They were still low-level troops. Merely former villagers who had joined the Hero’s army. Compared to the infantry, it was harder for the cavalry to gain experience, so a certain degree of losses were to be expected.
“Right-wing light cavalry, spread out while maintaining your distance from the enemy. Move independently so the enemy cannot fix onto any single target. Do not engage them. Block their advance and keep them away from the infantry.”
‘U-understood!’
Due to the fact that they were riding boars, the Tusk Riders found it difficult to pull back once they began a charge. But on the other hand, if left unchecked, they could use that momentum to slam straight into the flanks of the infantry.
The cavalry quickly started to fan out. Deprived of their targets, the herd of boars desperately tried to halt. However, they could not match the mobility of horses and only succeeded in exposing their unguarded flanks.
Like bees swarming around a bear that had disturbed their hive, the cavalry descended upon the boars, and the enemies’ HP gauges began to plummet rapidly.
In the meantime, the lizardmen were closing in on light feet.
Yasuharu’s hand slid over the screen and magnified.
‘Shit! They’re moving too fast and… Gah!?’
After stabbing cleanly through a light cavalryman with a short spear, the murderous lizard didn’t even glance at his victim as he surged straight towards his next prey.
‘Damn it! Stay away! Ahhhhh!’
The crude wooden spear, which was little more than a sharpened stick, sunk deep into the enemy’s solar plexus and snuffed out the enemy’s life in an instant.
The light cavalry fought back desperately, while the lizardmen slipped past enemy blades and continued their slaughter. They made full use of the speed and agility of their curved legs, and darted about freely in ways that were impossible for mounted troops.
“Left-wing light cavalry. Avoid direct engagement with the enemy and pull back for now. After withdrawing, form a circle around the lizardmen. Once the formation is completed, attack in lines of two or more. Strike them and withdraw.”
“Understood!”
The lizardman numbered only about one thousand five hundred, while the cavalry totaled four thousand. Against knights striking down at them from above, there would be no change in their disadvantage.
The once disordered ranks began to fall back into formation, and the moving wall of cavalry gradually encircled the lizardmen.
Total casualties were around ten now. It was slightly higher than anticipated, but nothing to worry about.
Now the forces on the battlefield were locked in a clash meant to contain one another, and would settle into a state of equilibrium.
‘From here they will likely move their detached force. How do you see it?’
In a forest a short distance from the battlefield, two units had been positioned perfectly to strike at both flanks of his army.
Archers were on the right, and there was a mixed unit of magic beasts on the left. They were likely being held in reserve after anticipating that the raiding unit would be in trouble. But since the Hero’s army had information from the sky, such attempts at an ambush were surely meaningless.
“The magic beasts will not be a problem, but the archers should be dealt with quickly. I will send to dragoon units to deal with them as soon as they reveal themselves.”
‘Very good. Send a messenger to the center and warn them to watch out for surprise attacks from below.’
He nodded and tapped Ekbert’s icon on the screen.
“Eckbert. The monsters’ detached force has begun to move. Be on guard against attacks from below by magic worms. I will also keep watch and issue warnings.”
‘Magic beast users? Understood. We will move as commanded.’
He switched the display back to a full overview and checked the attrition rates of each unit. Out of a force of sixty thousand, there were only around three hundred dead. The losses were less than one percent.
The ogres in the center were putting up a good fight, but the goblins supporting them on both flanks were being whittled down.
“Notify everyone in the magic corps. Anyone experiencing mental fatigue is to report to the medics immediately. Refrain from overexerting attacks and focus on supporting the frontline infantry with barriers.”
Even if the enemy attempted to drag the fight out into a war of attrition, the mental stamina of their mages would be restored by the medics accompanying them. Of course, that support had its limits…but if both sides kept being worn down at this pace, the first to collapse would be the enemy.
Yasuharu quietly continued to watch his tablet as the enemy numbers steadily dwindled.