Kaanbara Bridge massacre

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The Kaanbara Bridge massacre was the killing of 5,340 intelligent beings on Kaanbara Bridge near the village of Kaanbara on Diskotaque (Now within the United Systems of Ivel) on day 108 of 3799 BGA by the Groderian tribe during the Last Great Diskota Tribal War (3812 BGA - 3796 BGA). The massacre occurred one Diskota day before the Battle of Kaanbara Bridge where the Hrastretian army that the refugees had been mistaken for was defeated.

Prelude

During the Last Great Diskota Tribal War, Hrastreia was aligned against the neighbouring Groderian tribe and had launched a campaign to capture villages, supplies and civilians in the easternmost expanses of Groderian territory. A indecisive battle had taken place near the border town of Strasiuses, known as the Battle of Strasiuses, where the Hrastian forces had, whilst outnumbered, overpowered the Groderian defence but had suffered heavy losses and failed to destroy the Groderian army. Refugees from Strasiuses and nearby villages headed west to evade the approaching army. The Groderian forces had retreated and received reinforcements from the nearby Fort Grastler and now totalled 42,000 men, after crossing the River Kaanbara and entering a valley, the army prepared an ambush as they now outnumbered the invading forces.

The Groderians concealed 4,000 cavalry mounted on Fredniti in an area of tall grass to the south-east of Kaanbara Bridge and placed 6,000 cavalry along with their 2,000 mounted archers further down the valley. 6,000 Groderian archers were concealed in patches of tall grass at the base of the valley's hills on either side of the road. The remaining 24,000 infantry were concealed on the wooded tops of the valley's hills.

Massacre

When the Groderian refugees were heading west to escape the attacking Hrastians, they had gathered some swords and axes and had equipped the strongest men with this weaponry to lead and protect the migrants and some of the weaker men to protect the rear. They came across the River Kaanbara with 5,340 refugees and, because of their swords, were mistaken by the Groderian cavalry and archers concealed in the tall grass for the Hrastian army and gave the signal to the rest of the army that the enemy was approaching.

As the refugees entered the valley, they came into contact with the cavalry stationed deep into the valley which charged the front of their column as the infantry on the hills charged the sides of the column. Meanwhile, the cavalry stationed in the tall grass to the east of the bridge charged the rear of the column.