Battle of Lesser Farm

Kingdom of Pedranier

* House Lovewater

Kingdom of Pedranier

* Boyord Garmer Lovewater (†)

Kingdom of Pedranier: 20,000-28,000

* At least 1,000 heavy horsemen
* Prince Regal claims 30,000 total troops

Kingdom of Pedranier: 13,000

* 7,000 dead
* 5,000 prisoner
* Garmer Lovewater (supposedly)

The **battle of Lesser Farm** was the most decisive engagement of the 2nd Imperial Invasion of Pedranier. It was fought between Prince Regal and Garmer Lovewater, two of the most accomplished war leaders of their time. The battle resulted in the disintegration of the Lovewaterian army and prevented it from uniting with the Elysian army.

### Prelude

The Fanahrians had already repelled an attack in the first Imperialist Invasion attempt thanks to Garmer Lovewater's strategic ability to keep his army intact.

The Imperial Empire of Vidin had also made a major breakthrough in warbow technology, with their arrows tipped with special materials able to pierce through chainmail and even thin plate. Prince Regal had special interest in this new weapon and had began drilling his own army into using it. However, it took a while to train his men as the warbow required immense strength to yield.

However, further attempts to bring the south into the Imperial realm was a long time goal of the Vidin Empire. In 101 AL, the second invasion was unleashed as the Imperialists stormed Pedranier with a surprise invasion, breaking their former non-aggression pact and peace treaty with Pedranier.

Prince Regal had crushed a Cabal-Corbat army at Summerhold, with Boyord Trachmer Cabal being the first to surrender. Prince Regal then dealt the death blow to House Cabal, knocking them out of the war at the battle of Old City. Prince Regal had been ambushed by the forces of Boyord Ayken Cabal, but he kept his men in tight shield walls until his reinforcements could arrive. Boyord Ayken Cabal lost his life and Old City was taken.

Emperor Mezenge I moved towards Pedranier City itself, aiming to besiege it. However, he required Prince Regal to cut a wedge between Trirannal, where rumours of a large Lovewaterian host being mustered was heard. Prince Regal however had to stop Garmer Lovewater from relieving the siege of Pedranier.

However, Prince Regal's forces were slowed down by unexpected early rains during late summer. Supply wagons had also been assaulted by Fanahrian patrols and so Prince Regal took the decision to abandon supply lines and began to live off the land. This had the opposite affect as desired as Garmer Lovewater ordered the earth to be scorched, and Prince Regal's attempts to cross the River Gavisflow had been stopped. However, by the start of the 10th cycle of 102 AL, Prince Regal stormed a crossing with 20,000 men. He was victorious but had lost up to 4,000 men. His men began to slowly lose morale and hope, and some deserted while others died of starvation.

However, by the later days of the 10th cycle of 102 AL, Prince Regal and his army were met by rank after rank of resplendent and magnificent Lovewaterian man at arms and heavy horsemen. Both Prince Regal and Garmer Lovewater rode out to greet each other and parly. The conversation went this way:

Garmer Lovewater: "do you see that field out there? Do not send your men into certain death like your predecessors and ancestors. Your men are ragged, tired, desperate, and hungry. Leave our lands and we shall -"

Prince Regal: "I shall dictate the terms, my Lord. You would not treat with me if you knew you could defeat me with complete certainty. You are afraid, afraid you are not as sharp as you used to be. I read a lot about you, Lovewater. You are someone who would pounce on his enemy without a second thought. Surrender, or you will all die here today."

Garmer Lovewater: "Impudent dog! Surrender? You came here, to my country! I have crushed your Imperial armies over and over again. Tell me, boy, what battles have you won that I should fear you?"

Prince Regal: "My Lord, you have been sleeping through the war it seems. I have crushed the Lords Corbat and Cabal. Lord Ayken Cabal lies in the ground."

Garmer Lovewater: "Ha! Imagine boasting about defeating Ayken Cabal. Any whore's child could defeat Ayken Cabal. Look behind me, boy. That army you see is not the mob you have faced. That army is the blue flower of Pedranier. Who you have defeated is of no concern of mine. We shall not yield."

Prince Regal: "The Empire does not make a demand a second time. When we are done, that blue flower army of yours will forever be known as the red flower."

### Battle

#### Starting Moves

The field was muddied with rain for a couple of hours after the parly. Garmer Lovewater knew his heavy cavalry and infantry charge would not work under the current conditions.

After the rains halted, a long one hour stand between the two forces enused. However, Garmer Lovewater made the decision to abandon his high ground in favour of a blocking position on the road to Trirannal, near a small hamlet known as Lesser Farm. The fields of Lesserfarm had been recently ploughed. Additionally, the field was bounded by two forests that formed the flanks of either army.

Due to the numbers of Regal’s army, which had gradually depleted in the war thanks to Garmer Lovewater’s raids and ambushes prior to the battle, the imperial army arrayed in a single. In the centre were three battles of infantry, mixed with the bowmen. On either flank, the concentration of bowmen was higher. On the other side of the field, the Fanahrians formed the first three ranks with their dismounted men-at-arms. 900 horsemen, a mix of both heavy and light, were placed on both flanks.

Garmer Lovewater did not fail to acknowledge the muddy field, and despite rash advice by his captains to press on the attack, Lovewater remained firm. As time passed, more men would have joined Lovewater while more desertions would have inflicted the already highly depleted imperial army. So, Regal knew he had to make the first move. He decided to move his army forwards to bring the Fanahrians under bowmen range. Prince Regal ordered his horses to dismount, acknowledging the disadvantage they had in the narrow field against heavier and more esteemed Fanahrian cavalry. Prince Regal said to his men:

“You lads, pick yourselves up and prepare, let's go.”

#### Climax

When in bowmen range, about 300 meters from the Fanahrian army, which was still hastily getting into position and file, the imperial army planted their stakes again in their new positions. Regal ordered two volleys of arrows towards the enemy. Enraged by Garmer Lovewater’s decision to hold back, some of the officers of the Fanahrian cavalry ordered a principle charge onto the enemy lines. Confusion in the Lovewaterian ranks meant that some others also joined the charge wihtout the approval from their commander. Garmer tried his best to gallop up and down the lines to prevent further charges, but it was too late.

Regal held his archers back from firing until the Fanahrian cavalry had gotten into point blank range. When the time was right, Prince Regal yelled:

“Now drop them!”

Hundreds of Fanahrian mounted warriors fell within the next few minutes from the deadly hail of arrows. Less than half of those who charged would survive the disaster. The collapsing barage of horses and the sodden muddy field had made the heavily armoured Fanahrian troops sitting ducks. Prince Regal ordered a minor advance with the infantry to begin killing the stranded Fanahrian horsemen, who could do very little but to sit and wait their turn to be kileld.

While the cavalry was being slaughtered, Garmer Lovewater knew he had to commit to the battle, and so he ordered the first line of Fanahrian infantry to advance. However, a combination of the retreating cavalry, the muddy terrain, and heavy armour, caused the Lovewaterian first line to lose cohesion and become regular target practice for the lethal Imperial bowmen.

Despite the horrific losses, the Fanahrian military might continued their advance and smashed into the thin imperial lines. Garmer Lovewater, encouraged by the success of his infantry, ordered the next two lines of infantry to advance and commit themselves into the fray. However, before they could arrive, Prince Regal managed to reorganise the orders of his archers and the the Fanahrian lines began to lose the initiative. Prince Regal managed to rally his men and the imperial army held firm once again. Once the second and third line arrived at the climax of the fighting, they caused a crush upon the nearing vanguard which prevented most of the army from engaging and prevented most of the frontline troops from retreating or resting. About two hours into the fighting, most of the bowmen on the flanks had run out of arrows, so they found whatever weapons they could to assist their countrymen and charged the flanks.

Garmer Lovewater knew that his army was struggling to push the imperialists back, and clearly Prince Regal was still alive as the centre held firm. Garmer Lovewater realised that it was time to end the battle, which he believed could only be achieved if Prince Regal was dead. He gathered the survivors of the heavy cavalry and Sartorian guard, and did a general charge towards the Imperial vanguard with the objective of killing Prince Regal. During the charge, Garmer Lovewater’s horse was killed after a javelin was thrown at it, causing Garmer himself to be trodden on by his own men’s horses. After it became clear that the Fanahrian Cavalry charge was blunted by the muddy ground, whoever could flee for their lives did. News of Garmer's death quickly circulated around the Fanahrian ranks, and the Fanahrian soldiers abandoned the fight.

### Aftermath

After the battle, Prince Regal rounded up 5,000 captives and eventually ordered them into numerous makeshift pit and had his archers fire into them, killing every single Fanahrian that became captive.

Prince Regal went to the area where Garmer Lovewater fell of his horse, and his armour was laying on the ground. But when the prince lifted the visor, there was nobody inside. Garmer Lovewater's body was never found after the battle. Regal said:

"Lovewater is alive. Take whatever men you need and don't leave a single stone unturned. Bring him to me, but I want him alive. I want to know how he managed to escape before killing him."

Prince Regal never confirmed Garmer Lovewater's fate, and believed him to still be alive.