Plans to Assault Goblin Camp
"So, how many casualties are from last night's attack?" the head asked the leader of yesterday's night watch.
"No fatalities so far but we do have 3 serious injuries with 27 minor ones, the rest having some scratches and nothing else," the leader told the head, who let out a sigh of relief.
"Sir, when are we heading deeper and fighting against the goblins?" one of the leaders asked, clearly agitated. Then again, last night's attack shows how hostile the inhabitants of the forest are to them.
"Wait until we have a better layout of the land. We don't need to go through a route only to be abused by the goblins. They are numbered in thousands, if anyone forgets," Ian told them.
Some of the leaders wanted to rebuke him but remembering that he was one of the two people who actually entered the depths, with just two people, and were able to learn a lot about the terrains, they held their tongue.
"How long should we wait? The longer we are here, the faster the morale will drop," one of the leaders voiced out a valid concern, to which Ian shrugged.
"They can either remain here longer or they can come back out in a coffin," the leaders stiffened at his words.
"Wait until we learn more. It should take maybe a day or two. Then we will decide from there," Ian said before leaving the command tent. He is an adventurer after all and he planned to join in the scouting.
-x-
As Ian predicted, it took them two days before the scout was able to gain a proper layout of the terrain in the depth of Thrine Forest, with some even managing to scout close to the goblin's main camp.
Right now, the higher-ups of the expedition are busy looking at the map on the table, detailing the different terrains and the location of the goblin's main camp.
"As we can see from the map, the goblin's camp is located east of the large lake. At the west of the camps, there are thick brambles that will stop us in our tracks. And we cannot go to the north as it is too far and our supply likely cannot sustain us for that long.
So, our only option is to head from the south. However, there are three viable routes we can take. One is the readily-made road, allowing us to travel to the goblin's camp faster. However, there are multiple barricades along with outposts all over the road, so it will not be easy.
For the second route, there seems to be a less used path, with no defenses on it. However, it is smaller and harder to traverse, so it will be hard for some of the expedition members with heavier equipment to make it through there.
And finally, the last route. This is what our scout found, a small way to go to the goblin's camp. The goblins likely did not know of the route or knew it but didn't use it. It is not even a road, just a path filled with thick and tall grasses along with some sludge and slimes blocking the path.
That is the three paths we can take, any questions," the head asked.
Ian raised his hand, the head nodding at the younger man. "Which is the fastest route?"
"The first one is the fastest if there is no blockade. If not, we will have to wait for a long time until the route is cleared. The next fastest should be the third one, as it will force you to traverse through several areas instead of circling it.
So, I think the third one is the fastest," the head told him.
"Good, my team will take the third path and lay in wait until the main force arrives," Ian decided.
"W-wait! What are you-" "The way I see it," Ian cut the leader with a cold voice, "Most of the expedition will go through the first route, in fact, it is better this way as there is strength in number.
But, we should make some preparations as well in case they are planning to surround our forces when we get to the main camp. So, my team will be the one to ambush them. Disrupting their flank if they planned to ambush the main force," Ian explained.
"That- is a good point," the leader concedes. "So, your team will be the one to attack them first, so the main force can launch an attack after that?"
"Yes," Ian confirmed, "We will wait until the main force acts before we attack. Does anyone want to disagree with the idea?"
None of the leaders opened their mouths as they looked at the head of the guild, the one who was leading the expedition.
The head shook his head, "Looks like no one disagrees with your idea, Ian. So, when will you head out?"
"When the main force heads out,"
-x-
Soon, an announcement was made by the leaders telling the members of the expedition would continue their attack tomorrow. However, there will be vanguard forces that will attack some barricade set up by the goblins first.
However, Ian has a different order to his team.
"So, we have to go through a nearly untraversable path, that will be filled with mud and sludge, with the occasional slimes as well," Lisa summarised his explanation.
"We then have to wait until the main force arrives before we can make our moves," Fiona continued where Lisa left off.
"Which you volunteered us for it, instead of being given an order from the higher-up," Ana said.
"What is wrong with you?!" Ian covered his ears in the nick of time or he might have suffered some hearing issues in the near future.
"I volunteered our team because we are the best for the job. Try and say otherwise," the girls looked away, not wanting to see his smug face when they knew they could not prove him wrong.
"Besides, if we managed to do this, our rank up will be more assured. I already negotiated with the head and he agreed to make all of us into Bronze-rank adventurers if we managed to do this," Ian explained.
"But, how long do we have to spend our time, waiting?" Kell pointed out the main problem.
"That depends. As long as there is no problem, it might take them 3 days or so. But if the resistance is too great, then 4 or 5 days is not out of the equation," Ian told them.
"Then why do you ask to do this again?" Fiona asked.
"I am not sure," they all could hear the troubled tone in his voice, "but I think the goblin chieftain had cocked up something," he sighed.
"I might be delusional but better be safe than sorry,"