Sustained Bombardment

From the command post on the hillside, Karl clearly saw the devastating effects of his side's three volleys of Musketeer fire.

The sight of the Sauron Army's forward position in utter chaos, with men sent sprawling and blood and flesh everywhere, along with the inevitable confusion and hesitation spreading through the enemy ranks, eased the tension in his tightly wound heart.

He clenched his fist almost imperceptibly. His face flushed slightly with excitement, but he quickly regained the calm and composure befitting a commander.

Moreover, he keenly noticed that despite suffering a heavy blow, the sound of the War Drums coming from the Sauron Army's formation had not weakened or grown disorderly. Instead, the drums were beating faster and more densely, carrying a kind of desperate, all-or-nothing madness!

"Are they ready to risk everything?" Karl instantly saw through the enemy commander's intentions.

Seeing that they were completely outmatched in the long-range exchange of fire and had suffered heavy casualties, Ivar intended to exploit the Sauron infantry's fierce bravery and forcefully close the distance. Either they would use their bows to unleash a vicious volley at close range, suppressing or even destroying his side's Musket formation, or they would launch a desperate charge regardless of the cost, hoping to turn the tide through melee combat!

He absolutely could not let them succeed!

Karl's thoughts raced as he swiftly made his decision.

The distance was now around seventy or eighty meters. Though still within the effective range of the Musketeers, if they continued firing, the interval needed to reload might give the enemy just enough time to cross the final stretch of this death zone.

They had to give them a "surprise"—a "surprise" powerful enough to completely shatter the momentum and morale of their charge!

"Relay my orders!" Karl's voice was calm