Battle of Oberrort Forest

"Margheim and Azarian forces brutally clash along the forests of Oberrort."

Kingdom of Merdevia Joins War Alongside Kingdom of Azarus

The Battle of Oberrort Forest was fought during the advent of the year 1001 A.C. during the Margheim-Azarian War, also known as the Marqauedan War of Independence by their Lirosian allies. During the battle, the Barony of Margheim, led by Baron Maximillian von Margheim decisively defeated an Azarian army led by its King, Artau de Fontes, who were marching to attack the Margheim army before they could join forces with additional contingents of Lirosian allies and Contratiero mercenaries arriving by ship.

## Prelude

Following the coronation of Artau de Fontes as King of Azarus and the subsequent peaceful vassalizing and colonization of several new territories, the newly established Kingdom of Azarus became the primary geopolitical influence in the north, alongside the relatively new, emergent Barony of Margheim to the north-west. Its recent rapid, yet largely peaceful and voluntary territorial expansion proved to further develop the economic, religious and cultural influence Azarus had as a regional power, however the sudden influx of new lands and its peoples led to several border incidents occurring within Margheim lands, including accusations of trespassing and spying. These incidents, alongside the perceived threat to Margheim hegemony in the north and the discontent of the Marquaedan Republic's client-state status to the Kingdom of Azarus, culminated in Margheim, reinforced with Santévaran Contratiero mercenaries, declaring war on Azarus while Marqauedus, supported by their Lirosian brethren simultaneously declared independence.

## Battle/Siege

Outnumbered and caught off guard by the sudden declaration from two fronts, King Artau of Azarus boldly decided to march upon the mustering forces of Margheim before Lirosian and Contratiero mercenaries could arrive from the south-west by sea to reinforce the army of Baron Maximillian. With much of Azarian territory either being too distant or now independent, King Artau could only hastily assemble a force of roughly 400 Azarian mounted militia and men-at-arms. Regardless, the King led his forces westward, into the snowy, boreal forests of Margheim lands. Not expecting the Azarians to take the offensive, Baron Maximillian rallied what forces he had currently raised, roughly 600 dismounted men-at-arms and knights, to meet the Azarian forces on the field of battle.

Both armies met upon the Oberrort Forest, a thick, rocky woodland, where both sides deployed their forces. Upon the eastern entrance of the forest, King Artau utilized his cavalry and skirmisher divisions superior mobility as a vanguard force to secure and setup an ambush upon a narrow cliffside, flanked by the sea and the mountains on either side. As the heavy footmen of Margheim advanced slowly towards the cliff side, the Azarians successfully ambushed them, launching several volleys of arrows into the advancing columns. Despite this, the cohesive formation of the Margheim vanguard mitigated the effects of the ambush, only managing to kill or wound a handful of lesser armored infantrymen. The densely overgrown trees of the forest also severely impeded the vision and movement of both sides, this disadvantage in terrain proved to be extremely detrimental to the Azarian cavalry, who, in an attempt to keep its own cohesion, become separated and disorganized whilst attempting to skirmish. Seeing an opportunity to strike, Baron Maximillian ordered his frontline to charge the closest Azarian cavalry units who were unable to utilize the mobility of their steeds due to the forest. Several previously scattered cavalry units of King Artau joined the ongoing melee while simultaneously Baron Maximillian ordered the remainder of his infantry to also join the fight. Fierce hand to hand combat ensued, and although the Azarian cavalry fought valiantly, their cohesion was all but shattered and were ultimately killed, wounded or captured. Several small contingents of unhorsed men-at-arms, led by King Artau, attempted to rally and counterattack, but failed, and were forced to retreat, managing to escape to the nearby fortress of Fallkirk before they could be surrounded and cut off.

## Aftermath

Mastery of the field ultimately belonged to Baron Maximillian and his army, who reportedly only lost 112 men, with several dozens with minor wounds, compared to the Azarian casualties reported to be roughly 300 men either killed, wounded or captured.

Despite the initial defeat and near annihilation of his army, King Artau’s sudden bold decision to meet Margheim in the field managed to disrupt the logistics of their army, effectively stalling their advance and granting Azarus additional time to make allies. King Artau beseeched King Faichmir of the Kingdom of Merdevia to join in the defense of his realm, to which King Faichmir accepted, answering the call to arms out of wariness of the conflict spilling into his lands should the bordering Azarian settlements fall.