Thyatian Forces "Operation Hydra"
by Alex BensonThyatian forces for Operation Hydra are divided into four assault units. In keeping with the Hydra theme, each force is nicknamed as a "Head" and given a name based on the "letter" given to the assault force.
Due to the naval combat nature of Operation Hydra, Eusebius has had all transports and ships (large sailing ships) equipped with one ballista. To man this weapon, 5 additional crewmembers are allotted to the crew. As such, the will be considered non-fighting sailors as they will be occupied with firing the weapon. War galleys already have these and therefore receive no such additional armaments
Assault Force A "Head Assaria"
1st Imperial Fleet
Reg. 1: 50 (F3) Marines aboard a
lg. sail. ship w/25 non-fighting sailors & ballista
Reg. 2: 50 (F3) Marines aboard a lg. sail. ship w/25 non-fighting
sailors & ballista
Reg. 3: 50 (F1) Marines aboard a lg. sail. ship w/25 non-fighting
sailors & ballista
Reg. 4: 50 (F1) Marines aboard a lg. sail. ship w/25 non-fighting
sailors & ballista
Reg: 5: 50 (F1) Marines aboard a lg. sail. ship w/25 non-fighting
sailors & ballista
Reg. 6: 50 (F1) Marines aboard a lg. sail. ship w/25 non-fighting
sailors & ballista
Reg. 7: 50 (F1) Marines aboard a lg. sail. ship w/25 non-fighting
sailors & ballista
Reg. 8: 50 (F1) Marines aboard a lg. sail. ship w/25 non-fighting
sailors & ballista
Reg. 9: 300 (F1) Marines aboard war galley w/30 n.f.s.
Reg. 10: 300 (F1) Marines aboard war galley w/30 n.f.s.
Reg. 11: 80 (F1) Marines aboard sm. war galley w/10 n.f.s.
Reg. 12: 80 (F1) Marines aboard sm. war galley w/10 n.f.s.
Reg. 13: 80 (F1) Marines aboard sm. war galley w/10 n.f.s.
Reg. 14: 80 (F1) Marines aboard sm. war galley w/10 n.f.s.
Reg. 15: 80 (F1) Marines aboard sm. war galley w/10 n.f.s.
Reg. 16: 80 (F1) Marines aboard sm. war galley w/10 n.f.s.
3rd Imperial Fleet - same as 1st Fleet
14th Imperial Fleet - same as 1st Fleet
Reg. 7 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 8 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 9 of 9th Fleet
6th Cohort
Banner 1: 800 (F1) Heavy Inf.
transported via 4 lg. sail. ships w/25 n.f.s. & ballista
Banner 2: 800 (F1) Heavy Inf. transported via 4 lg. sail. ships w/25
n.f.s. & ballista
Banner 3: 800 (F1) Heavy Inf. transported via 4 lg. sail. ships w/25
n.f.s. & ballista
Banner 4: 800 (F1) Heavy Inf. transported via 4 lg. sail. ships w/25
n.f.s. & ballista
12th Cohort - same as 6th
27th Cohort "Assault Cohort"
Banner 1: 400 (F1) Heavy Inf.
scale/shield/spear/short sword transported via 2 lg. sail. ships w/20
n.f.s.
Banner 2: 400 (F1) Heavy Inf. scale/spear/crossbow/shortsword
transported via 2 lg. sail. ships w/20 n.f.s.
Banner 3: 200 (F1) Art. leather/shortsword manning 20 heavy
ballista (5 batteries) transported via 3 lg. sail. ships w/20
n.f.s.
Banner 4: 200 (F1) Art. leather/shortsword manning 20 light
catapults (5 batteries) transported via 2 lg. sail. ships w/20
n.f.s.
Banner 5: 200 (F1) Art. leather/shortsword manning 12 heavy
catapults (6 batteries)
Assault Force A is the centre of command for the whole of Operation Hydra. The overall commander for Hydra is Admiral Helena Daphotarthius. She has placed her flag upon the 1st Fleet.
Assault Force A is given the capital city of Minrothad as its objective. From its assembly area of Point Alto Talon, Head Assarius travels some 208 miles to its intended target.
There it is to unload its ground troops (cohorts) just down the coast from the city. The troops will then march into position and prepare for the assault on the city and the expected Home Guard units.
The naval units are to keep the Minrothad vessels in check and blockade the city from the sea. The Thyatian sea vessels will act in a defensive role in concern to the beachheads and not pursue Minrothad vessels into open water.
This move will hopefully negate the advantages of speed and sea knowledge that the Minrothadders have. In short they are to position themselves so that the Thadders must come to them for any engagement.
Assault Force A is one of the two Forces that have the newly developed Artillery Cohorts. This type of Cohort is designed with siege bombardment in mind. The 27th Cohort will assume a favourable position within range of the Minrothad walls and bombard the city's own artillery. The lighter pieces of the 4th Banner (light catapults) will be used to support the Cohorts against any attacks from Minrothad Forces. The land forces are to concentrate on destroying Home Guard Units on Trader Island before committing itself to the siege of Minrothad.
The 7th, 8th, and 9th Regiments of 9th Fleet are to break away from this force and sail down the coastline towards Harbortown. Its mission is to secure a landing zone for the 20th Cohort of Assault Force B and then return to Minrothad City. 20th Cohort's mission is to march inland and disrupt any Home Guard forces that are assembling and/or are marching to either Harbortown or Minrothad.
Assault Force B "Head Brutus"
16th Imperial Fleet - same as 1st
13th Imperial Fleet - same as 1st
9th Cohort - same as 1st
17th Cohort - same as 1st
20th Cohort - same as 1st
26th Cohort "Assault Cohort" - same as 27th
Assault Force B is allotted the honour of assaulting the city of Harbortown. From an assembling area Point Nora Talon off the coast of Hattias, it is to sail some 336 miles to the city of Harbortown. It will pass through the strait between Open Island and Fire Island.
There it is to offload its cargo of troops down the coast of Harbortown, much the same as the forces in Force A. However, Force B will position itself more inland and place itself in between Harbortown and the island's interior. The seaside of Harbortown will be turned over to the Thyatian Navy who will blockade it from aid from the sea. Once The 20th Cohort will break away during the landings and meet up with the 7th, 8th, and 9th Regiments of 9th Fleet attached to Force A. Under the protection of these ships they will land roughly halfway between Harbortown and Minrothad and proceed inland to engage Home Guard units there.
Assault Force C "Head Carius"
6th Fleet - same as 1st
Reg. 1 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 2 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 3 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 4 of 9th Fleet
4th Cohort
28th Cohort "Kerendas Cavalry"
Banner 1: 300 (F2) Lt. Cav.
scale/sword/shortbow transported via 5 lg. sail. ships w/25 n.f.s.
& ballista
Banner 2: 200 (F2) Med. Cav. scale/sword/shield/light lance
transported via 3 lg. sail. ships w/25 n.f.s. & ballista
Banner 3: 200 (F2) Med. Cav. chain/sword/shield/light lance
transported via 3 lg. sail. ships w/25 n.f.s. & ballista
Banner 4: 300 (F1) Mount. Inf. scale/sword/crossbow transported via
5 lg. sail. ships w/25 n.f.s. & ballista
Banner 5: 300 (F1) Mount. Inf. leather/sword/crossbow transported
via 5 lg. sail. ships w/25 n.f.s. & ballista
Banner 6: 300 (F1) Mount. Inf. leather/sword/crossbow transported
via 5 lg. sail. ships w/25 n.f.s. & ballista
Assault Force C is given the task of assaulting Open Island. This landing has to significant purposes. First, secure the sealane that runs between Open Island and Fire Island. Second, eliminate the Minrothad Forces on the island thus preventing them from being a further threat in the near future.
6th Fleet along with Regiments 1, 2, 3, and 4 from 9th Fleet are to secure the waters while the 4th and 28th Cohorts land on the northern tip of Open Island. They are then to proceed south and engage the Home Guard forces. Since the Home Guard has been using Open Island to train its mounted units, it is expected that some mounted and cavalry units will be present. As such, Eusebius has allotted the recently formed 28th Cohort (composed of Kerendas cavalry) to deal with these. Eusebius sees this as a needed test for his cavalry. Note- The 5th and 6th Banner of 28th Cohort was supposed to be provided chainmail for mounted infantry. Supply ran short. Leather armour was substituted.
The heavy infantry of 4th Cohort are to be a security blanket for the landing force. It is expected that the Hin resistance will be minor. Still, Eusebius has given the two Cohorts explicit orders to "crush any and all Thadder resistance".
Malfton is to be besieged upon arrival. It is hoped that the remnants of any Minrothad Forces not destroyed will be pushed back to the Hin town. The siege should be fairly simple since the Halfling defence works are wood and in disrepair. Given the flammability of wood left to dry and rot under coastal conditions, the defence works are seen as fat lighter. Fire tipped arrows of the troops should quickly remove these barriers.
Should the siege prove more difficult, a contingency plan of using the ballista aboard the cavalry transports to give the troops added impact. Also, the marines of the naval units are to be used should it become necessary.
Assault Force D "Head Demarius"
5th Fleet
20th Fleet
23rd Fleet
Reg. 5 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 6 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 10 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 11 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 12 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 13 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 14 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 15 of 9th Fleet
Reg. 16 of 9th Fleet
14th Cohort
Assault Force D is given the task of removing the Privateer Fleet and base of operations from the offensive. This is for two reasons. First, secure the sea lane running between Open Island and Fire Island. Second, remove the threat the Privateers pose to Thyatian forces. Another, unofficial motive is to avenge the Thyatian losses experienced in the 8th century by the Thyatian Navy. Due to the task, Force D has a large contingent of naval ships. The Regiments from 9th Fleet have undergone training specifically designed to meet the pirate threat.
Preceding the initial naval assault, the Barricade at the inlet to Reedy River will be assaulted by NPC adventurers, elements of Retebius Air Fleet, and wizards from Protectorate of Sclaras.
Once the Barricade and the fort overlooking the inlet is nullified, the Force is to enter and unload its cargo of 14th Cohort. The Navy is to destroy any and all pirate vessels encountered in the harbour. Eusebius' orders are specific in regards to the Privateers' home port. He has no visions as to occupying it. He wants it destroyed. However, he has given the commanders of Force D orders to confiscate any and all valuables and take as many prisoners as possible. The captured pirates Cove Harbour will be placed into slavery. He plans on returning any captured seamen and merchants (held by the pirates for ransom) to their native lands in a sign of friendship.
The Navy Forces involved directly with the sacking of Cove Harbour will disperse along the coast straddling the inlet to Reedy River. Their mission is to repel any attempts by Privateers to enter. Eusebius has ordered that the Thyatian Ships are not to singularly engage the Privateers. He is well aware of their superior speed. Instead, they are to take on a defensive style of a picket line and use their numbers to overpower the pirates should they wish to engage.
Due to time and pain constraints
Fleets and Cohorts are detailed once. After that they are referred
to as being composed the same as the one detailed. Two new Cohort
configurations are detailed. Note the comment concerning the
Kerendas Cavalry's armour. A subtle sign of the "growing pains" of
the Thyatian war machine.