Battle of Shang Dang

[Zhou Yu]

The mountain city of Shang Dang is ruled by the bandit lord Zhang Yan who also rules over its sister city Jin Yang. Yet he is as not as strong as the lord of the Yuan Clan, the mighty Shao. Marching under the pretense of pacifying the region Yuan Shao has lead his armies to Shang Dang to contend for the city in a great battle.


Brown = Passable hills, movement speed is greatly reduced and it is impassable to all cavarly. Troops with low levels of training may pass but will suffer casualties.
Green = Grassland/plain/rock
Dark green = Forest
Black = Walls and buildings

I will NPC the defenders as the battle mod, any questions PM Zhou Yu.

The battle will be conducted under standard battle rules. Shao's officers will be added to the map as they join.

There is no overall time limit but each round has a limit of 5 days anyone not posting by then is skipped, there is NO turn order. The Yuan forces may arrive anywhere on the East side of the map.

The defenders have 2k troops to be decided by me on first turn. Although reinforcements from Jin Yang are possible.

[Cao Pi]

50 Militia
270 Han Swordsmen
135 Han Halberdiers
1270 Han Spearmen
380 Han Cavalry
500 Han Archers
100 Royal Guards
1500 Peasants
400 Light cavalry
2 siege rams
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It had been a while since the last battle, Hu Lao Gate. The battle was a great victory only because of Shao's leadership, without it a certain lose at the hands of Dong Zhou, Yuan was now the most powerful man in China. 3 battles and 3 victories, he but down the pathetic rebellion by Burai who has since taken Han Zhong and defeated the yellow turbans at Pu Yang. Can anyone stop Yuan Shao? No.

Yuan led his troops past the right hand side of the forest, he was ontop of his white horse wih Wen Chou and Yan Liang either side of him. The whole force came to a hault, Shao examined the possible routs.
"Yan Liang, take all the heavy cavalry around the back and use the mountains for cover, also take a siege ram. Wen Chou, you'll stay with me, we're going straight through the path. Its looks clear and even if there was an ambush we should be able to detect it before they ambush us."

Yan Liang took the heavy cavalry and made his way around the moutains, using them for cover away from the enemy's line of site from within the castle, Yuan's unit began to advance through the pass.

[Zhou Yu]

The fierce mountain wind whirled in mini dust tornadoes around the white walls of Shang Deng. But it could never match the pure ferocity pained across the faces of the Zhang Yan and his men. The Heishan bandits they were known as and greatly feared in this part of the land. They took what they wanted and even what they did not unless it was nailed down. There infamous leader Zhang Yan was known as quite the warrior as well and today he was determined to show it. Because he was furious, how dare a weak coward like Yuan Shao invade his territory confident only that his superior numbers would be enough to carry the day. Zhang Yan would have something to say about that for certain. He was not the type to take an assault like this laying down. He was savagely determined to Kill every last Yuan man he could get his hands on until the valleys ran red and he had Yuan Shao by the balls strung upside down from a tree. He spent the next few minutes cursing Shao again and making various threats against his person. He fully intended to carry out the threats as well no matter how physically impossible they sounded.

“Ying Bu your my top commander I trust you to take 500 of our mounted troops and move around toward the back of the hills don’t let any enemy troops threw in that direction. I will place 200 of our archers in the forest to the north to cover any sneak attacks from that direction. Although such cleverness is clearly above Shao’s ability.” Zhang Yan said laughing as he raised his spear and started to lead his men out from the front gate. A messenger had already been dispatched to Jin Yang to inform them of the situation.

Troops:
Total: 2k
Cavalry: 1500
Archers: 200
Swordsmen: 200
Spearmen: 100

[Zhou Yu]

Update:

Summery: Yuan Shao moves his forces forward toward the passes that lead to the city. Yan Liang and nearly 500 cavarly ride south. Zhang Yan splits his own forces as well sending cavalry south and some archers into the woods, his army has left the city.

Map: N/A

Troops losses: N/A

[Cao Pi]

"Keep up the pace men, we got to be able to take the castle from behind whilst the main force defeat their main army! Let's go!"
Yan Liang and his riders rode hard west around the mountain pass. They rode with great speed to try and make it to their destination as fast as possible, as their road was a long one, Shao's road was short.

Yuan Shao's men took a shout rest at the mouth of the pass, they eat and drank water, making sure they were fully ready for the battle.
"Arise son's of HeBei, today is the day we began our expansion, today signals the start of the Yuan control over Hebei and ultimately china. I cannot be stopped, You cannot be stopped, We cannot be stopped, we are the sons of Hebei! Arise now! Arise for war! Arise and conquer! Tonight, ShangDeng falls!"
Yuan Shao sat upon his horse, infront of his entire force, Shao gave a fist pump to the sky which was followed by a roar of cheering, swords clattered shields and the drums began to sound. Yuan's army was heavily motivated and focused, onwards they marched through the pass.

[Zhou Yu]

At the top of the pass on the high ground Zhang Yan lead the rest of his cavalry force heaving left the rest of his infantry to guard the city walls. Although the gates of the city still remained open in case. From this position of strength he could oppose Yuan Shao as he attempted to move on the city. His brought his cavalry up but kept them behind the rise of the high ground on top of the hill so his men were out of site although from the noise alone Yuan Shao would know there were there. Zhang Yan alone and a few of his commanders dared to crest the ridge line and look down the pass so they could watch the Yuan forces movement as they approached. This also meant he could deploy and manoeuvre his caver without Shao being able to see what he was doing. His men knew this land they had grown up here and they knew how to defend it. If Shao kept advancing up the pass it was about to get very bloody.

Ying Bu mean while was moving the rest of his cavalry south of the city where they awaited the enemy or further orders. Not knowing the enemy was not advancing from that direction they were out of the fighting for the moment.

[Zhou Yu]

Update

Summery: Yuan Shao forces advance along the pass directly toward the city but are blocked by Zhang Yan who moves his men up toward the top of the pass. His cavarly are just out of site as they are behind the high ground where it starts to slope down toward the city again.

Yan Liang moves his cavalry around the back toward the city at great speed. While Ying Bu and his cavalry are to the south of the sitting waiting further orders.

Map:


Troop losses: N/A

Enviroment damage: N/A

[Cao Pi]

Yan Liang and his men moved fast around the mountains, they had left the siege weapon behind with Yuan Shao to shed weight, they were quite a while away from their destination. Yan Liang was wary of ambushes and kept checking right and left all the time, but he spotted something that wasn't an ambush, a small opening between the two hills. Yan Liang came to ahault and raised his hand as a signal for the rest of the riders to stop.
"To the left men, we shall go through that passage. Let's go!" Yan Liang and his small army slowed the pace and made their way through the small passage.

Yuan Shao was at the back of his force along with Wen Chou and the rest of the light cavalry, They were slighty behind, and approaching the end of the cover from the hill. The spearmen led the way and they had reached the pass where they were going to attack from.
"Master Yuan" A spearman called, "Quick sir."
Yuan Shao rode out to the front from behind the moutain, Wen Chou and the rest of the light cavalry stopped.
"What is..." Yuan called but then realised he was calling about the army that was standing a few hundred yards infront of him.
"Spearmen, Halberdiers to the front, do not let their cavalry pass! Peasants and militia just behind them, Archers to the rear, swordsmen protect them. When the cavalry get within range fire at will. Wen Chou, they wont have been able to see you, to your riders back around the mountain and flank them! This is it men, hold your ground, these men are nothing." Yuan Shao rode out past his spearmen to taunt Zhang Yang.
"You hear that, you bandit scum are nothing!"
Yuan drew his sword from his holster and raised it into the air, there was a loud cheer from his men and the war drums began to beat, Yuan returned to the back of the army where he is protected by his royal guards. Wen Chou at this point had left to flank the enemy.

[Zhou Yu]

Zhang Yan looked down on Yuan Shao’s motley army as the arrayed for battle but made no offensive movement. Although his men stayed back behind the ridge line out of site he stood on top of it and could see clearly as Yuan detached the rest of his cavalry. This was an advantage for Zhang Yan the way he saw it but not enough of one. He wondered if Yuan Shao really thought he was stupid enough to charge down the hill into a line of spears and archers. He might be a cavalry general but he wasn’t a suicidal moron. His men had speed and the advantage of hight where they could see the enemy but the enemy could not see them. He would pick the moment for the battle at his choosing and it had not come yet. First he would deal with Yuan Shao’s cavalry then he would crush the arrogant lord himself. It was time to deploy his men for the battle. (Secret movement ensues, wont display on map.)

“Come Yuan Shao are you afraid to come and fight us yourself. Then why did you come here perhaps you just need some incentive.” Zhang Yan called taunting the arrogant lord back. A line of his riders appeared behind him on the ridge line also taunting him as well. If the enemy opened fire they would just step back behind the line of the ridge.

“I’m board of this, good thing objects tend to roll down hill.” Zhang Yan whispered to his men with a an conspiratorial wink. Some of his cavalry attacks ropes to large rocks and dragged them toward the top of the ridge although as of the moment behind it out of sight.

On the walls of the city they raised the alarm as Yan Liang as his men rode down the pass into site of the city walls. Spearmen and swordsmen raised their weapons in mocking gestures at the Yuan cavalry although they made no move to attack them. They stayed firmly behind the walls.

Ying Bu hearing the ruckus and getting a flag signal from the city knew that enemy cavalry had been located to the North West. He decided to take his cavalry back to re join Zhang Yan.

[Zhou Yu]

Update:

Summery: Yan Liangs cavalry force has diverted from original course and snuke threw the hills. They have now reached the walls out the city. The bandits have the walls guarded by a few hundred men although the gates are suspiciously still open.

Neither Yuan Shao or Zhang Yan seem willing to attack each open directly yet. A stale mate ensue while Wen Chou and his men ride around the other side of the hill. They are of course spotted by the bandits from there high position never mind the dust cloud they kick up. Zhang Yan seems to have a few plans.

Ying Bu has moved to rejoin his lord

Map:

Yellow
1) Yuan Shao
2) Yan Liang
3) Wen Chou

Purple
1) Zhang Yan
2) Ying Bu

Troop losses: N/A

Enviro damage: N/A

[Cao Pi]

Wen Chou army was placed at the pass entrance, waiting for the charge of Zhang Yan's cavalry but the charge never came something must be going on, maybe Zhang Yan has been underestimated.
"Men listen up! Their charge has not come yet, we move south from here and hit them from the rear, it will be more effective than flanking a stationed cavalry, move out!"
Wen Chou and his men road south hoping they would go unnoticed, even though Zhang Yan was stationed at a high point surely he could not see past two hills.

Yan Liang and his men made it through the pass, they had come out right next to the fort. Spear and swordsmen could be seen from on top of the walls but no archers, they must be stationed inside the fort, the gates were open but no man could be seen.
"I smell an ambush, men move into the forest, we'll fake a rejoining of our forces then charge through the north gate and take the ambushers by surprise and slaughter them." Yan Liang said to his men quietly, whilst ignoring the taunts from the men on the wall.
"I have no time for you!" He shouted towards them, "Men, regroup with the main army, these peasants aren't worth our time!"
Yan Liang and his men rode of into the forest.

Yuan Shao watched as Zhang Yan taunted him from afar, he was sat upon his horse with his fist clenched. The taunts were getting him, how can a lowly bandit say such things to the greatest man in china? Yuan Shao reached down to his holster and pulled out his sword and raised to forward in the direction of Zhang Yan's men.
"March! They are to scared to attack us we'll attack them!"
Yuan Shao's unit slowly began to mobilize towards the bandits, the archers began to fire their arrows into the flanks of the cavalry.

[Zhou Yu]

Zhang Yan watched the enemy carefully needing to react to whatever their next move was. He bit his lip he had not expected this from Shao. He was attacking with his infantry while his cavalry was clearly moving off in the other direction. As Shao’s army began to move Zhang Yan knew he had to come up with another idea. He was not ready yet to take out Shao in a frontal charge and he liked to be unexpected so he decided to keep Shao guessing when they would face off. He moved his horse back to try and avoid the shower of arrows.

“50 riders will wait here to push the boulders the rest of you with me.” Zhang Yan said turning his horse in the direction of the east pass where Wen Chou’s forces had been. He spurred his mount and his cavalrymen followed his lead they charged down that pass in hot pursuit of Wen Chou and his riders. His remaining riders dismounted to push the large rocks the final way to the top of the hill and then drop then down to roll toward Shao’s advancing troops, risking arrow fire to do this. Once that was done the survivors remounted and followed Zhang Yan

As Yan Liang and his men came near the outer forest they were meet by a hail of arrows. Not from the walls but from the archers hiding in ambush in the forest instead. (as mentioned in my first post) The archers unleashed multiple volleys on the cavalrymen who would be at a disadvantage anyway fighting in woodland never mind against an ambush. If the cavalry tried to close they would move back deeper to the wood and continue to fire. The Cavalry could not keep formation in the trees of move that much faster than them.

Ying Bu watched as Zhang Yans forces left heading east, he thought he had an idea what Zhang had in mind but he was not sure. His lord was an impulsive man tending to make his plans up as things went along. Still he had noticed the flanking move made by Yan Liangs cavalry. Knowing of the ambush he still knew the archers were outnumbered nearly 2:1. He decided to tip the scales. He lead 300 of his cavalrymen with him and counter charged Yan Liangs men as well his cavalry arriving a few minutes after the initial ambush. The other 200 of his riders backed away toward the south of the city again. The bandit cavalry splitting up yet again as was there style rather than fighting one large pitched battle.

[Zhou Yu]

Update

Summery: Yuan Shao’s army advances up the hill to attack Zhang Yan. However Zhang Yan’s men ride allow flowing Wen Chou to the south east instead of offering battle. An exchange of rocks and arrow is made between the two with a few casualties on either side.

Yan Liang takes his cavalry into the wood in an attempt to out flank Zhang Yan not knowing he had already move away to the east. His men are ambushed however by a unit of Archers and suffer heavy losses. Ying Bu then arrives to help fight off Yan Liangs battered forces with his own cavalry 300 men 3/5ths of his unit. The rest of which headed south not wanting to give Shao and easy path whichever way he moves next.

Map:



Troop losses:
Yuan Shao
25 Spearmen

Zhang Yan
20 Cavarly

Yan Liang
250 Cavalry

Ying Bu
25 archers
50 cavalry

Environment damage: N/A

[Cao Pi]

Yan Liang and his men rode into the woods but instead were ambushed by archers, an arrow flew across Yan Liangs cheek causing him to bleed a bit.
"Out of the woods men! We ride through the fort!"
Yan Liangs men dashed out of the woods in an attempt to take less losses, Yan Liang headed for the fort with his blade in his hand ready to cut down anyone that stood in his path.

Wen Chou's men headed south but the sound of hooves followed them, unless it was Yan Liang they were in serious trouble. As they reached the bottom they could go right towards the fort or left and back around the hills. Wen Chou reached the bottom and chose left, Wen Chou's force was smaller and faster so they could outrun them and meet up with the main army.

"Cowards" Yuan Shao whispered under his breath, using boulders and going for the smaller army, typical bandit.
"Spearmen follow the cavalry, if they try to return this way you will kill them."
The spearmen followed the cavalry through the pass, by the time they had reached the entrances they could see Wen Chou's cavalry unit turning left back up across the mountain path, assuming they followed Wen Chou, they moved towards where the cavalry would be coming to attack them.

Meanwhile Yuan Shao mobilized his unit towards the fort with the archers firing at the cavalry unit near the forest, the halberiders were setup ready for a collision with them.
"Men, if we can take the fort then victory is ours!"

[Zhou Yu]

Zhang Yan watched as Wen Chou tried to escape the trap he had ridden into. He was heading back through the hills to scare to face him. He scowled he wanted to run them down and block there escape. However one of his men tapped him on the shoulder to alert him to the enemy spearmen coming his way. It looked like he had better give up then for the moment. This battle was just getting interesting and he just needed Shao to slip one time to wound him.

“Alright boys lets not push our luck, ride through the right passes back toward the city.” Zhang Yan called taking the lead and bearing off back toward his base. His men cursing the enemy cowardice did the same.

Unsure what to do but unwilling to see Yuan Shao set up camp next to their city the 200 riders Ying Bu had left (unit 3) south of the city moved up on the east city of the city heading north toward Yuan Shao. They hugged the side of the hills and kept out of bow shot for now.

Seeing Yan Liang making desperation charge at the city the warriors inside did not panic. They did not even shut the gate the enemy commander did not have the troops or the tactic position to do anything. A small company of spearmen just moved under the gate blocking it off. The men on the walls above dropped rocks while the spearmen tossed there spears at the cavalry below. Ying Bu not the type to give up followed fight behind Yan Liang and charged his troops while they pinned him against the gate and walls, the archers following behind him. Once they finished off what little remained of the enemy they would enter through the gate and lock it behind them.