I figured I'd do something special for my 1337 post. I present you:
Freedom's Blood
Summoner: "I sense the enemy is drawing near."
Marshal Grim: "So those louts have finally discovered us. It was about time."
The unthinkable had happened for the Kingdom: the Falx had managed to build a greater portal away from their attention despite the Magus Guild and Hitokiri's best efforts, who had suffered from the fact the Kingdom's forces were spread so thin, facing the many enemies they did. Built against the steep side of a mountain and flanked by a river, the Falx had chosen a strategic place to set up their defences, too.
Alejandro: "How many are there?"
Summoner: "A good number... By their standards. Little compared to what we can muster here. Unless they both change their course they'll be attacking from the river and the valley."
Grim: "Let's bring in the legions. Alejandro, you'll hold the fortifications while my men guard the river. We'll leave the portal's defences up to our fishy friend here."
Alejandro: "Any chance we can make use of the extra troops we've requested for launching the invasion? It's been months!"
Grim: "No... I've received word that Jinpu Tai vermin has been pressing us hard these last few weeks and are gaining support in their home regions. The senate and supreme command have agreed this rebellion needs to be quelled first. It's likely they knew of our endeavors here through their spies. What we'll gather here is what we have. But I'll be damned if it won't be enough. Our legions are strong."
Grim: "And so are the fortifications we've built."
Alejandro: "Indeed. They won't be expecting that."
Summoner: "How about the portal outside the walls?"
Grim: "Leave it. If your predictions are right it will be safe from the enemy, and our only concern is to keep them from tearing down the prime portal."
Alejandro: "Very well. Let's begin positioning our troops."
Some time later
Marine: "My lord! The enemy is drawing near but... they are very few! Almost impossibly few! I suspect a trap!"
Summoner: "Hah! They must have made haste to come over here and lacked the time to amass a proper army!"
And indeed. Queen Lara had appeared with some Hitokiri and Bloodguard cavalry support, but her troops were very limited indeed.
When she ascertained the threat the Falx posed and noticed the portal and heavy defences, she began channeling a spell however...
Her side of the river suddenly glowed with yellow light...
Queen Lara: "Come my army! We must drive these brutes back!"
Queen Lara had summoned the Kingdom's army. In the face of this crisis almost all available troops that weren't yet assigned to the field had been gathered; even a battalion of the dubious Scallywags had come under the 'leadership' of Captain Angryface, and they had brought a cannon. "Yarr!"
Zahru, always up for a fight, had also come, having found friends and worthy battle partners in the Hitokiri.
The rest of the Hitokiri had also arrived.
Along with the Trogdor who was actually, unknown to the them, their disappeared and thought lost master Subute, who had succumbed to his anger in a previous fight. Thus, Kage (light grey helmet) now lead them.
Queen Lara's very own Magus Guild had been easy to teleport in. So had the Bloodguard thanks to the aid of the Bloodmage who lead them. They had been sent by the King himself and tasked to keep his bride alive at all costs.
There were a lot of casters in the Kingdom's ranks, since some Purple Mages had also lent their aid, though they would not reveal their reasons.
Finally the Urban Guard had been pulled out of the nearest city to support the attack. Seemingly they had already suspected the possibility of fortifications being in place, for they had brought ladders. A Bloodguard lead them.
Thus, the Kingdom's army stood ready for battle. But hadn't the Summoner said the enemy would be coming from two sides?
The other side of the river was held by Grim's legion.
True to the Marshal's style, he preferred his troops to be heavily armed and plastered with armour, able to hold a line.
Some fences provided extra obstacles for the attackers.
The right flank was the most dangerous. It was also there that the High Lord Vladek, sent to watch over the expedition, had positioned himself.
Vladek: "Come, you worthless maggots! Face the might of the Republic!"
The Summoner's prediction had been right after all, but it were no Kingdom forces that came to attack. It were the last of the remaining rebels that had risen up under the leadership of Valarius. Ruled with an iron fist by General Rax and encouraged by the ramblings of their crazed shaman, they were hellbent on making a push to the portal, certain to find salvation in another world.
In addition to the main force Rax had also sent a testudo of phalanx warriors to attack through the valley.
Alejandro's legion would have to stand against this assault.
Javelineers protected the walkway between the two towers. Those are javelineers, ranged skirmishers. Do not mistake them for spearmen or I'll personally rip your head off.
The cavalry was positioned behind the gate.
And the elite forces had been sent to hold the bridge and support Grim's effort of holding the river.
Much to the Falx's surprise, yet another army they hadn't expected arrived, however.
Sir Brockram: "Claim the portal for the master!"
The order of the White Dragon Knights had gone through some rough times; after the supposed desertion of Sir Garth the successor to the deserter Haleron had quickly ended up dead and their order had failed a mission for the first time in a hundred years, and now they found themselves under the leadership of the ruthless Sir Brockram with an again nigh insurmountable mission in front of them. Though Junatan deemed he was giving them these missions like he had bestowed upon them the rank of his 'personal elite guard' to keep their spirits up, some thought he was just trying to get rid of them, fearing Garth would one day come back to reclaim his order. On the plus side, Junatan had managed to arrange them some dragon mounts once more, however.
The fortress, placed under the summoner's supervision, was heavily defended by marines and telmarines alike. Sailors manned the small cannons that were placed on the walls.
The summoner decided to keep some men in reserve; if the portal were to fall, all would be lost!
The telmarines, the Falx Elite, gazed upon their approaching enemies with envious eyes from behind their cold masks. What they had thought would become a dull day watching how their commanders Grim and Alejandro mopped up some barbarians had suddenly become a day full of promise and possible glory.
These musket-armed marines were ready to support the Marshal's legion at range.
Factions
Kingdom forces
Main objective: destroy the main enemy portal!
Side objectives: 1. Make sure Queen Lara survives or the King will be pissed. 2. Deny the Rebel bulls escape and slay all Kerrat intruders. (those would be the White Dragon Knights as they hail from Kerrat, just to clarify) 3. Destroy the small enemy portal
- Scallywags (Ham701)
- Magus Guild (Elmagnifico)
- Hitokiri (Killer Karetsu)
- Bloodguard (Ross_Varn)
- Purple Mages (MasterEcabob)
- Urban Guard (FISH!!!)
- Zahru (Zahru II)
Falx
Main objective: Crush or route any and all barbarians. Defend the large portal at all costs.
Side objectives: 1. Have the small portal survive as well. 2. Enslave enemy forces.
- Grim's Legion (RunsWithLegos)
- Alejandro's Legion (GeneralOfDeath)
- Summoner's Legion (solvess)
Other
- Rax's Rebels (Warhead)
Main objective: escape through either of both portals.
Side objective: Try to get through the portal with at least a quarter of your men still alive.
- White Dragon Knights (Appolyon)
Objective: claim the main portal for the master (or at least die trying valiantly).
- Secret factions (dun dun duuuun)
1: Silverdream
2: cakeman
3: RobotMonkey
4: ???
Alliances and stuff are fixed, Rebels and WDK's are also at war with the Kingdom.
I suppose there will be enough factions. If you are still too late and really want to play I might be able to still give some people 1 fig with an interesting objective. You can sign up now, once everyone has signed up and I've PMed them with their faction information I will update this post with an Overwatch and also ask for orders... Generally expect this to be resolved week by week.
