Chapter 158: The Battle Of Richten Hill (1)
The six divisions of the Reich Empire were currently stationed at Richten Hill, and the soldiers were looking down with despairing expressions.
At the bottom of the hill, one could easily count a number of Swiss infantry that seemed to reach at least 100,000.
Upon seeing this horrific sight, not only the soldiers of the Reich Empire, but even the officers began to lose all morale.
Sergeant Paulo, assigned to the Reich Empires Checker Company, muttered with a ghastly feeling,
Damn, were all finished. Were all going to die here.
What Paulo whispered in a very low voice represented the feelings of every soldier present.
Even if the soldiers were ignorant people with only the bare minimum knowledge necessary to survive in the army, such as reading and writing, learned at training camps, it did not mean they were inherently unintelligent.
Thus, facing and holding off more than 100,000 soldiers here was a dreadful task, and even if by some means they managed to survive, they could be ambushed by the Swiss populace and soldiers on their way back to the empire, not knowing when or how.
They knew that they would be pursued by them and forced into numerous unfavorable battles.
However, among the soldiers plunged into despair about the bleak future, there was a glimmer of hope from the rumor that a young and celebrated general of the empire, known as a military genius, had sworn to take the lead, staking his honor.
Private Dennis, do you believe that rumor? That the Division Commander will fight alongside us at the front?
To that, the private looked around cautiously and quietly said,
I might believe it if it were a battalion commander, but a person who rose to the rank of Lieutenant General at 26? Such a noble person wouldnt stand at the forefront for us, mere peasant soldiers.
Right? But Sergeant Randel from the unit next to us said he directly heard, while crying, that Lieutenant General Yeager himself would take the lead.
I heard it too. He said all soldiers are like his own children. So, I hope that rumor is true.
Then, the private spoke in a voice that seemed slightly choked with emotion.
Anyway, isnt he the one who beheaded that damn Khan? Moreover, hes already being talked about as the next marshal in the empire. So, if such a person risks himself to lead us, I feel like we can also make it back alive.
The sergeant replied in a self-mocking tone to the privates expression of hope.
I wish that were true. Really
As the soldiers murmured this, looking down at the Swiss soldiers swarming like cockroaches below, the sound of a trumpet echoed.
It wasnt the solemn and heavy sound for advancing or starting a battle, but a lively and quick trumpet sound that signaled the approach of generals.
Hearing this, the soldiers turned their eyes towards the center of the sound with a feeling of disbelief, and there was the one person they had all been waiting for.
Lieutenant General Yeager?
Is someone as high-ranking as a Division Commander really going to lead the front?
Was that idiotic Sergeant Randel actually telling the truth?
Then, among the soldiers, a hope began to emerge that if this were the case, they might also be able to return alive from here.
Because if that person wasnt insane, then no matter how high-ranking, his life would still be precious
That someone who had achieved feats difficult to express even in the exaggerated songs of bards would fight alongside them at the front meant
there must be a plan to overcome this desperate situation, they hoped.
Thus, seeing Lieutenant General Peter Yeager, who had decided not to give up on this situation and to fight to the end, all the soldiers and even the officers felt a warming emotion in their hearts, and tears welled up in their eyes.
Towards such soldiers, Lieutenant General Yeager spoke with a determined resolution,
I declare here. I will share life and death with all of you here. And I am someone who fights to live. So, if I am to survive in this dangerous place, you all must live as well.
Generals influenced by the unique class consciousness and sense of honor of the nobility might mention honor and loyalty here, but Lieutenant General Yeager, observing the overall mood, realized that the majority of the soldiers here were serfs or commoners, to whom honor meant little.
So, he decided to set aside talk of honor to appeal to everyones heart.
Honorable battle, honorable deathsuch things are not needed for us. I will fight here with all of you, and, by any means necessary, we will surely return alive. So, we are not fighting here to die, but to survive.
Although each officer, non-commissioned officer, and soldier here might want different things from this war, the one common desire among all was the wish to survive.
After all, honor, victory, achievements, and rewards only held meaning if one returned alive.
Touching upon the most essential desire on the battlefieldthe desire to survive.
My words, encouraging a fierce fight for survival, moved everyones heart.
But if you want to live and try to run away or hesitate out of fear, you will surely die. So do not back down from the enemy spears and arrows that come before you. Do you wish to live? Then, you must be prepared to die. Fight with the readiness to die, and you will return alive.
After saying this, I took my place at the very front of the formation, as I had promised the soldiers.
Not long after, a heavy trumpet sound came from the Swiss camp.
The full-scale battle had begun.
The tactic chosen by the other division commanders and myself for this battle was very simple.
It was to station ourselves on the hill and fend off the Swiss armys attacks as much as possible, then retreat our units little by little when the opportunity arose.
One might worry that this could allow the enemy to completely surround our army from all 360 degrees, but the place we were stationed, excluding a flat area of about 300 meters wide, including the road, was bordered by cliffs on both sides as if carved out.
It was a natural fortress where even one division, not to mention 50,000 troops, could somehow hold off the enemy on a hill about 300 meters wide.
So, everything would depend on how long we could hold out here and whether we could immobilize the enemy with a strong, unexpected strike.
Those damned bastards dare to encroach on our land and hold out! Kill them all!
Capture the Crown Prince! Kill Peter Yeager, the murderer of the brave soldiers of Ticino Canton!!
We must avenge our fellow countrymen!
The Swiss fools were desperate to avenge the 2,000 or so compatriots who had been captured by the 7th Division and then brutally beheaded.
They also seemed very excited at the thought of capturing the Crown Prince alive and demanding a huge ransom and territory from the empire.
Even if the entire course of the war turned in their favor, only half of their wishes would be fulfilled.
Because although the imperial camp was adorned with flags, armor, and various symbols representing the Crown Prince, the real Crown Prince was already crossing somewhere in the Ticino Canton with over 2,000 knights.
Of course, since I planned to return alive with as many soldiers as possible from here, all their dreams would inevitably turn to dust.
Now, since theyve gone through so much trouble to get here, shouldnt we generously treat them with logs? Roll the logs!
After giving the order, I, along with the soldiers, grunted as we brought over the logs we had prepared, each weighing hundreds of kilos.
Soon, dozens of logs rolled down from the hill where we were towards the bottom where the Swiss soldiers were, crushing their formation.
Damn bastards, instead of running away with your tails between your legs, youll die obediently when caught!
Shit, my leg! Get the log off me, now!
Despicable empire bastards, where did you learn such dirty tricks?!
Then, immediately, according to a predetermined order, the soldiers began to wildly shoot magic and arrows down the hill.
With just this, the initial momentum of the Swiss army was greatly weakened.
However, driven by their greed to capture the Crown Prince and seize the empires land, they did not give up and charged in.
I also took up a crossbow and shot arrows towards the enemy.
Lieutenant General Yeager is shooting arrows from the front line himself! You bastards, put some more effort into it!
The Khan Slayer, who cut down the barbarian Khan of the North, is with us! But surely, none of us would be scared of mere Swiss bandit scum!
Lets kill them all without missing a single one! Lets kill even more of them!
The impact of leading the soldiers like this was tremendous, spreading a fierce will to fight among all the defending soldiers like wildfire that was gradually igniting.
Naturally, the morale, which had been at rock bottom before the battle started, began to rise gradually
Soon, the Swiss bastards will come near our fortress! But do not worry! I, Peter Yeager, will at least take the lives of 10 men here today! So, each of you must kill at least two of the enemies! We will return to the empire alive!
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