Chapter 74
Southern Gate Defense Battle ⑥
(Day 4 of War)
Head-on Confrontation
Translator : PolterGlast
The sun rose over
Southern Gate. The dawn light dyed the land red, as if hinting at the bloody
battle to come that day. It was the same sunrise Christoph and Claire had seen
in Teigun.
"The enemy army
has left the fortress and is advancing towards us, forming a line with the
fortress at their backs! Their numbers are approximately 15,000!"
A report came from the
lookout that the enemy forces were moving.
"Those fools,
their reinforcements have joined them, and they've caught wind of our dispersed
forces. They've finally come out of their hole to die!"
Normally, the First
Prince Glorious's analysis would have been correct in response to the lookout's
report.
Even if reinforcements
had arrived, they were still just a rabble, not a disciplined army like his
Imperial Guard.
His 3,000 iron cavalry
were said to be the strongest in neighboring countries, and with an additional
2,000 cavalry, they were more than enough force to trample the enemy.
"Hoh, they've
gathered cavalry, have they? What a waste."
The First Prince
sneered, positioning his troops to match the enemy's formation.
He deployed 3,000 iron
cavalry as the main frontal force, and 2,000 cavalry and the main camp as a
reserve, also serving as skirmishers.
To the left and right
of the main camp, he divided his shield infantry and archers into two,
deploying 3,500 men to each side.
To the right wing, he
placed 4,000 men (1,500 cavalry) from two Earl armies, and to the left wing,
4,000 men (1,500 cavalry) led by Margrave Goth.
In terms of individual
attack power, troop numbers, and collective combat strength, it was a formation
that could not be defeated.
＜Gryphonia Empire Formation＞
伯伯伯伯伯 弓弓弓弓弓騎 騎弓弓弓弓弓 ゴゴゴゴゴ
伯伯伯伯伯 歩歩歩歩 騎騎騎 歩歩歩歩 ゴゴゴゴゴ
鉄鉄 鉄鉄
鉄鉄 鉄鉄
＜Right Wing＞ ＜Left Wing＞
＜Center＞
＜Left Wing＞ ＜Right Wing＞
騎騎騎騎騎騎騎騎
④④④①①①① ＝＝＝防壁＝＝＝ ②②②②③③③
④④ ①① ＝弓弓弓弓弓弓弓弓＝ ②② ③③
＜Kyle Kingdom Formation＞
伯 :
Count
弓 : Bow
騎 :
Cavalry
ゴ : Goth
歩 : Foot
鉄 : Iron
防壁 : Defense Wall
"Hurry! Build
defensive positions before the enemy cavalry arrives! The barricades we build
will decide the outcome of this battle. Don't hold back your strength!"
Under the command of
Baron Cornell, his subordinate earth mages rapidly constructed earthworks in front
of the archers and between them and the Allied Cavalry Corps.
This earthwork,
obscured by the Allied Cavalry Corps, was currently invisible to the enemy.
While the front had a
barrier about a person's height, enough to block a cavalry charge, its inner
side had a large step, forming a wide staircase.
"Allied Cavalry
Corps, follow me! Charge!"
In response to
Margrave Hastburg's command, 3,200 cavalrymen charged forward, raising dust and
a thunderous roar.
At the forefront of
the Allied Cavalry Corps, 30 elite cavalrymen from the Twin-Headed Eagle
Mercenary Corps, led by Commander Weiss, guided the formation.
This was Commander
Weiss, the Black Falcon, who had commanded tens of thousands of troops in the
[previous history].
Guiding about 3,200
cavalrymen at will was an easy task for him.
In fact, this was one
of the things I had requested in my proposal to the Margrave.
Commander Weiss, who
knew the archers' range inside out, would surely guide the enemy cavalry into
range on the battlefield.
※
"Iron Cavalry
Corps! Scatter the charging cavalry, then encircle them from the rear and make
them fodder for the archers!"
The First Prince
ordered the Iron Cavalry Corps to deploy at the front.
He had accurately
analyzed the reason for Margrave Goth's defeat and the tactics the enemy had
employed previously.
In
cavalry-versus-cavalry combat, blinding lights would not be so easily used.
He prioritized
decisively wearing down the enemy's forces rather than carelessly charging into
their lines.
If the enemy was
cavalry, he would scatter them with the Iron Cavalry, encircle them, and
annihilate them with archers.
He intended to return
the humiliation Margrave Goth suffered exactly as it was.
The First Prince's
Iron Cavalry began to charge towards the approaching enemy cavalry.
※
"The enemy has
started moving! The Iron Cavalry's charge is immeasurable, but they are not
agile in tight turns. We will outmaneuver them!"
Commander Weiss took
the lead, guiding the entire formation.
Immediately behind
him, cavalrymen carrying flags followed, clearly relaying his intentions and
next moves to those behind.
Straight ahead? No,
feigning a move slightly towards the enemy's right wing, the moment the Iron
Cavalry's horses turned that way!
"Now! Turn
towards the enemy's left wing! Slip through!"
Commander Weiss
abruptly changed the direction of the attack just before making contact with
the frontal Iron Cavalry formation.
The Imperial Guard
Iron Cavalry, who had expected a head-on clash, were caught off guard and hastily
changed direction, pursuing them.
However, the heavily
armored and momentum-filled Iron Cavalry could not react well to the agile
enemy movements.
Following the First
Prince's order to form a semi-encirclement, they made a large left turn, circumventing
counter-clockwise, and began to pursue the Allied Cavalry Corps.
The Allied Cavalry
Corps, composed mainly of light cavalry, prioritizing speed, agility, and
mobility, moved quickly.
"Don't get hit by
enemy arrows! Maintain distance outside the archers' range!"
Commander (Weiss),
making another sharp left turn, galloped across the very edge of the enemy
archers' range, from the enemy's left flank to their right flank, as if
crossing directly in front of them.
And then, he showed
signs of attacking the enemy's right wing, which was thought to be the weakest.
The Imperial Guard
Iron Cavalry reacted by again turning towards their own right wing.
It was as if each
cavalry unit became a large current, swirling like a vortex.
"We'll drag the
enemy in like this!"
Seizing the opportune
moment, Commander (Weiss) issued further new orders, drawing a large arc from
the enemy's left flank and changing direction towards his own army's center.
"They're moving
erratically! Now, change direction! Move the shortest distance towards the
enemy's direction of advance!"
The commander of the
Imperial Guard Iron Cavalry stopped pursuing the enemy's rear and changed
direction, intending to cut across the inner line of the large arc the enemy
was drawing at the shortest distance, and strike the flank of the rapidly
moving enemy cavalry unit.
"If our cavalry
is in front, they won't be able to use their blinding trick. We just need to
trample the enemy outside the enemy archers' range."
The enemy commander's
intention was correct. Normally, that is...
※
"Commander
Weiss's guidance is artistic."
I involuntarily let
out a cry of admiration.
"As planned, all
wind mages are in position."
Gale, the wind mage,
reported on behalf of the four.
All other mages were
positioned with flag bearers, interspersed among the archers of Viscount
Kilius's army, Viscount Gorman's army, and so on.
"Father, I
believe it is time."
"Raise the red
flag and the blue flag!"
At Father's command,
red and blue flags were raised at various points in the archer corps.
"Each unit,
prepare to fire at high angle! A simultaneous volley on signal!"
Each commander took up
position to intercept as instructed.
"At this
distance, arrows won't reach..."
"I don't want to
shoot our own allies."
The archers belonging
to other noble armies, besides the Solis Barony army, voiced their anxieties.
However, their
commanders, the viscounts and barons, remained calm and composed, following the
orders without apparent anxiety.
Yes, they had been
informed privately.
That the range and
power of arrows would extend incredibly with the wind mages. And they had
verified this with preliminary test fires and were confident.
"A red flag is
being waved in our ally's camp!"
Amidst the roaring
sounds on the battlefield, voices were inaudible, but those riding alongside
pointed towards their own camp.
"A good distance.
Each of you, prepare to change direction!
A simultaneous change
on signal!
Charge into our own
camp at full speed!
If you hesitate,
you'll be shot by our own arrows!"
Orders flew rapidly
from the Commander, and the flag bearer, receiving them, pointed the flag
towards their allies following behind.
"Lord Darek, when
the entire army turns towards the camp and turns their backs, please stop the
enemy."
"Understood!"
Yes, my brother Darek,
along with Kran, was galloping immediately behind Commander Weiss, mixed in
with the Allied Cavalry Corps.
※
"The enemy has
changed direction again. They are charging towards their own camp all at
once!"
Even without hearing
the report, everyone understood.
"This is
suspicious. Each cavalryman, be wary. Slow down!"
The commander of the
Imperial Guard Iron Cavalry gestured widely, giving orders.
And his prediction was
correct.
A blinding band of
light appeared before their eyes, just as they were pursuing the enemy, a
little more and their speartips would have reached.
"Don't panic!
Calm your horses! There are no obstacles here!"
It had been
anticipated beforehand.
They had also learned
from past combat experience.
Therefore, the
Imperial Guard Iron Cavalry responded calmly.
When their vision
returned, only a few had been thrown from their horses or caught by falling
horses, and the damage did not reach 100 riders.
"Did you think
we'd fall for the same trick repeatedly?! Continue the advance! Bring it into a
parallel pursuit and give them no chance to fire arrows!"
They were still well
out of bow range. The enemy's rearguard was still in sight.
If they could pursue
closely, the enemy shouldn't be able to fire arrows.
The commander of the
Imperial Guard Iron Cavalry had such intentions.
But at this moment, a
slight gap had formed between the Allied Cavalry Corps and the Iron Cavalry
Corps.
Even so, both were out
of arrow range, a distance that would normally be negligible.
※
"Now! First
volley! Prepare for the second volley!"
Seeing the band of
light deployed before them and confirming the distance between the Iron Cavalry
Corps and their allies, Father's command rang out.
3,000 arrows were
fired at a high angle.
At a distance, they
should not have reached.
"Those fools,
they're firing arrows at this distance? Are they mad? Is it friendly
fire?"
Above the head of the
soldier who had calmly cursed the enemy on horseback, an unexpected rain of
iron poured down.
Not just him, but
those in the middle and rear ranks of the Iron Cavalry Corps were also
indiscriminately struck by the storm of arrows.
In the first place,
arrows fired at maximum range lose their power during flight and cannot
penetrate their armor even if they reach.
And their current
position was clearly far beyond the maximum range.
Despite this, the
arrows were raining down on them with such force that it was as if they were
within their effective range.
Some managed to
deflect the arrows with their armor, some were thrown from their mounts when
their horses were struck and panicked, while others, unlucky enough to have
their armor pierced, met their end—the Iron Cavalry Corps fell into great
chaos.
And then the second
volley, arrows flew precisely aimed at them.
Flying an impossible
distance...
"All forces,
spread out left and right! Attack the enemy's rear while forming an arc!
Darek-sama, take the
left wing. Kran, stay on the right wing as you are!"
At Commander Weiss's
command, the Allied Cavalry Corps, divided into left and right, galloped
respectively counter-clockwise towards their own camp from the left flank, and
clockwise from the right flank, moving to envelop the Imperial Guard Iron
Cavalry from both sides.
And they pushed them
into the front of the archers, who were still firing arrows one after another
from their rear.
The Imperial Guard
Iron Cavalry, contrary to their initial intentions, found themselves
half-encircled and became fodder for the enemy archers.
Even now, they were
being pressured from the rear by the two detached enemy cavalry units and
pushed towards the enemy's front.
As a result, they
became even more vulnerable to the archers, and their forces were whittled
down, putting them in a difficult situation.
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