Necromancer, summoning 055? What the heck?

Chapter 399 The Eastern Front Assault on Motianling (Evening...)
While Princess Liushuang of the Summer Moon Alliance dealt with "Thunder Roar" on the western front with an almost absurd "family reunion," the battle on the eastern front had only just begun.

The progress on both sides is quite different.

The reasons are not complicated. First, the "Thunder Roar" on the western front is more aggressive, taking the initiative to attack and ambush, which greatly shortens the contact time between the two sides. On the other hand, the "Sky Ridge" minotaurs on the eastern front are more conventional and defend steadily.

Secondly, the Han Hai troops on the eastern front were relatively weak, so they moved cautiously.

Well, it's not fair to say it's weak; to be precise, it's rather traditional.

They raised their flags and marched out of the camp, beat the drums and advanced, reorganizing their ranks repeatedly along the way, stopping and starting frequently.

The core force of the Eastern Route Army was the Fifth Field Army Brigade, which carried firearms. This was a new designation after the expansion of the Hanhai Territory. Although many officers were transferred from the original Third Brigade to form the backbone, the soldiers were mostly new recruits.

Although the fact that they were able to form teams to compete proves that the training syllabus was implemented quite well, they still lacked some practical experience.

The fierce spirit on the battlefield must be forged through real battles and bloodshed.

Conversely, in order to protect this heavily armed Axis force, the Eastern Route Army's cold weapon troops were the strongest, commanded by General Galen, and formed from the reorganized First Army of the National Defense Force, originally the surrendered troops of Zircon.

Originally the elite troops of the Green Pine Kingdom, they have now undergone ideological education and equipment enhancements from the Vast Ocean, making them a formidable force with gleaming armor and menacing spears and halberds.

Especially the cavalry under Galen's command, their posture and momentum when marching clearly showed that they were a well-trained cavalry force. The riders' bodies rose and fell slightly with the horses' backs, creating a unique sense of rhythm.

That's the feeling of truly being rolled in mountains of corpses and seas of blood; you can't learn that feeling just by training.

Then, there was another large and bloated part in the Eastern Route Army, which was the "Allied Army" put together by the thirteen tribes of Xiyue.

That's a long story.

Sixteen thousand people, belonging to thirteen tribes. Out of respect for the chairman, each tribe did not dare to send any incompetent people to do a perfunctory job. At least they were all above-average troops in their tribes. However, once they were mixed together, their makeshift nature could not be hidden.

The flags were colorful and vibrant, ranging from indigo to orange-red, embroidered with wolf heads to adorned with eagle feathers, fluttering wildly in the wind, like stepping into a fabric store whose shelves had just been overturned.

The weapons were incredibly diverse: short swords were alongside spears, battle axes were next to large hammers, some carried bows, some carried shields, some were helmetless, some were armored, and some even carried strangely shaped alien weapons with twisted blades and numerous branches. Even the Hanhai Naval Ordnance Department, which had a wealth of military data, couldn't figure out what these things were.

The troops marched without any order, and the noise from each unit, shouts, laughter, cursing, and the neighing of livestock were all mixed together and could be heard from miles away.

The vanguard repeatedly emphasized discipline, so several tribal generals rode their tall horses back and forth along the edge of the column, managing to somewhat restore order, but it seemed more like they were showing off their own power than maintaining order.

The dust kicked up by the horses' hooves drew curses and swears from the infantry behind them.

The soldier looked at the "ragtag army" behind him and couldn't help but twitch his lips.

As a rookie officer among the centaurs, this guy's fighting style has always been "fast, accurate, and ruthless," but this time, Chen Mo placed him on the eastern front and gave him the task of "stability."

"You can't rush things on your end."

The officers in the General Staff had communicated with him privately and made it very clear that the number of firearms units in the Han Hai Territory was limited. Makaga had taken away the most elite main force, and the remaining units must be prioritized to protect the central army personally led by Chen Mo.

On the western front, the troops led by Deputy Commander Liushuang, although their firepower was somewhat weaker, had the entire elven army by their side.

The fact that Lord Chen Mo was able to send a full-strength field brigade from the eastern front is already an extra favor.

From this perspective, the so-called three-pronged approach is actually equivalent to two adults leading a small child.

In this situation, even if the vanguard is eager to make a name for themselves, they have no choice but to slow down their pace, and focus on clearing out the small and medium-sized tribal forces along the way, while training the troops as they go.

At the end of July, the Eastern Route Army finally arrived at its ultimate goal: the core territory of the Minotaur tribe—Motianling.

Motianling truly lives up to its name.

On the vast plains, mountains are the most important strategic locations, especially on the Bailu Plain. Only powerful tribes are qualified to occupy the mountains as strongholds.

Motianling's height stands proudly above all others in the entire Bailu Plain.

Before me stood a towering, gray-brown rocky mountain, its bare rocks and sparse vegetation resembling a crouching, savage beast, its jagged back exposed to the vast sky.

The mountain is quite steep. The path to the top was built by the Minotaur tribe over hundreds of years using rough and heavy rocks. From a distance, it looks like a gray-white giant python, twisting and winding its way up the slope, which varies from 35 to 45 degrees.

At this moment, layers of heavy log fences have been erected on these winding stone steps, with thick wooden stakes driven deep into the cracks in the stone, and sharpened barricade heads protruding from the gaps.

As you ascend the mountainside, you can vaguely see caves of various sizes and wooden houses built against the mountainside. The long-horned totem flags unique to the Minotaur flutter in the wind on various rocky platforms from the foot of the mountain to the top.

Of course, not all the Tauren retreated to the mountain. The rocky mountain was hard, but it couldn't provide water.

Therefore, relying on two low, forward-facing hills, one on the left and one on the right, "Motianling" established two strongholds at the foot of the mountain to guard the main peak and stationed elite troops there.

Unlike the other two major races, the first impression of the Minotaur race is one of "solidity".

They are over 2.2 meters tall on average, with broad shoulders and backs, and short, thick necks. Standing there, they look like walls made of muscles.

The main force was covered in heavy plate armor, the plates of which were clearly hand-forged, with rough hammer marks on the surface and a dull, dark sheen.

The main force's shoulder armor also features upward-pointing metal rams over a foot long, with polished tips that are quite conspicuous in the sunlight.

Minos have horns, but they rarely use them on the battlefield.

As a "secondary sexual characteristic," the bull tribe has always been quite careful with its horns, as they are too easy to break if used as weapons. However, the more important reason is that sticking one's head out at the enemy is just... too stupid.

Modern combat sports on Earth employ a wide range of techniques, including punches, kicks, knee strikes, and elbow strikes. However, even the most stubborn person would not rely on a headbutt as their primary means of attack. After all, a headbutt could easily lead to someone locking your throat and slitting your neck.

Thus, the horns on the shoulders were replacements for the horns of the Minotaur race after they began walking upright. They weren't very practical, but the Minotaur race liked them.

Only true veterans with battlefield merits can be equipped with these majestic rams.

The weapons of the Bull Tribe are also very heavy. The blade of the long-handled battle axe is as large as a wheel, the head of the giant hammer is comparable to a stone roller, the blade of the two-handed greatsword is like a door panel, and the shields are all rectangular tower shields that are almost as tall as themselves, with feet at the bottom and iron plates on the edges, standing on the ground like half a city wall.

And those totem poles that look about as thick as a human warrior's waist—even a heavily armored warrior couldn't withstand being hit like that.

What impressed the officers of the Han Hai Territory most was the neatness of the Niu Clan's ranks.

When these large orcs lined up, they stood in rows, looking from a distance like iron stakes rooted in the earth, neat and quiet.

The latest edition of the textbook "A Detailed Explanation of the Military Characteristics of the Starry Orc Race" by Han Hai Ling provides a clear summary of the combat characteristics of different types of orcs. Generally speaking, large offensive orcs such as the Bear Clan and Tiger Clan are not very good at formations.

On the contrary, large defensive orcs like the Tauren or small offensive orcs like the Dogmen have a natural advantage in terms of formation integration and coordinated combat.

As for small defensive orcs, such as rats and rabbits, even if they are lined up, they will break up at the slightest provocation. They are poorly organized and it is difficult for them to fight a protracted war without a supervisory team.

A zoologist from Earth, whom I've never met, specifically noted: "Although the orc race has shown significant differences from its primitive wild animal habits during its long evolutionary history, at least at the current stage, whether their predecessors lived in groups and how they cooperated can still serve as important reference points for judging the level of their military organization."

From this perspective, among the three orc races in the Eastern White Deer Plain, the "Motianling" group has the highest level of organization.

The foot soldier put down his binoculars, turned to the big man beside him, and looked up to ask, "Old Niu, why don't you try to persuade him first? Or..."

Standing next to him was Liu Zaiyue, a pure-blooded minotaur from "Motianling". He was now a high-ranking officer in the Hanhai Territory. Because of his seniority and close relationship with the lord, even the field army commander Macaja had to salute him politely.

The purpose of sending him was to see if they could try to persuade "Motianling" to surrender by relying on their kinship.

Seeing the expectant look in the soldier's eyes, Liu Zaiyue shook his head without hesitation.

"I can persuade her, but she won't listen now!"

"You have to hit them first, make them hurt, then you can persuade them!"

The soldier scratched the mane behind his head in confusion.

"Weren't they badly beaten enough in that battle outside Crackclaw Canyon?"

"The news from Deputy Commander Liushuang is that the Bull Clan suffered heavy casualties. Their chieftain even lost his most beloved nephew on the battlefield!"

Liu Zaiyue continued to shake his head.

"It hurts, but first, we didn't do it!" "Second, it wasn't done here."

"We have to take matters into our own hands, beat him hard here, and break down his stubbornness before we can persuade him!"

The soldier remained silent for a moment, then put on his military cap, straightened it, and slowly rubbed his hands together.

Damn it, these stubborn mules!

What else is there to say? Let's get started!
The tactics were determined long ago. For any enemy that relies on its terrain to hold out, the first step is to destroy its outer footholds.

Their playing style is also full of distinctive "Hanhai characteristics".

In the temporary command post, Ma Qianzu's finger pointed to a red circle on the map: "The 1st Company of the 5th Artillery Battalion of the Field Army, in coordination with the 1st Infantry Division and the 2nd Infantry Division of the 1st Army of the National Defense Army, will launch a main attack on the enemy's left flank Hill 131.5."

Then, with a horizontal stroke, the finger landed on the narrow strip of land between the highlands and the main peak of Motianling.

"The 2nd Artillery Company, in coordination with two mobile infantry battalions, will provide fire support between Hill 131.5 and the main peak of Motianling, blocking any enemy reinforcement attempts."

"There's only one requirement: before capturing the position, stop organized Minotaur reinforcements!"

"Commander Galen, take another division from the National Defense Force, along with two regiments of reserves, and hold the artillery positions!"

"I'm telling you this—even if my command post is destroyed, you don't need to worry about it! But the artillery positions must be absolutely secure!"

Galen, the former Ninth Knight of Zircon Territory and now Commander of the First Army of the National Defense Force, stood up and gave a resounding salute: "Yes, sir! We will carry out the order without hesitation!"

"The enemy will not get a single step near the artillery positions until our national defense forces are all wiped out!"

Seeing that the combat tasks had been assigned, the generals of the Xiyue tribes, who had been hiding below silently, afraid of being dragged up to fill in the gaps, were dumbfounded.

An older general stood up voluntarily.

"This... Commander Ma... what are our, our lads' missions...?"

Macaga was icy towards his own troops, but towards these outsiders, he was all smiles.

With a smile, he pointed to the map and gestured across the vast area behind him: "The missions of you generals are of utmost importance, and I will have to trouble you to put in your best efforts!"

"We'll be counting on you to ensure the safety of our army's rear, the maintenance of transportation lines, and the perimeter security patrols!"

The generals of the Thirteen Tribes of Xiyue looked at each other, relieved but also somewhat disappointed.

It seems like we don't need to worry about filling in the lines anymore.

They don't even look at us!
As orders were issued one after another, the war machine of the Eastern Route Army of the Hanhai Army began to rumble into action.

The first to be attacked was the outpost on the right side of Motianling, which was temporarily named Hill 131.5.

The cannons spewed orange-red flames mixed with thick, grayish-white smoke. After a round of wild bombardment, the National Defense Forces launched a direct assault on the mountain.

There weren't enough artillery shells, but there were enough hand grenades, so the National Defense Army troops advanced while carrying spears and throwing grenades.

If given to a regular army, bombarding them with artillery shells and then grenades would surely cause them to collapse after a few rounds. However, the Minotaur tribe is not a rabble.

Outside the Cracked Claw Canyon, they learned a lesson: to withstand the bombardment of the Vast Ocean Territory, they had to dig trenches.

Everyone learns very quickly.

The minotaur warriors huddled in trenches and rock-built bunkers, enduring the tremors of the artillery fire with their faces covered in dust. When the bombardment subsided, these giants began their counterattack.

Some of the minotaurs raised their giant ballistae from the depths of the trenches, and bolts as thick as arms whistled through the air as they fired at the attacking National Defense Army; others roared as they leaped from their hiding places, wielding battle axes and heavy hammers, and launched a ferocious counter-charge against the human ranks below the mountain.

The battle instantly became intense.

The clash of cold weapons always has a breathtaking beauty. The heavily armored warriors of the human race and the muscular soldiers of the minotaur race collided with a thunderous crash, and in an instant, flesh and blood flew everywhere.

On the first day, the National Defense Forces, relying on their firepower and high morale, made a difficult advance to the mountainside and captured the Minotaur's first outer fortification. At the same time, the intercepting forces forcefully blocked the enemy's reinforcements from the main peak of Motianling to Hill 131.5.

The next day, the National Defense Forces advanced another 300 meters, building on their previous advance.

On the third day, 150 meters.

On the fourth day, the minotaurs, having mustered all their strength, launched an exceptionally fierce counterattack. They surged out of their fortifications like a tidal wave, ignoring artillery fire and disregarding casualties, using their bodies to break through several forward positions of the National Defense Forces.

The National Defense Forces were caught off guard, their lines were reversed, and they were forced to retreat to their fortified positions on the hillside.

However, this was merely the last gasp of the minotaurs on this high ground.

Multiple reinforcements organized from the main peak of Motianling were ruthlessly cut off on the way. The number of casualties on this reinforcement route was enough to replace all the soldiers on the entire defensive high ground twice. In the end, only a handful of soldiers were able to reach the 131.5-meter mark.

When the mobile forces were exhausted, the last minotaur centurion, wielding a cracked battle axe, was simultaneously pierced by more than a dozen spears and fell to the ground. The first stronghold fell.

Next is the enemy's second stronghold.

Han Hailing's strategy was to tackle the easy targets first and then the difficult ones. He first dismantled the barrier on the left flank, and next, he targeted the right flank stronghold of "Motianling".

This high ground outpost is lower in elevation than the first high ground, but its importance is completely different. It controls a river that flows through the foot of Motianling Mountain and is the most important water replenishment point on the ridge, known as the "water protection post".

The battlefield was incredibly bloody. A company of the National Defense Army would often be decimated in less than half an hour. Of course, the opposing side had to fight and charge again under artillery fire, and corpses piled up on every hillside of the "water protection post".

At the height of the battle, the commander of the National Army, Galen, personally went to the front line and led his personal guard in an uphill attack, braving arrows and stones, and forcefully stopped the enemy's counterattack.

The generals of the Thirteen Tribes of Xiyue, who had been stationed on the periphery, trembled with fear.

This brutal and intense war between humans and orcs made their past tribal conflicts seem like child's play.

In the future, the return of these troops to Xiyue will surely cause some unexpected ripples.

For a full week, the troops on the eastern front of the Hanhai region used artillery fire and the lives of the National Defense Army soldiers to wear down the enemy inch by inch, squeezing them out little by little, until all the Minotaur garrison troops on the "Water Protection Post" were wiped out, and the banner of the Hanhai Territory was raised there.

Fortifications were erected on both sides, and machine gun positions were set up on the hillside of the "water protection post." The blood of the Niu tribe warriors who came down from Motianling to fetch water stained the river crimson.

Standing atop the hill, Liu Zaiyue nodded, his voice somewhat hoarse.

"That's enough, it hurts enough!"

"I'll go talk to them!"

The battle had raged for more than half a month, but the decisive conversation was conducted in just a few words.

Liu Zaiyue has been memorizing it these past few days, and he knows it by heart.

“Gema tried to send the tribe’s cubs out, but was stopped and sent back. ‘Crack Claw’ is finished!”

"Thunder Roar surrenders!"

"Even if you risk your entire tribe's warriors to defend Thunder Cliff today, we'll only have to go back and rest for a few months. We can come back anytime."

"Han Hai can lose many times, Chief Magasa, how many times can you lose?"

"Or rather, even if you were to win like this, how many times could you actually win?"

Chief Magasa's tall figure seemed to have become somewhat hunched. He gazed at the endless camps and fortifications of the Hanhai Allied Army on the distant plains, at the flags fluttering on the two highlands that had changed hands, and at the scattered corpses in the valleys, remaining silent for a long time.

At the end of August of the second year of the Xia Yue era, "Motianling" announced its surrender.

The red flag of the Han Hai Territory rises at the highest point of the Bailu Plain.

(End of this chapter)