Quit being a knight and become a mercenary chapter 136

136 – Guerrilla Battle and Ambush (2)

Everyone’s eyes, including Viscount Canossa, were all focused on me.

“The strategy you proposed contributed greatly to taking over Villa Hora Castle, so I look forward to it again this time.”

Isn’t it too much to add to the burden by putting pressure on me to come up with a plan, and now saying that he expects it?

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I really feel like this is a bit harsh, but I would like to say something.

‘Viscount, I will endure it because I believe you are openly revealing that you trust me.’

I clenched my teeth, suppressed my anger for a moment, and nodded.

“I will do my best.”

“Okay, first of all, what do you think we need to defend the castle?”

There are 2,500 friendly troops and 6,000 enemies, so it seems like they want to lock themselves in the castle and engage in a defensive battle.

As it is the most standard and reliable method, the Viscount’s thoughts will inevitably be focused on Suseongjeon.

‘It wouldn’t be a good idea to fight a defensive battle in a castle that was occupied by our troops just a few days ago.’

Because no matter how much we maintain the equipment and facilities for defense inside the castle, it is impossible to make perfect preparations in just a week.

This castle originally belonged to the Rhine-Palatinate Empire, so the invading bastards know very well the weaknesses of this castle.

Because we never know when they may strike at our unexpected weakness.

However, denying the opinion of a high-ranking person outright would be trampling on the face of Viscount Canossa, so I guess I should turn the story around.

“Since there are only a small number of allies and the number of enemies reaches 6,000, it would be best to defend the castle. However, since it is a matter of planning a strategy, wouldn’t it be better to think about it from various angles?”

Viscount Canossa also nodded, and the other mercenary captains also agreed.

“There is no harm in considering other measures than the defensive battle.”

Some of the knights cleared their throats and made counter-proposals to the Viscount.

“Wouldn’t it be better to weigh all the variables that can be considered? “There may be a better alternative.”

“Marriott, you are right. “I think water-based warfare will be the most effective, but if we can come up with a better strategy by considering various variables, it will help us achieve victory.”

Viscount Canossa approached the bulletin board with the map brought for the meeting and attached two wooden pieces with red magnets.

There is one on the left and one on the right, a little away from the castle.

“On the left, Baron Maurer is leading a force of about 2,000 and is coming here from Wiltz Castle, and on the right, Viscount Grunwald is leading a force of 4,000 and is coming through the Gruene Boulevard. “This is quite reliable information obtained during the interrogation of prisoners.”

For no reason, it would be more efficient to use time if 6,000 people marched separately rather than all moving together.

“According to further confirmation while interrogating the prisoners, they said that the reason they are coming here now is to support Baron Custer, who was originally guarding this castle.”

It is said that a battle in which a large number of troops can be fought with a small number of troops is called a water battle…

If you surround a castle with vicious words and hold out for a year or two, the people inside the castle, who cannot interact with the outside world, will naturally run out of supplies and starve to death.

As a result, the Battle of Surong is generally a battle where you hold out with force and force until ‘a large number of friendly reinforcements’ arrive.

Accordingly, Baron Custer must have waited desperately for these guys to come, and the reinforcements must have marched quickly to rescue the guys trapped in this castle…

As I reasoned this far in my head, a very good plan came to mind.

Then the corners of my mouth began to rise up quite naturally, and the Viscount’s long story was almost finished.

“So, the only tactic we can choose is to stay in the castle and engage in a defensive battle, or go out and attack those who are scattered. If you think about it from a realistic point of view, there is no other way than a water defense battle. “Do you all agree?”

When everyone nodded, I asked the Viscount for permission to speak again.

“Viscount, may I ask permission to speak?”

To be honest, it is crazy to ask for opinions when the Viscount said that there seemed to be no other way than a defensive battle.

Everyone’s attention naturally focused on me for doing something crazy, and some drivers even clicked their tongues when they saw me.

‘If those noblemen had not performed well enough, they would have found fault with me by now, calling me reckless, right?’

Even Viscount Canossa, unlike before, responded to my sudden request for permission to speak with a slight frown and an irritated voice.

“Did you suddenly think of a new strategy? “I’m very embarrassed.”

“As the Viscount pointed out every little detail, a good strategy came to mind.”

“Hmm, I believe in your resourcefulness that contributed to the capture of Villa Hora and will give you permission to speak.”

Even if I said that, if there is no great interest in my proposal, the operation will be dismissed immediately, so it would be better to start with a statement that has impact.

With those words, I pointed to the wooden horse symbolizing Baron Maurer on the left.

“If you provide just 10 wizards and 100 additional troops to our Whitebeard mercenaries, we will help the 2,000-strong army led by Baron Maurer.”

Captain Dalton and Vice-Captain Heinz looked at me and scolded me, and the Viscount froze when he heard the novel plan of stopping 2,000 people with only 600 men.

Dalton asked permission to speak with an angry expression on his face, then gave me a look that almost killed me and said,

“What on earth were you thinking, to come up with such a novel strategy? “Isn’t this crazy enough to cause one mistake and our entire mercenary army will be wiped out?”

It was quite rude to speak so bluntly in front of the Viscount, but since the circumstances were such, the Viscount and other knights did not care to point it out.

“I am also involved in this operation, so why would I suggest something if it means selling my place?”

Dalton glared at me and gritted his teeth to give me notice.

I thought they would give me a chance to explain based on my performance so far, but I felt like they were threatening to cut my head off if I told them nonsense.

‘If there were no measures, I would have gotten goosebumps.’

Luckily, I had a plan to calm Dalton down.

“Baron Maurer and Viscount Grunwald probably think that Villa Hora Castle has not fallen. Because it has only been a little over 20 days since we arrived at Villa Hora Castle.”

The reason we were able to capture this castle so quickly was because Baron Custer was more incompetent than expected, and because he was a clumsy person, he fell for a light feud and kicked Hilde, a supporter.

If not for that, even without Hilde, this castle would probably have lasted at least a month.

“Normally, to take down a castle of this size with about 3,000 people, wouldn’t it take at least a month, but on average two months?”

This time the Viscount answered.

“That’s right. “If your plan hadn’t worked, we probably wouldn’t have taken the castle until now.”

“So, Baron Maurer and Viscount Grunwald are probably marching at a fast pace, thinking that Villa Hora Castle is still holding out. “They probably plan to rescue Baron Custer, who is in trouble, and then attack us.”

The basic idea of a defensive battle is to hold out fearfully until your allies arrive, and then attack the enemy with reinforcements as if fighting them off.

“That’s right. So?”

“Baron Grunwald is marching on flat ground, and his number reaches 4,000, so it is difficult to conduct an effective delaying war by splitting up a small number of troops and conducting a surprise attack.”

Marching through terrain with many plains means that we cannot hide with a small number of troops.

This means that it is not a good idea to engage in a delayed battle that will tire out the opponent by repeatedly attacking and jumping out with a small number of troops.

“On the other hand, the road where Baron Maurer comes is full of mountains and dense forests, making it a good terrain for ambushing and attacking. Moreover, they will be marching in a hurry after receiving orders to urgently support this castle, so when our Whitebeard mercenaries meet the Baron’s army, they will actually be half exhausted, exhausted from the long and fast march.”

Fighting an army that is more than three times the size of your own on ‘flat ground’ is like crazy, but if you suddenly attack the exhausted guys, you can achieve a great victory with only a small number of troops.

‘If it were a sudden surprise attack, I wouldn’t be able to use my hands or feet to attack it.’

“That makes sense. If you leave this castle and tie up Baron Maurer, all we have to do with 1,900 men is to block the enemy’s army of about 4,000. It would be much better than stopping 6,000 people with 2,500 people. Okay, let’s try that.”

I smiled after getting what I wanted.

“Thank you.”

“Okay, now let’s discuss how to repair the castle defense facilities.”

**

On the way back from the meeting, Dalton grabbed me by the collar.

“I used to say that if you said there was a plan you wanted to try, you could do whatever you wanted. f*ck, isn’t this too dangerous? “Preventing 2,000 people with 600 people?”

Instead of apologizing, I answered, looking confidently at Dalton.

“As I said to Viscount Canossa in the conference room earlier, this is an operation that has a lot of potential. And have you forgotten?”

“What?”

“Didn’t I tell you that if we tell them how much the Rhine-Palatinate will suffer if they turn against our Whitebeard mercenaries, then our chances of becoming nobles of the ‘Rhine-Palatinate’ will increase?”

Dalton was momentarily speechless at those words.

“To get rid of Hilde Baumann with a trick I came up with and prove that our mercenary corps can do more than two people in Soelden. That alone is not enough. Would that be enough for the high-ranking people of the Rhine-Palatinate Empire to tell the captain to join us because they will give him a ‘title and a vast territory’?”

Since he has performed this well, as long as Captain Dalton leads the Whitebeard mercenaries and enters a faction in the civil war and wins, he will be given a position as a senior knight.

No, he will receive a much larger territory than a fairly high-ranking knight, but they will not think of appeasing him by giving him a title like ‘Baron’.

“On the other hand, let us lead a mercenary force of only about 500 people and defeat an army of over 2,000 people on our own. Then they will think like this. If we fail to attract Dalton Von Prime to our side and give him to the enemy’s side, we will suffer a huge loss. Therefore, we must attract the Whitebeard mercenaries to our side, even if it means giving them titles. Because…”

I intentionally interrupted the conversation slightly.

Hearing those words, the centurion commanders, including Commander Heinz, swallowed their saliva.

“If you entrust him with 1,000 troops, 4,000 will perform well.”

‘The moment Dalton receives the title of Baron, I plan to become independent based on the reputation I have built so far, but the captain will be different.’

“If Captain Dalton earns such an evaluation and becomes a baron, the centurion commanders, including Captain Heinz, will be given high knighthood. Wouldn’t it be better to be an aristocrat with fame and power than to live a leisurely life in the countryside or a small town, with a few rural girls and lovers?”

Everyone nodded at those words.

“And looking at the map that Viscount Canossa showed me, it seemed like we could not only delay the fight but annihilate them with our own strength. “Let’s do it right.”

Then, our mercenary unit led the 100 soldiers and 15 wizards we had received from Viscount Canossa and moved to where the enemy troops were.

‘Here, let’s raise her achievements to a level where she can be recognized by Hilde, and make her mine.’