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The Baron picks up companies at each of the smaller towns of his barony. The knights also send detachments of troops, providing cavalry. On the plains of the river Kwai you exercise maneuvers. Basically you are trained in :

• The line: you fight in a 2 rank line. A group of 10 persons fights in 2 lines of 5. When fighting in this formation, you have due to the training a 1000 skill points bonus. This gives you +3 on each individual combat total in the group. A soldier in this group loses this bonus when he no longer has a man/woman behind him/her with the same training.
• The column: mainly for marching.
• The square: when charged by cavalry your centurii is ordered into square. For your platoon, this is the same as the line, but 2 rows of javelins are stuck in the ground at a 45 degree angle as a protection against the horses. The combat total of cavalry attacking you is divided by three.

The organization of the army is simple. Groups of 10 (wo)men are called a decurii or platoon. Ten decurii make up a centurii or company. The centurii is headed by a sergeant, who is assisted by a wizard, an weapons instructor and several ordnance's. Each company carries its own supplies in a few ox drawn wagons. Sergeants report directly to the Baron, although the Baron sometimes groups companies into battalions commanded by a major.

High the mountain peaks rise above you as you cross the river Kwai. The Baron has chosen the strategic crossing at the ancient Twin Towers, where once the Royal Road connected the ancient elven capital Teluviarum with the capital Amma. The Twin Towers, only recently rebuilt, guard the ford. Ruins of the bridge, demolished centuries ago, can be seen in the river.
One morning the Baron gives the long awaited signal to cross the Kwai. Skirmishers are sent ahead, and report no enemies. They occupy a small hill at some distance on the opposite shore, and the main body of the army starts crossing the river. It's a day that will be recorded in written history, as it is centuries since an armed force of the Kingdom dared to enter the Mourning Mountains. Trumpeteers blow in triumph, and herald the advance of the army. When it's your turn to step into the water, you shiver: the water is ice-cold.
"These waters are melting waters from the glaciers high up," an old army priest explains, pointing to the snow covered caps of the mountains.  Your company is one of the first to cross, and a long trail of troops follows. The army is followed by many civilians. Traders are predominant, but there are also a fair number of jugglers and other artists and ladies of charm. You are ordered to make camp about a mile inland, and build a simple wooden wall around the camp.
The next day the Baron orders the army further into the mountains, following the river Bwrn. Brwn is its orcish name, in the days of the Elven Kingdoms it was named Thelassaridum.
The slopes of the Katapanu loom up on your right, and the Banuwa on your left. Both tops are hidden in the clouds, and can not be observed. In the afternoon however, wind blows the clouds away for a short while and you can admire the snow covered crests. Half way on the lower slopes you can distinguish the ruines of a castle. A dark cloud obscures part of the ruins. "In the days of the Elven kingdoms it was called Erenthalie," Bilo explains, "and in the old days the last fortress to hold out in the Mourning Mountains against the advance of the Mountain Orcs". A shiver runs across your spine and your mood drops. Bilo is the orcish shaman assisting your company. An old priest of Mares starts chanting, and some soldiers join this marching song. The singing lifts your spirits.
The second day brings you to a broad valley, and a large group of mountainorcs has its camp on the opposite slope of the Katapanu. Halfway up the slopes you can distinguish the ruins of an old elven castle, one of its towers seems remarkably well conserved. The orcish camp seems to be a travelling camp, which means they are on the move.

Read on at the BattleStart