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Post by Admin on Apr 9, 2016 19:25:39 GMT
GRAND CAMPAIGN
Zellonian Island, 1836
September
The Empire of Zellonia declares war on the Lesser Kingdom of Henang, hoping that in the near future it can successfully maintain hegemony over the so called Zellonian Island. The Zellonians have similarly begun importing firearms from the League of Voskya, and the emperor obviously aspires that these new weapons of war will help the Zellonians in their war effort.
Belligerents
-- Empire of Zellonia
* 267,000 Regulars
* 4 Ships of the Line, 16 Frigates
-- Lesser Kingdom of Henang
* 35,000 Regulars [General Hashin]
* 2 Ships of the Line, 8 Frigates
Initiative
-- Empire of Zellonia
-- Moderation Mark |
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Post by Empire of Zellonia on Apr 9, 2016 19:46:27 GMT
Empire of Zellonia, Zellonian Flatlands [1836]
As the Emperor was leading his 200,000 men, while he had left 67,000 to guard the homelands. He marched along with his men and his military advisers. Today would be the first day of the Ll conquest to rebuild the empire. He would lead his men against the greatly outnumber enemy of Henang. Yet he would have to keep his forces relatively intact as he would need them if he wanted this island for his dynasty. While none of the men he had currently had the newly imported weapons from the league soon his army would wield more professional weapons and discipline would be a must. Yet for now he offered his men glory and money for victory, but if there was defeat only death would await them. As they marched they were careful not to run into an ambush.
Plans
Main Army under Emperor Ze Ll : 200,000 Regulars.
Garrisons : 20,000 At the capital of Helven, 20,000 at the major port city of Jurvel and 20,000 at the border walls of Geven
Naval Forces: 4 Ships of the line and 12 Frigates would go and search for the enemy fleet.
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Post by Admin on Apr 9, 2016 20:26:21 GMT
MODERATION MARK
September, 1836
The Lesser Kingdom of Henang dated back to the early 1200's, and its territories encapsulated the Tunnic Hordes (813-1164) claims before it declared independence in 1209. Since, it remained in a state of semi-vassalage to the greater Empire of Zellonia. As a minor tributary state on the outer periphery of Faresia, Henang mostly kept to itself. Embattled in the heavy jungles of the Zellonian, Henang's best defense was not it's soldiers, but its geography. It was this very jungle that Emperor Ze Li himself would discuss first hand as the primary enemy of the Zellonian Main Army. Coinciding with Zellonia's army marching into the province was the appearance of Henang's rainy season. The torrential downpours, thick jungles and lack of paths necessary for the passage of an army literally 10% of the entire population of Henang would all quickly become the bane of the Zellonian Army. Furthermore was the forced slow maneuvers of the army so that they would not run into an ambush.
"..told to march at half speed, managing to cover only two leagues a day. I have been in this country for only seventeen days, and I have forgot the feeling of being dry. There are insects as big as a man's fist, and we have seen no soldiers that oppose us. We came across a field, and the men broke ranks, heedless of the fact that the Emperor himself was near. They realized all too soon however that the crops had long been stripped of the lands. We ate mushy rice for the seventeenth time.."
-- Journal of a Soldier, Zellonian Army, 1836.
The Zellonians, in the month of September, managed only fifty-two leagues, barely puncturing the thick jungle of Henang, and already the attrition of sickness, disease and weather was beginning to take it's toll. The Henang Army was nowhere to be found, nor it's ships.
Zellonian Army suffers 1% Attrition: -2,000 Soldiers. |
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Post by Empire of Zellonia on Apr 9, 2016 20:47:13 GMT
Empire of Zellonia, Henang Forests, September [1836]
As the army continued marching closer to the port town leaving behind 2,000 dead due to the countries harsh environment. He knew the army would have to meet him in combat sooner or later and if they didn't the country would soon suffer. The army marched and had received little to no report about Henang's current army location but it didn't matter once they held the port and eventually the capital if there was no battle the kingdom's moral would soon falter.
Plans Continue on as before.
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Post by Admin on Apr 9, 2016 22:47:37 GMT
MODERATION MARK
October, 1836
The Zellonian Army continued to march, and they continued to fight the desert. The men were ill equipped for the campaign, having entered with mostly summer gear and not adequate protection from the rain. They found little respite from the tumultuous downpour, the exotic insects and the unforgiving jungle. The men who died were simply left there, unconsecrated and forgotten. Still, the huge Zellonian Army pushed on--at a snails pace--for fear of an ambush that the men felt certainly wasn't coming. Near the end of October, after two months of marching, the Zellonian Army reached the capital city of Yelang. The government had abdicated, and any form of garrison was similarly absent as well. The rains continued, and the Zellonian Army, for the first time in two months, got dry.
Across the Henang Strait, the Lesser Kingdom of Henang held land and that was where the Zellonian Army felt that the Henang monarchy had possibly fled to, though Emperor Ze Li's advisors cautioned that the Henang did not possess any transports and so the army itself could not follow.
Zellonian Army suffers 2% Attrition: -3,960 Soldiers. |
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Post by Empire of Zellonia on Apr 9, 2016 23:02:33 GMT
Empire of Zellonia, Henang [1836]
As the Emperor reached the main city he had received word that the Monarch may have escaped across the channel and on to the outer islands. This is where he would divide his forces. 40,000 men and General Ji Ven would stay and hold the city. The fleet is to find the enemy fleet before they crossed the ocean to find the Leader of Henang. 100,000 would be sent back to Zellonia and prepare for a war elsewhere. The emperor and General Ve Los would continue on with the troops he had left to find and destroy the army of 30,000 hidden among the jungle.
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Post by Admin on Apr 9, 2016 23:13:01 GMT
MODERATION MARK
November, 1836
Along the western coast of Henang, General Ve Los and the Emperor, along with 60,000 men, discovered the fate of the Henang Navy. The entire fleet, only ten or so ships, burned along the coast. One of two Ship of the Lines had already slipped below the waves, with only it's two masts still visible above the water. The army continued to march north, where the jungle seemed to grow thicker. The villages were more sparse here, and another 1,800 Zellonian soldiers succumbed to the jungle. For reasons unknown, the Zellonians did not advance carefully here. Many historians believe that after several days of rest and relaxation in the capital of Yelang had turned the men complacent.
On November 31st, the marching column of the Zellonian Army came under attack from the right flank, and then the left. It was indeed an ambush from the Henang Army. The Battle of Kaori had begun.
Zellonian Army (60,000) suffers 3% Attrition: -1,800 Soldiers. |
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Post by Admin on Apr 10, 2016 17:55:37 GMT
MODERATION MARK
December, 1836
With a minor victory at Kaori, the Zellonian Army stopped and encamped in the thicket of jungle in the northern Henang Peninsula. The army had suffered almost as many losses due to weather and disease than due to battle. The Emperor, fighting on the very frontlines had encouraged his men to overcome the wildly poor logistics of the campaign and attack and destroy the enemy that had resisted battle for so long. Successful, but only minutely, the men took a few days to encamp and rest. The men of the Zellonian Army realized at this point that they were being watched. Henang scouts harried their every move, and the huge host of 50,000+ could scarcely move without feeling itself vulnerable by the weary eyed scouts often seen loping between the trees. At night, the leaves rustled and strange, exotic creatures called in the night. For the average Zellonian soldier, this was a type of psychological warfare never before experienced.
Zellonian Army (52,000) suffers 3% Attrition: -1,560 Soldiers. |
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Post by Empire of Zellonia on Apr 10, 2016 18:56:53 GMT
As the Emperor was in his tent looking over the map he was disheartened. He had been taking many casualties and not even from battle but rather from the environment itself. He knew even if they won it's unlikely these people would bow before him unless it was through force. So he devised a plan, for the rest of the winter his army would build a large fort here using the wood from the jungle, here they were to maintain order in the surrounding towns. He sent word to General Ji Ven in the capital to send 700 men and his best officer to go to the outlying island and they would find and capture the Enemy king. After the night he awoke to some snow and he spoke to his troops in person. "Soldiers of Zellonia I understand this war has been hard fought but, I swear to you that it will be over soon and when it is you will all be rewarded handsomely. I've already informed your commanding officers of what we'll be doing, now get to work and may the Goddess Kara watch over us." With that the men cheered and went to work, the emperor returned to his tent planning his next move.
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Post by Admin on Apr 11, 2016 1:00:00 GMT
MODERATION MARK
January, 1837
The respite after the Battle of Kaori was much needed. The men settled into the camp and began to learn how to tame the jungle around them, though tame was a great exaggeration of a word. Even the Henang, who lived in the jungle themselves had hardly ever learned to do anything more than appreciate it's great vastness. As a first order of business, a messenger was run back south to the capital of Yelang, wher General Ji Ven took 700 men garrisoned within the city to cross the Henang Strait to find the Henang monarch. The men, though bewildered, attempted to swim the strait in the frigid water. Less than 140 of them made it across the five mile long strip of water.
Back at his camp, the Emperor managed a rousing speech, but the men were tired. They were wet. Now they were freezing. Few wondered how long this campaign might manage to last. |
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