Chapter 461 - Episode 444: The Battle of the East
A few days after the main forces of the Kingdom of Rhodeberg and the Republic of Betumia clashed in the vicinity of the royal capital, Lichthagen.
On a certain plain in the southeastern part of the Kingdom of Rhodeberg, the Rhodeberg Kingdom's Eastern Army and the Betumia Republic Army's Eastern Defense Force had encountered one another.
"...As I thought, that golem unit is here. How troublesome."
The general, commander of the Eastern Defense Force, muttered while glaring at the enemy lines—the camp of the Rhodeberg Kingdom's Eastern Army.
In the front row of the enemy lines, the golem unit of the Archduchy of Arqvist stood in formation. The twenty golems held equipment in both hands that looked like a combination of iron plates, serving as neither a shield nor a striking weapon.
Furthermore, mixed in with that black golem unit, white golems were also lined up. According to prior intelligence, this was a golem unit established by the Rhodeberg royal family within the last seven years. Those golems also likely held something like shields to avoid attacks by fire.
Black and white golems combined for approximately thirty units. Behind them followed the golem users, then the infantry and crossbowmen, and behind them the archers... the formation continued.
Their number was approximately fifteen thousand. They outnumbered this side by about five thousand.
"Your Excellency, what shall we do?"
"The countermeasure for golems was determined to be attacks by fire. It cannot be helped. First, fire as many fire arrows, ballista bolts, and fire magic attacks as you can."
Following the general's orders, the archers, ballista units, and magic users began to move.
The Eastern Defense Force advanced until they were within attack range and unleashed a simultaneous volley of arrows and magic.
...
Fire arrows, weapons similar to our own explosive flame arrows, and magic attacks such as "Flame Bullets" rained down upon our camp.
"Just as expected."
"Yes. As the enemy, they have no choice but to attack in such a manner."
Watching the scene from the main camp in the rear, Marquis Bronislav Bittenfeld and Noein exchanged words.
The Rhodeberg Kingdom's Eastern Army had ostentatiously lined up golems in the front row of their formation. This included not only the Claymores of the Archduchy of Arqvist, but also the Durandal golem unit held by the Rhodeberg royal family.
The skill of the puppet mages belonging to Durandal was a step inferior to the members of Claymore. Even so, as long as they had the golems swing their arms, they were a sufficient threat to enemy infantry.
It was obvious at a glance which were Claymores and which were Durandals. The Durandal golems were painted in white, which is particularly expensive among magic paints. It was fitting for a force held by the royal family, and that divinity also intimidated the enemy.
The attacks launched in high arcs from the enemy lines rained down upon the Claymores, the Durandals, and the crossbowmen and infantry behind them.
However, those units entered a defensive posture without panic. The golem users stepped behind the shields raised by the golems, and were further protected by dedicated greatshield soldiers. The crossbowmen and infantry, who were in pairs of two, hid together behind the shields raised by the infantry.
Fire arrows, pots that detonated flames, and "Flame Bullet" attack magic rained down upon them. Sparks flew, but they could not penetrate the assault shields held by the black golems or the greatshields resembling iron doors held by the white golems.
Behind them, the shields held by the infantry could not perfectly block all attacks. Some took arrows to their lower bodies, which the shields could not cover, or became balls of fire from direct hits by detonating pots or Flame Bullets.
However, those numbers were few. Perhaps because they had not anticipated combat with a golem unit, the Betumia Eastern Defense Force seemed to lack a sufficient number of ballistae and fire magic users.
Since the infantry and crossbowmen units were lined up with intervals between them, only one unlucky pair fell per enemy strike. As for damages, it was within the acceptable range.
Moreover, the soldiers of the Archduchy of Arqvist, other than the greatshield soldiers guarding the puppet mages, were waiting in the rear as reserve forces. Since no sacrifices were being made among their own soldiers, Noein felt no heartache.
The Rhodeberg Kingdom's Eastern Army, advancing while protecting themselves, eventually brought the archer units and ballista units in the rear of the formation within range of the enemy camp. Arrows and ballista attacks launched in high arcs rained down upon the Betumia Republic Army's Eastern Defense Force.
The rain of arrows took down a significant number of Betumia soldiers, and the ballista bolts reached all the way to the rear of the enemy camp. While the enemy ballistae were firing pots, our ballistae were firing normal bolts. If they approached to the same distance, our range was far superior.
The Rhodeberg Kingdom side suffered only minor losses, while the Betumia Republic side saw their damages expand visibly. The offensive and defensive struggle using projectiles ended first in victory for the Kingdom's side.
...
"Tch, as I thought, we lack firepower."
Seeing that they could not break the enemy's golem unit even after lavishly firing expensive fire arrows, explosive flame pots, and attacks from precious magic users, the general of the Eastern Defense Force clicked his tongue.
The Eastern Defense Force, which had not originally anticipated engaging a golem unit, had few weapons and magic users capable of fire attacks. It could be said that they had achieved almost no results.
"Your Excellency. The enemy's ballista bolts are about to reach the main camp. It is dangerous here."
"I am on a battlefield. I am well aware of a bit of danger. How can one fight if they are afraid of stray arrows?"
Even receiving the advice of his adjutant, the general did not waver in the slightest.
"Move the cavalry units. The golems lined up in front of the enemy are a threat, but they likely cannot perform a maneuver to move to the flanks quickly. Since the enemy is a large army, their formation movement should be slow. Strike that weakness and break them from the flanks... simultaneously, the infantry units will advance. If we throw them into confusion with a flank attack, the defense of the golems in front will also crumble. Use that opportunity to break through the front."
Following the general's orders, the cavalry of the Eastern Defense Force moved from both flanks. Cavalry units of about five hundred on each side galloped to strike the flanks of the Rhodeberg Kingdom's Eastern Army. Simultaneously, the infantry units also advanced.
"Look! The enemy's elites are concentrated in the front! The flanks and rear are clearly weak conscripts! Moreover, the enemy cavalry is few! With our mobility, we can strike their weakness! Gallop with all your might!"
The commander of the cavalry unit, departing from the right wing of the Eastern Defense Force and attempting to strike the left wing of the Rhodeberg Kingdom's Eastern Army, shouted this while running at the head of the unit.
Their goal was the flanks and rear, which were obvious weaknesses. As they approached—the baggage train, likely carrying supply materials and stationed at the enemy's main camp, for some reason began to advance as if to block the flanks and rear.
"...What do they intend to do?"
The cavalry commander muttered, feeling tension as he watched the scene.
...
"The enemy is striking the weakness created in the flanks and rear, just as expected... Excellency Arqvist. I ask this of you."
Told by Marquis Bittenfeld, Noein nodded.
"Understood. Leave it to me... Yuri."
"Yes!"
Receiving Noein's instructions, Yuri sent orders to the Archduchy's army waiting in the main camp.
Of the thirty golems guarding the front row of the camp, ten were Claymores. Twenty were Durandals. The remaining ten Claymores and ten Durandals, plus Noein's two, were still loaded on the wagons placed in this main camp.
The puppet mages of Claymore and Durandal waiting in the main camp boarded those wagons, and further, their guarding greatshield soldiers, the regular infantry of the Archduchy's army, and Reserve Corps crossbowmen also climbed aboard. Noein himself jumped onto the wagon where his two golems were loaded, along with Pence and Matilda.
The baggage train carrying those forces moved out from the rearmost main camp toward the flanks and rear. Although they carried golems and many soldiers, they advanced briskly thanks to the effect of the magic carriages.
From the wagons that stopped to block the left and right flanks and rear, soldiers and activated golems jumped down. On the left wing and right wing, eleven golems each were deployed in an instant.
Noein entrusted the command of the right wing to Yuri and landed on the left wing himself. Matilda, Pence, and the Guard soldiers immediately surrounded Noein as he jumped from the wagon.
"Assault shields, ready!"
When Noein commanded, six of the eleven golems deployed on the left wing—combining Noein's golems and the Claymore golems—readied their jet-black steel assault shields.
The enemy cavalry unit, perhaps having steeled themselves, charged straight ahead to break through the wall of golems that had suddenly deployed before them. With five hundred cavalry, they likely thought it possible to break through by relying on numbers.
"Throw!"
When Noein shouted, the six golems simultaneously hurled their assault shields at the cavalry unit that had drawn close.
Perhaps because it was an unexpected action, the cavalry unit instinctively tried to stop. There, the heavy assault shields collided, and the cavalry in the front row collapsed. Tripping over fallen horses and soldiers, and the assault shields rolling on the ground, the following cavalry also fell.
Furthermore, the crossbowmen unleashed a simultaneous volley. With this finishing attack, the momentum of the enemy's charge was completely killed.
Then, the golems advanced. They struck directly at the enemy cavalry whose momentum had stopped. No matter how much they were cavalry, they were no match for golems if their movement was stopped.
By this time, the slow-moving conscripts had also succeeded in facing the flanks. The enemy cavalry unit, which had moved at high speed to strike our flanks, ended up as mere existences whose movement was stopped and who were slaughtered right beside our camp.
'Excellency. We have succeeded in intercepting the enemy cavalry.'
"Good work. I succeeded here too."
Noein replied to the 'Far-Talk' from Yuri, who was commanding the unit on the right wing.
While Noein and the others were succeeding in the flank defense, the victory or defeat in the front was also decided.
Receiving the advance of the enemy infantry, Marquis Bittenfeld also instructed the army to advance. The unit of thirty golems and the puppet mages who controlled them, along with a mixed unit of infantry and crossbowmen, advanced.
Both armies gradually approached from the front—and in the middle of that, the officers of the Rhodeberg Kingdom's Eastern Army issued a new order.
"Alright! Stop!"
"Stop where you are! Stop—!"
The Eastern Army, which should have been advancing to clash with the enemy, stopped in their tracks upon receiving the sudden order. They reorganized the formation that had slightly crumbled due to the advance and established a perfect posture.
On the other hand, the infantry of the Betumia Republic side did not stop. Since many of the Eastern Defense Force were low-skill volunteers, they could not move quickly with a sudden change in orders. It was impossible for several thousand people to stop simultaneously at this late stage, and they continued to advance while their formation became somewhat disordered.
Lining up high-skill regular soldiers in the vanguard, stopping the advance midway to organize the formation, and intercepting the enemy who had advanced while their lines were disordered. This was a tactic that Marquis Bittenfeld, who had gained much practical combat experience against the Pallas Empire, excelled at.
Because the enemy's surprise attack toward the flanks of the Eastern Army had failed, the Eastern Army was not in the slightest bit of confusion. The golem unit in perfect posture and the mixed unit of infantry and crossbowmen, upon contacting the enemy army whose lines were disordered and easy to break, began to slaughter the opponent unilaterally.
Golems holding assault shields and iron plates turned the enemy infantry into pieces of meat, and the enemy infantry who slipped through those gaps were shot dead by the crossbowmen, and the enemy infantry who still survived and approached were cut down by our infantry.
The Betumia Republic Army's Eastern Defense Force, whose formation was being ground away from the front row, soon began to retreat, as the commander likely judged that damages would only continue to spread at this rate.
Marquis Bittenfeld did not order a pursuit, but watched as the enemy army receded like a ebbing tide.
"...Really, a trivial enemy."
Through this battle, the defensive line of the Betumia Republic Army's invasion force in the southeastern part of the Kingdom was pushed back significantly.