"So, the enemy took the bait?"
Chris looked at the players' reports on enemy movements in his personal interface.
It was a bit like cheating, but warfare was all about unfair advantages and asymmetry.
Chris closed the interface. Standing atop a large rock, he watched the troops march past him.
An army on the march was an awe-inspiring sight. To the somewhat uneven beat of drums, earth crumbled to dust beneath iron boots, swirling and rising as the troops advanced in ranks five abreast.
Chris watched the army in its mix of black and dark green pass before him, filled with pride and satisfaction.
The flintlock infantry occupied the center. Brass cartridge boxes pressed dents into the fronts of their dark green coats. With every step, their guns' wooden fore-ends struck the bayonet scabbards slung across their bodies, producing sharp cracks like snapping twigs.
The Ammunition Wagons rolled slowly along the right side of the column, accompanied by Sword-and-Shield Fighters and Halberdiers.
The light cavalry's horses frothed at the mouth as they roamed around the column, keeping watch and maintaining a five-kilometer security perimeter.
Although Chris was certain there were no enemies nearby, the proper procedures still had to be followed. He could not cut corners and let the soldiers develop bad habits.
Getting an army of nearly ten thousand out of the mountains would take at least a day. It was not simply a matter of lining everyone up and running out. Supplies, reconnaissance, command, and numerous other factors had to be considered, with every step carefully arranged and coordinated.
Supplies were especially important. Although Chris could purchase them, he still had to have enough physically stockpiled to sustain the army for over a month. Otherwise, the soldiers would become frightened.
Nobody wanted to go into battle on an