Army Group West

[The Mad Skylord]

Lord Roland Crakehall
+3 Battles, +3 Charisma, +2 Logistician, +1 Survival

Ser Gregor Clegane
Skills: +3 Survival+3 Duel
Equipment: Partial Plate (+20 hp, +4 Duels, +2 Survival) A greatsword (+7 Duels, +2 Survival)
Ser Ryon Lefford (+2 Duels, Survival, +1 Battles)

Ser Damon Payne II
Skill(s): 6 points, +3 Battles, +1 survival, +1 Joust, +1 Read-Guard

Ser Tybolt Payne
Skill(s): 6 points, +3 Wealth, +2 Charisma

Troops:
1900 Light Infantry
809 Heavy Cavalry
6000 Light Cavalry
2000 Heavy Infantry
3825 Archers
4832 Polearms

Crakehall calls a meeting of his officers.

[Pontifex Maximus]

Ser Gregor lumbers into the tent, dressed and ready to begin the bloodletting of the Reach.

[General Brewster]

Ser Damon Payne II and Ser Tybolt Payne join the meeting. Tybolt ordinary sized an a little oncomfortable, he doubted what he was doing here not having been great at fighting. Damon however was greatly in his element finally getting a piece of the action he thus spoke. "Lord Crakehall, I was told to serve under your command. I couldnt be more honored."

[The Mad Skylord]

Crakehall sat in his chair easily, smiling wryly at the young man. "Don't lick arses, boy. This is far fron an honourable command. Murder, pillage, rape and slaughter. That is Lord Tywin's intention for us. He wouldn't have given me his pet otherwise. Clegane here specialises in the kind of slaughter we intend to sow."

Crakehall rolled out a map and quickly placed a few counter o theof table. "You'll each be given command of a Light Cavalry band. You're task will be to raid provinces and pillage their towns. Give no mercy.

Engage local farmers trying to fend you off ifthe you wish, but do not engage any significant bodies of troops. The purpose here is not gold so much as destruction. Kill and burn everything you find.

I will be following with the main army. My task will be to destroy any armies we encounter and to capture castles. We'll start with Red Lake and her vassals. Am I clear?"

[General Brewster]

Crakehall sat in his chair easily, smiling wryly at the young man. "Don't lick arses, boy. This is far fron an honourable command. Murder, pillage, rape and slaughter. That is Lord Tywin's intention for us. He wouldn't have given me his pet otherwise. Clegane here specialises in the kind of slaughter we intend to sow."

Crakehall rolled out a map and quickly placed a few counter o theof table. "You'll each be given command of a Light Cavalry band. You're task will be to raid provinces and pillage their towns. Give no mercy.

Engage local farmers trying to fend you off ifthe you wish, but do not engage any significant bodies of troops. The purpose here is not gold so much as destruction. Kill and burn everything you find.

I will be following with the main army. My task will be to destroy any armies we encounter and to capture castles. We'll start with Red Lake and her vassals. Am I clear?"

Notably uncomfortable with the unprovoked outburst Damon asked "If you think that to be arse licking my Lord, I wonder what you think it is when it actually takes place. Any assignment that furthers the cause is to be considered an honor. I'll march out at night fall. In the world of Ser Gregor, we shall them up the arse with our swords. "

[Pontifex Maximus]

Gregor grunted his approval. "Aye, them all up the arse with our swords."

[The Mad Skylord]

"One last thing, gentlemen. I'll be deploying you against smaller, lightly defended lands and castles. Once you've finished plundering the surrounding countryside and the region is clear of enemy troops - feel free to build light ladders and assail their walls. You shouldn't have much trouble against a garrison small than 200 men.

However, if you manage to storm any castles, bring back the members of the Ruling House alive and unharmed. They'll be useful for ransom and leverage."

[Poach]

Ryon eventually arrived at Lord Crakehall's tent later than the others, having spent time turning over his responsibilities within the Lefford contingent to Dale Lefford, his father's cousin. He was unhappy at this state of affairs, being forced to leave the troops of his own house to serve on his own under the command Lord Crakehall.

"Lord Crakehall," he said with a sigh, "I am Ser Ryon Lefford, Lord Tywin has compelled me to report to you."

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[The Mad Skylord]

"Lefford." Crakehall greeted him calmly. He quickly informed the young Lefford of his duties. "Are your orders clear, Ser Ryon?"

[Poach]

"Yes." he says simply, before leaving the tent.

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[Pontifex Maximus]

A raven arrives from Tywin,

Crakehall-

Do not raise the levies, continue to draw off attention from the Reach but adopt a strategy suitable to maintaining your force even if that means not committing to another pitched battle. I move to engage the armies of the Loyalists in the Crownlands. Take the hostages back to Crakehall. Parlay with the Reach lords if you feel secure enough to blackmail them. Tell them to leave the field or the safety of the captives cannot be guaranteed.

Signed,
Lord Tywin Lannister

[The Mad Skylord]

All hostages and loot is sent to Crakehall.

[Poach]

It was the night before the battle, with Mace's Reach army having found the army at Clegane Hall. Lord Crakehall had kept them waiting until late in the evening, saying he was expecting... something. The hour grew too late, though, and within the command tent Ryon eventually spoke.

"We should withdraw." he eventually said, drawing the attention of the larger group that were largely engrossed in their own hushed conversations, "Lord Tywin's armies must be marching home by now, he knows the Reach falls upon us with all their might. We should deny Tyrell a decisive battle, and instead use the army to harry him and prevent him safely setting a siege on Lannisport. He will be compelled to retreat himself or be destroyed when the main body of our troops returns from the east: we leave Casterly Rock itself open to seizure if we throw ourselves away here, against a superior force."

[General Brewster]

Having been in a discussion with Lord Crakehall about the gold once more. Ser Damon weighed in on the discussion.
"Ser Ryon, my father is with Lord Paramount Tywin's host. We've had contact fairly regular with ravens but I have not yet received one with the message of victory. I'm fairly certain we wouldnt be fighting if Kings Landing already woul've been taken. I would implore you, Lord Crakehall to stay and fight. With our full force! We must halt them here or they will burn the Westerlands as we did The Reach." Damon concluded.

[The Mad Skylord]

Crakehall sighed. "Send a rider to Lord Tywin. We shall inform him that we intend to engage to delay Tyrell long enough for him to arrive."

[Poach]

"We lack the manpower to win in a pitched battle," said Ryon, "If we fight tomorrow morning we will be destroyed, and then Tyrell will be free to roam the entire Westerlands as he sees fit. For as long as we remain an army we threaten him, and he will be forced to be cautious."

[The Mad Skylord]

"I know. We can but hope to bloody him enough to force him to either retreat or be easy prey for Lord Tywin."

[Poach]

[OOC: Got your orders so I can assume the matter is settled.]

Ryon left the tent in a foul mood after Crakehall issued his instructions for the army. They would give battle in the morning, and Ryon had been given a paltry force with which to defend the centre: he believed it to be a punishment for voicing an opposing plan, condemned to being swiftly overrun by Reachmen made ruthless by the likes of Crakehall himself, his butcher Clegane, and his sadistic mutilator Payne. Lord Crakehall had positioned himself well to the rear, like a craven.

[General Brewster]

Agitated Payne replied "Retreat would result in nothing but death at the hands of Lord Tywin. The Lion does not retreat. He will have our heads on Casterly Rock if we turn and run. We must stand and fight. "