Wagon Fort

Duke Auston, a seasoned general with extensive experience dealing with the Sauron in the Northern Territory, decisively adopted the safest and most effective Wagon Fort tactics in response to the Sauron' most troublesome cavalry advantage.

The massive army of the Royalist Army carried a large number of reinforced supply wagons and specially designed combat wagons. Under his command, the 50,000-strong army halted its advance and began to move at a dazzling yet disciplined speed.

The soldiers skillfully linked the wagons end to end, securing them with iron chains and thick ropes, quickly constructing a temporary yet powerful circular defensive fortification capable of withstanding a cavalry charge.

Between the vehicles, rows of dark Cannon of varying weights were mounted, along with a large number of Musketeers equipped with Matchlock Rifle.

The spearmen and Swordsmen and Shieldbearers, relying on the chariot, formed a dense square formation at the rear, ready to deal with any enemy that might break through the Wagon Fort's defenses.

At first, seeing the billowing dust rising on the distant horizon, obscuring the sky, and the faint, surging figures of the Sauron Cavalry appearing and disappearing within the dust like a tide, many soldiers from the Royalist Army who had never experienced such a battle showed fear and panic on their faces.

But as the fortified Wagon Fort ahead quickly took shape, the towering vehicles and the dense array of outward-pointing guns and cannons provided them with a real sense of protection, and the morale of the troops gradually stabilized.

The shouts of officers at all levels and the rhythmic beating of War Drum helped to quell the initial chaos.

An atmosphere of shared hatred for the enemy and a determination to fight to the death with their backs to the fortifications began to spread. The soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, staring intently into the distance, their morale slowly building and rising in the tense wait.

Soon, through the gaps in the Wagon Fort, they could clearly see the majestic yet somewhat dilapidated outline of Old Osric Fortress on the distant hills.

The flag of the Goldflower Kingdom still flies above the castle, which means that the castle is still standing!

This discovery undoubtedly gave the Royalist Army a strong boost.

Meanwhile, Sauron army finally revealed its full size.

Harald deployed his elite forces this time, leaving only necessary troops to continue monitoring the garrison inside the fortress, while the majority of his main cavalry and infantry came in full force, quickly deploying into formation on the vast plain in front of the royalist chariot fortress.

The cavalry circled on both flanks like vultures, while the infantry squares slowly advanced in the center, exuding a murderous aura.

It is worth noting that the Sauron siege forces, who had suffered heavy losses and frustration at the formidable walls of Old Osric Fortress for over a month, were now even more eager for battle, like tigers released from their cages.

For them, this kind of head-on battle in the wilderness is the fighting style they are most familiar with and best at.

The frustration and pent-up anger from the previous siege now transformed into a ferocious killing intent towards the Broomflower army that had "delivered itself to their doorstep." They yearned to wash away their previous humiliation with blood and victory.

Thus, on a vast plain about ten kilometers south of Old Osric Fortress in the Northern Territory of the Goldflower Kingdom, the two sides, with a total of nearly 100,000 troops, finally completed their final deployment and stood facing each other from afar.

On one side was the Broomflower Broom Alliance, fortified with Wagon Fort and lined with guns and cannons, ready for battle; on the other side were the Sauron elite, eager to fight, covering the mountains and plains, their momentum fierce.

A major battle is about to break out.

The Sauron army was vast and overwhelming. At the forefront was an almost endless cavalry formation. They were like a restless pack of wolves, both men and horses clad in leather armor or simple chainmail, wielding composite bows and scimitars, exuding a fierce aura.

Following the cavalry was the more disciplined and better-equipped Sauron elite infantry phalanx, like a silent rock, poised to strike.

The battle began with the Sauron cavalry scattered around the area. They did not rush to launch a general attack, but instead formed small groups of dozens of riders and galloped off from different directions at the same time, like hyenas hunting their prey.

They made various feints and approaching gestures, the sound of horses' hooves clattering, raising grass clippings and dust, putting immense psychological pressure on the Broomflower Army.

Faced with this provocation and oppression, the tense atmosphere within the Broomflower Army was like a taut bowstring.

The first soldier who couldn't withstand the pressure, perhaps due to excessive tension or startled by the sudden acceleration of a cavalryman approaching, trembled and pulled the trigger of his Matchlock Rifle.

"Bang!"

A sudden gunshot rang out, as if lighting a fuse.

The soldiers around him were startled by the loud noise and instinctively opened fire as well, and panic spread like wildfire.

"Shoot! Shoot now!" In the chaos, someone shouted at the top of their lungs.

In an instant, as if receiving a wrong unified command, thousands of Musketeers and artillerymen lit their fuses before their officers could stop them.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

"Bang! Bang! Bang!"

A deafening burst of gunfire erupted suddenly, like a barrage of firecrackers exploding during a festival, instantly drowning out all other sounds on the battlefield.

White smoke, like a thick curtain, quickly spread in front of the Broomflower Army's formation, obscuring their vision.

The scorching iron bullets and lead pellets whistled through the air, but most of them only struck empty fields or fell limply to the ground at a distance.

Meanwhile, the Sauron Cavalry, having completed their harassment mission, had already, in the moments before the gunfire, skillfully turned their horses and sped off to the sides, thanks to their superb horsemanship and perfect coordination with their warhorses.

They drew huge arcs a hundred paces away, circling the smoke-filled Broomflower Formation, coldly observing the enemy's chaos.

As soon as the first volley of fire from the Broomflower Army subsided, the gunfire paused briefly, and the smoke cleared slightly, the Sauron Cavalry seized the opportunity!

They let out sharp whistles, spurred their horses, and the warhorses instantly accelerated, charging back into the army formation like arrows released from a bow!

Taking advantage of the galloping speed of their horses, at the optimal throwing distance of forty or fifty paces from the Wagon Fort, they skillfully drew their bows and nocked their arrows, launching volleys of dense arrows into the sky at extremely high angles!

Countless arrows pierced the sky, carrying a mournful shriek, like raindrops of death, flying over the top of the Wagon Fort and falling into the ranks of the Broomflower Army soldiers whose vision was obscured by the smoke and chaos!

"Raise your shields! Watch out overhead!" the officers shouted hoarsely, but the thud of arrows falling and the screams of soldiers being hit by arrows already rang out.

However, the speed of the Broomflower Army's reaction took the Sauron by surprise.

After enduring a hail of arrows and suffering numerous casualties, experienced officers in the army seemed to have quickly stabilized the situation.

As the smoke cleared, some Musketeers, despite the pressure, stubbornly fired a second volley!

Although not as well-organized as the first round, the scorching bullets still knocked down a group of Sauron cavalry and their horses who had rushed too close and had not had time to turn.

Both sides suffered casualties in this round.

Because of their dense formation, the Broomflower Army suffered even greater losses under the rain of arrows, and blood began to stain the ground behind the Wagon Fort.

But thanks to their strong Wagon Fort and unbroken discipline, their main line remained unshaken.

After suffering over a hundred casualties, the Sauron Cavalry found it difficult to break through the Wagon Fort positions and temporarily withdrew to their main camp to regroup.

The shouts of battle, the sounds of gunfire, and screams of agony ahead were deafening, and the fighting was reaching a fever pitch.

However, on the main line of the Sauron Army, there was an unusually solemn and orderly scene.

Harald sat firmly in the center of the army, his main infantry and elite cavalry standing as still as statues. No one made a sound or noise, only the occasional snorting of the warhorses.

Through the dust billowing from the cavalry ahead, they calmly observed the battlefield.

These Broomflower troops seem to be more troublesome than expected; their Wagon Fort and firepower do indeed pose a considerable obstacle.

The cavalry battle lasted for some time, and the firepower of the Broomflower army began to show signs of fatigue, with slower reloading speeds and a diminished volley fire.

The harassment and precise volleys by the Sauron Cavalry caused casualties to continue to rise on the Broomflower army's front line. The screams became more and more frequent, and the originally well-organized line began to show signs of loosening and wavering in some areas.

However, the Sauron themselves were not faring well either. The Wagon Fort was like a hedgehog, making it impossible for their cavalry to find a foothold, and their precious cavalry lives were being consumed one after another.

The balance of power on the battlefield swayed subtly amidst the bloody tug-of-war, awaiting a decisive force to shatter it.