Compared with the Franks' war horses with Roman origin, the horses of the Russian army all came from the grasslands. The former were tall and powerful and were good at rushing into battles, while the latter were small in size and good at long-distance marches.
The cavalry must take advantage of its high mobility. What the Ross cavalry has to do now is to go south to the ruins of Bremen as soon as possible to seize a tactical advantage.
A large number of cavalrymen gathered inside the wooden walls of Hamburg. Fisk put on a thick white polar bear velvet hat and a white bearskin coat.
All the warriors were quite thickly dressed, and their mounts had longer manes.
The winter climate of the grasslands on the lower reaches of the Volga River is even colder than that of Saxony. Horses can adapt to the cold winters of the grasslands and can naturally endure the cold winters of Saxony.
The Russian army still made some preparations. For example, they carried some horses rented by the Saxons purely for transporting food and spare arrows.
General Fisk temporarily eliminated the riders in poor condition from the team, carefully selected 200 riders, and had 50 spare horses.
They passed the battlefield ruins on the other side smoothly along the pontoon bridge, and then headed straight to the forest area in the south.
Sandwiched between Hamburg and Bremen is a large forest area. Although the woodland is mostly pine trees, the large number of heather trees is another feature.
Because this area is close to the Atlantic Ocean, it will be suitable for pioneering and growing wheat when the global temperature warms. As the population increases, the vast forests are cut down and replaced by dense farmland and a large number of villages and towns.
Today, the population here is not large.
Because of the war, a large number of Franks fled south, and a large number of Saxons fled north of the Elbe River.
The vast forest has become a no-man's land, and the small villages dotted in it have been left empty. The land that was forced to be abandoned in winter has been replaced with empty mansions. Wild beasts have resumed their occupation here, and bears and wolves often appear.
It was a bit strange for the tall and strong Fisk to ride a shorter war horse. He did not want to stop and stop on the road, so he ordered his troops to continue to advance southward along the Roman road with hardened pavement.
Not long ago, three thousand Frank cavalry rushed northward on this road in the forest, and the traces of horseshoes are clearly visible to this day.
There were some villages on both sides of the road. Fisk was always vigilant about the conditions of these villages along the way and sent out scouts to find out.
The answer he got was surprisingly consistent - no one was there.
"Everyone must continue to be vigilant. Even if there are no enemies, we must beware of bears and wolves. We must arrive in Bremen as soon as possible and strive to arrive before tomorrow evening! We must get ahead of the navy."
Why run so fast? Since there is a chance to run faster than the navy, this becomes the reason for the brothers to continue running fast.
There is a suitable road from Hamburg to Bremen, and the path is equivalent to 70 kilometers.
In essence, the Turkic horses owned by the Russian army are a kind of Mongolian horse. If Fisk also had a man and five horses, he would have set off from Hamburg early in the morning and arrived in Hamburg as the sun set.
There were no more horses, so in order to save horsepower, the Ross cavalry slowed down.
The essence of deceleration is only relative! The era is 840 AD after all.
While Fisker regretted that his speed was still not the fastest, he might still lose in the Navy racing competition.
They ignored the fact that the Frankish army was five times less timid than they were.
Because Ludwig, the King of East Francia, could not transfer all his last main force from the south, he still had to be wary of his elder brother's sneak attack.
Although there were two thousand cavalry, only more than a thousand of them were standard Frankish heavy cavalry. The so-called two flag troops were transferred to fight the rebellion in the north.
There are also a thousand cavalry that can be described as a patchwork of goods. These cavalry have no or lack of armor and can only be used for harassment and assistance.
These two thousand cavalry were Ludwig's mobile troops, and the rest of the army were all infantry.
In ancient times, Roman legions were jokingly called "mules and horses," which meant that soldiers had to carry all their belongings, bedding, square shields, and other supplies on their backs, and march long distances on their feet. Those who could do this
Soldiers are all physically strong, and their strong bodies do have a tactical advantage in fighting.
But the entire Frank family was a border guard group recruited by Rome. The Frank nobles knew some of the tactics of the Roman legions. Unfortunately, Ludwig lacked that kind of capable army, and even now he is seriously lacking the capital to imitate his grandfather Charlemagne.
One thousand heavy cavalry and five thousand armored heavy infantry were the core of his legion. The remaining personnel were largely used as auxiliary personnel.
The armies were uneven and their marching speeds varied greatly.
It was still because of the previous defeat of the heavy cavalry that Ludwig now resorted to war. He was not determined to expand himself into an army of 23,000 men after passing through Cologne, shrinking into a circle and heading north.
Push forward slowly.
The army gathered together as much as possible and marched northward in a long snake formation close to the Teutoburg Forest.
The elite troops were in front, and the rest of the troops were behind. The team was dragged into a monster that stretched for thirty kilometers.
The whole army is advancing slowly. Those elite troops can still advance 20 kilometers a day, but some follow-up troops are delayed until they can only advance 15 kilometers a day or even slower. Because the follow-up troops have to escort a large amount of living supplies.
Those transport-type horses cannot be ridden and it is difficult to urge them to go fast.
The marching elite infantry and cavalry would not be crazy about wearing armor, and threw a large number of armors on the accompanying carriages. The elites who were temporarily lacking armor did not dare to rush in. This was all because of the report of Earl Robert, who had returned from the defeat, the so-called large army.
Once you approach the Weser River, you may encounter fighting.
The East Frankish army successfully arrived at Münster along the road.
Today's Münster is just a small town, and its current name is still called monastrium, the so-called "church town".
The political significance here is quite special. Münster is the northern edge of the Archbishopric of Cologne, and beyond here is the Saxony region in a broad sense.
The Archbishop of Cologne rode with the army in a carriage, and he even wore a gold cross with a gold-plated mother core.
There has never been such a thing in history. Archbishop Hardbold expressed the church's affirmation of Ludwig's military actions in this way.
It can be said that this action has been regarded as a kind of crusade, and people rushed to the northern battlefield with saint-like piety.
Holy is truly holy.
To be fair, Ludwig didn't even want the Archbishop himself to be involved, especially not taking the holy relics with him.
Although the morale of the army was very high, and even suppressed the fear of the cold winter to a great extent, the archbishop and the holy relics were in the army. If they had any shortcomings, the whole army would encounter another disaster.
For this reason, Ludwig had to be more cautious and arranged an infantry standard unit to guard the bishop and the holy relics.
In this way, he has two cavalry banners and seven infantry banners. The rest of the army is composed of conscripted militia and even personal soldiers led by lower-level nobles.
The ranks of each other are reflected in the military. Those elites who are loyal to Ludwig can be said to be superior. The army of the lower-level nobles is second-class, and the militia recruited is the lowest in principle. However, there are still 5,000 special warriors here.
.
Five thousand Sorbian slave soldiers, they were a part of West Slavia. After being conquered by the Franks, their entire family was enslaved. They were like a group of sheep, whose wool was cut off regularly by the conquerors. They were taxed heavily, and when the war broke out
, Ludwig did not hesitate to recruit men from the Sorbian people and put them into the army, making them work as the hardest auxiliary men, and when necessary, as death soldiers, making them launch desperate charges against the enemy, etc.
While other soldiers at least had these simple boots made of hard leather, the Sorbians went barefoot in large numbers. They walked on the cold ground in early winter, looking for rags and hemp ropes to tie their feet. Once these so-called shoes were worn out
, and immediately looked for some rags to replenish.
Faced with this kind of oppression, they are a group of docile sheep? Don't know how to resist?
His wife and children were all under the control of the Franks. If he resisted, his family members left in the east would be retaliated against.
They were now promised by Ludwig that after quelling the rebellion in Saxony and wiping out the abominable Normans, the Sorbian soldiers in the army would be rewarded with tax reductions and exemptions. Even though they were very moved by such a promise, they actually did not get it.
He had no choice but to bite the bullet and eat the worst food to escort military supplies for the Frank army.
Regarding the overall situation of the Frankish army and the Northern Alliance forces, we can largely rely on guesswork.
Rurik's attitude affected the attitude of all allies. He said that the enemy was going to invade the north in a large scale now, and everyone subjectively wanted this to be true, and even hoped to solve all problems through a decisive battle.
So, when Fisk's cavalry rushed all the way to the ruins of Bremen, the Ross cavalry faced a choice.
"Damn it, I didn't see anything." Fisk tightened his grip on the reins and looked around with his teeth bared.
Then the squad leader came over and said, "There don't seem to be any traces of enemies here. It's too quiet."
Soon, the scout cavalry who had been arranged to investigate the situation came back on horseback. He pointed in one direction with his whip in hand: "We found a bridge ahead. The bridge deck is wide and suitable for cavalry to pass."
"There is a bridge? Are there any enemies?" Fisk asked alertly.
"No. It's too quiet. There are a lot of horse hoof marks there, and even the grass has been trampled away, but there is no smell at all."
Fisk pinched his beard and thought that all the traces he found were the work of the huge Frank cavalry. Obviously, the bridge was also repaired by them before.
"Okay." Fisk sighed, "Aric was ordered to destroy the bridge, but they never arrived. Every time our friendly forces arrived, the enemy did not show up. Are we going to stay here like fools?"
The brothers rushed forward in order to seize the opportunity to sneak up on the enemy and catch them off guard.
Looking at the slightly melancholy faces of his brothers under the setting sun, Fisk thought for a while and finally made a bold decision.
The cavalry gathered around him in an arc, waiting for the general's speech.
But I saw Fisk pointing south: "Brothers, the king ordered us to discover the Frank army and kill them as much as possible before they are prepared! If they don't show up now, we will go find them personally. I want to go directly through the bridge and along the road
Take the initiative to attack them. Tell me! Do you dare to do it?"
Asking like this is simply asking knowingly.
Someone suddenly raised his riding crop and yelled "Ula" loudly.
Hearing this, everyone responded with hurrah.
"Ula" is a special slang term for the elite of the Russian army. It represents the determination to win and fight immediately.
There is nothing left to say.
Fisk waved his hand: "Let's cross the river and spend the night on the other side of the river tonight."
All the elite Ross cavalry crossed the river. Fisk knew very well that doing so was contrary to King Rurik's arrangement. The army really shouldn't stay here and not actively look for fighters, but everyone should consider the consequences of doing so. It was a very embarrassing situation.
The problem is that when Arik's fleet arrives at the ruins of Bremen, they are likely to immediately start demolishing the bridge.
What if they finish demolishing the bridge and the cavalry men are still in the south, and then the cavalry retreats? Without the bridge, the cavalry will not be able to cross quickly unless the Weser freezes over.
A relatively wide river is often a natural chasm. It is not that the expeditionary army cannot cross it. Some small boats can carry a small number of soldiers across the river. How can an army of tens of thousands be formed? The Weser River in the dry season is still relatively wide. Perhaps its upper reaches have
There was a shoal that could be walked directly across, and Fisk, who did not have a precise understanding of the terrain structure, knew very well that what he was doing now was taking a risk.
But considering the potential benefits, the risk is worth it.
So, when the cavalry left early the next morning, some wooden boards found in the ruins were deliberately engraved with text.
The words were not Roman letters, but real traditional Nordic rune letters. Fisk ordered his men to use meat-cutting daggers to scratch a large number of wooden boards to indicate the movements of the cavalry troops. In order to prove that it was indeed done by friendly forces, it was even more
It is engraved with some slang that only old Russians understand, so there is no need to worry about Arik not being able to understand it.
A large number of wooden boards with inscriptions on them are scattered on both sides of the bridge head, and are even fixed at a higher position.
Maybe this wasn't obvious enough? So a round shield painted with a mixture of blue and white was placed in a conspicuous place, and a small Russian flag was firmly hung on a newly cut branch, and then deeply planted at the head of the bridge.
Now, the Ross cavalry has passed through the Weser River and is advancing further south.
One side is dilly-dallying, and the other side is maintaining a momentum of dashing forward.
Ludwig still had to accommodate his slow troops, and was forced to make the leading legion not dare to stray too far away from the main force.
After they arrived in Münster, they made a major rest here. The so-called wait until all the follow-up troops arrived before continuing to move forward. After all, for a large number of infantry, they marched on foot for many days, so they should suspend their operations to take a rest, even if it was just for one day.
.
Ludwig took the opportunity to discuss military countermeasures with his generals and nobles.
Archbishop Hardbold of Cologne hurried to say a mass in Münster.
…
But the Ross cavalry was on its way to the south. Because the "Road to Hell" became smoother and smoother as it went south and penetrated deeper into Frankish territory, the spirits of all the soldiers were extremely high.
Brothers can rob houses without restraint, set fires under orders, cause killings under orders, and even strike at ownerless cattle and sheep. Even if they can't move them away, they can't leave them to the enemy.
Without Rurik's order, such systematic persecution of the Franks would not have happened. Fisk and his men could at most move their piracy to land, and there was no need to carry out systematic destruction, but they used
If you are ordered to do it, you have to do it.
Their first priority is still to find the Frankish army and at least kill them. For example, a sneak attack on the Frankish villages around the road is something that should be done in principle, but it is not the first priority.
They continued to advance at a high speed and did loot a Frankish village on the roadside along the way.
It was a small village with a population of less than a hundred people.
Just like the Mongolian cavalry passing through the border, Fisk issued an order to kill without mercy, and the soldiers strictly implemented it. Some people who did not need to be killed died under the Russian steel swords, or were shot by arrows. Even
All the livestock raised by the villagers were killed. The legs of the lamb were deliberately cut off by the Russian warriors and hung on the horses as food that could be roasted later. It was not impossible to eat them raw to satisfy hunger.
Another batch of wheat was captured, and the soldiers each supplemented it with some oats and fed their horses without scruples.
They further set fire to the village, and all the wheat that cannot be taken away will be turned into carbon powder, and the dead bodies will be turned into blackened bones.
The firelight at night made the clouds shine, and this special scene directly attracted the attention of a monastery.
Osnabruck is a small town built around a monastery.
This city despised the first monastery built by Charlemagne in Saxony, and also used this place as the first center of Catholic faith in Saxony, where the so-called bishop's seat was located.
After that, the bishop's seat continued to move north, and St. Peter's Cathedral was built in the emerging city of Bremen, where the bishop's seat was moved.
The Archbishop of the North, where Saxony is located, is the Archbishop of this term, the Northern Saint Eskil. Due to the current chaos in the northern region, Eskil's value has become extremely important. He still has a lot of things to do, so he can only
When his life ends, Rome will choose another person to take over.
Osnabrück has the first monastery in Saxony, and it is also the starting point for spreading the Catholic faith throughout Saxony. Now, although the entire Saxony region has converted to Christianity, the situation has become complicated this year, and many people cannot escape. Osnabrück
Bruck was also panic-stricken.
Local priests called on the people not to listen to rumors and to devote themselves wholeheartedly to their devout faith.
Because it is a holy land, there are no local armed forces, and the nearby nobles will not go crazy and attack the monastery.
She was a completely undefended town, so on an ordinary early winter morning, a group of strange cavalrymen wearing white velvet hats with high tops that protected their entire faces came running toward them with swords and bows raised.
The town was destroyed, the people were massacred, and the cavalry even launched a pursuit, killing some who fled into the sparse woodland.
All the priests were killed, and all the gold and silver utensils in the monastery were taken away. As for the things that could not be taken away, they were naturally burned.
Fisk was not mentally disturbed by this attack, and his brothers became even more cold-blooded due to the killing, and any psychological concerns they had before disappeared.
The wooden monastery burst into flames, and all the haystack houses were deliberately set on fire. The town under the fire was littered with corpses, and the whole scene was like a hell on earth...