The Extra Wants To Live-Chapter 277: Clash of Cavalry and Rain of Arrows

In a flat battle like this, gaining a flanking advantage with cavalry was crucial. It went without saying that simply taking over one flank could determine the outcome of the battle.

As a result, the cavalry on both sides engaged in battle with great recklessness, leading to heavy casualties right from the start.

Kwaaaaang!

Hehehe!

"Ahhhh!"

Heavy cavalry in formation charged at each other, their long lances firmly attached to their sides. They aimed primarily at the horse’s head, which jutted forward, rather than at the riders themselves.

The most skilled cavalrymen, positioned at the forefront, displayed remarkable abilities. Some deflected enemy spears with their own, while others wrapped around them to push their opponents back. These maneuvers were primarily attempted by the Hardion cavalry, known for their high-quality troops. While many failed, some succeeded, allowing them to gain localized advantages.

"Hook! Hook! Phew!"

While the heavy cavalry were locked in fierce combat, the light cavalry made a wide detour around the battlefield. At the front, a commander gestured, and a rider following closely behind vigorously waved a flag to convey the order.

The light cavalrymen fired arrows at each other, desperately seeking any advantage. However, the effective range of cavalry archers was much shorter than that of infantry archers. This was because they used smaller bows, which were easier to handle on horseback, and because shooting accurately while riding was incredibly difficult.

Both sides kept a dangerously close distance, making their skirmish seem almost impossible. They fired arrows, detoured, circled, and maneuvered endlessly, each trying to gain access to the other’s rear or right flank.

Normally, securing the enemy’s rear would be advantageous, but in cavalry archer duels, controlling the right flank was even more crucial. Since most archers were right-handed, shooting an arrow while keeping the enemy on their right required an incredibly high level of skill.

When two cavalry units charged toward each other, if one took the right side, the other was forced to take the right as well. The ideal situation was to run side by side and take the opponent’s right flank—ensuring that while it was difficult for the enemy to shoot, their own shots would be easy and accurate. This moment determined victory in cavalry engagements.

Siana’s army, despite its large numbers, lacked highly skilled cavalrymen. If their right flank was exposed, they risked collapsing in an instant.

However, Hardion struggled to gain the upper hand in the light cavalry skirmish and was forced into a deadlock.

A young commander wasn’t appointed just because the army had many conscripts. While Siana’s cavalry lacked individual skill, the commanders leading them had an exceptional understanding of light cavalry tactics.

Carl and Govan controlled the overall movement of the cavalry from the rear, but the real battlefield instructions came from the field commanders. With both Carl and Govan—renowned for their commanding abilities—unable to step onto the battlefield due to Siana, the field commanders gritted their teeth and made split-second decisions to secure victory.

Fortunately, the commanders leading Hardion’s elite cavalry were also seasoned veterans. They focused on maintaining a solid defensive formation, strictly following their orders not to charge recklessly.

Meanwhile, the infantry from both sides had drawn considerably closer.

"Prepare to fire!"

"Prepare to fire!"

The archers advancing in front of the infantry lines stopped and prepared to fire.

Hardion’s archers were longbowmen, and their discipline was evident. As soon as the order was given, they swiftly slammed the large shields they carried on their backs—called pavises—into the ground.

Engaging in an archery duel without a pavise was nothing short of foolish.

Hardion’s longbowmen hid behind their pavises and fired their arrows in a high arc. Their positioning left them barely exposed, making them difficult targets.

Siana’s archers also had pavises, but not all of them had been issued one. Furthermore, due to their lack of training and poor-quality bows, many conscripts were given crossbows instead.

The crossbow had the advantage of being easier to use with minimal training, but beyond that, it had little merit—it was slower to reload, had a shorter range, and lacked the penetrating power of a longbow.

Because of this, Siana’s archers had to continue advancing even after entering Hardion’s range, which proved to be a fatal mistake.

"Shoot!"

"Fire!"

Thud!

Shhhhh!

Hardion’s longbowmen unleashed a devastating volley. Thousands of arrows darkened the sky, their sound like thunder crashing down on Siana’s archers, who were already running in fear.

"Shields!"

The archer commander ordered his troops to use their pavises, but they were not trained to act swiftly.

Some hurriedly pulled out their shields, but it was too late. The smarter ones turned their backs and crouched for cover.

The pavise was meant to be used in pairs—one archer shielding another—but in their panic, the archers barely managed to save themselves.

Swish!

Pubbubuck!

"Ahhhhh!"

"Save me!"

Exposed and defenseless, Siana’s archers fell one after another under the relentless hail of arrows.

For light infantry without full-body armor, arrows were the leading cause of death, making this assault devastating.

However, despite their staggering losses, Siana’s archers finally got close enough to return fire.

Thud!

"Eugh! Eugh!"

Yet, they paid a heavy price for closing the distance.

While they struggled to reload their crossbows for a single shot, Hardion’s longbowmen fired five or six arrows in the same time.

Additionally, Siana’s archers were barely within range, significantly reducing their accuracy.

Bam!

"Oh my god!"

The cheap pavises, made of wood covered with leather, began to crack under the relentless onslaught. Some were of such poor quality that they failed to offer any protection at all.

Purbuck!

"Ahhh!"

The archers, pinned down, couldn’t even step out from behind their crumbling shields.

Their own return fire was weak, and as time passed, their positions became untenable.

Despite their commander’s desperate orders, the archers of Siana’s army could do nothing but crouch behind their tattered pavises, completely overwhelmed by the unrelenting storm of arrows.

Eventually, as time passed, despite the commander’s orders, the archers of the Siana army were unable to even attempt to return fire and simply crouched behind the tattered Pavise.