384YE Winter Solstice winds of war

Raise high the flags and let chaos reign.

Overview

Over the last three months, Imperial forces are engaged in military campaigns against barbarian forces. Sometimes those engagements have been wide ranging and dramatic, other times they have been more sedate. Continuing the approach we took last year, we're presenting a summary of the campaign on this page. Where there's more dramatic action, or where there are opportunities, we've given a wind of war its own page. We're also continuing to provide information about the battle opportunities, listed in the theatres that they concern.

As always, how much or how little of this information you choose to know in character is up to you. Part of the purpose of Winds of War and the Winds of Fortune is to make players aware of things their characters should know, based on what their roleplaying says they have been doing, and to maintain the Empire as a living, breathing place where all kinds of events take place beyond the scope of Anvil.

It should go without saying that we ask everyone to abide by the rules about online roleplaying with regard to the military campaign. It's important that the key in-character activity of the Empire world takes place at events. The game is busier and better if everything that can happen in the field, does happen in the field. Military planning and political discussions should happen at events. For this reason we generally discourage too much downtime roleplaying between events and put strict limits on what can be done online particularly using our forums and Facebook groups.

All that said we now present a summary of the key military activity in the Empire - both with links to the expanded Wind of War pages and notes about other important things that have happened that didn't need a full battle campaign write-up.

Against the Jotun

In the west, the story plays out again. The Jotun invade; the Empire pushes them back. The Jotun are gone from Sermersuaq, driven out by an alliance of Imperial strength and Thule cunning, but further south the situation is much less cut and dried. Kahraman exerts an irresistible lure to the warlike Jotun - mithril and white granite to fuel their endless conquest - but each time they gain a foothold they are thrown back. This time it is the Lasambrian Jotun who seek to claim the hills - will they fare any better than those who have come before? And what of Bregasland - Mathilda Fisher claims the western marshes as her fiefdom, and the Jotun honour her claim. There is resistance - but will it be enough? And further south still, the fires of war come once again to Liathaven. The weakness of the vallorn presents an opportunity for the Jotun - what will it mean for the Marches now they stand once again at the very threshold of the Mourn? You can read about the events on the western front in the No Peace Wind of War.

Further north, in Kallavesa, four Imperial armies take up defensive positions in the marshes of Wintermark. The Drakes, the Fist of the Mountains, the Summer Storm, and the Tusks wait to turn back any attempt by the Jotun to launch a new invasion of Wintermark. Days stretch into weeks. into months, and there is no sign of the orcs. A large force of Winterfolk and Marchers support the beacons, ready to light them and spread warning of an invasion throughout the nation. There is no need to fire them. There is no sign of the Jotun. The orcs attention seems focused to the south. The season passes uneventfully.

Against the Druj

Heroes of the Winter Sun, we have spent a season in reflection and the Empire has proven that they stand with us, so now we stand with them. Druj seek to encroach on the Drownbark Forest, bringing with them fear to break the people of those lands. Instead, we will break them. We employ hit and run tactics to bring ruin to these Druj. Let us teach them dear as a full Imperial Legion comes crashing down upon them and remind the Varushkan people that we stand with them.

Rykana, General of the Winter Sun

In the east, the Druj are in disarray. They have fled Zenith - fighting their way through the iron noose cast around them by Imperial strategy. They are bound in chains of glass, subject to a barrage of curses that impede their movement, forcing them to seek sanctuary in the Sarangrave. While some of their armies have been enchanted with Night magic, to help them avoid the Empire's retribution, the intervention of Imperial heroes ensures that half of them pay the full price for their cruelty and cowardice. With the invaders driven out, Zenith is once again in Imperial hands. You can read about the victory in Zenith in the Fire on fire Wind of War.

At the same time their cousins in the south are routing the Druj, there is savage fighting in the Barrens. Imperial armies fight to expand the Steel Causeway, to capture more of the great wilderness. They face stiff resistance, and despite the powerful force deployed there the Druj are able to all but hold their advance. As Imperial and orc warriors clash again and again, neither side is able to gain a decisive victory over the other. You can read about the challenges of fighting in the Barrens in the In the lonely hour Wind of War. You can also read about the battle opportunities related to the Barrens, and several small conjunctions of the Sentinel Gate, in Two silhouettes.

Meanwhile, in Ossium, the Winter Sun moved to block attempts by Druj insurgents to destroy vulnerable roads and bridges in the Drownbark Forest. A group of Imperial heroes had attempted to stymie the orc schemes using the Sentinel Gate, but were unable to achieve a decisive victory necessitating an intervention by the Imperial Orcs general. The orc soldiers made short work of the Mallum saboteurs.

Against the World

Victorious in their raid against the corrupt city of Chalonsio in the west, the eyes of the Liberty Pact have turned east, to the Slave Lords of Rachensgrab. The Empire must take the lead in the Sea of Steel; their Commonwealth and Sumaah Republic allies have troubles of their own, closer to home, and can offer only a little support in the decisive attack against the slave traders. Hundreds of Imperial heroes answer the call to arms, and rain terrible justice on those who have grown fat and powerful by treating innocent people as objects to be bought and sold. The raid is an unparalleled triumph. The chains are broken, the Slave Lords are cast down, and the city put to the torch. You can learn about the raid and its impact on the world stage in the Burning Wind of War.

Closer to home, the eternal Rhianos has put their golden cauldron at the disposal of the Empire's heroes. The Regent of the Eternal Sea proposes a daring adventure - to use the supernatural vitality granted by their fading relic to delve deep into the heart of the vallorn of Brocéliande. Champions from almost every Imperial nation make their way to the east, to eat magical onion soup, and to probe the mysteries of the vallorn infested forest - pressing right to the very heart of the ancient empire and penetrating the walls of the city of Terunael itself! You can learn about their daring escapades in the One last song Wind of War.

Battle Opportunities

Details of the battle opportunities identified by the Imperial prognosticators will be revealed nearer the Winter Solstice.

Conjunctions

Details of the Sentinel Gate conjunctions identified by the prognosticators - both those likely to involve combat and those less likely to do so - will be revealed closer to the Winter Solstice.

Military Considerations

The following considerations should be borne in mind when discussing military strategies during the Winter Solstice.

• Adamant Gate: The Adamant Gate in Semmerholm cannot be reduced below 1,000 military strength. Link
• Barrens: Any Imperial army fighting in the Barrens except those from Dawn, Varushka and Urizen suffer a one-fifth penalty to territory conquered until the start of the Summer Solstice 385YE. Link
• Barrens (Dawn): Dawnish armies fighting in the Barrens suffer a three-tenths penalty to territory conquered until the start Summer Solstice 385YE. Link.
• Barrens (Dawn and Highguard): Dawnish and Highborn armies that spent the previous season campaigning in the Barrens receive an additional 20% natural resupply if they resupply in Dawnish territory until the start of the Spring Equinox 385YE. Link
• Billeting: Any Imperial army can take the Billet order in Upwold or Mitwold. Link
• Dawn: Dawnish armies cannot take the Cautious Advance order or the Give Ground order. Link
• Highguard: Highborn armies can no longer issue the Crusading Storm order; wherever they are on campaign there is a chance to generate a mandate for the Highborn assembly. Link
• The Marches: Marcher armies cannot take the Give Ground order. Link
• Urizen: The Citadel Guard will begin to deteriorate again after the Summer Solstice. Link
• Varushka: Varushkan armies involved in the same campaign as an army from the Brass Coast or Wintermark generate 10% fewer victory points. If armies from both nations are present, the reduction is increased to 20%. Link.
• Wintermark: Wintermark armies can take the Fight with Honour order. Link
• Wintermark: Wintermark armies fighting against the Jotun will gain 10% more victory points but inflict 20% less casualties. Link
• Zenith: Any Highborn or Urizen army attacking into Zenith from Morrow gains a 20% bonus to any territory captured and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. Link
• Morrow: Any Highborn or Urizen army that defends in Morrow against an army attacking from Zenith gains a 20% bonus to defend territory and suffers a 10% reduction in casualties inflicted. Link