Chapter 151: Battle Of Jungfrau Plains (8)
Anastasia Kerzhit, having lived her life as a warrior of the White Wolf Tribe, possessed a wild sense and mindset different from that of the empires officers.
Thus, unlike other empire commanders, she freely employed tactics in real combat akin to driving and hunting beasts.
Using this advantage, she managed to drive and defeat a significantly larger number of enemy knights in the Hattin Forest, leading her own warriors.
Even now, as always, she had thought of the best way to hunt the enemys crossbowmen and mages and shouted,
The Reich Empire and His Majesty the Emperor, who saved our tribe from being trampled by Ludwig and provided us with a ground to live on and maintain our pride, have given us an opportunity to serve them! I believe theres no one here whos afraid of death and wants to run away!
The archer cavalrymen smiled wryly, as if it would be a pain to say it twice, and looked at Lieutenant Colonel Anastasia with determined expressions.
Furthermore, the one commanding us in this battle is Lieutenant General Yaeger, who has worked hard to provide us with a place to live and personally avenged our tribal enemy with his own sword. Therefore, I have no regrets, even if I die here. How about you?
At her words, the archer cavalrymen raised their bows to signify their agreement, and Anastasia resolved to do whatever it took to fulfill her duty and be of help to the Lieutenant General once again.
From now on, our archer cavalry will drive and hunt the Swiss mages and crossbowmen as if they were bears. So move sharply on my command! Everyone, advance!
Having said that, she, a noble and officer of the empire, ran ahead to maintain the tradition that the tribal chief should lead in the hunt.
The rest of the archer cavalrymen quickly followed Anastasia.
After about three minutes of riding, the Swiss crossbowmen and mages came into view of the archer cavalry led by Anastasia.
The crossbowmen and mages in the rear of the Swiss army, startled by the sudden appearance of the archer cavalry, tried to quickly change formation to respond.
Prepare for volley fire! After shooting, escape full force to the left and fire one more shot!
The archer cavalrymen sent a rain of arrows at them faster than they could change formation and aimed their crossbows and staves at Lieutenant Colonel Anastasia.
The Swiss long-range units, suddenly hit by arrows, completely missed the moment to attack. Seizing the opportunity, the archer cavalry led by Lieutenant Colonel Anastasia quickly dodged, shot another arrow, and disappeared like the wind.
Thus, the arrows and magic only struck where the archer cavalry had passed, causing no significant damage.
The Swiss soldiers, taken by surprise by the sudden appearance of the archer cavalry, cursed at this unbelievable situation.
Have the Reich pigs now joined hands with barbarians worse than dogs and jackals?
Looking at what theyre doing, have they sold their souls to the devil?
Whoever is commanding them must be without a mother or father. Such parentless bastards!
Anastasia could have gotten angry at these words, but she remembered Lieutenant General Yaeger saying that enemy insults were proof that she was fighting well.
Satisfied that everything was going well, she looked around again.
The Swiss crossbowmen and mages had suffered significant damage from the unexpected strike by the mounted archers.
However, they were torn between focusing on supporting the Swiss infantry as ordered by Count Ticino and defending themselves against the mounted archers now targeting them.
Captain, at this rate, all our crossbowmen will be killed. Well all die.
I know, but wasnt the order given to us to support the front from the rear?
If we fall, we cant support the front anyway.
Considering the disarrayed formation, Anastasia even considered taking advantage of the opportunity to draw her sword and charge in.
Normally, our method would be to circle around and shoot arrows, but our opponents are mages and crossbowmen. So, instead of circling in a fixed position, well adjust our speed and hover around them. Everyone! Load your arrows and charge!
The role given to the mounted archers in the strategy was to completely distract the attention of the Swiss long-range attackers, providing support from the rear.
Moving irregularly and targeting their rear was deemed the most effective way to harass the Swiss soldiers.
As she made this judgment, the Swiss soldiers regained their senses and began focusing their long-range attacks on the mere 400 or so mounted archers instead of supporting the infantry.
Send a signal to Lieutenant Colonel Werner! When all their attention is on us, having the knight division charge in is our key to victory!
After giving the command, she once again ordered a volley of arrows at the Swiss crossbowmen and mages.
Meanwhile, Lieutenant Colonel Werner, currently leading 400 knights with the title of Senior Battalion Commander, was an ambitious man aspiring to become a Colonel in the near future.
Thus, he was thirsty for a conspicuous and notable achievement.
For him, an opportunity to earn a significant achievement had arrived.
For the great empire and Lieutenant General Yaeger, who will become the youngest general of the empire! Are you ready to risk your lives for honor and glory?
At these words, the knights sincerely raised their voices.
Because among the knights here, more than one or two had been in difficulty due to injuries, treatment costs, or other circumstances, and Peter Yaeger, then on leave, had personally visited and helped them.
Knights of the 7th Division, who had heard such stories from their comrades, were prepared to jump into fire for their commander, whom they deemed worthy of respect.
Good. Then everyone, take up your lances and follow me! As always, leading the charge is the privilege of a Senior Commander! If you feel aggrieved, strive for promotion!
Though it was a somewhat playful comment for a senior commanding knight, the vanguard of a knightly charge was a difficult and dangerous position with the highest risk of death.
Among the nobility-turned-officers, it was a position avoided by all but those with a strong desire for advancement.
However, Werner, the highest among the knights, always took the lead and consistently maintained the highest morale among the knights of the 7th Division.
This time, too, with the determination to utterly defeat Switzerland, they slowly approached where the Swiss long-range units were.
As the knights of the Reich Empire got approximately 300 meters close to the Swiss infantry, the archer cavalry fired their last arrows and then cleared the way.
Only then did the Swiss mages and archers realize that the knights of the Reich Empire were advancing towards them.
We need to call the reserves, form a defensive line, and get support!
Fool, theyre going to charge in less than 2-3 minutes. What support can you expect? We should just keep firing magic to slow them down!
Fire all the arrows we have! Then draw swords or whatever and hold on!
True to the Swiss nature of having many experienced soldiers and officers, they tried to find the best possible course of action in this situation, attempting to resist however they could.
But soldiers without the ability or equipment for close combat couldnt withstand the attack of knights and horses weighing half a ton.
Therefore, Lieutenant Colonel Werner, seeing this, judged that the Swiss crossbowmen and mages were finished.
We should charge in a straight line formation, not a wedge, to maximize their damage!
He ordered them to spread out the formation and pierce through the soldiers unable to resist, using the weight of the horses and the knights lances.
Now, left with no chance of resistance, being trampled by horse hooves, impaled by lances, and thrown by charging horses to meet their fate of death elsewhere, the knights of the Reich Empire approached those doomed.
Everyone, brace for impact!
With that command, the empires knights tightened their thighs, aligning their bodies as closely as possible to their horses, advancing to crush the Swiss soldiers using the weight of the lances and horses.
There were those turned into minced meat. Individuals skewered two or three at a time on lances. And there were those who, hit by horses, experienced their first and last flight in life.
A scene that could be described as the worst hell visible in the human world unfolded broadly, and naturally, these screams reached the Swiss infantry as well.
Count Ticino, especially, who had been trying to win the infantry battle by deploying the reserves, wore a look of utter disbelief.
But he did not give up.
Because he still had a thousand reserve troops remaining.
Although he had lost his long-range attacking soldiers.
After all, 90% of the battle is in infantry combat. So, we still have a chance. We can win. Pull out the soldiers of the 1st Regiment to defend the rear.
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