Operation Hydra Day 8
by Alex BensonForce A- Repairs are completed on the damaged vessels. Adm. Helena orders the Force to sail on. They only make about 27 miles during the day. This leaves about 52 miles to Minrothad City.
Force B- Sails for 48 miles, leaving about 44 miles to Harbortown. Lookouts report sighting of Minrothad vessels on the horizon. However, these vessels do not engage. They seem to be headed toward Harbortown. Careful, Adm. Serpico tells his officers to have the troops ready for combat. He knows that they are in enemy waters and doesn't want to be caught off guard.
The Minrothad vessels are 4th Squad/2nd Fleet. They are on a scouting mission to seek out the Thyatian vessels that destroyed 1stSquad/2nd Fleet the previous day. Instead it has spotted Force B. The Thadders assume that this is the same group of Thyatian vessels. Reporting the vessels via magical means, the 4thSquad/2ndFleet is ordered back to Harbortown. Harbortown in turn reports the information to Mercenary Guild HQ at Gapton.
Force C- Shortly after dawn, the Thyatian 6th and 28th Cohorts engage the HG and Hin units of Malfton. Gen. Nikkos has deviated from his original plan due to his scouts reports concerning the approaching Thad forces. Gen. Nikkos places 1st through 3rd Banners of 6th Cohort at the base of a hill. He has the 4th Banner behind these troops up hill a few feet so they can fire their crossbows over the heads of their comrades. Behind the hill, out of sight, are the cavalry units of 28th Cohort.
The Thad forces focus their cavalry and mounted infantry to the front. HG infantry and Hin militia are placed toward the rear. The med cav will charge the wall of Thyatian troops. The light cav and mounted infantry will follow the charge and provide cover. In particular, the mounted infantry are to exploit any breaches in the Thyatian line until the HG and Hin foot infantry can catch up. The infantry launch a barrage of missile weapons to soften up the Thyatian line for the med cav.
As the HG cavalry sounds their charge, the cavalry of 28th Cohort emerge from their hiding place. The medium cavalry attacks the flanks of the HG and Hin infantry. The light cav covers their charge and opens lanes for the mounted infantry. The mounted infantry rides to the rear of the infantry to assault it from the rear and cut off any retreat.
As the HG cav closes in on the formations of 6th Cohort, the heavy infantry lock shields and brace their spears. The crossbow armed troops of 4th Banner take aim on the charging Thadders from behind their propped up shields. The missile weapons of the Thadders do little as they reign down upon the raised shields. Many fall short of the Thyatian lines (they are out of range). Gen. The Thyatian crossbowmen of the 4th Banner unleash their bolts at an almost point blank range. In view of the crossbow volleys and Thyatian wall of spears, the charge falters.
The 28th Cohort's charge and encirclement cause the Thad forces to panic. This panic is made worse as the Minrothad HQ area is assaulted and destroyed. The Thadders become a disorganised mob, where as the Thyatians are a well organised and disciplined fighting machine.
To their credit the Thadder forces, especially the Hin, fight stubbornly. Seeing the situation worsening, the surviving Thadder officers opt to attempt a break out. This succeeds somewhat. However, many of the Thadders that manage to breach the Thyatian encirclement are struck down by pursuing light cavalry.
By mid afternoon, the battle is over. The majority of the Minrothad Forces lay dead or wounded. Gen. Nikkos orders his troops to rest and take care of their dead and wounded. He also assigns units of walking wounded to take charge of the Thadder prisoners. He then sends his subordinate officers to tally up casualties. They will stay here for the rest of the day to rest and regroup. They will march onto Malfton the next day.
Thyatian and Minrothad Casualties
| Wounded | Dead | Total/% | |
| 6th Cohort | |||
| 1st Banner | 187 | 42 | 229/ 28% |
| 2nd Banner | 88 | 37 | 125/ 15% |
| 3rd Banner | 98 | 48 | 146/ 18% |
| 4th Banner | 21 | 17 | 38/ 4% |
| 28th Cohort | |||
| 1st Banner | 130 | 48 | 178/ 59% |
| 2nd Banner | 43 | 52 | 95/ 47% |
| 3rd Banner | 61 | 22 | 83/ 41% |
| 4th Banner | 120 | 61 | 181/ 60% |
| 5th Banner | 63 | 44 | 107/ 35% |
| 6th Banner | 77 | 29 | 106/ 35% |
| Home Guard | |||
| 1st Reg/2nd HG | 35 | 50 | 85/ 94% 5 get away |
| 2nd Reg/2nd HG | 43 | 126 | 169/ 93% 11 get away |
| 4th Reg/3rd HG | 47 | 38 | 85/ 85% 15 get away |
| 5th Reg/3rd HG | 33 | 61 | 94/ 94% 6 get away |
| 1st Division Hin Militia | |||
| 1st Banner | 42 | 71 | 113/ 94% 7 get away |
| 2nd Banner | 24 | 67 | 91/ 75% 29 get away |
| 2nd Division Hin Militia | |||
| 1st Banner | 19 | 98 | 117/ 97% 3 get away |
| 2nd Banner | 22 | 86 | 108/ 90% 12 get away |
| 3rd Banner | 12 | 37 | 49/ 98% 1 gets away |
| 4th Banner | 8 | 34 | 42/ 84% 8 get away |
Note- In the Thadder units case, wounded stats include prisoners taken by Thyatians. The numbers said to "get away" denote troops of that unit that managed to break out of the encirclement and avoid the Thyatian light cav and med cav in pursuit. These survivors make their way back to Malfton.
Force D- Gen. Delagro and Adm. Pentalon give the troops the day to rest. They do take the precaution of keeping some troops and ships alert. They also begin tallying up the cost in manpower for Cove Harbour.
Of the 7,000 residents of Cove
Harbour-
3100 dead
850 wounded (taken prisoner)
2000 surrendering
The Thyatian commanders rightly assume a portion of the population is out to sea as pirates. Among those taken prisoner are several high ranking members of the Privateers Guild. These are separated from the rest of the prisoners and taken aboard Adm. Pentalon's flagship and placed in irons.
Also discovered are several captives held by the pirates awaiting ransom from friends and family. They include Ahmahd Azrud and Torril Jenteau of Darokin. Andre Sakic, Pavlo Karavev, and Milena Kolven of Karameikos. Delgreco Demonico and Hectavius Devarius of Thyatis. Salmar and Oasaria of NACE nations. Trista Delgro of Ierendi. Ian MacDurvis of Glantri. These freed captives are brought aboard the Admiral's flagship and made welcome.
Thyatian casualties are as
follows-
14th Cohort
1st Banner 120 dead and 234 wounded
2nd Banner 82 dead and 108 wounded
3rd Banner 154 dead and 301 wounded
4th Banner 67 dead and 22 wounded
Fleet Marines 67 dead and 125 wounded.
From the looting, an estimated 180,000 gp worth of currency is recovered. An additional booty of goods and other cargo items are obtained. Once they are appraised the value is expected to triple and possibly quadruple. An interesting discovery are Privateer Guild documents. Most deal with records concerning the pirate activities; invoices of captured goods, contacts on the mainland, captured vessels, etc. There are some noting a conspiracy against Oran Meditor by Guilds Verier, Corser, and Kasan. There are also several pirate vessels captured. Six small sailing ships. Three small galleys used as tugs. Two large sailing ships. Two Darokin merchant ships. One Ierendi merchant ship. One Minrothad merchant ship (of Guild Meditor). Two Thyatian merchantmen. One Ierendi pirate ship. One Karameikan merchant ship.
Adm. Pentalon sends a message to the Emperor in Thyatis City informing him of the capture of Cove Harbour and the items and prisoners taken. Eusebius is pleased. He orders Adm. Pentalon to sail immediately for Thyatis City with the Guildsmen prisoners and the liberated ransom captives. Pentalon follows his orders and assembles a convoy to sail to the capital. He takes the 5th Fleet and the Regiment ships of 9th Feet. Besides the captured Guildsmen and the freed ransom captives, Pentalon also has the monetary loot and Privateer papers loaded aboard the ships. Pentalon also scrapes up "skeleton crews" from his naval forces to man the captured vessels. These ships will also accompany them back to Thyatis City.
The Minrothad Mercenary Guild Master, Warheart Cleaver, studies the information that he has on the Thyatian forces. Open Island is under assault as is Fire Island. There are Thyatians off the coast of Trader Island. He has heard of no reports of Thyatian forces around Alfeisle or Fortress Island. Still, he suspects strikes on the elves' home island. The dwarf opts to wait till morning for any knew data to come in.
Guildmaster Warheart sends a message to Ruling Guildmaster Oran Meditor informing him of the overall situation as he knows it. He informs him of his moves so far. Oran is not pleased by Warheart's wanting to wait but concedes that it their only choice.
Oran summons the Thyatian ambassador. The Thyatian claims to know nothing of the invasion. Though he claims not to be surprised. He tells the Ruling Guildmaster that the matter is in the hands of the Emperor and he can do nothing. In a moment of rage, Oran has the Thyatian imprisoned.
As a side note, the Thyatian embassy
in Minrothad City is assaulted by angry and scared Thadders. By the
time the HG units in the capital can disperse the mob, the embassy
is burned to the ground and its personnel killed. The only survivor
is the ambassador himself as he is a prisoner.