My Players Are So Fierce

Although the Gnolls are crude and mostly unruly, their warfare experience ranks high across the entire continent.

After all, it’s been four hundred and fifty years since the first Black Disaster, and during these centuries, the Gnolls have either been fighting with the entire continent or with rival clans.

Calling them a “war race” is not an exaggeration.

If battle can be considered a talent, then the Gnolls are beings that have maxed out this talent.

Coupled with their naturally exaggerated physical prowess, these beings have been able to continue their rowdy little lives in the Dark Mountain Range despite centuries of joint hunts.

The ancestral warfare experience passed down through generations has been inherited by their descendants.

It merged and evolved into new branches during the four successive continent-wide Black Disasters, which is why even if a group of Gnolls were airdropped onto a deserted island, the first thing they’d be able to build would always be a fortress and weapons for war.

Take, for example, the seemingly ordinary highland position before us.

After the Transia novices used their explosively powerful self-destruct strategy to gnaw down the first defense line and took out the Military Governor who came to take over command, what lay before them was not a disordered camp they could push through with ease.

On the contrary, after the first defense line was taken down, the Gnolls within did not panic.

Instead, under the command of the Junior Warlords, they began to form a defensive formation against the enemy.

Especially when Colonel Fraser commanded about two-thirds of the artillery to push forty field guns to suitable positions, starting to fire upon the Gnoll camp, trying to replicate the previous charge coordinated with the Transia forces, Split Claw Overlord in the camp immediately sensed the danger.

The Overlord gave a frenzied order, commanding the Gnolls at the second defense line to charge at the enemy, braving the precise shots of the Goldenrod Cannoneer.

This was not the same as Transia advancing under artillery cover.

It was basically asking the Gnolls to leap out from behind cover that protected them to directly face those searing, destructive shells.

Yet this true suicide order was swiftly carried out.

Because the Gnoll Junior Warlords at the second defense line quickly realized the biggest issue of this invading army: their firepower was severely lacking!

The forty field guns spread out couldn’t even cover a third of the Gnoll positions.

The first defense line was only conquered because the soldiers there were spooked.

If they mustered the courage to charge out of their positions and engage in close combat with the Transia people, they would easily notice this issue.

Those field guns were just to intimidate; hoping they could smash the great Gnoll army is pure fantasy.

The Gnolls are not the kind of army to collapse under bombardment.

They are much bolder than that.

Indeed, in Lord Qin’s plan, there was never the illusion of breaking the enemy with artillery.

If only the Brass Dwarves, equipped with the “superior firepower tradition,” had followed them here, there might be some hope.

Unfortunately, those seemingly mighty Brass Dwarves are a bunch of damned cowards who are only fierce within their own territory!

To maintain marching speed, Colonel Fraser couldn’t bring real heavy artillery.

So when the elite Gnolls at the second defense line began charging amidst the artillery bombardment, the players’ once unstoppable offensive was quickly stalled between the first and second defense lines.

This Vanguard Camp, built on a highland, had a total of three defense lines.

If the players could conquer the second defense line, they would certainly win.

Conversely, if the Gnolls held the second defense line, then the players would have to retreat immediately.

Their numbers were severely insufficient.

Once a raid turns into a frontal assault, it’s all over.

Upon seeing the Formation Breakers halted, Old Qin, wielding the Chainsaw Sword, decisively issued an order:

“Have the Formation Breakers contract the battle circle, and send 400 men forward!

Blast open the Gnoll line!”

Lord Qin, dubbed “Old Warlord” by players, pointed at the chaotic battlefield ahead and shouted to his adjutant, the Old soldier of Qing dynasty:

“Have General Maxim and his soldiers ready.

Once the line breaks open, charge through!

They must penetrate the third defense line and eliminate the enemy commander.

The players will stay back here to buy them time.

We have too few people; we can’t afford a drawn-out fight!

We can only win by breaking the Gnolls’ morale and causing them to collapse!”

The Old soldier of Qing dynasty hesitated to speak.

He wanted to tell Lord Qin that he’s just a major, while the other is a general, and he doesn’t have the authority to command others.

But seeing Old Qin’s menacing face, the adjutant immediately ran off to deliver the message.

Fortunately, Maxim was also a pragmatist.

By bringing his troops here, he was clearly eager for victory too.

Moreover, tonight’s battle had another layer of meaning for Maxim.

“Please tell Major Qin that my warriors and I will not waste the opportunity and time the warriors have fought for.

No matter the cost, we will take the enemy leader’s head!”

The Monster General promised the players, and as his People’s Army soldiers made final preparations, Maxim took a few steps back and said to Lady Lionea, who was taking out specialized arrows from her quiver: