A Brand-New Position, Brutal Tactics
Karl led his fully armed officers through the fortress's inner area, which was shrouded in morning mist and smelled faintly of gunpowder, and onto the front lines.
The scene before us was completely different from the devastation and desolation following yesterday's fierce battle.
The defensive line has been reinforced, the gaps in the breastwork have been repaired, the trenches have been deepened, and the Caltrops and fences have been rearranged to be more densely packed.
There were many figures on the position, seemingly even more than yesterday, almost filling the entire defensive line.
However, a closer look reveals the clues.
Many of the new faces wore expressions of barely concealed tension and fear. The weapons they carried were a motley collection, some were standard-issue swords and knives, while others were weapons captured from the Sauron yesterday.
They were farmers who had been urgently conscripted into the army last night. Although they had undergone the most basic organization and mobilization, their lack of training and combat experience was obvious.
But what is remarkable is that almost all the soldiers on the front lines, whether they were veterans who survived yesterday or militiamen newly recruited today, were wearing armor!
Although the styles were mixed and varied, both old and new, the overall impression was one of cold, gleaming armor!
Dozens of chainmails, Iron-reinforced Leather Armor, and even a few precious plate armors captured from the fallen soldiers of Sauron yesterday were distributed as much as possible, with priority given to the soldiers in the front ranks.
Many militiamen who wore only rudimentary leather armor yesterday are now wearing heavy iron armor. Although their movements are slightly clumsy, their protective capabilities have been significantly improved.
The entire defensive line presented an unusual sight. "Everyone was wearing armor!"
The core tactics for the position have also undergone significant adjustments.
Brendan kept the Musketeers behind the pre-existing firing gaps; they were the backbone of the defensive line's long-range firepower.
They suffered minor losses in yesterday's battle, mainly from the initial volley of arrows. Their organization remained intact, their ammunition was replenished, and their firepower delivery capability was not diminished in the slightest.
The biggest change lies in the close-combat units.
Based on yesterday's bloody lesson, Karl decisively abolished the pikemen unit.
He was keenly aware that while the spear formation could provide temporary resistance against the ferocious onslaught of Sauron's Berserker, once the enemy forced their way in with brute force and heavy armor, the long weapons would become a hindrance, leading to the easy slaughter of his soldiers.
Therefore, he ordered all melee soldiers, whether combatants or militia, to switch to short weapons.
Battle Axe, maces, broadswords, cleavers, and even hardwood clubs with iron tips!
At the same time, relying on the protective advantage brought by the full armor, Karl devised an extremely bold and also extremely cruel new tactic.
Instead of using spears to keep the enemy at bay, the plan was to let the enemy approach after the muskets fired a final volley to inflict maximum damage and delay on them!
Then, all the heavily armored soldiers will rely on their iron armor to withstand the enemy's attacks and engage in close-quarters combat with the charging Sauron Berserker in the most savage and bloody way!
At the same time, Karl ordered a large amount of cold water to be poured in front of the main position, and the already damp soil in summer quickly became muddy and slippery, greatly restricting the advance of the attackers.
Once the heavy infantry at the front have used their bodies and armor to form a defensive line that has blocked the first wave of Berserker ' charge and dragged the battle into a stalemate, the light infantry waiting in the wings will immediately surge through the gaps.
Wielding daggers and short swords, they mercilessly plunged their weapons into the gaps in the armor of the Berserker, targeting their necks, armpits, and groins.
This ruthless yet efficient finishing blow will be key to wearing down these elite enemy troops.
This will undoubtedly be a brutal close-quarters battle devoid of any skill, a pure contest of willpower, exhaustion, and utter cruelty!
The casualties will be extremely heavy, but this is the only way to possibly withstand the desperate charge of Sauron's berserkers when the forces are at a significant disadvantage.
Meanwhile, the spears that were originally used to form a spear formation were not left idle.
Under Karl's orders, the soldiers tightly bound the shafts of three to four spears together, with the spearheads facing outwards, quickly creating simple yet effective Caltrops.
These Caltrops were hastily deployed on the flanks of the position, especially in the direction where the western stone fortress had lost its cover.
Karl knew very well that once the main position was locked in Berserker, the flanks would inevitably be exposed to the lurking Sauron Cavalry in the distance.
Although these simple Caltrops were rudimentary, they were enough to slow down the cavalry's charge at crucial moments, buying precious time for adjustments and mobilization of reserves.
Under immense pressure, the entire defense line is making every effort to utilize every resource and every possibility to the fullest extent.
The soldiers stood silently in their positions, wiping their weapons and checking the buckles on their armor.
The recruits' faces were filled with fear, but looking at the stern-faced veterans around them who had experienced bloody battles, and the homeland they depended on for survival behind them, a do-or-die determination gradually replaced their panic.
The veterans had fierce eyes. They had experienced yesterday's battle and knew how terrifying the Sauron were. They also understood the cruelty of today's battle, but they did not back down. They just gripped their weapons tighter.
Karl surveyed the defensive line, with Charlotte, Brendan, Richter, and others following behind him.
He didn't give a long speech; he simply met the gaze of each officer and sergeant major with a calm and firm look, and nodded slightly.
All orders have been issued, all deployments are complete, now all that's left is to wait.
The Sauron awaited their arrival in this carefully prepared land of death, forged from steel and flesh.
A suffocating silence filled the air, like the calm before a storm.
In the distance, from the direction of the Sauron camp, the faint sounds of bugle calls and the muffled beating of War Drum could be heard.
The Sauron army, like a replay of yesterday's nightmare, slowly coalesced once again in front of the Carnford defenses.
In the morning light, the outline of the array was clearly visible, still that heart-stopping three-layer structure.
At the forefront were light infantrymen, wielding various weapons, their expressions a mixture of fear and ferocity.
Following them were archers, bows drawn and arrows ready to be released.
At the very back of the formation stood a swarm of Berserker, exuding a heavy killing intent like a mobile steel fortress.
However, unlike yesterday, the threat to the Sauron Army's flank has been greatly reduced due to the "fall" and burning of the western stone fortress.
Unag was finally able to mobilize his cavalry force, which had been lying dormant.
Three hundred Sauron Cavalry were currently gathering on the far left flank of the battlefield, their horses pawing restlessly and spewing out thick white smoke.
The riders, clad in light leather armor, their scimitars and horsebows gleaming coldly in the dim sunlight, watched warily toward the Carnford Army, their eyes filled with restless anticipation.
However, this highly threatening mobile force has yet to launch the anticipated flanking attack.
The reason is simple: between them and Carnford Army, a makeshift chevaux -Caltrops made of countless sharpened spears tightly bound together stood like a thorny hedge.
These Caltrops were cleverly placed at an angle, with their sharp spearheads pointing directly forward, effectively blocking the path of cavalry charges.
More importantly, they were all Light Cavalry, and elite light cavalry from the Tiger and Bear Corps. They were known for their swift mobility and accurate, deadly archery skills, rather than the overwhelming frontal breaking ability of heavy cavalry.
Facing this heavily fortified, fully armored, and clearly well-prepared infantry formation, launching a forced charge would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock.
The Light Cavalry's thin armor would be extremely vulnerable to the dense forest of spears and bullets. It would be a foolish and unprofitable deal to exchange valuable elite cavalry, skilled in harassment, for casualties with well-prepared infantry.
Therefore, despite their high morale, they could only hold back for the time being, waiting for a better opportunity, or for a breach to be made in the main attack direction, and then look for an opportunity to deploy cavalry to reap the rewards after a breakthrough on the main battlefield.