The Free Company- Book V: Bloody Retribution

[redwolf]

August 12 - Morning - Battle of Cremona

Chen Hui watched as the Heavy Cavalry started tp disengage. Further away, the enemy cavalry was forming up for a flanking attack. Doing a quick estimation, he knew it was going to be a close thing.

Shur'tu apparently thought the same thing and ordered the light cavalry to provide cover for the heavies. This time, the Chin took the vanguard with the rest following behind. Earlier in the day, Chen had talked to Shur'tu about the use of his rockets and unlike Captain, Shur'tu had seen and experienced Chinese rockets before and so had allowed the plan which was now being executed.

As the Ming Guards neared the enemy cavalry, they raised their tubes which contained their one rocket each. Chen gave the signal and the rockets were fired into the body of the enemy cavalry. The rockets crashed into the enemy with loud sounds of explosion. Casulties wise, not many were killed unless the rocket hit the person directly. However the horses and men were unprepared for the combined sound of 50 exploding rockets right besides them and this proved to be their downfall.

Horses reared and riders were thrown off as the front ranks of the cavalry were thrown into disarray. Further back the middle and back ranks managed to control their horses from colliding into the front ranks but any semblance of order quickly disappeared when the rest of the light cavalry following in the wake of the Chin released a volley of arrows into their ranks, dropping more men and causing total confusion amongst the enemy cavalry. There would be no flanking attack on the heavies.

The Light and Heavy Cavalry quickly rode back to their lines in truimph to the resounding cheers of the infantry. Many grabbed quick sips of water and rested their horses as they watch the infantry prepare for their turn to face the enemy...

 

[Storey]

August 12 - Morning - Battle of Cremona

Geoffrey shook his head and focused on the approaching enemy lines. They had paused as the Cavalry skirmished on the flanks. But even Geoffrey knew that the battle wasn’t going to be decided by the Cavalry. It was going to be the infantry who were going to have to do the dirty work and create the weaknesses that the Cavalry could exploit. He looked down the line of Pikemen. Each man’s face seemed to jump out at him with a clarity that startled him. It didn’t matter if it was veteran or novice everyone looked determined and apprehensive. He saw Henri look his way and nod to him. He tried to smile and nodded back. Each man tried to put on a brave face but neither really pulled it off.

 

[Valdemar]

Johan heard the horns calling for retreat and began the slow and deadly dance of reversing the great beast of war in the midst of a sea of enemies. Johan was deep inside the enemy formations and now, when reality hit, he began to doubt he could make it out.

Slowly he worked Hannibal in a tight circle slowly widening to create room, around him the group of friends grew smaller as the enemy realized what went on and pressed their counter attack. Johan stood up in his stirrups; only a few horses on this field came close to size and strength of Hannibal, what he saw made him understand the withdrawal.

“We’re being flanked.”

He turned camp towards the enemy and with a series of vicious attacks with the axe and Hannibal’s legs managed to create and opening large enough for them to break contact and retreat a few yards.

Moments later the outer rim of Company men came surging in, Kent had ordered another counter to get them free, they began to retreat again, the enemy even quicker in pursuit this time.

Just then he heard another sound, the sound of Mongol bows, the deep reverberating twang, and a smile crossed his lips, they are good for something then. He looked back over his shoulder and saw the light cavalry charge the outflanking enemy buying the belaboured men-at-arms some time.

Johan grinned with relief and began disengaging again. Then he heard a familiar sound.

“Whoosh”

“Watch out Chin devilry.” He shouted, trying in vain to overcome the din of the battle.

With a huge thunder the rockets exploded, but fortunately the distance and daylight muffled both sound and flashes. The heavy cavalry safely made it back towards their own lines, trotting past the grinning light cavalry that really looked like they had saved the day.

As Johan trotted by the grinning master of the Chins he couldn’t control his temper.

“You fool, what would you have done if you had unhorsed us all? Didn’t you learn anything in the camp? Would you wonderful magic have picked us all up and put us back on our horses?”

Before the bewildered Oriental could answer Johan was past the light cavalry and back in formation, under a stern and watchful eye of Kent.

 

[Lord Durham]

August 12 - Morning - Battle of Cremona

Captain had cringed when the shrill 'whoosh' of the rockets reverberated across the battlefield. He thought, No wonder they got thrown out of their country. Still, the noise and unexpectedness of the strange weapons served to allow Kent's men to extricate themselves with minimal casualties.

Beside him, Lochlan mumbled something under his breath.

Captain ignored him and turned back to the battle.

The Venetians and their mercenaries were dropping under the relentless shower of Welsh shafts. Still, they came on. A quick glance down the line told Robert that Sforza's men were fully engaged. He sensed rather than saw that the line was holding. He knew that panic traveled fast, and his men were unaffected.

The enemy reached the base of the long sloping hill and began to trudge up the incline. He heard the deep bellows of his sergeants, and knew the crossbowmen were taking aim. The deep thrumb of hundreds of cords signaled the release of deadly bolts. His men had the height advantage, and they were using it.

Lochlan said, "Isn't it about time Fyrsil pulled back?"

No sooner were the words out of his mouth than the Welshmen were grabbing their remaining shafts and hastening back. They took position at the rear of the infantry formations belonging to Jaeger and LeClerc, smoothly moving into place. Moments later the archers renewed their deadly storm, firing over the Company men.

Captain said, "The Venetian crossbows should be in range anytime now."

* * *

John Brandon rubbed his sweaty palms against cloth pants, tapped the iron helm to move it back from his eyes, and gripped the pike in a tighter embrace. He snapped a nervous look at Dieter Pohlman, and another at Henri.

Baer's gravel voice rumbled, "Steady, lads. They're about to fire. Show them that you're Company men. Stand steady! No fear!"

Hundreds of bolts loosened from the enemy crossbows and hurtled toward them. John closed his eyes and prayed...

 

[Storey]

August 12 - Morning - Battle of Cremona

Geoffrey would later swear that he could count the feathers of the crossbow bolts as they flew toward the Free Company infantry. The men leaned forward as one as if standing against a heavy rain instead of heavy metal tipped bolts. Men fell and shouts of pain filled the air. Amric called men up to replace those that fell. Organized chaos laced with discipline worked it’s magic and the Company line reformed. Sergeant Amric called for the pikes to be readied and in unison they lowered to face the enemy presenting a spiked welcome for anyone who got too close. Geoffrey noticed that he was clenching his teeth so tight that his jaw was beginning to ache. He tried to look as fierce as he could but he didn’t think he was succeeding. His first girl friend had always told him that he was a lover not a fighter and he was beginning to think she was a very wise woman.

Amric stood in the front line of the swordsmen calling out orders. He had too be careful how he handled the men since he knew so few of them. Who could he trust and who needed watching? He noticed after the first wave of bolts had depleted the ranks that the new recruits still held their positions with the veterans. Hell even Geoffrey the scholar still stood, admittedly a little wobbly, but he still stood in his assigned position. Amric’s attention was suddenly drawn to the front rank of the Venetians.

 

[TheF]

August 12 - Morning - Battle of Cremona

Seeing the arrows his men fired break the enemy cavalry charge had been a thing of beauty to Fyrsil, especially because he had faintly heard someone echoing the name of Tomas. After the two cavalry formations had clashed it quickly became too risky to continue firing. Therefore, the Chin’s audacity had surprised Fyrsil – though he hadn’t been quite able to consider the consequences of that act it in full because of the rapidly closing Venetian infantry.

Waiting until the very last passable moment, he raised his hand. He passed, or indeed shouted, a couple of orders in Welsh. His men quickly obeyed: after taking the remaining arrows in front of them, they moved back quickly.

He raised his hand again.

“Ready! Aim! Fire!”

The commands flowed naturally and soon the rhythm had become constant again. It wasn’t quite possible for him to see if their arrows even hit, though he was quite sure that they did.

“Messenger!”, he yelled in a tone of voice that wasn’t quite natural for him, “get us more arrows on the double!”

 

[The_Hawk]

Patrick O'Barr flinched as the first enemy crossbows reaped their deadly harvest in the Free Company pike line. He was surprised to discover how nervous he was; he hadn't seen a major battle since...

The City. Like many other veterans he was happy to see that the fight against the Venetians wouldn't devolve into a siege. Yet, at the same time, many had an inkling that their gut reaction went against conventional wisdom, that a capable defender could last for many months with minimal casualties. More minimal, perhaps, than what we've already seen.

Then O'Barr's thoughts turned to the stories he'd heard, when the veterans could be brought to talk about Constantinople. He thought of the tales of the treacherous Venetians who opened the Xylokerkon Gate, who doomed them to failure, to defeat, to death. In the enemy he saw all Venetians, all Turks, all of them traitors.

He hefted a shillelagh gripped in white-knuckled palms, and waited, blood boiling, for the first unlucky fool to make it past the pike line.

 

[Amric]

August 12, Morning Battle of Cremona

Amric watched O'Barr gripping his deadly weapon with white knuckles and frowned. He also saw Geoffrey stand his ground as the enemy quarrels punched into men to the left and right of him. Sending in parts of the second line to take the places of the fallen men while tasking the second swordsmen line to help the injured to the back where they could be tending by the healers.

Amric batted a stray quarrel away into the ground with one of his swords, sheathing it again with a snarl.

"Hold the line! Prepare to accept the charge!"

Amric flicked another quarrel into the ground. He was standing right behind the scholar and watched with approval as the man had his pike in the correct position and seemed to be waiting patiently for the shock as a body would impale itself on the head.

"Cyril," Amric shouted," If that pikeman next to Geoffrey falls I want you here next to me as there isn't going to be anyone else. That will make us slightly thin here, but it can't be helped."

"Got it. Ooops, there he goes, right in the throat too."

Cyril moved up next to the new sargeant and smiled grimly," This is going to be a bit messy."

Amric nodded," That is will. But I have no intention of retreating if it can at all be helped."

He breathed deeply and shouted," I want to see a wall of Venetian bodies in front of this line! A human breastwork, if you will!"

Another pikeman fell further down the line, and now O'Barr was only one line away from being in the front. It wouldn't be pretty when that monster weapon got into action. Amric leaned forward and snatched the dead pikeman out of the way and dragged him in back of the line for others to do something with. He didn't even have to move from his position.

"Cyril, depending on how this goes I will either have to step in for Geoffrey or the fellow to his left. I want you to replace the fellow on his right if it becomes necessary. My guess is that it will."

"Understood."
The Venetian line clambered closer still and the quarrel storm had to lessen, if not cease in some cases as the lines were so close that friendly casualties couldn't be avoided.

"Sargeant Baer," Amric shouted," A few reinforcements wouldn't be amiss over here!"

Geoffrey tensed as it was just a moment away for his first kill, his target just a step away from being pushed right into the pike...

 

[redwolf]

August 12 - Morning - Battle of Cremona

“You fool, what would you have done if you had unhorsed us all? Didn’t you learn anything in the camp? Would you wonderful magic have picked us all up and put us back on our horses?” The heavy cavalryman shouted at Chen. Before Chen could reply, he had ridden off. Chen shook his head, his rockets had saved the heavies and in return he gotten a hiding. If i known this was going to hapen, I would have fired my rocket up your ass, thought Chen.

So far, Chen had lost one men, killed by a lucky venetian arrow. His body had been recovered and he will be mourned later. A few more men had taken slight injuries. On top of that, a few of his men including Zhang had been knocked off their horses when the rockets were fired. But other than bruised egos, they were alright.
Zhang rode up to Chen. Chen grinned and asked,"how's the ass?" Zhang shot Chen a dark look but declined to answer.

Looking over to the infantry, the venetians had finally reached crossbow range and had opened fire on the FC infantry. As men fell, soldiers from the back ranks stepped forward to take the places of their brethen to ensure a solid wall of pikes awaits the advancing venetians. Chen prayed that Cyril would be alright.

The arrow storm started to ease as the venetians got nearer, archers from both sides no longer firing for fear of hitting friendlies.

The Venetians lines were almost upon the FC infantry now.Chen held his breath as the FC infantry lines braced for impact.....

 

[Judge]

August 12, Morning Battle of Cremona

“Yes”, he was finally closing in on the battle field judging by all the shouting and screams he clearly could hear. A warm feeling came over him. He rode onto the battle field and it was a mess, a true mess. He drew his sword and rode slowly along the field. “Ah there are the Venetians” he said to himself when he saw the hordes closing in.

Suddenly a couple of persons in front of him angrily shouted “friend or enemy!”.

Well he did not know who they were but he knew he had to come up with a good reply if he wished to stay alive. In an instant he had to decide what to answer. “Friend” he said because there was something reassuring about the men in front of him.

The men smiled and one of them shouted. “Ok get into the line before the onslaught. If I find out that you are a traitor I will cut you to pieces with a slow knife”.

“Ah I see, don´t worry” answered O´Brien and smiled for the first time for many years.

Sure he was a knight but he could not ride now so he dismounted and sent away his horse. “Ah the excitement, the anger, the desperation, the fear, yeah I love to be here” he whispered softly and prepared to fight.

 

[unmerged(9046)]

August 12, Morning Battle of Cremona

The Venetian line clambered closer still and the quarrel storm had to lessen, if not cease in some cases as the lines were so close that friendly casualties couldn't be avoided.

"Sargeant Baer," Amric shouted," A few reinforcements wouldn't be amiss over here!"

Henri heard these words just as the enemy line closed to the point that he heard the enemy sergeants or whatever they were called call out orders to their men.

The boy looked at his enemy as they closed. He saw two things. On the one hand, he saw men, no boys, much like him with fear in some of their eyes. They too had mothers and girlfriends and children they were fighting for.

On the other hand, Henri looked in their eyes and saw Tomas there. He had heard tales of the treachery of these Venetians in the Byzanine capital and of the horrendous cost to the Free Company caused by these beasts. They deserved death!

Henri heard a solder three away from him yell out the cry of the Free Company. Up to now, the famous phrase had been just words to the Avergnon youth.

This morning he now began to understand the feelings behind those words. With a cry, he took up the call.

"DEATH RIDES WITH US!"

The two sides closed....

 

[Lord Durham]

August 12 - Morning - Battle of Cremona

John Brandon opened his eyes and exhaled sharply in nervous relief. Around him he could hear cries of pain. A quick glance told him that several men were down, while others stepped forward to fill their place. Before him the crossbowmen maintained a shaky rate of fire. The Genoese and Flemish mercenaries were arrayed in four lines. The first line fired, then retired to the safety of the pikes. The remaining lines stepped forward. The second line fired, then they too retired. The process continued. Still, the crossbowmen took their own share of hits, and before long the four lines became three.

The enemy had the worse of it. Their crossbowmen didn't have the luxury of remaining in one position. They were forced to advance along with the infantry, struggling to reset the strong cable of the light weapon and insert the next bolt. Behind them the infantry screamed to hasten the advance -- the sooner they reached the enemy the sooner the rain of bolts would stop. However, there was nothing they could do about the deluge of longbow shafts that appeared to drop from the sky.

John felt someone jostle him. He looked over. It was one of the pikemen from the rear. The sergeants were moving them forward to replace those who had fallen in the front. The lines would remain firm.

* * *

Colonel Loguidice stood in his stirrups, silently urging his men on. Behind the advancing front line of squares lay a growing carpet of dead and dying. The wounded staggered back toward the rear, clutching bolt riddled arms, legs or bloody sides.

If this continued he realized he would have to commit his second line sooner than he wanted. He looked to his left wing. The broken cavalry was slowly reorganizing. He called an aide. "Tell Captain Peruzza to hurry. I will have need of his cavalry, and soon."

The aide rode off. Colonel Loguidice turned back to his advancing men. They were close enough now that the crossbowmen were becoming a hindrance. Sure enough, they began to filter to the rear. He heard the cries of his sergeants exhorting the infantry to charge. A throaty roar sounded as the formations broke into a steady trot, pikes bobbing and pennants snapping. "Now," Loguidice mumbled, "Now we shall see how you stand against my steel!"

Suddenly the entire front rank of his formations stumbled, many of the men dropping completely from sight. The advance slowed and a roar of delight arose from the damned mercenaries on the crest of the hill. "Now what?" Loguidice cried.

* * *

John barked a nervous laugh, joining the shouts of derision and insults from the rest of the men. Not one hundred paces from their position the charging enemy had reached the pits and traps that had been laid the night before. The front ranks suffered the worse, forcing the following Venetians to slow and negotiate the deadly obstacles, many stepping on the bodies of their dead comrades to avoid the same fate.

The Free Company had bought several additional moments of safety, and the crossbowmen used the time to their advantage. They managed to fire another volley before the Venetian charge - now ragged - resumed.

John gripped his pike again, raised it shoulder height, and gritted his teeth.

* * *

The sound of the sides clashing reached the ears of the Florentines, now scant miles away...

 

[Lord Durham]

 

[TheWildFerret]

August 12 - Morning - Battle of Cremona

Erik watched as the front rank of the Venetians disappeared into the dugouts that they had hastily prepared. Although they weren't as deep as he would of liked, they were still deep enough to tell and stall the advance momentarily.

"Sargeant Baer," Amric shouted," A few reinforcements wouldn't be amiss over here!"

Erik heard this and smirked a little. He looked towards the new sergeant and realized this man was new to pike maneuvering. Maybe he was good with a blade, but his knowledge of pike formations were telling.

Bellowing above the clamor of the approaching infantry Erik yelled, "DRESS RIGHT!!!"

Instantly the training of the pikemen could be seen. Yes they had been drilling hard, but now it paid off. Pikemen shifted positions as the holes were filled with fresh bodies and the front was once more a solid wall of steel teeth.

"CROSSBOWS.... LOOSE!!!!" came the next command from Erik.

Suddenly the air was filled with what sounded like the humming of large flies as the crossbowmen on the flanks of the pikemen fired into the approaching infantry. The enemy was already confused with the dugouts and now their front line seemed to disappear under an onslaught of heavy crossbow bolts.

"Runner!" Erik bellowed and was rewarded with a boy quickly moving to his side. "Run to Fyrsil and tell him to fall back more to the rear of the pike formations. We don't want them to be stuck between us and them. Go." The boy ran off in search of the Welshman.

"BAER! AMRIC! PREPARE TO SHIFT LEFT WHEN FYRSIL MOVES!" Commands were uttered and the Infantry readied themselves for the command. If Erik could do so he would shift to the left so the light cavalry could get a nice clear shot at the flank of the Venetian Infantry again. It required precise movement and calculated risk. The trick was not to open their flank at the same time.

"Runner!" another boy ran forward. "To Shur'tu, prepare for infantry shift for them to harass the flank. Go." Off ran the young man.

Erik watched and soon saw the Welshmen move back towards the rear of their formation. The longbow could fire over the pikemen if need be and more then once those same longbows meant the difference between defeat and victory. He would make sure they were not unprotected.

Erik Bellowed, "SHIFT LEFT TEN!"

The whole regiment turned left sharply marched ten paces and then faced forward once more. They grimly waited to come to grips with the first wave of Venetians.

"BAER THE FLANK!"

"YES SIR!"

Baer turned towards the right and bellowed, "Crossbows integrate, Pike Echelon Right."

Again the precision of their training paid off. Even under the hail of bowfire the crossbows on the flank were swallowed by the pikemen as they spread out their right flank to provide some security. The crossbowmen were now behind the first rank of Pike and would be able to fire through them up until the enemy made contact. This formed a solid wall of bowfire and pike in a \ formation. The Flank would not be easily turned.

"AMRIC! PREPARE YOUR MEN," Erik bellowed to the new Sergeant as the Venetians began to get close. Amric's side was going to be the first hit by the infantry.

"SET PIKE!" Amric yelled to his men and smoothly the pike went to a guard position and then the deadly steel began to move and cut into the front rank of the enemy infantry. Limbs and lives were lost even before the enemy could come to grip with the Free Company Pikemen.

"BAER! Reinforce!"

"SET PIKE, Rear PIKE Shift Left 20" Bellowed the large German Sergeant.

The back rank of Baer's pikemen turned smartly and move behind the first rank of Pike on Amric's side of the formation. The rank of swordsmen fell back two paces as the whole side moved back to allow the reinforcements in. Baer's other men moved forward to fill the gap left by the movement.

Not once was there a gap exposed to the enemy and Erik nodded as he continued to watch the mayhem. He still had a couple tricks up his sleeve and wondered if the Venetians had ever fought Landsknetche Pike before. He grinned a feral grin and set his pike as men began to engage finally on the right hand side of the pike formation.

 

[TheF]

Fyrsil was busily analyzing the movements of both the Company and the enemy troops. Sergeant Baer's intensive drilling is paying off indeed. From the corner of his eye he saw a messenger approaching him quickly.

"Sir! Lt. Jaeger tells you to fall back further to the rear of the pike formation."

"Even more?", Fyrsil said, before realizing that he was speaking.

"Sir?"

"Never mind."

Fyrsil raised his hand again and yelled some orders. Immediatly movement began. His men moved back in groups of twenty at a time to try to keep the pressure on the enemy. A serious disruption of the firing rythm would give the enemy a moment of respite. Fyrsil had no intention of giving any respite to these Venetian traitors.

 

[redwolf]

August 12 - Morning - Battle of Cremona

Chen watched with admiration as the Infantry completed their manevours. They moved with a discipline and efficiency that could match the Imperial Guards anyday.

From his horse, Shur'tu barked out orders," Alright men, the road is clear for us. By Jaghuns, we will carry out hit and run attacks on the enemy flanks. This is ensure that the horses get sufficient rest betweens charges. Remember, hit and run only. Do not engage the enemy infantry and keep an eye out for their cavalry. Runner, to Kent tell him to have his men ready to provide cover in case we need it. Alright, my Jaghun, follow me!!"

As Chen waited his turn, he saw Shur'tu's Jaghun release several volleys of arrows into the enemy flanks, causing confusion to their ranks.

Gao raised his voice," Alright our turn now. Let's ride!" The Ming Guards raced forward towards the enemy flanks. Entering range, the Jaghun released a volley into the enemy. Redrawing their bows, a second and a third volley was fired into their flank.

After a third volley, " About turn!!" came the cry from Gao and the whole Jaghun performed a smart about turn to return to their lines, but not before the venetian crossbowmen finally responding to the threat on their flanks released a volley of their own at the Jaghun. Glancing back, he could see some of the men tumble out of their saddles. But for now there was no time to turn back to get back their bodies.

As they rode back, the Moors rode forward for their turn at the venetians while Jean's Jaghun waited patiently for their turn. Back in their lines, Chen quickly dismounted to get water for his horse. The horses had done well and now the men had to preserve the horses for as long as they can. There was still a long way to go before the end of the battle.

Even while getting water for their horses, the cavalrymen kept a sharp eye out on the enemy cavalry to see if they will make a counter move. The moors returned and Jean's jaghun went for their turn....

 

[Judge]

August 12, Morning, Battle of Cremona

There was no time to explain anything or talk to the soldiers nearby. Since O´Brien was placed together with soldiers from the Free Company he was bound to fight and eventually die with them. If they all lived to see next day they would talk, otherwise they would accompany each other in the grave that some peasant nearby surely would dig.

Before the raging enemies closed in on them O´Brien shouted to his new friends "We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness." He received no definite answer but one or two men cheered when they heard this and nodded approval.

There was so much anticipation in the air that you could actually touch it. O´Brien fingered on his sword and prepared to meet the raging horde that closed in on him and his brothers in arms.

 

[unmerged(228)]

August 12th - Morning – Battle of Cremona

Now! Lionel signalled the great crossbow teams to open fire on a Venetian infantry formation attempting to get out of the earthworks and pits. Almost simultaneously, five heavy metal shafts found their mark. But instead of piercing, these shafts shattered, sending shrapnel through the ranks of the still recovering Venetians.

Go! Together with 40 city-fighters, Lionel closed with the enemy until they were in point-blank range. From a distance hardly more than 50 metre, the Leonids opened fire. The air filled with the rasping sounds of the quick-loading mechanisms as the men fired bolt after bolt in the helpless formation. The blades of Lionel and Ergun, his trusted lieutenant and swordmaster, quickly dispatched the few of the enemy that made it through

It was time to fall back though. The Venetians continued their advance and the pikemen lines were closing with mechanical precision. Lionel signalled the retreat and the city-fighters fell back before the enemy could react. All in all this was a successful manoeuvre.

 

[unmerged(9046)]

August 12, Morning, Battle of Cremona

Part of Henri watched the ballet of battle even as he performed the actions of death with the other pikemen.

"DRESS RIGHT!!!"

Henri moved in unison with the men around him. There was not even a jostle of a man moving out of time. He looked again at the enemy who was bearing down on them.

"CROSSBOWS.... LOOSE!!!!"

WHOOSH!!

A flight of bolts went over the young Avergnese man's head as the bolts quickly found marks in the Venetian ranks. With a smile, Henri saw quite a few of the traiters fall, stricken.

"BAER! AMRIC! PREPARE TO SHIFT LEFT WHEN FYRSIL MOVES!"

Henri immediately prepared himself to move with the other grunts in the lines of pike.

"SHIFT LEFT TEN!"

As one, Henri and his fellow soldiers turned sharply left and march exactly 10 paces and then turned right to face forward. The entire maneuver was executed like on the training grounds. Not a single FC pikeman made a mistake.

"BAER THE FLANK!"

"YES SIR!"

Baer turned towards the right and bellowed, "Crossbows integrate, Pike Echelon Right."

Henri and the men around him moved quickly and spread out. The crossbowmen who were providing much of the security for the pikeman were quickly enveloped.

"AMRIC! PREPARE YOUR MEN,"

Even though this order didn't effect the Frenchman, he muttered a quick prayer to his friends under Amric who were now about to contact the enemy.

"SET PIKE!"

There were screams from wounded men. Henri prayed that more of them were traiters then Free Company, but he could not see from his position.

"BAER! Reinforce!"

"SET PIKE, Rear PIKE Shift Left 20"

The men behind Henri turned and smartly marched off towards the left.

The battle continued to intensify....

 

[Lord Durham]

August 12, Mid - Morning, Battle of Cremona

"Who the hell are they?" Clayborne asked Captain, pointing to the small detachment of men who had broken ranks to approach and fire on the enemy. More surprisingly, the shafts appeared to explode, causing several Venetians standing nearby to drop to the ground.

Captain grinned. "A gift, courtesy of Johan Recci." His hand drifted to the mini-crossbow slung at his side. "Recci always had an aptitude for invention."

Lionel's men retreated under the renewed advance of the enemy, resuming their position among the ranks.

Clayborne shook his head. "O'Glaigh told me stories about you guys. I only half believed him."

"Believe him." Captain responded absently, his eyes sweeping the field for the hundredth time. Sforza was still engaged, the lines holding. In the distance the Venetian reserve advanced. To his right the light cavalry had taken to launching hit and run attacks on the vulnerable Venetian infantry flank. That won't last much longer. "Ah, the Venetians shift some of their second line to our right. I think they intend to drive Shur'tu's men back."

Lochlan and Clayborne looked. The ranger said. "Their cavalry regroups."

"Yes. I think it's time to move the Welsh over to the wing. We'll shift some of the reserve, too. Clayborne?"

"Captain?"

"You have the honours. Please take your men and form a reserve on the wing. Leave space for Fyrsil to form in front."

"Sir." The soldier rode to his command, calling for his sergeants.

Captain waved over a messenger. "Go to Fyrsil. Tell him to shift his men to the right wing. Have him set up on the crest of the hill. Quickly now."

Lochlan watched the boy leave. His attention shifted to the engaged infantry. "The men fight well. They hold. Should I move the reserve?'

"Have them advance twenty paces. But I don't think we'll need them, just yet."

* * *

A pike stabbed past, barely missing his head. John Brandon eyed the man who had attacked him. There was fear in the look. Did it mirror his? The Venetian recovered to thrust again. Brandon shifted his pike in time to deflect the new thrust, wood sliding along wood. The Venetian was extended now, and John took the opportunity to run his weapon straight into the enemy's face, using the Venetian's overextended pike as a guide. The man's look of fear exploded into a grisly visage of red. John recovered the pike, ready to face the next opponent.