Kasfan led his army to Mount Doomsday. This mountain was called "Mount Doomsday" by the Brittany. The people of the Empire on the other side of the mountain preferred to call it "Heart of Ice".
When Duke Palawon passed by Ubetherik, he did not stop for long. He did not try to attack the town. Instead, he took the opportunity to extort a sum of food and pay from Count Graff in exchange for a promise not to attack the city.
Count Graff did as he was told. Ubetherik had three hundred standing soldiers, and Count Graff also had his own personal guard. These soldiers naturally did not dare to resist Kasvann's army of more than fifteen thousand men. Kasvann did not plan to stay here either. After getting enough rations and gold coins, the army passed by Ubetherik and headed straight for Helmgat.
Although war had been declared, in the civil war between humans, both sides still followed the bottom line. They did not kill captives, civilians, and nobles would be put under house arrest to wait for ransom.
The army of more than 15,000 people camped on the mountainside of Mount Doomsday. Kasfan let the knights and soldiers take the time to rest and prepare for the upcoming battle.
Emperor Karl Franz, on the other hand, was stationed behind the shoal in front of Helmgat with an army of about twenty thousand people. Elector Umberto's eight thousand troops were on the flanks of the emperor's main army, forming a triangle.
There were about 4,000 troops of the Empire left in Helmgard. The Emperor did not plan to defend the city because this was a civil war between humans.
The two armies began to confront each other while looking for an opportunity.
In the morning of February, Laing and François stood on the city walls of Helmgard and looked at the opposing armies. The Chosen Champion of the Lake Fairy said in a low voice, "The Empire's army is well-trained and composed of many different armies. Their morale is high, but the number of knights is relatively small. Even if we include Rick's guards and Elector Umberto's personal guards, the total number of knights is only about 1,200."
"The scale of Kasvann's army is much smaller than the Empire's, but they have over 2,200 knights. The outcome of this war is hard to say. The Empire has a certain advantage in terms of military strength, while Kasvann has the advantage in terms of numbers. However, sometimes, victory or defeat can be decided in an instant."
François nodded. Duke Winford thought for a while and said, "Kasvane has been on the battlefield for a long time. He knows that if he forced his way into the Empire's formation, the knights won't be able to win. He needs to wait for an opportunity, an opportunity when the Empire's army reveals its weakness."
"Exposed his weakness …" Jerrold looked at the opposing army and frowned. "Casfern's army is fighting in the Empire, and it's an expedition. He doesn't have the capital to drag things out with Emperor Franz. As long as Emperor Franz sets up camp, Casfern will have no chance of victory."
"No, you're wrong, Jerrold." Laing shook his head. "His Majesty Karl-Franz understands that this war isn't as simple as it seems. Jerrold, you're only calculating the military aspect, but Karl-Franz understands more. He's not only an excellent general, he's also an excellent politician."
"That's right. The Emperor may be able to win by defending to the death, but that's not what he wants." François nodded and smiled. He was satisfied with Laing's political wisdom. "There are so many of us here watching."
Jerrold's cold face flashed with understanding. "So that's how it is."
War has never been simple.
… …
In the Empire's army camp in front of Helmgat, the Emperor, his General Kurt Helberg, Flag Bearer Ludwig Schwarzhammer, Elector Umberto of Tuscany, and the others were looking at the battlefield's sand table.
The great alchemist Bayershazer Gelt was also present. However, many great alchemists who had their own ideas in the past were not interested in this human civil war. They stood to the side without saying a word.
The front of the city of Helmgaat was filled with red flags that symbolized the army of Rick and the yellow flags of the army of Ivy. Across the shallows and a narrow plain, there was a blue flag on the mountainside of Mount Doom.
"Casfern has stationed his army on the mountainside. There's plenty of water and steep terrain there." Helberg pointed at the place where the blue flag was. "If we attack his camp directly, then a large group of knights will directly charge at our army from the mountainside. It's very difficult for us to resist such a charge."
The generals nodded. The people of the Empire knew very well how powerful the charge of Brittany's knights was. When these knights charged while shouting the name of the Goddess, any enemy in front of them would be crushed into pieces.
"We don't have as many knights as Casfern. If we take the initiative to attack, we will definitely fail." Karl-franz shook his head. "Our artillery can cover our charge, but Casfern's army has about 50 Pegasus Knights. They will definitely look for an opportunity to attack our artillery."
"If we fight head-on, our casualties will be very high. This is a civil war between humans. We can't fight like this. The bloody lesson of the era of the three emperors is right in front of us. However, we can't just sit still. Just like what Sir Vikmar said, enemies who challenge the authority of the Empire must be defeated, and completely defeated." Karl-franz said calmly. The young emperor was very clear that he and his army could not defend to the death. He had to fight a beautiful battle in front of everyone.
"Actually, there is a very simple way to win, Karl-franz. That is to fight for the championship. If you come to the front of the army and invite Casfern to fight for the championship, then he won't refuse." Elector Umberto suddenly said. He looked at the Rune Tooth on the emperor's waist and the warhammer Gail Maraz in his hand.
"No, Casfern has good reasons to refuse." Karl-franz shook his head. The emperor smiled bitterly. "The knights on the other side of the mountain won't believe us anymore."
He was talking about an incident that happened not long ago on the "Culona Road". It came from the border friction between the Empire and Brittany. The Empire's General Helberg and the Brittany's Marshal Roland were facing each other in the swamp. Both of them were in pain from the repeated tug-of-war and small-scale skirmishes, so the Brittany proposed to fight for the championship.
Helberg agreed.
Helberg was the strongest swordsman in Rick's Praetorian Guard. There was no doubt that he had amazing strength and superb swordsmanship. However, the Brittany sent a Holy Grail Knight, Baron de Albecken.
The Holy Grail Knight's strength was needless to say. Helberg realized that he could not defeat the powerful Holy Grail Knight even after using all his skills, so he admitted defeat without hesitation. Seeing that he admitted defeat, Baron de Albecken also said that Helberg was a warrior. If he had any other choice, he would not duel with Count Helberg.
Helberg agreed with the baron's point of view. He retreated a distance under the doubtful gaze of the Holy Grail Knight.
Then he ordered the cannons to fire.
In the Empire's army, more than a dozen cannons that had been arranged beforehand fired at Baron de Albecken at the same time. The Holy Grail Knight was hit by the cannons continuously. Taking advantage of the fact that Baron de Albecken was injured, Helberg took the opportunity to behead the Holy Grail Knight and declared himself the winner.
Before Baron de Albecken died, he still cursed Helberg for being despicable and untrustworthy, but Helberg turned a deaf ear to him. The Empire's general only cared about victory and duty in his heart. Glory had nothing to do with him.
This incident caused a very intense diplomatic conflict. After Karl-Franz learned the result of this incident, he quickly sent someone to make peace with Richard and redrew the border line. At the same time, he immediately transferred Helberg back to Brunswick and gave him a stern reprimand.
The emperor meant that it was okay for Helberg to use such a dirty trick when dealing with creatures like Chaos, the Northern Barbarians, vampires, and the Green Skins. However, it was too much to use such a dirty trick on a fellow human.
Helberg did not care. He only wanted to win.
There were different opinions on whether the Empire's general was right to do so, but one thing was for sure. The Brittany would never accept the invitation to the championship match so easily.
Moreover, even if the Brittany accepted the invitation to the championship match, the emperor did not have the confidence to win.
Karl-Franz was about 34 years old this year. His strength was at the intermediate legendary level. The emperor knew very well that his strength was very strong, mainly because of his good equipment. Whether it was the "Silver Seal," the "Runic Tooth," or the "Gail Maraz," these were all divine artifacts. They were all one of the strongest enchanted divine artifacts in the old world.
Even so, facing the Holy Grail Knight, the emperor did not have the confidence to win. The Holy Grail Knight was much stronger than ordinary people in the same level.
"So, our plan is that I will lead about a thousand knights from the side and attack Kasvann's flank through the mountain path behind Helmgard." The emperor's finger moved on the war sand table and went around a nearby hill. Then, he pointed directly at Kasvann's flank. "We will take about two hours to force our way through."
"At the same time, His Excellency Elector Umberto will lead all the infantry and a small number of knights to cross the shoal and wait for an opportunity. After I lead the knights to complete the detour, our two armies will launch an attack together. No army would be able to fight on two sides for a long time. As long as the plan is right, Kasvann and his army will be defeated!"
"Prepare for action. Tomorrow morning, I will lead the knights and set off. His Excellency Elector Umberto will lead the army to cross the shoal at the same time and wait for the news of my attack. Then, immediately attack Kasvann's army together!"
"Yes!"
At the same time, halfway up Mount Doomsday.
The army of the Parawon Duchy was resting. After a day of rest, Kasvann's army gradually recovered from the exhaustion of crossing the mountain range. Their morale rose. A large group of ranger knights rubbed their palms, waiting for the battle with the Empire's knights.
The kingdom's knights were different. The main force of the army was mostly silent. They were clear about the strength of the Empire and knew that they would be facing a tough battle.
At the same time, Kasvann was also discussing the military situation with his deputy general, Count Carnell.
"The Empire's army is far superior to ours in terms of both quantity and quality of infantry. If we launch an attack rashly, the Empire's cannons and elite phalanxes will cause the knights to suffer heavy losses." Kasvann looked at the map. The battle-hardened duke also felt that the situation was tricky. "Our knights outnumber the Empire's army. We need to find an opportunity."
"The problem now is, will Emperor Karl-franz defend Helmgard to the death?" Count Carnell raised his concern.
"He won't." Kasvann frowned. However, he came to the same conclusion. The Empire's army would definitely take the initiative to attack.
Then … how would Karl-franz take the initiative to attack?
Kasvann looked at the map. His army was camped halfway up the mountain. The Empire's army was camped in the open space in front of Helmgard. The front of the open space was a shallow beach, followed by a narrow plain, and then it was close to where Kasvann's main camp was.
The duke knew that he had to use the advantage of the number of knights and the powerful impact to have a chance to completely defeat the Empire's army.
"Send out more scouts!"
"Yes!"
… …
In the early morning of the 2nd of February, the sky was pitch black.
The Empire led the Rick Guards and several knights of the Empire's knights and set off. They would go around a hill and attack Kasvann's main camp from the side.
Elector Umberto led all the Empire's infantry, Empire's cannons, and a small number of Empire's knights to cross the shallow beach.
In the darkness, the light was completely reliant on the moonlight. The Empire's army did not dare to light torches. More than 20,000 soldiers crossed the shallow beach. Because the weather was cold and it was a dry season, the Empire's army crossed the shallow beach relatively smoothly.
"I hope everything goes well." Kurfürst Umberto was wearing the exquisite plate armor made by the dwarves. He was riding a hybrid elven horse, which was wearing glamorous armor. The Kurfürst himself was wearing a colorful robe and a colorful helmet. He crossed the shoal under the protection of his personal guards. The water in the shoal could only drown the horse's hooves.
"My Elector, why did His Majesty let you command the army? Wouldn't it be better for you to lead the knights and go around to the back?" The personal guards of the Elector of Tuscany, the Knights of the Golden Fleece of the Ivy Hill, said.
The Knights of the Golden Fleece were the most elite troops of the Ivy Hill. Most of them were personally selected by the Elector himself. They fought with the Green Skin at the Black Fire Pass all year round and had a lot of combat experience.
"Because Karl-franz needs it. He needs enough prestige," Elector Umberto said with a smile. Kurfürst Umberto said with a smile, "The new emperor is a talented man, but his current prestige is not enough to support his ambitions and beliefs. Therefore, he has to lead the army and win victories in person to ensure that his policies can continue to be implemented. Compared to the nobles, he is more willing to trust his own army. Many nobles hate him."
In the early morning, the moon was bright and the stars were few. The area from the Gray Mountain Range to Helmgat was covered in a thick fog. Most of the Empire's army had crossed the shallow beach.
Elector Umberto, however, felt that something was wrong.
It was too quiet.
"Where is Otto, my advisor?" The Kurfürst shouted behind him.
"I'm here!" A legendary wizard of the light class in a white robe caught up with him with a staff in his hand.
"Disperse the thick fog! Now! "
"Yes!"
The spell was chanted, and the thick fog that spread over the valley and the plain was dispersed.
The powerful Light of Exile illuminated the plain. Not only did it disperse the fog, but it also illuminated the army that was hidden in the fog.
Flags were everywhere, and spears were raining down. More than two thousand Brittany knights were fully armed, and more than ten thousand Brittany infantry regiments were all in formation. Their troops stretched from the mountainside to not far away from the Empire's army.
"Okay, that's enough." The fully armed Kasvann was riding a pure-blooded elven horse. He spoke to a Lake God Prophet beside him. The beautiful Lake God Prophet nodded and stopped casting her spell.
Then, the thick fog completely dispersed on the plain.
Kasvann had already led his main force down the mountain.
"Oh no!" Elector Umberto knew that the plan had failed. Kasvann took the initiative to attack them.
He immediately signaled the Knights of the Golden Fleece to blow the horn. The Elector pulled out the Elector's holy sword, "Mother of Destruction". "Army of the Empire! Gather at me! "
The Empire's army hurriedly got into formation and quickly gathered at the Elector himself.
"Advance! Knights of the Brittany! "Kasvann raised his spear, and more than two thousand knights also raised their spears in response." Charge! For the Lady! "
"For the Lady!"
Tens of thousands of horses galloped, and mud flew everywhere. The Brittany knights' angry waves swept across the plain.
A great battle was about to break out.
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