Tens of thousands of Orc Cavalry surged toward the Ausser Army's position like a black torrent, kicking up dust several meters high from the hooves of their horses.
Paul stood on the elevated platform of the command vehicle, his face calm as he drew his sword, pointed it in the direction of the orc charge, and shouted the order: "Change formation, hollow square!"
The loud bugle call immediately sounded, and the soldiers who were originally deployed in a horizontal formation quickly moved into action. Soldiers from each battalion quickly contracted inwards in company units. Soldiers in the front row knelt on the ground with their rifle butts pressed tightly against their shoulders, while soldiers in the back row stood with their rifle muzzles offset from the front row, forming a layered network of fire.
Within minutes, dozens of hollow square formations took shape on the grassland, like sturdy steel fortresses, protecting the supply train and medics in the center, steadily facing the charging Orc Cavalry.
"Three hundred yards away!" the company commander in the front row of the formation shouted.
"Prepare to fire!"
The Orc Cavalry drew ever closer, their roars reaching the ears of the Ausser Army. Soldiers could already see the spears and battle axes gleaming coldly in the sunlight. When the distance closed to two hundred paces, the officers of the front-line battalions shouted, "Fire!"
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" A burst of gunfire erupted across the grassland. Bullets whistled as they flew toward the Orc Cavalry. The Orcs at the forefront were hit one after another, their massive bodies falling straight off their horses. Some were trampled by the warhorses that followed, while others struggled in agony on the ground.
But Orc Cavalry did not stop, and continued to charge madly towards the phalanx.
In the past, when using muzzle-loading flintlock muskets, the Ausser Army Each time a soldier fired, he had to stand up straight, prop his rifle on the ground, pour gunpowder into the muzzle, insert the bullet, and compact it with a scoop. The whole process often took half a minute. Often, after two volleys, the Orc Cavalry would be right in front of him, and then he would have to rely on his bayonet to defend himself.
But at this moment, the Ausser Army's newly equipped breech-loading rifles completely changed this situation. Soldiers only need to pull the bolt open, load the fixed ammunition from the rear of the barrel, and then close the bolt to complete a reloading, which takes no more than ten seconds.
"Release it again!"
Another round of intense volleys followed, and more Orc Cavalry fell on their way to the front. The Ausser Army's firepower was almost nonstop, with bullets raining down on the Orc Cavalry like a storm, forming an insurmountable line of death.
Among the charging Orc Cavalry were many veterans who had participated in the invasion of Aldor, and they had a deep connection with the Ausser Army. They were all too familiar with the power of firearms. At this moment, they keenly sensed something was amiss; the Ausser Army... After the firearms fire, there is always a brief period of firepower gap. In order to shorten the firepower gap, the Ausser Army often fires in batches continuously, but this also causes a decrease in the firepower density of a single shot, which is the best time for them to charge and break through.
But now the Ausser Army's gunfire is almost continuous, with no gaps at all—compared to before.
A scarred orc veteran watched in shock as his fallen comrades fell around him. He clearly saw an Ausser Army soldier kneeling on the ground. After firing, the soldiers did not rush to stand up and empty the gun barrel as they used to. Instead, they remained in a half-kneeling position, merely raised their hands to turn on a part at the rear of the gun, quickly inserted something, and then aimed and pulled the trigger again.
"How could it be so fast?" The orc veteran was filled with doubt. He remembered how the human soldiers loaded their weapons when fighting the Ausser Army years ago, but these Ausser Army soldiers before him... Soldiers can reload at least three times faster than before!
This huge increase in speed allowed the Ausser Army to achieve an unprecedented level of firepower density. Although the Orc Cavalry was fearless, they were unable to break through the dense bullet defense line. Every step forward came at the cost of huge casualties.
When the Orc Cavalry at the forefront were still fifty paces from the phalanx, nearly a third of them had fallen. The once orderly charging formation had become chaotic, with the mournful cries of warhorses and the screams of orcs intertwined, forming a stark contrast to the steady gunfire from the Ausser Army phalanx.
Paul stood on the high slope, looking at the scene before him and nodding slightly. The advantages of breech-loading rifles were fully demonstrated in this defensive battle. These hollow square formations, combined with the improved weapons, were enough to greatly delay the time it took for the Orc Cavalry to engage in close combat.
He gripped his sword tightly, staring intently at the rear of the orcish ranks, waiting for the perfect opportunity to counterattack.
The Orc Cavalry's charge continued, the grasslands were littered with the corpses of warhorses and orcs, blood stained the withered grass, and the air was thick with the stench of blood.
Despite the heavy price paid for every step forward, the Orc Cavalry, urged on by Abar and driven by their inherent ferocity, roared and charged forward, finally reaching the edge of the Ausser Army's hollow square after suffering heavy casualties.
The moment of close combat has finally arrived.
"Cease fire! Fix bayonets!" the officer in the front rank of the square roared, pointing his sword at the charging Orc Cavalry.
The Ausser Army, which was already prepared The soldiers immediately raised their hands and firmly locked their bayonets into the muzzles of their rifles. The gleaming bayonets shone with a cold light in the sunlight, and they stretched forward in an orderly fashion, forming a dense wall of steel thorns.
The cavalry at the forefront, seeing the dense array of bayonets before them, instinctively stopped their horses, rearing up and neighing in terror. The animals' fear of sharp weapons was ingrained in their bones; no matter how the orc riders whipped them, they refused to take another step forward. Some horses even turned to retreat, but were pushed aside by the cavalry surging from behind, rendering them immobile. The entire charging formation instantly descended into chaos.
"Kill!" roared an orc rider, gripping his spear tightly, charging towards the front ranks of the Ausser Army. The soldiers thrust their weapons fiercely at the front ranks of the Ausser Army. The soldiers were prepared. As they dodged the spears, they thrust their bayonets forward, piercing the orc rider's abdomen with deadly precision. The orc let out a shrill scream, his spear fell to the ground, and his body slid off his horse, quickly engulfed by the chaotic hoofbeats.
The sounds of close combat, the clanging of metal, and the screams of soldiers and orcs mingled together, creating a fierce spectacle at the edge of the formation.
Although the orcs were fierce, they were caught in a pincer attack from within and without the hollow square formation of the Ausser Army. Soldiers on the outer perimeter of the square used bayonets to defend against melee combat, while soldiers on the inner perimeter continued to fire their guns, the muzzles of which were aimed precisely at the Orc Cavalry caught in the melee, over the shoulders of the soldiers in the front row.
"Bang! Bang!"
The crisp sound of gunfire rang out from within the formation, and with each shot, an Orc Cavalry fell.