Night Raid

"Go quickly and inform the cavalry behind us to watch out for enemies circling from the right. Then, warn His Majesty to be careful of enemy raids." Werner instructed his personal guard, then immediately mounted his warhorse to the front line to adjust the army's deployment.

The Saxon Army quickly adjusted its lines under Werner's command, but it was already too late.

Iri looked at the enemy below the mountain, who had fallen into temporary chaos, and nodded slightly to a general beside him.

The latter immediately drew the sword from his waist and went to the front of the formation, where over a thousand Cup faction heavy cavalry—all of the rebels' cavalry—were standing by, ready for battle.

"God protects us! Charge with me!"

With the general's roar, over a thousand cavalry charged down the slope towards the enemy forces below.

For a moment, the sound of hooves thundered like lightning, striking fear into the hearts of the Saxon Army soldiers below the mountain.

"Quick, form a square!"

Werner hurriedly began organizing the two infantry companies on the left flank to form a thick, tight square, while also sending people to urge the units on the other side, which had not yet reached suitable positions, to move quickly.

The Saxon Army only had two heavy cavalry companies, and Werner did not want to send them in first; that would be tantamount to sending them to their deaths.

However, the large infantry units were extremely cumbersome. The flank units were about to be encircled by the enemy, and several companies on the other side were still moving slowly while maintaining their formation.

Werner steeled his heart and made a ruthless decision. He ordered the cavalry to retreat to a safer position, then reorganized the remaining infantry units to form a defensive line.

The infantry forming the square did not know that they had been abandoned.

Before these poor warriors could face the swift impact of the cavalry, a volley of arrows rained down on their heads.

Due to the dense formation and the Cup faction's advantageous position on high ground, many warriors were struck by arrows and lost their combat effectiveness, and the morale of the troops also became even lower.

When the charge came, the massive cavalry force, like a flood, almost instantly destroyed the Saxon Army's left flank defense.

With hooves trampling, lances thrusting, and longswords slashing, the battle below the hillside quickly devolved into a massacre.

After the defensive line was broken, the Cup faction cavalry began to wantonly slaughter the Saxon Army soldiers, and the Cup faction infantry who followed closely also joined the massacre.

Soon, the two companies were almost completely annihilated. The Cup faction did not accept surrender; even soldiers who laid down their weapons and ceased resistance were directly killed.

Using the time bought by their sacrifice, Werner finally organized a new defensive line.

The main force of the rebels led by Iri also all arrived at the foot of the mountain, arrayed themselves, and charged directly towards the Saxon Army's defensive positions.

The main force of the Imperial Army, far on the other side of the hill, had not yet realized that the battle had begun.

After the third round of artillery bombardment, the Independent Army and Austro-Hungarian Army infantry quietly moved towards the flank of the Hussite War Wagon, with the cavalry following at a distance. They would attack once a breach appeared in the Wagenburg.

Inside the rebel camp, several thousand soldiers were still stationed within the Wagenburg, commanded by General Zelesny.

Everyone remained vigilant, but the lack of sleep over a period of time had, after all, affected the morale and condition of the troops.

At this moment, Zelesny, who was guarding the camp, suddenly heard a subordinate report: "An unknown cavalry unit has appeared behind the camp, seemingly preparing to launch a surprise attack."

Upon hearing this, Zelesny's heart tightened.

Why did the Imperial Army's cavalry appear precisely at this moment? An ominous premonition enveloped his heart.

He immediately ordered increased vigilance. All soldiers guarding the camp came to the Wagenburg to be on alert, constantly guarding against enemy raids.

At this time, at a distance from the Hussite War Wagon, Gunter was in a dilemma.

He had already ordered his troops to extinguish their torches, preparing to launch a surprise attack on the rebels in the Wagenburg in the dark. However, the matchlock ropes had to remain burning, and the light from hundreds of matchlocks was extremely conspicuous in the night; basically, anyone who wasn't blind could see them.

Yet, the firepower cover from the musketeers was indispensable for a surprise attack.

After weighing the pros and cons, Gunter decided to tough it out and launch the assault. He had the soldiers carrying muskets lead the way, quickly moving towards the edge of the Wagenburg.

Soon, the rebel warriors on alert on the Wagenburg discovered something unusual.

At some point, faint flickers of fire appeared on the pitch-black hillside. Though weak, they were conspicuous.

He immediately called out to his comrades, sending someone to request reinforcements.

The rebels resting beside the Wagenburg immediately entered the Wagenburg through the small doors on its inner side. They held various ranged weapons such as matchlock guns and crossbows, observing the enemy's situation through the firing slits, constantly ready to attack.

The Hussite rebels did not carry many cannons with their army; most were positioned at the front of the Wagenburg. This direction did not have enough cannons to provide suppressing fire.

When the Imperial Army advanced to within two hundred meters of the Wagenburg, the rebels inside the Wagenburg finally began to attack.

Arrows and bullets continuously shot out from the Wagenburg, but this sparse firepower did not cause any casualties to the Independent Army leading the charge.

Gunter positioned the musketeer company in the dead center of the front line to provide dense suppressing fire on the enemies inside the Wagenburg, with a skilled infantry company placed on each of the left, right, and rear sides. These companies were responsible for breaching the Wagenburg.

The distance gradually closed, to only dozens of meters, close enough for the rebel soldiers on the Wagenburg to clearly see what those sparking things really were.

They were strangely shaped weapons, appearing to be firearms, but they had never seen such firearms before.

At this moment, the Imperial Army, enduring a hail of gunfire and arrows, suddenly stopped, then began to form tight two-row formations, with the front row kneeling and the back row standing.

The musketeers skillfully opened the pan covers, added a bit of gunpowder, and then gently blew on the slowly burning special matchcord to ensure it would ignite the powder.

The propellant and bullets had already been loaded before their advance.

After checking and preparing, the musketeers aimed their dark muzzles uniformly at the Wagenburg and the enemy forces ahead. They held their breath, fingers on the triggers.

Occasionally, comrades were hit by arrows or bullets, groaning and falling to the ground, but not a single person wavered because of it.

At the command of the company commander, hundreds of matchlocks simultaneously spat out fierce tongues of flame, and the deafening roar seemed to tear apart heaven and earth. This tremendous sound shocked everyone on the battlefield.

Smoke billowed, obscuring vision, and the battlefield was enveloped in a man-made fog.

Bullets whistled like rain, riddling the fragile Wagenburg barriers with holes. Many rebels hiding behind the Wagenburg were struck by projectiles that penetrated the wooden planks, collapsing in pain within the Wagenburg with expressions of disbelief.

After the gunfire, the Imperial Army infantry on both sides immediately used the cover of the smoke and the opening created by the suppressing fire to charge towards the Wagenburg.

Following closely were more Imperial Army soldiers. The musketeers, of course, did not have to personally charge; they recovered gunpowder, projectiles, and muskets from fallen comrades, then calmly retreated to the rear.

The section of the Wagenburg under concentrated attack was almost immediately breached. The sword masters who rushed into the Wagenburg through the gaps, clad in heavy plate armor, wielded greatswords to force back the surrounding Hussite rebels, holding the breach for the incoming friendly forces.

The Imperial Army continuously poured into the Wagenburg. Under the commander's orders, the sergeants worked together to move some of the Wagenburg, widening and securing the breach.

When Zelesny arrived with the gathered reinforcements, over a thousand Imperial Army soldiers had already surged into the Wagenburg, with even more continuously rushing in from the rear.

He immediately led his troops into battle, attempting to drive the enemy out and then seal the breach.

However, most Hussite rebels, clad in cloth armor and armed with crude weapons like spears and short swords, once they lost the cover of the Wagenburg, faced a slaughter by the well-equipped and highly skilled Imperial warriors.

Iri and Ottokar had taken the core strength of the rebels, and most of those left behind were new recruits, many of whom had only received brief military training.

Facing such a sudden and fierce attack, the rebels quickly fell into a disadvantage.

Not far in front of the Imperial Army's main camp, Laszlo, who was guarding the area, received a messenger sent by Werner.

He learned that a unit had bypassed their defenses while the Saxon Army was preoccupied, and was now heading towards the main camp.

This news startled Laszlo, but he quickly regained his composure.

The Hungarian cavalry unit had already returned to defend and was currently searching for traces of the enemy to the east of the Wagenburg.

The Wagenburg was garrisoned by one musketeer company and one infantry company, as well as the army's artillery.

After all, all of the army's supplies were stored within the Wagenburg, so it was impossible to leave it completely undefended.

Moreover, he was also protected by the Imperial Guard Cavalry, so the situation was not too bad.

The only thing that worried him was the situation of the Saxon Army; it was very likely that Werner's side was already at a disadvantage.

"Your Majesty, should we retreat to the Wagenburg, or...?"

"We will defend right here.

Since the enemy came through the forest, the scale of their force cannot be very large.

Have the troops inside the Wagenburg prepare to meet the enemy.

Would you mind personally overseeing things over there?"

Laszlo was still a bit uneasy, so he decided to have Adolf personally command the troops defending the Wagenburg.

After receiving the order, Adolf quickly returned to the Wagenburg.

At this time, there were only a little over a thousand remaining soldiers, which was not enough to defend the entire Wagenburg.

Fortunately, intelligence indicated that the enemy would likely launch an assault from the east of the camp, so he positioned the two companies on the eastern side of the Wagenburg, with musketeers on alert on the war wagons and infantry arrayed for patrol nearby.

Meanwhile, not far from the Imperial Army's main camp, the rebels' advance was forced to halt.

They had originally planned to use the cover of night to quickly pass through the forest and launch a surprise attack on the Imperial Army's main camp.

However, just as they were about to approach their target, they encountered the Hungarian cavalry who were searching for the enemy.

The Hungarian cavalry were extremely fast.

Although the rebels moved swiftly, after leaving the cover of the forest, they ultimately could not outrun the swift Hungarian horses.

Just as they were about to launch their surprise attack on the camp, the Hungarian cavalry arrived in time and charged the rebels.

The thunderous hoofbeats echoed in the night sky, and the rebel commander Ottokar's heart sank as he realized their plan might have been exposed.

"It seems our strategy has been seen through," Ottokar muttered softly, a hint of unwillingness flashing in his eyes.

He quickly ordered his soldiers to form a square to prepare for the cavalry charge.

These soldiers were not ordinary rebels, but members of the Bohemian Brotherhood, seasoned in battle and well-equipped.

They stood shoulder to shoulder, raising their long spears, with no trace of cowardice on their faces.

However, the Hungarian cavalry were numerous and their assault fierce.

After several attempts, the heavy cavalry, who were outflanking them, finally broke through the rebel's defensive line.

Although these Bohemian mercenaries resisted stubbornly, under the impact of the cavalry, they eventually disintegrated into disarray.

Ottokar watched helplessly as his soldiers fell one by one, his heart filled with despair.

He knew that this battle could no longer be salvaged.

Near the forest, the Cup faction's main force was already locked in battle with the Saxon Army.

The roars and screams of warriors rose and fell, and the battlefield was filled with the strong smell of blood.

The Cup faction's army used fierce attacks to push the Saxon Army back repeatedly.

The Saxon Army, outnumbered, could only struggle to hold on.

As a newly formed legion, they had neither war wagons nor artillery, and the proportion of newly recruited soldiers was the highest among the three armies, making their combat effectiveness already insufficient.

Now, under the enemy's fierce assault, defeat was only a matter of time.

Behind the Cup faction's main force, Iri was also trembling with fear at this moment.

There had been no movement from the Imperial Army's main camp, meaning Ottokar's surprise attack had likely failed.

This also meant that enemy reinforcements would soon arrive, so he had to achieve a quick victory or withdraw from the battle to preserve his strength.

Just then, Zelesny arrived hastily before Werner with a team of remnants, his face filled with anxiety.

"My Lord, our camp has been attacked and has fallen!" Zelesny's voice trembled slightly.

Iri felt as if struck by lightning, and his heart instantly turned cold.

The old fox, usually calm and composed, had now lost his composure.

However, Iri was not an ordinary person after all.

He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down.

He understood that this was not the time to panic; he had to make a decision quickly.

With the mountain top camp lost, he had no retreat.

The Imperial Army's main camp ahead clearly still had defending troops, and the road to Prague had long been outflanked and cut off.

At this moment, he was still entangled with the force in front of him.

He had not expected to fall into such a desperate situation overnight.

Now there was only one path left for him to take: after disengaging from battle, head towards Kuttenberg, break through the forces besieging Kuttenberg, and then enter the city to hold out.

Continuing the fight would only lead to the complete annihilation of his troops; only by retreating could he preserve his strength and await the opportunity to counterattack.

Even this path would likely be very difficult, but Iri still decided to try.

He could not die here; the future of the Hussite and Bohemia rested on his shoulders.

The sound of a horn pierced the night sky, and the Cup faction's main force, on the verge of crushing the enemy, suddenly began to retreat, voluntarily withdrawing from the battle.

On the battlefield, Werner shook the blood from his sword and watched the enemy calmly depart, finally letting out a sigh of relief.

If the battle had continued any longer, he might truly have had to sacrifice his life for the emperor.

After the battle ended, Werner did not immediately order the battlefield to be cleared.

He was concerned that the enemy might be feigning retreat, and if they suddenly turned back, they could catch them off guard.

This experienced general would not relax in the slightest until the dust of the battle had settled.

"General, should we pursue?" a trusted adjutant asked Werner.

Werner shook his head, his gaze sweeping across the battlefield.

The ground was covered with the bodies of the fallen, and the surviving soldiers were still shaken, many with expressions of relief at having survived.

He knew that pursuit now would be meaningless and would only put the troops in greater danger.

"No need to pursue," Werner said in a deep voice, "Order all companies to regroup, count personnel, and maintain vigilance."

The adjutant nodded and quickly relayed the orders.

Werner stood in place, his gaze deep as he looked into the distance; this battle was nearing its end.

At the same time, Laszlo remained steadfast outside the main camp, awaiting news from the front.

Soon, battle reports from all directions reached his hands: the Hussite rebels' Wagenburg had been captured, and many routed soldiers were fleeing towards Prague.

Gunter chose not to pursue, as Laszlo Hunyadi's cavalry were waiting for them in that direction.

The enemies who had been preparing a sneak attack near the main camp were also completely routed; only a few managed to escape into the forest, while most were cut down by the Hungarian cavalry.

The Saxon Army reported that they had repelled the enemy's attack and observed the enemy's main force retreating towards Kuttenberg.

Laszlo looked far into the direction of the battlefield; although there had been many twists and turns, they had clearly achieved a temporary victory.

However, he did not relax in the slightest; he would not lower his guard until he saw Iri's head.