Late Winter (23): A costly baptism of blood for the Ermorian legions
Ermor’s soldiers
Who are exactly Ermor's legions?
The main component of Ermorian legions is undead, who need to receive unholy blessings to reach their full potential: Power of the Sepulchre to boost their offensive potential and Protection of the Sepulchre to protect them, to some extant, from banishment by enemy priests.
Casting these spells is not a mundane task. The powerful versions of these spells, reaching the whole army instead of just a small area, require several Ermorian Thaumaturges to unite their magical strength and/or the presence of a Grand Thaumaturge.
The two signature units of the Ermorian army are the Undead Cavalry and the Shadow Vestals.
Longdead horseman under the effect of the Unholy Powers of the Sepulchre (+4 magical resistance, +4 attack, +4 action points)
The main strength of
longdead horsemen is their speed and maneuverability, both in campaign and in the battlefield. They deliver a good offensive punch at first contact with their light lance. As most undead, their morale is unbreakable and they never get tired by long fights. But the lack of durability is their main weakness as the slightest bow is very likely to disrupt their brittle bones. Moreover, they are vulnerable to banishments by enemy priests, a mass destruction weapon on undead. Actually, their real strength relies in the huge number Ermorian Grand Thaumaturges are able to re-animate, combined with the fact that these huge armies don’t eat and don’t ask for gold.
Experienced Shadow Vestal blessed and under the effect of the Power of the Sepulchre
Shadow Vestals present very different characteristics. They are an elite sacred unit, and their number is limited by the high price involved and the limited number of Vestals Ermorian temples can “produce” every month. Once they receive the blessing of Mors Nihil Est, their main strength is their durability against mundane, non magical weapons: their natural etherealness is combined with the blessed twist fate and good defense skills in melee, and they can literally dance in the midst of enemy blades and spears. Very high magical resistance once they are blessed makes them almost invulnerable to banishment. But beside these magical protections, they are actually as weak as any light infantry, and this tactic can be countered by a determined enemy using a continuous rain of missiles and magical attacks. Their offensive power is not exceptional but adequate: they have a good attack skill once they are buffed by the Power of the Sepulchre, but their blows lack strength, and even human medium infantry with adequate protection need to be hit several times to fall. Thanks to their light equipment and to their blessing, they also don’t tire from long fights. They still have a soul, and they can gain experience but are also susceptible to rout in battle. Overall they can be considered as a good (pseudo-)heavy infantry. They complement well the undead cavalry, and are generally used to hold the center of the battlefield, together with standard heavy infantry.
Orders of battle
Ermor fields an army greater than ever seen: 4 full regiments of undead cavalry on both flanks, a full regiment of Shadow Vestals and another of heavy infantry to hold the center, numerous Lion Tribe archers and crossbow-equipped sappers at the back to provide ranged support. Eight Thaumaturges are present, aiming at strengthening the Undead by Unholy spells and on-the-spot reanimation of soulless or skeleton warriors.
The Pangean army is also formidable. It is composed by a large host of Minotaurs, twice as many as the initial invasion force. They are disposed in a formation apparently designed to overwhelm the battlefield on the right flank.
They are supported by Satyr light infantry and flying harpies, in number probably too few to have a strong role in the forthcoming battle.
Battle
The Pangean light infantry goes forward while the Minotaurs hold their ground and receive several enchantments: Haste, Wood Warriors and Legions of Steel. The Ermorian Undead Cavalry easily bypasses harpies and Satyrs, and reaches the Pangean main line on both flanks. The Pangean light infantry has, however, absorbed some of the momentum of the undeads’ charge, and delays the Ermorian infantry and archers.
Minotaurs, under the effect of magic enchantments, are now as well protected as heavy infantry, compensating for their lack of defensive skills with their axes. Pans, Pangean mage-priests, spam banishments on the undead. Tactics are forgotten as a confused melee ensues on all the battlefield’s width.
The melee takes a heavy toll on both sides. Ermor gets in a more favorable position when archers and mercenary crossbowmen finally get in range of the Minotaurs, while some of Ermorian undead cavalry succeed to reach Pangean commanders on the left flank.
Rain of arrows on the minotaurs
No side routs as both soulless undead and berserk Minotaurs have unbreakable morale, and the slaughter continues for a long time. Progressively Shadow Vestals replace fallen undead cavalry on the frontline while the line of Minotaurs gets thinner and thinner. Almost all undead cavalry is destroyed.
Maybe Minotaurs could have won the battle, if not for the short-lived reanimation of new undead hordes by Ermorian thaumaturges. Reanimated soulless warriors head toward the frontline in great numbers. Before they make contact with the exhausted Minotaurs, Pangean commanders, three of which have fallen to outflanking undead cavalry, choose to retreat.
Ermor's decisive weapon: Minotaurs could destroy almost all undead cavalry, but a horde of newly risen soulless soldiers is heading towards them.
The last berserk Minotaurs and one more mage too exhausted to save his life are finally slaughtered by the undead, and Ermor takes control of the Werk Enum province.
Aftermath
Pangea has thrown all the Werk Enum’s garrison in the battle, so Ermor takes back the undefended fort the next month. The battle has been bloody for both sides, as is best illustrated by the army size graph. However both sides still have large reserves at their disposals.
In these conditions, the war against Pangea is far from over. Another Pangean army, much smaller, has simultaneously attacked in the Southern part of the border, and will have to be dealt with. They are supported by an amphibious presence in the strategic sea of Boat Eater.
Strategic situation at the aftermath of the battle of Werk Enum (star), with directions of the main offensives. Here it appears clearly that the great losses of the battle of Werk Enum have not exhausted Ermor and Pangea’s war capacities.
However, Ermorian strategists consider the outcome as positive, giving Ermor an enhanced quantitative advantage and illustrating the Ermorian superiority in battle thanks to the endless reanimation of soulless warriors. The fearsome Minotaurs have fought well but, as expected by Ermorian strategists, they can be countered by adequate number of undead cavalry. Thus, the decision is made to lunch a grand offensive on Pangean territory once Werk Enum is taken back.