Two Catapults Part 2

He watched every minute of the barrage and the siege go under way. Two catapults launched projectiles at the fort manned by just sixty-three defenders. With the catapults behind the tents and in the center of the camp, the army could defend their siege weapons. As the pair of catapults fired their ninth projectiles the Goblin overseer track-keeper focused his attention on the surrounding area. Several camps appeared during the night. From the way the camps were set up, reinforcements had arrived on behalf of the defenders.

            Did they come for the fort? Or are these just foolish adventurers and travelers unaware of the horde? The overseer had to know. With permission from one of the leaders he looked through the spyglass. The projectiles were hitting the target. However, parts of the fort were reinforced. It seemed thicker than the other day. All the defenders had increased in numbers somehow. This confused him a little until he took a closer look. Using his calculations this Goblin counted more than sixty-three defenders. What he got was a total of 147-200 or more defenders. Each time a projectile struck they all ducked. That amused him to some extent, yet he wished to see that wall down. He turned to the other camps counting about five of them.

            None of these camps budged to enter the fort or even attack small army besieging it. He could tell why they were hesitant. Their numbers were too few to attack the horde, yet they still came any ways. In one of the closest camps he counted just thirteen mounted warriors and soldiers. To the far left of the fort, another camp was set up. Eleven Uxane were camped there. They seemed more curious about the situation. It was assumed the village was close to their lands.

            Another camp sat further away to the south of the 13 mounted riders. Twenty armed militiamen, 4 barons soldiers, and two adventurers who appeared very anxious to go out to the fort’s aid. Nearby was a fourth camp under the leadership of some local lord. Whoever this lord was they brought 21 elf, and elemani mercenaries, ten of his soldiers/guards. Towards the east by north he spotted a single heroine leading a band of twelve men. Making a closer observation he counted 4 troops, a band of 4 men from another noble house, and another four men who are rangers armed with rifles.

            The goblin overseer track-keeper chuckled at seeing only 83 had come to the aid of this fort. He quickly warned the leaders who had already decided to send the Goblins, and the Gnolls first. A group of fifty or more were sent out to attack each individual camp. Frustrated the overseer looked through the spy glass to see the camps were already on the move. Thirteen riders raced for the fort leaving their tents up. All the others either scrambled to gather up camp, or did not seem to care. The Goblin’s gaze was ripped away by a rough tap on the shoulder. He turned to see a large Muskallan Rider clad in traditional armor. Just twenty-one Muskallan Raiders arrived to assess the current situation.

            One of them dismounted and snatched the spyglass to see for himself. The Goblin looked past their own frontlines to watch no more than two hundred fifty of his own kind, and Gnolls mixed in race after the group of reinforcements. At full speed the defenders made a run for this fort with hundreds of attackers coming towards them. For several minutes the leaders and overseer watched the first wave charge after the reinforcements, except the Uxane. Two catapults continued to fire projectiles at the defenders. All thirteen riders made it to the fort. That left about fifty to sixty of the fort’s aid outside. Despite the distance between them and the camps both forces pressed on except for the Uxane. At full sprint the attackers raced on while the reinforcements were halfway to the fort. It was not long before a volley of arrows was loosed from the fort. The defenders also fired a volley of rounds at the oncoming wave.

            Many of them fell in each group, stunning the unit. A few of the groups stopped while others pressed on. Due to their lack of communication the wave kept on receiving another volley. For several more minutes the Goblin watched as the wave caught up with the militia and baron soldiers. At the same time the lord and his troops were just approaching the defenders. The heroine’ party was drawing closer when the wave made a frontal attack on the reinforcements. Barely a hundred of the first wave survived the volleys. The Goblin overseer watched their first wave get flanked, outgunned, and cut down by the fort’s defender.

            A skirmish broke out at the doorstep of the fort, which ended with a barrage of bullets. All the leaders watched the rest of the reinforcements enter the fort. By the track-keeper’s calculations they would have to send a larger wave. Each leader had to be cautious this time. None of them wanted to lose more than a hundred men next time.

            When they began to plan a new strategy one of the new arrivals unsheathed a blade. He cut a Troglodyte’s head off. In a loud voice the Muskallan demanded for the rest of them to take that fort immediately. Fearing the wrath of the Muskallan horde behind them over one thousand two hundred seventy formed the second wave. In moments the catapults were ordered to cease firing. They were almost out of ammo and that fort had been hit with projectiles for five hours straight. As overseer track-keeper, the goblin was relieved of rushing out there. He was stuck with the catapult crew, twenty-nine Muskallan raiders and those two catapults.

            At the horde’s most forward camp the Goblin and their “masters” of the horde watched the second wave. For this second wave to be defeated would be a total catastrophe for this army and a huge embarrassment for the main horde. He knew that would ruin any plans their Muskallan, and Gontrellan Masters had for any future campaigns. This little Goblin marched over to the edge of the camp with an extra spy glass to watch the next round of the siege. Inside his head he prayed to the war gods they would succeed this time. Arrows shot from the fort and the next wave. Even bullets and shot were fired on the next wave. A few hundred member’s of the wave fell before the bulk of their forces reached the fort. Just a thousand Gnolls, Goblins, Troglodytes, and humans attacked this fort that was no doubt manned by close to three hundred defenders.

            Their forces brought the ladders to scale those walls. Every being with claws climbed the walls. Most of the fort’s front was attacked. It left the other flanks open for artillery to focus on. None of that even came leaving the attackers to take the fort with little to no support. Even though the catapults did not fire on the fort, the attack on the walls was a success. More than two hundred attackers managed to climb on the walls. Nearly half the defenders were ready. Gnolls and Troglodytes proved too powerful for the average villager who proved too strong for the lowest Goblin. Many defenders and attackers fell in the second attempt to take this fort.

            After hours of fighting the defenders had lost ground and most of their manpower. Closer to four hundred to five hundred attackers pressed against the remaining defenders. He imagined the remaining ones were the sixty-three warriors and their reinforcements. The Goblin scanned the area and saw most of the camps were empty. It was clear all the new comers were at the fort except the Uxane, who were contemplating on whether to help the defenders and flank the attackers from behind. By the time the small horde had taken over most of the fort those Uxane saw something heading their way. Each warrior gave out a war cry and prepare for a fight.

            In his view of the spy glass he saw the Muskallan raiders went after the Uxane still in their camp. Eleven Uxane warriors raised their weapons before going in to meet the raiders. Instead of watching the fight at the fort the Goblin watched eleven Uxane braves charge in to meet twenty-seven Muskallan Raiders out in the open field. Both loosed arrows at the other. On horseback they clashed in the middle of the field. Using lances, spears, clubs, axes, blades, and long knives Uxane and Muskallan killed each other.

            Having a skirmish with the only cavalry unit at your disposal never proved to be in anyone’s favor. One the cavalry was supposed to defend the artillery. Second how would the be able to send for reinforcements when all of them are dead? He watched the skirmish that did not last very long. Under a few minutes there only eight remained alive. All the Uxane horses either fled or received new masters. Seeing this as both a positive and a negative the Goblin checked the fort. It was finally captured, but at a great cost. Before making any calculations, the Goblin waited for all the people to come out of this fort and village.

            Every human in their army was dead. The vast majority of the Troglodytes, Gnolls, and Goblins lay dead. Their bodies made a trail from where the volley’s started to the fort. The remaining forces slowly exited the fort after a costly success. Among the defenders just 28 remained alive and wounded. Those who lived in that village made up the bull of the defense leaving women, children, youth, and the elderly. Out of all the attackers only 192 remained alive, cut up, and exhausted. There must have been 1000 people living in that village.

            One thousand or more people in that one village and many of their adults died defending their home. Approximately four hundred fifty-two of the villagers survived. No doubt many civilians died in the crossfire or in the barrage. Having lost more than a thousand of your forces in a victory was also a loss itself. One of their scouts who survived reported seeing the city of Tamoth not too far away. If there was anything that needed to be done it would be to get a move on.

            With 28 prisoners and four hundred and fifty-two possible slaves, and prizes the reduced army had to stay for another night. Those who regained their strength raced back to the fort to plunder food, ammo, guns, and any loot that could be found. A few months of food was found in the storage. Over two hundred twenty-eight rifles, and muskets, the hundreds and hundreds of melee weapons, and 4000 pieces of coin. All the prisoners were tied up and they watched them in shifts. The very next day two hundred and eleven Gnolls, Troglodytes, Goblins, and Muskallans were met with some reinforcements. 116 troopers, and soldiers arrived from Gontrella with two artillery pieces. Many of them observed all the prisoners, most of whom would be slaves soon. Coming in behind the Gontrellans was a convoy of wagons and carts for their loot. Far behind them was the main horde this reduced army came from.

            For nearly half a decade a decade the Muskallan tribes, and clans raided, pillaged, enslaved, and expanded their territory westward. They managed to recruit a huge following of thousands from all walks of life. Tens of thousands of Gnolls, Troglodytes, outlaws, thousands of renegade Uxane, brigands, looters, and nearly a hundred thirty thousand wild, uncivilized Goblins joined three tribes/clans of Muskallans. Plenty of Gontrellans, slavers, and countless bands of renegades, brigands, thugs, and outlaw gunslingers joined this horde. Three tribes of the Muskallans were behind this horde were seeking to eliminate the Troglodytes, and Gnolls to make room. Whatever way they could eliminate the hairy and scaly beasts worked for them. What better way than to lure into a conflict and fight for loot, prizes and their own slaves to keep.

            The Gontrellans had their say now since this force lost most of their men. Whoever was leading the Gontrellans must have had an interesting yet heating discussion. An officer marched up to the prisoners to inspect them from the way he walked. In the common language this officer asked for all the elderly men who survived to stand up. A total of seventy-three elderly and aging villagers stood up. Each one was tied up to the people around them. One by one these old men were cut loose and forced to stand at the edge of the camp. For some time, they brought the old men to the side. Their age did not allow them to walk quickly. However, it was surprising to see they were alive. In one motion all 73 were executed in a line. They asked for all the children to be separated from the rest of the prisoners. More than 124 children were grabbed and taken over to the convoy of wagons.