April 2, 1703, 14 o'clock.

The battle for Setovez is in full swing.

Reinforcements from the Duchy of Valstad have all arrived on the battlefield, and the situation on the battlefield has been reversed, from a one-sided advantage of the coalition forces to an equal match.

The vanguard of the coalition forces was attacked by the Principality's cavalry divisions, and many of the unsuspecting infantry were annihilated in formation before they could form a phalanx.

In order to prevent the cavalry divisions of the principality from continuing to pursue the retreating troops, the main force of the coalition cavalry, which was originally a reserve, was also transferred, with a total of about 60 cavalry squadrons and more than 6,000 people, which was on a par with the other side.

The cavalry units of both sides engaged in a chaotic and tragic cavalry melee over the vast field.

"Look, the cuirassiers of the coalition!" A lancer in a boxy hat shouted.

The formidable cuirassiers charged to the flanks of the Duchy's 15th Hussar Regiment, seeing that the friendly forces were about to suffer a heavy blow. The commander of the 1st Lancer Regiment, Major Ivan, reacted quickly:

"They must not be allowed to succeed, brave lancers, cheer up! Let's rush again! ”

Ivan received a report from his adjutant that more than half of the three squadrons of lancers under his command had been lost, and only about 140 people were left who could continue the battle, and this figure also counted the lightly wounded.

He couldn't remember how many times he had led the charge, he himself had lost three mounts, and he himself had no idea who the horse belonged to, the poor animal was so tired that he was foaming at the mouth, and his belly was bleeding from the spurs in his boots.

Many of the lancers had their spears broken, their sabers were covered with gaps, one of the lieutenants beside them had a blood-stained bandage on his head, and all of them had their uniforms in tatters.

These people grew up in the steppes, and among them were nomads, nobles, and craftsmen. They were chosen for their superior horsemanship, their skill in using spears, and, above all, their unwavering loyalty.

In the hearts of these steppe people, Duke Easter Midknight was a great man, a great man, a savior, and a popular reformer.

During the chlorosis crisis seven years ago, large tracts of infected pastures were barren, and nomadic herders' cattle, sheep and horses suffered an unprecedented food crisis. At that time, it was the Duke who bought forage from abroad at a high price out of his own pocket and distributed it to the herdsmen, helping them to tide over the difficulties.

When chlorosis subsided and the pastures gradually recovered, the duke exempted the herders from taxes for another three years. Since then, the nobles and commoners of the steppe have become loyal fans of Lord Duke.

Now that the Principality is in crisis, it's time to repay the favor! The Lancers, who had already suffered heavy losses, had been allowed to retreat to the rear for repairs, but none of them were willing to leave the battlefield and vow to fight to the end.

The exhausted lancers once again urged their horses and charged head-on towards the coalition cuirassiers. Their heroic actions managed to cover the flanks of the 15th Hussar Regiment, but they themselves suffered heavy casualties.

Major Ivan fell from a bullet in his mount, and he fell to the ground with a dizzy head, but he got up strong and fought on foot instead, despite the grass and mud on his face. A tall cuirassier rose from his stirrup and brandished a heavy, straight-edged saber in an attempt to split the head of a lancer.

Major Ivan leaped to his feet. Pulling the cuirassier off his horse, he began a desperate fight on the ground, his spear and saber were long gone, and he switched to fists and teeth, and in the countless fights in the tavern, his skills in bare-handed combat were honed. Soon, he tightly choked the opponent's neck, the cuirassier's hands and feet slowly softened, his pupils slowly dilated, and then stopped moving.

The night owl banner of the Duchy of Valstad fluttered around, the infantry of the Duchy had followed, the main cavalry of the coalition army was forced to retreat, and the Duchy won the cavalry melee with difficulty, and in this blood-smelling wilderness, the horseless horses ran everywhere, the iron hooves trampled on the corpses and the wounded soldiers who were still alive, and the ground was full of flags, swords and broken spears.

At this moment, only a dozen lancers were still on their horses, and the warriors who had lost their mounts walked aimlessly. The others were either dead or fell on the grass moaning helplessly.

"God forbid, a tragic victory, but still worth celebrating, there's only so much we can do...... Duke, we did our best." Major Ivan muttered to himself, and then he fell to the ground and fainted.

The roles of attack and defense have changed, and the main force of the Duchy of Valstad, the five remaining infantry divisions, have assembled and advanced in parallel in the direction of the village of Setovice.

"Go and attack here on the left flank of the coalition! General Leopold's artillery brigade will support you! Field Marshal Roland Caspar pointed to the map and ordered to the officers beside him, who were in command of the last remaining strength of the Third Army.

"Yes!"

Major Dali Einfurt, commander of the 153rd Battalion, joined the rear of the rest of the army with his men in the attack. The grenadiers at the front of the attacking line advanced under a dense rain of bullets, with countless people falling with each step.

Behind them, General Leopold was deploying his heavy cannon on a high ground, and his men were well-trained and skillful in setting up their gun emplacements.

"Artillery brigade, listen to orders! The target distance is 500 meters, the breeze is negligible, lower the bolt by 3 blocks, turn the muzzle to the left fifteen degrees, first come a set of solid shells, fire! ”

The roar of the twelve-pounder heavy cannon shook the earth, and General Leopold held up his binoculars to take a closer look, and not a single shell hit, but it was not too far from the target.

"Now, fix aiming! The bolt is adjusted up one level, the muzzle is turned 5 degrees to the right, three groups of solid shells, shoot!! ”

This time, two shells hit the target, the heavy iron ball wrapped in powerful kinetic energy ploughed a bloody and blurred ravine in the crowd, and the telescope observed the dense multiple horizontal formations of the coalition forces suffering heavy losses, the scene was extremely bloody and terrifying, ordinary people were afraid that they would have vomited a long time ago, but General Leopold was not moved at all, he continued to give orders smoothly:

"Hit the target, keep the existing angle, fire freely! Shoot continuously! ”

Major Dali Einfurt was keenly aware of a gap in the coalition line, and the onslaught of artillery had broken several columns of the coalition army, but the friendly forces had already suffered heavy losses, and the grenadier battalion at the front had been killed or wounded, and the remnants had to retreat to the rear.

"There is a gap in the opposing front! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! 153 battalion! Convert into a marching column, in the direction of the gap, and rush with me! ”

On the brutal battlefield, once the weakness is exposed, it will be hit mercilessly by the other side. Several other battalion commanders also spotted the gap and launched a charge almost simultaneously.

Heavy casualties from the shelling had seriously demoralized the coalition's left flank, and the gap in the coalition's left flank widened as the remnants of the Third Army charged. The six infantry battalions that broke through the gap began to turn to attack the flanks and rear of the coalition front.

"Look! Our infantry rushed in! We must grasp the fighter plane, and we must not let this gap close, and we must keep up! Blow the trumpet! ”

Two squadrons of the Duchy's dragoons, skilled in both mounted and foot combat, carried a portable hitch and ready to dismount at any time, firing at the enemy's flank and then quickly mounted and transferred, causing deadly confusion in the rear of the coalition front.

As more and more Duchy troops poured into the gap, the coalition's left flank began to crumble, and many infantry formations were forced by cavalry to convert into phalanxes, which became live targets for the Duchy's artillery.

Major Dali Einfurt picked up a wounded dragoon and handed him over to his men, when a series of bugles were heard from the direction of the central front, and the collapsed left flank of the coalition began to cover each other alternately, leaving behind the surrounded friendly forces and began to retreat.

Captain Gavin, whose face was covered in smoke and blood, shouted excitedly: "I know this signal! They retreated! Oh, my God! They withdrew! It's over! ”

In the distance, the senior officers of the Duchy converged on a steep slope, and the commander of the Third Army, the aged Marshal Roland Caspar, stood with the commanders of the other three corps, watching the orderly retreat of the coalition forces.

"Civilian squire, start recording." The old marshal took out an old pocket watch, looked at it and said:

"On April 2, 1703, at 17:30, we occupied all the battlefield near the village of Setovice, we suffered heavy losses from both the enemy and the enemy, part of the main forces of the coalition army had withdrawn to the territory of the League of Nobles, and the northern border could be calm for a while."

The vast field was full of burning wildfires, the groans of the wounded were incessant, and the corpses were in shambles. The torn flags were planted diagonally in the ground, the afterglow of the setting sun shone on the cheeks of the dead, and the black-uniformed Duchy soldiers and the white-uniformed coalition soldiers embraced each other like brothers, still fighting to the death, their nails digging deep into the flesh, and the warm blood still flowing slowly, gradually becoming dry and cold.

"It was a pyrrhic victory, but it was ...... Won. The old marshal muttered, taking off his cap, pressing his hand to his chest, and bowing his head in silence for the dead.

"Win? You are too modest, how can you be so light-hearted? A young army commander excitedly shouted: "No...... It's not just about winning. This is a glorious victory, a great glory! You can show off the achievements of a lifetime! What about my band? Come here! Playing "Glory Belongs to Us", what are you doing in a daze? ”

Another commander ordered: "Medical Officer Nott, take your medics and see if there are any living people over there, not only our own people, but also the soldiers of the coalition army, treat them well, and give a sip of wine to the dying people." ”

A squadron of hussars, urging the foaming horses, returned from the front, and the captain, led by him, threw a large handful of broken flags on the ground and reported to the commanders:

"All the men and horses that our cavalry division can still move have gone to pursue the fleeing enemy, and the enemy has retreated to the other side of the river. Look, these are the seventeen flags of the Papal States and the Knights! ”

Before the words were spoken, the main force of the cavalry division that had gone in pursuit returned, and they ran wild in the field, brandishing the loot they had plundered.

The nearby infantrymen joined in the revelry, throwing their flat caps and raising their rifles in cheers:

"Long live the Duchy of Valsta! Long live Duke Midknight! ”