After checking the base's resources, gold was sufficient, and wood was still being continuously chopped, slowly increasing. Fortunately, it was enough to build the Altar of Kings.
An Altar of Kings was deployed on the other side of the Town Hall, with the Altar and the Barracks flanking the Town Hall on the left and right.
Seeing that there was still wood left, Galen excitedly issued the order, filling all twelve training slots in the Barracks at once: eight footmen and four musketeers.
Galen was very much looking forward to the hero summoning mentioned in the Altar of Kings' description. He needed someone to command the base's combat units and high-end combat power to guard the base.
Just as Galen was yearning for a bright future, Omar hurried over: "Your Highness, a group of trolls has been spotted not far to the north."
Hearing this, Galen was shocked. The base had just started training combat units and had no ability to protect itself. The appearance of trolls at this time was not good news.
"What's the situation?" Galen quickly asked Omar. Omar stopped in front of Galen and said urgently: "One of the soldiers who went hunting with Varokal came back to report that they found a troll hunting party in the mountains to the north, about twenty trolls."
A hunting party of twenty trolls. Fortunately, as long as it wasn't a large-scale troll force, he could always find a way to eliminate them.
He quickly gathered the few soldiers in the camp. Galen and Omar followed the soldiers who had returned to report the news and quickly headed to the forest where Varokal was hiding.
As they approached the forest, another soldier who had followed Varokal came out of a bush, leading them closer to Varokal's position.
This was a shady spot on a small hillside, located on the edge of the forest. Galen carefully hid himself and slowly walked to Varokal's side, asking in a low voice, "What's the situation with the trolls?"
"Your Highness, they are directly in front of us. There are twenty trolls in total. They arrived in this area about an hour ago. A small group of trolls is building a camp, and another group is looking for water at the foot of the mountain." Varokal leaned close to Galen's ear and quietly reported the information he had scouted.
Galen leaned forward and looked in the direction Varokal was pointing. It was an open space by the river, about three hundred meters away from them. The trolls in the camp were busy, and several tents had already been set up. There were also four supply carts outside the camp, pulled by two highland horses. There were also several raptor mounts on the wooden stakes. The physique of the Witherbark trolls was not suitable for using highland horses as transportation, so they mostly tamed raptors. Highland horses were only used as animal power.
"Can you find out their purpose for being here?" Galen was worried that there would be large-scale troll activity and that they would discover the base's existence in advance, which would be dangerous.
"These trolls are hunting like us, collecting food and leather. I looked through the gnome telescope. Their supplies include raptor cubs and newly tanned raptor skins. They should be one of the hunting parties from the Witherbark Village. This is not the best season for hunting. Trolls will not send out a large number of hunting parties to hoard food for the winter. However, the trolls of the Witherbark Clan also have village gathering points in the Hinterlands, and they also hunt leather for trade."
In other words, there may be more than just this group of trolls entering this area, but Galen knew that hunting parties generally limited themselves to one area and would not enter the hunting grounds of other teams.
This group of trolls was also careless and did not send out scouts to search the surrounding area. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for Galen and the others to observe the troll camp from such a close distance.
However, since Stromgarde abandoned the southeastern mines, the army's defense line was still far to the north, and human caravans only operated on the main road west of the river. Galen and his party also crossed the river from the Sardor Bridge, and there were no traces of their activity to the north, so the trolls did not investigate.
This is an opportunity. They are in the light, and we are in the dark. Let's get them.
Galen decided to take down this wave of trolls, so he asked the experienced Varokal, "Val, what is the strength of this troll team? Can we wipe them out?"
Varokal glanced at his prince, knowing that he was a rational and decisive person. If the prince said so, he must have made a decision.
Varokal thought for a moment and said to Galen: "This group of trolls is only slightly stronger than our usual caravan. Among the twenty trolls, there are eight laborers and twelve with complete equipment, and a troll witch doctor."
Galen closed his eyes and called up the map in his mind. The distance was too far just now, and the base could not scan it, and he did not have a view of the troll camp himself. He carefully explored the troll camp, counted, and said, "Currently, there are eight troll civilians in the camp, two novice troll headhunters, two adept axe throwers, and a master witch doctor. The witch doctor should be their leader."
Omar glanced at Galen in surprise, wondering how his prince knew so much about the strength of the troll camp, but he continued: "Your Highness, axe throwers are the front-line combat units in the Witherbark Clan, good at using one-handed axes, and will use throwing axes to attack after opening the distance. Headhunters can throw spears for ranged attacks, and their combat ability is greatly reduced after approaching. If we quietly approach their camp at night and launch a surprise attack, with me and Varokal as two advanced warriors, we have a great chance of winning. The only thing to guard against is the witch doctor. Troll voodoo magic is very strange and needs to be focused on."
Galen saw Omar's puzzlement. He was a person with a map. Would he talk nonsense? After listening to the opinions of his two captains, he had a general idea in his mind. Although the number of trolls was more than them, they only had twelve combatants. On his side, Omar, Varokal, and himself were advanced warriors, and the five guards were all elites of adept level, and their overall strength was higher than the troll side.
"Then we'll wait until dark to launch a surprise attack and steal their camp. When the time comes, I'll deal with the witch doctor, and you two lead the five guards to help me block the other trolls."
"No, Your Highness." After hearing Galen's plan, Omar and Varokal immediately spoke out to stop him. Omar then dissuaded: "The strength of that witch doctor, judging from his aura, is not weak. As a spellcasting profession in the troll race, their abilities are diverse and very difficult and strange. Your Highness, you have no experience fighting trolls. It's better to let me deal with this witch doctor. You and Varokal should clear the other trolls as soon as possible and then come and help me."
"That's fine too. You hold off the witch doctor, and Varokal and I will solve the other minions as soon as possible."
Galen was also curious about the witch doctor profession for a while. He heard that they could communicate with the power of the elements to attack and use voodoo magic to heal the wounded, and wanted to get in close to see their abilities.
However, he would not put his life behind him. It is not advisable to be impulsive. He should listen to advice when he should. Omar is the strongest of the current group, and it is right for him to fight the troll witch doctor.
The group decided to launch a surprise attack at night, taking advantage of the darkness. After the few people made a plan, they began to recuperate and prepare for the night's action.