NOVEL WEB Chapter 242: 240
The Greecian in the end did not come calling again that afternoon which allowed his own men to recover for future combat, a mistake the greecian commanders would regret for sure in the days to come.
if they had only just performed a faint retreat allowing those in the front line to fall back fully while the more fresh troop carried on they could have otherwise smashed the Romanus lines, save for wherever Julius was able to defend using his skills.
As the battle itself had fully come to a close Julius summoned the war council, composed of General Haddin along with the five Thousandmen Captains.
"Today was a good day, we dealt them a very bloody nose."
He led the meeting with this declaration, but then one of the thousandmen cut in to comment.
"And at such a low cost to our own men at that your majesty."
But this comment did not get met with approval instead Julius looked down and was saddened instead.
"You couldn't be more wrong, the cost was still much to high... even the loss of one of our brothers is to much to bear."
The command tent dropped to silence as those assembled were humbled by their king, most had been beyond thankful they'd survived against such overwhelming odds only to realize their kings words were true, the loss of even a single trusted comrade was indeed far to great a cost to bear just to achieve something as small as a single victory.
"We don't know how this enemy will act in the days to come and our own numbers are limited which will prevent the use of a lot of our own tactics, but even still we need to harass this enemy at our gates as much as we can to push the odds ever further into our favor."
"What would you have us do milord?"
the question springs forth from the lips of Herius leader of the 3rd Cohort a man whom Julius had yet to serve with but had risen under Haddin's own personal recommendation after the recent recruitments and trainings occurring back in Romanus.
"We'll need some volunteers willing to perform some night raids to sow discord and if possible steal arrows to replenish our losses, at the same time I'll need to ask for an even riskier task to be undertaken by some of the men as well which we'll need to ask volunteers for the task."
"What would you have these volunteers do?"
"Well when the battle begins tomorrow or even tonight, they'll need to fake their deaths, of course they'll have been dressed in the armour of the enemy at that point, and after laying in wait for a while they get up within the enemies ranks, and on the signal along with others given the same tasks they'll spread a lie throughout the enemy army that our reinforcements have arrived and lain siege to their own camp and commanders."
"Would this really work though?"
"In the heat of battle they won't have the time to question the rumours and their own captains wont have the voice to quell the rising dissent, and by that point the army will have one cohesive voice that they are about to be pincered and suffer even greater losses than the day before which if it all works out should cause them to rout, at which point every archer will fire as fast as they can, and those legionnaires still with javelins shall let them fly. But this is not the end of the plan, and the reason behind the risk for the volunteers for they will rout alongside the army, and if it should regroup they'll be our spies within the enemy camp, and can perform subterfuge causing even greater discord effectively causing the Greecian armies to collapse from within."
"But that's just a suicide mission then isn't it?"
"It most certainly is yes... and that is why I cannot command anyone to take on this job, but am only asking for volunteers, any man who undertakes this mission will have his family taken care of for the rest of their lives, I'll even offer up 3x their regular pension in compensation so that their families can live well in honor of their sacrifice, and that offer still stands if they make it back alive from the mission."
The assembled command power could only suck their teeth at the words coming from their kings mouth, the mission itself was risky, but they also couldn't help but think there were those within their cohorts who'd still take up the charge, both for their King, Country, and the benefits he was going to provide to them, mixed with the .01% chance that they'd get to live to enjoy these benefits themself.
"We'll need to assemble this force of volunteers quickly so that we can get them prepared and matched for their mission, but at the same time please make sure that the archer's are prepared if the enemy was to try anything at night scaling the unwatced passes up our flanks and rear would be the most likely spot for potential assassins to attempt incursion into our camp."
"We'll make sure to let the men know and assemble the volunteers within the hour milord."
"I'll make sure to confirm the archers on sentry duty are fully aware of the importance of their watch my lord."
The war council came to a close and the assembled commanders set off from the tent and into the encroaching night to accomplish the tasks set out to them by their King.
Julius meanwhile remained behind in the command tent.
Staring at the map of the terrain and the placement models to signify his own forces and their assumptions onto the remaining composition of the enemy force.
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[Victory in battle]
[You have gained combat victory experience]
[Earned Experience List]
[Strategic grade C+x1]
[Victory over 21x enemy forces x10.25].
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Well can't expect to much from a defensive siege strategy in another nations territory so far from our own supply lines and resources, so a C+ for our defense of the hill is pretty good.
The fact that the rewards increased by 10x thanks to our overwhelming disadvantage was the most impressive part.
[You are now] Level 40]
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