341 – Attack on Veneta Castle (8)
As soon as Peter Jaeger’s order was given, the sound of a trumpet announcing the wake-up call rang out across all units of the Reich Imperial Army.
Bappa, bar, bar, bar, bar.
This sound, which no soldier wants to hear, from privates down to military affairs ministers above, rang out, and messengers ran around the camp in disarray.
“Wake up! Weather! The night attack team moves to the east wall of Veneta Castle, the daytime siege team moves to the south wall, the guard team moves to the north wall, and the rest team moves to the west wall!”
“Each attack team grabs a ladder and immediately climbs to the castle wall! Hurry!”
“Captain Jaeger said that any unit that shows its feet when moving will be called to the division commander, brigade commander, or regiment commander after the war.”
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Clear instructions on how to move forward, the skills accumulated through training so far and the experience gained from over a month of siege warfare.
Combined with these, we were able to see the imperial army somehow responding quickly to orders given like pounding batons on a moonlit night.
With help from their colleagues, the soldiers, squad leaders, and platoon leaders succeeded in changing into their armor in 10 minutes and rallying their colleagues around them.
As soon as company commanders and above were ready for battle, they began to run and lead their soldiers in front of the division headquarters barracks.
“If we are late for the meeting, we will all die together! If you are captured by Captain Jaeger, you will be fully armed and receive guerrilla training, you bastards! “I can see your feet there!”
“Speed is the key to a night raid! Maintain your speed to avoid colliding with other units! Ouch! “f*ck!”
“There wouldn’t be a fool who didn’t bring a spear and a weapon, right? Hurry!”
The Reich Imperial Army, commanded by Peter Jaeger, succeeded in gathering the entire division into the division headquarters barracks in just 30 minutes.
As soon as each division commander gathered, they moved their units to find an area to attack according to the instructions they had received.
In normal times, they would have been riding horses, but now even division commanders had to climb the walls themselves, so people in their 50s or older put on armor and started running at the front.
Fortunately, since they had all been officers since they were young, their bodies were different from those of ordinary people, so they were able to withstand the rapid march even though they were out of breath…
“I, the division commander, also run, and when the stragglers come out, they all gather under me without exception! “I guess there’s no one who can run worse than a man in his 50s, right?”
“No! Evil! You can!”
“Soldier over there, I can see your feet! Do you want to report to the division commander’s barracks after the war?”
“Oh! Corporal Lucas! No! “I will correct it!”
Thanks to the desperate efforts of division commanders over 50, the Imperial Army under Peter Yeager began to surround the castle at a tremendous speed.
The five divisions in charge of the eastern wall of Veneta Castle, the closest to the imperial army camp, were able to set up ladders and begin the attack just 45 minutes after the attack order was given.
“Put down the ladder and climb up! “We must push back before even one more enemy climbs the walls!”
“Capture the damn castle and return home! Everyone, hurry as much as you can!”
“If you go down the stairs from the eastern wall, you will immediately open the castle gate! “Everyone charge!”
On the other hand, the Veneta militiamen were under the illusion that they would never attack the castle walls as they had become accustomed to being pounded by the imperial army’s long-distance siege weapons such as catapults and ballistas at night for over a month.
It was only when Peter Yeager’s army began to surround the castle walls that the guards noticed something suspicious. So the response was very delayed.
Only now did the noble officers begin to rush forward to counterattack, leading the slow-moving militia like lingering gomtaengs.
“Hurry up, you crazy bastards! “If the wall is breached, we will all be massacred!”
“What a catastrophe is this! Damn it, the castle wall! Everyone run to the wall!”
“If you rush too much, you will clash with other units…”
“Don’t be damned and run! “The moment the wall is breached, it’s over for us, you bastards!”
The militiamen ran out because the nobles were causing an uproar, but they had no armor to wear, had little energy, and had low morale, so it was difficult to find the will to fight.
So, even when they heard that the castle wall would be breached, there were quite a few people who were completely at peace in their hearts.
‘Anyway, they’ll search through the castle walls, or they’ll break their heads from the catapult stones, but they’ll all search the same, so what the f*ck?’
Because of this, the movement speed of the Beneta soldiers, who were on fire, was not as fast as the nobles expected.
The nobles ran at a speed of about 15 kilometers per hour, but the soldiers following them had no motivation, so they followed slowly at about 7 to 8 kilometers per hour. Only the officers’ uniforms were ripped apart.
There was confusion in the movement lines among the troops climbing the castle wall.
“No, your battalion should get out of the way! “I can’t f*cking pass by!”
“I understand. So please go up quickly. “What on earth are you doing?”
“Ha, if the castle walls are dangerous, is your military service over? “You bastard, you’re official… Huh, see you tomorrow night, you bastard.”
Things happened, such as militia units moving in battalions colliding with each other, or too many people flocking to a narrow road at once, completely blocking it and making it impossible to move forward.
Some soldiers were crushed to death because they were caught in the crowd.
On the other hand, Major Randel, who was part of the night attack team today, was able to reach the castle wall faster than anyone else, so he climbed up the wall very quickly.
Even so, I wasn’t the first one like last time, but I was one of the first 10 people to get in.
In any case, there were no restrictions on the eastern wall, where there were no guards at all, because the slow-moving militia had not yet arrived.
“Major Randel climbed the castle wall! You can’t f*cking fall behind! 4Th company! Hurry!”
“It’s okay to be a little late to go up the castle wall! However, this battalion commander will recognize his merits today by cutting off the head of an enemy noble! “All members of the battalion, follow me!”
“Hurry! Hurry! “We must occupy the walls and open the gates!”
While Peter Yeager was watching this scene and considering whether he should climb the wall himself, some of his staff cheered when they saw the friendly flag illuminated by the moonlight.
“Long live the Imperial Army! Long live the Reich Empire! Long live your Majesty the Emperor! The time has finally come to destroy that damned Duchy of Veneta with our own hands!”
“One month! It was short for a siege, but it was incredibly difficult. But it’s over now!”
“Congratulations in advance on your victory, Commander! Since you crossed over the wall without any resistance, isn’t that the same as taking a castle with nothing but poor militia? In just 80 years, the Reich Empire achieved the feat of completely destroying a principality. Congratulations!”
It may seem that the staff going wild like this is no different from drinking wheat porridge before a meal without anyone even thinking about giving them food.
The most difficult and painful thing in a siege is climbing over a castle wall swarming with enemies and occupying it.
They destroyed it like the wind with a swift attack, so is it justified to celebrate as if they have already won?
Peter Yeager was a man who would not let down his guard at any time and under any circumstances until the enemy declared defeat, so he thought with a bitter smile.
‘I understand that they’re excited, but now is not the time to open the champagne cap and celebrate. I guess I should scold him a bit harshly.’
And then the commander, Captain Jaeger, slammed both fists hard on the command center desk.
“Everyone shut up! Those bastards on staff haven’t even received a declaration of surrender from Duke Veneta yet, so why are they celebrating the victory in advance? The professors who taught you at the Staff College couldn’t have taught you that way, so it’s probably because you didn’t get anything in your head after what you learned. Are you going to keep making the sound of empty cans rolling around?”
Hearing those words, the staff realized their mistake and quietly bowed their heads in regret and apologized.
“Chief of Staff, I will give you command of the wizards and crossbowmen I have left in reserve. Immediately move to the eastern wall gate. “As soon as the door opens, if you see an enemy instead of an ally, shoot immediately. Otherwise, you can burn the entire city, so save at least one more life for our soldier.”
“Yes, I understand. Loyalty!”
“Afterwards, send a messenger to each division commander and tell them not to kill civilians as much as possible. However, let them know that if even a woman holds a weapon and resists, you can kill her without mercy.”
“……Can’t we just subdue it?”
“Our mission is to destroy the Duchy of Veneta, and to return as many Reich soldiers to their parents, wives, and children. No matter how young a woman or civilian she is, if she takes up arms and starts resisting, she should be considered like a soldier. “We will advise you to surrender once or twice, and if you do not comply, we will treat you as a soldier rather than a civilian.”
Even though Peter Yeager gave this order, he thought that the imperial army would have little chance of fighting with women.
The morale was already on the verge of collapse after a month-long water battle, but now that even the castle walls have collapsed, any attempt to resist will only lead to death.
Not long after that, a soldier ran in and reported.
“The gates are open!”