Guran invasion of the Rimmland hells

In the annals of history, one of the most audacious and enigmatic military campaigns was the conquest of Hell. This remarkable endeavor, led by the indomitable king Lion Newtown, witnessed an unprecedented clash between the subterranean realm of Hell and the industrious dwarven forces.
Following the successful repelling of the Guran Coalition from the mountains; General Lenapol Praetorian, rallied the dwarven armies under the banner of the Guran Empire. Fuelled by their desire to control the extensive cave systems found underneath the rimmlands, the dwarves set their sights on the hells of the rimmlands, deemed the ultimate challenge by military strategists and scholars of the time.
With meticulously planned military campaigns and awe-inspiring engineering feats, the dwarven forces descended into the depths of the underworld. Armed with advanced weaponry and fortified by their exceptional craftsmanship, they confronted the unprepared demonic legions of Hell with unwavering determination. The ensuing battles were fierce and cataclysmic, with hellfire clashing against the fiery forge of dwarven resilience.
The initial invasion was a surprise attack using drillpods, used to quickly ferry warriors to cave systems that would serve as logistical outposts for the rear guard.
Newtown was by dwarf standards, a master tactician, and navigated the treacherous terrain of Hell and employed unorthodox strategies to exploit the weaknesses of the demonic forces. The dwarves, renowned for their disciplined formations, forged ahead, inch by inch, in their relentless push towards victory. As the campaign raged on, the dwarves gradually gained ground, toppling demonic strongholds and securing strategic positions, exploiting their years of experience of cave and tunnel fighting. Finally, after nearly a year of fierce combat, the dwarven forces emerged triumphant, carving their path through the abyss and claiming dominion over the infernal domain.
The Guran conquest of Hell left an indelible mark on rimmlands history, forever solidifying the dwarves' reputation and expanding the boundaries of their empire nearly threefold.
== The 7 battles of Hell ==
The Dwarves' conquest of Hell was marked by a series of major battles that tested their mettle and determined the course of the campaign. The most significant engagements were:
=== Pushing daisies ===
The preliminary strike that saw the use of artillery cannons to collapse vital tunnel systems used by the demons to prevent troop movements and isolating strategic strongholds and resources from the major cities of the hells. The attack was so sudden that the denizens of the hells initially thought it was a weltquake.
=== Gaetan's reign ===
This initial clash saw the dwarven forces breach the strongholds defending the hellmouths of the rimmland hells, using drillpods that released the dwarves into the strongholds and smaller cities, establishing a foothold within the cave system and setting the stage for subsequent operations.
=== The Siege of Grimrock ===
Grimrock Citadel was a notable demonic stronghold near the surface that was unaffected by the bousculade and remained operational during operation pushing daisies and subsequent gaetan's reign.
The dwarves were forced to lay siege to the mighty citadel, which saw such catastrophic losses on the dwarven side that they were unable to secure the fortress until the majority of the demons had rejoined the capital of Aqevac and informed of the invasion. Through relentless assaults and strategic maneuvers, the dwarves ultimately overcame the citadel's defenses, securing a crucial victory as the citadel held many strategic industries such as sulfur coal and phosphorus.
=== The battle at Hell's Forge ===
Hell's Forge, a significant demonic manufacturing center, became the backdrop for a pivotal battle. Since the forges were too deep for an effective bousculade and the soil composition too difficult for the drillpods to reach, the dwarves, deployed more traditional artillery supported infantry tactics to complement their engineering expertise and tactics, engaging the demon-forged war machines, ultimately dismantling their production capabilities.
=== The Battle of Aqevacs Abyss ===
The rimmland hells capital is Aqevac, which is on a plain surrounded by an abyss. The dwarves fought within the treacherous depths of the Abyss, in the hopes of finding the bottom in order to reach the capital. This wasn't possible due to time constraints, instead the combat engineers created deployable bridges to quickly move troops. This intense confrontation tested the dwarves' resilience as the defense of the bridges was under constant attack of flying demons and various siege weapons. Despite the hazardous terrain and relentless demonic onslaught, the dwarves created several beachheads across the abyss, breaking the infernal lines and arriving at the gates of Aqevac.
=== The plains of Aqevacs ===
In the open expanse of the Aqevac plains, the dwarves faced off against a massive demonic horde, including a legion of Grimrock veterans. The battle tested the limits of the dwarves mobility, who used flying artillery to great effect while the infantry held the line supported by cannon fire. Despite heavy casualties, the dwarves emerged victorious, shattering the demonic legions who retreated to the city.
=== The Siege of Aqevacs ===
The final battle proved to be the most divisive amongst the dwarven population. The prolonged and brutal siege of the infernal capital tested the dwarves' morale to its limits. The controversial aspect stemmed from the immense loss of life and the time it took to accomplish what seemed to be an easy victory on a surrounded enemy.
The difficulty resided mainly in the dwarves inability to comprehend that the city was built around the focal point where anima, the dead arrived upon death in the rimmlands, giving them a near inexhaustible source of recruits. However in the end the dwarves deployed a massive cave blinder over the city and in a brutal assault breached the city and assumed control of hell.  The siege left a lasting impact on the dwarven society, leading to a fracture in public opinion. The immense loss of life and the toll it took on the dwarven forces prompted a debate about the morality of their actions and the price of victory. Some factions viewed it as a necessary sacrifice for the greater good, while others condemned the brutality and questioned the consequences of their conquest. The divisive nature of the final battle underscored the complexities and ethical dilemmas that emerged during the Dwarves' conquest of the rimmland hells.
== Tactics and weapons ==
The Guran Dwarves, not particularly renowned for their strategies before the campaign in the rimmland hells, employed a variety of tactics and weapons during the conquest of Hell. In dwarven military manuals (one of which was penned by Marshal Stonefoot), combinations of these tactics would be called storm strategies, which uses the bousculade (thunder), drillpods (rain), flying artillery (hail) and phosphorous rounds (lightning).
=== Shield bears ===
The dwarves excelled in disciplined formations, employing tight infantry squares that maximized their defensive capabilities in confined tunnels. These formations mixed shields, flintlock rifles and cannons were effective at repelling demonic attacks. Cannon fire wasn't overly used offensively, but rather in the hopes of collapsing tunnel systems to bottleneck the demons where the Gurans wanted them to be. When infantry was fielded, they were organized into defensive shield bear formations that allowed the dwarven soldiers to maintain cohesion and withstand the relentless attacks of their adversaries. Meanwhile the second line of dwarven infantry, armed with muskets and bayonets, unleashed volleys of precise and devastating firepower, effectively thinning the ranks of their infernal foes.
There are at least two accounts of the dwarves "bodyclogging" certain tunnels due to the pileup of too many bodies.
=== Drillpods ===
To traverse the treacherous terrain of Hell, the dwarves employed remarkable engineering feats. Utilizing their expertise in mining and tunneling, they created intricate networks of underground passages, allowing for swift and covert movements. This unconventional approach caught their enemies off guard, enabling surprise attacks and strategic positioning. The dwarves' ability to navigate the labyrinthine depths of Hell provided them with a decisive advantage over their adversaries. To this end Gaetan Drillpods were used to great effect.
=== Flying Artillery ===
In addition to their disciplined infantry, the dwarves fielded formidable artillery. Cannons of various sizes, meticulously crafted by skilled dwarven artisans, were used for the first time in bousculade tactics and the sieging of various strongholds. These cannons were not only powerful but also mobile, allowing for quick repositioning and the ability to adjust fire according to the changing battlefield conditions. The dwarven artillery played a crucial role in breaching the fortified demonic strongholds, creating opportunities for the infantry to advance.
=== Bousculade ===
The "bousculade," was a tactical maneuver employed for the first time by the Guran Dwarves during their conquest of hell. The bousculade was a calculated strategy designed to disrupt and collapse enemy tunnels beneath the surface. This devastating tactic involved the precise firing of artillery at specific patches of land, aiming to trigger collapses and destabilize the subterranean infrastructure of the infernal forces.
The dwarves, renowned for their engineering prowess, recognized the significance of the intricate tunnel networks within the hells. By exploiting their knowledge of mining and structural weaknesses, the dwarves identified key areas of vulnerability, often marked by signs of increased demonic activity or strategic importance. These targeted patches of land became the focal points for the implementation of the bousculade tactic.
With meticulous precision, the dwarven artillery units unleashed a barrage of ammunition upon the identified patches of land. The artillery fire aimed to shatter the stability of the ground, causing structural damage and triggering collapses within the enemy tunnels. The ensuing chaos and confusion among the infernal forces provided the dwarves with an opportunity to exploit the weakened defenses and press their advantage.
The bousculade tactic played a crucial role in disrupting the logistical and defensive capabilities of the demonic forces. By collapsing enemy tunnels, the dwarves effectively cut off supply lines, hindered reinforcements, and disoriented their adversaries. This strategic maneuver not only inflicted physical damage but also sowed fear and uncertainty within the ranks of the infernal armies, further tilting the balance of power in favor of the Guran empire.
=== Cave blindness ===
Finally, the dwarves utilized their intimate knowledge of Hell's environment to their advantage. They employed alchemical concoctions and explosive devices that relied on chemical materials found in hell to exploit the infernal landscape. These weapons, capable of unleashing devastating flashes of light powerful enough to blind unprotected eyes, wreaked havoc among the demonic ranks, turning the very terrain against them. These phosphorous rounds were effective against the target but not without risk of injuring the dwarves, and were much less used at the end of the war, however drillpods armed with blinders primed to detonate as soon as it reaches a cave opening for maximum effect were developed but never deployed to the field.
The Guran Dwarves' conquest of Hell was characterized by a leap forward in military science with the use of disciplined formations, precise firepower, engineering, artillery, and a focus on speed and mobility uncharacteristic of dwarves. Their ability to adapt to the unique challenges of the infernal realm, coupled with their unrivaled craftsmanship, allowed them to overcome the demonic forces and claim victory. The dwarves' conquest stands as a testament to their military prowess and ingenuity which is a cause of unprecedented tension for the neighboring countries.
Category:Rimmlands
Category:Guran Empire
Category:Wars