WE TRIED TRANSLATIONS
Translator: Abood
Discord: https://dsc.gg/wetried
◈ Friedrich's Battlefield
Chapter 60: The Ducal Army’s Annihilation Battle (2)
"Kn-knights are coming!"
"What do we do?!"
"Stay calm! Throw the obstacles! Grab the crossbows!"
As the cavalry emerged from the shadow of the forest, the soldiers panicked, but the captain of the prisoner recovery unit swiftly gave orders.
The obstacles, loaded on the supply wagons for repelling mounted charges, were called ‘Felix’s Hedgehogs,’ named after their inventor. These were bundles of wooden stakes designed to stand upright and impede cavalry charges.
As the prisoners were loaded onto the wagons, these ‘hedgehogs’ were tossed toward the approaching enemy cavalry from the south. Although not many in number, they were enough to offer some defense against the mounted assault.
At the same time, crossbows stored in the wagons were brought out. Though fewer than thirty in total, having crossbows which are the sworn enemy of knights was enough to improve their chances somewhat.
"Ready your arrows! Quickly! Aim… Fire!"
The cavalry, reluctant to charge headlong into the rows of Felix’s Hedgehogs, split left and right to avoid them. The crossbowmen quickly fired a volley. Only a few knights at the front were felled, but even losing the lead horses broke the momentum of the charge.
As a result, the Ferdinand Regiment’s cavalry failed to deliver the overwhelming destruction they had hoped for, and instead charged into the midst of the Ducal Army prisoners. They could not wipe them out in one fell swoop.
Still, for the prisoners who are mostly unarmed and in no formation, the trampling by the cavalry was a terrifying ordeal.
"Damn it! There are still prisoners left!"
"It's time to pull back! If we keep this up, we'll be wiped out! We need to retreat—"
The captain of the prisoner recovery unit who was trying to stop Franziska suddenly fell silent. He lost the head he needed to speak.
As he passed behind, a knight from the Ferdinand Regiment swung his sword and severed the captain’s head, blood spurting like a fountain from his neck.
"Tch… Retreat! Get the wagons out! Those who can run, flee on foot!"
With the captain dead, Franziska judged that she should take command. Bearing the weight of that responsibility, she made the painful decision.
About eighty percent of the prisoners had been freed; the remaining twenty percent would have to be left behind.
Glancing toward the north side, she saw cracks forming in the escort unit’s formation. Given the enemy’s superior numbers and skill, they could not hold out forever.
・・・・・・
“Even a cavalry charge couldn’t break them completely… They’re tough,”
“And they even brought out Felix’s Hedgehogs. Clever.”
Matthias exchanged words with Gregor again.
The Bachstein Ducal Army, tasked with defending the Alsace Corridor and the border with the Kingdom of Novakia as well as the highway to the royal territory, always keeps a certain number of Felix’s Hedgehogs ready.
However, that policy had been established decades ago. Considering that the Bachstein Duchy hadn’t seen battlefields within its lands for a long time, it was quite surprising that they had so many ready-to-use Felix’s Hedgehogs stored.
It was unlikely they had prepared them specifically for this march to usurp the throne. Matthias thought it was simply the result of the meticulous nature of the ruling Duke Bachstein.
“Enemy attack from the rear! Twenty cavalry!”
At that moment, one of the knights guarding the main camp reported.
Matthias and the others turned to see a group of knights, presumably from the Ducal Army, approaching from the south, circling around the forest behind their main camp.
“Gregor, annihilate them.”
“Understood! Men, prepare to engage! Don’t let your guard down!”
Matthias’s side was left by Gregor, who gave orders. Along with several knights from the main camp’s guards and about fifty infantrymen stationed there in preparation for such an emergency, they moved out.
“Friedrich, you stay here and observe how things unfold. A commander should never leave his post until the end.”
“...Yes, sir,”
Friedrich replied, briefly exchanging glances with Yurika, who was heading to help repel the enemy, then stepping aside.
“My lord, did Duke Bachstein send his cavalry to take a separate route before reaching this battlefield, circling behind us?”
“Yes. He likely dispatched them separately from the main force when leaving Remschait, aiming to strike our main camp directly. This means he accurately predicted where we would establish our camp. As expected of Duke Bachstein.”
Friedrich nodded as Matthias continued.
“But that was within your own expectations, wasn’t it?”
“Exactly. If I were in his position, I’d aim to eliminate the enemy commander and turn the tide. Duke Bachstein is a capable man. That’s why he moved just as I anticipated. He didn’t send a strike force somewhere strange by mistake, but precisely targeted this camp, which actually works to our advantage.”
“So you consider him a trustworthy enemy?”
“Yes. I told you that before.”
“Yes, my lord.”
War is like water—unpredictable. Even if a skilled commander leads according to military principles, a clueless enemy general’s chaotic orders can cause unexpected events for both sides. This can lead to heavy losses for the better-led army, or in the worst case, a shocking defeat.
In that sense, having an enemy general act logically actually makes things easier for us.
Duke Bachstein took the sensible approach of targeting the enemy commander directly to overturn the disadvantage. He didn’t misjudge the location of our main camp, either. Thanks to this, we aren’t thrown into chaos and can meet the enemy’s surprise attack prepared exactly as planned.
“Ready... Fire!”
Gregor’s voice sounded from the rear. Friedrich turned to see about thirty infantrymen unleashing a volley of crossbow bolts at the enemy.
Matthias had ordered that more than half of the infantry be equipped with crossbows, anticipating that the enemy would concentrate their scarce but valuable knights against the main camp.
Though both sides used crossbows as an anti-cavalry measure, the situation was different: the enemy, burdened with both rescuing prisoners and defending the southern flank, couldn’t respond effectively, while we were prepared from the start, calmly awaiting the ambush with crossbows ready.
The carefully aimed volley incapacitated nearly half of the enemy knights. Many were unhorsed by arrows, or their horses were struck and collapsed.
Now, the remaining roughly ten enemy knights faced the camp’s personal guard knights.
“Take down as many as you can! Don’t let any enemy near the lord!”
Gregor roared as he swung his sword, cutting down an enemy knight as they passed each other.
Nearby, Yurika deftly dodged the tip of an enemy knight’s sword and sliced the knight’s flank with her own blade. The struck knight fell from his horse, spilling his entrails. Thanks to rigorous training, Yurika now boasts considerable skill in mounted combat.
The other knights also demonstrated their prowess to the fullest. The camp’s personal guard consisted of carefully selected skilled knights. With expert swings of their weapons atop their horses, one enemy after another was slain.
The surviving enemy knights tried to break through the defensive line, but twenty infantrymen holding their pikes blocked their path.
The Duke’s knights, though skilled and well-equipped, were no match for the kingdom’s troops in terms of experience and equipment quality. Weary from the wide flanking maneuver and faced with the spear wall, the enemy knights faltered and were wiped out by Gregor and his men closing from behind.
“RAAAAAAAAH!”
One enemy knight, however, fiercely broke through what seemed like an impenetrable encirclement.
Sacrificing his horse to force his way through the spear wall, he sustained an injury that rendered his left arm useless, and his helmet slipped off from the fall, but with his remaining right hand he raised his sword and charged at Matthias.
“Step back, Friedrich!”
Matthias said this as he drew his sword and faced the fierce enemy knight. He stood to protect Friedrich and all the non-combatants in the main camp, the doctors, clergy, and falconers alike.
“Count Hosenfeld! Prepare yourself!”
The middle-aged enemy knight let out a fierce roar and lunged at Matthias. Despite using only one arm, his swordsmanship was surprisingly sharp.
Still, he was no match for Matthias. After exchanging blows twice, Matthias easily cut down the older knight.
“That is Sir Egmont, cousin of the current Duke Bachstein.”
“...that is to say?”
“Yes, he is the father of the prisoner commander, Sir Franziska. He must have led this dangerous detachment himself to try to save his daughter.”
Matthias bowed respectfully to the fallen knight’s body. Friedrich followed his example.
Even an enemy deserves respect for courageous efforts. For soldiers who kill, maintaining one’s humanity is essential.
Footnotes:
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