Chapter 304 Sighing at the High Wall
No one knows what exactly Raven discussed with Anthony, Thomas and Tyrone.
In short, after the meeting, the war will continue.
After resting for three days in Munn City, Raven led the Eagle Army to set off again.
There was still about 150 kilometers away from the Wall of Sighs. The supply lines were not short, but they were all within Nord, so Raven did not wait for the logistics troops from the five northwest counties.
Outside the city, only Hyde came to see him off.
"Would you like to come with me to fight Eivor?" Raven invited.
As a member of the Slater family, although Hyde's personal strength is currently only at the second level, the soldiers under his command are also considered elite, and they are not comparable to the miscellaneous soldiers in the five northwest counties.
If he really wants to join in, it will be a boost for Raven, and he can also get support from the Slater family.
Hyde also knew that since his father did not stop him from appearing here, he was allowing himself to follow Raven.
But he still shook his head: "Forget it, I'm getting married next month, why should I join in the fun with you at this time?"
Then he joked again: "Besides, I am a Viscount. If you give up the command to me, I can still consider it."
Raven picked up his riding crop and handed it to him: "The 2nd Army is left to you, will you come?"
Hyde's heart was pounding, and he stretched out his hand, but then retracted it when he was about to touch the riding crop:
"Forget it, I know my own abilities, I am not that material."
During the battle against the Order of the Hand of Death, Hyde led his family's elite and had a third-level magician to help him. However, in terms of combat performance, he was still inferior to Raven, who had only a few dozen soldiers at the time.
It was then that he realized that he had no talent for warfare.
And although he had a good personal relationship with Raven, he didn't think Raven could really succeed.
"I won't delay you any longer." Hyde lightly hit Raven on the shoulder: "If it doesn't work, come back honestly and save your life first."
"I can't die." Raven also patted his shoulder: "It's you, don't regret it in the future."
After saying that, he turned his horse's head and rushed towards the front of the team.
Looking at Raven's retreating figure, Hyde had an impulse in his heart and wanted to move his mount several times, but he still held back in the end.
In the next few days, the Eagle Army, freed from their burdens, began a rapid march, advancing at a speed of 40 kilometers per day. In just 4 days, they arrived outside the Sighing Wall.
In order to prevent the attacking troops from cutting down trees to set up camp and build siege equipment, and to prepare for fire attacks, there were not even a single tree within 10 miles around the high wall.
Therefore, the outline of the fortress can be seen from a long distance away.
It is located on the only path naturally opened by the mountains on both sides, firmly stuck at the lowest point in the center of the M-shaped mountains.
As the pace approaches, the wall of sighs becomes clearer and clearer.
It was a 130-meter-long man-made building. The gray-white city wall was 8 meters high, vertical and steep, embedded in the mountain on both sides, firmly blocking the only access road between the Principality of Eivor and the Nord Province.
The city gate is 5 meters wide and 8 meters high, and is firmly sealed with triple iron gates.
There is a tower on the city gate, with a bed crossbow at each end, and then one is placed every 30 meters.
Judging from the faint luster flowing on the crossbows, these six bed crossbows have obviously been enchanted and have been carefully maintained. They are definitely not fake.
Although it is low in the mountains, there is still a steep slope of at least 30° under the sighing high wall.
There is no moat under the wall, but three rows of stone barriers fixed on the ground. No matter who wants to move them away in the face of intensive attacks on the city wall, they will have to pay a huge price.
Usually, this place is always very lively, with an endless stream of caravans coming and going, but now as the war approaches, it is terribly deserted.
Lei Wen ordered to camp by a river called "Yinma River" 3 kilometers away from the High Wall of Sighs.
This distance not only ensures sufficient reaction time in the face of enemy harassment, and can ensure that the situation of the high wall is observed at any time, but also ensures that the battle line is short enough.
Lei Wen already knew the surrounding terrain, so he not only carried the camping materials, but also dismantled and transported the siege equipment. Now that the camp was set up, assembly began immediately.
That night, three trebuchets were set up in the camp.
At the same time, a military meeting was taking place in the main castle of Sigh High Wall.
Earl Wanda sat at the head, flanked by military officers of all levels.
There were torches on the wall, shining down on Count Wanda.
Just like in the previous information, the 44-year-old looks gentle and elegant, with smooth and natural hair, and a very delicate short beard under his chin.
If he hadn't been wearing armor, it would have been hard to imagine that this man was one of the few strong Level 4 men in the entire principality.
The entire conference room was in a lively discussion, mostly out of surprise——
Most people did not expect that Raven actually dared to defend his troops outside the Sigh Wall, and indeed assumed an attacking posture.
"Does he really have only 10,000 people under his command?"
"You can't be wrong. Although their scouts are good, we are not bad either. We have confirmed that there are indeed only two legions."
"How dare two legions come to attack the high wall of sighs?"
In siege operations, the defender has a huge terrain advantage. The attacker's strength must be at least three times that of the defender. This is common sense.
In the eyes of these officers, being able to do this kind of behavior can only mean that Raven is either a madman or an idiot.
Or a crazy idiot.
Wanda’s deputy Lyndon stood up:
"Sir, why don't we just take advantage of the fact that Raven has just set up camp and has an unstable footing to attack."
"Anyway, he has entered the duchy's territory, which has essentially constituted an invasion. Let's teach these Nords a lesson!"
Wanda neither agreed nor refused, but asked:
"What exactly are you going to do?"
Since Linden dared to mention it, he was certainly prepared: "Although the location for Raven's camp is good, according to our scouts, his legions have been marching in a hurry, and their combat effectiveness is definitely insufficient now."
"It doesn't take too many people. Let me charge forward with 2,000 elites. Covered by a round of enchanted crossbows, Raven's camp can be set on fire. Naturally, they can only let us slaughter them in a panic."
This statement immediately aroused a chorus of support, and the officers clamored to fight out.
Wanda suddenly chuckled and took a deep look at Linden. The latter immediately stopped and sat down, and the conference room instantly became quiet.
"It's a good idea, but there are some issues you didn't consider."
Wanda's left index finger gently rubbed her middle finger, which was her habitual action when she was thinking or getting nervous.
"Since you want to attack, what is the composition of the two legions under Lei Wen's command?"
"He chose to camp 2 miles away, which is 3 kilometers away. We don't have cavalry in hand. It will take at least 30 minutes to get there. You also said that Raven's scouts are of excellent quality. What if he finds out and is prepared? ?”
"Last question, Raven is a third-level magician. Do you know what kind of magic he has? How to deal with it?"
Three questions were asked in succession, pouring a lot of cold water on the originally exciting atmosphere.
Wanda sighed quietly.
It had also been a long time since the war, and the soldiers under his command did not take the war seriously.
This cannot be blamed on them. The last time the Principality of Eivor participated in a war was nearly 40 years ago. At that time, Insa used Eivor to attack the Nord Province, and Eivor also participated in it.
Starting to rub her middle finger again, Wanda thought of the private message sent by Gatugen.
It was indeed mentioned above that Wanda should take the initiative to annihilate this army.
But Wanda didn't want to do this.
Gatugen is a court noble and does not know, or in other words does not value, the importance of private soldiers to a noble.
It was okay to let Wanda lie about the military situation, but he would never do it if he really had to risk his family fortune for Gatugen's career.
Thinking of this, Wanda raised her eyelids and looked around the audience: "So, are there any questions?"
"No more, sir!" Linden said.
Wanda nodded: "Very good, then pay attention to defense and make patrols more strict. No one can take the initiative without my order."
He looked around the audience and emphasized:
"Remember, we are border guards. If we have no fault, it is a great achievement!" The military meeting was dissolved.
In the next few days, Wanda did not relax. Every day she would go to the city wall to observe the movements of Raven's camp.
Watching trebuchets rising from the ground, and watching the logistics troops transport supplies to Camp Raven.
May 5, 1199, seven days after Raven arrived.
Wanda received a letter that someone shot at the city wall with a crossbow.
The handwriting is slightly ugly, but it contains extremely arrogant content - Raven demands that Wanda open the door and surrender immediately, otherwise he will launch an attack tomorrow.
He also threatened that the day the sigh wall fell, the city would become a river of blood.
"Ha!" Wanda sneered:
"I can guard this city until I die of old age!"
He could indeed have that confidence.
Since the day the Wall of Sighs was built, no one has ever been able to breach it.
That night, Raven, Eric, Simon, Weston, Link and others perfected the attack plan for the last time.
The next day, May 6th.
The sound of war drums dispersed the morning fog.
Raven's troops had breakfast, put on their armor and poured out of the camp, forming formation outside the camp.
The muffled sound of the rumble was accompanied by the creaking of wood, and the assembled trebuchets were pushed out of the camp.
The wooden wheels and triangular frame are 5 meters high, like the arms of a giant.
Lei Wengao sat on the claw yellow flying lightning, took a deep breath of the cool morning air, and suddenly waved his arm: "Attack!"
The command turned into a semaphore and then into a clarion call for attack.
The army is on the move.
There was no thunderous charge, only silent footsteps.
1,000 heavily armored soldiers, divided into groups of 20, were dispersed into 50 small square formations, with the inner layer carrying ladders and the outer layer holding large shields.
Behind them, 26 trebuchets slowly pushed forward.
The defenders on the city wall had already discovered the movements of Raven's troops. They loaded crossbows with beam-thick arrows on their bed crossbows and adjusted their targets.
3 kilometers, 2 kilometers, 1 kilometers...
500 meters.
The horn sounded loudly, and the vanguard of the Eagle Army carried the ladder and launched a charge!
At the same time, 26 trebuchets were fixed and launched a neat round!
Whoosh——
26 boulders cut through the sky and fell in irregular parabolas.
Most of them jumped over the Sighing Wall and smashed into the city, causing people to cry out in fear. A small part fell outside the city wall, smashing the stone horses into pieces.
Only one whistled and landed on the top of the city, smashing three defenders who were boiling hot oil together with the pot.
At this moment, a crossbow next to the city tower tightened its strings, the crossbow body flashed with light, and a thick crossbow arrow was shot.
After the crossbow arrow flew away, it was dyed with a layer of blazing white fire, and then slammed into a charging team.
The arrow was not sharp, but the huge kinetic energy it carried easily tore apart shields, heavy armor, and the flesh and blood inside, and it penetrated four soldiers one after another before it could stop.
Then the fire exploded, wrapping more soldiers in it, turning them into burning men, howling and rolling on the ground.
Of the 20 soldiers, only half survived.
Among the survivors, some were stunned on the spot, some howled and rushed forward desperately, while others barely maintained their senses and found the nearest team to merge with them in accordance with wartime regulations.
This tragic scene did not stop the Eagle Army's attack.
Wanda on the tower was not satisfied with the result:
"I said, the bed crossbow cannot fire without my order!"
"Aim at the opponent's trebuchet - don't let that thing continue to attack!"
Under Wanda's command, the bed crossbow that had just been fired began to be reloaded, and the remaining five aimed at a trebuchet each and fired.
The bed crossbow is far more stable and accurate than the trebuchet.
In just one salvo, three trebuchets were completely destroyed. Although one was only scratched and the core components were not damaged, it could not be repaired in a short time.
Only one arrow fell into the air.
The leading troops of the Eagle Army rushed to 200 meters below the city wall, and the steep slope slowed down their pace.
At the same time, rows of archers stood on the top of the city and started shooting from a commanding height!
The arrows flew across the sky, almost covering the sun, and then shot down like waves.
Most of the feather arrows were blocked by the raised shield, making bursts of dense dull sounds.
Occasionally, arrows passed through the gaps in the shields and landed on the Eagle Army soldiers, but they were completely helpless and the heavy armor on their bodies slipped off one after another.
Over the battlefield, another round of stone bullets was thrown. This time, it was bad luck, and none of them landed on the wall.
But three huge stones smashed into the wall, opening three passages in the dense stone barrier.
In this era, trebuchets were usually used as tools to bombard city walls, so it was often necessary to constantly adjust the counterweight and angle in order to achieve the best hit rate.
But Raven had a different idea.
No matter how you adjust the trebuchet, the accuracy is not as good as the crossbow, so the victory depends on the intensity of firepower!
As long as you throw it out, it will be considered a success.
Under the guidance of this policy, Raven's trebuchet can launch a round of projection every 30-40 seconds.
The reloading frequency of the bed crossbow is 5 minutes at the fastest.
Under the cover of trebuchets, the Eagle Army vanguard advanced to less than 100 meters away from the High Wall of Sighs.
At this moment, they were finally able to vent their accumulated anger, fear and anxiety, howling and launching a real charge!
The archers on the city head were removed and replaced by rows of crossbowmen.
Following the officer's order, the enchanted crossbow bolts roared down.
However, the result surprised Wanda on the tower.
This is a crossbow that is specially designed for heavy armor and has been enchanted with "sharpness", but even at a distance of 100 meters, it still cannot cause much effective damage to the Eagle Army.
Most of the crossbow arrows were blocked by the shield and bounced off by the armor. Only a very small number of crossbow arrows that hit the eye sockets or the joints of the armor could cause limited casualties.
This is armor crafted by gray dwarves. It is not only carefully designed, but also has some fogged iron added during the forging process.
Although the overall armor is about 13% heavier, its defensive capabilities are even higher.
"Damn, where did they get such good armor!? Are we facing the Iron Legion?"
The index finger of his left hand began to rub the middle finger again. Although he had read a lot of books, this was the first time Wanda had actually commanded a battle, which inevitably made him feel nervous.
He licked his lips and recalled the contents of the tactics book:
"Let the crossbowman stop first and wait until the opponent reaches within 20 meters before shooting!"
At this moment, a scream sounded from the top of the city.
Wanda frowned and was about to get angry when one of his guards rushed in:
"Sir, there is something in the sky, in the sky!"
Turning around to look, Wanda suddenly realized.
At some point, the city wall was covered with a shadow.
……
(End of chapter)