After recovering the Archduke orders the attack, more or less in line with Baron Enlien's plan.
Initially the attack goes quite well, and there is some confusion in the enemy ranks due to the early hour of the attack. It saves the Diemans some climbing time and a lot of arrow fire...but most importantly it denies the enemy general the opportunity to issue orders to nullify the effects of the oblique attack.
The heavy right flank of the Diemans hit the Westerners' weaker left flank hard at the oblique, and for a moment a swift victory is within the grasp of the Archduke's men. The arrival of Baron Maender Taren with the reserve enables the beleaguered flank to fall back in an orderly fashion, and the attack is halted.
The Baron of Tariene is, however, killed during the fighting, but the Westerners does not seem disheartened over this, but instead sing songs to praise his valor, and even make up a sad ballad on the spot, telling the sad tale of the messenger sent to the Duchess of Tuornen to tell of her husband's death.
Along the rest of the line the advance is not so swift, and the advancing infantry quickly come under semi-heavy missile fire, and then get stuck in melee with determined Westerners. This is just the kind of fighting Enlien wanted to avoid. And predictable enough, more Dieman's are dying than defenders.
To be continued...
