The Three Day War
With the Barony of Bolunburg having gone through a difficult period of succession, following the death of the previous Baron in 533S.E., their northern neighbours the Barony of Zeiten took the opportunity to attack, hoping that Bolunburg’s apparent weakness would lead to an easy victory and conquest.
On the 09/05/534, Zeiten’s forces crossed the border into the Barony of Bolunburg, and began to push south towards the baronial seat of Hoffstadt. The army of Zeiten moved incredibly quickly through Bolunburg with their cavalry forces raiding neighbouring villages and farmsteads ahead of the main column. Other than a couple of skirmishes between outriding cavalry forces, there were no military engagements to speak of in the initial hours of the campaign, and for nearly two days, the forces of Zeiten were able to march their way through the countryside of Bolunburg more or less unmolested.
On the evening of the second day, the army of Bolunburg finally came into view, protecting the narrow strip of land, known as the Furtwald Pass between the Felsspitze Mountains and Lake Lagune, through which the main road down to Hoffstadt passes. With the night drawing rapidly in, the order was given for Zeiten’s army to make camp for the night, with the view of assaulting Bolunburg’s position the next day.
On the morning of the third day, both sides drew their battle lines, and at around 9 o’clock in the morning, the army of Zeiten was given order to begin their assault. The Battle of Furtwald was a disaster for the Barony of Zeiten as, unbeknownst to them, the army of Bolunburg had spent the past two days fortifying their position and covering the landscape of the Furtwald Pass in traps. The fighting raged the fiercest around the ruins of a temple in the middle of the Furtwald Pass, and it was here that the Baron of Zeiten, Otto von Zeiten was captured as he attempted to flee and lead his troops in a withdrawal, as his champion and cousin, Gerhard von Zeiten valiantly engaged Baron Bernd von Bolunburg in single combat and died buying his lord time to escape. . Baron Otto von Zeiten very nearly managed to get away, but a well-aimed crossbow bolt killed his horse, and trapped him beneath it.
Once Baron Otto was extricated from under the corpse of his mount, he was brought before the victorious Baron Bernd von Bolunburg and forced to end the conflict with a humiliating peace treaty bringing the war to an end within three days, after which the war has been known ever since.
The Conflict
Outcome
The Barony of Zeiten was forced to pay an indemnity of 300,000GP, along with a separate sum of 20GP payed to each of the families of Bolunburg who had lost a relative in the Battle of Furtwald. The troops from Zeiten which had been captured were held as prisoners in the Barony of Bolunburg for the 5 years it took Zeiten to raise the necessary capital to pay of the war debts. Although the terms of this peace did not cripple the Barony of Zeiten it did weaken it significantly, and it has taken nearly 20 years for the barony to regain some semblance of its former glory.
Included Conflicts
Conflict Type
War
Start Date
09/05/534
Ending Date
11/05/534
Conflict Result
The Barony of Bolunburg emerged victorious over the the forces of the Barony of Zeiten following a crushing defeat of Zeiten's forces at the Battle of Furtwald
Location
Belligerents
Strength
The Barony of Zeiten fielded a combined force of over 5000 infantry and missile troops and around 600 cavalry.
The Barony of Bolunburg brought a force of around 3500 infantry and missile troops to the field of battle, and over 900 cavalry troopers.
Casualties
Dead - 2041
Wounded - 1203
Missing in Action - 107
Captured - 703
Dead - 1376
Wounded - 698
Missing in Action - 217
Objectives
The subjugation of their neighbours the Barony of Bolunburg, and the expansion of territory, power and trade resources that would come with that.
Defence of their homeland, and through that to cripple the military power of the Barony of Zeiten.
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