Chapter 101
Erich's unit continued their march, their morale soaring as if piercing the sky.
One of the reasons for this was their two consecutive victories, but it was also because the remaining remnants had already fallen victim to Grossnak's ambush and were left barely clinging to life.
Moreover, the members of Erich's unit were mostly veterans, so they could read the course of battle without needing special explanations.
Frederick, enjoying the humming of the men, spoke to Erich. His tone, too, was laced with excitement.
"Mmm. Easier than eating cold cake. Isn't that right, boss?"
"When was the last time you actually had cake?"
"... Hmm. Can't recall. Damn."
Along with Frederick, the other members also seemed to have finally relaxed a little. However, Erich still didn't completely let his guard down. There were still variables at play.
'If there's still enough enemy force left to break through an ambush, the situation could change at any moment.'
Even Mikhail, after all, had previously swept through an ambush in reverse and minimized the damage.
Tactics can change the course of battle, but if there is overwhelming force, tactics become powerless before it.
Therefore, when Erich prepared for an ambush before, he had assigned Erich, Mikhail, and Hrung-ga—each with overwhelming strength—separately to each unit.
All of them possessed enough might to overturn the tide of battle. Hrung-ga may have seemed a bit lacking compared to the previous two, but, well, he was a headhunter after all......
Just then, Mikhail spoke up.
"Commander Erich, it's good that morale is high, but get these men under control. Being too relaxed isn't good."
"I know. But I'm not that worried, perhaps because you're with us, sir Mikhail."
"You really do nothing but talk, don't you?"
But since Erich was having similar thoughts, he told Frederick to go and toughen up the men a bit.
Anyhow, so it was that when they reached Angel Ridge, they heard an odd drumming sound.
― Thump, thump, thump.
The sound of drums came from the valley leading out of Angel Ridge. Tension quickly formed on the faces of the soldiers. With a low 'tsk', Erich opened his mouth.
"I did think things were going too easily. Frederick, what was that you said about cake?"
"... Damn it. I shouldn't have run my mouth."
The unit crossed the ridge, heading toward the source of the drums. Off in the distance, they saw a great horde of Barbarians pouring out of the valley.
'Grossnak must have failed.'
Erich realized what he had feared had come to pass. This meant the enemy possessed a strong unit capable of overwhelming them even if they were ambushed.
Erich quickly calculated in his head. Who could be under Ungrim's command with that level of power? A few candidates flashed through his mind.
"Sir Mikhail, how much aura do you have left?"
"About a third."
Mikhail was a swordsman who could turn the tide of a battle by himself, but fate has a way of being fair.
'... He doesn't have much total aura left.'
That was why Mikhail always focused on efficiency with his power.
In contrast, Erich, at his peak, possessed much more aura than Mikhail.
Of course, even with the little aura left, Mikhail would be the strongest here in a one-on-one.
But, naturally, there was no way the enemy would fight them one-on-one honorably, so the situation was not good.
They could not, as they had against the Black Wolves, prepare a favorable battleground ahead of time. Nor did they have circumstantial advantages, like when fighting the Bear tribe.
How could they break through this predicament?
Frederick re-formed the ranks and readied for the enemy. Though not all the Barbarian horde had emerged from the valley yet, there were already more than Erich's men.
Mikhail suggested a tactic to Erich.
"I'll step up first and strike the enemy leader. Usually, if Barbarians lose their leader, they scatter in panic."
"That would be true, but these ones are different. They're Ungrim's followers."
"... How are they different?"
They were indeed different, and Erich knew it for certain.
If Barbarians were normally a rabble who put their strongest in charge, Ungrim's Barbarians always maintained discipline and order akin to a military unit.
'... That bone-wielding one from last time—Yurtan—he was like that too.'
While other Barbarians would panic and rush to put out a fire, the small group led by Yurtan did not.
They only protected their leader. This meant they were accustomed to military discipline in their own way.
Most of all, what was truly frightening about Ungrim's Barbarians was just that.
The Watch had managed to win against Barbarians despite poor physical conditions because their command structure was clear.
But Ungrim's Barbarians were closer to a well-trained army than a savage horde.
Even if this was earlier compared to when Erich had met them before the regression, their fundamental approach was likely similar.
"Even if their leader dies, they'll fight to the end. Some might flee, but there are sub-commanders."
"Barbarians have sub-commanders? What the...?"
Instead of answering, Erich pointed at the enemy force with his finger. Mikhail's eyes narrowed, and a low note of surprise slipped out.
"Huh...!"
A sight that could surprise even Mikhail, who had served many years in the Watch.
The Barbarians were forming up into rectangular blocks, with sub-commanders in front leading them.
Mikhail continued.
"I suppose I've lived long enough to see it all. Any good ideas?"
Mikhail subtly asked for a plan, but Erich didn't have any great solution either.
'Retreating might be the better option.'
There may be some stragglers during retreat, but that still seemed preferable to colliding head-on with Barbarians numbering over ten times their force.
But what if those Barbarians followed Erich's unit north?
If the surviving members of the Black Wolf and Bear tribes, whom they'd just cowed, joined them, today's battle would have been for nothing.
It would mean not that they'd inflicted near-annihilating losses, but only killed and chased off the chief.
Frederick, who had finished arranging the ranks, returned to stand by Erich.
"Formation's set, but you're really going through with it?"
"Wait. I'm still thinking."
So, while Frederick looked on with concern, Hrung-ga stepped forward, club hefted to his shoulder.
[... It would be a truly glorious death. Heh.]
[We'd call that a dog's death. Hm. But still....]
Seeing Hrung-ga step up with his axe, Erich allowed himself a faint smile. He'd come up with a good idea.
"Frederick! Form the men up into a wedge."
"... A wedge? Did you think of something good?"
"When all the enemy is out of the valley, we'll pierce through at a single point."
"...??"
Frederick's eyes widened. That was hardly surprising; after all, in battle, a line formation was standard because it meant equal frontage.
But a wedge formation does not have equal frontage. That means, if they clash, the flanks are vulnerable and likely to break.
Moreover, if the charge failed to break through, even penetrating the center could lead to being surrounded.
Perhaps cavalry charging past an enemy could use such a formation, but for infantry, who face prolonged combat, the wedge was rarely used except in special circumstances.
But Erich's gaze was fixed on the valley that was disgorging the enemy.
'If the problem is the enemy's numbers, reduce the contact area.'
The problem with facing more enemies is that each soldier has to face more adversaries.
To adjust for that, you can extend your line—if you're willing to sacrifice depth.
But is there a way to avoid that?
'Face the enemy in a narrow place.'
There might not be such terrain in these hills, but if Erich's unit could break through and enter the valley, they could always face only as many enemies as the width of the passage allowed.
Their inferiority in numbers would, for a moment, be removed. The problem of enemy numbers would remain, but the quality of troops would overcome it.
Erich, Mikhail, and Hrung-ga.
The three of them could take turns holding back the enemy.
Upon hearing Erich's plan, Mikhail grinned.
"First off, I can see you're out of your mind."
"Do you have a better idea?"
"I don't, but there is a problem. If the enemy just ignores us and pushes past, isn't that a problem too?"
A sharp observation, but Erich slowly shook his head.
"Ungrim's army won't pass the Watch with us right in front of them. More than that, we're the last force resisting them in the North."
It would be risky to leave them at their backs while attacking the snow wolf's home, Kabal, the northern stronghold. They could easily be struck from behind while besieging it.
Satisfied, Mikhail nodded.
"Fine. I'll follow."
Erich placed Frederick and Barnes on each flank. Between them, he put Hrung-ga, and with Mikhail at the front, they all took the forward line.
The plan was to focus all force on this single point. Sacrifices would be inevitable, but as long as they reached the valley, Erich's plan would succeed.
'The problem is if the enemy commander tries to block us.'
But even in that case, Erich, Mikhail, and Hrung-ga would attack together.
The enemy chief would have to withstand their combined assault, and that would even provide a chance to take out their leader—not a bad outcome.
If the enemy chief was really sharp, there was a good chance he'd assume the wedge was meant to take him out.
Anyway, Erich reformed his troops and waited for all the enemies to emerge from the valley.
When he felt all was ready, Erich, standing in the front line, drew his sword.
The flowing wave of the Auramite blade caught the light.
"All units, advance!"
At Erich's command, the men stepped forward, tense. Their destination: the thick ranks of the enemy, where Ungrim's Barbarians waited, ready to swallow them whole.
-------------= Clacky's Corner -------------=
【ദ്ദി(⩌ᴗ⩌)】