Battle of Baredisada

The Battle of Baredisada in 450 NE was the sole significant defeat of Noulaenic Army by an ethnic Carasalic army during the Noulaenic invasion of Carasala. The forces in the battle were a combined infantry and cavalry force of 12,000 Noulaenic soldiers and a mounted light cavalry force of 14,000 mounted Nadaric soldiers. The battle resulted in roughly 4,000 casualties for each side but was a substantial strategic victory for the Nadaric forces as it forced the Noulaenic force, which could not be easily reinforced, to retreat into the Daua hills and temporarily abandon the invasion of the Nadaric basin

## Background

Noulaenic forces had marched across much of Carasala, from Falea and through the Doucusa Valley, with little organized opposition. The Haraklina peoples of Dersialdara had repelled the Noulaenic invaders from that region, and hoped to arrest Noulaenic advance through Nadaria as well. To this end, the supplied the Nadaric peoples with arms, gold, and strategic advisers, and also spread anti-Noulaenic propaganda through the region.

Noulaenic forces were able to take and fortify positions in the Daua Hills south of Nadaria with relative ease despite these efforts, however, because the Nadaric cavalry was relatively ineffective on hilly terrain compared with Noulaenic infantry. Noulian regrouped its forces and added to its cavalry while fortified in the hills and advanced into the valley in 450 NE.

Compared with other attempts by Carasalic peoples to resist Noulaenic invasion, the Nadaric army at Baredisada was relatively large, well armed, armored, and organized. Rather than fighting as a loose association of tribal forces, the army was organized under a single general, remembered solely as General Miahee, and followed a single strategy.

The Noulaenic force was arguably better armed and trained, however, and Noulaenic combined arms tactics had previously proved effective against Carasalic cavalry. The Noulaenic generals were confident in their ability to break up the large force as they met it at a previously unnamed field (the field, whose name means "horse blood field" in Nadaric Rigini was named after the battle).

## The Battle

The Noulaenic force was expecting, and prepared for, a full frontal assault as this had been the typical tactic employed by Carasalic cavalry forces. The Nadaric force instead attempted an outflanking maneuver, using its more mobile cavalry to outmaneuver the Noulaenic forces and forcing the imperial heavy infantry into difficult maneuvers to maintain defensive position. These tactics were effective enough to prevent the Noulaenic army from breaking the charges and scattering the enemy cavalry, as they had done in previous battles. The battle was fought to a stalemate and was relatively even from a casualty perspective, but the Noulaenic force was forced to retreat to higher ground as they knew their forces were isolated and could not easily be reinforced in a war of attrition

## Aftermath

The Noulaenic army was forced to retreat to the hills where the invasion of the basin was temporarily abandoned, making the loss at Baredisada a significant blow to the Noulaenic invasion. Warfare in distant Casalanoua diverted troops from the imperial homeland of Malaena and the forces in Nadaria were not reinforced for a full decade, preserving Nadaric independence for a time.

The Noulaenic force was reinforced with troops from Malaena and mercenaries from Casalanoua and the invasion was resumed in 461 NE, however. General Miahee was captured during the Noulaenic victory at the Battle of Siabilou in 463 NE, leading to the end of organized Nadaric resistance.