Time to try one's luck yet again. This time, from a side they would hopefully not expect: From the southern sea.
But that might once again not be enough. Arthur was quite mad at these people, for having defeated him so quite thoroughly. He was determined to have his revenge for that, and to insure they do not beat him again so easily.
A few quick orders, and then his scouts were gone and back. With them, fishermen from the enemy city, a half-dozen who had been fishing too far away from the coast for the enemy coast-side watchers to notice their kidnapping.
Arthur did not normally condone the killing of non-military people, but his revenge demanded it. He first tortured the civilians until they divulged what he wanted to know: The location of the city's mosque, and the time at which the people would conglomerate in it to pray, more specifically the time when their general normally goes to pray. Afterward, the civilians were killed in cold blood.
"And thus," declared Arthur while standing on the top deck, addressing his men, "Doth our sword of justice readies to deal out our due revenge. The barbarians of the Saracen have savaged and killed far too many of our friends and families, destroyed our homes, raided our cities, desecrated our most holiest of grounds. All at no provocation. Now, we strike back. We might have suffered great losses in the war, but what we have left is what they can not take: Our Determination, our Willpower, our Pride in our Country and King, and our Faith and Piety towards The Lord Almighty. We will punish them for their wrongs, we will defeat them with the Lord's will, we will show them the futility of their faith in their heathen gods! Let the counterstrike begin!"
Arthur retreated to his room as his men cheered, for though his speech was well-spoken and well-prepared, he knew that he needed far more than high morals to guarantee his victory. But his plans seemed promising: A surprise strike against the enemy when they would least expect it, and when they would be most affected: During the general's and the people's praying time, his ship-mounted catapults, modified for extra precision and extra range, would start pounding the mosque directly. For extra moral damage and shock-provider, the bodies of the civilians he had captured would be tied to the projectiles being fired. As the enemy layed confused, his ships would start attacking the sea gate and enter into the harbor. And just in case all that was still not enough to assure victory and retreat was necessary, he had ordered his men to prepare to steal as many of the enemy's ships in harbor to both facilitate retreat and hinder possible chase attempts, and to burn absolutely all ships left in the harbor that could not be taken.
Arthur relaxed a bit and smirked. He had never been quite a religious person, but now, he found himself thanking the Saracen god, for he had taught his people more than enough religious fervor and discipline to insure many, many causalities would ensue from an attack on their temple during prayer time.
Orders:
Move to 21,-7 and attack the city.
Author
Topic: War of the Crusading Lords (Read 12554 times)