Eagle Byzantium

The medieval city walls, or the city walls of any era, have a big flaw, that is, the soldiers guarding behind the curtain wall battlements can use bows and arrows to shoot the oncoming enemies, but due to the limited field of view, once the enemies rush to the wall, these soldiers can no longer shoot them - at this time, the attackers will set up ladders under the wall to climb up, or use tools to destroy the wall and break into the city.

However, Ibn Mamun and Gigasaddin had a plan for this situation. They built a 20-foot-long "fence" every 35 feet on the wall section of Constantine's Tim Gate. The so-called fence is a building that integrates the battlements, the battle corridors, and the battle roads. To put it bluntly, it is a wooden corridor protruding from the city wall - the Turks forced the citizens and the farmers who were forced to come from all around, and now dense brackets and beams are built outside the battlements, and then corridors are built along these. Such fences can observe the enemy's damage to the foundation of the city wall, and can attack the area that the soldiers behind the curtain wall cannot attack.

"Although this Robert is stupid, he is brave in battle. Tell the Calabrians who follow him to prepare to support the attack!" Bohemond, who was watching the battle on the earth rampart, said as he watched the fierce battle on the city wall in front. At this time, the Norman catapults also began to smash the protruding fences of the Timian Gate of Constantine. For a time, smoke and dust filled the air, but the cunning Roma had erected a series of oblique brackets behind the wooden boards facing the outside of the fence in advance, and applied fireproof paint on the outside. All the elite soldiers hid in them, allowing the stones to whistle and fly continuously, making them squeak and shake, and tightly holding the bows, slings and shields in their hands, and persevering.

Soon, Robert of Normandy, who was just about to set up a ladder and climb the enemy's battlement, saw the fences on his left and right. The windows and firing ports were opened one after another, some on the side, some on the lower abdomen, and then the deadly flying stones and poisonous arrows were shot out crosswise. In an instant, the soldiers and flag bearers around Robert covered their wounds with arrows and fell under the city wall. They died miserably, and dozens of people were killed in just a few seconds.

Robert saw this and hurriedly protected his shield behind his body, lowered his head, and threw down his sword. He drove his horse towards his own siege position, and arrows kept piercing his shield, making a hissing sound, mixed with the insults and ridicule of the Romani people. "Go and rescue the lord!" The Normans, Normandy, including the Flemish, three groups of people, and the support troops sent by Bohemond all rushed towards Robert who was fleeing in embarrassment.

The hidden war room in the two gate towers of Constantine Tim. The covered doors and curtains were also opened, and the fire tanks were pushed out, nimbly and fiercely hitting the back of the siege formation, and the flames exploded above people's heads. Then, many of the soldiers who were attacking the city were on fire, screaming and jumping into the deep and steep moat. Thick smoke with the smell of meat rolled out from the trench, and the sharp stakes and thorns inserted at the bottom of the river were covered with blood and flesh. The tail of Robert of Normandy's warhorse was also burned, with a streak of flames. He ran into the camp without looking back, and only then did he save his life, still in shock.

"Retreat!" Bohemond finally believed in the power of Nicaea's defense. He shouted hurriedly.

But just as Gawain had expected: the Frankish knights were a group of reckless people who lacked discipline - although at the main gate, Bohemond had already ordered the troops to withdraw. But in the affected northern camp, many Franks ignored Godfrey and Baldwin's prior restraints, and either rode or walked, shouting and rushing towards the wall held by Hajib like a tide. There were more towers in this section of the wall, more personnel, and more dense crossbows. "Hellenistic dogs, those who do not believe in the Bible, die!" The voices kept ringing, and flying stones and arrows fell from the sky. The blood and flesh of the Franks who were attacking the city in a mess were splattered, and corpses were piled up on both sides of the moat. Within half an hour, 500 people died and more were injured, while the city of Nicaea remained motionless and there was no damage at all.

"Your Excellency, a collective meeting of all lords must be held." Seeing this tragic situation, Count Stephen of Blois came to Godfrey and strongly demanded.

Looking at the Roma Turks who were shouting and laughing on the top of the city wall, Godfrey nodded, "Hold it tonight. I, Bohemond, and Gawain will not be the heads of the meeting. As for the general sent by the Greek emperor, neither will he. You will preside over it." Duke Godfrey said so, of course he had his reasons. He no longer wanted this military meeting to become a stage for wrangling and internal friction.

On the earth rampart, Gawain walked down silently and quickly, and then Samuelfa and Agnes appeared in his scarf. The Archduke and Taitius sat on the left and right, deliberately sitting next to Anna to show that Anna was the real hostess.

"Today, everyone has witnessed and heard the outcome of the reckless attack by the Normans and Franks. I estimate that a letter will be delivered soon, inviting me and General Taitius to discuss matters. At that time, I may face greater criticism, because in this attack, only our side did not make any movement, avoiding the worthless sacrifice of soldiers, but Bohemond and some lords may not think so. In addition, the attack on the city of Nicaea should be mainly based on equipment and siege, and the movement of the Roman reinforcements should be well controlled. Samuelfa and Agnes, both of you are people who specialize in military engineering, so I hope that you, Samuelfa, can make simple Roman fire guns and equip them on my ships; and Agnes can make effective siege machines to open gaps in the city walls."

"Respected Grand Duke, when I was hired by His Majesty the Emperor, I signed a contract and an oath, so even if the beautiful and noble Princess is in front of me now, I cannot violate it, because I am a serious and faithful Orthodox Christian, so I am very sorry, I cannot hand over the secret formula!" Samuelfa burst into tears and fell in front of Gawain and Anna and said so, and Taitisius also whispered to remind Gawain that what he said was true - if the emperor knew that he sold the formula of "Defense Fire", he would be killed even if he was at the end of the world.

Gawain sighed, and Anna's eyes were red, saying that the engineer didn't need to do this, and asked the Grand Duke to reward you with fifty Byzantine gold coins to prepare and build a temporary port on the shore of Lake Nicaea.

Over there, before Gawain could speak, "I refuse, unless you come to beg me." Agnes turned her head and said very resolutely.

"Another mare that needs discipline." Gawain said bitterly in his heart, "Forget it, I'll go to the military meeting first and see what happens." As he was talking, the messenger really delivered the letter. Andeodat opened it and read it, and handed it to Gawain, which was exactly what he expected.

"You go to the barbarian first, and I'll deal with these two." It's hard to believe that Anna said this to him quietly, with a cunning smile. (To be continued ~^~)