Steel, gunpowder, and spellcasters

Chapter 108 General Attack
Both the Venetians and the Tanilians could clearly sense that the final moment was approaching.

The arduous siege was a tremendous ordeal for both the attackers and defenders. Everyone longed for it to end, yet they also feared the approaching final moment.

The battlefield was unusually quiet; the incessant thunder of the previous night had fallen silent for the first time. But everyone knew that this temporary calm foreshadowed even more bloodshed.

The grinding wheel clashed with the swords, sparks flying, as the Venetians honed their weapons again and again. The musketeers, too, ground their lead bullets, one by one, so that they fit perfectly against the barrel.

The defenders on the city wall were also making preparations frantically, tirelessly carrying stones, sulfur, bundles of arrows, and barrels of asphalt up the wall all night long.

At dawn the next day, the Venetians began to assemble, and for the first time, meat supplies were distributed to each soldier by the hair they carried.

Whether devout or not, all believers knelt before the military priest to pray and receive blessings. The military priest walked past the soldiers, sprinkling holy water on everyone.

The massive shelling has been going on for eleven days.

During this period, the defenders tried everything they could to minimize the damage to the city walls from the cannon fire:
They poured a mixture of lime and soil onto the outer surface of the city wall in an attempt to add a layer of protection to the wall.
They hung timber, bags of wool, and even precious tapestries outside the city walls, hoping they could absorb the impact of artillery shells.

They piled up mounds of earth behind the city wall, effectively thickening it.
They worked through the night to repair the breaches in the city wall using wooden palisades, mud, and stones, and used wooden barrels filled with soil as battlements.

However, these measures were all in vain, and the city walls were inevitably heading towards disintegration.

The Venetians, emulating the attackers in the Siege of Constantinople, improved their artillery tactics, distributing the impact points in a triangular pattern: first, they used cannons to create two horizontal craters eight or nine meters apart, and finally, they used their heaviest cannons to deliver the final blow.

When the 32-pound iron ball crashes into the city wall, it creates a chain reaction, producing even larger breaches on top of the previous two bombardments.

This damage causes the still-connected parts of the wall to bear tensile stress beyond the limit, just like a tree with a V-shaped notch cut into it. With a terrible cracking sound, the once indestructible high wall collapses.

From the fourth day of the massive bombardment, the walls were being breached faster than the defenders could repair them. Even if the Tanirians managed to mend the breaches, they were unable to clear the earth and stones beneath the walls under the Venetians' guns and cannons.

While piling up earth behind the city wall can slow down the rate of damage, once the wall collapses, the earth pile behind it will also crumble. The spilled earth and rocks will form a gentle slope in front of the breach, actually aiding in scaling the wall.

The Venetta army launched continuous probing attacks on the breaches in the walls, and on one occasion they even planted their battle flags on the city walls, but in the end the troops that climbed the walls were driven off by the arriving defenders.

The soldiers in Venetta were deeply saddened by this, but the senior officers remained unmoved.

Given the tenacious fighting spirit displayed by the Tanilia defenders, no one expected to be able to take the city through such a small-scale attack, and no one expected that planting their flag on the city walls would cause the morale of the Tanilia people to collapse.

None of the probing attacks ever managed to capture the walls, but António and Leighton would always relentlessly launch another probing attack, using this method to wear down the morale, energy, and manpower of the defenders.

Perhaps the brutal spectacle of the stake executions intimidated the defenders, or perhaps they simply lacked the strength to continue, but William Kidd never again sent men to launch night raids on Venetta's artillery positions.

On the sixth day of the massive bombardment, two hundred-man squads that circled around the back of the mountain successfully intercepted the stream flowing from the crater lake into Tacheng, cutting off the defenders' water supply.

On the seventh day of the massive bombardment, the defenders had almost given up on repairing the walls. At night, Venetta soldiers could stroll to the base of the walls and use long poles with iron hooks to pull down the wooden barrels serving as battlements from the walls, while simultaneously retrieving the shells from the base of the walls.

The Tanirians... look completely exhausted.

On the twelfth day after the massive bombardment, the twenty-eighth day of the siege, and the thirty-ninth day after Winters set foot on Red Sulfur Island, the final assault on the last stronghold of the Alliance forces on Red Sulfur Island was about to begin.

After praying, receiving blessings, and receiving communion, the Venetians, armed, began to move into their attack positions. The Tanirians on the city walls, who hadn't slept all night, heard the sounds from outside the city—first a cacophony, then a deathly silence.

This is a sign that they are poised to launch.

Everyone gripped their weapons tightly.

At dawn, signaled by a salvo from all cannons, the Venetians launched a full-scale attack on the seven breaches in the city walls amidst the sounds of war drums and bugles.

The terrifying shouts of the Venetians as they charged sent shivers down the spines of every living person in the city.

Under the cover of cannons, muskets, and crossbows, the Venetians crossed the moat and, carrying ladders, rushed to the breach in the city wall.

The soldiers in front climbed the ladders to the top of the city wall, while the soldiers behind worked hard to dismantle the temporary wooden fence blocking the gap.

In the darkness, the two armies clashed fiercely.

Stones were thrown from the city wall, those that struck Veneta soldiers instantly taking their lives. Stones that missed were bounced off the sloping foundation of the wall and sent flying, striking Veneta soldiers and causing them to vomit blood.

Each shot from a cannon can take away more than a dozen lives, and an iron ball the size of a walnut can kill one person after piercing through their body.

Boiling oil, burning sulfur, and bubbling asphalt were poured down from the city walls, and a chilling wail immediately rose from below.

The Venetians on the triangular fortress were also cleaning the city walls, with cannons and muskets tearing the Tanirians on the walls to shreds.

The troops scaling the city walls extended ladders from the triangular fortresses and placed them on the city wall. Heavily armored swordsmen and shieldmen leaped onto the walls and clashed with the guards at the city gates.

The roar of cannons and muskets, the warning bells of the Tacheng Church, the clashing of weapons, and the screams of dying soldiers blended together.

The flames from the gun muzzles were like lightning, and the sounds they made were like thunder. Even the gods would be shocked by the cruelty that humanity displays today.

Fires broke out in many places, and the stench of burning asphalt and sulfur, along with the horrible acrid smell of burning human bodies, permeated the city walls.

The smoke from the fires and the white smoke from the gunfire along the front lines created a thick, billowing haze that obscured the entire city. Eventually, neither side could see the other, and neither knew who they were fighting.

The Venetians and Tanirians hacked and slashed at each other in the confined space—no, there was no longer a distinction between Venetians and Tanirians; there were only people struggling to survive.

While Venetia's army and the defenders were engaged in fierce fighting, Winters was anxiously awaiting a signal.

Beside him were Major Moritz and seven other lieutenants. This special squad consisted entirely of members who shared another identity—spellcasters.

The best weapon against a magician is another magician, a fact that the generals of the Venetian Army knew all too well.

The enemy may have the help of legendary court mages, but the Venetians now have their own spellcasters.

Antoine Laurent initially believed that Alliance spellcasters would not be able to reach the individual level of court mages in the short term, so he suggested recruiting spellcasters into military academies to train spellcaster officers to provide spell support for front-line combat.

However, this idea ultimately went wrong in practice: the status of a spellcaster became a stepping stone to becoming an officer, and spellcasters were promoted as soon as they had enough years of service, quickly becoming field officers.

So how can spellcasters who have left the front lines of battle provide magical support? How can busy military commanders have the energy to maintain daily spell practice? In the end, a vicious cycle is formed: the more senior the spellcaster in Venetia, the worse their spell level is, and a colonel spellcaster is not as strong in combat as a lieutenant spellcaster.

Antoine Laurent also made a mistake, but unfortunately, he was unable to correct it.

Therefore, Major Moritz was ultimately assigned to lead this "countermeasure" squad. They couldn't very well transfer all the battalion commanders, could they? Besides, it was uncertain how much of their magical ability remained.

On the contrary, Moritz, who had been sidelined for many years, was making steady progress in his magical skills.

In addition, as one of the few spellcasters with practical combat experience, Winters was also transferred to Moritz's anti-magic force, even though he was not a formal officer.

Major Moritz was not highly regarded in the military for various reasons, and he didn't care about other people's opinions; on the contrary, he was happy to have a quiet life. But at this moment, Antonio and Layton could only rely on the most powerful spellcaster in the military—Moritz van Nassou.

"Why hasn't anyone given the signal yet?" Lieutenant Kirk paced back and forth anxiously under the breastwork.

Faced with an unknown enemy, everyone in Moritz's squad became somewhat neurotic: Captain Lelo checked his weapons over and over again; Major Moritz fiddled with the steel awl he had gotten from Winters—today the major was no longer concerned about portability; Winters was sitting in his seat, hands on his knees, trying to clear his mind as much as possible.

This squad, composed entirely of officers, is now entirely dressed in soldiers' uniforms.

Not only them, but all the spellcaster officers in the Venetia Army removed their spellcaster insignia today.

Centurions and battalion commanders on the front lines also removed their conspicuous officer armor and helmets, replacing them with soldiers' armor. Although this would reduce the efficiency of the command system, it was a necessary measure during extraordinary times.

“No signal is actually a good thing.” Major Moritz took a delicate silver flask from behind his belt and tossed it to Lieutenant Kirk: “Here’s a drink for you.”

Lieutenant Kirk suspiciously pulled out the cork, held it to his nose, and smelled it: "Is it wine?"

"It's a special wine. I added some potions to it, which can suppress the spellcaster's emotions and make it easier for the spellcaster to enter a spellcasting state."

Upon hearing this, Lieutenant Kirk took a large gulp and returned the silver pot to Major Moritz.

“Winters.” Lieutenant Pisani couldn’t help but pat Winters on the shoulder.

Winters, whose mind went blank, instinctively stood at attention.

"Sit down, don't get excited." Pisani was also startled and patted Winters on the shoulder: "I have something to ask you."

Pisani was only two years ahead of Winters, and the two were close when they were still in Guido. Winters naturally answered all his questions.

“You’re the only one among us who has ever killed a mage. Since you’re just killing some time, why don’t you share your experience?” Pisani asked, putting his arm around Winters’ neck.

Hearing Pisani's words, the others couldn't help but prick up their ears. It's rare for an older person to ask a younger one for advice, and this was the first time Winters had been asked about "killing experience."

“But I’m not sure if that person was a magician,” Winters said with a wry smile.

"Alright, let's stop with this nonsense." Pisani punched Winters in annoyance. "Just tell me, what's it really like for spellcasters to fight?"

“Let me think…” Winters pondered for a moment and replied, “If I had to put it in words… I think it’s like eggs being smashed against each other with a hammer.”

"Smashing eggs with a hammer?" Major Moritz laughed. "That's an interesting analogy."

“I think that’s it… A battle between two spellcasters is like eggs being smashed against each other with a hammer.” Winters said solemnly, “No matter how powerful their magical abilities are, a spellcaster’s body is just as fragile as an ordinary person’s. A stab will cause them to bleed, and a gunshot to the head will kill them. So in a battle between spellcasters, whoever strikes first lives, and whoever exposes themselves first dies.”

"'Whoever strikes first lives, whoever exposes themselves first dies'?" Pisani pondered.

"And... there is absolutely no way to capture the spellcaster alive—unless he surrenders voluntarily." Winters said with some determination, "Seniors, we must not hold back in today's battle. We cannot let our guard down until the enemy is completely dead. Even if the enemy is dead, we will not be safe until we cut off his head."

This is the conclusion Winters reached after reviewing the Battle of the Fortress: it was absolutely impossible to capture the spellcaster alive.

Limbs can be bound with ropes and broken; even the bravest warrior can be subdued if no price is too high. But how do you bind a third hand? And how do you break a fifth limb?
Spells originate from consciousness; even if a mage is reduced to a mere stump, they can still unleash deadly spells. Even if a mage is temporarily stunned, they become extremely dangerous once they regain consciousness.

In the battle at the fortress, the mysterious mage had nearly killed Winters. However, after being distracted by Herstas for only a few seconds, Winters, who was already on the verge of death, finished him off.

The eggs take turns smashing each other with hammers; if they don't completely smash each other, they might be killed in return. This is the brutal battle between spellcasters.

After hearing Winters' explanation, the officers were speechless.

"Is that why we need such concealed and rapid weapons?" Lieutenant Lelo muttered to himself, holding the modified short gun by Winters in both hands.

Winters' improved short gun has become standard issue for spellcaster officers in the legion, and spellcasters who have seen Winters' demonstration immediately fell in love with this "spell-fired weapon".

The biggest challenge in using firearms is how to fire them. Matches are dangerous and cumbersome, while spring mechanisms are complex and unreliable. Using magic to ignite the gunpowder in the chamber is a brilliant idea, not only reliable but also reducing the weight of the firearm because it eliminates the need for a firing mechanism.

To address the issue of "only one shot," Winters modified a single barrel into three, allowing the caster to fire sequentially or simultaneously. Theoretically, more barrels could be stacked, but considering the weight, three barrels are the optimal solution.

Major Moritz certainly doesn't need such a thing, but not everyone has the same level of expertise in kinetic magic as the Major.

Many spellcasters skilled in fire and shock spells lack the ability to kill their enemies, so this type of firearm, which only requires the lowest level of fire spells, is very popular.

Many spellcasters were annoyed that they hadn't thought of this idea, which made Winters very embarrassed, because he only had this idea after seeing the mysterious spellcaster fire the cannon through the barrel.

“Don’t worry so much. Maybe that person won’t even show up today.” Pizarro patted Winters on the shoulder and said with a smile, “Whether that person makes a move or not, Tower City will definitely be captured today. If I were that person, I would definitely hide among the soldiers and wait to surrender. I wouldn’t come out to die.”

Before the words were even finished, the sentry on the triangular fortress rushed down from the top floor in a panic, shouting, "Signal flare! Red! East wall!"

Stone, as a covalent material, is resistant to compression but not to tension; it can bear weight but cannot be used for beams. Therefore, the stone columns of ancient Greek temples had very small spans, and it wasn't until the advent of vaulting technology that large-span structures like the Roman Pantheon were created. Similarly, in reinforced concrete structures, because tensile stress is resisted by the steel reinforcement, cracks in the concrete are not a problem.

Therefore, pure stone buildings are prone to collapse once a V-shaped gap appears. Making triangular gaps in the city walls was a real tactic in 1453, and it is said that the idea was suggested by the Hungarians to the Ottomans.

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(End of this chapter)