Chapter XLIX: Hunter vs. Hunter
June 1112 to December 1112
As the rest of the world watched the great battles, campaigns and defeats of the summer and settled into an uneasy peace in September, a vicious and never-ending fight erupted on forest and hills of Central Syrenia. The great duel between the Gebirgsjägers and the Kungliga Fältjägarbataljonen has been transformed in the post-war world into a legend that has become a staple of the Great Pomeranian War. A famous piece of literature called the Jäger vs. Jäger, co-written by two veterans from both sides, many folk songs and even an opera adaptation of Jäger vs. Jäger has been produced over the years. The story has become a staple part of both sides’ memory of the war, and inspiration to both of them. There is a direct connection between the leaders of the Kungliga Fältjägarbataljonen and Selenism in recent years. While the writer encourages you to read Jäger vs. Jäger, the writer feels that some of the tale is worth mentioning within the greater work presented here, to show the reality of the fight.
The Beginning: June to August
When the Kungliga Fältjägarbataljonen or as we will call it from now on the KFB was sent to weed out the Gebirgsjägers, or as we will call them from now on the Gebirgs, from the forests and mountains; they did so with the anger at what they were doing to the local forces.
The first noted clash between the two occurred on June 24th, where the KFB managed to track down and destroy a small Gebirgs force. This victory was the first, but the Gebirgs quickly hit back, striking down a squad of the KFB on June 26th. The constant maneuvering, tracking and raiding by both sides showed their skill in their duties. The biggest problem the KFB was having was they often found themselves in situations where they would be outnumbered locally, leading to stalemates and defeats during these opening two months. By the end of August, the Gebirgs had grown in strength over time but neither side had an advantage. Both had won minor skirmishes against each other, and it was a game of cat and mouse. But things were about to change in the Fall.
Escalation in the Fall
The Fall was marked by the KFB changing their tactics. Instead of spreading their forces out thin, then would operate in large strike groups from a central point. This sudden change of tactics changed the fortunes of both sides, as they proved to be rather effective. The KFB would end up killing or capturing 250 Gebirgs in the months of September and October, often by surrounding them. By the end of October, the Gebirgs were at their knees when their leader ,Hyazinth de Maizière, led a daring raid on the HQ of the KFB, nearly capturing their leader, Olaf Eriksson, on October 31st. This marked another turning of the tide.
It needs to be furthermore noted that all of these actions took place under the ceasefire. Neapolis had just fell right before the news of the ceasefire arrived and Jens von Reis, in violation of the ceasefire, ordered the KFB to continue their attacks on the Gebirgsjägers. Part of the early successes in September were down to this, but the role of the KFB's new tactics cannot be understated. But the long-term effect ultimately was envigorating their enemy even more, as more mountain men filled the ranks of the Gebirgs soon after their October 31st raid.
To December
With the tide turned, the Gebirgs now went on the offensive themselves, against both the KFB and the local Dragoon forces. On November 11th, 50 men, an entire platoon of the KFB was wiped out, the largest single day loss thus far and raids on supply caravans started to resume. One of the biggest changes in the tactics was the use of fallen leaves as camouflage and the dispersion of the Gebirgs into smaller groups that would be harder to track. The KFB adapted to these changes but found it hard to achieve the same success as earlier. By the time December came around, the stalemate resumed but the fighting would only grow more intense during the winter, as the war proper would shortly resume.
Neither side up to this point had an advantage over the other. Both had seen great successes and great defeats. Both commanders had recognized that their opponent was their match but both desired to break the deadlock this winter and truly defeat each other. But this story is far from finished and it is recommended to read Jäger vs. Jäger to fully appreciate the events that have taken place.