After watching the battle with great interests [Having sent a mission to both the Goblin side and the Empire Side] the generals of the Order of the Black Shield Military Mission produced this following report for the Commandant on the military conduct of the Empire
To the Lord Commandant
I write to inform you of the dreadful and unexpected loss of the armies of the Empire against the incoming goblin tide. I wish in this message to discuss the reasons for this defeat. I have heard rumours in the Empire Taverns and even among respected generals that the muster from the EMpire was weak and that this was the resaon for their defeat. I would like to protest this before it reaches your fair ears. Those units that were so wantonly wasted by the respected generals are among the ones that are currently being described as weak. Nothing, my Lord Commandant, could be more untrue. The defeat of this Empire army was not, I suggest to you, the cause of a poor muster [Please read weak army list] and nor was it the caused by poor positioning of the troops. The defeat of this army was caused almost completely, from the way I see it, by tactical mistakes that were made by its generals.
As the lines approached each other I was sure of an Imperial victory. The position taken up by the empire army was a strong one, its ranged power was great and it had on its side magical and terrible beasts of war to humble anything which had been pressganged into service by the goblins. However from the opening orders I felt concern for the coming battle. The respected generals of the Empire did not show the experience with handling the units which they did not have great respect for. Two units of Outriders had been mustered and the opening moves of these units were poor indeed.
Though I have but little experience with Outrider units I know, as you must my Lord Commandant, that firing lanes are most important for these units. Both of them, during the deployment were deployed on the Right flank, protected by a nice smattering of trees. It was a powerful position frol which they could rain fire into the centre of the battle field and control the right flank. I fully expected the Imperial generals to leave them where they were, protected from incoming fire by the trees and with clear firing lanes. Their position would have made it all but impossible for the Goblins to advance on the Right flank and would have made an advance on the left flank expensive as it mqrched into fire.
However one unit was ordered into the centre and the other unit angled in such a manner as their firing lane was not as broad. I was hugely surprised by these orders, not only because they seriously narrowed the effect of the firing lanes open to the Outriders but because they also deprived the Outriders of the protection of the trees and opened their flanks to deadly fire from the Goblin artillery, deployed on the flanks of the goblin army. It was, I believe, a mistake born out of inexperience, but it was a terrible mistake all the same.
The goblin orders were becoming clear. Their arly was slowly rumbling forwards. Presented with the wonderful target of the Outriders they poured everything into that unit and completely routed it from the field of battle.
After this opening volley of goblin missles and magic the Imperial position was terribly weakened. The Goblin heros on their giant spiders were able to advance towards the bridge without the fear of the hail of bullets which they should, were it not for the mistakes made with the outriders, be facing. The spider riders were also able to show a bravery that is unknown to goblins.
At this point I feel that the Empire Generals began to feel the pressure of their earlier mistake. The movement orders were conflicting and it was difficult for anybody to reach an overall idea of what to do. I would point out that while the Imperial leadership was somewhat organized the lack of an overall leader to issue final orders hurt them in this battle. The orders when they finally came were very shocking. I felt that a regroup was needed. I also felt that it needed to be agreed that the centre of the battlefield was were the major engagements. The remaining outriders that xould have covered this central position were ordered forward, completely wasting their firing potential and the wizard of his gryphon was ordered to the left flank where he would have little impact on the important central area of the battlefield and he was open to the massed fire power which had destroyed the first unit of outriders. The mass of archers were not used to create a screen and nor were the knights held back for the deadly charge that they needed to be. The Empire lines were by now in something that esembled a shambles and I felt very worried for the outcome of the battle.
I will write again later with further information of this engagement as I need some time to consider the orders that were issued on both sides.
I am with respect,
Genral Vax du Bron
Order of the Black Shield Military Mission
