[FMMIKA] Chapter 224: Military Affairs (II)

Of course, even in a single-player game, balance had to be considered, and such units wouldn't appear in the game. However, modifying unit types was not out of reach.

But when a game reached that stage, it became dull.

Editing and cheating are part of the game.

Mods are also part of the game.

However, moderate editing and cheating can increase the enjoyment of the game, but excessive ones will diminish it.

This is the importance of the middle path.

In his past life, when Artorius played strategy games, he already knew these things.

So, sometimes he would even use some reverse cheats, like a 20x invasion mod, and then wipe out enemy armies. Until the fun of the game, like the last bit of sweetness from a chewed-up piece of gum, was squeezed dry, or when he calculated the enjoyment gained versus the time cost paid, and everything vanished into thin air.

Artorius needed to find something else to fill the void in his heart. Whether it was novels, anime, or new games, there had to be a way.

But when it came to reality, it was a different story.

In reality, there was absolutely no army of soldiers all equipped with heavy, sturdy armor, super-long spears, shields as big as doors, crossbows, and compound bows.

Maybe some natural freaks could endure it, or maybe there were. Nagas with six or even eight arms, perhaps. But organizing an army like that was just too difficult and unrealistic. Or, to put it more bluntly, it was impossible.

So even in the south, the empire's main forces that made Artorius feel 'satisfied', those that made the Eastern Romans and the Visigoths very nervous, they weren't 'absolutely perfect', just relatively perfect.

Artorius reorganized the phalanx with the super-long spears.

As a fervent strategy game enthusiast, he naturally had a soft spot for this frontline weapon.

Initially, Artorius, driven by his love for super-long spears and the simple industrial principle that more is better, fantasized about tens of thousands, or even over ten thousand infantry gathering together, shoulder to shoulder, tightly packed, and imagined that such a massive formation would be invincible and indestructible.

Of course, now he knew that this was just plain suicidal.

The larger the formation, the more flaws it had, the clumsier it became, and the slower it moved. Just controlling such a formation to advance was a painful task, let alone controlling it to turn or even make a U-turn.

In ancient times, it was the flexibility of the Romans that defeated the Macedonians, the pioneers of the super-long spear.

Over a thousand years later, for similar reasons, the more maneuverable French defeated the Spaniards in the Battle of Rocroi.

The super-long spear remained the mainstream weapon in Europe until the appearance of the bayonet, which sent it sky-high.

Apart from that, there were firearms.

As a fervent strategy game enthusiast, Artorius had mixed feelings about firearms and gunpowder weapons. The aesthetic violence of the age of cold weapons disappeared with the advent of firearms.

In history, there were a few hundred years of lively and interesting times when both cold and hot weapons were used together. However, due to the birth of the bayonet, a world-changing technological product, it naturally appeared in the shortest possible time.

After that, the super-long spear became obsolete, cavalry became a supporting role on the battlefield, and firearms and cannons became the loudest voices in history. Until more excellent and powerful weapons appeared—tanks, which took the title of land warfare king from artillery.

A few years ago, Artorius had already manufactured the world's first firearm. But because of 'proper human history', he ultimately decided to seal the gun. Now, because of the subtle changes in his relationship with Gaia, Artorius felt that his future self might be more daring.

Of course, all of this depended on the negotiations with Gaia that were coming up.

That's right. In the absence of firearms, a smaller, more agile formation, armed with fierce compound bows and powerful crossbows, lightly equipped for swift movement, resembling Eastern-style fast cavalry, along with units equipped with lances, plate armor, and the finest warhorses, made up the Empire's main combat forces. This was the most suitable configuration for the armies of this era.

Of course, it also depended on well-trained soldiers, professional generals, excellent weapons and equipment, and logistical supplies.

All of this constituted the other eight legions under Artorius's command. And two cavalry legions.

These two places were the Eastern Military Region and the Southern Military Region.

In fact, recently, Artorius had been thinking whether to establish a Northern Military Region as well, because in the future, the Vikings from the north would make their appearance.

This barren and harsh region had the highest-quality iron ore in Europe.

Iron ore from Sweden, even until the Second World War, was one of Europe's most important strategic resources.

This barren and harsh region, with its high-quality iron ore and the excellent warriors it bred, produced the Normans who dominated Europe for centuries.

But for now, things seemed to be going well.

The people of the North (Nordic people) who lived here seemed more inclined to become vassals of the empire, mercenaries, and enforcers under the pressure of the empire.

During its heyday, there were only a few tens of thousands of warriors among the Normans, who were still in their tribal age, but they were large enough for the empire to absorb. Settling them in the warmer lands of the continent, assigning them to farming, cultivation, or eastward expansion.

These Vikings were not only warriors and pirates but also exceptional explorers, discovering the New World centuries before Columbus. Their prowess and talent in navigation were second to none.

Artorius is now under construction and in the process of preparing a navy to secure dominance in the Mediterranean. Skilled sailors and naval warriors, who can handle sailboats and engage in naval warfare, are indispensable.

So, in the end, there was no Northern Military Region, only a few new provinces in the North. The entire Scandinavian Peninsula, in the end, remained under the empire's strong influence. With the Great Dragon Emperor's greatness and the help of the diplomat Scathach, it became a part of the Holy Roman Empire.

This allowed the empire to deploy all its elites in the South.

Ten legions, a hundred and twenty thousand strong, represented the pinnacle of the European at the time. Whether it was the heavily armored infantry the Goths were proud of, the Germanic shield walls, or the Eastern Romans armored cavalry and phalanx troops learned and improved from the Persians, none could stand against this outstanding and powerful army.

Especially when the Emperor was in a cheerful mood, he kept bolstering these armies, giving them more and upgraded weapons and armor, providing training, and even getting involved in minor border skirmishes.

Now, the only thing that could give the Goths and the Eastern Roman Empire some peace of mind was distance and the fact that the Holy Roman Empire, after extensive expansion, was naturally entering a period of rest and recovery.

The Goths in Spain didn't stand much of a chance.

From both a security and a moral perspective of restoring the traditional Roman territorial boundaries, this region had to be conquered.

It was different from the East.

For the next hundreds, even thousands of years, the East would be a chaotic battleground. It was like a meat grinder, even more so than in classical times.

The Arabs rose first, completely crushed the Persians, and then suppressed the Eastern Romans.

After the collapse of the Arab dynasty and the Caliph becoming a puppet of warlords, the Seljuk Turks followed.

After that, countless nomads, Turks, Arabs, and Kurds—driven by faith, warriors wielding scimitars, clashed with equally fervent knights, landless refugees, and adventurers in a war that would last for hundreds of years. The Mongol invasions were also mixed in.

One after another, nations would become the fuel for this meat grinder, and famous monarchs and commanders would exhaust themselves in endless warfare, full of blood and life.

Countless reshuffles would make it almost impossible to establish a long-lasting, stable regime or nation in this region. All there was, was a series of warlords and conquerors taking turns on the stage.

All of this would peak with the rise of the Ottoman Turks.

In the course of a thousand years, the city of Constantinople, which had repeatedly resisted barbarians and conquerors from the East, would finally fall, signaling the collapse of an era dominated by theocracy, religion, and crusades.

With the fall of the last true Roman authority, history turned a new page.

So, compared to Western Europe, which is relatively stable, where one can slowly farm even during times of war, Eastern Europe is a complete battlefield of chaos.

So, before being thoroughly prepared, Artorius wouldn't step foot in there.

Rather than annexing the Eastern Roman Empire and then facing wave after wave of challenges from the East amid pain and chaos, it's better to leave the Eastern Roman Empire as a solid shield that can last for thousands of years.

In the face of survival, they can only put on a fawning expression.

Just as they did when they asked the Pope for help, they will probably do the same when they seek assistance from the Dragon Emperor in the future.

Perhaps in the future, the empire will be formally unified. The rulers of the Romans from the East will no longer be called Emperors, not Augustus, not Basileus, only something akin to a 'Caesar' like in the original history, which was equivalent to a co-ruler.

Thinking about this, Artorius found it very intriguing.

Of course, all of this will have to wait until he negotiates with the Counter Force, Gaia.