thefictionvixens Chapter 192 Canney
Chapter 192 Canney
Chapter 123 Canney
Across the wilderness, the wind howled ominously. Jules Moder reined in his horse, gazing at the Valantis Tiger-Clad Army phalanx slowly surging towards them on the distant horizon, its countless spear tips gleaming ominously in the setting sun.
Behind him was an army of less than 3,500 men, exhausted from months of fighting, a stark contrast to the nearly 6,000 fresh troops opposite him.
The soldiers looked exhausted, but their eyes held a fierce determination born of being driven to the brink.
"Hey kid," Vito spat out the foxtail grass from his mouth. "Your letter doesn't seem to have worked."
"Damn, I thought he'd at least give it a second thought," Tiberius scoffed. "Is there really such a loyal subject? Or is he absolutely certain the Senate won't do anything to him?"
Jules slowly drew his broadsword, the sound of the blade rubbing against the scabbard being particularly clear in the silence.
His face was solemn and hard, but his voice remained steady.
"Regardless, they've finally caught up with us—there's no escaping it, there's no way to avoid it, we have to fight!"
"What's there to be afraid of!" Sevita spat out the grass he was chewing, his young face full of arrogance and a calm that came after experiencing extreme madness. He patted the battle axe at his waist.
"The money I've stolen in my life, the women I've slept with—uh—" He scratched his head, as if he were a virgin himself. "—Ahem, I've seen enough of the world!"
"What's that saying again? 'The dead do not die, they will rise again, and with even greater force!' Even if we fall here today, we'll knock out their teeth! The Drowning God loves ruthless people like us; let's just wait to enjoy ourselves in his palace!"
Iron Man Boy felt he was already a legend, and when a legend comes to an end, he should face an ending more violent than a hurricane, preferably a battle worthy of being recorded in epic history.
He brandished his battle axe, his young face radiating a fierce confidence that "I have no regrets in this life."
Tippi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his inner panic and physical exhaustion, and his brain worked at high speed.
"Dmitri! Map!"
Dmitri immediately took out the map and spread it out on the ground.
"Commander, there's not much point in bringing out this map now!" He was trembling slightly, but he still tried his best to remain calm.
"Have the scouts been sent out?" Tiberius asked.
"They've been sent out!" Habroy replied.
Tell me about the terrain!
"To the left is a rushing river, and to the other side is sparse woodland, enough to conceal troops," Dmitri and Habro reported simultaneously. "The enemy is unlikely to enter the woods; their main forces are the [Twilight Raiders] and [Summer Storm]. Neither light cavalry nor heavy infantry will venture into the woods."
"Forests—rivers—so they prefer to crush us head-on?"
"Most likely, especially considering that our assault knights and light cavalry also abhor attacking the enemy's flanks through woodlands!"
"I understand—" A classic case from the Classical period flashed through Tiberius's mind, but he couldn't remember who it was—
"—Oh, right, Commander, this river near us has a name—" Dmitri said tremblingly.
"What name?" Tiberius was extremely agitated when his thoughts were interrupted, and he almost shouted it out.
"Cannais, the river's name is Canney!"
When Dmitri uttered that word, Tiberius recalled the case and the name of that great general.
Hannibal, Hannibal Barca! He crippled Rome at the Battle of Cannae, one of the greatest military geniuses of the classical era!
He rode up to Vito and ordered rapidly, "Vito! Gather all our extra packhorses and mules at the rear of the central army camp, and tie tree branches to their tails! Make them run back and forth constantly, kicking up as much dust as possible!"
Then, he pointed to the simple map spread on the saddle and quickly explained it to the commanders, including Jules and Lisanro, who had gathered around.
"Look at the terrain! We have the Canney River on our left and sparse woodland on our right. The enemy's forces are relatively homogeneous, and the only area they can launch an attack on is this narrow strip in the middle! Neither the woodland nor the sandy beach is suitable for their cavalry or heavy infantry to take advantage of their strengths."
"This is our chance! Their main force must be confined to the area between the riverbank and the woodland. I swear on my life, the plan of that general on the other side is a central breakthrough, using their numerical and troop quality advantage to crush us!"
He traced an arc on the map with his finger: "We'll secretly deploy our main force—Uncle Jules, your heavy cavalry, and all the rapidly mobile infantry—on the flanks of the army, concealing them. The central army—make it look good, but actually weaken it, but it must be the main force! We'll rely mainly on the dust raised by our horses to create a false impression."
This was almost a replica of the strategy used in the Battle of Cannae. However, Tiberius's confidence stemmed from the high degree of cavalry infantry integration in his army and the striking power of Jules' elite cavalry. He was certain that he could quickly adjust his forces at critical moments to form a local encirclement.
"No, Tiberius, the cavalry should not be evenly distributed on both flanks," Jules said in a hoarse voice.
"Why, Uncle?" Tippy asked, slightly puzzled.
"Place all the cavalry on our right flank, the area near the woods, and further increase the number of infantry on the left flank, closer to the riverbank, turning them into an impenetrable anvil!"
"The reason? The reason is very simple!" Jules looked firmly at Tiberius and explained his plan.
"Let the left wing make contact with the enemy first, yes, a diagonal attack tactic, but they are not the real main force. Their mission is to force the enemy to seek a breakthrough opportunity in the center and right wing!" Jules pointed with a stick at the rivers, plains and highlands on the map.
"Just as you said, Tiberius, their commander's plan must have been to break through from the center, using their numerical superiority to pierce through our lines and divide us at will!"
"Therefore, we will place the main force of our cavalry on the right flank!" Jules' face revealed a ruthless glint as he placed several pieces representing knights on the right flank.
"—The thick infantry formation on the left flank should take the initiative to advance and meet the enemy's right-wing vanguard at an angle. Their task is not to crush the enemy, but to act like a sloping wall, forcing and guiding the enemy's offensive edge to naturally slide towards our center and their left flank (that is, our right flank)! Just as water flows around obstacles to find a smoother path."
He pointed heavily with his charcoal pencil at the area representing the enemy: "Since the enemy commander is planning a breakthrough through the center, and sees that our left flank is strong but seems rigid, our center is solid but may be weak inside, and our right flank is relatively weak, tell me, where will he direct his main attack and smash his most elite troops?"
Jules painted a vivid picture for everyone.
"They will break through the center and right flank, but some of their forces will be tied up on the left flank, while their main force will be lured towards our pre-planned front line. As the formation begins to become crowded and lose some flexibility in the pursuit of breakthrough—"
He drew a sharp arc across the group of cavalry pieces on the right flank, cutting into the area representing the enemy's rear.
"—Our entire cavalry, hidden at the edge of the woodland on the right flank, will be like a red-hot iron clamp, slamming in from the flank and rear! Combined with the frontal support of the central 'anvil' and the diagonal attack from the left flank—" Tiberius, his voice trembling with excitement, continued after Guillermo del Toro's words, "Uncle, your main force will be like a scythe, penetrating the enemy's rear. We'll have the opportunity to squeeze their main force into this narrow area by the river, and if we're lucky, we might even force them to jump into the river!" Tiberius almost jumped up.
"Great, Uncle, let's do it this way!"
"And Sevita!" Tiberius turned to the Ironborn boy. "Your captain orders you to take all your brothers and hide in the reeds on the left bank! Hear my command, or, when the time is right, stab them in the flank, close to the riverbank!"
"Listen carefully, you must seize the opportunity perfectly!" Tippi said, slightly impatiently. "Especially when the left side is locked down!"
Sevita's eyes lit up, and he pounded his chest: "Damn it! Tiberius, Captain, what the hell is wrong with your brain? The Drowned God loves guys like you who're full of bad ideas! Don't worry, I'll get this done!"
Finally, Tiberius surveyed his generals, raising his voice to both assign tasks and give a pre-battle pep talk: "Gentlemen! We are exhausted, almost to the point of death! But think about this," he pointed to the massive, yet somewhat monotonous, Tiger Robe Army formation opposite them.
"Why only the Tiger Robe Army? Where are their vassal states, such as Kohor, and their reinforcements?"
Where are their mighty war elephants? And where are their super-heavy cavalry, clad in triple armor and charging like rhinoceroses? Why haven't they appeared?
He answered his own question, his tone sharp and insightful: "There's only one reason! They're an advance force! An advance force that marched here to catch up with us and prevent us from escaping! Think about it, coming all the way from the controversies of the river upstream to here in such a short time, how much easier could it be for them than for us?"
Vito grinned, revealing yellow teeth, and replied with the shrewdness of a seasoned veteran: "You mean, despite their presentable appearance and orderly formation, they're actually as exhausted as ladybugs who just crawled out of a prostitute's bed, and they barely made it here?"
Tiberius nodded emphatically, then abruptly rolled up the map: "Correct! They are sharp spearheads, but also weary spearheads!"
"And we, though exhausted, are backed into a corner! A narrow escape—it's a battle of wills to see who can hold on until the very last breath!"
Jules nodded, agreeing to his nephew's very "risky" decision.
"Gentlemen, according to Tiberius's plan, take your positions! Let the Valantines see how a cornered rabbit can kill a hunting dog!" Jules calmly gave the order.
"May the seven gods, the Lord of Light, and the Drowning God bless us today! May victory be our prize!"
'
The order was swiftly relayed, and dust rose behind the center of the Yule army, creating the illusion of a massive gathering. The true danger, however, lay hidden beneath the calm on both sides and in the reeds along the riverbank. A decisive battle, rife with cunning and a clash of wills, was about to erupt on this narrow strip of land.