AAR: Time of the Ice Giants

[sachmo]

Turn 13
Spring, Year 2

With the new season came hot blood. With the winter frost fully shaken off, the forces of Man decided that they needed to expand their borders, and so declared war on the nation of Jotun...

Treasury: 484
Income: 590
Provinces: 15
Gems: 1 Fire, 11 Water, 13 Astral, 6 Death, 26 Nature

Man declared war on Jotun.
Kingfc22’s search for magic sites was fruitless in Pholothras.
In Inarime, Rhyvinter found 2 magic sites:
Well of White Water- 1 Water gem per turn
Gem Deposits- 40 gold per turn
In Halemyre, the citizens have volunteered for the local defense, increasing the province defense to 10.

In the province of Kratas, the forces led by Coffee Warlord and Havok met a huge band of barbarians. The young commanders showed inexperience, however, and Havok was cut down by the numerous enemies. The rest of the giant forces fled the field, and the province remained in enemy hands.

In Bithyne, Godzilla Blitz prepared to go on the offensive against the forces of man. He quickly organized the citizens of the province into a fairly effective defense force, and took his army into Ireme, a province held by man. The province was thought to be lightly defended by militia, and so would hopefully be an easy target for his forces.

Rhyvinter immediately abandoned plans to attack Mictlan, and took his army back to Jotunheim for reinforcements.
Kingfc22 and Visbur also moved back to the capitol, and would join the offensive against Man.

A Sage was recruited in Pholothras.
A Herse was recruited in Jotunheim.
Two Jotun Spearmen and a Jotun Hurler were recruited in Jotunheim.
A priest and three light infantry were recruited in Temiglia.

[Zen]

Long Live Sachmo.

Good to see you back, seems that SE:IV unhooked it's claws from you long enough to get back

[sachmo]

Zen said:
Long Live Sachmo.

Good to see you back, seems that SE:IV unhooked it's claws from you long enough to get back

I've neglected this story too long, and just when it looked to be getting interesting.

[sachmo]

Turn 14
Late Spring, Year 2


Not to be outdone for trechery, the heathens of Mictlan declared war on Jotunheim in the next season. However, Rhyvinter was fully devoted to crushing Man first, and so strengthened his defenses in the west, while marching his armies into the east.

Mictlan declared war on Jotunheim.

In the Forest of Gun, blizzards devastated the land, killing 5% of the population. Commoners whisper that it was called down upon them by Rhyvinter himself, to punish them for their lack of production.

In the province of Inarime, Godzilla Blitz led his troops against the forces of Man. Their forces consisted of less than one hundred mixed slingers and militia and four huge Horned Serpents. They were commanded by two Castellans, heavily armed and armored noblemen. Upon spying the giants approaching their lines, the human commanders unleashed their forces.

The militia met with the giant spearmen first, quickly followed by the Horned Serpents, even as rocks pelted the giants from the slingers positions. The giants met the attack, reaching further than the humans could with their large spears and axes. The charge was quickly turned, and the humans died to a man, as did the serpents. As was their custom, the giants then bellowed warcries and charged the remaining forces, cutting down anyone in their path. All of the slingers were slain, as was Berthwald the Castellan, while some twenty militia and the remaining human commander were able to flee. The province belonged to the Jotun, but more importantly, they were but a single province from the enemy capitol.
A few days later, the humans launched a counter-attack in Temiglia. The human force consisted of seventy axemen, twenty spearmen, and forty longbowmen. This force was led by two monks. Opposing them were twenty militia, and a priest. Thankfully, the local militia was able to join this force before the battle, adding twenty giant militia to the Jotun forces along with a Herse to lead them.
The humans moved toward the town in a battle line, covered by the swift arrows from their longbowmen. The giants and milita hid behind their shields, but a few of the arrows got through, killing about five men and wounding a few of the giants. The giant militia watched in disgust as their human counterparts broke and ran as the Axemen and spearmen came closer, but it helped to strengthen their resolve.
The din of war rose over the field as the two forces clashed. The giant line bent as the humans crashed into them, attacking with great ferocity. These men were experienced soldiers, and their skill was apparent. The priest for Jotun, Albert, took an arrow in the chest, and the wound was great. He continued to fight with the Jotun militia, trying to heal who he could even as the battle swirled around him. Where a giant fell, he moved to try to offer them comfort.
Finally, the Men broke and began to run. Sensing victory, the giants gave chase, cutting stragglers down as they found them. Albert moved along with them, but eventually his wound proved too much for him to overcome, and he fell dead on the field. Seeing their brave companion fall enraged the giant militia, and they completed the slaughter. Of the forces of Man who entered Temiglia, not a single on mad the trip back to their lines.

Danpner, a Jotun Herse, left for the Mictlan frontier. There he was tasked to hold the line until the war could be won in the east against Man. Kingfc22, Rhyvinter, and Visbur moved into Temiglia to prepare an assault on Man.

In Ireme, Godzilla Blitz prepared the defense of the province. He was expecting some sort of counter-attack from Man, and would need all of the help he could get.

In Pholothras, a Gode was recruited to lead the defense force, or a counter-attack force to take advantage of any weakness shown by Mictlan.

A human commander was recruited in Halemyre.
Two (20) light infantry were recruited in Worshin.
Five light infantry and a militia were recruited in Inarime.

Coffee Warlord and the priest Vitiges were ordered to invade the Man province of Lettia, which scouts reported as unmanned. To back up this claim, the scout Fomiraghist also pledged to join the attack, lending his quite limited battle strength to the cause.

[sachmo]

Turn 15
Early Summer, Year 2

Pholothras was under siege. Warriors from Mictlan appeared suddenly from the mountains. Quickly the local militia was roused, and they took defensive positions along the road into the city proper. Arrayed against the giants was a force of almost 200 warriors and slaves, and they were led by a powerful priest. The giants were confident that they would be able to defeat these warriors, though, especially with the advantage of defensive works.
Their confidence began to fade when they heard the screams of three huge demons that were traveling with the Mictlan forces…

In Pholothras, Emug the sage cast Awaken Vine Men.
The forces of Mictlan laid seige to the fortress there after routing the local defense troops. Unable to recruit troops, the commanders trapped inside began to devise a strategy for survival.

In Pholothras, plans were made to break the siege. Meligol the sage began work forging an enchanted sword for use in combat, and Emug began to summon more Vine Men.

The Scout Than was injured when a sniper put an arrow in his chest, causing him to bear a horrible wound for the rest of his days.

Jord the Vaetti Hag summoned a Mound King to serve the armies of Jotunheim.

In Lettia, Coffee Warlord and his troop ran into tougher then expected resistance from the local militia. The province was taken, but the priest and scout accompanying him were slain.

Danfozar the scout was found spying on the capitol of man and was slain.

Rhyvinter, Kingfc22, and Visbur moved to attack the Man province of Ermithia.

Godzilla Blitz continued to hold position in Ireme, preaching the word and pacifying the population.

Coffee Warlord recruited fourty (4) tribal warriors to join the cause. He also planned on raising the province defense, but only if there was money enough.

It was discovered that in the south, the forces of Ermor has pushed into a province bordering Jotun lands. The defense was immediately raised in these provinces, to attempt to discourage the undead hordes from attacking immediately.

In Jotunheim, a Herse, two Spearmen, and a Hurler unit were raised. These troops would join the Mound King in trying to break the siege at Pholothras.

Rhyvinter sent an offer to the mercenary company The Farstrikers to join the Jotun cause in Worshin. The 160 gold was a steep price to pay, but the additional forces would be a great help in turning the war against Mictlan.

[sachmo]

Turn 16
Summer, Year 2

Theon walked out of his tent and stared to the northeast. The fortress at Pholothras would not stand much longer. The siege had to be lifted soon, or the entire province would fall. Rhyvinter was counting on him.
Damn, he thought, kicking a small pebble across the dusty ground. He turned around and sized up his forces. Fifty men, light infantry, were all that he had been able to recruit before word came that he was to move into Pholothras and life the siege. Fifty men, plus whatever the commanders inside the fortress had been able to scrape together.
He took a deep breath and ran his hands through his hair.
I can’t do this, he thought. We’re just not strong enough.

“A rider approaches!” cried the watchman. “From the east!”
Theon turned and looked down the road. At the crest of a hill, he could make out the shape of a man on horseback. Quickly he turned to his steward.
“My sword! Quickly!” he shouted, squinting to try and make out who the rider was. Coming from the east, he should be friendly, but one could never be too careful.
His steward was at his side in moments with his sword. He buckled it on as he ran to the edge of came, dodging a group of men who were milling about, trying to see what the commotion was.
“He bares the holy banner!” the watchman shouted.
Theon slowed down to a fast walk, and stopped suddenly. Behind the hill, he could see a huge cloud of dust being kicked up. That could only mean a large force, and it was headed this way. The fact that he had not been told of any reinforcements dispatched to his command made him fear the worst.
“Camp! To arms!” he shouted. “Set hasty defense to the east!”
The camp became a swirl of activity. Men grabbed their spears and armor, running to the edge of camp to form a wall of steel with which to meet whatever it was coming over the hill. The rider was still coming straight for the camp at a gallop. Theon stood with his hand on his sword, watching his men deploy with one eye, and the rider with the other.
In no time, his men were set. Two ranks of spears were set, ready to repel any attacker.
The rider was close enough to make out, now. He was in full armor and shield, with a lance and a silver-tipped spear. He looked quite formidable.
At the moment, the first of the unseen force crested the hill. It was a man, armed only with a bow almost as tall as himself and a full quiver of arrows. With him were ten more archers, all armed with the same huge bow.
Suddenly, more archers came over the hill, marching in two identical columns.
The rider was just coming to the edge of the came when he reined in his huge charger.
“Who is Theon?” he shouted to the men before him. He lifted his lance higher into the air, so that none could mistake the flag that flew from it. He was a friend, or at least not an enemy.
Theon stepped forward.
“I am Theon, commander of this troop. Who are you, sir?”
The knight nodded and stepped down from his horse. As Theon watched, he removed his mail gauntlet. Behind him, archers continued to stream over the hilltop. There were hundreds of them.
The knight came toward him with his hand outstretched. Theon moved to meet him. They shook hands.
“I am Arnaud, captain and leader of the Farstrikers!” the knight exclaimed. “Your ruler has seen fit to hire us on to help relieve the fortress at Pholothras.”
For the first time in quite a while, Theon smiled.

Treasury: 549
Income: 712
Provinces: 19
Gems: 1 Fire, 20 Water (+3), 11 Astral (+1) , 4 Death (+2), 30 Nature (+2)

Farbaute was wounded in a minor skirmish with Mictlan raiders. A stray arrow found it’s way deep into his chest, and though he would live, it was a wound that would bother him for the rest of his days.

Emug summoned more Vine Men in Pholothras, bolstering the defense of the province. The Mictlan siege forces continued to pound away at the walls of the fortress, threatening to breach them.

In Jotunheim, Jord summoned a host of longdead. They would join Nar the Mound King as he rode to help out in Pholothras.

Man sent a raiding force of Black Hawks into the Forest of Gila, but the local defense and a few militia withstood the attack. Twenty men were lost, but the attackers were driven off.

New mineral deposits were discovered in Jotunheim, increasing resources by 10.

Rhyvinter and his army rolled over the defenders in Ermithia, losing only a few undead troops in the process. There was now only one province between Rhyvinter and the capitol of Man.

Fjollvinter, the Jotun scout, single-handedly took on the defense forces in Man’s province of Sleepy Mountains. His fierce rage and utter disregard for his own safety routed the defenders, who fled the battlefield after he slew twenty of their number. His name would be sung in the halls of Jotunheim for years for his exploits.

Arnaud and Theon marched for Pholothras, while Messages were sent ahead to the fortress defenders to attempt to break the siege when they arrived.

Rhyvinter and his force moved on Fenica, reportedly defended by a small force of spearmen.

Nar the Mound King and Algot the Jotun Herse moved into Worshin to act as a reserve for the assault on Pholothras.

BUILDS:

The defense in Sleepy Mountains was raised to 11.
Two Heavy Infantry were recruited.

Godzilla Blitz began constructing a temple in Ireme.

Coffee Warlord recruited more Tribal Warriors in Lettia.

Farbaute recruited more light infantry in Inarime.

In Jotunheim, a Vaetti Hag and 5 Jotun Spearmen were recruited.

[sachmo]

Well, I've switched to a new computer, but did not transfer the saved game. This AAR is at an end. Well, now officially.