Seeing the orcs forming a rigid shield wall, Findir quickly assessed the situation. His makeshift army, though less equipped, had flexibility and speed on their side. He ordered his front-line fighters to fall back just enough to draw the berserkers and shield bearers slightly forward, breaking their formation's cohesion.
With the orcs overextending, Findir signaled his units to split into smaller, mobile groups, spreading out along both flanks. Freed slaves armed with spears, swords, and clubs swarmed around the edges of the orc formation, probing for gaps between the shield bearers. The orcs, forced to stretch their defenses to cover more ground, lost some of their defensive integrity, creating exploitable gaps in their shield line.