After more than two months of preparation, the Kingdom of Ika mobilizes twenty-four legions, advancing in two directions towards the borders of the Duchy of Vorry.
As predicted, one force targets Iron Pit City, while the other heads towards Vorska City.
Iron Pit City is the main target, with the Kingdom of Ika deploying fourteen legions, along with a large coalition of eastern noble forces, amassing nearly 300,000 troops at the border.
Fabio, at the helm of the Iron Wall Legion’s four core legions, joins forces with Iron Pit City's two stationed legions and the duchy's two defending legions. With six additional legions sent as reinforcents from the duchy, they match the fourteen-legion strength.
However, in terms of noble coalition forces, the Iron Wall defensive line is slightly outnumbered.
Despite this, the outco of the war hinges on the regular legions.
The Kingdom of Ika aims to swiftly breach the Iron Wall defenses and advance eastward, directly threatening the duchy's heart—Silver Peak City.
If Silver Peak City is endangered, Ika's strategic goals are achieved. All sides would be compelled to heed the king's call to defend the capital, inevitably leaving other fronts vulnerable. This opens opportunities for the other three kingdoms to intervene, especially the Kingdom of Billie.
Though none of the three kingdoms would allow the duchy to be destroyed, exerting influence and control is inevitable.
Hence, Ika launches a fierce initial assault.
In just a month, they penetrate nearly 200 kiloters into the Duchy of Vorry. However, before they can solidify their position, Fabio's Iron Wall Legion maneuvers through narrow mountain paths, covering over 200 miles to cut off the kingdom's vanguard.
With the Iron Wall Legion forming a defensive line and leveraging certain terrain advantages, they firmly block the kingdom’s reinforcents.
A key factor in the success of this plan is the combat backpacks provided by Henwell, enabling the Iron Wall Legion to march for days without relying on supply lines.
As for subsequent supplies, Fabio draws inspiration from Henwell's fad battle against bandits, and his own experience in the Fire Eyes campaign, which bears similarities to the current situation.
At the location where the Iron Wall Legion intercepts the enemy, Fabio has already stashed ample supplies, ready for use. It's not about where the incident occurs, but rather that the supplies are there, prompting the event to unfold at that spot. This sequence is crucial.
To lure the kingdom's army into the trap, the Iron Wall Legion ticulously plans, deliberately leaving an opening for the kingdom's vanguard to advance so far.
Now, it's a matter of how long the Iron Wall Legion can hold the line.
With the pocket sealed tight, seven duchy legions swiftly encircle the kingdom's three elite vanguard legions near a small town.
Upon knowing that their vanguard's retreat is cut off, the kingdom imdiately dispatches several legions to assault the Iron Wall Legion's defenses.
The Iron Wall Legion quickly demonstrates why they are nad as such—not only can they move swiftly, but they can also withstand heavy pressure. Utilizing hastily built defensive structures, they engage the kingdom's army in fierce exchanges.
Although the kingdom's forces steadily advance, their pace is painfully slow; at this rate, they might as well hold a morial service for the vanguard before reaching them!
The battle quickly escalates into a brutal confrontation, with the Iron Wall Legion locked in intense offensive and defensive maneuvers.
anwhile, the encircled kingdom vanguard endures an even more ferocious siege. Both sides understand this is a race against ti. Even a one-hour advantage could sway the entire battle.
Should the kingdom's elite vanguard be annihilated, it would severely impact morale, disrupting Ika's assault rhythm and plunging them into strategic stalemate. Conversely, if the Iron Wall Legion's defenses are breached, it would an the Iron Pit City defensive line is compromised, allowing the kingdom's forces to press forward and threaten Vorry's capital.
From the outset, this engagent is nothing short of a decisive battle.
Upon learning of the situation, Amir from Silver Peak City imdiately dispatches the First Guard Legion from the capital to support the Iron Pit City front.
To seize this opportunity, Fabio keeps the plan under wraps from other parties, recognizing the high stakes involved.
Despite the relentless assaults from the kingdom's seven legions, Fabio is confident in holding them off for two weeks. During this ti, the rear legions must focus entirely on annihilating the kingdom's vanguard.
However, just as the Kingdom of Ika underestimates the Iron Wall Legion, the duchy's seven legions also underestimate the elite nature of the kingdom's vanguard.
While the kingdom's reinforcents face fierce resistance from Fabio's side, almost making a breach that an entire kingdom legion can escape from the encirclent, it's Obiken Count who steps in to fill the breach personally.
Without his intervention, the escaping vanguard would have attacked Fabio from behind, potentially encircling the Iron Wall Legion instead.
In a fit of rage, Count Obiken executes several cowardly noble officers on the spot and removes the commander of the duchy's Tenth Legion, stabilizing the situation.
His drastic actions send a clear ssage to all duchy legions: it's ti to fight for their lives, as no one can guarantee their safety otherwise.
The Fourth Prince Jonathan who was the commander is removed from office, then he is sent back to the capital.
When Amir learns of the situation, he publicly berates Jonathan, even whipping him in front of others.
Jonathan, trembling with anger, realizes that his hard-fought position of authority has ended in disaster. His chances of commanding an army again are slim, effectively marking his exit from the battle for succession.
In the end, Count Obiken takes charge and, after ten days of fierce combat, manages to grind down the vanguard of the Kingdom of Ika.
anwhile, the royal guard legion, having traveled day and night without rest, heads directly to Fabio's position. By the ti these reinforcents arrive at the battle line, the Kingdom of Ika's forces have already retreated.
This marks a strategic stalemate on the northern front, with the Kingdom of Ika needing to regroup for a renewed offensive.
The battle results in heavy losses for the Kingdom of Ika, and the Iron Wall Legion suffers significant casualties as well. Out of over thirty thousand troops, several thousand are killed, and nearly ten thousand are wounded. This amounts to over half their forces being depleted, a severe blow to their vitality.
However, Fabio quickly recruits over ten thousand new soldiers to replenish the Iron Wall Legion. These fresh recruits are expected to rapidly develop during the ongoing standoff.
During the previous skirmishes, the tactical backpacks from Peace Haven prove invaluable, surpassing Fabio's expectations. The ergency dical supplies alone save countless lives among the wounded.
Moreover, the Iron Wall Legion is the only force in the duchy with a fully organized dical corps, maximizing the chances of saving injured soldiers. As long as they aren't permanently disabled, a few months of recovery can restore them to elite status.
Simultaneously, Fabio continues to recruit for the training camp, investing heavily in expanding his forces. Since the duchy covers these expenses, Fabio seizes the opportunity to grow his army, adhering to Henwell's teachings.
After this war, Fabio is set to command the largest military force nominally.
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