1096, Battle of Bern
It was a fiendishly cold day. The mercenaries in Prince Louis' camp woke up early, and set to work stomping out their night fires and knocking the snow off their shields. They were just getting organized into squads when the morning scouting detail returned to camp, riding hard down the north road. Fifteen veteran mounted sergeants came to a stop just outside the Prince's tent. Two dismounted and ducked inside to deliver their report.
"It's just as you expected m'lord, they've cut us off from the northeast with a blocking force, the company at Bern has marched out from the east, and that noble has the bulk of the troops away to the north."
Louis nods in de Perrone's direction before speaking, "They're trying to protect the approach to Bern and execute an ambush against us at the same time, but now we can spring it against them instead. We're much more mobile than they realize, and we've no reason to defend this spot. We'll ride out and collect the scattered blocking forces first, then confront their general and his men. He'll be in a rush once he realizes we've cleared the way to his castle."
Christophe de Perrone grins at his Prince, following the line of his thoughts.
Louis continues, "Never wise to rush through the snow, eh? We'll scatter them, break them company by company, and ransom the prisoners. Little enough gold in sacking a German castle, I'd like to send more home to father before the weather turns too ugly to campaign, and Emperor Mandorf has every reason to pay having been ransomed himself once."
"Call in all the scouts, Hawk, and let's make ready to clear the road. I don't expect any more Germans today."
As de Perrone departs the tent Prince Louis returns to his contemplation of the map, and takes a long drink from his wine cup. His brow furrows for a moment before he mutters to himself,
"We'll have to draw them past our camp to keep their infantry from holding the high ground. I should've planned for that... camped further east perhaps, but we'd risk a night sally from the castle... Well, once they've surrendered we'll simply retake it. There won't be time for any casual destruction and I'll remember it for the next campaign."
Pulling on his helm Louis exits the tent, already dreading having to mount his horse and endure that rediculous saddle once more.
Riding south out of camp de Perrone leads the infantry into position against the German spearmen who were sent to block the northeast approach to Bern. With no archers and no cavalry they pose no challenge, and de Perrone personally spits the company captain within moments of launching the engagement. None escape, although a significant number surrender.
Per orders de Perrone doesn't sound his horns until after the battle has concluded. Within minutes the sound of marching men can be heard to the east and northwest, with the enemy to the east having been established by the scouts as just beyond a hillside. Prince Louis rides east over the hilltop to deal with them personally. With no spears and no support the company of foot knights is overrun in moments. Their captain throws down his sword in surrender, and disgust, as quickly as he is able. Louis sounds his horns as soon as the surrender is effected.
The greater German force, under their noble general, marches onto the field from the north, emerging from a copse of trees to see French cavalry lounging around a field scattered with German dead, and French spearmen hustling a crowd of German prisoners into the woods to the east. Immediately they double their pace, attempting to close the gap with the French infantry. They make it about halfway across the field, just far enough for the lightly armored archers to open a wide gap between themselves and the slower spearmen, before Prince Louis leads his cavalry up and over the hill to their left. German archers flee across the face of their advancing allies in horror as French knights fall upon them.
The German formation does not pause, their infantry abandon the archers, most of whom surrender to Prince Louis and de Perrone, to continue the pursuit of the French infantry towards the eastern trees. The German noble commands his cavalry to engage the French cavalry while attempting to organize his personal guardsmen to prevent charges to his infantry's rear. The light German cavalry routs immediately and is pursued off the field. Many of them surrender and are taken prisoner, but ten escape into the woods after the French mounted sergeants break off pursuit.
Louis forms up his own guardsmen just up the slope from where the German knight is taking position. Christophe de Perrone stands to the Prince's left while the remaining cavalry move to reinforce the French infantry. There is a brief exchange of shouts in French, which the German noble speaks with a slight accent.
"I am Karl Courcy, Count of Bern and Lord of the lands which you now assail! Withdraw in peace and I pledge my observance of the Holy Father's demands for truce!"
"I am Prince Louis, Duke of Aquitaine and heir to the throne of Charlemagne. I ransomed your current Emperor to your last one, whom my father slew, and I have read the Pope's proclamation. He does not say we must avoid fighting, only that we must avoid sieges that place hardship on his flock. So, here we are, no need for a siege, yes?"
Louis issues a laugh which the wind sucks away before the German can hear it. He replies in a serious tone,
"The Emperor will set the Pope to right soon enough on this matter, but for today you are outnumbered, outclassed, your camp is taken, and you are unprepared for the winter. I say again, withdraw with honor! Go back to your father and tell him we wish to treat with him fairly for the return of our lands. No more good men need die today!"
Prince Louis mutters, 'enough talk' and draws his sword in answer before shouting,
"I piss on your dead, as I mean to piss on the flood of cowards who surrendered at the first taste of my steel! Tell your Emperor to shove his florins up his behind! I'm not done yet repaying the insult done to my father! You want me to leave? Come and make me if you've got a pair!"
The German bannerman doesn't wait for their general to respond, he leaps forward while Louis is still roaring out his challenge, taking the Frenchmen somewhat by surprise. The remaining enemy knights follow quickly.
Almost immediately, however, de Perrone and his guardsmen ride in from the flank opposite the Prince. Louis presses forward, around to the rear of the German formation, and begins slaughtering his way through the densely packed melee as Evrart and Bertran guard his back. Five times Louis strikes down his foe, pressing himself heedlessly into groups of Germans and fighting two and three of the enemy knights at a time.
At last the Germans attempt to withdraw and regroup, their numbers having been halved. Prince Louis strikes down one more foe as they pull away and leads the charge in pursuit, roaring out challenges and waving his sword menacingly.
Soon the Germans are caught once more, and Louis wades in again, attempting to find Karl Courcy in the battle to engage him personally. Alas, Louis' guard are abruptly struck by one of their own tricks, as the small force of German light cavalry which was thought to have routed from the field returns and takes the Prince's men from behind.
de Perrone shifts his own guard to confront them, and they are driven off quickly, but several of Louis' guardsmen are struck from behind and killed. One of the enemy's light cavalry survives to flee once again.
Karl Courcy uses the distraction to withdraw his men from the melee once more, and gathers himself. Louis calls de Perrone over to speak with him for a moment before the engagement begins again,
"That last bastard slipped my guard and put a decent nick into one of my ribs before I gutted him. Bertran's mount was killed again too, so he's back there walking this way. This Courcy chap's a clever one, keeps drawing us into positions that let his smaller force hold a line. Let me and the lads hit 'em head on, break 'em open, and you come around behind," seeing de Perrone glance at the blood seeping from his armor Louis speaks sharply,
"No backtalk, I've had worse hunting boar and the lads are still hungry. Go on now!"
As de Perrone rides away Courcy and his men turn in some haste and attempt to form up for a charge against the Prince's battered bodyguard. Karl has stood aside from most of the fighting, so his armor is whole and his sword arm still fresh. There's no question of his desire, he aims to kill the French Prince. The two companies of guardsmen are nearly equal in number, but Louis' men have been fighting all morning, and Louis himself is wounded. As the engagement begins Louis thrusts himself through the center of the German formation, killing one man and hacking the arm from a second, with Evrart desperately blocking blows meant for the Prince's back.
Nearby the German infantry have come to grips with the French mercenaries. Though they have a substantial advantage of numbers, they utterly lack cavalry support. Moments after the mounted sergeant's charge crashes home the enemy infantry are in flight. Hundreds are captured.
In the battle of the generals Louis has locked eyes on Karl Courcy and, ignoring all blows directed against him, is riding through the melee directly for the man. From behind Karl hears de Perrone's men begin their charge. With an audible quaver the German waves his sword at the Prince and screams,
"Gott in Himmel, kill him!"
Before turning to run.
His guardsmen fight on for a few moments before turning to flee as well. Four of them escape.
Louis is exhausted as he rides back to the copse of woods where the mercenaries have gathered the Germans who surrendered. Blood can be seen dripping down his left leg and leaving a faint trail in the snow. Remounts have been brought up for the wounded who can ride, and a detatchment is being organized to return to the camp, but all the men are weary of struggling through the snow. It takes two hours just to get the prisoners organized into nobles, soldiers, and peasants. A messenger is dispatched to Bern to treat with Karl Courcy. At last Louis permits his armor to be opened and his wound bound. During the binding he becomes light headed and fears to pass out, but maintains his demeanor in front of the men.
The soldiers are starting to relax, the remaining mounted sergeants are walking their horses north, towards the camp, when the messenger comes riding back in like a madman, screaming about something.
"They're coming! They're coming! My Prince, more Germans have marched down the north road! They've already overrun the camp, and that noble from Bern is at their head!"
Louis' face is ashen as he assess his remaining strength. A grim look comes over his face,
"How many men? Infantry or cavalry? de Perrone get those bloody mercenaries on their feet!"
The messenger, a simple pageboy, shouts his reply,
"It's an army m'lord, I couldn't begin to count them all, hundreds and hundreds! They're just over the hill lord! We must away now!"
A muttering can be heard amongst the prisoners. They've not lost sight of the fact that they outnumber their captors three to one, and most of them barely fought. Louis can calculate how many of them understand French by how fast the rumors are spreading through the crowd. It's an idle distraction that turns his thoughts momentarily away from the grim matter at hand. A glance shows the mercenaries guarding the prisoners are hefting their spears with nasty looks on their faces.
"My Prince please! Let us away from this cursed place, the Germans spring from the ground like fairies! I don't want to die, oh Gods I don't want to die!"
The sound of a brutal slap carries across the camp. Even the muttering among the prisoners ceases for a moment. The page, lying on the ground, coughs weakly and spits blood into the snow. Louis' voice is merciless,
"Pick the fool up Bertran. You'll have to carry him across your horse for a bit I imagine."
Louis shakes his head,
"No use sending scouts now, somebody told them what to see already. Blood and fire!" Louis turns his head to the sky and screams his anger into it. It is a cry of boiling fury unleashed, and the mutters amongst the German prisoners cease at the sound of it. Evrart, standing behind his master, reaches out and touches his shoulder, causing Louis to jerk away and turn on his guardsmen, hand at sword hilt. Evrart lowers his eyes and shakes his head gently. Just as quickly as it came the rage drains out of Louis, and the Prince begins issuing orders,
"The camp will be abandoned, nothing we need there anyway. Get the sergeants out scouting to the south now. We withdraw."
Louis shakes his head before turning to speak quietly to de Perrone,
"My Hawk, the prisoners will have to be released. That's not going to please these mercenaries any, but there's nothing for it. March 'em up the hill over there and send them running away down it. They'll not turn back and run uphill to attack us barehanded, and it'll take Courcy a day to group them back up at least. Nor will he pursue too closely without their numbers at his back."
Raising his voice the Prince continues so all his men can hear,
"You won a great victory here today! None can take that from you. Walk from this field with your heads high knowing you are the finest fighting force in France today men! There are more battles waiting, more enemies ready for the slaughter, but for today we depart!"
Re: Battle Reports Thread: King of the Franks game
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