Yarra’s Adventure Notes
Chapter 956 - 73: Joint Exercise

Chapter 956: Chapter 73: Joint Exercise

The Mage Corps halted behind the three battalions of the Federation Shield, with each thousand-man battalion forming a protective formation around the mages in the center, exerting their utmost effort to ensure the safety of the Mage Corps. As for the Wind Hunters, they remained hidden in the jungle, their gray-green gear obviously designed with a special color scheme that blended with the forest environment, making it quite difficult for one to spot the longbowmen concealed among the trees from afar.

Thus, the main force of the Neville Federation participating in the parade had completed its formation, now constituting the standard arrangement of the federal military. In wartime, the Federation Shield would indeed become the impervious barrier their name suggested, protecting all allied forces behind them from enemy charges while the covered archery units and the Mage Corps, known as the Fist of Retribution, would launch fierce covering fire against the enemy’s center. Such attacks not only inflicted effective damage on the charging enemy, but also disrupted the enemy’s front-to-rear coordination, isolating advanced enemy troops and rapidly annihilating them with a local advantage. As for the Wind Hunters, they would either strike from the flanks with a devastating arrow storm that decimated vital enemy units or blend into the Mage Corps for long-range extermination.

This kind of tactic was very suitable for the central part of Yarra, which is the Neville region that doesn’t have many cavalry; for thousands of years, the nations of the Neville region had used such tactics in combat against their foes. The most typical example was the Orc War over four hundred years ago when the enraged Beastmen committed 250,000 elite troops. At that time, the Falar Empire and Neville, collaborating temporarily, deployed over 600,000 troops in total. Astonishingly, the Federation Shield, comprising 50,000 humans, managed to withstand assaults from an equal or greater number of Beastmen with human bodies, using their tactics to inflict heavy casualties on the orcs. Clearly, the tactics and strength of the Neville Federation can be considered quite powerful.

Witnessing the condition of Neville’s troops, atop a high-platform in a building in the distance, about a dozen orc observers felt somewhat uncomfortable. Although peace had lasted for hundreds of years, seeing these troops that had once caused great losses to their own side was still distressing for anyone. However, these orcs were, after all, high-ranking leaders of the Prairie Tribal Alliance and chiefs of large tribes on the grasslands. Only two orcs were not part of the tribal alliance’s high command but came respectively from the Temple of Ancestors and the War God Church. Therefore, all orc representatives carried high status and influence, and with their composure, they naturally wouldn’t show their inner emotions, maintaining peace and cheerfully praising the current rotating chairman of the Neville Federal Parliament.

The high-platform was large, seating at least a hundred people, all important figures from the various envoys, demonstrating the significance attached to this meeting by all parties involved. This was understandable since the pain from the disaster of the Return of the Dead over a hundred years ago had yet to fade, and the threat of the Undead naturally raised alarm among all the powers. Faced with the unrelenting and fearless billions of the Undead, no power dared claim they could withstand them alone, making joint warfare the only option. To conduct joint operations, it was crucial to deepen mutual understanding, as only then could tactics be better arranged to increase the chances of victory. Hence, all attending this assembly were authoritative figures, many of whom were the top leaders of their powers, accompanied by large groups designated as guard units but were actually elite forces participating in joint exercises.

"Awoooo~~~~" Not long after Neville’s troops had settled in position, a long wolf howl emanated from the distance. As the sound approached, a dark shadow followed closely behind, entering the sight of onlookers. The shadow comprised a hundred Wolf Tribe Beastmen, these Beastmen with wolf blood naturally able to communicate with wolf packs and tame wolves as their mounts, joining battle as wolf riders. These hundred Wolf Tribe Beastmen were standard wolf riders, fierce and large dire wolves beneath them, with robust and majestic Beastmen seated atop. Though only a hundred strong, they were enough to impart tremendous psychological pressure on the enemy.

Although the formation of the Wolf Knights was somewhat scattered, their speed was extremely fast. They ran around the wilderness like the wind, only stopping when they reached a designated area far from the Neville troops, right next to a forest. Once stopped, the giant wolves obediently lay down on the ground, squinting their eyes as they enjoyed their masters’ petting. Just as the Wolf Knights came to a halt, a whistle sounded from the forest, and fifty Bear Beastmen, wielding clubs as thick as an adult’s waist, emerged from the trees, followed by fifty Ape Beastmen with arms that almost reached their knees.

"These are the main forces from our prairie," said a Fox Clan Beastman from the high platform, smiling. "Our giant club infantry from each tribe are responsible for frontal assaults, and the Ape stone throwers are natural marksmen whose hurled boulders pack a powerful punch. Meanwhile, the Wolf Knights are responsible for long-distance rapid raids; except for a large number of Upper Rank Undead, there are hardly any Undead units that can withstand the charge of the Wolf Knights. Of course, we have many other types of troops, but these three are the main ones. If the Undead War indeed breaks out, our Prairie side can provide one hundred thousand elite troops. I admit, this number is much less than the total force we could mobilize, but after all, we’re relying on actively pressing the front lines forward to reduce our consumption. The war is likely to last quite a long time, and battles will be happening constantly, so we must keep a sufficient number of warriors in reserve."

"Understandable, understandable," nodded Duke Nelna of the Nelna Family, Speaker of the Neville Federal Parliament, stroking his chinstrap beard, "Actually, our Federation is no different. The Federal Council has tentatively decided to commit one thousand from the Federation Shield, five hundred each from the Wind Hunters and the Fists of Sanction, along with a large number of other types of regular forces, totaling one hundred thousand men."

"Seems a bit lacking, doesn’t it?" objected Prince Nicholas, the representative of the Falar Empire, with a frown. "Given the Neville Federation’s population of ninety-seven million and a standing army of four hundred thousand, wouldn’t a contribution of one hundred thousand be somewhat inappropriate?"

"There’s nothing we can do about it, we too have our difficulties," Duke Nelna said with a troubled expression. "Of the four hundred thousand troops, only two hundred thousand belong to the Federation forces, the rest are under various lords. Right now, only the Federation troops can be mobilized; the situation has not yet become dire enough to persuade the lords to use their personal armies. Of course, if things really get worse, our Federation will commit all our forces. We also realize that sending only one hundred thousand troops looks rather shabby, so we’ve decided to take on the logistical transport work during the war and also provide twenty million gold coins’ worth of supplies, to be allocated according to the military contribution ratio of each force, as compensation." (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com) with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)