lyonheart wrote:Side points: First, EHM doesn't need to go to Aivahnstyn, which is over 900 miles away or at almost a month, since General Symkyn already has 75,000 men there, almost all with rifles; while traveling 900 miles west would put EHM around 200 miles east of Dairnyth or just another 5-6 days marching, for a far more strategic objective, so which way do you really think he's headed?
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Given DE's probable familiarity with Ahlverez's condition, I suspect he's sent close to half his army or EHM's forward, beyond Fort Sheldyn while he stays to meet Ahlverez.
I agree that Eastshare and High Mount have a strategic decision to take: Reinforce Hanth at the Seridahn or revert back to the northern theatre. For me, the Dohlarans are sidelined already; keeping them contained for now and keep South March an effective "wasteland" with no good military objectives should do the trick.
Simultaneously, the "mighty host" will arrive in two or three months at the borders of Hildermoss Province. You might want to have all the elite troops there where you need them. Thus, it's very likely that - after mopping up around Kharmych - a larger part of both Eastshare's and High Mount's units returns north. I guess it'll be Eastshare to go back to his original theatre via the Branath canal - although that guess is based on RFC's need to have DE there as a viewpoint character to tell the spring campaign against Kaitswyrth.
In that scenario, EHM might stay back to capture Ahlverez.
There's only one caveat here: We know that 8000 stragglers reached Kaitswyrth. That adds up only if there is no hot pursuit of Charisian troops (dragoons in particular) on the way north (or if more Desnairians escape the trap than I assume and they were harried north...). So, if I'm correct, DE took his time. But I'm not seeing him invading Dohlar or heading to Dairnyth at all.