Autumn: Decline the Southern kingdoms
From late summer to autumn, the two Southern nations of Bandar Log and Abysia, exhausted by constant warfare, have stopped fighting with each other: they now have to defend their lands against their three more powerful neighbors.
Overview of the Southern kingdoms in late summer. Their relative weakness attracts more and more attention from their more powerful neighbors (arrows)
Ermorian and Pythian pressures on Bandar Log
The Agarthan progress on Abysia does not benefit Bandar Log, now engaged against two more powerful nations: Pythium in the East and Ermor in the West.
Ermorian strategists clearly see in the weakness of Bandar Log an opportunity for expansion. This opportunity could have been neglected for other potential ventures, if Bandar Log had not forced Ermor’s hand by lunching a new attack on Fort Batimor. Stabilization of the Pangean front lets Ermor engage with Bandar Log with full forces.
The Bandari army besieging Fort Batimor is easily defeated in two steps: assassins murder the only two commanders, letting veterans from the Pangean front, led by the Grand Thaumaturge Redemptio, rout the Tiger Riders
in early autumn. The army moves on to liberate the neighboring province of Morn Woods against the small force of Tiger Riders occupying it.
The small force of Tiger riders responsible for the attack on Fort Batimor and the new war with Ermor bravely charges the Ermorian army, in vain. They get encircled, rout but get almost all slaughtered
In Mid-autumn, now that Ermorian field armies are mobilized in this area, with no immediate threat elsewhere, field Thaumaturges decide to push their advantage forward.
Situation on the Bandari front by mid-autumn. The Ermorian legion does not seek contact with Bandari armies and targets poorly defended provinces, while Bandar Log has to engage Pythian armies in the East
In the East, Pythium resists Bandari counter-offensives and consolidates her position with a new fort in the bandari sphere of influence. Bandar Log seems to have deployed important resources to this front, to no avail.
Bandari field army defending Western provinces against Pythium, as observed in late summer
Pythian tactics, as observed by Ermorian spies, seem to revolve around combining heavy infantry with magic communions throwing thunder strikes.
Pythian army observed in late fall
By late fall, pushed back by Ermor and Pythium, Bandar Log only controls a few provinces around her capital. No major engagement still took place between Ermorian and Bandari armies.
Bandari kingdom by late fall. Ermor intends to continue progression in provinces the furthest away from the Bandari capital, on the former Abysian/Bandari frontline, expecting Bandar Log to concentrate her forces against Pythium who seem to target more directly the Bandari heartland.
Agartha’s conquest of Abysia
In late summer, a scarce intelligence report speaks of Agarthan ownership over a province considered to be Abysian.
In Early autumn, more detailed intelligence confirms a large-scale invasion of Abysia by Agartha.
Agartha is a nation of strange cave-dwellers with a strong connection to Earth Magic.
The Agarthan invasion army as observed in early autumn.
The Agarthan main weapon is veteran Ancient One soldiers receiving a double Fire (attack skill) – water (defense skill) bless. Mages grant them additional enchantments increasing their strengths and re-enforcing their armors.
The army observed has many human mages known as Golem Crafters, but the real leaders of the Agarthan armies are the Oracles of the Ancients.
Abysia seems totally overwhelmed by this unexpected onslaught. Agartha progresses very quickly, reaching the Abysian capital
before the end of Fall.
Progress of the Agarthan invasion by late autumn (black-colored area shows provinces conquered throughout autumn)
At this point, Ermorian strategists, busy with Bandar Log, begin to think that they have to anticipate Abysia’s fall to Agartha soon. They hesitate between invading Abysia neighboring provinces and refrain from intervention so that Abysia can defend herself against Agartha. In any case, it looks like Ermor will soon share a very long border with a powerful Agartha.
Ermor’s new weapons
The new weapons designed after the lesson of Werk Enum start to get fielded by Ermor. A small number of Behemoths, of Wights and Banes with magical weapons should provide additional shock power in the confined areas of breaches, during fort storms.
Ermor plans to use these new shock troops for a possible storming of Bangar Log’s capital.
Additionally, the recent discovery of the Crystal Academy in one of the Ermorian province, on the border with Agartha, opens up new perspectives in combining Earth Magic with Astral magic.
Crystal Mages allow the addition of a new, unexpected weapon: War Minotaurs. They identify the mythical Labyrinth just East of Ermor, a very powerful site allowing the recruitment of the savage half beasts. Ermorian strategists esteem that their main strength is to be unexpected in an Ermorian army: Ermor's enemies will prepare counters against Undead Hordes but probably not against large berserk beasts.
Finally, the Ermorian Grand Thaumaturges have started to enchant simple wooden statues into telestic animates. The statues have limited unholy powers and can re-animate large numbers of skeleton foot soldiers.
Re: The Seven Year War of Ascencion, AAR from Celebrities from Ermor's POV
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