The winter had only just begun, however, seeing as every lake in the near proximity was turned into ice one would have thought the winter to be in its prime. Günther couldn’t quite shake of the depression haunting his mind. It always came in the winter, when the days were short and nights long, but it bothered him more this time around. Yet another Polish force had been detected, again heading for Thorn. Under the cover of the winter snow, the Poles had again managed to sneak an army through the German lines. And again, Günther had had to order his army to head back to Thorn, and deal with them. How he hated these uninspiring battles. Even the enemy soldiers knew the outcome beforehand – no challenge whatsoever. And Günther absolutely hated that.
Promises of plunder, woman, and hot food were wasted on the men when they marched back to the castle of Thorn. Knowing they wouldn’t stay in the castle, they wouldn’t even visit it, but merely take care of the Polish threat, and then turn around for Breslau again. The men didn’t like it, but they were Germans, and they didn’t falter.
It was a clear day when the Germans marched up to the Poles, who were outnumbered at least 2 : 1, and commanded by the anonymous captain who went by the name of Vaclav. The enemy captain had positioned his forces as far away from the Germans as he could, and awaited the inevitable German assault.
Günther, finally being able to vent his frustration on yet another poor Polish captain, ordered his archers to engage, and his large force of cavalry to make a large flanking movement. Ideally to attack the Polish rear, or at least cut of the Polish nobles from the main force.
Once the archers started their deadly barrage, the Polish missle cavalry were sent in to deal with the archer attack. Spears were thrown at the German archers, and some hit home. However, the Polish hadn’t counted on the German cavalry, approaching from behind.
Captain Vaclav had not even thrown his first javalin, or issued his first order, when the superior German cavalry charged in from behind. Decimating the Polish force, and spearing the unfortunate captain.
Immediately after the death of the enemy captain, Günther ordered his archers to shoot fire arrows at the demoralized enemy. Chaos ensued when the Polish spearmen were hit with the dreaded fire, and they weren’t able to turn the vicious cavalry charge. Let alone the impetuous feudal foot knigts, eager to get up close and personal with the fearful Polish spears.
The routing Polish were hunted down, many falling to the persuing cavalry, and or surrendering to the feudal knights.
The battle didn’t last long, and the sun wasn’t even setting when the last Poles were rounded up, stripped, and were ordered to dig the graves of their worthy German overlords and unlucky comrades.
All in all, about three hundred graves had to be dug, forty German ones and a little over 250 Polish graves.
When the sun had completely set, and the Germans on their way to main camp, another 150 bodies were littered on the frozen battlefield. Polish soldiers not considered worthy enough to be bought back. What a barbarous tribe it is, will they ever learn ?
If not, we’ll have to make them.
Re: Battle reports thread - King of the Romans PBM
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