145 – Battle of the Jungfrau Plain (2)
Reich Imperial Army 7th Division Command Barracks.
I was a little late for the strategy meeting because I had to go to the bathroom, and the officers except me each put a glass of beer on the table.
The scene where they raised their beer glasses high and shouted a toast caught my eye.
“For the division commander who prevented the surprise attack of the damn Swiss bandits!”
“A toast to the 7th Division’s victory!”
“For our promotion and wealth!”
Just like that, the officers emptied all the beer in their glasses.
The officers, including Lieutenant Colonel Anya, began to cheer and tell stories of their adventures even before the strategy meeting, probably because the atmosphere was heated after drinking a glass of beer each.
“Honestly, when the division commander told me to move to full military commander as soon as I entered Switzerland, I thought it was really too much.”
“I survived because it was cool here. “If we had done something like that in a warm place like the Peronia City Federation, we would all have died.”
“So, I thought I would suggest that we take off our armor and march starting tomorrow, but I never thought that those bandits would attack us as soon as we finished fully equipping ourselves this morning.”
I agree with what the officers said.
To be honest, in a warmer place like Peronia, I can’t order soldiers to do something like this because I’m afraid they’ll die from dehydration or heat stroke.
In order to maintain the morale of the soldiers who were forced to go through a difficult schedule, the division commander also had to take it upon himself to suffer.
With all these things going on, it seemed like everyone was having fun, so I felt like I just wanted to go to my barracks and sleep.
Because the situation was so urgent now, I ordered them to put aside such thoughts and go into the barracks to prepare for a meeting.
“I feel like I would like to have a drink with you and celebrate our small victory. I’m sorry I can’t find time to drink a beer because the road I have to pass through is a f*cking den of bandits. Instead, if our division wins and we return, we will rent out a luxury inn and we can drink there.”
In this day and age, a luxury inn is of course a bar where a woman pours you a drink and you can go out for a second drink.
I have no intention of getting close to other women other than Laura, so I return home quietly when everyone leaves for the second time.
You couldn’t be happier if you bought your subordinates a drink to celebrate their victory and even drank a glass with them.
“First of all, there are two main ways we can travel. One is to travel along the road between the Lindenhof Hill and the huge mountains. “The other way is to go back a little further.”
No matter which road you take, you will eventually reach the Jungfrau Plain.
There are several villages on the road between the former Lindenhof Hills, making it easy to supply food locally, and the land is flat, so it can be said to be optimal for marching.
On the other hand, the return route is not up to the mountains, but there are hills along the way, so it is a route that inevitably consumes a lot of the soldiers’ stamina.
As a soldier, you would naturally want to march comfortably on a flat road while eating the warm food and fresh meat supplied in the village.
“The path chosen by this division commander is a difficult but long one.”
The officers who heard those words looked at each other and looked as if they had misheard.
When he saw the person next to him nodding quietly, he realized that he had heard correctly, and then he looked at me and asked in confusion.
“Division commander, why on earth do you want to leave a comfortable place and take such a difficult route?”
“It’s not that marching is impossible. Please think about the physical strength consumption of soldiers. “As I go along, I collapse from exhaustion.”
“Didn’t the Count who was in secret with us already tell us? He’s just trying to wage a war with little delay. Moreover, the number of troops that can be mobilized alone in Tishno Canton is only about 4,000, and we defeated hundreds of them today. As long as it is not a siege, there is a good chance of victory. “I’m going to have to fight anyway, so it’s better to go somewhere a little more comfortable.”
These are all very reasonable words.
That’s right, according to the information sent by Count Bern, who has been in communication with us for several years, the Ticino Canton can currently mobilize about 4,000 troops on its own.
If they don’t stay in the castle, we will be able to fight and achieve victory.
In addition, one of the most important things a commander must do during war is to send soldiers to the battlefield in a state capable of fighting.
As they say, of course it is 100, 1,000 times right to take the easy path.
“Definitely, as you said, in most situations, taking the easy and quick route is the right answer.”
But that only applies when fighting in places where ambushes are difficult, such as the plains.
If we are surprised in an unexpected place like last time, the 7th Division under my command could suffer heavy casualties or be defeated, so it would be best to go back far away.
“But look at the terrain here. Although the road doesn’t reach the level of a steep cliff or mountain like a canyon, aren’t there many mountains and hills that are good for hiding soldiers? So the Swiss bandits will not let go of their old habits and lie in ambush, and when we pass by here, they will definitely attack us with arrows or magic.”
As Count Bern said, even if the number of troops that can be mobilized is less than 4,000, or only 1,000, if a guerrilla operation is carried out by hiding soldiers in the forest, ambushing them, and then attacking them.
Due to continuous fighting, battle fatigue may build up and the soldiers may become so exhausted that they cannot fight even before reaching Liechtenstein Castle.
Therefore, rather than trying to march on a slightly easier path, we should choose certain safety.
“Didn’t you learn it at the academy? The enemy is not a fool and he will surely know where we can march. Then, they will try to tie us down by any means possible, whether it be ambushing troops or building a field fort. So we are going back to avoid an unfavorable and dangerous battle.”
When I explained it like this, the officers nodded as if they were convinced, but Anya asked me if there was anything they didn’t understand.
“Chief, but if Count Ticino lets us pass by to cut off our supply route, wouldn’t our supply be cut off?”
“It is a valid point, but in preparation for times like this, didn’t we bring dry bread and salted meat that would last for three weeks? “If you eat it and advance, you will never run out of food even if you do not receive additional supplies until you reach Liechtenstein.”
“I understand.”
However, in order to turn the game to our advantage as much as possible, I think it would be best to induce a fight here on the Jungfrau Plain, where two roads meet, rather than having the supply route cut off.
“But as Lieutenant Colonel Anastasia said, it is not good to give the enemy the opportunity to cut off our supply route. Therefore, we will fish them out here in the Jungfrau Plain.”
The officers looked puzzled at those words, but I smiled brightly and answered.
“The method is very simple. All you have to do is release a few spies into a Swiss village and spread a rumor. We have secured enough military supplies to last all the way to the Jungfrau Plain, so we will take the rough road back. Then, no matter what operation the enemy has prepared, all plans will go to waste.”
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If this rumor were to spread, Count Ticino would certainly be very angry that his plan had gone awry.
Because he might not be caught properly. Should I add this?
“It would be better to naturally spread the word that once we reach the Jungfrau Plain, we will have no choice but to plunder the local villages and fields since the supplies we have secured will run out.”
If we do this, the lords of the Swiss canton of Ticino will become excited and insist that we must be blocked on the Jungfrau Plain.
Otherwise, all of your precious land and assets will turn into ashes.
The Jungfrau Plain is famous for being a very wide plain even in the Ticino canton, so we will be able to freely handle knights and archers here.
We may be pushed back due to the quality of our infantry, but what if we have the advantage of the imperial knights and archers of the northerners?
Well, if the troops led by Count Ticino here are exactly 4,000 as Count Bern said, annihilating them all would be a piece of cake.
“Okay then, we will end the meeting here. Everyone, we have to go back on a rough road, so be prepared.”
I will put into practice what I said: The more urgent you are, the more you have to go back.
Try some taffy somewhere.