Battle of Bayen Eckar

The Battle of Bayen Eckar was part of the Trell Wars and the first of seven battles fought between the united Trell clans under Trynigarr and the Nemil under General Saylan'mathas. The battle was the result of Nemil's expansion into the Trell borderlands.The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.477 It took place at least two hundred years before the events of the Malazan Book of the Fallen.Deadhouse Gates, Chapter 7, US HC p.190-191 - The battle took place before Mappo Runt was chosen to become Icarium's companion by the Nameless Ones. We know that Mappo's service with Icarium has lasted around 200 years.
Elder Trynigarr was a last minute choice as warleader for the Trell after the other three elders were accidentally fatally poisoned by a shamanistic brew they had consumed in preparation for the fight. This was his first ever battle as warleader and he was not well respected by his warriors, who mocked him amongst themselves. 
Saylan'mathas was a much-feared Nemil general with a hand-picked force of superbly disciplined soldiers. His heavily armoured cataphracts were the most feared cavalry west of the Jhag Odhan and largely made up of extended noble families, who were highly motivated and likely difficult to rout.
==The Battlefield==
The battle took place in the Valley of Bayen Eckar, a narrow river basin running in a north-south direction in the Trell borderlands near Nemil. The Bayen Eckar river running northwards through the valley was stony, barely knee-deep, and lined by thickets, shrubs, and clumps of grey-leaved trees. Less than fifteen hundred paces to the river's east was Orstanz Ridge. Another unnamed ridge rose on the river's western bank.The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.577-578
A thousand Trell, including Trynigarr and Mappo Runt, stood on the slope of Orstanz Ridge facing their opponents on the other side of the river. Unbeknownst to their opponents, the Trell had hidden the majority of their forces beyond the crest of the ridge or on the Nemil's side of the battlefield near their supply camp. To make their ruse more plausible, rumours of the alliance's break up had been deliberately spread for the Nemil to hear.The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.583-584 
The Nemil gathered fifteen hundred paces away, across the river on the western slope of the valley. Their units of infantry, archers, and slingers moved in an ever-shifting presentation. The Nemil cataphracts were split into two groups of 500 and placed three thousand paces away from the northern and southern flanks of the battlefield. General Saylan'Mathas traversed the western ridge atop his horse flanked by his retainers. The Nemil baggage camp was beyond the western ridge and lightly guarded.The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.581 
==Opposing Forces==
===Trell===
Warleader Trynigarr
*Trell warriors - 1,000The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.577
*Archers (Hidden on the east side of the river) - 1,600The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.583
*Trell warriors (Hidden on the east side of the river) - Unknown number
*Trell warriors (Hidden on the west side of the river) - 1,500
===Nemil===
General Saylan'mathas (8,000 troops total)
*Cataphracts (Heavy cavalry) - 1,000The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.578-579
*Light cavalry
*Heavy infantry armed with pikes
*Medium infantry
*Archers
*Slingers
*Skirmishers
==The Battle==
The two sides faced each across the Bayen Eckar river from opposite slopes of the valley. While the Trell forces appeared to be outnumbered eight-to-one, the thousand warriors visible on the Orstanz Ridge still enthusiastically banged their weapons against their shields and sang songs of death-promises. Trynigarr stood calm and silent while the Nemil forces arranged their units.
The Nemil cavalry started the battle by crossing the river on the battlefield's northern and southern flanks before turning to face inward. Advance Nemil skirmishers crossed the river in the centre, followed by Medium and then Heavy infantry to secure the bridgehead on the eastern side of the river. Trynigarr held his warriors back despite their waning battle-frenzy. Once the bridgehead was secure, the main Nemil force began to cross and fan out with pikes leveled forward to blunt any Trell charge. General Saylan'mathas soon crossed the river with his retinue as well while his archers remained on the river's western shore.The Bonehunters, Chapter 4, US SFBC p.582
As Trynigarr continued to hold back his warriors, General Saylan'mathas was forced to bring the battle to the Trell up the slope of Orstanz Ridge. His infantry organised into multiple phalanxes to advance while the cataphracts simultaneously began to charge upwards on the flanks. As soon as the horses began their charge, Trynigarr sent a signal to his troops hidden on his flanks behind the crest of the ridge. They appeared at the top of the hill to the north and south and charged downhill into the horse-soldiers. At the same time, fifteen hundred Trell warriors hidden on the western side of the river attacked the Nemil supply camp.The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.580-581 
The sudden surprise attacks caused confusion among the Nemil. General Saylan'mathas was forced to halt his attack and switch over to defensive tactics. He sent a half-legion of his infantry to each flank to assist the beleaguered heavy cavalry and prepare a route for the heavy cavalry's exit. Light cavalry raced to defend the supply camp, but were met by eight hundred pike-bearing Trell cresting the western ridge. After breaking the light cavalry, the Trell began marching downhill to take the main Nemil force from the rear.
General Saylan'mathas halted his centre's advance and reorganised them into a four-sided square with pikes facing outward. Trynigarr signalled his main body of troops on Orstanz Ridge to form into lines creating avenues for 1,600 archers hidden beyond the crest of the hill to advance and take their place among the Trell's main force. Then the entire group moved downhill together.The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.581-583
The Trell on the western shore of the river reached the Nemil archers and slaughtered them. The Trell archers on the Orstanz Ridge rained arrows, javelins, and bags of hundreds of black scorpions into the infantry phalanxes. The phalanxes broke under the stinging scorpions and General Saylan'mathas was crushed to death in the press. The cataphracts and their half-legions of infantry defenders were likewise slaughtered. Nemil was defeated.
==Aftermath==
Trynigarr went on to lead the Trell to six more victories against the Nemil, driving them further back out of the Trell lands. Ultimately, the Nemil were forced to sue for peace, signing a treaty yielding all Human claims on the Trell steppes and hills.The Bonehunters, Chapter 14, US SFBC p.584 
Years later, Trynigarr ended his life as a drunk, dying in an alley, and the Nemil succeeded in their original objective by other means. They and their half-breed Trell scouts organised a sustained slaughter of the Bhederin the Trell relied on for food. Driven by starvation, the Trell were forced to abandon their wild-lands.
==Notes and references==
Category:Battles