Battle of the Crater

The detectives were dispatched to a forward unit of human infantry tasked with the deed of storming an enemy trench network. The detectives lay through the night with the anxious men awaiting the signal to attack. An hour before sunrise, a massive explosion sounded from under the rebel defenses. The Loyalists had tunneled under the rebel lines and lay explosions to create a way for their infantry to storm through and punch into the rebel capital only miles away.

When the ash settled, whistles sounded, and the soldiers rushed forward. As the detectives and first wave of infantry ran into the enemy lines, they found in the fog of the crater that the explosion failed. There was no way for the incoming Loyalist forces to climb the southern wall and breach the enemy line. To make matters worse, the rebel dwarves were now organizing a defense and with malice. Upon seeing the humans below them, the rebel dwarves shot their crossbows down into the crater.

More Loyalist and rebel soldiers stormed toward the crater to reinforce their numbers. As the Loyalist infantry moved into the crater, the rebel dwarves pulled in artillery. While the detectives tried to find ways to get their forces above the hole, rebel artillery pounded explosive ammunition into the crater.

Blood flooded the hole and fire burned men in their tracks. More and more soldiers thrust themselves inside the fog where the cries of wounded men called out into the haze of the smoke and ash. Rebel dwarves continued firing crossbows into the incoming Loyalists. After three hours of relentless combat, the detectives were able to organize a withdrawal.

At the camp, the detectives were bent on personally executing the general responsible- but found General Eman personally yelling at the commander who devised the plan. The responsible general was dishonorably discharged and removed from command.