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 Post subject: Invasion of Moratavia - Why was Treslau Pass important?
PostPosted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 4:09 pm 

Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2013 12:46 pm
Posts: 1353
I'm looking at the history prior to the beginning of the original Living Arcanis campaign. Both the Coryani Empire section and the Kingdom of Milandir sections talk about the Battle of Treslau Pass where nearly 500 soldiers held back the advancing forces for 15 days eventually being reduced to 23 survivors. It's an impressive tale, I just don't understand the need to take the pass. The entries note that Duke Adolphos withdrew his forces beyond the Pass. Looking at the maps and at the description of the Paerthian Mountains it's possible to ride around the entire range of 12 peaks within "a matter of days." The river is to Treslau's north, the city itself according to the description "lies in the mountains' shadow" and otherwise the land appears clear once you've crossed the Nardau River which Menesis did to initiate the invasion.

So, why attempt to storm the pass, attacking into a defensible gap rather than simply ride east around it to lay siege to Treslau itself? Anyone have any insights official or otherwise?

Strategically, I can see not wanting to leave an enemy to come up behind you, but given the relatively small number of forces left to guard the pass, part of a legion or one of the legions Menesis brought could have pinned the defenders in place forcing them to attack out of the pass if they wanted to threaten Menesis and in doing so would give up the advantage of the terrain.

Thoughts?


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 Post subject: Re: Invasion of Moratavia - Why was Treslau Pass important?
PostPosted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 5:31 pm 
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Joined: Fri Sep 27, 2013 1:06 am
Posts: 2109
Location: Portland OR
I believe it was a question of speed and time.

Menisis launched a surprise attack and needed to hit his objectives (reunification of the val'Tensen lands) before (a) Milandir fully mobilized, and (b) the Emperor learned what he was doing and shut down his (totally unauthorized) invasion. In that context the pass is a straight line to the ducal capitol of Treslau. Going around takes time, extends supply lines and maybe gets you involved in holding real estate that isn't that valuable.

For all that Menisis was one of the greatest strategic thinkers of all time, I think he blew it here. My personal opinion would be that he just couldn't believe, after his initial easy victories, that 500 infantry was going to stop his essentially divinely mandated mission to reunite the val'Tensen lands and free the trapped souls in purgatory. So he underestimated the resistance. It's also possible that under the circumstances the pressure may gotten to him too, and resulted in tunnel vision.

My thoughts.

To be sure, If he time travelled and got a do over, I suspect he would have done it differently.

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Eric Gorman

AKA Ambassador Tukufu, man of letters, tomb raider and Master Sword Sage
. . . and Sir Szymon val'Holryn, Order of the Phoenix
Formerly Sir Jaeger val'Holryn. Weilder of the Holy Avenger: Thonanos. Gave his soul to help free King Noen


Last edited by val Holryn on Fri Sep 06, 2019 10:11 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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 Post subject: Re: Invasion of Moratavia - Why was Treslau Pass important?
PostPosted: Fri Sep 06, 2019 8:37 pm 

Joined: Sat Oct 05, 2013 12:46 pm
Posts: 1353
Based on all the details I can see, I agree he blew it. It wouldn't surprise me if there are terrain issues (swamps, chasms, something) that don't show up on the high level map that would make the process of going around less appealing. I can certainly see him with tunnel vision. I'll figure out what I want to do in my world. At a minimum, The players are likely to discover a lost 1st Imperium fortress hidden within the Paerthian Mountains that I can always use as a rationale for going through the pass to help secure the secondary objective, assuming it was more than a myth.


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