met free Chapter 11 Autumn Campaign (1)
Chapter 11 Autumn Campaign (1)
"What's going on! I told you useless bastards to conscript some commoners! And you couldn't even do it? Please, the only thing those commoners have at home is a pitchfork!"
Inside the magnificent noble palace, Lord Kut shook his obese body, the ruff collar around his neck fluttering up and down in his rage and waving arms, looking just like a dancing ballerina.
The idea of attacking Red Collar came about after Alicia lost power and was forced to leave the capital. Kurt knew about that great battle, in which the former empress was severely weakened and had few men left.
Now that she has fled to Red Ridge, how many soldiers will she have? On the other hand, Kurt not only hired magicians at high salaries, but also hired mercenaries from the Eastern Desert. The enormous wealth he has amassed through years of plundering has made his fortune immeasurable.
It was time to make a venture capital investment. Although Kurt didn't know what "venture capital" was, he only knew that he had enough money in his pocket to raise 50,000 men to attack Red Ridge.
Kurt didn't understand the changes in Red Ridge, and most of the spies he sent didn't follow the proper path, so they were captured by the elite border hunters who patrolled and trained day and night.
The border hunters, armed with long rifles, were undoubtedly experts in tracking and hunting. Most of them were born hunters, and Alice intended to use them as an early "special forces" unit.
The lack of news worried Lord Kut, but a few days later, his men used coercion and bribery to capture nearly 30,000 farmers and beggars, forming a veritable army to die.
The impoverished and starving, emaciated peasants and beggars were entangled in threats and empty lies. Kut stood on the lord's manor, watching the large army, and smiled with satisfaction.
But the core is not these beggars' army, but the 10,000 mercenaries, private soldiers, knights and mages standing below. They are always the core of the war. Often, these 10,000 are the force that determines the outcome of the battle.
Two magicians. Although Kurt knew that vampire magic was the real magic, how could two archmages from another land compare to the injured former vampire queen?
Maybe...no, it must be! Kurt thought, it must be, two mages are enough to defeat her!
Kurt imagined the empress being defeated, and he grinned maliciously. He thought that she probably couldn't have predicted that he would send troops when the autumn harvest was almost over.
"An army must move its supplies before it can move its troops," and Kut knew this well. He looked at the leaders of his army.
"Ophisto, how do you plan to attack?"
"My lord, we will divide our army into three groups. The vanguard of each group will be composed of those peasant soldiers. We will send them to their deaths first to find out their defensive strengths and weaknesses. Then, we will use our mercenaries and mages to attack their defensive weaknesses. The knights will enter the battlefield as a reserve force!"
There are several attack routes between the Kut Territory and Red Ridge, including the Gale Mountains, the Snowbound Plains, and the West Coast Plains. These three routes are about one kilometer apart, but the West Coast Plains is the easiest to attack and the only route that can accommodate tens of thousands of troops.
The bustling army finally set off. Kut had stationed almost all of his troops on the coastal plain, an excellent location for the decisive battle that led directly to Red Ridge. The bustling army dragged its provisions toward the plain.
"Report: We have discovered an army on the western coastal plain. Judging from their banners, they belong to Lord Kut."
Smedley quickly received information from his cavalrymen, who were fast riders, and the atmosphere had indeed been unusual lately—a fact already indicated by news from the Kurt territory: the large-scale recruitment of troops and the purchase of grain from the market were obvious to everyone.
The First Division had already been deployed in that direction, while the Second Division, reinforced with howitzers and shotguns, and with its cuirass armor, relied on the mountains to guard the other two roads.
The three roads were the most convenient location, but since Alice started training the troops in mountain warfare, the Western Army of Amelan had acquired the capability for mountain warfare.
Alice wanted to change into her hunting attire, but she saw Alicia standing in front of her, smiling at her with an almost malicious expression.
"What...what happened?"
"I'm sorry I don't have the time and resources to teach you etiquette, but a vampire can't afford to lose their composure on the battlefield, you know?"
"What do you mean?"
"Put that garment down!"
Alice glanced at Alicia, the vampire girl grabbed her, and then walked away.
"Then how do we ride horses—?"
"Vampires don't need to ride horses~"
With bat wings spread, Alicia grabbed Alice and flew into the air, while Alice could only hold onto her skirt, trying her best not to expose herself.
"Wow!"
Passing citizens tipped their hats in respect. In the past, the etiquette towards vampires was to kneel in worship, but after Alice abolished these practices, their etiquette was limited to removing their hats and looking into the air.
"Too fast—"
Alice clutched her gorgeous dress, trying hard not to drop the military knife slung at her waist. Alicia smiled triumphantly; she rarely saw Alice look so defeated.
"When you grow up, you'll be familiar with these things too. This is our innate talent, little Alice."
The two landed on the coastal position. Alicia helped Alice fix her hair, and the latter straightened her saber.
"Sir! The troops have set up positions as ordered, and the artillery squad is ready."
"Very good, let's go to the front."
In the era of muskets, defensive positions emphasized maximizing firepower. Alice's tactical regulations stipulated that defensive positions should be arranged in a star shape, with firing points at each of the serrated corners, 12-pound cannons, and battle infantry.
Attacking any corner would be met with attacks from the other two corners, while attacking the concave area would be met with fire from the two convex positions. Combined with the shrapnel, solid shot, and grenade fired from the 12-pounder cannon, even if the opponent had contemporary weaponry, it would be difficult for them to maintain combat effectiveness in this environment.
Alice stood in one of the corners, where well-trained soldiers carried their rifles. Alice took the weapon from one of the infantrymen; the rifle was smooth and shiny, with no gunpowder residue on the inside. She nodded in satisfaction and handed the rifle back.
“The officers of each squad and each platoon must supervise the soldiers to maintain their weapons and equipment. General Smedley, you should know the importance of weapon cleanliness to the campaign.”
Smedley watched Alice inspecting the soldiers' weapons and ammunition, checking the cannons. His family had served the vampires for centuries, and never before had a princess shown such concern for military affairs.
"Yes, Your Highness, I will certainly maintain order in the army."
Alice gave one of the ramrod-stiff infantrymen a meaningful look, patted his slightly wrinkled clothes, and gave him a salute.
"For want of a nail, the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe, the horse was lost; for want of a horse, the rider was lost; for want of a rider, the battle was lost; for want of a battle, the kingdom was lost."