Eagle Byzantium

Later, in accordance with Raymond's request, all the pilgrims who besieged the city recovered from their panic - they picked up their weapons, quickly formed a team, and walked through the wilderness under Gangala Castle with flags, filling the auspicious position. After the Duke of Yom escaped, he left the empty western position and began to form a formation there.

Even though the total number of pilgrims is as many as 200,000, there are only 10,000 or 20,000 regular soldiers with actual combat experience.

After Guillaume escaped without authorization, except for the part that besieged and monitored Gangala, all the arrays set up by Raymond at the exit of the inclined valley totaled about 7,000 soldiers: the one-eyed Earl of Laudicia divided them into It is a square array of five, with three in front and three in back There were two men on the side. Raymond was in the center of the rear column. He and Vallotte led 500 Tecopo cavalry and 450 Provence soldiers. They tied the towering holy spear with a lace and stuck it in the center of the position. , prominently visible to all soldiers from the front, rear, left and right.

All the soldiers in the front ranks of the Pilgrim Legion wore helmets, covered their bodies with shields, and held sharp swords and spears. They formed a tight horizontal formation, facing the mouth of the sloping valley with flying flames. They were not allowed to run around or move around. Leaving the post without authorization.

Then, Raymond sent messengers to request Mikhail's camps more than ten miles away to reinforce him.

In fact, the entire situation is very clear at this moment. The one thousand detachment that Raymond sent into the inclined valley to search for grains can be said to have suffered a complete disaster, but the main force still exists - seven thousand combat-effective Franks, Lombards, Flanders warriors filled the gap and blocked the Xie Valley. Even if Merrick had 20,000 people occupying the right of way in the Xie Valley, it would be very difficult to rush out and defeat Raymond face to face.

Therefore, as long as Mikhail leads the emperor's six thousand troops to Raymond's flank to protect him, the newly promoted great earl will still be in an invincible position (although victory will be difficult), and as long as Raymond If De Bubai could hold on for two or three days, the emperor's supplies from the directions of Sinop and Kastamonu would arrive, and Raymond could still successfully stabilize the front. In other words, once the emperor's supplies and equipment arrive, Raymond may even use this help to pull out Gangara and Karabi, thereby forcing Danishmund to retreat to the east bank of Harris.

In that case, Gawain has captured Kayseri, Titicius's team has also approached Konya and Ankara, and Theodoro's troops have also crossed the New Caesarea Pass. With the cooperation of several routes, they can completely defeat them. Merrick's strategic space is sealed in Amasya - when the groups meet again, Merrick may have to abandon the city of Amasya, which is threatened from three sides, and retreat to Sivas or even further to the Greater Armenian Plateau to herd sheep. Went.

But this kind of wishful thinking and perfect strategic plan is completely impossible under the operation of military commanders with different motives:

Gawain was focused on driving directly to Ankara, hoping to block the passage of Merrick's brigade south to reinforce Ankara and capture it before the decisive battle between Merrick and Raymond;

Conrad's men captured and occupied Fort Germanico, standing on both ends of the road between Ankara and Gangara, with a wait-and-see attitude;

Titicius's new army went straight to Ankara and paid no attention to the battle situation in the north, because Prince John told him beforehand, "No matter what the situation is, do not break out into conflict with Gawain, and do not give up your control of the team." power of command”;

Even the emperor himself used spies many times to disrupt the marching plans of the entire team, and he did not trust many Western lords at all.

Among the 200,000 people who finally returned to Raymond, Guillaume abandoned his position and fled towards Kastamonu without saying hello; and Mikhail, who received the letter of help from the great count, also had a very unusual attitude. Ambiguously, "Our troops are guarding the position here and cannot move at will, but I promise to assist the great count at the appropriate moment."

Raymond's order came five times, but Mikhail still gave the same reply without changing even half a letter.

At the end of the second hour of the morning, the Danish Mondrian army appeared from the highlands and trails of the sloping valley. Merrick also arrived in person with his cavalry, "Execute these apocryphal holders in public!" Mery Ke cruelly ordered, and then the executioner holding an ax in his hand mercilessly chopped down the captured pilgrims who had survived the ambush in the inclined valley, including the scarred and burned Count Oude, in front of the horse. Head.

Then all the Turks gathered together and began to condescendingly shoot at Raymond's five phalanxes in turns.

Waves of arrows from the Turks rained down on the heads and shields of the three phalanxes of pilgrim soldiers in the front line like a torrential rain. Many people's chainmails, shields, and robes were densely packed with arrows, and they were still standing firm: fortunately, they were already at the end of their power when they flew to them, so even though they shot into the armor's ring, , but it only caused minor damage to the skin.

The shooting of arrows continued for a long time, and soon the drums were beaten. The warriors of the Danish Mond army, wearing heavy armor, holding shields and sharp weapons, rushed down the mountain and pressed against the front line of the pilgrims. , the two sides then clashed with each other and started a big melee.

Encouraged by the holy spear, the pilgrims were full of momentum. Even though they endured the torment of semi-starvation, they still waved heavy weapons and sang hymns, cutting down the incoming enemies to the ground one after another. Many people were still injured. The fierce fighting continued, and the long and bloody battle lasted for nine rounds. Merrick, who was supervising the battle command on the opposite hillside, found that nearly a thousand people on his side had been killed, and he still failed to break any of Raymond's front line formations.

"Don't retreat! The women and children who need protection are all in the camp behind us. If we run away cowardly, they will all be ravaged and slaughtered by the cruel Turks!" This is the belief of everyone, and this belief prompted them to persevere, repelling the pagans' attacks again and again, allowing the Holy Spear to stand firm.

Three more rounds of fighting ended, and Merrick, who still had no progress, was extremely annoyed. He felt that if he continued to attack like this, it would only be a waste of his elite infantry and cavalry. Finally, he rode his horse and looked at the entire battle situation on the opposite side of Gangara. Thinking of the results of the previous scouts' reconnaissance, he pointed his whip at the wide gap between Raymond's line and Mikhail's camp, "Send out 4,000 people to occupy there, and then attack from the side to destroy this group of unbelievers holding a long stick fake."

A correct version at 16-9, 1 book, 1 forum!

Soon the short silence ended, and 4,000 Sagittus cavalrymen came out from the right wing of the Great Emir's army, and rushed to Raymond's left wing like a whirlwind of lightning. The dust swirled by the horses' hooves covered the sky and the sun - "Where are the Greek auxiliary troops? How did we completely expose our flank to the enemy!" Such panicked words and questions spread like lightning to every corner of the five squares. (To be continued ~^~)