The Xiongnu are faster than heavy cavalry, and better fighters than light cavalry. And by this time, chariots were going out of fashion as weapons.
Anyway, just a short update for today.
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Part XXII - A Battle to Remember
The two armies faced each other across the river. Then, suddenly, a minaan galloped up to the river bank and shot off a volley of arrows into the massed ranks on the other side. Several hundred men fell, shafts protruding from weak points in their armour, but the Xiongnu withdrew to their ranks, as if it was merely for entertainment. Then, two more minaans rode forwards, and shot off more arrows before withdrawing. More Chola swordsmen fell, and the Chola general, frustrated, sent forward his own foot archers, but they were unable to hit the swiftly moving Xiongnu. Then, a whole tuman moved forward to the river bank, and fired off several volleys, driving the Chola archers back into their own ranks, as a second tuman rode up behind them. The second tuman then began firing as the first entered the river and began to cross. The Chola general, seeing this, ordered his archers forward to kill them as they swam across, but were fired on by the second Xiongnu tuman. Nevertheless, they managed to kill around a thousand of the first tuman before it reached the bank, where it rode down the small division of archers detailed to halt it. They held off most of the Chola force until the second tuman had crossed, whereupon the rest of the army entered the river while the two tumans held off the Chola army. Once the whole of the Xiongnu army was across the river, they formed a line five tumans long, but only two deep, and advanced on the enemy, firing all the while. The Chola army was bracing for the impact of these warriors when they suddenly wheeled, splitting the front line and having each tuman take a place in the front. Then the Xiongnu halted and fired off several volleys at the Chola, before splitting in half and galloping along the face of the Chola army. The Chola general reacted swiftly, but the Xiongnu horsemen cut their way through the small groups of men who attempted to hem them in, and galloped off into the distance. The confused Chola army milled around for a while, until the Xiongnu returned and harried the rear of the army as it tried to reform to face the threat. The army finally finished turning, and then the Xiongnu were upon them, weaving in and out in front of them, each tzut and minaan riding his own path as they lead their divisions. Occasionally, a group would swoop in and kill several men before riding off again, taking very few casualties. Then, all of a sudden, the whole army charged, smashing into the Chola ranks like a hammer. The fighting continued for several minutes, until the Xiongnu broke off and rode away. The Chola army, remoralized by this turn of events, broke ranks and charged after them. The Xiongnu force continued retreating, dividing up into the ten tumans, each heading in a different direction, dividing up the Chola army which followed them.
A running battle followed, continuing for several days as the Xiongnu force divided further, minaans and then tzuts taking their own routes, and eventually turning to destroy their pursuers. After two weeks, the Xiongnu army had reformed at Omkareshwar, with the Chola army largely destroyed, and the Chola Emperor, Adiyta, prisoner.
The Xiongnu gained enough young boys to replace the men they had lost, as well as a promise of a further three minaans in two years' time. Now they returned west, to face the army Philip had mustered against them in Antioch...
**********
No map here, I'm afraid, as the situation has changed little.
Anyway, just a short update for today.
**********
Part XXII - A Battle to Remember
The two armies faced each other across the river. Then, suddenly, a minaan galloped up to the river bank and shot off a volley of arrows into the massed ranks on the other side. Several hundred men fell, shafts protruding from weak points in their armour, but the Xiongnu withdrew to their ranks, as if it was merely for entertainment. Then, two more minaans rode forwards, and shot off more arrows before withdrawing. More Chola swordsmen fell, and the Chola general, frustrated, sent forward his own foot archers, but they were unable to hit the swiftly moving Xiongnu. Then, a whole tuman moved forward to the river bank, and fired off several volleys, driving the Chola archers back into their own ranks, as a second tuman rode up behind them. The second tuman then began firing as the first entered the river and began to cross. The Chola general, seeing this, ordered his archers forward to kill them as they swam across, but were fired on by the second Xiongnu tuman. Nevertheless, they managed to kill around a thousand of the first tuman before it reached the bank, where it rode down the small division of archers detailed to halt it. They held off most of the Chola force until the second tuman had crossed, whereupon the rest of the army entered the river while the two tumans held off the Chola army. Once the whole of the Xiongnu army was across the river, they formed a line five tumans long, but only two deep, and advanced on the enemy, firing all the while. The Chola army was bracing for the impact of these warriors when they suddenly wheeled, splitting the front line and having each tuman take a place in the front. Then the Xiongnu halted and fired off several volleys at the Chola, before splitting in half and galloping along the face of the Chola army. The Chola general reacted swiftly, but the Xiongnu horsemen cut their way through the small groups of men who attempted to hem them in, and galloped off into the distance. The confused Chola army milled around for a while, until the Xiongnu returned and harried the rear of the army as it tried to reform to face the threat. The army finally finished turning, and then the Xiongnu were upon them, weaving in and out in front of them, each tzut and minaan riding his own path as they lead their divisions. Occasionally, a group would swoop in and kill several men before riding off again, taking very few casualties. Then, all of a sudden, the whole army charged, smashing into the Chola ranks like a hammer. The fighting continued for several minutes, until the Xiongnu broke off and rode away. The Chola army, remoralized by this turn of events, broke ranks and charged after them. The Xiongnu force continued retreating, dividing up into the ten tumans, each heading in a different direction, dividing up the Chola army which followed them.
A running battle followed, continuing for several days as the Xiongnu force divided further, minaans and then tzuts taking their own routes, and eventually turning to destroy their pursuers. After two weeks, the Xiongnu army had reformed at Omkareshwar, with the Chola army largely destroyed, and the Chola Emperor, Adiyta, prisoner.
The Xiongnu gained enough young boys to replace the men they had lost, as well as a promise of a further three minaans in two years' time. Now they returned west, to face the army Philip had mustered against them in Antioch...
**********
No map here, I'm afraid, as the situation has changed little.