The other Platoon Leader in 3rd Company, upon hearing that Morin seemed to have a method other than a frontal charge, also spoke up: “Sir, the casualties from a frontal attack are too high. Second Lieutenant Morin’s plan might be worth a try!”
Time ticked by second by second. The screams of the 1st and 2nd Company survivors ahead, and the intermittent bursts from the Vickers machine gun, lashed at everyone’s nerves like a whip.
A few moments later, Captain Hauser seemed to come to a decision, and he violently waved his hand. “Fine! Morin! Take your men on the left flank! If your plan fails, no matter how the fight goes, you are to immediately move toward the main force! Understood?”
“Yes, sir!” A great weight lifted from Morin’s chest.
Without a moment of hesitation, he immediately turned to face his subordinates. “3rd Platoon, all men! Follow me!”
He wasted no words, taking off and running along the edge of the bushes toward the more complex terrain on the left. Platoon Sergeant Klaus was the first to react, roaring, “Keep up with the Platoon Leader! Quick! Get moving!” The four Corporals and Squad Leaders quickly urged their men. The 80-man platoon swiftly detached from the company main force and plunged into the complex terrain on the left flank, following Morin’s figure.
After entering the woods, Morin immediately issued his first true combat command in this world. “Attention, entire platoon! Advance dispersed by squad! Maintain your distance, don’t crowd together!”
This set of commands was entirely foreign to the Saxon soldiers. But Morin’s voice was clear and decisive, and Platoon Sergeant Klaus and the four Corporals quickly grasped his intent, constantly repeating the orders. Though slightly confused, the soldiers complied.
“1st Squad, halt at that small mound fifty meters ahead! If any enemies approach the main force from other directions, open fire to cover us!” Morin pointed to a position and shouted to one of the Corporals.
“Yes, sir!” The Corporal quickly led the two squads of the 1st Platoon in a dash to the mound, using the trees and the terrain to set up their rifles.
“The rest of you, follow me! Move through the riverbed!” Morin himself took the lead, sliding down into the meter-deep dried riverbed. The other soldiers followed closely, using the depression of the riverbed for cover as they moved rapidly forward.
The roar of the Vickers machine gun continued to rage on the right, but its attention was completely focused on the frontal assault. It failed to notice the small unit quietly approaching from its blind spot.
After running rapidly through the riverbed for nearly 150 meters, Morin glanced at his minimap. Just as they were about to reach the side flank of the village, he suddenly heard gunfire erupt from the mound where the 1st Squad was positioned in the rear.
He signaled with his hand, and the entire team halted, hunkering down low in the riverbed. Sergeant Klaus, who was next to him, didn’t even wait for an order, crawling to the edge of the riverbed to cautiously peer out.
“Second Lieutenant, a small number of enemies from the village are moving toward us. 1st Squad is engaging and has them suppressed.”
“Good!” Morin nodded, then looked seriously at his Platoon Sergeant. “Sergeant Klaus, you and 2nd Squad establish a strongpoint here. If we are repulsed, cover our retreat back to the riverbed…”
“Second Lieutenant, you stay here! The assault is too dangerous!” Sergeant Klaus hesitated, clearly not wanting Morin to put himself at risk.
“Stop arguing. That is an order!”
Sergeant Klaus stopped debating. He and the other Corporal immediately led two squads of soldiers to stealthily climb the gentle slope beside the riverbed. Morin then led the remaining two squads—over 40 soldiers—staying low as they continued along the riverbed.
Perhaps the covering fire from the 1st Squad was effective, as the subsequent advance was free of further interference. Morin soon led the men to the junction of the riverbed and the village. The two-story farmhouse, which housed the machine gun emplacement, was now exposed to their side front, less than 100 meters away according to the map.
“Corporal Jonah!” Morin raised his hand and beckoned for one of the two remaining Corporals, who immediately hurried over with his rifle.
“See that two-story farmhouse?”
“Yes, Second Lieutenant!”
“I will lead 3rd Squad in the assault. You take 4th Squad and focus your fire on the doors and windows of that farmhouse facing our direction. Shoot instantly if you see movement, suppress the enemy, and don’t let them attack us! Can you do that?!”
“Count on it, Second Lieutenant!”
Morin nodded, then led the last Corporal and two squads of soldiers to scramble up the riverbed and sprint toward the farmhouse.
The movement was quickly spotted by the enemy. When Corporal Jonah, who was focused on the farmhouse, saw a figure appear in a second-floor window, he raised his Gew.98 rifle, aimed at the window, and pulled the trigger first.
“Farmhouse second floor window! Free fire! Fire!”
“Bang!” A single, crisp gunshot rang out first.
Immediately after, twenty rifles beside him fired simultaneously. The Gew.98 rifle was renowned for its high accuracy, and Saxon soldiers were held to strict accuracy requirements in their daily training. Consequently, all twenty bullets slammed into the farmhouse’s second-floor window, sending wood splinters flying. The figure inside vanished.
“Suppressed!” Corporal Jonah’s heart leapt with joy, and he immediately shouted, “7th Squad, keep firing! Don’t give them a moment to breathe! 8th Squad, watch the other doors and windows!” He worked the bolt, ejecting the hot casing and pushing another round into the chamber.
On the other side, Sergeant Klaus, lying on the riverbed slope, watched Morin and his men, still unsure why his new Platoon Leader had positioned them there. Before he could figure it out, he saw several ‘Royal Army’ soldiers in black uniforms rush out of other buildings to the right of the two-story farmhouse and run toward Morin’s position.
“All men, aim at the enemy near the farmhouse and fire!”
A hail of gunfire immediately erupted. The Saxon soldiers positioned there by Morin used their precise and sustained rifle fire to cut down the charging ‘Royal Army’ soldiers. In that instant, Sergeant Klaus finally understood Morin’s intent. Field of Fire! The riverbed slope’s position perfectly commanded the two-story farmhouse and the surrounding buildings. If the enemy wanted to attack Morin and his men, they had to cross directly in front of their muzzles! By pinning themselves here, the enemies in the village could barely threaten Morin’s assault.
On the other side, Morin and his two squads charged unimpeded right up to the side of the farmhouse.
“Corporal Bowman, you and 5th Squad watch the inside of the village! 6th Squad, follow me, prepare grenades!” After giving the order to the last Corporal, Morin dashed to the side of the farmhouse’s main door and flattened himself against the wall. The soldiers of 6th Squad, along with the two messengers who had been with him, quickly pressed themselves against the door’s sides.
“Toss grenades through the second-floor windows! One of the braver ones, throw a grenade into the machine gun firing port!”
Two soldiers in 6th Squad, designated as Grenadiers who carried fewer rifle rounds but four ball-type grenades, immediately followed Morin’s command and threw their grenades into the second-floor windows. One particularly daring soldier peered around the corner to confirm no enemies were present, darted beneath the machine gun firing port, pulled the pin, and accurately tossed a grenade inside.
“Boom! Boom! Boom!”
Several explosions ripped through the second floor of the farmhouse. On Morin’s minimap, the red unit marker for the enemy machine gun emplacement was crossed out.
And on the battlefield, the terrifying roar of the Vickers machine gun finally ceased.