Spears were carried on the shoulders, and a chilling "forest" was moving north.
Either angry, excited, or frightened, the peasant soldiers with mixed emotions, led by the nobles, headed straight for their burned homes.
In the past, these peasants did not dare to take action against any Frankish army, especially when seeing those soldiers groveling. But now, everyone understands their new identity. Everyone fights against the Central King's army, which is exactly what the nobles of the Eastern Kingdom want to see.
of.
The large number of peasant soldiers was not the main battle force. They only wore civilian clothes and went into battle lightly. The only warrior was holding a spear and forming a hedgehog formation to defend or fight against the wind.
The real main force is only the Russian army.
Black Fox, Old Eric, Askard, and the Ross army with a total of nearly 900 people are the real main offensive force, and now they are also at the head of the attacking army.
The wheels of the trolley made a lot of squeaking noise, and there were torsion slingshots placed on them.
No one dislikes too many heavy weapons, either brought from afar or unloaded from large ships. As many as twenty vehicle-mounted torsion slingshots accompany the army. When the cart stops, it serves as an operating platform. The soldiers immediately operate the ratchet mechanism and charge the weapon to complete the task.
Install the javelin or projectile to launch.
In addition, a large number of crossbows of various colors make this army different from all European armies. The young boys of Askard's Seventh Flag are not good at frontal combat. Everyone carrying a crossbow is good at using long-range arrows.
Prepare to miss the enemy.
As a result, more than 300 veterans stationed in Nassau became the backbone of the melee combat. They wore complete Viking attire and more advanced butterfly helmets that covered half of their faces. The pioneer warriors wore chainmail armor and another armor on their torso.
A layer of cloth face armor, or even a skirt reinforced with iron sheets.
Russian flags were flying high, accompanied by black crosses on a white background.
There is even a dark red flag with abstract "three lions" sewn on it. This is Charlemagne's battle flag, and it was also used by the Eastern Kingdom as its own battle flag. Even any Frankish noble can display it.
Robert was determined to raise this flag to prove his identity and declare the special identity of this army to the enemy.
At the same time, what are Quentin's flag troops stationed in Koblenz doing?
"My lord! Those damn Normans are rowing over again!"
The sentry rushed from the shore and rushed to the ruined stone room where Quentin stayed temporarily to report truthfully.
"Okay, I know everything. You go down! Remember to continue to observe." He held the wooden bowl in one hand and waited for the wheat porridge to cool down before enjoying it, while waving his hands impatiently.
"But my lord, there is something strange about those Normans this time."
"Strange? What's so strange? Stupid people don't dare to go ashore and fight us to the death. They bully us into not being able to fight on the water. Let them scream like crows! I'll go see what they want to do after I finish my meal."
At first, Black Fox ordered some of his men to harass, which really made the invading occupation forces nervous. During the day, they kept swearing and making a lot of noise, and at night, they set up a bonfire array, which made them nervous. For two days in a row, it was "Wolf"
"Here we come." By the third day, the Normans were doing this trick no matter day or night, and the spirit of the occupying army was already paralyzed...
Many people felt that it was meaningless to guard the ruins of the fortress foolishly, and flag captain Quentin thought so too. He regretted that he ordered the arson at the beginning, which caused heavy rain soon and the brothers did not even have a good shelter.
After the rain, there was no plague in the army, but the rain weakened the spirit of the army. Many people were like drowned rats. After the rain, the soldiers gathered together and chatted helplessly after the rain. It was difficult to fight across the river. Just continue to hold on.
daze.
What if we run out of food? The soldiers don't care for the moment, but Quentin, the flag captain, has to worry about this.
Fortunately, he deliberately brought more military rations and deliberately protected the food from moisture in the heavy rain. But if he continued to maintain this defensive attitude of "doing nothing", he would just consume the food silently. When the food was expensive and scarce, he would have to continue sending people out.
Transported to the upper reaches of the Moselle River.
The food can last for another ten days, so it’s no problem to save some food to last for two weeks.
His eyes are fixed on the fields in the delta area, even though only the ruins of the residential areas are left after the fire.
The wheat seedlings sprouting in the fields have not suffered any damage. Quentin is not really a fool. Since his flag army is stationed here, it needs local food supplies. Just wait, these rye and oats will be harvested in two months.
The army's supply problem has been solved and it will definitely be able to last until next spring.
Quentin, the captain of the flag, looked mentally paralyzed, and so did the majority of the soldiers. Today, just like every other day, the Normans rowed over again to curse, and as always they floated on the shore and uttered arrogant words.
What's the use of scolding them back? In the end, it's just a waste of breath. Besides, their arrows were not sharp and they rashly approached the shore and were plotted.
It seems that this time is indeed the same as before.
The key is that the initiative has always been in the hands of the Russian army. Whether it is really a war and harassment, or a real landing and sneak attack, it all depends on the wishes of Commander Vardi.
The soldiers of the ten boats and the fishermen who helped rowing were now brothers on the same boat. Especially the fishermen, many of whom were from Koblenz. This time they saw the ruins of the dilapidated village after the rain, and their grief and anger turned into tears. They were so angry that
To his death, his hands could even break the handle of the oar.
The fishermen were complaining, and the soldiers were eager to fight. After all, it was the day of the decisive battle.
After hearing too many complaints and pleas for war, Wadi plucking his ears hard, suddenly stood up and supported the alien beast on the bow of the flagship: "Stop arguing!"
One sentence shocked the whole ship, and then he waved his hand to call on all nearby ships to come closer.
He shouted in Norse at the top of his lungs: "It's inappropriate for us brothers to be spectators for others to gain honor by killing the enemy, isn't it? Why don't we approach the shore now and lure out all the enemies?"
The suggestion was immediately responded to in the affirmative, with the warriors banging their bucklers on both sides and rhythmically shouting Viking war cries.
"Then take action! Get ready quickly, eat some solid food, and follow my orders to land."
The order Wadi received was to harass, and it was up to him how he wanted to be harassed.
The occupying army built a new military camp on the ruins of the fortress in Koblenz. Our own army must be passive when besieging the fortress. The best way is to lure them out.
He deliberately waited, but he didn't expect friendly forces to really show up this morning...
He looked at the sun again and felt that the time was almost up.
In the past, the harassment of ships and troops, and the scolding battle between ten longships made a few Frankish soldiers nervous.
Quentin, the flag captain, had just finished his meal. When he shook his body and hung up his broad-bladed sword, he was about to go to the riverside with his iron helmet in his arms when the sound of a horn suddenly sounded in his ears.
"Hey, it's harassment again." He couldn't help but spat contemptuously.
The Frankish soldiers were wandering around in high places with nothing to do, the cavalry were busy combing their horses, and even the pack horses transporting supplies had all their bridles removed, and were led to the wasteland by the peasants from Metz to eat grass. The ten long boats cruising unexpectedly
Launch a charge.
After all, they were the standing army loyal to King Lothair. These king's troops realized that something was wrong and stood up one after another.
"No! It's an enemy attack!"
"Haha, the Normans are about to attack!"
People who were doing nothing around the campfire stood up one after another.
Some people also rushed into the temporary wooden house, pulled up all the sleeping brothers, and screamed in the face of the lake: "Take up weapons, it's time to kill the Normans!"
The most amazing thing of course was that the Frank army blew the brass trumpet, which meant "the enemy has appeared" sounded throughout the military camp.
Flag captain Quentin's head buzzed and he looked left and right: "What's going on?! How can you blow the trumpet privately?!"
"Sir, please look over there!" The personal guard pointed directly at the damaged dock, and saw longships starting to land.
After all, the military camp was close to the hillside. Standing at a high place, Quentin saw the Normans jumping off the longships that were the first to dock and holding bucklers. The more he squinted, the more clearly he saw it.
Joy suddenly welled up in his heart, and he said angrily: "The turtles finally took action. Glorious warriors, kill these Normans and follow me!"
Quentin had great fighting spirit, and so did his men.
The Frankish soldiers put on their armor as quickly as possible, and the soldiers helped each other. Each team
The commander rushed to the damaged dock with his organized men, seemingly ready to fight the Normans who washed ashore.
In fact, this is not the case. The Frankish army pays attention to basic records. Each team cannot take the initiative to attack before receiving the order from the flag captain, unless the enemy takes the lead.
Then the battlefield became weird.
Wadi led his brothers to land selectively. At first, only three boats of people landed, and among the ninety soldiers there were thirty militiamen holding fishing boats.
The Russians are still neatly dressed, and their large round shields with blue patterns on a white background are connected to each other to form an arc-shaped array.
There were seven boats behind them, and the soldiers on them seemed to be watching.
What are the Normans doing? After landing, are they just going to defend and not fight?
The Franks did not attack due to discipline constraints, while the Russians did not attack due to Wadi's orders.
More and more people on the ground gathered at the dilapidated dock. Those who were in the fortress camp gradually put on armor and went down the mountain, and people on horseback also appeared one after another.
The two sides fell into a strange confrontation. Quentin himself took some time to reorganize his heavy cavalry team, and even personally led the cavalrymen with extremely long lances on horseback to line up and approach the confrontation between the two armies.
The two sides deliberately kept a distance of about a stone's throw, which was just right for a cavalry charge. But Quentin saw that these thieves, the Normans, had their backs against the Rhine River, with ships behind them, and the enemy was now displaying shields.
Wall, you can also run to the boat to evacuate at any time...
Do we still need to fight in this situation?
From the standpoint of the Russian people, the brothers actually lured the snake out of the hole. Some people complained that Wadi's dilly-dally caused the brothers to miss the opportunity for a sneak attack. Now the enemy is out in force, and the brothers now have more than 200 men who dare to fight. How can it feel that defeating more with less is too much?
Disaster.
The battlefield fell into silence. No one took the initiative to attack. Both sides seemed to be waiting and watching, but the soldiers were tense.
Until the cavalry appeared, Quentin gave the order: "Cavalry! Follow me and charge!"
Then when the raised lance was lowered, Wadi, who was already on the shore, realized the crisis. His eyes widened as if they were about to pop out. "The cavalry is coming! Let's retreat quickly!" He even gave the warning to the waiting ships behind him.
Signal.
The Russian army "crumbled to pieces" in an instant. The soldiers quickly ran back a few steps and jumped back into the boat after a slight splash of water.
The long boat behind suddenly pulled, and the reserved ropes pulled all three semi-stranded boats back to the river.
The charging cavalry team fell into the air, and the horses' hooves sank into the shallow water. Even if they poked with their lances, they were angry at the air.
As the Russian troops on the ship fired some cold arrows, the cavalry, all in armor, retreated one after another.
Then there was another scolding battle...
There were no casualties, and there were a bunch of horse hooves, footprints, and arrows stuck in the ground in the riverside area.
Could this be a farce?
"Vadi, you Oberlitt coward! Brothers, we might as well fight with them to the death, and now we have all become cowards following you." Some brothers scolded fiercely, and Vardi couldn't be more direct.
refute.
Both sides were yelling and cursing, as if today had become a day without fighting that added a little more "fun" to the boredom.
In fact, this was not the case. The Frankish army had already mobilized in full force, even wearing armor.
The Ross-Nassau-Leingau coalition forces need an honest victory, especially for the Ross people, not to mention plotting and trickery. If there is an opportunity to fight openly, everyone must still fight for it.
Because only when a warrior wins an honorable victory will the gods recognize his achievement.
When Quentin's Frankish bannermen and the peasants from Metz were armed, it was impossible for this army to return to the hillside camp unless they returned to the camp to sleep at the end of the day.
Who wants to be a coward? Even if the Normans are floating on the river in boats and don't want to fight, it would be a coward to retreat first.
The two sides are at loggerheads, and the current situation gives the advancing coalition forces a perfect opportunity for a decisive battle!
After walking through the narrow channel along the river, the main battle force of the coalition faced the flat and huge Koblenz Delta plain.
To everyone's surprise, a large number of armed men had gathered in the open area, and now
It was noon, and the summer sun was shining brightly on the stomach.
"It's the enemy! Get ready to fight!" Vanguard commander Old Eric took the lead in issuing a war warning on behalf of the Ross army.
The fat black fox walked all the way and was out of breath. At this time, he also hurriedly drew his sword and gave a gesture to the young Ascard next to him.
There was nothing left to say. Askard gave a few simple commands, and the entire Seventh Flag team began to change formations in extreme excitement.
Suddenly the drums and horns sounded loudly, and the Russian army issued a deafening cry in rhythm...
This roar penetrated very far, and even the Blue Fox troops guarding the pass on the other side of the mountainous area noticed the incredibly low muffled sound. Listen carefully, what is that rhythm other than a war cry?
"Finally, the war has started over there."
It took until noon to wait for the news that the war might start. Everyone was fully convinced, and the soldiers began the final preparations.
On the other side, the so-called main battlefield is on the riverside plains.
Quentin's bannermen were unprepared for the appearance of a large army.
The big question before Quentin himself: Who are they?
Are they Normans? Look at the shield wall. It's true. Do the Normans also fly cross flags? Is this a Norman army that believes in God? It is said that only the Eastern Kingdom has such a strange team.
Wait! What’s going on with that flag?!
Among the mainly blue and white flags, red and yellow are extremely conspicuous. Quentin squinted and saw a red and yellow Three Lions flag in disbelief. Isn't that... the battle flag of Charlemagne?
"No way!" His jaw almost dropped in shock, "Ludwig is here with his Norman servants? How can I be so good? How can I be hit hard by him?!"
Maybe it was King Ludwig who was personally on the march, and all the Frankish soldiers who saw the Three Lions flag felt sad in their hearts.
After all, the opponent appeared from the narrow riverside passage, and more and more soldiers came out of the cover of the woods. Only God knows how many people came.
But just by taking a quick look, it's clear who has more troops.
Retreat? Only cowards retreat! This standard regiment accompanied Charlemagne in his wars in the north and south. As a standing army member, it can be replaced and the spirit of the army will never be destroyed.
Quentin remained calm, raised his lance high, tightened the reins and steered the horse to pass in front of his slightly panicked subordinates, and shouted: "Form up! Prepare to meet the enemy! Remember our honor!"
Of course, he would not dare to take the initiative to attack. After all, there might be a very noble noble on the other side. He would not retreat either, especially if the commander of the opposing side might be Ludwig himself. His retreat was caused by the death of Charlemagne.
To be humiliated is also to insult Ludwig.
Or even...why fight to the death? Of course, the families of the soldiers who surrendered will face the sanctions of King Lothair. If the entire flag team joins Ludwig's forces, without today's war, the future will not necessarily be bad.
Quentin's attitude is very complicated. Should he fight or make peace? According to the rules of aristocratic war, at least there will be a chance for nobles to negotiate before the two armies fight.
As a flag captain, he is also a knight regardless of his noble status! A knight with an army of more than 800 people... is far more powerful than many barons.
As the infantry formed a matrix, the cavalry formed on the right side of the infantry in accordance with the regulations and raised their lances. Quentin himself looked peaceful. He first opened his hands to the enemies of the whole group with the same face, and soon brought two followers with him.
, holding high the flag of their own flag team and another cross flag, the three of them left the group on horseback and slowly advanced towards the other side.
At the same time, the Russian army also responded positively.
Robert mounted the horse, and next to him was the black fox whose helmet squeezed his head and showed a rather funny look of fat.
"My friend, now learn the art of war from our Franks. Let's go and negotiate with their people first." Robert said kindly.
"I listen to you. I hope they don't have any conspiracy."
"No. On the contrary, you Russians should stop playing tricks. Look, those people are already about to shoot arrows. This is a tacit agreement. Since you want to be a great noble, you have to follow our rules. Let's see what they want to do.
.It would be better if they were willing to all surrender.”
"This is impossible
?" Black Fox looked at the soldiers who were busy loading the crossbow, and shook his head, "Our plan is to annihilate them. Maybe there is no need to negotiate, just shoot them and win."
Robert sighed one last time: "Then anger them and make the battle inevitable." Then he pulled the reins and walked out of the military formation with Blue Fox and a small number of followers.
Especially the Three Lions flag. The person holding the flag was Robert's old retainer. In the eyes of the enemies of the Russian army, the man wearing the typical high-end armor of the Frank aristocrats had an extremely noble status, and he was the whole
The commander of the army.
At this moment, Robert stole the show on the battlefield.
The Russian army is more pragmatic. Of course, the young Askard is dissatisfied with the old guy's limelight. The rare time for negotiation before the war provides his army with perfect preparation time. The crossbow and torsion slingshot begin to be stringed, and the javelin that urgently needs to be launched is ready.
Plugged into the ground, the firing ports were aimed at the Frankish infantry in formation. Once the battle started, the Russian army would first deal a large-scale rain of arrows to the enemy...