a gift

Greetings, brave lords and ladies of Westeros! The lands of *GoT WiC* are buzzing once again due to the Siege of Winterfell (alongside the "Siege of the Twin Dragons" - much to the annoyance of some players!). The event is nearing the home stretch, and the battle for the 12 playoff qualifying spots is fierce! During one recent skirmish against a relatively weaker foe, we had already completely dominated the map; the enemy wasn't even venturing out of their base. Consequently, all that was left for us to do was chat in the general channel...

Just then, a message arrived from my comrade, Lord Agamenon. He and his powerful cavalry had jumped to K385 for another hunt. The kingdom was controlled by an alliance called AAO - one that was completely unknown to me until then! After burning a few castles, he encountered a formidable spearman-based account that would prove impenetrable to his cavalry. He was instantly on high alert; he knew the signs of war all too well to ignore them.

"How many?" - Agamenon asked his soldiers.

"We don't know. But they seem to be moving in our direction," - they replied.

The enemy attack rapidly advanced on Lord Agamenon’s castle. Unfortunately for [AAo] Lord xXManuXx, Agamenon’s castle was empty. With all his main troops safely in the shelter and fake mobilizations deployed, the enemy caused no damage.

Seizing on the enemy's carelessness, he managed to scout their defenses. Scouts bypassed Lord Manu’s walls and returned with a report containing valuable information! Agamenon smiled as he viewed it! Nearly 22 million troops were inside the enemy castle -including over 2 million Tier 5 (T5) Spearmen and a meat shield also composed of Spearmen!

Seizing the opportunity to counterattack, Agamenon quickly sent me a raven requesting support against this enemy.

I broke Agamenon’s seal and read his words:

“My friend, a hunt brought me to k385, and I found an ideal target for your infantry. Together, we can win this battle.”

I stared at the scroll for a few moments. It would be the perfect opportunity to test my latest advancements.

"I’ll go; I’ll hold him off as long as possible!"

I was still on the SoW battle map; the match had a few minutes left before ending, at which point I could jump to k385.

Meanwhile, Agamemnon and his cavalry kept provoking the enemy, keeping the war alive. Every clash served to stoke the flames of battle. I knew that when I finally crossed those borders, I would find an enemy already exhausted and ripe for the decisive blow.

When the SoW finally ended, I jumped to k385. With a level 60 lord already in my dungeon, I only needed to activate my Fervor and adjust my army size. I quickly tweaked my settings - making slight adjustments from the configuration I had used during the SoW. The minutes were ticking away, and at any moment, the enemy might slip away upon realizing the trap closing in on them.

Finally, I was ready!

Lord Agamenon encouraged me. The hope was that, following my initial assault, the enemy's defenses would falter, allowing subsequent attacks to decimate them. At least, in theory, that was the plan.

Of course, there were risks. The element of surprise required me to launch a solo attack, but that always carried the chance of failure. Charging a castle heavily guarded by a solid "meat shield" (even one made of spearmen) could prove disastrous. Still, I would not hesitate...

From a distance, I launched my assault and accelerated my march.

My infantry advanced on Lord Manu’s castle like a wall of steel. With shields raised and swords drawn, my soldiers crossed the field without breaking formation. The impact against the gates shook the walls, and chaos erupted among the enemy troops. With every passing second, enemy resistance waned as their meat shield was decimated.

Lord Manu’s castle no longer seemed like an impenetrable fortress. The scent of ash filled the air. Yet, the enemy remained standing -perhaps dazed, unaware of what had suddenly struck them.

Giving the enemy no chance to escape, I quickly rallied my troops and launched another attack. Looking toward the castle, I saw that my friend Agamenon had also seized the opportunity following my initial strike and was attacking Lord Manu’s castle as well.

When my troops struck the enemy castle once more, it finally fell. I broke through Lord Manu’s final line of defense, decimating his last Tier 5 troops. The few men still holding the line were surrounded and ruthlessly defeated. Not a single enemy soldier remained standing. As Manu’s last banner tumbled from the ramparts, the castle finally succumbed. Nothing but silence remained from the enemy, while my troops celebrated their victory!

What once seemed a dangerous target was now just another castle defeated by my infantry. Agamenon played a pivotal role, distracting the enemy until I could launch my attack. Together, we turned an unlikely opportunity into a crushing victory.

Afterward, I thanked my friend Lord Agamenon for the gift: over 20 million merit points gained in just two attacks.

Following the fierce battle, Lord Manu retreated into the shadows, left with nothing but empty threats in the chat. Defeated and humiliated within his own realm, the other members of AAO remained silent. Were they plotting revenge against us foreign invaders? Only time would tell.

After all, in Westeros, a battle never truly ends when the swords are sheathed. The ensuing silence is merely the prelude to an even greater storm. But in that moment, it mattered little. We had crossed the borders of an unknown realm, faced its walls, and emerged victorious. And as our men celebrated, one certainty hung in the air: the next hunt could begin at any moment. For in the game of thrones, you either play or you die!