Tyranny of Steel

While Berengar and his forces were bogged down and slowly advancing through Salzburg due to the tactics employed by the Bavarians, Eckhard had a much easier time fighting the enemy, for they had not resorted to such underhanded tactics to defeat him. Thus at the moment, he was currently engaged in a field battle with the enemy.

Eckhard had deployed Audegar ’s forces to protect the flanks of his infantry while they marched in their lines into engagement distance. As for his cavalry, they were waiting on standby for their orders to charge.

At the moment, Eckhard ’s 70 field guns were in position and had just begun their bombardment upon the enemy army, which was between 5,000 – 7,000 men strong. As the cannons echoed into the air and the explosive shells repeatedly pounded the enemy lines, the Bavarians did not panic. Instead, they marched faithfully into the fire and towards the Tyrolean ranks.

As for Eckhard, he was at the front lines, with his sword in hand, which was also based upon the 1877 British Heavy Cavalry sword; it had become the basis for all swords wielded in the Tyrolean army. The blade balanced perfectly in his hands as he continued to march orderly by his troops.

Arrows and bolts fell upon the marching soldiers in volleys, but the Tyroleans did not fear their sting, for their armor would protect their vitals. Because of how resilient their defenses were, they were undeterred by the minor flesh wounds which accumulated on their bodies as they continued to march at an orderly pace.

Only when the enemy was at a distance of roughly three hundred yards did Eckhard give his command to his line of infantry with the authoritative voice of a veteran Field Marshal Eckhard raised his sword and pointed it at the enemy as he bellowed for all his men to hear.

”Present Arms! ”

The moment he did so, the soldiers who held their loaded rifled muskets lowered the weapons into a position where Eckhard once more gave a command. The front rank instantly knelt while the rear column pointed their rifled muskets above their heads.

”Take Aim! ”