novelraw Chapter 159: Krafte War - The Battle of Barua (5)
Chapter 159: Krafte War - The Battle of Barua (5)
The muskets of the Revolutionary Army spat fire as soon as the Krafte Army approached.
They would fire from a distance of 100 meters, then retreat.
The accuracy was terrible, and the movements of the Revolutionary Army as they retreated immediately after firing lacked the mechanical discipline of the Krafte Army.
Nevertheless, the damage was slowly, but surely, accumulating.
Like a light rain soaking one's clothes, the number of enemy soldiers falling continued to increase.
The Krafte Army, which would have crushed the Revolutionary Army with an overwhelming exchange ratio in a proper frontal engagement, was steadily incurring losses.
“…Splendid.”
A typical army would not be able to do that.
They had seen the overwhelming might of the enemy.
In such a situation, if the formation, which had been barely maintained, was scattered and they were ordered to retreat, it would not be surprising if they all fled.But we are the Revolutionary Army, not an army of forced conscripts, but one of those who have stepped forward of their own accord to protect something.
Moreover, everyone had seen the miracle performed by Eris, and her desperate cry had captivated everyone.
Damien De Millbeau, the commander of the Southern Army, was still at the front line, personally giving orders and encouraging the troops.
In a situation like that, no one runs away. No, they cannot run away.
“A sound judgment. Entrusting the vanguard to Damien was appropriate.”
“But if we waste ammunition like that, the vanguard's ammunition will soon be exhausted.”
Chief of Staff Alexandre Berthier said, but I shook my head.
“It doesn't matter. Damien's role is to delay the enemy by blunting their momentum, however slightly. Now that the main force is about to join and push forward, it will be possible to hold on due to the difference in troop numbers.”
The losses would be great, but the role of the infantry, in the end, is to somehow contain that monstrous Krafte Army.
“But it is strange. Considering the quick response the Krafte Army has shown so far, I don't understand why they are being swayed like that. In a long-range firefight, they would seem to have higher accuracy.”
The Revolutionary Army, which fires as soon as it enters the 100-meter range and then retreats, and the Krafte Army, which pursues them.
It is incomparable in efficiency and destructive power, but the positions of the Revolutionary Army, which had been chasing at the beginning of the battle, and the Krafte Army, which had been conducting a retreating fire, have been reversed.
Certainly, if they were to fire from a distance, they would have better accuracy than us. But the reason they are not doing so now, even while taking losses is…
“They must be short on ammunition.”
“Ah, that could be it.”
It makes sense when you consider it. Krafte's economic power is at best about half of Francia's.
With that, they have mobilized an army of 200,000, and of those, 100,000 are a standing army. No matter how skilled they are, it doesn't make sense that a country with that kind of national power could maintain such an army and have plenty of money.
Since they couldn't have abandoned the elite status or the wartime military scale that is the identity of the Krafte Army, it makes sense that they would have cut back on their ammunition reserves.
With an army that strong, it wouldn't be surprising if the doctrine were to break the enemy before the Krafte Army had used up all its ammunition.
If the enemy is short on ammunition, we can pin them down even more securely with this.
“Your Excellency the Marquis, General Gaston's and General Morelle's cavalry have finished their preparations!”
“Good.”
I glanced back at the rear barracks.
Eris, who had given her all and lost consciousness, was there, brought back on Sir Beaumont's back, her face pale.
And further behind her was Christine, who, despite being busy managing the navy and supplies, had ferreted out the spies to somehow help me.
After they’ve done this much for me, I can't possibly lose.
“Relay to the entire army that the attack commences! Maintain the same distance as the vanguard and engage in a holding action to pin down the enemy! Once the cavalry’s flanking strike succeeds, we will enter a full-scale battle!”
“Yes, sir!”
The enemy's cavalry has already been defeated.
If our cavalry can successfully strike the enemy before the Revolutionary Army's infantry collapses, victory will be ours.
“Send a messenger to Commander Millbeau as well. Do not forget Second Lieutenant d’Aquitaine's assistance.”
“I understand, Your Excellency the Marquis!”
Now, let's see how helpful a mage properly trained at the Magic Tower can be.
*
“Hah, hah!”
My warhorse snorted roughly, scarcely rested, as I had rushed here immediately after the unit was partially re-formed following the long cavalry battle.
Jerome Morelle felt fatigued as he spurred his horse and rode up a hill.
At that moment, the plains, covered in a pungent smoke, and the soldiers who filled it came into view.
“Ha, haha, ha… It's magnificent.”
His body's fatigue vanished in an instant, and a sense of exhilaration and tension from playing a decisive role in that great battle took its place.
“Prepare to charge, prepare to charge!”
“Form ranks!”
Officers on horseback galloped left and right, shouting frantically, and the cavalry formed up as if spreading their wings.
Feeling his chest tighten at the magnificent sight of endless lines of cavalrymen ready to charge behind him, Morelle opened his mouth.
“General Gaston, would you like to say a word?”
“No, I'm fine.”
At the courteous offer, the taciturn knight, as expected, shook his head and replied.
Jerome Morelle nodded to Gaston and approached the front of the cavalry watching them.
The cause of the revolution, the fight to protect something, those are the concerns of the higher-ups.
“This is a golden opportunity! Show no mercy to the enemy! If we win here, we become the heroes who defeated the legendary Great King! Isn't that cool? Go to Lumiere and tell them this, and they'll all be thrilled to death!”
“Waaaah—!”
For the cavalry, a den of macho men, this is what they like.
Jerome Morelle smirked at the enthusiastically cheering Cuirassiers and drew his sword.
“Let’s go, you sons of bitches! Honor and glory await! For Francia!”
“For Francia!”
“Advance!”
The trumpet sounded, and the cavalry covering the entire hill began to advance.
At first, they began walking lightly, as if on a stroll—
Then they accelerated as they descended the hill.
Morelle pressed his body tightly against his horse and looked down at the rapidly approaching battlefield.
His usual whistle could not sound properly in the fierce wind, but the excitement and pleasure ran down his spine and made his whole body tingle.
Cannons erupted.
Massive cannonballs passed by, crushing unlucky horses and men indiscriminately.
If he were hit like that, he would be gone in a flash—
'If that happens, I'll just have to chalk it up to bad luck!'
Despite the rain of artillery fire, neither he nor anyone else slowed down.
Before long, cannons erupted from their own lines, raining cannonballs down on the enemy artillery that had been bombarding the cavalry.
“Ha, good, good!”
Morelle and the cavalry charged towards the flank of the enemy infantry, who were already engaged.
What appeared in front of them was the enemy's reserve, and—
“Watch out! Horse artillery!”
He saw a mobile artillery unit, with relatively small cannons attached, hurrying out and turning their muzzles towards them.
“Oh, shit.”
If that's grapeshot, this could get messy.
The moment he thought that.
The sky, covered in pungent, dusky smoke, turned even blacker, then lightning struck.
Left where the lightning had struck were the cannons that had been aimed at them, and the artillerymen fleeing in terror, having seen their comrades turned into charcoal.
“Ha, hahaha! Thanks, Mr. Mage!”
What a spectacular show of support!
If he's done this much for us, it's the fault of anyone who can't win!
“Square formation! Square formation!”
Following the frantic shouts of a Krafte officer, he saw the enemy infantry hurriedly form a defensive square against cavalry, bayonets fixed.
However—
Sporadic bullets cannot penetrate a magic barrier.
Bayonets meant to stop horses are either blocked by mana or severed by a mana-imbued sword.
“Trample them!”
With Gaston and Morelle leading the charge, the cavalry attacked instantly, and even the anti-cavalry square, which should have been a cavalry's grave, collapsed instantly.
“Hah!”
“Kugh!”
Blood splattered on his face, and screams and shouts came from here and there.
Morelle's eyes caught Gaston's greatsword cutting six Krafte soldiers in half simultaneously.
“Whew—impressive!”
They were overwhelming them, a conviction that was engraved.
No matter the discipline of the Krafte Army, before the mana-wielding Cuirassiers, they were nothing more than ordinary infantry, capable of holding out only slightly better than regular soldiers.
Morelle swung his sword frantically and cut down the enemy as he charged.
After a long slaughter of the enemy, and almost crushing their committed reserves, his adjutant shouted.
“General, another enemy reserve ahead!”
“Oh, prepare to charge! We’ll hit them before they can form an anti-cavalry square!”
“Prepare to charge!”
Although some were former knights, their small numbers meant they were not invincible.
Even a magic barrier will break if subjected to continuous attacks.
With that judgment, under the command of Jerome Morelle, the cavalry, which had quickly formed up, began to charge.
Our forces outnumber the enemy. No further reserves appear to be behind them, so if we can just defeat these units, we can hit the rear of the enemy's main force, which is already engaged, or strike at their command!
As soon as his subordinates, having gathered at the command despite the chaos, had roughly formed a line, Morelle raised his sword and shouted.
“Charge! Victory is at hand!”
“Commence charge!”
The enemy had not yet formed an anti-cavalry square.
They will panic the moment we charge, so victory is assured!
The moment he had that thought—
“Aim—”
No sooner had the command been given than the enemy's first rank knelt, and the second rank followed, aiming their guns.
“Fire!”
With astonishing speed and density, the fired bullets caused magic barriers to shatter and screams to erupt from all sides.
“Ugh? Damn it, don't be scared and charge! We'll hit them before they finish reloading!”
“Y-yes, sir!”
Morelle and the cavalry immediately began to charge.
But the enemy, even in the face of a cavalry charge, showed no signs of panic, mechanically taking out a bullet, tearing the paper cartridge, pouring in the gunpowder, and ramming it into the muzzle.
Then they tapped the gun on the ground a few times and aimed it.
“Wh-what, what is that—!”
While Morelle was bewildered by the unprecedented reloading method, the enemy fired another volley.
This time, there were more screams than shattering magic barriers.
Morelle also clenched his teeth as he felt his own barrier crack.
“Don't stop! Charge! The moment you stop, you’re all dead! All cavalry, chaaaarge!”
“Waaaah! Chaaaarge!”
The distance closes in an instant.
Jerome Morelle swung his sword, imbued with mana—
The sword he swung was blocked by an enemy's musket.
“W-what?!”
The bayonet, thrust in an instant, tore through his already tattered magic barrier and aimed at his chest.
“Shit…!”
Morelle swatted it away in terror and felt his hand go numb.
Mana!
“Damn it. These bastards, could it be…!”
As screams erupted from all over, Morelle's eyes belatedly confirmed their standard.
A black and white banner, featuring an eagle holding a royal scepter.
The royal flag of Krafte.
“Haha, damn it all, this isn't easy…!”
*
“Splendid, truly splendid.”
The breakthrough of the Francian cavalry, descendants of the Knight Kingdom, was truly overwhelming.
Their efforts to stop them with artillery fire had been neutralized by Marquis Lafayette’s artillery support and magic, and even the Great King felt a chill run down his spine at the sight of them shattering the line infantry that had formed an anti-cavalry square.
Ultimately, the Great King had no choice but to commit his last-resort card.
But his best card, the Krafte Royal Guard, was more than worth the price.
The Great King turned his head away from the sight of the enemy cavalry, which had been charging with destructive force, melting away under the overwhelming fire, and collapsing, unable to withstand the bayonet volley even after entering melee combat.
“Ammunition?”
“It's tight, but by not responding to the enemy's checking attacks while enduring the losses, we should be able to hold out long enough to deal a decisive blow, Your Majesty.”
The Great King nodded and looked at the enemy, who had now bypassed the checking attacks and entered a firefight.
The losses were considerable. The losses predicted by the Krafte Army staff before the battle had long been surpassed.
That was how much they had believed in their own superiority, and the enemy was putting up a fight that far exceeded their expectations.
But, even so.
The enemy's key card, the cavalry, had been stopped. If the engagement continued, the infantry battle would eventually end in their victory, given their overwhelming capabilities.
“A pity. It was more than expected, but is this it?”
*
“Ah, ah…”
Even though they had penetrated the enemy’s rear flank and stopped all of their artillery fire, the staff officers lamented at the sight of the cavalry collapsing.
I clenched my trembling hands into fists.
Are Gaston and Morelle safe?
We failed. We failed, but at least we drew out the Great King’s last card.
We didn't know they could also use mana-wielding guards, but the cavalry, even while collapsing, had dealt a considerable blow to the enemy's guards.
But to have been pushed that far means the Great King also has no more cards left.
And so far, Damien's vanguard has not collapsed. My own committed main force and Louis Desaix’s unit have only just begun their engagement.
“Relay to General Nicolas Nere. We are committing the final reserve to the center.”
“Yes, sir, relaying the order!”
This is the last hand.
“Relay to all artillery. Concentrate all firepower on the enemy’s guard.”
“I understand, Your Excellency the Marquis!”
However much mana they wield, they are nothing more than humans made of flesh and blood.
We lost the cavalry, but since the enemy has exposed their key card, we cannot simply let it be.
“Crush them, and use the Revolutionary Guard as the final hammer to push back the enemy!”