Rise of Rurik

Just as a cold snap could freeze the world overnight, news of the war spread throughout Novgorod in less than half a day.

There is no need to conceal the news. On the contrary, if the news of the enemy attack can be quickly known to the public, you will not have to worry about publicity later.

Is that child named Sorkina really the queen of the old Polotsk aristocracy? Rurik felt that this was not the point that needed to be considered.

In any case, the child was given a new identity and a high status, making him worthy of his own son.

Rurik left his father's place, clutching the hilt of his sword, and hurried to the training ground outside the city. The soldiers' training continued as before, and it only ended when night fell.

If it hadn't been for the sudden arrival of the Duchess of Ostara and the war warning, today would have been an ordinary foggy and snowy day like the previous days.

The weather conditions are indeed bad, but as long as it's not a blizzard, it's not particularly bad. Young Ross, who wears thick clothes, must be worthy of his bloodline and beliefs. Young and energetic, they must also prove that they are stronger than their fathers.

Rurik understands their mentality very well. The Russian society can be said to be full of martial arts and wealth-loving people. Growing up in such an environment, young people are eager for war.

But according to the original plan, the king would lead a strong expeditionary force to the distant Frankish world to continue the unfinished war in 840.

Who will win this honor? The four newly formed infantry flag corps are undergoing intense training. These young people have a great opportunity to go to the battlefield.

After all, they are infantry. They take large ships to the Western world and then enter the inland rivers to quickly enter the battlefield. The transportation cost is relatively low.

The cavalry was different. Even if it is a standing army, the two newly formed cavalry teams, due to the high overall cost of transporting war horses by sea, will only transport one team, so-called three hundred cavalry, to the established cavalry team.

As for being able to ride a horse directly along the coastline and reach the Alliance's Principality of Saxony by land, this is not something that young people can imagine.

They can't possibly think of something they haven't heard of! But Rurik thought of it. He returned to the training ground with his entourage, and the majestic image of the king riding a horse in the fog and snow was quickly seen by everyone.

He ordered an assembly call to appear. At the melodious horn, all the cavalry and infantry in training quickly assembled.

A large snow-covered wasteland, boots and horse hooves have trampled the snow into ice, and the falling snowflakes can only make the snow gradually thicker.

Since they had been in motion, there was basically no snow on the bodies of the people and horses, at most there was only some snow on their hats.

A murderous look suddenly appeared in the fog and snow! Each warrior, especially the infantrymen, carried their bucklers behind their backs and inserted their training wooden swords back into their armed belts. They stood as straight as a red pine, and their furry bodies made them look like standing bears.

Just as they stood at attention, snow began to accumulate on their hats and shoulders. They had sullen faces and no clear expressions, or they had no intention of talking to each other because they were a little tired.

There were three thousand troops assembled here. When they were scattered in the main filming location, the fog and snow blurred their figures, which did not reflect the large number of people. The current assembly immediately showed the majestic military power.

The 3,000-strong army did not carry formal weapons, but the momentum they showed alone shocked the spectators, enough to have a good chat with relatives and friends.

But it wasn't enough to shock Rurik. By the standards of Europe in this era, three thousand well-equipped soldiers could be a hegemonic force on the continent.

When it comes to war, these people will be equipped with lower-cost plate armor and iron helmets, and will be armed with swords and spears made of mild steel, as well as crossbows that are commonly used by the Russian army.

In the tribal era, Ross also had a large number of ruthless people who fought against the enemy wearing only commoners and carrying rusty iron axes.

Such a warrior fully satisfied Rurik's imagination of a barbarian warrior. Thinking about his uncle Ogier, who died early in the battle, the root cause of the tragedy was not that he suffered a sneak attack, but that he was pierced by a crude iron spear because he did not have good armor. Body...Twenty years later, Ross has changed his appearance, and the most significant transformation is in the kingdom's army.

What is plate armor? The most elite warriors also need to wear an integral cold-forged front breastplate, so that the armor can only be deformed by blunt objects, and the fluffy lining inside will provide sufficient cushioning, so that the soldier's vital parts cannot be broken by sharp objects or blunt objects. The presence.

Such a warrior is so powerful that he is really suitable for abandoning the buckler and holding weapons with both hands to enter the enemy formation and kill all sides, achieving what Ross defined.

"Berserker". To become such a berserker, one must be very strong and tall. To feed them, daily food is a huge expense.

The biggest problem with the young people in front of them is that they are too young. Although the future is promising, they are about to be led into the battlefield by themselves. Perhaps only God can foresee their performance.

Rurik was still a little hesitant and noticed that many people's resolute faces simply changed their minds. He drew his sword in front of everyone and pointed the sword's edge directly at the cloud-covered sky, attracting everyone's attention.

The soldiers stood densely enough, and Rurik shouted with his sword at the top of his lungs: "Now let me tell you a great thing! The war you all long for! has already broken out!" For fear that his subordinates could not hear clearly, Rurik deliberately To emphasize a phrase - war broke out.

The outbreak of war? It clearly never stops. The soldiers who were moved still maintained restraint. After all, they had been busy improving their fighting skills in the training ground, and they were not aware of the war in the south that Hu had started to spread crazily in the city.

Any war is an opportunity to make contributions and make a fortune. The key is who gets the chance to fight? Rurik simply did not mention the specific enemies, but emphasized: "All of you! All cavalry units must participate in the battle! And you, the 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th flag corps. Young warriors! God has given you the opportunity to participate in the war, and I will lead you into the battlefield immediately..." The situation is extremely urgent, and now that I have personally conquered Rurik, I feel that I have been a little too hasty.

However, the enemy is none other than the Smolensk forces that have been on guard for many years. The Smolensk people took the initiative to invade, and the leader was Vadim who escaped.

If the tribes in the south launched sneak attacks for economic gain, Vadim mainly wanted revenge.

The Pine Needle Manor was wiped out, and thousands of people were buried in giant tombs. The place became an extremely unlucky place. No one went to the woodland where trees had begun to grow, and the Russians and local Slavs were unwilling to visit.

Even the pine, spruce and birch trees that began to grow locally are believed to grow by absorbing the nutrients of the dead. They also naturally absorb the resentment of the dead. Building a house with this kind of wood will definitely cause the house to collapse, and building a ship will inevitably Shipwreck.

After all, the counter-insurgency war ten years ago was done extremely well. They killed all the ministers but some nobles escaped. During the battle that year, because Vadim participated in the assassination of old Otto, Otto was so angry that he killed him.

"Dare to assassinate my father? Defeat you on the battlefield and take no prisoners!" At that time, Rurik had the same opinion as other nobles, and they literally targeted Pine Needle Manor.

"Kill all the prisoners." As a result, the people who are now slaves are no longer the survivors of Pine Needle Manor. If you think about it from his perspective, Ross dealt with the rebellion in such a bloody manner, and now that Vadim has gained power, that guy will definitely retaliate in the same way.

Of course, many people still look down upon Vadim. However, such a lonely person

The "Prince of Desolation" became the boss of the entire Smolensk community in ten years. This shows that this person has strong power and ability. As for this person's ability to lead troops in war?

Intelligence indicated that this man had five thousand mercenaries and five hundred cavalry. He was able to command 5,000 men and sent troops to attack Vitebsk from the position of Smolensk, but he still caught Ross by surprise by launching a winter offensive in the wind and snow.

Based on this information, Rurik could not link stupidity or recklessness to that guy. To be honest, Rurik did feel a little scared.

Five thousand tribal troops under the command of Vadim dared to launch a strong attack on the fortress with wooden walls and irrigation trenches... Those who suffered a loss will find ways to make up for themselves verbally, and those who are disdainful will talk about all aspects of the enemy. are so weak that the claims are likely to be far from reality.

Rurik could not fully believe the words of Karl Eriksson, who had witnessed the war. This man was relatively young and had high self-esteem. Although he was a rare talent in Russia, I am afraid that this man made the enemy too stupid.

Vadim and his Smolensk army are weak? On the contrary, it is a terrifying and powerful army!

Rurik had to consider one thing. The so-called Vitebsk was eventually engulfed by them. The victorious army continued to attack the stronghold established by the Kingdom of Rus in Polotsk, and then forced the locals to surrender to Smolensk.

Rurik felt that there was evidence for his inference - the enemy had leather armor. How about Smolensk leather armor?

Rurik had already seen the real thing for the first time. In terms of feel, it was light and hard. Although there were obvious marks when cutting it with a steel sword, it was almost impossible to cut it off. The only way was to thrust with a steel sword and rely on strong force. run through it.

However, in real combat, the enemy is often not a target for the swordsman to thrust into. Probably the cowhide was fully soaked in resin, resulting in this special leather armor.

In fact, this kind of armor is not uncommon. Ross is also capable of making it. However, Ross controls the large iron ore and is able to produce massive amounts of carburized and quenched iron sheets at low cost, and rivet them to the reserved holes with rivets. The leather is both soft and hard, which is more effective than the hardened leather armor of Laoshizi.

The key issue is that Carl Erikson quoted prisoners of war saying that the so-called Smolensk Army not only had five thousand soldiers, but almost everyone wore leather armor.

This kind of thing is to rather believe that it exists than to believe that it does not exist. Rurik didn't dare to gamble with the recruits he had finally trained.

He noticed again that when he announced that everyone would immediately go into battle, the dull faces suddenly shouted spontaneously out of ecstasy.

They are shouting rhythmically

"Ula". Such is Rurik's bad taste, the traditional Viking war cry of Rus such as

"Haha\

,""Ho!", all standing armies and citizen soldiers who have received full training should shout

"Ula".

"Yes, this looks like the Ross army." Rurik was very satisfied with their momentum, but now he needed to spend a lot of time to inform them of the strength of the enemy.

"There are five thousand soldiers in Smolensk. Each one carries an iron spear and a wooden shield imitating ours. Everyone even wears armor!"

"The enemy is commanded by Vadim. Remember this name! Vadim! Vadim, the rebel from ten years ago!"

"This Vadim is extremely ambitious. He leads his troops to invade our territory and intentionally kills any living person he sees, even women and children. His purpose is to kill people, and everything is just to satisfy his revenge. "

"Fighters, this is your enemy! Destroy them all to protect our territory and our families. It is also a crusade against rebellion!"

"Your enemies are very powerful. Because of their hatred, they will attack you with all their strength. I will not allow anyone to be cowardly, because cowards and deserters will either die under my king's military law or be skinned alive after being caught by the enemy."

"Now, our most noble old king Otto, he has handed the most noble sword of Russia into my hands. The sword is called the Destroyer, and I will lead you to completely destroy Vadim and his army. .”

"You are all children of Ross, with the blood of warriors flowing through your veins. Through this sudden war, you will become real men, so that I can safely take you to the west to fight against more powerful opponents..." Rurik continued Riding a horse and being in the military formation made his series of encouraging words truly heard by everyone.

Only by defeating powerful enemies can you prove yourself stronger. The enemy's purpose in fighting is not to plunder wealth and land, but to kill for the sake of killing?

! The hearts of the young warriors were deeply touched. They beat their chests and beat their feet in anger, and wished they could go to the battlefield to fight immediately.

Perhaps what the king said was true. Fisk and Brody, the two senior cavalry captains who had really seen the world, didn't think the enemy was really strong.

The two focused on the information that the enemy had five hundred cavalry. If so, the Ross cavalry must annihilate them.

Because in this vast world, only the Ross Cavalry family is allowed to dominate. Therefore, the war was endowed with legitimacy and justice.

Thanks to the pre-war agitation at the training ground, the most accurate information about who the enemy was, what their strength was, and their purpose quickly spread throughout the city.

So while Carlotta and Svetlana were having dinner and chatting with the children, the high-spirited Rurik was too lazy to eat dinner.

He casually ate some dry and hard bread to pad his stomach, and then gathered senior military personnel in Rus Duman in the city.

Four cavalry captains: "Bald" Fisk,

"Grappler" Brody,

"Mustache" Karl and

"Pig Nose" Swain. Four new infantry banner captains: Cedric, Olaf, Trygve and Tostig.

Also present was the uncle of the state, Medvet, the governor of Novgorod. Everyone is having fun and has high morale. No one has any doubts about the combat operation itself. Now we gather here to fully discuss a combat plan all night long.

Everyone's attitude is completely unified, and each captain is confident that the team he leads can perform meritorious service on the battlefield.

"We must win. We let Vadim live for ten more years. Originally, our army had no time to attack him. Unexpectedly, this reckless guy actually brought a heavy army to invade. So to be on the safe side, I have to assemble a large army to fight. Stop talking about how strong you are, of course you are very strong. This time we will not make the same mistake, that Vadim... This year Hanukkah, this man’s head will be used to sacrifice Odin.” Rurik’s proposition attracted unanimous approval from everyone.

The biggest problem is also obvious. Medved asked: "King, how many troops do you plan to lead? Our cavalry is limited, how can the infantry advance? Is it possible to march in the snow?"

"This matter is not a problem." Rurik glanced at everyone sitting: "Reindeer are not as good as horses, but fortunately we have a lot of reindeer. Originally before Hanukkah, when the Volkhov River was completely frozen, there would be A large number of people move to the capital, relying on sleds. Now that the Great Lakes and the Lovati River have not frozen, it is not a problem. There is enough snow in the riverside area to allow the sleds to move quickly."

"But do we have enough sleds? If not, I will immediately recruit sleds from the whole city." Medved said again.

"Then it's all your fault. And this time your Slavic flag unit must participate in the war."

"Hehe, I thought I would stay away from fighting when I got old. You should remember that I am also a soldier..." Rurik smiled slightly and patted his uncle on the shoulder: "That's damn Vadim! Cruel him How can I be without you? I also need you to sort out some military resources quickly, and I need you to mobilize the production of the entire city."

"I will do whatever you ask me." Medved slapped his chest hard: "How many reindeer, how many sleighs, how much grain, give me a number, and I will start making arrangements without sleeping tonight."

"There is no need to be in such a hurry. If you want, you can make arrangements overnight. We will discuss this matter carefully, and everyone happens to be here..." Some minor problems in combat operations are often small problems that can be overcome, but a large number of small problems are intertwined. If not done together, it can lead to big trouble.

After all, it will be a large-scale snow march, which Ross has certainly done in the past. Considering the urgency of this battle, the mobilization of troops will inevitably exceed 4,000 people.

Ten people sat on a sleigh, all the baggage was put on it, and there was a driver, driven by four reindeer.

In order to ensure sufficient transport capacity, 400 sleighs and 2,000 reindeer must be assembled.

Although the cavalry has 1,200 soldiers in four flag corps, in order to ensure safety, when another 300 horses are used as pack mules to participate in the battle, and when marching, the cavalry must take off their armor and protect the horse power so that they can communicate with the brothers on the sleigh. Give it a squeeze.

This is just the minimum. There can be more sleighs and reindeer. As for how many sleighs can be collected in excess, it depends on Governor Medved's ability.

He immediately gave everyone only two days to prepare tomorrow and the day after tomorrow, and will set off the day after tomorrow! Unless a sudden snowstorm prevents the army from moving.

Among the planned four thousand troops, there were a large number of new soldiers. Fortunately, there were also a group of veterans who had experienced many battles, so Rurik felt more at ease.

This is only the main troops of the Kingdom of Ross, and the Ostara army must also be included, although its strength is very limited.

Rus also has some foreign aid troops whose strength cannot be underestimated, including the Pecheneg diplomats who have been stationed in Rus for a long time, the horse riders who are staying this winter, and the horse riders from the Kiev community.

The participation of these friendly forces in the war is the icing on the cake. Ross does not need to ask them to cooperate with each other. Considering the friendship between them, it is beneficial to invite them to participate in the war.

It will be tomorrow to discuss a joint troop dispatch issue with Quetzal, Nurger, and Wladislav.

Rurik felt that it needed one night to ferment. He knew that the news had spread to everyone in the city, and these guests should consider whether to send troops.

"You will definitely ask to send troops. After all, Vadim blocked the road in such a vicious way. In order to do business, you must join forces with me to kill the enemies blocking the road. In this way, I can make five thousand pairs Five thousand. Haha! Vadim, don’t say I’m bullying you now.” Rurik thought so, looking forward to the battle.