Battle of Baitel Manor

Part of History of Otheia
The Battle of Baitel Manor was a decisive battle in the conflict between the Mage Houses Roral and Esaen. Occurring in 190, near the village of Baitel, in a field called the Reslauc, the battle was a major victory for House Roral.
The battle was a Meeting Engagement, where both factions agreed beforehand to join battle upon the location. Both sides were well equipped, and both numbered about 30,000 men. The terrain gave neither side tactical advantage.
The armies deployed opposite of one another, a forest on the northern flank of the battle, and a large lake on the southern.
The Roral army was primarily made up of conscripts and newly recruited militiamen, while the Esaen force was more professional. However, the Roral force had far more Spellswords and Battlemages in their ranks, the latter of which would prove decisive.
The Esaen commander, a Lord Hariete, deployed his soldiers in the loose formations typical to the Otheiae. The Roral General, Lord Tyllery, Advanced, arrayed his forces similarly, but deployed many of his mages ahead of the main line of infantry, among the skirmishers.
The battle was short, lasting only a handful of minutes. Due to a stroke of luck, a light rain rolled through the area, mostly affecting the Esaen force, partly dousing the bonfires of their mages. Thusly, the Roral mages, their own fires mostly unaffected, were able to cast their spells, and bombard the enemy mages with various projectiles. With their heavy artillery gone, the Esaen army were quickly routed by the Roral archers and mages, the unreliable Roral infantry not needing to be committed to the fray.
The Battle of Baitel Manor would secure the House of Roral’s dominance over the other Mage Houses for many decades, and they would not be challenged until the Rasek Revolt about a century later
Category:History of Otheia