However, Victor believed he had kept Shikele off the battlefield to protect his only remaining family. Keeping Shikele under his thumb was merely a side benefit.
While the two were talking, another messenger ran over to report, "My lord Marquis, the mortar units are ready. Please give the order!"
Victor broke off the conversation, nodded to the messenger, and said, "Tell the mortar units they may open fire. The 60mm Mortars are to retain half their ammunition. The 100mm and 120mm Mortars can fire everything they have!"
The most fundamental reason Victor ordered the mortar units to expend every shell for those two large-caliber models was that, after this battle, he would certainly lead his mobile forces alongside the Northern Alliance Army in pursuit of the fleeing Iron Bone Tribe and the troops of that mysterious Faith Order.
They could not let these people return to the grasslands. Besides, another main force of the Northern Alliance Army had already cut off the barbarian armies' route home completely. This was the best opportunity to wipe them out.
But to pursue these barbarian forces, Victor and his men had to maintain their marching speed, which meant abandoning some supplies and equipment that were cumbersome to transport.
The large-caliber mortars were the first candidates. The two models weighed 500 kilograms and 800 kilograms respectively. Including its carriage, a single 120mm Mortar weighed nearly a ton.
To keep them moving at a normal pace, each 120mm Mortar had been assigned sixteen draft horses to take turns hauling it. Unfortunately, the grasslands had only just emerged from the spring thaw and remained soft, so the wheels frequently sank into the mud.
Even with large numbers of draft horses available, the 120mm Mortars still could not move quickly. They slowed the entire army down far too