Big Hits is a new article series by the Times that highlights decisive military victories in battles that count. The articles explore and contextualize the tactical, strategic and political implications of major offensive or defensive plays by Illyriad combatants to promote the military aspect of the game in both war and tournament settings.
The Times wishes to thank both Walkyr and The Honey Badger for their cooperation and sharing of information to make this article possible.
On a small, parched hill in Pawanallpa, tens of thousands of greenskin spear units looked onward at CleopatraMurk’s smoldering city of Pampas in the distance, as bombardiers from a Deathmongers siege loaded a new volley for the catapults. While the commanders prepared to give the signal to fire, the dry ground beneath their feet cracked and shook and, turning to their rear, a wall of dust approached them with a rumble of thunder accompanying the advance. As the cloud came closer into focus, the orc siege army and its complement of reinforcing troops beheld a column of light cavalry approaching at incomprehensible speed and ferocity. Orc scouts counted them as 19,000 strong.
The elven swiftsteeds had left their city of Nature’s Bounty NESB in the Farshards, and rode almost uninterrupted, stopping only briefly for watering and feed, exhorted onward by the elven magic and deep spiritual love held between themselves and their elven masters. The greenskins quickly closed ranks and reformed the line to protect the catapults and their accompanying storm army, but as the sheer size and scope of the elven cavalry become more clear, the orc commanders could clearly see that this would be their final battle. Moments before the first line of cavalry shattered the greenskin ranks, the swiftsteeds became fully spiritualized, and townfolk watching the battle from a nearby hamlet reported that in their blurred gallop, all of the steeds’ hooves left the ground, levitating for what seemed like an eternal moment before crashing down into the orc ranks.
11,253 swiftsteeds died in this great battle, and the elven blood spilled that day along with their thoroughbreds managed to exterminate the Deathmongers’ siege on CleopatraMurk in its entirety. In total, 27,313 orc spears perished, along with siege equipment and commanders. Had the assault been on plains, the cavalry would have had even fewer casualties.
The Illyriad Times 