MILITARY HISTORY OF AUPRUSSIA INTERREGNE BASONY 1
Accounts by deu Lithos written in 195 ASE
Part 1 - Part 2 - Part 3 - Remaiy
The Bason King (16 ASE)
In the northeast of modern-day Auprussia King Erdric D'Arainville sat on his throne paranoid and stressed. The Kingdom of Basony is no stranger to having enemies on her border but this time it may have been too much. The Bervic tribes to the northeast of the kingdom have been raiding the lands around Taulaix and are most likely aiming for the city next. To the south the Salva tribes had risen up against King Erdric due to his slow reaction to the most concerning threat that the kingdom faces. To the southeast the Morgavinds had been growing in power for decades. Now to many Bason kings it did not matter that much, the Morgavinds were not interested in the north as much as they were interested in the modern-day Auprussian heartland in Alba and Croux. Things changed when new Morgavind King Berseg Laithpulse had started to raid the southern Basonic border which incited the Salva.
Erdric looked to his commanders and assigned them to each campaign according to where they were from. Erdric hoped that it would incentivize the commanders to fight harder, aim for the total defeat of the enemy, and maybe gain land in the process. Erdric assigned Marquis Eschellin to the Bervic campaign. Marquis was a zealous man who had been a major part of why Basony had interest in Bervica in the first place. Marquis wanted to spread the faith of The King of Light, a religion shared by the Kingdom of Piendoux and the Duchy of Chagrix. The Bervic tribes believed in a couple of different faiths. The most prominent one was Vica or the modern-day Order of The Grand Mother. With these religious differences it was almost inevitable that the two entities would clash.
Erdric then assigned command of the Salva campaign to Choetrie La Verin, a rugged and rough frontiersmen who was familiar with the rural areas around the Salva tribes and has experience communicating with the Salva. Choetrie was eager to get back to his family after being in the stuffy courts of Illois for 3 years. Not only that but he had convinced the king the Salva could be talked into swearing fealty to Erdric if they showed slightly more concern about the Morgavinds, an enemy that even Erdric was concerned about.
Erdric finally gave command of the Morgavind campaign to Charles De Moriquet. A commander who has been warning Erdric of the threat posed by not only the Morgavinds but their neighbors in the Duchy of Chagrix and Kingdom of Piendoux. De Moriquet was always one to take advantage of an opportunity for fame and glory but it was deeper than that to Charles. In his mind he wanted to be king of Basony one day and to do that he needed to show he was not an incompetent leader which is why he is one of the first people to have the king's ear. Charles also traveled vast lands and had observed many peoples and cultures which is why he was nicknamed "Le Voiagei" or "The Voyager".
After assigning commands to each front King Erdric had told them one thing: "Failure is not an option, our position as a kingdom depends on us being able to handle these incidents". All 3 commanders nodded and left for their command. King Erdric's advisor Leon had concerns: "My Liege, I respect your decisions as you are as wise as an owl and as magnificent as the night sky...but I am concerned about Charles and Choetrie...". Usually King Erdric would strike this thought down, but he had his own suspicions especially around Charles so he had let the conversation go. "Charles seems a bit too ambitious for a man as learned and as wealthy as he, and Choetrie has experience with the-" Erdric interrupted: "Choetrie is not my main concern for now. Charles as you noted is very ambitious and already very wealthy. I do not think he has our best interests in mind". Leon was surprised the king entertained his concerns and had concluded that Charles must be the bigger threat to the king than even the armies at their borders.
Starting the Bervica Campaign (16 ASE)
Marquis' army had started at Traspienne and was comprised of 8000 men. 3000 Basonic Swordsmen, 2000 Archers, 1000 Spearmen, and 2000 Light Lancer cavalry. The reason for such a large army being allocated was clear, it was supposed to be a defensive campaign to push the Bervic raiders and small armies out of Basonia. When this was accomplished half the army would be re-allocated to assist De Moriquet and La Verin. Marquis had a different idea however. He viewed the campaign against the Bervics as a holy war and was dedicated to crushing the Bervic tribes outright.
Marquis started by sending 1000 men contingents all across the Northeastern Basonic border and region to sweep the raiders, when the Bervic raiders saw the Basonic contingents they retreated to their side of the border. One must note that the Northeast of Auprussia is a peninsula so the Bervic raiders had to funnel into Bervica to get out of Basonia. Once Marquis realized this he sent his men into action and attempted to obliterate the raiders. Unfortunately Marquis' army could only kill or capture 200-300 men as the Bervics out-maneuvered the Basonic contingents and got to the border.
Marquis could not strike at Bervica yet, he had already sent word to the King's court that the raider problem was slightly worse than what it really was and had to delay as if to act like the raiders were putting up a resistance. The King's scouts in the area silently looked on and did not relay what Marquis was doing...almost as if they had agreed with Marquis that Bervica had to be invaded.
The Frontier of Salva (16 ASE)
Meanwhile Choetrie had marched his smaller contingent of 3000 men just outside of the Salvan forests. He wanted to prepare a delegation and escort to approach the Salvans and assure them they will be protected from the Morgavinds. To do this he had established a fort and constructed wooden walls to make sure that they were to be protected in case the Salvans wanted to flank the delegation, it would also help with if the Salvans refused to cooperate and force had to be applied. Choetrie gathered 100 of his most trusted men and made way to the Salvan villages. Leaving the rest at the fort ready to support him.
Choetrie approached the leader of the Salvans respectfully and in a Salvan way. The Salvan leader, Arou welcomed Choetrie warmly and they very quickly came to an agreement. Choetrie was very surprised by this asking: "Rebellion is very serious, why have you put down your arms so eagerly". The Salvan leader merely said: "Rather kill a Morgavind than a friend". This exchange was still offputting to the Basonic army but Choetrie took Ariou's fighting men to the fort and prepared to march eastward to assist Charles.
Clear Minded Ambition (16 ASE)
Charles De Moriquet had starting with 3000 men but through his wealth and connections raised another 3000. Leaving his army with 6000 men to combat the Morgavind forces. A scout loyal to Charles had also told him about the situation near Bervica. De Moriquet was enraged quoted as exclaiming: "Once we are done here I will rend Marquis myself!". The angered De Moriquet had taken a methodical approach to the Morgavind campaing. He had baited small contingents into fighting his superior forces and obliterated them. Now from accross the field near the coast he saw the Morgavind army line up preparing for battle.
Battle of The Basonic Coast (17 ASE)
De Moriquet's army was much more mobile than a normal Basonian army, he had the standard 3000 Basonic Swordsmen but only had 500 archers. De Moriquet wanted both Light and Heavy Lancers to combat the Morgavinds' advantages as an army. 1000 Light Lancers and 1500 Heavy Lancers respectively. The opposing Morgavind army was led by one of the 6 Morgavind princes, Scirmig Caulon and his army comprised of 2000 Horse Archers, 2000 Light Lancers, and 4000 Spearmen
De Moriquet had issued the order to line up but his plan was not to fight the Morgavind army in open combat it was to bait the Morgavinds into committing their forces nearest to the coast which was on De Moriquet's right. So he lined up his most vulnerable troops, the 500 Archers and a smaller contingent of Light Lancers (numbers range from 100-200 men) on the right with a purposefully placed gap between them and the center, where he put most of his Swordsmen put the Heavy Lancers in reserve. In the left he purposefully made it look like it was a stronger flank by putting the rest of the Swordsmen, Heavy Lancers, and Light Lancers.
Scirmig had put his Horse Archers front and center while he pulled 1000 Light Lancers and 2000 Spearmen to his left near the coast. The rest were prepared to take on the seemingly strong Basonic left with the rest of his Lancers and Spearmen.
Scirmig ordered the left to crash into the Basonic right which fell right into Charles' trap. Charles quickly ordered the men to rotate and flank the incoming Morgavind force and they successfully trapped it near the coast. Scirmig seeing this decided to pull his forces from his right and ordered to flank and charge upon the Basons taking advantage of the real gap that Charles created. Reacting quickly Charles enforced his center with the forces from his own left and stabilized the lines for a small amount of time.
Then the Horse Archers started to wear down the Basonic infantry and they were pushed back slowly but surely. De Moriquet knew he couldn't hold on much longer and decided to organize a retreat and while Scirmig wanted to chase after the retreating forces he knew that he could potentially expose himself if De Moriquet was feigning a retreat so he decided to stay.
Casualties from the battle seem to indicate a Morgavind loss even if De Moriquet was forced to retreat back. The Basonic army had lost 1400 men but the Morgavind army lost 2100 men, mostly from the first charge being trapped on the coast. For Scirmig it was a "shameful victory" as he had to also retreat back to the raider camps for supplies and to reorganize his men.
De Moriquet on the other hand sent the scout that told him of Marquis' actions to the king, attempting to expose Marquis' irresponsible actions.
In A Time Far Removed...
Auprussia 0-1 Saint Eleanor @Coeur De Sassen Alexia
Auprussia 4-2 Eraman @Parc De Nasional
Auprussian Goals: Antonie Piridrisse 30' (Assisted by Pierre Nens)
Mourastaire Ashafeu 54' (Assisted by Ruide Daraco) 80' (Assisted by Martin Ivicer)
Ingalcer "Payday" Pardau 65' (Free Kick)
Twonames, 69', 82' FT 
