Iron Powder and Spellcasters

   Chapter 164 Reinforcement

   The adversary was not a reckless barbarian - Winters was more and more convinced that afternoon.

   The Styx army camp is located on the east side of the big river. Considering the terrain, the attack should be launched from the south and north sides.

  The terrain along the banks of the river was uneven, and the defending team's shooting range was limited.

  The river is still in the dry season in winter, and the exposed riverbed is a natural road that leads directly to the pontoon bridge.

   Winters thought in a different position. If he were to command the Hurds, he would pretend to attack the west wall and attack the south and north walls.

  At the same time, a team of elites was deployed on the dry riverbed, and when the battle was in full swing, it launched a surprise army to break through the pontoon and the east gate, and outflanked the defenders in the camp.

   Under the attack from inside and outside, the defending army will surely be in chaos. Taking into account the disparity in strength between the two sides, the casualties of capturing the barracks would not exceed 30%.

   Not only Winters thinks this way, but other officers think the same way. They received the same tactical training, and the thinking patterns of several officers were similar.

  So, the defense of the barracks is based on this idea.

The    Styx Camp was originally stationed with a standing army of 100 troops, and they were responsible for guarding the southern wall.

   Winters was in charge of guarding the north wall, Andre was in charge of guarding the west wall, and temporary armed men under Bard were in charge of guarding the east gate.

   Lieutenant Colonel Jesska leads the cavalry and supports various places as appropriate.

   On the dry riverbed, Winters and his men dug thousands of caves overnight.

  The cave is about the size of a voles hole, and it is as deep as a horse's tibia. A stake is smashed in and pulled out to make one.

The    effect is very negative. Once a galloping horse steps in, it will break its hooves or break its legs.

   Usually no one uses this trick, because horses are precious trophies. But the situation is critical, and you have to survive before you are eligible to consider the amount of capture.

   The defenders perform their duties and are ready to fight.

   But to the surprise of all the officers, the Hurds neither feinted, nor divided their troops, let alone attacked from the north and south, but instead stared at the west wall and beat hard.

  The west of the camp is a long downhill road, which seems to be able to exert the impact of cavalry, but it is actually a shooting range.

   The defenders have a wide field of vision and no blind spots.

  The enemy attacked from the west, and the Paratus, who had a large number of long-range weapons, could not ask for it.

   But the barbarian Hurd just pushed the chariot and killed him from the west.

   As soon as the fire was exchanged, Andre, who was in charge of defending the western wall, immediately noticed the difference.

wind!

  The wind direction is wrong!

   In general, the east wind blows in the spring and summer between the two mountains, and the wind blows inland from the Cenas Sea, bringing precipitation and moisture.

   But in autumn and winter, the wind direction will be reversed, the wind blows from the highlands to the sea, and the west wind sweeps the land.

   The Hurds pushed the chariot all the way to the camp wall twenty or even fifteen paces. Using the dirt cart as a bunker, the arrows are shot downwind, both accurate and ruthless.

  After the musketeers under Andrei opened fire, the smoke was swept back by the west wind, which not only choked people with sore throats and burning eyes, but also severely blocked their vision.

   The defending archers were suppressed by heavy bows and arrows, and Hurd's light cavalry with a rope roared, and the horses outside the camp wall were caught, pulled out, and dragged away one by one.

The    Styx Camp was a field camp that could accommodate tens of thousands of troops. The defenders were understaffed, and Andre's sub-hundreds of ten were even dissatisfied with the shooting station on the west wall.

  The Hurds not only did not divide their troops, they did not even make a tentative attack. They only aimed at a few points and bit hard, and the Cellini Centuries immediately couldn't resist.

   Lieutenant Colonel Jeschka urgently mobilized the Colin and Montagne Centuries to support the Western Wall.

   On the first attack, the daring Heard cavalry climbed over the battalion wall, only to be besieged quickly.

   In the second attack, the Hurds pushed up several small towed trebuchets and began to greet the defenders' shooting stand.

   Winters never expected to see the trebuchet return to the battlefield.

   However, the defenders with only a few inaccurate revolving cannons really had nothing to do with the trebuchet.

  Andre charged with the cavalry for a round, but was intercepted by the well-prepared Heards.

  Three times of attack, the Hurds patiently sniped the musketeers, pulled out the stalwarts, and killed the shooting stand.

   The ease of advancing and retreating, as if a skilled butcher was deboning the meat.

  Although the battalion wall has not yet been hit, Winters can feel that the will of the militia team has reached its limit.

   At noon, the officers of the battalion had a meeting.

   "Next time, Hurdman is going to be real." Jesska said gloomily,

   "It's even harder to fight in the afternoon." Bud pointed to the sun calmly: "The direction of the light is not good for us."

   Winters suddenly woke up, the Hurd people had a good wind in the morning but the back light. After noon, the sun and the wind will be unfavorable for oneself.

   "The light and the wind are all on the side." Winters frowned: "I'm worried that the Hurds will break into the camp wall and the morale of the militia and those temporarily armed merchants will collapse."

   It is harder to defend alive than to defend dead.

   The first two battles were fought on the vast grasslands, and everyone had no way to escape, so they could only fight for their lives.

  But at the back of the camp, there is a pontoon bridge leading to the other side of the Styx.

  Cross the river, destroy the bridge, everyone is safe.

   The way of life is right in front of you, and no one will be unmoved.

   "Or else..." Andre gritted his teeth and said, "Just cross the river."

   "Absolutely not!" Lieutenant Colin categorically refused, and said sharply: "Whoever dares to move the pontoon bridge, step over my body first!"

  Although their relationship was brief, Winters was impressed by Colin Victor's rigor.

   After other camps along the way collect the camping fee, they don’t care about the vendors’ lodging. Only the Hexi military camp where Lieutenant Colin was stationed was unselfish and strictly prohibited any outsiders from entering the camp.

   However, Lieutenant Colin, who was taciturn, was blushing with excitement at this moment.

  [Note: In Plato's name, the surname comes first and the first name comes after. What the Platos call the glorious tradition is actually the legacy of Heard]

   The lieutenant's words were fierce, and Andre was also angry: "The pontoon is so important, why do you only keep your centurion stationed? Does it take us to work hard to keep a brigade?"

   Colin was a little stunned for a while, and after a long while he said, "Originally there was a big team."

   "What about people?"

   "The large tents of the various tribes have long since retreated to the west two hundred kilometers away! Who would have thought that the Hurds would appear at this time and here?"

  Andre raised his eyebrows and asked angrily, "You 'think' the Hurds won't appear, so you will transfer the team away?"

   Colin shouted aggrievedly: "The superiors are eager to use troops, I'm just a centurion, what can I do? When I deploy troops, I am firmly opposed, but you say! What can I do?

   The Hurds have not yet attacked, and the defenders are going to fight infighting first.

   "Enough! Shut up!" Lieutenant Colonel Jesska shouted.

  Andre and Colin immediately fell silent, sat back in Mazza, and glared.

  Jesska sighed, pointed at Lieutenant Colin, and said, "Everyone else is fighting for the credit in front, and he is guarding the bridge in the back. He is all like this, and the order is suppressed, what can he do?"

   Hearing this, Colin was stunned at first, and his lips trembled as he wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't speak.

  Andre's face turned gray, as if he was reminded of the situation of everyone in Veneta, and his anger dissipated.

   "The bridgehead is still to be defended." Jesska set the tone: "Keep it until you can't keep it."

  The meeting will be quiet for a while.

"The Republic has not treated me well. I have served overseas for twelve years, and there is not a single day that I do not feel resentful." The lieutenant colonel smacked his lips, his attitude was as cold as ever: "But without her, my family is still a serf for Mr. Mazar. Without her, I am either robbing my house, or I have been hanged. So this bridge must be guarded until it cannot be guarded."

   Lieutenant Colin stood up and gave a solemn salute to the lieutenant colonel.

   "As for you guys." Jesska looked at Winters and the others with one eye: "Plato has only grudges with you, but no favors. It is said that you don't owe anything, but it was my fault..."

Lieutenant Colonel    stood up and bowed deeply to the three second lieutenants: "I'm sorry for you."

   The second lieutenants dared to accept this gift, and hurriedly left Maza.

"You just need to stand by until I die." Jesska took out a letter from her bosom, with a serious expression: "After I die, you will go back directly to Palato. This letter can prove that you are not running away, but obeying me. order to retreat."

   Winters and Andre didn't know what to do for a moment. Bud silently took the letter and saluted the lieutenant colonel.

After    explained the funeral, the lieutenant colonel began to rearrange the defense.

   Lieutenant Colin's standing army centurion was transferred to the Western Wall to defend the most critical positions.

  Bud was in charge of rearranging the cart, the others covered Colin's flanks, and only sentries remained on the other three battalion walls.

   "Lieutenant Montagne." Jesska finally called Winters' name.

"Yes."

   "You are responsible for arranging the powder keg on the bridge, and blowing it up when it's not enough." The lieutenant colonel said coldly: "In short, the Hurd cavalry can't be allowed to cross the bridge."

"Yes."

   "Gentlemen, do your duty, victory or defeat is still unknown." Jesska showed a rare smile: "What if reinforcements come?"

The door of the   pan room was knocked open, and Ciel, who was running all the way, shouted out of breath, "Reinforcement, reinforcements are coming!"

  …

  …

  Hexi Camp was very lively, people chased behind, pigs ran in front, and the tents were knocked over one by one.

  The free-range barrows are fat and strong, and two adults can't hold it. Especially the hungry barrows...hundreds of them.

  Lt. Colonel Jesska's nose crooked with anger when he looked at the fat pigs all over the camp.

   "Reinforcement?" Lieutenant Colonel Jesska rarely lost his temper, grabbing Ciel and roaring, "Is this the reinforcement?"

   "It was indeed reinforcements from the east." Ciel said wrongly: "But how did I know they drove so many pigs here?"

   A man with a dark red birthmark covering half of his face is leading people to catch pigs inside and outside the barracks, and more pigs are crossing the bridge behind.

  Winters rushed to the pontoon to find out the situation. He was surprised to find that the pig was actually an "old friend" who took the pig across the bridge.

   "Lieutenant Mason?"

  …

  As the head of the labor ranch, Richard Mason was ordered to **** the meat animals.

  The Paratus people in the Hexi Barracks did not wait for the reinforcements they had been waiting for day and night, but waited for Lieutenant Mason's labor prisoners and more than 300 pigs.

   "Keep it? Keep it!" Lieutenant Mason, who learned about the current situation, was shocked: "What are you waiting for if you don't run?"

   Winters was furious: "Don't worry about guarding it or not, get the pigs away first, and the camp will be messed up!"

   A series of rapid bells came, which was the agreed signal.

   "Herd Barbarian is here!"

  …

  …

   The Hurd cavalry who pushed the trebuchet slowly approached, and the sense of oppression made the defenders breathless.

  The west wall of the main camp, the gun emplacement, Lieutenant Mason, who is chasing ducks to the shelves, is using the hopping method to measure the distance.

   "Will it work?" Winters asked anxiously.

   "Don't be noisy!" Mason said angrily, "Why don't you come."

   "Senior, didn't he come from the artillery department?"

   "I've been raising pigs for a few years, and I've already forgotten all about it! This cannon doesn't even have a shooting meter, what a shit!" Mason scolded and raised the tail of the cannon: "First shot."

  …

   The prisoners, pigs, and Lieutenant Mason himself were all requisitioned by Lieutenant Colonel Jesska.

  Lieutenant Colonel Jesska flatly refused Lieutenant Mason's request to "evacuate the pigs to the other side of the river".

   "Don't talk about people now, even if a pig crosses the bridge, my people will flee." The lieutenant colonel was also extremely annoyed: "If you enter the camp, you are not allowed to leave!"

  The pigs are driven into the dry riverbed, the swineherd convicts are turned into stretchers, and Lieutenant Mason becomes the gunner. Andre was standing by the pontoon bridge, and anyone who dared to cross the bridge would be beheaded.

  …

  The red-hot charcoal was attached to the ignition hole, and with the muffled thunder, the gun body shook violently.

The news of the    artillery lieutenant bringing pigs to the camp has spread throughout the camp, and the defenders are full of anticipation, staring with bated breath.

  Then watched the cannonball swipe an arc from the top of the Hurd's head and landed on the hillside behind.

  There was silence behind the trench wall, the gun was too crooked, and Winters looked at the artillery lieutenant in shock.

   "Why are you standing still! Change guns!" Mason scolded sharply and continued to raise the tail of the gun.

   Others haven't recovered yet, but the man with the birthmark has quickly removed the air gun and replaced it with a new one.

  The power of the rear-mounted gun may not be enough, but the rate of fire is definitely not a choice.

   There was another thunder, this time the shot was slightly accurate, the shells smashed into the rear line of the Hurd cavalry, and it seemed that someone had fallen off the horse.

   "Come again!"

   This time, the shells flew into the crowd. The artillery of the defenders became more and more accurate, and the Hurds were also a little panicked.

   Finally, after several test shots, the shells directly hit the trebuchet.

  The two-pound iron ball carrying huge kinetic energy smashed the temporary wooden machinery to pieces, and the trebuchet of the Hurds was directly abolished.

  The defenders behind the earthen wall banged on their weapons and shields, shouting and cheering.

  The three revolving guns have a total of twelve sub-guns.

   Every time Lieutenant Mason fired, the Paratus shouted in unison.

   Twelve guns were fired quickly, and with the sound of the horns, the Hurds rushed to the camp wall.

   "Bring the lead!" Lieutenant Mason, whose eyebrows were full of soot, shouted happily: "Today, I invite Heard Barbarians to eat grapes!"

  …

   Lieutenant Colin's standing army centurion was the first to take the brunt.

  The camp wall is built with earthwork excavated when digging trenches, and it is slightly higher than people. There are half-meter-high steps behind the wall where people can stand.

  Herd's cavalry came with soil and quickly filled in several trenches.

  The Heard who crossed the trench climbed up, and the soldier with the halberd stabbed down.

   The offensive and defensive sides fought at close range for the first time, shouting, roaring and screaming incessantly.

   The militiamen on the flanks of the folded battalion wall opened fire outside the wall, and the Hudds returned fire with bows and arrows.

   The distance is too close, and the Hird archer aimed at the face and shot, as long as the arrow hits, he will be killed or injured.

   And their armor is useless against the muskets of the defenders at this distance.

   A Hurd jumped off the wall, landed on the tip of the halberd, and died on the spot. But more Hurds followed over the camp wall.

   Combat turns into hand-to-hand combat.

   Until this moment, the militia did not understand what a "standing army" was.

   The half-armored, halberd-wielding soldiers looked like iron men from a distance, and the Hurds had to drag them down before they could kill them.

   Lieutenant Colin, who has a special hairpin on his helmet, is particularly noticeable, and the Hurds also noticed the Palatine warrior and fought for his life to besiege him.

   Lieutenant Colin fought side by side with his men, roaring to kill one Heard over the camp wall after another.

   However, Lieutenant Colin had fewer and fewer halberdists, but more and more Heards.

Above the camp gate, Ciel asked nervously, "Go and help them?"

   "No." The second lieutenant's expression was stern: "The advantage of the Hurds lies in their attack width. If they can only fight a little harder, the battle will be won long ago. They can only rely on themselves...and so do we."

   There were too few defenders, and the camp was so big that the defenders couldn't control all the camp walls.

   As expected, the black Hurd cavalry in the distance separated into two groups and copied to the two flanks.

   Winters murmured, "Now, it's our turn."

   Thanks to the book friends who have voted for recommendation before;

   Thanks to book friend Jiang Xue Diao Weng for the reward;

   Thanks to the book friends who continue to pulsate, "Listening to the Rain at the Window", the Civil War, God's Quiet Popularity, I Am also the Cheap Saint, Silly Xu, yyqyyqyyq, iRuin, Soda Bird, Li Bin for monthly passes, thank you;

Thanks to book friends Flying Birds and Fish, Muyun Chunshu 1, Kun Kun, fake wine black heart, this can't be closed, continuous pulsing, 95 team leader, calm gray, Ye Xiyao, book friend 20171109122639558, Tao Zhugong Da Yue Fan Li, kangchenxi, Zhudian Genbao, Xianxia·Bookworm, mainstay Lin Dengwan, book friend 20180313152653471, sjjzis, leo000000, people floating in the air, clouds gather and clouds disperse, book friend 20181022232446302, iRuin, book friend 140928015156110, Qi Fengwu H, Civil War, About in Hibernation, Spring Breeze He Yuren, Book Friends 161142257222464, Jiang Xue Diaoweng, Li Qingyu, Autumn Mingshan Old Driver I, Middle Two No Human Rights, Book Friends 20191007064305842, Sky Lens, Book Friends 20190723175438467, npc1801, Book Friends 20190408004507311, Shenji Popular, 92 Sauce Mengmeng, Book Friends 20180210032434878, Half Gains and Half Losses and Recommendation Tickets for Book Friends Not Listed (chronological order, sorry for not writing down)

   (end of this chapter)