In truth, John had already prepared himself for a frontal assault.
But charging in blindly had never been his style.
At the very least, he needed to make sure he had a reasonable chance of winning.
So before the battle even began, John established a new set of wartime rules.
Any soldier who died in battle would have his parents, wife, and children receive a monthly subsidy equal to his current salary.
The payments would continue for thirty years.
The first soldier to break through the harbor defenses would receive one million gold coins.
He would even be granted an entire city as his personal fief.
The first soldier to successfully set foot on the main island of the royal capital would receive ten million gold coins, along with the title of governor over a major city.
The first soldier to truly break into the Outer City of the royal capital would also receive ten million gold coins, as well as ownership of a merchant guild with exclusive trading rights.
