The Eastern Bight Conflict

Introduction:
The Eastern Bight Conflict took place in the year 430 of the Fourth Age. It was a war between the forces of the Dalish Federation, consisting of the Third Kingdom of Dale and the Kingdom of the Taurethrim, and the local tribes and clans of the Woodmen, who lived in the East Bight.

Key Figures:
Dale: Taurethrim: Eastern Bight:
 * King Hope II Barding-Gilnea
 * Chancellor Tankrid Ogh-Feandghainess
 * Governor Ray of Ruarden
 * Commandant Gilian (Athala Ranger Corps)
 * Sir Yamor of Karrikfellern
 * Sir Martel of Montael
 * Captain Kell Frothwald (Dalish cavalry)
 * King Namakush II
 * Chief Ferdac Heordar (Leading the Woodmen)
 * Chief Tarmód Lythgrim (Konhelm tribe)
 * Chief Magkin Eradrot (Maracrim tribe)

Causes:
In the spring of 430 of the Fourth Age, the Third Kingdom of Dale sent a messenger to the East Bight, seeking to unify the Woodmen with the rest of their Northmen brethren. The ambassador carried with him papers, treaties, and also valuable gifts of gold and silver. However, the messenger was never heard from again, and the Dalish government began to grow suspicious. Recent times had seen the Empire of New Númenor make an alliance with the forces of Sauron, and wage war against their Edain kinsmen, the Kingdom of Arnor. With this happening, along with the fact that Dol Guldur now bordered Dale and the East Bight, the Dalish Royal Parliament, after a period of soul-searching, came to the uncharacteristic conclusion that they could no longer trust anybody, and that from now on, they would take matters into their own hands. Right: A map of the Third Kingdom of Dale and the East Bight.

The Dalish, especially Chancellor Tankrid Ogh-Feandghainess, greatly feared the situation around him, as the rest of Middle-Earth descended into war. Although Sauron had promised him that the forces of Mordor would not attack Dale, Tankrid was still afraid that Dol Guldur would try and take the East Bight, turning the Woodmen to their side. Capturing the Eastern Bight and securing an alliance with the Woodmen would mean that Dol Guldur could now flank Dale's southern provinces in Rhovanion. Additionally, with the support of the Woodmen, it would be far easier for Dol Guldur to infiltrate Dale and spread unrest there, for the Woodmen were also Northmen, and could blend in well with the Dalish population.

Hope II also saw it necessary to secure the East Bight, and after his messenger disappeared, negotiations had failed. The Eastern Bight now had to be seized with military force. This was to ensure that the Woodmen were well and truly brought under Dalish rule, and also as a popularity move for the Dalish Royal Army. The Dalish Royal Army had seen little combat since Tankrid's conquest of northern Rhovanion, and was mainly limited to fighting raiders, and faring badly in that regard. Dale had also pursued a policy of complete neutrality, giving other realms the impression that Dale was weak, and thus was their reason to avoid war. Sending troops to annex the Eastern Bight would show that Dale was ready for war, and so Hope II gave an executive order for the Dalish Royal Army to be mobilised.

The Dalish Invasion
In the summer of 430, a battalion of Dalish Royal Army troops marched out of the city of Dale. Another battalion of men was mobilised from the provinces surrounding it, and again from Rhovanion, bringing the total to 3 battalions. King Hope II, at the age of 18, led the troops out of Dale personally. Although he could no longer fight, Chancellor Tankrid travelled with the army as well as they made their way to the East Bight. Travelling with their personal retinue would also come Governor Ray of Ruarden, and the recently knighted Sir Yamor of Karrikfellern. After a week of marching through Southern Dale and North Rhovanion relatively unopposed, Dalish troops finally entered the East Bight.

When they arrived, there was little resistance, save for several orc scout parties looting their way across the Eastern Bight. The Dalish troops captured a handful of hamlets; however, they found them mostly deserted, their enemy absent.

The First Battle
The Dalish forces split up into their battalions the day after the entered the East Bight, after setting up a temporary marching camp. The Dalish cavalry, led by Captain Kell Frothwald, along with Sir Yamor and his horsemen, travelled westward through the East Bight at speed to locate and chase down the Woodmen, while Commandant Gilian and Sir Martel marched with their infantry and rangers to engage the enemy once the Woodmen were spotted. King Hope II and Governor Ray travelled on horseback, seeking to find the leaders of the Woodmen and kill them and their troops. However, eager to find the Woodmen as fast as he could, Captain Frothwald moved his cavalry too quickly, not allowing Sir Yamor, the rangers and the infantry to catch up with him. After travelling through the wasteland of felled and dead trees, Captain Frothwald and his cavalry arrived at a river. The river had relatively steep banks on both sides. It was here that Captain Frothwald made the fateful decision to cross the river immediately and continue his search, leaving behind Sir Yamor and his infantry support.

After his cavalry successfully forded the river, and got up onto the other side of the bank, they were met by the full force of the Woodmen, who were waiting for them. Immediately, Woodmen hunters and archers began to shoot at the cavalry still struggling up the river bank. Captain Frothwald, thinking that Yamor and the infantry were still behind him, foolishly led a charge against the Woodmen. The charge failed, as the Woodmen formed a shield wall and killed the Dalish horses. Captain Frothwald was killed during the charge after being dragged off his horse by Chief Ferdac Heordar himself.

When Sir Yamor and the infantry eventually crossed the river, they too were disorganised, and also received heavy archer fire while trying to climb the river bank. The Woodmen eventually charged forward into the Dalish troops, who had lost all cohesion and coordination, and killed many of them. Sir Yamor and Sir Martel were heavily injured, and only just managed to flee. Gilian, however, had arrived late to the river, and saw the carnage unfolding, choosing to stay on the eastern banks of the river. His rangers exchanged fire with the Woodmen hunters; however, they would be forced to withdraw, or risk losing all of their men. The Dalish forces which had managed to cross the river fled into the forest of dead trees, trying to flee from the overwhelming strength of the Woodmen tribes. Right: Dalish knights hold their position against Woodmen warriors.

King Hope II only found out about the almost complete annihilation of his infantry ten minutes after it had occurred, when Sir Yamor's messenger bird arrived. He and Governor Ray led their troops through the forest to help the rangers and the infantry who were retreating. The rangers found a new position and held their ground, and now that they had cover, could use their skills and tactics to their advantage. Hope II and Governor Ray managed to arrive with their forces just in time to save the rangers and the remaining infantry from being completely annihilated, and their sudden appearance led to casualties in the Woodmen ranks. Hope II's Royal Guard fought their way through the Woodmen flanks and rear under the cover of Ruarden longbow men, and managed to surround the Woodmen leaders.

Ferdac Heordar, seeing his new and sudden situation, panicked and surrendered to the Dalish. The battle was declared a victory for the Third Kingdom of Dale; however, it came at a terrible cost, with hundreds of men wounded or killed, and thousands of golden talents worth in equipment lost.

The Second Battle
Following the surrender of Ferdac Heordar, a group of Woodmen chieftains sought to take responsibility of defending their homes themselves, and rallied their clans and warriors together to renew the war against the Dalish. Again, King Hope II and his men rode out from Dale again. This time, new officers and fresh units were brought in, and veterans from Tankrid's conquests of Rhovanion came to advise the young king and his generals.

The Royal Army, now replenished with fresh troops, marched west towards the East Bight. Their morale was spurred by news of the surrender of the Woodmen in the previous battle. Prince Hope II had not come with them, but the presence of Chancellor Tankrid was widely felt amongst the soldiers. Governor Ray was leading the Royal Scouts on horseback, along with the elite of the Ruarden cavalry and a handful of Athala Rangers to locate the enemy as soon as possible; this was so that the Royal Army could avoid an ambush, which the commanders had been paranoid about since the last battle. The Woodmen were discovered to be hiding in the forest canopy, within the boughs of the trees themselves. Upon being discovered, the Woodmen hunters shot arrows and threw javelins at the scouting party. The scouts quickly withdrew under the hail of arrows, barely escaping with their lives. After they had gotten clear of the forest, Governor Ray sent a Ruarden cavalryman to report to the main forces, and ordered the rest of the Royal Scouts to move towards a steep hill to the north of the battle, which would place them on higher ground than the Woodmen positions. Right: Woodmen warriors bracing for their last stand as Dalish soldiers advance on their position, after they were driven out of their hideouts.

Sir Martel and Sir Jamoo arrived with the main force half an hour later, longbowmen already in formation and prepared to fire whenever they received the order. Dalish soldiers formed a shield wall to protect themselves from the Woodmen hunters, while longbowmen gave suppressing fire, pressuring the Woodmen. Their enemy distracted, the Royal Scouts climbed up the hill and onto the forest canopy. When the order came, the woodmen were suddenly hit by arrows coming from two directions, and, panicking, many of them chose to leap off of the trees to escape the threat of arrows. However, as the trees were old and had grown to great heights, the Woodmen who chose to leap onto the ground were injured and traumatised, and a massacre ensued when the main forces closed in.

The Dalish forces were victorious, suffering comparatively few casualties compared to what had happened in the previous battle against the Woodmen, having learnt from their mistakes. The Woodmen surrendered, and were forced to give up their northern territories to the Third Kingdom of Dale, while Dalish troops returned home triumphant with their hard-fought victory.