Prewar Calculations

March 7, 1888.

With all preparations complete, the Triple Alliance officially prepared to make its move.

Count Roberts made his final deployment before the war: "Once the war begins, Portugal's two southern brigades will advance on New Hamburg City together with the British forces from Natal Colony."

"The remaining forces will be divided mainly into two directions. Our two divisions will serve as the main force in an attack on central East Africa, while one division, together with the Portuguese Army, will engage East Africa in the north along the Zambezi River."

"The remaining two divisions will serve as reserves, ready to support every battlefield at any time."

"As for the Boers..."

As the representative of the Transvaalers, Davidson finally had a chance to get a word in.

"Commander-in-Chief, the Boer Republic is an independent battlefield. Therefore, we can only provide support for the main battlefield, but we will draw as many East African forces as possible from the south into the west, preventing them from reinforcing the eastern battlefield."

Even if the Transvaalers wanted to support the eastern coastal region, they could not. Like Mozambique, they were surrounded by East Africa on three sides, while the Drakensberg Mountains in the east severed the connection between the Allied forces.

This meant that the Boer Republic could only act as an independent battlefield, mutually supporting the eastern main battlefield. Angola Colony was in the same position.

Angola Colony was even more unusual than the other regions. Its location made it impossible for the Allied General Headquarters to incorporate it into its command system.

Thus, Angola and the eastern battlefield stood on the same level. Its commander was a Portuguese man, and its troops were likewise composed mainly of Portuguese paired with Black soldiers.

However, Britain would provide Angola with naval support.