Translator: Cinder Translations
...
On April 2, 1991 of the Holy Era, the battle for Biddeburg between the two major factions in the Northwest Bay officially commenced.
As the sun rose, the garrison of the allied forces was engulfed by a cacophony of sounds: the roll call of officers, commands, the crack of whips, the movement of troops, and the clashing of weapons and armor, all creating a tense and somber atmosphere throughout the camp.
It took over two hours for the allied forces to properly form their battle lines.
Pryce Parker and the other commanders stood on horseback at the front of the formation. The old earl, facing the eastern sunrise, drew his sword and pointed it diagonally towards the sky. The sword gleamed brilliantly in the sunlight.
With a serious expression, he shouted, "Target! Kent's camp! Forward!"
"Roar!" The entire army roared in unison!
The allied forces began to advance slowly, their formations moving towards the enemy camp located in the east.
For this battle, the allied forces had left just over a thousand men to guard Biddeburg, throwing the remaining six thousand plus troops into the fray.
The distance between the two camps was considerable. To prevent the painstakingly arranged formation from breaking, the allied forces had to march intermittently, stopping to reorganize after covering a certain distance.
After all, the soldiers' quality was generally low, with most being newly conscripted militiamen who had only recently left their fields.
This situation reminded Bryce of the first "review" held by Earl Grayman upon his accession. Back then, the Alden army had been just like the current allied troops, with their formations falling apart after a few steps despite being initially well-ordered.
A scout from the front lines returned with a report: "The Kent forces are also moving towards us in a well-ordered formation. The two armies will soon make contact."
Earl Parker raised a telescope to look towards the east.
This was a gift Bryce had given him on Paul's recommendation, and the old earl cherished it greatly. He carried it with him at all times. Other lords and commanders were envious and offered Bryce large sums of money to buy one, but Bryce had turned them down with the same reasons he used for firearms.
Through the telescope, dust was rising in the east, indicating a large number of troops approaching.
Bryce rode over to Earl Parker and said, "My lord, our army is facing the sun while the enemy is facing away from it, which is disadvantageous for us."
Earl Parker nodded and asked, "Does Colonel Alden have any strategies?"
Bryce raised his whip and pointed to the northeast direction.
"That high slope over there. If we can seize it first, we can use the terrain to mitigate the disadvantage of the sunlight, and the elevated position will also enhance the effectiveness of our artillery."
Although the Grayman Military Academy had "crammed" a batch of officers under the supervision of the old knight Schroeder, some basic military knowledge was firmly ingrained in the Alden army's officers. Bryce was particularly sensitive to terrain and had the scouts thoroughly survey the surrounding area before the battle.
Earl Parker stroked his beard, hesitating slightly, and said, "The idea is good, but if we suddenly accelerate…"
"Don't trouble your lord's men. The Alden army is willing to be the vanguard and seize the high ground for the main force."
Earl Parker pondered for a moment and said, "Alright, then I'll leave it to Colonel Alden."
Bryce gave him a salute that seemed somewhat unfamiliar to those present and then rode back to the front of his own troops.
"First Battalion, Second Battalion, Artillery Company, all present. Target northeast high ground. Move out at a run!"
The Alden army quickly sprang into action, running ahead of the main allied forces. Each cannon in the artillery company was pulled by more than four horses, giving it high mobility, and it closely followed the two infantry battalions.
Even while running, the Alden army maintained a fairly orderly formation. They could quickly shift into combat mode if they encountered the enemy.
The high level of discipline amazed the other lords in the allied forces.
"It seems the rumor about Grayman maintaining a standing army is true after all."
Under Earl Parker's encouragement, the main force of the allied army also accelerated its pace towards the northeast high ground.
The First Battalion was the first to approach the high ground and noticed figures already present. The lead company's officers determined that these were Kent's scouts and immediately led their soldiers to charge and fire several volleys.
After several lives were claimed by the unfamiliar weapons, the remaining figures on the high ground fled in a panic.
The soldiers from the two battalions, panting heavily, climbed to the middle of the high ground and reformed their battle lines.
"Quick! Have the artillery company set up the cannons and bombard the advancing Kent forces!"
Bryce urged anxiously. Observing through the telescope, he noted that the Kent forces had slightly shifted their advance northward, clearly aiming for the high ground.
It was essential to delay their movement. At this crucial moment, the artillery, having not let down its strict training, rapidly established a firing position at the top of the high ground.
Accompanied by the roar of cannon fire and thick smoke, 14 solid cannonballs, packed with substantial kinetic energy, soared towards the advancing Kent forces.
The artillery company was currently equipped with 6 six-pounders and 8 four-pounders, all fitted with flintlock firing mechanisms, significantly improving firing efficiency.
In this bombardment, the artillery company attempted the "mass artillery tactic" for the first time—using all available cannons to concentrate fire on a primary target or the enemy's route of advance. Since direct hits were difficult, they opted for relentless bombardment of a key point to compensate for the accuracy of the firepower.
Fortunately, despite the distance, several cannonballs managed to land on the Kent forces' heads.
...
"Maintain the formation! Execute anyone who disobeys orders on the spot!"
Jaius shouted hysterically, and his knights spread this order throughout the ranks.
Jaius's original plan had indeed been to seize the high ground, but he had not anticipated that the allied forces would get there first. Frustrated, he ordered an acceleration to retake the high ground. Scouts reported that the number of allied troops on the high ground was not substantial.
However, just a few steps into the advance, the distant roar of cannon fire reached them.
The sound was so familiar that Jaius felt a sense of foreboding.
Indeed, something shot through the air and struck the advancing infantry formations.
"Ah!"
A soldier, clutching his mangled limb, cried out in agony. He was the first casualty.
The cannonballs, having ricocheted off the ground, continued to claim lives. The scene was chaotic, with men and horses being thrown into disarray, and cries of despair filling the air.
Seeing their allies subjected to such terrifying attacks, other formations came to a halt.
An inexplicable atmosphere spread among the forces loyal to the Kent family.
(End of the Chapter)
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