CHAPTER 203: CHAPTER 98: UNSTOPPABLE MOMENTUM! RESTORING MILITARY DISCIPLINE (PART 2)

However, Duncan indeed does not have any record of city slaughter at present. (Note: In this era, city slaughter leads to instant riches.)

Not long after.

An alarm sounded outside, and Gallard stood up in fright, hurriedly leading people outside.

The sound of galloping hooves.

Nearly a thousand Sarmatian Cavalry galloped at the end of sight, the dust rising like a sky full of clouds, striking fear into the hearts of men. Gallard led people forward, and upon seeing the guests, he couldn’t help but sigh in relief.

It was Flint’s Edmundson.

Since he was sent as the vanguard, it was meant to surrender a crowd of Celtic tribe chieftains.

Duncan’s intention was simple.

Overwhelming military power was used to crush forward, avoiding war attrition, forcing native chieftains to submit.

While eliminating King Uther, he still retained the fighting power in Wales, without forming hatred, facilitating future governance. The false reporting of military strength was also for this purpose.

War leads to death; the more the dead, the more seeds of hatred are sown.

He wanted to make people surrender without a fight by sheer massive power.

Gallard looked to his sides and led a dozen people forward to greet him. He knew Edmundson’s father; tribal chieftains would always intermarry, and strictly speaking, he was still Edmundson’s uncle-in-law.

Not far away.

Edmundson slightly raised his hand to signal, and nearly a thousand Sarmatian Cavalry stopped outside the tribe, causing the Britons inside to tremble with fear. These cavalry alone were enough to crush their tribe flat. Britannia never had many warhorses, consisting of small cavalry units, rarely seeing a thousand-cavalry army. If Duncan had not seized the prosperous London area, he wouldn’t have been able to support so many cavalry; at most, he could muster more than two thousand light cavalry units.

Heavy cavalry was out of the question, not having tens of thousands of iron cavalry; losing three thousand Iron Futu in the Golden Kingdom was worse than losing the emperor’s own mother.

In the Battle of Sharon, over 200,000 people clashed, and heavy cavalry on both sides was just three or four thousand, mainly from the Huns’ Empire, Western Roman Empire, and the Western Goth Kingdom, pooling together the foundations of these three countries.

"Enforce military discipline."

"Do not forget that the Governor just executed more than a dozen heads yesterday."

Edmundson gestured to the cavalry deputy beside him, taking only a dozen personal guard knights with him. The Governor was extremely strict about military discipline; yesterday, one squad of exiles robbed the livestock of shepherds and even defiled native women, resulting in over a dozen beheadings from centurions downward, the heads circulated among many British Legion commanders.

The exiles were originally empires’ rebel army.

Put nicely, they were pitiful people forced into dire circumstances; put harshly, many among them were bandits and outlaws.

This battle.

Wherever the army went, native Briton tribes surrendered at the mere sight, with legitimate casualties being few; to rectify military discipline, the enforcement squad executed nearly a hundred people.

One could say they made their people’s heads roll, the enforcement squad going completely mad with killing.

The Governor seemed to have the intention to spare no expense or effort, using this battle to rectify military discipline. Kvito was scared into strictly controlling his men, ensuring they did not harass local civilians. The discipline of the Exile Auxiliary Corps was the worst, even inferior to the British Coastal Guard.

Duncan had no choice.

In this era, he could only establish authority by killing, showing them with heads the consequences of violating military discipline.

If left unchecked, the citizens of Camelot Kingdom would have to take up arms against them; many of these exiles couldn’t even read a character, reasoning was impossible, they learned only the ways of the Empire’s legion and barbarian armies, even after repeated warnings, some would still loot the local populace.

Everyone’s looting?

Why can’t we loot?

Isn’t war about grabbing money, food, and women?

Kill!

The response they received was the enforcement squad’s butcher knife; regular legion soldiers were a bit better, but the auxiliary corps’ discipline was truly lacking.

The good is not learned; the bad is learned thoroughly.

The Empire’s legion’s massacre and plundering were disciplined; all loot had to be handed over and then sold by the legion’s scribes to accompanying merchants, only then was there distribution of spoils. The rebel army exile’s actions, in the Empire’s legion known for discipline, would still result in beheadings.

They don’t need to understand why now, just know to obey orders!

Killing enough people eventually makes one understand what must not be done.

As for the future, Duncan had all the time to slowly correct military discipline.

Moreover, Edmundson recently heard some rumors that in Duncan’s hometown, Bulan Village, his kin were slaughtered by the empire’s defectors; he has always showed no mercy to soldiers abusing civilians.

Heads offered for the banner, rectifying military discipline.

One could say each legion received multiple heads this time.

Until Edmundson stepped out, the nearly a thousand cavalry outside the tribe were quiet, waiting, this military power leaving Gallard stunned, feeling King Uther had no chance of winning.

Are they really not even touching a hair?

Joking.

The enforcement squad was led personally by Severus, executing more than a dozen heads daily on average, who dared make trouble at this critical moment.

Of course, Gallard offered provisions to encourage the army, which Edmundson accepted without hesitation and with a smile.

Who doesn’t love money.

Loot and plunder.

That results in instant riches, directly pocketing a hefty sum.

But the Governor’s orders must not be defied in the slightest!

Other than contributions to encourage the army, nothing else dared be touched, and everything must be recorded. When Edmundson followed King Uther back then, they looted local towns together; Britons were also robbed, otherwise, where would have been spoils from war. This time, he had to behave.

The reason was nothing but Duncan’s prestige, enough to suppress any voice!

Edmundson raised his whip, looked at the bowing Gallard chieftain before him, feeling a sense of satisfaction at displaying might before people, although it wasn’t his renown, but he was enjoying it, sharing in the glory. He solemnly said, "The Governor’s orders."

"You immediately lead five hundred warriors to join forces with the army in attacking Mongolima."

As he spoke, Edmundson threatened, "You understand the consequences of defying orders, right?"

Duncan directly conscripted the Vassal Army on the spot.

The native tribe chiefs had to send several hundred men, totaling four or five thousand, forcing them to completely break with King Uther.

Wanting to be fence-sitters wasn’t so easy; they were the first batch of cannon fodder.

Though Camelot claimed to possess indestructible castles, it was actually just the mountain fortresses in Wales, with terrain advantages and thick city walls, being easy to defend and hard to attack; in this era, it was extremely difficult to conquer.

In just half a month.

The large army under Duncan’s command had hardly encountered any decent resistance, directly hitting near Cardiff, originally a military fortress built by Roman troops, later becoming Camelot Kingdom’s capital.

A black Dragon Banner fluttered.

Duncan led the personal guard cavalry to ascend the hillside, gazing at the distant highland fortress stronghold, muttering to himself, "No wonder King Arthur fought so hard; Wales truly is a deep valley."

The entire population of Camelot Kingdom still didn’t surpass that of a modern large neighborhood; there were indeed quite a few modern districts with over 200,000 people.

However, King Uther’s strength remained formidable because he commanded a Dragon Banner Lager heavy cavalry unit.

They originated from the Sarmatian Knights, King Uther selected elite troops, forming an ironclad cavalry marked by the Dragon Banner, capable of easily shattering enemies on the battlefield. Their achievements were also notable; in many later games, this cavalry unit was Britain’s top force.

They became the legendary predecessors of the Round Table Knights.

During King Arthur’s era, there were about two hundred, now the exact number was uncertain, estimating around a Hundred-man Squad.

Based on King Uther’s resources, supporting a hundred heavy cavalry was already his limit.

Duncan himself only had slightly over three hundred armored cavalry.

He surveyed the distant mountain range, solemnly said, "Someone come."

"Bring Merlin over."

.........