Here’s my official WBRM style overview of the Battle of Heroes in 1628.
I did it Greg style – I played it out on the board!
The Battle of Heroes Background
Following the defeat of the Redlands Rebellion in 1627, the Red Emperor decided the time had come to restore order to the Lunar Provinces. In 1628, the core of the Lunar Army accompanied him to Furthest, although much of the army and the Lunar College of Magic was left to guard against nomad troubles. In Furthest, he decided to repeat his previous conquest of Sartar a generation ago.
Argrath’s agents learned that the Red Emperor and Jar-eel the Razoress had arrived in Furthest in Earth Season 1628.
Argrath decided to attack before the Lunars could gather reinforcements. He gathered his army and in Storm Season marched from the Far Point, intending to head up the Trader’s Valley and force battle deep in Lunar Tarsh.
At Dwarf Ford, his army was ambushed by a horde of Broo out of Snakepipe Hollow and by spirits sent by the Red Emperor. The broo were driven off by Argrath’s magicians, but part of the Sartar Free Army were forced to remain in the Far Place.
Meanwhile, the Red Emperor marched his army southeast into the Bush Range, intending to march directly into the heart of Sartar and end the rebellion in one fell swoop.
After defeating the broo, Argrath marched over Dwarf Run to the Falling Ruins and on Waterday of Movement Week, they engaged the Lunar Army outside of the Ruins.
Lunar Order of Battle
The Lunar Army was divided into three sections:
Vanguard: The Native Furthest Corps, led by King Pharandos of Tarsh. They were on hex 2316. They consisted of the following units:
- Veterans’ Cavalry 4-4-4-0
- 2nd Furthest Cavalry 3-3-4-0
- 3rd Furthest Cavalry 3-3-4-0
- 1st Furthest Foot 3-3-3-0
- 2nd Furthest Foot 3-3-3-0
- Bagnot Foot 3-3-3-0
Main: This was led by Jar-eel and Aelwrin. They were on hex 2215. It consisted of the following units:
- Jasper Phalanx 5-4-3-0
- Red Dragoons 5-4-4-0
- Antelope Lancers 5-5-4-0
- Arrowstone Cavalry 4-3-5-0
- Moon Arrow Cavalry 4-3-5-0
- Jintori Foot 3-3-4-0
Rear: This was personally led by the Red Emperor. They were on hex 2115. It consisted of the following:
- Major Class 2-4-5-61
- Minor Class 1-4-3-52
- Minor Class 1-4-3-53
- Minor Class 1-4-3-5
- Bloodspillers 6-5-6-0
- Household Foot 5-5-3-0
- Hell Sisters 5-4-6-0
Sartar Order of Battle
The Sartar Army was divided into two sections:
Left: Jaldon Goldentooth led the Barbarian Horde. They were on hex 2415. Several units had been disrupted from the broo ambush, but the Tribal Magicians and Pol-Joni were intact and present at the battle.
- Flash Jak 5-3-5-4
- And-Jay 5-3-4-3
- Krise 5-3-4-3
- Pol-Joni 5-5-4-0
- Pol-Joni 5-5-4-0
- Pol-Joni 5-5-4-0
- Potor 4-3-5-0
Right: Argrath, Harrek, and Gunda led the Sartar Free Army and Magical Union. They were on hex 2315 (the Falling Ruin). This included the:
- Snake Pipe Dancers 5-5-5-5
- Egglord Warlocks 5-6-5-6
- Eaglebrown Warlocks 4-4-5-5
- Stormwalkers 7-5-20-12
- Twin Spears 6-5-5-0Bullocks 6-5-5-0
- Sword Brothers 6-5-5-0
- Colymar 3-3-4-0
- Two-Ridge Farm. 3-3-4-0
The Battle
Argrath exploited the relative weakness of the Lunar magicians (it was Crescent Go, and the Lunar College of Magic had hardly begun rebuilding) and decided to throw everything he could at killing Jar-eel.
Spirit Magic
There was no physical magic, instead a huge boiling of spirits came from the Sartar side. The Barbarian Horde sent a mass of spirits against the Native Furthest Corps. With a MgF of 9, the spirit magicians route the Veterans Cavalry and 2nd Furthest Cavalry.
The SMU sent a mass of spirits (disincorporated magicians, spirits, elementals, etc ) against the Lunar middle. With a MgF of 20, they destroy the Red Dragoons, the Arrowstone, and Moon Arrow cavalry.
Melee
Jaldon and the Barbarian Horde fall upon the Provincial Army. With a CF of 19, they route the 3rd Furthest Cavalry and the 1st Furthest Foot. The valiant defenders manage to slay Jaldon’s current incarnation, however.In the Lunar main, the Sartarites attack with a CF of 50! Jar-eel is killed and fails her heroic escape, and the Jasper Phalanx is destroyed. The remaining Antelope Lancers and Jintori are heroically led by Aelwrin and the Bullocks are destroyed.
Aftermath
The Lunars lost the Red Dragoons, Arrowstone, Moon Arrow, Jasper Phalanx, Veterans Cavalry, 2nd Furthest Cavalry, 3rd Furthest Cavalry, and the 1st Furthest Foot. Even worse, they lost Jar-eel the Razoress. This constituted the worst defeat the Lunar Army had taken in battle since the era of Sheng Seleris.
The Sartarites lost minor casualties, losing only the Bullocks and Jaldon (who would need to be summoned anew). The Red Emperor fled along the road to Furthest. He left the Bagnot and 2nd Furthest Foot behind in Bagnot. Argrath followed up with an assault of Bagnot, but afterwards he was prevented from marching on Furthest by Harrek, who reminded him of his promise to attack Black Horse County. And so the Sartarite army marched unopposed to Dunstop. He garrisoned both cities but then headed into the Grazelands before beginning his famous campaign against Muse Roost.While in the Grazelands, Argrath met and courted the Feathered Horse Queen and sent his companions to perform tasks on her behalf. The White Bull was said to be smitten by the charms and the wiles of the Feathered Horse Queen.
Meanwhile the Red Emperor did not tarry in Furthest, but fled to Mirin’s Cross and then on to Glamour. During the Sacred Time rites, he was murdered by the Great Sister, beginning the Lunar Civil War.
Big picture
The Lunar Empire clearly underestimated Argrath. They figured they were dealing with a traditional uprising or the kingdom of Sartar circa 1602, with maybe a hero or three. Instead, they were completely outclassed in magical units. The Red Emperor got the bulk of the blame here by the egi, which resulted in his sacrifice.
For those who want to know, Battle of Heroes was the culmination of the Hearts and Minds scenario.
As an aside, the Battle of Heroes is hardly the last great battle of the Hero Wars. In truth it is really just the first. It no more ended the Hero Wars than the Battle of Austerlitz ended the Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars or the Granicus ended the wars of Alexander.
Jar-Eel comes back, right? Yes she does. And plays a HUGE role.
For both the Sartarites and the Lunars, cavalry, not infantry, are the backbone of the army.
The Lunars don’t have a great track record in conventional siege warfare:
- Boldhome – fell as a result of a massive magical attack, which had the Crimson Bat, flying units, and the like.
- Whitewall – fell after a two year siege as a result of a massive magical attack.
- Nochet – siege lifted after a year.
One of the unsettling elements of the early Hero Wars in Prax was Jaldon Goldentooth leading the Pol-Joni into Dragon Pass and beyond. Things that people assumed always worked a particular proved to be not as true as they
if 5,000 Praxians led by Jaldon Goldentooth show up south of the Creek, led by the Prince of Sartar, you might decide to hide in your hills or forts. But you are unlikely going to suicide against them.
Your Sartarites are welcome to get reconquered by the Lunar Empire if they so wish.
But the Sartarites of Greg and I are far more opportunistic than that. Many might distrust Argrath, at least initially, but are perfectly willing to throw themselves onto his side as an alternative to Lunar Conquest.
And some of the tribes – like the Colymar – have kinship ties to Argrath.