A large ship has become super strong. Ten torsion slingshots are installed on each side of the ship, and a new bronze ram is also installed on the bow.
The main bullets of the slingshot are conical cast iron bullets. The bullets are divided into one pound and half pound. One hundred bullets are packed into a box, and fifty boxes are stuffed directly in the cabin! It is the most important combat weapon, so it has reached the pinnacle of the Ross Navy in terms of armed reserves.
There are also javelins and harpoons that can be used as short spears as auxiliary weapons. They are also powerful weapons for killing belugas, minke whales, and even seals.
This is the "Royal Pirate Ship" Salmon Chief of the Principality of Ross. The explorer Spyot led a professional pirate team on the order of the prince to launch a special revenge against the Danish forces.
There is total war, at least not now. The situation has even become more complicated. Internal economic issues have forced the principality to temporarily adjust its expansionary national policy to internal construction.
Revenge against the Danes still had to be taken, and Spuyot historically became the first person to take revenge.
The pier was bustling with people. More than 2,000 people had just finished their busy spring plowing work and came to the pier to watch the pirate ships leaving the port.
People with a discerning eye are making comments. It is said that the prince spent a huge amount of money, and this ship is more fiercely armed than the flagship of the principality, the Aurora.
The ship was fixed by multiple cables and stabilized on the bank of the Neva River, which is quite fast-flowing. On the top of the mast, a special flag flapped in the south wind.
It was a flag with a white background, and the black pattern was terrifying and domineering.
Black cloth strips are sewn together to create an abstract image of a human skull, with patterns of battle axes and swords interlaced under the skull.
This flag was designed by Rurik himself. The so-called pirate ship must have an appropriate flag!
This flag is talked about by everyone. The skull represents death, just like the purpose of ships traveling far - to bring death.
Everyone knows that their trip is to be a monster that swims in the sea, and they must be able to kill people. They were expected to go on a killing spree to vent their brothers' rage.
A large amount of strategic materials were transported to the ship by a man-made crane with a net, including a large amount of hard-dried scones, hard dried salted fish, baskets of onions, and a large amount of fresh water in oak barrels.
Such supplies are enough to support a ship of more than 30 people fighting for two months. Of course, their endurance is by no means like this. Even if they need to replenish, the first supply point is Saaremaa Island.
Spout stood under the boat and said goodbye to the governor of New Roseburg.
Looking at his men, Tralan and his men all put on the standard uniforms of the Russian army, especially the lining, which was a blue and white striped shirt sewn and woven with blue and white linen thread. These ten people are from Saaremaa Island, and the remaining twenty or so people are also a hodgepodge. They include Rus' natives, Varangians of other origins, native Slavs and Suomis.
Their ethnicity is quite complex, but fortunately they can all communicate with each other in Norse. They are a true band of outlaws, convinced that their ruthless work is justified.
Everyone is carefully selected by Siputu. It is necessary to kill the enemy ruthlessly without blinking an eye, and secondly, they must not get seasick.
There was nothing to talk about with the Governor other than last minute greetings.
"Your trip is full of risks. I am afraid that you will break into Denmark alone and be surrounded and suppressed. If you encounter danger, you must escape first..." Governor Konuson warned repeatedly.
Si Puyute kept talking about it, but in his heart he looked fearless.
The Avora was once defeated by one against a hundred in Denmark, and the stronger Salmon Chief could only achieve greater results.
The pirate flag was flying, the ship was untied, it entered the Gulf of Finland amidst people's cheers, and continued sailing towards Saaremaa Island.
A few days later, they successfully arrived off the coast of Saaremaa Island and anchored at a suitable anchorage.
Telalang, the islanders' envoy, turned into a docile servant of the Rus' Principality. His followers were all descendants of the former Rus' exiles, and now they have all obtained Rus' status.
They saw how powerful the Rus were and even participated in the Winter War against the Karelians. Now, they are returning home with their spoils of war, especially the crying female prisoners.
Any verbal description is not as convincing as the actual loot. Fighting for the Russians can also get female slaves. The fact immediately shocked the islanders.
Spyot entered the village and declared his rule as the Count of Saaremaa, the Principality of Rus. All the islanders expressed their deep support. This was their purpose. From then on, they submitted to a regional power, so that future piracy would be protected by powerful force.
No! The real situation is far beyond the awareness of the islanders.
A pair of excited eyes stared at Sipuyut who was standing on the platform. He followed Rurik's routine and rolled up the cardboard into a trumpet shape to proclaim his ideas.
"You! You are all subjects of the Principality of Ross, and you are all subjects of this Earl. I am your leader, and I will take you to rob money, iron tools, wheat, and women. We have a powerful battleship and are about to start a battle. A blow to the Danish merchant fleet. I will lead you to victory, and all men and women will become warriors, and we will all make a fortune."
The words are very rough, and the poor and crazy people really benefit from it.
Spuyot was embraced by the entire fishing village, a wooden pole was erected and the Ross flag was flown on the island.
As a result, some new measures began to be implemented. After all, the island received the legal rule of the Principality of Ross, and the island began to build a fortress.
Massive construction work began on the island of Saaremaa. The island began to build a coastal wooden fortress. An abstract city defense construction plan drawn on paper became the construction blueprint. An island fortress had to be built, just to prevent Danish reprisals if piracy went too far, so that the fort could be defended.
Spuyot could not take into account the islanders' construction actions. He did not dare to live up to Prince Rurik's preferential treatment and funding, and out of anger, he must take revenge wildly in Danish waters.
A large ship with a huge triangular sail shrouded in anger headed west. The first to bear the brunt was either Denmark or the group of fishermen from Burgundy Island who were slaves to Denmark.
The first target appears ahead!
Spyot skillfully ordered: "Attention starboard! Load cast iron bullets!"
The warship ignored the fishing boat's attempt to escape, and pursued it close to launch.
In an instant, the thin wooden hull of the fishing boat was penetrated by cast-iron bullets, causing multiple leaking holes in the bottom of the boat. The seized low-quality bone cluster arrows were fired from a steel-armed crossbow, killing the fisherman directly.
Without any small talk with the opponent, the pirate ship cleanly dealt with a fishing boat.
Five people, with cables tied around their waists, rushed to loot the fishing boat before it sank.
A small frame of freshly caught herrings, nets, harpoons, axes, etc. were all carried onto the large ship. After completing the mission, the five people were dragged back to the ship by their brothers.
After all, the Saaremaa islanders were a bunch of crazy poor guys. They became royal pirates and still searched very carefully, even stripping off the linen clothes of dead fishermen.
They also committed a horrific act! The head of the deceased was chopped off, thrown into the fishing net, and immediately hung at the stern of the boat. This was horrifying evidence of the battle. On the one hand, it boosted morale and advocated the barbarity of the brothers, and on the other hand, it was brought back to the prince on official missions. As for the stench emanating from the head, that's not a problem. The constant sea breeze can blow it away.
Rurik did promise that the enemy's heads could be exchanged for money. He was very reassured about Spuyot. There was no such thing as killing good people and taking advantage of merit. After all, Swedish allies would not go to the southern seas, and the main force of the Ross fleet had no orders to go to the south and west. There was only one kind of person who died at Spyot's hands—the enemy.
Relying on fighting to support war, Spuyote, who frantically hunted the enemy's fishing boats, soon began to dislike those poor fishing boats.
He was ordered to carry out Rurik's order to kill without mercy. He indeed took no prisoners. In just a few days, ten fishing boats sank on Burgundy Island, the gateway island to the western Baltic Sea.
Terrifying news spread across the island, and the islanders did not need to carefully identify it. The triangular sail was the most obvious signal. The so-called Ross Killer was here again.
Isn't fighting a naval battle with the Russians looking for death? Even a large ship is difficult to defeat.
But the islanders were not all cowards. More than 200 people organized eight rowing boats and set out to fight. According to the islanders' script, after the brothers approached and threw the noose, the soldiers climbed up the rope and jumped to join in the killing. This is naturally risky, but everyone's hungry stomachs have taken over their minds.
After all, Burgundy Island is a small island. If fishing cannot be carried out smoothly, the resources on the island alone will not be enough to feed everyone!
In this way, Si Puyute is simply retaliating and using the fishing boat as a target for military training. For the islanders, the de facto blockade of a terrifying ship can lead to the destruction of the entire island.
A naval battle was something Spuyot wanted, just in time to see the Salmon Chief's combat effectiveness.
The encounter between the two sides was completely one-sided, with isolated ships killing each other indiscriminately. Six of the islanders' eight longships were sunk, and more than a hundred people perished in the sea. The victors also caught a few axes and harpoons that did not have time to sink to the bottom of the sea.
People cheered for the naval battle, and Siputu was very happy. His eyes looked farther to the west.
"Brothers, please prepare again. We will no longer rob fishermen. We will officially enter Denmark to rob their merchant ships!"
Port Hedeby has experienced war. After all, the destructiveness of last year's war was not fatal. The port resumed most of its commercial activities, and merchants who obeyed the rule of King Horik of Denmark continued to do business.
However, major changes have occurred in the international situation this year, making the newly restored business full of huge risks.
It turns out that Prince Ludwig of East Frankfurt went on a personal expedition!
The elite cavalry from Regensburg was dispatched, and the prince personally led 500 cavalry to arrive in Hamburg early.
The Earl of Bremen and the Earl of Hamburg responded one after another, and a large number of local farmers who had completed spring plowing were also suddenly recruited, but these farmers were largely just make-up.
The prince actually assembled a large army composed of all kinds of people, with a total strength of 4,000, including a total of 800 cavalry.
The horses were wrapped in cloth to make them look like they were armored. The cavalry warriors all wore chainmail, and they lined up on the wall holding the most classic lances. The cavalry gathered together was so scary.
The prince wanted the "loyal dog" Horik to express his attitude. Considering that the other party might rebel, he assembled a large army to march on the border of the Great Wall of Schleswig.
The Franks did not have a navy, and even a hastily organized naval force could not deter the Danes. However, the army force can directly overwhelm it, and it is feasible to sweep across the Jutland Peninsula.
It seems that the other party really has objections!
Prince Ludwig waved his hand, and history was created.
After the Great Wall of Schleswig was built, there was no record of Frankish troops crossing it. Even Charlemagne did not want to go too far into the hinterland of Denmark.
Prince Ludwig, who had a high self-esteem, made a decision that went against his ancestors. His army crossed the Great Wall and rushed directly to Hedebe Port.
A war breaks out over this!
This happened in April. The merchants who were waiting and watching took the time to run away. Those who had not had time to evacuate were all killed by the Frank army as enemies, and all the merchants' belongings were looted by the prince. The prince had a reason for doing this, because the army itself was a monster that consumed supplies like crazy. It would be great if the army could raise living supplies on its own, but letting them plunder was indeed a good choice.
Those French soldiers killed men and insulted women, so much so that the chaplain accompanying the army couldn't stand it. All this was tacitly approved by the prince, who would not allow these barbarians to disobey. Besides, what's wrong with showing tough tactics in Hedeby? Isn’t this a deserted land? If you kill a group of people, you will definitely not encounter hostility from other Danish tribes.
But each tribe feels that they will be beheaded next.
Ragnar, who had become chief, was furious!
His father, Sigurd the Ring, had died of illness, so he naturally became the leader.
The Franks tore up the peace treaty of 811 and launched another invasion of Denmark!
As a tribe close to the border, the final collapse of Hedebe and the escape of Stad, the city's so-called governor, with his men without resistance, young Ragnar felt that he had been completely betrayed. Unable to sit still and wait for death, he decided to fight back with his entire family.
Men, women, and even teenagers, everyone who could hold a weapon was gathered. Ragnar gathered nearly 800 warriors, and all the cowards ran away. These people were determined resisters. Such an army was all the fighting power that his small tribe could muster.
Ragnar organized his fleet to leave the village and sail directly into Schleswig along the eastern coastline.
"The Franks betrayed their alliance and Horik was the Frank's lackey! We must take revenge on them and follow me to annihilate Schleswig!"
A fleet of longships suddenly appeared, and Viking fanatics rushed to land on the beach.
They adhered to the slogan of blood for blood and massacred all living people in the Schleswig military stronghold.
After the madness, some women were left to the end. According to Viking rules, these women should be brought back to the tribe as slaves.
Ragnar must show bloody cruelty to his people. This is the only way he understands to maintain his rule.
All the captives were tied up, covered with firewood, and finally burned alive as a sacrifice to Odin.
Those poor little priests, yes, they were the ones left behind by the northern saint Eskil. They were all captured by Ragnar and burned to the point where not even ashes were left.
Ragnar's revenge has just begun. This large group of madmen needs a lot of supplies, so they must fight to support war. They marched towards Hamburg, sacking villages along the way.
Are all tactics really changing?
Ragnar's Viking army has arrived at the gates of Hamburg and immediately fought with the Hamburg defenders. If it weren't for the qualified city defense system and the poor siege methods of Ragnar's army, Hamburg would have perished. The siege resulted in the loss of troops and generals. Ragnar, who was frustrated for the first time, did not choose to fight to the end. He immediately began to rob villages in the upper reaches along the Elbe River.
A cancer was growing in the East Frankish Saxony region. Prince Ludwig, who was waiting for Horik's slide in Denmark, regarded the bad news from the messenger as Horik's rebellion.
He had to lead his troops back to the Great Wall, ignoring Hezeby's chicken feathers, and the Earl of Hamburg took the lead to relieve his own territory.
When they arrived in the earldom of Hamburg, all they saw along the Elbe River were charred villages and a large number of corpses.
The Franks were furious and cried bitterly. Enduring the pain, the prince gave an order: "Army! Go to Flanders! Kill all the Normans in Durist!"
Originally, according to Horik's plan, the men who stayed in the stronghold of Durist (east of Armstrong) in Flanders (Netherlands) were to return to Denmark in 836. A Norman pirate den was transformed into an undefended trading city.
Prince Ludwig retaliated in kind, and those Durist people who did not leave were regarded as rebels and killed.
By May, the situation had become very volatile.
Ever since, an extremely bad situation was placed in front of Horik, the king of Denmark.
He flew into a rage at his palace in Godfrehagen, the northernmost city on the peninsula.
He summoned many lords to ask about countermeasures, and sighed: "Oops! How did the kingdom become like this! A hateful Russian ship is robbing my merchant ships everywhere! And Ludwig, are you going to destroy my country? You say, Who hit Frank first?! This is to kill me!"
A series of questions hit the lords, and they pointed out that the hateful ship came from the revenge of the Russians. As for whether it was related to the killings of the Franks, it was unknown.
It was certainly their fault that the Franks sacked Hedeby, but without orders, who would be the first to launch a frenzied counterattack?
"It's Ragnar from the Stonewall tribe, the Ragnar who wears woolen pants." Someone pointed out with certainty.
"Ragnar? Sigurd's son? I never thought I could have such a madman in my hands?!"
In fact, Horik was happy and furious at the same time. He was happy about this man's cruelty and lamented that there are really madmen in Denmark, but he was angry because this man still refused to recognize himself as the King of Denmark.
Ragnar has caused a disaster and has to solve it himself, but now things have become extremely complicated. If the Danish army is gathered for a decisive battle with East Francia, there must be no problem at all, but the outcome will be difficult to decide.
But falling out with Ludwig was definitely not his purpose.
He could only lament the pain of "it is difficult to govern a country with insects." decisive battle? Can Denmark defeat the Frankish regular army? Ragnar's killing was purely a sneak attack, which doesn't mean anything.
Horik wanted to kill the army, but now he had to lead the army to negotiate. He must be prepared with both hands. If the negotiation fails, then fight! Danes will never be slaves.
As for the Ross ship, which was hunting and cruising like a lone wolf, Denmark had no time to pursue it.
Horik ordered the mobilization of all the lords. In order to prevent Denmark from being slaughtered, the Danes must unite to fight against the Franks, just like Chief Godfrey did thirty years ago.
He also issued a temporary sea ban, which was actually a threat: "You can go to sea. If you are killed by the Ross villains, I will not help you at the moment."
Sea bans cannot stop real merchants. The more war there is, the more profitable it is to transport tomahawks, spearheads and wooden shields.
But a small boat was already floating on the Weser River in Bremen, and Eskil and the Blue Fox finally left Frankland in the right season. Because of the lack of information, they did not know that a large group of Danish Vikings were killing people everywhere, nor did they know that the Russian royal pirates were hunting Danish ships everywhere.
They are drifting on the sea, and the future will be full of hardships, but they understand this.
But the blue fox, which had become quite lean, could not imagine what changes would happen in the area ahead.
