The Hoblin War of 2007
It was harder to have a war in Red World than it looked. In theory, a powerful magician could destroy an opposing army with a wave of the hand. And mass movement through a magic-encrusted frontier was a logistical nightmare. Heinlein defeated his opponents because he was a powerful magician, but he maintained his rule because he was a genius at logistics. He played off one vassal against the other. None could attack over the sea because of his alliance with the Merfolk and Panzerscorps. None could attack through the air because of his alliance with two independent forces within his Empire: The Jornsendon Harpies in the north and the El Bul Emirs in the far south. And horrible things happened to any who tried to move underground -- that horror was known as the Sanseine Troglodytes.
So when the Gorian Hoblin King decided to attack the Parchland Wastes, he faced seemingly insurmountable problems. Heinlein mysteriously agreed not to oppose the invasion. On the other hand, Heinlein very definitely did not agree to provide support.
The Parchland Wastes were far to the south and across the Inner Sea and there were three possible invasion routes. The first was overland, east through Rimardia and Frondia, and south outside the Empire to the Eastern Parchlands. The second was by sea, west into the Sea of Sargasso, then south around the horn of Hiastia. And one shouldn't discount a combination, through Cyrenia and Ilastia, then due south by sea.
Because the Gorian King had no allies within the Heinleinic Empire, the all marine route was most feasible. The King paid a horrendous price to the scaly Merfolk and found a way to convince the Panzerscorps to let his fleet of invasion galleys pass.
Deep within Goria, axes rang in the Black Forest. Tens of thousands of trees were felled, and hewn by Hoblin laborers and dwarf craftsmen. The result: 80 large troop transports, each capable of holding 100 Goblin, Hobgoblin, and Bugbear warriors and their tack and supplies. The Black Forest Hoblins had never seen the ocean, and never would. The ships were floated up the Solotkan River and to ports across the Straits of Avalon. Here, squads of ratmen rigged and finished the galleys.
In a dread ceremony, Hoblin mages consecrated each galley and carved a rune of passage on the prow of each ship. Without the rune, carnivorous Merfolk would swarm over the gunwales and Panzerscorps would breech and crush trespassers. Finally, 8,000 Hoblin warriors marched on board. If many of them eyed the murky waters of the Straights of Avalon with trepidation, they didn't show it. It was widely known that Hoblins can't swim. But they were also said to be without fear. Tons of supplies, weapons, and food were loaded. Howling Hoblin mounts; hybrids of horse, crocodile, and wolf were sedated and stowed. Finally, elite but corrupt Cyrenian Sea Elves boarded. They didn't like Hoblins, but they adored Hoblin gold. Somebody had to sail the fleet. All was ready. The passage to the Parchland Wastes would take three weeks.
There was no government in the Parchland Wastes. No organized army opposing them. Just thousands of cities, villages, mineheads, herds, camps, caves, and mazeholms. It was difficult to see what the Hoblin King's goal was. He could garrison each population concentration with 100 soldiers, and still eventually run out. There was no government to oppose the Hoblins, but there was no government to surrender. Was there a single treasure worth the cost of the invasion? Anything was possible. Perhaps the invasion was merely a grandiose purse snatch.
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