Sleeping during shelling is a special skill of veterans. Unlike recruits who are scared to wet their pants by the rumble of artillery, after experiencing bloody battles, their already strong nerves have been sharpened even more. Now they can judge the shells by listening.
The target's impact point and caliber were determined, and the enemy's charge was roughly judged, and then he turned over and went back to sleep.
Today, the greetings of the Albion people are still so warm and intense. The chorus of 12-pound field guns, small guns of other calibers, and Congreve rockets started early in the morning. While washing the forward positions, one or two bombs were killed from time to time.
Mine joins the chorus.
The greeting was warm, but the effect was unflattering. In addition to blowing up some iron barracks, mines and trenches, Albion's gunners did not achieve more results.
Because the first trench and the second trench are almost empty, only a few soldiers responsible for monitoring the enemy's movements are staying there. The other soldiers were busy repairing the minefields and bunkers that were damaged yesterday, and they are not yawning now.
They ate blackberries and pickled cucumbers and fell asleep with their heads covered. No one was interested in watching the fireworks show opposite.
This does not mean that the soldiers of the Principality are lax. This is a new tactic proposed by the advisors and then ordered by the officers. When the enemy is shelling, most of the troops will be withdrawn to a safe area and wait for the enemy.
When the infantry attacks, the troops then enter the position to block the attack.
This was a very good tactic, which effectively reduced the number of casualties among the troops, and also gave the troops some time to rest or enjoy vodka, which was welcomed by everyone.
First Class Zaitsev was also a beneficiary of the new tactics. He was wrapped in a blanket and sleeping next to his stinky comrades. The snoring in the foxhole even drowned out the sound of artillery.
"Vasily, Vasily!"
A voice echoed in his ears, but Zaitsev had no reaction. After several unsuccessful efforts, the other party simply kicked him on the thigh.
The first class soldier grabbed his rifle and jumped up - this was an instinctive reflex action, but the movement he made woke up other people in the foxhole, and dozens of military spurs were revealed at once.
"Put away the bayonets."
Disdainfully brushing aside the military thorns, the dream-disturbing man said:
"You stinky men, do you want to poke holes in me?"
"Lyudmila?"
After seeing the tomboy-like female soldier in front of them, the soldiers put away their rifles in embarrassment, scratched their scalps and giggled.
Traditionally, the Principality does not believe in such nonsense as "war makes women go away". After Marshal Kutuzov led 300 aunts in a bloody battle against humans, the Principality even opened its doors to women who do not like red clothes and prefer to be armed.
This is a good thing. Female soldiers are no worse than male soldiers in certain tasks, or even better. In a military camp full of sweat odor, the presence of female soldiers is an eye-catching sight.
However, the female soldiers of the Bear tribe are not just embroidered pillows who can only do jobs such as nurses and clerks. They are just like the male soldiers. They are proficient in killing skills, and Private Lyudmila is one of the best.
Like Zaitsev, she is a member of the special forces attached to the regimental staff, Captain Danilov. She has the same good marksmanship as Zaitsev, and her shooting record is only one behind, but she has a skill that makes male sharpshooters incomparable.
Envious achievement: Lyudmila killed an Albion colonel.
Zaitsev still remembered the situation at that time. The Albion man must have thought that he was very safe hiding behind the "barrier" technique and a large group of soldiers, so he wore a straight red military uniform and was covered with shiny medals.
Fingers covered with gold rings
, silver ring, waving the command knife to urge the soldiers forward. Then Lyudmila took a fancy to the shining golden target, and used the special sky crystal bullet to shatter the barrier with the first shot. Then she grabbed the rifle of her comrade and sent the bullet into the
In the "gold shining" head.
Many people saw that scene, soldiers, officers, and an advisor. Then the furious Albionans threw two regiments into the charge. Due to lack of preparation, the first line of defense was almost opened by the attacking lobster soldiers.
Fortunately, the reserve force fell out in time and drove the enemy back with bayonets.
Zaitsev has not forgotten this incident, and no one will forget the female soldier who rushed to the front in the chaos and brought back Colonel Albion's scalp, medals, and hands covered with rings.
"What's wrong?"
Zaitsev shook his head to drive away the drowsiness.
"The enemy is attacking?"
"not yet."
Lyudmila shrugged and replied:
"The captain gave me a new mission, it's time to get to work."
The two snipers hunkered down and cautiously advanced along the traffic ditch, with obvious caution in their movements.
This is not superfluous. If you want to survive under the city of Riga, caution is essential. This is the same for both sides. As long as there is a slight mistake, there will be bullets flying from nowhere and overwhelming artillery fire.
.
This doesn't feel like war anymore.
Zaitsev tightened his expression and sighed in his heart.
In fact, he was on the battlefield, executing his commander's orders and completing combat missions. All this showed that this was an out-and-out real war, but Zaitsev thought it was not like war.
War is a cruel hell that will only end when one of the parties wins, and killing is the only way to win and ensure one's survival. Therefore, whether killing, being killed, or not wanting to be killed is extremely normal, cruel and
The same goes for blood.
As a descendant of Ural hunters, Zaitsev learned to hunt animals for survival very early. After going to the battlefield, he also killed for survival. This is not a contradiction, killing is always a part of life.
But turning killing into a game - just like the hunting game played by nobles for entertainment, made Zaitsev instinctively resist.
Unfortunately, he is already part of the game, and a central part at that.
Everything started when Captain Danilov inspected the position and ran into the Albion attack. When the captain discovered that Zaitsev shot down an officer 250 meters away, his eyes immediately lit up.
As Albion reinforcements continued to arrive, the attack on the fortress became more and more fierce day by day. The Dukes beat back the enemy time and time again. Although they did not fall behind, as the war prolonged, they were always in a passive defense.
Morale will inevitably suffer setbacks, but
Due to the chaotic situation in the country and the national power of the principality, the Grand Duke is not prepared to waste his precious troops on a gamble, so the defenders will continue to maintain a defensive posture. Under these conditions, how to boost morale becomes a matter for the general and the high officials.
important issues for us.
Zaitsev's excellent marksmanship inspired the captain, and he decided to create a hero, a... hope.
"We select soldiers with excellent marksmanship and organize them into independent units. Let them act alone, freely search for shooting positions in the entire position, or deep behind the enemy's rear, and hunt hairless monkey officers. We record the results of the sharpshooters and update them every day.
Once, print it as a leaflet and distribute it to every squad. Let our soldiers know what the snipers have done and what they can do, and use their example to inspire the soldiers."
The captain reported this to General Brusilov, who then reported it to Grand Duke Nicholas. The Grand Duke held a military meeting and after discussion agreed with the captain's idea.
Why not?
The public is not a human army that has become rigid in thinking due to chivalry. What are the rules of engagement? Chivalry is not even as good as paper to wipe their butts to the furry bears. Although letting lower-class people shoot superior people makes them feel uncomfortable.
It's a bit uncomfortable, and doing so may also cause Albion to create the same
The hunting force exposes officers, including themselves, to the same risks, but firstly, even if the situation gets worse, it will not be worse than now; secondly, every public officer knows one truth: only
Victory is real, the process is insignificant, and the world will not condemn the winner.
Therefore, the task of forming a hunting force was given to Captain Danilov, and the first candidate that the captain thought of was Zaitsev.
"Soldier, you will soon become a hero of the principality."
The captain patted Zaitsev on the shoulder and said in a tone that was more threatening than encouraging:
"As long as you do what I say."
Then the war started to feel less like a war.
The sharpshooters have achieved good results. On the black soil of the Principality, it is not difficult to find a well-dressed officer wielding a command knife among a bunch of bright red lobster soldiers, especially since this guy also puts himself in a prominent position, which can make everyone
When they saw his position, as long as they walked into the effective range of the rifle, they were destined to become a sharpshooter.
Soon, the leaflets were spread among the soldiers. Everyone was discussing enthusiastically, and their faces were full of joy, as if they had seen the victory. The sharpshooters became the targets of the soldiers. When they returned to the position every day, everyone admired them.
Cheering, shouting their names, saluting them, offering congratulations and respect - this is the treatment only generals have, and they enjoy this treatment and are proud of it.
Zaitsev was one of them, and at the beginning, he felt really good.
After all, even if you don't deliberately ignore the subtle feeling of getting rid of disgust and enjoying it, there is still a good reason to be happy just for the red sausage and vodka that fighting heroes can enjoy.
With both spiritual and material encouragement, everyone devoted themselves to their work more enthusiastically.
The furry bears became enthusiastic, and the people of Albion were in bad luck. It didn't take long for the sharpshooters to find a way to quickly improve their results - using injured humans and humans trying to rescue them as targets. This method was very fast.
It became popular and Zaitsev himself shot and killed enemy soldiers trying to rescue his comrades. But
Captain Danilov felt that this was not enough, and he told the sharpshooters to adopt more efficient and deterrent tactics. So the sharpshooters began to use injured human soldiers as bait, and even deliberately wounded the target to lure Albi
The soldiers went to rescue their compatriots and then beat the rescuers to death one by one.
It is an unethical tactic, but the captain likes it and the generals also like it, so it is correct. And at the beginning, this tactic was really good at improving the record, until the Albion people stopped organizing the rescue of the wounded on the battlefield.
Until the war.
The Albionese were very angry and determined to retaliate. The first to suffer were the prisoners - about dozens of them. The Albionese brought them to the front of the position and cut their throats with bayonets in front of the entire fortress garrison.
Throat.
So the general and the Grand Duke in the fortress were angry. The hairless monkey dared to use such barbaric and cruel methods to treat the Duke and the Duke. The uncle could bear it, but the aunt could not bear it anymore. In retaliation for the Albion people, the hairy bear
They launched a large-scale
After touching the sentry, they brought back dozens of human prisoners, stripped them naked and pulled them to the front of the position. They also stabbed them with military thorns in front of the Albion people - in order to prolong the pain of the tortured people as much as possible, the execution was carried out.
Hands were ordered not to pierce vital parts.
The Albion people soon retaliated on a larger scale. They sent light cavalry to destroy the orc villages far away from the fortress, and tied the captured old people and children to wooden stakes for the new recruits to practice stabbing. The principality also
Not to be outdone, they captured more human porters and slaves, cut open the bellies of the "bipedal animals", and released the domesticated and dangerous species to bite the internal organs that leaked out. In order to retaliate, the Albion people
They tried to attack more villages, but the principality was already prepared and they failed. So the lobster soldiers, who had no choice but to target the body of the bear, shot at the body, cut the body into pieces, and even picked it with a bayonet.
They held the heads of old people and children to demonstrate against the fortress - what a brutal method! Zaitsev and his comrades had seen that scene more than once, and they knew with their toes what reaction this would bring.
The public soldiers were completely angered and they did the same thing.
In this way, the retaliation between the warring parties continued to escalate and expand in scale. In the end, almost all the soldiers were involved. Humans regarded the orcs as bugs that must be eliminated, and the principality did not intend to leave any survivors. The situation was completely out of control, and the war
It no longer feels like war.
This is not an abstract description, but an irreversible fact. Although war is not a good thing in the first place, the things at hand are even worse. There is no honor, no humanity, let alone morality, just a simple large-scale vendetta - The Principality
And those of Albion, Orcs and Men, Orthodox and Pagans.
In fact, there have been similar incidents between the two camps for hundreds of years, but this time the scale and cruelty far exceeded the past, which made a calm-minded participant like Zaitsev very uncomfortable.
After Captain Danilov knew this, he came to enlighten him personally. The captain gave him a glass of wine and told the war hero Zaitsev seriously: "The war is meaningless unless it ends in victory."
This sounds like some kind of truth, or more likely some kind of sophistry, but Zaitsev has to agree with this statement. Now is not the time to comment on despicable or cruel things, just thinking about how not to be killed.
It made him think hard. On this battlefield, where both living people and corpses will be attacked indiscriminately, in order to survive, it is necessary to do whatever it takes. If you want to talk about those beautiful words, you must first win, so that this damn war can
After the war, there was plenty of time to think about these issues.
Putting away his thoughts, taking a deep breath and filling his lungs with the smoke-scented air, Zaitsev could already see the captain's gloomy face. (To be continued...)