Rise of Rurik

,!

After a long period of advance, the Semigalian militiamen were already panting.

Facing the already-arranged Ross coalition army formation, the great leader Namsis could only see the enemy clearly at a close distance. He subconsciously felt timid and had to order a "sudden brake" at the last moment.

In fact, he did not give the order. The militia soldiers in the front row slowed down their steps when they saw that the Varangians were marching in order and even the spears were standing like a forest.

The front row was slowing down, and the soldiers behind were also forced to slow down.

The militiamen were breathing heavily, facing an enemy who was clearly prepared. Even though it seemed that their own troops had more troops, they were deeply worried about their future for these farmers, fishermen and all kinds of people who were forced to come over to fight.

Excitement, fear, helplessness... complex emotions are reflected on their faces.

They urgently need time to rest and adjust, but the Ross coalition will not give them more breathing space.

Because the forwards of both sides have entered a stone's throw.

Stekander learned some combat experience, and he gathered all the bow-wielding warriors in the army. Even the Latvian militiamen who only held hunting bows gathered in large numbers behind the thin shield wall of the forward.

He immediately ordered free fire, and a barrage of arrows fell from the sky.

The Semigalian militiamen who had suffered a loss responded by raising their small wooden shields on their heads, and the falling arrows immediately began to cause damage. All of this reminded them of the attack that had just occurred, and the initiators of the attack, The Varangian cavalry was clearly watching the show.

"If you continue like this, your life will be in vain!"

“Fight them!

Brothers, let's rush! "

…

Amidst the chaotic whines, the soldiers of Semigalia tried to actively launch a full-scale assault while calling their friends, but they were delicately unwilling to be the first to charge.

They were still frightened by the Varangians' shield wall, and they felt a strong visual shock at the large number of flags behind the enemy.

From the perspective of the Russian-Latvian coalition forces, the expected "immediate fight" did not appear. Those enemies who had traveled a long distance actually became passive targets? !

This greatly enhanced the psychological advantage for the Latvian militiamen who fought head-on and poked each other with spears.

"That's good, let the hunters' arrows continue to weaken them. Yes! The arrows were originally intended to be sold to the Ross people, but now they are just in use..." Many people thought this, and the fear on their faces quickly disappeared. Made joy.

It is said that as long as the enemy is weakened by arrows and injured, it is like hunting a lame wild boar. Even if the big animal has thick skin and is fierce, it is not very difficult to kill it.

The hunters and "Pig Nose" Swain's cavalry on the left flank of the military formation were desperately firing into the air. The cavalry's recurve bow was superior because of its long draw distance, and its light arrows could be thrown to extreme distances. Swain's troops were in an absolutely safe area, and he did not want to provoke a chaotic battle yet.

"Hey, a bunch of weaklings. In your camp, you guys are just passively receiving arrows. Don't you want to charge now?" Sven's heart was full of contempt for the enemy, and his eyes gently glanced further away. , the friendly forces that ambushed the army: "Boss, when will you attack?"

Although the Semigalian hunters also began to fight back,

However, compared with the intensive use of the Ross coalition archers, these counterattacks became futile. Because when one side's projectile can hit the other side, vice versa, the density and depth of the arrows of both sides are completely different things.

More Semigalians had to protect their heads with small shields, and their forward and deep warriors were doing this, making the scene chaotic and the tired warriors unable to get a good breather.

Finally, the shots from the Ross coalition reached a threshold, and the Semigalians finally began their late general charge. At the same time, the shooters on the Ross side also began to feel sore arms.

The Okshtet army was behind, and they pushed the Semigalian army to continue their attack. A powerful force contributed to the decisive battle.

A stone's throw is only a hundred meters, it is very short and very long.

The big leader, Namsis, had no way to retreat. His cavalry did not directly participate in the chaos, but the warriors were already rushing forward in darkness. No one was worried about whether they had armor or whether they could not be easily killed in a chaotic battle. Spear after spear moved forward in unison, and they rushed towards the Russian shield wall howling.

"They are coming! Danes! Protect yourself!" Indeed, it is more appropriate for him to call himself Denmark.

When the vast majority of the Baltic Sea region entered the era of peace under Rus' rule, going to the core area of ​​Rus' to seek life was a huge attraction for those residents of the Danish world who had just restored peace.

In 843, when the sea ice completely melted, a small group of free fishermen families from Zealand and Jutland rowed their boats to Riga and joined the local Danish community as soon as they landed.

And from Swedish plum

Ships from the Laren Lake area and the Götaland area drifted to Riga and joined the local Rus community.

Riga has a very good business atmosphere, the Gulf of Riga has always been calm, and the herring resources are sufficient to feed a large population.

There is a small group of new immigrants among Stekander's Danish army, but their number is still too small, and only time can increase their number.

The warriors protected their torsos with large, deliberately thickened round shields, and the male and female warriors locked their helmeted heads behind the shields.

When they put on their helmets and protected themselves with plate armor and chain mail, it was difficult to tell from their appearance that there were a large number of female warriors among them.

There were a group of female warriors on the Ross side, and more female militiamen on the Semigalian army, and the chaos finally began.

The rough spears fiercely stabbed the shields of the Russian coalition forces, and many harpoons were thrown as spears.

The Semigalians were so poor with their bows that shooting a wild boar was considered difficult.

They do know how to use spear throwers to throw out anything that can be called a javelin, but the range is very worrying.

The crude javelin flew over Stekander's head, and the Latvian militiamen behind him immediately felt the sudden penetrating damage.

The javelin pierced the body of the unarmored warrior, and the heart and lungs were easily pierced. The militiaman immediately vomited blood, coughed up blood, quickly lost consciousness, and died silently in convulsions.

The Latvian militiamen were very densely positioned, and they were evenly matched with their opponents' militiamen. Soldiers in the military formation cannot escape, only those on the edge seem to be able to try to escape.

The Latvians moved their spears forward in unison, and their spears were of much better quality than their enemies.

These people are just a part of life

The country is short of iron. As long as there is enough scrap copper and iron, Latvian blacksmiths can quickly create suitable tools and weapons. The weapon that belonged to the Smolensk people more than half a year ago has suddenly become a spear in the hands of the Latvian army.

The two sides immediately launched a chaotic stabbing, the shouts of killing were loud, and the people squeezed in the chaos had no way to escape! The minds of the warriors on both sides are empty. Look at the current situation. Both sides are facing each other's spear with their own flesh and blood. If they don't want to be stabbed to death, then stab the enemy first!

Stekander's figure was sandwiched between hamburgers like a patty, and the shield wall defined the battle line for the coalition forces.

These blond male and female warriors resolutely hide under the big shield. They don't dare to expose their heads. After all, even if they are protected by iron helmets, once their faces are exposed, they are likely to be unlucky and hit by the enemy's crazy jabs. The enemy only needs to bravely jab. , no matter how brave a warrior fights alone, he will be killed instantly.

Stekander had clearly seen some of his men being killed like this, and his entire face turned into red and white paste...

"Everyone is hiding. Use your sword to poke forward. Don't care what you hit! Don't show your body!" He shouted heartbreakingly from behind the shield. His whole body was soaked with sweat, and there was clearly something right in front of him. The enemy's corpses and the grass were completely transformed into a rusty-smelling puddle of black mud and blood.

At least, the Russian-Latvian army not only withstood the enemy's random attacks, but also advanced the front appropriately.

However, there are a lot of people in the Migallian coalition. When their eyes are red and their minds become blank, the timid guys in the past also become extremely brave - they are born to kill.

His animalistic instincts were completely aroused.

The cavalry of the great leader Namisis remained motionless, waiting for a suitable opportunity.

Finally, he felt the opportunity was ripe.

The suffered cavalry suddenly began to move towards the north of the battlefield, followed by the soldiers of Streva's Okshtet Army.

From the perspective of Namsis, the southern part of the battlefield is the Lielupe River, and a roundabout attack there is absolutely out of the question.

The only option was to attack to the north, which in his view was undoubtedly a fatal right hook to the Varyags and their Latvian accomplices.

But Stekander, who was mixed up in the chaos of the battle, could not immediately notice the changes in the battle situation. There were chaotic enemies in front of him, and both sides were carrying out brutal spear thrusts. He himself was like a duck trapped in a whirlpool, unable to get out. To fear for one's life.

This time, Stekander rarely felt like he might be killed.

But Ross Cavalry Swain's troops clearly saw this change, and saw a cavalry team leading a group of infantry behind them to attack their position.

"Ouch? Damn it, who is surrounding whom?!"

Sven was shocked. He immediately tightened his grip on the reins and ordered his warriors to retreat temporarily.

Swain does not need to be responsible for the Latvians. As the standing cavalry of Russia, he and the soldiers are only responsible for the King of Russia. On this battlefield, he is responsible for Fisk, the commander-in-chief of the cavalry.

The cavalrymen unreasonably moved out of the way, and then retreated after firing a round of arrows at the enemy who was throwing a "right hook" in a symbolic manner.

Swain's headquarters is located in the north of the Ross coalition's military formation, the so-called left wing of the military formation.

He was just a tactical evader. This emergency maneuver completely destroyed Latvia.

The left wing of the submilitia was given over to the advancing opponent.

"Are you on the run?" The big leader Namsis was overjoyed when he saw it, and the nearly three thousand militiamen of the Okshtet Army behind him also fell into ecstasy.

"Great, as long as we charge bravely, we can push the damn Latvians into the river, and the Lielupe River will drown them all." Streva never thought that the battle could still be like this. He was forced to The level of the militia gathered was at least better than that of the Semigalian allies - at least they were all male warriors.

It's the same "spear wave", and the time now belongs to the Oakshtet Army!

The sudden blow was unexpected by the left-wing Latvian. People did not even have time to desert before the two armies clashed fiercely.

The militia's flanks were hit hard, and many were exposed even. However, these Latvians who died in a pool of blood also used their own flesh and blood to give their companions a chance to fight back.

Originally, Stekander had too much contempt for the Latvian friendly forces, so he asked the young general Erik Spjutsson to lead his Saaremaa County army to stand ready behind the army formation to prepare for Latvian deserters. .

However, the rapid development of the situation not only made it difficult for Latvia to escape, but also the Saaremaa Island Army, who wanted to kill the deserters, had to point their swords at the enemies running from the flanks.

However, a group of ambushed Varyags showed their enemies with their unique and iconic round shields, which undoubtedly shocked the Okshtet army who fully joined the battlefield.

Eric, the young man, had never thought about this situation, but it was just as well. The young man already had a strong desire to serve as a supervising team.

There is a fierce conflict, and now the enemy is in the face and cannot draw his sword to kill Odin and sacrifice his blood to Odin.

The young man pulled out his steel sword and pointed it straight at the sky. He shouted with a voice changer: "Russians! Follow me and charge! Kill them all!"

Almost all of Stekander's people are of Danish origin. Although they are legally part of Rus, the armed men still follow the same practices as in the past.

The young general Eric is a real Ross army. Even if many of them are pirates who have been recruited for ten years, the real pirates have completely become Ross soldiers. The position of the Saaremaa Island Army is more like a non-staff citizen soldier. Eric is destined to inherit his father's title. As a new generation of Russians, he needs military exploits to consolidate his power.

The young general had no hesitation and led his troops to form a shield wall to suppress them.

At this moment, Sven's cavalry, who deliberately kept a distance from the enemy, saw that the guys in the supervising team actually gave up their posts and fought desperately with the enemy, so they had no choice but to join the battle with curses.

Swein really couldn't help but join in, because the enemy's cavalry launched a charge with great audacity.

The great leader of Namisis, his sons, and sons-in-law were fighting at the front with the Ross coalition. Their lives were uncertain and he really had no time to care.

Considering that this may be the decisive battle of Semigalia that has been praised for thousands of years, Namsis has already risked his life in the name of his family and the whole clan.

The big leader led the charge, and Semigalia's only cavalry charged towards the shield wall.

The young general Eric's eyes widened. He had just gained confidence and in the blink of an eye, his shield wall was shattered by the cavalry.

Although he is only thirteen years old, he is already very tall.

Even though his thin body was just rubbed by the horse, he still fell down and bit the mud. If it weren't for the protection of the plate armor, all his ribs would have been broken.

The Namsis leader succeeded once, and his men suffered minor casualties, but still quickly left the battlefield. He didn't know how many enemies he hit, maybe two or three. In short, the cavalry bravely broke the Varyag shield wall, and the cavalry was very powerful.

But just when he came up with the idea of ​​chasing the Varyag cavalry, precise and dense arrows flew towards him.

Swain's troops passed by quickly, and the warriors attacked the enemy cavalry with precise shots. The cavalry archers quickly passed by, using the Parthian tactic of "shooting from the face", like an eagle swooping down to attack a rabbit, launching a fatal attack in an instant. hit.

The soldiers of the Saaremaa Island Army who were knocked to pieces got up as soon as possible and immediately joined in the fight with the enemy cavalry...

"Damn it, retreat quickly, let's retreat quickly!" The Namisian leader quickly came to his senses. He killed some of his cavalry subordinates. Thanks to his chainmail, he was not hit very deeply by the arrow.

The chain mail gave the Semigalian cavalry crucial protection, but not much.

Most of those who fell from their horses were shot in the face by arrows, and in fact, Namsis was almost shot through the neck. The arrow cluster broke through the mail ring and pierced his collarbone. Fortunately, it did not cause an extremely troublesome collarbone fracture. He was in a state of excitement and couldn't feel pain for a while. Seeing the terrifying arrow in his chest, he broke it and ordered to retreat.

Perhaps if they persist a little longer, the Semigalian-Okshtet coalition can complete the encirclement of the main force of the Ross coalition, and can compress them on the banks of the river and force them to resist with their backs to the Lielupe River.

like

If it were to be replaced by a stronger army, the tactics of the big leader Namsis to take advantage of the situation would be effective. Perhaps the Latvian militiamen who jumped into the water to escape would trample each other, and the corpses could block the Lielupe River...

But the wounded Namsis decided to retreat.

He chose to withdraw, and Eric, who had recovered his strength, immediately counterattacked with the Ross army on Saaremaa that was still able to move, and accompanied by the powerful counterattack of Swain's cavalry.

The sword and shield bearers were in front, and the cavalry archers were behind. Eric and Swein reached a tacit understanding. Unable to catch up with the retreating enemy cavalry, they rushed in a wedge-shaped array towards the left flank of the army, which was once again in chaos.

Eric, who was supervising the war team, became the attacker. He actually gave the timid Latvian militia a way to escape.

However, those deserters with spears saw their own people, the Russians, and the Danes fighting fiercely. Even if they survived this escape, how could they face them in the future?

There were indeed deserters, but no one really escaped.

The Okshtet army, which had been fighting in chaos, under the leadership of their leader Streva, did not rush to destroy the opponent's flanks in one go. Instead, the Varyag sword and shieldmen suddenly appeared. In his opinion, this army The extremely disgusting ambush was dispatched. Once he was frustrated in the first battle, the battle became ruthless and turned into a war of attrition.

Encirclement and counter-encirclement, right under the city of Mezotte, on the right bank (north bank) of the Lielupe River in what could once be called a wheat field, the battlefield is like two masters playing Go, both sides want to capture Each other, so they were poking at each other's sides.

Subjectively, the leaders of Namsis and Streva did not want to fight a rout, and any battle was not as satisfying as a battle of annihilation. right

For these two people, as long as they push the enemy into the river and use water instead of troops, the empty Latvian area will be opened to everyone after the war. The ambition of unifying the northern region will be realized after this war.

Even if it costs a lot.

As everyone knows, the purpose of the Ross-Latvian coalition is not to complete the annihilation of the Semigalian Army, but the war has begun. According to the consistent behavior of the Ross Army, it will fight a war of annihilation if it wants to, even if this is not within the commander's plan.

At this moment, Commander Fisk seemed to disappear. Even though there was a huge brawl involving more than 10,000 people on the Lielupe River, the figures of the two Ross cavalry teams seemed to disappear out of thin air.

Fisk never disappeared. After taking a rest, the soldiers calmly let go of the mighty enemy infantry. When the last part of it was gone, they were ready to attack at any time.

Fisk calmly waited for an opportunity. The so-called tired enemy became even more tired after a brawl. At that time, it was the time for his two flag squadrons of 600 cavalry to appear.

The time has finally come.