Chapter 163 Reinforcements

His opponents were no foolhardy savages—Winters became increasingly convinced that afternoon.

The Styx Military Camp is adjacent to the river to the east. Considering the terrain, the attack should be launched from the south and north sides.

The terrain along the river bank was undulating, limiting the defender's shooting range.

The river is still in the dry season in winter, and the exposed riverbed is a natural road that can lead directly to the pontoon.

Winters put himself in his shoes and thought that if he were to command the Hurds, he would feint to attack the west wall and focus on the south and north walls.

At the same time, an elite force was deployed on the dry river bed. When the battle heated up, a surprise force was launched to break through the pontoon bridge and the east gate and outflank the defenders in the camp.

Under attack from both inside and outside, the defenders would definitely be in chaos. Taking into account the strength gap between the two sides, the casualties in capturing the military camp will not exceed 30%.

Not only Winters thought so, but other officers thought similarly. They received the same tactical training, and the thinking patterns of several officers were also similar.

Ever since, the defense of the military camp was laid out based on this idea.

The Styx Camp originally had a standing army of 100 troops garrisoned, so they were responsible for guarding the south wall.

Winters guarded the north wall, Andre guarded the west wall, and Bader's improvised men guarded the east gate.

Lieutenant Colonel Jessica leads the cavalry to support various locations as appropriate.

On the dry river bed, Winters and his men dug thousands of horse-trap holes overnight.

The horse trap hole is about the size of a field mouse hole and as deep as a horse's shin bone. A wooden stake is smashed in and pulled out to create one.

The effect is very damaging. Once a galloping horse steps into it, it may break its hoof or break its leg in severe cases.

Usually no one uses this trick because horses are precious trophies. But the situation is critical, and you have to survive before you can consider the amount of seizure.

The defenders each performed their duties and were ready to attack.

But to the surprise of all the officers, the Heds neither feinted to attack nor divided their troops, nor did they attack from the north and south sides. Instead, they focused on the western wall and attacked fiercely.

To the west of the camp is a continuous downhill road, which seems to be able to exert the impact of the cavalry, but in fact it is a shooting range.

The defenders had a wide field of vision without any blind spots.

The enemy attacked from the west, and the Platuan people, who had a large number of long-range weapons, wanted them.

But the Hurd barbarian pushed the cart and came from the west.

As soon as the exchange of fire broke out, Andre, who was responsible for defending the Western Wall, immediately noticed something strange.

wind!

The wind is blowing in the wrong direction!

Generally speaking, easterly winds blow in spring and summer between the two mountains, and the wind blows inland from the Seinus Sea, bringing precipitation and moisture.

But in autumn and winter, the wind direction will change. The wind blows from the highlands to the sea, and the west wind sweeps across the land.

The Hud people pushed the cart to within twenty or even fifteen steps of the camp wall. Using a cart packed with earth as a cover, he fired arrows in the wind with great accuracy and ruthlessness.

After Andre's musketeers opened fire, the smoke was blown back by the west wind. It not only choked people's throats and burned their eyes, but also seriously obstructed their vision.

The defenders' archers were suppressed by hard bows and heavy arrows. Hurd's light cavalry with nooses roared over. The horses outside the camp wall were lassoed, pulled out, and dragged away one by one.

Camp Styx is a field camp that can accommodate tens of thousands of troops. The defenders are short of manpower. Andre's 100 men can't even stand on the shooting platform on the west wall.

Not only did the Herds not divide their troops, they didn't even conduct a tentative attack. They only targeted a few points and bitten desperately. Cellini's centurions were immediately unable to withstand them.

Lieutenant Colonel Jessica urgently mobilized Colin's Centurion and Montagne's Centurion to support the Western Wall.

In the first attack, a bold Hurd cavalry climbed over the camp wall, but was quickly surrounded and killed.

In the second attack, the Herds pushed up several small towed trebuchets and began to greet the defenders' shooting stations.

Winters never thought he would actually see the Trebuchet return to the battlefield.

However, the defenders, who only had a few inaccurate revolving cannons, really had little to do with the trebuchets.

Andre led the cavalry in a charge, but was intercepted by the well-prepared Heds.

During the three attacks, the Herds patiently sniped down the musketeers, pulled out all the horse stakes, and killed and shot at the shooting platform.

He advances and retreats calmly, as if he were a skilled butcher deboning the meat.

Although the camp wall had not been truly attacked, Winters could feel that the will of the militiamen was reaching its limit.

At noon, the officers in the camp held a meeting.

"Next time, Hedman will take action for real." Jessica said with a gloomy face.

"It's even harder to fight in the afternoon." Bard pointed at the sun calmly: "The light direction is not good for us."

Winters suddenly realized that in the morning the Hurds had a tailwind but a backlight. After noon, the sunlight and wind direction will not be favorable to you.

"The light and wind direction are all from the side." Winters frowned: "I'm worried that the Hurds will break into the camp wall, and the morale of the militiamen and those temporarily armed merchants will collapse."

Defending a living place is more difficult than defending a dead place.

The first two battles were fought in formation on the vast grassland. Everyone had no way to escape and could only fight for their lives.

But right now, behind the camp, there was a pontoon bridge leading to the other side of the Styx River.

Cross the river, destroy the bridge, everyone is safe.

The way out is right in front of you, and no one will be tempted.

"Otherwise..." Andre gritted his teeth and said, "Just cross the river."

"Absolutely not!" Lieutenant Colin flatly refused and said sternly: "Whoever dares to move the pontoon bridge must step over my body first!"

Although their relationship was brief, Winters was deeply impressed by Colin Victor's rigor and meticulousness.

Other camps along the way collected the camping fees and ignored the vendors. Only the Hexi military camp where Lieutenant Colin was stationed was unselfish and strictly prohibited any outsiders from entering the camp.

However, the taciturn Lieutenant Colin was so excited that his face turned red at the moment.

[Note: For Plato’s name, the surname comes first and the given name comes last. What the Platons call a glorious tradition is actually a legacy of Hurd]

The lieutenant's words were fierce, and Andre also became angry: "The pontoon bridge is so important, so why only leave your centurion to garrison it? Why do we need to work hard to keep a large group?"

Colin was silent for a moment, and then he said after a while: "There was originally a brigade."

"Where are the people?"

"The main tents of the tribes have long since retreated two hundred kilometers to the west! Who would have thought that the Hedians would appear at this time and here?"

Andre raised his eyebrows and asked angrily: "You just transferred the brigade because you 'think' the Hurds won't show up?"

Colin shouted aggrievedly: "The superiors are in a hurry to send troops. I'm just a centurion. What can I do? I firmly opposed the deployment of troops, but tell me! What can I do?"

The Hedians haven't attacked yet, and the guards are about to start fighting among themselves.

"That's enough! Shut up!" Lieutenant Colonel Jessica yelled.

Andre and Colin immediately fell silent, sat back in Maza, and glared.

Jessica sighed, pointed at Lieutenant Colin and said, "Everyone else is grabbing credit from the front, and he is guarding the bridge from behind. He himself is in such a mess, and the order is suppressed, what can he do?"

Hearing this, Colin was stunned for a moment. His lips trembled and he wanted to say something, but in the end he didn't speak.

Andre's face turned gray, as if he was reminded of the situation of everyone in Venetta, and his anger dissipated.

"We still have to defend the bridgehead." Jessica set the tone: "Keep it until we can no longer hold it."

The meeting will be quiet for a while.

"The Republic has not treated me well. I have served overseas for twelve years, and not a day goes by without my resentment." The lieutenant colonel smacked his lips, his attitude as cold as ever: "But without her, my family would still be a serf for Mr. Mazar. Without her, I'm either robbing my house or I've been hanged. So this bridge must be defended until it can no longer be defended."

Lieutenant Colin stood up and saluted the lieutenant colonel solemnly.

"As for you guys." Jessica looked at Winters and the others with her one eye: "Plato only has grudges against you, but no favors. Ordinarily you don't owe anything, but by some strange combination of circumstances, you fell into my hands..."

The lieutenant colonel stood up and bowed deeply to the three lieutenants: "I am sorry for you."

How dare the ensigns accept this gift and hurriedly left Mazar.

"You just need to hold on until I die." Jessica took out a letter from her arms and said with a serious expression: "After I die, you will go back to Plato directly. This letter can prove that you are not running away from the battle, but obeying me. ordered to retreat."

Winters and Andre didn't know what to do. Bud silently took the letter and saluted the lieutenant colonel.

After explaining the aftermath, the lieutenant colonel began to rearrange the defenses.

Lieutenant Colin's standing army of Centuries was moved to the Western Wall to defend the most critical positions.

Bud was responsible for reorganizing the cart, and the others were responsible for covering Colin's flanks. Only sentries were left on the other three camp walls.

"Second Lieutenant Montagne." Jessica finally called Winters' name.

"yes."

"You are responsible for setting up the gunpowder barrels on the bridge, and blowing it up if things go wrong." The lieutenant colonel said coldly: "In any case, the Hurd Cavalry cannot be allowed to cross the bridge."

"yes."

"Gentlemen, do your duty. The victory or defeat is still uncertain." Jessica showed a rare smile: "What if reinforcements arrive?"

The door of the cabin was knocked open, and Charles, who was running all the way, shouted out of breath: "Reinforcements, reinforcements are coming!"

…

…

The Hexi Camp was bustling with activity, with people chasing behind, pigs running in front, and tents being knocked over one after another.

The free-range castrated pigs are so fat and strong that even two adults can't hold them down. Especially the hungry castrations... hundreds of them.

Seeing the fat pigs all over the camp, Lieutenant Colonel Jessica's nose became angry.

"Reinforcements?" Lieutenant Colonel Jessica, who rarely lost his composure, grabbed Charles and yelled: "Is this reinforcements?"

"They are indeed reinforcements from the east." Charles said unjustly: "But how did I know they were driving so many pigs here?"

A man with half his face covered by a dark red birthmark was leading people to catch pigs inside and outside the military camp. There were more pigs crossing the bridge behind him.

Winters rushed to the pontoon to investigate the situation, and was surprised to find that the person leading the pig across the bridge was an "old friend."

"Lieutenant Mason?"

…

As the superintendent of the working ranch, Richard Mason was ordered to escort the meat animals.

The Platoans in the Hexi military camp did not wait for the reinforcements they had been waiting for day and night, but instead waited for Lieutenant Mason's labor prisoners and more than 300 pigs.

"Guard? Guard!" Lieutenant Mason was shocked when he learned the current situation: "If you don't run away, what are you waiting for?"

Winters was furious: "Don't worry about whether to defend or not, get rid of the pigs first, the camp will be messed up!"

A series of rapid bells sounded, which was the signal of the agreement.

"The Hurd Barbarian is here!"

…

…

The Hurd cavalry pushing the trebuchet slowly approached, and the sense of oppression made the defenders breathless.

On the west wall of the camp, at the artillery position, Lieutenant Mason, who was chasing ducks, was using the eye-tap method to measure the distance.

"Is that okay?" Winters asked anxiously.

"Stop making noise!" Mason said angrily, "Why don't you come."

"Senior, isn't he from the artillery department?"

"After raising pigs for several years, I have already fucking forgotten all about it! This cannon doesn't even have a firing meter, what the hell!" Mason yelled and raised the butt of the cannon: "Fire first."

…

The convicts, the pigs, and Lieutenant Mason himself were all requisitioned by Lieutenant Colonel Jessica.

Lieutenant Colonel Jessica flatly refused Lieutenant Mason's request to "evacuate the pigs to the other side of the river."

"Don't talk about people now. Even if a pig crosses the bridge, my people will flee with it." The lieutenant colonel was also extremely angry: "You are not allowed to leave after entering the camp!"

The pigs were driven into the wadi, the swineherd convicts were transferred to the stretcher-bearing team, and Lieutenant Mason became a gunner. Andre guarded the pontoon and killed anyone who dared to cross the bridge.

…

Red-hot charcoal was attached to the ignition hole, and with the muffled thunder, the cannon body shook violently.

News that the artillery lieutenant had arrived with pigs for reinforcements had spread throughout the camp, and the defenders stared with bated breath in anticipation.

Then he watched helplessly as the cannonball arced across the heads of the Herds and landed on the hillside behind them.

There was silence behind the trench wall. The shot was too crooked, and Winters looked at the artillery lieutenant in shock.

"Why are you standing there in a daze! Change the gun!" Mason scolded sharply and continued to raise the butt of the gun.

Before anyone else could recover, the man with the birthmark had quickly removed the weapon and replaced it with a new one.

Be careful, the power of the breech-loading cannon may be insufficient, but the rate of fire is definitely not a problem.

There was another thunder, and this time the shooting was slightly more accurate. The shells hit the rear row of Hurd's cavalry, and it seemed that someone fell off his horse.

"Come again!"

This time, shells flew into the crowd. The defenders' artillery fire became more and more accurate, and the Hud people actually became a little panicked.

Finally, after several test shots, the shell hit the trebuchet directly.

The two-pound iron ball carrying huge kinetic energy knocked the improvised wooden machinery to pieces, and one of the Hed's trebuchets was directly destroyed.

The defenders behind the earthen wall banged their weapons and shields and shouted in support.

The three rotating cannons have a total of twelve muskets.

Every time Lieutenant Mason fired a cannon, the Platuan people shouted in unison.

The twelve muskets were quickly used up. Amidst the sound of the horn, the Huds rushed towards the camp wall at high speed.

"Bring me the lead!" Lieutenant Mason, whose eyebrows were full of soot, yelled loudly: "Let Barbarian Hurd eat grapes today!"

…

Lieutenant Colin's standing army of Centuries was the first to bear the impact.

The camp wall is made of earth dug out when digging trenches, and is slightly taller than a person. There are half-meter-high steps behind the wall where people can stand.

Hurd's cavalry came with soil and quickly filled in several trenches.

The Hurds who crossed the trench climbed up, and the soldiers holding halberds stabbed down.

The offensive and defensive sides fought at close range for the first time, and shouts, roars and screams were heard endlessly.

Militiamen on either side of the zigzag wall fired at the wall, and the Heds returned fire with bows and arrows.

The distance was too close, and the Hurd archers aimed at the face and shot, and as long as they were hit by the arrows, they would either die or be injured.

And their armor was useless against the defenders' muskets at this distance.

One of the Hurds jumped from the wall, landed on the point of the halberd, and was killed instantly. But more Hurds followed and climbed over the camp wall.

The fight turned into hand-to-hand combat.

Until this moment, the militiamen did not understand what a "standing army" meant.

The half-armoured, sword-wielding soldiers looked like men of iron from afar, and the Hurds had to drag them down before killing them.

Lieutenant Colin, who had a special hairpin on his helmet, was particularly eye-catching. The Hedians also noticed this Plato warrior and tried to surround him and kill him at the risk of their lives.

Lieutenant Colin fought side by side with his men, roaring and killing one Hurd after another as they climbed over the camp wall.

However, there were fewer and fewer Halberdiers around Lieutenant Colin, and more and more Hurds.

Above the camp gate, Ciel asked nervously: "Are you going to help them?"

"No." The second lieutenant's expression was grim: "The advantage of the Herds lies in the width of their attack. If they could only attack a little harder, they would have won the battle long ago. They can only rely on themselves... and so do we."

There were too few defenders and the camp was so large that the defenders simply could not control all the walls.

Sure enough, the dark Herd cavalry in the distance separated into two groups and moved towards the two wings.

Winters murmured, "Now, it's our turn."

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