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The
wars of Ruthopheax I in detail
1. The war against the Republicans
The conquest of the Republicans, 624 - 628
Military commentary
The size of the armies used for the campaigns from 624-628, and also
later, was small. The Imperialists, in particular, were divided up into
the six different states, "A" - "F" -, and each was
only able to support moderate-sized armies of its own. Thus in 624,
Treckol in State "C" had an army of about 17 Armies, or 120000
men, spread out between its three Provinces of Yall. Thiss., Meistayieh
and Vulcanieh. It had potential enemies in the Basquecs and States
"A" and "E", apart from the Republicans. As a result,
the army on the Cresslepp facing the Republicans was only 70000 strong -
40000 attacked up the Gonril and 30000 against Helvris. State
"E", controlling Chalcrieh I and Dravidieh II, had 18 Armies, or
some 130000 men. 50000 defended the Provinces against potential
Imperialist attackers, and 80000 faced the Republicans, mostly on the
Dodolla, but also outside the fortress of Gasirotto. The Republicans, who
controlled eight Provinces, had at least 54 Armies, or about 330000
soldiers. These faced Imperialists on all fronts, as well as the nomads in
the north. They had 80000 in south Atlantidieh, on the Dodolla and at
Gasirotto and 60000 in Helvrieh, mostly around Helvris. Numbers were thus
roughly equal on either side at the start of this campaign.
General Treckol, the leader of Group "C", forged a
temporary alliance with Crechonni of Group "E" (Chalcrïeh I and
Dravidïeh II), and in September 624, while Crechonni assaulted the Republicans
frontally along the river Dodolla, he turned their strategic flank across
the Cresslepp into north Helvrïeh and Atlantidïeh. One of his generals
was of course Louron, the future Emperor Ruthopheax I. He led the part of
the army which, having crossed the Cresslepp, marched up the western bank
of the Gonril. Part of the army crossed the river in rear of the
Republican defenders of Cennatlantis, while the main portion, led by
Louron, marched on and crossed the river near Failrunn. This of course
threatened the while line of retreat of the defenders of
Cennatlantis.
Cennatlantis itself was meanwhile attacked from front and rear and
soon fell (October). Most of the Republicans retreated westwards where they
came upon Louron on the hills at Failrunn. In the First Battle of
Failrunn, Louron held out against desperate Republican attacks, and
only about half the total Republican army was finally able to escape west
towards Failbloua round the north of Louron's position. Another section of
Treckol's army moved south down the west of the river Cresslepp and
attacked the Republicans who were defending Helvris against the
Imperialists across the river in flank. Once again the Republicans had to
retreat westwards, and Helvris fell to Treckol in December.
There now followed quite a long pause in the proceedings, until 627. During this time, Treckol persuaded Group "D"
(Chalcrïeh II and Dravidïeh I) under General Buomil to join in active
warfare against the Republicans, although Buomil's armies did not begin
campaigning until the following year. He would employ an army of about
50000. For the rest of 625, Treckol and
Crechonni's armies moved quite cautiously on westwards, and reached a line
from the mouth of the river Gestes in the south northwards to Failbloua
and back north-eastwards to Lake Oncia. Louron meanwhile was anxious to
push on and persuaded Treckol to let him lead "C"'s forces
directly on west to the Lillerunix. This was not what Crechonni had
wanted: he envisaged Treckol's armies simply accompanying his forces
centrally over the Rollepp and the Bore, allowing him to gain all the
glory of defeating the Republicans. "C"'s army in Atlantidieh
was also very much smaller then "E"'s, who had to face the bulk
of the Republican forces.
It should also be noted that late in 626, State "A", led by
General Yesteyu , suddenly attacked Treckol's Province of Yall. Thiss.
from Manralia, and took it over within a couple of years. Treckol, fully
occupied with the fighting against the Republicans, could do nothing about
it.
In March 627, Louron leapt on again, getting round the southern flank
of the Republicans, who mostly had their eyes on Crechonni. Crechonni
successfully defeated their main armies at Gentes and followed them up to
Tilrase. He then bypassed the Republican fortress here, crossed the
Rollepp and reached the Bore by the autumn. Louron meantime had arrived on
the Lillerunix hills, where he then had to fend off several Republican
attacks from the north near Runnouth. He traversed the hills and later on
in the year reached Tuellouth. Other "C" forces were taking over
Helvrieh, along the coast and on to the strong fort of Ugholtis. However
the new gunpowder artillery quickly dealt with the old-fashioned defences
of this town. Crechonni, whose army was less well-equipped with artillery,
took much longer to reduce Tilrase, which his main army had anyway
bypassed. An amphibious force also seized the island of Helvremon, the
base of the Republican navy in the Helvengio: this fleet abandoned the
Republicans but fled to Manralia, where it was taken over by General
Yesteyu. Buomil with armies of State "D" advanced easily into
Atlantidieh down the west side of Lake Chalcris and reached Gentis and
beyond, when he was treacherously attacked in flank and rear by the forces
of State "B", whose Leader, General Norcarriel, saw a chance of
taking over some of Buomil's territory. This proved to be the end of
Buomil's contribution to the war against the Republicans - he spent the
next couple of years successfully fighting back against Norcarriel.
628 saw the final defeat of the Republicans. It was now openly a race
between Treckol, or rather Louron, and Crechonni as to who could reach
Atlantis city first. Crechonni had the shortest distance, as the crow
flies, but he was up against the main Republican opposition, and had to
defend himself against several severe counter-attacks south of Fourtis.
Louron, meanwhile, marched south-west round the Dallase Fembe wood west of
the Lillerunix, and again hit the Republicans in flank to its north-west.
He then sped on to Atlantis, which he reached amidst crumbling opposition
in the field by the end of July. His storm of the city is well-known, and
left Crechonni watching it happen and fuming some miles to the north-east.
For detailed accounts of the later wars of Ruthopheax I,
go to: Ruthopheax I's wars against State E, 1- 631-633
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