"Two thousand suits of armor?"
Kocel was stunned by the Vikings' generosity.
In the past, the entirety of Moravia could never have assembled that many sets of armor.
"This war can be fought. At the very least, holding Žatec won't be a problem."
Four days later, the shipment arrived at the docks of Žatec.
Kocel personally inspected the equipment.
Only thirty percent was newly manufactured; the remaining seventy percent showed signs of repair and refurbishment.
After testing the gear, he found that these unusually designed brigandines provided solid protection against both arrows and melee strikes.
Kocel immediately donned a suit of officer-grade armor and asked Agent Red Bream:
"How much do these cost?"
The agent lifted his chin proudly.
"Nothing. They're a gift from the Emperor.
"You focus on fighting the war. We'll handle the weapons and equipment."
Before long, all two thousand of Kocel's militia had been fully equipped with armor and standardized weapons.
The entire force looked transformed.
Even morale rose noticeably.
Over the next week, Kocel led the army on a tour through neighboring regions.
At the same time, he spread rumors everywhere:
"The Viking Empire's army of one hundred thousand men is already on the march. They'll reach Moravia next month.
"Any noble who resists will meet the same fate as the Frankish aristocracy!"
Through intimidation and promises alike, Kocel won over large numbers of lesser nobles and local gentry.
His army expanded to 3,500 men.
He also captured five settlements and seized substantial quantities of food and livestock.
Mounted on horseback, Kocel surveyed the long marching column.
With his strength growing rapidly, much of his anxiety faded.
He began planning how to secure even greater rewards from the war.
That evening, he received news that the king's standing army was marching toward Hradec, and the local lord was requesting reinforcements.
Though the man had ruined Kocel's timetable, he was still an ally of the same faction—and a cousin besides.
Leaving five hundred soldiers behind to guard Žatec, Kocel led the remaining three thousand men eastward along the Elbe.
Along the way, shamans occasionally arrived leading groups of followers eager to join the army.
Kocel welcomed them all.
He also allowed his troops to plunder settlements that refused to return to the traditional faith.
This served two purposes:
First, it helped gather supplies.
Second, it allowed the soldiers to vent their anger and increased their loyalty.
"My lord, your march is too slow.
"Yesterday we covered only twelve miles.
"I suggest leaving the slower militia behind to escort the baggage train."
A Viking officer serving as Kocel's temporary adviser offered the recommendation.
Kocel ignored it.
The army continued advancing at its sluggish pace.
On January 25th, the king's standing army reached Hradec first.
Following the advice of Greek advisers, the force of 2,600 soldiers deliberately looted estates outside the town, hoping to lure the local lord into battle.
The trap worked.
His forces were crushed, and the royal army came close to taking the town outright.
On the morning of January 28th, while constructing siege equipment, the standing army received news that Kocel's reinforcements were approaching.
At the war council, the Greek adviser proposed an immediate offensive.
"My lord, the town garrison has already been shattered.
"Even if we leave temporarily, they won't dare pursue us.
"I recommend marching west immediately and seizing the hills near this crossroads.
"That position will allow us to block the enemy."
The commander accepted the advice.
The army packed up camp and marched west, reaching the designated location by noon on January 29th.
At two in the afternoon, an army appeared at the far end of the road.
Approximately 3,500 men.
Their formation was loose and their pace slow.
The only truly notable feature was their two thousand armored soldiers.
Since neither side possessed significant cavalry forces, Kocel's army deployed successfully.
The two armies faced each other across more than a thousand meters of open ground, with the royal army holding the eastern hills.
The standing army was equipped entirely in Eastern Roman style:
Lamellar armor.
Spangenhelms with cheek guards.
Single-handed spears measuring 2.8 meters.
Oval wooden shields.
Composite recurve bows.
Kocel's core troops, meanwhile, looked unmistakably Viking:
Black brigandines.
Pointed helmets with neck protection.
Three-and-a-half-meter two-handed spears.
In addition, seven hundred militia carried crossbows, though they wore no armor.
Officially, both sides claimed to be fighting for Moravia.
Judging by their appearance, however, this was clearly a proxy war.
Manipulated by two great emperors, the once-unified Kingdom of Moravia had split apart.
Civil war had begun.
Kocel's seven hundred crossbowmen advanced first.
They formed two loose ranks and slowly approached the hills, exchanging fire with five hundred royal archers.
Lacking armor, the crossbowmen planted large rectangular pavises before them for protection.
After more than ten minutes, the archers exhausted themselves and withdrew behind their lines.
The crossbowmen continued firing.
Though they inflicted little damage, they had at least forced the enemy back.
"Excellent.
"The lads did well."
Believing he held the advantage, Kocel allowed himself a slight smile.
Beside him, the Viking adviser silently mocked him.
On the Frankish battlefields, cavalry would've shattered a formation like this in minutes, and he's smiling?
Next came the infantry engagement.
The standing army contained many inexperienced recruits.
Once the fighting devolved into close combat, they failed to establish any clear superiority.
In fact, the rebels held a numerical advantage.
Gradually, they began extending around both flanks, forming an increasingly broad crescent aimed at enveloping the royal army.
Although the situation favored his side, the Viking adviser refused to celebrate.
His gaze constantly swept the horizon.
He was worried cavalry might appear.
His fears proved justified.
Just as the standing army neared collapse, one hundred horsemen suddenly emerged from the northern side of the battlefield.
Swords raised, they accelerated to full speed from five hundred paces away.
That alone revealed they were poorly trained cavalry.
After charging several hundred paces, their formation completely disintegrated.
The horses exhausted themselves, their speed steadily dropping.
By the time they reached the enemy lines, scattered riders were striking independently.
The charge's effectiveness was greatly reduced.
After a chaotic and disorganized clash, the standing army succeeded in breaking free from encirclement.
The price was severe.
Most of the cavalry was lost.
"Fortunately, these barbarians don't know how to use shock cavalry.
"Otherwise we'd be in serious trouble."
The Viking adviser breathed a sigh of relief.
He immediately urged Kocel to commit his remaining militia and crossbowmen before the enemy could recover.
The militia and crossbowmen were eventually driven back.
Then the rebel armored spearmen regrouped and launched a third assault.
This time, they finally shattered the standing army.
The following day, Kocel entered Hradec as a conqueror.
The rebel cause gained momentum.
Large numbers of people who had suffered under the kingdom's reforms flocked to his banner.
By early February, Viking forces began entering Moravia.
Their total strength reached roughly 10,000 men, with Douglas serving as overall commander.
Concerned that prolonged delays would invite Eastern Roman intervention, Douglas quickly joined forces with Kocel and marched on the Moravian capital.
Unfortunately, the Vikings had underestimated Basil's determination.
The Eastern Roman emperor had already notified Slavonia, Croatia, Serbia, and other southern states, instructing them to send aid if necessary.
All expenses would be covered by Constantinople.
As reinforcements arrived, the garrisons of eastern Moravian towns swelled dramatically.
Douglas managed to capture only two towns before deciding the casualties were becoming unacceptable.
He sent word to the Emperor:
Without the secret weapon, this war could not be won.
—------------------------------
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