General MacDonald was not only the commander of the 4th Army, but also the commander-in-chief of the entire theater. Assisting him in managing the legion were a "deputy general" with the rank of senior commander and several senior infantry commanders who commanded the brigade, as well as the younger generation of aristocratic families such as Berthier, who had just been transferred.
According to Beyeland's tradition, in every large-scale military operation, students from several famous colleges and universities will be arranged to participate in the war to make up for the shortage of extraordinary people in the army. At the same time, they will also be tested to see whether they have achieved academic success and are ready to perform their duties after graduation. Prepare.
Students at spring camp don't stay in the field for long, and will pull out after a battle or two.
General Macdonald favored the young men of Berthier and Homemon Watts. He handed the future earl some cavalry and light infantry and ordered him to advance along the Avenue of the Roses to the south.
Berthier had fought against the rebels in Verona, and had also been to Odessa, where he and Griffith destroyed many orc troops. He was accompanied by Dedeus and the experienced Ophelia, With the assistance of Nona and Kurala, and there were many first- and second-year students from Homemonworth who were familiar with each other in the army, he quickly began to execute the order of separate attacks.
He led a battalion of Bayerland infantry, supported by Viscount Varian of Verona with a battalion of Verona auxiliaries. They were also assisted by a cavalry team composed of more than a dozen local knights and retinues. This army set off from the military camp, passed through the two towns, and moved rapidly toward the south of Dupont Territory to the west.
Berthier made full preparations. He not only collected local geographical and humanistic intelligence from the local lords loyal to Bayeran, but also sent his subordinates to collect information from local residents and shepherds.
His unit was called the "Bertier Column" and consisted of two brigades of 1,300 heavy infantry, 100 light infantry, 200 engineers and artillery, as well as 6 cannons, some Extraordinaries and knights for support, and more than 700 unarmed auxiliaries. The soldiers were responsible for carrying things for them. This 2,000-man force advanced westward along Rose Avenue, parallel to the friendly forces to the north.
However, once you leave the area controlled by the Beyelan garrison, the situation becomes somewhat different. Soon after Beyelan's army left the controlled area, the surrounding environment began to deteriorate.
Not to mention gathering intelligence, even the towns and hotels where everyone could take a rest along the way were gone. There are even wild beasts moving quietly behind the tall grass and shrubs.
"I remember it was not like this when I came here last time," Berthier looked at the desolate land and said to the nobles and officers around him. "The crops in the fields are very lush, and the population near the roads and rivers is also very dense."
"This area is a buffer zone. It is no longer like this after the rebels fought a few battles with us," Viscount Varian replied. "The fleeing of farmers is very serious. They moved their families and their families to the mountains to the west. The remaining They no longer do small business."
"Why? I mean, why would they go to rebel-controlled areas? Isn't that barren mountainous land?"
"It is indeed barren, but the rebels only collect 30% of the tax, which is 20% less than the local area. And there is no fighting there, unlike this area, where the farming has been greatly affected after repeated raids by Count Chalon and Count Larmore's legions. "
Varian said calmly, as if he was talking about something that had nothing to do with him:
"The two earls came here, completely expelled the rebels from the eastern coastal area, and recovered many towns in the center. After they left, new generals came, and fought several battles in the west, collecting military supplies along the way. . From then on, if the rebels want to come and harass us, they have to go through hundreds of miles of uninhabited wilderness."
Berthier did not answer. Viscount Varian's meaning was already obvious - the reason why this army's movement had to pass through the wilderness that lacked support along the way was all thanks to the predecessor, General Byerland.
The intervention of the Bayeran army not only deprived Verona of its autonomy, but also wiped out the local people's livelihood. The trade in wool, spices and crops that had flourished before the war now had to go through Beyeland's agents before leaving the country.
It is impossible that the nobles of Verona did not complain and worry.
…
After the regicide Commodus escaped, Ophelia's identity became somewhat embarrassing. She was investigated for a period of time along with Medienmeia, and after regaining her freedom under Griffith's protection, she was still under military surveillance. Since she often participated in the staff work of the high command, especially during the Autumn Battle of Odessa, she was a member of the army command from beginning to end. Among the entire sophomore class at Homemonworth, she and Griffith were considered the most talented. The staff officers can accurately and quickly grasp the characteristics of the entire battlefield.
Her superiors assigned her to assist Berthier in his work, but did not send Medienmeier.
This seemingly conspiracy-like order made Ophelia highly alert for several days, wary of a trap.
Soon, as a staff officer, she received the march orders and details from MacDonald's command. Immediately after Berthier and another commander set off, the general's main force advanced along the east-west Via Verona, which started from the old town and extended to the city of Sofia in the mountains.
The second-in-command of Macdonald's corps, Lieutenant-General of the corps, led another army westward along the Varna Avenue in the north, then turned south on the north-south Tribune Avenue and drove directly to the northwest of Dupont Territory. This way, three armies will surround the rebels. If the rebels see that they are outnumbered and therefore concentrate their forces to attack Berthier or the deputy general, the general who marches quickly along the widest Verona Avenue can lead the main force to attack from the rear and completely eliminate the rebels.
"Sounds good." After listening to the report, Berthier looked at Ophelia who drew the route on the map, and then looked at Nona and Dedeus who were present.
"The plan itself is very good~" Ophelia looked around at the nobles and officers present, her eyes flashed with a little regret, "but to successfully execute it, the rebels need to stay in the camp in the Earl of Dupont territory. inside……"
If Midianmeier had been present, everyone would have heard Ms. Schoutlar's more sharp comments, and most of them centered around the differences between General MacDonald's theory and practice and the room for improvement in his intelligence. Ophelia's thinking is as fast as lightning, and she often says irritating words before others can react. She is especially unscrupulous when she is with Midian Maier.
Kurala, who was sitting very close, raised her foot and kicked Ophelia's heel. As a royal guard who had just been investigated, it was irrational to openly question famous senators and generals at a meeting.
"Isn't this a matter of course?" The Verona nobles present were convinced of this. "Those hooligans and thieves are not rational people at all, they are just a group of dirty and stupid beasts. They robbed the count's manor and enjoyed the things that did not belong to them. Their goodies.
"Commander Macdonald's strategy is impeccable!"
…
Berthier's column advanced as planned.
Nona rode up to a small hill, where two female cavalrymen were stopping to watch.
"Wolf Cavalry, how is the situation?"
"If you scream like that again, I will duel with you," Ophelia clenched her fists and replied through gritted teeth, "Xiao Yugan's observer brought someone up and prepared to catch two tongues. He should be back now."
"It's a pity that it's not Xiaoyugan himself," Kurala raised her index finger and shook it with some regret, "The best men in the second grade are Griffith, Lana, Russell, Murat, and Midian. No one from Maia came, it was just the three of us, and it felt like going out in the middle of the night without any clothes.”
Nona thought for a while: "Why is Murat ranked behind Russell, a fool who is more reckless than a wild boar?"
"Huh? Is this the point? Why do you think we can't do it without men?" Ophelia shook her head with a smile, "And what about men? Is any of the five of them already a man?"
"..."
The three of them were silent for a few seconds. Kurala looked around with confusion: "I don't know about the others, not even Midian Maier! Is this reasonable?"
Before anyone else could answer, Kurala's eyebrows were curved like crescent moons, and she suppressed a smile: "Is it because everything happened so suddenly... As expected of the Gale Wolf..."
"Hey! Hit you!" Ophelia clenched her fists and growled in a low voice, "That's to praise his speed in gathering, marching and maneuvering! At other times, he is tenacious and persistent..."
"It sounds like you've learned the lesson, don't you? Hey, really you haven't?" Cruella's witty words pierced Ophelia's body like a sword, and then she turned sharply before she was really hit, "Quickly Look, the kid is back."
The three of them stood on the hill and watched the dusty Desai coming with the light cavalry. The still gray human head hung on his saddle, and the scabbard of his sword was dripping with blood. Everyone in the East is accustomed to this kind of thing.
Not only the first-year students from Beyeland came to participate in this mission, but also the exchange students from Odessa also participated in the operation in batches. Instead of obeying Naira's will, Neferti went to spring camp with her friends, following the column headquarters and watching the cavalry galloping in the distance.
"Desai, how is the situation ahead?" Brigadier Berthier and adjutant Dedeus asked from a distance when they saw the returning cavalry.
Desai was not a member of Homemon Watts, but he had relatively rich combat experience. After being recommended by Griffith, who was unable to participate in the operation, he joined the operation as an observer.
With four light cavalry, he had just wiped out a small group of rebels and returned with two prisoners and a bunch of heads.
"A rebel army of five hundred people blocked the way, commander." Desai jumped off his horse and punched his left chest. "They were at the ferry four miles ahead. They used large vehicles to set up a vehicle formation based on the river and blocked the bridge. We conducted tests and found that they were equipped with a large number of crossbows, and the carts connected in series were two meters high and very strong."
"Pull up the artillery team to blast their camp," Berthier said to his companions. "This will reduce our casualties."
"But it will delay more time. The artillery team is at least half a day's journey away from us. The road here is not easy to walk," said Viscount Varian, a nobleman of Verona who was accompanying him. "Count Dupont's situation is critical. We must follow the general's instructions." The order arrived on time, which is also the opinion of Old Town."
General Macdonald did have strict requirements on the march time, and Berthier did not discuss the matter further. He summoned his officers and sergeants, issued an order to prepare for the attack, and then said to the nobles of Verona: "Concentrate the cavalry and heavy infantry to prepare for a foot assault, and attack together from the north and south. Go and prepare some shield vehicles."
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