Black Iron’s Glory

Chapter 273 The Land of Death

Claude has good news and bad news. The good news is that there is no deadline for the Cannes prairie. It is only required to be before May after the rainy season. It’s just been the year before, and there’s still a long day in May, enough to get Claude to do a good job.

It seems that the above is also very clear. It is unrealistic to ask the battalion to send troops to the prairie. It will be January, it is still winter, snowy, it is easy to get lost on the prairie, and even a wind-proof place can not find it. To. Compared to the mountains, the endless flat prairie is the coldest place.

February is the snowing and glacial period, and it is not suitable for sending troops. The prairie is full of muddy water. It is difficult to travel, and even a dry place can't be found. The dry firewood that needs to be fired needs to be carried by itself. March is the rainy season. It is said that the prairie is full of mud and mud, and accidentally even people bring horses into it. In April, the earth warmed up, flowers bloomed, wild grasses flourished, and herders began to rush to graze cattle and sheep and horses. It was the most suitable time to send troops.

The bad news is that there is not enough horses to collect from the battalion. Everyone knows that the power of the prairie depends on good mounts, but the Cannes Principal rarely sells war horses. They sell cattle, sheep, horses, furs, etc. War horses are included in strategic control materials and cannot be sold privately. . Even if they do business with the allies in the anti-Austrian alliance, they are all sold horses.

After the outbreak of the war, the army of the kings of Ovilas did not have seized the war horses of the Cannes of the Cannes on the battlefield, but these horses were divided by several legions, because these regiments had the establishment of cavalry regiments, they needed militant Malay supplements. . In the eastern part of the mainland, the war horses of the Cannes are the best mounts.

Although the Principality of Eskilin is close to the Canas Prairie, it is really difficult to acquire suitable horses in the three southern counties. People in the Principality of Cannes rely on horses, while those in the Principality of Eskilin rely on carriages. Therefore, in the southern three counties, there are many horses that can be used for riding horses and carts. Captain Scree has collected a lot, but the right horses can't find a few.

The warhorse needs to adapt to the roar of the artillery, the gunshots and the smell of smoke emitted by the musket, even if it is suddenly attacked on the way to the march, it will not panic and disturb the team, which is caused by riding horses and pulling horses. Not enough.

The battalion of the squadron belongs to the infantry field battalion. It is not equipped with war horses. There are quite a few horses, which are mainly used to transport materials. Claude's squad is equipped with more than a dozen horses. This is the capture of the former battalion ambush of the enemy's reconnaissance cavalry. It is now used for reconnaissance and information. However, if the whole camp is sent to the Canas Prairie, it will require a soldier to be equipped with a war horse, otherwise it will not escape.

Unlike the rest of the three battalions, the three battalions entered the Cannes prairie from the border area of ​​the Eskilin Principality, where the terrain was flat and wide. If you don't have a mount, you can organize a big team, so even if you encounter the attack of the Canas Principality, you can use the big team to form a car to cover.

The mountain road on the side of the battalion can be narrow. Although Claude allowed the prisoners to renovate the squirrel village to the mountain road at the entrance of the southern three counties, he could barely drive a four-wheeled freight wagon. However, the mountain road of Squirrel Village to Cannas Prairie has not been renovated. Now, let’s not pull the car. It is the fear of riding on the horse. If you are afraid of riding a leg, you will have to plant it in the valley next to the mountain road. The safest way to march is to walk through this mountain path on your own legs...

Markich, who was promoted to the second lieutenant, did not agree with the war horse. He went deep into the tiger's dens last year and scouted the territory of the Earl of the nobles of the Cannes of the Cannes, the Earl of Leukade Barklaus. The people on the other side took the mountain. It is called the Daqing Mountains, not the southern mountains marked on the map of the Principality of Eskilin. Because the territory of the Earl of Leukade Barklaus is backed by the Daqing Mountains, his people are half-cultivated and semi-grazing. There are villages in the territory, rivers, farms and forest farms. The count also has a big The castle, which is the main reason why he became the commander of the aristocratic coalition of the Cannes of the Cannes.

Because the situation of the Earl of Leukade and the three southern counties are similar, Markch believes that there is no need to entangle the collection of war horses. At the very least, the Piaget does not need a battalion to have a good motivation. Those village farms and castles and castles can not run long legs, Claude can be beaten down one by one, waiting to seize the count and then collect the horses, I believe it is much easier than in the southern three counties, And it may not be necessary to spend the military expenses of a battalion...

Claude adopted Mark's advice, but that doesn't mean he can wait until April to send troops. There are still many things to consider. For example, there are eight light infantry artillery artillery squadrons. It is obviously impossible to haul on the mountain roads by the Hummer. There is no way to haul the artillery on the mountain road there. It is not possible to send troops without artillery. If you encounter a large group of light horses and come to attack the ammunition launched by these eight artillery pieces, it will become the safety of your own team. At least the enemy can be blocked from 100 meters away from each other.

In addition, before collecting the horses to allow the team to have enough power, Claude needed a perfect wartime equipment to resist the enemy's light ride, so he passed the information he needed to the battalion. When he was in the captain, Captain Scree followed the advice of Lieutenant Colonel Lederrk, and did not ask what these things were for, but tried to help Crowder raise and transport it to the Squirrel Village.

The time passed quickly. After the rainy season, Claude began to send Markie and others to lead the reconnaissance of the Earl of Leukade at the exit of the mountain road. It was only the result of the reconnaissance that made Claude suspicion, because the scouts reported that they could not see the figure in the count’s territory, and they did not dare to go deep, just watching at the exit of the mountain road...

In mid-April, the battalion moved to the Squirrel Village, and after the battalion entered the Cannes Savannah, it will be taken over by the local police battalion from the rear.

On April 20th, this was the day when Claude took his own team and officially sent troops to the Canas Prairie. Compared with the 2nd Battalion, the 3rd Battalion and the 4th Battalion, they had been slowed for five days. No way, the mountain road Difficult to do, the transfer of materials requires more effort.

The only thing that Claude was fortunate was that her little lover, Sheila, was obedient and obedient, and did not come to him. Some days ago, I heard that Crowder was going to go to the Canas Prairie and leave the Squirrel Village. Sheila also wanted to accompany Crowder. Crowder said that she had given up this plan, joking, everyone was holding a musket in the battle, and if Sheila appeared on the battlefield, a big fireball would go out and ensure that the muskets on both sides of the battle would open fire on her...

Make sure that you will return safely, that you will have time to come to see her, plus that Hilla is here to wait for her mother to return, but also to learn the lessons she has left for her mother... Claude finally let Hira nod to promise I stayed in the witch forest and didn’t go out for a walk...

Except for the difficult march on the mountain road, this is because the Claude team carries too much material, and almost two or three soldiers are responsible for taking care of a Hummer. After waiting for the mountain road and entering the grassland boundary, Claude found that it took no trouble to capture the land of the Earl of Leukade. Just like the armed march, that is, walking through this count of the land, everything along the way falls into its own control, whether it is a village or a farmstead.

Just like the previous reconnaissance of Mark and others, there is no green labor here. The rest of the village is old and weak, and the number is still very small. Even the young women are not seen. In the spring of April, there are very few people who have seen the labors on the land of the count. Occasionally, a few old people are carrying out baskets and want to pick some wild vegetables to fill the hunger...

Until the team arrived under the castle of Earl Leukade, the people in the castle opened the door and surrendered, and Claude discovered that there were only a few older servants in the castle. I asked the old manager who surrendered. Where did everyone go?

The old governor sighed and said, they all left. First, Qing Zhuang was taken away by the compulsory recruitment of the Principality. The remaining half was gathered by the lords to say that they were going to the southern three counties to make a fortune. And the boys and men who thought they could still rush in the forties. In less than half a month, the lord of the lord ran back with dozens of people. It is said that he was defeated. If he did not return, he would not be killed or captured.

After the lord fled back, he packed up all his belongings and went to Beibu Gulf with his family. He never returned. Keeping this old management here is responsible for selling all the real estate in the territory, selling taxes and selling. The property is then sent to Beibu Gulf. But the news of the defeat has spread throughout the lord's land of freedom. Not only his lord of the count, but the lords who fled back, like him, carried their belongings and family to escape the Beibu Gulf, and abandoned the territory that once regarded life. regardless of.

All the applicants in this area did not return to the youth, and the rest of the people were able to leave, leaving the place of gradual depression. The old manager looked at the thriving territory of the past and became devoid of people. The fields were not cultivated, and no one went to graze cattle and sheep. The things that could be taken away were taken away by the people who walked away, even the shepherd dog. The sound of the call can no longer be heard.

This territory is going to death... the old manager said sadly.

"Where did you mean the land of freedom of the lord?" Crowder asked.

"This is here, the large area at the foot of Daqing Mountain. There are more than a dozen territories. The territory of our Earl is the biggest. He is also the leader of the lords. Without the permission of the lord, even the Dagong. It is also impossible to enter this area. So the lords call this area their land of freedom.” The old steward said proudly, it seems to be reviewing the glorious years and brilliant days of the lords.

When the minions are still proud, it is the freedom of the lords, and they have a fart relationship with you. Claude asked McJack to bring the map and asked the old manager: "Except for your lord, other lords also ran, no one left?"

"They are gone, they are all gone..." The old manager was crying and sighing and sighing: "This area has been contaminated with the shadow of death, and can no longer escape the end of the demise. Only those who left, no one who came back. Young people, I advise you to go soon, or you will die here..."

Crowder began to look at the map, ignoring the old cliché of this brain. What is going to death is not the green of the territory, whether it is to be conscripted, or whether the robbers went to the southern three counties to be robbed and killed by the squirrel village. The escaping lord feared that the army of the king of Orvilas would attack. Their territory, so they packed up their money and fled early.

Without the green and strong territory, there is no lord. The rest of the people who are not willing to wait for death naturally want to find a way to live. After the people who can leave are gone, no one’s territory will naturally become such a thing. This is nothing to be surprised. of.

No wonder that after the victory last year, I never saw the merchants coming from the prairie. It was all scared away by these rumors. No, it’s not scary, but they just have no business to do in this area. If people don’t have a business, they will not come naturally...

"Maud, Dede, both of you took your own squadron to search from the left and right sides of this count, and searched all the territories of the area. If there were any people, they brought them back. Here, understand?” Claude pointed to the map against Murray, Diavid.

"Yes, obey." The two men left for a ceremony.

"Marcie, you bring your own squadron from here to the center of the grassland for reconnaissance. If you find herders and nomadic tribes, you can bring them back when you can eat them. If you are not sure, mark them on the map, don't let them Find."

"Follow, sir." Markchi rushed out with enthusiasm, and Claude's order gave him great freedom of movement. If the herdsmen’s living tents are found along the way, he can plunder while arresting people. This is a quick action.

"Sir Sergeant, your infantry squadron is armed on the castle. Lord Lokid, your artillery squadron will unload the eight artillery accessories from the horseback and reload it, look for the gun on the castle. Positioning. I think, for the next few days, we have to be stationed here." Claude told the remaining two squadron leaders.

This is an unexpected situation that no one expected. The aristocrats here will give up their territory and flee. As a result, the large area at the foot of Daqing Mountain will be handed over.

The Cannas prairie is large, and the area of ​​the dozen or so territories on the map accounts for one-seventh of the prairie on the map. Although Claude received the task of investigating the power of the Cannes Principality, but such a big pie fell in front of himself, there is no reason not to eat. He believes that Captain Scri is the same opinion as him. He first took this area to occupy it. Then he said that this area is backed by Daqing Mountain, and it is suitable for farming and animal husbandry. It is the best starting point for the kingdom to deforest the Canas Prairie. base……