180 – Eastern Franchi Expedition (15)
A few days after arriving in Sale Village.
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Me, the duke, and the two counts immediately got together to devise a strategy to defeat the enemy soldiers.
And soon after, the Duke of Orléans lightly tapped Count Ilias and Count Isra on the shoulders with a light smile.
“First of all, before starting this military conference, I would like to commend Earl Isra and Earl Ilias on behalf of His Majesty the Emperor as the commander of the Eastern Expeditionary Force. Who would have thought that you, the noble nobles of the Empire, would personally go behind the enemy and cut off their headquarters and supply lines? I haven’t seen it myself, but… According to Baron Delphine and Baron Soup, I heard that the two fought bravely like heroes in an epic.”
Unlike modern times, these types of compliments from the nobility do not cost money, but tend to lead directly to political and power gains for both the giver and recipient.
Because, in this world, honor is so important that you can live anywhere as long as you have the lineage and honor of being a noble.
In this case, the Duke of Orléans would have a stomach ache as he represented the emperor, but rather than that, he was given a certificate of loyalty that valued the cause more, and the two counts were recognized by the emperor’s representatives.
Also, to me, who is not mentioned here, indirectly, ‘Even the counts who are younger than you and have a lower title fight with such strength…’ A guy called the Marquis doesn’t do anything properly besides the role of the reserve army?’ It is also to say that
However, if I protest here or raise an objection for nothing, I could be accused of being a narrow-minded person, and if I win the war, that evaluation will quickly be overturned.
I lived as a baron under Schwein, but I can tolerate this much.
“No, Your Highness… We just did it as planned.”
“Yes, being a hero is undeserved.”
“I, Orléans, do not speak empty words. When this expedition is over, I will definitely record all my feelings and submit them to Your Majesty in an official document for you. I promise a fair reward on my honor. Alright then, let’s start the real meeting from now on. Marquis of Creutel, tell me what you have investigated first.”
Even if the Duke keeps me in check and makes fun of me in front of those kids, I’ll do my job properly.
Only then will I be able to achieve my desired goal of ‘obtaining Iris and the Earldom of Architel’.
“Yes, first of all, I think the size of the enemy is around 108,000. The Marquis of Simon has 30,000, the Counts Louis, Laurent, and Iris have 20,000 each, the Marquis of Montmartre has 10,000 reinforcements, and the Count of Aquitel has 8,000. On the other hand, the number of friendly forces was about 72,000, including those who deserted during the rapid march. It is only about 60% of the enemy force.”
In a battle with less than 1,000 soldiers, if elite soldiers or knights were active, the difference in power of about 30% could be overturned in no time.
However, if the number exceeds 10,000, it becomes difficult to come from behind through individual abilities or the performance of elite soldiers…
If the enemy is a large army exceeding 100,000, you can win only by driving the enemy using strategy and tactics.
And the hardest thing in war is to use strategy and tactics to trap the other side.
Because, just as we are not fools, our opponents are not fooled by their strategy and tactics and fall into traps.
The Duke of Orléans listened to my words and said with a serious expression.
“Then it would be better to come up with a defense-oriented tactic. If so, there is nothing you can do. Marquis of Creutel, you and I take the center, or rather the front. I’m on the right side of the front. You take the left side. Also, Earl Ilias and Count Isra, you guys act as reserve forces in our rear.”
In the last battle, if you used the central army like a battle shield to strike the enemy, and used Earl Ilias and Count Isra like small knives to decapitate them…
We’re outnumbered this time, so I’m thinking of using it as an anvil to hold out our allies until the enemy exposes their vitals.
At the same time, the two counts are used as small hammers, and when the enemy reveals a weak point, he intends to expand his criminal record.
If you can annihilate the enemy army like that, then driving that momentum into the Marquis Simon’s territory…
It’s a much better strategy than you might think.
Then, the Duke of Orléans placed on the map the words representing the four of us and the words representing the enemy legion.
Looking at the horse of his ally, he put my horse slightly in front of the horse of the Orléans Legion and tilted it.
“After setting up in that state, if the enemy leads the infantry and attacks us… I want you to use your matchlock to cover my soldiers without leaving the position and out of the way. Is it possible?”
Any ranged weapon is nothing more than a nuisance unless properly trained to use it.
So, the Duke of Orléans must have asked for cover toward the left corner of the enemy army attacking his corps using a gun.
And when the enemy is killed by the gun and the hole in the front line becomes big enough, he will put the soldiers in the left line through the gap.
I’m going to keep attacking like that, and then I’m going to create a half-siege, and I’m going to cut the enemy’s power.
then… 20% of the matchlocks belonging to the squares within reach of the Duke of Orléans and our unit…
If we mobilize about 30% of them to fire in support, our family’s army will be able to play an active role enough to show condescension without suffering such great damage.
“good. We will provide as much support as necessary.”
At those words, the Duke of Orléans responded with a hearty smile.
“Thank you. Also, Earl Elias and Count Isra should pay particular attention to enemy knights instead of supporting troops from the rear. In particular, the knights of Count Akitel didn’t participate last time, but they will definitely try to outwit their allies in this battle. I want you to stop them well.”
To that instruction, the two counts each responded with faces full of confidence.
“Yes, please leave it to Your Highness. I will fulfill the order with the honor of Count Isra.”
“Yes, if the Count, who is lame in one leg and cannot speak well, attacks us first… I will stop him and his knights, and bring them down from their positions of glory.”
Although I deliberately sought out beautiful women to boost their confidence, and spared no luxuries or consolation and encouragement…
Now, even if the number and majesty of the knights were destroyed by a volley of fire from a matchlock, many died.
I didn’t think that they would be full of wind in their lungs to the extent that they spoke with the momentum that they could easily defeat Count Akitel, who was still famous as the best commander who commanded the strongest knights of the French Empire.
However, this will always be a slightly surprising error, but it’s in the same direction as my plan, so it’s better not to touch it.
Also, the Duke of Orléans probably warned of the experience he had gained while living as an aristocrat.
Even so, he misunderstands that the attack on the headquarters and supply routes this time was all the result of the two of them independently, so he can’t directly admonish or give a warning unless he goes against his orders.
Crucially, I’m in a position where I have to raise those two to increase the power of the force of check against me…
From a political point of view, the duke is in a position to hold on to the two and encourage them while acting as counts.
And after all, the duke heard that and only showed a thoughtful gesture with a serious expression on his face, but did not pay any attention.
Instead, he spoke in a voice that seemed to encourage them with a serious expression.
“I will entrust the rear of our troops to you young people. So don’t be rash, I hope you move carefully. and Marquis.”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
“Enemy infantry is more numerous than ours, and after all, Count Akitel is participating in the battle… Rather than using the knights to break through the foot soldiers, wouldn’t it be better to intercept their knights when they attack us?”
Instead of failing to stop the young lads, the intention was to keep the knights near the infantry so that the infantry would not be pierced by lance charging.
No, it’s a tactic I came up with with the intention of inflicting maximum damage on the enemy knights when those two try to break through…
“good. Perhaps intercepting their attacks will help us destroy more enemies with much less damage than if we went out ourselves.”
Then we continued talking about where and how we would march if we won this battle, and how we would continue to use conventional warlords for supplies.
So gradually, the Duke of Orléans and we designed a theoretically perfect war…
As always, ‘error’ must occur in combat.
And the Duke of Orléans and I… I know that the error in this battle exists not only for the enemy but also for the allies.
If you ask who it is…
Instead of air in their lungs, they must be two counts filled with confidence and hope.
Because, in a war, you shouldn’t think positively until you win.