The Vale Campaign (5)

We never kept up the pressure, with nightly raids and fires.

Almost 3 days of continuous battle had now been fought, resulting in 3200 casualties on our side, and 8600 on their side, most of whom came from the first day.

But even so, the Vale Forces and their morale was rapidly decreasing.

After their Heavy Cavalry had been almost decimated, I had freely deployed the 3500 Light Cavalry we hadn't deployed at the war-front.

And they were harassing the Vale supply trains, and causing all sorts of problems.

Usually, the Heavy Cavalry countered the Light Cavalry, but now that they had less than 1500 Heavy Cavalry, and had to keep them on the Battlefield at all times, to combat our 4500.

Now, with all respect to the Knights of the Vale, they had somehow managed to take out 1000 of our own cavalry yesterday, but it had resulted in the decimation of their remaining 1500 Heavy Cavalry, the numbers difference was just too big.

Now surprisingly, our left flank infantry had taken the lost casualties, mainly the Mallister men. 10 000.

The Mallisters had taken over the land from the Blackwood's, and therefore they recruited a lot of leveys for this war, to show their support.

But that resulted in a lower level of skill, and unfortunately, the Vale had placed a lot of their elite troops in the left flank, leaving it stronger than the Mallisters, even while supported by my men.

However, their centre had been weaker.

And against the inexperienced vale levies, the Mountain Clansmen had flourished, utterly decimatning the Vale Centre on a daily basis, and since they now had shields and higher grade weapons.

They were even more dangerous.

However, the Light Cavalry had been doing most of the work.

The Vale Supply Lines were even forced to split up, to avoid being attacked in large groups.

A tactic which made it harder for us to intercept a large number of them.

But it also made them easy targets.

And according to reports, we had been dealing with over 30% of the Vale Carriages heading for the army, and it was showing.

Reports from the men showed that the Vale Soliders were exhausted, tired and hungry. Their strength had rapitedly decreased these last days.

And the Vale was now on their last energy, and they wouldn't be able to fight for much longer.

However, before I could ponder on it any longer, the horns were blasted, symbolising that the Vale was mobilising.

So with that, I got out of bed, and headed out.

Whereas the men were quickly lining up with their commanders, identical to what they had done these last 4 days.

I met up with my 4 generals before the Battle.

"Ha, these honourable fools. We've basically won the Battle." Ser Emmon Frey boasted.

"We will, if we win todays battle." I said, which made all 4 of them lock in.

"Their men are exhausted, and underfed. After today, I suspect they won't fight with anything more than 80% of their full strength, meaning this is essentially the last day where the Arryns can turn the tide." I said, and they nodded.

"I need all of you to be cautious, we will not be employing any risky strategies if it is not deemed necessary. We should focus on inflicting as many casualties as we take, if we do that. We will win." I said, and they all nodded, before deploying to their own divisions.

——-/

My eyes widened as I realised the situation.

Under the cover of the night, or however. The Arryns had put all their elite troops in the centre, and they had buffed it to 35 000 men, against our now 6000 Mountain Clansmen, 6000 Freys and 15 000 Brackens. 27 000 vs 35 000.

But they had left their left and right flanks weaker.

But they were utterly decimating our Mountain Clansmen, and already touching upon the Freys.

15 minutes into the Battle...

I turned to the closest messager.

"Contact Lord Mallister, and tell him to launch an unrelenting assault on the left flank, they have left their flanks weak and put all their elites in the centre." I told him, and he nodded, before riding off.

"You, say the same to Lord Vance." I told a new messenger, whom also rode off.

"Tell my elite troops, they need to act now." I told a third messengers, and he rode off, heading into the forest.

I then turned to the 10 weaker guards around me.

"I'll be heading to the centre, the frontlines. I'll be relying on ya'll." I said, and all 10 of them nodded, none of them daring to speak up about my safety.

And so, with that. I rode off on my horse, heading for the centre.

It was a 2 minute ride.

When I arrived barely 2 minutes after, and I approached Tytos, he had dire news.

The Mountain Clansmen had been almost decimated. They barely had 2000 men left, and they were fighting alongside the remaining 5000 Frey Troops to hold them back.

"Tytos, we just need to hold them off, their flanks won't survive our attack." I said, and he nodded. Agreeing with me.

"I'll head to the frontlines, there's no morale boost like the Lord joining you." I said, and he smiled. Expecting it.

"My Lord, as much as I expect it. I must warn you, you are the only heir to the Brackens. If you die, so do our house and your progress." He said, but I shook my head.

"I do not intend to die here, Tytos, but we must reinforce the Freys. Tell our men to advance, and tell them to retreat.." I responded, and with that. I rode for the frontlines.

My 10 guards followed me.

And soon after, I reached the first Bracken line, and the next second we began advancing. Our spears to the front, and we allowed the Freys to orderly retreat, to the safe area behind our lines.

However, the Mountain Clansmen were another matter entirely.

"Do not let them pass, they will act as our meat shields." I said, and the shields closed up after the Freys.

The Mountain Clansmen had remained behind as the rear guard, and their remaining 2000 men, had been cut down to 1200.

However, most of the Clan Leaders were alive, and after seeing the closing of our shields; they knew that they couldn't retreat backwards, and only survive by pushing forward.

They did not like it, which made sense. But although they were savages, they wouldn't survive without some instincts.

And so with that, they launched another relentless assault.

And I couldn't help but be shocked, as they drew themselves at the Arryn Shield wall, decimating their forward ranks, but suffering great casualities.

"PUSH FORWARD! Take advantage of the opening!" I shouted, and the men responded, pushing forward and engaging their forward lines.

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