206 – Operation ‘Storm’ (1)
Two years after the strategy meeting held at the temporary palace, I arrived at Blue Fort with 100,000 soldiers.
Then, as planned, I ordered the soldiers to deliver the heavy armor and heavy food to the fleet led by Admiral Braim.
And now, I took some time off and thought about it.
Operation Sickle, one of the most successful surprise operations in World War II.
The factors that made the operation successful can be divided into two major factors.
First, instead of attacking the Maginot Line, the strongest fortress built by Germany on the French side, they broke through Belgium, which was an independent country, and then crossed the Ardennes.
I think the second factor is that they stabbed the other side’s loophole by organizing a tribute unit in a place where the main army would be formed, and a main army in a place where a tribute unit was expected to be.
Aside from that, France’s carelessness and shoveling, the German army’s bold strategy to cut off the enemy, etc… It is the result of everything coming together.
However, if all of this was a battle that took place within the range where both the opponent and the enemy could predict each other’s numbers to some extent…
Operation ‘Storm’, which I devised with the motif of an operation used in Germany in the 20th century, is an operation that no one can predict.
In an era when the average marching speed is 12 to 15 km a day, the madman planned to march at least 30 km on condition of receiving food and horses from supply bases installed in the middle.
At the time I was immersed in my thoughts, a middle-aged operations officer wearing a colonel’s insignia came up to me and said.
“Your Highness, we just delivered 30,000 sets of armor and food to Admiral Braim. He also ordered the rest of the supplies to be taken to the Blueport training center and barracks.
But the admiral had something to convey to His Highness… That’s kind of weird.”
“What do you mean?”
The chief of staff in front of me looked at me and said with a bewildered look.
“I asked His Highness to deliver the supplies received by our fleet to be sure to deliver them to His Majesty the King of the North.
And since I showed you the order with His Highness’s seal on it, I judged that it was not an act of treason by intercepting and selling goods, but there was a large amount of military supplies moved, so I will report to you for confirmation.”
Hearing that, I laughed and said hahahaha.
“If you’ve come this far, you can’t hide it, so I’ll tell you.
All of those munitions are gifts from my son-in-law to my father-in-law in the north, and since my father-in-law has received them, I will immediately invade the Duchy of Maxburg to ease my anxiety.
After that, we will mobilize more troops from the Northern Alliance and engage in a full-scale battle with Romania. In the meantime, His Majesty the Emperor of Romania will not dare to attack us.
That’s also true, if the fire falls on your feet, shouldn’t you put it out right away?”
Also, even if your father-in-law occupies the Duchy of Maxburg and lowers the taxes just a little, the serfs and citizens who have been subjected to harsh taxation for more than five years will ardently support you…
Even if the emperor directly directs them, they won’t be able to subdue them so easily.
No, perhaps because of the excessive collection of offerings by the priests of the corrupt Deus Church, dissatisfaction has piled up, so it could escalate into a civil war…
With this, when I fight against the Eline Empire, I will no longer be stabbed in the back by those pitiful guys who are neither sacred nor worthy of the imperial dignity.
At the same time, I took off the silk clothes I was wearing and handed them over to the waitress, then changed into clothes made of a thick cloth made from a mixture of wool and thread.
Then, I ordered the operations staff next to me.
“Starting from the current time, I activate Operation Storm. As soon as the sun rises tomorrow, we spread the contents of the operation, and our troops move from Blue Fort to Esters as quickly as possible.
The knights will ride their own horses, and the foot soldiers will move on foot… Make sure you are determined.”
**
The morning after arriving at Blueport.
Sergeant Nahans and other soldiers and officers belonging to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Regiment, Biermann Division, Kingdom of Creutel arrived at the barracks installed in Blue Fort after a long time and were able to stretch out their legs and rest comfortably last night.
And according to what I heard from the company commander, there will be no marching or training for the time being, so even though it’s in a tent, you can take a leisurely nap or buy something like meat or beer from vendors out in the field.
I spoke to the private next to me while enjoying the leisure time.
“Miller, what are you doing today?”
“Private Miller! Porridge made with wheat and herring for breakfast this morning, seaweed soup and pickled herring for lunch, jerky, dry bread and some cheese for dinner.”
“I don’t have anything to eat except for dinner… I can’t. After lunch, gather the kids and buy some meat from the vendors. Under… I’ve been serving for four years, can’t I do this much?”
“Private Miller! That’s right!”
Although I can’t drink enough to stagger because I don’t know when to run, I should be able to have a drink or two until I feel like I’m getting a kick out of it.
If you tear off a pig’s hind leg… Could that be heaven?
And then, after about 5 minutes, I was about to change into my military uniform to go to roll call, when the platoon commander came in with an expression as if the country was ruined.
Seeing that, me and my squad looked at him trembling with anxiety.
“Damn it, it’s Your Highness’ royal order. The entire unit packed only a few sets of light clothes and weapons and immediately marched to Esters! Pack your things right away, leave all your heavy armor behind and run!”
My body hurts even after just one day of hard marching, but to go on a forced march to a place where I don’t even know where I am after coming this far…
However, to feed my rabbit-like children and fox-like wife and protect my throat? If you want to, you have to…
“Everyone in the 4th squad, take only clothes and weapons and leave immediately! Damn it!”
**
It’s been a week since we started marching in the barracks with armor and other heavy and unnecessary things.
In the meantime, we have passed through the crisis of dying many times.
Precisely because of the tiredness that made my feet blistered, my knees wobbly, and my eyes strained during the march.
And to be honest, even now, I want to take a break right now because I have collapsed. No, if you say you can’t do it, you can rest, but…
I fell down and couldn’t rest because of a noise I heard often.
“His Highness the great King is also running with you, sweating and breathing heavily!
Also, Her Highness said, ‘If you arrive at Esters, I will pay you a year’s salary in a lump sum in exchange for your hard work.’
Hold on! In just a little while, I will give you water with your meal!”
Those who are conscripted and live comfortably on the mainland earn very little, you know, but…
Based on private soldiers who applied for participation in the war, one year’s annual salary can buy two cows, and as a sergeant, it is a lot of money to buy a small field.
If I take that money, buy a field, and lend it to the farmers living next door, I can feed my children as much meat as they like once a week.
Eating enough meat to make my cheeks pop out, thinking about the children who would be proud of their father gave me the strength to walk anyway.
As I was walking around like that, before I knew it, huge carts pulled by horses began to appear in front of me.
As soon as the soldiers inside saw us, they didn’t say anything and handed us biscuits 1.5 Times the size of a fist, lumps of seaweed soup, and water.
After me and the other soldiers received it, we stood for a while and ate the chunks and water.
I’ve already eaten it several times, but this lump is probably because the salty taste of salt mixed with the savory taste unique to dry bread and the savory taste unique to seaweed soup… It didn’t taste too bad.
Even in the water, the salt was added vaguely, so it only tasted bitter and unpleasant…
If you don’t eat it, you could collapse or die, so the soldiers shove it into their mouths without saying anything.
But the comforting fact was that everyone in our regiment, starting with the colonel, ate the same tasteless lump.
If they were high-ranking people, if they saw them eating something else that tasted better, they would have wanted to pull out their swords and commit a crime… No, they might have lost their temper and committed a crime.
And after 5 minutes, the company commander looked at us and said.
“If you walk a little further, you can have a proper meal and rest. Also, it will be less difficult tomorrow as we move by carriage!! Everyone, cheer up!”
In normal times, everyone would have answered this in unison, but…
I just want to fall asleep right now, no, I wish I could at least fall asleep while walking like the other talented sergeants.
Because if you walk while sleeping, your legs won’t hurt as long as you don’t fall while walking!!
Thought so, I kept moving my legs.
Damn, if I knew this was going to happen, I would have listened to Captain Oliver when he asked if I was thinking of moving to Man at Arms…
Then I wouldn’t have had to mess around… I just want to be discharged.