Battle of Vijayanagara

Battle of Vijayanagra
Conflict:	War of Vengeance
[[Image:{{{Battleimage}}}|250px]]
Date:	1509 (Elw Calendar)
Place:	Vijayanagra
Outcome:	Decisive Elwynnese victory. Beginning of the end of the Yardistani war effort.
Combatants
Barony of Elwynn		Barony of Antya
Commanders
Count Harald of Araxion		Radru Umbarcotumo†
Strength
13,000		10,000
Casualties
149 killed, 541 wounded		9,167 (includes killed, wounded, missing, captured); 45 ships lost (includes sank, captured, or damaged beyond repair)
Notes
notes

The Battle of Vijayanagra was a pivotal battle which took place in the year 1509 during the days of the War of Vengeance which ultimately determined the outcome of that war. It was fought just ouside the city of Vijayanagra between an Elwynnese army - of which the core was formed by the battle-hardened retinue of Huskarls of Count Harald of Araxion and which for war administrative purposes had been given the name of Huskarliregementet - and the Crusaders of Apollo, the Antyan invasion force, which was led by Radru Umbarcotumo, a half-elf paladin. The battle ended in a decisive Elwynnese victory.

Elwynnese Army and Count Harald's Preparations

In late 1508, with the Yardistani invasion looming, it was deemed time to muster forces for the defence of the Elwynnese realm. At the proposal of the Count of Lesser Zjandaria, Ardashir Osmani, Baron Richard Lyon of Elwynn isssued a decree requiring all males and females between the ages of 15 and 45 to report to their nearest police station for further advice. The Police of Elwynn was likewise ordered in the self-same decree to recruit every person who was physically and mentally fit for service in the militia.

The militia was specifically designed with guerrilla warfare in mind, to evade and harras the invading Yardistani forces yet also to defend with full vigour the major cities of the Flower of the North. An example of that was the digging elf pits along the likely lines of the Yardistani advance. (Elf pits are concealed holes in the ground at the bottom of which are to be found all manner of spikes and other assorted booby traps.) Such pits would be quite the bad news for the vanguard and would demoralise the rest of the invading force too. It was also recommended that explosive charges be placed upon the dams that span the two branches of the River Elwynn should the lower portion of the continent be lost to the enemy, Elwynnese hydroelectric industry would furnish the Jewel of Many Facets with one of the finest vengeance weapon ever devised.

The militia was augmented by professional (wo)men-at-arms from the retinues from the various high nobles of Elwynn; in Count Harald's case it were 2000 battle-hardened Huskarls from his comital hirð, veterans innumerable battles all over the world and were a highly respected – and fighting force who were renowned for their effectiveness, lethality, brutality, and sheer ruthlessness on the battlefield.

Count Harald chose Hampi Hill as the place to meet the Antyans in battle. This large hill commanded the Baronial Highway to the city of Vijayanagara and the Antyans would therefore have to take it if they were ever to get to Vijayanagara.

A master of psychological warfare, Count Harald pulled a trick on the Antyans - the Ship of Fools - that he already, several years before in the Days of the Old Tale, had succesfully used on enemy forces during his Conquest of the Heartland, by sending Lolle Jónsdóttir and a bunch of other freaks as his delegation to parley with the leadership of the Antyan invasion force. As very much expected Lady Lolle & Co screwed up completely and the Antyans were lured into a false sense of security and complacence thinking that they were dealing with a bunch of cowardly, inept and incompetent dweebs who would merely serve as their machine meat during the upcoming battle which would be little more than a walk over. (Boy! Were they in for a nasty surprise!)