Chapter 53
Chapter 53
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 53
Chapter Title: Guillaume's Arrowhead Assault
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Guillaume's campaign was troubled right from the start.
-Clang!
"Eek...!"
"Keep your distance from the person in front and beside you!"
The conscripts, who hadn't even received proper basic training, caused all sorts of accidents during the march, leading to non-combat losses.
"Ugh, I, I don't want to fight!"
"Grab him!"
Some soldiers, their morale utterly crushed, even attempted to desert. By the time the kingdom army of 70,000 reached the Baldur Plains, their numbers had dwindled to 65,000.
"...The imperial army has deployed in a single horizontal line, without distinguishing between units. I'm curious to hear your thoughts on how to counter it."
In the subdued atmosphere after a series of mishaps, Guillaume gathered the kingdom army officers and began a strategy meeting.
As the officers glanced warily at one another and at Guillaume, Antoine—who had joined at Guillaume's order—slowly rose from his seat.
"If the imperial army changes formation, it might differ, but I believe we should divide our forces into left wing, center, and right wing."
"...Hmm."
"Place 35,000 in the center, including reserves and 3,000 cavalry, as our main force. Deploy 15,000 each to the left and right wings to defend the flanks."
He advocated a standard, uncontroversial deployment commonly used by the kingdom army.
"With conscripts making up the majority and a shortage of officers to control them, maintaining complex formations or maneuvering is unrealistic. Assign the conscripts on the left and right wings the simple role of protecting the flanks, and position our elite troops in the center to confront the enemy's main force."
Wearing plate armor, Guillaume rested his chin on his hand, watching Antoine with an inscrutable expression.
"Of course, the left and right wings can't collapse too quickly, so some elite troops should be placed there to support the conscripts and help them hold the line."
"..."
"The imperial army is numerically inferior, but their cavalry outnumbers ours by more than double, and their individual soldiers surpass us in combat prowess. Rather than using the 3,000 cavalry separately, it's better to keep them together in the rear, ready to support our forces based on the enemy's movements."
"I agree. If the reserves and cavalry in the rear respond to the empire's attacks, the imperial army won't be able to break our defenses."
The veteran kingdom army officers nodded at Antoine's words, and a few even stood to back him up.
"..."
Guillaume scanned the faces of those supporting Antoine and those sitting with dissatisfied looks, gauging the ratio.
-Click.
"...A feeble idea, Duke Claviere."
He rose to his feet, looking down at Antoine, who had finished speaking and sat back down.
Before the officers could react to the provocative attitude,
"Defense, defense, defense. How laughable. Have you already forgotten our objective?"
Guillaume raised his voice, seizing control of the mood.
"Saint Touar, Anyac, Montpieu. Roselle, Chene, Triel. All Brotan Kingdom territory. And you talk of defense? When we should be smashing the enemy and reclaiming our lands right now?"
"The defense I mentioned is merely the policy for this battle. I didn't mean we should turn fully defensive..."
"Be silent, Duke Claviere. I'm the commander leading the kingdom army right now, not you!"
"..."
He crushed Antoine with his authority and continued.
"Bevis, Gaston. Their defeats were simple. They were naive and far too cowardly, just like you."
"I...!"
"Divide the army into three? Fine. Keep reserves in the rear to counter the enemy? Fine. But do you think Bevis and Gaston didn't know that? Of course they did."
The officers who had been friends with Bevis and Gaston flushed at Guillaume's blatant condescension,
"What they lacked was boldness. If Gaston had attacked without fearing the enemy's estimated 20,000, what might have happened? If Bevis had struck quickly, knowing the imperial army was exhausted from forced marches, what then? They played it safe, steady—just as the enemy wanted—and lost!"
The younger officers, dissatisfied with Antoine's passive stance, began to place their hopes in Guillaume's hardline approach.
"Duke Claviere. Do you think the imperial army will fall for such a predictable strategy?"
"...Then what strategy does Your Highness intend to use?"
Having mocked Antoine's plan as obvious, Guillaume responded to his question with,
"Lightning war. We'll form the children's formation and crush the enemy's center."
He proposed the bold children's formation.
"Deploy the 20,000 elite troops who crushed the Kaen Kingdom army at the vanguard to pierce the enemy's center."
"...!"
"Once our forces smash through their paper-thin center, the conscripts following behind will simply mop up the split imperial army—fulfilling that 'simple role' you wanted."
"These conscripts have morale so low they're deserting. Advancing offensively is dangerous!"
"Their morale is low because we haven't attacked, Duke Claviere! If I lead them personally, we won't fail like Bevis or Gaston!"
"If the enemy threatens our flanks, it'll be hard to hold!"
"If the imperial army reads our formation and shifts theirs, we won't keep up!"
Some officers voiced concerns about Guillaume's plan to pierce the imperial army with a triangular formation centered on the 20,000 elites who defeated the Kaen Kingdom army,
"Excellent! Time to show our strength!"
"Annihilating their forces is our chance to reclaim the Bildor River basin!"
"His Highness has won, while Count Lefebvre and Count Chartier lost. Isn't this the difference between victors and losers?"
But most officers, desperate for a major victory to overturn the string of defeats, raised louder voices in support of Guillaume's guaranteed reward.
"Duke Claviere. You're too afraid of the empire. We have 65,000; they have only 40,000."
"That's true, but if they use mobility for encirclement like they did to General Bevis..."
Unlike the excited officers, Antoine was more worried about the aftermath of defeat than the sweetness of victory.
Guillaume's strategy could endanger the entire 65,000 the moment the charge failed.
Even if retreat was impossible for the sake of honor, total annihilation would spell the end of Brotan Kingdom.
"Encirclement? With our superior numbers, they'd need to commit plenty to the flanks to try it. Do you think we couldn't break through their divided center?"
"Th..."
"We're much larger, and with their center pierced, defeat would be clear. What good would flank attacks do?"
"Your Highness is absolutely right! Just give the order—I'll lead from the front!"
"Good, Count Maurice Berto! That's the spirit. This courage is what we need now!"
He wanted to stop this reckless strategy at all costs, but Guillaume showed no intention of listening.
On the battlefield, Guillaume's voice as the actual commander carried more weight than Antoine's, backed by noble support.
"We strike before they can react. Decision made! Count Berto takes the vanguard, who will lead the cavalry supporting our breakthrough?"
"Entrust it to me, Damien Rulu!"
"Very well!"
Regardless of Antoine's opinion, Guillaume's strategy was set in motion.
"Inform the troops! We march and attack as soon as we're ready!"
"Yes, sir!"
"..."
Overwhelmed by helplessness, Antoine slumped in his seat, staring blankly at Guillaume's commanding figure as he coordinated the officers' roles.
To him, Guillaume's boldness looked like a candle flame flickering brilliantly just before extinguishing.
"The enemy is approaching rapidly. It looks like the children's formation, with elites at the front."
"Children's formation... Guillaume has drawn his sword."
Contrary to my expectation that he'd split his forces like Bevis and form a defensive line, Guillaume concentrated everything in the center for an immediate assault.
Our plan was to pin down the enemy forces using the minimap and tactical map to disrupt supplies, then use small units to raid nearly unguarded kingdom defense points and lure responses.
"A shame. Haven't we finished scouting the supply lines?"
"Yes. A few more days, and we'd have executed the plan, but the enemy seems to realize dragging it out disadvantages them."
With the kingdom army launching a swift offensive, there was no time to leisurely harass their rear.
"We'll have to fight a pitched battle."
"Indeed."
Glancing around after mentioning a pitched battle, Gerhard said,
"Then, let's hear the vice-commander's strategy."
"...?"
As if there was no need to defer anymore, he suddenly dumped a massive burden on my shoulders.
"I'm all for the vice-commander."
"The staff were just asking for your command anyway. Perfect. Agreed."
Before I could speak, the officers including Friedrich chimed in, and I was pushed to the center of the tent.
"..."
"You aren't lacking confidence, are you?"
To Gerhard's question, I replied with a confident smile.
The enemy's infantry outnumbered ours, but their cavalry was fewer, and their formation was densely packed in the center.
Though there were differences in terrain and circumstances,
"We'll win."
Because I could recall one battle from Hannibal Barca, one of history's greatest generals.