The sounds of marching boots echo throughout the forest, as lines of men dressed in partial plate, mail, and gambeson march along an old forest path. With each step echoing for miles as the 11,000 strong Human army continues onward towards its goal. Each man knowing a battle is to come soon, and are prepared for any ambush or air skirmishes by the flying horses. Thus, one tenth of every man that has a ranged weapon has it loaded at all times. prepared in case they need to repel an attacker. With around seven thousand men being well trained from the king's own retinue. While the remaining four are volunteers, crusaders, and militias from all around the human territories. Varying in equipment and training. Some wealthy crusaders bearing full plate and riding on destriers while wearing their holy symbols on surcoats. While others wear simple chainmail or gambeson, coming in for the chance to rid the world of the false gods of the equines. Or merely for adventure or gold. Each being assigned to groups, singing their songs, conversing and loudest of all. Marching. Flanked on both sides by dense forests.
But all noise in the forest is practically nonexistent compared to the marching of the men. And the clopping of their cavalry, screening the front in a wide arc and protecting their back and supply train. Which carries the various things needed for an army on the march. Food, water, families of some men, assistants, feed for horses and livestock, spare weapons, blacksmiths tools, armorer tools, carpenters, and various other necessities to keep the army ever marching.
The Army's leader, a king, a warrior, statesman, and strategist all in one. As close to a perfect ruler as you can get, leads this invasion into the lands of the talking horses. So arrogant that their magics and their fictional control of the celestial objects will scare him from invading. He will prove to the world that there is only one god and thus this crusade of his will reveal the lies of these 'alicorns'. Perhaps even annex some vital arable land for his kingdom and set up a puppet in the 'alicorn's' place so rival kingdoms do not see this as a power play, and so his holy volunteers do not desert. But that it is all in the future. He must focus on the present, as they march ever deeper into the 'equestrian' lands, the horses will have noticed by now. Hes sure of it. Clouds do not move on their own so quickly.
But hearing the chants of his men, the cries of 'deus vult' and marching songs to pass the time calm him down slightly. Wishing he could be there for his pregnant wife, but a job like this cannot wait. He has prepared for this for too long and any longer and volunteers will begin to return home to their farms and families, and weapons will rust and become a waste. Especially the new powder powered weapons he has acquired from the lion birds. While they took some work from his master blacksmiths and woodworkers to make them suitable for human hands, they appear to be well worth it. able to penetrate armor easier than arrows, and half the time and strength to train to use them. While slow to reload, one of his commanders had an idea to fire only the front row and have them rush behind to reload, while the next line prepares to fire. A Genius idea. He claims god gave him a vision, yet whether or not he did, it will suit us well on the battlefield. Not to mention the Pikes tactics that his mountain living Mercenaries were payed to teach his army such an effective tactic, Especially one against cavalry. The king smiles as he ponders the effect of these new weapons and tactics on the battlefield. Finally they will have a match for the horse's magic and flight. They cannot avoid a projectile they cannot see, and the sound will make their more sensitive ears bleed in close range.
He looks ahead of him to his army. All on guard yet happily singing along to an old song about an old battle long romanticized. He cannot help but sing along, While his personal guards sing along with the king. And soon the whole line is singing merrily in sync as they march into enemy territory. Coming closer and closer to a large bridge over white river...
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The sound of clopping hooves echo across the vast farmland of the equestrian countryside. As the royal guard march to the defence of their homes. Over five thousand royal guardsmen from nearby Cities have been assembled, Clad in plate and mail, While holding their lances on their sides. Most are unicorns, whos only weapon are their horns. While the remaining few are predominantly pegassi, as earth ponies have difficulty attaining royal guard status with the massive advantages the other two races have in combat.
Yet the army consists of mostly earth ponies, as the local towns and village militias flock to the guards army as they are levied to defend their farms. With any pegassi given scout and skirmisher roles, and any unicorns being taught basic missile spells by the guards at each day of camping to increase their combat effectiveness. But most militia members are earth pony farmers, few wearing proper plate armor, as only the richer of the landowners can afford such luxuries. Most make do with chainmail handmedowns and gambeson. Armed with swords, spears, and crossbows. Their militia training vairying deepening on the wealth of the town, city, or village they come from. With the more skilled ones giving the rest some degree of training.
Altogether the force is roughly 16,000 Strong, with only Five thousand being trained royal guards. from the nearby garrisons. The captain of the royal guard, Whom leads this army of ponies contemplates his situation. Various scouting parties have been sent out and found out where the human army is. Giving them an advantage, Yet reports state they are well armed. And many appear to be trained, at least in marching. The scouts estimates vary from a few thousand to tens of thousands. They may have an advantage in the amount of trained infantry they field, as well as their affinity for melee combat, They may be outnumbered, according to his more reasonable estimates from his own guard scouts. And due to the path they follow. Using a map to find the best suitable defensive ground for his army.
As he stares at the map. The words and symbols eventually melding together as he daydreams. He ponders about retreating to a more defendable location, perhaps awaiting re-enforcements. But His thoughts go to his family in the nearby city. What might happen to them and the ponies of the undefended towns and villages if this army is defeated and they are able to ransack the country. There arent any guard garrisons near enough to stop them from storming a city. He has heard many stories of the brutality of these.. Barbaric humans. How they treat their own kind in warfare. How they disobey the honorable rules of war, to not stick their arrows in poisonous things, to spare nobles and ransom them. No these humans only wish to win. And care not for the value of honor and glory.
No. There can be no retreat. No surrender. He must defeat this invading band of barbarians before they spill the blood of innocents. Who have done no wrong other than be in the direction of these monkeys. He cannot fail here. Let Celestia help him in this time pressure. He will not let her holiness down. Lest he get sent to taurtarus for failing his oath to her. He checks the map again and spots a point that the humans MUST cross in order to reach the populated areas of the land. A Unfordable river with only a single bridge on it. He will make a stand at white river......
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Author's Note
Hope you like this concept of a story. If you like it leave a comment on what you like or dislike about it.
Especially if i made any spelling or other mistakes.
The Scouting of White River
The scouts and cavalry skirmishers of the human crusading army continues its patrols ahead of the main group. Searching for a suitable campsite they can fortify and wait for the rest of the crusading armies to begin their trek into this equestrian land. Their force is merely a vanguard, a force to set up a safe location for all the groups to meet in the field before marching onward to victory. But for now the scouts have one objective. Find flat land near water. And so they continue riding. Using the dense trees to shield themselves from the flying horses that think they are unnoticeable in their moving clouds. If only some of the scouts were allowed the arquebus' then they'd scare them off. But they'd also reveal their own positions, So the scout leaders order silence among the scouts unless its an emergency.
Within the hour, the front most scouts report back, a large clearing has been spotting near a river. With the only bridge across it on the way. The clearing is very flat and has the forest close enough to provide wood for palisades, but not too close to hinder the expansion of a temporary fort. A perfect location. The scout leader quickly sends two riders back to report on their findings while taking his scouting party to the forestline and watch the skies. Trying to see if the flying horse scouts have a pattern where they can slip by and rush across the bridge to scout the other side, and hide in the, albeit thinner woods across the river.
Within minutes of watching the horse scouts begin flying away and once out of sight the scouts charge out. Barreling towards the bridge while watching the skies. Hoping the scouts' replacements are a few minutes off. With each meter closer to the bridge feels like it takes years. But they rush onto the bridge unhindered, a rather sturdy bridge for a species that posses no opposable thumbs. The scouts do not ponder on how the bridge's construction was created, as they cross it at a breakneck pace, Their armor rattling as they attempt to hold onto what they can to cease its noise as much as possible. But soon they rush into the treeline and let their steeds, and their hearts to rest. Continuing to watch the skies yet seeing no moving clouds or colorful heads peeking out they assume they are safe.
"Men, rest up for the next few minutes. After that we must hurry, An army could be close by. And we certainly dont want to be surrounded by those flying horses." The scout leader states, as he takes a swig from his waterskin and wipes the sweat from his head after taking his helmet off. He relishes the short rest, as he will not be able to while on this side of the river...
---------------------------------Meanwhile---------------------------------
The Royal guard scouts are spread too thin to scout on their own. So most are paired with a militia pegassus to both keep the experienced scouts in a longer rotation for rests, and to teach these pegassi about scouting in the field. A decision this guard scout dispises. Sitting upon a small cloud merely a few hoofs away from this babbling fool of a pegassus. Who refuses to cease bragging about his 'accomplishments' that, in his mind, make him as qualified as a scout as herself.
"-and then while i was flying with the weather cloud i out of all my group spotted the timberwolf sneaking up on the earth pony farmers. I shouted at it and threw my trusty javelin at it and scared it off! I was basically a hero after tha-"
"Will you shut your trap!" The Mare Guard yells to the stallion next to her. On the verge of tossing her helmet at him to knock his teeth out. "You've been yapping this entire time ive been with you about your imaginary accomplishments Were here to spot any of those humans who might try to cross the bridge!"
"Their not imaginary! I did scare off a timberwolf!" The stallion shouts back, puffing up his chest in an idiotic attempt to seem more threatening.
"Timberwolves don't even live in this part of Equestria!"
"Y-yeah well this one must have wandered off!"
"Look, shut your mouth, before i tell the captain to put you on latrine duty!" She yells at him. Silencing him for once. "That's what i thought "Hero"" She says sarcastically.
The stallion grumbles under his breath while looking over the edge of the cloud, mentally thinking of comebacks that would have made him win the argument. Daydreaming about how he will single handedly lead the army to victory after the captain gets hit with an arrow and concedes command to him. But his fantasy is interrupted by noticing something move in the treeline below. A brown pony- No, a large pony steps up before retreating back into the treeline.
"Hey i think-"
"I dont care what you think. Just shut up and let me watch for the BOTH of us."
"I saw something!"
"You did? where?" She states, in a tone that conveys her distrust that he actually spotted something.
"There! a large brown pony" He points to the spot where he spotted the pony but it is gone. "it must have gone behind the trees!"
"Yeah suuuurree and i saw a flying human in the sky!" The mare says with sarcasm practically oozing from her statment.
"Really! where!"
"My god you are the village idiot." She facehooves before grabbing the cloud. "Thats it im calling it in early. Ill let someone else deal with you when we get back. Now help me push the cloud."
The stallion glares at her before grabbing the cloud and flapping his wings along with her. Taking the cloud back to the army and pegassus cloud outpost. Grumbling under his breath that he did see something he takes one look behind me to spot a brown tail disappear on the treeline on this side of the river. Deciding that its probably just the wood and that maybe he is starting to see things instead of just lying about seeing things....
---------------------------------Meanwhile---------------------------------
The Human scouting party continues their trek inwards. Keeping off the main path as the trees continue to thin out and they are forced to spread out wider and wider to avoid being easily spotted. Each man taking under one tree before moving to the next tree. Out of the seven man team, three continuously look at the sky. Alerting the others whenever a moving cloud or flying horse is spotted nearby. The frequency of which increases the further they go along. Logic dictating that their main army or camp is nearby. The scouts wishing to at least climb upon the nearby hill to get a vantage point before retreating back depending on what they see.
They wait for the right oppertunity, As the hill is fully exposded with little large foliage and trees. Not to mention the sun is directly above them, making their armor and weapons shine in the sunlight when the come out of the safety of the shade. The scouts begin to 'dirty' their metal armor with mud and dirt, so that it wont be as reflective and give away their position. One scout wonders why they didnt do this earlier.
The air watchers signal the rest to begin going up the hill. Three of them dismount their horses and begin to sneak their way up. keeping an eye out while the others watch the skies and their backs. Each bush providing some safety for the man inside and a bit of rest from the hot sun. But after a few seconds they continue upwards. Crouching down once they get closer to the top, then once they are about to crest the hill they lay on their bellies and crawl up. Looking over the hill to see a large column of ponies marching towards them on the dirt road. The area behind the equine army being flat plains with farmland in the distance. The scouts quickly memorize as much information as they can about the army. As well as noting about the cloud outpost attached by rope to a large wagon. As the army gets closer the scouts spot many Winged Horses heading in their direction, and forgo stealth in favor of getting back to their steeds as quickly as possible. Darting off the hill towards the treeline. The Winged horses, whom apparently did not see them quickly change course to go directly for them. a crossbow bolt striking the general area of the running scouts. While the remaining scouts on their horses begin untying the horses from the trees, and grabbing their shields to defend themselves.
The scouts on foot quickly leap onto their horses and get them to gallop quickly. Darting forward as the Winged horses begin to fly out of their cloud resting spots and towards the scouts, causing the scouts to pray to god to protect them as they head onto the road to avoid having to weave through the trees. Each second the horses gallop towards the bridge the Flying horse get closer and closer. One scout even grabs his cross on his neck and loudly prays while looking behind him. Seeing a Flying horse mere metres away, holding a spear ready to stab into his horse to dismount him.
But before the Equines could reach the Scouts, the winds change, And begin blowing in the direction of the pegassi, Causing them to be slowed by the wind. Making a few faulter and decide to land while a couple others attempt to fly diaginally or simply brute force their way forward. But all these cause the scouts to gain ground. And as the flying horses appear to lose ground the scouts all cheer while galloping over the brdige, Two shouting 'Deus Vult' repeatedly while another begins laughing as they gallop back to their side of the bridge. The Flying horses then cease their chase and return to their army. Much to the relief of the scouts.
"DEUS VULT DEUS VULT DEUS VULT!!" The scouts chant out as they gallop past the treeline. Ready to deliver their findings.....
---------------------------------To be continued---------------------------------
