Hastyr's invasion of Kheltika

OVERVIEW
In the summer of 46 ABH, the legions of Hastyr the Conqueror, relatively swift subjugation of lower Kheltika, began crossing the Wall River, initiating the invasion of upper Kheltika.

Contrary to the comparativly easy conquest of lower Kheltika, during which Hastry successfully employed the tactic of Divide and Conquer, the tribes of upper Kheldika offered much stiffer resistance to the invaders, making the campaign one of the bloodiest of Hastyr's career.

BACKGROUND
For more than a year before the invasion of the Northlands began, rumours had spread throughout the tribes about a massive army massing on the south side of the Narrow Sea, preparing to invade. Most of the tribal elders dismissed the rumours as just that, rumours. No one had crossed the Narrow Sea with an army in more than 800 years, when the ancestors of the tribes themselves migrated to their new home.

It was because of this that, when the fleet carrying the strikeforce comprised of the 2nd Tarrok, 5th Gallis and 1st Ronan Legions landed on the shores of what would become known as the Bay of Hastyr, the tribes were caught completely off guard.

By the time the rest of Hastyr's legions arrived a week later, the coastal tribes had been decimated.

Once his army had gathered, Hastyr marched eastward into what would become Swavya and Angaland. He continued eastward to the shores of the Lorican Sea. While camped there he recieved word of an uprising to the west, in what would become Gallika. Leaving General Gerys Protos to continue the campaign with the First Larystos and the 12th Madroan Legions, Hastyr marched back west to confront the rebellion.

Hastyr quickly quashed the rebel forces and employed brutal tactics to ensure the obedience of the surviving population. He spent a year constructing the infrastructure of his newest Imperial Province, before turning his attention the land to the north.

EARLY PERIOD
By the time Hastyr's legions reached the banks of the Wall River, several Keltican tribes had been making preparations for war for more than four months. A coalition of several tribes, led by the Sargovii, had united in an attempt to resist the impending invasion.

Hastyr began the campaign in similar fashion to his previous assault, sending the Drakos Legion in advance of the main army. The tribes along the Wall River, who were not members of the coalition, quickly fell in a manner reminiscent of their Gallikan cousins. The Karstonii were all but annihilated. Hastyr followed quickly, capitalising on the Drakos Legions success, any survivors were taken as slaves. He pushed eastwards into the territory of the Icarsonii and Sorinii, deep in the Pocket. While the Icarsonii buckled quickly after the deaths of almost all of the tribal elders during a suprise assault on their capital, Orin, the Sorinii proved to be made of sterner stuff. Deciding the best defence was attack, the Sorinii launched a sudden attack on the Larynos Legion. The assault caught the Legion, who were still busy dealing with the remnants of the Icarsonii, off guard. 6,000 soldiers were slaughtered when the Sorinii caught them on the march, completely unprepared.

Hastyr responded to the Sorinii assault in his typical decisive fashion. He himself led the veteran first and second Ronan Legions to the front, with the support of most of the Drakos Legion. When Hasytr deployed the his dragons in the vanguard, he found, much to his surprise, that the Sorinii weren't as vulnerable to aerial attack as he thought. With their territory in the foothills of the mountains, the Sorinii had long been tormented by the terrible Hellfire Wyvern. Centuries of protecting themselves and hunting these beasts meant the Sorinii were extremelmy capable dragon killers. The Drakos Legion learnt this the hard way when they swooped on Setton, only to find the city well prepared for their attack. Using harpoons, ropes, nets and powerful bows, the warriors inflicted heavy losses on enemy dragons, forcing a retreat. Hastyr, while also being somewhat annoyed, expressed his admiration for his enemy. With the Drakos Legion licking its wounds, Hastyr was left to crush the Sorinii in the traditional manner. In a two-directional attack, the Ronan Legions drove into the Sorinii territory, splitting the tribe's forces. King Forlo led his warriors against the First Ronan Legion at the Battle of Sarsa. The battle was a defeat for the tribesmen, but Forlo managed to slow the Legion's advance. The Sorinii in the north fared much worse. They were all but annihilated in the Battle of Retas Creek. The Second Ronan Legion, led by Hastyr, pushed deep into Sorinii territory, eventually capturing the Sorinii capital, Setton. The soldiers were merciless as they sacked the capital, raping and pillaging through the city.

When news of the fate of his capital reached him, Forlo resolved to go down fighting. Leading his warriors in person, Forlo launched a ferocious night attack on the First Ronan Legion camp, killing almost 1,000 Imperial soldiers before withdrawing into the night.

Forlo continued his resistance for almost two months before he was kill in a skirmish, leaving his leaderless warriors as easy prey for the invaders.

ATTACK ON THE HEARTLAND
By the time Hastyr was finished with the defiant Sorinii, the tribal coaltion had massed its forces at the ancient gathering place at Valar. The coalition had elected Mathrax, a Sargovii warlord, as the leader of its forces.

Mathrax knew that the biggest threat to the heartland was Hastyr's Drakos Legion, his corps of veteran dragons and their riders. However, after hearing the Sorinii's success at the Defence of Setton, Mathrax hoped Hastyr would be reluctant to commit his dragons to combat. In any case, he set about following the Sorinii's example.

Meanwhile, Hastyr pressed forward with his ground forces. His army was harassed by Sargovii and Tassorii skirmishers as they marched towards Valar. One regiment of his cavalry screen was ambushed and destroyed completely while the others were subjected to random hit-and-run attacks. By the time Hastyr came within 15 miles of the gathering place, he had lost almost a quarter of his cavalry screen.

At this time Hastyr learnt of a riverplain to the east that was an ideal place for his army to make camp. He sent his veteran cavalry regiment, the Faras Hussars, to clear the plain of any tribesmen. When Mathrax learnt of this, he led his own cavalry to meet them.

The Hussars met the tribal vanguard on the riverplain. The Hussars were heavily outnumbered, but managed, thanks to their experience and discipline, to hold the tribesmen off in a swirling battle of mobility while a rider hurried back to the main army. When he learned of his Hussars plight, sensing an opportunity to wipe out the enemy cavalry in one stroke, sent his entire cavalry force to the Hussar's aid, under the command of Drigon Harai

The two forces met on the riverplain in what would become known as the Battle of Horses, the single largest cavalry engagement in Hastyr's entire career. The battle was a close victory for Harai, who decided against pursuing Mathrax as he retreated to friendly lines.

Hastyr was not too worried that his plan had failed as he made camp on the riverplain.

Two days later, Hastyr arrived at Valar, the ancient tribal meeting place. Mathrax had fortified his position in preparation for Hastyr's arrival. In one of his few lapses in judgement, Hastyr ignored the fortifications and launched a direct assault. The Battle of Valar, while a victory, was the bloodiest in Hastyr's career. Almost 30,000 men died in one day of battle.