— 17 —
"We'll deploy the catapults here," Nelson explained to Critos and Gaius, "back a distance on this rise." Nelson sketched a map in the dirt with a stick. None of his men were used to reading maps yet; Nelson was glad that in this first battle the field was small and relatively flat, so they could see exactly what he was talking about. "Array the catapults in a wedge. Put the front one here, right where I'm standing."
"A good choice of ground," Gaius commented. "Although the slope to this rise is very gentle, a catapult commander can stand on the platform of his machine to gauge the range and spot his targets, seeing over the protecting pikes in front. Even this far back, the entire enemy army is visible."
"Good, Gaius. You're learning." And he is learning, Nelson thought. Learning fast. "And you're quite right. I want the pikes in front of the catapults, forming two sides of a square; one line of pikes running north to south, and a joining line, facing the enemy directly, running east to west.
"The light cavalry will hold the gap between this rise and that hill to our left. We can't afford to let the east-west line of pikes be turned.
"We'll put the First, Second, and Third Horse Archers out in front, in a skirmish line to the right of our pikes. Critos, you must take personal command of this force. I know you don't like to fight mounted, but an officer's job isn't fighting, it's leading. These mounted archers will have a special role."
"What role?" Critos asked, puzzled.
"They're the key to our whole plan. Hectris doesn't know what to expect from a star lord. I think he's afraid of our star weapons; that's why he's deployed for a defensive battle. We can't beat that deployment."
"Then why do we fight, my lord?" Gaius asked.
"Because we have to. And in order to win, we have to make them attack us. The key to winning this battle is smashing their pike formations with our catapult fire. If the enemy's pikes rout, his whole army will follow.
"That's where your task with the horse archers comes in, Critos. The Karinthians are proud soldiers. They won't like being harassed by an inferior force. Use the horse archers to skirmish. Ride into bow range, fire, ride back out again. Sting them. You don't have enough firepower to really hurt them unless you can deliver flanking fire."
"I see," Critos said. "When they're stung enough . . ."
"They'll advance. They'll probably charge with their cavalry from their left wing. That's fine. Withdraw firing, then lead them off. If you can, fall back around behind the rise to support the rear of our light cavalry . But don't do that unless the enemy's left-wing cavalry is spent.
"When his cavalry charge, Hectris will almost be forced to send the rest of the army forward. He'll probably try to pivot on his right, with his pikes coming at the corner of our half square. That's when we break them with the catapults."
"I understand, my lord," Critos said.
"Gaius, you will stay by me as chief of staff. You're in charge of transmission of all orders by messenger and signal flags."
"Good, my lord."
"My lord, will you address the troops before we deploy?" Critos asked.
"Maybe I'd better."
"Soldiers!" Nelson shouted to his assembled troops. "You have worked hard to earn that name. For many ten-days you have obeyed without question and labored without ceasing, learning many things that were strange and new. Some of you could see little sense in what you learned. Today, you will see the fruits of this labor!
"The enemy in front of you says you are not soldiers, but murderers, cutthroats, brigands, and slaves! Know this: if you falter today, you are surely doomed. But if you are obedient to your orders, no matter how strange they may seem, never again will you be labeled 'bandits.' And what is more, the spoils of victory shall be yours to share!
"Now, forward, for your futures and your honor!"
It took two hours to get the army in position. Thank Yatar, Nelson thought as his troops took their appointed places, that Hectris is a patient man. And now that we're deployed, ye gods of battle, make him impatient!
Nelson took his place inside the corner of the pike formation and surveyed the field one last time. What have I overlooked? And how in the world did I become an officer?
He nodded to Gaius. The chief of staff raised high a large black flag, and Critos' horse archers began their advance.
"My lord general, the enemy moves."
The Lord General Hectris of Karinth squinted and stared, studying the advance of Critos' horse archers.
"Those are skirmishers only," the old man grumbled. A grizzled veteran of many campaigns, Hectris approached this battle cautiously. He had heard tales of the star weapons the star lords carry. He had heard of masses of men destroyed in a few seconds, and he did not intend for that to happen to this army.
"My lord, they open fire," his aide said, this time a bit more urgently.
"Patience. His main strength has not come up yet."
"My lord general, do you forget our scouts' reports?"
"How is that?"
"He has but five hundred fighting men. The bulk of his horde is women and children."
"Yes, I know. But where are his star weapons? We must not be goaded into too hasty a movement."
"No doubt, my lord general," the younger man said with growing impatience, "his star weapons are concealed behind his pikes on that rise. We have sufficient mass to take the position easily by advancing and pivoting on our right."
Hectris considered the young man's words carefully. The proposed plan wasn't new to the Lord General of Karinth. It was exactly what he intended to do all along if the enemy failed to attack. He had hoped to wait until the power of the star weapons was revealed.
What was important to Hectris about the young man's speech was the attitude it revealed. The men were impatient to smash this force of bandit upstarts and return home. The younger commanders were gaining prominence in the Council; what if one of them were to break discipline, attack on his own, and sweep the field? Hectris' glory would go to the younger man, and his position in the Council would be weakened.
"Very well. I will take your insolent advice. Order the Fourth Cavalry to charge those gnats that sting them. The entire army will advance, pivoting on its right. Send word to Philemon not to charge until I give the order; our right must stay secure. . . ."
Five minutes later. The eight hundred horsemen of the Fourth Karinthian Cavalry lumbered forward, eight ranks deep, their twelve-foot lances thirsting for the blood of Critos' archers. Critos ordered his men to fire, then retire in good order. They repeated this process twice, but their fire wasn't enough to break the huge Karinthian cavalry unit. Eventually, Critos led his men away to the north, with the Karinthian cavalry in pursuit.
Nelson watched the cavalry action from the rise. Critos is doing well, he thought. At least he's drawn off a major portion of the enemy horses, and now Hectris is committed to an advance.
As the star lord watched, the three large pike phalanxes of the enemy slowly rolled forward, turning as they came, so that the leading formation of the wedge was advancing directly toward the corner of his improvised half-square formation.
"Catapults, prepare to fire," Nelson ordered calmly. "Target their leading pike block."
This is it, the crisis of the battle, and it's coming quickly, Nelson thought. If this advance can be broken, the day is ours. It will take them about four minutes to close: we should get off three catapult volleys.
"Catapults, fire!"
In the following series of battle sections, each casualty inflicted on a unit subtracts 1 from its Manpower. (The Manpower values have been uniformly divided by 10; thus, the Fourth Karinthian Cavalry have a Manpower value of 80.) Manpower values (and all other values) for all units are given on the Troop Roster for the First Battle of Karinth in Appendix A.
Every casualty inflicted on a unit of Nelson's force reduces that unit's Morale value by 1. Every 10 casualties inflicted on a Karinthian units reduces that unit's Morale value by 1.
Each time a unit's Morale value is reduced by 1 or more, roll the two dice again. If the total of this dice roll is greater than the unit's current Morale value, the unit routs. If not, the unit continues in the combat.
Now, Nelson's catapults fire twice at Karinthian First Pikes as the enemy pikes advance. The catapults fire on Chart C in the first round, and on Chart B in the second round. The enemy forces do not fight back in either round.
If the enemy's First Pikes rout, go to section 19.
If the enemy's First Pikes do not rout, go to section 21.