The water is freezing cold and it is impossible to swim across the river at this time of year.
As the largest river in the Nubisian continent, the Dolinibara River is extremely wide.
It took two days for Belklin to find a section of the river about thirty miles upstream of the enemy's warning camp. The river seemed to be very gentle and it should be easy to cross. It’s just that the two banks are nearly a kilometer apart. I don’t know how long it will take to row from one bank to the other. In addition, there are no ferries and no fishermen here. Boats crossing the river need to bring their own
Claude asked the residents of Ferru town, and some old residents who came from Guinco town told Claude that the two pontoon bridges guarded by the enemy's warning camp were not built by them, but existed originally. It is the only channel between the Beringana Direct Territory and the territory on both sides of the Dolinibara River. The pontoon bridge was built there because that section of the river is the narrowest, only more than 600 meters, and the river is gentle, so it will not have a bad impact on the pontoon bridge.
Originally, the ferry was located there, but a ferry trip took at least more than an hour. So some businessmen involved in the bison trade spent nearly a thousand gold crowns at their own expense to build such a pontoon bridge to facilitate vehicles transporting bison carcasses to travel between the two sides. As a result, not long after the pontoon bridge was built, the enemy came. They successfully crossed the pontoon bridge, captured the town of Ginko, and came to the capital Bricaman City.
No wonder that on the map issued by the Kingdom, the Beringana Direct Territory did not have the words "pontoon bridge" on the Dolinibara River on the label, only one ferry was marked. Claude always thought that the two pontoon bridges were the enemy himself. Built. It's good to understand the origin of the floating bridge, but the problem now is what to do if the 131st Battalion wants to cross the river.
An old man from the town of Gianco recommended a sheepskin raft. This sheepskin raft does not mean wrapping the raft with sheepskin, but using sheepskin to make a floating ball, which is about the size of a basketball and is tied to the bottom of the raft to provide buoyancy. A raft is only about five or six square meters and requires twenty-five or six sheepskin floats, which is enough for more than ten adults to stand on it to cross the river.
The old man said that when the first batch of immigrants arrived here, they used sheepskin rafts to cross the river to hunt the bison herds on the Albato prairie, creating the famous bison trade in the Beringana Territory. As the buffalo trade expanded, the kingdom eventually decided to establish the Beringana Dominion
However, with the advent of ferries, sheepskin rafts disappeared from the stage of history. Now that the ferries and ferries were in the hands of the enemy, Claude had to pick up the sheepskin raft again if he wanted to cross the river. Making a sheepskin raft is very simple, and the materials are all ready-made, but the old man also told Claude that the disadvantage of the sheepskin raft is that it is slow and unstable.
The logistics support squadron of the 131st Ranger Battalion immediately came into use. The carpenter and cobbler quickly created the actual object based on the old man's description and made improvements at the same time. Claude personally took people to the Dolinibara River to test sheepskin rafts and found that they were indeed feasible. So he ordered the construction of more sheepskin rafts and tried to cross the river to the other side to complete the attack mission at once.
On December 9, 584th year of the Holy Light Calendar, Claude led two directly affiliated field brigades across the Dolinibara River on a sheepskin raft.
Only two brigades were brought to attack the enemy's camp because Belklin, who had crossed the river first to conduct reconnaissance, sent back news that the enemy's security at the camp on the other side where a pontoon bridge was being built was very lax, and the strength was only a garrison battalion. The camp was filled with logistical supplies and timber for building pontoon bridges that were ready to be transported to the other side. Claude might not be able to guarantee that he would be able to capture the camp, but he was 100% sure that he would burn the camp and lead two brigades. enough.
In addition, the remaining two groups of the 131st Ranger Battalion need to set up a defensive line at the crossing of the river to prevent the enemy on their side from discovering that the camp on the other side is on fire and sending troops to search along the river bank and occupy Claude and others. Crossing the river. In that case, Claude and others who crossed the river would be doomed and would not be able to come back. Moreover, they didn't even bring their mounts with them. They lost their mobility and supply base, and were waiting to die on the other side of the river.
The crossing is upstream, about thirty-five miles away from the enemy's camp where the pontoon bridge was built. Claude and the others spent a whole morning crossing the river, rested for a while, and then marched quickly. At about six o'clock in the evening, they arrived a thousand meters away from the enemy camp, and found a leeward place to rest. At about ten o'clock in the evening, we began to take action and approached the enemy's camp silently.
As reported by Belklin, the enemy's security was very lax. The sentry guarding the camp gate was leaning against the gate with his musket in his arms and snoring. There were no soldiers on duty at all on the guard tower nearby. The bonfires originally placed about twenty meters in front of the camp to prevent enemy night attacks were not lit, allowing Claude and his men to approach the camp smoothly. .
Claude pointed to the camp gate, nodded at the sentry, and made a motion of slitting his throat. McJack nodded to indicate that he understood, and crawled over quickly with the big man Gemie. Soon, with the help of the dim moonlight and the light of the burning fire in the camp, it could be seen that several soldiers sleeping close to the camp door had been put down to the ground. Michael pushed the camp door open, poked his head in and observed for a while, then waved to Claude, which meant that he could enter the camp.
First there was a silent killing. Many of the enemy soldiers who fell asleep in the camps would never wake up. But soon the enemy discovered that someone was attacking the camp. The sound of gunshots, cries, and screams became one, and the whole camp became noisy.
"Set fire." Claude ordered.
Burning torches were still placed on tents, warehouses, stables, and haystacks, and the flames shot into the sky. The enemy officers rushed out of the camp, blowing whistles or shouting: "Don't panic, gather here."
Then a gunshot from the darkness quickly knocked these brave and responsible officers to the ground. The summoned soldiers were once again frightened and screamed like headless flies, which added to the atmosphere of panic.
For those enemies who escaped from the camp, Claude ordered the soldiers to ignore and chase them. Their mission was to eliminate all enemies who dared to resist in the camp and burn everything that could be burned. In fact, the night attack progressed faster than Claude expected, and the enemy showed almost no organized resistance. The only time that was more thrilling was when an enemy officer commanded a dozen of his men to push out a light artillery piece from nowhere, preparing to build a simple defense line with it.
It is a pity that this light artillery has not been loaded and loaded. When the enemy was looking for tools, the attackers discovered their intentions. Unexpectedly, the officer and the soldier next to him immediately fell to the ground amidst the gunshots. Their ambition was hard to achieve and they lost the chance to turn the tide.
Claude came to the riverside of the camp. In front of him were two long pontoons stretching to the opposite bank. There were also four ferries loaded with wood and ropes parked on the dock. The gunshots in the camp behind had stopped ringing, and those who should have fled had already fled the burning camp. The fire was getting bigger and bigger, and it was certain that Claude and the others would no longer be able to evacuate the camp according to their original attack route.
"Collect your troops and count the number of people. Michael and his men poured kerosene on the pontoon and the wood pile over there and set it on fire. Captain Murray Ed, Captain Andruck, take your people to the ferry and put the wood on it. Throw it on the pontoon or on the shore, let's take the ferry and leave here." Claude immediately gave the order.
The fire here has been spotted on the other side. There are many people crowded on the river bank looking at this side. With the blazing fire in the camp, they can clearly see Claude and the attackers throwing torches everywhere, on the pontoon and the shore. Fires ignited on the piles of wood and quickly expanded to a burning area.
With Lieyan's burning camp as the backdrop, the four ferries slowly left the river bank and headed upriver. Sparks and small sparks soaring from the camp would fly from the air and hover on the water around the four ferries from time to time, making a "chichi" sound. There were explosions from time to time in the camp, which must have been some kind of ammunition exploding.
"Hold it harder," the big man Gemi roared, instructing the soldiers holding the poles to move the ferry away from the burning camp as quickly as possible. It is not suitable to set sail at this time, as it can easily be ignited by flames: "If you are beside the boat, use a wooden board to help you row. If you don't have a wooden board, use a bucket or spoon to pour water on the deck and bulkhead. It will make you move faster."
Faint shouts and curses came from the camp on the other side downwind.
Michael walked quietly to Claude: "Sir, if we go directly upstream, the enemy over there will easily find our crossing point."
"It doesn't matter. We have burned down the camp here and destroyed the enemy's attempt to build a pontoon bridge. Even if they find our crossing point, it is not a big deal. Don't forget that the enemy garrison on the other side is infantry, and they are thirty-five miles away. It would take them about four hours to arrive. Moreover, our Major Schneck led two brigades to set up defensive positions at the crossing point, so the enemy would not be able to break through their defenses so easily."
Claude pointed upstream: "Let's burn those sheepskin rafts at the landing site and cross the river directly by ferry. This saves energy and time much faster than the enemy marching on foot. When we get ashore, the enemy will take advantage of us." There is no way. Next, I want to see how the enemy survives this cold winter after the heavy snow comes."
The enemy at the security camp on the other side did send two battalions of troops upstream along the river bank to search for the crossing point of the 131st Ranger Battalion, but they moved very slowly and did not approach the crossing point until dawn, and then they were attacked by Schneck. An ambush by two brigades led by a major. Under the cover of shotgun shells fired by eighteen light infantry field artillery pieces, the enemy abandoned nearly a brigade of corpses and wounded, and fled back without firing a single shot.
After Claude led the night attack force ashore, Major Schneck happily reported to him the results of the ambush operation. Claude was very sorry: "When the enemy turned around and fled, you should have immediately ordered to mount the horse and pursue him. Think about it, the enemy camp is thirty-five miles away from here, and the troops sent were infantry. They have been walking all night, and they are ambushed by you again." , even if you turn around and run away, you will still be tired, panicked and frightened. If you let the soldiers mount their horses to chase them at this time, I don’t think any enemy will be able to escape back to their camp."
Major Schneck was filled with regret, but Claude could only talk about it. He knew Major Schneck very well, and he would do it properly if he was told to do it. However, he did not have the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, and his on-the-spot command was relatively rigid and could be completed. The task of guarding the river crossing point is very good.
On December 15, Claude set up an ambush and sent Belklin to lead a light cavalry brigade to raid the transport convoy heading from the town of Ginco to the camp of the Crado Legion under the city of Bricamen, and successfully burned the transport convoy. Transported ammunition and grain, and lured out the only remaining light cavalry regiment of the Crado Legion to pursue.
More than an hour later, the enemy's light cavalry regiment was lured into an ambush circle. After more than two hours of fierce fighting, a small group of enemies broke through. At this point, the enemy has lost the mobile combat capability that can compete with the 131st Ranger Battalion, and can only huddle in the defensive positions in the garrison camp and the town of Guinco, sitting back and watching Claude's 131st Ranger Battalion rampage in the wild. gallop.
Since the ten-mile long transportation road from Ginko Town to Bricaman City was cut off by the 131st Ranger Battalion, the day before the heavy snow came, the Krado Army that besieged Bricaman City ran out of supplies of food, grass and ammunition. Unable to continue the attack on Brickaman City, the entire army was forced to break camp and retreat to the town of Ginko. Brickaman City, the capital of the Beringana Territory, was relieved of the siege.
The rescue of Bricaman City was like a shot in the arm for the 131st Ranger Battalion. It entered the Beringana Direct Territory with a strengthened battalion and dealt with an enemy legion on its own, winning consecutive battles and victories. Under the command of Germany, the enemy's legions were forced to evacuate the capital city of Bricaman, which had been besieged for nearly five months. This was simply a miracle in the history of war.
Even the governor and admiral of the Beringana Territory could not believe that the reinforcements only consisted of one battalion, the 131st Ranger Battalion. But Claude didn't have time to talk to them. He just hoped that they could seize this favorable opportunity to evacuate the wounded in the city and the residents of the Kingdom from Bricaman City first, and replenish the garrison troops, ammunition, food and other things from the rear.
At this time, it had begun to snow in the sky, and the temperature dropped suddenly. Indeed, as the residents of the kingdom said, although the snow time on the Nubisia continent was shorter than that on the Farea continent, the temperature was much colder.
Claude hoped to use the cold and the lack of cold-proof clothing to weaken the fighting will of the officers and soldiers of the enemy's Crado Legion. After this winter passed and most of the Rangers arrived, they might be able to launch a full-scale attack on the Crado Legion and completely defeat it. Completely annihilate this enemy legion.
What Claude and the officers and soldiers of the 131st Ranger Battalion did not expect was that on December 26, a fleet of ships docked at the ferry dock of the security camp. The enemy's fleet consisted of three first-class three-masted sailing battleships and six ocean-going transport ships. After they docked at the ferry dock, they unloaded countless logistical supplies from the transport ship.
Claude could only shake his head and smile bitterly. Without the ferry and pontoon enemy, as well as the battleships and transport ships to help transport logistics supplies, his idea of annihilating the Krado Army failed again.
The enemy's fleet transported not only the logistical supplies, but also a regiment of escort troops that came with the ship. As a result, Claude was unable to attack their transport convoy and could only watch helplessly as they swaggered into the town of Gianco, escorting a convoy loaded with large amounts of supplies.
After unloading supplies and soldiers, the three warships of the fleet went to the section of the river where the city of Bricaman was located, and conducted a day-long violent bombardment of the city of Bricaman, reducing the city walls facing the river to ruins. Leading the fleet to the seaport.
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