Inspection of the Troops
By a combination of coaxing, cajoling, playing the victim, and moral blackmail, they finally managed to persuade Marshal Borg to come out of seclusion.
Before he could even catch his breath, new troubles loomed before Joseph II.
As an ally, the Moxi Duchy must give a clear answer to its request for help.
Prior to this, no country had made a statement, so the Warhammer Kingdom could wait and see.
But now the Alpha Kingdom has announced that it will send "200,000" troops to support the Moxi Duchy, putting them in a corner.
We are all allies. The Alpha Kingdom, which is under heavy attack from the Beastfolk army, has spared troops. It would be unreasonable for the Warhammer Kingdom to sit idly by.
Send troops to rescue them, but there's another threat from the Beastfolk army on our side.
What if the Beastfolk attack as soon as the reinforcements set off?
If you fail to rescue your allies and end up being the one asking for help, you'll make a fool of yourself.
"Marshal, what are your thoughts on the affairs of the Moxi Duchy?"
Joseph II inquired.
I have never led troops or been on the battlefield.
When it came to military matters, the rational Joseph II felt it best to consult with professionals first.
Although he promoted many generals, none of them had experience commanding large-scale operations. Judgments based on his own understanding may not necessarily be accurate.
"Your Majesty, the Moxi Duchy must be saved!"
The kingdom cannot stand idly by, either politically or militarily.
Otherwise, if the alliance deteriorates, Beastfolk turn their attacks on us next time, it will be difficult to ask other countries for help.
Unlike the Moxi Duchy, which is caught in the middle, we no longer share a border with the Alpha Kingdom.
Even if the kingdom falls under the iron heel of the Beastfolk, the impact on them in the short term will not be significant, and it is not a place that must be saved.
Without the Alpha Kingdom taking the lead, the neighboring states to the west are of little use, and the Moxi Duchy is too busy to even look after itself.
Once the Beastfolk change direction, we'll be fighting alone.
Now the kingdom not only has to rescue the Moxi Duchy, but also must follow the Alpha Kingdom and send troops to rescue them on a large scale.
This wasn't just for the Moxi Duchy, but also for all the nations of the Human Alliance.
If possible, we should also persuade the Moxi Duchy to launch a counter-offensive to recapture the Augsburg defenses and reverse our current strategic disadvantage.
Marshal Borg said with a serious expression.
Militarily, the more territory the Moxi Duchy falls into, the longer the Warhammer Kingdom's flank defenses are exposed.
Politically, it was even more crucial to the survival of the Three Kingdoms alliance.
"Marshal, the Alpha Kingdom's deployment of 200,000 troops is mostly just a bluff."
Although the Beastfolk army shifted its attack direction, the number of troops remaining on their borders was still enormous.
Even if the Alpha Kingdom is stronger than us, the one-time mobilization of 200,000 troops will still affect their mobilization system.
I think they can only muster a maximum of 100,000 reinforcements. With reinforcements from other small countries, it would be a miracle if they could even muster 300,000.
Furthermore, the quality of these reinforcements is also highly questionable.
The Alpha Kingdom's Standing Army is unavailable, so it can only send its noble private armies. The other small countries have only just begun mobilization, and some may even be using serfs to make up the numbers.
Given the quality of these soldiers, they might be passable for defending the city, but expecting them to help reclaim lost territory is probably hopeless.
Even with the kingdom's support, victory is still impossible. Forcibly retaking the defensive line would result in heavy losses at best, and total annihilation at worst.
If they suffer another major defeat, the various nations will be unable to quickly mobilize enough reinforcements. The already demoralized Moxi Duchy is likely to collapse completely.
Chancellor Gaiyin said with a frown.
Rescuing the Moxi Duchy is one thing; helping them reclaim their lost territory is quite another.
Strategically, recapturing the Augsburg defenses would be entirely beneficial to the Warhammer Kingdom. The only problem is that it's impossible.
"Ha ha..."
"Your Excellency Prime Minister, what we need to discuss now is what is in the best interest of the kingdom, not what we need to ask you to worry about our allies."
From a holistic perspective, helping the Moxi Duchy solidify its defenses would be ideal. However, the losses the kingdom would have to bear would be enormous.
Do you think the Beastfolk army, unable to make a breakthrough, will next go and try to take on the tough nut of the Alpha Kingdom, or will they turn their attack towards us?
Unlike the heavily invested northern defenses, the kingdom was severely underprepared on the eastern front.
Beyond Augsburg lies the Warhammer Great Plains of Warhammer, with only a few scattered noble castles remaining, except for our unfinished steel defenses along the border.
Once faced with a full-scale Beastfolk attack, defeat is only a matter of time. Without fortifications, even mobilizing the entire nation's army would be insufficient to hold off a Beastfolk army in the open.
If we don't want our kingdom to be reduced to a wasteland, then we have no choice but to sacrifice our allies. The Beastfolk army's rapid advance into the Moxi Duchy will indeed put us in a more passive strategic position.
But all of this will take time. They won't risk launching a full-scale attack on us until the obstacles in our path are removed.
During this period, we can strengthen our defenses while exaggerating the Beastfolk's strength to the human nations that have not yet been involved, forcing them to make a decision ahead of time.
Only with the stimulus of the major defeat at the front will the alliance meeting in July be able to make a decision favorable to us, allowing countries to send troops ahead of schedule.
Of course, there are also great risks involved. If the various alien races seize this opportunity to attack and tie down the reinforcements from other countries, then things will be in serious trouble.
However, this is a low-probability event. Even if they wanted to take advantage of the situation, each race would choose to wait until reinforcements arrived before making any moves.
Marshal Borg said coldly.
He didn't want to let his teammates down. But there was nothing he could do; if the Moxi Duchy didn't have problems, the Warhammer Kingdom would be in serious trouble.
Even if this plan was a desperate measure, Marshal Borg had no choice.
Unless something happens, the unfinished fortifications on the eastern front simply won't be able to stop the Beastfolk army's advance.
Unlike the Alpha Kingdom, which was experienced in being attacked and always ready to be invaded, the noble lords had long ago occupied dangerous places, built castles and fortresses large enough to accommodate all their subjects, and stored enough food.
The Warhammer Kingdom's preparations for this war were completely hasty. Based on their prior assessments, they had always believed that the Beastfolk would not be able to launch a full-scale invasion before the old Behemoth Emperor died.
Strategic misjudgments naturally come at a price. Based on past experiences of various nations converging to counterattack the Beastfolk, the nobles of the Warhammer Kingdom largely overestimated their own strength.
Even now, many minor and medium-sized nobles within the Warhammer Kingdom remain optimistic about the war, naively believing that a full mobilization would drive the Beastfolk back to their homeland.
In this situation, allowing the Beastfolk army to invade the heart of the kingdom could very well result in a complete rout.
The people have been wiped out by the Beastfolk. Even if the Human Alliance helps to reclaim the lost lands afterward, it will be difficult to revive the Warhammer Kingdom.
After a slight hesitation, Joseph II nodded helplessly. Deep down, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Fortunately, Marshal Borg was brought out; otherwise, if his men had foolishly taken the blame for the Moxi Duchy according to their plan, it would have been a tragedy.
Upon receiving news of the Alpha Kingdom's military intervention, Chris IX of the Moxi Duchy breathed a deep sigh of relief.
With this leader in charge, the rest of the problems are easier to solve. The neighbors all have to contribute, more or less.
Even if each faction manages to gather tens of thousands of reinforcements, it adds up to a considerable number. Even if they can't defeat the Beastfolk force, they can at least help stabilize the situation.
Besides reinforcements, what the Moxi Duchy needs most is "confidence." Resistance with reinforcements and fighting alone without reinforcements are two completely different things.
"Your Majesty, this is a note from the Warhammer Kingdom. They propose that we join forces with our two nations, along with reinforcements from other countries, to retake Augsburg and restore our previous defensive lines."
As they were talking, Foreign Minister Renato handed over a document.
After taking the document and glancing through its contents, Chris IX hesitated.
The Warhammer Kingdom's reasons were very valid: the terrain along the Augsburg line was treacherous, making it the best place to build a defensive line.
In contrast, the current defenses of Terence City are entirely built by manpower. The so-called natural barrier is nothing more than a small hill a hundred or two meters high.
If there are many small hills that stretch out in a continuous range, forming a hilly terrain, then it can be used as a makeshift solution.
Unfortunately, there aren't many hills in this area. The real mountainous terrain is in the southern part of the Moxi Duchy.
No matter how far we retreat, we can't abandon the foundation of the duchy and run to the mountains to wage guerrilla warfare against the Beastfolk!
Moreover, the land traversed by the Beastfolk army, even if not barren, was largely devoid of life. Swimming would be extremely difficult.
After closing the document, Chris IX slowly asked, "What are your thoughts on the proposal from the Warhammer Kingdom?"
It's clear he's truly tempted this time. The promises made by the Warhammer Kingdom are far too enticing.
Once the Augsburg defenses are recaptured, everything will be back to normal. The Moxi Duchy, on the verge of collapse, will be fully restored.
The war even inadvertently allowed them to train a fairly capable army, which actually increased their chances of victory when facing the Beastfolk invasion.
"Your Majesty, from a strategic perspective, recapturing the Augsburg defenses is indeed the best option. The only two problems are:"
Politically, will it affect the alliance meeting in July? Militarily, will the troops be able to complete their combat missions as expected?
"I am deeply worried," said Chancellor Herczeg.
The plan was good, but ultimately it had to be implemented by people. The Beastfolk army was arriving in droves, and retaking Augsburg from them would be no easy task.
If a proactive attack leads to a major defeat at the front, turning the side that was supposed to be recovering lost territory into the side that is fleeing in panic, then it's all over.
In contrast, the Human Alliance meeting in July was less important. Based on past practice, the Alliance could easily erupt into heated arguments over anything.
Such a major decision as sending troops to reinforce other areas would never even get to the voting stage without causing a stir for a while.
"Your Majesty, this is a rare opportunity. With the cooperation of the Warhammer Kingdom and the arrival of reinforcements from various countries, this is our best chance to reclaim our lost territory."
If they could also persuade the Alpha Kingdom to tie down the Beastfolk army at the front lines, the chances of success would be even higher.
"Minister of Military Affairs," said Martins with a heavy heart.
"Opportunity" is merely a matter of probability; it does not mean that it will definitely come true.
The battlefield is ever-changing, but in the end, it all comes down to strength.
Unfortunately, many of the issues are not simply military matters, but also involve a range of political problems.
With cities and territories constantly falling at the front, the pressure on the military was increasing daily. Calls for Martins' replacement were growing louder at home; if he didn't produce some results soon, he would be out of a job.
Even knowing the risks involved, Martins had no choice but to bite the bullet and take the gamble. For him personally, winning would be fine, but losing wouldn't be much worse than his current situation.
He glanced hesitantly to the north, then asked with a grave expression, "What are the chances of us successfully retaking the Augsburg defenses if we join forces with the Chris IX Warhammer Kingdom?"
In Laite County, after a series of preparations, the expeditionary force met for the day of assembly.
Looking at the group with their large bags and bundles, Hudson strongly suspected that this was a group going to a market rather than an army heading to war.
People are less valuable when they leave their hometown. A journey of two thousand miles to fight in a foreign land is impossible without thorough preparation.
Other daily necessities can be provided by the Moxi Duchy. Clothes and quilts for all four seasons should be prepared in advance.
Due to distrust of their allies' logistical capabilities, the noble lords made a rare collective effort to purchase equipment for all the soldiers involved in the war.
There are at least 15,000 soldiers, and if you include people and livestock, the total force will exceed 20,000. They are just waiting for the kingdom to send someone to check their numbers.
As he surveyed the neatly arranged ranks, a surge of pride welled up within Hudson. Seeing this magnificent sight, all his hard work had been worthwhile.
The noble officer in charge of counting the number of people was taken aback by the imposing manner of the troops.
It wasn't that they were ignorant; it was simply that the Laite County displayed a morale that far exceeded their expectations. Other reinforcements from different regions also included elite troops, but upon hearing that they would be fighting Beastfolk, they all seemed to have lost their parents.
The soldiers of Laite County were an exception; aside from complaining about the long journey, they paid no attention to the Beastfolk army they were about to face.
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There was also a hint of disdainful arrogance in it.
Without a doubt, this spirit was deliberately cultivated by Hudson. When they were receiving training in the Mountain Territory, these people were sent out in batches to supervise the Beastfolk slaves' work.
For soldiers who have wielded whips and supervised Beastfolk slaves, it is easy to develop a sense of superiority: Beastfolk are nothing special.
The subtle psychological suggestion instilled a sense of superiority towards Beastfolk in everyone. So much so that when the topic of going to war against Beastfolk came up, everyone harbored a deep-seated contempt for them.
This mentality led to the expeditionary force displaying morale far exceeding that of the reinforcements sent by neighboring provinces.
"Hudson, your ability to train troops is truly remarkable! It's among the best in the entire continent."
Perhaps you should shoulder greater responsibilities, such as serving as the chief instructor of the Kingdom Army, training an elite force that can rival any enemy!
The middle-aged officer wasn't lying; he genuinely intended to recommend it to the King. With the nation in peril, anything that could strengthen the kingdom's military power was of great significance.
Only those within the family know their own situation. The training of soldiers in Laite County may seem replicable, but in practice it is very difficult.
The Alpha Kingdom is not without Beastfolk slaves, but there is really no other kingdom that uses Beastfolk slaves on such a large scale as the Mountain Territory.
This one rule alone has blocked the path to large-scale imitation.
As for the remaining drill training, it was only effective in improving the discipline and morale of new recruits; the seasoned veterans weren't interested in it.
If Hudson were to be put in charge of training the nation's military, these problems would quickly surface. Coupled with a lack of sufficient military instructors, reckless reforms would only make things worse.
"Count Jose is joking. Commanding this army is already exhausting me. How can I possibly take on the responsibility of training the entire nation's army?"
In peacetime, it's fine to try out military reforms. But now it's wartime, and every move will be magnified.
Rather than undertaking reforms with uncertain prospects, it's better to maintain the status quo and wait until after the war.
Hudson politely declined.
These are all honest words; military reforms are truly unsuitable during wartime. And after the war, once the fighting is over, what reforms are there left to implement?
As a traditional and conservative nation, the Alpha Kingdom is not suited to radical reforms.
The fact that the country was divided into numerous states meant that any reform could hardly be replicated nationwide.
Seemingly realizing this, Count Jose, who had been quite enthusiastic, nodded helplessly and stopped dwelling on this sensitive topic.