Chapter 881 The battle that determines the fate of the kingdom
As we all know, conquest and domination are two completely different concepts.
The former often only requires defeating the ruling class that originally occupied a certain area, and then beating up all the dissenters. It is an extremely simple military operation.
And those who achieved this to the extreme were the Mongols who came out of the grasslands.
Because they have never established a truly effective rule, they often adopt indirect methods to absorb wealth and maintain their huge territory, and the tax farming system is the best proof.
However, the latter requires thorough political, economic and cultural reforms or integration into the original system, which cannot be completed overnight.
Under normal circumstances, as a conqueror who wants to rule a conquered area, he often needs to exchange interests with local snakes to ensure that the other party will cooperate with his taxation.
Otherwise, the cost of administration, security and taxation alone would be a terrifying astronomical figure.
If these cannot be solved, then the so-called conquest is just a game of filling in color blocks on the map.
Anyone who plays this way will eventually collapse and disintegrate due to financial problems.
After all, the essence of rule is the ability to absorb wealth and resources from the land and people within one's control.
When a large piece of land and the people living on it cannot be used by the ruler, it has no value.
However, Zuo Si's method of solving this problem was quite clever, which was to eliminate the original aristocratic ruling system and introduce merchants, craftsmen and other citizen classes to re-establish the ruling framework.
Then let them distribute land to those serfs and tenant farmers, transition from the original manorial economic model to a market economy, revitalize the economy by giving more people the means of production, and vigorously develop commerce and handicrafts.
Almost every time he conquered and occupied a noble's territory, Zuo Si would appoint a large number of acting officials, and then let them compete with each other for the top position.
Especially those businessmen with rich family fortunes who have always been eager to obtain their due social status are the most active in this process.
The craftsmen also got together and based on the formula and drawings he provided, they successfully built a bronze cannon with decent range and power.
With this thing, most castles have basically become lambs on the chopping block to be slaughtered.
Often a few shots can crush the gate that was originally designed to withstand cold weapons and charging vehicles.
In just two and a half months, Zuo Si led his army to sweep through all the surrounding noble territories, and the size of the army skyrocketed from the initial 5,000 to 26,000 to 26,700.
Among them were mercenaries who joined halfway, as well as tenant farmers and serfs who after the land was distributed, each family would provide a young man as a soldier according to the negotiated terms of exchange.
So now the entire army is divided into two parts.
Some of them are mercenaries who work for money and have relatively loose discipline, while the other part are "good family members" recruited from the lower levels. Not only do they have to undergo strict drills every day, but their discipline is very strict and they are organized completely according to the specifications of the regular army and the standing army.
As Zuo Si's actions and threats became more and more serious, the remaining noble lords finally couldn't sit still and formed a coalition under the leadership of a great noble named Duke Bram.
Both sides gathered their forces in the Great Plains, only two hundred kilometers away from the royal capital, preparing for a great battle to decide who was the true master of the country.
Especially the aristocratic alliance, this time they basically came out in full force, and the heraldic flags representing the nobility were so densely packed that they were hard to count.
It is conservatively estimated that at least hundreds of powerful noble lords came this time, and the number of war horses alone reached an astonishing more than 10,000.
If one knight is equipped with an average of two horses and two retinues with the same number of horses, the cavalry unit alone is as many as 5,000 people.
What is the concept of five thousand armored cavalry, at least one third of which are heavy cavalry, appearing on the battlefield?
If I had to use one word to describe it, it would be devastating.
Once they charge, unless there is a thick spear formation or spear formation that is well-trained and strictly disciplined, the morale of the general army will soon collapse.
In addition, the noble coalition had more than 45,000 infantry including crossbowmen, as well as large slingers, ballistas and other heavy weapons.
"What, haven't you figured out the other party's identity yet?"
A man wearing exquisite ornate armor stood on a temporary high platform and looked at the camp opposite. My majestic face showed an unhappy expression.
You don't need to ask to know that he is the initiator and leader of the noble coalition - Duke Bram. He is also the most powerful lord in the kingdom and the closest to the king's throne.
In particular, the lavender pattern on the coat of arms represents that his family ancestors were once a branch of the royal bloodline.
This means that when one day he wants to replace the current royal family, he can provide very sufficient blood and legal support.
In fact, the biggest reason why Duke Bram has such great appeal, apart from Zuo Si's merciless extermination of the entire aristocratic group, is his family's royal bloodline.
By promising post-war benefits, he successfully united most of the nobles in the kingdom around him, and even those former political enemies had to temporarily bow their heads and choose to cooperate.
To some extent, this is a classic diplomatic victory.
If he can win this war, there is a high probability that he will replace the royal family and become the new king with the recommendation of many nobles.
When he thought that after several generations of hard work, the grand goal of hard work was about to be realized in his own hands, Duke Bram felt indescribable excitement and excitement, as if he had already seen the scene when the crown was put on his head.
.
"I'm extremely sorry, Your Excellency.
Most of the spies we sent out were caught.
This chapter is not finished yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! The other party is very vigilant. Anyone who finds an outsider with a strange face and asks around for information will immediately be reported by the surrounding locals.
Because the untouchables who have stolen the land and power that should have belonged to the nobility are very supportive of the existing rule.
They fear that everything they currently have will be taken away from them again.
In addition, you can get generous rewards by doing so.
And those who were lucky enough to escape only got a few words about the Roald family.
It is said that this guy who suddenly appeared seems to be a prince from another country across the sea.
It is said that his ship was shipwrecked while crossing the ocean, and he drifted to our country alone in a small boat.
Later, he was invited by Viscount Lister Roald to the castle as a guest, and during the banquet, he agreed to enter into a marriage contract with the Viscount's niece Myrna.
But for some reason, something incredible happened the day before the wedding.
That is when Viscount Lister Roald revealed the fact that he was a terrible monster and had a fierce battle with the prince.
According to local descriptions, a huge black whirlpool even rose above the castle that day."
Another noble next to him hurriedly said all the information he had at the moment.
After all, in this era where transportation is basically by walking and communication is basically by shouting, the transmission of information is very slow and lagging.
Don't look at it. Two and a half months have passed since Zuo Si captured the first noble lord's castle, and even brought a large area of land in the southern part of the kingdom under his rule.
However, the traditional nobles in the north near the royal capital reacted extremely slowly, and they finally realized the serious situation they were facing when they were almost at their doorstep.
The reason why this magical scene occurs is also very simple, that is, the sources of information for the nobles mainly rely on the huge network of interpersonal relationships established through continuous marriages.
Generally speaking, as long as there is a problem in a family's territory, other relatives can immediately learn roughly what happened through special channels.
But the problem is that Zuo Si's game is to eradicate the roots. He does not leave any way for the nobles who conquered and occupied the area to survive. He directly kills them with the family genealogy table, including businessmen who are closely related to them.
If you highlight one, you would rather kill a thousand by mistake than let one go.
This directly cut off the source of information that the nobles relied on, causing them to have no idea what happened. They could only learn from some merchants that a large-scale war had broken out in the south.
By the time their own spies brought back the news, Zuo Si had completed the conquest of the southern region of the kingdom and quickly grew into a terrifying giant.
Both military power and organizational mobilization forces at the entire social level are increasingly showing a trend of dimensionality reduction strikes.
Especially in those areas where the land of noble lords was distributed to tenant farmers and serfs, the enthusiasm for production and subjective initiative that broke out among the people were simply not comparable to what they had been under the environment of heavy exploitation and oppression for a long time.
The most important thing is that the emergence of this kind of regime will seriously shake the foundation of aristocratic rule.
Once the news spreads and serfs and tenant farmers in their own territory learn about it and follow suit, the consequences will be absolutely disastrous.
So the nobles immediately realized that they must kill it no matter what the cost.
Duke Bram was the first to realize this, and then used the prestige and appeal accumulated by his family over the years to become the leader of the kingdom's aristocratic group.
So he knew it was a big gamble.
If you win the bet, you can consider starting the process of "exchanging house books" to replace the existing royal family after winning.
But once they lose, the family's reputation and status will plummet, and maybe the entire country will be conquered by that foreign prince.
So for Duke Bram, this is a fateful war, and it is also a war that cannot be lost.
The only thing that makes him feel lucky is that currently he is the party that firmly holds the advantage, with more than double the strength of the enemy, and new noble lords are joining with their armies every day.
What's more, in the perception of traditional nobles like him, only knights, retinues and the professional soldiers who follow them have combat effectiveness.
For example, the mercenaries under Zuo Si who worked for money and the army composed of mud-legged farmers had no honor, courage or sense of honor at all, and they basically fled in all directions after being charged by the heavy cavalry.
Based on the combat experience of this continent, one or two hundred knights plus their retinues can easily defeat rioting peasants who slaughter tens of thousands of people.
Thinking of this, Duke Bram immediately asked in an uncertain tone: "How credible is it that Viscount Lister Roald is a monster?"
The nobleman responded without thinking: "Very high!"
It is said that the priest of the King's Hall has personally confirmed it.
Moreover, the corpses that look like lions have also been embalmed and hung in many places for the public to visit.
One of the reasons why the foreign prince launched the purge against the noble lords was that they had all turned into bloodthirsty and cruel monsters like Viscount Lister Roald.
It seems that the French King's Hall also attaches great importance to this matter, and sent the Knights of the Holy Iron Rope to investigate.
If this rumor is true, they should already be on their way."
"What? The Knights of the Holy Iron Cord? Is it the religious knights led by the daughter of the Vatimio family?"
Duke Bram showed an extremely surprised expression.
Because the status and influence of this family on this continent is basically similar to that of the Medici family in Florence, Italy, Europe from the late Middle Ages to the Renaissance.
Not only does he possess unimaginable wealth, he also has great influence in politics, culture, art and other fields.
The most important thing is that the family pays a large sum of money to the King's Hall every year.
As the family's legitimate daughter and daughter--Farnese du Wattimio, being able to become the leader of the Knights of the Holy Iron Rope at the age of less than twenty years old is the most direct manifestation of this relationship.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Another relatively young nobleman in his twenties and seventies sighed with admiration: "I heard that this legitimate daughter of the Vatimio family is a rare
Such a beautiful woman, it would be great if I could marry her."
"You and your family still want to marry a legitimate daughter from a famous family like Vatimio? Stop dreaming! Her family doesn't look down on us."
The middle-aged nobleman in his forties next to him made a sour self-mockery.
After all, there are huge differences between nobles and nobility.
The most direct manifestation is the title, territory and income.
And the financial resources of the Vatimio family are definitely worthy of being called as rich as any country.
If there were a wealth ranking list on this continent, if it was ranked second, no one would dare to claim to be first.
But the young noble shrugged his shoulders indifferently: "Even if you can't marry this Miss Farnese, it would be good to have a romantic encounter with her. After all, no matter if she is the legitimate daughter of the Vatimio family,
Her identity as the female leader of the Knights of the Holy Iron Rope will make people involuntarily have the desire to conquer, isn't it?"
"I advise you not to make wrong decisions.
According to rumors, Miss Farnese is very devout in her belief in God and never shows disdain towards her suitors.
If you are going to stalk or use some shady means, it is best to consider whether you can withstand the anger from the King's Hall and the Vatimio family.
What's more, don't forget that our most important goal at the moment is to win this battle and restore the nobility's rule over the entire kingdom."
Duke Bram glanced angrily at the young lord who should be considered his nephew according to his blood relationship.
Although he was once young, he understood that it was normal for someone of his age to have endless reveries about a young, beautiful, noble girl like Farnese, with impeccable family background and impeccable family background.
This is just like those common people teenagers who always dream that one day they can win the favor of noble girls or even royal princesses.
But lust is just lust after all, and it can never become reality.
"Don't worry, uncle, I know what's appropriate."
The young nobleman obviously did not take the Duke's warning to heart, and he even stroked his long black flowing hair very coquettishly.
It can be seen from the confident look in his eyes that he is quite confident in his appearance, knowledge and demeanor. He belongs to the type that is quite popular in aristocratic social circles. He has already had sex with countless aristocratic ladies and ladies in private.
Intimacy.
For this kind of consensual matter, Duke Bram obviously has no good solution. He can only pray that the husbands and fiancés of those ladies can be a little more generous, or they don't know about these things at all.
Otherwise, whether it was a duel, poisoning, or paying someone to kill someone, his nephew might die at any time.
Never think that an affair between nobles is a tacit and risk-free affair.
Quite the opposite!
Sometimes the proportion of unlucky people who die from jealousy is even higher than those who die from war.
While the top brass of the noble coalition were discussing the upcoming religious knights of the King's Hall and Miss Farnese, Zuo Si, who was camped a few kilometers away, had already begun to make pre-war arrangements.
As a person who likes to keep the initiative firmly in his own hands, he doesn't like to wait for the other party to attack first.
After all, with a military disadvantage, if you cannot mobilize the opponent to expose its weaknesses, you will inevitably pay a very heavy price.
What's more, what Zuo Si is playing now is that a mortal cannot accomplish such shocking feats as "one horse riding a thousand" or "unparalleled mowing the grass". He has to keep his head count within a relatively "reasonable" range.
Taking Gus as an example, being able to kill a hundred people on the battlefield is already quite a feat.
So the goal he set for himself was between two hundred and three hundred people.
After all, Guts only had one sword, and he had two, so it was "reasonable" to kill twice as many people.
"Sir, we have used the past few days to conduct detailed reconnaissance of the surrounding terrain.
There is a river to the west of the camp, about fifteen meters wide, with very fast currents and without any bridges.
It is estimated that the noble coalition had this river as a barrier, so they only arranged a very small number of infantry on the flanks as a guard.
As for the east side, it has been completely reduced to a swamp due to heavy rains in the past few days.
The enemy has not deployed any defensive forces in this direction."
A scout dressed as a mercenary pointed at the map on the table and marked all the information he had collected with a pen.
"You mean... besides frontal combat, we have almost no other means available?"
Hemet, who was originally the captain of the guard but has now been promoted to general, quickly frowned.
Because in his opinion, this is absolutely terrible news.
The fewer tactical options available mean the higher the requirements for hard power on the frontal battlefield.
Although under the leadership of Zuo Si, this army has won one war after another, coupled with the killing, violence and plunder of nobles, its morale has already skyrocketed.
Moreover, the soldiers' awe of the nobles has completely disappeared, and they no longer feel that there is any mystery or aura blessing on them.
After all, when they used the swords in their hands to chop down the usually aloof nobles one by one, looking at the fear and despair in each other's eyes before death, they pressed the ladies and ladies under them and ravaged them unscrupulously, listening to each other's cries.
and wailing will naturally break the original deep-rooted mental prison.
This is also one of the biggest reasons why Zuo Si allowed his troops to carry out massacres in noble castles and manors.
He needs to break the awe these people have for the entire aristocratic class and understand that the other party is just a group of mortals who wield force. They will bleed and die just like being stabbed and slashed. It is no big deal.
The scout dressed as a mercenary nodded solemnly: "I'm afraid so.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading the exciting content! This should be the most powerful enemy we have encountered so far, and it is also all the power that the nobles of the entire kingdom can muster.
Especially the five thousand knights and their retinue, once they launch an attack, it will be absolutely devastating.
If it cannot be stopped, the entire battlefield will collapse in minutes and trigger a collapse."
"Five thousand cavalry? Damn it! That sounds like a headache."
Hemet held his forehead, obviously unable to think of any solution.
Because although our own team has obtained a considerable number of horses by confiscating the property of nobles, there are too few people who can ride war horses to fight or even launch a charge.
This is also one of the biggest gaps between civilian armies and aristocratic armies.
"How many cavalry do we have?"
Zuo Si suddenly broke the silence and asked.
A young man dressed as a secretary stood up and reported: "Sir, although we have 6,000 horses, the number of cavalry is less than 2,000."
"So our cavalry can have one person and three horses?"
Zuo Si noticed something keenly and raised the corners of his mouth with a playful smile.
"Yes, we can definitely do it with one person and three horses."
The young man answered in the affirmative without thinking.
“Awesome.”
Zuo Si nodded with satisfaction and continued to ask: "If I remember correctly, the knights of the kingdom's nobles are usually not equipped with long-range weapons, right?"
Hemet stood up and replied: "Yes. The noble knights of the kingdom usually adopt the strategy of charging in groups, relying on the defensive power of heavy armor and the speed of war horses to break down the enemy's formation in one go, and then cooperate with the infantry to kill them."
"In that case, let me teach them a lesson.
Immediately order all cavalry to abandon plate armor and horse armor, retaining only light chain mail and leather armor. They also do not need any melee weapons and only carry triangular nails and grenades.
Since the load is reduced, our cavalry should be faster and have better endurance.
Once the cavalry of the noble coalition is dispatched, we will use the cavalry to outflank them.
If they change direction and pursue, scatter a large number of triangular nails on the ground as you retreat.
When the enemy notices this, they will definitely slow down subconsciously.
This speed difference will cause the cavalry in front and rear to gather together in a short time.
At that time, turn around and go back, light the grenade and throw it at the most crowded area.
When the time comes, the fire and explosion will not only cause astonishing damage, but also frighten the war horses, causing chaos and a stampede.
When the cavalry of the noble coalition collapses and loses its fighting power, we will recall the cavalry, dress them up neatly, replace them with new horses, let the artillery fire several rounds of volleys to crush the infantry square, and then let the cavalry launch an attack."
Zuo Si did not hide anything and directly stated the method he had thought of and his plan for the entire battle.
In fact, according to the development history of Europe on Earth, with the rise of gunpowder weapons, the heavy cavalry led by nobles could no longer keep up with the development of the times.
In this regard, just look at the war between the famous knight king of France, Francis I, and the monarch of Spain and the Holy Roman Empire, Charles V, to get a glimpse of it.
The Kingdom of France, which claims to have the largest number of knights and the most powerful knights, has been hit hard by Spanish muskets several times.
In the famous Battle of Pavia, the Spanish Legion annihilated more than 8,000 French troops with less than 1,000 casualties, and even King Francois I became a prisoner.
Since then, the era of heavy armored knights has gradually faded away from the stage of history.
Although the development of firearms in this world has not yet reached that level, Zuo Si can already do a lot of tricks with the simple gunpowder weapons in his hands.
As for the cannon salvo and cavalry charge, it was a classic tactic that was still used until the Napoleonic era.
The terrifying kinetic energy given by gunpowder to cannonballs can easily tear apart a tight phalanx, creating chaos and panic, and opening up gaps one after another for the high-speed moving cavalry.
"That's it! You ordered the craftsmen to build those triangular nails and grenades just for this moment!"
Hemet stood up abruptly, his eyes revealing admiration and admiration that could not be concealed.
He obviously knew very well what terrible chain reaction this tactic could have on the group charge of traditional noble knights.
You must know that noble knights are not associated with words like strict discipline.
Not only are they arrogant, but they often charge on their own without obeying orders.
This means that when they see their opponent's cavalry charging towards them, they will inevitably choose to attack and pursue them instead of attacking the infantry square as originally planned.
"Under the guidance of your wisdom and strategy, we will surely win and take over this country."
"Yes! We are willing to follow you forever until the end of our lives!"
"Long live His Majesty the King!"
"Victory will definitely belong to us!"
…
As the excited shouts of several cronies in the camp spread outside, the soldiers in the entire camp became excited together.
Although they didn't know exactly what happened, they understood that the top brass must have found a way to win the war if they made such a sound.
This also means that the next battle will be certain. Not only will the probability of survival be greatly increased, but also military merits and generous rewards will be obtained.
Especially those soldiers and officers who were originally tenant farmers or serfs could obtain land and titles as long as their military exploits reached a certain level.
Although they do not have the administrative, judicial, taxation and military powers of traditional aristocrats, and the taxes they should pay cannot be less, this relatively fair and just promotion channel is something they could not even think about before.
.
Therefore, many people are holding back their energy and want to use their hands to risk the future of themselves and their descendants.
They were not afraid of death at all in the face of huge interests, and they were even more loyal and full of fanatical admiration for Zuo Si, the monarch who brought about changes.
Because they knew that in this continent ruled by nobles and churches, there would be no other person willing to take such a big risk to give untouchables like themselves a chance to climb up.
This chapter is not over yet, please click on the next page to continue reading! Those pairs of hot and bright eyes are in sharp contrast to the numb and dim eyes in the past.
This time they will no longer fight for the interests of the nobles, but for the interests of themselves and their families.
In a word, morale can be used.
The confrontation between the two armies only lasted for five days. Zuo Si, who was the first to complete the repairs, took the initiative to signal the start of war to the other side.
The nobles, who had always been arrogant and conceited, naturally could not be cowardly, so after a brief discussion, they also set up a formation on the endless plain.
Out of the established etiquette between nobles, Duke Bram and Zuo Si met in the center of the battlefield without carrying any weapons.
Duke Bram was obviously very surprised by Zuo Si's youth. He sat on the horse with one hand on his chest and bowed slightly: "Hello, prince from a foreign country, I am Duke Bram, the leader of this coalition of nobles.
"
"Hello, Your Majesty the Duke, my name is Soth, and I am the conqueror who is about to defeat you and rule this kingdom."
Zuo Si smiled and gave his name.
But before the words could be heard, another noble next to him immediately couldn't help scolding: "Despicable and arrogant outsiders! Do you think it's great that you defeated a group of country nobles? We will let you see the kingdom later.
Real power."
"Oh? Really?
So let's wait and see.
After all, I'm almost tired of hearing this kind of talk.
But so far, I haven't even met a decent opponent, which is really disappointing.
If you have nothing else to say, just go back to your respective military formations and start fighting.
Know that wasting time is a shame.
After I deal with you, I have to clear the castles one by one, and finally march to the royal capital to seize my crown and throne."
After saying that, Zuo Si deliberately left a mocking smile, then turned his horse's head and returned to his army in a defiant manner.
This naked ridicule caused the coalition nobles to explode on the spot.
"Arrogant! So arrogant! I swear I will cut off his head with my own hands!"
"No! He died so happily that it was easy for him! I will cut off his eyes, ears, nose, and lips and feed them to the dogs!"
"No, no, no, I think it's better to castrate and train him as a slave. After all, keeping this kind of person alive and constantly accepting humiliation is the best way to punish him."
"Agree! You can consider making a collar and then forcing him to lie on the ground and crawl like a dog."
Accompanied by all kinds of vicious words, the nobles quickly returned to the troops they brought with them.
As the party with superior military strength, Duke Bram did not even hesitate and immediately formed a dense shield wall for the several infantry phalanxes at the front to advance.
This is a very conventional test. On the one hand, it can test the number and scale of the opponent's long-range weapons. On the other hand, it can judge the quality of the soldiers through close combat.
As for whether these thrown chess pieces can come back alive, he doesn't care at all.
"Haha, it seems that my performance just now annoyed the other party."
Zuo Si sneered and shook his head, feeling speechless at the stupidity displayed by these nobles.
The success of such a clumsy method of provoking generals can only mean one problem, that is, there is not even a decent commander or staff officer within the coalition forces.
"Sir, do you need to use artillery to destroy these infantry phalanxes?"
An officer promoted from the bottom asked cautiously.
But before Zuo Si could answer, another officer next to him scolded: "Idiot! How many times have I told you to change your name to Your Majesty? Because after this battle, the entire kingdom will be ours."
"Ah, I'm extremely sorry, Your Majesty. I was used to it, so I often forget to change my words."
The young officer immediately lowered his head and admitted his mistake.
Glancing at the hot light in the eyes of these young people, Zuo Si's mouth twitched slightly, and he finally understood the situation when Song Taizu Zhao Kuangyin was wearing a yellow robe.
After all, as a person who is accustomed to being an emperor, he really has no interest in the title of king, and plans to establish an empire directly when the territory he controls is slightly larger.
But now it seems that even if he doesn't want to be, these men will forcibly lift him to the throne of king.
Because as this new vested interest group continues to grow, they are eager to have everything they own protected by law.
If you want to enact such a law and be widely recognized, you must first have a country and political power.
Zuo Si becoming the past is the ultimate manifestation of this process.
"Okay, now is not the time to engage in these red tapes. Let the crossbowmen prepare two rounds of volleys, and then let the several infantry phalanxes at the front meet the enemy. Remember, if the opponent is defeated, do not pursue, and immediately retreat to maintain
Defensive state."
Hemet interrupted the young officers' imagination about the future and issued the combat order on Zuo Si's behalf.
Soon, following the flags, the entire front of the military formation quickly moved into action.
When the enemy's infantry phalanx entered the shooting range, a dense rain of arrows immediately fell from the sky.
At the beginning, the infantry of the noble coalition tried to rely on the shields in their hands for cover.
But after a while, they discovered that these arrows were all heavy arrows shot from longbows, which not only had a very long range, but also had extremely strong penetrating power.
Many low-quality wooden shields without iron coating were penetrated, leaving bloody holes one after another on the arms or shoulders.
The severe pain caused these militiamen, who had not undergone strict training, to fall to the ground and scream. Their collapse immediately caused gaps in the originally tight shield wall.
When the second round of volleys came, the number of wounded in some phalanxes even reached one-fifth, and the rest began to flee to the rear.
Only those professional mercenaries wearing armor and holding relatively good quality shields managed to brave the rain of arrows and came forward, shouting battle slogans and colliding with the waiting phalanx of spears.
Suddenly, screams, wailings, the loud noise of the spear hitting the shield, and the clear sound of the wooden gun shaft breaking, all gathered together and echoed over the battlefield.
In less than five minutes, there were blood-stained corpses on the ground.
Many experienced mercenaries could not believe that this group of soldiers composed of serfs and tenant farmers were so well-equipped. They not only had leather armor and chain armor, but also half-body armor and arm guards. They were also highly trained and could
Advance or retreat in an orderly manner according to the officer's command.
The overwhelming punctures are like the god of death. Anyone who reacts slowly will be injured or stabbed to death on the spot.
After repeated trials several times and a large number of corpses left behind, the experienced mercenaries quickly came to the conclusion that they simply could not defeat the enemy on their own, so they decided to run away.
As we all know, most mercenaries are selfish and have no morals at all. They will do anything for money and to save their own lives.
Not to mention betraying teammates, stabbing them in the back is commonplace.
When the first person to take the lead in escaping appears, a chain reaction immediately begins.
In the blink of an eye, half of them broke away from contact, turned around and ran towards the direction of the noble coalition without looking back.
Some even dropped their weapons directly in order to run faster.
However, what these mercenaries did not expect was that when they were about to escape from danger, they suddenly saw the knights and retinues who were originally on both sides of the military formation suddenly lined up on horseback, their sharp lances flashing in the sun.
It looks extremely sharp when illuminated.
Before they had time to react, the knight at the forefront raised the flag in his hand and waved it vigorously, and then the horse began to move forward and gradually accelerated.
Rumble, rumble, rumble!
When the ground made a deafening sound due to the galloping horses, the mercenaries finally understood that those damn nobles had no intention of letting them go.
They had only two choices at the moment, one was to be hit and trampled to death by the charging heavy cavalry, the other was to turn around and follow the cavalry back to counterattack.
In this way, after just two or three seconds of thinking, most of the deserters chose to give in, picked up the weapons they had dropped just now, and rushed towards the tightly defended military formation.
Because anyone who runs too slowly and is overtaken by a charging knight will end up very miserable.
"Huh? Did you reveal your trump card so quickly?"
Zuo Si was obviously very surprised by this.
After all, heavy cavalry is the final decisive battle unit on the battlefield. It is often only when both sides have exhausted their cards that they are willing to send out to win the final victory.
But the other party was kind and chose Stud directly after a brief trial.
This kind of operation is really a bit confusing.
Hemet smiled wryly and explained: "It's nothing to make a fuss about.
In fact, this is the normal state of war among the kingdom's nobles.
Although Duke Bram is the leader of the coalition, he has no right to command the private armies of other nobles.
This means that, except for the temporarily recruited militiamen and mercenaries at the beginning, it is impossible for him to turn the entire army into a whole like you.
Because no noble will accept an order that may cause significant damage to their own strength.
Therefore, he cannot afford a war of attrition, which will lead to conflicts among the nobles.
On the contrary, it is easier to gather knights and escorts to launch a charge and defeat the opponent.
After all, the nobles had strong confidence in the power of the knights' collective charge.
This tactic has never been challenged in a real sense since it was invented."
"Okay, then let me be the first person."
After saying that, Zuo Si winked at the herald.
The latter understood instantly and directly gave the order to attack to his own cavalry who was on standby.