Translator: Translation Nation Editor: Translation Nation At two o 'clock in the afternoon, Loriste stood on a sentry tower in the middle of the third line of defense. He watched as the troops of the four central duchies and House Fisablon's armed forces converged under the guidance of the horns and flags. They gradually arranged themselves into battle formations and prepared for battle in the field.
"Your Highness, they're too slow. It's been more than two hours since lunch, yet they still haven't finished their formation and formation. You see, our people have already taken an afternoon nap." Shihuard said as he pointed at the family's soldiers who had just woken up from their nap.
Redi smiled and patted his shoulder: "That is why His Highness wants everyone to take the time to rest after lunch. Didn't you object to it? You think that it is too careless. You even said that if the enemy ambushes us, we will be at a disadvantage if we do not react in time. Look, we have already taken an afternoon nap and the enemy has yet to complete their formation. If everyone had stood for more than two hours to maintain their vigilance like you said, everyone would definitely be exhausted by now. "
Shihuard argued anxiously: "But I said that just in case. If we all dismounted and rested, we will not be able to react in time if the enemy ambushes us. They are only about three hundred meters away from us. They will be able to sweep through our formation in a few minutes. I am just a little curious. Why are they not attacking us? "
Loriste laughed: "If we are only facing that old man Fisablon, I will not allow everyone to dismount and rest. That is too risky. However, we are currently facing the four central duchies. If we set up a battle formation, then even if Fisablon's cavalry wants to ambush us, they will be opposed by the four central duchies. Look at the other side. The four central duchies have clearly deployed their troops in the center of the formation. They want to use their military superiority to defeat us and obtain the final victory.
However, they are infantrymen and their speed is slow. Furthermore, they lost a lot of men when they attacked the first line of defense. It will take some time for them to readjust their formation. They were worried that we had gotten off our horses to rest to lure them into an ambush. Even if they allowed the roaming cavalry to ambush us, if it really was a trap, the roaming cavalry would definitely suffer heavy losses. Such a defeat before the battle would severely damage their morale. Thus, it was better to stay put. They wouldn't allow the roaming cavalry to ambush us. Another reason is that they also need time to arrange their troops. Dismounting and resting here is also a signal to them to wait for them to finish arranging their battle formation before starting the decisive battle. Before that, we will not attack and interrupt their formation process. "
Ferocious Tiger Ross and Pacico went up to the rooftop of the sentry tower and saluted Laurist.
"How are your left and right flanks? Which faction is the enemy on the other side?" Loriste asked.
Ross the Ferocious Tiger glanced at Paciko, and Paciko nodded, signaling for Ross to reply.
"Your Highness, the enemies on our left and right flanks are the same. Judging from their banners, they're both from Fisablun's 5th Border Ranger Corps. I have the First and Third Corps here, while Pacico has the Second and Fourth Corps. However, they also brought twenty thousand barbarian cavalry with them. Paciko and I are facing around forty thousand enemies, "Ross the Ferocious Tiger replied.
"Twenty-four to five thousand against forty thousand. Although the enemy's military strength surpasses yours, they probably won't focus their attacks on the two flanks. The barbarian cavalry is a motley crew that only knows how to fight when the wind blows. As long as they can withstand the first three attacks, they won't be able to hold out once the battle drags on. With the strength and equipment of our clan's Flying Tiger Corps, we can suppress them in every aspect.
As for the 5th Border Ranger Corps, according to the information we received and the statements of the captives, this is a newly formed corps. They are ranked the weakest among Fisablun's armed forces. The only thing to worry about is that most of the soldiers of the 5th Border Ranger Corps are equipped with crossbows and other long-range weapons. It's said that their most common tactic is to dismount from their horses and form a longbow formation to attack from afar. Thus, when the battle starts, you should be more vigilant when the lancers launch a surprise attack, "Loriste said thoughtfully.
"Yes, Your Highness. We will be careful." Ross the Ferocious Tiger said, "However, what we are worried about now is the center formation. The enemy has clearly turned out in full force, so wouldn't the center formation's military strength be a little weak?"
The enemy's left and right flanks already had eighty thousand soldiers. Looking at the deployment of the center formation, it was mainly made up of sixty thousand elite infantrymen from the four central duchies, supplemented by twenty thousand soldiers from Fisablun's reserve army. In total, there were eighty thousand soldiers and horses. This was already about double Loriste's central army's military strength. No wonder Ross the Ferocious Tiger and Paciko were a little worried.
"It's fine." Loriste smiled and shook his head. "I've already mobilized Ovis' Thunderbolt Catapult Battalion and Terman's Bear Rage Knights to hide in the back. We're waiting for the field battle to start to give our enemies a surprise. There's nothing to be afraid of no matter how many enemies are about to be defeated. However, the two of you need to pay attention to the left and right flanks. Once the enemy is defeated, there's no need to pursue them relentlessly. Let the Felim Family's Pegasus Corps chase after the enemy. They are light cavalry. As for the two of you, you need to lead the Flying Tiger Corps to the center from the left and right flanks. This time, our main target is the elite infantrymen of the four central duchies. As long as we can annihilate most of the infantrymen, that old fellow Fisablun won't be able to jump around anymore. Do you understand? "
"Understood, Your Highness." Ross the Ferocious Tiger and Paciko straightened their chests.
"Alright then, go back and command the troops. Look at the formation on the other side, it's almost done. The battle is about to begin. Pay attention when you go into battle. While you're contributing, you have to protect yourselves."
"Yes, thank you, Your Highness."
A long, whimpering sound of a bugle horn rang out. Immediately after, the rumbling sound of war drums could be heard from the battle formation on the other side, like muffled thunder sweeping across the land. Looking from the sentry tower, the flags of the battle formation on the other side were fluttering in the wind. Waves of cheers and slogans could be heard …
Loriste's spirit was lifted. "It's finally starting. Shihuard, what time is it?"
Shihuard ran down and quickly ran back. "Your Highness, it's a quarter past three."
"Sound the bugle. Everyone, be on alert. Wait for the enemy to attack."
No emissary came forward to announce the declaration of war, nor did any knights come forward to issue a challenge. The elite infantry of the four central duchies and the armed forces of the Fisablon Family did not even rest for half an hour before they immediately launched their attack. Countless twin-wheeled shield wagons formed three rows and were pushed at the very front, rolling towards the third line of defense where Loriste was.
"Your Highness, we can order the Thunderbolt Catapult Battalion to fire the stone balls. It's enough range now," Shihuard said as he looked at the wave of wooden shield wagons.
"There's no rush. They've just started moving out. It won't be too late to fire the catapults after they pass the center line. I've already ordered Auvecis to calculate the range. In ten minutes or so, you just have to wave that black flag and send the signal, "Loriste said calmly. Loriste said calmly, "Also, order Suremes to prepare to meet the enemy. His heavy armor corps will be our first line of defense."
Suremes was a knight of Duke Kenneth's family. His qi rank was 1-star Gold rank. It was said that he was once a slave gladiator in the Haneabada Kingdom. Back then, Kenneth was still a viscount, and his father had gone to the slave kingdom to watch a bloody gladiator fight. He became interested in the victor, Suremes, and spent a large amount of money to redeem his freedom. After obtaining his freedom, Suremes became a knight of the Kenneth Family out of gratitude. He was also the commander of the Kenneth Family's heavy armor division that had been transferred to the southern province.
The infantry formation of the four central duchies that had initiated the attack seemed aggressive, but their attack speed wasn't very fast. It wasn't easy for the first three rows of wooden shield carriages to reach the third line of defense. It was a distance of nearly three hundred meters, and these wooden shield carriages were made of rough materials. Even their wheels weren't perfectly round, and some of them were even of different sizes. After pushing for only fifty to sixty meters, some of the wooden shield carriages couldn't take it anymore, and a few of them had problems and collapsed.
Laurist had estimated that it would take around ten minutes, but in reality, it took around twenty minutes, almost half an hour, for the first row of wooden shield carriages to reach the center line. At this time, the battle formations behind these wooden shield carriages stopped. They were all longbow battle formations, and now that they had reached the firing range, they were about to launch long-range attacks at the armed forces of the four northern family alliances in the third line of defense.
"Order the Thunderbolt Catapult Battalion to fire the stone balls and destroy the wooden shield carriages in front. Order Malek's War Chariot and Steel Ballista Division to raise their firing range and focus on the longbow formation. Order Suremes' Heavy Armor Division to prepare for long-range defense!" Loriste quickly gave three orders. Schwartz and Redi leaped to the rooftop of the sentry tower and waved their flags to issue orders.
When the first batch of five hundred densely packed stone balls flew into the sky and fell towards the infantry formation of the four central duchies, everyone who didn't know what it was could only stare blankly at the huge stone balls falling from the sky …
The wooden shield carriages could block the shots from the steel ballista, but they couldn't block the huge stone balls falling from the sky. Dozens of wooden shield carriages were smashed into smithereens by the stone balls. There was even a huge stone ball that smashed into a wooden shield carriage. Not only did the wooden shield shatter, even the carriage was sent flying, and a few soldiers who were pushing the carriage fell seven to eight meters away, along with a dozen unlucky soldiers.
These were only the huge stone balls that smashed into the wooden shield carriages. Most of the stone balls that missed fell to the ground and bounced up, rolling towards the neatly arranged infantry formation. For a moment, the area that was hit by the stone balls was in chaos. No one could block the huge stone balls, and no matter what was in front of them, as long as the soldiers were hit by the stone balls, they would either die or be injured. The tens of soldiers in the middle of the formation screamed in agony …..
However, this was only the beginning. Countless black shadows descended with ominous whooshing sounds. Through the gaps in the wooden shield carriages, the War Chariot and Steel Ballista Division fired their ballista bolts and swept away the soldiers who were still distracted by the stone balls. Corpses piled up like a mountain, and blood flowed like a river. It was a tragic sight.
Although this was only a small gap in the long battle line, the infantry formation of the four central duchies seemed to have suffered a heavy blow and became hesitant. The soldiers who were pushing the wooden shield carriages in the areas that weren't hit by the huge stone balls raised their heads to look at the sky. Not only them, but even the soldiers in the infantry formation behind them also focused their attention on the sky.
They weren't disappointed. Once again, a large number of densely packed stone balls appeared in the sky. The soldiers who were pushing the wooden shield carriages were instantly thrown into chaos. The soldiers who were pushing the wooden shield carriages abandoned the carriages and turned to run. The soldiers in the formation behind them also broke down. They screamed and ran in all directions. A few centurions who came to stop them were even pushed to the ground by them. Then, dozens of feet stepped on them without hesitation …..
"Ugh … What's that?" Grand Duke Fisablon, who was standing on a sentry tower in the middle of the second defense line, had his eyes bulging out. He looked at the infantry formation at the front line in shock as the huge stone balls fell from the sky and turned it into a pot of porridge.
"I once heard that when the Norton Family's armed forces attacked the Andinac Kingdom and ousted Queen Kerry from her throne, they used a weapon that could throw huge stones along the way in order to take down the castles and fortresses. I think it's called a catapult. These stone balls were probably thrown by those catapults, "Grand Duke Sabaji, who was at the side, replied with a serious expression.
"Then what should we do now?" Grand Duke Handa was very anxious. The ones being hit at the front were the elites of his duchy.
"Blow the retreat horn. We will retreat first. We will attack after we think of a way to deal with these catapults," Grand Duke Falkel, who was at the side, suggested.
"No!" Grand Duke Fisablon was anxious. "Look at the front. It's going to be a mess. If we blow the retreat horn, it will guarantee that the central army will collapse. The enemy will definitely chase after us. You are all infantry, and your two legs can't outrun their four legs. I think we should blow the charge horn and attack with all our might. We have the advantage in terms of military strength, and we haven't suffered many losses. If we attack with all our might, there is still hope for victory! "
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Grand Duke Handa was anxious. "Look at the front. We can't even maintain the battle formation. Is it even possible for us to launch an all-out attack? We should quickly retreat and reorganize while more than half of the battle formation can still be maintained. The enemy will not chase after us if we have the advantage in terms of military strength … "
Just as the few Grand Dukes were arguing about whether to advance or retreat, the situation at the front line had already become more and more out of control. Without more than half of the wooden shield carriages, the war chariots and ballistae under Malek's command had already let the infantry formations of the four central duchies experience what a ballista storm was. The endless ballista bolts swept through the tens of thousand-man battle formations at the front like a storm. Large numbers of duchy soldiers fell to the ballista bolts.
Faced with the giant stone balls and the storm of ballista bolts that fell from the sky, the tens of infantry formations in the middle collapsed. The soldiers abandoned their weapons and turned to flee. Even the infantry formations at the back started to become restless …
"Blow the horn and order the Bear Rage Knights to attack. The heavy armor troops of the Kenneth Family will follow behind. Order Malek's war chariots and ballista troops to go forward and provide support. Order Overkiss's Thunderbolt Catapult Battalion to move forward and launch an attack with the greatest range. Cut off the enemy's retreat," Laurist ordered again.
The attack of the Bear Rage Knights led by Telman hastened the collapse of the infantry formations of the four central duchies. The heavy armor troops charged into the retreating infantry like tigers in a flock of sheep. However, the enemy reacted quickly. The reserve troops of the Fisablon Family quickly rushed forward and tangled with the Bear Rage Knights, covering the retreat of the infantry.
Laurist was very anxious. If he allowed the infantry of the four central duchies to retreat by more than half, then the outcome of this battle would still be uncertain. Even if he had the upper hand now, as long as the enemy regrouped the retreating soldiers and sent them back into the battlefield, then the enemy's superior military strength would very likely be able to turn the situation around. The most important thing now was to completely defeat the enemy. If only he had the Guard Battalion by his side, then he could directly bring the Guard Battalion into battle.
"Prepare the horses, we're going into battle," Laurist said. Right now, every bit of battle strength was a bit of battle strength.
Just as he got down from the sentry tower and mounted his horse, he heard thunderous cheers on the battlefield.
"Your Highness, we've won, we've won!" Schwald shouted excitedly.
Laurist raised his head and saw that the battle flags of the Flying Tiger Corps had appeared on the left and right flanks. The Ferocious Tiger Ross and Pacico had not let Laurist down. They were currently leading the Lancers to attack the enemy's retreat from the flanks.
Laurist smiled and said, "Yes, we've won. Blow the horn, everyone, attack!"
… …
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