Battle of the Kunan

The Battle of the Kunan was fought in **416PR** between Dario Bacque of Gonarundu and Minos Dimelis of Ilaka. Taking place on the Kunan River it was the second and final major battle during the Helicules War.

## Background

After the defeat of the Ilakan troops commanded by Minos in the Battle of Helicules in **415PR**, the Gonarunduns managed to push the invaders away from their lands for the year. Victorious, Miguel petitioned King Augustin for allowance to enter Ilakan lands and deal the decisive blow to their enemy but was denied, soon after Miguel had died.

On the Ilakan side, General Minos waited for reinforcements to arrive by the next year, leaving him in a vulnerable spot that was never taken advantage of. When his reinforcements arrived in **416PR**, Minos continued the invasion.

The Gonarundun King was slow to respond but after seeing the Ilakans quickly move in and take the town of Aecae, he sent an army under the command of Dario Bacque, who was an officer in the Battle of Helicules, to stop them.

Hearing about movements of an enemy army, General Minos and his troops positioned themselves on the Kunan River.

## Location

The location of the battle was set on the Kunan River. In order to get the Gonarunduns to fight him there, Minos made sure he found a place where troops could walk over. His scouts soon found a natural land bridge, where the water was only 3 feet deep.

Not known to both sides was why the land bridge was not used, for traders in the past had found the mud on the banks to be like quicksand, sucking their carts and even themselves in. An extra unknown benefit to the invaders.

## Battle

Ignoring his advisors, Dario ordered his troops to advance across the river. His mentality was that since they had defeated the Ilakans before, they would have the mental edge which would even the advantage that Minos had with the river.

The moment the Gonarunduns began crossing the river, the Ilakan Pratan began to fire their volleys. Along with dealing significant damage to the Gonarundun forces and their morale, the arrows and river caused them to lose formation so when they hit the Ilakans, the punch they could pack would be minimal.

When the Gonarunduns got close, the Ilakan archers retreated through their lines, moving to the flanks for easy access in the battle to come.

On the right wing, the Companions under command of Vaso Rokellis charged the Gonarunduns commanded by Joan. Having the more experienced and well-trained troops, they immediately began winning in the melee.

In the centre, the Gonarundun troops were able to fight fiercely with the Ilakan Drakos, pushing them back like Dario wanted. On the infantry wings, this was not the same, having the Ilakan Atkan soldiers slaughter the Gonarundun light infantry and begin to flank.

### The Gonarundun Centre Pushes Through

As the fighting continued, the Gonarundun centre continued to get ahead. While the Drakos fought valiantly, they were ill-equipped to deal with the heavy swordsmen of the Gonarundu and began to get pushed back heavily, before being broken immediately.

Thinking quickly, Minos blocked the Gonarunduns for the time being with his second line, hitting them on the flanks with his reserves on the wings. He knew it would only buy time but it gave him the chance to move his headquarters.

### Gonarundun Flank

As Minos moved his headquarters to the Ilakan left side, his soldiers began flanking on all ends. Defeating the cavalry on the right, Vanos’s Companion Cavalry made their second charge of the day, slamming into the Gonarundun left flank.

On Gonarundun right flank, they faced more Companion Cavalry and Atkan soldiers, forcing them to fight on all sides.

### The Gonarunduns Break

As the battle raged on, the Gonarunduns being flanked on both sides, Minos ordered his Pratan to extend beyond the Ilakan troops and begin firing into the Gonarundun backs. Since the Gonarunduns on the wings were already blocked, the Pratan easily maneuvered around and hit the enemy with devastating volleys.

Flanked on both sides and now hit from behind, the Gonarunduns fell into a full retreat. In order to deal as much damage as possible, Minos ordered his faster soldiers to chase the enemy.

## Aftermath

The battle was a disastrous defeat for Gonarundu, losing most of the army they sent. It was one of the major reasons that the Gonarundun King signed the peace treaty, ceding the lands taken by the Ilakans.