Does tiny Slitomo have any strategic value?
It does have a clear value - a small natural port facing the vast sea. The Russians could use this port to develop it into a stronghold on Gotland, or a transit point for trade and military transportation.
After landing, Rurik was somewhat aware of its strategic value when he sent people to clean up the aftermath of the war.
But now, this small fishing village is just an excellent landing ground for the Russians. Its excellence is beyond imagination.
Although the bay is not big, at least all the ships of the Russians are docked, so that the army has a very stable foothold for the next stage of the offensive.
So who is the next target?
One goal couldn't be more obvious.
After a night of repairs, the recovered soldiers continued to unload the supplies on the ship.
The Ross warriors, the blood stains on their gowns from yesterday have now been washed away, and their clothes are clean again, and they want to kill again with their swords.
Those Slavic warriors and Kovan warriors, including a group of children under Rurik's command.
They witnessed the tragic scene after the battle. The dead were not soldiers after all, they were all dead, and the beach was full of Yin Hong. This is war. No matter how you describe it with "glory" or "revenge", everyone is now a part of the battlefield, and they are all standing in Ross's position. They are destined to have a life-or-death battle with the owner of this island.
Will the enemy show mercy? of course not.
They were responsible for removing the bodies, and some vomited on the spot and endured intense discomfort to complete the job.
Especially Rurik’s little warriors! Of course there were bloody accidents when they were training in their hometown, but how many of them had killed their enemies? For a boy like Fisk, who had a grudge against the Gotlanders for killing his father, his actions were naturally extremely harsh, but...
The young female warriors of the Valkyrie Legion, they are just girls. Although they have been forced out of their bestiality through training on weekdays, seeing a large number of corpses now, many of them stayed up all night this time.
The recruits are like this. When they first go to the battlefield and witness death and cruelty, they are either so scared that they wet their pants, or they are so excited that they live and die. In short, their behavior is abnormal.
These situations only require a few more battles. They will treat themselves as a stone with no emotion. When facing the enemy, their only instinct is to kill.
Most of the soldiers didn't care about the death of their enemies, and the leader of the team didn't even care.
The sky has cleared up, the sun is shining brightly, and the gentle wind has blown away the smell of blood, replaced by the smell of grilled fish.
A larger private house became a temporary command post for the Russians.
A woman who knew the situation on the island was pushed into the room.
Rurik was about to discuss matters with everyone, but saw the young woman tilting her head and being pushed in. She staggered a few more steps with her legs crossed, and there was indescribable pain in her brows.
"Maybe this woman is just twenty years old? She doesn't have many wrinkles on her face, so she is definitely not very old." Rurik muttered, he had already estimated what the woman went through last night.
At this moment, Arik faced everyone in the room unceremoniously and introduced: "Compared to other women, this woman is the most cooperative. She just wants to spare her daughter."
"Of course, those captured by us must be protected. Brothers are always in need of women." Rurik looked at the woman's face again and couldn't help but feel a little compassion, so he ordered: "Woman, raise your head and look at me! "
The woman continued to tilt her head...
Otto shouted loudly: "Raise your head, or else I will throw your daughter into the sea and feed it to the sharks now!"
This threat instantly frightened the woman to the point where she knelt down and howled: "Please, I can do whatever you want me to do. As long as my child can live..." She raised her head, her brows filled with prayers.
Are any of the men present sympathetic to her at the moment? No, this woman is just a captive, a plaything with special use value.
Rurik asked again: "Tell me your name."
"Yes! I...I am Broda (meaning flower dew), I am just...a fisherman."
"Okay, Broda." Rurik looked down at the kneeling woman: "It seems that your new man loves you very much, which is good. I am the commander-in-chief of the Russians, and I am here to negotiate the contract. You just need to Serve me and we will recognize you as a Rus’ and you and your children will be protected by this army.”
How could Broda, who was so frightened, completely believe this? Besides, the words came from a boy's mouth.
She already knew what the Rus people wanted from her, and it seemed that in order to survive, she had to betray the people in the north.
She gritted her teeth and said, "I will, I will take you to Baisha Port."
"You are very cooperative." Rurik nodded: "We plan to go out tomorrow, and you will serve as a messenger. We Russians are kind and will take good care of your children in this camp."
Broda was trembling all over and her eyes were dull. She understood that these Russians were threatening her child.
Before the woman was pushed into the door, the Russians had already made some war plans.
The next target of the attack was not Visby, the largest settlement on the island, but the White Sands Harbor in the north.
Since Gotland has built some defensive measures in the north of the island, legend has it that it will prevent the landing of warships? After learning the news, Rurik immediately thought of the "Atlantic Wall". The Atlantic Wall was a series of fortifications that defended the Allied landings at Calais, which resulted in the Allies choosing Normandy.
Just like this war, the Rus also landed from the east coast of the remote Gotlanders. Seize Baisha Port and destroy the enemy's various fortifications from behind (the premise really exists), so that when the army comes to thresh the grain grass in the future, they can take a shortcut.
There are many considerations in taking down White Sand Castle, namely weakening Visby's strength and guarding against the Gotlanders having reinforcements to stab the Russians in the back when the army attacks Visby.
When Visby was finally isolated, the Russians had nothing to worry about when the decisive battle came.
With a seemingly reliable guide, there will be one less trouble in future battles.
Rurik discussed with everyone that the army will land on the morning of August 4th. Today is already the fifth day of this month. The task given to the soldiers today is to take a good rest and organize a group of soldiers tomorrow to attack by land. Baisha Port.
This battle was adjusted based on emergencies on the battlefield. Considering that the enemy would not be very strong, the Russian army did not need to mobilize in full force.
The Russians made plans for this battle, and the only troops sent out were the Second Banner of the Warriors, the Malaren Banner, as well as some of Rurik's mercenaries and Covin crossbowmen.
Rurik divided the army into two, and the number of troops to conquer Baisha Port was 1,500.
Even so, an army of this size would have been a formidable force in Gotland. Its advantage is not only in numbers. Rurik will personally lead the troops in this battle, and he does not need his father's help at all. He knew that he could never fight a protracted war. The battle must be won quickly. Victory would be won tomorrow, but it would have to be postponed to the seventh day of this month at the latest.
After all, Baisha Port is also a settlement with a large population. What is the enemy's strength? Then let this large group of mercenaries from the Malaren Flag Team try the water! If this group of people feels that the battle is difficult, Rose's main force will press forward. In order to avoid the worst situation, Rurik decided to bring ten prepared torsion slingshots, elite mercenaries and some sailors in this battle, just to control these very powerful weapons. Since they were all installed on the trolley, they were already It has become a heavy weapon that can be deployed and fought quickly.
The day of departure has arrived!
The soldiers did not hesitate, and a large number of soldiers who would not participate in this battle complained a lot. Arik wanted to take his brothers to kill again, but this time the good show was going to be snatched away by the old guy Harold Zuosen.
As usual, Rurik brought his two closest assistants, Kanuf and Fisk.
The soldiers who were eager to go were already forming a team. They gradually stood in a dense matrix formation with a full set of weapons.
Rurik took a long breath and turned his head slightly: "In the last battle, some people said that Haro Zuosen's son was a little timid. I don't think so, but the rumors do exist."
Kanuf felt aggrieved, and his little hand tightly grasped the hilt of the sword: "I will be brave this time."
"What if the enemy comes charging at you?"
"Then shoot him with a crossbow."
"Oh, I hope you won't cry out of fear." Fisk bared his teeth and said mockingly, but it was actually an encouragement.
Fisk really reassured Rurik that the twelve-year-old boy was indeed a capable general and he would definitely do greater things, but this time both boys would use steel-armed crossbows to shoot.
The army's reorganization was basically completed. Soon, Broda, a woman sitting on a makeshift stretcher made of broken fishing nets and wooden sticks, was carried over by two elite mercenaries.
Now she is possessed by a very strong Rus warrior. Rurik knows that the man's strength is just worthy of the strong silver scale breastplate. Rurik also counts on this man to serve as an armored berserker in the most difficult time. Go hack and slash.
However, this man is obviously too strong and treats his woman with brute force.
Broda's current condition is indeed painful even when she walks. Her condition has not improved and it can only be said that she was forced to serve again yesterday. However, she should be a very reliable guide, but she was not properly protected, and Rurik blamed himself for a mistake. She had to fulfill her role as a good guide, so she enjoyed the service of "sitting in a sedan chair".
Would she feel touched that she was being treated well?
Rurik didn't bother to care at all, he just wanted to end the battle as soon as possible.
According to the information Broda revealed, it only takes half a day to walk from Slitomo to White Sands Port.
Half a day trip? That's really not far. Rurik just lacked information. The distance from Slitomo to White Sands Port was only about nine kilometers.
"It might be feasible to solve the battle in one day. After walking for half a day and then fighting, everyone should not be very tired. Haha, fortunately, I brought some reindeer this time, and they can just carry some things."
Saying goodbye to his father, brother, and remaining soldiers, the detachment led by Rurik began the "expedition."
Rurik was the commander, and under his command were Harozolson, Heriger, Mechasta and Kehas. Yes, two former enemies of the Corvin people now have to fight side by side.
As for Herriger and his Mellaren brothers, they know that this is their first battle. For money, honor, and the future, everyone must fight desperately. Rurik also made a promise: "You fight first. After winning, you have priority to plunder. Except for prisoners and gold and silver, you can plunder freely."
The army walked on the grassland between the mounds. The terrain was very comfortable and there was no discomfort when walking, and the reindeer pulling the cart could also walk smoothly.
To make armored warriors march for a long time, the only thing that can be done is to be a competent commander.
Among the large army, only the "Warrior Second Banner" led by Haro Zuosen and Rurik's more than fifty elite mercenaries were equipped with chainmail on a large scale. These armors are currently placed in large numbers on flat-bottomed vehicles. The charioteers are experienced deer herders, and armor-removing warriors guard them on their left and right.
Rurik's army has become "mule-horse" to a certain extent. Heavy ordnance and heavy weapons are now dragged by reindeer.
He wanted to get horses, and theoretically he could get them. For example, farms in the Novgorod area did raise some horses. Those horses are ponies native to Eastern Europe, a breed shorter than Mongolian horses.
Packhorses should be available, provided that the Rus must expand the scope of trade and extend their tentacles to the south away from the Baltic Sea, for example, find ways to do business with the Franks.
Without suitable pack horses, we had to make do with reindeer. In addition to being unable to ride, reindeer are indeed very suitable for pulling carts.
The army as a whole marched lightly, and the smooth and flat terrain meant that although there were no roads on the ground, it did not affect the march of the team.
How far is the half-day journey? Anyway, the army began to march in full force, and when they reached Broda, they were placed on a reindeer cart. Like Rurik, she was at the head of the team. She determined the direction of the team, and even Rurik had to follow it.
Only some mercenaries acted as scouts. After listening to Broda's general direction, they rushed to investigate lightly.
Soon, a mercenary who was running ahead came back and told Rurik who was sitting on the reindeer cart: "Sir, I think we have arrived."
"Really? You saw a lot of houses?"
"Yes, and there are some low walls?"
wall? When he thought of walls, Rurik wanted to think of Borgholm's damn wall. "That wall is easy to break through, right?"
Broda did not state this information clearly at first, but now the woman made it clear: "That is just a low wall to prevent the sheep from getting lost."
Do they have sheep? Isn't it there waiting for the Russians to reward the army?
Rurik tried to learn more information, but the scout did not have binoculars. The scouts just claimed that they could not see the people walking around with the naked eye, and it was suspected that the enemy had made some preparations.
"Is this preparation for war? Okay, let's fight them and see. I'm not afraid of how many people come!"
The news of the impending war spread quickly, and the soldiers who felt a little uncomfortable in their calves and feet quickly regained their spirits. They don't want to fight, they all want to make a fortune as robbers, and their eyes are full of greed.
They moved on and soon saw a low house in the distance.
Rurik took a closer look: "Huh? It is indeed a Viking-style longhouse. There are indeed some earthen walls, and they are so low that you can climb over them in one go."
He quickly stood up, stood on the car, looked around at his soldiers and shouted an order: "Keep formation, slowly approach the enemy, force them to show up, and fight them decisively!"
The warriors of Ross's Warrior Flag Team roared in unison, and the infected Malaren Flag Team followed suit.
They had left the gap between the mounds, and the ground they stepped on was already the sandy land of sparse meadows, and everything they could see was white sand.
And their roars did drift with the wind to Baisha Port, where three local families are now holding some refugees fleeing. The news of Ross's army landing has been known to the entire Baisha Port!
Some people immediately evacuated to Visby with their belongings after learning about the incident from the refugees, while many others decided to stay.
They have to protect their property, and of course they can't just listen to what the refugees say. How could the Russian army be so large? Ten thousand people? It's crazy! Didn't their army go south to fight against a certain hostile force? They probably fought tooth and nail with the Danes, and everyone knows this. Gotland is a relatively safe place. How can those guys in the north organize an army of 10,000 people to land on the island?
Obviously, some Russians did land on the island, and they were probably coming to rob it again just like three years ago. The three families had made some preparations in advance. They were no longer afraid. In addition to sending people to inform their friends in Visby that the Russians had landed, they themselves were also prepared for a head-on battle with the Russian army.
They are very confident. Baisha Port has always been the first line to prevent the northern enemy from invading. Although everyone has suffered heavy losses at sea in recent years, the nearly a thousand men organized for ground combat have strong self-confidence.
