The great leader of Polotsk has announced his surrender in exchange for the survival of his entire clan. This can be called his personal behavior. Even if he feels that this is a helpless decision, everything is still unknown to the troops who are still advancing.
He had already surrendered and could no longer make any reservations about the war. He explained the entire strength of Polotsk's troops - four thousand men.
After hearing this number, Fisk took a breath, but he soon understood that the other side had used all their troops for this war, and they were making a huge gamble with the mentality of annihilation if they didn't succeed.
What exactly is this for?
The answer is very simple, Proclaw explained: "The scouts we sent estimated that you have very few troops, but each of your soldiers is very strong. We held a meeting to discuss that only by gathering as many troops as possible can we defeat you and move this fortress
Unplug it.”
This explanation was very logical, and Fiske was too lazy to mock him as a winner. He and Svalgard immediately realized that the Vitebsk Fortress did have great strategic value.
The nails in the flesh were so angry that the people of Polotsk did not hesitate to raise a family to conquer them in order to pull them out.
How can such a fortress be destroyed by others? On the contrary, it must be a powerful deterrent to all ethnic groups in the surrounding area, and it must continue to be developed.
Proclaw officially mentioned that it was the vanguard of the army that was defeated, but it was also the strongest part.
Subsequently, there were still troops who continued their retrograde expedition along the riverside area. These people were so weak that they marched at a desperate pace.
"So, do you think that if your army completes its assembly and engages in a decisive battle with our army, do you... feel that you are sure of victory?"
When the bald general heard the news, the defeated Proclaw could only say: "Not sure."
"Really not sure? There are four thousand of you."
"But there are a thousand of you too!"
"What if we only have the first three hundred people? I want your true thoughts."
"Dare!" At this moment, Proclaw answered very simply.
"So, how do you plan to fight?"
"Naturally, I will organize all the troops to rush forward, rely on absolute numerical superiority to defeat you, and uproot this fortress."
Fisk nodded: "In this way, you feel you have won?"
"if not?"
"Listen, even if you destroy this fortress, we will not be buried with it. We can ride on horseback and disappear without a trace, and we can suddenly appear and kill you when you relax your vigilance. Even because you show up in large numbers,
Your rear must be very empty, so...do you think your rear is completely empty?"
Originally, Proclaw thought that this was a general news after his surrender, but he did not expect that the bald general, this guy named Fisk, had already straightforwardly and arrogantly explained the Russians' next tactical plan.
In fact, the last rhetorical question was when Fisk suddenly had an idea.
What does the Vitebsk Fortress mean to the Rus? It naturally has huge strategic significance. But what is really meaningful is not the wooden walls and the large number of new buildings here, but this superior geographical location. It is a natural place.
A shoal that can be wade through, a flat area that is easy to cultivate, and a natural stop on the north-south transportation line.
If you really can't withstand the military pressure, abandon the fortress, or you will have to rebuild it again in the future.
"We have no intention of fighting with your follow-up troops. I will lead the elite troops to rush into your homeland as quickly as possible. I am not worried about getting lost. Ambitions will serve as excellent guides. With such merits, we will fully support
This man became the new leader of Polotsk."
Fisk even applauded his plan. His so-called leader was the real careerist Lambart. Of course, Fisk despises a guy who is willing to betray his people in order to gain power. To be fair, he is exactly this kind of person.
Easier to be a pug.
In fact, the leader is not alone. The previous expedition of Ureko team not only destroyed the village of Duka in Polotsk, but also found the "forest road" leading to the main settlement of Polotsk through the mouths of the captives.
Marching, being attacked, and escaping, Ureco's subsequent robbery failed miserably, and his escape was embarrassing. And wasn't the escape route going in the opposite direction the same as the march route?
Duka Village means "huge bend in the river" in the local language. It is indeed a big bend and has become a geographical landmark. Arriving at Duka Village from Vitebsk is not just along the
Following the path along the riverside, the clever hunter ventured directly into the forest just to take a shortcut, and Fisk was happy to take this shortcut.
The conversation was like a military chess game. In Proclaw's opinion, the bald general would definitely keep his word. Even if the two sides really fought with a huge disparity of four thousand to three hundred troops, that kind of close-quarters fighting would not happen.
The Lotsk people's tactics were wrong from the beginning. And the real battle showed that it was even more outrageous. One hundred and fifty elite cavalry defeated a thousand strongest men.
Proclaw was convinced of his defeat, and he could do nothing about the Russians' next actions. He could only pray: "I hope you keep your promise and don't kill anyone indiscriminately."
…
As a result, the Russians began to actively prepare for their next move, and they also wanted to guard against those who were not afraid of death and continued to march towards Vitebsk.
So will the subsequent three thousand Polotsk Army really have to launch a massive attack?
This is indeed the case from the performance. Even if their retirement is delayed for a long time, the overall march forward has not diminished.
Ten village leaders led their own village Jianyong to continue marching. They all lost contact with the big leader's troops and could only continue to move forward according to the original plan. Some people gave up, and the boring march for several days was a kind of psychological torture.
, some people’s leather shoes were worn out, and walking barefoot abraded the soles of their feet, which was real torture.
Some people began to desert the village, and the village leaders had no control over the issue of deserters. In fact, those at the end all had the idea of evacuating.
Most of the troops were still marching, which meant that the overall speed was still decreasing. Whether it was out of their own intentions or out of necessity, they were so out of touch with the vanguard that they were completely unaware that a fierce battle was taking place ahead.
Until these "armies" that gradually gathered together arrived at the horrific battlefield.
They saw wolves tearing limbs from the dead, brown bears gnawing wantonly, and even foxes taking a share of the pie.
"What kind of villain did all this?!"
People sighed and lamented, then rushed forward with weapons to drive away the wild beasts, and then examined the dead bodies and found that they were all members of their own tribe.
A terrifying answer is obvious - this is the forward troops who are completely out of touch at the front.
Where is the big boss? Is he dead? Are there anyone alive nearby?
Seeing the tragedy of corpses strewn in the fields, what little fighting spirit they had left was lost in an instant. Their hearts were broken, and continuing to fight was simply a way to die. Fear acted on people's bodies, and all the village leaders urgently gathered together to discuss the next step.
What to do? There is no need for any normality. Even if the troops are asked to withdraw, no one accuses this of being a coward. In other words, everyone is willing to be a coward. They just want to escape back to the village. As for what will happen next, no one dares to think about it.
.
The village seems to be the only safe place, but some work still needs to be done before evacuating.
The tribesmen are already dead. If their bodies are left to be torn apart by wild beasts, no one will take it for granted.
At least save your last dignity before evacuating! At least let everyone bury the clan members who died in the battle on the spot.
This was the conscience of the Polotsk people. They dug long and narrow trenches in the riverside battlefield area, and then threw the softened and blackened corpses into the trenches one after another. In the process, they found the weapons of the deceased.
It disappeared completely. There was not a single small carriage that was supposed to be a baggage. There were not even horse corpses in the battlefield ruins. The careful hunters in the team checked the traces on the ground. They noticed a few beast footprints, but surprisingly they found an astonishing number of u.
Type traces.
This trace was quite special, very similar to the traces found on the battlefield after a small-scale battle with the Russian horse bandits. At that time, it was determined that these were horseshoes installed by the bandits on the horses.
Horseshoes are something only a few Polotsk people know about. They have domesticated some ponies for pulling carts but cannot ride them, so the ponies do not need to use high-value horseshoes to protect their four hooves.
The horseshoe marks on the battlefield are very outrageous. They are extremely dense, which shows that the enemy's cavalry is astonishingly large. Looking more carefully, a large number of hoof marks continue to the upper reaches of the river, and there are even rut marks.
Although the smart hunter could not estimate the situation of the battle at that time, at least he had sufficient evidence to prove that the victor had gone north.
But the number of corpses is not outrageous. After careful calculation, it is only 200. You must know that the big leader's headquarters alone has 500 troops. How can such a small loss be achieved?
Either many people were captured, or they fled into the forest. The former must have a tragic fate of slavery, and the latter may become food for wild beasts.
The work of digging large pits to bury the bodies will continue, and the people will take a short break to withdraw their troops.
For the follow-up troops, this expedition really came back in vain. It consumed too much manpower and material resources, and what it really gained was greater fear of the Russians.
The last Polotsk army finally began to turn back. They had wasted too much time. At least their dry food reserves were still good, and they still had enough reserves to return the same way.
They didn't know that the Ross cavalry was moving at lightning speed!
After all, the area where Vitebsk is located is a swamp, and the West Dvina River is so gentle here that there is a shoal that can be waded through. Polotsk hunters occasionally reach the other bank from here and hunt, and Riga's
Latvia, Danish immigrant businessmen, must choose to go south from here if they want to reach Smolensk.
Merchants took the water route, and hunters naturally hunted mainly in the forest. That is, the hunters found a direct route in the forest. Lambart knew this route but was not proficient in it. However, among the prisoners of war who were captured and released, there were senior hunters. He
He is just a small figure in the community. The big leaders have surrendered and are willing to cooperate. How can I not cooperate?
The Russian army saw this scene, and more than one person was willing to lead the way.
Are these sudden collaborators credible? Fisker and everyone else remain skeptical and give them a chance to make contributions.
As Fisk told the surrendered Proclaw, the fortress was just named Vitebsk, and it was enough to destroy it and build a new one.
Fisk did some division of labor, and the Kiev cavalry continued to go north, but all the Pechenegs' goods were nominally acquired by the Ross. Kiev's Vadislav led his team and took away the Pechenegs' baggage.
The initial goal of the cavalry was to reach Lukiholm in the north to meet and station themselves with the Duchess of Ostara. This move north was guided by the Ostara cavalry guide.
Polotsk was about to be conquered, and the Rus-Ostara cavalry, together with the Pecheneg cavalry, escorted the released prisoners "home".
As for the Vitebsk Fortress, it was originally supposed to be garrisoned by a small number of Ostara people. This time, only thirty people stayed here. Not surprisingly, these people were the original defenders. Although this garrison was
Taking risks, they were also instructed by Fisk: "If those backward guys attack you, you should go north and report the news."
After the victory, the army took a short rest and then split up.
Changing houses was really a smart move. Fisk was prepared for the worst. The so-called enemy got the empty Vitebsk fortress and occupied the entire Polotsk area of the Polota River.
The enemy may not be able to capture the fortress, but the cavalry will certainly be able to capture Polotsk. Among the army are those who led the way in surrender, as well as the veteran traveler Old Harald and Ureko who walked the "Forest Road".
A small number of cavalry escorted the unarmed prisoners forward, while the main army was galloping.
Both Proclaw and Lambart were riding horses for the first time. Both the uncle and nephew tied ropes to the saddles, and the horses they were riding were led by soldiers. They were told: "If you move around, be careful not to fall and be trampled to death by the hoofs of the horses."
."
The cavalry is marching in fast walking mode, and the soldiers all bring a bag of oats. They are not eaten by themselves, but fed to their mounts, so that the attack speed can be maintained longer.
When you know the right path, it doesn't take long to reach your goal.
In the early morning of the third day after departure, when the morning fog had just dispersed and the sun was rising, a moving shadow suddenly burst into the dark green forest.
"This is a wheat field! Be careful not to trample on the wheat field, this is our trophy!" Fisk gave an urgent order.
Indeed, Fiske felt that it was a great kindness to plunder oil and water from the defeated without chopping off their heads. It was a fact that the Polotsk people were not rich. The most important wealth they had was food and food.
human Resources.
According to past war patterns, it was only natural to plunder the defeated and make them slaves. Fisk did not want to do this because of a previous agreement. He even persuaded the Pecheneg Gotzal to let the Polotsk people redeem them with grain.
Captured tribesmen.
The Russians wanted to retain Polotsk and bring it under their rule. Any further demands for slaves would be a breach of friendship, so Quetzal had no choice but to accept the compensation terms.
Proclaw surrendered, and such a surrender was conditional.
Rus will not ask for slaves, but will ask for food as a substitute. In the future, Polotsk will also continue to pay tribute to food.
There is a lot to say here. Polotsk is surrendering to the Kingdom of Rus, not the nearest Principality of Ostara, but the tribute grain must pass through Ostara. In the war of conquest, the Ostara cavalry contributed a lot.
After all, Fisk is the general of the standing army of the Kingdom of Rus. He has been granted full authority and naturally has the right to make all decisions. Therefore, this is actually unfair to the people of Ostara. Fortunately, they have no intention of getting entangled in anything.
The cavalry deliberately moved across the field, quickly marched on the small wasteland, and rushed to the narrow Polota River in one fell swoop.
The oats and rye are heading now, and the autumn harvest is not far away.
The villages lined up like a string of pearls are left with only the old and the weak. It is not an exaggeration to call it an emptiness in the rear.
All tactics have changed, which is probably the current situation. The difference is that the Russians have prepared for the worst, and they can afford to lose the Vitebsk fortress.
Hundreds of cavalry suddenly arrived, and the old man who was washing clothes screamed and fainted, and the running children fled back home.
There was no resistance in the villages we first encountered. There were only some old men and their children hiding as much as possible. If they couldn't hide, they could only beg the barbaric horse bandits not to kill anyone.
However, what shocked them was that the big leader Proclaw actually appeared, and everyone recognized that face.
The cavalry seemed to be inspecting their own village. They formed a long snake formation in the riverside area and ran at a slow speed towards the largest settlement, which can be called "Polotsk".
Any departure from the formation was prohibited, and even the Pechenegs were not allowed to rob. Fisk restrained his own men and ordered Quetzal to fulfill his orders.
The cavalry did fulfill their promise and did not kill anyone. The villagers, who were also completely defenseless, only dared to watch these cavalry from a distance, just like watching the big brown bear that broke into the settlement. They saw Proclaw and Lambart, and even noticed that there were also
There were some of my own tribe present. These people were shouting things like "Don't be afraid" and "They don't kill" in their native dialect.
The old and weak people left behind didn't know what was going on with the big leader. Some elderly people took the risk to find out what was going on with their crutches. Other secret observers saw that the old man was actually not killed. More people began to show up, and the naughty children didn't know.
The sky is high and the sky is high, but there is a child holding a wooden stick in front of the cavalry, as if he wants to fight.
The children were all driven away, and the most serious experience was when the cavalry fired arrows and fell at the feet of the naughty children, but the cavalry still did not kill anyone. Such an action was completely different from that of horse bandits, even though Proclaw knew that the last attacker was in this army.
, and even knew that the Ross commander who destroyed Duca Village was named Ureko.