Book 5, Chapter 31: Of Camp And Crossbows
“The peasantry I’ve conscripted, some thirty-thousand men, I’ve armed with crossbows. I must apologize for misjudging you there. It’s the perfect weapon for conscription.”
“No need.” We were walking through the camp. It was set up by how the regiments would move into formation. Infantry near the front, crossbow units on the side, up the slopes of the saddle, cavalry to the rear. “Those were contentious times.”
“The enemy,” Carlisele looked off to the right, perhaps at the horizon where the mountains met a dreary, cloudy sky, “focuses our efforts, our thoughts.”
“Please continue your explanation of holding this pass.”
“I have the infantry digging trenches on the slope, putting in spikes and other traps. The crossbowmen are stationed above these and to either side of the pass’s mouth, peltasts below their positions. When the battle begins, the sarissae forces will block the mouth of the pass, cavalry behind on each side, skirmishers in the middle.”
“Seems to me a good plan.”
“It’s more difficult for their mages to use ground fortifications against us. If they don’t have mages, we may hold if we can force the Laemacians to advance through a narrowed position.”
I looked up at him, thinking how awkwardly he said that. But he was right, it was the only way to hold this pass. “And how will they try to undermine our efforts?”
“They could use mages to fill the pits we’ve dug, perhaps send the spikes at our own troops. But if they don’t have wizards, probably by using armored war rhinos. Chariots wouldn’t get past the fortifications, but rhinos are more maneuverable and hard to kill. Perhaps cavalry. Or they could advance slowly, using shields to defend our missile attacks, and fill in the pits themselves.”
“I bet that’s what they go with. It’ll take more time for them, but it would be a lot safer. If the ballistae work, though, they won’t be able to form an effective defense. Not with regular shields.”
We approached the crossbow regiments. I could see now they weren’t professional soldiers. Old men, young boys, sitting and talking, holding their new crossbows on their laps. Probably wondering what to do with them. Good thing crossbows are easy weapons to use. Point, loose, reload. I doubted these guys had much accuracy, though. Several stood as they saw us.
Morry was standing below them, and turned when someone pointed us out. Beside him, workers were setting up the ballistae by hammering frames together, others setting out the missiles we’d brought. The frames were basic affairs. Large, T-shape, poles to set the metal tension rod in, a pully system to draw the rope back. These would fling long and thick pieces of wood with pointy tips at the enemy. A precious few were being given metal tips, but we didn’t have the resources or time to outfit them all. Still, a forty-pound mass of wood flung at high speed into a body, even an armored one, is going to ruin someone’s day.
“They look like scaled up crossbows,” said Carlisele.
“That’s basically what they are. Well, no basically about it.”
“Princess, Earl.”
“General Morrentz.”
“Do we have one ready to test?”
“Yes, Princess, this way.” The big man led us over, still on the rise above the mouth of the pass, to an assembled and loaded ballista.
I spoke to the crew of four manning it. “I want you to loose it straight, see how far it can reach.”
One of the men pulled a large lever, which unlocked the pully mechanism, and the steel snapped shut with a loud twanging sound, its sides hitting against the wood holding it in place, a few chips flying about, the missile launched off into the air, soaring farther than I’d hoped, well past the upslope to the saddle of the pass and further than any arrow could fly.
“My word,” said Carlisele. “We can hit them as they prepare to attack.”
“That will kill a rhino. You’re right, Princess. I like this weapon.”
“I’m a little worried about how hard it was on the frame. I wonder if the smith can make it tighter?”
“I’ll relay that to him.”
“Where do we place these?”
Morry answered, “I figure there are two places for these devices. Either below or above the crossbow regiments. Above would ensure their safety longer but may cause issues if they fail catastrophically. Especially for the shot.”
“Shot?”
“Some of these are outfitted with lead balls. Shot. For stopping soldiers.”
“Won’t their armor protect them?”
Morry turned to me, and the earl followed suit. I didn’t sigh, but wished I could explain that force equals acceleration times mass to them. “These balls,” I picked one up, it was about the size of a golf ball, “will hit their targets much faster than slingers can. You saw how far it flung the tree branch there. Armor won’t make a difference.”
“You haven’t tested these, either?”
I shook my head, “No. Yeah, they might not work. Carlisele, we’re doing the best we can.”
He put his hands up, “I understand. I meant no attack. It’s just . . . I don’t know how we’re going to hold against such an army.”
Nearby soldiers took notice and those building more ballistae stopped and paid attention.
“Morry, get these things built. The earl and I are going to discuss battle plans.” I slipped my arm into Carlisele’s, holding onto him with both hands, directing us away from the workers, across the mouth of the pass. “You know,” I couldn’t help but say, “you’re easier to get along with when a massive enemy army is facing us.”
“I shouldn’t have said that in front of the men.”
“Nothing you can do about it now.”
We walked for a bit in silence. Below us, up and down the slope leading to the pass, soldiers were digging trenches. Others carried wooden spikes down to those who were burying them in the ground, some into the trenches. A few men carried tea or ale, dolling them out to the laborers. It was oddly comforting, seeing all these men working together for the sole purpose of surviving what was likely to be an overwhelming attack.
“So,” Carlisele said, “the Barclay Duchy?”
“Yeah. I, uh, gave the Bechalle Duchy to Hafthon. Sorry. I’m too impulsive for my own good.”
“You’re giving me more power with the Barclay duchy.”
“That’s true. I want you to stamp out the church, though. At least their military.”
“It may take some doing.”
“It’s part of the deal. That or nothing.”
“Nothing is what we’re facing here.”
“I wish I could have done more. Invented more weapons, somehow gotten us more men. If only I hadn’t been given this goddamn magic, the mages never would have attacked us!”
“The other good thing about the Barclay Duchy-”
“You might as well call it the Carlisele Duchy now.”
“Not quite yet, I think.”
“Ok, and? What’s the other good thing?”
“It’s warmer in the winter. I think I’ll like that.”
Off in the distance, dust rose up like an angry cloud. The Laemacian army, marching this way. It was too far to make out individuals, even those massive rhinos, but I felt like I could hear the low base of their marching. Had to be my imagination. Even so far away, it was a much, much larger army than we’d mustered and larger than any army I’d laid eyes on.
“I don’t see any small groups in front of them. Where are our scouts?”
“Most of our scouts have arrived. They brought word of the Laemacian movement. Hence we set up here. We have, of course, posted scouting parties at all the nearest potential passes. But those are too small, narrow, or treacherous for such an army.”
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