Battle in the cold dense forests of Thorn.
The sound of armour shifting, and heavy boots pounding filled the air as Günther von Kastillien finally finished giving his second in command the final pre battle orders. The battle plan was simple, straight to the point.
The large Polish force had camped in the dense forests, and was awaiting the German force. Both forces were about equal in number, but the German force was of substantial better quality. Both in weaponry, and morale. Plus, the German force was also in possession of a new fighting force, the feudal foot knights. This was the first time they’d see battle, as far as Günther knew, and he was eager to try them out against the bold Poles.
As far as his scouts had told him, the Polish forces were positioned straight in front of the German force, with a small company of Polish nobles on the Polish right flank. Their formation was simple, spearmen were to main fighting force, assisted by weak archers and a few sword armed peasants. That said, they’re were a lot of them, and loss of good German troops was suspected. The Javelin armed Polish nobles always took their toll on our infantry, they were always a feared foe.
The plan was as followed. The archers would be sent to deal with the enemy archers, preferably taking such a heavy toll on them that they’d be unable to thin out our precious feudal knights and sergeant spearmen. The few cavalry that was present at the battle were to deal with the Polish nobles. A charge would probably brake them, and send them running for help. The cavalry would give chase, until positioned sufficiently behind the main bulk of the Polish force. In the mean time the German spearmen would march towards the enemy and take them head on. The feudal knights would act as shock troops, and would flank the enemy’s right side, after contact between the two main bodies was made. The archers would continue their barrage, stopping only to differ their targets from the enemy archers to the enemy infantry – and general. Günther would lead his own bodyguard against the enemy general on the battlefield, if the archers hadn’t taken care of the Polish fool by the time he got there.
Günther had given his orders, time to see if they’d be as effective as he hoped they would.
The archers moved in range, and immediatley started to take enemy fire. Losses were kept at a minimum by spreading out and returning fire themselves. In the mean time the enemy stood their ground, awaiting the impending onslaught.
The feared Polish nobles, however, were taken completely by surprise by the knights sent after them. They fell in moments, as they didn’t suspect the charge at all. They were hit in their side and they routed almost on contact.
The German cavalry were just beginning to chase the cowardly Polish nobles, when the first of the german infantry made contact. The right flank was now engaged, the left flank would follow suite as soon as it could.
The Polish peasants were selling their hides dearly, but they were losing 5 soldiers to each German one. They knew this, and they steadily fell back, leaving their right flank to take on the power of the Reich.
The Polish right, having stood by idlely after the initial contact on the other side, were now facing a dilema. They could help their comrades on their left, or brace themselves against the impeding charge of the feudal knights. They chose the latter option, and moments later they were hit head on by the eager knighst fighting on foot.
The fight continued, and the Polish slowly lost ground. The Polish right crumbled faster than the Polish left, even though they had been fighting a significantly shorter time than their brothers on the left side. The Feudal knights broke the enemy spearmen, and proceeded to charge the steadfast levy swordsmen, still fighting the German spears on the right, in the back. They didn’t stand a chance and broke as soon as the first German swords were plunged into Polish back.
Günther finally sent in his own bodyguard, and sent orders to the remaining cavalry to chase the routers, and capture them. It seemed, however, that the cowardly enemy captain had fled once the battle had tipped in German favour, and was already many a mile away.
Even though the Poles were soundly defeated the Germans did lose quite some men, 237 as told in the latest report. 237 good men against 1000 + enemy soldiers, not counting those who were captured and eventually killed once the ransom was turned down.
Re: Battle reports thread - King of the Romans PBM
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