ShootaBoy posted:

About bloody time!

edit: update on last page

Slaan posted:

quote:

You find yourself almost beside yourself with excitement. After spending the better part of the morning having done nothing but polish your saddle with your arse and watch the courage of other men, you are most eager to ride into the fray yourself.

Now, you have been given the order. At long last, you shall be set loose upon the foe.

Only one question remains: how shall you deploy your men?

A green battalion facing a force of line infantry three times its size and a small force of riflemen about to be attacked by what you reckon to be at least three hundred Church Hussars. Both are crises of the utmost magnitude, and both all but demand the intervention of your two remaining squadrons.

There is no time to ask Cunaris for orders or your subordinates for advice. There is no time to do anything but act.

I commit my entire force to the aid of Second Battalion, 5th of Foot.

I'll ride to reinforce the Experimentals with every man I have.

I'll split my forces; that way, I can see to both crises.

Why not use our heavy guns to aid the Experimentals while we go to the aid of the 5th of foot?

Our heavy guns could support the 5th of Foot instead, leaving us free to aid the Experimentals.

quote:

As of the Spring of the 611th year of the Old Imperial Era

Sir Alaric d'al Sancroix
Age: 39
Rank: Lieutenant-colonel (Brevet)
Wealth: 50
Income: 0

Soldiering: 24%
Charisma: 50%
Intellect: 60%
Reputation: 48%
Health: 40%
Idealism: 56% Cynicism: 44%
Ruthlessness: 95% Mercy: 5%

You are a Knight of the Red, having the right to wear bane-hardened armour and wield a bane-runed sword.

You can speak, read, and write the Antari language.

Sixth Squadron, Royal Dragoons
Senior NCO: Staff-sergeant Lanzerel

Discipline: 64%
Morale: 52%
Loyalty: 44%
Strength: 75%

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

use artillery to support the infantry while we back up the Experimentals

Griefor posted:

Why not use our heavy guns to aid the Experimentals while we go to the aid of the 5th of foot?

Griefor posted:

Why not use our heavy guns to aid the Experimentals while we go to the aid of the 5th of foot?

Griefor posted:

Why not use our heavy guns to aid the Experimentals while we go to the aid of the 5th of foot?

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

actual napoleonic war operational theory and practice:

open order skirmishers are tremendously hosed against cavalry unless supported by cavalry of their own or unless they have infantry in square to fall back on

infantry vs infantry is a perfect opportunity to use heavy artillery to blow some big holes in dense masses of guys. Heavy artillery isn't accurate enough to do much to horsey mans.

therefore use artillery to support the infantry while we back up the Experimentals

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

actual napoleonic war operational theory and practice:

open order skirmishers are tremendously hosed against cavalry unless supported by cavalry of their own or unless they have infantry in square to fall back on

infantry vs infantry is a perfect opportunity to use heavy artillery to blow some big holes in dense masses of guys. Heavy artillery isn't accurate enough to do much to horsey mans.

therefore use artillery to support the infantry while we back up the Experimentals

ModernMajorGeneral posted:

This is correct but THE GIRL is with the infantry. Split our force and send Caz to die heroically against the church hussars.

Er, how many guys in a squadron again?

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

actual napoleonic war operational theory and practice:

open order skirmishers are tremendously hosed against cavalry unless supported by cavalry of their own or unless they have infantry in square to fall back on

infantry vs infantry is a perfect opportunity to use heavy artillery to blow some big holes in dense masses of guys. Heavy artillery isn't accurate enough to do much to horsey mans.

therefore use artillery to support the infantry while we back up the Experimentals

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

actual napoleonic war operational theory and practice:

open order skirmishers are tremendously hosed against cavalry unless supported by cavalry of their own or unless they have infantry in square to fall back on

infantry vs infantry is a perfect opportunity to use heavy artillery to blow some big holes in dense masses of guys. Heavy artillery isn't accurate enough to do much to horsey mans.

therefore use artillery to support the infantry while we back up the Experimentals

ShootaBoy posted:

Use the guns to support the line, we'll aid the Experimentals. You dorks are forgetting that the girl already has somone.

KYOON GRIFFEY JR posted:

actual napoleonic war operational theory and practice:

open order skirmishers are tremendously hosed against cavalry unless supported by cavalry of their own or unless they have infantry in square to fall back on

infantry vs infantry is a perfect opportunity to use heavy artillery to blow some big holes in dense masses of guys. Heavy artillery isn't accurate enough to do much to horsey mans.

therefore use artillery to support the infantry while we back up the Experimentals

ParanoidInc posted:

wouldn't it be accurate enough to do damage to them while they're fording the river though? I can't imagine a bunch of extremely-heavily armored magic lancers would move very fast over a ford that seems to be that difficult

regardless, this seems like the best idea to me. artillery pew pew infantry, ride to the experimentals

GyverMac posted:

Arty on inf, all we got on our friends in green!! gently caress the pussy, she aint given us nothin. these guys at least bought us drinks!

quote:

You turn to the young officer. "Cornet, I must oblige you to inform His Grace that I shall be committing the whole of my force to the relief of the Experimental Corps."

"Surely you cannot mean to leave the 5th without aid, sir!" the adolescent subaltern exclaims with a shocked incredulity, allowing his indignation to over-match his sense of propriety for just a moment.

"I would take care not to overstep one's bounds when addressing a superior officer, sir!" you reply coldly.

The subaltern's face goes pale as he recoils in his saddle. "Yes! Of course, I'm sorry, sir!" he stammers. "Forgive me!"

You do not, but you also do not dwell on the issue further; there is no time to be wasted on petty argument. "In any case, there is no need for your insolence here; I do not intend to leave a full battalion of the King's Line Infantry to die." With a wave of your hand, you gesture to the immense shapes rising from the entrenchments in front of you. "I would suggest to His Grace that we use the heavy guns, focussing their fire upon those Antari infantrymen about to engage the Second Battalion of the 5th. There is no more succulent prey for a gun crew than infantry packed in column."

"I beg pardon, sir, but wouldn't we also risk hitting our own men?" the Cornet asks nervously, "It would be hard to pick targets once the Antari close, and even before then, some of our infantry may stray into the line of fire."

You shake your head. "With normal field guns, absolutely. However, these are not normal field guns."

The younger Dragoon officer's eyes go wide with curiosity. "Sir?"

"Note how the barrels of each gun slope upwards at a sharp angle," you reply, relishing the chance to show off the hard-won lessons of a decade of soldiering. "Those guns are howitzers; they fire shell in a high trajectory. If our gunners aim at the rear of the enemy's force and pitch their shells well up, and our infantry do not give enough ground for the Antari to form line themselves, then there should be little chance of hitting our own men."

The young aristocrat's face brightens. "Yes! I think I understand now! I shall see that my fa—His Grace is advised of your decision."

You nod in acknowledgement. "Very good. Shall there be anything else?"

"Well, there is one more thing," he replies, with the greatest of trepidation. "Might I have a few seconds before you advance, sir?" He steals a glance at your lieutenants assembled before you. "I would like a moment to tell Renard goodb—to wish him good luck."

"You may not, sir!" you snap in sharp rebuke. "Every moment is one which cannot be spared. I go forward immediately, and I shall expect you to return to brigade with similar alacrity."

The young officer's eyes go wide, his countenance taking on something of the aspect of a kicked puppy as he salutes. "Very good, sir," he replies, sounding absolutely wretched. He turns a sad look towards his elder brother behind you as he spurs his mount away.

You, on the other hand, have no time to linger upon such sentimental foolishness. "Dragoons!" you shout, loud enough to get the attention of your entire command. "Prepare to advance!"

"Squadron! Prepare to advance!" comes the echo from your right as Cazarosta conveys your orders to his squadron. The powder-stained air fills with the sounds of reins being seized and bodies settling more comfortably into saddles. All around, your dragoons shift themselves forward in anticipation.

"Lanzerel," you command with as much solemnity as you can muster. "Uncase the colour."

With a few movements of his hand, your Staff-sergeant unfurls the long banner that is the embodiment of your regiment's honour. He raises the fluttering silken shape high as he moves his mount to his place alongside your own. You may command, but it is the colour that your dragoons will follow into battle.

There is no more preparation left, no more delay, no more time to be lost.

"Dragoons! At the trot! Advance!"

With a rough jab of your spurs, you push Faith forward. Behind you, the men of the Royal Dragoons lurch into action, following you at long last into the fray.

quote:

You are not halfway to your destination when the roar of the heavy guns starts up behind you once again.

A spare glance over your shoulder shows the black iron barrels of the howitzer battery wreathed in a heavy cloud of smoke. To your left, you see a cluster of immense shells as they arc through the grey sky, their passage illuminated by the orange trails of their lit fuzes as they begin their descent.

You see the shells explode beyond the bulk of the ridge, vomiting their lethal payloads onto the heads of the infantry advancing upon the Second Battalion, 5th of Foot. The distant thunder of the bursting charges reaches your ears a moment later, mingled with the muffled screams of the Antari infantry as the shells tear apart their tightly packed columns.

With considerable effort, you force yourself to face forward and focus upon the battle ahead of you. You have made your choice. The Second of the 5th will have to make do without your help, with only the distant and imprecise power of the guns to aid them.

You can only hope it will be enough.

quote:

The situation that greets you when you arrive at the ridge overlooking the positions of the Experimental Corps can only be described as 'dire.'

The Church Hussars advance slowly; with the water still up to their horses' chests and the footing of the crossing likely unsure, they have no other choice. Yet they advance nonetheless, arrayed in a solid mass, bootheel to bootheel, making steady progress towards the near bank. Already, they are two-thirds of the way across, not even the constant fire of the Experimentals' accurate rifles being enough to give them pause.

Not that your green-jacketed countrymen are not trying their damnedest. Still hidden behind bushes and tree trunks, the Experimentals fill the air with powder-smoke and the crack of their rifled muskets. They load and fire their rifles with a furious energy, bodies animated by the desperate knowledge that the Antari need only get their horses' hooves onto dry earth for them to able to annihilate Reyes's defiant band of skirmishers with a single charge.

Yet desperation does not seem enough; the Experimentals strike home with nearly every shot, but nine out of ten seem to spark off the burnished steel of the Hussars' armour. Only rarely do you see one of the enemy tumble into the water, thrown from a mortally wounded horse or perhaps stricken by a rifle ball through a gap in his armour or helm. A cheer goes up each time a Hussar falls, but it does nothing to deter the enemy. It will only be a matter of time now—the destruction of the Experimental Corps at the lance points and sabres of those terrible men on those gigantic horses seems inevitable.

Unless you save them.

"Dragoons!" you shout. "Dismount and form two ranks in extended order along the ridge!"

To your trained eye, the ridge is clearly the best piece of ground nearby; its elevation will let you cover the Experimentals as they withdraw, and its steep face will be more than enough to slow up a cavalry charge.

You turn to your side, where Staff-sergeant Lanzerel is climbing out of his saddle. "Staff, I need you to go forward. Leave the colour with Campos and find Major Reyes," you command. "Please convey him my compliments and inform him that we have taken up position behind him, and that he is free to retire at any time."

With a quick salute, Lanzerel is scrambling down the steep forward slope of the ridge, down to where Major Reyes kneels, loading and firing a rifle as if he were a common soldier, distinguished only by his officer's bicorne.

quote:

By the time Lanzerel returns, your men are formed up in a staggered chain along the crest of the rise, each man just within arm's reach of those to his left and right. Already, the first into position are unslinging their carbines as others lead the horses back down the reverse of the ridge.

He does not return alone.

"Saints be damned!" exclaims Major Reyes, his eyes red and his face flushed and powder-stained as he hoists himself up the crest of the ridge. "You are a welcome sight, sir! A welcome sight, indeed!"

Alas, you have little time for pleasantries, the Antari are nearing the riverbank; the water only comes up to their horses' thighs now.

"Are your men ready to withdraw, Major?" you ask.

Reyes shakes his head. "I do not intend to withdraw, not yet. The longer we stay, the more of the enemy we can kill, especially as the range closes. We can bleed them hard, but only if we hold our ground until the last instant."

The green-jacketed officer is right; if his Experimentals hold fast, then they would be able to fire off one last volley at close range, where even bane-hardened plate offers little protection against musketry. Such a measure might thin out the enemy greatly.

It would also almost certainly lead to the deaths of much of the Experimental Corps.

quote:

"Will your men be able to get away?"

Major Reyes opens his mouth to speak, but before he can utter a sound, he stops. His lip trembling, he breathes in.

"They won't," he forces the words out as if they were the orders to his own firing squad. "They'll be cut down, most of 'em."

You nod. "But if they can bleed the enemy—"

"They will," Reyes replies. "Bleed them hard enough so that you can stop them from smashing up this army's flank. If it takes the lives of my men to win this battle, well…" He flashes you a wan smile. "At least it will mean this Experimental Corps of ours was a success, wot?"

"Very well, I trust your judgement, Major."

"You will withdraw your men at once; that is an order."