Battle of Helicules

The Battle of Helicules was the first major clash between Gonarundu and Ilaka during the Helicules War. It has since become a very famous battle for the Gonarunduns, who managed to fend off the attackers.

## Siege

In **415PR**, General Minos and 18,000 Ilakan troops crossed the border and besieged the Gonarundun city of Helicules. To aid in their siege, a fleet of naval ships under the command of Agapios Argyrotis was also dispatched, blockading the city’s sea route.

Thanks to the foresight of Gonarundun King Augistin Fidalgo, he had sent a group of infantry under the command of Miguel Baztan to help aid the garrison in **414PR**. During the year of uncertainty, Miguel took his time training the garrison and recruiting citizens to join his forces.

When the siege came, Miguel and his soldiers waited, using tunnel systems to sneak past enemy lines and injure some of their supplies. One of the main objectives of the tasks was to remain hidden, retreating back to the tunnels if necessary. These tasks allowed them to severely reduce the Ilakan food stores and hurt the general hygiene of the besiegers.

After biding his time for a while, Miguel felt it right to prepare his soldiers and come out of the city. Though the city's food stores were still good, he began to fear the Ilakans getting reinforcements. So, he marched out of the city for battle.

## First Battle

Since the city was situated on the Constructen river, it forced the Ilakans to encamp on both sides. Using this advantage, Miguel went out of the Southern Gate of the city. Having such a large force meant that the Ilakans could prepare for battle, but with their army split in two, Miguel still had the heavy advantage.

The battle started with the front two lines of infantry advancing. Miguel had oddly chosen to keep some reserves behind, using a Nirvan tactic, the reserve forces even included some of his best troops.

As the infantry advanced, Miguel pushed up on the wing with his cavalry, immediately charging into the Ilakan opposite. Pavlos, the Ilakan cavalry general, met his charge but was promptly injured and forced to retreat.

In the melee the troops were even, showing Miguel that his emphasis on training his troops paid off. The only difference was the Gonarundun left wing, where the Ilakan Atkan infantry tactics and experience were giving Andres trouble.

### Miguel's Second Charge

Seeing that the cavalry skirmish had been a victory for him, Miguel called off the chase of Pavlos. Instead, he sent his troops around the Ilakan line and began hitting them from the flank. Though once he passed the enemy line he changed his mind.

Taking a detachment of his cavalry, Miguel pushed ahead behind the enemy and straight into Apollon’s HQ. The Ilakan commander tried to stop the Gonarundun attack by ordering his spearman to block the cavalry but the rushed line was too weak and was broken once the lines touched.

### Ilakan Retreat

When the Ilakans at the front saw that their headquarters were under attack by Gonarundun cavalry they broke.

During the retreat, many of the Atkan chose to withdraw as well, deciding that making a last stand here would do little for the war.

Apollon and his HQ also tried to retreat but Miguel managed to catch up in the chaos, impaling the Ilakan general through the chest.

## Second Battle

During the first battle, Apollon had sent a messenger to General Minos, explaining that the Gonarunduns had left the city and began attacking him. Minos, an experienced general, decided against assaulting the city where he could be flanked and instead chose to cross the river to fight Miguel.

Exhausted, the Gonarundun back line under the command of Dario, prepared for battle while Miguel made sure to strike a final blow with his troops to the Ilakans under Apollon, forcing them to stay out of the upcoming battle.

After dealing the fatal strike, Miguel and his troops turned around and prepared for a second battle of the day, many of his soldiers being exhausted and wounded by this point.

### Ilakan Advance

With their enemy line barely formed, the Ilakans advanced on the Gonarunduns. Using the fact they were much fresher, the Ilakans had a long line with their cavalry on their right wing, hoping to hit the enemy flank before they could mount a defence.

Waiting for his target to be in range, Dario ordered for his archers to fire volley after volley into the enemy, making sure they used at least a quiver full of arrows before they stopped. The action had its intended effects, slowing down the Ilakan centre and dealing moderate damage.

As the Ilakan line hit the Gonarunduns, the second battle of the day began.

### Apollon's Troops Return

Despite the devastating blow to their number and their extreme exhaustion, Apollon’s troops were inspired when they saw the Ilakan cavalry charge into the Gonarunduns. While many of the defeated soldiers continued their track to the camp, the Atkan soldiers turned around and began advancing on the enemy again.

Soon about to fight an enemy on two fronts, Miguel ordered some of Andres’s second line to form up and face the enemy coming from behind. Another order was issued to the rest of the second line to move around the enemy and hit them from their flank, demanding they ignore the enemy archers.

On the left, he commanded his archers to fall back as a second line where they weren’t doing anything and hit the Ilakan cavalry with whatever they could. Normally the archers at this stage would have no arrows but before they left Helicules, Miguel made sure they all had a second quiver in case this thing happened. In the centre, he demanded they push with everything they had, ordering Dario to personally lead them for a morale boost, their second line and archers were to defend their backsides.

### Miguel's Luck

Exhausting his own group of cavalry, Miguel charged into the returning Apollon troops, hoping this would finally break the stubborn Atkan soldiers.

In the centre, Dario managed to give his troops a second wing and began pushing against the Ilakans, forcing Minos to enter the battle to stop the bleed.

On the right, Andres’s second line managed to flank the enemy, scaring off the Ilakan Pratan and relieving some pressure for himself. On the left, Isaac was struggling. He had some of the most exhausted troops and they were barely holding on, his second line was mainly used to fix some of the holes the Ilakans cut open. If it wasn’t for Miguel’s use of the archers, they would’ve been surrounded by the enemy cavalry but for now they held. His own cavalry he reserved to rest, knowing he would need them in the upcoming stage of the battle.

### Minos's Wing Falls

Hit from the flank, the Atkan on the Ilakan left wing began to falter, soon turning into a rout. As the best troops in the Ilakan military, they had managed to hold on against a more numerous enemy but after being hit from the flank they lost all momentum. Using half his wing, Andres kept up the chase of the retreating Atkan soldiers, with the rest being turned against the centre.

On the left, Isaac continued to hold off the enemy, using his cavalry to relieve the Gonarundun archers who were being slaughtered by the Ilakan Companions.

At the back, Miguel managed to finally push the remainder of Apollon’s troops back, forcing them to withdraw. Rather than chase, he commanded his archers to fire what arrows they had left in the back of the retreating soldiers.

### Ilakan Retreat

With no wing or soldiers to hit the enemy from behind, and getting dangerously close to getting encircled himself, Minos called for his soldiers to retreat.

The Gonarunduns, exhausted, chose not to chase the enemy, instead slowly returning to the city in victory.

## Aftermath

This battle goes down in Gonarundun history as one of their most prized moments, showing the grit and determination of the Gonarundun soldiers to defeat their enemy.

Miguel returned to the Gonarundun capital, Ralom after, getting a small parade for his efforts. Andres, Dario and Isaac were also rewarded for their efforts.