>>5408983“As you have heard, farmers had spotted strange men skulking around the King’s Road and Captain Reginald had confirmed that the tracks lead back into Alterac.” You told your officers.
“Then they must now know that majority of our soldiers are in here and not defending Dawnholme.” Captain Garside said back. “Concerning, especially with all the prisoners being moved into their new labour camp.”
In the past two weeks first groups of the prisoners had in fact been moved to Dawnholme from Tarren Mill.
“We shouldn’t leave Dawnholme without protection and the winter is nearly here.” You said.
“Sire, I concur.” Lieutenant Cromwell said to you. “We need to protect our holdings.”
“Then should we send some of our men back to Dawnholme? Should we take most if not all of our men back home?” You asked your officers. “What do you think?”
“We have accomplished what we can here in Strahnbrad Hills, let us return home for the winter.” Captain Garside said back.
“Sire, we should leave a force of forty men to continue the patrols through the winter.” Cromwell suggested.
“Isn’t that a tad too low number? Withdraw the troops that had taken casualties during the fighting, but leave the rest here.” Suggested Lieutenant Beckston.
“But that would leave Dawnholme too vulnerable.” Garside argued back.
“And forty men is not enough to defend Shoredon and maintain patrols if the Syndicate decides to attack.” Beckston said back to him.
They were all correct. Dawnholme and the rest of your holdings need to be protected and you have to withdraw some of your troops back to Alterac, but there were risks in leaving too few men in Shoredon. But the unknown factor in all this was the winter, if it was really arriving early, you could have a tough winter ahead of you and the snow and cold doesn’t care who it hinders. A military campaign during winter would be doomed the moment it was launched.
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