In Heshima's original plan, he had wanted to obtain some food supplies by attacking the three vassal tribes of Two Rivers County. Combined with the reserves of the entire Iron Bone Tribe and the food provided by the Faith Order, it should have lasted until mid-April.
But now that plan had failed, and he had to confront the food shortage. After all, the gap would only grow larger with time.
Moreover, in order to build those two forward camps to the Barbarians' high standards, the Barbarian laborers were expending considerable energy and needed more food each day. As a result, the Iron Bone Tribe's stored food was being consumed at an alarming rate.
This rate of consumption far exceeded the original plan. In winter, if activity was reduced, they could eat less each day. But once they had to work or move about, the calories they consumed far surpassed those of other seasons.
Since he could not increase the food reserves and the forward bases could not halt construction, Heshima could only choose to remove some mouths to feed.
Though Heshima had said it simply, it meant that at least tens of thousands of Barbarian herders, elderly, weak, women, and children would become cannon fodder in the siege warfare.
And in order to consume them, Heshima did not expect them to break through the enemy's cities at all.
The Barbarian officers under him had no objections either. In their eyes, this was only natural. The food should be reserved for the tribe's warriors, so they would have the strength to slaughter their enemies.
At the same time, if they wanted to speed up the camp's construction, Heshima would not provide more food. It was highly likely that a considerable number of Barbarian herders would be worked and starved to death