June of 2520 in the Imperial Calendar was destined to be another month of great changes. Just as Ryan was launching a vigorous expedition against Obiun, a huge change also began on the Empire's side.
Taking advantage of the third epic victory at Blackfire Pass, Emperor Karl-Franz announced most drastic reforms to the empire's existing military structure.
The existing military power of the empire can be summarized into three parts, namely the professional standing army, the semi-professional provincial army and local militia organizations. Of course, this is the part controlled by the emperor. Some independent military organizations such as secular knights
There are regiments that are loyal to the emperor but are not within the military system of the empire. There are also religious knights or local church armies that are loyal to the emperor through another way, that is, the noble council chaired by the emperor.
It can be said that the entire military structure left by the savior Ludwig to the empire is still very scientific.
However, no matter how good the policies and structures are, problems will arise over time. As Karl Franz, who had served in the military, he was very clear about the problems within the imperial army.
Regardless of the problems of corruption in logistics supplies and declining military combat effectiveness, the imperial army itself has a trend of "aging". In the imperial army, the service life of the standing army is about 15-21 years. Assuming that a person starts serving at the age of 16, then
With the best luck, you can only retire after the age of 31.
But in fact, the emperor's investigation in the army found that, let alone 31 years old, there were many veterans in their forties and fifties in the imperial standing army and provincial army. The average age of company commanders and imperial captains was 45 years old.
, and excluding all legends and legends and above, the average age of the empire's generals is as high as 50-55 years old!
It is true that the rich experience of veterans is a very valuable asset on the battlefield, but in fact, serving for too long can easily lead to loss of discipline, low morale, addiction to alcohol, and cynicism. Veterans who have served for seven, eight, or even ten years will not be able to
Unable to get promoted, they can easily gradually turn into a strange creature - they will not voluntarily participate in suicide missions, nor will they take unnecessary risks. They usually hang around and are addicted to alcohol, and they will die within a few days of receiving military pay.
After squandering all their money and working hard during the war, veterans will suddenly burst out with strong fighting power just to survive when they are trapped or facing desperate situations.
Even so, a large number of re-employed veterans still occupy a lot of places. It is true that many of them can no longer do anything other than serving as soldiers, but more of them are the emerging citizen class and many homesteaders who do not like to serve. They prefer
If you spend a sum of money to hire someone to serve on your behalf, the veterans will receive a commission and rehired, the middle class will be exempted from military service, and everyone will be happy.
But the result of this is that the army lacks recruits and lacks vitality, while the reserve militia lacks training and decent equipment, making it difficult to use them at critical moments.
Therefore, Emperor Karl-Franz decided to continue to touch Lane across the river. He studied in detail Lane's 6-8 year military service system, mandatory retirement age requirements, buyout of military age, and allowing veterans to serve as local provincial or village militias.
No matter how the emperor looked at the arrangements made by the instructor or the captain, he thought it was wonderful, wonderful!
Just do it!
Of course, to be fair, it’s not that the emperor didn’t think of these things before, but he didn’t have the conditions. One is that the prestige is not enough, and the electors and nobles will naturally resist. The second is that there is not enough money, and it is impossible to clear out a large number of veterans with nothing.
, that would provoke a mutiny.
Both of these problems have now been resolved. The first is that the third victory at Blackfire Pass brought the emperor's personal prestige and honor to its peak. Many people even said that he was possessed by the Human Emperor at that moment.
The electors now dare not face the emperor's strength. Even Countess Emilia, who has just returned to Nuer, expressed her support for the emperor.
The second problem was the need for a large amount of funds. For this problem, Karl Franz received the full help of the Dwarf High King Thorgreen.
The dwarves are now in good condition. With the recovery of the Eight Peaks Mountains, Belegar spent several years repairing the grand tunnel hub. The dwarves have been able to travel freely through the mountain kingdom since then, and both merchants and armies can travel freely through the mountain tunnels.
, which allowed the major dwarf kingdoms to resume a large number of traditions of trade and mutual assistance.
At the same time, the dwarf exploration team that captured Gombard Peak established an Akashi mine. From here, Thorgreen and his Eternal Peak can harvest unimaginable and terrifying wealth every year. The High King's treasure house gradually became richer, and in addition
Thanks to the Emperor's outstanding performance in the Third Battle of Blackfire Pass, the Council of Dwarf Chiefs passed a war loan bill to the Empire, and the new war loan will be sent to Emperor Karl-Franz's treasury in the near future.
With his prestige and money and the help of the dwarves, the emperor could finally start to carry out military reforms in the southern part of the empire as he wished. As for the northern part of the empire, the war was still going on, and it was out of reach and with limited funds. The emperor decided to first
South and back north.
While Braunschweig was undergoing gradual military reform, Nuer's military reform also began to be carried out. With the assistance of Geert, Frederick began to reform the Nuer military, taking the opportunity to purge and retire some veterans.
, replaced by young generals who were loyal to him, especially those young aristocratic talents who studied with him in the Gunnery Academy, Engineering Academy and Nuer University and grew up together.
Ryan's eldest son has already made plans. When the time is almost right, he can launch a palace coup. He will pack his mother, tie it with a ribbon, put it in a gift box, send it to his father, and continue to be her little maid. It will be Noor's turn.
I'm in charge!
Hey hey hey, just kidding, mom said dad arranged for me to be thirty years old.
Then I will launch a coup only then.
…………I am the dividing line between filial sons……
At the same time as the Empire's military reforms were in full swing, Lane's strategy for Albien was also continuing.
After the Battle of Hastings ended, the Chivalry army actually did not inflict a devastating blow on the Obion barbarians. Almost 20,000 people in the barbarian army still fled to Conquata. Harold and Zan'ec faced difficulties.
Instead of arguing again, we chose to temporarily unite and work together to fight against the powerful enemy.
In fact, Ryan's knightly army encountered many difficulties on the way forward. The heavy rain in Obien was endless, and the attacks of the local large groups of swamp demon warbands and human-skinned wolf warbands made the knightly army's logistics full.
Troubled, the compass and the method of identifying directions were difficult to work in the wind of chaos and thick fog. The Chivalry army once got lost and went in the wrong direction. In the end, they relied on Ryan to use his spiritual power to open the Emperor's Tarot and forcefully find it.
Until you get out of the direction.
Later, while gradually approaching Conquata, Lane learned a very troubling news.
The Norscans, Hargroth the Bloody, Champion of Khorne, led 12,000 men to land on the north shore of Albion, preparing to come to support Harold and Xan'ek.
Lane made a prompt decision and asked Callard to lead 18,000 men north to meet the enemy. At the same time, he led about 15,000 men to wait for the arrival of Newland's reinforcements.
This was originally a god-given opportunity for Harold and Zan'ike. At this time, Conquata had gathered all the barbarian tribes on Obien, with a total of about 22,000 barbarian soldiers and more than 32,000 barbarian militiamen. Moreover, they also
With the cover of swamps, heavy rain, and fog, it is possible to achieve certain results whether it is to immediately go north to attack Kalad's army or to quickly encircle Lane's army.
However, at this time, Harold was defeated miserably in the Battle of Hastings and lost his thigh pendant. He could not even find the two eggs (they probably fell into the swamp), and he had lost the courage to fight with Ryan in the field.
He repeatedly refused Zan'ike's orders to attack immediately, and made up his mind to hold on to Conquata.
Just a few days after Harold decided to hold on, Kalad successfully defeated the army of Khorne Champion Bloody Hagroth at the eastern foot of the Beast Mountains. Kalad learned Rokossovsky's skills in Bagration
The tactics in the operation, dividing the army into three parts, launching attacks from three lines at the same time and then supporting each other, easily repelled Hargroth and his Norscan army, and was still on the chest of the arrogant Khorne champion.
A wound several centimeters deep was left.
But when Kalad was planning to pursue and completely eliminate this barbarian reinforcements, the scouts came with terrible news.
A Chaos army of more than 20,000 people is slowly landing on the north shore of Obion. Its commander seems to be the legendary original demon prince, Billak.
Kalad knew something was wrong, so he quickly led his army to retreat and tried to join up with Ryan.
At this time, Ryan's chivalry army had arrived at Conquata City.
In the afternoon of late June, Lane and others inspected Conquata. At this time, Kalad's army was still on its way back to join forces with Lane's army.
"What a big fort." Francois looked at the large fort located in the middle of the southern part of the Beast Mountain Range, built on a high mountainside with its back to the peak. He was a little dumbfounded: "Your Majesty, your brother didn't tell us that we were going to capture this place.
Such a huge fortress.”
"Barbarians don't know how to build cities. This is all the work of the ancient saints. After the Truth Speakers withdrew from Obien one after another, Conquata became the territory of these chaotic barbarian tribes." Veronica was still full of fire.
Wearing a red leather coat, the female speaker frowned. She slightly estimated the height and width of the fortress, and even grimaced: "This fortress is located on a 400-meter mountainside. It is built with huge stones. The walls are eight meters high, and the internal structure is
There are all complex trenches and fortresses, and there is even a river running through the mountain. It is the flood season. My dear, how can we capture such a strong fort?"
"Truth Speaker is an enemy!" Francois was also very unhappy. The father-in-law walked across the dirt road, took out his telescope in the rain, and looked at the solid walls of Conqua Tower and the densely packed barbarian guards above from a distance.
The father-in-law was originally very reluctant to fight such a forceful attack. He put down his telescope and said: "Your Majesty, the number of barbarians is greater than ours. Even if most of them are militiamen, they can still play a big role in defending the city.
."
"Your Majesty, in this case, I will take people to rush up and try it tomorrow to see how strong the defense is." Marshal Davout said: "Let my Mousilon Army try it first."
"No, Lord Dawu, you don't need to go." Ryan also frowned. He felt that he had been tricked by Fulgen.
Fulgrim did not say that Conqua Tower was such a strong, large-scale fortress located on a mountainside with a boulder structure! Ryan thought that Conqua Tower was just a typical large Norse settlement.
However, as one of the best military strategists in the world, Ryan did not complain. Because of the special nature of Obion Island, there was so little information available. Even the Imperial people who often ventured into the depths of thick fog had no idea about Conquata.
The understanding is limited to "it was once the fortress of the True Speaker, and was later occupied by Be'lak".
"Your Majesty, what should we do now?" Bertrand was at a loss when looking at such a strong fortress. The Sixth Marshal carried the Tal's Bow behind his back, and the Tal Holy Emblem on his forehead shone brightly: "I saw it, on the mountain
Every corner of the country is full of barbarians, and their numbers are only a few more than ours."
"Your Majesty, can we consider a long siege of the city?" Francois thought of an idea: "The barbarians still need to eat, right?"
Ryan lowered his head and thought for a moment, and finally nodded slowly.
Eating is meaningless for Chaos Warriors or above, and the same is true for Barbarian Champions or Barbarian Blessed Warriors.
However, barbarian civilians, including ordinary barbarian soldiers, still need to eat. Over the long years, the northern barbarians have developed a special skill. They only need one-half to two-thirds of normal human food.
Food can survive, but even so, they still have to eat.
"At present, a strong attack is not realistic. Maybe we need to think of something." Ryan thought for a few more seconds: "Let the army camp first and wait for Kalad and the others to come back and Newland's artillery and supplies to be transported.
"
"yes!"
The good news is that although Conquata is a fortified city, it does not cover a large area and is crowded with people. Ryan made some calculations and decided to surround the entire Conquata first and then make plans.
The Chivalry army began to camp under Ryan's order, and began to use the relatively abundant trees in Obion to build a wall to surround Conquata.
The defenders in the city tried to break out of the city and destroy the walls and camps of the Brittanians. However, the volleys from the musketeers and the outflanking of the knights caused heavy losses to the barbarian cavalry. About 1,000 cavalry fell in Conqua.
At the gate of the tower, he kept urinating blood. Harold was in great pain and made up his mind to give up leaving the city.
It seemed that the barbarians of Obien were going to sit back and wait for death. Just when Ryan ordered to surround the city through a wall, Kalad who arrived brought Ryan a very bad news.
The bloody reinforcements of Hagroth have been repulsed, but the scouts came to report that the 20,000 Chaos army and the demon army of the original demon prince Be'lak had landed on the north bank of Obion! Together with Hagroth's rout, the journey was long.
There are 31,000 people!
Before Ryan had time to digest the contents, he received another urgent military message from Admiral Bo Derek.
The Worldwalker Legion is approaching the east coast of Albion! Ulfric the Wanderer's 25,000 reinforcements are approaching on a fleet of thousands of Norscan dragon ships!
When the Poseidon fleet was about to intercept Ulfric's longship fleet, another extremely bad news came.
Count Noctilus of the Undead Ocean Empire suddenly led his Undead Navy to appear on the side of the Poseidon Fleet. The Undead and Chaos formed an alliance. After a large naval battle ended in a draw, the Undead Fleet and the Norscan Dragon Ship fought regardless of the cost.
The land blocked the route to Obiun, and the Poseidon fleet led by Bo Derek suffered heavy losses and was forced to retreat towards Curona.
Then the scouts from the west came to report that Count Noctilus's 28,000-strong vampire pirate army had landed on the west coast of Albion, preparing to join the siege of the Chivalry army.
This is an ambush from all sides carefully designed by Tzeentch.
"Conqua Tower is destined to be the place where the Sun King fell!"
There was not much time left for Ryan. Ryan made a prompt decision and ordered to build an 18-kilometer-long outer wall again on the outer perimeter of the siege camp for defense. At the same time, he ordered to seize the precious time before the Chaos Undead Alliance encircled Newland.
All the people, artillery and supplies were quickly transported to Conquata City.
The extremely determined Sun King Ryan planned to fight the enemies inside and outside the city at the foot of Conquata's city.