Chapter 424 Confrontation
In Saladin's camp.
Baron Fulk counted his equipment over and over again, including spears, bows and arrows, kettles, and quivers. It wasn't until Ivan came over to urge him that he hurriedly crossed himself on his chest, with a look of shame on his face.
"My heavenly Father, I will be forced to serve the pagans. My merciful Lord, please know that I will not do so voluntarily. On the battlefield, I will wait for an opportunity to escape and try not to kill any Christian brothers. "
"Fulk, hurry up!"
Ivan's urging sounded outside the camp.
Following Saladin's military order, the entire Saracen camp quickly became active like a hibernating beast. They seemed chaotic, but they gathered under their commanders in an organized manner, and followed the orders of their superior lords. Military orders gathered together.
…
"Get away, everyone. I am here to command these dragon beasts under the command of my lord. Open the gate quickly!"
Ivan put on the iron gauntlets and stood at the most eye-catching enemy in his camp. He looked at the figure swaggering towards the animal pen with undisguised disgust on his face - it was Toller. A man-eating beast!
Not only did Ivan hate him, but also a large number of soldiers who had lost their relatives and friends.
During this period, ordinary soldiers were killed by man-eating beasts every day. The Saracens strengthened their vigilance, but for the huge military camp, it was just a drop in the bucket.
If sight could kill, Thorle would have died at least a hundred times the moment he appeared in front of the Saracen soldiers.
Thorle was dressed in black scales and wore a peaked chainmail helmet. Under the raised mask, he revealed an arrogant and wanton face. He was not afraid of the glares of everyone.
"This damn beast."
"Ivan, keep your voice down."
Fulk reminded.
Toller paused slightly, his head suddenly turned, and he looked at Ivan, with a malicious smile on his face.
Then he came to the animal pen without looking back, used his hands to forcefully broke the iron railings as thick as his arms, and elicited a suppressed exclamation.
boom--
The ferocious Tyrannosaurus Rex looked extremely docile in front of Thorle, a dragonborn with true dragon blood. It lowered its head and allowed Thorle to step on his head and come to the place behind it. On the dragon saddle.
"Let's go, little one!"
He swung his whip and looked down at the surrounding soldiers.
It's not that he's unaware of the rumors circulating in the military camp, he just doesn't care.
To him, ordinary people are just a bunch of weak and humble insects.
That is to say, he does not have the hobby of cannibalism.
If there were, the rumors would no longer be rumors.
The soldiers all made way for a passage, allowing Toller to ride a ferocious dragon, leading more than a dozen dragon beasts behind him to follow him and walk out of the camp.
But Ivan didn't move.
He stood at the gate of the camp, staring at Thorle on the dragon's back with a cold expression.
Fulk grabbed Ivan's arm, trying to pull him away, and said urgently: "Ivan, don't be stupid."
But Ivan still didn't move, his eyes fixed on the dragon beast and the big stupid man behind it.
Thorler looked at the only man who dared to stop him with interest, and gently patted the neck of the Tyrannosaurus. It immediately lowered its head and lowered its bloody mouth full of sharp teeth in front of Ivan.
But Ivan still didn't move.
Fulk was so anxious that he was sweating profusely. He could even smell the fishy smell coming from the dragon beast's mouth.
This was his first close encounter with these giant beasts that were not in cages. He knew very well that they could swallow a sheep in one mouthful, and they could also swallow them in one mouthful.
It seemed that after many days of feeding, the Tyrannosaurus rex also remembered the smells of Ivan and Fulk, and what Fulk was worried about did not happen.
The Dire Rex raised its head and no longer paid attention to the two little guys blocking the road. It raised its heavy claws and stepped over their heads - more than ten giant beasts drove out of the military camp one after another, and the dust they raised made everyone Everyone became disgraced.
Wait for a while until the dragons leave.
Only then did someone shout: "Abdullah! The great dragon tamer!"
"Abdullah the fearless warrior!"
Amid the cheers, Fulk wiped his sweat: "Idiot, next time you seek death, can you please don't hold me back?"
Ivan said with a smile: "I have told you before, there is nothing scary about this big animal."
Amid the cheers of the people, he loudly ordered: "All Ghazi warriors, my king's military order has been issued. It is time to fight the decisive battle with the barbaric Franks. Everyone, please get on your mounts immediately and follow me to the base of the tower. Under Lord Ding’s banner!”
He loudly issued military orders one after another. The originally demoralized troops under his command were reawakened by Ivan's brave feats.
On the opposite hillside.
Square flags with various cross coats of arms, the personal coats of arms of knights and nobles, and fleur-de-lis flags fluttered in the wind.
The scorching sunlight illuminated the sweaty cheeks of each soldier, and they all squinted their eyes. The enemy's formation obviously took into account the backlight factor, so the Crusaders had to face the scorching sun when they formed their formation at this time.
Every insignificant and subtle factor on the battlefield will become a crucial decisive factor when spread to tens of thousands of people.
Lothar looked at the Kurdish cavalry leader beside him and said with a smile: "Abdallah, we are about to have a decisive battle with your Kurdish hero. How do you feel?"
Abdullah smiled bitterly and said: "Sir, the war is about to begin, do you still have the heart to joke?"
How many Kurds regard Saladin as a hero? Among the Mamluks under Saladin's command, Kurds did not make up the majority. Instead, they were mostly Turks, Turkmens, and Cumans.
"Of course, because I know we're going to win."
Lothar clenched the riding crop in her hand, a look of confidence on her face.
As the commander-in-chief of an army, no matter what you think deep down in your heart, you must act like you have everything in mind.
Behind them, the hussars held a three-meter-long hollow lance in their right hand, and pressed their other hand on the sword on the saddle. The sophisticated armor allowed them to maximize their impact without holding a shield.
No wonder they often ridicule the Varangian Guards for occupying the title of Earl's Guards. In every battle, their hussars can still follow Lothar.
Behind the winged cavalry were the mounted archers. The number of Tiefutu was too small and they had not yet formed an army.
A dozen or so scattered people were also incorporated into the cavalry team. The knights of the order appeared in each team as commanders and did not all gather to fight.
Further outside, there are the knights of the Order and the armored cavalry of the other lords. A considerable number of them are equipped with simple horse armor or horse clothes to resist the Saracens' bows and arrows.
The ranks of the Knights Templar and Knights Hospitaller were particularly eye-catching because of their large numbers and distinct distinctions.
From a distance, the Crusader cavalry looked like a colorful steel barrier stretching across the hillside.
As for the Crusaders' infantry, which accounts for the vast majority, they are still gathering and holding on to the camp. Regardless of whether it is an offensive or defensive battle, the highly mobile cavalry must leave the camp as soon as possible. On the contrary, the infantry team only needs to respond in a stable manner. Just change.
The Crusaders had a cavalry force commanded by Lothar, totaling 8,000 men.
Only a quarter of them are knights, and the rest are composed of cavalry equipped by the wealthy citizens and professional heavy cavalry under Lothar.
The gold content of knights in this era is far less than that of knights in the plate armor era. By the time of the Hundred Years' War, the proportion of knights among heavy cavalry would even shrink to one-twentieth.
This can be seen from the disparity in the use of plate armor and chain armor among the knights of the Kingdom of Jerusalem.
For some knights who only had a bridge, a mill, or a small manor, plate armor was really an expensive luxury item.
Lightly armored or unarmored light cavalry were scattered in front and behind the team. They were equipped with light lances, bows and arrows, and were the eyes of Lothar's army. They were also responsible for harassing and delaying the enemy's offensive.
Their combat capabilities are limited, but they are indispensable.