This evening, the Mercians finally remembered that they were once the overlords of England and were one step away from unification.
More and more warriors jumped off the city wall and fought with the Viking army on the slopes.
Those Mercian warriors in chainmail were literally turned into mince in this meat grinder-like battlefield, and the Balmoks were also suffering losses.
However, the overall strength of the Mercian army was already inferior, with few of its most elite soldiers left, and then there were armed peasants in civilian clothes who resisted desperately.
Prince Botwulf, who had just been pulled to the rear, broke away from his subordinates again. Regardless of the wounds on his face, he quickly ordered his subordinates to counterattack. His stubbornness or bravery could not be stopped.
The sun is almost setting, and there is a faint twilight in the west.
The whole world became dark, and under the stars and moonlight, the bloody battle around the city wall continued.
Until both sides were exhausted from fighting in this pool of blood, the intensity of the battle gradually decreased until a strange confrontation was reached.
The Mercians had actually rushed down the slope, but the so-called slope was already covered with two layers of corpses.
The dead warriors were piled on top of each other, and the Mercians stood on the corpses of their own men, spears of different lengths moving forward in unison.
They stared with blood-red eyes, each one was trembling with vigilance, and the rusty spearheads were dripping with blood. They were just a group of armed farmers, and individuals were naturally fragile, but now they were condensed into one, like five fingers clenched into a heavy fist.
A large number of spears formed a hedgehog formation, but they lacked defense.
More than twenty steps away from them were the Balmoks who formed a circular shield wall, and even Grund and others who were almost paralyzed from exhaustion in heavy armor.
Both Rurik and Magnut were on the front line. The strange confrontation and the anxious battlefield really made people feel that such a tragic battle should not have happened in Britain of that era.
"Warriors! Keep advancing!" Magnut roared again, but the tired warriors looked at each other and did not advance rashly at all.
"You...what are you doing?"
Rurik pushed the old guy Magnut directly and shouted: "We can't fight anymore! Our brothers are about to die from exhaustion, and our army needs to be repaired."
"But we are one step away from victory."
"Bah! Even if we are tired and go in, we will be killed by the residents of the city with wooden sticks and dung forks. I want to retreat temporarily! I warn you, continuing to advance is asking for death!"
Indeed, Rurik deeply felt the fatigue of the coalition forces. Those Balmoks with tattoos on their bare backs were covered in a layer of sweat, a mixture of blood and mud. The smell was really stinky, and the whole image was sloppy.
Even the Ross First Flag Team, which was neatly dressed and well-equipped, had all its robes severely damaged in the melee, and even the protective chainmail had broken.
How many people did the coalition forces die in this bloody battle? Rurik conservatively estimated that 200 people turned into stepping stones on this slope.
Naturally, the enemy's losses must be more serious, but the Viking coalition cannot suffer such losses again!
If the soldiers are still energetic, the bloody battle will continue. The reason why they even stopped King Magnute of York is because the coalition forces can't stand it anymore.
"Russians! Let's retreat first!" Rurik held his breath and deliberately loudly said this to Magnut, and then the Russian soldiers mixed in the army retreated cautiously.
Their retreat immediately caused the Balmoks to retreat, and the confrontation gradually dissolved.
Even if the barbarians armed with large bucklers retreated, the frightened Mercians still stood in the "Tower of Flesh". Not only were they physically exhausted, but their spirits were also close to collapse.
Prince Botwulf once again stood on the city wall, watching the enemies besieging the city wall retreating, and he could not laugh at all.
The enemy retreated?
Bah! It was just a temporary avoidance. When he saw this hideous and terrifying slope, he realized that this was the fatal flaw in the entire Tamworth.
"Order...order the soldiers not to attack. Check if there are any injured and bring them back for treatment. Send the injured enemy back for interrogation."
The attendants beside him were still trembling.
The prince got angry and kicked him violently: "Still in a daze? I now accept you as my captain of the bodyguard! Do things for me, guard the city and you will be prosperous in the future."
From the beginning, Rurik did not think that the city would be destroyed today, and the situation that turned out like this was completely beyond his expectation.
The script of self-shooting shouldn't be like this. Why did the Mercians suddenly become such brave men who are not afraid of death?
The Russians were the first to withdraw, and immediately gathered around the fragrant rice bowl. Soon the Balmok soldiers also withdrew.
They began to eat, and their frenzied eating was like wolves tearing apart gifts, or like pigs in a pen, which had no dignity at all.
Those who had stuffed their stomachs with food felt thirsty and ran to the Tam River where the boats were moored. They had no time to take care of their dirty clothes and the mud all over their bodies, so they could only stick their heads into the river and take a gulp of water.
After they had eaten and drank enough, many warriors wandered towards the campfire. Suddenly they felt weak again. Instead, they hugged their swords, axes and bucklers as their pillows, curled up and fell asleep.
Looking at the tired figures of his men, Magnute finally understood the advice of his son-in-law Rurik.
It is such a warrior who is so weak that he can be easily killed by the weakest enemy.
In the core military tent, the brave Arik and Biyongni both looked tired. Other family leaders came with bad news, claiming that an old friend died in the rebellion.
Everyone was not in a depressed mood. Their hatred for Mercia reached a new peak, and they also hated that they were unable to break the city immediately because they were given a huge fighter plane because of exhaustion.
People are hoping Rurik will come up with a countermeasure again, and some people even question his decision-making.
Rurik was not angry at all, and publicly taught all the intruders present a lesson.
Even if the Balmoks are now allies, their losses will indirectly greatly weaken the Russian army.
"You are too impulsive! My plan is to build a slope today and attack the city tomorrow. Even if more than half of the slope is built and the enemy launches a counterattack, do you think it should be used as a signal for a decisive battle? I really thought you were too smart! You are indeed brave warriors,
But you also have to use your brains."
Magnute was lectured. He felt bitter and asked: "What should we do now?"
"What else can we do? Rest tonight. I hope we can regain our full strength after a night's rest. However, I am worried that if our army's strength is greatly reduced, will Eynred rebel? The Mercians are just pretending to be weak.
Yes, they may be suddenly brave, and the Northumbrian people are also the same. If they join forces and fight us regardless of the consequences, maybe we can only evacuate."
"This is impossible!" Magnute shouted without even thinking, "I am the King of York."
"That's true, but those who really want to fight can't care so much. The battle this evening was untimely and we were accidentally frustrated. You all go back to rest and count your troops. We will attack again tomorrow afternoon. Friends, thank me for my cleverness.
The captured wheat will continue to feed the army. We are not short of food now. We only need one more day of rest to regain our energy and continue fighting."
Having said this, Rurik also explained the possibility: "Maybe we will encounter reinforcements from Northumbria tomorrow. As long as we maintain sufficient strength, they will not dare to rebel. I again advise you to stay vigilant tonight,
I will also guard our camp."
Magnut frowned and shook his head: "Are you...worried about their night attack?"
"It's very possible. You are so reckless today, and the enemy is exactly the same. The enemy has the advantage of having more people."
"What does it mean if there are many people?" Arik said disdainfully.
Rurik immediately glanced at his cousin: "Brother! Now I can't wait to send the army from my hometown to fight here with them."
Then he added: "You all go back and rest. I will guard the camp tonight. I hope they come to intercept the camp, so that our final siege tomorrow will be much smoother."
Rurik still maintained great restraint in his words, because the situation of the coalition forces, especially the situation of the Balmoks, was very bad.
Once the general Viking army loses its mobility and initial strength and is dragged into a war of attrition by its opponents, it will be a huge disadvantage.
The Ross Army is different because Rurik pays great attention to logistics and the army has good stamina. It is also because of this emphasis that the Balmok Army can eat wheat under the city and has the basic ability to besiege the city for a period of time.
The Balmoks fought with the Rus and became an atypical Viking force...
Indeed, 200 Balmok warriors were killed in this battle, and the Russian army also suffered losses.
Ten people from the Ross Army's First Flag Troop were killed, and nearly half of Grund's mercenaries wearing iron armor were also killed.
The death of Jingrui's subordinates made Rurik heartbroken, so he would have to personally raise a group of orphans whose fathers had died.
Due to this chaotic battle and the previous losses, the coalition forces originally had 2,000 men in the expedition after leaving York, but now they have lost almost 400 combat troops. No! There are still a group of wounded here, and they need to be taken care of.
The losses of the coalition forces are indeed not small, but the essence still remains.
What Rurik feared most was that the enemy would take advantage of his own weakness to intercept the camp, so he immediately began to set up defensive positions. Whenever he camped in the wild, Rurik must set up the most basic defenses. Now, the defenses of the fortifications must be extremely powerful.
.
There is no longer a need to transport earth on the cart, and a torsion slingshot is placed on it. Three mobile torsion slingshots form the core of the defense, with ten crossbow archers guarding each side.
All archers and crossbowmen arrange their positions in this way. No matter whether they are tired or not, they must ambush like this.
Due to the high consumption of cast iron bullets, the projectiles are now directly replaced by short spears, and the close range killing power is even more terrifying.
Rurik directly surrounded the camp and created ten defensive cores, which could form cross fire with each other.
The torque slingshot is not good at accumulating power for a long time, so it alternates between accumulating and discharging power, and the entire defense line is always alert.
Of course, there were also a few soldiers with reeds on their bodies who were ordered to leave the camp. They lay down on the only road leading to the blood-colored soil slope. They carried horns with them. When they discovered the enemy's movements, they immediately blew the horns to warn them.
Rurik almost expected that the enemy would launch a night attack. Looking at Tamworth, people were really being encouraged by the prince.
As many as a thousand people were inspired!
There are only a hundred or so of Shizui's kingdom attendant soldiers left, and there are only the last two thousand armed men.
More than a thousand people were summoned by the prince. They all knew the tragedy of the bloody battle and knew that surrendering now would just mean being slaughtered.
They were shivering, but their fear could not be seen on the surface, or most of them were already numb.
The prince stood on the platform where the prisoners were executed. He was angry that he had not caught the injured enemy. Looking at his soldiers, his heart was bleeding.
"Subjects, this is not God's punishment. I already know who they are, they are Vikings. They are not Satan's familiars, but more hateful existences. Now, the price of hundreds of people dying in battle has finally paid off for their fatigue.
.This is where God gives us the opportunity to win! Follow me! For your wives and children, for your life's wealth, and for your great faith, we will fight them tonight! If you want to escape, if you escape, you will run to
Darkness. Only by fighting with me can we win the provincial level! God bless us and we will win!"
However, no one cheered.
The priest also took the stage and announced that it was not a sin to kill these unspeakable villains, and publicly announced that the sins of the soldiers present had been wiped out in this life.
In fact, they care more about their own lives and the lives of their families, which has nothing to do with their sacred beliefs. Even if they really die in battle, at least their family members are still alive.
The prince solemnly announced: "You most mediocre peasants, I promise that you are now warriors of the kingdom and are all my followers! Even if you are serfs, I will cancel your debts, restore your freedom, and now grant you as followers! We
Let’s go!”
Farmers and even serfs became royal servants, and their level was much higher. This made many people feel a little relieved, at least they no longer died in a humble way.
No one cheered, they followed Prince Botwulf to the battlefield with tragic emotions.
Looking at the Crown Prince again, he was mentally prepared to die.
In fact, he did not hesitate to die. Even if his whole family was killed, his brother or cousin could still succeed him as the crown prince. He was just sad, where were the reinforcements from his father, brothers, and other lords? He really didn't know that the royal city would be destroyed.
?
Soon, the secret whistle of the Russian people lying on the ground noticed the strange vibrations of the earth. They all woke up after taking a nap and clutched the horn horns in their hands.
Suddenly! Under the moonlight, a figure appeared on the city wall where corpses were stacked.
First a few, then a group, then a large group.
A large number of soldiers armed with spears filed out, and all the secret sentries stood up in shock.
The secret sentinels blew their trumpets like crazy, and at this moment at least two hundred Mercian soldiers walked across the slope.
"Oops! They found us! Warriors of Mercia, follow me and charge!"
Botwulf actually led the charge! The last armored guard followed closely behind. The prince was so brave, and a large number of Mercian armed farmers followed closely. They kept silent and suddenly began to roar, emboldening themselves and boosting the morale of everyone. They
Holding the torch high, enduring fatigue, and charging to the death.
However, this is courting death.
Rurik was awakened and saw a large number of people holding torches rushing towards the camp.
"Why did I see a large group of people launching a banzai charge?"
He was so shocked that he even felt that his defensive firepower was not enough to stop them.
The well-prepared Ross warriors immediately counterattacked, charging up their torque slingshots to launch a fatal attack on the dense enemy.
The sharp short spears pierced the charging armored Mercian attendants, and even stabbed two people to death with one spear.
The crossbow arrows flew, causing heavy casualties in one fell swoop.
For a moment, even the shipboard weapons of the ships anchored in the Tam River were firing projectiles and javelins.
The Ross fleet now has nearly a hundred torsion slingshots, and they are now outputting firepower like crazy, even though the projectiles are already a little tight.
"You are very brave! I will go all out to treat you! You all go to hell!"
Rurik's heart was beating wildly, and his ferocious shouting was the best encouragement to his men. In the end, he simply took the crossbow and shot it himself.
Arik and other Russian warriors were awakened and immediately took their weapons to build a shield wall, as did the tired Balmoks.
They still need a lot of time to sleep, but now everyone's body is filled with adrenaline, ready for a fierce battle at the cost of their lives.
However, tonight's night attack is really a disaster for the Mercians!
"Ah! His Highness was hit by an arrow, protect him quickly!"
Botwulf was surprised when his neck was shot through by a short and thick arrow. He had difficulty breathing and blood was spurting from his nose. He opened his eyes wide and realized that he might die.
Death? You must also kill the enemy.
Many of his subordinates were shot and killed mercilessly. The prince, who was mortally wounded, used his last strength to push away his subordinates and continued to attack with his iron sword.
He became a target of public criticism, and even his chainmail could not stop the steel-armed crossbow's crossbow arrows from being fired at close range. Mercy was rewarded, and finally the javelin from the torsion sling shot through his body.
But Prince Botwulf did not fall. He was nailed to death by a javelin on the battlefield. He was vomiting blood and continued to point the sword with his right hand. Suddenly, the iron sword fell from his hand...
The Mercian attack failed. Corpses were thrown on the ground, and the ground was full of arrows and javelins. However, the Russian archers responsible for the defense carried out this fatal counterattack without any losses.
The Mercians withdrew again. They did not know that they had lost the prince tonight. They were just shocked that their companions died inexplicably beside them, and ran back crying and screaming.
But the Russians and the Balmoks were unable to pursue them. When the battle was no longer tense, those who were preparing to fight suddenly felt extremely tired, and strong sleepiness overcame the will of the warriors. The stars and the moon were above, as if the gods were looking down on this place.
During the battle, the soldiers looked up to the sky and then lay down on the ground one after another.
The world has returned to peace, and the earth has been watered with the blood of fallen soldiers, but the battle is still going on.
Rurik was not happy either. He knew that the city would be destroyed tomorrow, and the bravery of the Mercians really awed him, but was also pitiful. The fact that they could think of a night attack showed their wisdom, and their courage to charge to the death proved their courage.
"These brave men have followed the wrong monarch. As my warriors, you will always be great, not just a flash in the pan." Thinking of this, Rurik wanted to catch their commander and kill him with his own hands.
Because, even if he is a respectable enemy, such an excellent enemy commander must die. At least, my kind self can grant him a dignified departure.