Medieval Total War-esque RP

[POMC S117]

Spoiler:

It's an ambush. MP, I'd advise you to use an "unorthodox" strategy.

[Masked Pillow]

Spoiler:

Where do these reinforcements keep coming from?
Don't worry, I have a plan.

The soldiers used the same tactic as last time, attacking a certain point, hoping to retreat once they escaped.

[POMC S117]

Spoiler:

The trees!

The bandits decided to charge at the soldiers, archers still firing from the trees.

[Masked Pillow]

The soldiers sprinted up several trees, most uninhabited, but some with bandits in. They instantly got out bows and shot down at the bandit horde.

[POMC S117]

The bandits were taught to climb trees from a young age. The soldiers weren't. Many fell attempting to scale them. However, those that did killed many bandits. There was another problem though. Their bright armour was easily spotted. Soon, the odds were even.

[Masked Pillow]

The soldiers, learning from the bandits, strapped leaves and branches to their armour, and rubbed in any grime they could get their hands on. The soldiers in the trees carried on shooting, but a few took their armour off, and replaced it with fur blankets covered in mud and leaves. Each of them grabbed a shield and axe, and leapt from tree to tree, before descending several hundred meters behind the bandits, unseen.

[POMC S117]

Spoiler:

Where did they get the fur blankets from?

Many didn't make it down and were killed by the bandits. The ones that did couldn't be seen.

[Masked Pillow]

Spoiler:

Soldiers have to sleep, don't they? They got it from their packs.
Please let this work.

They ones that got down were the lithest and quietest of them all. They slowly, very slowly sneaked in a crouched position towards the rear of the bandit army, almost invisible and deadly silent. When they were close, they split into five groups of four, and they each picked a tree. As one they raised their axes and brought it down on their respected trees. Because there were four to each tree, they left large gashes. They kept repeating this, hurrying, because they did not want to be caught. The needed the trees to fall on the bandit horde only feet away, but the horde was making so much noise, which was the only reason they hadn't been caught already.

[Gideon Dragontongue]

Spoiler:

It's funny how often we have to come up with this sort of crazy plans.

[Masked Pillow]

Spoiler:

I know. I think POMC likes to tease us.

[POMC S117]

Spoiler:

I do!

The trees were thick but the soldiers were determined. By the time the bandits spotted them it was too late. The trees crushed many. Only 100 remained.

[Masked Pillow]

Spoiler:

Yes! I win! Take that criminal scum!

The soldiers who cut down the trees quickly ran away before they were killed.
The rest of the army kept on shooting, and a number climbed down to kill the rest with swords.

[POMC S117]

The bandits threw down their swords.

[Masked Pillow]

''So, bandits,'' said the general. ''What am I to do with you?''

[POMC S117]

Many of the bandits began running. The ones that stayed pleaded for forgiveness.

[Masked Pillow]

The general sent some of his soldiers to round up and capture the fleeing bandits.
''I will let you live, but only if you swear with blood that you will become soldiers for the armies of Chudes, Francia, Italy, Rusland and the north eastern states.''

[POMC S117]

"F-for how long?" Asked the bandit who appeared to be the leader.

The other bandits escaped.

[Masked Pillow]

''For however long you wish to live.
Now, tell me where the villagers are. I wish to have a word with them.''

[POMC S117]

"But what about our families?" Protested the leader. "The villagers fled into the forest."

[Masked Pillow]

''They will be citizens of the kingdom.''
He ordered his soldiers to go and find the villagers.

[POMC S117]

"But we'll never see them! And what about our way of life?" He asked.

The villagers had made it to what would later be known as Poland.

[Gideon Dragontongue]

Spoiler:

Any of you guys seen that movie King Arthur from 2003 or so? Very similar plot. The Romans defeated some barbarian tribe, but were so impressed with their horsemanship and skill in combat that they allowed their warriors to join the Legions as elite cavalry.

[POMC S117]

Spoiler:

That's what happened quite a lot. They joined as Auxiliaries.

[Masked Pillow]

Spoiler:

No, I haven't.

''A soldier is not in a war all his life. He gets to go home when he is not needed. Anyway, you don't have much choice. You either join me, or you die.''

[Gideon Dragontongue]

Spoiler:

Indeed. I keep forgetting that you're someone else who knows a lot about ancient Rome.