Battle of Zela

The Battle of Zela was the last battle of the Zelan Campaign. Consisting of the Zelan troops not captured in the city, they made their last stand near the Bhirn Grove.

## Background

In **485PR**, Gallio Aebutus and Mettius Ordius gathered their 4 legions and began their advance to invade Zela.

The duo were constantly hit with Zelan resistance as the small nation had formed their small army and fought tooth and nail for every advance that the Nirvans made. This was most evident at the Battle of Hunan Pass, where they inflicted heavy losses on their enemy before withdrawing.

Before the end of Asunak, the two forces met again at the Battle of Bhirn River, this time a decisive victory for the Nirvans who were able to break through the line. While the two Zelan commanders, Emdrum Behrmann and Tymur Brecht returned to the city to reorganise the army, the Nirvans pushed into the region and began conquering the surrounding area.

By the end of July of the same year, the Nirvans had managed to besiege the city of Zela and trap many of their soldiers.

Out of options, the Zelans in the city surrendered to the Nirvans at the beginning of **486PR**, many of their military being captured and later enslaved while their leader, Benbrek Geller ended his own life.

The remaining Zelans led by Dulrim Wolfsohn had two choices: stand and fight, or surrender to the Nirvans. Being proud people, they chose the former and began preparing a suitable battlefield. It didn’t take long for the Nirvans to come into contact with them, wanting to end the campaign as quick as possible.

## Battle

Completely outnumbered, the Zelans remained up on their hill, using their fortification and defences to try and sway the battle to their favour.

Like always, the Nirvans made their way up the hill, using their testudo formation to block many of the incoming projectiles. At the top of the hill, the Zelans changed tactics, sending some of their supply carts tumbling down the hill, slamming into the Nirvans. The effects were quite devastating and not wanting to miss an opportunity, Dulrim led his soldiers down the hill and charged at the enemy.

The Nirvans, still holding some of their line, managed to throw their javelins before the Zelans hit. As Dulrim was leading the charge from the front, one of the javelins hit him square in the chest, killing the resistance commander instantly.

Not knowing that their commander had died, the remaining Zelans poured onto the Nirvan line, fighting like animals at one point.

It didn’t take long for the Nirvans to see the writing on the wall, and led by Gallio, they began to feign a withdrawal down the hill, opening up the Zelans to their slingers. While normally a good tactic, the Zelans were too bloodlusted at this stage to care about the slingers, acting similar to the Battle of the Rose.

Still feigning their withdrawal, Gallio commanded the Nirvans to hit the Zelans on their flanks, calling in the triarii to block the centre with him. Mettius also commanded the Nirvan cavalry to advance up the hill so they could completely surround the Zelan fighters.

On the ground, the Zelans continued to fight ferociously, each of them taking a wound or two at this stage. When the Nirvan Equites reached the top of the hill, they too charged into the Zelans. Surrounded on all sides, the Zelans fought till the last man. Officially ending the war when the last died.