Part 14: Battle 7: The Liberation of Campbell
Task Organization
Main/Assaulting Element
Supporting Element
Situation
The remaining enemy forces on Campbell under Zomberd have no more room to retreat and are making a last stand in front of the capital city of Campbell.
Enemy Forces
Terrain: The enemy's defensive positions are concentrated in a portion of Campbell distinguished by narrow pathways and open spaces between land masses. As a result our approaches are extremely confined, and any separated space between land stands as a definitive obstacle. Key terrain for this battle is the bridge to the east of our starting position, which provides the only easy access to the enemy command post.
Disposition: The enemy have arranged their troops to cover the avenues of approach in two squad sized groups, one made up of mages and artillery and another made up of mages, heavy infantry, and javeliners backed up by a cannon. Another cannon has been set out by itself to watch the most out of the way approach, while the command post itself is heavily guarded by a full squad-sized element of javeliners, small contingents of mages and healers, and Zomberd's own personal troops. In addition, the enemy has installed small automated cannons that will fire on any of our troops that cross their line of fire.
Enemy's most probable course of action: The enemy will most likely remain behind their defenses almost indefinitely so long as they do not perceive an immediate threat, and will operate under separate command rather than uniting.
Enemy's most dangerous course of action: It is possible that the enemy will act to split our forces and then move forward in order to overwhelm the weaker element before completing our defeat in detail by assaulting the rest of our troops.
Mission
The KRF will conduct a full scale attack on Zomberd's forces immediately in order to destroy the Empire's ability to defend Campbell and capture or defeat Zomberd.
Execution
Concept of Operation: The first stage of the assault will be a straightforward attack utilizing all of our forces to destroy the imperial defenses in front of our position. Following this we will split into two groups, with the faster group circling around on the most lightly defended route while a second force keeps the enemy's attention focused forward. After the initial group makes contact with the enemy command post the second group will act as a reserve if necessary.
Scheme of Maneuver: After the destruction of the immediate threat, Matelite and Zora's group will secure the far side of the eastern bridge and conduct a blocking action to keep the enemy's attention and denigrate their defenses. Myself, Lukia, and Sendak will flank around the western edge of the enemy's defenses and attack the command post.
End Order
As the battle begins, Zomberd, despite the numerous times we've defeated him already, is full of bluster and false determination.
Our first order of business is to start getting rid of the auto-cannons the enemy has littered the map with. Byuu and company take out the first one from a distance, essentially ignoring the mages.
Pinky doesn't ignore them in the slightest, nor do the other dragons.
The final blow on the second group of mages goes to Sue, who has progressed tremendously since she first came to join our forces.
While the ashes are still swirling the mages destroy the second auto-cannon before it has a chance to fire.
While the cannon is still in operation, it won't be for very long with all of our forces concentrated on it.
Keeping his distance for once, Clyde incinerates the cannon almost immediately afterwards.
From the ashes a snail shaped creature clutching a treasure box skitters away from our forces as quickly as possible. It doesn't appear to belong to the enemy, but it does have treasure...
After it's flash-fried the chest yields a few items that we haven't seen the likes of in any store as of yet.
Gameplay Note: Presenters have a small chance of appearing when you destroy a structure that would grant HP during a turn, and usually have loot that's much better than the run of items for the area.
Matelite and Zora's groups start to move across the bridge, while Sue gets to work on the enemy mages. The two groups are in a very precarious position, but the enemy isn't likely to be able to reach them before they can move.
Instead, Sue takes the brunt of the enemy's attacks. Luckily the auto-cannon can't get a good line of fire due to the terrain.
Our heavy armors move in and surgically remove the enemy's mage, while also battering the troops that should have been protecting him.
On the other side of the map Byuu meets up with the enemy forces at the corner and again destroys one of the auto-cannons. The enemy was kind enough to cluster up, and the opportunity was too good to be missed. I don't recall that group of soldiers being there on our initial observation.
By the time everyone has gotten a chance to move up, however, that little inconsistency has been fixed.
The remainder of the former mage's group attack Matelite and company, paying the ultimate price for their stupidity.
Unfortunately our troops are now in range of the enemy's cannons. The damage is starting to mount up now as more and more of the enemy troops move up.
Matelite takes advantage of the enemy's positioning to destroy one of the cannons while bombarding a group of javeliners.
Clyde is reduced to a shadow of his former self, but luckily with Zora in charge our fifth group has an additional capability to heal.
The situation is bad enough that Flammie is cut loose and comes to lend assistance as well.
Matelite and the remaining heavy infantry trade blows as the enemy troops attack. Two of the enemy troops are killed, but Taicho is severely wounded.
He goes down in the next barrage of cannon fire. Something'll have to be done about that.
After burning through a litancible restores Taicho, Matelite breaks apart the second auto-cannon in this small enclosed area before anybody pauses in its range.
Working together the lancers are able to finish off both lancers and severely wound the sole remaining enemy. Sue finishes him off on her own time.
There's a lot of dragons and people who owe their lives to Flammie at this point. I think he's probably saved several battles by himself now.
That last soldier makes an attempt to skewer Zora, failing for the first time by missing and for the second time by dying immediately afterwards.
Byuu and Lukia have started to attack the defenses around the enemy's command post, right about on time for our plan. Sendak and Yoyo are just a bit behind, but the enemy is boxed in so they'll have plenty of time to catch up.
Just before they do, Lukia knocks out the two auto-canons guarding the gate and the gate itself with a well placed thunder spell.
With nobody to protect them, the larger cannons are sitting ducks for the axe-wielding heavy armors.
Clyde is very much in the spirit of things as he knocks down some more of the wall and opens up a breach for our troops to come in through.
Byuu catches a couple of javelins, but it's not really a problem with our best healers coming in so close behind.
The narrow confines of the fortified area force the enemy into a tight formation, letting the mages zap two of them along with the final auto-cannon.
Zomberd's guards go down in a hail of dragonbreath, with Sue finishing up the final one again.
Despite being well within range to heal both themselves and Zomberd, the enemy's healers leave his group hanging out to dry and make a fruitless effort to save their own skins.
His closest troops contribute to their own demise with an ill-fated attack on Pinky. Although, to be fair, there isn't really any other kind.
Powerful ice magic helps to finish off the groyers with Zomberd, but can't quite finish off the cure mages. They're incredibly tenacious.
After a brief struggle, Zomberd finishes himself off by attacking Pinky.
I think we've seen the last of him at this point.
Taking the surviving mages prisoner we prepare to move into a grateful Campbell.