Black Corporation: Joseon [EN]: Chapter 942

The Strategy of Using Barbarians to Control Barbarians – Regionalism (2)

Imperial-Swiss guerrillas, ranging from small platoons (旅, approximately 125 men) to larger regiments (統, approximately 625 men), chipped away at the Spanish forces.

Since the guerrillas had to forge roads where none existed, their support weaponry was limited to armored wagons, grenade launchers, and small arms.

“I’m worried this won’t be enough to really stir them up,” one Imperial soldier said.

The Imperial soldiers were concerned about the limited firepower of their support weapons. However, the Spanish reaction was quite different than expected.

“Such incredible firepower! Are all the Empire’s soldiers giants?” a Spanish soldier exclaimed.

The Spanish army’s wagons and cannons were massive, requiring numerous horses, donkeys, and mules for transport.

However, the Imperial-Swiss guerrillas who ambushed them struck swiftly and vanished just as quickly.

Such mobility was impossible with the heavy weaponry that relied on horses, donkeys, and mules. Furthermore, they couldn’t find any sign of these animals.

“So, they must be carrying everything by hand….” a Spanish officer mused.

Based on the available evidence, it was the most logical conclusion. And the conclusion drawn from that assumption was that the Imperial soldiers who attacked them were unbelievably strong.

This soon led to bizarre rumors spreading among the Spanish soldiers.

-The Empire soldiers hiding in those mountains are all giants over 5 cubits tall (about 7.4 feet or 2.25m)!

And the rumors only intensified from there.

-Those giants are so strong and brutal that they tear people in half like paper!

-Being so strong, they can devour a whole horse or cow in one sitting!

-If there’s nothing else to eat, they eat people!

-Even if shot, they keep coming right at you and devour the shooter!

-If you see them, the best thing to do is run for your life!

Before long, the Imperial-Swiss guerrillas became figures of terror, akin to the ‘Black Death’ or ‘demons.’

* * *

While these ominous rumors circulated within the Spanish army, the Imperial-Swiss guerrillas were achieving considerable success.

The direct damage inflicted on the Spanish army was significant, but the unintended consequences of the chain reaction were even greater.

The main players in this chain reaction were the Tiger Hunters and a small contingent of Swiss soldiers.

Yu Eung-bu deployed the majority of the Tiger Hunters to the guerrilla units.

He believed that the Tiger Hunters, skilled in ambush tactics, sniping, and reconnaissance, would be more effective in guerrilla warfare.

And this assessment proved accurate.

The Tiger Hunters assigned to the guerrilla units accurately identified the routes and sizes of the Spanish forces traversing the mountain paths and reported them to the main force. The guerrilla commanders, upon receiving these reports, assessed the size and capabilities of their units and either allowed the Spanish forces to pass unmolested or engaged them in ambushes.

This made it even harder for the Spanish to get their bearings and maintain morale.

“Will there be Empire soldiers on this road?” a Spanish private wondered.

“The ones who went ahead of us passed safely….” another replied nervously.

With each turn in the narrow passage, the Spanish soldiers, from commanders to privates, had to carefully consider their options.

This hesitation significantly slowed down the unit’s movement, which in turn caused the entire Spanish army to advance sluggishly.

And when they were actually attacked, the Spanish suffered even more severe losses.

The command structure of most of the ambushed units quickly disintegrated.

As soon as the ambush began, the Tiger Hunters and the Swiss soldiers, with their exceptional marksmanship, sniped at the Spanish commanders.

The ambushed Spanish forces, having suffered significant casualties and lost their commanders, had to choose one of three options.

-Continue forward along the road.

-Wait for the follow-up unit. Upon arrival, follow the command of the follow-up unit’s commander.

-Desert.

Most of the Spanish soldiers chose the second option. They moved the dead and wounded comrades and broken equipment to the side and waited for the follow-up unit while nervously scanning their surroundings.

The problem was that this also turned them into another obstacle, further impeding progress.

Soldiers who had relaxed upon meeting the follow-up unit began to suffer from exhaustion in large numbers, and the entire unit was held back.

However, choosing the first option was not a good decision either.

The mountain paths the Spanish army was traveling on were not proper roads. Without proper signposts, they often strayed onto the wrong path and became stranded.

Of course, to prevent this, larger units had guides. However, these guides would often flee as soon as a battle broke out.

Following the unit that had gone ahead in the absence of a guide was by no means a recommended course of action.

The last option, desertion, mainly occurred in two ways.

The first was unintentional desertion, as described above, when they got lost and wandered off. The second was intentional desertion.

These occurred mainly in units that had suffered heavy losses.

Most of the commanders had been sniped, the command structure had collapsed, and many of their comrades were dead, wounded, or mentally broken.

“I can’t do this anymore! I have to get out of here!” a terrified soldier would exclaim.

Determined to desert, the soldiers grabbed whatever food they could find and disappeared into the forest.

“Let’s go in a little deeper and hide for 2-3 days. Then we can go back the way we came,” one deserter might suggest.

Their reasoning was based on seemingly sound logic.

First, they believed that the following friendly forces would prioritize reaching Alexandria rather than searching for them.

Second, it would be impossible to tell whether they were deserters or local villagers just by looking at their clothes.

At this time, there were only three armies in the Italian front that wore ‘uniforms.’

The Imperial Army, the Swiss Army, and the Florentine Army.

The French army was also attempting to establish uniforms, but it was not yet complete.

In this era, civilians and soldiers could not be easily distinguished unless they removed or altered a few distinctive items, such as helmets, breastplates, and jackets.

Therefore, they calculated that they could hide in the forest for a few days and then emerge, blending in with the local population.

However, most of those who attempted to desert in this way did not meet a favorable end.

First, the timing was unfortunate.

It was the transition from winter to spring, but the nights in the Alps and Apennine Mountains were still bitterly cold.

It was a deadly time for deserters who couldn’t light fires for fear of being discovered and pursued.

Second, the deserters themselves were unfamiliar with the terrain.

The forest was a labyrinth where it was easy to get lost, even if you only ventured a short distance. The forest was a place of life and death unless you were a hunter or lumberjack familiar with its secrets. They became stranded and disappeared without ever finding their way out.

Third, they were often caught by the guerrillas.

Considering the guerrillas’ need to maintain mobility, it was impossible to take prisoners with them. However, letting them go was also out of the question. They might immediately return to the Spanish army and attempt to clear their names by reporting the guerrillas, or they might be captured by the Spanish army and forced to divulge information.

In the end, the guerrillas had no choice but to quietly eliminate the prisoners they captured.

* * *

After struggling through the treacherous mountain paths, the Spanish army regrouped just before reaching Alexandria.

“The damage is more extensive than anticipated….”

The Spanish command frowned after completing the regrouping and assessing the state of the army.

The Imperial-Swiss guerrillas had focused their attacks on the artillery and supply units.

Due to the relentless guerrilla attacks, the Spanish artillery had lost half of its cannons and 80% of its shells and ammunition.

The supply unit had also suffered heavy losses, losing almost all of its food and about 1/3 of its ammunition.

“If we were to engage in a proper battle, we would barely be able to sustain a single engagement.”

“Oh dear….”

“In this state, even if we retreat, impeachment is almost certain,” a worried commander stated.

Most of the command staff were Spanish nobles. Therefore, their thoughts were inextricably linked to politics.

The Spanish army’s participation in this war was not solely for maintaining their vested interests in Italy.

No, that was almost the only reason at first, but later a more significant motive emerged.

It was the map that Xiang had given to Portugal.

The map of the unclaimed land in the western Atlantic was a priceless treasure.

With this single map, Portugal clung tightly to the Empire.

Upon hearing about this map, Spain repeatedly requested Portugal to share it.

King John II of Portugal sent a reply to these requests from Spain.

-If you want it, come and get it. You know the way, right?

Stripped of the flamboyant and lengthy diplomatic rhetoric, the essence of the reply was as stated above.

Having received the provocative reply, Spain immediately considered attacking Portugal but was forced to reconsider.

This was because the Imperial fleet, which had departed from Shinji, had arrived in Portugal, delivered a large quantity of weapons, and deployed a training corps to train the Portuguese army.

Thanks to this, the power of the Portuguese army was rapidly strengthened, and Spain had no choice but to stand down.

However, when they considered mobilizing the navy, the Portuguese navy was considered to be equal to or slightly superior to the Spanish navy.

Therefore, the only viable solution for Spain was to win the war on the Italian front.

-If we defeat the Empire, which is Portugal’s backer, in Italy, Portugal will be forced to reconsider its position.

With this goal in mind, Spain dispatched troops to Italy.

However, the capital, Toledo, remained a hotbed of political debate.

-The war is too costly! We should offer concessions and negotiate a settlement!

-That’s right! Don’t we already know that the Empire’s power is formidable?

-War is the only answer! How long will we be dictated to by the infidel Empire!

-That’s right! Who are we! Aren’t we the descendants of those who drove out the infidels and reclaimed their homeland through the Reconquista [the historical period of the Iberian Peninsula’s Christian reconquest]! Negotiation with infidels! That’s preposterous!

-Is it really true that the Empire is so powerful? It could be a bluff! If the Empire were truly that powerful, they wouldn’t have been so restrained! Think of the Mongols!

-That’s right!

Even with the army dispatched, the moderates and hardliners continued to clash fiercely.

Therefore, the Spanish command, having arrived in Alexandria, was more desperate for victory than anyone else.

For their own position, for the position of their family.

* * *

“It’s dangerous to engage in a battle under these circumstances….”

“But we can’t retreat either.”

While the Spanish commanders were grappling with this dilemma, the cavalrymen who had been sent out on reconnaissance returned with urgent news.

-The Alexandria fortress and surrounding area are deserted.

-Numerous signs of residents fleeing in a hurry have been confirmed.

“The fortress is empty?”

“Yes, sir.”

“What about the fortress garrison?”

“They appear to have deserted, sir.”

“As expected of those Italian bastards….”

The command staff, who had been sneering moments before, suddenly brightened up.

“A golden opportunity!”

“That’s right!”