The Rise of the European Emperor

The operation of recruiting Italian mercenaries went very smoothly. At first, the heads of 11 Italian mercenary regiments including Pargani refused to surrender. But Charles, Earl of Geldon did not expect them to surrender at all. As a result, the heads of 11 Italian mercenary regiments, including Pargani, were all imprisoned.

Then, Count Charlie ordered a group of middle and lower-level Italian mercenary officers who were afraid of death and pain to be screened out by means of Yan Xin torture. Then, let these people persuade those Italian mercenaries. At the same time, Count Charles also randomly appointed a timid Italian mercenary squadron named Fenini, and formed a mercenary group called "Art Mercenary Group" as an empty shell, and would agree to accept the hired Italian mercenaries Arranged into this shell mercenary group...

Moreover, Count Charles promised to those Italian mercenaries that once the war was over, the "Art Mercenary Corps", a group with a bad record, would be disbanded, which would not affect their future. However, their commissions are not less.

This trick really works, Italians are more philistine and less courageous. Charlie, Earl of Geldon threatened them and even killed many Italian mercenaries who were unwilling to surrender in front of many Italian mercenaries. Many Italian mercenaries chose to cooperate in the face of reasons and intimidation...

In this way, of the more than 8,000 Italian mercenaries captured, 6,000 of them finally chose to change their forms and serve in the coalition of the eight kingdoms.

In this way, the Allied Forces of the Eight Kingdoms, which lost two or three thousand people in the siege of Oldenburg, made up for the previous loss of troops at once. Even more than 3,000 horses were added.

...

"I don't understand, why do we hire this group of Italian softies? Hiring them is not worth it!" Magnus I, Duke of Saxe-Lauenburg dissatisfied.

Earl Geldon rolled his eyes at him and said:

"Lord Magnus, I know that German mercenaries are more useful. But can you still hire experienced German mercenaries now?"

Because both the Alliance of Princes and the Alliance of Princes of the Eight Kingdoms are recruiting mercenaries at the same time, and many mercenaries have already signed long-term contracts with some princes, there is a huge shortage of veterans among German mercenaries, and it is difficult to hire them. Now, the German mercenaries that can still be hired are either recruits or weak chickens with poor combat effectiveness.

Magnus I was at a loss for words, but he muttered:

"Then you don't have to hire these Italian softballs..."

Charles, Earl of Geldon had to explain:

"Don't look at our army of 40,000 troops, but half of them are conscripts, and their combat effectiveness is very weak. Although these Italian mercenaries are not brave enough, they are professional soldiers anyway, and their combat effectiveness is stronger than those of the captured farmers. "

"Moreover, there are two legions in Beihai now. Needless to say, the first legion is composed of pure veterans. We use 20,000 veterans to entangle it. Even if we can't defeat the opponent, we can hold them back. Then, the outcome of the war is determined by The outcome of our other 20,000 levies and the new Second Corps, which is dominated by the opponent's recruits, will be decided."

"Although the opponent's new Second Corps is mainly composed of new recruits, there are also elites like the straw hat swordsmen with thousands of people. Although our 20,000 levies are larger in number, we must be prepared to be defeated by the opponent's elites. Therefore, we Hiring these Italian mercenaries who are at least more powerful than levies is also to ensure victory!"

After listening to Magnus I, he thought about it and said:

"But we have 20,000 recruits and 10,000 recruits for the opponent, which should be enough..."

Count Charles shook his head again and again:

"Not enough! If it was before, maybe enough. But now that the commander has changed to Marin, that may not be the case. This man is very cunning and good at using soldiers. So, it is better to bring six thousand Italian mercenaries. Make sure that our conscripts, with the help of Italian mercenaries, can defeat the new recruits of the North Sea Nation's new Second Army..."

Thinking of Marin's previous brilliant achievements, Magnus I thought about it,

He didn't speak any more, as he agreed with Count Charlie's statement.

However, Count Charles, who had a very good idea, did not know that the new Second Corps that he thought was "mainly recruited" was actually basically composed of the elite veterans of the original Second Corps...

...

It's just that things in this world are ever-changing. Some things, even Marin could not have expected. For example, after the Allied Forces of the Eight Kingdoms captured Oldenburg City, they welcomed several uninvited guests...

Who are these people? They are the old-fashioned aristocrats who were arranged by Marin to go to Bremen to fend for themselves...

The North Sea Kingdom of Marin is composed of the original East Frisian Counties, Oldenburg Counties, West Frisian Aristocratic Republics, Münster Bishopric, Osnabrück Bishopric, Schleswig It consists of the duchy, the Danish Jutland region, and the exchanged territory of the Archbishopric of Bremen and the Ruhr region.

Among them, the veteran nobles of the former East Frisian Country were basically killed by Marin, and the veteran nobles of the West Frisian Aristocratic Republic were killed by the Principality of Saxony. Then, the site in the Ruhr area was acquired relatively late, and Marin temporarily gave up the plan to develop there. Therefore, the veteran nobles in the Ruhr area did not move much. Also, the former Danish nobles on the Jutland peninsula of Denmark were taken away by the Danish King Hans...

However, the original counties of Oldenburg, the Principality of Schleswig, the northern region of Münster, including some surviving old-fashioned minor nobles in West Frisian, except for a small number of the fiefs appreciated by Marin, the rest of the fiefs of most of the old-fashioned nobles , all were centrally replaced to Bremen and omitted. These nobles, large and small, together, it is estimated that there are more than one hundred. There are dozens of barons alone...

After the land of these old nobles was replaced to Bremen Province, although the land did not decrease, it was also fertile enough. However, they have since moved away from the circle of core power, and have become empty shell nobles who can only eat and wait to die. Unlike before, I still have the right to show off my power...

Therefore, these old-fashioned aristocratic families who were politically frustrated were very dissatisfied with Marin. It's just that they didn't dare to take any action because they were afraid of Marin's powerful military strength.

...

However, with the invasion of the Beihai Kingdom by the Allied Forces of the Eight Kingdoms, plus the betrayal of the Second Army, Third Army, Sixth Army, and the Fourth and Fifth Army Corps in England, the marginalized veteran aristocrats saw When the opportunity comes...

So, in the past few months, those old-fashioned aristocrats who were replaced in the Bremen area began to frequently connect. Taking advantage of the opportunity to hold banquets and dances, they kept gathering together to discuss privately.

After intense discussions, these old-fashioned aristocrats agreed that if they don't change, these old-style aristocratic families will become small landlords who can only hang out in Bremen Province, and there will be no future...

However, they also know that if they oppose the North Sea State regime, the risk is also great. If it fails, there may be nothing left.

Therefore, the owners of these old-fashioned aristocrats have held meetings and quarrels in private for many times. Until now, there is a consensus-that is, it must be changed...

For this reason, many old-fashioned nobles who want to change their fate have begun to recruit and train soldiers. About a hundred old-fashioned noble families gathered a total of 7,000 soldiers and horses. Although most of them are conscripts, the nobles themselves have a tradition of martial arts, and they can make up hundreds of plate armor knights.

But before, this group of veteran aristocrats from Bremen Province were also watching. It was not until the combined army of the princes of the Eight Kingdoms conquered the city of Oldenburg that they finally made up their minds and completely surrendered to the combined forces of the princes of the Eight Kingdoms...

And those mysterious representatives represent most of the unwilling old-fashioned nobles in Bremen Province, who came to discuss "joining" matters with the princes of the Eight Kingdoms...