World War Equestria

   The Badlands are characterized for its dry weather, desolate soil, strange rock formations and by the sweeping winds. It's much like the San Palomino Desert, but more rocky and less hot. The fighting here was not as fluid as the SP Theater, but it was more mobile than the north. 5 regiments composed the Badlands Army, the 4th Whites, 9th Grays, 13th Grays, 10th Whites and 3rd Cavalry. Hard Cider didn't ignore the comradeship of his fellow soldiers, and quickly became popular in his regiment. It must have been the Apple charm. But he had three best friends. Feldspar, a unicorn from a small mining town called Whinyapolis*, a pony with charm to spare, Light Treader, an earth pony born in the swamps around Ponyville who lost most of his teeth, spoke with a slight lisp, and Acre, an earth pony farmer from Dodge City. These four would be inseparable until the final months of the war.

    One day, the 9th was resting for ten minutes after marching for an hour. Cider found shade under one of the few trees, and laid back. Suddenly a Pegasus dashed through the resting ponies and went to the commander. Cider was joined by his friends under the tree. “Wat do you shpouse tat is about?” asked Light. “It's anypony’s guess,” Feldspar replied. Cider shook his head, “the cavalry might had made contact with the changelings, we could be seeing action soon.” Feldspar puffed his chest out, “it's about time! If the war ended before we saw action, how could I go home to the mares and say that I didn't kill any Changelings!” Cider and Acre chuckled, while Light guffawed. The pegasus dashed away. “To your hooves, quick now!” They got up. “The Cavalry has made contact with the enemy! We are going to destroy their army where it lies!” They managed a ragged cheer.

   After marching for three hours, they reached a pass in between two rocky mountains, filled with Changelings. “From!” The 9th formed ranks and had their spears jutted out before them. The pass was in such a way that three regiments abreast could march through the entrance, but only one regiment could fit in the place where they would fight the changelings. The changelings had archers behind their line infantry, ready to mow down any attackers. It would be a slaughter. But the commanders ignored the ground, and charged in the 9th, with the rest of the army behind them for support. Screaming a war cry, they thundered through the gap. Cider was beyond scared, this was his first combat and it would be bloody. The front rank impacted them with little effect. Shields were up against shields, and little was actually happening. But that was about to change.

    Cider heard sounds of war to his left rear. Almost like, they're behind…. Ciders face dropped. “THEY ARE BEHIND US!” he shouted. Half the Regiment turned around to see a mass of Changelings cutting through the 10th and 13th, and getting ready to cut the 9th off. The changelings in front of them charged, adding insult to injury. “Flee! FLEE!” The cry was passed down through the unit, and ponies began to gallop. He made up his mind as a changeling cut down the pony ahead of him. Cider lunged with his spear, but it was poorly aimed and was deflected with the head cut off. He drew his sword and met the changeling's. Two more slashes and parries followed until Cider got a lucky hit to the changeling’s side, killing him. His sword now properly wet, Cider began to flee. A small section linking the 9th to the others was still in Equestrian hooves, letting the Regiment retreat. Cider decided to take up station at the end of the gap, so he could still escape if it collapsed. Two charged him and with relative ease, Cider dismembered one and cut of a leg of the other. The changeling now missing a leg screamed in agony. But it would not last. With a good portion of the 9th still trapped, the section collapsed, sealing the fate of the ponies trapped in the pocket. The entire army began to collapse, and a rout was followed. Cider was vague on the details of the rout itself, so I can imagine he did things a pony would regret. Since the changeling army was still intact, they pursued with vigor, chasing the remains back to Dodge City before they reformed and repulsed the Changelings.

   Casualties were high. A quarter of the Southern Army had been destroyed with no ground gained. It was Equestria’s first major defeat, first of quite a few. It also destroyed the idea that changelings were inferior soldiers and tacticians, since they quite easily flanked around. One more lesson was learned, always recon the ground to prevent an enveloped. Now that all armies had been bloodied though, we were all veterans and more prepared for what laid ahead.