once the enemy morale is weakened sufficiently, a lightning fast escalade will do the job, maybe we could use battering rams to distract them from the wall we wish to attack. Therefore we should maintain bombardment around the northern gate and wall area, saving the howitzers for the cities inhabitants. Frozopia has its own cannons to use and we are constructing the other weapons such as Rams and ladders."

OOC: Isnt this a coastal city with a port? Shouldnt there be a sea front on the map?
OOC: it's a deep river-goes into the sea within a mile. So it is a part, like london sued to be.

OOC: The cannon will be more effective, cos they hit the wall roughly at a right angle. But trebuchet will still be quite effective, I think.
IC:
The work had begun; even while the leaders talked, the pioneers were digging trenches, and using the excavated earth to fill wicker baskets, which made the core of the protection for the gun emplacements. These were placed opposite the gate in the northern wall, on the assumption the bombardment would begin there. Even were it not to, the guns were best protected, as each was precious, having come so far.

The Frozopians pitched in, helping to finish the works quickly. After all, some of the guns used would be Frozopian also.

They also set to work on several ladders, rams and even a few trebuchets. They made sure all of this work was done without the enemies knowledge: The enemy was not to know what capabilities the Frozopians and their allies had.

But something important was to be done.

Robbie of Frozopia, mounted, approached the main gate, waving a white flag and shouting his peaceful intentions at the inhabitants. When he thought he had gained someone of importance, or at least their attention, he began:

"You have no hope of succeeding against us. We will take this city, no matter what. So why not prevent any bloodshed and surrender? We promise you that every man, woman and child, every soldier, will be allowed to walk away free. If however, you do make a stand, then we cannot promise such generosity. These are the words of William, Lord of Frozopia."

The Frozopians pitched in, helping to finish the works quickly. After all, some of the guns used would be Frozopian also.

They also set to work on several ladders, rams and even a few trebuchets. They made sure all of this work was done without the enemies knowledge: The enemy was not to know what capabilities the Frozopians and their allies had.

But something important was to be done.

Robbie of Frozopia, mounted, approached the main gate, waving a white flag and shouting his peaceful intentions at the inhabitants. When he thought he had gained someone of importance, or at least their attention, he began:

"You have no hope of succeeding against us. We will take this city, no matter what. So why not prevent any bloodshed and surrender? We promise you that every man, woman and child, every soldier, will be allowed to walk away free. If however, you do make a stand, then we cannot promise such generosity. These are the words of William, Lord of Frozopia."
General De Villes smiled as a reply and then spoke, "What makes you so certain, we have seen what you have to offer- trebucets will not damage our gates nor your heathern blackpowder, we can wait for longer than you."

OOC: Making a breech in the wall, even with 1800's cannons is a big job. It takes weeks.

OOC: I assume standard siege rules apply? As in another offer of surrender when we breach the walls, then if they say no slaughter everything inside?

IC: Alongside the howitzer emplacements, something new was being attempted; braziers were set up, ready to be continuously stoked, and heat several cannonballs at a time, so that the balls fired would be extremely hot.
Fired over the walls, these would set fires within the city, it was hoped, and help prepare for a forced entry.

the Kirisuban forces involved in the siege prepared their camp and for the worst. some of them had faced siege warfare before during the civil war and knew how hard it is was to take down a Kirisuban castle without siege weaponry. Disease was the enemy on both sides and Kirisubans tended to seek open battle as a result.

Having it here should speed up the process.

Lord General Nakamura had joined his troops with the beach head still guarded by his remaining troops and the 13 Kirisuban war junks.

OOC: Damn right. They dont wanna surrender, then we can kill, enslave and rape every last one of them. BTW Aust what forces you got in the siege?
And we have weeks. After all, whats the rush?

IC:
"Very well." Robbie rode back to the allied encampment. The enemy had refused the terms. Now they would die.
Bombardment would begin soo. Trebuchets and cannons, both Frozopian and Terror Incognitian, would bombard the city and the northern wall, spreading terror among the inhabitants and weakening the north wall and gates.

William had his doubts that the wall would be brought low: Instead it was a worthy distraction for the enemy who would suspect little else. William knew he could maintain the army with a long siege, for supplies were being brought over from their allies, but he would rather a quick siege.

For the Incognitians, the first to fire were the ordinary cannon. Meg, Lucy, Barking Betty, all the well loved, much cursed, ugly, noisy brutes. They crashed out, firing at the wall near the gate. The first few shots would be for range and aiming; from then on things would get serious.
Zoe and Chloe, the howitzers, were not far behind, however. Aiming initially simply within the city, their balls could be seen rising, and then dropping out of view behind the wall.

OOC: Damn right. They dont wanna surrender, then we can kill, enslave and rape every last one of them. BTW Aust what forces you got in the siege?
And we have weeks. After all, whats the rush?

IC:
"Very well." Robbie rode back to the allied encampment. The enemy had refused the terms. Now they would die.
Bombardment would begin soo. Trebuchets and cannons, both Frozopian and Terror Incognitian, would bombard the city and the northern wall, spreading terror among the inhabitants and weakening the north wall and gates.

William had his doubts that the wall would be brought low: Instead it was a worthy distraction for the enemy who would suspect little else. William knew he could maintain the army with a long siege, for supplies were being brought over from their allies, but he would rather a quick siege.
OOC: i've got about 5,000 'proper soildeirs' (IE: Members of the armed forces) but everyone else over 14 in there is a member of the alita and have been training twice a week for a year or more. (Since we found out about your nation). Theres about 40,000 people in there so i'd say 30,000 men.

OOC: Aust a year is way too long. By the time that the invasion became obvious and the length of time that news took to you would give you months to train your troops, nowhere near a year, despite the time it took my troops to reach Aust. Theres a good chance you would hear of the invasion while we were on our way to Aust.

IC:
Tim heard the first barrage of cannons, smiling for the first time in days, long before his horse fell in the enemy ambush.
Being trapped in an enemy city was never good, and Tim was down right miserable. But he had plans. Who knows, he might even be able to help the outside force. His band of men had split up, the 9 men scattered across the city, living off food that they stole and found, waiting patiently. Tim had ordered them to meet up again within a few days, where Tim hoped to execute the first stage of the plan.

Together the 9 men were gathering a rough map of the city defences and interior streets, as well as the possible forces. It seemed everyone in this city was armed and ready to fight, but they were not warriors, that was clear. They would fall like sheep to the Frozopians.

The next stage in the plan was to get the groups strongest swimmer, Harry, to jump in the river and swim out with the information. He could then take this to the Frozopian command.

That was the easy part of the plan. The next part was ambitious. The remaining 8 men would do the impossible: open one of the gates for the advancing Frozopian army.

OOC: Aust a year is way too long. By the time that the invasion became obvious and the length of time that news took to you would give you months to train your troops, nowhere near a year, despite the time it took my troops to reach Aust. Theres a good chance you would hear of the invasion while we were on our way to Aust.

IC:
Tim heard the first barrage of cannons, smiling for the first time in days, long before his horse fell in the enemy ambush.
Being trapped in an enemy city was never good, and Tim was down right miserable. But he had plans. Who knows, he might even be able to help the outside force. His band of men had split up, the 9 men scattered across the city, living off food that they stole and found, waiting patiently. Tim had ordered them to meet up again within a few days, where Tim hoped to execute the first stage of the plan.

Together the 9 men were gathering a rough map of the city defences and interior streets, as well as the possible forces. It seemed everyone in this city was armed and ready to fight, but they were not warriors, that was clear. They would fall like sheep to the Frozopians.

The next stage in the plan was to get the groups strongest swimmer, Harry, to jump in the river and swim out with the information. He could then take this to the Frozopian command.

That was the easy part of the plan. The next part was ambitious. The remaining 8 men would do the impossible: open one of the gates for the advancing Frozopian army.
OOC: Okay, well they've had a good few months, I'd say AT LEAST 6 months. (Seems reasonable.) That seems pritty damn impossable. I know there some of your men left in the city and you'll have to fight your way through.

IC: iTok watched as the infernal weapons of the enermy fired again with a bang, the metal balls hitting the wall at a tremendious speed before bouncing off the stonework. It was barley crumbling being made of the hard granet that was the main rock in this area.

he was on guard, one of 64 on this gate through every hour of the day. It was an easy job, tiring becuase that sound jolted youa wake every few minuates yet it wasn't the most dangious possable.

OOC: 6 months is reasonable. As for the men, well we will see. There are 9 gates, and with your troops focussed on the north wall who knows?

IC:
Harry approached the water, waving to the group of men before slinging a small bag over his shoulder and diving in. Eventually darkness hid the lone swimmer, as he let the current carry him East.

Disappearing into the shadows, they carried Harry's armour and equipment. For Tim to be successful, he would need whatever was available at hand, so he was reluctant to discard the sword and shield.

Harry carried the basics of the insiders plan. Tim hoped to stealthily sneak into one of the gate houses, one already selected by Tim, and open up the gate. Then they would have to hold it for a few minutes as the allies rushed in. It was a simple but effective plan.

OOC: 6 months is reasonable. As for the men, well we will see. There are 9 gates, and with your troops focussed on the north wall who knows?

IC:
Harry approached the water, waving to the group of men before slinging a small bag over his shoulder and diving in. Eventually darkness hid the lone swimmer, as he let the current carry him East.

Disappearing into the shadows, they carried Harry's armour and equipment. For Tim to be successful, he would need whatever was available at hand, so he was reluctant to discard the sword and shield.

Harry carried the basics of the insiders plan. Tim hoped to stealthily sneak into one of the gate houses, one already selected by Tim, and open up the gate. Then they would have to hold it for a few minutes as the allies rushed in. It was a simple but effective plan.
OOC: Persoanally I don't see it happening. How are you going to get into the gatehosue itself, I don't leave the doors unlcoked you know.

OOC: Locks can be brocken, guards can be killed.
My men just need to turn a bit ninja. You will see when the time comes. Dont worry, I will RP it fairly and if it fails, it fails.

IC:
"Harry! Is that you!?"
The Frozopian patrol and stumbled across Harry as he was pulling himself out of the river, and Harry wasnt certain if he had ever been happier to see his old friend Grant.
"Grant!"
"I thought you were dead man!"
"So did I grant. So did I."
For 10 minutes Harry sat the patrol down and told them of his ordeal, the ambush ("The scoundrels!" Roared Grant), the days of hiding, the plan ("Good man!") and eventually the escape.
"Well this is brilliant. Is the map intact?"
"Yes, I did my best to water proof it."
"Then let us bring it to William."
The horseman rode back to the Frozopian camp, and once again Harry was recounting his tail, but this time to the allied leaders, before giving them the rough maps and note the Frozopians had made......

"If we can gain access via a gate, we have to do it. There is no easier way, sparing more of our mens' lives, to get in.

Even if not, these men have done well, in getting us a plan of the city and its defences. We shall know where to focus our cannon."

William frowned.
"I have my doubts. 8 men? Capture a gate to allow us through? They have shown great bravery and skill, bringing us information such as this," William held up the scraps of parchment, "but will they be able to secure a gate for us? I doubt it."
Conor spoke:
"I know Tim to be an excellent officer, one of the very reasons I sent him in the city in the first place. If anyone can do it, he can."
William looked at his brother, and nodded.
"Then let it be so. I trust your judgement brother."

OOC: Whenever your ready. 64 men on each gate reamber. Thats odds of almost 10-1.

OOC:
I like those odds......
lol. Will save this for heat of battle or night attack. For now we will keep on bombarding you.

OOC:
I like those odds......
lol. Will save this for heat of battle or night attack. For now we will keep on bombarding you.
OOC: okay, don't know how much effect it will have. It'll take few weeks to gcreat a breach, preusming you concentrate your fire on a small point.

The Ostian ships trailed slightly behind the rest of the fleet but caught up and were about to land. On the other side General Agrippa was nearing the waters of Terror with his 30,500 battle ready legionaires, he could not wait to support the effort in Aust. Maximus strolled up to General Regulus,

"My lord, i will go ashore with our infantry and command them all the way to victory..."

Regulus grinned,

"Yes my ambitious friend...you will be recorded in history as a valent leader!"

Maximus saluted,

"My lord...i will serve you till death do i leave this earth..."

The Ostians were not the only recent arrivals. Coming in to anchor, a little way downriver from Bambinio, Angermanland's commitment to the war had arrived, carried and escorted by Incognitian vessels.
The escort could potentially add some welcome firepower to the bombardment, if necessary by landing cannon and putting them into batteries shore-side. Equally, the river might afford access, and naval power could make a difference.
OOC: Aust, is the river inside or outside the city wall? If inside, what kind of fortification controls access, and if outside, how is traffic from city to river controlled? Since you said it's a port, there must be fairly direct access?

The Ostians were not the only recent arrivals. Coming in to anchor, a little way downriver from Bambinio, Angermanland's commitment to the war had arrived, carried and escorted by Incognitian vessels.
The escort could potentially add some welcome firepower to the bombardment, if necessary by landing cannon and putting them into batteries shore-side. Equally, the river might afford access, and naval power could make a difference.
OOC: Aust, is the river inside or outside the city wall? If inside, what kind of fortification controls access, and if outside, how is traffic from city to river controlled? Since you said it's a port, there must be fairly direct access?

the men were offloading quickly and in an orderly fasion, makeing use of the waka where nessisary. getting the Moa onto the shore had been a little tricky, but nothing the skouts and enjiners couldn't find a solution to. there was a lot of equipment for such a small group, too. boxes and boxes of unidentified objects, handled with great care as though they would attack the bearers if given the chance, various great beams, crates of who knows what, though they apeared to be heavy, and the standard food and gear of any army. for the moment the troops were not in any particular formation, as they were carrying all the gear that would be set up at their main camp, which was all various weights and sizes, makeing formations impossible.

even the moa were helping, now they were ashore. their saddle harness had been designed with the possibility of pulling things in mind, and now that was just what they were doing. most of the beams were on the carts behind them.

mixed in amoungst all this were the baners of the various Kompany Komanders, as well as those of the Stratkom and Komander-Jeneral. these were complex and elaborate, hung from a cross piece at the top of a large poll, rather than blowing in the breeze. the base of the banner was also attached to a cross piece, and the base of the poll was.. very sharp, to say the least. generally speaking they were too long to use as weapons, and mostly the point got stuck in the ground. but if push came to shove, anyone pushing or shoveing that point was going to be in pain.

as the last of the men disembarked, (Edward leading the first group) Pi, still on the ship, spoke to Admiral Knox, "It was a pleasure sailing with you sir," she saluted, "just thought i'd make sure the information had actually got to you, i don't trust my brother to remember to deliver it," she laughed "of the two masters we brought with us; one is for your use, untill such time as it is recalled, and the other is for ours. it would be apreschiated if they survived the experiance, of course. but you're good at what you do. i'm reasonably sure you can increase the odds of that happening. and now, i think i'm the last one still here, so i shall say goodbye. hopefully we'll meet again." so saying, she fliped herself over the rail and into the last waka, which curently contained a quater of the Phirst Kompany, her body guard for the duration, unless they were required to be otherwise.

Edward, meanwhile, was marching at the head of the army, his standard bearer to his left and a pace behind. the weight of the steal plate on his sholders, and wearing a helmit at all, were something he was still getting used to. fortunatly the rest of his armour remaind the same wood and leather combination it always had, and the heraldry he bore ment he was't quite so indistinguisable from the rest of his men as he would otherwise have been from any angle but dirrectly in frount. he also had a quater of the Phirst Kompany as a body guard.

ooc: right.. if someone could inform these guys of where to camp or whatever, it would be good.

The landing crafts slid into shore carrying their deadly cargo. A larger barge brought in the officers horses, once maximus was off the boat he was followed by other Ostian officers to the horses, the ostian soldiers were moving off the ships forming up on the beach,

"I want the 33rd at our center and the 22nd Equite regiment to form at our rear, i will brief them personally..."

General Regulus strolled off the ship aswell followed by Ciero,\

"My lord, the troops are unloading now, all supplys and provissions will remain on the ships untill we are secure.."

Regulus nodded and continued walking the beach....

On shore, the new arrivals were welcomed by General Kingston, who had been informed of the arrival of friendly ships, and would soon be heading out to confer with the Admiral.
Somewhat perplexed at the use of Incognitian armour, he greeted the obvious commander.
"Welcome, men of Angermanland. I am General Kingston, commander of Incognitian forces in Aust. You will want to set up camp; it will probably be easiest if you set up alongside my men. While that is being done, the generals are about to meet again, so if the commanders would stay with me, you can establish relations with the other allied armies."

General Regulus saluted the allied general,

"Aha how are you general! the ostian army has arrived at your side my friend"

Maximus cantered up on his horse followed by eight other cavelry soldiers,

"General, i am organizing my forces...sorry to interrupt"

Regulus raised his hand and replyed,

"Good maximus...loyal..quick thinking maximus getting right to buisness.."

Maximus saluted the general and rode off through the surf followed by his troops,

"That cavelry officer that was just here...maybe one of the best ever in Ostian history...we will all be glad to have him here..aswell as the many other qualifyed leaders we have with skills like no other army has put togeather..we are the first gentleman and some day we will control the world"

On shore, the new arrivals were welcomed by General Kingston, who had been informed of the arrival of friendly ships, and would soon be heading out to confer with the Admiral.
Somewhat perplexed at the use of Incognitian armour, he greeted the obvious commander.
"Welcome, men of Angermanland. I am General Kingston, commander of Incognitian forces in Aust. You will want to set up camp; it will probably be easiest if you set up alongside my men. While that is being done, the generals are about to meet again, so if the commanders would stay with me, you can establish relations with the other allied armies."

the standard bearer, who's latin was.. mostly passible, translated in Pi's absence. upon hearing what the general had said, Edward responded

"that does sound like a good idea, however my Stratkom," he noticed the blank look at them mention of the rank, "that is, my sekond in kommand, amoung other things, is at the rear oph the kolum, and speeks better latin than my standard bearer. if you kould delay long enough phor her to arive, i would be most pleased to join you. iph you kould indicate where exaktly they are to set up, my men kan begin preperations imediatly."

OOC: Realised that post came after both of you arrived. Was specifically to Anger, really, but I'll go with Ostia being there as well.

IC: "Very well, we shall await your 'StratCom'. If your men follow this man here" grabbing a passing Sergeant "Sergeant, take these men to somewhere near our encampment to set up theirs."
Returning a salute; "And a warm welcome from the Incognitian Marines to Ostia. Good to have you here. You will doubtless be wanting to set up camp; feel free to go anywhere, as long as it isn't in the firing line of my cannon.
As I was just mentioning, the generals are about to meet, so if you come along we can get right down to business."

Regulus nodded and replyed,

"For sure my friend, it is a pleasure to serve with a dignifyed individual as yourself general, my second in command is preparing my men to dig in"

The generals aid brought fourth a beautiful arabian horse which Regulus mounted,

"I will leave inspection and those other matters to my men, in the meantime i will remain with you untill the meeting"

Ostian trumpeteers sounded off as the platoons were formed up on the beach, the standard bearers took up their position with their unit they repersented.

OOC: Realised that post came after both of you arrived. Was specifically to Anger, really, but I'll go with Ostia being there as well.

IC: "Very well, we shall await your 'StratCom'. If your men follow this man here" grabbing a passing Sergeant "Sergeant, take these men to somewhere near our encampment to set up theirs."
Returning a salute; "And a warm welcome from the Incognitian Marines to Ostia. Good to have you here. You will doubtless be wanting to set up camp; feel free to go anywhere, as long as it isn't in the firing line of my cannon.
As I was just mentioning, the generals are about to meet, so if you come along we can get right down to business."

Edward sent various memebers of his guard back down the line to inform teh officers, while the rest continued to lead the colum

"very good." he looked back down the line, and noticed that the man he'd sent to inform Pi of the change in plans, and to tell her to hurry up, and got hold of one of the few moa-mounted skouts who wasn't useing his mount to pull a cart, and the skout was speeding back down the colum.

"she should be here very shortly"

and very shortly she was, haveing commandered the skouts mount. he was now either haveing the joy of marching with her guard, or rideing in one of the carts.

yelling directions and waveing her signal tourch-battons, unlit dureing the day, she was standing on the sadle, as the moa ran back up the colum at full speed. it ws a marvel she didn't fall off, but not falling was one of the things she was good at. she certianly looked like she was going to more than once, though.

as she drew near, she jumped down from the moa's back. riderless, it turned and headed back to it's master, teh skout who had been rideing it befor.

"Greetings, sirs!" Pi called in latin as she walked the last few meters, returning her tourch-battons to her belt. when she got to them, she saltued and bowed.
"how may i be of service?" she then switched to Angerman "what's up boss?"
"what's up is a stratigy meeting and a need phor a compitant translator. at least, so phar as i kan tell."

Edward then sent his standard bearer along with the rest of the colum.
"tell them we're ready to go."
"roger that!" Pi grinned impishly, then switched back to latin'

"well, good sirs, it appears we are ready. lead on!"

Regulus looked down from his large beautiful horse,

"Hello friend, your latin is surperb....i am general Regulus ostian assult force commandant"



Maximus inspected the troops by riding their their open ranks where he told them how things were going to be. The 1st Auxillary force moved a short distance inland and started preparing plans for the first fort on Aust, the Ostians were obsessed with large powerful immpenitible fortress's..this would be a fine example..


OOC:What shall i name the fort so to honor the alliance...??

"Marvellous. Now we only need General Nakamura and the Frozopians, William or Conor, and we shall have a full set.
The command tent is this way."

OOC: Fort Unity, or something suitably cheesy but memorable.

Regulus grinned,

"So true....so true..."

"Marvellous. Now we only need General Nakamura and the Frozopians, William or Conor, and we shall have a full set.
The command tent is this way."

OOC: Fort Unity, or something suitably cheesy but memorable.

Pi translated for Edward, who nodded, and they followed Kingston to the command tent. Edward simply walking, and Pi all but turning cartwheels. she had got well sick of being cooped up in the ship.

The command tent was large, with two open sides to allow easy access for the steady bustle of orders back and forth.
The centre was occupied by a large table, upon which was a large copy of the plans made by the Frozopians inside, with the disposition of forces and the main defences marked upon it; though with the new arrivals this was no longer accurate, aides were already rushing about trying to make it reflect the external situation.

Edward looked at the plans. he couldn't read any writeing on them, it was in latin, mostly, but he could tell roughly what was what. it was fairly obvious that their arival, amoung others, had rendered it obsolete by the amount of change being implimented. leaning over to Pi, he muttered "tell them not to worry about models for our troops, i'll have someone run over some of ours later. errr.. except we don't have a model for the hawks yet. i'll have someone make a few and send one of them over too."

Pi did as she was instructed, then studyed the plans herself. she Could read them, and did so.

"Ah, what is there has been overwritten so many times it will make little sense now to anyone not present for the process.
The current situation is; our cannon, Frozopian cannon and other assorted siege weapons are progressing with attacking the walls.
Our men are in protected camps, with some sappers working on trenches towards the walls - standard practice, for our army at least.
We have eight men inside the city, who are going to attempt to open a gate for us.
Our ships are investigating the chance of access from the river."

"ahh." was Pi's only imidiate responce. she then spoke to edward for a few moments.

"we may just be able to help if opening the gates is the plan." she grined impishly "what if i were to tell you we could, quite possibly, reinforce your men inside, burn large parts of the city within the walls, and render most of their men to terrified to even lift their faces off the ground, let alone fight? of course, there is a chance it might not work, but it's us who would lose out if that were the case."

"Well, my first instinct would be to ask how; my second to say that it would be massively helpful, given the small number of men there at present. The other generals need to hear this."

"Well, my first instinct would be to ask how; my second to say that it would be massively helpful, given the small number of men there at present. The other generals need to hear this."

after a brief conversation with Edward, Pi responded "very well, sir. we'll wait for them and then you shall have your awnsers. oh! while i'm remembering. it might be best to get Admiral Knox in here too, if he can be spared. he is somewhat responcible for the final piece of the puzzle falling into our hands, so to speak, and can give eviadance to any doubters."

"Of course. I need to speak with him in any case." The next messenger to walk past was given an extra job; the Admiral arrived and was locked in conversation with Kingston. They obviously had a lot to discuss.

"I am still unused to the sound of those 'Cannons'" Conor And William were returning to the command tent, after sighting the newcomers. They had been inspecting the camp, and William was pleased. The troops were garrisonned in a very organised fashion, despite the large numbers.

"I know brother. Tell me. Have you sent news to the beach head to join us here? I think it is time we moved our forces together." William replied.

"Yes. I sent a rider."

"Good."

Entering the tent, William scanned the unfamiliar leaders.
"Hello new allies. I am Lord William, leader of the Frozopian army within Aust and this is my brother Conor, Lord of the horses. Who might you be?"

"I am still unused to the sound of those 'Cannons'" Conor And William were returning to the command tent, after sighting the newcomers. They had been inspecting the camp, and William was pleased. The troops were garrisonned in a very organised fashion, despite the large numbers.

"I know brother. Tell me. Have you sent news to the beach head to join us here? I think it is time we moved our forces together." William replied.

"Yes. I sent a rider."

"Good."

Entering the tent, William scanned the unfamiliar leaders.
"Hello new allies. I am Lord William, leader of the Frozopian army within Aust and this is my brother Conor, Lord of the horses. Who might you be?"


"and greetings to you, sir." Pi bowed and saluted. "i am Pi uph Joulin, Stratkom of the 1st Angerman army. and this is my superiour officer, Kommander-Jeneral Edward. he would great you himself, but speaks not a word of latin. if you would wait a moment?" she turned to Edward and translated the conversation, he saluted the men, but did not bow. technicly, he was at least their equile by rank.

"so, good sirs, who do we still wait on?" Pi asked the room in general.

"And of course you know the Ostians already, do you not William?

Lord General Nakamura of the Kirisubans is the only member not present."

OOC: Bah too late.

IC:
"Yes, we have met the Ostians." William tried to hide a grin. Better their new allies no not what circumstances they met in. "So tell me. What troops have you brought to Aust?"

OOC: Bah too late.

IC:
"Yes, we have met the Ostians." William tried to hide a grin. Better their new allies no not what circumstances they met in. "So tell me. What troops have you brought to Aust?"


"1000 fighting men, of various disiplins, includeing enginers. though i doubt that will be the thing that stays in your mind about us by the end of the battle." Pi gave a slightly preditory grin, then Edward spoke to her "though, sadly, i'm not allowed to tell you what the thing i think will be is untill all the generals are here" she pouted. she pouted in a very convinceing maner. right up untill she cracked up laughing at her own sillyness.

Word had reached Lord General Nakamura of the meeting and he left his command tent along with Admiral Omura to meet his new allies.

the two kirisubans arrive with pair of Samurai and enter the tent.

they bow to the Angermanlanders and introduce themselves.

Word had reached Lord General Nakamura of the meeting and he left his command tent along with Admiral Omura to meet his new allies.

the two kirisubans arrive with pair of Samurai and enter the tent.

they bow to the Angermanlanders and introduce themselves.

Edward and Pi returned the bow, Pi reintroduced them, and then began her speach,

" i belive we are all here now, yes? good. as i said befor, i propose a method of burning large portions of the city to the ground, rendering the vast majority of the enemy helpless with fear, and getting your men within the walls, all in one fell swoop." she grined, and paused to look around the assembled generals "wanna hear it?" as she spoke she had produced a piece of paper from somewhere and was folding it into a dart.

"I'm interested" Lord General Nakamura replies in latin "long sieges are bad for everybody and they'll only slow us down"

"ok" Pi threw the dart accross the room "some of our troops can do that" she gestured at the dart as it crused accross the room, banged into the wall, and fell to the ground "generaly minus the crashing. errr.. mostly."

The kirisuban general looked at the woman and asked "how do you propose to get men over the walls without them crashing?"

He looked genuinely curious about the idea.

"It is roughly a combination of a kite and a ballista General, both of which I believe you know of." The Admiral interjected.
"I believe we can more than double our number of men attempting to take a gate by this means."

" well, for that we can thank Admiral Knox, and Terror in general. modified balista will give them the hight, their own fall will give them the speed, and their glider wings will give them the ability to not just plow into the ground and die.

the really tricky bit will be landing in a built up area.

the plan is to fit 10 gliders with howlers. these are made of wooden tubes with holes cut in the right places, very loud, sound like the dead. the men in those gliders will be carrying fire bombs. they'll fly the whole way accross to the far side of the city, and dive bomb anything flamable they can find, then fly over the city walls and, hopefully, fly back. or at least land and walk back.

another 10 will also be launched, as stelthyly as posible. they will try and land In the city, then make their way to the gates and open them.

hopefully this will allow you to send in your troops, and create sufficiant panic, fear, and confusion to greatly ease your task." she looked up from the crashed paper plane "any questions?"

General Nakamura nods and says "these technologies are known to us but i've never seen a kite before that could carry a man.

However i'm open to new ideas"

"oh" Pi looked a little dispointed "snap. i was hopeing we were being all new and inventive. oh well, at least it's a new combination. oh.. the guys who are going to be landing will wear armour, those who arn't won't. and it would be best if the armour was the least recognizable we have available. and if it were possible to attack gates other than the one we're trying to open at the same time, that would help.

we also intend to do pretty much everything we can from out here to mess with their heads. an enemy jibbering in fear of the dark is less likely to fight back well, yes? half the battle is in the mind, as the manuals say."

"I think that since we were already going to make the attempt with only the stranded Frozopians, we should leap at the chance to more than double the number of men inside coming out.
That would of course be accompanied by diversionary assaults - we are working up a plan on the river side, though it is incomplete as yet."

"How long will it take to ready the devices? My men within the city plan to launch their attempt on the gate house within days. At the same time I hope to launch an escalade on the west wall. The Frozopians within the city are going to open this gate:"
William indicated one of the gates on the east wall on the rough map they had drawn.
"By any means possible. Im sure they would welcome your assistance."

"We are working on a plan for an assault on the river side of the city, possibly with assistance from Angerman troops; shame not to use the warships we have here, and it would be an additional distraction for the Austians; it would probably entail a bombardment, and combination of escalade and gunpowder at the gate to gain access.
This can be ready to go on schedule."

"the parts are pre-cut and shaped. all we need to do is fit them togeather and make sure they still work. and set up camp. tommorow night is the absolut earlyest, probibly the night after." she confured with edward for a moment "definatly the night after, we have a few other things to prepare also, and this will be the first time we have actually used this technique in combat.

it would be best, however, if everything were to happen simultaniously. the airborn assult, the bombardment, the escalade, Everything, from as meny different directions at once as possible"

"Yes. We outnumber the city defenders, we should use what advantages we have. However once we are inside the city, we must secure the central fort. If we can do this in a sudden rush, it would be great. But try to meet up, and then rush the fort."

"That is where the gate-buster comes in. Using the same powder as for cannon, in barrels; if one of these is placed at the base of a gate and lit, then -well shall we say there isnt much of a gate left afterwards. A few of these should ensure we carry the momentum into the central fortifications."

Edward spoke again, and Pi translated "the jeneral would like to know what the central fort is constructed of, and in what maner. rushing it may not be nessisary."

OOC: Need Aust there. I think its stone. When I say fort I mean more Citadel maybe? Cant remember the word.

ooc: doesn't matter, after some discussion with terror we worked out that my idea wasn't going to work anyway. i'll stick to fire bombs.

IC:

after some more back and forth, a conclusion was reached, and Pi spoke again "actually, it doesn't matter. that idea won't work here. at anyrate, with your leave, sirs, we shall retire to our camp. there is much to be done."

"I shall need to discuss further with the Angerman commanders the river assault; but we can do that separately, all everyone else needs to know is that it will happen, and it will be on time. Now, I need to get my ships bombarding the wall on their side of the city, so if you will excuse me..."
Without waiting for a reply, Admiral Knox departed.
General Kingston then said
"On my part, my men will be readying gatebusters. Some will go with the river assault; the rest will go with either the diversionary attack on the wall, or await the opening of the gate."

after listening to Pi translate what had been said, Edward also stood, saluted, and left, Pi following close behind.

the headed straight for their camp. it was fairly easy to see. the six tall banner polls aranged in a circle and topped wtih a platform were something of a give away, for example. upon ariveing in the camp, they noticed all was abustle. the fortifications were going up, they'd be done befor nightfall, and nothing short of a fire attack or a full scale infantry assult would destroy them. seige weapons wouldn't. the tents were set up in neat and ordered rows, in aproximatly the same pattern as the men would drill on the parade ground. each skwa shared a large tent, officers had smaller individual tents, and the kommander-jeneral's tent was set up where the platform would be on the parade ground in Angerwraith. the afformentioned platform and poles were directly between Edward's tent and Pi's, and had a ladder running up one side.

in a cleared space on the side furthest from the walled city, the balista were being set up, and all seemed to be going to plan. a screen sheilded them from the gaze of those on the wall, and the entrance gate was at the far side of the camp. to the left side of Edwards tent was the mess tent, and to it's left the chemical crates were stored under another tent. to the right of edwards tent were set up a the various sundry small services required to keep an army going. a moa stable, as well as the food store, had been set up behind the men's tents.

Edward set his guards to orginizeing the drums that would be used for the dureing the assult, while Pi climed the tower. scouts were sent out in all directions to test the effect.

when all was ready, the drummers began to beat a rythem, variable and seemingly unpridictable, but in perfect time with one another. Pi lit her battons, and began what could only be called a dance. the scouts, each holding a banner marked simply with a number on a tall pole, moved around in what seemd to be a random manner. after 10 minutes, they stoped, the scouts rode back in, and reports were made. the drums carryed, the torches could be seen. there was perfect ground for a war dance not far away, if open combat became an issue, where a hundered men could shake the ground for quite a way if synchronized.

these things were all useful to know.

the next test was to send the scouts out again, and have them fly kites, looking for any conveniant thermals.

Meanwhile the ships of the line, all twelve of them that had come, were sailing downriver. Enemy defences this side were uncertain; if they came under any sort of fire they would respond accordingly; if not they would position themselves out of arrow-shot and begin a bombardment that would not cease until the wall was assaulted.

OOC: Need Aust there. I think its stone. When I say fort I mean more Citadel maybe? Cant remember the word.
OOC: Granet. When the hell did Angermanland turn up?

OOC: Granet. When the hell did Angermanland turn up?

ooc: page or too back, in one of terrors posts, just to confuse the issue :)

General Nakamura and Admiral Omura return to their command tent and ponder this new plan.

There had been stories about kites able to carry men which had come from the Han but they had learned about siege engines from the Ostians when they came.

It would take a while to incorporate these weapons of war into Kirisuban tactics but if they ahd managed tall shields surely these tools would only be a matter of time.

OOC: I probably missed it then.

General Regulus spoke to the other commanders,

"My legions will march where they are needed, Maximus shall command my cavelry and Antonious at my side with our infantry and auxillary's"

Maximus continued..

"I will do a sweep of the area around the city before we raid to ensure nothing suprizes us"

"And i climb the ladders over the walls with our infantry" said Antonious

" plans for Fort Unity are well under weigh, building supplys are being gathered and crews being put togeather"

The ships of the line were now nearly level with the city wall, where it met the river bank. They proceeded warily, uncertain of the level of defences to expect.

The level of defence was still unclear; however the time had come to commit themselves.
The vessels sailed a little further, and rocked as their facing broadsides went to the side facing the city, rather than the wall. There were some obvious defences; they focussed on these to commence.

They had left their calling card; let the Austians respond as they might to this concentrated firepower.

in the last day, the Angerman camp had emmited much shouting and yelling, mostly consisting of debate and a few "RUN AWAY!"s in their tounge. the second was useually closely followed by a large explosion, and the occasionaly rather noxious cloud of gas. at one point Pi her self, covered in what appeared to be green soot, had stoped by the Incognitian camp to aquire some gunpowder. the next explosion had been bigger still.

by the end of it, Pi and her team of schollars, specializeing in chemestry and flight, presented to Edward some rather... Interesting objects.

saluteing, Pi placed them on the map table and began speaking "sir! as it has been discovered that the construction of the city is such as to render firebombs mostly ineffective, we've been doing some... err.. reasurch. and we came up with these." she indicated the objects on the table " arial delivery bombs, the largest being a slupher bomb, the middle one being an acid bomb, and the smallest being straight gunpowder, as the Incognitians use in their weapons.

in all cases, one lights the fuse then drops them, as is to be expected. the special bit about them is that the sulpher bomb doesn't then need to be hit with a fire bomb to start produceing the gas. the fuse lights the alchole, which provides the heat as normal, and the impact breaks the case, spreding the contents around and mixing them togeather. the bonus is, if it doesn't work, it still makes a good firebomb.

the acid bomb is fairly standard, except we used a small powder charge , thus the fuse, to cause it to explode befor hitting the ground. at least idealy. if not, it'll at least spread teh acid a bit. gives it a larger effect radius.

the last one is simple enough. it's straight gunpowder, and the case is reenforced so it Won't break if it hits befor it detonates. compression makes for a bigger explosion, you see.

i regret to report that 3 memebers of first company, Aljern, Ernthi,and Karlig, as well as the scholler Mevji are dead as a result of the various explosions, mostly when dealing with the sulpher. another three of the men are now unfit for duty, and it is uncertian if they will recover or not.

each glider will be able to carry the weight of two of the first type, 3 of the second, or 5 of the third. sadly, we are still compleatly dependant on our allies for powder."

"i see" was Edward's responce "i shall write the relivant dispatches today. they died in the service of their prince, and as such their familys will recive their pay, as well as the standard pension." he sighed "it is always a shame haveing to write such things. when we return, you shall visit their familys and inform them of exactly how the men died, however"

"yes sir" it was not a duty Pi was looking forward to.

meanwhile, the enjiners were busy modifying the gliders to carry the bombs, takeing extra special care with the mounts for the acid bombs, as if they leaked, especially dureing launch, it would most likely be game over for the piolets.

The level of defence was still unclear; however the time had come to commit themselves.
The vessels sailed a little further, and rocked as their facing broadsides went to the side facing the city, rather than the wall. There were some obvious defences; they focussed on these to commence.

They had left their calling card; let the Austians respond as they might to this concentrated firepower.
OOC: Which way are you coming from? From the sea theres a gate to get through.

OOC: Which way are you coming from? From the sea theres a gate to get through.

ooc: as in, the river has a massive great gate accross it? that's the way he's comeing from, seeing as how it's the only way in for ships, but it was kind of hard to work out exactly what you ment in the planning thread.

ooc: as in, the river has a massive great gate accross it? that's the way he's comeing from, seeing as how it's the only way in for ships, but it was kind of hard to work out exactly what you ment in the planning thread.
OOC: More of a big archd bridge. But I've added murder-holds and a iron grilled gate to protect the city.

OOC:Heavy losses will be inflicted but it is still possible to get through...o0o murder holds...lets uhh..try and avoid them.. :)

ooc: planning thread fodder, this. and there are ways around murderholes .

errr... sort of.

Ostian Auxilarys constructed battering rams, catapults and bastilia's along the beachhead where the ships landed. Maximus supervised the construction of these seige weapons from his horse, Antonious strolled up to him on foot,

"It's comming along..we will rain hell down on the enemy my friend"

Maximus smiled at his friend,

"Yes Antonious...this will be a sight to see.."

OOC: If there's a bridge, there is physically no way my ships are getting in without demolishing it and removing the rubble. See my post in the planning thread.

IC: The Incognitians had some idea of why Pi wanted gunpowder; the quartermaster was ordered to give her anything she requested, within reason, without needing to refer it to his superiors; it was all in a good cause, after all.

OOC: I have a funny feeling that explosives can actually destroy the effect of poison gases. Certainly, WWI gas shells were designed to land intact and let it flow out; not explode and disperse it.

The progress on the artillary was moving along very well. General Regulus stood facing the sea alone he looked out over the horizon,

"May i be quick and wise...when my sword meets the enemy may it kill with stealth and spare no lives..."

He lowered his head took 3 steps back and strolled back to his command tent. Regulus believed in the gods with his whole heart, he relyed on them to make his decisions and they had never failed him...every victory he ever had was credited to the gods.

Maximus thought constantly about Hitomi but could not let it interfear with his ability to keep a clear mind, a letter would be sent soon.

OOC: can we claime the time has passed, it's the day befor the night of the assult, and start the final council now? you know, the one that ends with everyone leaveing, the assult being ordered, the sun setting, and then lots of BOOM! ?

OOC: Im ready for the final counsil too!! BOOM!

Yes!! it's going to be crazy!

OOC: Dont see why not.

OOC: Dont see why not.
ooc: realisticly, either you or terror need to be the one to call it.

It was time. The sun was turning a burning red as it sunk below the horizon: There would be blood shed this night. Calling the leaders of the allied army together, it would be the last council before the bloody assault, and hopefully victory.

William stared at the city, scanning the northern wall for damage. It had taken a pounding, particularly around the gates where the defense was at its weakest. The allies had dozens of siege weapons pounding the wall this last couple of weeks, using both cannons, catapaults and trebuchets. The enemy were hopefully fooled by what they saw: a patient grinding down of the enemy defences before a proper assault was made. They were wrong.

Instead the allies would strike from everywhere at once: From water, the air and the earth. They stood no chance.

General Regulus and his staff attended the final counsil before the attack on the city. The catapults and bastilia's that were constructed pounded the hell out of the walls for afew days now and regulus ordered another barrage to take place while the counsil was being taken care of..

"Good evening gentleman" he said over the noise outside

Ostian troops scrambled around loading their weapons to let loose their projectiles,

"All ignite!! FIRE!" the sound of objects launching echoed through the air...

The sky filled with arrows and large burning projectiles rained down on the walls...

OOC: If we're moving to this time, then my bombardment needs to have been going on for several days. We'll work that one out somehow.

IC: The distant boom from the river of continued bombardment by the ships could be heard, as General Kingston stood and asked
"Gentlemen, our part of the assault is ready. Is the same true for all of you?"

Two Ostian legions prepared for combat. Trumpeteers sounded off loudly glorious sounds echoed through the night air constantly drowned out by explosions and crashes heard from the barrage.

A massive bombardment may not eb the best way to prelude your attack. The Austians knew it was coming, they had known that for days now and now they wehre raised from there beds. It was csentry who ahd spotted it, Ostian legionarrys preparing the fight to the sound of trumpets. he had alerted his commander, who had alert his and now, a hour later troops filled the streets and rushed to there posts.

The main assult, it was predicted, would come at the weakened gates so most of the Austian troops where stationerd there. A wide space to fight it had been cleared and now it was pitted with rubble and misfired shots from the enermy guns. It had been carfully prepared, painstackingly fixed where the enermy shots had broken the traps and even now a few brave Asutians ran to fix the damge done by the latest round of fire. Two died, one hit by a enermy missile, the other being hit by one of there own traps. There bodies where left where they where and the traps reset.

Some more of the Asutian force had run to there bastilla, arming them and being ready to fire when the enermy made there advance. A last contingent where held back near the ports-enermy warships had been spotted and the UAstians predicted that another force would come from that way.

The Incognitian Marines were prepared. 8,000 men, split between two locations, armed with pikes and arquebuses and halberds; veterans of campaigns by land and sea.
Their siege weapons, besides the cannon and howitzers still steadily firing, consisted of barrels of gunpowder and long ladders. These were kept back for now, out of enemy sight, and the men out of reach of those within the walls.

The ships of the line, stood a little way downriver. Their guns roared out, focussed on the wall just inland from the bridge, on the city side. Meanwhile 800 marines, with assistance from Angerman soldiers, manned the wakas. It was uncertain what opening they would have to attack with them, and it was possible they would be landed to join the main assault, but if the opportunity arose they would be ready.

OOC: Nice one really drunk. Real good way of giving away the game. But dont worry. This may have helped us. Alot.

IC:
William swore. Not only had the Ostians began bombardment merely hours before the attack, rather than joining in the continuous bombardment, but they were attacking where the Ram attack was planned. Still. Good could come out of this.

As darkness settled in the sky and the Terror Incognitian troops disembarked in their crafts, the escalade force and circled around the city, untill they were facing the eastern wall. The darkness and their distance from the wall would keep the enemy unprepared. Their next phase in the attack would be to rush the wall, and William was confident of success.

The obviousness of the Frozopian Ram attack was nagging William. It would end in failure, and William saw no reason to continue the bluff. Why should he attack exactly where the enemy expected? It made no sense.

However he would keep large amount of his forces outside the wall, to retain the act. Sending a messenger to find the Ostians, William made sure they were informed of the change in the plan.

Some of the Frozopians would attack the west. Here was the proposed gate, that with alot of luck, would be opened. If this failed this force would take the Rams that were planned to be used on the northern wall, and to attack there.

At the same time, Tim had gathered his 8 men together. The men were rough, looking more like beggars than soldiers. But they knew their duty. Stealthily they approached the gatehouse, spotting the few soldiers patroling the area.
With them they carried a few objects that could help them: Fire was the key. Totally ignorant of the possible help from the outside, they prepared to fight alone.

OOC: Quick note, my men aren't disembarking. Some have been embarked on waka, the rest have always been on land. I'll sort out that issue now.

IC: The only wall not to be attacked, in the plan as it stood, was the Southern one. This was primarily because it was on the wrong side of the river, a crossing of which was commanded by the bridges, each of which was fortified. However, it was also likely to be most lightly garrisoned.
Therefore, under all available cover, the waka were withdrawn, appearing to land on the north bank. Instead, they proceeded further downriver, and landed their men on the South bank. These men would circle round, and assail the nearest gate.

OOC: Nowt tio do, needless to say my men are rushing to defend the gates. I have a plan for each one actually. I've had 1-2months to prepare, and I've got a lot of labour. By putting a 'you don't get any food if you don't work' scheme in I've built a lot of....how shall we say it, defences.

These are spread out around the city as I didn't know what you'd do, I've tried to preare for every sort of attack, except for the Hawks

OOC: Sorry guys i started my bombardment too early, i thought i would start at the time of the counsil..just give them a little somthing..

General Regulus stood behind the ranks of legionaires forming up for the assult. The barrage on the gate was inflicting alot of damage from the ostian point of veiw, the entire area was exploding in flames. Shortly after the advance signal was given moving 6,240 legionaires another 2,000 moved after them at a slow pace.

Maximus would hold with the cavelry while Antonious lead in the infantry. Soldiers rushed towards their ranks preparing to act as a second and third wave of support once the attack was well under weigh.

A short time later:

A Frozopan messenger made his way to General Regulus's feild command and deliverd the message,

"Recall 2,000 of those legionaires...the main assult is not the gate! hold the others in reserve but continue to stage an attack"

General Regulus looked at the messenger,

"Will my men be assisted? if we continue will there be support?"

The advancing legions came to a halt in the feild crossing.

General Nakamura and Admiral Omura were with Lord William.

the Kirisuban troops were ready and 4 kirisuban war junks had sailed down now that the beach head seemed to be secure.

all they needed now was the order to attack.

Ostian war galleys had joined with Kurisuban ships sailing down the coast. The man in charge was Commander Atillis, he was a veteran sailor and a good soldier. The steady pace beat was heard below on the decks of the galleys as the rower's strained their bodys to push the large ships through the dark water.

William swore. The Ostians were hesitating. The orders had reached them late. Turning to Conor, he gave the orders quickly. It seemed an assault on the north was necessary.
"Send in 5000 Men-at-arms. Its too late too turn back." Immediatly 5000 Frozopians advanced, following up the Ostian legionarries. Between them they carried two rams, too assault two of the gates.

Running for his horse, William leapt into the saddle and galloped towards where Regulus was standing, a few 100 meters parallel to the northern wall.

"Send in your 2000. We have no choice to turn back now. Make sure your Ostians assault the central gate: We will assault the two side gates."

Conor watched the unfolding attack and waved to the 5000 Longbowmen behind him:

"Fire arrows!"

Immediatly the 5000 loosed their first wave of fire arrows, each falling with sickening force on the battlements above the wall and the land beyond the wall.

It was a signal, to all the allies and all the Frozopians it was time to attack.

On the eastern wall 10,000 Frozopian men-at-arms charged forward, appearing out of the darkness like a storm. 5000 Frozopian longbows stopped at half the distance, loosing arrow unto the battlements and behind the walls.

The enemy were taken by complete surprise, with their attentions focussed on the northern wall, as the Frozopians slammed the ladders heavily upon the battlements and began the dangerous climb.

OOC: need some info on the western gate house before I can rp that adequately Aust. Check the OOC thread,

To the south, best part of a thousand Incognitian Marines appeared out of the darkness. Moving quietly, and moving full pelt for the gate and nearby wall, with ladders and barrels.

The whereabouts of the rest was not apparent to the defenders just yet. They would probably not be committed until a breakthrough was made.

The ships were bombarding, with great sound and fury, the iron gates blocking the port.

ooc: obviously, terror, if you're useing the waka, you took up my offer of useing some of my troops as well? just tell me how meny you ended up useing, and i'll be able to help out there.
err... drat. i had IC information that was to be made available to the council... which looks to have just vanished? ahh well.

IC:
in the Angerman camp, much busyness was takeing place. meny of the men had been dispatched to assist with the Incognitians navel assult, and the hawks were being prepaired. but that was not all. a kompany of men had been sent to the spot that had been identifyed earlyer as carrying vibrations well, and were waiting. the drums were set. Pi was resting on top of her platform, ready to light her battons and dance commands to the army. and Edward, with his standard bearer to translate, was in the council.

the hawk troops, drawn mostly from the Army Phist Kompany, were makeing a final check of their gear. if they weren't compleatly happy with their harness, then it would not be used, and one of the spares would be brought out and checked. it was a last check to make sure as little as possible went wrong. each and every glider had already been checkexd by the enjiners and the schollars, but this would become ritual as well as safty precotion, so it was best done early.

while this was going on Edward spoke to the gathered generals, "all is in readyness phor the assult. whenever you're ready, we kan begin. iph jeneral Regulus and any others with seige weapons would be so kind as to cease phireing anything does not phire in a straight line, and would keep the elevation of those ones low, we can launch. Pi has prepared some other interesting triks phor our enemys to phase. they would work best with a minimum of artillary noise also."

he paused for a moment. "it appears, however, that we have lost most of the element of surprise. they are prepared. almost too prepared. never the less, hopephully this will work. it would be best to launch the hawks late at night, unless there is reason to do otherwise." another pause
"but we appear to have one, as men are already assulting the gates. why?. still, it should be very ephektive, i hope. and their should be no moon tonight. i shall launch the hawks as soon as it bekomes dark enough. Pi shall give signals. watch phor them. the first is "change barrage"" he showed them how it would go
"that is the signal phor the artillary to alter it's phireing pattern so it does not hit the hawks. the sekond shall be phor "launch"" agian he showed them
"aphter that, my men are in the air, and Everything begins. the signals after that, as well as direkting the men, shall result in some.. interestingness." he grined "just be sure to spread the word that the demons and spirits are on their side." he laughed as he turned and swept from the tent, black cloak swurling behind thim.

covers were fixed to howlers to keep them quite untill needed, howlers and bombs were fixed to airframes, airframes to men, the resulting combination rested on the launchpads. it was possible they wouldn't launch for another several hours, but it was best to be prepaired.

Edward, upon returning to the camp and checking that all was in order, then climbed up to Pi's platform. after the two had simply sat there for a while, he spoke "it's a total mess. things like this require great co-ordination, and we have little or none of that."
"i noticed" was the girls wry responce "still, we must make do. everything of ours is ready"
"indeed. and they have been informed of the required signals. those trumpets screwed us up somewhat though. the idea was to not make a noise or give sign untill the hawks were in the air."
"doesn't matter, boss. so long as they Stop when we need them to, it'll all go fine. no plane ever survives first contact with the enemy, well knowen fact."
"yes, well, this one didn't even survive first contact with our allies. we commited one of the most foolish acts in war: we over estimated them."
"if that is our only mistake, hopefully it's still salvageable."
"oh, it is that. but it's annoying, still."

and then they simply sat and watched as the sky darkend and the battle commenced.

an hour later, all was in readyness. Edward removed himself from the platform, and Pi began her dance. the signal was given for the artillary to change it's fire pattern. however, the need for perfect timeing ment that weither the signal had been seen and complyed with could not be checked. instead, it was followed imediatly by another, and the hawks were launched. despite all preperations, one of the men who was to participate in the opening of the gates crashed to the ground and broke his neck. his wings had failed to lock, and rather than holding them in place with his arms and trying to land, as they had been instructed, he paniced and crashed. one of the three bombers carrying acid met a worse fate however. despite all procations and preperations, one of the bombs ruptured on launch, spilling thier dedly payload all over man and machine. he came back down on one of the camp's walls as well, what was left of him being impaled on thier spiked tops. highly unplesent. still, the other 18 launched without issue.

and now another signal was given, and all the Angerman troops, except the hawks, began to chant to the rythem of the now beating drumbs, as Pi danced commands accross the range of their possitions

"Rompitix medhell arise, demonix!
make phall romsky, medphire rain!
allow totphall water, velt kwenchveltur thirst, Ox!
bring romdeepix, earthz thunder!
Kome totus, Phasmaix!
konstruktvel Chez phoeix, ya insipe yemakejinvel!"

then the kompany ordered to the place where the vibrations would carry began a war dance, in perfect unison, stomping the rythem on the ground

edward, from attop the wall, called loud
"Romkahaij kome, Viktory!"
the men, reguardless of postion, called back
"Be kaha, Che"
"Medmind, Kahaij"
"Be kaha, Chez mindix"
"Medbody, Kahaij"
"Be kaha, Chez Bodyix"
"Betur yeviktory, Che"
and then they all called "Viktory! Viktory! Viktory"

as they did this, the rythem of their dance carryed through the ground, full to the walls, and set up a vibration within them. not enough to bring them down, but enough to be felt.

and then the whole thing began again.

"Rompitix medhell arise, demonix!"

over and over again, this was repeated. and after the second repitition, the surviveing hawks struck

ooc: i'm giveing a small opertunity for some of them to die due to flukes there. mostly they're going to die to stary seige weaponary, on this run though. no randomly spotting them, Aust, you've got bigger issues.

Regulus quickly issued the order for the 2,000 to head in to attack the central gate, they were equiped with one battering ram and some ladders. The soldiers marched at a steady pace across the feild, in the background ostian Auxillarys and 350 archers fired ignited arrows towards the wall.

Reallydrunk']Regulus quickly issued the order for the 2,000 to head in to attack the central gate, they were equiped with one battering ram and some ladders. The soldiers marched at a steady pace across the feild, in the background ostian Auxillarys and 350 archers fired ignited arrows towards the wall.

ooc: the central gate on which side? if it's the wrong one you're about to stuff up the entire plan, you know.

OOC: little confused here, Terrors bombarding the gates, Ostias attacking the middle north gate and Forztopais attacking the two side gates? Correct?

Confirm and I'll respond.

Yes middle north

OOC: I'm bombarding the river gates. I also have an assault force on the SE-most gate.
EDIT: Angerman, I was reckoning on having about 100 of your men. They can have landed with mine, or stayed on the north side, depending what you prefer.

IC: As soon as the signal they had been told to watch for was given, the howitzers ceased firing. The cannon kept going steadily, as they could not fire to such a height as to be a danger.

The ships of the line were still bombarding the gates; focussing on where they hinged, hoping that since the Austians had no knowledge of explosives they were not designed to take such punishment.

the Kirisuban infantry, 7000 strong where holding position as the reserves waiting for orders.

The spearmen had their bamboo tall shields and morale was high. The 500 mounted samurai were further back and the 1000 samurai archers had fire arrows prepared and all ready to get close and set the city alight.

all was ready as they waited for the order to advance.

ooc: terror, you've got 4th kompany's rock 1 and eel sub-kompanys [that's what they're actually called. i checked my thread.]

IC:

the hawks silently flew through the air. all the piolets were nervous, this was their first time doing such a thing, and they had already seen what could happen if their equipment failed. still, they made it over the north wall without incident, and right over the center of the city. half of them turned west, and began looking for good landing places, with the goal of reenforcing the frozopians already within the walls and opening the gates.

the other nine continued on untill they were half way between the river and the center of the city. as the second repition, the third call, of the "demonix" chant was made, they uncovered their howlers, and the 7 carrying a mix of explosive and fire bombs dove towards the city, screaming like banshies. on the first run through they droped exlosives, ripping appart the roves and walls of buildings. two of the buildings even managed to catch fire. then they rose again, and made a second pass, over a slightly different area, one that looked to have more people in it. this time they droped their sulpher bombs. of the seven droped, 2 simply scatered burning alchole around, failing to set off the sulpher, and a third landed in a manure pile, of all things, and didn't break. the other 4, however, detonated nicely, spreading the toxic gas through the streets. the remaining two bombers circled some more, looking for likely targets. finding a high concentration of troops around the west gate, they dove towards it, relesed their deadly cargo, then rose again, flying off and Hopefully returning to the camp. the other bombers also wheeled, covered the howlers again, and made for home.

bellow them, the men around the gate suddenly experianced first hand why they should fear Angermanland's might, as they were given an unexpected acid bath.


those who had been detailed to land and make for the west gate in hopes of opening it managed to find a relitivly clear street to land in, and did so. one of them stuffed it up and plowed into the ground, dead. another clipped his wing on a building, destroying the glider and breaking his right arm as he fell. the rest managed to land all right, but they lost another half of their gliders. splinting the mans arm with bits of wreackage, they then dismantled and stowed the gliders out of sight, befor forming up and heading for the gate. they had black cloth cloathing, specificly made for this task, covering their armour and markings. they were left with 7 effectives, two dead, and one injured, and with those 7 they needed to open a gate perported to need twenty men to open it compleatly. still, there was a posibility of frozopian assistance from the men within the city, and as soon as they could be return and be preped again, the other hawks would be returning to drop more bombs. assumeing they got out of the city. it was likely that more would be lost every flight.


ooc: and so the hawks made their combat debut. umm, in the even that your troops were massing at a different gate, Aust, the acid was droped on them. i belive it was the west gate though.

The 2,000 Ostian legionaires marched to the central north gate where the battering rams were brought foward and the barrage was ceased. From the rear ranks legionaires brought up ladders to climb over the walls the mass of the formation slowed their pace and waited to see the results of the ladder attack.

The gate was damaged from the artillary attacks it sustained early on in the assult, smoke rose from behind the walls and the smell of battle filled the air.


The Ostian galleys slid close by in the water beside the kurisuban ships where they awaited their next action. General Regulus sent a messenger to the Terror command regarding the assult on the south east gate, he would send soldiers to assist in the attack,

"Hurry back with news of their reply"

He said to the messenger then turned to an officer

"form 1,000 of those 22nd reserves and have them prepare to march on command to the south east gate to assist Incognitia forces"

Maximus rode up on his horse,

"General, report.."

Regulus nodded,

"The infantry are currently working that gate..the bombardment sofented it up alot, to the rear my men are getting egar..."

A look of content crossed Regulus's face,

"Well by the time they go in, their blood will be boiling!"

Maximus replyed,

"The order remains at hold..yes sir"

Maximus saluted and took off past the infantry preparing themselves...

OOC:
The North gate is being bombarded and assaulted by the rams, both Frozopian and Ostian. Obviously the bombardment on the gate and wall itself will stop around now. This is where Aust has massed his forces. All 3 gates are being assaulted by rams.

On the East, which is completely unbombarded, the escalade is taking place, my men are climbing up the ladders now.

On the west gate, which is near where some of Anger's hawk things are landing, is where we are trying to open the gate from the inside. Some of my force are waiting here.

Terror is bombarding the river gate with his ships, and he is assaulting the south eastern gate.

kiri your job will probably involve following up the attack through the rams on the northwall.

OOC:
Frozopia, my guys will follow your lead on this one. they're headed in the general direciton of the west gate. they're armoured, useing my gear as it is lightest(though without the incognitian sholder and helmit gear) and armed with taiahu. all yourse. try not to get them killed. so, meet up with them, and bust the gate open. of course.. there's the practical issue of Opening the gate.. but their shouldn't be a lot of oposition. acid will do that.

OOC:
Thank god for that acid. Thats exactly what I need. Any mini fire bombs?
Also, its ok if I assume you have a note signed by William that you are who you say you are, and one of the guys speaks at least the fundamentals of latin?

OOC:
Thank god for that acid. Thats exactly what I need. Any mini fire bombs?
Also, its ok if I assume you have a note signed by William that you are who you say you are, and one of the guys speaks at least the fundamentals of latin?

yeah, you better be thankful. look what happend to the third guy who launched carrying the stuff..

fair assumptions. as for fire bombs, both the explody sort and the sulphur gas bombs can start fires, but i didn't make any air deliverable bombs specificly designed to set things on fire.

OOC: Ok, but I think since you have more knowledge of the damage they can do, you should RP the effects. Im thinking throw whatever we have thats fumious and flamable into the gate house including a few burning brands that we made in the city, when they rush out we rush them. I have my own trap that the men have been preparing as well......

IC:
"What the hell?" Whispered Tim as the thing swooped downwards into the street. It looked like some kind of bat creature. Immediatly the 8 men drew their swords
"What magic is this!?" one of the men asked. "Are these servants of Aust?"
"Monsters of Aust." They were approaching the group now, having landed in the street.
"Then let us show them how Frozopians die." Tim was scared, but his sword arm was steady. Charging forward, the 8 men ran at the group.

"Friend! Friend!" One of the things was saying in Latin.
The group did not stop.
"Help! William! Friend!"
This time the band of Frozopians did pause.
"Who are you?" Asked Tim.
One of the things, which was quite clearly man, held out some parchment. Snatching it from the man, Tim slowly read the letter to the group of Frozopians. He was not a great reader.

Looking up, he said:
"Friend?"
"Yes! Friend!" Replied the man
"Then lets go."
It was time. This time the large group of 15 men progressed towards the gatehouse: No one had heard them, thanks to the bombardment. 2 men from the group disappeared: Their duty would be something else.

ooc: the guys who landed, who are the ones i'm giveing you control of, have no more bpmbs of any sort. they weren't carrying any to start with, the goal being to be quiet and sneaky. 7 are effective, one injured, giveing you 8 more men to work with. and i won't be dropping any mroe stuff on the west gate, either.

"Sir! Sir! Word from the Ostians!"
"What is it?"
"They offer 1,000 men at the south-east gate."
"Very well. Send back to get them to the waka as soon as possible. Our assault there has probably already commenced"
++++++++ At the SE gate
The men were coming out of the shadows. Some mad musketeer captain had had the idea of placing powder-laced rope around their heads, giving them a demonic aspect (OOC: for example see Edward Teach, pirate).
They came screaming and charging, nearly 1,000 men with arquebus, halberd and sword (swordsmen are pikes who've left them behind as too long for city streets and alleys).
Amongst them were some twenty ladders. Somewhere behind were four large barrels.

General Regulus was met by his messenger once again where he commanded the 1,000 legionaires to move to the south-east gate to hold for preperations to attack. The attack would be commanded by Terror forces therefore the legionaires would move when they did.

The central north gate was being rammed and the soldiers closed their ranks waiting for the gate to give way.


OOC: there we go... :)

OOC: Reallydrunk, temporarily move that one to the Kilani thread? I've got people there now, might be worth getting together, not least because my guys can smooth things over a bit.

OOC: uhh why has Aust not acted yet?...aand i have posted on the Kilani thread..

(OOC: mind if I join, last time I travelled to Aust was when I was Toops and he told me that was too far, or it might have been the little space between my puppet having just gone there, anywho joiny?)

OOC: Aust said he's away for a while, could we put things on hold for a bit.
And Toopoxia, only slight problem is you have all of about 3,000 people in Persia, do you not? Makes intervention in an Australian war involving large armies....improbable.

(OOC: 1 word, Assassins, my MT nation specialises in them and everyone needs to start from somwhere, having such a small military means that I can concentrate on world affairs in a more subtle manner.)

OOC: well...3,000 men isn't alot..it is possible to loose that in a day against large forces..

(OOC: no no, 3,000 is the size of my population, this gives me a chance to have a strong base in spec ops missions for when we move into Napoleonic tech)

OOC: o0o0o ok, i got yah...lets move this to the planning thread...

OOC: Let's get this show (back) on the road! Kilani, don't want to do too much with your men, but...
(Is Kilani away, or not posting cos nothing's happening?)

IC: The West Coast of Aust had been, hitherto, free from any threat. That was about to change. The Incognitian-escorted Kilanian transport fleet was approaching the North-western coast...

The first ships dropped anchor and boats full of legionaries began pulling for the shore, as well as barges and smaller, shallower drafted craft.

The first boat ran up onto the sand and the troops jumped out, dragging the craft out of the water. More boats touched bottom and Kilani legionaries began assembling on the shore-line. The Kilani Imperium had arrived.

Having seen the Kilanians ashore, the Incognitian escorts departed, as agreed. There would be more work to do, getting supplies in, and bringing further troops, but for now their work was done here.

OOC: post deleated, sorry

OOC: Mate, these Kilanians are going in on the West coast. The only men of yours who are going to see them (for now at least) are Agrippas' men, who haven't arrived yet.

The Kilani troops quickly begin work on a fortified camp. THe first legion ashor is already digging a large defensive ditch around the perimiter and lumber is sought out for the palisade. Rows of tents are pitched and drilling areas designated. Over 50,000 men will eventually inhabit this large tent and wood city.

OOC: Once again I'm lost, so now theres ANOTHER army coming in, on which choast? Where?

So thats 4 armys that are attacking. great. You know, does anyone else think that these odds are just a little unfair?

OOC: Ok, but I think since you have more knowledge of the damage they can do, you should RP the effects. Im thinking throw whatever we have thats fumious and flamable into the gate house including a few burning brands that we made in the city, when they rush out we rush them. I have my own trap that the men have been preparing as well......

IC:
"What the hell?" Whispered Tim as the thing swooped downwards into the street. It looked like some kind of bat creature. Immediatly the 8 men drew their swords
"What magic is this!?" one of the men asked. "Are these servants of Aust?"
"Monsters of Aust." They were approaching the group now, having landed in the street.
"Then let us show them how Frozopians die." Tim was scared, but his sword arm was steady. Charging forward, the 8 men ran at the group.

"Friend! Friend!" One of the things was saying in Latin.
The group did not stop.
"Help! William! Friend!"
This time the band of Frozopians did pause.
"Who are you?" Asked Tim.
One of the things, which was quite clearly man, held out some parchment. Snatching it from the man, Tim slowly read the letter to the group of Frozopians. He was not a great reader.

Looking up, he said:
"Friend?"
"Yes! Friend!" Replied the man
"Then lets go."
It was time. This time the large group of 15 men progressed towards the gatehouse: No one had heard them, thanks to the bombardment. 2 men from the group disappeared: Their duty would be something else.
The men in the agtehouse where nervious, they knew that the enermy would attack tonight, and the main assult was expected to fall upon there gatehouse. Everyman was tensed and alert, ready to fight and die.

The gatehouse had been given a extra garrason of 100 men that ngiht, making the total garrasion 300, plus the arachers and bastilla crews that manned the walls-hiding in specally made compartments a few meters below the firestep to be out of enermy fire.

And the enermy had fired, the gateshouse and the walls where pocmarked from the enermy bombardment. In one place the outer wall off the gatehouse and been blasted clan through, exposing the places inners. Ever resourceful the Asutians had rebuilt the walls as best they could, usigng it as a extra arrowloophole. How several archers croched behind it.

Behind the gatehousemost of the hosues had been destroyed, those that hadn't had been cleared leaving a 200m square off rubble. That rubble had been placed specally to break up an enermy charge, but even more deadly pits had been dug beneath it, lined with steaks-any man that didn't know the way through the square would be killed by falling onto the steaks. One or two of those pits had already been revealed by enermy fire. The entire area was well lit by hay bales so as to give the archers a good target if, and when, the enermy broke through.

OOC: Just give me a bit of info about the other attacks-where there coming from ect and I'll reply.

OOC: The easternmost gate on the south wall is under attack from nearly 1,000 of my men, 1,000 Ostians and some Angerman troops. They are currently charging the gate, with ladders and gunpowder barrels.
Bearing in mind that this gate, indeed this whole wall, has seen no action yet at all, and the troops will only just have become apparent to any defenders.

OOC: The easternmost gate on the south wall is under attack from nearly 1,000 of my men, 1,000 Ostians and some Angerman troops. They are currently charging the gate, with ladders and gunpowder barrels.
Bearing in mind that this gate, indeed this whole wall, has seen no action yet at all, and the troops will only just have become apparent to any defenders.
OOC: okay.

IC: iQui ducked as another one of the things jetted overhead making a terrable keening nosie, dropping more of the terrable burning liquid. A man nearby screamed the the droplets burned with his skin, falling off the firestep and into the long drop to the ground.

iQui wanted to run, to hide but he couldn't. As terrfying as thosse thigns may be it would be nothing to the dishonour he would suffer if he ran, the certain death that would await if he tried to run and the endless torment in the afterlife that was the punishment for all oathbreakers. 3 men had already tried to run, and now they laid dead at the sargents feet, a testmomny to the vetren soildiers abilitys.

Suddenly a terrable and deadly pattering befell iQuis ears, a irregualar thump like a thousand feet scraping over cobbles.... Another hay bale was dropped from the side of the wall to illuminate any attackers and the iQui saw them, thosands of the enermy charging, so close, ever so clsoe to the walls. They carried ladders and what, in the flickering light, appeared to be beer barrels.

The sargents had spotted them too and where yelling instructions. "Enermy, 500 yards. Elevation 4." Wooden blocks where inserted beneath the bastilla to correct there elevation, "Multi-bundle." A bundle of arrows where inserted in the machines chamber, "degree, 56." The machines where twisted, "Fire."

12 bastilla twanged in the light, each sending a bundle of 24 arrows towards there targets. The sheer strain put upon these arrows by the rope snapped them to peices and now the friction and froces from the incredable speed and density of wood caused them to set alight-hudnreds of razor-sharp flaming shards lancing towards the enermy. Some where as small as splinters, overs where the size of half an arrow, many steel tipped.

The ngith infront of the walls lit up as another 3 hay bails fell, burning to the floor. This revealed the true size of the enermy force and now, while the bastilla reloaded, the archers stepped forward. Tehre where only 100 longbowmen, on this section of wall. Many of there bows where unstrung and a few stayed back to restring there bows, but even so 60 of the men lossened arrows, and more joined in a second volly. Then the archers stepped back, the bastilla fired, and they stepped forwards again.

ummm.. acid plus infultration =west gate

laders plus explsives =southern/ south-eastern area, semi-anphibious assult, i think.

The bombardment was, if anything, less than expected. Men fell to the defenders' fire, but the time for counting the cost was not yet. The main body continued.
(OOC: Hope you don't think your ballistae are going to be firing once for every longbow volley, or even for every two.)
As they grew close to the wall, those men carrying ladders flung them up against it. Their comrades were firing arquebuses up at the wall, to keep enemy heads down.
Those carrying the barrels ended up in front of the gate. They stopped short of any murder-holes, and rolled the barrels into the gate, holding onto the quickmatch in the top of each barrel. This was then lit. The men responsible ran away; a respectful distance behind, men waited in formation to charge into the soon-to-be-open gate.

The bombardment was, if anything, less than expected. Men fell to the defenders' fire, but the time for counting the cost was not yet. The main body continued.
(OOC: Hope you don't think your ballistae are going to be firing once for every longbow volley, or even for every two.)
As they grew close to the wall, those men carrying ladders flung them up against it. Their comrades were firing arquebuses up at the wall, to keep enemy heads down.
Those carrying the barrels ended up in front of the gate. They stopped short of any murder-holes, and rolled the barrels into the gate, holding onto the quickmatch in the top of each barrel. This was then lit. The men responsible ran away; a respectful distance behind, men waited in formation to charge into the soon-to-be-open gate.
OOC: No, but my men where slow to react. Surley the flaming shards would have done somthing to your cunpowder-gunpowder+Flames arn't a good combination.

I could dow ith some losess. How would Arquebuses help? It might keep our heads down, but aiming anything that hgih won't be accurate.

IC: Hidden behind the parapet the Austians pushed the ladders back, two or three men lost there lives to enermy fire yet still the ladders where tossed back. meanwhile the Austians threw over rucoks, rubled, barts and anything else capable of killing from a hight.

The worst weapon was yet to come, the Austians had already vacated the gatehouse, the men at the top of it going to help the defenders at the walls and the men at the bottom rushing out to join the phalnax that was slowly treading it's way through the pits, the last man pulling out the flags that showed the way out.

Then the gates blew, a massive explosian that destryed both the cast iron gates and much of the from stronework of the gate, bringing that to form a great pile of rubble where the gates had been consisting of a meter and a half of stone and rubble. This almost reached the gates ruined first floor.

Luckly for the gathouse the front stone and the gates had taken most of the damage, leaving the gatehouse mostly unharmed. Though the front room was completly destroyed and the wall that led from it into the decond room destroyed the rooms beyond that still stood. The first portculiss had been lost but the second still stood and now it dropped. The pile of rubble had made it all but invisable to the defenders, once they climbed the pile they would be met by the sight of it-and the murderholes.

ooc: a balista should not be capable of setting the things on fire anyway. they can't generate enough heat, for LONG enough, to catch anything, and the projectiles arn't moveing fast enough for the air to light 'em up. now, if you'd LIT the projectiles, it might be a bit more beleaveable. so the lack of explosions is really fair enough.

ooc: a balista should not be capable of setting the things on fire anyway. they can't generate enough heat, for LONG enough, to catch anything, and the projectiles arn't moveing fast enough for the air to light 'em up. now, if you'd LIT the projectiles, it might be a bit more beleaveable. so the lack of explosions is really fair enough.
OOC: I thought that the sheer stresses would break the arrows apart, there only wood afterall. A bastilla is really designed to fire one big wooden bolt. Onces they broke apart-if two of the ehads hit each other that would great a spark and....BAM.

OOC: I thought that the sheer stresses would break the arrows apart, there only wood afterall. A bastilla is really designed to fire one big wooden bolt. Onces they broke apart-if two of the ehads hit each other that would great a spark and....BAM.

... the down side to that theory? wood doesn't spark if it's not on fire.
no complaints about the rest of the balista bit, just it wouldn't catch fire.

OOC: Posted about the gatehouse in the planning thread. Meanwhile, may as well continue with the ladders...
Oh yeah, can I have more info on the pits? Need to know how many, where, how big, and how in fact they're practical in the first place.
IC: Losses were mounting. No-one stopped to count, but it seemed at least two-score men were down.
There were 20 ladders. Ten had been pushed off the wall, however eight of those were still intact, and were picked up at once to be placed back against the wall. Meanwhile men were climbing the other ten; the first few were reaching the top, and leaping onto the wall swinging swords.

... the down side to that theory? wood doesn't spark if it's not on fire.
no complaints about the rest of the balista bit, just it wouldn't catch fire.
OOC: Wood dosn't, but steel arrowheads do, in a bundle of 25 some will hit each other and spark.

On the pits. Theres a lot of them with a few paths in between, there quite deep and large-the soil from digging them has been taken away for other projects. I've dug them near all of the gatehouses and where talking most of the area of land are pits here. At the bottom you have sharpened steaks.

Oh, and how did I build so many-I've got a workforce of 100,000 or so in the city, the only way they get food is to work, thus I have a hell of a lot of these sorts of defences.

IC: Jumping over the top of a ladder swinging your sword isn't the best way to attempt an escalade. Especally not when your facing achers. Whenever the enermy leapt over the parpet he was met by a circle of archers, out of range of his sword. These archers would then fire, and the at least one arrow would thread it's way through the mans armour.

Some of the more unlucky man ended up facing a bastilla-a course of cation that usually led to them looking more like a ppincusion than a person as a entire casket was emptyed into there bodies.

The Asutians knew that this wouldn't last forever. Soon they would run out of arrows but until renforcemnts arrived this would be how they would do it. Staying out of range and firing. Every so often one man might be able to avoid the archery, and that man may have been able to claim a life before he died.

OOC: 2 score-20 men?

ooc: 2 score is 40. a score is 20.
humm.. steal strikeing steal may cause a spark. but then the wood has to pass through the spark, the spark has to be on the same place on the wood for long enough, etc etc. basicly, the fact that these things are being launched through the air precludes teh posibility.

Antonious's troops rammed the gates time and time again, the bombardment weakend them and it seemed they would give way soon. The escalade was also about to take place, the legionaires rushed to the front with ladders leaning them on the wall. The Auxillary troops and archers advanced further into the field preparing to fire more ignited arrows over the wall,

"Ready and FIRE!" Yelled an officer..

Hundreds of arrows flew through the night sky, officers in charge of the south wall assult ordered the tactic of testudo. The soldiers fell into formation and marched to their objective.

Maximus and his cavelry watched the attepmts to make a break through,

"Im glad im not an infantryman..Aust is well prepared for us, and a ferice fighting enemy.."

A cavelry officer looked at Maximus and nodded,

"Agreed but it is nothing we cannot over come in time.."

The 1,000 legionaires General Regulus sent to assist terror forces marched quickly across the field, with them they carried 14 ladders. They would assist in the escalade from this position, out of the testudo formation the front ranks watched men fall from the walls.

Reallydrunk']Antonious's troops rammed the gates time and time again, the bombardment weakend them and it seemed they would give way soon. The escalade was also about to take place, the legionaires rushed to the front with ladders leaning them on the wall. The Auxillary troops and archers advanced further into the field preparing to fire more ignited arrows over the wall,

"Ready and FIRE!" Yelled an officer..

Hundreds of arrows flew through the night sky, officers in charge of the south wall assult ordered the tactic of testudo. The soldiers fell into formation and marched to their objective.

Maximus and his cavelry watched the attepmts to make a break through,

"Im glad im not an infantryman..Aust is well prepared for us, and a ferice fighting enemy.."

A cavelry officer looked at Maximus and nodded,

"Agreed but it is nothing we cannot over come in time.."

The 1,000 legionaires General Regulus sent to assist terror forces marched quickly across the field, with them they carried 14 ladders. They would assist in the escalade from this position, out of the testudo formation the front ranks watched men fall from the walls.
OOC: wheres this happening? At the same place where Terror is? Reamber you'll have been under heavy fire for a while-and the gates have been destroyed at that side. I'm presuming your escalading a side thats not been attacked yet

IC: The Austians on this side of the wall where as of yet unengaged, there only part in the battle had been to fire across the gate towards the people attacking both the gate and the wall. Now it seemed it would eb there turn to suffer.

The Archers and bastilla turned towards the latest enermy. This wall was now slightly better defended than the other wall had been-though the forces on that wall where now becoming renforced as men from other parts of the city where rushed to help them-and 178 arrows where released on the firest volly along with 25 bastilla cases-625 bolts in total from the machines. That led to a first volley of 803 arrows, soon to be more as more men arrived to defend the wall.

OOC: he's on the same wall, he sent 1000 legionaries to support my assault there.

OOC:
My main force is attacking the East Wall with an escalade.

OOC: Im attacking the central north gate and the same gate terror is, i am comming from 2 different positions.

The advancing legionaires continued to move under the rain of arrows protected under their sheilds, although the bastillia's rained terror on them, soldiers screamed out in pain dropping to the ground while others closed the ranks continuing their advance, the tactic of testudo seemed to be working rather well against the arrows.

The escalade on the north central gate was about to take place, the legionaires slung their sheilds and started their climb.

A small port has sprung up near the Kilani military camp. Supplies and weapons are being unloaded. Cavalry patrols began to scour the countryside for food, water, and information.

Reallydrunk']OOC: Im attacking the central north gate and the same gate terror is, i am comming from 2 different positions.

The advancing legionaires continued to move under the rain of arrows protected under their sheilds, although the bastillia's rained terror on them, soldiers screamed out in pain dropping to the ground while others closed the ranks continuing their advance, the tactic of testudo seemed to be working rather well against the arrows.

The escalade on the north central gate was about to take place, the legionaires slung their sheilds and started their climb.
OOC: Gotcha. Same responce basically. I'll hold you off as best I can with archers, renforcements will probably come in time and then you'll face a fight for the walls.

OOC: ok cool, sounds good

With the Kirisubans the reserves for this attack General Nakamura knew his troops were keen to get involved. they had broken up into units of 1000 men and were positioned further back so they could support anywhere.

As the old General watched on the hill he knew this would be a messy battle but it was preferable to a long siege..

OOC: Since there hasnt really been a response to my men capturing the wall, I will RP its capture. After all, most of Austs forces are pooled behind the north wall, and this attack was a complete surprise, so I outnumber him on the East wall. I cant be bothered with the gate house effort, because for no reason at all suddenly 300 men defend it, so just say my men abandonned the attempt. Sorry about that anger. Alot of assumptions here, but I think they are fair.

IC:
The Frozopians scrambled up the ladders, as Frozopians poured arrow fire over and beyond the wall unto the unfortunate Austians. It seemed Williams attack had worked: The enemy were ill prepared and scattered across the huge city, so the Frozopians with relative ease swarmed over the Eastern wall, driving back the Austians along it. As the Frozopians spread along the wall, more and more Longbowmen climbed up to join them, using the opportunity to fire down upon the city.

Captain Johnson swung his sword viciously forward, crushing the poor young conscripts skull. The brains and blood splattered into the captains face, but Johnson did not hesitate to step forward again driving his sword into the chest of another older Austian, piercing his armour and his heart. Looking for another victim, the Frozopians drove the enemy back, travelling towards the northern wall where William hoped they could help the joint Ostian and Frozopian offensive. Captain Johnson lead the assault, coming to a halt as some 40 Austians made a bristling spear wall, preventing any further advance. The Frozopians hesitated, but not for long: 20 Frozopian Hand cannoners stepped forward, shouldering their weapons and unleashing a volley, piercing the rank. Nothing could stop the Frozopian advance.

Conor was staring at the western gate, waiting for it to open. But he was to be disapointed. Tim was shocked to find the gate house garrison had swelled from 40 to 300, and thus ordered the allies to quit. There was no point fighting here. After 5 minutes Conor swore and sent his force around to the Eastern wall, to reinforce the success the Frozopians were having their....

At the same time, the two Frozopian rams crashed into the gates along side their Ostian allies, relatively safe from most of the ballistae and enemy archers. Only a few murder holes caused any trouble, but luckily the artillery had destroyed much of the wall, including the ramparts and thus preventing the enemy pouring burning liquid upon them.

And even better, one of the gates was cracking.......

The Incognitian assault in the south was continuing, with casualties steadily mounting. With word coming of Frozopian success in the East, it was hoped that keeping the pressure on would prevent reinforcements being stripped from here, or exploit it if they were.

The majority of the Incognitian forces, under General Kingston, were still in the East; they could help exploit their allies success; all they needed was for the gate to be opened by some of the men who had taken the walltop.

ooc: argh... PESANT MALITIA, man... i don't care HOW good some of the sergents and stuff are. a lot of them are going to fold up under this kind of assult.

IC: Edward and Pi were both worried about their men within the walls, though niether spoke of it. instead, as the remaining hawks stagared in, Edward took their reports, and then ordered them to launch again, with howlers silenced.

carrying a mix of ordinance, and randomly useing howlers or not, they launched again and again and again, with losses remaining low as their allies were provideing distraction.

ultimatly, the Austians would fear the night sky, and break at the sound of a howler comeing down upon them. those who survived to learn that fear.

The ostians worked alongside their frozopian allies steadly on their attempts to breach the wall, the gate was finally giving way and starting to cave in,

"It's giving way!!" An officer shouted..

The soldiers let out a ferice war cry marching towards the gate at a slow pace in testudo formation. General Regulus watched from his rear veiw, it was obvious the gate was going to give way any time now,

A dispatch rider appraoched and came to a halt,

"General! The frozopian's have gotten in! they have breached the walls!"

General Regulus grinned,

"Wonderful! i want my officers at the front to know, inform them of this so they may push with all their might to meet their allies!"

The rider saluted and took off followed by two other men on horseback headed for the advancing legionaires under Antonious.

Maximus had received news of the breach by the Frozopans, he ordered a ride to the area so they may offer their support after some infantry took control of a gate. The horses thundered across the terrain towards their successful allies, Maximus was egar to get in the fight and so were his men.

OOC: Since there hasnt really been a response to my men capturing the wall, I will RP its capture. After all, most of Austs forces are pooled behind the north wall, and this attack was a complete surprise, so I outnumber him on the East wall. I cant be bothered with the gate house effort, because for no reason at all suddenly 300 men defend it, so just say my men abandonned the attempt. Sorry about that anger. Alot of assumptions here, but I think they are fair.

IC:
The Frozopians scrambled up the ladders, as Frozopians poured arrow fire over and beyond the wall unto the unfortunate Austians. It seemed Williams attack had worked: The enemy were ill prepared and scattered across the huge city, so the Frozopians with relative ease swarmed over the Eastern wall, driving back the Austians along it. As the Frozopians spread along the wall, more and more Longbowmen climbed up to join them, using the opportunity to fire down upon the city.

Captain Johnson swung his sword viciously forward, crushing the poor young conscripts skull. The brains and blood splattered into the captains face, but Johnson did not hesitate to step forward again driving his sword into the chest of another older Austian, piercing his armour and his heart. Looking for another victim, the Frozopians drove the enemy back, travelling towards the northern wall where William hoped they could help the joint Ostian and Frozopian offensive. Captain Johnson lead the assault, coming to a halt as some 40 Austians made a bristling spear wall, preventing any further advance. The Frozopians hesitated, but not for long: 20 Frozopian Hand cannoners stepped forward, shouldering their weapons and unleashing a volley, piercing the rank. Nothing could stop the Frozopian advance.

Conor was staring at the western gate, waiting for it to open. But he was to be disapointed. Tim was shocked to find the gate house garrison had swelled from 40 to 300, and thus ordered the allies to quit. There was no point fighting here. After 5 minutes Conor swore and sent his force around to the Eastern wall, to reinforce the success the Frozopians were having their....

At the same time, the two Frozopian rams crashed into the gates along side their Ostian allies, relatively safe from most of the ballistae and enemy archers. Only a few murder holes caused any trouble, but luckily the artillery had destroyed much of the wall, including the ramparts and thus preventing the enemy pouring burning liquid upon them.

And even better, one of the gates was cracking.......
OOC: I call GODMOD, first off you have no diea where my forces are concentrated-al I've said is that my elites-my 4,000 fully trained soildiers are based on the gates and towers, supported by a few auxillarys. When under attack they are supposed to hold out against the enermy until my renforcements arrive-and they'll arrive in number. So elts start again shall we, lets see-6 gates, 300 men guarding each gate? Unfeasable? I think not, thats just 1,800 of my men being occupied, and 300 is more than enough to hold up your forces I balive.

Then the towers, a garasson of 10-20 ,men per tower is appropriate I think, so thats maybe another 500 used up. The rest of my men are in other positiosn around the city.

Then my conscripts. It have about 40-50,000 of them (Every person over 14 is in the army, 70,000 in the city. Of course they could dodge being in but that would A) break there honour,
B) mean they get no food) Anyway, they are based at statigic points in blocks of 1,000 near each wall and gate. Shouled you attack they'll be there within 10 mins. of the alarm being raised.

Another problem, saying my murder holes where out of action. In a castle (An city gate you usually have 3-4 layers of gates. The main gate, the 1st portcullis, the 2nd poportcullis and the last gate. Now you may have destroyed the 1st line of muderholes, above the main gate, but I think the 2nd line would be unbtouched.

The main assult, it was predicted, would come at the weakened gates so most of the Austian troops where stationerd there.

That does not mean you pooled most of your troops at the northern gate does it? The whole point of the attack on the north was to draw your forces there: It did that.

And 4000 men on 4 walls, each a mile long! Thats incredibly easy to break, no matter how good they are. I could capture a section of the wall, with a surprise attack, within minutes and easily repel your conscripts.

And as for the 300 men in the gate house, originally you said roughly 50 men defended each one. 100+50=150. Not 300. But I will let that go.

As for the rams, well I prepare to take some losses there, my men are not completely defended, but thats it.

OOC: Okay guys, lets keep it cool and sort this out.
Frozo is right that 4,000 men covering the entire walls of a city is not a lot; and an attack across a large area of the wall, rather than just a short stretch, will swiftly overstretch the defence. So saying that he's got over, considering the size of his assault, is reasonable. What happens now is still up for grabs.
We have assumed that most of your forces are in the north, as that is where our rams/siege weapons/bombardment/camp are, and so where an assault would be expected; and Frozopia appears to be quoting you saying most ARE stationed there. However, this thread has been very stop-start with a lot to keep track of, so you could easily have forgotten that. And even so, you can have...as many conscripts as could engage an enemy descending from the east wall in the east, with most of your men still in the north.
You may be right on the murderholes, and even if you aren't I at least am prepared to accept that, for the sake of moving on. We have men, in numbers, inside the walls. It is now only a matter of how many losses on each side before the city falls.

OOC:
Sorry about my earlier anger, just got a bit annoyed thats all.

OOC: Might be a bit late for this city, but for the next battle/siege can we please put together a map of troop placements, defences etc BEFORE we start? You can state that some things are known OOC - better that way than look like GMing. And you can move troops after you place them on the map (realistic distances). But it'll avoid this sort of problem.

EDIT: As in I send a map, with terrain features only, to the defender (almost certainly Aust), because the defender is most likely to pick their ground. He sends it back with his troops/city defences marked. I then send it round the attacking powers, and we put reasonable troop positionings on, as having deployed from column of march, from the direction we marched in from - as in encirclement has to be justified IC. And then I send the finished version to everyone, and we all have a baseline to work from.

That does not mean you pooled most of your troops at the northern gate does it? The whole point of the attack on the north was to draw your forces there: It did that.

And 4000 men on 4 walls, each a mile long! Thats incredibly easy to break, no matter how good they are. I could capture a section of the wall, with a surprise attack, within minutes and easily repel your conscripts.

And as for the 300 men in the gate house, originally you said roughly 50 men defended each one. 100+50=150. Not 300. But I will let that go.

As for the rams, well I prepare to take some losses there, my men are not completely defended, but thats it.
OOC: No it dosn't. It mean I predicted a attack would come there and so I put an extra guard on.

And 4000 men on the walls. Of course it's weak, I don't have the numbers to defend every inch. But you can't attack every inch of wall, can you, if you did your attacks would be even weaker. I can just move troops around, respond to attacks as they come.

OOC: Agreed, but I would attack a broad patch, with several spikes. With superior numbers, which I had, I think It would be fair that I took the wall. Maybe you could muster 1500 in one area? At the very best, after all they could have to run 100's of meters to reach that point, in full armour. I have 10 times that number climbing up alot of ladders, so I could sweep them aside with enough time to fight your conscript reinforcements. I still hold by my opinion that the wall is taken.

After reading whats going on here, i would have to say due to all the confusion and panic that must be going on behind your walls Aust it would be rather hard to mobilize a presentable amount of reinforcements to every point that is being attacked by a steady troop flow. There are also arrows comming from afew different directions which would no doubt be hitting your men attempting to hold their posts and prepare to defend against our uncomming troops.

Your defence numbers over time would slightly thin out..? well untill we breach some more attack points..

As for the wall i agree it should be captured, not only because it benifits us but given the grounds that it should be posted on this thread they seem to make more sence.

OOC: I accept the wall would be lost, but not with the ease you claim, say you have 100 laders, thats 300 men need to defend them (3 men a ladder) maybe 400. Now even if you ahd that amount of ladders and took the place then 15,000 people is a bit much to get in at once, even on that many ladders. That'd take hours and I doubt you've taken the gates yet-or most of the twoers, one good swordsmen could hold them for a while.

As for confusian, that should be too much of a problem. Experianced troops shouldn't be too fazed by arrows ect, they should only ring there bells and light there warning fires when there is a solid attack. And it will take times for the men to get there, but how long does it take to run across broken ground, udner fire, with ladders, prop them, climb them fight through a guard, however small.

The point is your men are not experienced, but anyways. I have 100's of ladders. Like you I've had alot of time to prepare, and this includes ladders brought from home (lol I know its a bit odd, but its a worthy investment when raiding small walled towns) its not like ladders are hard to build and I have the numbers to build them.

Your numbers on the walls are too scattered too offer much resistance and the chaos of a night attack would make them incredibly hard to gather. I think at this stage I would be sweeping along the walls destroying your outnumbered forces, with ease to be honest. This city never had the professional garrison it needed. It would probably be a rare occasion (in a siege) where the defenders take more losses than the aggressors.

And as for running across the open? Doesnt take long at all. My men are true pro's at all forms of combat, except maybe naval. Anger and terror may have their technology, Han may have his numbers but my men are probably the best soldiers in this RP: They know how to attack quickly and silently. A few ballistae and longbowmen would not stop the charge nor slow it down. Raids require speed, and thats what my men have expertise in.

So for the moment I am sweeping down your walls and taking your towers. Dont blame God modding here, blame your shambles of a defense.

OOC: Can we just work on hammering out a mutually acceptable solution to the problem here, so the RP can continue?
Such as: Frozo is on the wall, in numbers, but hasn't yet taken all of that wall or made his way down into the city, casualties on each side yet to be confirmed, and we go from there?

OOC:I agree...can we just Rp?

ooc: this thread suffers from an excess of planning thread worthy OOC posts, doesn't it?

onwards come the meteors! [or, in this case, the role playing]

I think theres a point ehre, that your a raiding army, when facing a phalnax, (My main position, which should be useful once the fighting hits the streets) then you'll be in toruble. The advatage with the Phalnax is that it is very useful for raw recruits, and in confined places it is probably the best formation possable. it is a big target, and Terrors Hawks will be a problem, but at the same time your weaspons won't be able to be moved and aimed and fired.

As I say, I don't have any problems with you taking the city, but it's the way suddenly my walls been taken.

OOC: Ok lets get this moving. Enough of this debate? For your Phalanx? I use the more manouverable shield and spear walls, which are just as powerfull. Ok Can we just continue the RP? I think you can agree now that I am taking the wall....

IC:
The Frozopians passed down the Eastern wall, pushing back the austian forces. Although they offered strong resistance, they were too few in number and too scattered to stop the Frozopians, and soon the Frozopians had secured most of the Eastern wall, including a large number of the towers although a few Austians were still making a stand in a few barricaded rooms. These were ignored: What was important here was that the Frozopians gained as much ground as they could and that they reinforced what they gained.

Immediatly Longbowmen used the higher walls to target any Austian reinforcements who ran to the steps leading up the walls. With more Frozopians flowing up the ladders, many of the Frozopians descended into the city, forming tough shield walls as they advanced upon the enemy positions, particularly the reinforced defences facing the northern wall. If the Frozopians attack fromed behind, the defences would largely be meaningless and more than likely (So William hoped) the conscripted Austians would break. At the same time several Frozopians were destroying the last of the resistance in the northern end of the Eastern wall: They would stop the enemy defenders above the rams that were now crashing into the gate.

At the same time Captain Johnson was raising a Frozopian flag above the Eastern wall, causing a huge cheer for the allies. This was not the only thing for them to celebrate: The northern gates were cracking........

OOC: Before he can say so---Angermanland's hawks, not mine.

IC: The Incognitian troops cheered with the rest. They began to flow over the eastern ladders behind the Frozopians, and the first squads started heading south to where their comrades were attacking. For part of the way they encountered Frozopians, but they soon came across a ragbag of Austian pikes blocking further progress.
(OOC: I'm assuming for 1 that Frozo has only gone so far south because he's focussing on the north and 2 that Austians will still be trying to hold the walls.)
The halberds were still in the lead, but arquebusiers pushed their way in behind and fired a volley into the Austians. The halberdiers then charged home.

General Regulus was content knowing his allies had breached the walls and were advancing into the city. On the Central gate the ostian legionaires battered the gates with their rams, then finally it let out a final loud crack and the gates were open. The long barrage had weakend them to the point if they were put under steady pressure they would give way, Antonious raised his sword in the air and bellowed,

"Ahhhh! FOWARD!!"

The legionaires moved through the gap with great force advancing to meet their enemy. The escalade was not working as well, the legionaires climbing the walls were taking losses from arrows and bastilla's below.

The 1,000 legionaires sent to assist terrors assult continued to escalade in an attempt to get over the wall, soldiers were now making it over fighting their way along but it was short lived for most of them ending up in a corpse dropping to the ground.

The arrows that rained down on the city came to a cease fire so they would not hit their own men by accident.

Maximus reared his horse up holding his sword high for the others to see,

"Soon we will get our chance! just a little longer men!"

The success of the attacking forces was boosting the mens morale, they were more fired up and ready to kill some austians then ever.

as the battle set itself into the rythmic chaos beyond which orders at high level were worthless, Pi set her battons in the brackets designed for such things, and Edward climbed up to her platform.

"we seem to be wining"
"we are, sir. though to be honest, that knowledge is comeing from the hawks, rather than my own observation. it's too dark to see a thing down there. makes command difficult."
"one of the many variants of battle, Pi. something you have to learn to deal with."
"yeah. still sucks though"
"that it does. anyway. the gate is open down there, and we can do little to command anything else from up here. want to go fight?"
"humm. meh, why not."

as Edward climed back down, Pi gave a final order, recalling the kompany who had been shakeing the ground. it was really rather irrelivant now.

as the men regathered, two kompanys and the understrength Army Phirst, Edward began speeking
"the walls and gates are being breached and taken, and all in side is havok. now we shall prove to those around us what we have always knowen. as warriors, there are none greater than those of ANGERMANLAND!"

a large cheer went up, and orders were given. leaveing behind the remains of the 4th Kompany [the rest were assisting Incognitia at the south gate] and the enjiners to guard the camp, and the hawks to continue their bombardment, the Angerman army began to march for the north gate.

"Pull back! Pull back!" The walls had fallen, that was certain. Thousands of enermy troops poured into the city, but luckly the Asutians had lost only a few men, most ahd been pulled back before they where fully commmitted and now the abttle for the walls only raged on the southern wall, and even now that was breached and the Austian troops rushing to defend it where turned round and pulled back.

Things looked bleak for the Austians, the walls where gone and these strange thing from the air where raining havoc and fear down on the Austian forces. But the enermy still had to nagotiate the many traps and pitfalls of the Austian defence, and that was before they got towards the main part of the defence.

The Asutians had pulled everyone back behind and array of traps in the center of the city. Every Austian civillian was pulled insdie this circle and the phalnaxes where formed. Inteending to stop the enermy forming a sheild wall the Austians stood just 10 feet away from a line of pitfalls. Should the enermy get through these deadly holes they would end up facing a line of 9 foot pikes.

40,000 men fromed the ring, a ring of pitfalls and demolished hosues which had been cleared to make the ring. Inside another 12,000 Austians waited as renforcemnets, outside the ring 5,000 Austians where trapped, probably top be slaughtered. They knew this and now drew there short swords, rpeparing to sell there lives dearly.

The Phalnax was 6 ranks deep, with 3 ranks of archers behind them. bastilla had been brought up to coutner the threat from the hawks. The Austians knew there was nowehre to run now, but theya lso knew that all the cities main buidlings where behind them, along with there famillies.

The men who had been fighting so hard for the south wall were suddenly pulled back. The Incognitians swept over the wall, then stopped, seeing what was in front of them. The van waited for the rest to catch up; the men would form up, then advance ot face the Austians.

The Incognitians following their allies to the inside of the northern and eastern walls were doing much the same; however they were close to the base camp.
Men were sent rushing OUT again; shortly afterwards it was clear that the great guns had stopped, for only the second time since their arrival.
A few minutes after that, the guns appeared, through the north gate, which was now in allied hands. Dragged by Incognitians, with others bringing ammunition, the great guns would be set up behind protective screens of infantry.
Let the Austians stand in pretty rings behind a circle of traps. Incognitia was going to play skittles, with Austian conscripts for pins.

OOC: Guys, should we offer them to surrender? Seeing as this number of men can't hold out within the city, they know their deaths are inevitable, and they must be close to breaking - offer them a way out, to live, and there has to be a good chance they'll take it.

OOC: Yeah, if we dont offer them a surrender every time we do have the Austians trapped they will fight to the death. But of course we could just slaughter them with cannon and arrow fire, Im not going to let these fighting men walk free. We need to discuss terms.

IC:
The Austians were trapped in the last centre of the town, offering strong resistance against any attack. Assaulting the position would cost the allies: Instead the Frozopians had pulled together their longbowmen, to rain fire on the enemy if they refused the terms. No direct assault would be made.

But first Frozopia would offer life.
William called the Generals together to discuss what they would offer those who had surrendered.....

General Regulus watched his troops file through the gates and into the city. He mounted a horse and 12 other cavelry mounted after him,

"that gate has fallen..escalade is working now..the enemy falls back to their center, i want 450 archers to move into the city at once"

An officer took off down the line to the archers to pass on the order. General Regulus got word of a meet where the commanding generals of this alliance would discuss the terms of surrender for the Austian city, in the back of his mind Regulus didn't want them to surrender..in his mind the final blow had to be deliverd and every soldier was to die along with any person who showed an act of agression.

A cold look in Regulus's eyes showed he loved this, battle,death,killing and eventully winning.

Antonious and his infantry faught against the retreating Austians pushing them towards the city center but it had been a strong resistance the whole way. Instead of holding their ground they seemed to be falling back and the legionaires pushed them as far as they could holding their shields in the best defence position they could for movement, arrows jerked the sheilds while others fell crying out in agony.

in the confuseion, the hawk troopers on the ground had managed to split up and sneak out of the various breaches. they met up with the advanceing Angerman troops on their way in, and their leader made his report

"sir!" he saluted "we failed in our task. there were far more troops guarding the gate than expected. the gates have pits or something as deadly in the ground behind them.. i saw at least one careless Austian fall into one, and at all the gates when they pass over certain areas, they move in strange paterns, rather than in formations or mobs."

Edward, upon recieveing the report, thought for a moment.

"return to the camp. inform the engjiners that their presences is required, then use the spare gliders to assist in the bombardment. gas and acid only. drop it amoungst troop formations. ENEMY troop formations, mind. i'll not have you hitting our allies." turning to Pi he continued "halt the troops. we'll wait for the enjiners"

"Troops Halt!" Pi's voice carryed further and clearer than one would expect. though this would not be surpriseing if they knew of her training. it was part of her job, after all.


as they had not gone far, it did not take very long for the enjiners to catch up with them, gear in tow.

"troops MARCH!"
as the formation began to move agin, Edward spoke with Lijin "fairly simple work for your lot this time, Lij, pitfilling mostly, though possibly under fire. hopefully the hawks will keep them busy though. i suspect, if nessisary, you can dismantle the walls to fill the pits with. or just lay some sort of ladder arangment over it, i don't know. if our men can cross it without getting dead, that's enough for me."

"should be easy enough. my men may not be warriors, but they know their job. you'll be past those within the day. possibly much, much sooner."

"good, i'm counting on it."

not long after, they passed through the northern gate.

The Austians sat and waited. Thats all they could do, wait. Food and water was distributed, extra arrows brought up. Large sheilds, larger than they would need in a normal battle, where handed to the Austians in preperation of the enermys arrows.

their effective numbers all but doubleing, and their enemys now in a clear open space, the hawks put their bombs to good use, droping acid and gas in an atempt to disrupt the Austian's shield wall.

in the meantime, the enjiners were guetting busy. useing an odd leaver arangement they had constructed behind a shield wall of their own, they slamed a beam into the ground in frount of the troops on the road, over and over, untill it broke open the cover of a pit. Rock troops were covering the acutal men working the device with their shields, but could not be infrount of the device it's self, as that would make them, rather than the beam, the test of the ground. which they really, Really didn't want. if the reports were accurate of course.

it didn't take long befor the first pit was discovered, and more of the enjiners went to work filling them in. where possible they were shielded, but there's only so much you can do from behind another person. in responce to this fact, Edward sent a runner to tell the hawks to concentraite on the Austian men directly in frount of the pits that were being filled, disrupting the Austian's ability to fire arrows, or anything else, at the enjiners filling the pits.

in the distant east, the first light of the false dawn was begining to appear.

ooc: i figured it'd taken long enough. time and the tide wait for no man, and all that.

Antonious ordered a halt near the center of the town, scouts were sent foward and returned with news,

"Sir the enemy has concentraited forces near the town center, what is our course of action?"

Antonious removed his helmet wiping sweat from his brow,

"It's alright, we will bombard them with heavy stuff, i want two catapults brought into the city at once..."

The messenger took off through the gates of the city, the ostian advance had came to a halt as they waited to see the next move.

William was talking to the Generals:
"I wish to offer them a chance to surrender: They know they have no chance of survival if they fight, so instead we can offer them the following terms:"

William ignored the flare of anger in Regulus's eyes.

"1. All women and children will be free to remain in the city or move on. We know that the Austians recruit women soldiers, but I will not be the butcherer of women.
2. All fighting men including conscripts have two choices: Become a slave, or join the allied force. Those that join us will be split among the allied armies, never in great numbers. It will not take long for integration.
3. All high ranking officers will have the luxury of imprisonment. The lower ranking officers will be executed.

What do you think?"

leaveing the men to do their jobs, under the watchful eyes and capable hands of their commanders, Pi and Edward had joined the group discussing surrender terms. Pi translated William's speach, and Edward's reply was short "practicality above all. i'll let you handle this yourself. follow your Way" so saying, he went back to overseeing the filling of traps.

Pi grinned and turned to the gathered generals

"your idea has obvious merit" she spoke to william "but your choice on officers is flawed. the higher ranks have less reason to co-operate. the lower ranked officers are more likely to join our forces, and be of help if treated well.

we cannot truthfully afford many in the way of prisoners, so i propose the following:" she now addressed the whole group

"gather all the wepons from the city. any enlisted or civilian persons may leave if they forfit their weapons, or join our forces, or be exectued.

prevent your men looting where possible, or anything of the sort. the more we appear to be the better option, the less reason they have to hate us, the more likely they are to join us.

imprison the high ranking officers. give them the option of becomeing prisoners of your rulers, or imidiate exection, or of returning to your homeland and joining your military there as part of a force bound somewhere other than here.

the low ranking officers should be given three options allso. death, joining our forces, or criminal punishements. the exact nature of the crime is unspecified, so we could bluff anything we wanted out of it, so long as it were legal in our own nations.

at any rate, i suggest we take all the food within the city, thus preventing any chance of local resistance being concentrated within it. each unit of their supplys we use is worth meny of our own.

their gathered weapons should be devided amoungst the men, in view of those we wish to join. those who desplayed the most skill and bravery, or other admirable qualitys in battle, gaining the best of the equipment.


what say you?"

"I am worried that men who choose to abandon their weapons will just rejoin the rest of the Austian army later: My naval forces are well equipped for shipping slaves home. If we did enslave or imprison them, then they could be shipped home almost immediatly. At worst they could just be held off the coast. It would only require our man power guarding them untill this harbour is operatable. The rest would be down to the ships crews, who are very adept at imprisonment." Replied William.

General Regulus knew that he himself didn't have enough power to put surrender out of the question. He did agree with splitting up the prisoners for military and slave services,

"It sounds like a good idea, i will follow through with these surrender terms and so will my men"

He paused..

"We shall do whatever the situation calls for"

OOC: Just a question, the language barrier. Austian is not an easy language to elarn.

IC: many Austians died from the Acid bombs, but thsoe that remained didn't run. After all, where was there to run? There seemed to be no mercy on the other side of the phalnax, and only scorn and certain death on the inside.

OOC: Your not far from terror. Im sure your leaders would know Latin, or have a translator somewhere.

OOC: Your not far from terror. Im sure your leaders would know Latin, or have a translator somewhere.
MY leaders would, and probably a few Incognitian people would know Austian. However intergrating the rank and file will be a hard job.

OOC: Oh I see, I thought you meant in terms of giving you the demands. Well we can teach them simple commands at the start, and over time they will learn or the officers will learn more and more of the language. Its been done before.

OOC: Oh I see, I thought you meant in terms of giving you the demands. Well we can teach them simple commands at the start, and over time they will learn or the officers will learn more and more of the language. Its been done before.
OOC: make sense, of course then theres the whole honour problem and the 'god-emporer'. The rank and file will think thye'll get struck down for diobaying him...

"I am worried that men who choose to abandon their weapons will just rejoin the rest of the Austian army later: My naval forces are well equipped for shipping slaves home. If we did enslave or imprison them, then they could be shipped home almost immediatly. At worst they could just be held off the coast. It would only require our man power guarding them untill this harbour is operatable. The rest would be down to the ships crews, who are very adept at imprisonment." Replied William.

"ahh" Pi grinned "there in lies the beauty of the plan. if they do simply rejoin the army, which i doubt meny of them will as they are but pesants who hold lines out of fear rather than bravery, they shall carry with them exagerated storys of our might. our skill. our weapons. and they begin to drain the enemy's reasorces once again, spreading fear all the while. we could perhaps mix some spies amongst them, come to think of it. so even that will work to our advantage."

ooc: reguarding the language barrier, it is easly solved. put Austian officers in charge of Austian troops, with a translator for each. requries far less.

not to mention that, once established, flag and batton signals really cease to need spoken languages to communicate battle field instructions. so, it will be awkward, but not impossible.