The Lost Regiment - Victory Or Death
(IC)
"Drop Anchor!"
Within seconds the landing boats rattled down and the men started to swarm over the side. The Napoleon fields piece, swinging from the end of a winch, was already poised. Working feverishly, the sailors swung the gun out and eased it down to the lifeboat, where planks had already been laid across the gunnels.
Andrew grabbed hold of a sling and was lowered over the side, into a boat already packed with ten men of Tobias command, who, armed with muskets, had been converted into marines.
Moments later they were ashore. Company A leaped from their boats and with practiced skill spread out into an open skirmish line, while with much heaving and cursing, O'Donald's men lifted the one-ton artillery piece off the boat and pulled it up on the beach. The boats were pushed off and headed back to the Ogunquit to pick up Ivor's troops.
"The village is just on the other side of that ridge, a verst or so away. That trail through the woods leads straight to it," Kal said, pointing to a series of low-lying hills that marched down from the east.
It was obvious to all that something was happening on the other side of the ridge, for the sky was blanketed by a dark roiling cloud of smoke from the burning town.
Andrew took another look at the rough map Kal had sketched out for him. Ivor and his knights would be galloping out from the city, coming up the road toward the village. He hoped the Novrodians would be looking in that direction, never expecting a flank attack from the direction of the river. With a little luck they'd hit them hard, driving them back before dark. Chances were it was nothing but a raid anyhow, but it'd be a good opportunity for the residents of another cite to his men in action, and to solidify his position with the Suzdalians as well.
"All right, let's move out!"
Spread in open skirmish line, the fifty men of A Company started into the forest, while O'Donald's men and the converted marines grabbed hold of the traces for the artillery piece and started to pull the Napoleon up the trail. Behind them Ivor's men were now landing, and moved up behind their advance.
Running forward, Andrew reached the front of the skirmish line. The men were grim, silent, back again to the old game they had learned in Virginia of hunting other men. Instinctively they moved from tree to tree, pausing for a moment, and then with a low rush sprinting ahead another ten yards. They weren't facing men with rifles, but an arrow could kill just as easily.
A hundred yards was gained, then another hundred. As Andrew kept pace with the line, he saw the trail before him straighten out and the crest of the hill a quarter mile away. So close were they now that the crackling roar of the burning village could be plainly heard, with smoke billowing up on the other side of the crest. he paused and leaned against the trunk of a gnarled oak.
A flutter of breeze snapped past him. It took a moment for what happened to register. Turning, he looked, the arrow buried in the tree next to him was till vibrating.
"Everybody down!"
(OOC)
Which in Referee language means "Everyone roll initiative!"