Battle of Midgard

The Battle of Midgard was the third major offensive in the Second Griffon-Pony War. On June 20, Solar Era 1000, the Equestrian Army surrounded the city and began bombarding it with aerial assaults that lasted for a few days. They then breached the walls with explosives and swarmed the city on foot, overwhelming the griffon defense between two fronts. Midgard was the second major city to be involved in the fighting of the war, and the last major conflict before the Battle of Asgard.

The campaign
The bulk of the Equestrian Army arrived outside Midgard on June 19 and surrounded the city to ensure no griffons fled. An emissary was sent to the city to propose terms of surrender to the griffon officers. When the griffons refused to budge, the Equestrians began an aerial bombardment run over the city. Using pegasi to drop explosives into the city, they were able to devastate the garrisoned defense without even entering the city. The griffons managed to hold off most of the assault, though most of the damage was done to structures and houses, taking away most of the cover for the griffons to hide in and launch ambushes from.

The bombing runs lasted for three days before Captain Aegis ordered a demolitions team to breach the city walls. On June 22, the Equestrians destroyed all four gates of the city and stormed the griffon defense. The griffons set sharpshooters on the walls of the city and picked off ponies as they charged, but were soon forced back by sheer numbers.

As soon as the Equestrians were in the city, the fighting became much more intense and bloody in the narrow streets and alleys. The griffons set up IEDs inside evacuated stores and buildings to trap the Equestrians with while using snipers to target key officers. Although none were killed by the sharpshooters, Captain Aegis was wounded by a sniper's bullet and had to be evacuated from the battle.

The fighting between both sides lasted for two days back and forth in the streets before the Equestrians managed to break through the griffons' flank and surround their enemy. At dawn of June 24, many griffons attempted to retreat via flight. This proved to be a costly mistake, as Captain Blackhawk and his pegasi gave chase, engaging them in a deadly aerial skirmish as they fled. Though some managed to escape, many were cut down, leaving the Equestrian Army to recuperate and give chase northward towards Asgard.

The Second Battle
After the Equestrians had left to move toward Asgard, the griffons that had remained behind hiding in the rubble and ruins emerged to reclaim their city and salvage what they could. Most were griffon elite or snipers, and chose to roost and secure their positions until further orders from Alaric could reach them. A small Equestrian reconnaissance team returned to the city a day later to scout out the ruins for their allies. They were supposed to meet with Captain Phalanx's squad and redirect him to Asgard. However, the griffons ambushed the ponies, killing their squad leader and forcing them to retreat and take cover while they faced off in a game of cat and mouse.

Captain Phalanx's squad had just arrived at Midgard and hurried to assist their comrades. However, a sniper killed Phalanx and forced the others to scatter as well. The Equestrians managed to work their way out of the city after a brief engagement with the sniper and griffon elite. The city was ultimately left unoccupied after the severe damage it incurred during the fighting, deemed unnecessary to occupy.