173 – Eastern Franchi Expedition (8)

The previous Count Elias, who passed away a few years ago, that is to say, my father, said this until he passed away.

‘My son Lear von Elias… In the future, you will become a lord who is more respected by the vassals and serfs of the estate than this father.

And never miss the opportunity in front of me. must not forget… Our family’s ancestor Brine also risked his life to get lucky, so our current family exists… ‘

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Just as he said, when the civil war broke out as the head of the family of Baron Elias, he quickly sided with the current Emperor, who was the second prince.

As a result, he doubled or tripled his territory and obtained the title of count.

And now, in order to seize another opportunity, I am on my way to lead the knights and strike the enemy base.

After riding like that for about an hour, Count Isra, who was next to me, said,

“Count Elias, then I will go hit the enemy supply route. Please come back safely.”

“Count Isra, we’ll heat up the headquarters first, then go back and prepare the drinks and meat. So don’t get hurt and come back. I should have a drink.”

“This friend… The jokes grew. Then go! Knights follow me!!”

After a while, Count Isra led 1,400 knights, including 800 knights from his own family and 600 knights assigned by the Duke of Orléans, to the supply route.

According to the plan, we’re supposed to split up near the enemy headquarters, so we’ll be back at the base soon.

After a while, the guide who was riding in front of me came up to me and drove the horse.

“If you go about 10 more minutes, you will arrive at the enemy’s headquarters. What would you like to do?”

As expected, if this place is near the enemy headquarters… Now it is necessary to reorganize the troops for the attack.

Thinking so, I immediately raised my arm and signaled to the knights following me to stop.

After I gave the signal and 30 seconds later, I slowly slowed down, and the other knights also slowly slowed down and stood up.

And everyone started looking at me in unison.

“Baron Delphine, I want you to lead the knights under the Duke’s command to the rear. After that, I want you to go around the hill counterclockwise from the rear and attack the left side of the enemy headquarters.”

Baron Delphine, who commanded the Duke’s knights who were supported for this attack at my command, asked a questioning voice from behind the helmet.

“No, Your Excellency Count… Isn’t the spear charge supposed to increase damage by mobilizing as many knights as possible in one charge? By the way, if you want to share your troops… ”

The spear charge is an attack method that charges numerous knights at once and crushes the enemy using the weight of the lance, armor, and horse.

This is a fact known to all human beings with minimal training as a knight…

“Now we are going to surprise. Also, even if Marquis Simon, the commander-in-chief of the enemy army, goes to the front line and they are in a crazy situation, there must be at least 6,000 to 10,000 soldiers in the main camp. And although we are all knights, there are about 1400 of us.”

“That’s why, in order to inflict great damage on them, we have to concentrate our forces into one… ”

“That is only in normal cases. Also, no matter how many enemy troops there are, they fall into confusion when attacked by hundreds of knights. In particular, if the left and right sides of the camp are attacked at the same time, the confusion will increase. It is more effective to use that opportunity to kill as many soldiers as possible at the main base and burn supplies and food.”

No matter how much I was in the position of leading the knights as a baron under the duke and acting as the commander’s agent, it would not be easy to challenge me with the authority of a count.

Besides, what I just said is that if the Marquis of Creutel is sure to launch a surprise attack, there will be a counterargument in the same way as before.

So it must have been more difficult to refute.

“Baron Delphine, hurry up and lead the knights to the rearguard. Until Baron Delphine and his knights arrive in the rear, the rest of the knights dismount and rest.”

Since we had to pass over 1,000 knights, it took a lot of time just for them to go to the rear.

So I got off my horse and started to rest leaning against the tree in the most comfortable position possible.

If I don’t rest now, I might fall behind due to lack of strength in the chance to become the protagonist of a battle that may happen again in my lifetime.

**

After the knights led by Baron Delphine moved to the rear of the formation, I led the knights and slowly moved to the back of the enemy camp.

I moved as slowly as possible so as not to be noticed by the enemy… There was nothing I could do about it other than the sound of a clank, a clank every time the iron horse’s horseshoe touched the ground.

However, perhaps the enemy had no intention of monitoring the plains, where there was nowhere to hide except for the low hills, so we succeeded in approaching the enemy undetected.

There were sloppy but low watchtowers installed on the left and right sides, and the soldiers standing on them were watching the surroundings intently.

Inside, you can see the barracks where the soldiers stay, and things like carts and wagons that will contain food, weapons, and armor.

Except for the low watchtower, only wooden stakes were installed, so if you break down the gates and watchtowers for soldiers to come and go, the rest of the knights will be able to enter at once.

“Stop, from now on I will give you one last command before charging.”

At those words, all the eyes and attention of my vassals were focused on me.

“The first row of knights go out with maces, not lances, and break down the enemy’s eastern gate and charge. The rest of the line must enter with their lances and completely clear the enemy base. And after breaking into the enemy camp, make sure that the horse runs and the oil is splattered, making a hole in the leather bag that is stuffed on the side of the horse. After that, the knights at the rear set fire to them when they leave.”

“Yes, I understand!”

“Also, there is no time to take prisoners in this raid. So, no one should take prisoners. Even if the person trying to take him prisoner is the Marquis Simon, the commander-in-chief, don’t try to capture him alive, even if you’d rather kill him! Got it!!”

Considering the morale and life of the knights, they should be allowed to take prisoners no matter how raiding they are, but…

The Marquis of Creutel had said this when presenting this strategy to me.

‘If you take prisoners during raids, the army becomes cluttered, and you can take advantage of the gap and be annihilated by the soldiers of the main base. So, even if you have to be criticized a little, kill them all and pay your own money to reward them later.’

It’s a pity that I have to give a reward equal to the ransom of the prisoner when there is no money in the territory already…

It is a problem that can be substituted by distributing the territory if you receive a larger territory by making achievements.

And, if I lose here and go back, I won’t even have time to worry about that.

“Full Army Charge!!”

With maces in the first row and lances in the second row, we began to advance toward the enemy’s east gate.

At first, I could hear the sound of the horse clattering, the metal sound of the armor of the knight running next to me, and even the rough breathing of the horse and knight…

Gradually, as the enemy’s camp drew closer, none of those sounds were heard.

And my head was full of thoughts of how to wipe out the enemy’s main base in the most effective way.

As I ran like that, I heard the sound of enemy soldiers shouting as if I had reached the vicinity of the enemy camp before I knew it.

“It’s a surprise attack by the enemy!! Everyone wake up!!”

“If you don’t want to die, come here!! die!!”

With those words, all sorts of trumpets, drums, and at least the sound of hitting pots with knives resonated from the enemy’s headquarters.

They probably want to tell everyone the news, even if it’s like that…

However, it was already too late to respond. So, before they even fired their arrows at us, the knights under my command destroyed the enemy’s watchtower to secure a way to rush in.

Taking advantage of that gap, the knights and I stabbed the enemy soldiers who couldn’t even pack their armor or weapons because of their wanderings with their lances like sticking meat on skewers.

Every time the lance passed, at least one, and as many as two or three humans turned into corpses.

Every time enemy nobles, commanders, foot soldiers, and serfs died, she screamed like a little girl, regardless of the blue/red blood.

Also, seeing that there were many enemies on the other side of us screaming similarly, it seems that Baron Delphine succeeded in ambush safely.

The situation where everything is working out better than expected.

Thanks to that, the knights and I didn’t encounter much resistance until the center of the enemy’s base, but I stopped slaughtering the enemy any more and spoke.

“No more attacks! Let’s get out of here as quickly as possible! And Fumi, as you go out, throw the fire in your hand at will!!”

After I had finished giving the order, one of the knights behind me raised a flag and gave the prearranged signal.

And we got out of the enemy camp as fast as we could and set fire to it.

Thanks to the oil sprinkled, various tents, wagons, and even the dead people caught fire quickly.

The fire ate everything in the main camp, but it emitted acrid smoke from its mouth, asking if it was hungry again, and we were able to escape safely by taking advantage of that gap.

I don’t know how many enemies died or how much damage was done…

I did my best, and I must have reaped more results than I tried.

Believing so, he led his knights and rode his horse and charged the enemy army facing the Duke’s central army.

It’s an overkill and I’m still going to die of exhaustion, but if it is… To make full use of the given opportunity.