Due to the chaos in Gabella's ballistae, the advancing Ausser Army... The soldiers were greatly relieved of their interference and continued their steady advance, getting as close as 100 meters from Gabella's position.
Fire Dragon Legion's Fire Crossbow soldiers began firing. Specially crafted magical crossbow bolts, propelled by flames, traced gentle arcs in the air before falling into the Ausser Army's ranks, creating a dense whooshing sound as they sliced through the air.
The Ausser Army began to suffer casualties. These crossbow bolts were different from ordinary crossbow bolts; they maintained strong penetrating power even at a distance of 100 meters, and the flames made them scorching hot.
Ausser Army shot The soldiers collapsed to the ground in pain, groaning in agony. Fortunately, medics immediately carried them to the rear on stretchers.
But the rhythmic drumbeats never stopped for a moment, Gabella The soldiers were incredulous. They had once used the power of the Fire Crossbow to repel countless enemy charges in battles against the Papacy, believing their weapon to be invincible on the battlefield. Yet now, the Aldor soldiers maintained their morale, discipline, and strong desire to attack even under their own firepower.
At this moment, the Ausser Army's line units stopped, and row after row of soldiers pointed their guns forward in perfect unison.
"Fire!"
At the command, the first rank of soldiers swiftly pulled the trigger, and smoke billowed as a dense hail of lead bullets hurtled towards Gabella. Fire Crossbow hand.
Although Gabella's Fire Crossbow hands were protected by light armor, the powerful penetration of the lead bullets still caused them heavy casualties, with blood splattering throughout the formation.
Although the Sentinel Legion was equipped with flintlock muskets, they mostly used matchlock muskets that had been phased out by the Northwest Legion. These muskets were slightly inferior in terms of range and accuracy. Therefore, they developed their own tactical style based on their training in Northwest Bay, and their commanders required soldiers to get as close as possible to a high-accuracy range to fire.
The first volley of fire was very effective, and almost all the Fire Crossbowmen in the front row of Gabella's formation fell to the ground.
"Advance!" "Fire!"
Ausser Army after firing The soldiers remained in place to reload, while the soldiers in the rear passed them and continued to aim and fire.
A Fire Crossbow officer stared in disbelief at the advancing Ausser Army line of soldiers, their barrage of fire relentless. He had once used the power of the Fire Crossbow to rout an enemy paladin charge during a battle against the Papacy, believing his weapon to be invincible on the battlefield. But now, the Ausser Army... Despite the intense friendly fire, the soldiers continued their advance. Their line of fire resembled mobile fortresses, each volley causing widespread casualties. This sustained suppression sent a chill down his spine. Moreover, Aldor... The soldiers ' discipline was unmatched even by the fanatical knights of the Papacy.
The two sides continued to exchange fire, but Gabella Fire Dragon Legion casualties began to rise sharply. The Ausser Army, employing a linear formation with shallower vertical alignment, reduced the probability of being hit to some extent. Meanwhile, the Fire Crossbowmen opposite them still used the traditional square formation. Even if the Ausser Army's bullets did not hit the front-line soldiers, they had a high probability of killing the soldiers in the back.
Gabella's mindset is subtly shifting. Before the war, they were proud of their victory over the Papacy and held the Ausser Army in contempt due to their smaller numbers. However, as the battle progressed, their prized tactics and magical weapons proved insufficient to suppress their opponents, while the Ausser Army's volleys of fire and the soldiers ' fighting spirit far exceeded their expectations.
Under the alternating fire of three columns of the Ausser Army, lead bullets densely covered the Fire Crossbow positions. Fire Crossbow soldiers fell in droves, with several broken sections already visible in the front rows.
"Left and right flank infantry, immediately provide cover for the Fire Crossbow troops!" Marshal McDonald urged hoarsely. Gabella's infantry phalanxes on both flanks adjusted their direction and charged towards Or with shields raised.
However, this movement was discovered by the Ausser Army, and Sir Colin immediately ordered Cannon to change its firing angle, targeting the enemy's infantry on the left and right flanks!
Without the Thunder Hammers ' harassment, the Ausser Army's thirty-odd cannons quickly turned, shells whistling as they slammed into the moving Gabella infantry. Their shields couldn't withstand the cannon fire, shattering and deforming, and soldiers fell one after another. After several volleys, the Gabella infantry's formation was completely broken. The soldiers lay prone on the ground, too afraid to raise their heads, no longer daring to approach the Fire Crossbow's positions.
"Marshal! The Fire Crossbow soldiers have suffered heavy casualties. If we don't retreat now, we'll be in deep trouble!" A mage broke through the guards' blockade and rushed to MacDonald, pointing his staff directly at the battlefield ahead. "We must disengage them immediately!"
The apprentices following behind the mage also looked anxious. Although the Fire Crossbow soldiers were not official mages, their ability to sense magic was rare enough, and their value was far higher than that of ordinary soldiers.
Seeing the devastation on the Fire Crossbow positions, MacDonald gritted his teeth and ordered, " Fire Crossbow troops, retreat fifty paces and maintain a defensive posture!"
The messenger immediately sounded the retreat horn, and the remaining Fire Crossbow soldiers dragged their weapons and retreated. The long exchange of fire had exhausted them, and their retreat was chaotic and disorganized, causing their once tight formation to become loose.
"Now!" the Ausser Army commander shouted, drawing his sword. "Fix bayonets and charge!"
Ausser Army The soldiers moved swiftly, securing their bayonets firmly to their rifles. Three lines of soldiers accelerated simultaneously, surging towards Gabella's ranks like a tidal wave. The Fire Crossbow soldiers, who had just begun their retreat, had no time to reform their ranks before the onrushing Ausser Army. The soldiers were thrown into chaos, and many abandoned their Fire Crossbows and fled.
The rout of the Fire Crossbow troops quickly spread to the entire central army, leaving gaping holes in the once-orderly formation. The Ausser Army... Soldiers seized the opportunity to rush in, and bayonets clashed.
However, at this very moment, the battlefield changed again.
"Enemy reinforcements have arrived!" A shout from an Ausser Army scout suddenly rang out.
Gabella's side was overjoyed, as Siegfried's 10,000 reinforcements were rushing to the scene, and one cavalry unit had already begun to attack the Ausser Army's flank and rear.
Sir Colin's expression changed; if he were surrounded, he would be attacked from both sides.
"Retreat! Alternating cover!" He made a decisive decision, ordering the retreat to begin. The Ausser Army, which had already penetrated into Gabella's central command... Although the soldiers were unwilling, they still obeyed orders, with the front rank providing cover while the rear rank quickly regrouped and retreated.
Ausser Army Cannon also began firing at enemy troops who were trying to get closer to cover their retreat.
MacDonald looked at the orderly retreating formation opposite him, then at his own heavily wounded army, his face turning ashen.
The pride of having defeated the Papacy has now been replaced by deep shame and indignation—they had the advantage of numbers and magical weapons, and the aid of the Spellcaster, yet they could not defeat an army composed entirely of mortals.
A somber atmosphere permeated the Aldor army as the number of casualties exceeded pre-battle expectations, and many soldiers' eyes showed not only exhaustion but also surprise.
These Gabella people are more difficult to deal with than the orcs of the plains, and their magical weapons are also very powerful.