Chapter 168 That place is called Black Bone Swamp
Black Bone Swamp is located northeast of Castle Joan, at the junction of Mountain County and Plain County.
As a mountain swamp, it is surrounded by mountains on three sides, and its only exit is covered by a wild spider forest, two thirds of which are swamps.
The swamp is full of various large and small lakes, underground rivers, puddles and swamps.
But I have to say that in such a small place, the three types of terrain that the cavalry hate the most are gathered together - mountains, swamps and forests.
After the Hundred Years' War, when the empire's military power was at its strongest, it was unable to conquer this small Black Bone Swamp. What's more, there are still giant spiders from the Wild Spider Forest guarding the entrance.
According to Horn's rough calculation of the area, if there is nothing wrong with the weights and measures of this world, the entire Black Bone Swamp is about 7,000 square kilometers, which is roughly equivalent to a sheep city.
This area is equivalent to 1.5 hedgerow townships, and its population is only 0.3 hedgerow townships - about 20,000 people.
Geographically speaking, it is indeed within the scope of the Duke of Kush, although it has never been actually controlled by the Duke.
Most of the water sources in the streams and canals near Fort Joan of Arc flow from the Longmian Mountains through the Black Bone Swamp and into Fort Joan of Arc.
"I actually forgot about this place." Jeshka suddenly slapped her head.
“The terrain of the Black Bone Swamp is indeed suitable for defensive cavalry operations. If you want to enter, you must either climb over the mountains or force your way into the Wild Spider Forest.”
Take it from the cabinet on the side. On the next map, Jeanne blew the dust off and spread it on the table.
“Even if they can enter the Black Bone Swamp, they still have to face a problem, and that is the underground rivers, puddles and lakes in the swamp.
Those knights even added the 'Easy to Work' and the blessing of 'Horse Hoof Fit', but still can't run on water."
The response from the church is that walking on water is the power of Messiah and cannot be exceeded by mortals.
But the knights all know in their hearts that it is just an excuse. In the end, it is not because the church is stuck in the rules and is unwilling to do more research on the blessing system, and even refuses the monks to develop new blessings.
“During this period, if we are short of supplies, we can even use some smuggling waterways, or secretly leave the wild spider forest to trade with the nearby Fort Joan of Arc.”
“Black Bones The local lycanthropes in the swamp happen to be friendly with us, and the lycanthropic kings still regard our holy grandson as the third emperor of the El Empire?"
Those who have walked through the Black Bone Swamp are very familiar with it? The familiar veterans of the old camp immediately started discussing. The more they discussed, the more they felt it was feasible.
The new members of the Salvation Army on the side were just sitting there with sad faces, but as they listened to the chatter of these veterans, who were often elders, emperors, and kings, the original dimness in their eyes gradually became brighter.
You know, even though they didn’t say it, when Horn actually cut off the Duke’s head, they realized that they had no way out.
Even some members of the Salvation Army, after losing their passion, will think that they were bribed into the pirate ship by Horn.
It's not that they don't want to follow Horn, but that these people are all homeless farmers and they really can't see a future.
But now I hear it, my dear, the rewards from the Papal State are too generous. Who can just grant the generals and minor generals casually?
Listening carefully, Horn actually has hundreds of powerful lycanthropic kingdoms as his subordinates in the Black Bone Swamp.
Even if the number of people in a kingdom has shrunk, there must still be thousands of people. Otherwise, how would you dare to call it a kingdom?
Then don’t say anything else and give them the position of duke, isn’t it too much?
Our Salvation Army is so awesome!
“Actually, Black Bone Swamp is good, but it has a very big drawback.” Horn, who had been silent, said slowly, “You all know that according to the agreement, we still have to come out in three months. .
Paslik, who had just adopted the pseudonym Crispa, had already said that in three months, the Duchess's letter would become invalid, and there was a high probability that the Duchess of Hemastone was preparing to revolt.
At that time, the main force of the Imperial Order Company will definitely go north to attack the Duchess of Herma Stone's North Mound County, and we will be able to take advantage of the opportunity to attack.
This means that we have to organize a new army in the Black Bone Swamp, and we have to defeat at least 3 command companies as the goal. "
"Yes, what's the problem? Thomas asked curiously.
“This is a big problem. " Jeshka replied for Horn, obviously he had also thought about this problem, "According to His Majesty Shengsun's plan, the number of new troops to be trained will be between 4,000 and 6,000.
Only with this number can they barely fight the enemy infantry and at the same time withstand the impact of the extraordinary knights. ”
In the Battle of Windmill that year, the famous French general Marshal Otto Dunjar organized an elite infantry phalanx with a regiment of 4,000 people during the heavy training of mercenaries. France The Kingdom of Lan was in the throes of centralization reform at that time, with constant civil strife, and a large number of Flan knights defected to the Kingdom of Laia.
But Marshal Dunjar relied on hiring. The super spear phalanx of soldiers and a small number of extraordinary knights bit the knights of the Kingdom of Leia.
Due to the lack of offensive means by the infantry, the knights did not lose, but they could not win. The huge financial resources of the Kingdom of France were drained of blood
Dunjar's phalanx became the empire's recognized method of dealing with cavalry.
"Do you know what this means? 4,000 to 6,000 people, including their families, the total number is estimated to be 20,000 to 30,000." Jeshka spread his hands and said, "I can still What expression to explain.
"With so many people, where can we find a place to station and train the new army?"
This is a large part of the reason why Horn and the others are dark under the lights.
As long as they can bring some of their own food, the entire Black Bone Swamp can barely accommodate 30,000 people.
But the problem is that the terrain of the Black Bone Swamp is a patch of puddles and underground rivers. How can there be so much space for Horn to station and train his army?
The entire meeting hall fell into silence again, until a rough female voice with a strong accent said:
"Your Majesty, can I say something?"
That was Captain of the Varangian Guards of Horn, Gergo, daughter of Queen Sidon.
"Say." Horn waved to her, "Come to the front and say it, don't be afraid."
"Actually, there is a place in the Black Bone Swamp that can be used for stationing and training." Gergo's innocent nasal voice made many people frown. Except for those who were familiar with Gergo's accent, most of the refugee representatives did not Can understand.
"Where?" Horn was a little shocked.
“That is the ancestral land of our beast-turned-people, the former capital of the beast-turned-human empire, Qiumu Island. It is an island in a lake with lush water and grass flowing with milk and honey.”
"And this place? We almost all crossed the Black Bone Swamp, why didn't we..." At this point, Horn suddenly stopped.
He suddenly realized that they had not completely walked the Sweat Road, but had bypassed the swampy lowlands through the trails of the Blue Blood Orphanage.
In other words, they had bypassed all the swampy lowlands and hairy monsters recorded in the Homer Mercenary Group's notes.
“Is the Qiumu Island you are talking about located in the lowlands south of the swamp?”
“Yes.” Gergo nodded seriously, “Back then our big beast The humanoid empire does not live in the north of the swamp, but on Qiumu Island.
Qiumu Island was given to us by the El Empire back then. The island's full population was ten. There are so many people that we can definitely accommodate you.”
“Then how did you move to the north?” Sissi seemed to have thought of something, “Are they those hairy monsters?”
"No." Gergo shook his head, "Those hairy monsters only appeared later. We moved away because there was too much population and a plague broke out.
After the doomsday plague, the lycanthropic empire It was completely split into two, the Eastern Empire and the Western Empire.
The Western Empire was later divided by barbarian warlords, while the Eastern Empire was forced to move to the northern islands.
Due to the scattered territory and the royal family. After the death of the heirs, it split into hundreds of kingdoms.
After the plague, we originally planned to move back to our hometown, but because the dam near Qiu Mu Island was in disrepair, the road was flooded by the lake.
The island was occupied by long-haired monsters and barbarians. We launched four southern expeditions by the Xizi army and achieved great victory.
But because we are a peace-loving civilized kingdom and don’t care about those barbarian monsters, we did not move back. "
The corners of his mouth twitched. Horn did not expose Gergo's words, but just coughed: "Ah, that's it. "
"In that case, as long as we can destroy those barbarians and long-haired monsters, will there be a place to stay? "Jeanna asked Gergo in surprise.
"We no longer regard that place as our hometown. "Gergo looked at Horn, "If Your Majesty can capture it, as long as you don't mind us trading on the island and recognizing our kingdom of lycanthropes, we are willing to imitate the barbarian King Gobo's land donation and donate it to You become the new Holy City! ”
(End of this chapter)