BOOM!
A muffled roar erupted from the cannons of the Valois National Guard. They were no longer firing solid shot or explosive shells, but special hollow-core projectiles.
After reaching a certain altitude, the two halves of the tin casings broke apart, releasing a shower of colorful leaflets.
The leaflets primarily called for surrender, retreat, and republicanism, while opposing the Emperor, the war, and the Evil God. The National Guard was making its position clear: it's not that our army won't retreat, it's that your Emperor refuses to negotiate...
The National Guard, pressured by their supply lines on one hand and wanting to show their sincerity on the other, began a gradual withdrawal. They pulled back roughly to the lines they held at the start of the autumn offensive, digging in only in the northwest of the Black Forest to face the Empire Army.
