However, before Jiang Tian finished speaking, something changed again on the battlefield. The western front was too far forward on the flank of the Ninth Regiment; in a large dense forest, many ambush troops suddenly poured out like a flood. They were half-naked and wielding swords and curved swords.
The face and exposed parts of the body were still painted with colorful oil paints, roaring and roaring like some kind of wild beast; in an instant, they rushed across a short distance like the wind, rushing to rush in. , among the musketry company of the ninth regiment that hurriedly turned to meet the enemy.
They turned out to be Germanic barbarian swordsmen from the Greater Hesse region. They were born in dense forest tribes and were famous for voluntarily giving up most of their protection and being particularly agile and aggressive. They were good at using the camouflage of the forest as a cover to gather in groups from close range. Teams emerged to launch surprise attacks and ambushes;
It is said that special drugs are also used externally and internally for a long time to ensure that the fighting enthusiasm can temporarily ignore the pain during war; therefore, they are often called storm swordsmen; they once caused serious damage to the army of the Roman era and even the conquering army of the Frankish Kingdom. troubles and troubles.
But it's just troublesome, and it can't be upgraded to a real threat. Because in front of the tortoise-shell shields and field fortifications that the Roman legions were waiting for, and in front of the Frankish nobles and fief cavalry who were armed to the teeth, the Storm Swordsmen who lost their suddenness could easily be killed or injured.
Therefore, under the continuous advancement and attack of the Roman legions, and during the conquests and wars of King Charlemagne, the first generation hero of the Frankish Kingdom, the living space of these Germanic tribes in the forest became narrower and weaker; until the Eastern Empire Resurrection destroyed the hegemony of the Frankish Kingdom.
These Germanic barbarians in the forest, who relied on the protection and protection of the Black Forest and have always maintained quite primitive traditions, were able to be preserved and continued. Even during the previous major impact of the celestial change, they adapted to the changes and flourished again; becoming one of the many unique mercenaries in the Western Continent.
But in any case, as a long-range shooting unit, the Fire Gun Company, once these special units of brisk attack are allowed to easily approach and rush into the queue, it will be a disastrous result. Most of the gunslingers struggled to lift their spears, but they were easily split into two pieces.
In an instant, broken limbs and bloody winds were flying all over the sky; a brigade at the forefront had just fired a row of jagged rays; they were instantly scattered and defeated by them, and then they followed the trend without any pause. The second formation was pierced through and cut apart easily.
It wasn't until the formation of the third brigade that the firecrackers filled with radiation came to a halt. However, as if they were fearless of pain, they trampled the fallen wounded and corpses flawlessly, and then rushed into the formation of the third group, waving their swords and slashing away wantonly.
At this time, another group of spears/white soldiers bypassed the collapsed formation of their comrades and detoured back to their flank; roaring and launching an attack and thrust. But it was already too late; with the collapse and scattering of the forward company, the ninth regiment's front line also showed obvious gaps and flaws.
Although this spear/white soldier brigade succeeded in stabbing down many Germanic barbarian swordsmen with its array; but mixed in with the Ardennes offensive was a motley team wearing short leather armor, holding single-edged axes and small bucklers. ; They also used every opportunity to get close to them, slashing and fighting into a ball.
And more half-armored swordsmen from the Ardennes Army rushed in to expand the gap, and fought at close range with several other companies that lacked the cover of fortifications; they quickly killed the ninth regiment's front line. It was retreating steadily, and a large area was visible to the naked eye as it continued to be squeezed and dented.
The hunting bow/short bow team of the Ardennes Legion, which had been dispersed, regrouped and followed up, using close-range arc throws to suppress other companies trying to move closer for support. But under the isolated ninth regiment, the soldiers gathered together were still resisting desperately.
Until the strike company at the rear completed the position change, dozens of artillery batteries roared and fired in unison; the low-thrown ball bombs were bombarded at the rear of the enemy group that was scrambling to break through the front line, and a large blank area was cleared with bloody attacks. It also temporarily interrupted the Ardennes Army's subsequent momentum.
Taking advantage of this short buffer, more than half of the remnants of the Ninth Regiment were lost in the collapse and casualties. Only then were they able to stop being squeezed and forced to retreat under the regimental flag that was riddled with holes, and resume back-to-back. Several severely reduced small square formations were formed.
Then, a grenadier company as a new force/reserve passed through many fortifications and quietly appeared behind the remnants of the 9th Regiment; and then faced the shirtless German who came forward again with a roar. Barbarian swordsman; suddenly projected a row of fireball bullets.
"Everyone squat down!" "Shield cover!" "Find your own cover!" In the small square formation of the remaining members of the ninth regiment, there were also shouts one after another; as bullets flew overhead, they all came together in an instant. He crouched down in a hurry; at the same time, he covered his only shield in front of him.
The next moment, there were deafening roars one after another, followed by rows of splashing sand and exploding fireworks; in an instant, the intertwined enemy and enemy fronts were submerged. After a moment the smoke dissipated, there were already many gaps in the small phalanx.
However, the barbarian swordsmen and bucklers and axemen who were their enemies in front of them were even more miserable and tragic; only legs, feet and arms that had been blown off were everywhere, or intestines and stomachs were bleeding all over the place. His skin was torn and his flesh was covered in sparkling blood; he lay lying sideways in a pool of blood, wailing.
The remaining enemies who were still able to stand had bleeding from their mouths and noses, their heads were buzzing, and they had temporarily lost most of their perception and mobility. They stood there in despair or at a loss, letting the remnants of the ninth regiment, who were close at hand, disperse their formation and retreat into the rebuilt fortifications in the rear.
However, some half-armored swordsmen who were slightly farther away and had less impact, rushed over and pushed down their companions who had temporarily lost their fighting spirit. They stepped on their bodies and started to kill them one after another. ; Followed by another burst of fire from the short archers behind.
The next moment, they were staggered by a neat row of fire cannons from behind the temporary barrier, and their momentum was suddenly suffocated; then another row of flying bullets crossed a distance of tens of meters and landed behind them. ; This time, the flames suddenly burst into flames amidst the crackling sound.
In a short period of time, these exploding sparks infected the nearby swordsmen, causing them to scream and howl in agony; but more flames flowing on the ground gathered into raging walls of fire. , and also temporarily separate these intruding enemies.
Under the barrier of the flames, the barbarian swordsmen and bucklers and axemen who were trapped in the front line at a loss and fighting on their own were quickly knocked to the ground by the intensive volley; by the time the fire weakened again, they had There is no figure to stand on. Since then, the Ardennes offensive on the Western Front has basically collapsed.
However, on the Eastern Front, on the Champagne Army front. The commander of the Champagne Army on the Eastern Front, who was also a high-ranking official in the Champagne Province, Count Adalbert of Meaux; and his company of country/gentry knights and provincial militia, were caught in a difficult battle.
Although they successfully opened multiple breaches and rushed into the gaps between the large square formations defended by the Fourth and Sixth Regiments of the Free Army, they also fell into a trap of attacks from multiple sides; there were enemies on almost all sides. It was under constant attack almost from the front, rear, left and right.
Whether it is light-armored swift infantry or mountain cavalry from local militia groups; they are all in the gaps deliberately set aside for shooting in these large square formations like meat grinders; they are squeezed and hit against the wall one after another. The enemy suffered heavy casualties and even lost their lives quickly.
Adalbert led a personal guard company composed of gentry knights, rushing left and right to gather the scattered militia soldiers, but when he led the team to move again, these militia groups who could only follow on foot were They will fall behind or collapse because they can't keep up.
Unlike the Marquis of Troyes, who is the general of the Ardennes Army but is unremarkable except for his royal in-law status, Adalbert, Count of Meaux, is an anomaly among the old nobility, one of the few die-hards who insists on tradition. A die-hard among them, and was once called an old antique.
Because many kingdom nobles have entrusted their territory and property to tax collectors or kingdom agents for generations, and then went to the capital area one after another to enjoy the prosperous life and the convenience of being close to the royal family; but he still insisted on a certain Some unshakable traditions remain in the territory.
For example, in life, they should always revere and worship God, respect the royal family and fulfill their vassal duties; at the same time, strictly discipline and restrain their children, ministers and vassals; personally manage the territory and conduct regular inspections and practice martial arts, as if they are still living in the changes of the celestial sphere. The previous medieval times were average.
Therefore, he also attaches great importance to ancient traditions in his life and pursues a strict and regular schedule; especially the etiquette of superiority and inferiority. For this reason, he also personally expelled and punished businessmen, vagrants and rogues with a bad reputation in the territorial manor. However, the incident in the capital caused everything to collapse for him.
Therefore, Adalbert did not hesitate to abandon his position as garrison commander of the provincial city; he returned to his manor to prepare for arms. He also refused the position of chief judge of the provincial capital appointed by the pro-king/constitutionalists; then, he did not hesitate to attack and kill senior officials and guards appointed by the new government.
Because in his eyes, whether it is the constitutionalists who support the king in the name, or those retro-republicans who subvert everything existing liberals; anyone who dares to bully and trample on the noble blood of the royal family will plunge the kingdom into turmoil And disaster, unforgivable rebellious officials and traitors.
Not to mention those low-level mobs and thieves who took advantage of the chaos to try to subvert and destroy the kingdom's feudal system. Therefore, he not only strictly prohibited similar heresies within his own sphere of influence, but also personally executed his favorites for this. And the vassal knight who made the engagement.
He soon became the flag of the Champagne Province, the old aristocracy and the royal party; he repeatedly defeated successive governments and sent crusade against the Champagne Province. However, when the Burgundy family took control of the capital, they were ordered to lobby the Metropolitan, whom they had known for many years, but they succeeded in impressing him.
As the saying goes, the order brought about by the worst kind of royal rule and tyranny is more superior than the unrealistic and wishful thinking of the lower-class mob in pursuit of equality and freedom. Therefore, the rebels in the south intensified and began to move north, and he did not hesitate to lead troops to help.
However, the performance of these southern rebel parties in front of him greatly overturned his impression of traditional mobs, bandits, and rebel armed forces. These rebels are even more well-trained and tenacious than most garrison and militia groups, and they are more like the victorious army in the era of the Terror Lord.
The large phalanxes formed by these enemies do not look thick and solid; there are only some defense lines composed of vehicles, fortifications and spearmen on the outside, while inside there are several layers of firecrackers and powerful crossbows. array; but the Champagne Legion could not break through the line in any case.
Therefore, Adalbert and his soldiers clearly had a numerical advantage on the local battlefield; but they seemed to be stuck in an indescribable quagmire. No matter how many people were thrown in, they could not break the enemy's line. Instead, they were constantly divided during the battle.
In the end, even he couldn't help but lead the team to fight in person, but he couldn't help but lose contact with most of the troops in the melee. However, the next moment, the local cavalry/gentry knights around Adalbert suddenly cheered because a gap opened in the enemy formation on the opposite side.
Along with these self-prepared bows, horses, armor and personal retinues, the local cavalry who came to seek refuge with great morale were rushed towards this gap where the enemy had retreated. Adalbert could not help but have a thankful thought. Are the rebels no longer able to hold on?
However, then in the billowing dust and smoke, he suddenly caught a glimpse of the outline of a row of thick tubes. In an instant, his scalp was numb and his whole body trembled. Although he is stubbornly conservative and adheres to tradition, he is not a true "old antique" who knows nothing about firearms and refuses to use them.
In fact, he had seen the tremendous power of this heavy weapon many times earlier when he led troops in sneak attacks and assaults to counter rebellions organized by successive governments. It's just that the fighting will and experience of the new government troops are not as tenacious and difficult to deal with as these southern rebels.
Therefore, he did not hesitate to shout out the next moment: "Blow the trumpet to disperse the advancing cavalry...". However, the loud roar that suddenly resounded in the battlefield instantly overwhelmed and drowned out the various noises of the battle including the neighing of horses and horses, the clash of swords, and the screams and roars.
From those densely arranged huge tubes, red and black flames and smoke clouds spewed head-on, instantly covering and drowning the group of local cavalry rushing at the front; then like an invisible force sweeping past, more local cavalry Suddenly, it exploded on the spot with blood and flesh flying everywhere.
Some had their heads and upper bodies exploded in the air, leaving only half of the saddle; some had their bodies including people and horses smashed to pieces, rolling and falling to the ground; and some were interrupted by roaring sounds. Arms and thighs, and fell from the saddle...
Even the flag bearer of the regiment not far from Adalbert was accidentally interrupted by the flagpole he was holding; he could only watch helplessly as the military flag embroidered with white roses on a red background slumped and fell. Here we are, amid the billowing smoke and dust.
Seeing this scene, the soldiers of the Champagne Legion, who were still in the melee, couldn't help but let out a series of shrill screams and lamentations. In an instant, their morale was shaken and their morale collapsed. They gave up on the fighting lineup and turned away from the enemy. fled away in the direction.
Although Adalbert, who was caught in the middle of the battlefield, made a decisive decision and quickly ordered the raising of his family crest and flag, it was irreversible. After escaping less than half of the soldiers, the battlefield was in decline and disadvantage. Even his location has become the focus of the enemy's fire attack.
Soon, as he rushed around to fight, the guards cavalry and local knights who rushed left and right fell to the rain of bullets fired by the fire cannons one after another. After losing his mount for the third time, the legion commander Adalbert continued to walk on foot with increasing frustration, leading the soldiers to break through.
Until he heard the whistling sound coming from the wind again, quickly penetrating the battlefield like a tsunami; and the trembling of sand on the ground became more and more obvious. Adalbert, who was wearing a gorgeous coat of Milanese armor, all dyed bright red, showed a kind of heartfelt smile.
It’s time for party membership activities again. I still owe a lot of study records. I’m worried.
(End of chapter)
