Iron Powder and Spellcaster

The sentry on the watchtower saw a group of cavalry galloping towards the gate from a distance.

When the alarm bell rang, the defenders with weapons rushed straight to the camp wall, while the civilians who were digging trenches outside the camp swarmed towards the camp gate.

This is a small fortress standing outside Niuti Valley Town, only fifty meters long and wide.

There are two layers of earth walls inside and outside the fort. The main wall is two meters high, the sub-wall is just one meter, and there are only two doors at the front and back.

For a time, the defenders wanted to go out and the civilians wanted to come in, and the camp gate was blocked.

"Where did the Hedians cross the river?" Tamas, the company commander, was so anxious that he climbed up the camp wall and shouted: "Don't block the door! Let our people get out first!"

The civilians outside were bent on entering the camp, but no one paid him any attention.

Tamas stamped his foot fiercely: "Back off! Let them come in first!"

The soldiers moved to both sides, and the crowd poured into the camp like a tide, and the small camp was packed to the brim.

Tamas was anxious, but he heard the sentry on the watchtower shout: "Company commander! It's the flag of Montagne's military tribune!"

Tamas looked at the incoming man and breathed a sigh of relief when he saw a blood-red flag fluttering on the tip of his spear.

The company flag of the regiment is a blue four-quadrant flag, while the Hurds use a cyan horsetail flag.

There is only one person in the entire Tiefeng County who can use the blood-red flag. It is a military flag brought back from the wilderness. It is a unique personal military flag.

Tamas jumped off the camp wall and set out to calm the civilians. Before he could wipe the sweat off his forehead, he heard a thunderous roar coming from outside the camp wall: "What are you doing? Tamas! Bart Shilling! Get out of here!"

When Winters arrived at the town of Oxhoof Valley, it was already noon on the second day of the ambush.

The condition of the Cowhoof Valley camp did not satisfy him. From the time he heard the alarm bell ringing to the time he ran outside the camp wall, a large number of civilians were still crowded at the camp gate and were not admitted into the camp.

The front and rear gates of the camp were full of people, and Tamas had no choice but to climb over the wall and leave the camp in embarrassment.

"Where's Bart Shilling?" Winters asked the first company commander with a straight face.

Tamas replied quickly: "On the river bank, the Second Company is monitoring the movements of the barbarians."

Winters pointed at the chaotic camp and asked with suppressed anger: "If I were a Hud, would you still be alive?"

Tamas was in trouble and couldn't tell.

Winters said nothing as he rode around the camp wall.

Tamas stood there, at a loss. Charles got off his horse and patted the company commander on the back sympathetically.

Ciel whispered to Tamas: "The captain is here to reward you. Hearing that you two won the battle, he was even happier than he had won the battle."

"Why did the centurion come in person?" Tamas asked in a low voice, "Where is Gevaudin?"

"Don't worry, Captain Mason is here."

During the conversation, Winters had already circled the camp and returned to the main entrance.

"Hundred steps?" Winters asked.

"Yes!" Tamas saluted and replied: "It is a hundred paces long and wide."

"Too small!" Winters jumped off the saddle and pointed out the problem sharply: "It's okay to pack two companies, but how can it possibly accommodate the civilians around it? When building the camp, don't you consider what will happen next?"

Tamas stood dejectedly.

Winters wanted to teach him a lesson, but then he remembered that none of the company commanders under his command had received complete military training.

Being able to build such a standard military camp with two walls and one trench is actually a super-level performance after their observation, self-study, and mastery.

A few more words of training may destroy the self-confidence and dignity of these "wild" commanders.

"This battle was well fought." Winters sighed inwardly and took out a certificate of commendation: "Have the fallen soldiers been buried? Where are the wounded? I brought Father Carman here."

Tamas held the certificate of commendation and burst into tears.

…

Winters' sudden arrival caused a small commotion, but the commotion subsided quickly.

Tamas and Bart Schalling explained the ambush in detail.

"Originally, I wanted to wait for the war horses to be sent over before taking action." Bart Xialing regretted: "The barbarians on the other side are very cunning and only send ten horses over at a time. Our people are hiding under the river embankment and cannot withstand a careful search. .”

Winters stared at the map, measured it with a compass, and asked, "How many horses do the Hurds have on the other side?"

"Let's say at least five or six hundred horses."

"Five or six hundred horses? How generous!" Winters threw away the compass and felt a little regretful: "Oh, I can't even get a hundred horses now."

"How come?" Tamas asked puzzledly: "Didn't you just get more than two hundred horses from Lieutenant Bader?"

Winters had a headache when he thought about this: "They were all taken away by Lieutenant Cellini and Lieutenant A... without even saying a word to me."

The military tribunes complained to each other, but the little company commander did not dare to say much.

Andre and Don Juan took more than a hundred cavalry and more than 500 horses and headed west without looking back.

Winters silently accepted the decision made by seniors Andre and Juan. This is not his own war, everyone has their own responsibilities.

Winters cheered up and asked the two company commanders: "How did you know that the Hurds were going to cross the river at Pangtuolin?"

"It was the second company commander who suggested setting up lurking posts on the other side." Tamas replied hurriedly: "Otherwise, we would not have won this battle."

Winters nodded.

Tamas and Bart Shilling are Winters' two most valued company commanders. The latter has a flexible mind and always has strange ideas; the former is generous and gentle and can convince people.

The company-level commanders under Winters were all trained in blood and fire. They only lacked a little systematic learning.

Winters drew a stroke on the map with a graphite strip: "The Eleventh and Twelfth Companies are coming towards Oxhoof Valley to reinforce you.

"Four companies are going to be deployed in Oxhoof Valley?" Bart Shilling asked in surprise.

"That's right." Winters drew a circle on the Cow Hoof Valley: "Your current fort is too small. I suggest you build a fort directly around the Cow Hoof Valley and completely surround the town of Cow Hoof Valley."

"Just give the order." Tamas said with a smile, "What else do you suggest?"

"No, you are the frontline commanders. You need to make a decision based on the specific situation. I can only give you suggestions." Winters took out two letters of appointment from his arms: "Four companies are one battalion. From now on - —Tamas, you are the acting battalion commander of the first battalion."

Tamas left the chair like a spring, his lips trembling not knowing what to say.

"Bart Shilling." Winters handed the letter of appointment to the second company commander: "From now on, you are the acting deputy commander of the first battalion."

"Centurion!" Tamas suddenly said: "I..."

"Huh?" Winters raised his eyebrows slightly.

"Let Bart be the battalion commander..." Tamas lowered his head: "...I don't have the ability to lead a battalion."

Winters threw the commission on the table, folded his arms and asked, "Are you the military tribune, or am I the military tribune?"

"you are……"

"Then what nonsense are you talking about?" Winters threw the letter of appointment at the company commander: "Whoever I ask will be the one. Bart Shilling, are you not convinced?"

Bart Xialing hurriedly complained: "Centurion, this...how can it be that I am not convinced? I didn't say anything!"

"Are you dissatisfied?" Winters looked at the first company commander: "Mr. Tamas?"

Tamas silently picked up the letter of appointment and raised his hand in salute.

"To replenish your troops, I will give you two tasks." Winters said while marking on the map: "First, evacuate the villages near Niu Tu Valley, bury food and property on the spot, and bury all People, livestock, and carriages all gathered in Niuti Valley Town."

"You want a carriage too?"

"Not a single carriage is allowed to be left behind!"

Tamas and Bart Xialing nodded repeatedly.

"Second, arrange beacon towers along the Pangtuo River to control the north bank of the Pangtuo River."

"Then... just leave Tiefeng County alone?" Bart Xialing asked solemnly.

"As long as the Hud people in Tiefeng County are no bigger than the Pangtuo River." Winters replied decisively: "Ignore them."

Tamas pointed to the map and asked: "There is a bridge over there in Little Rock Town, what should I do?"

"I have sent the third company to evacuate Xiaoshi Town, you don't have to worry."

"yes."

Winters looked at his men with an unspeakable feeling in his heart. He told the two of them: "Gevaudan is nearly a hundred kilometers away from the Ox Hoof Valley. The success or failure here will be shouldered by the two of you. The Herds are not good at engineering and their soldiers are not good." A is disadvantageous. Their only advantage is mobility. Be determined and remember not to be led away by them."

"Yes!" Tamas and Bart Shilling saluted solemnly.

"Okay, don't be so serious." A smile appeared in the corner of Winters' eyes: "I'm here to reward you."

So a simple award ceremony was held in the square of Niuti Valley Town.

Under the gaze of soldiers and civilians, a short soldier named Peter Bunir was the first to receive the award.

The new government has financial difficulties, so the reward method is very simple, which is to grant more farmland.

Because Peter Bunier fought bravely, took the lead in entering the enemy's position, and captured one of the enemy's red feathers, his farmland was increased from 300 acres to 600 acres (note: 40 hectares). It was a simple, crude and direct transfer. times.

Hearing the word "three hundred acres", the farmers and townspeople watching were already whispering - three hundred acres is enough to make ordinary farmers jealous.

When "Six Hundred Acres" echoed in the square, the crowd exclaimed in unison, even overpowering the magically amplified sound.

Even First Company Commander Tamas was shocked when he first learned about the magnitude of the reward. Although Peter the Short was a soldier under Tamas, Tamas still urged Winters to think twice and exercise restraint.

To this end, Winters told Tamas a classic joke from the Chinese Academy of Sciences: "It is said that Madman Richard once threatened Marshal Ned, saying that he would send a 'hundred thousand troops' to attack the Alliance. The old marshal retorted without being humble, saying that the Alliance It can also raise an army of 100,000."

"So Crazy Richard said, 'Then I will send an army of 200,000 men.'" Winters smiled and asked Tamas: "How do you think the old marshal responded?"

"Can the Alliance also summon an army of 200,000?" Tamas asked tentatively.

"That's impossible. The Alliance cannot mobilize 200,000 troops. The old marshal said..." Winters patted the first company commander on the shoulder: "'Then we will each fire two shots.'"

Tamas thought for a long time and asked timidly: "I don't understand, can you explain it further?"

Winters sighed, and the second company commander Bart Shilling next to him interjected: "What the centurion means is that if everyone could kill a red feather, we would have won this battle long ago!"

So six hundred acres is more than six hundred acres? Of course not much. But for the lonely Peter Burnier, it was all too much.

The onlookers were shocked, and the other warriors who had made gains were elated, except for the short Peter Bunir, who could not see any joy on his face.

He numbly accepted the commendation order, moving like a marionette.

First Company Commander Tamas was so angry that he wanted to hit someone. He gritted his teeth and scolded his subordinates: "Short Peter, who are you showing your face to? Thank you!"

Peter Bunier heard the words of the company commander and stiffly saluted the military tribune.

"What, you're not happy that you got the land?" Winters wasn't angry, just a little strange.

"No." Short Peter shook his head.

Winters raised his eyebrows: "Nothing? Happy? Or unhappy?"

Short Peter was silent for a long time, and suddenly he begged with a tearful tone: "Lord Blood Wolf, you promised to help me build my house again, you must not break your promise!"

If he wasn't in public, Tamas would have kicked him hard.

The word 'blood wolf' is a taboo, and Centurion Montagne's old men all knew it. Tamas prayed desperately in his heart that the centurion would not be in a bad mood today.

Perhaps his prayer came true, Tamas heard the blood wolf laughing loudly: "Build a better room for you!"

The big stone in Tamas's heart just fell to the ground, and suddenly it was raised again - because the short Peter Bunier said stubbornly, wiping his tears: "No! I want the original room!"

Maybe the centurion was in a really good mood today, Tamas thought. He saw Winters Montagne take out his notebook and write down an IOU, and solemnly handed it to the soldier Peter Bunier: "Just as it was before. I’ll build you a room, and you and I will high-five each other.”

…

Over there, the award ceremony was in full swing. In the dungeon of the camp here, the Teldu prisoners were being interrogated one by one.

If you just want to send a commendation order, sending a messenger is enough. When Winters came to Cow Hoof Valley, he not only brought Father Carman with him, but also brought the little lion with him.

The little hunter Belle is away, and the little lion is the only person around Winters who can speak two languages.

As he becomes more experienced and has a broader perspective, Winters pays more and more attention to intelligence.

The battlefield seemed to be shrouded in fog, and passively obtaining intelligence could no longer satisfy Winters.

In the ambush battle at dawn yesterday, Tiefeng County's side ultimately took control of the battlefield. Nearly half of the hundreds of Terdun people who crossed the river were killed or wounded, and those who were still alive were captured.

There is no die-hard loyalty among the Teltun people who belong to the subject class and the slave class. There is no need to torture them, just scare them a few times and they will spit them out like beans poured out of a bamboo tube.

By the time the little lion's interrogation was over, Winters was bringing someone over.

The little lion told Winters straight to the point: "The ones you captured are all 'Urus', even ordinary tribesmen, they don't know anything useful."

"How many are there in total?" Winters couldn't help but frown.

"Three Tulu, more than three hundred riders, and some servants to serve people."

"Isn't this very useful?" Winters' eyebrows slowly expanded: "Who is their commander?"

"Don't beg Tartai." The little lion shrugged: "I know this person. The person who roasts the fire is marrying his wife's relative, the 'Nake'er' of the person who roasts the fire, that is, the person who is the person who roasts the fire."

"Fellow?"

The little lion sighed and explained with gestures.

It is impossible to sort out the social affiliations of the Huds in an orderly manner, because even the Huds themselves cannot figure it out.

Take the relationship between the roaster and Tal Tai as an example: Tal Tai is the cousin of the roaster, and the blood relationship is not as close as that of Taichi, the uncle of the roaster;

But Taichi is a semi-independent leader and can selectively obey the orders of the fire-warmers. The Tartai has almost no independence, and the fire-warmer can even decide the marriage of the Tartai family.

"Independence" is also a flexible indicator, not a hard value. It changes with the changes in the relative strength, intimacy and trust between the two parties.

To put it simply, the Terdun tribe is a large faction, and the Firekeepers tribe is the strongest small faction within the large faction.

[Taichi Faction] and [Fire-Roasting Faction] are almost in a parallel position, and [Tartai Faction] is a subordinate branch of [Fire-Roasting Faction].

The Tartai faction itself is also a small tribe, and the Tartai also has its own guards, companions, subjects and slaves.

Winters was too lazy to compile a family tree for the Fire Keeper. He asked bluntly: "The Tartai on the other side is defeated, and the Fire Keeper's control over the Teltown Department will be weakened. Am I right?"

The little lion tilted his head and thought for a while: "Absolutely."

"Okay!" Winters said, stroking his hands, "That's enough."

[I haven’t caught up yet... let’s just redefine the update time...]

[The battlefield is too big, Winters has to entrust the responsibility to others]

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