Battle on the River Jylin
The Battle of the River Jylin was the first battle of the Third War of Thoroughfare. The Duramic victory during the battle and the subsequent First Siege of Haiundar would allow the Empire to assault Thoroughfare without passing through the heavily defended path along the Old Road.
It was during this battle that Great Lord Kadir Sinai would first show his military prowess by decisively beating the Thoroughfarian defense of the river.
The Conflict
Prelude
Two weeks before the declaration of war against Thoroughfare the Great Lord Sinai began mustering his host. At first the nearby clans assumed he was going to raid one of them and so also began to muster their troops. Whether Great Lord Sinai was actually planing on raiding another clan was never known however on the 27th of Jundum. A day after the declaration of war against Thoroughfare his host began to march with all haste towards the crossing of the River Jylin . The Duramic Host arrived on the 2nd of Kusha at 1800, with the river being impassable due to the high tides the Duramic Host settled down and set up camp and waited silently for the next low tide.
Deployment
On the morning of the 3rd of Kusha at 0400 the Duramic Host began to silently make it's way towards the river crossing using accurate and lethal arrow shots to silence Thoroughfarian Sentries. By the time the Thoroughfarian defenders were alerted to the host's movement they had already reached the river bank.
However instead of rushing across the host waited as the Thoroughfarians scrambled to reach the opposite river bank and to try and prevent the host's crossing. This was Great Lord Sinai's plan as his archers were in position to fire across the river into the Thoroughfarian ranks.
Battlefield
The battle took place on the banks of the River Jylin in the early morning of the 1st of Kusha. The ground was flat on both sides the Duramic Host had arranged their battle lines in a way to allow their archers to cut into the Thoroughfarian ranks which were desperately rushing to stop the Duramic advance.
Conditions
The sun had not yet risen over the horizon and so the battle was fought in lowlight as dawn was yet to come. The River Jylin was in low tide and thus the water was only up to the ankles of most of the men allowing the both armies to cross.
The Engagement
Just as the Thoroughfarians got into position the order was given and the Duramic Host unleashed a withering volley of arrows upon the Thoroughfarian defenders. This cause many casualties amongst the lightly armored peasant levies. The Duramic Infantry led by Ezmir Sinai then began to rush across the river under the cover of archer fire. As the melee began the archers stopped firing and the mounted archers, including the household guard rode across the river, circling around the melee and loosing volleys into the exposed rear and sides of the Thoroughfarian defenders.
The peasant levies quickly broke and began to rout whilst the garrison soldiers fought long and hard spurred on by their holy commander. The knights began to suffer casualties from arrow fire and brutal melee. During the fighting Ezmir faced off against Ser Dante and the two fought with Dante slaying Ezmir.
Clearly seeing that defeat was inevitable Ser Dante commanded the Thoroughfarians to retreat. The army began to break off and flee towards Haiundar. The infantry harried them for a short time before being ordered to capture any Thoroughfarians still alive and to help bring the supplies across the river whilst the tide was still out.
The mounted archers pursued the defenders and shot down as many as they could for nearly two hours before turning back to rejoin the host. After their return Great Lord Kadir Sinai was informed of his brother's death in the battle. Overcome with grief the Great Lord ordered all Thoroughfarian captives to be executed and for the fallen Duramic soldiers and his brother to be given a warrior's funeral.
Included under Conflict
Conflict Type
Battle
Battlefield Type
Land
Start Date
3rd Kusha, 23250 AF at 0400
Ending Date
3rd Kusha, 23250 AF at 0700
Conflict Result
Decisve Duramic Victory, Crushing Thoroughfarian Defeat
Location
Belligerents
Strength
The Host of Great Lord Sinai was a surprisingly orderly army which spoke to the credit of their commander as they were mustered within two days of the declaration of war. The army was comprised by a core of archers recruited from the professional soldiery of the Addax Clan alongside hunters and militia from their territory.
The army's most fearsome force was the Household Guard of the Sinai family, these warriors were some of the most fearsome mounted archers the Empire had at it's disposal.
When the Host arrived at the river crossing on the River Jylin it was estimated to be about 800 warriors. Arranged below was the rough formation of the Host.
- 80 Elite Mounted Archers (Household Guard)
- 240 Mounted Archers
- 360 Archers
- 120 Infantry
When news of a Duramic Host heading towards the crossing of the River Jylin reached Ser Dante of the Order of the Emerald Crown he immediately rode out from Haiundar with a small portion of the town's garrison. Dante's small army picked up many peasant levies from the surrounding villages as they made all haste to the River Jylin.
The army was comprised by a core of swordsmen and archers from the local garrison in Haiundar. They were led by a small order of Knights led by a Paladin.
By the night of the battle the army was estimated to be about 700 warriors. Arranged below was the rough formation of the Host.
- 1 Paladin
- 9 Knights
- 350 Thoroughfarian Swordsmen
- 150 Thoroughfarian Archers
- 100 Peasant Levies
Casualties
The Host's casualties were estimated to be seventy seven dead with sixty three wounded.
The Great Lord Sinai's brother, Ezmir was slain during a duel with the enemy commander Ser Dante Elwin.
His brother's death would fill the young Great Lord with a blazing rage that would be his primary drive during the following battle of First Siege of Haiundar
The army's casualties were estimated to be three hundred and ninety five dead and eighty nine wounded with fifty seven of the wounded being captured and executed.
The utter defeat at the River Jylin would leave only eighty eight survivors, including Ser Dante and four of his knights.
Objectives
- Secure the crossing to allow Duramic access across the River Jylin and bring the Empire it's first victory of the War.
- Prevent the Duramic Host crossing the River Jylin.
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