Chapter 62

Mr. Clausewitz stated, “It takes an hour for the rear of an 8,000-man division to walk to the position of the vanguard.”

And he said that moving numerous troops at once requires tremendous time and effort, so typically they can only cover 3 to 5 miles in a day.

Therefore, a wise commander should split the troops as finely as possible to march within the “range where they can protect each other.”

And anyone who has experience in commanding an army would agree with this.

Even in the first battle at the Eslon Plain, it took me about 20 days to reach the Eslon Plain, which I could have walked to in three days.

However, maintaining the “range where they can protect each other” is difficult, and since the armies of this era are primarily made up of untrained serfs, morale is at rock bottom.

Consequently, if you split your army into smaller units, desertion becomes easier, resulting in seeing a magic where out of 10,000 men who set out, only 6,000 to 7,000 arrive.

However, our army, unlike those mediocre soldiers, is a “standing army” and provides welfare, including timely salaries that even modern European nations cannot match, allowing us to split our forces without worrying about desertions.

And to increase the soldiers’ marching speed, we marched with all provisions, tents, weapons, and armor loaded on carts…

Thus, we could march about 15 miles a day, with a slight exaggeration.

As a result.

“Your Excellency, according to the report from Lady Belladora, who went ahead to scout, if we walk just one more hour from here, we will reach the Stuttgart Plain.”

Surely the Schwabian did not think our army could make it this far in just two weeks since the war began.

Also, if we consider the distance from here to Nante Castle… it will probably take them about five more days to arrive.

“Has there been any further news from Chris?”

“According to what Lady Belladora confirmed, aside from the three companies coming as Your Excellency’s reinforcements, the entire unit has gathered and set up camp. And please receive this.”

After saying that, the messenger dismounted and respectfully handed me a “map” with both hands.

“A map of the Stuttgart Plain?”

“Yes, Lady Belladora insisted on delivering it and asked me to report back on Your Excellency’s reaction.”

“I see.”

Upon hearing that, I quickly unfolded the map.

There is one village with about 1,000 inhabitants centered around the vast plain, two villages of about 800, and fields of 3,000 hectares… even the huge river flowing about thirty minutes from our camp…

The location to face the enemy army is by the riverside, and since the enemy has to cross the river to attack us, it is advantageous…

With this level of investigation and design, I would give it a perfect score of 100 out of 100.

Unless one is a foolish commander, one could devise an excellent strategy just from this.

“Perfect. As expected of Chris. Make sure to tell her that I was impressed. And immediately summon all commanders of captain rank or higher so that we can start the military meeting as soon as I arrive.”

“Yes, understood.”

After finishing that, the messenger quickly mounted his horse and rushed off to relay my orders.

Chris Belladora, a spirited woman who, unlike her contemporaries, dares to seek “office” by holding my secret.

With talents that match her spirit, perhaps I could raise her as my aide alongside Balt in exchange for her merits in this war, while keeping an eye on her…

Balt is fine and all, but he can’t do anything beyond his assigned tasks.

While having such thoughts, I spurred my horse and hurried on.

**

The camp I was to set up, led by Chris, was nearly perfect.

The soldiers’ barracks were divided into sections to accommodate 500 men, and the camp was set up in preparation for any possible nighttime raids. I had instructed for cooking areas and latrines to be placed at a sufficient distance from each other.

While I had merely directed that the latrines be dug somewhere near my encampment, Chris went a step further and set up “large wooden tubs” for each squad, complete with schedules for the soldiers to carry them away…

Even the companies I brought could set up the “camp” an hour faster than usual.

As a result, I held a military meeting that very night after I arrived.

**

When I entered the largest tent that I would use for the military meeting, an impromptu meeting table made of stacked shields and chairs had already been set up, and the commanders were seated.

As they saw me, all the commanders attempted to stand, but I raised my hand, signaling that it was unnecessary.

As I sat in my chair, Chris came in and began by explaining the enlarged map that I had brought with me, hanging it behind me to my left.

“I, Chris Belladora, will briefly report the current situation according to Baron Your Excellency’s orders. Since arriving here as the advance unit, we have begun detailed reconnaissance of all areas within a three-day walking distance, but so far, we have not been able to locate the Schwabian troops.”

No matter how short, it means we have more than three days to rest and arrange our troops here.

Moreover, the location we are at is crucial, allowing us to quickly seize both Nante Castle and the enemy’s key stronghold.

Thus, the enemy will do everything possible to drive us out quickly, inevitably facing us in a fatigued and disorganized state.

“Good, then what do you estimate the enemy’s forces to be?”

The one who answered that question was my father, Count Croilet.

“If we assume that the letters I exchanged with the other barons are accurate, two out of the eight barons are likely to be absent… which means there are approximately 1,600 knights and around 18,000 infantry.”

Excluding the increase in the number of vassal knights and the direct fiefdoms after receiving the Helzman Count’s territory…

Why are those barons still siding with that Schwabian when my father, who took it upon himself to be the guardian in line with the late Count Nante’s will, is on our side?

I had expected that by now, four out of the eight would have defected and about one might have outright surrendered to us…

“Father, why do the other barons still side with that Schwabian even in this situation? The justification for serving him has collapsed, and isn’t it a situation where merely serving him would ruin their ‘honor’?”

Upon hearing that, my father placed his hand on his head and replied in an irritated voice.

“While we have justification and our past achievements have been impressive… the disparity in the number of knights is eight-fold and over three times in infantry. And the count has promised unlimited plunder if he wins this war.”

Insane. The costs involved in fighting this war are no joke, yet they ignore all that and boost the morale of the nobles and soldiers with ‘unlimited plunder’…

To be able to leap into such a situation without considering the consequences is impressive!

If they were given permission to plunder a place like Croilet, which has abundant funds and food compared to other territories, it’s likely that the recruits would have high morale thinking about their share and also enjoying the girls.

Not long after, the knights, enraged by the prospect of boundless looting, began to voice their discontent.

“Is that even human!?”

“Oh, that must be a Schwabian. Not a person but a piglet.”

“Truly, the noble Count of Nante!! Even the pagans must be more honorable!!”

To raise their spirits, I also chimed in with a comment, mixing in the blatant sexual innuendos that knights love.

“When I was in Nante, it was said that Schwabians charge like pigs full of desire, unable to resist once they see a married woman. From the letters I received from the two maids I sent previously, it appears there are no less than two widows among the ‘concubines’! And that fool even dared to try his hand at Ela!”

At my words, all the knights began to laugh like madmen, seeming to have never been angry at all.

After a while, I pointed at the opposite side of the river where we were with the command baton I was holding.

“Therefore, we will meet the pig filled with lust and his underlings head-on in honor. Let’s arrange our carts in a circle where I pointed, making it like a fortress, and I shall guard that place with the infantry.”

Upon hearing my words, the knights and commanders looked at each other, wondering if they had heard me correctly.

And through their eyes, they exchanged a silent conversation of “Is this real?” and confirmed it was true, prompting them all to rise in unison and protest.

“Your Excellency, that cannot be!! How can the honorable Baron stand on the battlefield with infantry instead of knights?”

“Even if we agreed with all of Your Excellency’s proposals, this cannot be allowed. Instead, please use a woman for command. What nonsense is this?”

“That’s right!!”

As they said, the ‘nobility’ of this era, especially someone like me who is a ‘lord with a title’, never fights alongside infantry.

Because it was assumed that there was an unbridgeable gap between a knight in armor on horseback and an infantryman.

That was why I fought alongside them at Eslon, even though I couldn’t perform a lance charge.

However, now I must take the lead among the infantry, so I drew my sword and slammed it down on the table to assert myself.

“Silence!! While I understand your words, the infantry, though of different status, are still ones who know honor! How can you look down on the infantry when you see those like Sergeant Mark, Sergeant Short, or Lieutenant Frost!! And where did you learn to speak of ‘honor’ without even listening to your lord’s words until the end?”

Having never pressed the knights in such a way before, they were all in shock, staring at me blankly.

“Listen well. The greatest dishonor is defeat, and the greatest honor is victory. I would rather achieve victory, even if it means being somewhat humble, than honorably face a defeat. And I will share the fruits of that victory with you. For that purpose, I will stand on the same front line as the infantry.”

Then, I began to explain, drawing circles on the map to symbolize the carts.

“There will be 150 carts arranged, with one squad fitting into each cart. The squads will consist of 15 crossbowmen, 10 spearmen, and 5 halberdiers as already organized. I will enter the foremost cart facing the enemy. The infantry nearby, who will not clash with the knights, will remain within the circle formed by the carts, and when the enemy’s charging momentum breaks, they will swiftly encircle the enemy by turning to their right. Any questions so far?”

My father, after hearing my words, seemed to take on the burden of representing them, inquiring as if to express their concerns.

“Can you really stop a knight’s charge with just carts? And even if the enemy is a fool, they wouldn’t charge when they see us setting up defenses. Furthermore, even if we repel the knights, the enemy’s infantry will still remain. How do you intend to deal with the infantry?”

This was a reasonable point because a knight, armored and mounted on a sturdy horse, could easily break down thin-walled houses.

Moreover, the strategy I proposed did not engage with the 18,000 ‘infantry’ at all. If there was someone among them to command it effectively… ‘we would face annihilation.’

“While carts alone may not suffice, no matter how tough the knights’ hearts are made of iron, they cannot maintain their ‘speed’ fully in the face of the rain of bolts from the crossbowmen. Besides, crossbows travel in a ‘straight line’, increasing the fear faced by the knights and their horses… so their speed will surely reduce by half. Furthermore, I have provided a rapid loading mechanism called ‘goat foot’ to the crossbowmen, nearly doubling their loading speed. Therefore, by the time the knights reach us, one-fifth to one-tenth of them will already be dead. Do you believe they can penetrate our sturdy carts?”

All the knights seemed to imagine the scene of being hit by a barrage of crossbow bolts, and some began to turn pale.

“Those terrified knights will undoubtedly charge at us, driven by the honor planted in their heads, until the first knights make contact with the carts. After that, as they attempt to regroup, it will be utter chaos. If they miss that moment, and the knights charge the flanks… the knights will be annihilated. The count among them will surely be captured as well.”

Shall I state that further objections would lead to a breakdown of morale among the infantry, who would unconditionally surrender after losing their knights?

However, it seemed that they all had given up on counterarguments and were simply staring at me wide-eyed.

So, to instill confidence in them, I offered words of assurance, similar to those I had said when conducting the sugar-making process, winning at Eslon, and capturing the Helzman’s castle with only 3,000 soldiers.

“I, Siel von Croilet, have already won. You will earn achievements in a war that you have already won and receive fiefs and wealth from me for your families. Those who raise achievements will be granted larger territories and elevated social status, knights will receive titles and honor as nobles, and the soldiers will be promised more land and a prosperous life.”

**

And a week later, at last, I stood face to face with the great Schwabian, separated by about 100 meters.

From afar, it was clear that Schwabian’s army was divided into “incompetent infantry unable to align properly” and the elite knights.

It was evident they were dismissing any expectations of the infantry, which only confirmed how pathetic the Schwabian was.

Thus, I decided to draw the unfortunate Schwabian into the trap I had set, opening my mouth to bring a miserable end to his life through the dirty trash talk known as garbage talk that signifies the start of medieval warfare, wielding the ultimate keyboard warrior skill I acquired through battles with delusional characters living in Korea.

“Schwabian von Nante!! It is said that you can’t resist the urge to touch married women!! You tried to lay your hands on Ella but failed. How utterly ridiculous! I thought you’d be battered until you were schnitzel after challenging me, but I wish I could have made you fly in front of everyone due to the count’s title that I inherited!!”

At my words, my soldiers began to laugh uncontrollably.

“Oh, Schwabian, I’m sorry. You’re already an unhonorable piece of garbage who has abandoned the loyal Croilet barony, having dropped out from the vanguard of the lance charge. There’s no benefit in humiliating someone without honor, is there? Hey! I need absolution for my offense of provoking someone like you under the customs of war!! Is there any holy water?”

Then someone cleverly brought me a glass of water, which was not holy water.

Looking at their face, it was Mark, the deputy commander of my most trusted squad…

After washing my mouth with the water, I shouted loudly to provoke the Schwabian.

“O poor knights serving a knight of no honor! And your soldiers!! I pity you. So out of sympathy for your wretched lives, I will tell you what a ‘truly honorable war’ is! However, you weaklings are too unworthy for our knights to engage directly, so I will face you as an infantryman. Therefore, come running tomorrow morning at the promised time!! I will personally teach you honor as a parting gift to the underworld.”