Summer 992 - All Hail Aluminum Khan!

The dust covered horseman rode into the camp of the Mirish General Pereira. It took him the better part of an hour to get an audience with the General who was being entertained at a party. Life was good in Mirish but not for a soldier like Pereira or for that matter a mercenary like Alfred Badenhorst, commander of the mercenary Black Company. They had spoke at length and in whispers of the "opportunities" for men like them.

As the two now sat alone drinking the night away the horseman entered the tent.
"General, I have news from Stygustan!"
Pereira stood up and gave the spy a cup of water. After he had drunk his fill he spoke...

 "The Stygustani caught the invading Mangu in a valley with a river protecting their right and hills to their left. But that didn't concern the Mangu."

 "The Mangu attacked at speed and there was an exchange of archery fire as I have never seen in my life. Both sides got as good as they gave until the Stygustani chariots and archers in the front routed away."

"It was then that the Stygustani General Wartchthestep ordered the charge with what remained of his army.  I saw his Casters hurl a black cloud upon the Mangu right and they became unsettled then fled in despair. But Aluminum Khan at the head of his horsemen counter-charged and drove them to flight after a fierce battle."

"After that the Mangu charged across the line surrounding Wartchthestep and his small escort.
He fought better than I thought he would taking three wounds before he went down."

"Was he killed?" Pereira asked as he extended a cup of wine to the spy.
"No, he was wounded and captured by the Mangu on the battlefield," was the reply. "What became of him I cannot say."

 

The spy reported that the Stygustani army had fled and that one unit of archers and infantry were lost, the rest scattered.

Pereira tossed the spy a bag of coin and bid him to go. "I will have more work for you soon."

Pereira looked at Badenhorst. 

"So what do you think?"

"Maybe the Spring will present us with an opportunity we cannot ignore," he replied.

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It was an interesting battle. The Stygustani rolled a Static Defense so went into two lines with their missile armed chariots to the front along with the lone archer unit. Behind them were the infantry in contact to provide support.

The Mangu rolled Encircle the Flank. On the first turn I threw the whole army forward and into missile range with the front line being mounted skirmishers. They couldn't move and shoot so I knew they would take fire on the next turn before they could fire themselves.

On the Stygustani part of the turn they opened fire. I knew the Mangu would survive the first round of fire so would fire back. I didn't expect the Stygustani to also do so.  I forgot that their chariots were elite as well. It became a bloodbath with both armies passing 2d6 on the Received Fire tests. Only after a few rounds of fire back and forth did the Stygustani retire then rout. Truthfully the Mangu were lucky as their last test scored a 2 and 1.

When the front line of Stygustani broke there wasn't any choice but to attack. Their Casters fired off a Despair spell on three Mangu units and they fled when charged but the reserve mounted units of the Mangu with the general counter-charged. The Mangu general actually was at risk twice but passed both to continue the fight.

The Stygustani couldn't stand and routed. After that the Mangu surrounded Wartchthestep who went down after two rounds of fighting.

Much closer than expected due to me understating the strength of the Stygustani chariots. Definitely luck was on the Mangu side this time and if I fought it again I would do things differently.