In March, the weather in Eastern Europe began to warm up. After a month of training, the Norman soldiers recovered and were in top condition. The conscripts did not disband and go home, as they had done in the past, and went back to be busy with spring ploughing.

"All losses are to be compensated by the Norman Empire. At the same time, new potatoes and corn are planted. It is also possible to compensate for the loss to a certain extent. Norman officials explained to the nervous conscripts, even though the Normans had previously chosen to recruit troops to fight during the busy farming season. But the number was definitely not so large - the more than one million conscripts were arguably the strongest labor force in the Norman Empire. Without them, the production activities of the Norman Empire would have been severely disrupted.

But it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter at all about war. After all, compared to the war with the Mongol Empire, such an important matter, the gains and losses of those individuals, and even the lives of those individuals. It's all very casual, something that can be discarded anytime and anywhere.

The Norman Emperor sent his troops to Moscow. And asked the Moscow Duchess Catherine to organize her army and prepare for the mobilization of the peasants. It was only then that the people of the Moscow dukedom realized that the Norman Emperor had not spent a lot of money on the construction of the fortifications for the sake of looking good. Nor was it to guard against a renewed attack by the Kalmyk Centaurs. Rather, it was to guard against another enemy, another more powerful and terrifying people named the Mongols.

Neo-Scandinavian Garrison Corps, Frontier Garrison Corps. and the 3rd Hussar Corps. A total of sixteen thousand professional troops entered the Moscow dukedom. And stationed in the outermost periphery of the Moscow defensive circle. They also carried twenty twelve-pounder cannons. The guns were placed on various forts where the castle had been built long ago to strengthen the defenses.

Large quantities of arrows, crossbows, rations, armor and weapons were transported to the castles on the front lines. The demented Normans are still underground in the castle of the front-line generation. A large amount of gunpowder was buried. At the last moment, after the castle was lost, he would "boom" and blow up the enemy into the sky with himself.

The outer line of defense in which this group of troops was stationed was based on two large fortified castles with three layers of stone, a moat surrounded by water, and a spiked moat. These two large castles were all designed in the shape of eight-pointed stars. The walls have a slight slope. This makes it more difficult for enemies to climb and is subject to crossfire.

And in the interior of the castle, barracks, training grounds. There are many granaries and arsenals. It is possible to store enough supplies for the defenders to use for about two years. In order to persevere.

Around these two castles are smaller earthen forts, wooden forts. and the fragmented, labyrinthine trenches that were excavated. Lots of thistles, traps, traps. These were designed to minimize the Mongols' speed and cavalry superiority.

These small civil forts are not as sturdy as the large castles of stone. But not to be underestimated. The surface layer has been lightly treated with fireproof wood, soft earth and fired mud brick buildings. It also has very good defense. In fact. Generally speaking. Such a defensive structure is already a big show for the landlord class in the East and the small aristocracy in the West. It's just that here in the Norman Empire, the biggest effect of these "pomp and circumstance" was only to increase the attrition of the Mongols and slow down the Mongol attack. ...,

On the periphery of the periphery. Those places that the Normans could not defend. Egil also put the most of it - the earth excavated from the trenches and moats, and the scraps from the felling of trees, as well as a large amount of construction debris, were thrown into those places. After simple processing and stacking, a steep hill that is difficult to pass is formed. In other places, rudimentary wooden fences are used. Digging canals, piling up earthen walls, etc.

This line of defense designed by the Normans led to Egil's invasion of Eastern Europe. After the whole of Eastern Europe was included, construction began. Until now. It seems that such a line of defense is arranged in a total of six layers. If you want to find words to describe it, it should not be impregnable. It should be a swampy mud pond that eats people and does not spit out bones. The cavalry superiority that the Mongols were so proud of no longer existed, and could only advance slowly, slowly, and slowly. The tactic of exchanging space for time.

Egil did not have any delusions that he would be able to stop, defeat, or even destroy the Mongols in one go. He was prepared to lose a large number of troops. The first three or four layers of the six-tier line of defense. In the Mongols exhausted their efforts, suffered heavy losses, and were poor. When there is no longer the ability to move forward. Then concentrate on the counterattack.

It's like the Red Army in World War II. Wouldn't mind fighting a battle for Moscow if necessary. Anyway, this is all the territory of the Grand Duchy of Moscow. He doesn't feel heartache when he is beaten into a wasteland.

So, in mid-March, the second batch, the Western Polish Garrison Corps, the Southwestern Polish Garrison Corps, the 2nd Hussar Corps. The same 16,000 people. Began to move towards Moscow. At the same time, the 6,000 men and horses of the North Saxon garrison followed. These 38,000 local troops. It will be the backbone of the Normans in the first line of defense.

While the Normans were deploying troops, the Mongols were not idle. Genghis Khan sent a large number of Mongol spies and spies mixed in with the caravan to reconnoiter the Normans - of course, they only entered the city of Nizhny Novgorod and then reached the first line of defense of the Moscow Circle, and were told that they could not go any further. Goods can be bought and sold. But people have to go back.

Although the merchants complained loudly that they had to go to Moscow, to Krakow to import goods. But the Norman soldiers stationed at the checkpoint were indifferent. A small number of people who tried to sneak in were either captured by the Norman army and executed according to the espionage method. Or they were trapped in a messy, labyrinthine trench, or they stepped into the air and fell into a trap, and the wooden stakes buried in the trap made several transparent holes......

In this way, the half-spies of the Mongols were all wiped out. It was even more annoying to the Mongols. So they protested against the Normans, as later in America did. Formal diplomats, with formal diplomatic missions, mixed with formal spies, went to the periphery of the absolute defensive circle of the Norman Empire. After waiting for half a month, Egil's consent was obtained. Under the watchful eye of the Norman soldiers, they followed the route designed by the Normans.

Although, these Mongol emissaries saw only the tip of the iceberg of the Norman Empire's defense system. However, this was enough for them to express their surprise. Some of the Mongols who had followed Hulegü on his mission to the Norman Empire two years earlier lamented their feelings. When they passed through Moscow two years ago, the lines were not perfect. But two years later, these lines of defense are frighteningly strong.

Even more terrible than these lines were the Normans - the determination of the Norman Emperor to be precise. On the way to Krakow, where the mission handed over the letter of protest, and then on the way from Krakow back to Kazan. They were surprised to find that these defensive lines, which were already perfect, were still being strengthened. Extended, rammed earth and dug trenches. And they also got a phrase that was said to have been uttered by the Norman Emperor: "As long as the earth is still in motion, then the absolute defense circle of Moscow will be strengthened for one day!"

-- What is that thing that moves the earth?

When all the information was put together and reported to Temujin, the gray-haired, slightly old-looking, but imposing sweat. Genghis Khan was a little surprised, his eyes widened, and on both sides of him, the Mongol generals, Qianhu asked loudly: "What's going on? Could it be that the other side has already decided on a war with our Mongols several years ago?"

"It's surprising, but that's what it seems. Honorable Great Khan. The second of the four masters, Mongolian Right Wanhu Borshu sighed: "It seems that this time, we will face a very powerful opponent." ”

"It is true, yes—but it will be the Mongols who will prevail in the end!" Temujin waved his right hand, his eyes shining like those of a falcon, and then he rose sharply and shouted, "Nothing can stop the Mongol cavalry! The more they resisted, the more glory they would add to the Mongol warriors! The Normans will be recorded by history, an insignificant speck of dust!"

"Yes, Great Khan!" when Temujin said such heroic words in such a loud voice, the Mongol generals fell to their knees in convincing convincing manners, and saluted to their heavens, their Great Khan, and their undefeated Mongol gods. And follow his decisions wholeheartedly.

Eventually, many of the Mongols did not understand why their Great Khan would attack such a far-flung and inaccessible country. But in the end, they chose to obey. And began to fantasize about how much wealth and slaves could be plundered from the Normans.

April 3, 1009. The Mongols declared war on the Norman Empire on the grounds that the Norman Empire had contained the Kalmyk centaurs, enemies of the Mongols. The iron hooves of Mongolia are operating again, under the leadership of Temujin, the terrible Genghis Khan, to trample the Norman Empire, the new master of this Europa, into meat sauce......