Time was pressing, and Louis had to quickly improve the territory's combat strength within the next few days.So, he took his white-haired secretary, Sif, to the training ground to check on the soldiers' training progress.Sif's mouth slightly agape as she watched the perfectly coordinated battle formations.It was her first time seeing the Red Tide Territory's soldiers practice battle formations, and she was filled with shock.The Red Tide Territory's military tactics were completely different from the common warfare methods in this world.Most lords' tactics were nothing more than piling up a chaotic mob into a wall of flesh, attempting to withstand cavalry charges with sheer numbers.But the result was often their formation being torn apart by Knights, leading to an immediate collapse.However, the Red Tide Territory was different; they used the 'Stacked Formation' designed by Louis.He divided the battle formation into three layers, representing the coordinated operations of long-range suppression, close-quarters interception, and lethal counterattacks.First layer of the battle formation: archers.Archers stood in the front row, divided into three groups for continuous volley fire, similar to a three-stage attack, which maintained the continuity of the arrow rain."Target the horses!" the training officer shouted on the training ground.The soldiers drew their bows, and arrows rained down.Thwack!—Thwack!—Thwack!The arrows hit the targets densely; although not all were accurate, their sheer quantity meant some would always hit.The simulated shooting target was not the Knight himself, as such an attack was quite limited against a Knight with battle qi.Their true target was the horse beneath the Knight!Except for monster horses, ordinary horses usually had no armor and could not use ➤ NоvеⅠight ➤ (Read more on our source) battle qi.By accurately shooting at the horse's legs or belly, they could disrupt the enemy cavalry's charging formation, greatly weakening the Knight's impact.Second layer of the battle formation: spearmen."Hold the formation! Maintain your pace!"After the archers completed their first round of shooting, shield-bearing spearmen quickly stepped forward, forming a dense spear array.The spears in their hands were four to six meters long, pointed uniformly forward.Their role was to step forward and aim their spear tips at the horses' bellies after the enemy cavalry was disrupted by the archers and their momentum weakened, forcing the Knights to slow down or even lose control of their warhorses, unhorsing the Knights.Third layer of the battle formation: sword and axe soldiers.Once the cavalry was forced to slow down, it was the sword and axe soldiers' turn.They were hidden behind the spearmen, and once the spear formation successfully stalled the enemy, they would swiftly leap out, wielding heavy longswords or battle axes.Their goal—to cut down the horses' legs, then hack at the dismounted Knights!"Cut!"On the training ground, at the training officer's command, the sword and axe soldiers charged forward, and the wooden stakes simulating cavalry were instantly severed, splitting into pieces.Even lower-tier Knights, despite having battle qi protection, would find it difficult to leave the battlefield alive if entangled in close combat by several well-trained sword and axe soldiers.Moreover, this battle formation could be coordinated with Knights to expand the battle's results.Of course, this tactic was not Louis's original idea but was inspired by Wu Lin's 'Stacked Formation' during his resistance against the Jin in history.In his previous life, during the Battle of Xianrenguan in the Song Dynasty, Wu Lin used this tactic to successfully annihilate the Jin army's 'Iron Pagoda' heavy cavalry."Can this kill battle qi warriors?" Sif finally couldn't help but ask."Formal Knights and above won't be killed so easily, but it's remarkably effective against lower-tier Knights," Louis said with a hint of pride.This set of tactics certainly couldn't counter high-tier Knights, as those monsters could fight one against a hundred.But for Apprentice and Formal Knights, it was a fatal bane.Just one squad of these well-trained infantry, using the battle formation, could surround and kill several Knights.However, these soldiers could only serve as support on the battlefield; the true deciders of the battle still depended on Knights possessing battle qi."Let's go," Louis interrupted Sif's thoughts and continued walking to the other side of the training ground.Knights were also conducting tactical drills there.Unlike the infantry formations of the soldiers, the core of the cavalry training was the 'Swarm Tactic.'This was the core tactic Louis refined based on the Northern environment.On the wide training ground, Knights were divided into multiple small teams, each led by 3 to 5 Formal Knights and comprising 10 to 20 Apprentice Knights.They continuously attacked imaginary enemies from different directions.The tactic, in short, was divided into three stages: harassment—feint—focused fire!One small team quickly approached the target, throwing javelins or drawing bows to harass the target, then immediately withdrew.Another small team launched an attack from the flank, creating the illusion of a main force charge, forcing the enemy to shift their defensive line.The two teams cycled back and forth, harassing the enemy.Finally, seizing the moment when the enemy wavered, a hidden cavalry team suddenly appeared, concentrating their attack on key targets to inflict maximum damage in a short time.Throughout the process, the Knights maintained high mobility, never engaging the enemy head-on, but rather repeatedly wearing them down and seeking weaknesses.As soon as the enemy showed any fatigue or the commander made a mistake, the Knights would seize the opportunity to concentrate their forces and launch a fatal surprise attack!On the training ground, warhorses galloped, and dust flew.Lances pierced wooden stakes, and arrows accurately hit their targets.After several months of training, the Red Tide Territory's Knights were able to perfectly execute the Swarm Tactic.The veteran Knights were skilled, and although the newcomers made mistakes, they gradually integrated into the system with practice.Louis nodded with satisfaction.This tactic maximized the protection of his cavalry while continuously weakening the enemy.Compared to the foolish tactic of mindless charges followed by encirclement and annihilation, this dispersed harassment tactic was the proper way for elite cavalry to operate.Sif felt a tremor in her heart as she watched the Knights, who were orderly and obeyed commands strictly.Their movements were precise and flawless; every command was executed swiftly, without the slightest hesitation.This was completely different from the Northern tribal warriors she was familiar with.In the tribes, warriors were more accustomed to charging in a disorganized mob, relying on individual bravery and physical prowess to fight, rather than this combat style that emphasized coordination and tactics.If the Iron-Blood Empire's Knights were all like those of the Red Tide Territory, then the Northern tribes would be in danger.Her hands clenched slightly, her heart heavy.As the former princess of the Han Yue Tribe, she naturally wished for all the traitors to be killed, especially those who poisoned her father and killed her mother, brothers, and sisters.She wished they would die without a burial place.But if the Empire truly swept through the North with full force, then what about the innocent tribesmen her father protected…"What are you thinking about? Let's go, to the alchemy workshop."Louis's voice interrupted Sif's wild thoughts.She snapped back to reality, glanced at Louis, and ultimately said nothing, silently following him.Louis looked at the increasingly powerful army on the training ground, feeling pleased.The soldiers were already proficient in using battle formations, and the Knights' Swarm Tactic had taken shape; their combat strength was several times stronger than before they came to the Red Tide Territory.Very good, next up is the Demonic Flame Bomb.If Silco's team had already succeeded in their research, Louis would have even more confidence in the upcoming battle.If it wasn't finished yet…Louis let out a soft snort, already having a countermeasure in mind.He would make Silco work overtime until it was done. Hmph, he'd work him to death.He pulled on the reins, urging his warhorse forward.Sif also mounted her horse, and the two, along with their accompanying Knights, galloped towards the alchemy workshop.
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