Chapter 668

The Riverlands had already fallen.

The storm had already passed over the Crownlands.

And now, the Reach was on the verge of becoming the true battlefield of this war.

The Queen’s army wielded gunpowder and dragons—the Reachlords could not hope to defeat them in a head-on clash. Their only choice was to leverage their overwhelming numbers, stretching the battle lines wide, using their sheer numerical advantage to envelop and smother their foes.

If cannons were Aegor’s best horse, then cannon fodder would be the Reach’s worst horse.

The disastrous defeat on the banks of the Blackwater had taught them a harsh lesson—not just about the raw power of firearms, but also about the dangers of an army commanded by divided lords, each acting on their own whims. And so, under the unprecedented pressure of imminent destruction, the Reachlords, alongside young Aegon VI’s supporters, convened a new military council and did the unthinkable:

They centralized command.

For the first time, the Reachlords submitted to a unified High Command, modeled after their enemy’s system. The entire Reach’s forces, combined with the Golden Company, were placed under the control of a single war council.

Once the new chain of command was established, the strategy was set.The Reach’s Plan: Three Key TacticsExtend the battlefield.Divide the army into sacrificial ranks and elite units.Bait the Queen’s army into overextending.

Once these orders were sent down through the ranks—once every officer, every soldier, understood their role—the atmosphere of fear and uncertainty that had plagued the Reach’s army finally began to lift.

Determination replaced despair.

And as this newfound resolve took root, reality responded in kind:

Skirmishes between scouts became alarmingly frequent.

The first signs of enemy troop movements appeared on the edges of the Reach’s intelligence network.

And the tension in the air grew unbearable—the stench of gunpowder now thick enough to choke.
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Second Strategy: Acknowledging Reality and Making Sacrifices1. The Role of "Cannon Fodder"

Since casualties and morale losses were inevitable, the smartest choice was to contain the panic—to ensure that only one portion of the army bore the full brunt of those losses.

By creating a separate frontline force of expendable troops, the High Command could keep the terror of gunpowder contained within a designated segment of the army, preventing its spread to the real fighting force.

Moreover, pre-designated retreat lanes would allow actual elite troops to pull back in an orderly manner, ensuring that panic did not infect the entire battlefield.

Gunpowder was new to this world—but the concept of cannon fodder was as ancient as war itself.

If Aegor had been present at this war council, he would have slammed the table in admiration.

Because this was nothing more than an ASOIAF version of "Tian Ji’s Horse Racing"—except this time, it was Randyll Tarly playing the game.

Once this brutal strategy was approved, the Reach sprang into action.Mass cavalry mobilization began across the entire region.Saltpeter and sulfur were gathered, and gunpowder production accelerated.Near Highgarden, the sound of "boom" echoed from dawn to dusk as test explosions continued without pause.

The feverish energy of preparation was so intense that even Oldtown, known for its reluctance to act, felt compelled to move.

At the urging of Margaery Tyrell’s mother, Alerie Hightower, the Lord of Oldtown—her father, the so-called "Old Man of Oldtown," Leyton Hightower—finally broke his long silence.

He granted limited military support to the Reach’s war effort.
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Third Strategy: The Baited Trap1. If the Queen’s Army Fires First

If the enemy succumbed to temptation, if they used their firearms to bombard the expendable troops, all the better.

But if Aegor held his fire and refused to waste precious gunpowder?

Then the sacrificial frontline would be ordered to charge—a full-force advance into the enemy’s ranks.

Would they succeed?

Of course not.

They would be slaughtered.

And yet, such a predictable, genuine rout was exactly what would entice Aegor to commit his entire army.

Once the Queen’s forces took the bait and surged forward, the elite troops waiting just behind the cannon fodder, along with the flanking cavalry, would snap shut like a trap, enveloping Aegor’s men from all sides.
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The Battle Lines Take Shape

For Aegon VI and his Reach allies, this was their last stand.

With the Queen’s forces marching toward Highgarden, there was nowhere left to retreat.

For Aegor, however, the situation was equally dire.

The Reachlords had chosen the wisest possible strategy—scorched earth tactics and strategic withdrawals.

His supply lines, stretched to the breaking point, were beginning to choke.

His "war economy"—feeding his troops with plunder—was starting to fail.

The final battle could no longer be delayed.

Even Mace Tyrell, a man universally mocked for his incompetence, had publicly declared:

"The Reach shall not be violated! That damned Night’s Watch traitor shall never return!"
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The Critical Weakness of Aegor’s Army

The Queen’s artillery was strong enough to devastate a battlefield of tens of thousands.

But if the battlefield widened beyond that limit—if the lines stretched too far—then Aegor would be forced into a terrible choice:Concentrate his cannons in one place, leaving the rest of his army vulnerable.Spread his artillery thinly, drastically reducing its impact.

Either choice could doom him.

And so, the battle had to happen now.

For both sides, there was no more time to wait.
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The Reach’s Simple Yet Brutal Strategy

Leverage their home-field advantage.
Leverage their sheer numbers.
And use both to neutralize gunpowder and dragons.

When two armies of equal size clashed, skill and tactics decided the victor.

But when one army outnumbered the other by three to one?

Simple math took over.

If Aegor lengthened his battle lines to counter Reach cavalry, then the cavalry would withdraw to strike from the flanks.

If Aegor tried to avoid encirclement, then the cavalry would collapse on him from behind.

If Aegor kept his formation compact, then the Reach would charge straight down the middle, using sheer numbers to break him apart.

This was why, in war, numbers usually won.

This was why "miracles" of outnumbered victories were so rare.

And this was why, after the unification of the High Command, things had finally begun moving smoothly for the Reach.
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Ten thousand cavalry.
Sixty thousand infantry.
The remnants of the Golden Company.

The Reach had mobilized over 80,000 troops along the Highgarden front.

Against them, Aegor West’s forces numbered only 30,000.

Even with gunpowder and dragons, would that be enough?

Perhaps.

But he had to win quickly.

Because if he didn’t—if the battle dragged on, if the Reach’s trap was as well-executed as it seemed—then even the might of fire and blood might not be enough to save him.