The Battle of Do'rville

[Greywall]

Casualties

UST: 1920
Frannerre: 432

(These are for all the posts owed before as well, apologies for it being late!)

[Greywall]

OOC: Not much time to fit it in so retcon frannerre still has 10,000 troops fighting in the city. Do’rville hasn’t fallen completely yet but what sections have fallen are experiencing atrocities.

[callmedelta]

Franerre

With the forces to the north now in place to cut off the UST's escape, the Army simply continued to hammer the cavalry with everything they had. The staccato of rifle and carbine fire, the clatter of Gatlings, and the constant volleys of artillery fire. For the raiding party's crimes, the Army had made themselves judge, jury, and executioner. The sentence, death.

~

Do'rville

'Time to cross the bridge,' Claude thought. He couldn't afford to let this retreat turn into a full on rout. Even with the loss of the 10,000 brave volunteers, his force still outnumbered their pursuers. The General had to hope that the weight of numbers would make of for fatigue and demoralization of his forces. "Start getting our artillery set up and get trenches dug. We make a stand and fight here!"

~

Do'rville

Hell

The battle had been lost. Maybe it could have never been won in the first place.

The Franerri forces had held the two functioning entrances of the city as long as they could, but there were simply too many of them. They abandoned the Gatlings, their ammunition spent, and fell back to where the artillery guns were shifting from counterbattery fire to bombarding the entrances to the city, trying to stem the tide of Union troops however they could. It was a hopeless endeavor, doomed to fail, but every man knew that. Every single one of them was a volunteer. They chose this fate. After seeing the butchery of the Union troops firsthand, it only redoubled their spirit to fight to the last bullet and until they bayonets were broken.

[Greywall]

Frannerre

The raiders were to put bluntly, massacred. The howls of horses being cut down along with their riders were drowned out by the constant gunfire. The raiders fired back as much as they could but with no cover it was doomed to fail, some attempted to surrender but they were simply met with Frannerre rage.

At the end of it, 6,000 UST riders laid dead in a field in southern Frannerre. Cast to the fires of hell.

Do’rville

The UST forces pushed hard to overrun the remaining defenders, taking none alive and showing little care to preserve the city as they advanced. Falalu made his headquarters in the seized mayoral house as the UST flag was raised signaling its capture. Another victory for the general, he was ready to push his ultimate goal of invading Frannerre.

River

UST forces set on the banks of the river opened fire on the frannerre on the other side, they knew once they crossed the war would be on their land. Eager infantry companies attempted to storm the bridge but were met with frannerre gunfire. “We need the artillery back in town, go get it!” called out a commander as his footman ran back to Do’rville. The day was won but to invade frannerre they needed to take the River.

[Greywall]

Casualties

Frannerre

UST 6,000
Frannerre 67

Do’rville

UST 59
Frannerre 879

River

UST 97
Frannerre 72

[callmedelta]

Hell

Any semblance of organization in the Franerri defenders higher level than the company level at most had disintegrated. Men formed ad-hoc units, fighting in small pockets until the bullets ran out or forming small ambushes on Union forces before slipping back into the chaos of the city. Dor'ville may be lost, but it would not be a safe place for the Union yet.

~

The River Erde

General Claude had lucked out - his forces had been able to make it across the River Erde in time. They were still in Tafatu territory for the time being, but they were only a stone's throw away from Franerre proper. His forces were still tired, but it was plain to see that the Union was overstretched and any charge over the bridge would be suicide for them. Moral had started to recover, given what the men saw in Do'rville, and how close each and every man knew how close it now came to being Franerre on the chopping block. The Franerri artillery began to hammer the outgunned Union forces while the infantry dug in, Gatlings covering the crossing. Here a stand would be made. A few artillery guns made sure to sight in the bridge, just in case they needed to blow it, but they waited for General Claude's command.

~

Franerre

The newly assembled force of 180,000 Standard Infantry, 1,900 artillery guns, 8,000 Special Infantry support staff, and the remainder of the Franerri cavalry were now assembled on the border and began their march to link up with General Claude's forces.

[Greywall]

--Hell--

The UST assaulted any remains of the Franerri defenders, they continued with their rampant burning, looting and assault on civilians. Gunning down civilians, raping women and even a contest in killing Tafatu children were some of the horrid acts being carried out by the UST. Falalu was now the most successful UST general in the war, he swelled with pride now planning for the invasion of Frannerre. "With this he would acheive the glory he sought, bringing the Franch to their knees."

And then the messenger arrived, Falalu was to send most of his forces South to fight the Kithium and dig into Do'rville instead. It send him into a flying rage, "That goddamn asshole Taronki! I am right here! I can burn the Franch now! Win this war, bring them to knee and end their involvement and now he deprives me of this victory! Goddamn him to hell!"

Falalu had no choice but to follow orders sending the mass of troops and field guns South to fight the Kithium invasion, it left Falalu with some 300 field guns and 76,000 troops. He assumed his cavalry had abandoned their post and ran South to Juaz not knowing where they were. When asked about the men going wild in the city Falalu didn't care, he poured some wine and simply said "Let them burn".

--River Erde--

UST forces attempting to assault the river simply made no progress and were ordered to pull back from the artillery guns range, 55,000 stretched down the river began digging in and bringing up 100 field guns to set up a forward line North of Do'rville.

[Greywall]

Casualties


UST: 122
Frannerre: 7,458

[callmedelta]

Hell

Ammunition was running low. Most were down to five or six rounds a man and their bayonets, an unlucky few needing to scavenge Union rifles. Still, they fought on. To surrender was to be butchered. If they could just take out one more Union soldier, protect the innocent Tafatu civilians for one more minute, their sacrifice would be worth it.

Mourir avec honneur, donner ma vie à la Franerre est la fin que je désire. To die with honor, giving my life to Franerre is the end I desire.

~

River Erde

It seemed like every man in General Claude's army let out the breath they were holding as the UST forces retreated. That, combined with the literal and metaphorical cavalry arriving in the form of the 180,000 Standard Infantry, 1,800 artillery guns, 8,000 Special Infantry, and cavalry, Claude felt a cautious surge of optimism rising inside himself. The forces who had been fighting at Do'rville would rest and guard the River Erde. In the meantime, General Claude marched with the new army of Standard Infantry, sending the cavalry forward to scout ahead and find where the Union had retreated to.

[Greywall]

Hell

The UST moved in to finish off the defenders, their bodies being taken to be displayed as a warning. Do'rville was firmly in UST control, but now came the next phase of the war. As UST soldiers had their fun with the civilian population, Falalu deployed an additional 20,000 troops to reinforce his entrenched lines near the river Erde. He sent most of his field guns, 140 to bulk up the defenses while he enjoyed the loot of wine and find food from the city. He was still angry about his invasion being halted for the Kithium front, but for now he would get drunk and enjoy his second battlefield victory.

River Erde

The UST continued to dig their trench network South of the river, many of them annoyed that despite the victory they couldn't cross the river. They laid in waiting for the Frannerre and if the UST would be able to resend or bring more men to commit to the invasion. Little did they know, the UST was out of soldiers to send. This line was the last line of defense for Falalu and Do'rville.

[Greywall]

Casualties

UST: 202
Frannerre: 3,212 (last of the Do'rville defenders)

[callmedelta]

River Erde

Marching on the UST trench line, Claude liked what his scouts reported. This line still didn't have any of those new artillery that had shocked them back at Do'rville; Franerre had regained her range advantage. Setting up a defensive line roughly 7 kilometers away from the UST line, General Claude ordered his 1,800 artillery guns to fire on the Union lines, while the cavalry began to ride around on the Union's flanks, waiting for the artillery barrage to end to charge on the Union trenches.

[Greywall]

River Erde

The UST were utterly hammered by frannerre artillery, firing back in vain with their own field guns. “Where’s Falalu?!” An office would shout as his men hunkered down in the trenches. The sounds of galloping horses approaching their flank forced some from their cover knowing damn well what it was. “Enemy cavalry across the river!” The UST opened fire, but the forward defense line was already shaken.

Runners were sent to Do’rville to alert Falalu that the Frannerre were not retreating like thought, but pressing back.

[Greywall]

UST: 121
Frannerre:78

[callmedelta]

River Erde

Spotting the runners leaving, the cavalry reported back to General Claude they had to act. The Franerri artillery shifted focus to neutralizing or disrupting the Union field guns while the infantry crept forward to 3 kilometers out. Then, with one last thunderous barrage, the artillery went silent and the charge began. The 30,000 cavalrymen on each flank slammed into the Union trench lines, 50,000 Standard Infantry charging the front of the trench line a moment after the cavalry had left.