World Conquest Online

Ling Tong and his six Phalanx of Hoplite had left the Cavalry battle on the far side of the flank, which was now clearly being won by the Greek Allied Players Cavalry. His unit had fully removed themselves from the battle, moving themselves to the south and then across to the rear of the Allied Players Infantry that were now successfully pushing back their enemies as the Cavalry assisted them at points.

"Against the enemy infantry it is best we attack them face on, a flanking attack would leave our own flank too exposed." Ling Tong stated, having realised the weakness of the Hoplite in the last attack, still grateful for the random Cavalry unit that came to their aid. He turned to Andrew who was stood beside him with the Archers and Slingers around them, as well as the few Hoplite that had been pulled out to be their guard. "I’ll take the left, you take the right, we’ll push through the allied lines and get ourselves to the front. We can widen the attack line and with the Cavalry on the left flank, our six hundred can easily push the battle on this side in our way."

"I hope it’s as easy as you say." Andrew laughed, excited at the opportunity to lead three of his own unit’s for the first time since playing World Conquest Online, rather than the small skirmishes he had been involved in since starting to play the game. Andrew had started the game with the main intention of meeting up with Kai and Dom. He had built up a small force of his own on the way, including a small navy, however this was the real reason he played games like this.

"Take Iason and his two Phalanx, as well as one of the Skiritae. We should see some allied Hoplite sent by Pausanias and we can support them." Ling Tong told him, before signalling for the Skiritae under Strabo to follow him.

Zhang Sui and the Archers and Slingers split themselves, with half following Andrew and the rest staying with Ling Tong. There was only a few of them, but with their role to target enemy leaders only, a few was more than enough.

Ling Tong led them forwards, the rear of the Allied Players Infantry now the back of Warriors who were pushing forwards to get involved in the battle themselves. Ling Tong could see the armoured forms of the Spartans that had been dispatched to this battle, keeping themselves around the rear and prepared to push themselves forwards when the right opportunity arrived. He decided he would give them the opportunity, so they could win this flank quickly and help the rest of the battle progress as planned.

"Make way!" Ling Tong yelled, his voice loud and catching the miss match of well armoured players off guard, as he and the six hundred hoplite marched forwards. A smug look was on Andrew’s face as they did it. Those that had stayed at the rear were clearly the better off Players who were waiting for opportunities later in the war, rather than risking themselves now.

"I said make way!" Ling Tong yelled again as they slowly moved themselves aside, the long dory spears lowering themselves as they prepared to move forwards. The spears, whilst partially cleaned, still showed the blood stains of their previous battle. The Hoplite of Ling Tong looked threatening, and whilst it was clear they were on the same side, the Allied Players gulped at the sight, even the more experienced Lord Players who knew they wouldn’t be able to fight back against them in their current situation.

"Let them through!" One of the Spartans that was in the forces commanded as the Allied Players began flanking to the sides, the Players at the front feeling the space appearing behind them, the lack of pressure on their backs worrying as they fought at the front lines.

"Move aside!" Ling Tong shouted loudly as they approached the front, Players being dragged by other Players out of the way as the lowered Dory spears suddenly appeared coming towards them, the enemy Players not knowing what was happening as the enemy in front of them suddenly disappeared and was replaced by an endless line of deadly spikes.

"Stab and step!" Strabo ordered his men as the Hoplite got to work with their deadly work, the Allied Players on each side now flanking around and pushing the enemy players in to the wall of death that appeared in front of them.

"Stab and step!" Iason echoed on the other side, with Andrew stood at the back of that line, pointing to different enemies that were taken down by the Archers on his side.

As the Hoplite continued their work, pushing forwards step by step, their overlapping spears taking down the enemies who couldn’t compete with their range, one of the Spartans appeared, his own unit taking on the most left flank beside Stabo’s men. He was tall and muscular, with an eyepatch that covered his left eye. He wore bronze armour that fit him well, making him look an intimidating sight. He also had a red cape, alongside the rest of the Warriors, with a long Dory Spear and a circular shield.

"Pausanias said that some allies may appear, it seems his words are true." The Spartan said in a gruff tone, some disappointment in his voice.

"I appreciate you taking our flank." Ling Tong replied as he watched his men continue to move forwards. The change in the battle quick as the enemy infantry was constantly on the back foot, the sound of more horses heard in the distance crashing closer to the rear lines of the enemy forces now that their own Cavalry on this flank had been decimated and could be seen retreating from the battle in the distance.

"I had other plans today, but Pausanias ordered me specifically to lead this side. A duty I am not worthy off." The eye patched Spartan replied, no happiness in his voice as the Spartans on his side pushed forwards, trying to compete with the Skiritae under Ling Tong’s command. A look of realisation seemed to hit him as he noticed the Hoplite. "Why are the Skiritae fighting under you, they were supposed to pull back as per Pausanias’s order."

"They didn’t want to be deemed cowards." Ling Tong replied, his words to strike at the Spartan code to move the conversation on, but not realising that they would hit the Spartan in front of him in a different way.

"Disobeying an order is worthy of death, but so is cowardice." The eye patched Spartan nodded in response as he rolled his shoulder, preparing to join the battle himself. Before he did, he pulled a parchment from a small bag that was strapped to his waist and hidden under his cape, an item that didn’t seem to fit with the rest of the Spartan’s armour. He passed it to Ling Tong. "Pausanias told me to give this to you."

"Thank you." Ling Tong replied as he took the parchment, with the Spartan stomping off towards his own men. He unrolled it and began to read it.

[General Ling Tong,

The Spartans that have been sent to you are close friends of ours, please do what you can to see them survive the battle and bring them home. We had them set up as a special task force for this battle.

General Pausanias has issued orders to them to follow your command upon arrival based on our request, which they will do so regardless. Their Commander is our friend Aristodemus, the only survivor of Thermopylae it seems. He will do all he can to die in this battle and be reunited with us in the afterlife, please do not allow that. He was once a fun Warrior, but it seems he has become a much darker character since we left.

Everything is progressing as planned, we will meet at the earliest opportunity at the agreed location.

Alpheus.]

Ling Tong looked to the back of the Spartan that was stomping towards his men, shouting orders to make space for him so he could push himself forwards through the lines to die a heroes death. Ling Tong turned to Zhang Sui the Wu Dang Archer who was nearby and shouted him over.

"Have two Archers watch that Spartan and target any enemies that could be a risk to him" Ling Tong ordered, as Zhang Sui nodded in response and shouted two of his fellow Archers and gave them instructions. He then turned to Andrew who seemed to be shouting for his men to push forwards and leave Ling Tong’s behind.

"Men, do not let them get ahead of us!" Ling Tong ordered loudly, not wanting to lose to Andrew who grinned in his direction.

"Stab and step!" Strabo shouted again, as they began to now pass over the bodies of the fallen enemies. The Hoplite in the back lines stabbed down with the rear of their raised Dory spears to make sure that those beneath them were dead, whilst the Balearic Slingers then quickly scrambled through to look for any quick gains they could claim.

The Allied Players Infantry were now all pushing around each flank of the marching Hoplite, with the enemies trying to disengage from the battle. The Allied Cavalry was blocking their exit and it seemed that there was little space for retreat. One enemy had seemed to have gathered a large number of Warriors around him, and was fighting his way through eastern side, trying to escape towards the Persian lines that were also now pushing forwards to fight against the main Greek Lines.

"Zhang Sui, target the leader over there!" Andrew shouted across to them, knowing that Zhang Sui had the best aim out of the Wu Dang Archers with them, Ling Tong laughed and nodded, agreeing with Andrew.

Zhang Sui pulled his bow back, aiming one of the few arrows he had left on him towards the armoured warrior that could barely be seen amongst the enemy forces that were little more than bobbing heads to them now. He breathed heavily, before releasing his arrow that flew high in the sky, before turning downwards and taking the enemy warrior in the throat. Andrew gave him a thumbs up, whilst the Spartan Aristodemus angrily shouted as the enemies that charged towards the corner of the formation he was in kept being taken down by the two Wu Dang Archers that had been designated as his minders.

"I think it is time we pull our forces out and allow our allies to finish off the battle." Ling Tong commented to himself, knowing that the battle would soon be won on this flank and wanting to get as much gains from the battlefield as possible before they decided on their next step. "Strabo, halt your approach and allow the Allied Infantry to take our positions. Once they have taken your positions, disengage and retreat to my position."

"You heard the General, ease ourselves back!" Strabo shouted, a difficult move for most units in this era, however the Skiritae were elites among elites. Andrew repeated Ling Tong’s command to Iason and his own forces as he headed over towards Ling Tong with a grin on his face.

"Zhang Sui killed the enemy target Reeves just then!" Andrew laughed as he arrived, "I heard some of the enemy shouting about it, Lord Lazarus will laugh about this with me later!"

"I am disengaging our men, I want to loot as much as we can." Ling Tong stated, the young General’s eyes twinkling as he looked at the ranges of weapons and armour that littered the enemy bodies that they had stepped across. Behind them a large group of horses seemed to appear with Myron the Hoplite riding one of them, the majority of the horses tied together.

"Looting sounds like a good idea." Andrew agreed with a grin as he looked at some impressive items on some of the bodies himself.

"But first, we have something else to deal with." Ling Tong stated as Andrew looked at him in confusion. Aristodemus stomped towards them, his own Spartans also disengaging from the battle as the Skiritae beside them did.

"Why are we pulling back?" Aristodemus questioned him, his tone not disrespectful, but challenging.

"Because our allies need to improve their morale so they can turn towards the main enemy forces that are now engaging with the rest of the Greek forces." Ling Tong replied evenly, thinking for a second before continuing. "I have seen that you have been assigned under my command, we are going to pull back to the hills behind and see where we can be used next. I expect you and your men to follow my command."

"We will do so, just do not keep us from the fighting, I may have been deemed a coward, but the men with me are warriors who will fight to the death for Sparta, as will I." Aristodemus stated as he shouted some orders to his own men.