Battle of Dharmandi

Battle of Dharmandi
Conflict:	Genocide of the Elfinshi
[[Image:{{{Battleimage}}}|250px]]
Date:	1488 (Elw Calendar)
Place:	Dharmandi, Agnesia, Barony of Elwynn
Outcome:	Baronial victory. Paladins and Babkhan mercenaries disengage and continue their march to Eliria
Combatants
Barony of Elwynn		Duchy of Hyperborea
Commanders
/ Baron Ardashir of Elwynn Nadir Housayn Khan		Kadmi Mithothion
Strength
8,000		5,000
Casualties
44 killed, 187 wounded		237 killed, 1,249 wounded
Notes
notes

The Battle of Dharmandi was a skirmish between the Babkhan mercenaries hired and led by Baron Ardashir I of Elwynn and a force of mounted Paladins sent to reconnoitre after rumours of an invasion force landing in the proximity of what would become the city of Vijayanagara. Although disorganised, surprised and lacking in heavy weapons, the battle confirmed the superiority of regular infantry riflemen over armoured cavalry and warlocks of the Raikothlin Paladins.

Lacking local scouts, as none had yet been hired or caught, the Babkhan army that landed at Vijayanagara under Baron Ardashir's command formed up into four columns of approximately 2,000 men each, a column that formed the vanguard, a column that formed the rearguard and the remaining two columns marching in parallel providing flanking escorts to the army's baggage column comprised 40 oxen-drawn wagons, a dozen motor vehicles of various types and the Baron and his retinue of forty men-at-arms, who were the only component of the force on horseback.

Each column was led by a Sarhang (colonel of the Imperial Babkhan Army) and each was charged with conducting his own reconnaissance. The main priority was to gain provisions and to find the road to Eliria.

The Babkhan force was attempting to forge its way into the tangled mass of the Agnesian forest at the onset of winter. Faced with unfamiliar terrain the Sarhangs organised foraging parties to go ahead of their main columns to find their way to the Elfinshi road to Eliria and to commandeer such provisions as could be found from any manorial settlements or villas they encountered.

It was one of these foraging parties that blundered into a force of Paladins arrayed in white cloaks, so as to blend with the snowy landscape (the origin for the pejorative Babkhi description of Boreals as Ghosts), and primed to mount an ambush. The foragers were approaching an abandoned Elw farmstead when one of their number caught a glimpse of the reflection from a dagger being drawn, the Paladins were creeping forward through the snow attempting to encircle the foragers so that they might be crept up on and dispatched quietly. In fright the Babkhan snatched up his rifle, causing his comrades to take pause and look for what had caught his attention. Cooler heads might have remained still and let the foragers think that it was their nerves playing a trick on them. These Paladins however harboured memories from the War of the Orchids and desired to sate their blood in revenge, a quite un-Hyperborean emotion it must be said but then these were Wendol levies from Bjorngard so lacked something in the cold logical clarity of their Raikoth comrades. Sensing their surprise lost they cast off their ghostly shrouds and with a blood curdling yell snatched up their knives and war-clubs, leapt to their feet and charged towards the foe.

The Babkhans, there being no more than twenty-five of them bunched around a confiscated peasant cart, were startled out of their wits to see a hundred white-cloaked men leap up out of the snowdrifts not two hundred yards from where they stood.