Battle report

It was a peacefull afternoon in the warcamp of Ciryon the Just, a knight who had just arrived to the front line of the twilight war. He had mustered a huge army of knights and peasants, even some battle pilgrims had joined the army of this famous knight.

Ciryon was enjoying some fine wine and cheese with Lady Sophie, as a squire stumbled into his tent. The squire took a couple of shaky breaths and then opened his mouth to speak but Sir Ciryon's glare silenced the squire like a sword through his throat. "You come in uninvited... I could have you beheaded for that." Ciryon hissed and narrowed his eyes, as a result the squire started visibly trembling as he knew Ciryon wasn't joking. "Speak and pray for the Lady that I find your business worth my time." He continued. "I.. them... the.. scouts have picked up the trails of two big beastmen warbands" the squire stuttered. Ciryon stood up quickly with a terrifying grin on his face, the squire began to tremble again. "Excellent! Great News at last! I and Lady Sophie we're growing bored of this waiting. Sound the clarion call, wake up my knights and bring me my armor! I shall see that the cook gives you a double food rations for good news." The squire hurried out of the tent with a relieved sigh, soon the clear sound of his hunting horn woke up the warcamp.

Lady Sophie eyed Ciryon with a faint and amused grin on his face "Beheaded? My lord, you're getting a bit cheesy with those threats of yours.". Ciryon shrugged "If they don't fear me, they'll fear the enemy. I'd rather have them wet their pants here than on the battlefield." He answered. Lady Sophie rolled her deep blue eyes and giggled. Ciryon flashed a brief smile and continued "Now seriously. The squire said that there were two warbands. I have to divide my army if I want to catch them both and I need someone to lead the other army... are you up for the task m'love? Sophie's eyes turned ice cold immediately after she heard that. Ciryon just grinned "Silly question. Sorry about that."

And so at the dawn of the new day Ciryon took half of his army and led it north towards one of the warbands while Lady Sophie commanded her army to follow the tracks of another one. Ciryon didn't feel even a hint of fear for his fair Lady, after all it was the legendary grail knights of L'anguille who were protecting her.

It was Lady Sophie who found the enemy first. Hordes of beastmen, demons from the netherworld and the towering chaos knights we're raiding a small village in between of great hills and vast forest. She did a quick count and frowned.. she was outnumbered two to one. She shook her head and smiled "Only two to one. Poor bastards..."

Her army consisted of 2 big lances of errants and the knights of the realm. She also had 2 smaller lances of knights of the realm for support. A large unit of battle pilgrims and a unit of bowmen supporting it provided her a center that would hold just about any attack. She herself joined her personal bodyguard, The gallant Grail Knights of L'anguille.

The big lances formed her right flank with the battle standard bearer William, pilgrims and the smaller lances we're positioned in the middle and she and the grail knights took the left flank.

The beastmen had spotted her aproach and were positioned as followed. Big unit of beastmen supported by 5 Chaos Knights were right infront of the big lances. The center was formed by 2 huge marauder units. While Sophie and the grail knights were challenged by another big unit of beastmen with 5 chosen chaos knights led by a dark lord of Chaos.

 The Beastmen launched their attack as the Bretonnian army kneeled in the tradinional prayer. The whole horde approached the pious knights with a suprising speed. Suddenly Lady Sophies' eyes flashed open as she felt someone gathering magic energy among the enemy ranks. Such a feeble attempt wouldn't get past her magical defences.. The Sorcerer of Chaos pointed his crooked finger toward the knights and a massive fireball appeared and zoomed toward a unit of knights only to be stopped by a chilling wind that disintegrated the fireball in a blink of an eye.

Soon the Bretonnians we're done with the prayers. Sophie could feel the overpowering presence of the Lady's power settling over the knights and herself. With a grin she ordered the grail knights advancing just out of the charge range of the beasts that we're opposing them. On the other side of the field the pilgrims moved steadily towards the dark horde while the knights we're waiting for these brave peasants to take off the best edge of enemy attack before joining the battle. One small group of worried knights moved left to aid the grail knights. Lady sophie called for the spirits of the nearby forest to aid her in the battle against these defilers of the land. The branches of the forest aproached ominiously toward the beastmen. Too bad the Chaos sorcerer was well aware of what was happening and quickly repelled the wood spirits with dark magic. Sophie muttered curses under her breath, so the sorcerer wasn't totaly inept with magic.. The volley of arrows fired by her brave peasants darkened the sky and a smile crept back on her face.

At the next moment one of the marauder units bellowed battle cries and charged the units of battle pilgrims who just raised the long dead grail knights high in the air and readied their swords. Rest of the chaos army kept aproaching and hint of fear touched lady Sophies heart.. she has the finest knights of the Bretonnia with her.. "but there's so many of them!" She thought. A faint disturbance in the magic aura awakened her from her gloomy thoughts. The Chaos sorcerer was up to something again. Sophie readied herself to stop the cunning magicians. Then all of a sudden Lady Sophie grasped her stomach and started twitching on her horse. One of the grail kngihts frowned with a worried expression on his face and bent over to study Sophie more carefully. He blinked. Lady Sophie was 'laughing'! The Chaos sorcerer had fizzled his fireball spell and was now knocked unconcious. The grail knight let out a sigh of relief "The luck is clearly on our side today", he thought. He glanced at the battle pilgrims and the marauders who looked very stunned as the swings of their flails had been turned away by some mysterious aura that guarded the pilgrims. Grail knight smiled, what was he thinking, it wasn't the luck that was on their side, the Lady herself was aiding them! This was the hour of bretonnia. All the lances we're in the charge range and Sophie ordered the attack call. With the sound of their trumpets and the thundering sound of their horses the whole Bretonnian army launched deep into the enemy ranks. Grail Pilgrims were couraged by the marvelous sight and pushed back the now terrified marauders. Lady Sophie lashed the beastmen with her sword and glanced around the battle field. Every single one of the lances had broken through the enemy lines and all the infantry of the enemy was fleeing. Only the chaos knights remained... and lady Sophie knew that the battle was far from over.

As suspected the Chaos knights counter charged her gallant knights errant who bravely decided to meet the charge head on. While the huge knights, chosen by their god, thundered towards her and her regiment. The grail knights were already forming to take the charge. Lady Sophie looked up at the glorious banner the grail knights had brought into battle and was immidietly recouraged by it. "Oh what the hell.." She thought and turned his horse toward the Chaos Knights.

The combat between the Knights errant and the Chaos knights was swift. Although the errant knights fought with the bravery of the lion, it wasn't enough to defeat the savageness of the chaos knights. They were forced to retreat and managed to flee out of the reach of the Chaos knights. The grail knights fought with majestic grace but it wasn't enough to fend off all the attacks of the Chosen knights and the chaos general himself. 2 of the 5 of her brave bodyguards now lay motionless on the ground, Lady Sophie started to feel true despair. Luckily the grail knights faith for the lady is strong and they held their ground... but if help wouldn't come in time, Lady Sophie and his brave knights would surely be lost.

The Knights wheeled to avenge the fallen Knights errant as the battle pilgrims rushed over the fields to defend the divine grail knights and the fair damsel, the pilgrims judged the distance and knew it was in waste.. they'd never catch them in time. Sorrow came over the loyal peasants as they watched the battle between the grail knights and their evil opposites.

Lady Sophie watched as the grail knights did their best to fight off the chaos knights and their commander but she knew it was in waste.. She whispered a last prayer for the souls that had been lost today and asked to keep her lord Ciryon out of the harms way while fighting the other warband. May he avange her death.

Suddenly a great cheer was heard from the ranks of the knights and peasants alike. The 6 Knights of the Realm who in their wisdom had turned from the main force to keep lady Sophie safe, thundered toward the chaos knights while the rest of the knights swarmed the other regiment and avenged the fallen knights of errant. Knights of the Realm smashed into the flank of Chaos Knights and broke their battle spirit by piercing 2 of the mighty warriors with their lances.

Lady sophie sighed in relief as she counted the dead and went off to tend the wounded. It really had looked worse than what it was. Only a few knights had fallen, the rest would be up in no time. This truly was a great victory for Bretonnia. She thanked the Lady for her guidance and asked her to keep her lord Safe... and then returned to the warcamp to wait for the return of her beloved.