Volume 3, Messenger 108, In the Name of the Divine Spirit.
Amon had no seat, after bowing to the various dignitaries in turn, he stood in the center of the hall waiting for questioning. The first to ask questions was Eisen, this imperial military minister was also a legion commander from an early age and had a lot of experience with marching and war. He asked Amon many questions, this young great warrior answered fluently. Military affairs cannot be empty talk, Lord Eisen also ordered someone to bring out maps, sand tables and various military equipment, letting Amon simulate on the spot how to organize marching, set up battle arrays and other actual combat commands, Amon did it with ease and without any flaws.
The assessment lasted a whole day, and after lunch, Wangdu's high priest Su Siga even played a game of military array beast chess with Amun, using a real military sand table, and the result was also very satisfactory.
The next day, the examination continued in the afternoon. The seven adults asked various questions, some of which had already gone beyond the military scope. Amun tried his best to answer them and then retreated to wait for the result. The seven adults began to deliberate, while Maria remained silent. In the end, the opinion was three to three, with the same number of supporters and opponents. Those who agreed that Amun should take over as legion commander were Eisen, Walde, and George, while those opposed were Suska, Daja-Turan, and Bulque.
The opponents' opinions, apart from Amun's lack of experience in commanding battles, were mainly due to his origin. Amun was once a resident of the town of Duk, which belonged to the Hittite kingdom, and it was questionable whether he could guarantee absolute loyalty to the Egyptian Empire in battle. The two sides were at an impasse, and ultimately, they had to wait for the opinion of the great priestess.
Maria hesitated and said, "Through the assessment of these two days, whether Amun is suitable to be the legion commander of An-Ra Legion has no doubt. We all know in our hearts that this legion will not participate in the real main battle, but only perform coordinated reconnaissance and cover-up tasks, Amun can fully handle it, and there are no objections from you all, right?"
The other six did not express any opposition, and Maria continued: "As for whether this person is loyal, haven't you all heard of his deeds? His actions are enough to prove his noble character, which is why I recommended him. This person is indeed a miner from the town of Duke, he was the one who presented the tears of the gods, and it was also him who returned Nero's belongings.
"What kind of changes has Du Ke Town gone through, I think you all won't be unclear? Moreover, his clansmen are also completely controlled by the Empire. The latest news that came is that the King of Hatti claimed to have received the oracle of Enlil, this oracle everyone has heard of right? If you were Amon, what would you think?"
Here is another episode, about the latest developments in the Hittite kingdom. According to King Lucius of Hatti and the Hattian Academy of Divination, the great god Enlil has bestowed a new oracle: he used his divine power to unleash that great flood, not only punishing and expelling the sinful people, washing away the evil on earth, but also bestowing upon his people a thousand miles of fertile land. That place will become a blessed land of divine favor, where the oracle instructs his people to cultivate the fertile land and establish a prosperous and happy home.
The divine revelation reached every corner of the kingdom, and the people were ecstatic, especially the unemployed vagrants, wandering adventurers, and farmers from some impoverished cities of the empire. People poured into the temple like a tide to thank Enlil for his blessings and vowed to cultivate the fertile land given by the gods as a sacred mission. The altar was filled with flowers and precious offerings, and everyone praised the greatness, mercy, and majesty of the gods.
In the midst of this jubilant cheering, there is a group of forgotten people who can only silently mourn in secret. They are the former miners of Kuer Town. They have already been punished by the gods and shunned by the kingdom's people as sinners. The dead, whether innocent or guilty, no longer know anything. But what feelings do those still living harbor in their hearts?
Amon cannot return to the country that worships Enlil as its main god, even if he wants to, there is no place for him! Moreover, all the surviving tribesmen of Du Ke Town are in the Empire of Egu, and Amon has no reason to betray.
Actually, not only Enlil had an oracle, but also the high priests of the temple of Horus in Egypt received an oracle from King Horus just recently. The great god Horus declared that a thousand-mile fertile land would appear in the center of the continent of Tianxu, which is a symbol of the brutality and evil of foreign gods, and will also be a new territory for the establishment of the great Egypian Empire's eternal achievements. He called on his people to go there to establish an Egyptian home and build a true temple, so that the light of the gods can shine all over the continent.
This oracle became the highest divine decree for Ramses II to launch a war, and the Pharaoh himself decided to take personal command. This war had been planned by him for a long time, and it was possible to open up a whole new territory in the heart of the continent, which could realize the greatest ambition of this pharaoh's life. This oracle has not yet been officially announced to the people of Egypt, but when the army sets out, it will spread throughout the country. At that time, the people of Egypt will also rush into the temple to cheer and praise the sacredness and greatness of the gods and the Pharaoh.
The situation is just as Gao Lie said to Ah Mon, "It can be foreseen that the disputes there will also be the disputes of the gods, and people are driving their desires in the name of God."
The Holy Maiden mentioned the oracle of the foreign god Enlil and the past events in Dukedom, and no one could refute it. Perhaps to dispel everyone's doubts, Maria looked around and smiled: "Actually, you don't have to worry too much, although the Legion Commander is the highest officer of the legion, according to imperial law, the Chief Divine Officer has the responsibility of supervising and directing the war, and the Legion Commander must obtain the consent of the Chief Divine Officer before mobilizing the divine officers. We just need to appoint a trustworthy great divine magician as the Chief Divine Officer, and we will be completely safe."
At this time, the high priest of the Isis Temple, George, smiled bitterly: "Going to war is a hard job for great mages, let alone the main god officer of Anra Legion. Either it's just a decoration or it's not worth the candle, I think there are few people who would be willing to do it. Thank you for the trust and promotion of the Holy Maiden, recommending me as the high priest of the Isis Temple, this time I will take the initiative to serve as the main god officer of Anra Legion. I don't have any other requirements, just hope that the Imperial Military Department, Ministry of Finance, and the Dreamflight City-State can provide sufficient support, and not dismiss a miscellaneous army with a perfunctory attitude."
Things were settled like this, and Amun officially took over as the legion commander of the Imperial Legion. Although it was just a temporary mixed army, its status was already there, and his identity was equivalent to that of a deputy governor of a city-state. The next few days were busy for Amun, who had a lot of work to do after taking office, and he even regretted sending Iso away too early.
In formal battles, the legion commander is usually not directly on the front line to charge. He is the commander of the entire army, and once an accident occurs, it can easily lead to a collapse of the entire front line. Therefore, a vanguard commander is needed on the front line, and this position is also vacant now. Maria let Armon choose by himself, if he really couldn't find a suitable person, she agreed to send Gabriel over.
It can also be seen that Pharaoh attaches no importance to the An-Ra Legion. Although the Military Affairs Committee has formulated a marching plan for coordinated operations, flank alerts and cover-ups. In Pharaoh's mind, this miscellaneous legion is actually dispensable, and the large army he led in person will sweep everything before it.
But Amun himself cannot help but attach great importance to Gabriel, who is the most important assistant by Maria's side. He naturally cannot easily take Gabriel away, and this guardian warrior has a high status, which Amun also cannot command at will. After all, Amun still lacks sufficient foundation and prestige, making it difficult for him to find a vanguard commander who completely obeys and listens to him.
After thinking for half a day, Armon submitted an application to the Dreamflight City-State, recommending and promoting one person - John, the former sixth-level warrior who was once punished and demoted, and also the captain of He Lie Shan's guard.
As the highest commander of the legion, although it is impossible to win a battle solely by relying on one's own martial prowess, the commander's personal strength and charisma are still part of their prestige in the eyes of soldiers. Therefore, the commander of an Imperial Legion is usually held by a great warrior, with cases like Rody-Dick being exceptions.
Amon was already a great warrior, but his strength had not been truly demonstrated, and it was difficult for those aristocratic generals from Eg to convince them. The exception was Johann, the captain of the guard at Mount Herle, who had long been obedient to Amon and had even received guidance and instruction from him. This time again, it was Amon's recommendation that promoted him from the desolate Mount Herle to the legion, and he would naturally be willing to obey and serve.
Apart from the previous commander, Armon had another task that he had to handle himself, which was to build a personal bodyguard. The legion had this formation, but it had to be personally established by the legion commander himself. The number of guards was not large, but they were the most elite forces, and their responsibility was to protect the legion commander himself. Whether it was charging into battle or breaking through and escaping, the bodyguards had to closely follow the legion commander's side. The captain of the guard was also directly appointed by the legion commander himself, and no one else had the right to command them.
The Imperial Guard was equivalent to a small, independent private army, with no more than 100 people. Although they were also equipped with weapons and military pay by the legion, the legion commander would often provide them with better equipment at his own expense, and there were also more generous rewards in peacetime. After all, this was related to Amun's personal safety, and the Imperial Guard not only needed absolute loyalty but also had the courage to fight to the death to protect their superiors.
If it were other officers, there would be various restrictions on appointments, but the appointment of the Imperial Guard Captain was entirely up to the Legion Commander himself, and no one would interfere, even if he hired a wandering warrior. It was for this reason that Amun directly appointed Medanzo, a wandering warrior from Balen, as the Imperial Guard Captain. As for the members of the Imperial Guard, let Medanzo choose the best among the soldiers in the legion.
Xiao, the great merchant of Meng Fei City, finally met with the newly promoted Legion Commander Armon. Armon brought Medanzo to visit Xiao in person, making Xiao feel honored and surprised, so excited that he stuttered when speaking. Armon came to reminisce about old times, and also brought a decree from the Lord of Meng Fei City, appointing Xiao as the logistics officer of the An-La Legion, and asked him with a smile at the dinner table if he was willing or not?
Xiao's face turned red, his head nodded like a small chicken pecking at rice, and he stuttered: "Willing, extremely willing! Ah Meng, I've been looking forward to this day for a long time. You really haven't forgotten me!"
Xiao isn't a fool, he's very clear that even if a civilian merchant is wealthy, it's hard to have a noble status. The opportunity in front of him now is the best one in his life. Although organizing the logistics of the legion has some risks, it won't be more dangerous than what the soldiers on the frontline face. As long as he makes achievements and is recommended by the legion commander, he may be granted a noble title by Egufa Luo, glory is just one aspect, doing business in the future will also be much easier.
In the legion, there were naturally officially appointed military supply officers by the empire who were responsible for receiving, counting and distributing materials. Ahmon appointed Xi'ao as a supply officer, mainly in charge of organizing caravans and merchant teams outside the legion to transport supplies to follow the legion. He was very clear that this businessman had no other skills, but he was very good at doing this.
With the orders of Pharaoh, all merchant houses in each city-state had to first obey the dispatching of military supplies. Hea was quite familiar with such things and was the most suitable person Amun could find.
The military officer is a fat job, during the war period has the right to requisition military supplies from various city-states along the way, and after the event, the imperial financial department will settle the account uniformly. The oil and water are naturally self-evident. Xi Ou was grateful to Amun, according to "custom", and respectfully gave Amun a large sum of money on the spot. This time he was generous and unreserved, anyway, the sheep's wool comes from the sheep's body, and can be earned back many times in the future.
If it's really about wealth, Armon doesn't lack money at all, and he laughed and refused on the spot. Xi Ou saw that Armon wouldn't accept, got anxious to the point of sweating, and begged for a long time before Captain Maidanzo of the Imperial Guard finally nodded in agreement to accept a gift, mainly to equip the elite guards with better armor and weapons. These were originally supposed to be paid by Armon himself, but Xi Ou generously took care of it.
Everything was ready, and Amun received the imperial order to lead the Anra legion to set out. He brought 50 divine masters and 5,000 warriors along the east bank of the Nile River towards the sea. The logistics team was divided into two parts, a small part was the vehicle team, which took the land route and was responsible for daily supplies, and most of them were transported on ships along the Roni River to the sea, following the ground army to advance forward, and the legion also dispatched warships to escort.
Although it was just a miscellaneous army that was not valued, it was also mighty and majestic when walking on the road. Amun's eighty personal guards were all armored cavalry, and the five thousand soldiers consisted of charioteers, archers, and heavy infantry armed with javelins and shields. John led the cavalry at the very front, while the light infantry phalanx marched at the rear of the column. From a distance, the weapons and armor glinted in the sunlight, forming a vast ocean of twinkling stars.
Amun sat in the spacious and comfortable chariot, feeling a bit sentimental. When he first came to Dreamflight City, he was pursued by people all the way, almost dying on the banks of the Ronnie River. Now that he's leaving here, he has become a legion commander commanding thousands of horses and soldiers. The one who should be truly thanked is Maria, it was her silent help and guidance that brought him to where he is today.
Ahmose had no intention of engaging in battle with the armies of the Hittite kingdom, but this great war was inevitable whether he participated or not. He only wanted to establish enough merit to pardon the people of the Duc town, so that in the future he could lead them back home. Ahmose knew very well that the temporary gains from this great war were not yet the thousand-mile fertile land, and that the marshes around the Duc town had completely disappeared, allowing a large army to be stationed there, at least for another year or two, and that Pharaoh Akhenaten's expedition was launched a bit too hastily.
However, from a strategic point of view, the Pharaoh's goal was to establish a camp base in the inland lake area first, so as to occupy a favorable position in future disputes. As the floodwaters receded completely, they would naturally occupy that entire fertile plain and make it the empire's new territory.
Ramses II was confident and led the expedition himself, and the power of Egypt was also recognized by all countries. The outcome of this war seemed to be without a doubt. Although Ahmose was among the great army of Egypt, he did not think that Egypt would win a complete victory. The reason is simple, he felt that Ramses II took this war too lightly. This is a matter of life and death for many people, but in Ramses II's eyes, it seemed like a game played at will.
Pharaoh's view on the enemy is unclear, but at least Ramses II showed a complete lack of respect for the Anlār army corps. He treated them like a worn-out chariot that he casually threw away, letting them follow him into battle, and Amun had to work hard to get the parts working again.
The Pharaoh thought he was invincible, and that leading the most elite army would be enough to win, but such an important war between nations exposed many problems in this link. If Ahmose had been the commander-in-chief of the entire army, he would never have treated the An-ra military unit so hastily, even if its status might not have been very important.
The speed of the army's advance does not depend on how fast the horses can run, but whether the logistics and supplies can keep up. The Anluo Army's supplies mainly rely on shipping, although the transport ships are equipped with long oars, the main power at sea is still the wind sail. The army advances steadily along a predetermined route, Amun has not wasted the opportunity to march along the coastline, although it is unlikely to participate in the main battle, but all the way without forgetting to maneuver the troops.
The coordination between charioteers, archers, javelin throwers, cavalry and infantry, although learned from military books and practiced on sand tables, Amun had never actually deployed a battle array in the field. During the march, Amun ordered each general to command their soldiers to practice military formations in rotation, and he brought Medanzo to observe the actual combat.
The An-Lan army was newly formed and their training had been quite lax. However, to become a formal soldier of the empire, the minimum requirement was that they were at least first-class warriors who had practiced martial arts. When these people truly worked together in battle, it should be quite powerful.
In the army of the Egu Empire, there was a convention or tradition where the supplies allocated by the Ministry of Military Affairs and military pay would be withheld by superiors in a certain proportion, with only the remaining amount being distributed to soldiers. As for military pay, it goes without saying that military supplies could also be sold for a high price on the market. This money was used as personal expenses for superiors, such as equipping their guards, rewarding war achievements under private names, and bribing enemy personnel.
The proportion of this deduction is generally about 30%, and the remaining 70% is distributed to the soldiers below, which is considered sufficient. However, those miscellaneous troops that are not valued have equipment quality and military pay that cannot be compared with the imperial elite troops, and the proportion of deductions by their superiors is often much higher. This creates a vicious circle, making the combat effectiveness of the troops even lower.
Amun trained his troops on the march, of course, increasing the burden on his officers and men, but on the other hand, he was also very generous. The military supplies distributed by the Imperial Military Department and the city-state, he personally did not intercept any, all were distributed to the soldiers. The three-tenths military pay that should have been controlled by him personally, Amun only kept one-tenth, and the remaining nine-tenths were promptly paid into the hands of the soldiers, making the officers and men who had not expected too much overjoyed.
