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Spoiler (?) What happened to the Desnairians?

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Spoiler (?) What happened to the Desnairians?
Post by tootall   » Mon May 05, 2014 2:38 pm

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Brief recap:
Duke Harless and Earl Hankey come up with an attack plan for the Desnairian infantry. BAD news arrives, the Duke, has a heart attack, Sir Rainos Ahlverez reads the offending message...fade.

1) Did Earl Hankey press his attack?
2) I think there may have been in excess of 100,000 cavalry left-Did they attack down the High Road? Did they attack Eastshare? Or surrender in mass?

The author knows-

I'm curious as to how that worked out. The soldiers themselves wouldn't know how badly they were screwed. And their superiors in the Inquisition aren't going to surrender so that their heads can adorn pikes. I expect that they fought.

Perhaps a couple of paragraphs to enlighten the base?
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Re: Spoiler (?) What happened to the Desnairians?
Post by Duckk   » Mon May 05, 2014 2:46 pm

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I thought this was laid out in the last chapter?

As it was, he’d managed to get almost the entirety of his own army — all that had survived the fighting in the Kyplyngyr and the fall of Brahnselyk and Roymark, at any rate — out of the pocket before Eastshare’s remorseless advance could close the trap’s eastern jaw on Kharmych. At least twenty percent of the original Desnairian Army of Justice had been overrun and destroyed in the course of the duke’s advance from Ohadlyn’s Gap. More of it had been trapped on the high road in the Kyplyngyr, its only choice between surrender and starvation. But a stubborn Dohlaran rearguard had fought its way to destruction where the Fort Sandfish High Road passed through the southern lobe of the forest, buying additional time for the rest of Ahlverez’ army to break contact and run for it. And although it had never intended to do anything of the sort, Hennet’s abandoned regiments at Cheyvair had helped cover Ahlverez’ escape, as well. Eastshare had had no option but to send his own mounted troops to deal with the Desnairian cavalry — which, fortunately, had found itself under heavy attack before it got around to wrecking the canal — rather than dispatching them in pursuit of Ahlverez. By the time the mounted Charisians could swing back south, Ahlverez was halfway to Thesmar.

...

After casualties, sickness, starvation, and stragglers, Ahlverez’ army was down to less than 35,000 men, substantially less than half of the strength he’d taken to Ohadlyn’s Gap, despite having received close to 20,000 replacements during the “siege” of Fort Tairys. A loss rate of sixty-five percent had to be considered catastrophic under any imaginable circumstances, yet it was far less catastrophic than it might have been . . . and enormously better than the Army of Justice’s fate. Thirteen thousand Desnairians had attached themselves to Ahlverez; of the remaining 232,000 men (including replacements) Duke Harless had commanded, less than eight thousand stragglers from Earl Hennet’s cavalry — plus, of course, the gallant earl and his bodyguard — had escaped to the Army of Glacierheart’s protection. In all, 21,000 Desnairians had — so far, at least — evaded death or capture, barely nine percent of Harless’ total command.
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Re: Spoiler (?) What happened to the Desnairians?
Post by DrakBibliophile   » Mon May 05, 2014 2:58 pm

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The Earl of Hankey's fate wasn't mentioned although it's mentioned that the Earl of Hennet got away (ie he ran like heck was after him).

From how I'm reading the last chapter of LAMA, it appears that the vast majority of the Desnairians were either killed or captured.

Oh, I suspect that the Earl of Hankey was smart enough to order a retreat but it was too late.

A few of the Desnairians did manage to join up with Sir Rainos Ahlverez.


tootall wrote:Brief recap:
Duke Harless and Earl Hankey come up with an attack plan for the Desnairian infantry. BAD news arrives, the Duke, has a heart attack, Sir Rainos Ahlverez reads the offending message...fade.

1) Did Earl Hankey press his attack?
2) I think there may have been in excess of 100,000 cavalry left-Did they attack down the High Road? Did they attack Eastshare? Or surrender in mass?

The author knows-

I'm curious as to how that worked out. The soldiers themselves wouldn't know how badly they were screwed. And their superiors in the Inquisition aren't going to surrender so that their heads can adorn pikes. I expect that they fought.

Perhaps a couple of paragraphs to enlighten the base?
*
Paul Howard (Alias Drak Bibliophile)
*
Sometimes The Dragon Wins! [Polite Dragon Smile]
*
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Re: Spoiler (?) What happened to the Desnairians?
Post by SYED   » Mon May 05, 2014 11:40 pm

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How extensive would their own defensive on the border to the republic?
I suppose if they really want to stop the republic, they could damage the roads and canals into their territories. but that would require orders from the inquisition.
it is said the army was the senior service, so it stands to reason they woulld ensure the border was secured, but the whole border land treaty likely has not made their maintance high priority.
At most the republic will take that ducht, the least, the pass between ,ountains and thesmar.
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Re: Spoiler (?) What happened to the Desnairians?
Post by tootall   » Tue May 06, 2014 2:35 pm

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Duckk wrote: I thought this was laid out in the last chapter?

Thank you for taking the time to the reply.

I had read all that just before I posted my question.

RFC gave us an after battle summery of the results. And a fine summery it was.

I was curious as to how it went down.

1) So, did Hankey attack?
2) What did all that Cavalry do? (100,000 plus) (Cavalry could have just run for it)
3) Did they surrender when casualties reached 20%? 40%? 60%?
4) Were the inquisitors shooting commanders because they refused to send to slaughter more of their men?
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Re: Spoiler (?) What happened to the Desnairians?
Post by lyonheart   » Wed May 07, 2014 6:59 am

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Hi Tootall,

I think you're supposed to use your own imagination, though I expect we'll have some memories reviewed in HFQ.

But in the meantime feel free if you wish to suggest without posting any fanfic here what might have happened for the IDA's vaunted cavalry to lose over 90% of it remaining force.

Hennet's personal guard regiments, less than 8,000 cavalry stragglers also apparently got out to Kaitswyrth or went due west since they didn't go with Ahlverez.

There is a slight discrepancy between the 'barely 9%' survivor figure and the 13,000 Desnari infantry and the AoJ's remaining 232,000 men since that totals 245,000 for an 8.57% rate.

The AoJ cavalry had lost quite a few mounts before the end game according to the textev so I don't think it was all that close to 100,000 cavalry, besides being too far out of position to effectively do anything to EHM's AoCP, NTM it had no official 'new weapons' like pistols or rifles so it was toast whenever it found alliance infantry or mounted brigades, especially to their mortars and artillery.

BTW, I think there was a typo or deleted word in the quotation: ie the line should have read:

"its only choice BEING between surrender and starvation."

Given how few left had rifles, I doubt all of them were slaughtered before the smart ones surrendered.

L


tootall wrote:Duckk wrote: I thought this was laid out in the last chapter?

Thank you for taking the time to the reply.

I had read all that just before I posted my question.

RFC gave us an after battle summery of the results. And a fine summery it was.

I was curious as to how it went down.

1) So, did Hankey attack?
2) What did all that Cavalry do? (100,000 plus) (Cavalry could have just run for it)
3) Did they surrender when casualties reached 20%? 40%? 60%?
4) Were the inquisitors shooting commanders because they refused to send to slaughter more of their men?
Any snippet or post from RFC is good if not great!
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Re: Spoiler (?) What happened to the Desnairians?
Post by SYED   » Sat May 10, 2014 3:18 pm

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If most if not all of the available military force in desnair was dealt with, isee the possibility of the republic pushing the new border to include silkiah. Is there an actual road on the land bridge, or do they simply use canals and coastal bost to move goods and material between howard and haven. On the map, it seems hte bridge is mountainous.
Also, desnair may even need the captured remains of its empire as it has been using it mines to stay up with tithes, so, there may be unrest in the area due to economic hardship.
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Re: Spoiler (?) What happened to the Desnairians?
Post by lyonheart   » Mon May 12, 2014 8:41 am

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Hi SYED,

While the AoJ may have been the most powerful part of the IDA, I suspect the alliance will prefer to deal with Silkiah as an equal independent nation, not a vassal or province, since that will earn the most good will from the Silkians.

Post war building a new seawater canal wide enough for all shipping, will have Silkiah's full support; while its new border will be the north-south mountain range in North Watch, from Salthar Bay on the west to Jahras Bay on the east, which has only a handful of passes etc, perhaps only 20-25 miles to be defended, far better than a border ~500 miles long like the current.

West of the mountains has no infrastructure, but the requirement for semaphore stations almost demands or provides a high road nearby as well, so a chain either going ~N-S through the mountains or around their edge probably links up with the west locks, and was required for the CoGA since day one given the Semaphore's preeminence for rapid communication.

I suspect the locals will be far happier to be part of a bigger more economically robust Silkiah than a moribund Desnar, to cause much trouble.

L


[quote="SYED"]If most if not all of the available military force in desnair was dealt with, isee the possibility of the republic pushing the new border to include silkiah. Is there an actual road on the land bridge, or do they simply use canals and coastal bost to move goods and material between howard and haven. On the map, it seems hte bridge is mountainous.
Also, desnair may even need the captured remains of its empire as it has been using it mines to stay up with tithes, so, there may be unrest in the area due to economic hardship.[/quote]
Any snippet or post from RFC is good if not great!
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Re: Spoiler (?) What happened to the Desnairians?
Post by SYED   » Tue May 13, 2014 12:53 am

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Silkiah may be the only main land location that charis would claim and potentially keep in the future. THe navy can keep the coasts safe, and there are only a few avenues that the mainland forces can use to approach. which can be guarded by military forces if need be.
So long as the gulf of jharas belongs to charis, desnair would not be able to force charis out.
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