Chapter 1: Battle of Irrana Pass

Standing Against the Barbarians, a painting of the Battle of Irrana Pass by Tilean artist Giovanni de Luccini.

Irrana Pass should have been the decisive moment for the reunification of Estalia. Unfortunately, as luck would have it, the greenskin armies that assembled in the northern part of the country managed to fight the combined army of Estalian soldiers and Tilean mercenaries to a bloody defeat. Both sides took great casualties during the battle, but the writing on the wall was clear: orc, goblin, and beast alike had now blasted open the gates into Estalia. The stability of the newly unified country stood in jeopardy, and with it the authority of Estalia's monarchy, economy, and armies.

A map of Estalia, outlining the movement of the armies on campaign. The green arrow stands for the Tilean mercenary force that docked at Tobaro and marched inland to Magritta. Upon arrival there, the Estalian army, indicated by the red arrow, headed north to be reinforced by regiments from Bilbali and Alquézaro. The greenskin horde, led by the Bad Moonz clan, indicated by the yellow arrow, marched through the Irrana Mountains and fielded their force near the town of Azuara.

It was early in midsummer when the Tilean mercenaries arrived from the city-state of Miragliano, docking at the Estalian town of Tobaro off the eastern cost. The Tileans, led by Captain General Frangazzini, hosted a full regiment of multiple mercenary lances, each with their own unique character. Frangazzini had appointed Lord Barzini, a close friend and capable mercenary commander, to lead his host to battle in the northlands. Under Barzini's host, he commanded forces such as Petrocelli's Valiants, a company of street urchins recruited by the wealthy Madame Petrocelli de Verezzo, and Tessio's Firebrands, a lance of bastard sons seeking to do away with their rotten reputation back in their home cities. Lord Barzini grouped up with Señor Rogelio, Marshal of the recently formed Estalian royal army. Rogelio and Barzini butted heads almost immediately, for the feud between the Estalian kingdoms and the Tilean city-states did not end with this joint venture. Still, they were both capable commanders, even if their pride got in the way of some matters.

Nevertheless, both forces arrived intact to the field of battle. While there is no single Irrana Pass, the Irrana Mountains contained only two major passages in the north and the south. The greenskin horde decided to march north, thinking that the northern territories would be easier pickings than the well-fortified homelands in the south near the capital at Magritta. Thus, on the rocky fields just north of the small village of Azuara, the forces of man and beast met to fight out the first major confrontation of the greenskin invasion.

The armies arrayed for battle on the fields just beyond the Irrana Pass. To the north, the Estalian and Tilean armies assemble. Just south of them, the greenskin horde marches north to meet them.

Rogelio, standing in as the field commander for the human armies, instructed Barzini to form up to the army's left, while a small contingent of infantry helped the Estalian forces hold the center and right. Barzini protested this decision mildly, but was later counseled by his mercenary captains to surrender the point. After all, the Tileans wanted to still be alive so that they may enjoy their payment. Barzini may have been prideful, but he knew that his men would enjoy the prospect of holding the flank as opposed to being in the thick of the fighting. Besides, Rogelio's hubris was his honor-bound duty to the Estalian nation; he wanted to be in the middle, fighting off the greenskins at sword point.

Waaagh! The greenskin horde, featuring orcs, giants, and goblins all assembled at the end of Irrana Pass. Before them lay the combined forces of Estalia and Tilea. Rocky and hilly terrain stood in their path.

Meanwhile, the greenskins took very little care in assembling their forces. Whatever strategy there was, it only went as far as considering where the break in the human line would occur. They worried not on what specific portion of the defense fell, so long as one did. To this end, the war-bosses and chiefs spread out their bands evenly. On the greenskin right, a giant and a force of elite riders prepared to break the human left; opposite of them on the left, a group of skirmishers and heavy riders also prepared to crush the human right. The center was a mass of infantry, ranging from orcs armed with axes and maces to goblins brandishing daggers and bows. While it was not much to look at in terms of tactical prowess, the horde instilled fear in the hearts of even the most seasoned campaigners.

The human and greenskin armies assembled, facing one another. In the center, a large hill blocked the field. To the side of it, a small temple to Myrmidia blocked the right flank. To the left, a road leading to a set of ruins, held by the greenskins. Rocky ground filled the left side of the battlefield, with the Tilean mercenaries using this to their advantage.

The human armies take the first move, with the Estalians pressing the center and right, while the Tileans slowly advance on the left. The Estalians sought to hold the central hill, while the Tileans aimed to block the road leading north. The greenskins sent their scouts in response, as goblin archers let loose a devastating volley near the hill.

With the armies laid out in full array, Rogelio commanded the human force to march forward at quick speed. The Estalian regiments ran towards the hill in the center quickly, moving to fortify it and use it as a vantage point. Meanwhile, the Tileans were slow on the move. Barzini became comfortable with his position, with his captains choosing to re-position here and there as opposed to committing to the advance order in earnest. Still, the humans were on the move, and the greenskins chose to wait before charging down to the lowlands below. The war-bosses elected instead to order their skirmishes forward. A band of goblin archers streamed through the lines, shouting all sort of curses and taunts as they went. The archers took up positions, aimed, and let loose a volley of arrows at the Estalian positions on the hill. The result was not pretty.

The demoralized rodeleros, fleeing behind the cover of the hill in a desperate effort to find cover from the goblin arrows.

Immediately, goblin arrows began to hit a contingent of rodeleros, or Estalian swordsmen bearing round shields, and forced them to fall back in disorder to the bottom of the hill. The sergeant of this company had great trouble in getting his men back in fighting condition, for many began to suffer from great pains even after the removal of the arrows from their bodies by field physicians. As men turned blue and blood trickled from their lips, the troops discovered the goblins had poisoned their missiles! Immediately, the gap had to be filled by another company, diverting precious resources from other sections of the line.

"Fuego!" Estalian gunners, aiming towards the goblin skirmishers to their front, open fire in the hopes of scaring them off.

On the right, things weren't looking any better. Estalian hand-gunners marched forward alongside a contingent of tercio pikemen, skilled soldiers wearing heavy plate and carrying long pikes in phalanx formation. The gunners quickly took aim at the skirmishing goblin archers, firing off a few volleys with limited success. Principally, however, the Estalians sent forward their most powerful weapon towards the center to drive off the goblin skirmishers: a steam tank. The Empire was not the only nation capable of fielding these beasts of metal and smoke, for Tilean engineers had sold the designs to inquisitive and equally wealthy Estalian lords in the east. Soon, the Estalians had created a small corps of these machines, although nowhere near as large as their Imperial counterparts in the north. Regardless, the steam tank charged through and began to push back the skirmishers, relieving some pressure off the defenders on the hill. Unfortunately, in the midst of it all, a stray volley of goblin arrows managed to land near the cannon emplacements atop the hill. The Estalian powder stores caught alight, resulting in a catastrophic explosion that destroyed the gun battery.

"Santa Myrmidia!" An explosion rocks the top of the hill, as the Estalian gun battery is blasted apart by goblin arrow fire.

However, this marked only the first great loss the Estalians would suffer to their precious war machines. Back towards the center, the steam tank prepared to charge once more towards a weakened contingent of goblin archers. As fate would have it, only one sole goblin remained. The beast trembled in fear, deciding it was best to go out fighting. Steeling his nerves, the goblin drew his bow, aimed a fire arrow at the tank, and let loose. The missile shrieked through the air, landed near the rear boilers, and set the entire contraption alight. A terrifying display of fire and smoke belched from the land ship, as its crew leaped from the iron carcass and ran for cover. The goblin cackled aloud, taunting the troops on the far side of the field. Two machines had fallen, and the battle had barely begun!

"I hope dis workz!" A lone goblin archer lets loose a fire arrow, precisely striking the exposed boilers towards the back of the mechanical contraption. With that, the mighty behemoth explodes into a fiery display of flame and smoke.

The left, thankfully, held strong for the moment. Although the Tileans were generally slow on the draw, their troops did eventually make it up to the battle line, reinforced by local militia levies from nearby Estalian villages and towns. Tilean dragoons, which were mounted marksmen on speedy stallions, rode up to the front and began to pepper the orc riders with accurate crossbow fire. This allotted the gun crews enough time to move forward, setting up their cannon and beginning the bombardment. In tow, Tilean crossbows joined in the missile fire, letting loose volley after volley towards the greenskin right. Finally, although taking his time to arrive, Barzini's host rode to the front and prepared to make a charge against the now-weakened orc flank.

For the most part, the human left, led primarily by Lord Barzini and his Tilean mercenaries, held well against the greenskin advance.

But before the attack could begin, the orc warband summoned forth their mighty giant, supported on either side by savage and bellicose orc infantry. Only a small detachment could be spared to halt this advance, and the responsibility for the completion of this task fell upon Sollozzo's Blades, a brutal but efficient company of Tilean halberdiers and swordsmen. They approached the giant, unwavering and fearless. A brief battle ensued, followed by a volley of Estalian gunfire, leaving both parties badly bloodied. Yet, in the end, the giant succumbed to its wounds suffered at the hands of pike and shot, collapsing to the rocky earth below and leaving a trail of black blood in its wake. The remaining orcs charged ahead, but Sollozo's company held their ground to the bitter end. After sustaining heavy casualties, even these hardened Tilean fighters could stand it no longer. Quickly, they fled, with their positions reinforced by Estalian militiamen.

"Aggredire!" The Tilean mercenary regiment known as Sollozo's Blades charge into the fray, slaying the mighty giant and driving back a few bands of orc infantry before fleeing the field.

All throughout the line, the fate of the battle swung back and forth: first the greenskins had the noticeable advantage, then the humans. Eventually, Rogelio decided it was high time to try and strike a fatal blow to the greenskin horde. He sent one of Barzini's mercenary cavalry, Tessio's Firebrands, to assault the orc left. On that flank, a contingent of orc riders prepared to seize a small rocky pass that could serve as a means of sneaking troops through the human lines and into the countryside beyond. Rogelio and Barzini, even through their shared animosity for one another, knew that letting the pass fall would spell the death knell for the battle. Yet, only Rogelio could make any real effort to protect it. Barzini was caught up in conducting cavalry charges and bombardments on the left, thus restricting any reinforcements he could send to assist in the defense of the human right flank. It was up to the Estalians and a handful of Tileans to hold the main line.

"Let's get 'em, boyz! Attack!" Heavy orc infantry pour down the hill, the mighty banner of the Bad Moonz clan fluttering proudly in the smoke-choked air.

And so it was that it came to one final stand. Two companies of pike and Tessio's cavalry were all that stood between the now-advancing greenskin horde and defeat. Barzini, although late, made his effort to ride to the center. His forces had crushed the greenskins on the flank, and now it was time to make his way over to the rest of the fighting. Barzini's missile troops were slow on the march, tired and content with what had been already done -- they'd get their pay, no matter what. Barzini, equally exhausted, fought through his lethargy and advanced best he could to the hill in the middle. Upon arriving there, however, an orc shaman awaited him. Casting a series of powerful lightning bolts, the shock-wave of the arcane attack fried Barzini and his already wounded host alive. The Tilean commander fell on the field, leaving the left in disarray. The shaman, content with his bloody work, proceeded to befuddle and confuse the Tilean reinforcements attempting to make their way over to the Estalian right. Successful in his hexes, the left remained stagnant and unable to rush to the right's aid.

Lord Barzini learns the price of wearing so much plate armor the hard way.

The final melee occurred near the center, as Rogelio oversaw the action from a hill not too far away. He could see through his spyglass that the hill had fallen, along with a nearby temple to the warrior-goddess Myrmidia. "Heathens," he thought, "Damned heathens!" Two pike squares formed up in tight lines, unyielding in the face of the enemy horde before them. Wave after wave crashed against them, with Tessio desperately attempting to relieve some of the pressure. Yet, even his efforts were in vain, as orc cavalry and goblin archers mowed what remained of his company down, along with Tessio himself. Two mercenary commanders had now fallen on the fields of Irrana Pass, but they would not be the last casualties this battle took. As the Estalian and Tilean pikes held out, the Estalian commander of one of the companies, Hector Navarro, hesitated. He failed to bring his men into good order, deciding instead to flee the field and warn the neighboring town of Azuara that they had to flee or risk being overrun by the greenskins. The Tilean pikes held, disgusted at the behavior of Navarro and his men. Yet, with Navarro's retreat, a gap lay opened. The greenskins wasted no time in pushing through, forcing the remaining human forces to retreat as well.

The breaking point: Navarro's pikemen fail to hold out against the final orc assault. Once they retreated, the greenskin horde flooded through the passes along the right flank. The gates into Estalia were now open.

In less than five hours, the battle of Irrana Pass was over. The greenskin horde, although bloodied and weakened, could proudly plant the banner of the Bad Moonz clan atop the hill. The temple to Myrmidia was ransacked, with all "shiny trinkets" taken from it. The remaining Tilean and Estalian troops retreated to Azuara, establishing a defensive position overnight. Then, the next day, they fled with much of the citizenry in tow. By nightfall, Azuara too had fallen, with the fires from the burning village lighting up the night sky. The survivors of the human force marched north to Vizcaya, the next major town sat along the Ranapierna River. Señor Rogelio received word of Navarro's disgraceful actions on the field, but gave him a chance to defend himself before a military court.

"It was not out of fear, señor, that I fled," said Navarro at his trial in Vizcaya, "But rather out of love for my men. Had we stood there, our company would have surely fallen. I, like any other man, will seek glory and honor when prudent. But this does not justify the slaughter of good Estalian men." Hector Navarro was found guilty in order to save face with the Tilean mercenaries and sentenced to ten years in the dungeons of Magritta. His company was disheartened at the news, but they carried on all the same. Rogelio knew that King Esteban could not afford a fracas with the Tilean sell-swords or their captains, for he needed the support of every able-bodied man in service to his campaign against the bestial horde.

The gates were now open, and the greenskins now roamed the countryside. Upon hearing the news, King Esteban I simply stated, "They cannot be allowed to march one mile further." But, with his home armies now in tatters and the thought of going further into debt with the Tilean princes haunting his mind, how would the Estalian king manage to stop the greenskins from claiming the northlands? He was damned if he chose to draft more levies from his already disgruntled nobles, who now saw the loss at Irrana Pass as proof of Esteban's inability to hold the Estalian nation together in times of crisis, and damned if he bought more mercenaries from Tilea and thus empty the royal coffers on foreign armies. The answer to his woes was one he dreaded even worse than asking the Tileans for further assistance in the campaign.

He turned to Bretonnia in the north.