Chapter 808 This Is the Choice of the Burnholm Islanders
The huge Ross fleet received sufficient food supplements in the waters of Saaremaa Island, and a large amount of roasted smoked herring was directly converted into military rations.
The fishing operation has just begun!
Why must kill to Burnholm Island to catch fish? The huge Gulf of Riga is right in front of you. The fishery resources here are equal to no development due to the inability of the natives along the coast. The herring paradise is the warehouse of the Rus.
Since the rain ended, a large number of fishing boats have been floating in the waters of the southern part of the island, trawling during the day and fishing with lights at night.
Some people even cast bait to catch deep-sea cod, and the harvest was equally good.
More than just the southernmost point of Fish Saaremaa, it is also a summer habitat for geese and wild ducks, and now Ross hunters are killing them. They hunt birds for their feathers for arrow feathers, and fat is also a treasure.
Thousands of people from the Principality and the Swedes who came after them plundered with all their might, and Rurik reckoned that their rampant hunting and fishing activities would surely attract the attention of the Baltic people of various tribes along the coast.
It’s better to be noticed by those people, and it’s better that the people of the Principality spontaneously communicate with the local people. It doesn't matter whether it's a violent, peaceful encounter, eventually the locals will adapt to Rus' rule.
But all of this Rurik was in no mood to take into account for the time being.
There are still more than 100 ships in the Ross fleet, large and small, continuing to go south.
The warriors wiped their swords, rubbing the blade with a hard leather for absolute sharpness.
The bundled arrows in wooden boxes were moved to the deck, and the ropes were untied for ready access by the soldiers of the deck.
The torsional slingshots protected by the tarpaulin were all opened, and those who were holding the seal ointment booth dug up the oil with their hands, smeared the tough hemp ropes and tendons of the slingshot, and also smeared the rail grooves for launching stone bullets. Very lubricated.
Rurik relied on the semaphore to get in touch with the ships. He did not issue battle orders, but made everyone prepare for battle.
All ships are strictly forbidden to fight without authorization, and they will always be on alert if they don't see their flagships raising their battle flags.
Eight sail cruisers trod the waves, forming a wedge, followed by boats of all sizes.
The entire army is equipped with as many as 200 ship-borne torsion slingshots, each of which can make a half-pound conical iron bullet as large as 300 meters away.
Deck standby is the soldier holding various long-range weapons,
The ratio of the long-range soldiers of the Ross Army is almost 100%.
It is such an army that completely subverts the mode of naval warfare in the Baltic Sea. Even in the Mediterranean, this is the only one.
Are the Burnholms capable of dealing with the Ross Navy?
Surrounding Burnholm Island, the islanders' fishing boats are still floating in the waters.
Today's fishermen must remain alert, and they have reached a tacit agreement to retreat as soon as they see a boat with a jib. They also became conservative and did not dare to drive boats to fish in distant waters.
Even if there are not many harvests from offshore fishing, at least it is very safe.
A considerable number of fishermen have left, and the attitudes of those who remain are as mixed.
They do not have the concept of locality, as long as they maintain their own fishing boats, they can be home in the world. If one day Burnholm can't stay, then leave!
It was extremely easy for a family of five with two or three children to escape. They either headed straight for Denmark in the west or Gotaland in the north, but they threw their limited bottles on board and left lightly.
But those big families with a large number of slaves, mansions and warehouses, they have become too bloated, and it is impossible to evacuate lightly.
The core strength of the island today is such a large family, which has committed itself to their slaves and fishing tenants.
Swindler, who was recommended, is gone forever! It has been a long time, could it be that he has been beheaded by the Rus?
Until the fishermen saw a large fleet that was approaching, the large number of jibs illuminated by the sun, with clearly visible blue stripes on them, almost sentenced Burnholm to death.
"I saw the fishing boats, they were running away!" Some of the men told Rurik, who was resting in the cabin.
"Oh? It's almost there? You can see the island?"
"Not yet. There is a thin sea fog now, and the sea is not clear." The messenger said and suggested: "Maybe our army can capture a boat and let them take us to the island."
Rurik thought for a while, "It doesn't have to be so hard. If they run away, they don't want to fight. Our army follows, and those who run for their lives will lead us to our destination. No matter! I'll go to the deck now."
There was still some sea fog in the morning, and as it was noon, a hazy dark green appeared on the sea ahead.
That's Burnholm!
The south wind became stronger, the atmosphere rose to the top wind, and the air became extremely clear. Those on standby in the fleet have seen the details of the island, such as a fishing village.
Rurik pulled the person who was in a complicated mood to his side, pointed to the phantom of the fishing village and asked loudly, "Most of your people live in this village?"
"No! It's just a small village. You... have to keep walking along the coast and you'll see a small bay where most of the people are."
Rurik nodded, the same boat he had used to carry out brutal hunts around Burnholm many years ago.
Now, he didn't hesitate to tell Swinder about it in plain sight.
Looking at Swinder, he was clearly gnashing his teeth with anger, but he pretended to be kind on the surface.
"Are you angry?" Rurik asked deliberately.
"I do not have."
"Don't hide it. If it were me, I would be angry too."
What else can Swind do? The lives of himself and the islanders are in the hands of the Ross Navy.
Rurik continued to sigh: "Ah! I thought of something. I know your large coastal settlements, and you organized an army to intercept me. Let's face it! A hundred long ships can't match my Aphrodite. Pull, now I have eight identical ships, better armament than many years ago."
Swinder had no choice but to say, "So, we're going to kill ourselves once we're done."
"It's good that you know."
"So, I hope you don't kill when you land. War doesn't make sense to us."
Rurik shrugged: "I'm here to subdue new subjects, and if I really want to kill, it's only for individual people." Having said this, he clenched his fists and showed his fangs: "However, there will be people who resist, resist. Whoever kills them. So."
"how?"
"You need to be smart to stop those guys."
Swinder sighed, and now there is no need for nonsense. "I will try to avoid war. Since you have offered such generous conditions, I think the whole island will be peacefully merged into Ross."
"If only they were as smart as you."
But is it really that simple?
Swinder didn't know that the tall king of heroes standing beside him had already divided all the islanders into three, six or nine classes in his heart, and predestined different fates for people of different levels.
When the Ross Navy can see the details of the island, the islanders can also see the Ross fleet coming.
However, it took time for the news of the invasion of the army to reach the island's largest settlement, so when the fleet reached its true destination, it was equivalent to a miracle.
The Ross fleet was shot in a wide formation, making the army appear huge.
Check out this battle! Here comes the big villain with the spinnaker! This is the real Rus army!
The big families on the island were shocked, the horns began to sound wildly, and the entire settlement was fried.
Because now there is an extremely unfavorable situation for the islanders.
"Damn Rus blocked our port! Ships can't leave!"
"The Russ must have planned to kill us! Fight with them."
"Quickly send women and children to the hills, and those who can take up arms will fight."
Each big family has their own opinions, but they all took up arms, just because it was their last resort when they were cornered.
A group of women ran to the stone mound in the center of the island with their children, some small families fled to the woods in the island, and some women also took up harpoons and shields to join the army.
This is clearly a time of life and death, and the huge fishing village is stunned to organize an army of more than 2,000 people.
This Viking army of fishermen was also a force that could walk sideways in the Franks, but they encountered a Rus army.
Variously painted shields were lined up on the shore to form a shield wall, and people who were eyeing them stayed behind the shields, clenching their weapons and waiting for the Rus to land.
Surprisingly, the Rus Navy did not practice typical Viking beaching. After all, large ships cannot use beach-washing tactics.
Rurik saw the guys in the formation, and he aimed the wooden measuring sight at the shield wall on the shore, estimating that the enemy was already in the position where the torque slingshot could reach the maximum range.
Rurik can tease Sweeden: "It seems that your people are very bloody, and they have mobilized for war in a very short time. They chose to resist. They are indeed Odin's warriors! Odin is indeed watching us. , maybe I should go with their intentions and kill them all."
Swinder panicked: "Can't fight! They are not your opponents at all."
"Maybe they foolishly thought that there was still a war." Rurik shrugged, "I'm going to start landing, I hope they can be smart enough."
Rurik gave new orders, and the small boats fixed to the broadsides of each ship began to be lowered.
A ship such as Avrora can accommodate eight small boats, and each boat can squeeze ten people. In theory, a single delivery can transport the entire ship's soldiers away.
The ships were releasing their boats, and the soldiers disembarked along the cast nets and began to paddle.
The Ross fleet, which is very fast in action, only seems to be dawdling at the beginning of this operation.
In any era, facing a defensive enemy beach, it is risky to land on the beach, so Rurik did not dare to neglect.
At the same time that each ship released its small boats, they all faced the enemy on their broadsides. The torsion slingshot that did not face the enemy was removed and temporarily placed on the enemy side.
The soldiers sitting in the boats were carrying round shields, and almost all of them had steel swords hanging from their waists. Four were paddling, and six were holding crossbows. Since the enemy is waiting on the shore, who can be sure that the enemy is just watching?
Can history repeat itself? This scene reminded Rurik of his first expedition to the Karelians.
Watching the armed fishermen of Burnholm who were guarding the coast, the young people were full of fire, and the Ross army landed small boats. In their eyes, the enemy's ferocious ships were no longer capable of courage.
In the past days, everyone was bullied too hard, and at the same time of anger, they were inevitably timid towards the Rus people.
Nearly a thousand people have died in the past few years, all by the Rus.
An impulsive voice suddenly shouted: "What are you big fools afraid of? Rush up and hack them to death!"
The result is a dramatic scene!
The crowd became more and more impetuous, and the restlessness of the armed fishermen caused the inside to push each other, and some people pushed the soldiers in the front row away from the shield wall.
How is this not an offensive signal to others?
As soon as the first Roths landed, the Burnholm armed fishermen made their choice - to fight.
Those islander warriors who were pushed out by their companions actually triggered the advance of the entire army. At first, a small number of people advanced, and soon the entire front line was in chaos. The unknown soldiers in the rear felt that the decisive battle was now, and revenge was coming. The moment of retribution should not be missed. After the Viking War, which they made an amazing volume of, it further boosted the prestige of those in front.
This move undoubtedly shocked the Rus people who had just landed. The army was still unsteady, and the battle began?
Rurik frowned and stomped his feet in anger, and at this moment Swinder was completely dumbfounded in the face of the embarrassing situation.
Swinder realizes that his friends have made the stupidest choice, or the bravest choice, after all, but it's definitely not the wisdom of the people. He also dreamed of landing in the Kingdom of Ross for a while, and opened his mouth to resolve the misunderstanding. It's gone now...
"It's their choice!" Rurik said viciously, and then ordered: "Blow the trumpet! Play the drum! Raise the flag! Fight!"
The Ross Navy, who had been on guard for a long time, started fighting immediately after receiving the order. As many as 150 torsion slingshots have been aimed at the beach, and the first round of salvos has come!
The half-pound cast-iron bullet is actually quite small, and it has been deliberately machined with sloping grooves. Such projectiles start to spin violently in flight, and of course the settings will be reduced, and the stability will become excellent.
The dense black shadows flew up to the sky, and the projectiles fell at a high speed.
The Bernholm armed fishermen of Mercedes-Benz were smashed to death by falling projectiles without even noticing.
This blow alone killed or injured more than fifty people, but it was still not enough to restrain the onslaught of the islanders.
Do you have to fight them in close quarters? Seeing the approaching enemy, the Ross Army resolutely suspended the landing.
The boat that had just grabbed the beach was pushed into the water again, and the soldiers stood on the boat and shot arrows frantically at the approaching enemy.
Steel-armed crossbow, wooden-armed crossbow, short wooden bow, longbow, recurve bow, are a precise blow to the enemy.
This surprised the islanders of Burnholm, who thought they could push the Rus into the sea and drown, and the action became meaningless. The Rus were still floating near the shore, shooting with strong bows and crossbows. Take part in the fight.
It's too late for the Burnholm Islanders to regret it.
Even the most powerful bull catapults began to shoot large pebbles, and a hit would be a broken one.
The Burnholm Islanders struggled to support themselves with their shields. Although their oak round shields had a good defense, they were still pierced and shattered by the heavy arrows fired by the steel-armed crossbow.
However, there were only ordinary fishermen who were armed in large numbers, and even a group of slaves who were forced to fight. They were so poor that they had no armor at all, and even a large number of people were shirtless. The flesh and blood were turned into terrifying minced meat under the attack of dense projectiles and arrows. The tragic situation caused panic, and morale could always collapse at any time.
The war has completely turned into one-sided, which is not what Rurik wants to see, but it is indeed the choice of the islanders.
Everything is under Rurik's control, and the Ross Army can deliberately dawdle a little bit, and use strong bows and crossbows to destroy the morale of the Burnholm Islanders.
No, facing the blow of various long-range weapons of free fire, the army of islanders gathered by revenge, facing large-scale casualties, was too helpless to hurt Ross alone. Morale has collapsed, this army has collapsed! They start to run away like crazy...
The Russ army resumed the landing, but the victory did not make Rurik happy.
"Simple battle, your people have already lost." Rurik pointed to the helpless Swinder and said.
"Next... you... are you going to kill them all?"
"Your words are trembling, do you think I'm just a ruthless killer?"
Swinder is speechless...
Rurik looked indifferent: "As I said, those who resolutely resist will be killed. I don't believe that those fishermen made a spontaneous all-out attack, they must have been instigated. They were all bewitched and thought they could beat me. I want to Kill the mastermind, and you are responsible for maintaining the stability behind. Let's land now."
Soon, a flag was raised and the ships stopped firing.
At the same time, the flagship relies on the semaphore soldiers to communicate with the landing soldiers.
Arik and Ragnar both completed the landing with their subordinates. Since the islanders chose war, even Ragnar, a down-to-earth Danish lord who was not hostile to the islanders, planned to kill him.
Just when they were going to pursue the victory, they saw the truce order from the prince.
"Damn it! It's unreasonable not to chase at a critical moment." Arik muttered viciously, as long as he stopped the soldiers.
"Are we waiting here?" Ragnar asked.
"Wait! Ah! My lovely brother is going to be a benevolent monarch again. He likes it. Ragnar, take your men to clean the battlefield first, and your swords and mine must see blood, and take their wounded All stabbed to death."
Ragnar nodded, and brought his brothers to work aggressively, but he saw that there was a woman who was struggling with an arrow, and he was still reluctant to start after all. After lamenting that the islanders had become so desperate that they wanted women to fight, they ordered their subordinates to take the injured woman away first and lead them to deal with them. And Arik has no worries, it seems that Ragnar is also a benevolent person.
In fact, Ragnar has always had his own ambitions. His subordinates dragged away twenty lightly wounded female fighters, and they all tied up and waited for treatment. Once these female prisoners are rescued, they will be absorbed by the desolate "Stonewall" tribe. Ragnar has made up his mind. No matter what Prince Ross says, the right to dispose of these female prisoners must be in his own hands.