Truly, the only thing worse than Silentthunders is what Silentthunders sits upon.
It's one half supernatural disaster!
Also one hammerman was unfortunate enough to be shot in the nose, whilst Logem Metalpanthers had a rude reminder of the cobwebs in the Fortress after running into a Titan web on his way to lunch. A large contingent of swordsdwarves, hammerdwarves and axedwarves are arriving to bolster the humans that made it to the inner palisade (mostly) intact.
*EDIT
The Dwarves have attacked the Palisade.
More human contingents making their way up the yellow brass road gave the humans enough strength to make a run for the courtyard. The Dwarves took offense to this and pulled the levers.
The pikemen encamped in the corridor may have thought they were clever soldiers. By sitting in the hallway they were safe enough and could pretend to be useful by keeping the hallway open for their comrades. Their comrades wouldn't be able to complain that they hadn't risked their necks and their captains couldn't do anything to press them forwards since they were dead. And then with two thunderous booms, one after the other - the world went dark.
A pileup of bipeds and quadrupeds ensued, bones breaking and muscles bruising - neighs and camel spit shaking the air.
The architecture of the Fortress was both alive and vengeful, great blocks of masonry barreling through the human ranks.
As the dust settled and soldiers picked themselves up, dazed, slightly confused but breathing - the first Captains raised their terrible cries and charged. What few humans still conscious and still standing spurned their steeds onwards to meet the Dwarves' charge with their own, buying time for more squads to arrive and force the Dwarves out.
They fought in a vicious scrum, bolts flying overhead and both sides locked pell-mell into a dirty no-quarters battle for survival. Recruits as young as 13 had to remember their training and have faith in their brothers, sisters, mothers and fathers to help them back up when a horserider knocked them down and the pikeman's polearm loomed overhead. The first human defenders were vicious and tough, desperately trying to hold the line; the line was broken. Humans, horses and camels alike were slaughtered in their sleep or dazed waking stupor.
What few survivors remained uninjured from the blast and free from the melee tried to turn back and escape, but found themselves trapped after the brass gates closed.
The soldiers found that even their mounts conspired to kill them. With dead eyes they were crushed underfoot, under Dwarven weapons and undead hooves.