Falco campaign

The Falco campaign was the name that the ill fated first invasion of Iola island by the Kingdom of Dercia following their conquest of the coast of the mainland acorss the islands shores. The Senate back in Pearlhal were eager to follow up with another successfull campaign, hopefully one where they could earn a pretty coin in the process and maybe gain some glory for their families. For a long time, rumours had flourished in the capital about the tribes on the island across the coast had been aiding the city-states and tribes on the mainland, and some even told that some tribes were hiding some of the previous rulers from some of the conquered city-states.    Sending an order to the general in charge of the legions in the area that he was to gather an invasion force and plan an invasion of Iola Island as soon as possible. The general was forced to gather three understrength legions and didn't have enough time to bring them up to full strength before a messenger from the senate arrived and told the general that he was to invade before the end of the month.  

The Battle on the White Shore

Once the fog lifted, one of the first things the legionaries saw was a narrow beach that quickly transitioned into steep hills. What was worse was that on those hills, figures waited there standing still as if made of stone, the legionaries at first mistook them for stonefigures as the figures were painted from top to bottom in grey ash.   The landing were rough, the surf were unpredictable, the transports pitched and groaned as waves hit them and the wind that had picked up as the fog lifted meant that commands were nearly impossible to hear. The ships made to unload at a port, didnt have any ramps, the legionares were forced to jump into water that reached their chest and with their shield held overhead and Decaris yelling orders, to disembark and form a line, that was when the first volley came, the soldiers heard a hissing sound over the wind shortly before the downpour of arrows, slingshots and stones began to rain down in the soldiers.   Most legionaries managed to lift their shield in time, men ducked instinctively, especially the recruits, the sea around them carried the arrows away harmlessly, but still many found their mark and the dull thuds as arrows hit shields were intermingled with the screams of legionaries being hit. The legionaries endured two volleys before the figures waiting on the hills began to advance with a sudden roar. By the time the island warriors reached the legionnaires, the legionnaires were just a few meters from the beach.   At first, the island warriors stopped the legionaries, their spears giving them an advantage, but the legionaries, with many of them being veterans of several campaigns, pressed forward step by step, their shieldwall holding, the men motivated by their general fighting in the ranks with them and the legion's standard held, so that all could see it.    Once the first rank of legionaries reached dry sand, everything changed. Now not held back by water and with more solid ground under their feet, the legionares' feet found purchase, and they instinctivly formed a proper shieldwall and their training kicked in, and the counter push began properly.   Three steps, brace thrust, the rhythm slowly began to overpower the island warriors, who were unused not only to the heavy armour of the legionares but also fighting a force that didn't fight in individual combat like them. Just as it looked like the legions were to break the island warriors, the chanting of druids could be heard coming from further inland, and the island warriors surged forward and at one point, breaking through the lines with slingers pelting the exposed lines of legionaries, the gap in the lines were only stopped when more legionares that had managed to wade to shore counter attacked and cut off the island warriors, combined with a team of engineers that had managed to rig a ballista into working order, still half-broken, but functional enough to send one heavy dark arching into the densly packed lines of the island warrirors, hitting a rock and shattering the rock, pelting the islanders in sharp rock-fragments.   The legionaries took the confusion caused by the dart and surged forward, breaking the spirit of the island warriors and the warriors fell back into the hills, and as suddenly as the attack had started, it ended, and the beach was in the hands of the legionaries.   The beachhead was won - barely.