Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 36 The Civil War of the Armored Knights

An eerie silence fell over the battlefield.

The smoke of battle still lingered, and the smell of blood was pungent, but the gunfire and shouts of killing had ceased.

On the high ground, Saxon infantrymen and International Brigades soldiers gripped their weapons tightly, watching the impending clash of steel below the hillside.

On the other side, the defeated royal army and Brittany infantry also stopped and looked back at their ace.

This meat grinder, which just moments ago belonged to the infantry, has now become the exclusive stage for the armored knights.

The armored knights led by the Knights of Garde seemed unconcerned about being surrounded, and instead took a step forward.

It raised its right hand and slammed the ornate sword in its hand heavily onto the kite shield on its left arm.

"Qiang! Qiang! Qiang!"

The crisp, resounding clang of metal echoed across the battlefield, like an ancient declaration of war before a duel, or even more so, an undisguised provocation.

"They really put a lot of thought and ceremony into it."

Morin, watching this scene through binoculars from the high ground, couldn't help but complain.

However, the next moment, the white armored knight was met with a simple and brutal 'response' from the Teutonic Knights.

"boom!"

Ludwig fired first at the 'showy' Brittany armored knight without the slightest hesitation.

Besides him, the eleven Teutonic Knights armored knights who had gathered also aimed their 'small steel cannons' at the enemy in the center after seeing him fire.

Boom boom boom boom——!
Eleven direct-fire cannons opened fire almost simultaneously, their shells whistling as they instantly covered the area where the Knights of Garde were located.

Violent explosions continued unabated, the earth trembled, and dust and smoke billowed into the sky, completely engulfing the four white figures.

However, just seconds later, four white armored knights burst out of the smoke and dust.

They formed a tight diamond formation, ignoring the shells constantly being fired at them, and charged straight toward the direction where Ludwig and Wilhelm were located.

With his gaze firmly fixed on them, Morin could clearly see that each of the white armored knights was covered by a shield that was constantly rippling.

When the Teutonic Knights' cannonballs hit the shield, they explode in concentric blue ripples.

Clearly, some kind of protective spell was at work.

However, this protection is not invincible; it has a certain defense threshold.

Under the continuous bombardment of twelve handheld cannons, the Garde Knights armored knight at the forefront experienced increasingly violent ripples around its body, and the color of its shield grew increasingly dim.

Finally, after another shell hit its target, the shield crumbled silently like shattered glass.

Subsequent shells struck its white armor without hindrance, blasting out charred craters and halting its charge.

However, the damage that long-range firepower can cause is limited to 'breaking shields'.

When the distance between the two sides closed to 100 meters, Ludwig was the first to throw down his handheld cannon.

The other eleven armored knights of the Teutonic Knights also dropped their heavy ranged weapons and drew various melee weapons from their backs or waists.

There are traditional greatswords, massive two-handed battle axes, and menacing flails.
But more often it was a heavy-duty mace specifically designed for armor penetration.

Armored knights with black and white cross paint roared with deep engine noise as they brandished their savage weapons and charged toward the Knights of Garde.

At the same time, the knights and squires from both sides flanked them, colliding violently. Boom—!
The moment steel clashed head-on, all the onlookers felt as if their hearts skipped a beat.

The scene before me was truly breathtaking.

Giant metal constructs created using magical and industrial techniques collided and slashed at each other in the most primitive and savage way.

Every collision sparked dazzling sparks, and every swing was accompanied by a whistling sound that tore through the air.

Soon, Morin also noticed the difference between the two.

The armored knights of the Garter Knights have rounded and exquisite external armor designs, and their movements are elegant and swift.

There was no exhaust pipe-like device behind it emitting any smoke, clearly indicating that it was a product of pure magical technology.

On the Teutonic Knights' side, each armored knight had two exhaust pipes emitting black smoke standing behind it.

At the same time, these 'tin cans' move around more mechanically, with large, sweeping movements that are full of the violent aesthetics of heavy industry.

It's like a meticulously crafted special machine being besieged by a group of robust and durable mass-produced machines; it's like magic technology versus magic + internal combustion engine hybrid technology.

In the world before Morin's transmigration, the internal combustion engine, which was the one being challenged, has become a kind of 'new energy' in this world.
Moreover, the internal combustion engines in this world, perhaps due to the different fuels, have a significantly higher power output than the first-generation internal combustion engines that Morin was familiar with, which is why they are able to drive this large 'iron can'.

Watching the fierce battle between the two sides, Morin quickly understood why the Teutonic Knights were fighting this battle with a three-fold numerical advantage.

There is indeed a visible difference in performance between the armored knights of the two sides.

If it weren't for the sheer number of weapons and the use of targeted weaponry, the situation in this battle would likely be completely different.

The battle intensified after the two armored knights clashed.

The Teutonic Knights abandoned all unnecessary movements and simply hurled their armor-piercing melee weapons at their opponents' armor with frenzy.

The Knights of Garde, relying on their superior equipment and greater mobility, managed to defeat two Teutonic Knights in the initial skirmish.

However, the relatively traditional armed swords in their hands could only be used to attack vital parts, and seemed more suitable for unleashing their power in a group of infantry.

In the Armored Knights Civil War, the Armored Sword was clearly outmatched when facing weapons like the Spikehead, which were designed purely for armor penetration.

Often, the slashing blades would only leave white marks on the armored knights' thick armor, while the enemy's spiked mace could smash through their outer armor plates, leaving terrifying holes.

The balance of power in the battle began to slowly tilt amidst the brutal attrition.

An armored knight of the Order of the Garde, after parrying several attacks, had its shield cleaved off its left arm by a battle axe.

Immediately afterwards, two maces struck its breastplate simultaneously from the left and right.

With a sickening metallic creak, the breastplate, adorned with intricate emblems, was smashed open, leaving two holes.

The white knight staggered backward, its movements becoming noticeably slower.

Ludwig seized the opportunity, ramming his vehicle aside and raising his mace high, aiming it at the cockpit of the damaged Garde Knight before slamming it down.

With a dull thud, Ludwig's mace smashed the cockpit of the Garde Knight, completely deforming it.

When he pulled the hammer out again, he could even see bits of flesh and blood stuck to it.

The elegant white armored knight in front of him struggled and swayed twice before finally collapsing to one knee, then fell completely silent.

(End of this chapter)