Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 32 Encounter with the Northumberland Fusiliers
A flank attack by a heavy machine gun is devastating against densely packed infantry.

They were completely exposed to the machine gun's firing range; advancing meant death, retreating meant death, and lying still meant death as well.

The gentle slope in front of the high ground has become a veritable slaughterhouse.

Sergeant Klaus and Sergeant Jonah were filled with shock and fervor.

They mechanically pulled the bolt, aimed, and fired, sending bullets into the enemy's body.

They never imagined that battles could be fought in this way.

Platoon Leader Morin's decision was nothing short of genius for them!

Because no one would ever carry a cumbersome machine gun on a tactical advance, in the minds of 99% of Saxon army soldiers, the machine gun was purely a defensive weapon, impossible to use for offense.
The Kingdom's first charge ended in utter defeat after more than 70% of the first three ranks of soldiers were killed on the spot.

The dense column following behind these three ranks of soldiers even attempted to launch a charge against Morin and his men.

However, their denser formation made it easier for the machine gunners to fire, and sometimes a single .303 bullet could penetrate two enemies in succession.

The entire dense column completely collapsed just seconds after the machine gun fire turned around.

Morin even saw a sinister smile gradually emerge on the face of the machine gunner, who had seemed somewhat nervous and inexperienced before firing.

That was a smile unique to suppressing firepower.

Faced with the relentless, unstoppable machine gun fire, the surviving soldiers of the Kingdom's army completely collapsed.

They cried out, dropped their weapons, and fled backwards in a panic, their morale completely collapsed.

Several officers who still wanted to hold out kept raising their sabers in an attempt to stop the retreat—yes, officers of all ranks in the Kingdom's army still maintained the tradition of carrying sabers with them.

But this conspicuous action on the battlefield was quickly thwarted by the precise shooting of Sergeant Klaus and his men.

The Kingdom's soldiers, who had surged up like a tide, retreated from the high ground just as the tide receded.

Seeing this, Morin breathed a sigh of relief and then stopped the machine gunner from continuing to fire.

"Alright, alright, conserve your ammunition! We still have a lot to fight!"

After he finished speaking, he looked around at everyone.

"Check everyone for injuries, and then check the ammunition!"

Soon, everyone completed the confirmation that no one was injured. Or rather, the Kingdom's army had not been able to launch an effective counterattack at all.

However, everyone had used up nearly one-sixth of their ammunition, and the Vickers machine gun had almost emptied its first ammunition belt.

"The regimental machine gun company should be deployed to the front lines. There are already too few of them, and now they're not being used."

Morin lay face down on the ground, trying to relax his tense body a little, while grumbling under his breath.

"Platoon leader, what's the next step?"

Sergeant Klaus approached Morin, his eyes shining, and asked.

"Let's prepare to move to a different position. We've just exposed our firepower, and the enemy's next attack might target us."

Morin got up from the ground and focused his attention on the 'system map', preparing to find another temporary machine gun position.

And then he actually found a more suitable position.

The spot was a bit far from the top of the hill, but several large trees that had been knocked down by artillery fire lay there haphazardly, serving as natural cover.

He immediately sent a soldier back to the top of the hill to check on the situation of the rest of the camp and to relay his plans to Captain Hauser and his men.

After doing all that, Morin led the remaining men, carrying the heavy Vickers machine gun, and quietly began their relocation.

The defeated Kingdom soldiers were still fleeing down the hillside, and no one noticed the movements of their small detachment. The entire transfer went surprisingly smoothly.

Once the group arrived at the new temporary position, Morin immediately ordered everyone to disperse, find cover, and do a final check of their weapons. "Drink some water and catch your breath; there's probably going to be a tough battle later."

Morin unscrewed the kettle and took a sip, then took advantage of this rare break to immerse himself completely in the system map in the upper left corner of his field of vision.

As friendly forces advanced across the board, the fog of war that had shrouded Seville was largely dispelled, revealing the situation along the entire front.

One by one, red soldier badges representing the Kingdom's army units were flashing and disappearing.

The main offensive force, centered on the 16th Infantry Brigade, has captured all the high ground with a wide field of view southeast of Seville.

Most of those high grounds with open views have now changed hands.

The battalions of two 77mm field artillery battalions are also slowly moving forward, preparing to occupy new positions and provide closer fire support for the upcoming offensive.

The three 105mm howitzer batteries, which were not so mobile, continued their attack from their original positions.

The overall situation seemed to be very favorable.

If this trend continues, it seems only a matter of time before the Saxons completely breach Seville's outer defenses.

But in Morin's heart, that feeling of unease grew stronger.

He clearly remembered that the intelligence he brought back specifically mentioned several elite enemy units—the Highland Mages, the armored knights of the Garde Knights, and the Northumberland Flintlock Regiment.

The enemy who captured him when he traveled through time was also from the 4th Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers.

But to this day, none of these elite Britannian units have appeared on the map.

Is the enemy really planning to abandon the outer positions and bet everything on urban warfare?

The thought flashed through Maureen's mind, but he immediately dismissed it.

This is completely contrary to the mainstream military thinking of this era. Relying on strong city defenses to fight street battles would be a choice made only by a huge disadvantage.

However, before Morin could figure things out, a new situation arose.

"Platoon leader! They're coming up again!"

Klaus, the platoon leader who was lying behind the fallen tree trunk on guard duty, lowered his voice and said:
"The routed soldiers have been stopped by their officers and are regrouping!"

Almost at the same time as Klaus's report, another new force appeared in Morin's view below the high ground.

Their uniforms were khaki, a stark contrast to the black uniforms of the Kingdom's army.

A light and rhythmic trumpet sound, mixed with the beat of a military drum, drifted from the foot of the hill.

The melody was all too familiar to Maureen—the Grenadier March.

His heart skipped a beat, and he rushed to Klaus's side, raising his binoculars.

In the lens, the newly appeared Britannian troops looked almost exactly like the British troops he remembered from World War I.

He wore a khaki military uniform and the iconic 'flying saucer helmet' favored by Hong Kong film directors.

The only difference was that at the very front of their ranks stood rows of heavily armored soldiers.

Some wielded enormous two-handed swords, while others held a kite shield in one hand and a single-handed sword in the other, all exuding a chilling aura that kept strangers at bay.

The system map then displayed detailed information about this unit.

[Holy Britannian Empire - Northumberland Fusiliers Regiment - 4th Battalion]

[Officers: 30]

[Soldiers and Non-commissioned Officers: 997]

(End of this chapter)