K09-1 - The Battle of Green Creek

This story summarizes the action seen by the Gate-Lot in Mirkwood. Gate is tasked with the improvement of a ford over a small creek. It can be easily forded on foot, but crossing with the heavy carts is more difficult.

Battlefield preparation

Herd-lot Hillar Granitedigger didn't like the look of this: his lot was now lagging by at least 20km behind the main force, in a trackless forest. His force were bound to the old forest road (-1) or else contact would soon get lost. Instead of setting up a thorough screen (-2), he dispatched a guard along the Northward path that had been previously recon'd by the rangers and order all haste in upgrading the ford. The orcs, moving to contact soon figured out that the path was guarded and approached along the creek instead. The margin of success for the recon contest was +7, enough to achieve surprise, but not an ambush.

1700 Zulu time - Surprise strike!

The orc commander realized that his window of opportunity was narrow and decided to go for broke, he declared an all-out attack (+2) and risk (+3) in an hope to offset his net Troop Strength deficit (+5 vs +9 for the dwarves). Herd-Lot Granitedigger ordered a Rally (-2), which as defensive option allowed him to take advantage of the terrain Defensive Bonus (+2).  The modified skill level for the dwarves was 20 and 17 for the orcs. The Margin of Success for the dwarves was +11. 

The orc descended from three locations from the thick undergrowth. The dwarves weren't prepared for the attack and essentially had to rely on local control by the Guard Leaders to fend off the attackers. The dwarves devoured the orcs. Granitedigger estimated the force as about 100 strong, and by 1730Z, some 30 of them were either dead or wounded. Their commander was dead and about half of the survivors had taken to the woods. 

1730 Zulu time - Mopping up

Herd-Lot Gravedigger did not manage to rally his dwarves in the first round and had to call another Rally (-2) while the field-promoted orc leader called a Full retreat (+8). Both on the defensive made used of the defensive bonus of the forest. Granitedigger put himself front and center (Risk +3) while the new orc commander did not (Risk +0).  Again, the dwarves operated under local control and managed to snatch a few more retreating orcs. However, the pursuit didn't go much further into Mirkwood as a few dozen meters. 

The orc surprise attack had been repelled with ease. By the time that the war drum stopped, the Herd was still unrallied, two dwarves were laying on litters, one had to be retrieved from Mirkwood after getting lost in the pursuit, and another dwarf had been abducted by orcs on their way out.