The End Of Falsehood

Chapter 2: Preparation Meets Reality

Chapter 2: The Preparation Meet The Reality

For two months, The Empire has doing a lot of preparation. The Imperial's treasury has approved a millions of gold in Sawani to fulfill the preparations. Those golds were used to purchase a supply, horses, weapons, and equipments.

Only the professional legionaires who would get paid for the campaign. The newly conscripted foot soldiers were paid with nothing but a meal and a right to plunder whatever they found on the other side.

Yet, legionaires wasn't the only unit that got paid.

There are cavalry unit, legionaires, and wyvern riders.

Wyvern riders was the most elite unit in the whole army. That's why their numbers are small in comparison with the other unit. The Wyvern riders unit was only consisted of 500 riders.

On the contrary, horses were being kept in every stable around the imperial capital, including the stable that belonged to normal plebians(civilians). Some were paid to do so, some were... persuaded to let the cavalry horses in their stables. This was normally wouldn't happen. But in this occasion, the number of horses that being added to the whole army was staggering.

With the total of 40.000 horses, trained for cavalry job, was prepared for the conquest.

The numbers of horses however, was paled in comparison of the foot soldiers.

The professional legionaires alone was already reaching 30.000 in numbers. They all were gathered from around the Empire territory outposts, some were even become vulnerable because of this. Yet, the Empire didn't budge and simply shrug it off since they have reserve in the capital.

The professional legionaires is already that much, but the newly conscripted levies were the dominant force from the whole army in this campaign. Numbering until 70.000, these levies or the newly conscripted armies were called up from every city, towns, and villages around the Empire and it's vassals.

To add more strength to the whole army, some patricians have formed their own army which made up by mercenaries and their own levies. The numbers were varied, but it is estimated every patrician who formed the private army has around 2000 men. Although it's a problematic issue to have their own army in the campaign that was supposed to be run by the Empire, the generals and the Emperor finally let them be as long as they didn't disturbed the whole strategy.

In the end, around 160.000 soldiers has been called for the campaign. It's a staggering, gigantic army. It's been a long time since the Empire has raised an army this much for a single campaign.

If not for the supply matters, the Empire could bring up more soldiers for the campaign. Nevertheless, all the elements in the Empire goverments were satisfied by the sheer numbers of soldiers they have for the campaign. They were confident it would be an easy feat to conquer whatever it is across the gate.

It is normal to think so. They were uncontested for more than a half milennia. All of the inhabitants in the continent fear them. They are the most fearsome army in the whole continent, the best one, the prestigious one.

And because of it, they didn't fully prepared the supply ration for a long term campaign. At best, they could only survive for 2 months. But neither the generals and the patricians are bothered. They all think it would end in less than a month.

As for the leader, there was a heated debate for who's taking the charge of the campaign. Either patricians, senators, generals, even prince has appointed themselves to be the leader. Some even scheme up to gain the position.

Emperor Molt for once again has to put his hand down to settle the conflict.

He carefully consider every party who promote themselves. But, he cannot choose from the ability alone. If he wants to choose from the tactical ability and the way to run a war, it's obviously one of the generals would be the best choices. However, he need to pleased some of his vassals, patricians, and even his own blood relatives. If he didn't do so, the support to make him stay on the throne would be reduced.