Chapter 72: The Battle of Pudding Highlands, Part 1
December 1, 305 Yamato Calendar.
The Dark Elf army must pass through a key defensive location, Pudding Highlands, in order to reach the capital city of Dorcelli, Bern.
Romusta, who arrived there leading the Dark Elf army of 90,000, thought that everything was going as planned.
The enemy army he was facing had an inferior number of 60,000 troops. They’re occupying a tactically advantageous high ground and building a defense system, but…
The enemy commander has sent a peace envoy, suggesting they are not confident in battle.
He heard that―― Eryutheia, the top of the enemy’s army, was still a young girl.
Romusta sees himself more as a person inclined towards politics, rather than a warrior. As a matter of fact, he is not particularly adept at commanding armies.
But he doesn’t think he’s bad enough to be beaten by a child.
The enemy army is weak and doesn’t seem to have the will to fight. It’s indeed, a perfect opportunity to attack.
If there had been a little more leeway in the enemy army’s military strength.
If only the enemy army had a bit more will to fight.
Romusta’s forces would probably stop here and hold their ground.
The enemy can’t attack us if we who are superior in numbers play defensively. Because the militarily disadvantaged side can’t take the offensive.
And in time, we’ll have reinforcements.
The gap in the numbers becomes even wider than before, ensuring Romusta’s victory.
However…
Romusta wonders if it is really necessary to go that far.
With an enemy this weak, wouldn’t it be best to defeat them himself and monopolize the fruits of victory?
The current situation of Romusta was so tactically advantageous that it made him think that way.
His only concern is that the enemy is waiting for us at an advantageous highlands…
“Commander Romusta, the enemy forces are abandoning the highlands and retreating.”
“What? Was the enemy general that much of a fool?”
The advantage of that enemy army also disappears in the blink of an eye.
The enemy troops who were originally stationed at the top of the hill, panicked and made a hasty retreat and now they are rebuilding their encampment at the bottom of the hill.
“Hahaha, the enemy is so cowardly! Look, they even threw away their advantageous position. General Moriah, take the highlands immediately.”
“Yes, sir!”
Watching his own troops running up the hill, Romusta smirks with satisfaction.
His only concern, the positional disadvantage, was instantly overturned. Indeed, there are no reasons he could lose with this.
What’s more…
They manage to occupy the top of the hill in just a few hours.
By the time the enemy had finished setting up their positions, the sun was beginning to set, tomorrow was the day of the decisive battle.
From the top of the hill, Romusta looked down at the enemy formation as the sun set and remarked, “What a naive formation.”
“I guess the enemy army has about 30,000 on the right flank, 20,000 in the center, and 10,000 on the left flank, right? What do you think, General Moriah?”
“It appeared that they had positioned their forces heavily along the right flank of the highway to prevent a breakthrough.”
“You’re naive, Moriah-kun. Our army will outflank the enemy’s weak left flank in tomorrow’s decisive battle; if we do so, the enemy’s line will collapse in a single blow. Victory is nothing but assured.”
The deployment of the enemy army was indeed fragile.
With this uneven distribution of military force, the thinly guarded left flank will not hold for long if attacked. Romusta can take advantage of his superior force and attack the enemy’s left flank.
The game is over just with that.
“Moriah-kun.”
“What’s the matter, Commander Romusta?”
“This is a historic victory. I’m sure my name will go down in the history of the Black Elven Empire. As a hero who has achieved two complete victories in the Battle of Gahara Gate and this battle.”
Hahaha, it’s just like a dream. Romusta laughed out loud.
Troops, terrain, and formation.
In every aspect, the enemy army is at a disadvantage. Since there are no factors that could lead to defeat if he fight seriously.
☆☆☆☆☆
Yes, night has come by the time we finish setting up all the traps.
Since conducting a large-scale battle after dark is impossible, so the decisive battle will be for tomorrow.
“Fufu, the elves must be feeling elated about their triumphant victory now. About their certain victory.”
At the field headquarters, it’s time for the final meeting while eating dinner with Miike-san, King Balka, Dorcellis, and the commander of the Lusiya’s army.
By the way, today’s meal is… Curry, huh?
I wonder why, but I feel like I have been eating curry every day for the past week.
Is it because it can be easily made on the battlefield?
Oops, that’s not what I’m talking about.
“Goddess of War, are you sure this is okay? Our army is at a considerable disadvantage, isn’t it?”
There is also a bit of hesitation from the king of Balka, who leads the Balka army.
Well, It can’t be helped.
Insufficient military strength, peace envoys, abandonment of vantage points, and poorly planned military formation.
You wouldn’t normally fight in a situation like this. If you were to fight fairly, the situation is so disadvantageous that there’s almost no chance of winning.
However, it had to be this way.
If we don’t do it this way, the enemy will not respond to our invitation to a decisive battle.
What is really disadvantageous for us is not this current situation, but the fact that the enemy is getting reinforcements and becoming an even bigger army.
If that happens, there will be no need for tactics, they will just crush us with overwhelming numbers. If it ends up that way, there’s no chance of winning.
So, knowing the disadvantage, I had no choice but to create a situation where the enemy would do the decisive battle.
Besides.
“It’s okay, Baal Balka. That man should be arriving at any moment.”
“That man… ah, that smelly guy.”
That’s right, it’s that smelly one. That Hage is supposed to arrive tonight…
Oh, speak of the devil.
A foul smell is wafting in the headquarters tent.
“My apologies, I’m 10 minutes behind schedule.”
While lifting up the hanging entrance of the tent, the tubby person makes a grand entrance. Ah, Miike-san’s eyes turned white.
……She seems to have a good sense of smell, so she might find this odor stronger than us.
“The elves didn’t find out you were here, did they?”
“No problem. I deliberately showed myself to the enemy cavalry scouts before I left. They are not going to believe that we have marched as much as 50 kilometers in just one day.”
Yeah, I guess so.
I had summoned Marshal Tubby’s 10,000 troops for the defense of the royal capital, Bern.
First, we intentionally spread our forces and make it look like we have a small force, and then secretly rendezvoused on the eve of the decisive battle. So at the time of the decisive battle, we are able to reduce the power gap even a little.
Of course, if the elves find out about this rendezvous, they will become vigilant.
……Therefore, I had them rush from Bern to the Pudding Highlands, a distance of about 50 km, in a single day.
It’s at a speed comparable to Hideyoshi’s Great Chugoku retreat.
It’s a speed that’s not possible under normal circumstances. The marching speed of infantry in this world is as fast as 20 kilometers a day.
There’s no way, the elves would expect them to run at more than twice that speed.
Even with Heydrich’s supply system in place, he did quite well.
As I thought, it’s all about fighting spirit, with a strong spirit and determination everything can be solved.
With the addition of Marshal Tubby’s unit to the left flank, this brings the total number of troops to 20,000. We should be able to withstand the enemy’s offensive to a certain extent.
As for tomorrow’s strategy.
“Without further ado, Marshal Tubby. Please organize the half-beastkin soldiers on the left flank. Tomorrow will be a fierce battle.”
On the left flank were 20,000 half-beastkin soldiers.
When we showed our formation at dusk, the number of troops there was only 10,000, so the elves must think that this is a weak point and will attack desperately tomorrow.
Whether these 20,000 troops can withstand the enemy’s ferocious attack will become the main focus.
“…It’s Davout. No problem, no matter what happens, the left flank will persevere. The issue is the center, can you muscle-brains over there actually fight properly?”
“Hmph, you seem to underestimate this Baal Balka. Don’t worry, I won’t put my muscles to shame in front of the goddess of war.”
Besides, I have to destroy our enemy here and go to save my beautiful wife! And then, he decides on a solo pose.
Hmm, your muscles are still as good as ever.
20,000 Balka soldiers, I think it’s safe to leave the center to that muscle group. It’s the second most important place after the left flank, but well, muscles solve everything.
Now, it’s time to educate the self-proclaimed superior race.
The elves probably think of themselves as hunters. The elves, who are the hunters, expect to approach the coming decisive battle with the feeling that they are hunting the weak humans.
But the real hunters are over here.
What we need now is the annihilation of the enemy forces.
We must literally wipe out the 90,000 troops in front of us before the enemy force becomes even larger with further mergers.
So we have focused on that and that alone, and we have pursued it to this point.
And having set up many traps, we lure them into a decisive battle to annihilate them here and now.
Let me show you what it means to be a real hunter.
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