Battle of the Camp, 1944 Third Age.
Gondor's Southern Army vs Wainriders of Rhun
Summary of Battle: In 1944 Gondor's army split into two armies, South and North to counter the threat of Harad and the Wainriders. In the North, King Ondoher and his two sons awaited the Wainrider's army on Dagorland, the Wainriders ambushed them from the flank and behind and the army was routed, Ondoher and his sons were killed. The remnants of the Northern Army retreated south into Ithillien, although the Southern Army defeated Harad and Khand at the Poros and moved north to counter the Wainriders while they themselves celebrated in the woods. The Southern Army, under Earnil, a distant relative of Ondoher, came upon the Wainriders at unawares and destroyed them.
Eye-witness account from Aranil, soldier of Gondor.
The night seemed to darken.
We were all in awe of what we were seeing, even though I had just seen giant Mumakil and strange men do battle with us.
I looked down upon the entire Wainrider army, camping in a field amidst the woods of Ithillien, they could not see us though, the Hill of Emyn Arnen heavily wooded and among those woods, waits us, the Southern Army.
We number nearly thirty thousand, ten thousand died at the Poros or were sent back to Minas Tirith suffering wounds. From what I could see, the Wainriders numbered at least double our number and I'm sure more are on there way.
"Remember, these men are trained fighting from those Wains", announced Earnil to our battalion of two thousand or so. The man still inspired me with his confidence and tactical intelligence, I was honoured to be so close to him. "The idiots think we are destroyed. The drums of Harad will never reach their ears in this land".
This group numbered two thousand, three thousand more soldiers were camped on this hill, twelve thousand would cross the Anduin and hit them on the flank, seven thousand would attack them from the Minas Ithil and the rest would attack straight from the south.
Suddenly my eyes were drawn towards a popping noise and I was witness to a spectacular flare blast into the air. It exploded in a red light and suddenly I could hear a great sound develop from the northwest, like a giant murmur.
"The soldiers have crossed the Anduin!" shouted Earnil. The man knew his tactics, the Wainriders were sure to try and find higher ground, which meant Emyn Arnen and I'm sure they don't know we are here. I peered over a large set of boulders which concealed our position from the forest. I scrambled up a small outcropping and had an even clearer view of the lands below. In several places, fire was burning through the woods, and while I could not see any of our allies fighting on that large field below us, I could see the Wainriders scurry around, getting ready for a fight.
Suddenly a wave of Gondorians emerged from the trees and the Wainriders were thrown into chaos. Some tried to mount the wains, others engaged the Gondorians and a handful fled. I could hear more sounds of combat coming from the northeast and immediately realised that the men attacking from Minas Ithil had met the enemy. Hours passed.
Suddenly a cloaked figure emerged in front of me. I instantly put my hand to my sword, but then I heard the reassuring words, "friendly!". The man walked past me and slowly leapt down from the boulders and reported to Earnil.
"How goes it?" asked Earnil, his tone failed at concealing signs of worry.
"Well, my lord", replied the cloaked men. "The Wainriders have been taken at unawares and a number of their soldiers already flee north. The men crossing the Anduin have driven them right back to that field", I was certain he meant the field I was watching. "The men from Minas Ithil have met heavy resistance but are keeping enemy reinforcements from hitting our main force, I think we will win". The man grinned.
"We win when every single one of those bastards are dead".
Another hour or so passed by. Our men were still fighting on the field, but we were starting to gain the upper hand. A number of there soldiers were fleeing into the forests, some of them were fleeing towards us...
"Wainriders!" shouted a look out. My heart suddenly started to beat quicker, I would finally meet the enemy, or even death...
"Where!?" cried Earnil
"The north! They are fleeing up the slop!".
"It's time", hissed Earnil, I could barely hear him myself. "Send runners to the other two forces, tell them to make their way halfway down the slope and then to both head towards the foot of the hill. I want the enemy funneling up "this ridge!"
A dozen men, dressed in light cloaks immediately obeyed his orders and set off either east or west.
I could hear distant shouting and the thuds of thousands of feet, feet that were carrying angry Wainriders up the slope towards us.
"Pass the word", whispered Earnil to his nearest assistants. "I want men on the ridge, ready to cut down anyone who climbs it. The rest of the men are to take position along the line and hold it. If they break through, close the gap, let them go. I want to find fifty thousand dead Wainriders on Gondorian lands in the morning.
Men immediately scurried up onto the rocks, others dispersed into the woods. Earnil himself appeared next to me. I tried to act calm in the face of my commander but it was simply impossible.
"It is alright", said Earnil, "we are all afraid". I knew he was talking to me.
The boulders were now crowded with men. I was near the edge and would face the first wave of attackers. I wanted to slip away, deeper into our lines but I could not, for the sake of my country. I could make out dark figures running up towards us, they didn't know we were here.
Until we let them know.
A flight of arrows emerged form the trees to the left and right, screams and shouts filled my ears, which was actually quite reassuring...maybe the archers would kill them all before they got close.
My hopes were dampened as a shadow suddenly appeared in front of me. I leapt to my feet and awkwardly stabbed the man in the stomach. He didn't make a sound as he fell back down the seven metres he had climbed to reach me. Sounds of combat sprung up all along the ridge and a number of Wainriders were thrown back off the rocks before they could react. But eventually their numbers were unbearable and I was soon fighting two foes who had firm footing on the stony ground.
One man slashed at my head, but I ducked under the wickedly forged blade and drove my sword into his stomach. As I yanked it free by pulling it the left, I nearly ripped the dying man in half and managed to cleave my way into the second man who fell back with a cry. I savoured my short victory before two more men appeared in front of me. I cut down one before he could prepare to defend, but the second man was aware and swung at my chest while I was pulling my blade from his friend's chest. I was barely able to parry but the force of the blow knocked me to the ground and I instantly felt helpless from the hacking blades. One man stepped towards me and held his blade in the air, as if he was displaying the weapon that would kill me. I closed my eyes but the blade never cut into my flesh. I opened my tear-filled eyes and was immediately awed by the figure of Earnil standing over my fallen foe.
"Ha! They are surrounded", shouted my saviour. "Come men, let us drive these wretched back into the dirt of which they came!". A great war-cry rose from the Gondorian soldiers and the Wainriders were immediately driven back towards the edge of the ridge. Those that had just climbed the rocks were pushed back down into the darkness.
Earnil stepped over me and offered his hand. I took it and he easily pulled me to my feet. His strength was amazing.
"Come, lad", laughed Earnil, "lets avenge our friends".
And with that he reached into his cloak and pulled forth a mighty horn. The sound it made was loud and clear, the Wainriders fled into the night and the victorious Gondorians followed them, driving them into the Dead Marshes or avenging those fallen on Dagorlad by making its enemies suffer in the same place.
Gondor was victorious once again!
Battles in Middle Earth - Short Stories
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Will you also do the Battle of Pellenor Fields/Siege of Minas Tirith?
Anyway good luck
Originally Posted by Elessar Ancalimon
Good work
