Chapter 238: The Hollow Square Formation 1


    Fix bays! Fix bays!


    With a rustling sound, the soldiers of Alda drew their bays and fitted them onto their rifles.


    Officers to the front!


    With a loud yell from Bryce, his deputymander Joyce immediately repeated his order: Officers to the front!


    No one moved, as the officers of eachpany, toon, and squad were already at the forefront of their formations.


    The cavalry of the Kent family was closing in rapidly, now less than 500 meters away from the square formation.


    Ready! Ready!


    The soldiers on the outermost rows of the square formation, facing the cavalry, immediately knelt on one knee, while the second and third rows remained standing. The soldiers in the third row threaded their muskets through the gaps in front, aiming forward with their weapons.


    Hold steady, hold steady!


    Dont fire without an order!


    Makarov whispered to those around him, reminding them that many soldiers, especially the green recruits who had never been on a battlefield, tended to fire prematurely when faced with a rapidly advancing enemy, regardless of whether the enemy was in range or not.


    Joshs nervously wiped the sweat from his left palm onto his body, then gripped the trigger again. Initially, he was a left-handed shooter, holding the rifle with his right hand and pulling the trigger with his left, unlike others. However, his habit was forcibly corrected by Sergeant Makarov, who strictly adhered to the 1991 Infantry Training Regtions issued by the Staff Department. In the tense moment of facing a formidable enemy, however, he unconsciously reverted to his old habit.


    He was positioned in the third row, a measure of care for the new recruits. However, as a consequence, their protective gear was not as substantial as that of the soldiers in the first two rows. Joshs only wore a leather cuirass, while the soldiers in front mostly wore armor with metalponents at key areas. After all, it was an era dominated by melee weapons, and Paul, who could produce arge amount of iron, did not skimp on improving his armys armor coverage to prepare for potential hand-to-handbat.


    Jaces lips curled up in a sneer of contempt.


    He recognized the g of the obstructing army ahead  it belonged to the Grayman family, the minor lord who nearly shed with the Kent familyst year.


    Paul Grayman! I was merciful to spare youst year, and yet youre ungrateful and continue to oppose us!


    Grayman, look at your army! A mere thousand or so conscripted farmers, holdingughable weapons that are neither proper sticks nor guns, and those horses are nothing but nags fit for pulling carts. Oh! The formation is neatly arranged, but what good does that do?


    He ordered his assistant to wave the g, signaling to another cavalry unit  to scatter the square formation from both sides. Leading nearly 300 cavalrymen, including knights and their attendants, Jace was confident he could easily break this square formation, despite being vastly outnumbered by the Alda army.


    The difference inbat power between knights and peasants was like night and day.


    The leading knight picked up a javelin hanging from his horse  unlike on Earth, knights here did not consider the use of ranged weapons dishonorable. In his experience, as soon as he and hispanions threw their spears, those farmers who had just put down their hoes would either cower and scramble on the ground or disperse in panic. Once their formation was disrupted, they could charge in and trample at will.


    Moreover, seeing no archers in the square formation gave him even more confidence. They could tease the enemy without fear. Even if there were archers, given the poor quality of bows and crossbows that ordinary soldiers could afford and the thick armor he wore, inflicting effective damage would be challenging.


    They were getting closer! Bryce raised hismand saber high.


    In the Alda army, the four sides of the hollow square formation were referred to as front, back, left, and right. Currently, the four battalionmanders were each responsible for one side, with Bryce inmand of the front.


    Finally, the first enemy reached about 50 meters from the square formation, holding a javelin poised to throw.


    Front row, fire!


    Brycesmand sword swiftly dropped, and his order echoed throughout the formation.


    Bang! Bang! Bang!


    A series of musket shots rang out, and thick gunsmoke immediately enveloped the front of the formation.


    Several of the leading knights were instantly thrown off their horses, flipping backward while still holding their spears, and fell to the ground.


    Not good! The fallen knight instinctively tried to roll aside, not wanting to be trampled into mush by the hooves of hispanions who couldnt rein in their horses in time.


    But to his dismay, he felt as if all his strength had been drained away, making even turning over difficult.


    Wait, what just happened? The knights brain realized something was amiss.


    He had only heard a series of noises, then felt as if he had been harshly struck by something, and then he fell off his horse.


    What exactly hit him, he couldnt see the trajectory of the iing object.


    Suddenly, the knight felt a burning sensation on the right side of his abdomen and instinctively touched it.


    Arge hole  the touch sent a shock through him; whatever it was had prated his thick armor!


    What followed was even more terrifying.


    Pain an increasing agony reced the burning sensation, radiating throughout his body.


    Damn it! It hurts!


    The knight grabbed a handful of grass from his side and threw it into the air in frustration.


    A horrifying sight met his eyes  the yellowing dead grass leaves were stained red.


    Front row, second rank, fire!


    The following Kent family cavalry suffered the same fate as their predecessors.


    The two battalions that had gone out on the campaign had already switched to flintlock guns. Without matchlocks, the soldiers could line up shoulder to shoulder in tight ranks, significantly increasing the density of their volley fire.


    The charging cavalry were hit, some riders, some horses, and some both. However, thanks to the inuracy of smoothbore guns, many were fortunate to escape harm. Some horses, startled by the gunfire, ran uncontrobly with their riders.


    But still, some lucky ones managed to get within throwing range of their javelins and hurled them with all their might into the square formation.


    Under these few knights attacks, the Alda army suffered casualties.


    The wounded were immediately dragged to the central open space of the square formation, where newly trained medics with basic knowledge of disinfection and bandaging skills swiftly tended to them.


    Front row, third rank, fire!


    Bryce issued the order bitterly, pained to see the soldiers he had trained so hard getting injured.


    The third rows gunfire rang out, sweeping away the Kent family cavalry who had thrown their javelins and were trying to turn their horses to escape.


    The first volley resulted in nearly 50 enemy cavalry losing theirbat capability.


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