Chapter 266
The faces of the Jarls were pale with fear. It was already too late to discuss numerical superiority. The warriors charging from the rear were equal in number, visible even to the naked eye.
And in front of them stood three thousand warriors. It was a classic double encirclement.
Ivan looked up at the Jarls and spoke.
“Why are you hesitating? Do you have ample time? I would choose quickly.”
“Ugh…!!”
Surrender, battle, or duel. The choices given to them were limited to one of the three, and even that was rapidly diminishing in time. If the rear’s forces made contact and close combat broke out, there would be great losses… no, victory could not be guaranteed.
Facing an equally numbered enemy while exposing their rear would spell disaster. Even if they attempted to rearrange their formations to prepare for battle, it would be too late. From the moment one of the two sides began to falter, a one-sided massacre would commence.
The reason that hammer and anvil fell out of foundational strategy is a consequence of modernizing weapon systems. This means that from ancient times to the modern era in Earth’s history of war, hammer and anvil represented the most effective basic tactics.
This situation echoes that truth. In a limited pool of troops, intricate tactics and strategies are easily dismantled in the face of individual capability and mass.