Battle of Highland

Battle of Highland
Part of Herzetian Nativist War
An animated map showing the troop movements and engagements of the Battle of Highland.
Date 4 April 2022 Location Highland Region, Nolius Result Decisive Nativist strategic and tactical victory
Belligerents
Constitutional Republic of Columbia Nolius	Herzetian Nativist Force
Commanders and leaders
Lucas Hayes Rowan Telles	Unknown
Units involved
Nolius Constabulary Force Herzetian-Columbian servicemen Columbian loyalist militiamen
Strength
7	9

The Battle of Highland was the second military engagement of the Herzetian Nativist War, occurring shortly after the Invasion of Highland. The battle was the result of mayor Asher Young of Nolius' orders to lead an assault against the Nativist troops that had been occupying the Highland Region as of 30 March 2022. The battle resulted in a major victory for the Nativists, and allowed for further strengthening of HNF control of the region.

Timeline

Prelude

Following the unexpected invasion of Highland on 30 March 2022, the Herzetian Nativist Force released a video proclaiming their victory on YouTube. Mayor Asher Young, who was away on vacation, messaged president Daniel Maloney through Discord and promised he would order a counterattack despite his inability to lead in person. Young ordered the head of the Nolius Constabulary Force, Lucas Hayes, and captain Rowan Telles of the Columbian Army to lead an attack on the Nativist positions in the Highland Region. Hayes and Telles assembled a force of 5 constables and military servicemen, and enlisted the help of two armed loyalist militia members. The attack was scheduled to begin on 4 April 2022.

March to Highland

At about 1:30 PM PST on 4 April 2022, Hayes and Telles consolidated their forces in the Rochester region of Nolius, and discussed battle plans. They decided the best course of action would be to attack Highland from the north, since the relatively open northern area of Highland could easily be occupied, and would grant them an advantageous position above Fort Cnoc, where they predicted the bulk of the Nativist strength would be entrenched. The Nolius forces would set out on their march to Highland at 2:04 PM.

Attack

At 2:25 PM, Nolius forces reached Highland, and took position around the northern area. At 2:35, Telles and Hayes ordered the attack to begin, and Nolius forces marched into north Highland. Upon scaling a small hill at the base of the larger Knotted Hills, Hayes spotted two individuals in black and carrying airsoft guns further south and commanded the men to halt. Before he could approach them in an attempt to make negotiations, however, the two, now evidently Nativists, began to fire potshots at Hayes from a distance, though the wind caused their projectiles to miss. Hayes retreated to his men, and ordered them over the top of the hill. With superior numbers and a relatively open field, Hayes ordered the troops to form a line and advance at a quick time march towards the enemy. Once they were about 300 feet away from the two Nativists, who had taken crouching positions, Telles and Hayes ordered the men to fire volleys. The volleys were effective, and the Nativists were hit several times while returning inferior fire. At 2:48, the Nativists retreated south down the hill towards Fort Cnoc. Nolius troops broke from their line formation and quickly secured the northern region. All Nativist strength seemed to be in Fort Cnoc, down below. Telles and Hayes regathered the troops in a position overlooking Fort Cnoc, and discussed the next phase of the attack. They could see five Nativists occupying the fort, including the two that had retreated from the hills. At 2:55, Hayes once again separated from his men and began the downhill approach to Fort Cnoc, hoping to act as a diplomatic envoy in order to elicit a surrender from the Nativist occupiers. Upon reaching the bottom of the hill overlooking the fort, Hayes called out to the defenders and requested their immediate surrender, lest an assault on the fort begin. Hayes' offer went unheeded, and he was met with a resounding refusal from all inside. Hayes made his way back up the hill and commanded his men to prepare for an assault on Fort Cnoc.

Assault on Fort Cnoc

At 3:02, Hayes ordered the assault to begin. Nolius troops began to fire their weapons down into the fort, but the defenders hid behind barrels and rocks as cover. Realizing that his tactics were not working, Hayes then ordered his men to cease fire and form columns at the top of the hill. At 3:07, he ordered a charge down the hill, hoping to break through the defensive fortifications quickly and force a surrender with superior strength. The men charged downhill, but were met with a coordinated spray of projectiles from the defending Nativists when they were only fifty feet from the walls. Many men were hit and injured in an instant, and the charge began to lose momentum quickly just outside the walls. Hayes' men began to engage in melee combat in an attempt to force themselves inside, but this was largely ineffective. Just after Hayes ordered his men to engage in melee, he heard a battle cry from the north, and turned around to see four more black-clad Nativists, armed with airsoft rifles, standing above the fort on the hill that his troops had just charged down from. Presumably, they had left the fort once they heard the engagement up top begin, and flanked behind Hayes' force. Before he could order his men to turn around and regroup, the Nativists on the hill began to fire down upon his exposed men with surprising accuracy. The four Nativists began to fire and advance down the hill towards Hayes' troops. Met with fire on two sides, Hayes ordered his men to retreat through the woods to the west. The Nolius troops were not followed, and they returned to Rochester at 3:32 PM. Having successfully repelled their attackers, the Herzetian Nativists further secured their hold on Highland, which would remain firmly under their control for the rest of the war.