Chapter 87: Northern Conquest War (5)
Armored knights thrust into the enemy ranks like a wedge, inflicting great damage, followed by infantry who tore apart the created gaps.
As simple as the method of attack might have been, it was the most commonly used battle strategy in both the East and West until the advent of guns and gunpowder weapons.
It was a tactic that proved so effective in war that it frequently led to victory.
The only reason I had not employed this strategy before was due to the size and organization of the troops under my command, which were not suited for it.
But I had always wanted to try it at least once.
“To crush the barbarians with such a conventional tactic supplemented by a surprise strategy, and to be able to plan and command such an operation—indeed, I am fortunate.”
And I truly did believe so.
Because I could completely annihilate those wicked barbarians with tactics that I devised myself.
In other wars, there were times when the killing of enemy soldiers tormented me, but with the barbarians—criminals so heinous—anything short of tormenting them brutally before their death would not serve justice.
So I thought while charging with the knights past our own formation toward the barbarians.
“The 4th Division! The 4th Division has come out to support us!”
“They’re finished now! Push forward!”
“Long live the Reich Empire! Long live His Imperial Majesty! Long live the reinforcements!”
The archers of the Rudolf main unit continuously sent arrows while our infantry, who had just begun close combat, fought.
The sight of a large group bearing the 4th Division’s flags surging to strike the enemy must have raised spirits.
Especially since up until a short while ago, we had been pressingly harassed by enemy infantry in close-quarters combat, only for the situation to change with the arrival of our reinforcements, trapping the enemy and making it impossible for them to escape.
The 4th Division, held in reserve, had come to support us. The command headquarters already thought we had won.
“The battle is already ours! Just a bit more strength!”
“Kill the barbarians! Do not fall behind the men of the 4th Division!”
These exclamations likely came from high-ranking officers of lieutenant colonel rank or above.
And they surely thought this way:
“Damn, no matter how you think about it, until now, we were on par fighting with the army led by Ludwig. We were not in a position to receive support, so how did the reinforcements get here?”
“I did not hear at the strategy meeting that a division-sized reinforcement would suddenly arrive in such a standoff.”
Yet, having climbed through the grueling ranks of the empire’s military to their current positions, they would judge that reinforcements appearing out of nowhere could only be a benefit, not a detriment.
And accordingly, they started cheering without knowing exactly why.
But when they later learned that our regiment had secured permission from Count Benner in advance and pretended to be a division in a surprise attack, they would be utterly shocked.
“Arrows! The enemies are shooting arrows at us from all sides!”
“Bow your heads and only look at the ground! Grip your spear tight and run if you don’t want to die!”
“Pour out every ounce of strength and run! Just charge straight through!”
Judging from the incoming arrows, the distance between us and them was around 100 to 200 meters.
This meant that soon, the knights, with their formidable frames and lances would commence charging at the enemy.
After running for about two minutes, the influx of arrows from the front ceased entirely.
Raising my eyes, I saw about a hundred knights wreaking havoc within the enemy lines, transforming it into a complete mess.
“Knights? Damn it!”
“Save me! I’ve always hated the idea of dying. I want to overwhelmingly live right now!”
“My arm is gone. Am I going to die now?”
Ahead, knights in a wedge formation were reducing Ludwig’s poor infantry to minced meat, creating human skewers with their lances.
As a result, blood, flesh, and severed limbs began flying chaotically across our battlefield.
The distinctive smell of blood, like rusted iron, mixed with the stench of rawness, began to permeate strongly.
After their charge, our knights quickly drew their cavalry swords to make way for the following infantry, slashing their way out without hindering them.
Even from a distance, each swing of their swords resulted in at least one, sometimes two, or three casualties.
“The knights are retreating through the gaps between our infantry units coming from behind!”
“Let the Division Commander and the infantry take care of the rest; fall back!”
The knights comfortably smashed through the enemy’s heads and bones with their cavalry swords and retreated without hindrance.
Consequently, the enemy infantry descended into tremendous chaos.
“Save me! Save me! I don’t want to die yet!!”
“Calm down and grab your spear! Damn it, if you don’t want to die, grab your spear, get up, and move forward!”
“Damned all, what’s the use of holding a spear upfront? It’s clear we’ll all meet our miserable demise…”
In a situation like this, those who looked like enemy officers drew their swords to somehow regroup their forces into a state fit for battle.
They slaughtered in disarray those who attempted to run away or quickly return to their positions, too dumbstruck to grab a spear or halberd and point it at us.
Despite their efforts to rebuild their army, the distance between us and the already devastated enemy was barely 50 meters.
This meant that in about 10 seconds, we would collide with them.
Right on cue, the mages and crossbowmen who had come to support the infantry wielding spears and lances began their covering fire.
Hundreds of arrows and spells flew, shattering the left wing of the enemy forces, which was already on the brink of collapse.
“Good work, 1st Battalion! Grip your weapons tight and charge!!”
“Hail the Division Commander! Hail the Reich Empire! Hail Deus!”
“Don’t be scared! The first to be scared will be the first to die!”
We advanced towards the enemy, and I, gripping a spear just like the soldiers, charged at the enemy before me.
I set my sights on the neck of an enemy soldier and thrust my spear, piercing the unfortunate barbarian.
“…..A monster, a monster has appeared. We’re all going to die!”
“Regain control of the troops! Calm down and return to your positions. Grab your spears!”
“Damned bastards, despicable than swine! Get a grip. If we lose here, we all die!”
But even their officers and leaders, who shouted such commands, fell to the afterlife at the hands of our charging soldiers and officers.
Some of the enemy soldiers who saw this shouted loudly.
“The enemy looks like ten thousand men! A large army. We’re all going to die. Aaagh!”
“Ludwig, send us reinforcements!”
“Save me, please! I’ll do anything you ask!”
No matter how much they shouted, none of us, including myself, showed any mercy to these barbarians who had committed all sorts of heinous crimes.
And with that momentum, all of us, including me, began rampaging like demons, attempting to kill even one more enemy.
Similarly, I drew a sword as the Regiment Commander and took the lead, declaring:
“The Division Commander will take the front! At the banquet, any soldier or officer who kills fewer than the barbarians I’ve killed will be put on guard duty! With the resolve to die, smash them!”
In ordinary times, I wouldn’t do such a thing unless we were in a crisis.
But the enemy thought we numbered about eight thousand.
To them, it seemed like eight thousand of our soldiers charged with great vigor.
In such a situation, where the enemy was terrified and had no time to organize, being at the forefront of the breakthrough usually wasn’t a death sentence.
Human survival instincts made it difficult to confront an overwhelmingly menacing enemy unless one was a great hero.
Otherwise, why would I have trained the infantry so hard?
With these thoughts, I naturally took the lives of the enemies that appeared before me, aiming for their necks or hearts as I moved forward.
“Protect the Division Commander! We must protect the Division Commander.”
“The Division Commander is at the forefront! Spare not your lives!”
“Swing your lances properly! Kill at least one enemy with each swing!”
Thanks to the soaring morale of the commanders and soldiers, we quickly penetrated deep into the enemy’s lines.
If this had been the time we fought at Bisochea, I would have pushed further inside to capture the enemy’s supreme commander.
However, without knowing where the enemy’s supreme commander was, blindly pushing further inside could have led to being surrounded by the enemy’s infantry and killed as they reorganized.
So, it was about time to start retreating.
“The coward Ludwig must have run away because he’s scared of us! Let’s leave that coward hidden and start retreating for now!”
Having said that, we hit the enemy’s weak spots at the right moment, causing maximum damage, and broke through their ranks just as we came in, shattering the heads of the confused barbarians.
As I looked around, contemplating our next move, it was evident that our reckless charge had been incredibly effective.
Ludwig’s forces were being completely pushed back by our Northern Army.
We had essentially secured victory, and our ‘charge at all costs’ strategy had turned the tide of the war, marking a significant achievement.
But this war, years in the making, couldn’t end so simply.
“All troops, return to your original units. We’ll wait for the next opportunity.”
Read 𝓁atest chapters at fr(e)ewebnov𝒆l.com Only