After a long time, the adjutant Felixius came to report: "The whole army is ready."
Davos announced expressionlessly: "Let's go."
Before, he didn't feel obvious in the team, but now as the leader, looking at the overall situation, he found the problem. In his previous life, although he was not a soldier, he watched movies and browsed forums, and he knew to some extent that one of the foundations for the army to win battles was strict discipline and quick maneuvering. During military training in college, emergency gatherings were calculated by the minute. Well now, it took more than an hour from the blowing of the trumpet to the end of the lineup, and this procrastination extinguished half of his excitement of being the leader.
Now, with no military prestige, he can only observe quietly, write down all the drawbacks, think about solutions, and wait until the time is right to talk about rectifying the army and reforming the military system. It will probably be a long journey. path of.
When the team was nearly halfway out of the camp, Felixius said: "Leader Davos, we should also leave."
Davos nodded, Hiros had already brought his horse. Yesterday, when Davos learned that the leader had a horse to ride, he was quite nervous. He could not ride a horse in his previous life. Who would have thought that after riding it, he could control it with ease. It turned out that the Thessaly were one of the most powerful horse-riding races in the Mediterranean world at that time. The original owner of this body had been herding sheep and horses since childhood. The residual memory and instinctive memory of the body were enough for Davos to control it freely. horses.
He grabbed the reins, jumped onto the horse, his legs were slightly clamped, the war horse raised its head and neighed lightly, strode its hooves, and trotted forward.
Davers raised his head high and sat on it. Yesterday, Thormed's remarks made him stop thinking about sharing the joys and sorrows with the soldiers and giving up the horses to the old, frail and disabled soldiers. Now he needs to be high on the horse, always reminding the soldiers: he, Davos is the leader of the whole army! As for those practices of buying people's hearts, let's wait until he becomes a famous general.
Riding on the horse, looking at the mighty marching team, Davos naturally had a feeling of pride in his heart: That's what a man should do!
Davos controlled the horse and walked slowly, followed by Felixius and Asistus, followed by the escort of Hiros on foot. After leaving the barracks, we walked a little further, and we arrived at the place where the entire army converged.
Davos thought that his team was slow, but he didn't expect other teams to arrive. It seems that procrastination is a common problem of mercenaries, and everyone is used to it.
Kerethorpes' Spartan team was already standing in front. When Davos rode over to say hello, there was a lot of commotion in the passing team. Other barracks soldiers recognized him as the leader who gave a wonderful speech yesterday. But there are still some people who are both jealous and dissatisfied with the fact that a young man who is still young, speaks ill of him questioning his commanding ability, which makes Asistus flush with anger. Davos seemed to have not heard of it, and just moved forward.
Only the team of Cleethorpes was silent as if they didn't see him coming, which made Davos take a serious look at these real Spartans: they were all dressed in full armor and arranged in neat rows. The phalanx, each with a sturdy figure, stands silently, like the green pines standing tall and straight, becoming a unique scenery at this noisy meeting. In their sharp and murderous eyes, Davos felt that once the silence broke out, what a powerful force would be released! Body, skill, tactics, discipline, all in one, this is the Spartan!
Davos looked and looked enviously: When will he be able to command such an elite soldier! It was only later that he learned that Kerethorpes' army was still only about a third of the soldiers who were true Spartans, and the rest were Piriasians.
On both sides of the Spartan army was a team of small mercenaries such as Sothes and Pasion. After the whole army meeting, most of them joined the team of Kerethorpes, and several other leaders also joined the team. Only No one was interested in Davos' barracks. In this regard, Davers also felt helpless.
This time, Davos's army formed very fast, because it basically followed the order when they left the camp: the outermost column was heavy infantry, divided into four columns, and the first column was arranged backwards; the inner side was light infantry column, divided into four columns. Two columns, so that the length of the columns of light and heavy infantry is the same, about half a mile long. When the enemy is attacking from the outside of the left flank, the soldiers in the marching column can immediately turn right, with the heavy infantry in the front and the light infantry in the back, quickly forming a regular battle formation. The baggage battalion was on the inside of the light infantry, to the left of the huge central clearing. Davos and his escort were between the light infantry and the baggage battalion.
About half an hour later, the battalions were lined up, the bronze horn sounded again, and they could finally set off.
The marching speed was not fast, and it was mainly dragged down by the various baggage battalions. Tents, food, medicine, goods and other materials that could not be carried by people had to be carried by cattle and horses. Horses should not carry heavy carts, otherwise the harness will squeeze their neck trachea and cause suffocation; bulls are stronger than horses, but have less stamina and are less reliable in temperament.
Davos saw Mersis in the baggage camp, traveling back and forth, dealing with unexpected situations, and calling the soldiers for help from time to time. Davos was secretly glad that he followed Mersis's advice and sent him a squadron to assist the baggage battalion in advance. In the end, Davos's eyes fell on Cristoia among the women. Although she was dressed the same, her stature and temperament stood out from the crowd and could be easily recognized.
Cristoia seemed to have a feeling and turned her head to look here.
Davos hurriedly looked back.
"You can't walk ten miles in an hour at such a marching speed," he said.
"It's not bad that there is no intrusion from the Persians." Felixius just finished speaking happily when there was a commotion from behind.
"What happened?" Davos asked hurriedly.
Asisters immediately sent messengers to the rear to check.
After a while, the messenger rushed back on horseback: "It's the Persian general Mithradat! He brought about thirty cavalry, and loudly persuaded him to surrender not far from the right flank of the entire army!"
Heart attack! Davos frowned.
"Mithradat is the general of the little Cyrus, but his strategy doesn't work. We have been fooled by the Persians once, and the fool will be the second time." Felixius calmly said.
Davos nodded and said, "Monitor Mithradat, continue to inquire!" At the same time, let Asisters send another messenger, so that the news can be returned alternately.
…
"More than twenty soldiers, throwing away their weapons, ran to the Persians!... They... they surrendered to Mithradat!"
Davos's heart jolted, obviously Felixius overestimated the wisdom of mercenaries. What's more, Hieronymus's troops were arguing over the election of the leader yesterday, and now Mithradat used lies to tear apart the discordant Hieronymus troops, would it be? Create a snowballing effect on the entire army? Davers began to worry.
"Mithradat went around the back of the entire army and shouted to Crianno's troops! ... About ten more soldiers dropped their weapons and ran towards the Persians!"
Damn it! Davers' concerns are being fulfilled.
Felixus also looked nervous.
It seems that Mithra Dat is ready to circle around the huge formation of mercenaries, constantly disintegrating the fighting spirit of the soldiers. Moreover, he will soon come to the front of Davos troops!
"It would be nice if we could drive him away." Asisters said bitterly. But he also knew that this was impossible. The opponents were light cavalry, coming and going like the wind, while the mercenaries had no cavalry at all.
"Just shoot him with a javelin!" Matonis pulled out the javelin on his back and shouted in the escort.
"How to shoot?! When you go out with the javelin, the Persians will run far away! Besides, the javelin can't shoot as far as the Persian horse bow!" Asistes retorted.
A flash of light flashed through Davos' mind, and he eagerly asked the messenger, "How far was it from our array when Mithradat was shouting?"
"About a hundred meters away."
"Did the Persians back away when the surrendering soldiers ran past?"
"No."
…
Davos asked a few questions in a row, and after getting the answer, facing Felixius and the others' suspicious eyes, he pondered for a while, and then said to Felixius: "Now, I have an idea, do you think it will work? "