Chapter 215

Ka`har’s cavalry tactics are like hunting.

They divide the cavalry into about ten small units, scatter them, and then advance and retreat in a circular motion while firing arrows.

They always maintain distance from the enemy and unleash one-sided attacks.

If the enemy stubbornly holds out, they keep resupplying arrows and continue shooting until cracks appear in the enemy formation.

The moment the enemy ranks crumble under the endless rain of arrows, they charge in unison to deliver the finishing blow.

If enemy cavalry recklessly pursues, they lure them by retreating, then surround and annihilate the isolated enemy cavalry.

Skilled mounted archers can shoot arrows backward while retreating, forcing the pursuing enemies to endure the arrow rain as they chase.

For them, this was a tactic they were confident would lead to victory.

Heavy infantry, which could withstand the arrows, couldn’t keep up with their speed, making pursuit impossible. Light cavalry, which could somewhat keep up, would fall helplessly with every arrow shot, both horse and rider.

In the first place, the Empire’s light cavalry, if equal in number, could be defeated in close combat anyway.

As long as they maintained sufficient distance and their horses didn’t tire, there was no tactical defeat for them.

The only downside was that if the enemy hid behind shields and armor and endured the arrow rain, they lacked the striking power to annihilate them.

In such cases, they could simply retreat and attack elsewhere.

—

Marquis Ludwig had fought Ka`har several times and knew their tactics well, including their few weaknesses.

His solution was simple yet effective.

Endure with heavy infantry formations and archers until Ka`har’s horses tired, then deploy the cavalry waiting inside the formation the moment their arrows ran out or their speed slowed.

By sacrificing some light cavalry to pin down the exhausted Ka`har and then charging with heavy cavalry, he believed he could crush them.

That’s why this situation was unexpected for him.

The enemy attacked before he could properly position his infantry, and his forces were split on both sides of the barrier, leaving them outnumbered.

Moreover, the enemy wasn’t the skilled mounted archers of Ka`har but rather clumsy cavalry and well-trained infantry.

In the end, he had no choice but to deploy the heavy cavalry, which he had planned to use later in the battle.

He hoped the White Armies, originally trained as infantry, would be weaker than Ka`har’s cavalry.

At least that belief was somewhat rewarded.

The White Armies’ cavalry, advancing under the rain of arrows from the barrier, had already lost a tenth of their forces.

But they still numbered around 1,800.

“No sign of a reversal… Are they still planning to charge?”

Though Randenburg’s heavy cavalry slowly closed the distance, the White Armies’ cavalry, which should have countercharged by now, continued to approach.

They fired arrows that would barely penetrate full plate armor and horse barding.

Rather than retreating out of arrow range to regroup, they seemed determined to charge and settle the battle.

This was a situation he had anticipated since they invaded with nearly a thousand infantry.

The tactic of using mounted archers to advance and retreat only made sense if the entire force was cavalry.

Retreating mounted archers with infantry mixed in would leave the infantry as prey for the enemy cavalry.

Except for the fact that the cavalry used bows, this battle resembled a clash between Westerners rather than a fight against Ka`har.

Ignoring the noise of the battlefield, Ludwig calmly waited for the right moment.

The moment when the light cavalry, protected by the heavy cavalry, got close enough to charge the White Armies.

It didn’t take long.

“Light cavalry! Bind their feet from the flanks! Heavy cavalry, charge head-on! Crush the enemy!”

It wasn’t as if Marquis Ludwig’s command could be heard over the distance.

Even if it could, the sound of hooves and Ka`har’s war cries would have drowned it out.

But the large banners on the barrier, signaling the charge, were unmistakable.

The knights obeyed.

“All knights, prepare to charge! Show the pride of Randenburg!”

“Fight with all your might! The Twelve Knights, Lord Berengar, will protect us!”

Two masters commanding the heavy cavalry.

The Sixth Sword, Michel Lambert, and the Tenth Sword, Nigel, shouted loudly.

Though it was ironic to call them “swords” since their primary weapon was the lance.

“For Randenburg!”

The cavalry responded in unison, increasing their speed.

“Light cavalry! Raise your spears and shields! The time to fight honorably has come!”

The light cavalry, protected by the heavy cavalry’s wall, split to the sides and advanced.

Unlike the heavy cavalry, clad head-to-toe in iron plates, they wore only light armor and shields.

This was necessary to keep up with Ka`har’s cavalry speed.

Though the situation wasn’t what they trained for—chasing a retreating enemy—their task wasn’t much different.

The Ka`har cavalry’s feet were tied.

If the enemy had even a minimal thought, they would try to scatter in groups of dozens to avoid being annihilated by the medium cavalry.

The order given to Randenburg’s light cavalry was to prevent them from scattering and disrupting the battlefield.

A hundred per group. The light cavalry, divided into four, galloped like a storm with lances under their arms.

They spread their formation wide to suppress the enemy’s scattering and reduce the damage from the rain of arrows.

“The Empire’s cavalry is coming! Shoot! Bury them in the grasslands!”

The White Flag Troops’ arrows mercilessly rained down on them.

“Ah!”

“Ugh!”

A light cavalryman hit by a heavy bow fell helplessly, and a horse with an arrow in its neck let out a final cry as it rolled on the ground.

The front line of the light cavalry crumbled as if being gnawed away.

Once the charge began, there was no way to avoid the arrows.

They could only pray not to fall off their horses, holding their shields and spurring forward.

“Charge without fear! The Empire’s enemies are right before us!”

A charge disregarding life.

Breaking through the pouring death, Randenburg’s light cavalry fiercely charged towards the White Armies.

“Form the ranks! It’s time to crush them! Let’s go!”

The White Armies’ front line also put away their bows, gripped their lances, and charged.

They too had no intention of retreating.

If it were the Blue or Red Armies, they would have skillfully retreated, repeatedly firing from the rear to harass the enemy.

But the White Armies’ cavalry lacked such skill. They couldn’t dodge or deflect the arrows raining down from the barrier.

The only path left was to charge head-on.

Soon, hundreds of cavalry clashed fiercely.

The intense collision drowned out the screams of horses and men.

While a light cavalryman’s lance pierced a White Flag soldier, three lances flew towards him.

Horses with shattered bones rolled on the ground with pitiful groans, throwing their riders to the ground.

Soldiers impaled on lances fell, foaming at the mouth.

Twenty years per soldier. Nearly a thousand years of life were extinguished in an instant.

“Draw your swords! We must bind their feet!”

The lucky cavalrymen who survived the first shock drew their swords and began close combat.

Though more than half of the light cavalry was lost, their duty was done. The rest was up to the medium cavalry.

“Now! All medium cavalry, charge! Crush them before they scatter!”

“Ooooh!”

With a roar that shook the heavens, armored warhorses trampled the earth as they charged.

The strongest troop in the west, the medium cavalry.

Clad head to toe in steel armor, their charge was an unstoppable avalanche.

Even the White Flag Troops’ cavalry were no exception.

Arrows and lances were useless; everything they touched shattered.

Like a sandcastle swept by a wave, a corner of the White Flag Troops began to crumble.

Only the warriors stationed fifty on each flank had the ability to dodge the medium cavalry’s lances.

“Those iron-clad bastards!”

“Kieeeet!”

True to their reputation as mounted warriors, they displayed astonishing skill.

They precisely deflected the thrusting lances and pierced the gaps in the medium cavalry’s armor.

Even though they were fully armored, they couldn’t perfectly cover every joint or eye socket.

Some even leaned as if to dismount, dodging lances and cutting down the legs of horses without armor.

Despite their valiant efforts, the White Flag Troops’ flanks suffered heavy losses.

Marquis Ludwig had placed two hundred knights at the front of the medium cavalry. That was double their number.

With Nigel and Michel in the middle ranks, even the warriors had no way to cope.

The White Flag Troops’ cavalry on the flanks began to dwindle rapidly.

Still, they outnumbered Randenburg’s cavalry by two to one.

‘The cavalry battle will somehow work out.’

Marquis Ludwig let out a sigh of relief.

The enemy’s cavalry tactics were more inept than expected. Their excellent horsemanship was almost wasted.

‘The problem is the center…!’

Marquis Ludwig looked down at the infantry battle raging in the center of the battlefield.

In stark contrast to the cavalry’s success on the flanks, the infantry in the center was being pushed back hard.