[HQ Ignorance] Re : Scene 53: The Longest Night, The Battle of Seguarane Forest - IC reply

[Nic Hughes]

Loran wrote:
> Hello guys !
> I just came home after a very long day of work... weeks of silence and then this avalanche of messages :-)
>
> It is a little late for me to remake the discussion with you all but while travelling today, I couldn't help thinking about the challenge we are facing (as much as you, as it seems).
>
> Reading you I figure that we have several strong assets:
> - a flooding area but quite out of the way of the invading army (if we look on the map)
> - mortal mercenary units, with which we can try a bargain
> - a stronghold, with Segurane well protected (x3 in defense is worth something)
> - A delayed surprise with the telmori, but if I understood well with the BIG problem to have them ready at the right time and at the right PLACE (remember no movement while crazy.. and if movement before, no delayed curse so no surprise, surprise..!)
>
> then I propose the following plan which doesn't seem in opposition with all your messages I have quite fast read (but quite daring I have to admit)
>
> 1. Aalmon tries to bargain mercenaries. Thanks for the offer nick, but Aalmon will be nearer, has more convincing power and Azhur needs to organize Segrurane city's defenses.
>   

Aalmon shakes his head "Theoblanc will not be such a fool as to leave 
the mercenaries without loyal wizards and vampires to prevent them 
defecting. If I see a chance I will try to take it but it is an obvious 
ploy and while Theoblanc may have no military experience it seems he 
knows more of the corruption of men than is healthy."

> 2. Aalmon is fast back and with the skirmichers, lures as much as enemy units as they can to lead them in the flooding area.
>   

The cavalryman perks up at this suggestion "Yes, I will draw them as 
close to where the floods will go as I can and if possible let Icthya 
know when their forces are in the midst of crossing so she can do the 
most damage and split their forces in two. If the main elf force follows 
up we might be able to split his force right apart. That is when I might 
have a chance to offer the coin to the mercenaries, in the confusion of 
the unexpected."

> 3. Icthya and Kalen destroy/delay as much as possible unit with the flood
> 4. Everybody try to save his skin and get refuge at Segurane or in the forest for the elves.
> 5. We face the invaders and fight them in front of Segurane on a prepared battleground to get some edge in the battle, reducing and fixing as much as we can there (we don't need to put fire to the full forest, just some well localized places like digged fire pits or flaming barricades - whatever we can build in so few hours)
>   

"If all else fails and night is falling then each of us will just have 
to do our best and all desperate tactics are worth trying. Lets hope it 
does not come to that."

> 6. While everybody fights at Segurane, we lure Theoblanc with something he will really need to run after . We make him run at a speed that only his vampires unit can follow (horatii & curiatii tactic)  and we lead them in the walled village with our  telmori friends ready for a meal. We can hope that the odds will be slightly in our favor, 1500 tired vampires against 3000 fresh angry telmori. There, we play Wilkairtha against Theoblanc (but without a big army) or at least we destroy the main elit unit (let's be optimistic a little)..
>
>   

"The regalia are important, you are wise to remind me of that. If he 
sees them in an army drawing up to face him then I think he will have no 
choice but to array agains them. If the force appears to be retreating 
away to the North West then you might even avoid a battle long enough 
for our friends to arrive but the risk is that he might instead take the 
city if you do not offer battle. Then we would be lost without hope."

Nic

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