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You decided upon an advance along the coast, towards Ullsby, the main port still in Svengalian hands; were it to fall, they would have a hard time regaining any form of initiative.
Obviously, it would mean that the Svengalians would do everything in their power to keep this from happening, and depending on the force you would bring, they would need to retract from other commitments against the elves. That would, in turn, turn this part of the war from a conflict of field battles and smaller skirmishes into one where the Svengalians are locked up within their own forts, unable to retain control over the surrounding countryside.
It is also to that end that you will allow your new allies to continue independent operations for now; where there are trees, there are elves after all. So this tactic will bear very tasty fruits.
The road to Ullsby winds on for a fair bit but mostly leaves behind the foliage the elves use as cover and goes into open plains, beaches and farmland.
It was along one of these beaches, on a late spring midday as the smell of salt from the sea filled the air, with the thatched and tiled roof of Ullsby in the distance, that you managed to spot your opponent for the day.
The Svengalians had decided on a defensive strategy. With a unit of infantry in the reserve and cavalry on the flanks. This would be a larger battle than the previous one, it would seem.
Your allies had already informed you of this army, for it was peeled together from various garrisons and patrols to answer your challenge. The Svengalians thus had to decide: if they ignored you and focused on the elves, you could march about unopposed and take out their holdings one by one; if they concerted to check you, the elves could run rampant over the countryside.
The Svengalians had apparently chosen to go after you; they probably think they'll be safe in their strongholds for now.
<span class="mu-i"> ''A straight line, with cavalry on the flanks, and archers and a reserve in the rear.'' </span> You said. <span class="mu-i"> ''Our own foot is formed up in a line as well; I suppose our superiority in horsemen should enable us to fight more mobilely.'' </span>
<span class="mu-i"> "Then what should we do?" </span> Sophia asked. The girl had shown and proven that, in some regards, she could very well understand the basics of army management, even if her knowledge of battle strategies remained lacking.
You didn't want to brute force the matter by having Sophia turn them all into goats or whatever; that would be a last resort, and besides, it would be plain lazy.
>We shall attempt to outmanoeuvre them and turn their flank.
>We shall keep on the defensive as well.
>We shall march, halt, and feint to lure them out of formation.
>Writ-in
