Morlen's Stand
Morlen's stand took place at the southern edge of the Gnarlin Forest. The forces of Serica forced an engagement with the retreating Dwarven forces. King Morlen settled in to possibly make a final stand and hope they could hold on long enough to fall back to the Glittering Mountains. King Histoph had his armies surround surround the Dwarves in a pseudo siege. King Histoph did not want to fully engage the dwarves and continued to look for weak spots he could charge and found none. Histoph continued to keep the Dwarves surrounded waiting for a large group of reinforcements to initiate his attack. Once they arrived King Histoph planned to attack the next day. While this was happening legions from The Republic of Solden and Vernica arrived in the night and prepared to attack the Sericans.
The Conflict
Prelude
The Dwarves were continuing their retreat over the Guira plains back towards their mountain holds. They sent for reinforcements from their hold as well as requesting help from The Republic of Solden and Vernica in return for gold, weapons, and an alliance. Lucky for the Dwarves the Republic already was planning on marching on Serica to reclaim their lost colonies and moved to help King Morlen. King Histoph was deadset on trying to bring an end to King Morlen's remaining troops and kept them surrounded and awaited for reinforcements to make sure they could destroy them quickly and succinctly without taking too many casualties.
Deployment
Serican reinforcements arrived at the end of the day and King Histoph planned on attacking the next day. They had the Dwarves surrounded and were planning on hitting them from every direction at once to overwhelm the defenses and crack a hole in their weakest spot.
The legions from The Republic of Solden and Vernica were less than a days march from the site of the battlefield and their scouts reported the situation that was happening. They managed to go undetected by the Serican scouts and would crash into their back lines.
The Dwarves had formed a large circular shield wall with the hammerers preparing to exploit any gaps in the Serican lines and hopefully cause a route of a section of the attacking force. They continued to try and pelt the enemy with their remaining artillery and musket rounds to try and make the numbers more equal.
The Engagement
The battle commenced the morning of the day after the Serican reinforcements arrived. The foot troops of Serica rushed to meet the lines of the dwarves and crashed into their shield wall. The battle lasted for 2 hours with neither side making any significant gains in one way or another. Fighting was at a standstill and neither side was losing troops at a significant rate. The Republic's scouts reported that the battle had already commenced and the legate immediately got his troops ready and marched to the battlefield.
The Republic's troops were spotted by the rearguard of Serica's army and word reached King Histoph as soon as possible and he immediately began reforming his lines to meet the Republic's coming forces. The Dwarves were no longer surrounded and began to spread out and engage in more traditional battle lines. The Republican forces rushed into the lines of Serica and King Histoph began making plans to flank the legions with his heavy cavalry. The Republic's legions continued to press into their lines, but spotted the flanking cavalry headed for their rear lines. Several centuries turned and threw their remaining pilum at the charging cavalry forcing them to break off the charge. This opened them up to a salvo of Dwarven musket rounds tearing through the thick armor of the heavy cavalry. Realizing his best chance of winning the battle was effectively taken out of combat King Histoph ordered a full retreat.
Once they fully began to route King Morlen personally thanked the legate and asked her to inform the consul for an audience to discuss the terms of the treaty. The Republic forces chased the Serican armies all the way back to the Mydon Peaks with support from the dwarves ending the First War of the Broken Holds.
Outcome
The Dwarves thanked The Republic of Solden and Vernica and helped push King Histoph back into Serica
Aftermath
The Dwarves formed a lasting alliance with the Republic supplying weapons and gold in return for food and manpower.
Included under Conflict
Conflict Type
Battle
Battlefield Type
Land
Start Date
-1398
Conflict Result
The Republic saved the Dwarves from destruction at the hands of the Serican army
Belligerents
Strength
Dwarf Forces
4,000 Dwarven Hammerers
5,000 Dwarven Shield Bearers
3,200 Dwarven muskets
30 Dwarven Light Cannons
900 Dwarven Artillery Crew
Republic Forces
10,400 heavy infantry
600 cavalry
6,000 light infantry
22,000 Serican medium infantry
6,000 Light cavalry
2,300 Heavy Cavalry
4,000 Serican light infantry
Casualties
Dwarf Forces
1,000 Dwarven Hammerers
1,600 Dwarven Shield Bearers
300 Dwarven Muskets
200 Dwarven Artillery crew
Republic forces
1,800 heavy infantry
300 Cavalry
2,000 Light Infantry
4,800 Serican medium infantry
2,000 light cavalry
1,100 heavy cavalray
1,800 light infantry
Objectives
Survive the attacks of the Serican army
Destroy the Dwarven army and capture King Morlen
Comments