Steel, Guns, and the Industrial Party in Another World-Chapter 699: Eve of Battle

TL: Rui88

While the kingdom’s delegation was locked in difficult negotiations with the orcs, a battle that would decide the fate of the kingdom’s northwest was also about to begin.

After staying at Silvermoon Fortress for a month, the supplies Paul had been eagerly awaiting finally arrived. The arrival of a large amount of ammunition filled him with confidence.

With the fully equipped Alda army as its core, the Ordo grand army finally began to march eastward in an attempt to recover lost territory.

Finally, in a place called the Ursora Plains, a nondescript plain in the vast northwestern lands of the kingdom, the eastward-marching Ordo army and the westward-gathering main force of the orc western expedition met unexpectedly.

After detecting that the other’s main force was close at hand, the two armies, moving towards each other, tacitly halted their advance and set up camp to conserve energy for the decisive battle to come.

Along the way, the Alda army had experienced the tactics of the orc cavalry countless times. The enemy broke into small detachments that could suddenly appear from the left, the right, or even the rear, revealing their fierce and deadly side.

For the newly arrived Alda army, they had never encountered harassment of such frequency and intensity in their previous combat experience.

Initially, this placed heavy psychological pressure on some soldiers with less service experience. But Alda’s muskets and cannons were ultimately superior to the orcs’ bows and crossbows in range and accuracy. Coupled with strict disciplinary constraints that forbade anyone from leaving the formation to pursue without permission from a superior, they eventually overcame the effects of this tactic.

When marching, the Ordo army tried to choose open terrain for their route to maximize the advantage of their telescopes. The orc cavalry’s attacks were often detected very early, and defensive preparations were made as they approached. For the Alda army, switching from a marching formation to a defensive one was easy. Because of the early warning, the other armies also had more time. When the orc cavalry arrived, they were often met with a barrage of fire from muskets, cannons, and powerful crossbows.

As the Ordo army gradually adapted, the orcs’ harassment tactics became increasingly costly. Each time they left behind a large number of bodies, but the gains were often only sporadic casualties for the Ordo army.

Alda’s logistics teams undertook the task of supplying the grand army. They too armed themselves like porcupines, making them very difficult to attack.

Furthermore, the Alda army had actually repaid the previous “IOUs” with money, which established a good reputation for them in the area, making it easier to obtain various living supplies. The steadfastness of the Ordo army at the front also greatly encouraged the people in the vast rear areas. Various places began to spontaneously form militia organizations to protect their homes, which caused serious trouble for the orc cavalry that had infiltrated behind the Ordo army’s lines.

Kalem, the commander of the orc’s westward advance, was very dissatisfied with the current situation. The Ordo force that had gathered at Silvermoon Fortress did not seem to be like the previous enemies who collapsed at the first blow.

After learning that Princess Catherine was at Silvermoon Fortress, Kalem made a judgment: it was clear that the humans had recovered from the panic caused by their previous defeats.

So he summoned his subordinates who were scattered and plundering, and decided to replicate a decisive frontal battle like the one at Sunset Valley, to once again shatter the newfound confidence of the Ordo people.

After a successful battle, the great orc army could advance again. Kalem optimistically believed he could ride his horse until he saw the sea.

He could defeat the humans once, he could defeat them a second time. He had this confidence.

And so it was that the two sides met on the Ursora Plains.

The Ordo side made no special moves, still eating and resting as usual, only the security in the camp was several levels higher than usual. Scouts on horseback frequently went in and out, constantly bringing back reports on the surrounding situation. The ordinary soldiers’ camps were very quiet, but a restless tension was hidden in the silence. Everyone knew that something big was coming.

The orc side, on the other hand, was in an uproar, noisy and chaotic. Kalem ordered a reward for the entire army. The whole camp was filled with the aroma of roasted meat and wine. The orc soldiers feasted and drank, singing and dancing. This was a tradition in the orc army; generous rewards could boost the morale of the warriors. And unlike humans, orcs had a special constitution that could quickly and efficiently convert a large intake of food into stored energy in their bodies, to ensure they had enough stamina for the battle to come. Of course, their camp also maintained a high level of alert.

Until the sun set, both camps fell silent, quietly awaiting the arrival of the next day.

At dawn on August 26, 1995, of the Holy Calendar, the sound of the Alda army’s bugles and the orcs’ horns broke the morning silence almost simultaneously.

The armies assembled and advanced. The human grand army and the orc grand army finally faced each other from a distance of about a mile.

Because the charge had not yet begun, everyone maintained relatively neat formations. The morning breeze made the banners flutter. The flat plain was filled with a murderous atmosphere.

The Ordo army’s deployment was very simple. The infantry, with the Alda army at its center, was arranged in a single line, with cavalry from the Royal Knights and other lords protecting the flanks.

The Alda army adopted linear tactics. Six battalions were arranged in a shallow, three-rank deep line. Two battalions were held in reserve at the rear. The more than forty cannons participating in the battle were deployed partly in front of the line and partly in the gaps between the lines.

Paul sat on his horse, observing the orc army opposite him with a telescope. The enemy’s main force of cavalry was in the center, light cavalry in front and heavy cavalry behind. On the left and right were the human infantry serving as vassal troops.

‘I’m about to face a real tough battle!’ Paul felt a little nervous. All his years of effort, whether it was for naught or for glory, were finally about to be put to the test.

He looked around. The commanders of the various Ordo units were gathered around him. He nodded to Schroeder.

Schroeder took out his pocket watch from his coat. “Gentlemen, synchronize your time now!”

Hearing this, everyone also took out their pocket watches. These were all uniformly issued by the Alda army. Unlike the bulky timepieces of the past, these pocket watches from Northwest Bay were exquisitely made and small, very convenient to carry, and everyone liked them very much.

“Seven twenty-four in the morning!” Schroeder read out, and everyone confirmed that the time on their watches was consistent with his.

With the time synchronized, Schroeder immediately ordered, “To your posts!”

The numerous commanders saluted Paul and Schroeder and galloped off to command their own troops.

“I’m going over now, too. Good luck to you,” Catherine looked over.

“Good luck to you, too!” Paul nodded to her.

He actually hoped Catherine could stay by his side, but the princess insisted on staying with her subordinates.