The Battle of Carmllya Pass

*When I get to the Afterlife, I will ask the judges to send me straight to the heavens. Because I have already been to Carmllya Pass.*

- Anonymous soldier from the battle.

Fewer battles in the history of the world have shaken it to the core (literally) than the Battle of Carmllya Pass, fought in 4137. This was the without a doubt the largest battle ever fought in history (so far) and determined the course of international politics and relations for years to come. For two months, armies of the recently formed Northern Union and the Orestian Empire clashed in the High Top Mountains over control of the largest pass through the mountains, which led directly to Friegard. It was influential for numerous reasons, not the least of which being the site of introduction for several important new technologies such as the biplane and the tank.

## Prelude to the Battle

Early in the year 4136, Empress Euthane the Mighty decided that she had had enough of the upstart Northern Union and it's growth, seeing it as a direct threat to the stability of her empire. Calling her top commanders, she began to plan a full scale invasion of the North to crush it before it could persuade other provinces to rebel against her. The eventual plan known as the Porcinus Plan named for Lord High Marshal Gabriel Marcus Porcinus involved launching a lightning war against the Northern border states in order to gain control of it's main mountain passes into the north and then to push inwards against Freigard and ultimately to take the whole north. In the meanwhile, Admiral Sergia would lead a flanking fleet to circle around and attack the Northern forces from the rear. It was an ambitious scheme that relied on excellent coordination as well as mobilization of forces the likes of which had never been seen. For the rest of the year, the Empire began to mobilize the largest single expeditionary force in it's history- some 5.8 million soldiers were assembled for the offensive (1.2 million to be under the command of Sergia and the rest for Porcinus), including over 700,000 cavalry, 40,000 pieces of artillery, and 5,000 warships of all classes. However immediately, tensions began to flare between Sergia and Porcinus who both felt that the other was getting too much favour and wished to outdo the other on the field of battle. Euthane also put their forces on a strict timetable, demanding that they have the whole North by midsummer of 4137. When Sergia informed Euthane that his fleet would need to circumnavigate the continent to reach the North as no docks could contain the size of his fleet, Euthane granted him this request on the condition that he give half his army forces to Porcinus. Sergia, accepted and Porcinus was left conflicted. On the one hand, he had gained more troops and thus would be able to have reserves if things went sour. On the other hand, Euthane had shown clear favour to Sergia in a way she never did to him. When Euthane turned a blind eye to Sergia replenishing his army with private troops and mercenaries, this only added fuel to the fire. Impatient, Porcinus began to march out. As this was happening, Northern spies brought word of the Empire's mobilization back to the Council in Friegard. Many councillors were dismissive of these claims, as they seemed too large to be true. When more reports arrived regarding the army, they were forced to believe it and began to prepare for the defense of their homeland. Both sides realized that Carmllya Pass, the largest pass through the High Top Mountains was the most logical spot for the bulk of Imperial Army to be located and both began to prepare for battle there. In the mean time, the North sent smaller forces to guard the lesser passes into the North and called on the member states to provide their own defenses where available. All were preparing for war as fast as they could and soon it would be on them.

When Imperial Troops crossed the Seizer River, then the border between the North and the Empire, they began to burn everything in their path, the war had truly begun. On March 14th, 4137, the two armies met for the first time (as proper armies, not counting skirmishes) at Carmllya Pass. Two nights before battle was joined, Euthane herself arrived at the scene and assumed total command of the armies present.

## Imperial Order of Battle

The Imperial Army at Carmllya under Empress Euthane the Mighty and Lord High Marshal Gabriel Marcus Porcinus was a vast host of some 5 million soldiers (200,000 had been sent to attack the other passes). It was divided into 3 Army Groups of 1.6 million soldiers. Each army group was made up of 4 Field Armies of 400,000. These were in turn divided into 4 corps of 100,000. These were then divided into 3 legions of 35,000.

These were:

* Group Corellion commanded by Grand Marshal Basileus Plyiades.
* Group Heironius commanded by Grand Marshal Livia Poppeia Artellis
* Group Lux commanded by Grand Marshal Publius Octavian Corvin

The army was supported by a huge corps of engineers (a good amount of which was slave labour) and artillery.

## Northern Order of Battle

If the Empire was known to suffer from internal debates and conflicts over command, then the North had it infinitely worse. The independent nature of the member states meant that there was no consensus over who would command the Northern Army and how individual states' troops would be incorporated into the forces. Ultimately they came to a compromise- they would have a rotational set of high commanders from the different states all under the supreme command of Pharaoh Re-Nepth of Kalik. Because of timing, Kalik only brought some 250,000 troops into the battle. Including the Kalikian forces, the Northern Army numbered some 3 million soldiers. The army was divided into 10 Northern Armies of 275,000 (divided into 5 corps of 55,000) plus the Kalikian Royal Army.

To prepare for the battle, the Northern troops built three lines of redoubts and fortifications (10 miles in total) along the pass. The individual corps were sent to defend each major sector.

## Battle is Joined

On March 14th, at 1:00 AM, the first shells were fired by both sides as the battle began. The shelling continued for another four whole days, turning the lush forest pass into a hellish landscape of craters and fallen trees.

Then the first Imperial assault began, with 45,000 Imperial cavalry and 50,000 infantry being sent to against a seemingly weak redoubt on the left defended by the 4th Northern Corps (part of the 2nd Northern Army). The assault was a huge bloodbath, with over 60,000 soldiers from both sides dead or wounded after the first hour of combat. Ultimately, the redoubt was taken and the Northern troops were forced back to the next line of defense but were able to retreat in good order. On the right flank, the Imperial army launched a series of shock attacks to draw out the Northern troops into the open. The North responded by sending skirmisher regiments of their own, turning the blown out forests into a tangle of snipers and death.

Over the next few weeks, the two armies clashed in a constant back and forth. Although the North was able to reclaim much of it's lost territory on the field, they were never able to push into Imperial lines themselves. It was a bloody stalemate.