Reactions from All Sides
The devastating news of the fall of Augsburg in the Warhammer Kingdom, plunged this ancient kingdom into panic.
As longtime neighbors, they knew all too well what Augsburg meant to them.
Despite being allies now, the two countries had fought many wars before their Beastfolk neighbors arrived.
The two countries have fought more than once over the Augsburg region.
As you can see from the map, Augsburg is not only the northern gateway to the Moxi Duchy, but also the gateway to the northeastern region of the Warhammer Kingdom.
The collapse of the Moxi Duchy's defenses also led to a breach in the Warhammer Kingdom's Northern Frontier defenses.
If the Beastfolk army were to change direction, they would have a hard time stopping the enemy's advance and might be forced to passively shrink their defensive lines.
"Strategic retrenchment" may sound innocuous, but the cost of implementing it can be devastating.
Giving up large tracts of land is secondary; the real problem is the complete strategic passivity.
Looking northeast and sighing, Joseph II asked expectantly, "What are the plans of the Moxi Duchy? Have you considered retaking Augsburg?"
To conceal their true purpose and carry out this sneak attack, the Beastfolk's main force was almost entirely focused on attacking the Alpha Kingdom.
Apart from the army of the Eaglemen Imperial Court, most of the Beastfolk soldiers faced by the Moxi Duchy were cannon fodder.
The main Beastfolk army is still on its way. Now is the best opportunity to retake Augsburg.
"Your Majesty, I'm afraid I'll have to disappoint you!"
The entire Moxi Duchy was stunned by this sudden and devastating news.
Besides seeking aid from other countries, they were busy relocating people and deploying a second line of defense.
Apart from a few military leaders who proposed recapturing Augsburg, most nobles were terrified of the Beastfolk army.
Fortunately, the resistance from the Augsburg defenders was quite tenacious.
Instead of using the cover of night to retreat, they stayed behind to engage the Beastfolk army, buying time for the Moxi Duchy.
Foreign Minister Cassidy said with a helpless expression.
From the perspective of the Warhammer Kingdom, it is natural to hope that the Moxi Duchy can recover lost territory and rebuild the Augsburg defenses.
However, the situation is different from the perspective of the Moxi Duchy. What they need is to preserve their strength and deal with the Beastfolk as much as possible, rather than using their main force to fight a bloody battle with the Beastfolk army.
Perhaps a hard-working effort could lead to the recapture of Augsburg from the Beastfolk, but what then?
The dilapidated defenses, ravaged by war, could hardly withstand the Beastfolk army's advance.
The defensive line, recaptured at great cost, could not withstand the Beastfolk's advance. Therefore, it would be better to activate the second line of defense directly.
As for where the Beastfolk will attack next after they take Augsburg, the Moxi Duchy can't care less.
Now they're defending if they can, and retreating if they can't. If they can't retreat, they'll hide in their castle and become holdouts.
Faced with numerous noble castles, and given the time constraints that prevent the Beastfolk army from taking them all down one by one, everyone can simply gamble on luck.
Based on the Alpha Kingdom's experience in resisting the Beastfolk invasion, as long as the tortoise shell is strong enough, the Beastfolk army will change its target after its attack is thwarted.
Once the most difficult time is over, reinforcements from various human nations will arrive, and everyone can then fight their way out of the castle to reclaim the lost territory.
They're barely able to take care of themselves, so allies are naturally out of the question. If the Beastfolk army were to turn its attention to something else, they might even secretly hold a celebratory banquet.
"Activate the backup plan. Immediately deploy a large force in the northeastern region of the kingdom to keep the Beastfolk army outside the borders."
Forget it, I'll personally go and invite the old marshal to come out of retirement.
At this critical juncture, only he has the ability to keep the Beastfolk outside the country's borders for more than six months!
Joseph II said wearily.
They were all forced into this situation. Unable to break through, the Alpha Kingdom turned its attention to attacking the Moxi Duchy. Clearly, the Beastfolk knew to pick on the weak.
The same applies to the battles that follow; whoever shows signs of fatigue first is likely to become the focus of the Beastfolk's next attack.
A single Orc Empire could not possibly be a match for the entire human race. To win the war, they would need to involve more other races.
Given the Beastfolk's reputation, it would be virtually impossible for them to trick everyone into joining the war.
The only way is to use impressive victories to tell all races that this overlord is corrupt and that the time is ripe to overthrow this mountain.
If you want impressive results, you have to pick your weakest opponents and beat them mercilessly. Continuing with your old tactics and fighting tooth and nail with the Alpha Kingdom is definitely a dead end.
Under these circumstances, Joseph II had no choice but to set aside his prejudices and ask the most prestigious marshal in the kingdom's army to come out of retirement.
"Your Majesty, Marshal Borg is quite old and has been retired for many years."
"Wouldn't it be inappropriate to trouble him now?"
Chancellor Gaiyin a subtle reminder.
Political struggle is unavoidable in any country.
This kind of thing happens even more often, especially in peacetime.
Marshal Borg, a pillar of the kingdom, was a victim of political infighting.
Fortunately, the morals of the Warhammer Kingdom have not yet collapsed, and political struggles still adhere to the rules of the game.
Joseph II only tried to send the highly respected old marshal home to retire, and did not kill him outright.
Political struggles are neither right nor wrong; they are all caused by power.
Marshal Borg's prestige was so high that it affected the Royal Authority.
The King wanted to seize power, so sending him home was just standard procedure.
It's understandable to bring them out now that they're needed. But this puts the power in the other party's hands.
Having retired once, it's inevitable that he'll take the opportunity to make demands, since he can't have done all that for nothing.
Even if Marshal Borg were selfless and made no demands, his faction would not be content to remain silent.
For vested interest groups, it is inevitable to have to cut their own losses to appease the other side.
If not handled carefully, it could lead to another political upheaval.
"Needless to say, Marshal Borg is a pillar of our Warhammer Kingdom. Now that the nation is in peril, he will certainly not refuse!"
Joseph II said firmly.
In the Warhammer Kingdom, Marshal Borg is a legend who once saved the kingdom from the brink of destruction.
Even political rivals did not diminish Joseph II's heartfelt respect for them.
Upon reading the plea for help from the Duchy of Orton Moxi Duchy, King Oden XIX was utterly distraught.
As good neighbors, the Duchy of Orton is only five hundred miles away from Augsburg.
This distance may sound far, but this is a magical world.
If the Moxi Duchy collapses, the fastest Beastfolk Wolf Riders will be able to reach their doorstep the very next day.
If the powerful Moxi Duchy couldn't withstand the Beastfolk's onslaught, then the Duchy of Orton had even less hope.
Constructing defensive fortifications?
Unfortunately, the Duchy of Orton never imagined that war would come so close to them.
In the past, the Beastfolk invasions had never affected them, and the Duchy of Orton had never taken the Beastfolk invasions seriously.
They originally thought that with the three northern kingdoms leading the way, they could just coast along, shout slogans, and the war would be over.
Even if the three kingdoms can't hold out, that will be a matter for the later stages of the war. By then, the reinforcements from the various human kingdoms will have almost set off, and they will only need to bring their main armies to accompany them.
With the formidable strength of the human race, they can crush their way through and reap countless flowers and applause.
"The Moxi Duchy is a bunch of useless trash!"
With such performance, they still dare to call themselves the number one duchy of the human race.
I really don't know how this title ended up on their heads; it's a disgrace to our human race.
Look at the Alpha Kingdom next door, they've been fighting the Beastfolk for so long, and they're still entangled on the border.
The Warhammer Kingdom on the sidelines performed a hundred times, a thousand times better than them..."
The incessant cursing revealed Oden XIX's inner unease.
As a quiet observer, Oden XIX has been known for his prudent approach since ascending the throne.
It has never implemented reforms domestically, nor has it provoked any conflicts with its neighbors, let alone launched a war.
My biggest hobby is watching other people fight and offering my comments.
Such King could not be considered excellent, but he was not a spendthrift either.
With a King who doesn't cause trouble, the Duchy of Orton has been doing quite well these past few years.
Without military conscription, the living standards of the noble lords in the country rose sharply.
This proves that even if a noble lord simply stays in his fiefdom and farms, he can still become wealthy.
Such a docile King is a rare sight on the entire Aslant Continent.
Unfortunately, disaster struck while I was sitting at home.
The approaching Beastfolk army and the plea for help from the Moxi Duchy, combined, meant war was imminent.
"Your Majesty, things have developed to this point, and I'm afraid the strength of the Moxi Duchy alone is insufficient to stop the Beastfolk army's attack."
Chris IX personally wrote a letter requesting aid, suggesting that the situation at the front might be even worse than their envoys had described.
If the Moxi Duchy cannot hold out, it will soon be dragged into war.
If possible, it would be best to help them stabilize their lines and keep the Beastfolk army outside their borders.
Jacob said with a helpless expression.
Our King is good in every way, except that he easily panics when things happen.
The Beastfolk army's attack is indeed frightening, but they haven't even arrived yet, have they?
What's the point of criticizing the Moxi Duchy for being incompetent? The key is to find a way to solve the problem. Based on past experience, the Beastfolk army is incredibly powerful in the early stages of an invasion.
As long as the cannon fodder races are not wiped out, the five great Beastfolk Five Great Imperial Courts will not care about casualties. A war that ignores casualties is naturally extremely cruel.
The human nations delayed their deployment because they didn't want to sacrifice their elite troops and cannon fodder. They wanted to leave this brutal war of attrition to the three northern kingdoms.
Upon hearing the mention of reinforcements, Oden XIX instantly snapped to attention. They had already provided supplies to the Moxi Duchy once during previous battles; now they were even considering sending troops.
"I don't object to sending troops to help the Moxi Duchy stabilize the front lines. The question is, do we have the capability?"
Unless the entire nation mobilizes, sending only tens of thousands of reinforcements might not be enough to withstand a single charge from the Beastfolk army!
Oden XIX spread his hands and said.
Insufficient strength is the biggest problem Duchy of Orton. Even among duchies, there are different levels and ranks.
A large country like the Moxi Duchy, with a population of eight million and a territory of 700,000 square kilometers, can mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops to fight against the Beastfolk.
The Duchy of Orton has a territory only one-third the size of the Moxi Duchy, a population of just over two million, and Standing Army of just over ten thousand.
Unless the entire nation is mobilized, it will be difficult to achieve much against the overwhelming Beastfolk army.
"Your Majesty, it's not enough for us alone. But with the Moxi Duchy in trouble, it's not just the Duchy of Orton that's threatened; other countries also need to contribute."
If everyone works together, contributing money, food, and manpower, it's still possible to raise a reinforcement to aid the Moxi Duchy.
The Foreign Affairs Department received news from the Alpha Kingdom that most of their nobles are inclined to send troops to rescue the Moxi Duchy, and a result may be forthcoming soon.
What we need to do is work with our neighboring countries and get as many countries as possible involved in the rescue efforts.
The Human Alliance meeting in July is not far off.
The Foreign Affairs Department hopes to obtain authorization from the Duchy to join the lobbying team comprised of the Alpha Kingdom, the Warhammer Kingdom, and the Moxi Duchy in pushing for the Human Alliance to participate in the war!
Dubois suggested.
When the King is weak, the ministers become powerful. It's a seesaw situation.
Oden XIX had no plan to deal with the situation, so Foreign Minister Dubois had to step in to share the burden for the King.
"Good!
The diplomatic matters are now in your hands. Those incompetent fools of the Moxi Duchy probably won't last long; the Foreign Affairs Department should get to work on it as soon as possible.
Furthermore, a war mobilization order has been issued, stipulating that if the Alpha Kingdom is willing to take the lead in sending troops to its aid, the Duchy must follow suit immediately!
Oden XIX readily agreed.
The problem cannot be solved by our own efforts alone. It would be best if we could get more countries involved to share the burden.
This proposal, in particular, has a very high probability of gaining support from neighboring countries. After all, no one wants to become the next target of the Beastfolk army.
A similar scene was playing out almost simultaneously in the neighboring countries of the Moxi Duchy.
The specific details may vary, but the topic of discussion will definitely include "whether or not to send troops to provide assistance".
The court was debating, and the common people were not idle either. The tense atmosphere of war began to spread, from the front lines of the Three Kingdoms to the heartland of the human race for the first time.
More and more countries are participating in the discussions, but in terms of concrete actions, the slow pace remains unchanged.
Without a life-or-death threat, the mobilization speed of the various nations in the human heartland is nowhere near that of the Alpha Kingdom.
When the results of the votes of the nobles in each province were gathered and delivered to Caesar III, the topic of discussion in the Alpha Kingdom was no longer whether or not to send troops, but how many troops to send.
Who should we send?
When should we take action?
Military mobilization has far-reaching consequences.
Alpha Kingdom's previous military deployments were all aimed at defending against the Beastfolk army invading from the north. While the west wasn't entirely unprepared, it was certainly not adequately prepared.
The sudden need to reinforce the Moxi Duchy in the west clearly disrupted the rhythm of troop movements.
"Your Majesty, the Standing Army cannot be moved. Although the Beastfolk have changed their attack direction, there are still a considerable number of troops left on the front lines, and no one can guarantee that they won't make a feint."
Moreover, given the situation in the Moxi Duchy, even if we send reinforcements, we may not be able to help them hold their line.
The Augsburg defenses have little direct impact on us, as the Parhat Mountains provide a barrier and the local terrain is not conducive to the deployment of a large army.
If their subsequent defensive lines are breached, the mountains will offer little protection. Our western front will soon be exposed to the Beastfolk army, and the kingdom must prepare for the worst.
Under these circumstances, the only troops that could be drawn upon were the private armies of nobles, and these armies had to be from nobles outside the western provinces.
Considering the logistical challenges of a long and arduous expedition, the military advised that the initial reinforcements should not be too large. A decision on whether to send further reinforcements would be made after the troops arrived in the Moxi Duchy, based on the actual situation.
The initial reinforcements should ideally number between 50,000 and 100,000. The kingdom only needs to mobilize the private armies of nobles from one province to complete the rescue mission.
Alternatively, an expeditionary force could be formed by drawing private armies from noble families in one of the southeastern provinces.
Duke Affierro, the Minister of Military Affairs, expressed his deep concern.
His expression revealed him to be a pessimist who had absolutely no faith in the Moxi Duchy.
Sending troops to provide assistance is merely doing our best and leaving the rest to fate.
The northern front is already a battlefield, and the western front could become a battlefield at any time. In reality, there are not many options left.
The provinces at the forefront of the mobilization order certainly cannot be mobilized now. They were all prepared to send troops to the Northern Frontier, and a sudden change of direction would be a troublesome matter just to coordinate.
Looking at the provinces in the rear of the kingdom, Caesar III hesitated for a moment. After a long pause, he slowly said, "Remove them!"
Placing all the relief efforts on one province could easily disrupt their mobilization plans. If only the private armies of nobles from one prefecture are mobilized, the pressure on everyone will be much less.
Clearly, this is just a pretext. The deeper reason is that rescuing the Moxi Duchy is a foreign war, and the risks are far greater than carrying out a mission at home.
If you're not careful, your allies could betray you and kill you.
All the pressure is placed on one province. If something unexpected happens in the Moxi Duchy and the entire army is wiped out, the entire organizational system of the province will be destroyed.
This would be extremely detrimental to the mobilization of the kingdom in its later stages.
Moreover, powerful nobles are not to be trifled with, and they might not be willing to undertake such a high-risk mission. A slight misstep could even trigger a political upheaval.
After all, this is not about defending the country, but about rescuing the Moxi Duchy, so it's a bit of a stretch to insist on military obligations.
Within the rules of the game, even refusing to comply is acceptable.