Chapter 258
Chapter 258
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Vine
Chapter: 258
Chapter Title: Glopino Plains Battle (7)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
The infantry in the rear of the Warsaw forces, who had been thrown into utter disarray by the Reich Empire Cavalry Archers Brigade's surprise attack from behind and were just starting to breathe a sigh of relief, thinking the enemy had finally given up and pulled back...
Over 4,000 cavalry archers they believed had withdrawn suddenly unleashed a hail of arrows, plunging the Warsaw army back into chaos once more.
"Fuck, you Reich Empire sons of bitches are worse than dogs!"
"Regroup! The entire unit, regroup! I said keep watch on the rear, you idiots!"
"Archers to the back, infantry up front to hold the line!"
"Trust the armor you're wearing! Unless you're the unluckiest bastard alive, you won't die!"
If their formation had been properly reformed by then, and the other soldiers were holding their positions, they might have been able to hold out.
But they'd just been toyed with by the cavalry archers, leaving their ranks in shambles, and now they were taking ranged fire on top of it.
Warsaw's rear units were teetering on the brink of total collapse.
Meanwhile, the Reich Empire's infantry reserves seized the moment of enemy confusion to swiftly exit the forest and deploy their units properly.
As a result, Warsaw's infantry found themselves perfectly encircled from both front and rear, just as Commander Jaeger had intended.
Brigadier General Anastasia Kerzhit confirmed that friendly infantry had taken up solid positions right in front of them and gave the order.
"Cavalry Archers Brigade, cease fire."
The ceasefire order spread quickly, and her troops immediately halted their shooting.
"We've done our part. Return to main base. Everyone, good work. If we win this battle, the Imperial General Staff will hand out plenty of rewards to our brigade. I, Brigadier General Anastasia Kerzhit, guarantee it."
Coming from her—the woman who held the second-highest esteem among northerners after Peter Jaeger—her acknowledgment of their efforts and promise of rewards filled the cavalry archers with great satisfaction.
They fought here out of obedience to the Reich Empire's Emperor (Kakan) and for the empire's benefit, but equally important was the chance to change their fates through promotions or prize money.
And now, with Brigadier General Kerzhit herself promising promotions and massive bonuses, anyone who wasn't thrilled would have to be a complete moron.
"Long live Brigadier General Kerzhit! Long live the Reich Empire! Long live the Kakan!"
"Damn, we've done more than enough. My promotion to sergeant is basically in the bag, right?"
"Fuck, if I could just snag that major rank once, I'd have no regrets. Whew, maybe this time it'll happen."
The cavalry archers returned to base harboring grand dreams and high hopes, while the Reich Empire infantry advanced on the Warsaw troops who were only just beginning to reorganize their rear.
Their majestic march resembled a victorious legion returning in triumph, with morale sky-high among the troops.
The officers, seeing their men's fighting spirit burning bright, opted for a somewhat aggressive but guaranteed high-damage tactic.
"25th Battalion! Level your spears at the Warsaw bastards and charge! Run!"
"Pick up speed! Ram them at full speed in one go! Pretend you're knights and smash right in!"
"Show them the valor of the great Imperial Army! Kill one more bastard each!"
At the command, the soldiers couldn't help cursing under their breath.
"Charging with longspears? Are they insane?"
"Better to hit those flailing idiots before they form up properly, right?"
"They say the sane guy loses against idiots, and look at this shit working."
Griping all the while, the Reich Empire infantry nonetheless aimed their longspears at likely spots for enemy necks and vitals, then charged at full tilt.
Some Warsaw soldiers—and a few small units—snapped to their senses, formed spear walls, and loosed arrows to halt the charge as best they could.
But no matter how hard the few fought, they couldn't stop the many with unbreakable resolve.
Thus, the Reich Empire infantry slammed straight into the Warsaw soldiers' disorganized formation, sweeping them away with pathetic ease.
"You Reich Empire lunatics! First time in my life I've seen morons charging with spears held high..."
"Intercept them, intercept!"
"Arrows, magic, spear thrusts—block and attack with whatever you've got! No, just draw swords and stab, you bastards!"
Even amid the chaos, they desperately tried to resist, but most were skewered by Reich Empire longspears before they could mount a fierce defense.
Others had their heads crushed by flails or maces, or in the close-quarters melee, they were toyed with by one-handed swords and cut down.
This turmoil in the rear gradually spread to Warsaw's front lines.
Those who had clung to the hope that reserves would eventually come to their aid finally realized the truth.
That no reinforcements could arrive while their rear was getting hammered like that.
No messenger reached Commander Tateusz, who led the Warsaw army, but his instincts—honed across countless battlefields—told him clearly.
'We've suffered a crushing defeat in this battle. It's beyond saving.'
With that judgment, he figured minimizing losses here might save his house, if not his own neck.
So he chose the best option to reduce Warsaw casualties in the current situation.
"The path to retreat is behind us! Focus all attack power on the rear! Signal the knights to fall back! Don't get dragged into this pointless dogfight!"
His retreat order spread like a ray of light amid the dire straits, and Warsaw soldiers hurriedly redirected their attacks backward.
But the Reich Empire troops blocking their rear didn't break easily.
There were many reasons, but the biggest was that even throwing masses of troops at the rear wouldn't yield full power in their disorganized state.
Thus, the Imperial soldiers holding Warsaw's rear managed to hold on somehow.
"Too close to the enemy for longspears! Drop them! Switch to maces or swords!"
"Every second we hold means victory for our side! The outcome of this fight rests on you!"
"Argh! Fuck, die, you bastards!"
While Warsaw soldiers focused on the rear, the Reich Empire troops on their front lines butchered the enemy who had turned their backs in desperation to survive.
They thrust with spears, smashed heads and spines with flails, and relentlessly peppered them from range with arrows and spells.
This situation was immediately reported to Peter Jaeger at main base.
"Warsaw soldiers are completely blocked by our infantry reserves. It's turning into a one-sided slaughter. What are your orders?"
To Commander Jaeger, the current state was favorable to the Imperials, but to expand the victory, a slight strategic shift was needed.
Because if things continued, the Imperial knights—including Laura's Regiment at the vanguard—would let most enemy knights slip away after barely containing them.
And the infantry reserves blocking the rear risked heavy losses from Warsaw's desperate death struggle.
"Mobilize the entire Cavalry Archers Brigade to support our Imperial knights, and pass word to the infantry: let the Warsaw bastards know there's absolutely no ambush in the woods to either side."
"Yes, sir!"
At that order, over 8,000 cavalry archers drew their sabers and joined the knight-on-knight melee, seizing control of the flow.
Meanwhile, some Imperial infantry—disguised in Warsaw uniforms—shouted loudly.
"Fuck, anyone who wants to live, run to the woods on the side! No ambushes or troops there!"
"Into the woods, you morons!"
"It's over. How the hell do we beat those guys holding the rear? Just break sideways!"
Some Warsaw soldiers heard the tempting call, glanced sideways, and indeed saw no Reich Empire troops in the woods.
Trapped front and back, they poured all their efforts into breaking left or right to survive.
Warsaw officers, desperate to avert the crisis, berated the panicked troops, chased down the most obvious deserters, cut them down, and yelled.
"You madmen, the rear! We have to go through the rear!"
"Break the Reich Empire infantry reserves, and we all live!"
"Trust the commander! Follow the supreme commander's orders!"
But the soldiers in full panic acted like their souls had fled, straining only to escape sideways.
As a result, unlike moments before, they lost all power to resist the Imperial forces squeezing from front and back, and the slaughter intensified.
In this way, the Reich Empire army massacred the terrified Warsaw soldiers until nightfall, claiming victory.
Though they failed to capture Warsaw's commander, Tateusz, the results surpassed most battles where even the enemy overall commander was taken.
Reich Empire Army: 6,500 KIA, 7,000 WIA
Warsaw Grand Duchy Army: 60,000 KIA, 20,000 seriously wounded, 14,000 POW
Commander Jaeger, hearing of these feats, smirked and said,
"With this, the Warsaw bastards won't be able to take a shit facing the Reich Empire for the next ten years."