Chapter 547 [Panning's Decision]

On the west side of the defense line in front of the Lodon Valley, rows of dense tree sticks were inserted on the ground.

On the sharp roots, one bloody head after another!

The rows of heads were inserted into the ground, densely packed, lined up in rows, looking very scary.

The Roland Empire did not seem to be worried that such actions would anger the grassland people. It seemed that it was to use this action to attack the morale of the grassland people.

And this action seemed to have had a certain effect.

After the great victory in the Lodon Valley Plain, the cavalry that advanced eastward of the grassland people was defeated, and the defeated army was defeated 30 miles away, and directly defeated the Lodon Valley Plain. Even the defense line of the Roland army that had been conquered was lost again.

For the next ten days, the grassland people seemed to have lost their courage in that battle and did not make any moves to advance eastward. They stopped and were reluctant to take a step into Nulin Province.

This winter seems to be far from over...

...

…………

“Retreat?!”

Span's annoyed voice came out of the tent.

The prime minister's son was wearing armor, but there were thick bandages on his left arm and shoulders, and red blood was also revealed.

During the battle in the Lodon Valley, the fleet responsible for harassing the prairie cavalry brigade on the river was led by Span.

The task of harassing the grassland people with long-range weapons on the river surface seems easy, but it is not simple. Although the grassland people lack heavy long-range weapons, in order to achieve the best effect of harassing the grassland people and to exert the power of the crossbows and small stone catapults on the ship as much as possible, Span ordered the fleet to try to get close to the shore as far as possible in order to cover the ground.

Although the grassland people did not have heavy long-range weapons, the cavalry carried by the grassland cavalry could have a range of two or three hundred meters. Some grassland cavalry rushed to the shore and shot against the fleet on the river. They also caused some damage.

Span personally came to the bow to command the battle, and he was extremely brave, but during the melee, he was also injured by a stray arrow and was hit by two arrows.

After the war, General Span was slightly injured and did not leave the front line, so he refused to go to the injured camp to recuperate, but then he went to the post-war finishing work.

He gathered the army and counted the results of the battle. He had no rest for two days and two nights. He even brought his people to reinforcing the western defense line of the Lodon Valley that he had seized.

In such a cold weather, the front-line troops were short of supply and had no need to drink hot water. They could only drink cold river water and chew dry food. As a noble child who was frugal in the imperial capital, the young General Span gritted his teeth and carried it down!

It was the fifth day after the war that he finally fell ill and could not afford a high fever. He was forcibly carried back from the front line of the western front of the Lodon Valley.

But as soon as I arrived at the camp, I immediately heard a news that shocked him!

Panin actually ordered the troops on the first line of defense to shrink across the board!

It is said that the troops on the defense line were ordered to cover each other. Then they retreated from the defense line in batches, then assembled, and then the entire army retreated eastward!!

How can this work!!

Regardless of his injuries, Span rushed to the head coach's camp to find Panning to argue!

...

"You're just a life-threatening person!"

Span angrily pulled out his sword, threw it hard on the ground, and threw it at Panning's feet: "If you are determined to do your own thing, pick up my sword now and cut me to death with one sword!!"

Panin didn't move, but just looked down at the sword under his feet and said lightly: "Can you calm down and listen to me?"

"How can I calm down!!!" Span suddenly roared.

His face was red, spitting everywhere, and his eyes were even more ferocious and fierce. He stared at Panning: "In order to lure the enemy into the depths, you let the three hundred soldiers of the garrison run back, and the entire army was destroyed on the defense line west of the Lodon Valley. You said you were kind and you wouldn't be in charge of the troops, I would tolerate it! In order to lure the grassland people into our trap, and to ensure completeness, I would throw the three hundred people out as bait! In order to take into account the overall situation, I would tolerate it! The soldiers fought a bloody battle, saying it was a great victory, and they would annihilate tens of thousands of enemies! But we

I understand in my heart how much we have paid in this battle! We have the weak against the strong, and we have the few against the masses. Even if we ambush, how many of our soldiers have been killed or injured! How many of your first ** cavalry regiment are left? The Second Cavalry regiment has collapsed directly! The injured barracks are already overcrowded!! Panning, how much of our price we have paid in this battle? Others don’t know, don’t you know in your heart! How many of the seven thousand cavalry are left now?!”

Panning's face turned pale, gritted his teeth, and said coldly: "No need to remind me, I know very well, are there cavalry numbers? I'm in the process of compiling... 3,128! In addition to the more than 600 people lying in the wounded barracks, our cavalry troops disappeared in one battle."

"Yes! The killer you are proud of, the heavy cavalry of the Second Cavalry Regiment, and there is still a lot of combat power!"

"Less than four hundred." Panin shook his head: "The Second Cavalry Regiment suffered the most damage, and not to mention the casualties, the cost of war horses cannot be supplemented. Those war horses selected to bear heavy cavalry will be difficult to replenish."

"That's it!!" Span's eyes almost spit out fire: "We paid such a heavy price! We finally won a game and regained the defense line... You ordered the entire army to tighten and retreat!! We have been fighting to the death for so many days and killed and injured so many people. Wouldn't it be in vain!!!"

Panning walked forward silently, reached out and tried to pat Span's shoulder. Span flashed and let Panning go away. Panning raised his brow, but suddenly stretched out his hand and grabbed Span's shoulder hard.

Span was about to struggle, but Panin suddenly said with a low voice: "Span!! Listen to me, just one sentence!"

"Okay! You said!"

"I just ask you... If the grasslanders attack again, with our current strength and current cavalry number, can we fight again in battles like the Lodon Valley?"

“…………”

Span couldn't speak anymore.

After a long time, Span gritted his teeth and said, "I can't beat it..."

After half of the seven thousand cavalry fought, they fought for such a big victory - this big victory was naturally a real big victory. Even if they lost three or four thousand men, the enemy they annihilated was ten times that of their own side. Such a result could definitely be worthy of the title of "Great Victory".

But the problem is...

"Our foundation is far less than that of the grassland people!" Panning said in a serious tone: "We only have 30,000 to 40,000 people! I have tried my best to get more than 7,000 cavalry. But what about the grassland people? They have more than 100,000, or even more than 200,000 cavalry! If they lose 30,000 to 40,000, they can send another 30,000 to 40,000. By that time, if we lose cavalry, how can we fight? Should we let the soldiers hold shields and spears to resist their iron hooves?"

Span stopped talking.

Panin said at least one of the things that was right. Although such a battle like the Lodon Valley Plain victory, a battle like this was brilliant, but if it was to be done again, it was no longer possible for the Northwest Army to bear.

"I'll tell you clearly. From the beginning, I didn't plan to completely block the grassland people from the defense line! After fighting the battle of the Lodon Valley Plain, my goal has been achieved. Next, I can make the next plan."

"..." Span finally calmed down at this moment, and he took a deep breath: "You... talk! I will hear what you can say at that time."

Although there was still a little unwillingness and annoyance in this sentence, I was still much calmer and more rational after all.

"The grassland people have more troops, but we have less troops! Our strategic purpose was not to defend the first line of defense! Our final plan was to at least stick to the beginning of spring and send reinforcements to the imperial capital to support us! At that time, we had a large army mobilized across the country, so we had the capital to have a head-on showdown with the grassland people! Before again, all the efforts we made were to delay time! Hold the grassland people firmly, drag them to death in the northwest, drag them to death in our defense zone, and drag them to death in the Nulin Province.

From this perspective, as long as the grassland people are not allowed to drink from the Malan Cang River, even the Nulin Province has lost most of it, we have achieved our goal. It is not considered a loss!"

Span murmured speechless.

"I don't want to resist the grassland people outside the door!" Panning shouted loudly: "If I have 100,000 soldiers in my hands now, I would dare to order a death-death battle with the grassland people. I will not retreat and destroy them all here! But the problem is that we do not have this power! So, from the beginning, my strategic purpose is not to keep the enemy outside the door! But... a war of attrition!"

"War of attrition..."

"Yes, it's consumption!" Panin breathed, and seeing Span finally calmed down completely, he slowed down his speech and said slowly in a low voice:

"The first line of defense I arranged was to spread out the infantry in my hand. I spent so long with the grassland people. I didn't expect to be able to defend it. I just wanted to rely on this line of defense to wipe out the patience of the grassland people and their sharpness! I was so anxious and impatient that they were anxious! Let them hit the iron plate and suffer a little, and then they would be impatient to find a breakthrough, want to break through the defense line as soon as possible, and find an open plain to drive straight into. I just wanted to trigger this thought in their hearts and make their thoughts stronger!

As a result, we did it!

The grassland people spent so many days on our first line of defense. They were anxious and couldn't wait to seek a breakthrough. I deliberately gave up the defense line of the Lodon Valley, threw out the bait, let them eat it, and let them walk in!

The second step is the decisive battle in the Lodon Valley Plain! We won this battle and achieved my second goal, which is to consume the vitality of the grassland people!"

"But... we only wiped out about 30,000." Span shook his head: "How is this enough? What's the point?"

"It's of great significance!" A cold smile appeared on Panning's lips: "It's precisely these 30,000 people that are the key to changing the whole situation in the future!"

"What, how could it be? The grassland barbarians have more than 100,000 cavalrymen..."

...

"Panin is a smart man."

The middle-aged nobleman looked at the secret report of the file in his hand and sighed softly.

Sitting opposite him was Du Weiwei. Du Weiwei was wearing a leather armor, a thin belt around her waist, and a sharp dagger next to her hands, and was gently sharpening a wooden stick.

"Continue to talk." Du Weiwei seemed to have a casual tone.

"Yes." The middle-aged nobleman smiled: "The key lies in the more than 30,000 grassland cavalry annihilated by the Roton Valley."

"Um……"

"The first step is to set up the first line of defense and guard for a few days, so that the grassland people are anxious, and they will get rid of the patience and agility of the grassland people, and make them anxiously seek breakthroughs, and then sell the flaw of the Luodon Valley. At this time... the grassland people make another move. This move was also calculated in their hearts by Panning early!

The situation was too late to start, and the Prairie King was seeking a battle to boost morale... and more importantly, to establish the prestige of the royal court! Therefore, when the breakthrough was opened, that is, the Lodon Valley, the vanguard sent by the Prairie King entered the Rodon Valley plains, the army directly under his royal court! That is, the king's army of the Prairie King!

Because the King of Grassland wants to show his deterrence! He needs to make his king army achieve merits so that he can suppress the gradually shaking morale and morale within, and suppress other tribes. He obeys the orders of the royal court wholeheartedly and dare not have any unfair intentions! Therefore, the one who rushed into the plains of the Luodon Valley was the direct troops of the royal court!

No more or less, more than 30,000 riders.

Originally, the King of Grassland believed that this battle would be won, but after all, it opened a breakthrough. The situation in front of me was a flat and open area that could drive straight into. It was the most suitable terrain for grassland cavalry combat, plus the superior forces. There was no possibility of defeat.

This kind of merit that is kept at hand is naturally something that your own direct descendants need to win.

But in the end, all this was counted by Panin.

Panning's original plan was to eat the direct army of the Grassland Royal Court.

If it were other cavalrymen on the grassland, let alone 30,000, even if they eat 30,000 more... they can afford to the grassland people!

After they came out this time, they had nearly 200,000 cavalry. They had a strong capital.

But the system of grassland people is a huge hidden danger.

They are tribal! More than 200,000 cavalrymen. Not all of them belong to the Grassland King directly. The grassland is tribal. Only when the royal court has the strongest strength will other tribes surrender to the royal court of the Grassland King and obey the orders of the royal court.

This has always been the case with the King of Grassland. The King of Grassland is the most powerful tribe. The King of Grassland is said to be 100,000, but in fact it is only 70,000 or 80,000. This time, I brought up at most 40,000 to 50,000.

After all, there are always tens or 20,000 to guard the hometown and pastures at home.

Among the 200,000 iron cavalry, the king's royal army occupied about a quarter of the troops. Under normal circumstances, it was already the most powerful one, enough to intimidate other tribes and order the entire army.
To be continued...