War of Wood and Steel

The War of Wood and Steel is often thought of a single decisive battle but had a large amount of build up, politics, guerrilla warfare.

The Conflict

Prelude

The Bast Oligarchy  began the war officially in response to a raid on their metal storage, many believe it is morel likely that they thought the new king was weak as the metal never showed up to support the inferior Renyan troops. The Renyan Unitary was recently weakened by the southern area being flooded and the exile of a large amount of their engineering core. On of the first acts of the war was the Renyan border city of Ald Deyna surrendering without a fight.
The Renyan leader ordered his elite, the Wood Knights lead by Ken Makmai to stall the advancing troops. Lightly armoured skirmishers harrassed the Bast as they marched from the north. To screen them they had the Wretches surround their force and take many arrows that could have hit a soldier, which ended up lowering the morale of the Wretches significantly. This stalling ended with the defense of Seiran Dyrae which ended the war.

Deployment

The Bast Oligarchy had chosen the summer months to march and the battle took place on a overcast day. Seiran Dryae is surrounded by a bare field, the Bast forces marched to the west of the tower in order to be away from the trees. The Renyan forces positioned themselves at the base of the tower and to the north in the trees. The Bast army of the time had more Wretches, they made up around half of the army.

The Engagement

The battle began with the Bast flank being charged by a force of Wood Knights from the northern trees. The flanks were held by the Wretch lines who quickly broke and scattered behind the Bast lines. The Wood Knights then started hunting the elite of Bast, the Lightclad. At the same time the Bast centre of Arms of Light regulars advanced on the spear levee around the base of the tower, quickly breaking them.
With the leadership of the Bast forces dead or occupied, the Wretch slave force attacked the outnumbered regulars from behind, routing them and forcing them to be chased instead of the war being continued.

Conflict Type

War, Theatre

Battlefield Type

Land

Start Date

200

Ending Date

230

Belligerents

Bast

• Bast Oligarchy

Al Renya

• Bal Kaeren

Strength

570,000 Total
3,350 Lightclad
331,650 Arms of Light
335,000 Wretches who served as camp followers as well

836,000 Total
364,000 Archers
400,000 Spear Infantry
60,000 Wood Knights

Casualties

~240 Lightclad with most wounded
~16,000 Arms of Light
~50,000 Wretches including losses while retreating to Dost.

~70,000 Regulars
~4,000 Wood Knights

Objectives

Reprisal and conquest of the Renyan Unitary

Defense