First Contact (Battle of Harrlosburrow)

[Greywall]

Confusion struck the frontline troops pushing into the town, reports of enemy reinforcements coming in alarmed many of them and a last attempt to crack the Valderan forces had come pushing companies forward at a hazard.

The outer flank force being out in the open was vulnerable and ordered to pull back to Xagreau controlled lines, Boroko was annoyed now looking to withdraw his forces to get a more preferrable location for the fight everything was snowballing into.

The Xagreau were not prepared for a large engagement like this, they didn't expect resistance.

--Border--

Xaspeshi forces were chipping away at the Xagreau border, but it came at a high cost. Even with a smaller force the border was heavily fortified and well defended.

[Greywall]

Casualties

Xagreau: 245
Mil'Nor: 124

Border

Xaspeshi: 432
Xagreau: 295

[Kira]

The Carbineers would continue their harassment of the Xagreau forces, the town's frontline troops taking advantage of what cover they could. With the pullback of some of the Xagreau troops, many of those manning the left flank of the town would gave chase. Where fear and doubt once stood, rage and resentment took their place among the men's hearts. The cannon fire continued to pour from the Valderan guns, with the meatier target of Boroko's uncommitted force being the main focus of fire. The reinforcement line moved to encircle the Xagreau forces, their number joining with defenses proper now. 

Tyrann let out a sigh as he watched the battle rage. His foes lack of commitment had been strange, given what he surmised the Xagreau knew. The obvious answer was that they had brought all they had in this one strike, and while that would make things easier in the long run for the General, there was still a battle to be won. Turning to a courier, the general spoke
"Inform the men to begin a general advance. Have them to crush the filth that dares defile their home. After that, send for the Third Rally. I want them to catch anything that makes it out of here alive. No prisoners"
The courier gave a quick nod before running off with the orders, Tyrann turning back to the battlefield before him

[Greywall]

The battle was becoming a deadly quagmire for Xagreau, Boroko watched as his forces pulling from the flank were decimated by Mil'Nor artillery fire. His forces were pushing into the town finally when a rider came barreling fast from the North, "Sir! You've been ordered to pull your forces back to the border!" Boroko wasn't in the mood for games, "On whose authority?" he sneered, "Gentaki's sir, the Xaspeshi have launched an invasion." Boroko now understood, while his forces bled against the Mil'Nor the Federation was moving on them. "Begin shelling the enemy with our artillery, no quarter, pull infantry companies back and begin a proper withdrawal back to the border. We've been played here."

Boroko was convinced the Mil'Nor must have coordinated in some way with the Xaspeshi, but he needed to get the bulk of the Xagreau army back.

--Border--

Xaspeshi forces were closing in on victory, a few holdouts left before the border fell, and before them the Xagreau state. Up close melee combat was unavoidable but taking this first step to crushing the Xagreau was needed. Xagreau border regiments began funneling West away from the fortification as the Xaspeshi numbers were simply too much.

[Greywall]

Casualties

Xagreau: 2,023
Mil'Nor: 1,432

Border

Xaspeshi: 2,543
Xagreau: 2,943

[Kira]

The defenders of the town's outer limits turned to what they had hidden within, as Pomaz machine guns were turned on Xagreau. Much of the initial shipment from the Mil'Nor's deal with the Bear had found it's way to Tyrann's logistical reserve. The machine guns had been specially sent for, as their defensive ability was needed in the fight the Field General had planned for. As the outer line of the Valderan relief force moved to finish it's encirclement of the town's immediate foes, Tyrann considered his foe. A fresh bottle of wine had been brought for the man, glass long discarded as the sound of field artillery blasting away filled the air. ~

---

~
As the Field General mused, Xagreau would have it's own new trouble to deal with. The Third Rally, led by Commodore Atticus Rex, had disobeyed the orders sent by Tyrann. Having altered their course from their orders, the Rally have flanked the Xagreau from opposite side from where the first relief force had come. Leading the force from his horse, Atticus surveyed the battlefield but for a moment before turning back to his men.
"Alright boys, we got a big job to do here with these bastards. Let's get those guns up pronto, while everyone else?" He'd pause for a moment to raise his sword, dropping it down to point at the Xagreau.
"We got some softskins to kick out of our home!"
The men cheered, 50k standard infantry marching forward as the 4k Carabineers split into two, moving to flank from both behind and link with the other Valderan forces. The 100 Field Artillery and 50 Marrlan Howitzers would begin bombardment once set up, the Xagreau now under fire from three groups of artillery.

[Greywall]

Machine guns tore the Xagreau front forces to shreds, Xagreau infantry were completely pinned and refused to move forward. With his offensive capabilities lost General Boroko ordered his artillery to open full salvo on the town. "Destroy it! We're leaving pull our infantry out now!" he needed to pull out and get back to Xagreau, he was furious the Mil'Nor weren't supposed to put up this kind of resistance and now the Xaspeshi were invading their state.

Large sections of the Xagreau army began moving away from the city as artillery fire pummeled the city destroying buildings with reckless abandon.

---Border---

After some bloody work the Xaspeshi seized the border, it was a brutal fight but the Xaspeshi now were in a position to invade Xagreau. Carrigan looked over the dead with sorrow, the old man hated it, he felt his failure to end the war decades ago was now coming to haunt him. "I will finish this, no more delay."

[Greywall]

Casualties

Xagreau: 1,453
Mil'Nor: 743


Border

Xaspeshi: 2,834
Xagreau: 4,001

[Kira]

The counterfire came in earnest as those within the town took what cover they could. Many of the structures were either blasted apart or set aflame from the downpour of artilery fire. The Mil'Nor line marched forward to strike back at the invaders, the flanking line moving to firing range as Tyrann grumbled to himself. His plans had been shot to some degree, but the matter at hand needed to be seen to. Both Commodore's Grant and Rex were to be sent with their forces to harry the enemy back, while those under Tyrann were to try and take stock of the aftermath.

"Bring me something to write with and see if the telegraph survived. If not, I'll need one of our riders to get a message to the next station down." Tyrann said, an aide quickly nodding and rushing off to fulfill the orders. The Field General pulled out one of his cigars as the aide left, a quick light and a puff of smoke blew from the generals lips. He always did hate writing reports. 

[Greywall]

The Xagreau infantry had now left the town, they were a mix of stunned and tired. Boroko ordered the artillery to keep firing until his forces were well out of the area, "i'll do as much damage as I can before these foreign filth get reprieve."

The Xagreau began pulling back to their country.

Gentaki was raising a large force of conscripts pulling every rifle he had from his armories, the war had already forced him on the defensive.

[Greywall]

Casualties

Xagreau: 453
Mil'Nor: 544

[Kira]

The Valderan forces were kept at bay by the artillery fire, their own guns trying to pick off targets as the Xagreau retreated back towards their own lands. With the retreat came time to see to the wounded and dead left on the battlefield. Those dead that could be identified would be recovered for proper burial, while solders were ordered to dig two mass graves. In one, the fallen Mil'Nor were to be buried, and with the other acting as a dumping pit for the stripped bare bodies of the Xagreau soldiers. Everything from Xagreau equipment to personal knicknacks was taken from the dead, officers only stopping the act to ensure weapons were directed towards logistics instead of the individual mans footlocker.


Tyrann needed more then he had here if he was to force a battle, that much was clear. Having ordered his forces to cease their chase in favor or recuperating after the fight, he had quickly written up a new letter to be sent to the Zedonian forces to his south. The Field General knew that with the forces of Xaspesh, Zedonia and Valdera marching on Xagreau, there would be no hope of escape for their foes.

[Greywall]

The Zedonian army began its march toward the Xagreau forces fleeing back to their country, linking up with the Valderan forces and informing them of the airfield being constructed. With luck the airfield would be able to launch Royal bomber squadrons into Xagreau and provide aerial support.