To advance or to not advance

19th July 1574

One by one, the teams made up with small groups of my men were coming out from behind the fortifications. As if taking a fun, little stroll rather than going on to potentially battle with enemy forces, one could describe their speed as a leisurely one.

But it couldn't be helped. With each soldier burdened by the weight of two bags, shovels, fence parts, rifle, ammunition for himself and all the other items required to let my men fare nicely through the battle. 

Yet while I really wanted to focus on the sight of my troops coming out from behind their covers and starting to form on the huge plain separating the marketplace from the forest where the enemy forces were hidden, I had to keep my eyes glued to the line of trees as to prevent enemies from getting us with a surprise attack.

After all, this deployment of mine was never intended as the real introduction for the full-scale battle!