2nd Battle at the Springs of Eternal Life

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2nd Battle at the Springs of Eternal Life
Conflict War against Nagash
Date -1744 IC
Location Springs of Eternal Life
Outcome Victory for Rasetra and Lybaras
Combatants
Numas, Khemri, Zandri Rasetra, Lybaras
Commanders
Nagash King Rakh-amn-hotep
Strength
Losses/Survivors


The 2nd Battle at the Springs of Eternal Life was fought between the combined armies of Lybaras and Rasetra against the combined forces of Khemri, Numas and Zandri under Nagash. [1a]

History

After winning the first Battle at the Springs of Eternal Life, Rakh-amn-hotep was forced to retreat when a much larger army bared the way to te Springs. [1a] He returned with his fellow king, Hekhmenukep and the combined army of the two great cities and marched out again to face the enemy. [1b]

Deployment

The armies of Nagash deployed their spearmen in a shallow crescent about 4 miles across with archers from Zandri some fifty yards before them. The flanks were protected by Numasi light cavalry and heavy cavalry were deployed behind dunes on the left whilst formations behind them were hidden by mist rising from the Fountains. All this was revealed to the two allied kings rising high above the battlefield on a Sky-boat. [1b]

Battle

For several hours the forces of Nagash held their position as the allied armies of the East re-deployed sending 10,000 Rasetran heavy infantry with archers against the centre and right flank, supported by the lighter Lybaran infantry who were tasked with beheading the fallen to prevent them rising. [1b]

The Lybaran artillery began firing on the enemy spearmen as the infantry advanced, and soon the Rasetran archers were duelling with the oppposite numbers from Zandri. Although the heavy infantry cut down many spearmen, they did not break the line before they became tired. As the attack seemed to falter, the mechanical giants advanced, causing the bowmen to flee but the spears held fast even as huge weapons began to scythe them down. Tge left flank buckled and then collapsed as the Lizardmen followed the giants and tore into the infantry, soon joined by War Scorpions. [1b]

Screaming skull catapults attempted to destroy the giants, felling four but the damage was done and the infantry fled, forcing a charge by the heavy Numasi horse to try and hold the line. The charge faltered as the horses scented the lizardmen and a counter charge by the Rasetran chariots and allied heavy cavalry shattered the finest heavy cavalry in Nehekhara. The Sky-boats bombarded and destroyed the catapults, victory was certain. [1b]

Aftermath

The Sky-boats moved towards the Springs to take on water but as they descended through the smoke and mist that shrouded them, they discovered a horrifying sight. The sacred waters had been filled with rotting corpses, covering the once silvery waters with a scum of corruption and foulness. [1b]

By the army encampment, Nagash and his immortals stood and unleashed a ritual that sent a vast swarm of ravening insects at the aircraft, devouring the canvas bag that held the air spirits and sending them crashing to the ground. [1b]

Order of Battle

Armies of the East

Armies of Nagash

  • Numas
    • 8000 Heavy Cavalry. [1b]
    • Light Cavalry. [1b]
  • Zandri
    • Archers: blue-clad forming a skirmish line. [1b]

Sources