217 – Osby Plain Grand Battle (2)
If I hadn’t been the second-in-command, all the officers around me would have said this.
‘Building an effective defense against tens of thousands of knights is not an easy task. What on earth did you think that allowed you to boast like that?’
This is a very valid point, but when I think about it, the most effective way to stop knights is to fight with long, pointed weapons such as long spears.
I thought of a strategy that could be put to use right now, and I am sure the commander and other officers around me would also understand when they hear my story.
“Commander, first of all, it is difficult to manufacture and install a proper geomachang (a wooden fence erected to prevent horses from charging).”
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“As the second-in-command said, the Geomac Spear is the best to block knights charging from the front. “A few well-placed large spears can have as much stopping power against anti-cavalry as a platoon of spearmen.”
It may seem like an exaggeration to say that a single log with several wooden stakes has the anti-cavalry stopping power of 30 infantrymen.
A spear that is thinner than a Geomache spear often cannot pierce the barding, which is the armor of a horse, but a Geomache spear with multiple thick stakes can easily pierce barding in most cases.
Then, the battle horse the knight is riding on dies, so of course the momentum of the charge is completely lost, and the elite warriors wearing plate armor riding on it die from falling from the horse or lose at least their fighting ability.
Once the aftermath spreads, friendly infantry will be able to block the enemy knights’ charge without suffering any significant losses.
So, depending on how it is used, the Geomacheang is a defensive weapon that can serve hundreds or even thousands of infantry.
“However, near the Osby Plain where we are now, there is a large forest spreading out. So, if we mobilize soldiers, we can easily make piles large enough to cover the front of each platoon.”
“It’s a stake. It doesn’t have the same effect and power as the Geomache Spear, but it will definitely help if you stick a stake into it. But the problem is, according to you, we don’t know how far we will fall back. But I wonder if a stake that has to be installed somewhere will be of much help.”
“Piles that are easy to install and can be effective to a certain degree are placed in wagons assigned to each company and transported.”
After saying that, I explained by showing the stake I had drawn on a piece of paper.
“The biggest reason why it takes so long to make a Geomachang is that small wooden stakes are driven into a single long log in a circular shape. However, the pile I envisioned will be simpler to manufacture because it has a structure that can be driven into the ground by inserting small stakes on both sides of a wedge-shaped pile about the thickness of a thigh.”
A huge forest has been created around here, and many trees of various thicknesses grow there.
Among them, it is a structure that requires cutting a log thick enough to be used as a stake with a little trimming, sharpening only the end, and then sticking it into the ground, so it does not require much effort to make.
“Unlike the Geomachang, the size of each one is not that large, so there will be no problem loading them on the wagons distributed to the company.
It appears that approximately 40 of these stakes can be carried on a wagon deployed at the company level, which would be enough to cover the front of one company with stakes exclusively for anti-cavalry.
When installing, you can just pound it in with a hammer like a hammer used in the field, so you can install it quickly even in an emergency.
“It may not be as effective as a proper Geomachang, but it certainly seems to have some effect. Are there any other operations besides these?”
I thought about it a little more after hearing that, but nothing more came to mind.
“I can’t think of anything else. Now, I want you to tell me about the strategy you have in mind.”
“I am a commander with no experience serving in the field. It is no exaggeration to say that the only thing I am good at is rear support. If I were to come up with a strategy for combat here, it would be a strategy and tactic that would be less effective than the strategy you came up with. If this is adopted and pushed forward, it will be nothing more than an act that will put the empire in crisis.”
After saying that, Captain Keitel, the commander of this battle, handed over to me the commander’s baton, symbolizing his commanding authority.
The generals and officers who watched the scene could not hide their surprise, and I could not say anything because I knew what it meant.
“If such a person gives wrong instructions while leading soldiers in the field, only the innocent soldiers and officers will die. Personally, now that I have become the commander of an expeditionary force, I have a strong desire to lead it myself, but my personal feelings are not that important. Therefore, I do not intend to exercise any command authority in this battle.”
“Anyway, aren’t you the commander of the expeditionary force?”
“That’s right. So, if you make a mistake and lose this battle, I will take full responsibility as commander-in-chief. Instead, if you achieve a great victory under the command of Lieutenant General Peter Yeager, you will receive all the achievements you can as Commander-in-Chief. So don’t worry and exercise your command. Also, I’m just saying this here, but there are many captains above you who are not even half as good as you, so why are you so worried?”
When Captain Kaitel said that, the staff and officers around him could not raise any objections.
As the commander said, no matter how much I thought about it, I felt that it would be better for me, who had won more than a few victories in the field, to take the role of commander rather than someone who had never had any experience as a field commander.
“I will repay you with the best result, Captain.”
“But if there is anything I can help you with, please let me know.”
“Then can I ask you one favor?”
At those words, the eyes of all the generals and officers, including Captain Keitel, were focused on me.
“It looks like the full-scale battle will take place around the day after tomorrow, so I think we should finish making the stakes and loading them onto the wagons from today until tomorrow afternoon and let the soldiers rest. In order to achieve that goal, I think not only officers but also generals will need to actively cooperate. “Can you help me a little?”
After hearing that, the captain smiled and said.
“This old man will also help me pick up an ax, cut down trees, and make stakes.”
When the commander, who was rated 4 stars among soldiers and officers, declared that he would personally participate in the construction of piles.
The faces of the generals and general-level officers except me instantly became distorted as if they had chewed sh*t.
That may be true, no matter how much the imperial army maintains a conscription system, and although it looks similar to the modern army, in principle, officers and above are exempt from hard work in the field.
If a 4-star captain steps forward and works hard, he or she will have to work to death.
Furthermore, if you raise an objection to this, you will be charged with insubordination and at the very least be dishonorably discharged, so you will have to participate in the logging work with tears in your eyes.
“Okay, this concludes the strategy meeting. And what do the other officers do? Instead of immediately taking your troops and cutting down trees to make stakes.”
In this way, the 110,000 soldiers of the Stockholm Expeditionary Force happily made as many wooden stakes as needed from tonight to tomorrow afternoon.
Even officers who would normally be excluded from hard work participated in this, so curses and greed fell like thunderbolts on the soldiers who worked even a little lazily.
The officers swung the ax with all their might and cut down the tree to protect their performance and set an example.
So, it seemed like there were soldiers who were dissatisfied from time to time, but when they saw me and Captain Kaitel chopping down a tree with an ax in the corner, they had no choice but to keep quiet and get on with the work.
And as time passed, the time for the decisive battle finally arrived.
It may be because they were filled with the unfairness of having to go through all the hard work, from new recruits below to generals with four stars above, but the soldiers’ will to kill their enemies was sky-high.
“You bastards of the damn Kingdom of Stockholm! “We sharpened our swords to catch and kill you!”
“I will not let even one of you live!”
“I will kill you by tearing off your limbs, then pull out your intestines and make rope. “Dirty bastards!”