Chapter 302 302-Initial Victory
To put it simply, many of the heavy cavalry horses were so exceptional that, even laden with weight, they outran the lightly equipped ones.
However, in a region a bit further east, there was a type of cavalry known as "rapid maneuver cavalry," a unit that fell somewhere between heavy and light cavalry.
These rapid maneuver cavalry horses weren't ordinary mounts; they were swift, truly embodying the "light" aspect of light cavalry.
Not only were their equipment lighter, but their speed was also remarkably agile.
It was said that in that region, the accomplishments of the rapid maneuver cavalry were impressive, serving as an exemplary case of the optimal use of light cavalry.
In the evening, Alonso arrived at a tent surrounded by tight security and informed Howard that the Swiss Brothers Alliance troops had already set out to intercept the enemy's advance party as per Howard's orders.
Howard nodded in acknowledgment.
At that moment, inside the tent, Bosiden, Vettel, Resarite, Anna, Margaret, Kaido, and Alonso were all present.
Howard's vassals had gathered together.
Howard was beginning to consider abandoning the prolonged siege here and leading his troops to join forces with the Swiss Brothers Alliance, seizing the opportunity created by Ferald's command error to first defeat the duke's forces.
Howard's reasoning was as follows: Instead of idly waiting under the high-priced shadow of Gokasu Castle for the enemy to arrive, it would be more advantageous to turn back early, utilizing their familiarity with Nok's terrain to control the battlefield and defeat the enemy's successive waves of divided troops.
In this way, though the duke appeared to have an army of about five thousand, in reality, each encounter with Howard's forces would involve only a small detachment.
Defeating five thousand troops in one go might be unfeasible, but Howard was confident in his ability to triumph over similarly sized units in successive battles.
Moreover, the casualties would differ significantly.
A single battle against five thousand, even if victorious, would undoubtedly result in heavy losses.
However, if they fought the enemy's forces in smaller, separate engagements, the casualties could be kept to a minimum each time.
The total losses would be much less severe than facing five thousand at once.
Those among Howard's vassals who supported this plan included Anna, Resarite, and Margaret.
However, there were also those who disagreed: Bosiden, Vettel, Alonso, and Kaido.
They had their reasons, but Howard, having already deeply understood their perspectives, was not inclined to dwell on their arguments any further.
Their main contention was that Howard should not engage personally in combat, reasoning that since mercenaries were hired, the battle should be entirely entrusted to them, and Howard should continue besieging Gokasu Castle.
Such arguments were precisely what Howard did not wish to hear.
The Swiss Brothers Alliance troop that had been hired numbered only 2,620 men.
In war, where outcomes can be highly unpredictable, having equally matched forces could result in both sides engaging in a tentative assault and then retreating with minimal losses.
However, if one side's force was significantly smaller, it might be completely overwhelmed before it could effectively utilize its combat strength.
On the battlefield, there are a variety of tactics, and overwhelming force can sometimes alter the planned deployment of military strength.
Take, for example, the Swiss Brothers Alliance troop.
Based on their capabilities, they have the potential to inflict a certain number of casualties on the enemy.
However, if faced with a slightly weaker opponent, they could perform beyond expectations.
Conversely, against a much stronger adversary, they might fail to achieve the expected level of enemy casualties.
Put simply, the situation on the battlefield and the eventual outcome can sometimes resemble a chain of dominoes.
In a domino setup, the fall of the first tile determines the direction of the second tile's fall, causing the first to knock over the second, which in turn topples the third, and so on.
In essence, the outcome on the battlefield often hinges on who topples that "first domino" and from which side it is pushed.
Once a troop enters a state of disarray, its combat effectiveness virtually disappears, and what remains is just a matter of how many can escape.
The specific circumstances of a battle, that "first domino," are often ambiguous.
Sometimes, a part of a troop may suffer losses, but this does not necessarily mean the entire army will collapse.
It's quite possible that subsequent troop movements could lead to gaining a greater advantage.
Only when one side gains a significant advantage might the morale of the opposing side collapse, allowing the former to enter a phase of reaping victories.
This is the greatest significance of having a large army – it can maximize the morale threshold and prevent localized defeats from causing a significant drop in overall morale.
Howard managed to persuade the others and led his troops away from Gokasu Castle, heading instead towards Nok Castle.
According to reports from the Swiss mercenary group, a portion of Duke Ferald's forces would arrive at Nok Castle the next day.
They might either besiege Nok Castle or abandon it to confront Howard's army directly.
Regarding this contingent of the Duke's forces, Howard decided to have the Swiss Brothers Alliance defeat them.
Therefore, half a day later, the Swiss mercenaries encountered Duke Ferald's vanguard.
After some initial skirmishing, both sides retreated about three hundred meters and set up camp.
Another half day passed, and they joined forces with Howard.
With Howard's original conscripted soldiers and the Swiss Brothers Alliance mercenaries, their numbers were close to five thousand.
Even if facing the entirety of the Duke's forces, Howard's side would not be at a numerical disadvantage.
Duke Ferald, unaware that Howard had hired mercenaries, was under the illusion that he could easily defeat Howard.
Howard convened a military council and handed command over to Resarite, demonstrating his trust in him.
Resarite asked Bosiden to bring out the military map, while instructing Vettel to prepare the stand.
The two complied without any hint of noble pretense, acting almost like apprentices to Resarite.
Once the map was set up, Resarite pointed his right index finger towards a pass north of Nok Castle and addressed the gathering, "Good day, everyone. I am Resarite, and I will be commanding this battle. Let's start with our troop strength. We have nearly five thousand men, while the enemy has just over a thousand. We must seize this advantageous opportunity."
"By swiftly dealing with the enemy's vanguard, we can also gain precious strategic time. We will launch our attack immediately after this meeting. Every second now is valuable, so listen carefully."
Half an hour later, Howard's army struck like a storm, overwhelming the enemy troops with a surprise attack.
The enemy's commanding officer, a baron, had thought it safer to wait for reinforcements here, not expecting the sudden increase in Howard's forces.
In just another half hour, Howard's army completely decimated the Duke's vanguard.
Due to the overwhelming number of Howard's forces, the enemy had no chance to escape and was systematically annihilated.
In the end, the battlefield was strewn with captives from the enemy side.
This battle significantly boosted the morale of Howard's troops.
Initially, everyone had thought it impossible for an earl to defeat a duke, but this victory revitalized their confidence, leading them to believe that they might actually win this war.
The next day, Howard led his troops to the northern pass and stationed them there.
On the third day, the Duke, having lost contact with his vanguard, grew suspicious.
His son, Earl Lanvin, suggested, "We've been receiving daily updates until now. Why hasn't there been any news today? Could it be that they've been defeated by Howard's army?"
The Duke rebuked his son, admonishing him not to spread rumors and disrupt morale: "Silence! Don't let unfounded rumors disturb our troops! The absence of a message could be due to an issue with the messenger. Do not jump to conclusions before we have confirmation! Howard is merely an earl."
"His only way to defeat me, a duke, is by quickly assembling all his forces to take down Gokasu Castle. His troops could only be lingering around Gokasu Castle, impossible to be outside Nok Castle!"
Lanvin, confused, questioned, "Then how do you explain the fact that we've lost contact with our vanguard? If Howard's conscripted soldiers are all surrounding the castle, could it be mercenaries hired by Howard who defeated our troops? Does Howard have that much money?"
The Duke spoke slowly, reiterating, "I'll say it again, it's not certain that our vanguard has been disbanded. Don't let your imagination run wild."
"Moreover, the likelihood of Howard hiring mercenaries is very slim. The Earldom of Nok has historically been one of the poorer earldoms. Isn't it well known that the architecture of Nok Earldom itself is irrational? Such a small earldom, yet it has three castles, incurring exorbitant military maintenance costs."
"Also, with its limited land area, having three castles means there's only one city in the entire earldom. Ha, do you think an earldom with just one city could be wealthy? The idea of Howard having enough money to hire mercenaries is preposterous!
"I, as a duke, struggle with daily expenses and can't afford mercenaries. How could he possibly afford them? It's impossible. Don't overthink it."New ????? ?hapters are published on ?ov?l_Fir?.?et
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