Chapter 379: Stepping Stone

The main defense facility of the capital of Condi is the Acropolis Moncado Fortress.

Most of the city defenses in the Holy Kingdom are of this form, especially when the city development exceeds the limit of the city wall. The originally powerful fortress can no longer cover the entire city, but becomes the fulcrum for the garrison, defense and counterattack. The fortifications extending from this place wrap the city layer by layer, gradually weakening until the edge of the city.

Looking down at the Moncado Fortress, its tough lines outline a triangular protrusion with geometric central symmetry, and the layers of barriers are superimposed, like a thorny rose blooming on the earth.

The Moncado Fortress is a model of defense since the popularization of dwarf artillery on the continent. It was built by King Charles XIV of the Sun. It is classical, elegant, and tricky.

When Richard arrived, General Karl's troops had already built their positions:

He strictly followed the deployment of the Army Manual, dug parallel trenches along the outer contour of the fortress, and built artillery platforms here. Next is the rectangular approach trench extending to the fortress.

This set of procedures is a common siege method on the continent. The defenders of the Holy Kingdom naturally have countermeasures - actively building a trench of their own under the city wall to stop Carl's siege troops.

But their blocking failed, and the defenders were forced to retreat back to the fortress, and the counter-approach trench was reversed to become the second parallel trench of the Imperial Army.

"Report, the enemy's counter-approach trench has been captured!"

The subordinates sent good news, and Carl waited for Richard's siege supplies again. Now the ammunition is complete, and the real siege can be opened.

The artillery was mounted on the turret. Before, only the artillery and heavy crossbows on the fortress attacked the Imperial Army building trenches. Now it is finally the other way around, and it is Carl's legion's turn to fight back with artillery. Admittedly, the six-pound artillery shells hitting the outermost low earth wall of the bastion also seem soft and powerless, but when it accurately hits the defenders' turrets, it is deadly and effective.

After the Imperial Army opened fire, the commander of the garrison was keenly aware that the opponent's artillery accuracy was higher than his own.

But they still insisted that the Condi region was the northern gate of Valois and must not be taken!

"The enemy has no siege artillery, only field artillery, so their method may be to blast the city wall. Send another squadron and be sure to take back the No. 3 trench for me."

The judgment of the commander of the Kingdom's garrison was correct. Carl's siege method was indeed based on blasting. Near the trench, a team of engineers carrying explosive packs began to move under the hail of bullets.

Carl observed the battlefield and saw everything clearly. He turned to Richard who was waiting for his order and said: "Now there is a task for you, Major Richard."

"The reason why we can arrive here first is not because of our outstanding combat effectiveness, but because we carry the least artillery and the fastest mobility. According to common sense, our army should not rush to attack the city."

But Carl did it, and he must have his reasons: "According to the estimates of the Imperial Military General Staff, the Prime Minister and the Marshal, the current scale of the war can only last for three months with the whole country's efforts and years of reserves. Now is the first month. Whether we can take over the Condi region will determine whether the Imperial Army can take over Valouana next month. If we win today, we can greatly accelerate the process. "

Does Carl have selfish motives? Yes, as a vanguard without heavy artillery, he should fight in the field and hunt down the remnants of the Kingdom Army, but he is now letting the army attack the fortress with huge casualties. He wants to quickly take over the capital, which is a performance of competing for credit.

But it is not entirely out of selfishness. Today's decision is for strategic service. He is willing not to compete for the huge credit of taking over the capital next-in order for the follow-up troops to reach the heart of the enemy unimpeded, Carl and his troops will be used as a stepping stone to knock open the Moncado Fortress regardless of the consequences.

If they fail, new troops will attack again in three days. This is a three-month storm, and every legion of the Imperial Army must turn into lightning and strike quickly.

Carl continued: "The key to this siege is not the blasting explosives carried by the engineers, but you. Whether you are willing to take risks and knock open the defense line of the fortress for us will determine the victory of the battle.

"Your father and your teacher entrusted you to me, and I have to take responsibility for your safety. Now I am willing to take this risk for the war and for the empire. Are you willing?"

Amid the explosions and gunshots, Richard exhaled a breath of turbid air: "There are no cowards here, General."

"Okay!" He made a gesture, and the guards around him stood up. Richard noticed the extraordinaryness of the other party at a glance. The guard did not carry a spear, but wore gloves embroidered with dark patterns.

He took off his military cap, his messy hair was scattered, and there was a scar on his left cheek. This is a trace of dueling with others. In the culture of the empire, it is an honor for soldiers and nobles to carry it.

The white silk hand raised and saluted: "Captain Schmidt, 7th term student of the Imperial Royal School of Magic."

There is actually a military wizard in the army, one bright and one dark! And he is a senior. Richard was shocked and saluted in response: "Major Richard, 19th term student of the Imperial Royal School of Magic."

Carl was gambling, and he put all his two most expensive chips on it.

The sky suddenly became gloomy, and the clouds gathered, blending into the rolling smoke of the battlefield.

The two entered the trench, Richard made himself invisible, and Schmidt tied a cloak, and his figure became blurred. They walked quickly one after the other.

The trench was full of their own people, and the members of the infantry regiment led by Richard were advancing with explosive packs. When they approached the end of the trench, the soldiers of the Holy Kingdom and the Imperial Army were fighting again. At this distance and in the narrow space of the trench, neither side could shoot, and they could only fight with bayonets and swords.

Someone threw a canister toward the defending squadron, and the blast pushed the smell of gunpowder, blood, and burning into Richard's nose.

But they hid and carefully avoided other people, and could not rush to support them, as if the two spellcasters were isolated on the battlefield. And they were the most critical roles in the current battle.

When approaching the target, Captain Schmidt communicated with [Telepathy]: "Primary spellcaster, proficient in [Freezing Ray], [Force Field Wave], and [Magic Missile]."

A standard magic barbarian of the Transfiguration Department, perhaps in the original magic academy, the teaching was more extreme than Richard's class.

Originally, the spells that spellcasters are good at were taboos, but they were not fighting, but teammates who had to entrust their lives to each other. Richard also reported his own proficiency: "[Dragon Breath], [Death Cloud], and [Corrosion Claw]."

Although he did not report his own spellcaster level, the first two spells were both intermediate and had great lethality. Captain Schmidt looked at the young major and suddenly felt complicated. After this battle, he might retire, become a small manor owner and be awarded a title for his merits, but what about this young man? I heard that he has a distinguished family background, so how could he become the youngest general in the empire?

After getting rid of the thought, the two of them had already arrived at the bastion. They easily climbed up the first low earth slope, and then there was the brick wall with the turret.

Richard clenched his fist, and sticky acid oozed out of the skin of his hand.

But the captain interrupted his spell, pulled Richard to take a deep breath, as if he was spending time to prepare himself mentally.

Richard waited silently for the other party to cast a spell, and then something magical happened: he and Schmidt's figures began to become thin, existing in the world like mist, and Schmidt took careful and focused steps and went straight into the wall.

Richard was pulled by him to complete the wall, and at the same time, because he had [Dark Vision], he saw the three-layer structure of brick surface-soil layer-stone.

"The experience is wonderful." Richard commented using the communication technique.

Schmidt took off his silk gloves and wiped the sweat from his forehead. "The spell was cast successfully! If you had experienced the feeling of having your spell interrupted and embedded in the wall, I'm afraid you wouldn't be so calm."