Chapter 147
Chapter 147
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 147
Chapter Title: Battle of Jungfrau Plains (4)
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The next day, in the Reich Empire 7th Division's command tent.
Currently empty, I slammed my fist down on the innocent desk inside the tent and shouted.
"Goddamn it! Why the hell did we have to fall for a double agent's bullshit trick like this! No matter how you slice it, I figured the enemy topped out at four thousand at most before linking up with His Highness the Crown Prince!"
Of course, nine thousand against eight thousand was still better off than when we'd fought in Hatin Forest.
But Count Bern, who had spent years colluding with the Reich Empire and building trust, turning out to be a double agent meant our entire strategy had gone up in smoke.
In the worst case, it put our Imperial forces at risk of total annihilation at the hands of those Switchland mercenary bastards.
That said, life doesn't just pile on the bad luck endlessly, nor does good fortune last forever.
"Phew. If I'd chosen the easier marching route, our 7th Division might've been wiped out by now. Count Tissino probably would've set up camp near Lindenhof Hill for an ironclad defense and prepared a detachment to hit us from behind while we struggled."
Had that happened, our division would've taken near-total losses or been annihilated.
But we'd managed to avoid that disaster and were now facing off on the Jungfrau Plains. If our forces won here, by the time we joined His Highness the Crown Prince's main army...
The Switchland soldiers' morale would hit rock bottom.
As I calmed myself and took a seat, the officers who'd slipped into the tent in the meantime, watching my mood carefully, looked at me with concern and asked.
"Major General, are you feeling better now?"
"Like hell I am. My gut's twisting in knots. But if I drop dead from frustration here, Count Tissino would be thrilled, so I can't even if I wanted to. Guess I'll have to smash those damn Switchland bandits flat first."
"We're with you, sir. We'll make them pay for trying to corner the 7th Division."
The officers saying this all ground their teeth at the thought of those vile Switchland scum.
I spread out the map of the Jungfrau Plains drawn by our scouts, placed wooden horse markers symbolizing our Imperial forces on it, and said.
"Count Tissino's army numbers nine thousand, and we have eight thousand in the 7th Division—not a huge numerical gap. I judge there's a very high chance we'll face the Switchland bastards and our troops in a head-on pitched battle."
And after that, it would unfold into a textbook battle.
In other words, crossbowmen and mages up front, raining arrows and spells to whittle down numbers bit by bit.
Both sides grit their teeth through the ranged barrage, closing in slowly.
Once in close range, they'd pull back the mages and crossbowmen to lob shots from afar.
Finally, spear and sword infantry clashing in melee.
"The fight will devolve into muddy chaos, just like sinking into quicksand. Those guys, the best infantry on the Europan continent in skill and prowess, will throw everything into seizing the advantage in the infantry clash. They'll hammer our front-line infantry hard."
When people focus utterly on one thing, they miss shouts from the side or major events around them.
That makes them vulnerable to knight or horse archer attacks from other angles—not the frontal infantry fight they're locked into.
Infantry formations concentrate defense and offense forward.
Strike the flanks with knights, and—with a bit of exaggeration—it's like slicing tofu with a kitchen knife; the line collapses.
But against highly trained mercenaries forming the core of the Switchland infantry, a simple flank attack won't land big blows. So we'll send our horse archers and knights around to the enemy rear, targeting their crossbowmen and mages."
No matter how strong the Switchland infantry, only halberdiers or long-spearmen can meaningfully hurt knights head-on.
Crossbowmen and mages lack the defense to stop hundreds of kilos of charging steel, even combined.
Plus, with hit-and-run tactics from knights and horse archers, the Switchland dogs can't support in time, no matter how fierce.
Our cavalry takes minimal losses, neuters their ranged support effectively, and plants fear of rear attacks in the Switchland infantry.
"Major General, but the enemy outnumbers us. Won't they ambush troops in the woods for sure? We need a counter."
True, these bastards ambushed our camp from the woods last time.
Though they took heavy losses thanks to my precautions.
Like a criminal returning to the scene or a thief's bad habits, those Switchland bandits would ambush from the woods again.
I nodded to the officer who suggested it. Seizing his chance to shine, he launched into a passionate spiel.
"So how about detaching some forces to watch the woods beside us? I think two battalions would suffice to prevent a flank surprise while we're exposed."
His idea was solid—dedicating troops to stop a stealthy woods ambush at a critical moment.
If we hadn't anticipated it, sure.
But if we expect a knife to the ribs, we guard the ribs thoroughly.
Still, instead of splitting infantry here, why not bait them with a false opening and trap them?
"Solid plan, for sure. But I've got an even better one."
"What is it, sir?"
"To gain the upper hand in an ambush, they'd have to hit us right near the division, right?"
No choice—we commanders aren't idiots. To counter surprise attacks, we constantly scout with riders and messengers.
No reason to risk detection starting from distant woods, crossing open plains.
"So we're basically already predicting where they'll pop out, aren't we?"
"Yes, sir."
Then I pointed my baton at the wooded side and said.
"We'll show the enemy an exposed flank to lure those bastards in seductively. We'll keep sending scout units to monitor the woods on our flank, tracking the moves of those Switchland hicks. And then!"
I'd position mages facing the woods beside our formation in advance.
"Time their entry and unleash fireballs and fire arrows, burning the enemy troops—and the whole damn woods—with them."
Not that it'd torch dry wood like Zhuge Liang's fire attack—no mass incineration of Switchland soldiers.
But leaves and branches would blaze, belching massive smoke. The ambushers would flee to avoid suffocation.
Sudden smoke blinding them, the Switchland infantry would suspect they'd blundered into a fire.
Panic from the unforeseen chaos and primal fire fear would ensue.
"Our troops, knowing the fire and smoke are coming, will shout at the confused enemy: 'The Reich Empire's hit the Switchland Ducal forces' flank!'"
Of course, no real plan to split and ambush via woods.
In the smoke-obscured chaos, spotting our lack of ambush would take time.
"The enemy plunges into disorder, and we seize the moment—full assault, carving up their infantry."