Crusade - James Lowder [110]
"The Tuigan should be here in an hour or two," Farl offered, drawing a large red arrow on the map to indicate the enemy's movement. "We've just been discussing alternative troop placements."
Walking to the head of the table, Azoun glanced down at the map and shook his head. "It's far too late to consider changing our plans. Our soldiers will expect us to array as we've practiced." He turned a meaningful eye to the commanders of the archers and cavalry. "As has been proven to my satisfaction, we can't undermine the men's expectations at this late date."
"But Torg isn't here," Brunthar Elventree noted. "Without his infantry support, my archers will be vulnerable."
Farl took a drink from a mug that was holding one corner of the map flat. As the paper curled slightly, he glanced at the dalesman. "The infantry we have now will be enough. Two thousand dwarves wouldn't make that much difference anyway." He smoothed the map and replaced the mug. "I agree with Azoun. We should stay the course we've plotted already."
Clearing his throat, Lord Harcourt added, "The plans we've set are sound.
They follow all the dictums and suggestions of the great battles of King Rhigaerd II."
Following his father's rules of war was not what Azoun had had in mind when he suggested an organization for the battle lines. Common sense dictated most of the placement, and the little the generals knew of Tuigan tactics suggested the rest. The king scanned the map and picked up a pen.
"This really isn't a matter for debate. We'll array as we planned," he said, inking the pen. "At least for this engagement… though with a bit of luck, we'll hurt the khahan enough that he'll turn now."
The generals all smiled and murmured their approval, but none of them truly believed such an easy victory was possible. Azoun didn't either, but he knew that he had to present his facade of confidence to his commanders as well as his troops. "Of course we can't rely on chance too much," the king added with a sincere smile. "Lady Tymora always favors those who make their own luck."
Azoun bent his attention to the map and sketched out the position he would take in the Alliance's battle lines. After marking a small blue crown, the king handed the pen to Farl, who positioned the infantry.
In a steady, smooth hand, the black general marked two lines to represent the footsoldiers under his command. The first line was centered slightly in front of Azoun's crown and ran wide to either side of the king's mark. "This will be the main body of infantry," he noted with his deep voice, glancing up at the king. "It holds most of our pikemen, spears, and so on."
Farl then added a second, thinner line behind the first. "And this is the second rank, made up of swordsmen rather than men with polearms." As the generals all knew, the second line was not there to stop a Tuigan charge, but to fight at close quarters once the battle got under way. Shorter weapons, like swords and axes, would be of far more use in a press than spears or pikes.
After taking the pen from Farl, Brunthar Elventree inked it again. "The archers go here, here, here, and here." Each location to which the dalesman pointed received a blotchy triangle of ink. When the archers' commander was done, four large groups of bowmen were interspersed along the second line of infantry.
Next, Lord Harcourt took the pen. With sweeping, ornate strokes, he added wings to the lines of infantry. "And the nobles will guard the flanks," he said, then bent down and added a few more marks to the map. "My cavalry will sweep in as soon as the infantry and archers have stopped the barbarians."
The last comment was stated as fact, and Azoun was pleased by the confidence Lord Harcourt seemed to be putting in the less experienced generals. Neither Farl nor Brunthar had been involved in a campaign on this scale before.
Finally the pen passed back to the king. He inked