As Ali gave the order, countless sharp arrows immediately rained down from the White Sheep Army's archers onto the Bosporus defenders on the city walls, causing many of the defenders to panic.
However, Tukharovsky, as the commander, quickly reacted to the seemingly dense arrow rain and ordered his soldiers to take cover in the previously repaired fortifications. While avoiding excessive impact from this volley of arrows, they used the few small cannons that had been pulled onto the city wall in advance to launch a limited counterattack, thereby slowing down the enemy's advance.
Even so, some civilians and soldiers were hit by stray arrows and fell straight down.
The Bosporus's series of reactions did not surprise the White Sheep generals below the city much. Ultimately, the White Sheep Army's arrow volley was more of a probe than a genuine belief that such a simple tactic could achieve a hit-and-run objective.
Judging by the current situation, the opponent had indeed made fairly adequate preparations in advance, which was a bit tricky, but not overly so. As long as targeted measures were taken, it was not impossible to deal with. Perhaps, if things went smoothly, they could even recapture the city by dusk that day or the next morning. At least, Ali and the other commanders thought so.
As for the disadvantages their side faced, Tukharovsky, who was responsible for defending the city, and Dungar, who was currently listed as his subordinate, were well aware. But there was no alternative; in just over a week, fully familiarizing themselves with the city's defenses of Bayburt, which were also quite different from the previously known Pontus and Eastern Europe systems, was still quite difficult for them.
Therefore, what they needed to do, and only do, was to try their best to lead these thousand-plus soldiers to withstand the White Sheep's attack, waiting for Manuel, who was personally leading the main force, to provide support.
By then, the situation would change.
Therefore, facing the White Sheep Army's almost provocative offensive, the Bosporus Army responded passively, focusing instead on active resistance.
"Is the enemy still holding the city?" Approximately two hours after the siege began, Ali, who was commanding the entire White Sheep Army from the central camp, couldn't help but feel a little worried after learning of the situation. Dragging this out was not a good idea; the enemy definitely had a sizable relief force preparing to emerge from somewhere in the arid mountains to launch a surprise attack.
It seemed they needed to prepare to repel any potential enemy reinforcements. Considering this, he immediately summoned the tribal generals in the army and his two brothers to discuss whether to temporarily halt the attack and find a strategic location to set up camp, allowing them to rest and wait for the enemy.
After a brief discussion, Ali's proposal was rejected by the majority of the generals present. "Fourth Brother, these arid mountains are the terrain our Turkmen horse archers excel at. Our army has also made thorough preparations this time, so there's no need to worry too much. We must trust that Allah will protect us." At the end of the discussion, Sheikh Hassan, on behalf of the generals present, summarized.
You said the same thing before; you truly never learn, do you? Ali almost couldn't maintain his composure, but to be fair, he did understand the basis of their confidence. After all, the arid mountainous terrain they were currently in was the land where their Turkmen people had fought fiercely for over a hundred years, and fighting on horseback in such terrain was their strong suit. As outsiders, the Bosporus Army, under normal circumstances, would absolutely not be able to defeat them in open battle.
What's more, the White Sheep Army had learned from previous lessons this time. Not only did they primarily consist of horse archers who could mount and fight at any time, but they also brought heavily armored infantry, and these Muslim elite soldiers were all proficient in archery. Furthermore, in the rear, they had, as usual, brought a group of trustworthy Armenian craftsmen to build temporary siege engines.
According to the White Sheep's past campaigns, this force of over 4,000 men should have been sufficient to win this battle. But Ali always felt a sense of unease. Based on his previous encounters with the enemy, he consistently believed that the Bosporus Army they faced this time could not be viewed through the lens of traditional warfare.
His concerns were indeed accurate. Approximately half an hour later, Manuel, upon learning that Bayburt was under siege, personally led 4,500 soldiers and rushed from the southwest. However, as he was about to reach the outskirts of Bayburt, he suddenly ordered a slowdown in their march.
"Your Majesty, why is this?" Aidian, a general of the Philaka Legion, was quite puzzled by this.
"Would the White Sheep not consider what we have considered?" Manuel explained the reason vaguely.
"Ah? I'm sorry, Your Majesty, I don't quite understand..." Aidian felt a bit confused.
"My meaning is," Manuel, seeing his confusion, had to briefly and seriously explain, "if we rush to Bayburt now, a head-on collision with the White Sheep Army is inevitable. At that point, even with the help of the city's defenders, we would definitely be at a disadvantage."
"Is that so?" Aidian nodded in sudden understanding, his helmet swaying with his head. "So why are we slowing down, Your Majesty? What if Bayburt falls first?"
"..."
"What's wrong, Your Majesty?"
"You must trust our army's deployment in the area, and isn't the August sun scorching?"
"Ah?"
Meanwhile, in Bayburt, Ali, who learned that the enemy's reinforcements had not yet appeared, became somewhat agitated. "Such a short distance, why haven't these Christians arrived yet? Are they playing some tricks again?"
In contrast, the Ghazi Warriors in the White Sheep Army, upon realizing that the enemy's reinforcements were nowhere in sight, became highly morale-boosted. Led by their generals, they launched repeated charges against Bayburt's walls. If Bayburt had not been a crucial military town, constantly repaired and built by the powers that controlled it, the defenders on the city walls might not have been able to withstand these fierce assaults.
The White Sheep Army's offensive only slowed down as dusk approached. After these several fruitless assaults, many Muslim soldiers began to feel exhausted. Ali, who was worried that Bosporus reinforcements might arrive at this time, finally found a good opportunity to persuade his officers and soldiers to rest on the spot, so as not to be caught off guard.
Just as the White Sheep Army rested on the spot, and even the cavalry dismounted to reorganize, Hamza, who commanded the right-wing forces, suddenly received an unexpected message from a scout.
"Huh?" Upon receiving this military intelligence, Hamza was so startled that he jumped up on the spot. He quickly took his subordinate generals to the central camp to inform Ali and the others. Only after confirming the message did Ali awaken as if from a dream, realizing his worries had come true. He immediately ordered the organization of troops and the deployment of formations to resist the approaching Bosporus Army.
Unfortunately, before the White Sheep Army was fully prepared, the Bosporus Army had already approached Bayburt at dusk, coming from the direction opposite the setting sun. The Aq Qoyunlu Dynasty's West Armenia forces faced the Bosporus, who had ventured deep into the interior of Asia Minor. This battle, which would determine the fate of West Armenia, thus began.