The decisive battle to unite Britain had begun.
Artoria had remained undefeated through the previous eleven battles, but her fighting force, originally 150,000 strong, had lost more than half its numbers to death and injury.
The exception was the heavy cavalry, whose role in sieges was limited to supporting duties such as pursuing routed enemies, reconnaissance, and guarding the perimeter.
Six thousand light cavalry remained, along with seven thousand archers and twenty thousand infantry.
They had ninety ram carriages, ninety battering rams, one hundred and fifty stone throwers, and four hundred scorpion ballistae.
Artoria divided all her troops and equipment into four camps: east, south, west, and north.
Tristan commanded the eastern camp, with three thousand archers, two thousand infantry, twenty ram carriages, twenty battering rams, twenty stone throwers, and one hundred scorpion ballistae.
They were responsible for ranged harassment and a feint against the eastern gate, Aldgate.
Agravain commanded the southern camp, with one thousand archers, three thousand infantry, twenty ram carriages, twenty battering rams, sixty stone throwers, and one hundred scorpion ballistae.
Their primary task was to operate stone throwers from the opposite bank of the River Thames, coordinating with the infantry in feints against Londinium Bridge and the southern gate, Bridge Gate, to spread the defending forces thin.
Bedivere commanded the western camp, with one thousand archers, seven thousand infantry, twenty ram carriages, twenty battering rams, twenty stone throwers, and one hundred scorpion ballistae.
They were to pose as the main force and launch feints against Newgate and Ludgate on the western side, easing the pressure on the northern assault.
The northern camp was the true main assault force, commanded by Artoria herself and Gawain, with two thousand archers, eight thousand infantry, thirty ram carriages, thirty battering rams, fifty stone throwers, and one