Battle of Anacaria

Belligerents	
Za'ah 	
Vidstos
Commanders 	Ya'jah wah Ya'zur Devayani	Jarl Thurufir of Harath
Strength 	210 ships 	120 ships
Losses 	
107 ships
12,129 sailors	
72 ships
9033 sailors
Result 	Draw 	Draw
Background
Anacaria is a small rocky iselet in the sea. It is used by both the Vidstos and Za'ah sailors as a reference point on the map, and lies halfway between Veigholmoa and the islands in the middle of the sea. The Za'ahene fleet had as its instructions to scout and track Vidstos movements, while the Vidstos High Sea Fleet moved west to conduct raids against the islands and the Za'ahene mainland.
Technical details
Vidstos ships have smaller crews and are somewhat smaller and lighter (though still at 80-85% the size of Za'ahene ships), often with just one deck. They are easier to maneuver than most Za'ahene ships, apart from scouting ships, and use both bowmen, pikes and whale oil as main offensive weapons.
The Za'ahene ships are larger and slower, but are faster against the wind direction due to being reliant on more rowers with stronger oars. They have sharp rams under water, use tar bombs inspired by the Syannic fleets, but also rely on small, low-range catapults which are throwing lots of stones and pebbles over their enemies. Their main weapon of choice however is archers.
The Vidstos fleet is continuing to sail west, with the southern scout group still independent while the northern scout group joins the main fleet.
The Za'ahene fleet is strangely dividing itself into three escadres, with the main column moving slightly to the north-west, while the first of the two smaller escadres are moving north. The last group is moving more slowly for some unknown reason.
The Battle begins
The jarl leading the Vidstos fleet is utilising a favourable wind to move towards the Za'ahene main group, which in its own right is moving towards him. The largest sea battle in world history begins with the two fleets making contact. The Vidstos are using burning arrows with whale oil against the Za'ahene ships. Most arrows fail to hit their targets, due to the leather balls with whale oil making them wobbly. But some arrows are hitting the decks of Za'ahene ships with devastating results, leading to fire engulfing the bowmen onboard and in some cases dripping down on the rowers, creating chaos in the Za'ahene lines, with several ships colliding against one another.
The Za'ahenes in their turn are aiming arrows at the Vidstos war-ships, killing crew members and rowers. The Za'ahenes also use slingsfilled with bags of tar with burning materials attached, but these slings do only have a slightly better accuracy than the Vidstos whale oil bombs, and hardly the same effect, unless they hit the sails. One Za'ahene weapon that however is devastating on close range are medium-sized branches which are meticulously oiled to keep their elasticity. These brances have web catapults filled with small rocks and pebbles attached. In the cases in which these weapons were aimed directly at close range against Vidstos ships, they could knock dozens of men off deck and into the sea water. These weapons also had a bad effect on the Vidstos oars.
However, despite much damage on ships, not that many ships are sunk, given that the low-range weapons are often very small, unreliable and have a limited effect and range. Many ships are damaged however. Most of the ships that are sunk are from results of friendly or hostile collisions.
The Vidstos attempt to storm and capture some of the Za'ahene ships, but the Za'ahenes have warriors armed with hooked pikes and who throw nets at the Vidstos warriors climbing the rails. Some fighting occurs on some of the ships, but at present no Za'ahene ship has been captured.
The Gate Kingdom fleet is striking against the main enemy escadre, moving south-west.
At the same time, the Za'ahene Main escadre is attacking north-east on two directions, sinking both Gate Kingdom ships in their way and remnants of damaged Za'ahene ships, drowning many of their own screaming sailors in the process. Both navies manage to damage one another significantly, and a substantial number of sharks flock to the area, drawn by the smell of blood. Decks are burning, men are thrown over-board, arrows are hailing down. The Za'ahene arrows are treated with poison, so even if the arrows leave just small wounds, those afflicted have started to show swollen tongues, fever and drowsiness.
In the east, the Za'ahene ships are moving into the numerically inferior Vidstos units at the rear, forcing them to retract and regroup with signifiant losses.
It stands clear that Vidstos ships that are amassed closely and within range of Za'ahene rams are very easily damaged, as their lighter hulls are cracked open like eggs by the Za'ahene ships. However, many Za'ahene ships have lost substantial parts of their crews by inflammable whale oil.
The wind direction
Changes from south-west-west to more moderate North-west winds, moving all the ships.
The Vidstos right flank is attacking the Za'ahene ships to their right, using a favourable wind to outmaneuver the Za'ahene ships, surrounding them and burning their decks at close range. Most Za'ahene ships are destroyed. When the Vidstos attempt to board some of the ships, the other Za'ahene ships are attacking these ships. The Za'ahene left escadre is destroyed during the most intense phase of the battle as of yet, leaving just barely 10 ships left to stand against the Vidstos onslaught.
On the central and left flanks, the battle unfolds in a different way, with the Za'ahenes trapping the Vidstos fleet and forcing the Vidstos ships together, then moving into them with full force. Losses are steep on both sides, but the Vidstos left flank is largely destroyed.
The Za'ahenes show no regards for their own injured.
The Za'ahene ships are attacking the rear and centre of the Vidstos fleet when the latter tries to move west, effectively destroying large parts of it, but enduring large losses themselves. The remaining Vidstos are using a strong western wind to seemingly(?) flee while the Za'ahenes round up the survivors, as dusk starts to set in.
The battle can seem as a victory for the Za'ahene northern fleet, but it is in too bad a shape to pursue the Vidstos ships, which also are pretty badly battered.
There are signs that there is blowing up to a storm. With both fleets out on the open ocean, with hundreds of miles to the nearest shores, it cannot be claimed that this is a strategic victory for either party. Rather, what we have seen now has been a massive destruction of two very large fleets.
-The end-
Category:Battles
Category:History
Category:Za'ah
Category:Vidstos
Category:Empires
Category:Naval battles