As the Ryntum forces regrouped after their strategic retreat, they caught their breath and reassessed their position. Wilmot, a mixture of exhaustion and determination on his face, gathered his officers for a brief council.
The officers huddled together, their faces etched with weariness and dirt smudges from the battle.
Wilmot's voice cut through the tense air, his words expressing urgency. "Clearly, fighting head-on alone won't do. We need to strike back, but we must be strategic. Blande has the advantage in numbers but they are divided into three units. So, we must divide their attention and exploit this weakness."
"I suggest we split our forces and go around the city to attack other units." said one of his officers. "Though we can't guarantee if our action will force the Blande to reinforce other units, it will at least put worry in their commander's head."
Wilmot nodded understandably. His gaze swept over the map spread out on the makeshift table. "We can move in a clockwise direction, targeting the Blande's weakest forces in the south. I'm pretty sure they had fewer troops stationed there since most of them have been pulled here," he said while his finger tracing the path of their proposed manoeuvre.
"But we must be cautious, General. Splitting our forces will leave us vulnerable." said another advisor. "If our main force here collapsed, we are as good as losing this war."
Wilmot nodded, acknowledging the validity of her concern. "In that case, we need to send a detachment without alerting them. The question is how?"
"In the next clash, we will utilize the cavalry to cause chaos among their rank. They seem to be worried about our mobility in the battle. The cavalry may be a good method in diverting their attention." said his advisor.
The officer questioned, "Why don't we send the cavalry instead? It will be much faster to reach there."
Wilmot shook his head, "They seem to be worried about our cavalry so I'm pretty sure they going to keep their eyes on them."
"I see..." The officer nodded his head. "If we succeed, we can secure the south gate and joint force with Tetherswest."
"Exactly!"
....
The clash resume on the battlefield. The air filled with the cacophony of clashing swords and the thundering hooves of warhorses.
While the main force of Ryntum engaged the Blande troops, a small detachment of Ryntum soldiers embarked on a stealthy mission to secure the south gate and possibly join forces with Tetherswest.
Masked by the chaos of the ongoing battle, the detachment unit silently slipped away to the south their movements. They swiftly made their way towards the southern side while carefully avoiding the enemy's eyes.
Boom!-
As they approached their destination, the sounds of trebuchet bombardment grew louder. Contrary to the sound heard, the contrast in numbers was stark.
There are only a few hundred Blande soldiers remaining to defend the area.
To Ryntum, it was an opportunity to turn the tide of the battle in their favour.
With the element of surprise on their side, Ryntum forces closed in on the Blande troops with their weapon readied. Order was transmitted in a low voice, urging every single one of them to take aim.
"Fire!" The shout was heard, signalling them to unleash their full might upon the enemy.
Bang-
The crackling sound of gunfire pierced the air, as the percussion cap rifles unleashed a barrage of bullets towards the enemy lines. The rapid rate of fire and accuracy of the rifles gave the Ryntum soldiers a significant edge in the battle.
They are able to pick off the enemy from a safe distance, inflicting heavy casualties on the disorganized and overwhelmed Blande troops. With disciplined formations and coordinated volleys, the Ryntum soldiers systematically targeted the enemy's key positions.
Their precision shots found their marks, disrupting the enemy's lines and causing panic among their ranks.
The Blande soldiers who were focusing on launching stones into the city wall were caught off guard. Before they could comprehend what had happened, tens of them drop to the ground within a second.
The ferocity and firepower shown by Ryntum prevent them from mounting an effective defence.
The battle became a one-sided slaughter as the Ryntum forces maintained their distance, continuously firing volleys of bullets that tore through the enemy ranks.
The Blande troops, struggling to close the gap and engage in close combat, faced insurmountable odds against the lethal firepower of the rifles.
Overwhelmed and demoralized, the Blande soldiers began to retreat in disarray, seeking refuge from the onslaught.
"Press forward! Do not let them escape!" The command echoed over the battlefield.
The Ryntum soldiers, eyes gleaming with determination, obeyed the orders. The detachment unit advanced steadily while maintaining its formation.
They continued to unleash a relentless hail of bullets upon the retreating Blande soldiers until not a single one of them was left alive.
As the echoes of gunfire subsided, a profound silence fell upon the battlefield. The air hung heavy with the acrid smell of gunpowder. The soldiers took a moment to catch their breath. Sweats trickle down from their forehead caused by the intense sunlight right above them.
After the smoke cleared, the detachment unit cautiously scanned the area only to see the dead bodies of the Blande soldiers littered on the ground.
Some soldiers began to secure the small number of wounded soldiers, carefully assessing their injuries and providing basic medical aid.
Other members of the detachment unit moved among the fallen Blande soldiers, checking for signs of life and gathering any valuable intelligence or weapons left behind.
In a decisive move, the trebuchets that had been used by the enemy were swiftly destroyed, preventing them from being turned against them in future battles.
With the south secured, they finally can establish contact with the Tetherswest forces to solidify their alliance against the common enemy.
A small group of messengers was dispatched to the southern gate of the city, delivering a message about the defeat of the Blande forces and their intention to join forces.
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