Damien from his elevated position could the movement of the enemy army and it's not like they tried to hide it was more like I am doing what you can do beside waiting for your doom if it's was any army using cold weapons it would have been game over for them but his it was a mix of highly crafted cold weapons, firearms and modern tactics thus unless the gab in numbers or high-end power is considerable they may not win but they will never lose.
As he was watching the enemy infantry marching towards his lines bowman at front spearman and man-at-arms following behind them they were a mixed bag some where showing a good level of discipline they were probably the town guards others had all the marks of ferocity and cruelty they must be the pirates and brigands hired by Dylan and for the last group they the levies who were nothing more than cannon fodder in his opinion pushed at front just to absorb the expected archers 🏹 volley they for the surprise of their life or in this case death 💀 he really liked this feeling of being in control all that is left is to break the cavalry charge that's where the battle will be won.
The rebel army was marching towards them at a slow but steady pace they probably trying to delay the engagement this giving ample time for the cavalry to their manoeuvre.
When the distance between the two side was around a thousand metres give or take Carl passed the order for the artillery to launch a devastating volley all of the fifteen twelve pounder cannons fired an earth shaking roar was heard scarier than a lion 🦁 roar or even as scary as a dragon roar but just right after that sound rows of infantry despeared just like and many more where wailing from there wounds of losing an arm or a leg adding more to the confusing many of the raw recruits where fear struck unable to move forward not knowing what just happened if it wasn't for the guards at their rear with menacing looks they would have already started running.
At same time francis noticing this he ordered:' everyone Keep moving forward any deserters will be put down like a dog they probably can only use once or twice at most after our cavalry would have already closed on them and finished them so move'.
Under the whip of Francis, menacing looks of his pirate and the hope that what he said is true the infantry resume moving while they deciding what to do the artillery has almost finished reloading and right after they matched a few metres the scary sound was heard again same as before rows of infantry despeared same like before.
This time some of them fear took hold of them and tried to run Francis notice then order his lieutenant to strike them before they cause a rout he said :' strike those fool who will try to run before they doom us all'.
As he knew if he let them be he would lose control of the entire infantry which would surely cause their defeat as giving their back to the enem will surely entice home to pouce on them an instead of a battle it will be a slaughter house as he done so many time before so killing a chicken to scare a monkey is a given tactic in this situation.
So just as those guys tried to make a run for it a bunch of ferocious looking pirates full of scares stroke them down and just like with their life taken any one who was thinking of doing the same forgot about it at least those scary roasts didn't kill everyone so the had a chance to survive.
Francis seeing the situation passed the order to start sprinting towards the enemy and also to spread their line thus minimising the effect of those attacks.
So right after the march turned into a sprint so when the sound was heard again not many where killed as before.
Looking at all of this was Carl who couldn't believe his luck of fighting such a opponent while sprinting and loose formation may have lessened the effect of the cannons one they have smashed at his infantry it will be like hitting a rock with an egg 🥚.
So he said :' passe my order tell the artillery to change to cannister shot and for the musketeers to take their position fire by rank and only to fire when they can see the white of their eyes '.
Soon his oder passes down to the rank and file so they started taking their positions making sure that their weapons are in top conditions.
On the other side seeing that they no longer heard those roars a happy felling was circulating among them believing that the general plan was working.
Even Dylan who was watching from far away taught that this was the best to counter this attack after all the infantry attacks only role was just to fix them in position not win he was relieved as in the beginning when he heard those sound he taught that maybe some dragon was dispatched from the main clan to help the baron in holding power he started thinking on how to escape and ask for forgiveness later as the weakest of dragons a juvenile one is a grade two life form but after after the second one and with more careful observation he saw after the sound a flash of fire 🔥 could be seen from the enemy line so he concluded they must some platoon of fire mages while they weren't weak but not as terrifying as a dragon after all of they can close the distance they are as good as dead it's well known fact that mages are weak at close combat.
Thus he firmly believed in the decision made by Francis was the right one he couldn't think of any counter under this circumstances.
But he,Francis and they entire infantry where for a surprise the life ending kind.
So just right as they crossed around five hundreds meters thinking they will finally Quench their hatred they felt for their enemy with their blood the same cursed roar was heard but this the infantry lines where shredded hundreds where killed or incapacitated in a seconde so they started running towards the enemy infantry believing that the second they clashed with them they will be safe from that fire but just as they where around two hundred metres or less from the menu line.
An ord was given to the musketeers:' first line fire' a sound like the howling of a groupe of wolves was heard just like dozen of the infantry of the enemy were falling some dead other were screaming from their wounds and like a well oiled machine the second line come and fire then third .
Francis couldn't believe his rotten luck just as he taught he got rid of those of the fires a new round attack came while less effective than the dragon roar it was almost constant as every minute dozen where falling he even his veteran pirates where showing signs of hesitation just as he was about to order his lieutenant to keep a thigh leash on the man he heard the dragon roar and most importantly he felt it just like he was wounded at different places his body was full of holes he knew he wa finished he really shouldn't have accepted the invitation of that cursed Dylan and before the light in his eyes was extinguished he saw his infantry breaking down taking flight even those guards where running and at same time he could see the enemy marching towards them they lost even before making it to the enem line.
After seeing the enemy routed he order the second battalion to charge at them but to not pursue Beyonce five hundreds metres just enough to give some breathing space for his army and to make sure that they are finished and for the third battalion to hold its position to reinforce any of the others battalion as he could dust rising from both side the cavalry charge.
So he send an order for the companys holding the flanks to brace for the impact and to stick those steel spears in the ground.
As for the artillery he ordered all of it to focus on the cavalry expect for five cannons to fire on the infantry thus eliminating in possibility for it to regrouping.
On the other side Victor who was leading the cavalry didn't like what he was seeing he despised Francis and his pirates but he knew that they could hold their against regular soldiers he couldn't stop himself from cursing this damn pirate not able to do a simple task of holding the enemy no-one was waiting for him to win but he coulds nothing about it now the only thing he could do is save the day by destroying the enemy by charging at them but he could see the price would be steep maybe half of the cavalry would be lost for this win.
So he signaled to his cavalry to start their charge :' charge forward knight of Manheim crush those peasant and town guards'.
The cavalry responded by accelerating and taking their Lances to impale with those fucking peasants.
But just as they where a thousand metres away a dragon roar was heard right after many of their camarades where taken down but they were knights not some run of the mill peasant while they didn't know how the enemies killed their brothers in arms it didn't matter once the closed in they will annilated them.
Bite when they where seven hundred metres another roar was heard but this time was a lot bigger as even the smaller cannons where used as for casualties they were in the dozens while they were still enthusiastic about their attack the idea of dying at any moment was starting to sap their morale so they urged their mount to run faster.
Then it happened again and again at this point they lost around three hundred or so some where dead other wounded but just as the taught they made another roar was heard of the dragon but this time they more where taken down and they also that it was some tunes that caused this misfortune and right after a howl like that of wolves knight could see their fellow soldiers just dying beside them or getting wounded and falling.
But even so they braved all of this tried to charge through the forest of steel spears thinking that the could just break them with their momentum and deflect them but reality was other wise who tried to braced to them was either he or his mount impaled by it and for those tried to deflect them found it was hard than it looked so they tried to remove them by hand they were easy picking for the musketeers and when the last volley of cannister shot came what little morale they had was shattered they could only think of running away and a full rout started as for Victor hi tried to use aura him and some of the dozen low level knight but even so they were wounded so he could only try to rally the cavalry for a retreat to Manheim as for his lord knowing probably he was already half way to the town.
He wasn't far from the truth just as the cavalry charge was losing momentum due to the losses he knew the battle was lost so he ordered a generale retreat
As for the other cavalry unit it was hit harder as Carl ordered his cavalry to pursue them so they where almost killed to the last man and those who weren't killed were taken prisoner and with this the first battle of Damien on this world came to an end.
As for him he was watching as for why he didn't get involved he was a lord and he couldn't follow his army everywhere so wanted to see how they will acte and for the time being he was satisfied so they could move now the final part of this war seige of Manheim after all his lack of cavalry mean he can't destroy the enemy for good as long they can run they are safer plus they have a bigger cavalry than him so in pursuit in any meaningful way is out of the question.