Chapter 220
Chapter 220
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 220
Chapter Title: Battle of Osby Plains (5)
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In the past, when battling the Austrika Archduchy forces, the Imperial Army's long-spearmen would pull back slightly before charging forward, harnessing their momentum to shatter the enemy's formation.
But Lieutenant General Peter Jaeger, now acting as commander-in-chief, had no intention of relying on those old tactics here.
The reason was that the Stockholm Kingdom infantry, battered by relentless volleys of arrows and spells, were closing in at the fastest speed they could manage while holding their formation.
If his own troops charged out to meet them head-on, it would only waste the lives of the Reich Empire's outnumbered soldiers.
"Form the anti-cavalry phalanx! Assume you're facing knights, but angle your spears at the enemy's throats!"
"We'll halt their charge! Brace for impact!"
"Not a single one gets through here. Stay sharp and ready!"
At his command, the Reich Empire soldiers prepared as if facing knights, planting the butts of their spears firmly into the ground and bracing their bodies to absorb the onslaught.
This was the standard tactic for dealing with massive weights—over 600 kilograms of horse and rider combined. It might seem overkill against mere infantry,
but it was the most efficient and effective formation for countering infantry charging with momentum.
"Long live the Stockholm Kingdom! Long live His Majesty the King!"
"You filthy Reich Empire pigs, taste the heat of this brother's spear!"
"Cowardly bastards hiding behind your archers to the bitter end!"
Shouting such battle cries, the ragged formation of Stockholm Kingdom infantry slammed into the Reich Empire's ironclad anti-cavalry phalanx—and was torn to shreds.
The front ranks were impaled through the throat, arms, or sides, collapsing in sprays of blood.
The shock rippled backward, affecting even those behind them.
As a result, soldiers in the second, third, and fourth ranks—who hadn't directly hit the phalanx—were crushed by the piling bodies of the fallen.
"Tend to the wounded! Leave the dead where they lie!"
"Mom... save me..."
"Cough... cough... damn it, I can't die like this..."
Seizing the momentum, the Reich Empire troops pressed forward relentlessly, determined not to let the advantage slip.
"We need to kill as many of these stubborn Stockholm idiots as we can! If you want victory, push harder!"
"I like the enthusiasm, but anyone stepping out of formation will answer to me! Hold your ground!"
"Entire army, advance! Forward! No hesitation—thrust and kill!"
The Reich Empire's ferocious assault inflicted heavy casualties on the Stockholm Kingdom infantry. Deep down, the Imperial foot soldiers hoped the elite melee specialists—flail wielders and two-handers optimized for close-quarters chaos—would join the fray.
Several battalion commanders, regimental commanders, and even division commanders on the front lines requested permission to deploy that decisive strike force.
But Lieutenant General Peter Jaeger, assuming the role of overall commander, denied every request.
"The enemy outnumbers us by more than two to one. And this is only the early phase of the battle. Sending them out now could doom the Imperial Army to defeat."
Two-handers with their massive swords, flail troops, and other specialists who crawled under spear walls to sow chaos in the enemy's midst were devastating in melee.
The requests from the frontline soldiers and officers boiled down to unleashing these units to butcher the enemy right in front of them.
'They're powerful, but deploying them turns the fight into a melee brawl. Our infantry formation would collapse completely. If the enemy's reserves then hit us from the rear, we're finished.'
For that reason, Jaeger waited.
He anticipated that as the battle intensified and time wore on, the Reich Empire troops would reach their physical limits—and that the Stockholm Kingdom commander would play his trump card.
At that moment, Field Marshal Bwadisław of the Stockholm Kingdom felt his insides burning with frustration.
"These dogshit Reich Empire pigs. I ought to rip out their guts and turn them into imperial sausages—still wouldn't be enough for these vile bastards!"
After venting his rage, the Stockholm Kingdom's field marshal scowled and demanded an update.
"What's the current situation? The melee should've started on the front by now."
"The Reich Empire's momentum is fierce. Our troops are being pushed back."
"Damn it... What do you think we should do, General Yont?"
General Yont, who had commanded Warsaw Grand Duchy's army of 50,000, replied.
"No matter how skilled Lieutenant General Jaeger is, with our forces more than double theirs, the longer the battle drags on, the worse it gets for them. And didn't you hear? Their reserves are less than half our size."
"When they're worn out, we rotate in our reserves to replace the main force and grind the Imperials down. Brilliant, as expected from the man the Grand Duke of Warsaw holds dear."
"Your praise is too much. But the key is killing that mongrel Peter Jaeger."
"For the prosperity of both the Grand Duchy and the Kingdom, we can spare General Kaitel—but Jaeger must die."
With that agreement, the two issued orders to the Stockholm Kingdom and Warsaw Grand Duchy forces.
"Hold the reserves back for now. Distribute some grain and water to the troops so they can fill their bellies."
"Give the Warsaw knights light rations, and feed the horses hay, beans, and barley. We'll strike when they've digested a bit."
It was a leisurely tactic only an army with numerical superiority could afford—and the optimal strategy at their disposal.
The generals and staff officers of the Grand Duchy and Kingdom, upon receiving the orders, inwardly admired their commanders' foresight as they set to work.
"Salt the barley for the horses generously before distributing."
"Make sure the troops can eat fast. Boil porridge with salted meat mixed into grain flour, then hand out water."
"Then distribute spare plate armor to the infantry reserves at the vanguard..."
"No time for that—hurry up and cook the damn porridge!"
While the Stockholm Kingdom-Warsaw Grand Duchy allied headquarters prepared to commit their reserves, the frontline battle began to even out.
"You Reich Empire pigs! I'll rip out your guts and make sausages!"
"Stop hiding behind spears like cowards—fight fair with swords!"
"You bastards, you subhuman scum! Don't you ever get tired?"
The Reich Empire soldiers hurled back insults of their own amid the clash, but the near-two-to-one numerical disadvantage was eroding their tactical edge bit by bit.
The Stockholm Kingdom and Reich Empire forces traded fierce blows in a back-and-forth struggle, but both commanders sensed the same thing at once.
'This is our chance to crush the Reich Empire completely.'
'If I were Field Marshal Bwadisław of the Stockholm Kingdom, I'd play my all-or-nothing card right here.'
The two men on opposing sides shared the exact same assessment.
Field Marshal Bwadisław pointed toward the Reich Empire lines with his marshal's baton and declared.
"Commit all reserves! Order the knights to swing left and strike the enemy's rear! We have to throw their units into total chaos!"
Shortly after the order went out, 20,000 Stockholm Kingdom knights and Warsaw Grand Duchy knights surged forward in a cloud of dust.
The well-fed and rested reserves marched out confidently, spears in hand.
"Time to relieve our main force up front! Everyone ready?"
"We'll turn the Reich Empire bastards' guts into ropes for our fallen brothers!"
"Long live the Stockholm Kingdom! Long live the Warsaw Grand Duchy!"
Twenty minutes later, word reached Lieutenant General Jaeger that Warsaw and Stockholm knights and infantry were making a massive push to turn the tide.
The officers around him—even General Kaitel himself—felt a sense of crisis at the enemy committing their full might despite the two-to-one odds...
"No need for fear or panic, General Kaitel. The enemy has walked right into our trap. Even with nearly double our numbers, what's there to fear?"
Lieutenant General Jaeger swung the command baton symbolizing his authority and issued orders.
"The rightmost division, plant stakes in the pre-dug right-wing positions and form anti-cavalry phalanxes in the rear. Block those enemy knights from charging freely. Also, concentrate all two-handers and elite troops at the front of our units. Our ambushing knights, mounted archers, and infantry division will move out soon."