100 – Establish the Francois Invasion Operation (3)
“War is a transaction mixed with threats to get what you want after hitting the enemy as much as possible with limited troops and resources anyway. I would like to propose an operation like this.”
After saying that, I opened the map I had brought and started explaining.
“First of all, in a normal war, when we declare war, the enemy raises an army accordingly, and it ends with a big fight to determine victory or defeat. But in this case, the justification is on us and we must also take thorough revenge on Francois.”
Then I traced the line drawn in red with my finger and said.
“Go inside the enemy’s territory and pay them back for the tactics they used to ruin the Reich Empire’s farmlands, villages, and castles. The scale is greatly expanded to plunder the eastern key granary of the Francois Republic.”
“… Then there is a possibility that the enemy will enter the Reich Empire.”
Certainly, if our army and the enemy’s army do not engage in a cross-over, when we enter the interior of Francois, the enemy may enter the interior of the Reich.
The point is that the army of the Francois Republic will never be able to enter the territory of the Reich Empire, and the countermeasure against it is surprisingly simple.
“The Empire maintains a total strength of 300,000. As long as Ludvik is dead, you can withdraw about 50,000 troops from the north, where there is no great danger, and place them as a reserve in the east of the Empire just in case. Then, even if they break into Imperial territory, we can buy time with minimal damage.”
“I am impressed. Then, while 50,000 Northern troops hold Francois’s feet, will our expeditionary force retreat back and encircle them from both sides? If they notice this and try to run away from the northern army, they will be caught by the expeditionary force chasing them from behind.”
By using about 50,000 of the Northern Army as a reserve, they can avoid a large-scale engagement with them, and if the expeditionary force continues to plunder relentlessly, there will be no major damage to the empire’s troops, and the eastern part of Francois will be devastated.
“In addition, when we hit the eastern part of Francois, we moved from Sargminne Castle to Vallon along the middle of the way for hundreds of years, along places where it was easy to requisition food, but if I set up the munitions warehouse and operated the supply base I insisted on. From Hulang Castle, you will be able to go directly to Poitiches. Because we came from an unexpected route, it will take a long time for the defenders to catch up with us even if they make a hasty turn.”
In the meantime, what if you divided your troops into battalions or regiments and thoroughly plundered all the villages in the largest area before the Francois came?
Even if we lose in the war, they will suffer tremendous economic and social damage that will be difficult to recover over the next decade or so.
“If that happens, the nobles of Francois, who have already been excommunicated and are out of shape, will show further insolence to the people, and they will judge that a nationwide peasant uprising may occur, so they will move the army as quickly as possible.”
Did Moritz, Minister of Military Affairs, already imagine the nobles of Francois running to prevent the worst situation of a peasant uprising?
He was smiling so brightly that I even thought he couldn’t be more innocent and bright.
As a duke of the Empire and a person who has been called a legend of the Imperial Army for decades, deep down, there must have been a lot of things accumulated because Francois guys threatened the Empire.
“In normal times, we do not know what will happen when the enemy infiltrates, so we will advance by adjusting the speed appropriately while checking with scouts to see if there is an enemy ambush as much as possible. However, nobles who have suffered excommunication and whose position is at rock bottom cannot march while observing such common sense because of political interests.”
“You are really evil. I’ll tell you from here. Are you planning on deploying company- or battalion-sized surprise troops in the middle to block the road or make a surprise attack to reduce the number of soldiers and maximize the fatigue of the army?”
At that, I nodded my head in affirmation, and the Minister of Military Affairs smiled and said,
“I knew that too. If the troops of the allies have advanced to that point, the two armies will soon encounter each other and a big battle will ensue. Do you have any plans for that battle?”
I thought that if I didn’t answer here, I might fall into the abyss of overtime again and have to report at least 5 battle plans considering the number of cases.
Of course it was prepared.
“Strategy works more or less as planned, but combat and tactics, as the academy says, are often obsolete within three minutes of a fight. So, I can’t say that the combat operation is a definitive plan because it’s not a situation where a full-scale fight with the enemy has begun, but I’ve made a rough plan by assuming the number of cases.”
“If the other officers in the staff headquarters followed half of you, you wouldn’t have any wishes.”
When I heard that, tomorrow the Minister of Military Affairs, if there were other officers who made even the slightest mistake at the General Staff Headquarters.
I personally took it to mean that I would express my regrets to the others who gave 4 or 5 stars, and in my heart I prayed that none of the staff officers would make a mistake tomorrow.
Even the grueling process starting with the battalion commander dries people’s blood, and the draking process starting with the 6-star dignity of the Minister of Military Affairs is such a shame.
That can’t be too cruel.
“It is an honour. First of all, we plan to quickly identify the location of enemy units through the ambush units deployed in various places. Through them, when the distance from the enemy is reduced to some extent, I think that the plundering troops dispatched from a long distance will return to the main unit to recover their physical strength, and then prepare for battle.”
“very good.”
“In addition, we are considering using wagons or terrain to fortify and fight as much as possible, taking advantage of the fact that the enemy must attack us quickly and win quickly. I have something else prepared, can I tell you?”
This is half false.
This is because, although I have prepared a lot besides this, there are too many variables that need to be assumed beyond that, so it is full of unpredictable problems.
You have to respond flexibly, but since the opponent is a master with the title of guardian of the empire, there is a high probability that it will not work.
Fortunately, however, our Minister of Military Affairs nodded with a satisfied expression and said,
“Further plans are an area for all staff to put their heads together and ponder. Also, there are too many variables. Anyway, you managed to plan everything up to this point.”
“I was just thinking based on what I learned at the Imperial Academy.”
When I said such humility, the Minister of Military Affairs put on a slightly awake expression and said,
“It’s just that you’re competent. If I ordered another staff member to come up with a plan like this for a month and a half, no one would be able to do it. As expected, he is a genius who broke convention and was promoted to brigadier general at that age.”
“It is an honor, Your Excellency.”
“By the way, I have some good news for you.”
I’ve already received enough benefits such as promotions and titles, so I don’t think I’m giving anything directly.
In what sense is this good news?
“His Majesty the Emperor officially accepted the warriors of the Barbarian tribe who surrendered their land and defected as soldiers of the Empire. The families were scattered throughout the empire, each engaged in the same occupation as his former status. In other words, some of the northern tribes have officially become citizens of the empire.”
Why the hell is that good news for me?
Well, the more Northerners living in the Empire who are fully naturalized, the more it would benefit the Empire…
Ah~ All the northerners who are now naturalized in the Empire are people who tremble in disgust at the mere hearing of Ludvik’s ‘Lu’.
They have a very good perception of me for killing that evil khan, right?
When those people disperse in groups.
“And the second son, third son, and daughters of serfs who couldn’t get married while selling day labor because they couldn’t get land to cultivate in the empire went up to the north.”
“Is that so. His Majesty the Emperor will be pleased.”
“I can’t be honest. If you’re just 25, you can show an honest reaction like a boy who blushes when he sees a beautiful woman.”
You can tell even if you don’t speak.
Yes. It is a story that my reputation, which until now has only been rumored and spread among nobles and large cities, will spread throughout the Reich Empire.
It must mean that you will automatically acquire the most important reputation for aristocrats.
This is definitely really good news.
“Instead of giving up the lands where their tribes lived in the north, the defecting tribal chiefs received suitable lands that were vacant and were knighted and officially became nobles of the empire. In addition, Anastasia Kergit, a woman who defected through you, received the greatest reward and treatment among them.”
When I tried to say thank you for letting me know with a look on my face that I was deeply moved by those words.
The Minister of Military Affairs got up from his desk and came next to me and whispered quietly.
“I like it, but don’t. look at reality You are so flawless and perfect. From now on, there will be a lot of worms trying to frame the man named Peter Yeager against His Highness the Crown Prince.”
“…..”
“I am saying that you are like my son, but from now on, I will be moderately greedy and clearly show my loyalty. Otherwise, those who are jealous of you will bite and bite you for not having any weaknesses. Instead, if you create a suitable weakness, it will be easier to respond by targeting only that area.”
When I nodded and was about to leave, the Minister of Military Affairs smiled and said,
“What you just saw is a maid whom His Majesty the Emperor attached to me so that I wouldn’t be inconvenienced in my life. Since you have been promoted to general, one more will follow.”
Judging from the context of what he said so far, what he said was clear.
‘There are more eyes on me, so be careful with your behavior.’