Eric (СИ)

In the middle of October, something completely unforeseen happened-the Iconian Sultanate, after analyzing the information about the serious decline in Edessa and the weakness of the successor Salah ad-Din, decided to take the city to himself, and therefore put forward troops to solve this problem. In addition, it was reported that the Emir of the Mosul Emirate was going to help Atabek, as his financial interests would be greatly affected if the latter fell. Fortunately, information about such movements has arrived on time, and the squad of Eric did not have to suddenly encounter solid enemy formations. Now the region had only to conduct active reconnaissance operations and wait. The Sultan led a detachment of about three and a half thousand sabers, which on October 21, 1200 besieged the city of Edessa, which had no more than two hundred fighters, not counting a small, practically incapable militia. The Emir did not manage to enter the city before the siege, and therefore with his detachment of three hundred horsemen settled some distance and waited. The situation was absolutely unpleasant. Give the city and strengthen the already very dangerous sultanate Eric did not want at all, as he remembered perfectly well that it was from him that the Ottoman Empire subsequently grew. Especially on this city he had his own plans, and he was very much annoyed when the plans changed drastically. Hence - it was necessary to remove the siege and continue to bend your line. As you understand - with the strength of 25 soldiers and 45 armed servants, this operation can not be crushed. Templars, it is completely useless, so they will not put forth their forces. Of the available strength was only the ruler of Mosul, who, in general, led the militia, and not the army - in his three hundred was only 24 sipah. So even the baron himself could break it, not to mention the sultan. But the emir was very useful, since, without real forces for a head-on collision, he possessed enough people to disrupt the supply of the besieging army. Therefore, taking away from the base of the crossbowmen, our hero advanced "at full parade" to meet with a potential ally. A detachment of seven dozen is not particularly large against the background of the Sultan's army, and the weight of the word from his leader will be insignificant. To avoid such an effect, one had to throw dust in the eyes. To do this, you need not only look appropriate, but also move effectively. Preparation took a couple of days, but when on October 23 to the camp of the emir his column left - the soldiers of the ruler Mosul were amazed, and he was impressed. Eric was riding ahead in a polished black armor. Behind him went an improvised escort from Rudolph with Antonio. Next came the trio from Morrigan, who was carrying out the role of standard-bearer, and the brothers Valentino and Vincento, who accompanied her on each side. After them, in a column of four, there were five ranks of soldiers, followed in the same order by crossbowmen - all riding and in clean, embroidered cats. The horses of all the fighters were of the same breed - an Arab thoroughbred horse, such as cohaylan. At soldiers of bay suits, at crossbowmen - red, at Morrigan - gray, and Eric sat on a black stallion. We drove light trot and made a very impressive impression. This is not counting the fact that the soldiers were equipped fairly uniformly, which created an additional effect of a certain election. Although the Emir was surprised by the visit, he did not lose his head and immediately switched to pressing matters. Accepting the Baron's proposal for an allied campaign against the Sultan, he proposed to address the emir of Homs-al-Mujahid, who not only had his financial interests in Edessa, but was also its suzerain, and therefore could provide military assistance. By force of Mosul, by common agreement, it was decided to obstruct the supply of the besieging army. So, without delay, the baron, enlisting the letter of the emir, went trotting in the direction of Homs, on the way glancing in Aleppo. In the key role of the Templars in the Middle East, his behavior was not surprising, since they repeatedly participated in joint campaigns with Muslims against certain common enemies. The capital of Syria met Eric calmly. They were already aware of the situation in Edessa and were waiting for the guest, whom the atabek politely accepted, listened and immediately, with him, ordered the collection of the militia of the nobility around the city. After a couple of days, a hundred and fifty sipahs were ready for the exit, they decided not to take the servants, since it was impossible to leave the city completely without protection. The trade companies also contributed their share, which promptly exposed two hundred horsemen. In Aleppo, the corps was reinforced with three dozen Sipahs and fifty servicemen. Commanded by the troops of the Council of the three most experienced commanders, among whom was our baron, because of his exploits among Muslims have already gone to legends. November 2, 1200, ten miles south of Edessa, there was a connection to the emir's corps. Now the forces of the Sultan were opposed to eight hundred sabers, which is about four times less than he had. So nothing disturbed him in the process of preparing for the assault.

It was necessary to do something, because if there was a successful assault, it would be absolutely impossible to repel the city from such an army. For three days an active reconnaissance of the disposition of enemy troops was conducted, as much as the military council. It was necessary to hurry. Since there were too many commanders, they could not come to a common opinion. At lunch on the sixth day, Eric could not stand it.

- Dear, are you, until the end of the centuries will you discuss this simple matter?

"What are you talking about, Baron? "

- Yes, all the same. I have a head all around with all this chatter. After all, we have a simple matter, why complicate it? There is an enemy, we are. The enemy must be prevented from taking the city. This is possible only if it is broken or cut to it supply. It is no use to block the supply, as he will go to the assault tomorrow or the day after tomorrow. There remains only an attack. Why guess?

"But, Baron, he has a considerably larger army. "

So what? If you are shy in the face of your enemy - so tell me. In a few words. Kind allies. Tomorrow, with the first rays of the sun, I will attack the Sultan's camp with my people. Who wants to prove himself as a warrior, and not as a chatterbox - I propose to join me.

With these words, Eric left the tent and went to his troops. They had to be prepared.

He put the children to bed from dinner and picked them up at 1 o'clock in the morning. They were preparing for the most insane fighting, not only in their lives, but in general - in this era. The camp of the Sultan's army was known to the smallest detail, as was the territory adjacent to it. Fortunately, no one was even going to update it with any kind of fence, and therefore it was completely open for an unexpected invasion. For the attack, such a starting point and direction were chosen so that the distance to the camp at the time of their appearance in line of sight was minimal. The task that Eric posed to his fighters was extremely simple and complex at the same time. It was necessary to pass through the camp by hooking the tent of the Sultan, if possible to destroy it and leave from the other end of the camp in order to escape from the battle with greatly superior forces. A kind of improvisation in the spirit of Ushakov's tactical reception, which he turned into a Turkish squadron in the battle of the island of Fidonisi. An hour before dawn, they were ready and waiting for the chosen position. When in the distance, at the horizon, the first rays of the sun began to make their way, Eric led his men into an attack. They walked in a silent expanding wedge, which in its widest place did not exceed six horses. The speed of the move was increasing, so that already before the positions they moved to a gallop and, almost without reducing the tempo, like a red-hot knife enters the oil, burst into the field of tents and the porridge of the rapidly demoralizing enemy soldiers. They went easily, the troops of the Sultan surprisingly did not resist at all, confusing only with cries and senseless fuss under the feet of horses, where they sometimes fell. Literally two dozen steps from the largest tent, which was the target of the attack, our hero saw the Sultan, who jumped to the noise in order to understand what was happening. From the impact of the crossbow bolt in the forehead from such a distance, the lord of Iconium tumbled so that his slippers fell off his feet. The situation in the camp was completely unexpected - instead of trying to organize resistance to the invading squad, valorous fighters moved in a touch of panic. And this had to be used. Therefore, letting the cavalry wedge around the sultan's tent, he ordered a stop and ordered to dismount. His men occupied a circular defense, setting the pavis before him, and began to shoot from the crossbows along the subjects of the deceased ruler running in the growing mess. Shooting was on readiness. Ten minutes passed - at a distance of 60-70 steps around the tent around the tent the land turned into a sort of hell, where two or three layers lay wounded and killed people, drenched in blood, brains and feces. All this porridge was moaning, moving and so terrifying that the panic in the camp reached its limit and the people ran. During these minutes, the core of the army, which an hour ago besieged Edessa, was gone into oblivion. All the best that was in her, died or beat in agony near the sultan's tent. Unfortunately, to pursue the fleeing in order to finish them off, there was no possibility, as the fighters of Eric were at the limit of their capabilities. Therefore, he left the military guard of the strongest guys, in terms of stability of the psyche, and ordered the rest to rest. Poor people - they were not ready for such horrors that suddenly fell on their head - someone laughed nervously, crouched on the ground, someone was crying, someone was praying, someone fell to the ground and without saying a word , looked at one point. When, before your very eyes, the head of a living person flies to pieces from the crossbow bolt caught in it - it's impressive. And when does this happen en masse? If your psyche is not tempered in battle, then it terribly depresses. Therefore, the hardest of all was armed servants, who already did more than their capabilities. After giving them ten minutes to fifteen minutes to rest, our hero went to the tent of the Sultan, to figure out what can be profited there.