Battle at Topside Hills

Battle at Topside Hills
Part of the Amalfi-Beilyne War
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Date 11 December, 1582 Location Near Lunaran, Beilyne Result Amalfitan victory The Army of Lunaran is scattered.
Belligerents
File:Beilyne Flag.png Beilyne Republic	Amalfi
Commanders and leaders
File:Beilyne Flag.png Storm Wing  † File:Beilyne Flag.png Jones Seriat	Pirus Cossus Mafalix
Strength
12,300-13,000 men 70 cannon	7,800 men 50 cannon
Casualties and losses
7,250 dead or wounded 1,890 taken prisoner 38 cannons lost	TBA
† - Killed in action

The Battle at Topside Hills (Livonaran: Stride uf Toppsiden Kulle) was a battle between the Beilyne Republic and Amalfitan Empire fought on December 11, 1582. The Amalfitans, intent on capturing Lunaran and quickly taking control of the island in an attempt at expanding their colonial reach into Eastern Foronna, landed on Beilyne on December 4 with three tertiae under Pirus Cossus Mafalix. Their march towards Lunaran began on December 8, at which point Beilyne had organized a defensive force comprised of citizens drafted from the city and nearby farms as well as soldiers stationed in the vicinity.

The battle

The two armies met at Topside Hill, with the advantage initially with Beilyne due to their holding the high ground as well as their artillery providing support from a distance. However, the battle would soon be turned in Amalfi's favour when the well-disciplined tertiae broke through the Beilyne lines, wreaking havoc among the militia. The battle returned to Beilyne's favor when Storm Wing called for her men to stand their ground, telling them that reinforcements were on the way though they were, in fact, not. After several hours of intense combat, both sides grew exhausted and withdrew to regroup and prepare for a second round of fighting.

In an attempt to gain the upper hand in the battle, Storm Wing led a surprise attack on the Amalfitans as they were regrouping. The ambush failed, however, and Storm was killed in the short fight that occurred along with the 1,000 men she had brought with her. This would force her less experienced second-in-command, Jones Seriat, to take control of the Beilyne forces. The two armies joined battle again shortly afterwards, and Seriat positioned his artillery close behind his front line, hoping this would enable them to pick off the advancing Amalfitans before they came close. This proved to be a mistake, however, as it allowed the armoured Amalfitan cavalry easily to break through the militia and kill off most of the crew before they could retreat. It took 31 minutes for the Beilyne army to force the cavalry to withdraw, at which point twenty-one guns were left unmanned, nine were understaffed and eight had been deserted by their crews.

After the loss of half his artillery, Seriat ordered a retreat in an attempt to regroup what remained of his forces. The Amalfitans, spotting their chance to deal a heavy blow to the weakened Beilyne forces, gave chase. Cossus Mafalix pressed home his advantage as the Beilyne forces desperately tried to regroup, but having failed to reform their line they broke and scattered. Seriat himself was one of those captured by the Amalfitans.