The Art of War
Therefore, the ninja's endurance is still determined by their food supplies, but it differs from that of ordinary soldiers.
The Jonin squads of Konoha can travel at a straight distance of over 50 kilometers per hour, but that's on straight roads in the plains of the Land of Fire.
In a terrain as complex as the Land of Rivers, a advance covering a single area would likely only cover about 50 kilometers per day.
Each team's operational capabilities will differ due to variations in their reconnaissance abilities, and the time available for deployment will also be affected by these capabilities.
Taking Shuichi's squad as an example, the three of them set off from the base at full strength. In the safest areas, they should try to conserve food and preferably fill their stomachs by hunting.
The closer you get to enemy territory, the more dangerous it becomes to use supplies in the wild. Not only does it increase the chance of being exposed, but the enemy may also use methods such as poisoning. At this time, you will need to rely on the food and fodder you carry.
A typical Jonin squad spends about two weeks on missions. Squads with Byakugan can find food more easily and can also choose safe locations to eat and then remove the smell.
Therefore, Shuichi's squad can operate for up to a month, Konoha has almost no team with stronger endurance.
Aside from these elites, the majority of the remaining troops will not be active for more than a week.
After reading the War Manual and conducting on-site investigations, Shuichi discovered that the ninja village's warfare model had evolved into an art of controlling distance.
After the war began, many cities in the Land of Fire began producing provisions, which were then transported by civilians to Aoba City, the largest city in the far west, via major transportation routes.
At this time, the commander and all the Jonin squads had assembled and were dispatched to scout ahead before the main force arrived, selecting the best front-line stronghold based on the enemy's location.
Then came the arrival of the main force and the establishment of supply lines. The distance from Aoba City to the Land of Fire Border was less than 200 kilometers. The supply convoys did not consist of ordinary people, but were all carried out by Genin.
They set off at dawn, and with the speed of ninjas, they could deliver supplies to the front-line base within half a day, successfully avoiding the dangers of poor visibility at night. With the escort of multiple teams, it was safe to say that everything went smoothly.
Shuichi suddenly realized why the geographical distribution of the major and minor ninja countries in the Shinobi World looked so regular, and why the military strategy of flanking and raiding the enemy's supplies had completely disappeared in war. It was because this was something that the major countries had carefully calculated.
In the battle between Konoha and Sunagakure in the Land of Rivers, the two border cities were about 800 kilometers apart, equivalent to the length of four supply lines.
Based on the operational range of most Konoha ninja teams, the area from Aoba City to the border Kikyo Castle is entirely under their control, while the area from Kikyo Castle to the central part of the Land of Rivers is a battlefield that leans towards their side. Crossing the central line means entering the control range of Sunagakure.
In general, the farther away from one's own base, the more dangerous it is. Sending a small force to raid Sunagakure's supplies is no different from sending people to their deaths.
Furthermore, launching a multi-person attack is even more impossible, as it would be equivalent to engaging in a major battle in enemy-controlled territory. The terrain advantages of both sides would be reversed, and a defeat would be inevitable unless there was a significant disparity in strength.
"I see," Shuichi thought to himself. "The same applies to Sunagakure. The reason for the Kannabi Bridge was that Iwagakure needed to extend its supply lines to the border of the Land of Grass, thus extending Iwagakure's attack range into the Land of Fire. However, this stretched their lines created more openings, which ultimately allowed Konoha to find an opportunity."
After figuring out these details, Shuichi's squad began setting up a simple campsite and then discussed the mission they were about to undertake.
The next day, all the Jonin captains who had arrived gathered in the central area.
Shuichi glanced at the group briefly and estimated there were at least 30 people. Some teams might have set off earlier, and many Anbu might already be active throughout the Land of Rivers.
Orochimaru, as the commander, did not come out. Instead, he assigned tasks by calling people over. Under his arrangements overnight, each team had a different area of operation.
Shuichi waited until the very end before entering the room. Upon seeing him, Orochimaru immediately said, "Due to the rapid invasion of Sunagakure, we cannot yet ascertain their detailed situation. Therefore, we will tentatively designate Kikyo Castle as our first base."
"But if we want to launch a counterattack against Sunagakure, we must advance from here, and it would be best to establish a base within the Land of Rivers."
He then pointed to a spot on the map on the table, "So our first task is to investigate whether there are any signs of Sunagakure invasion within a hundred kilometers of Kikyo Castle. Considering your team's capabilities, I require you to explore this area further in and obtain all the information here."
"Yes!"
After receiving the mission, Shuichi did not leave immediately. Orochimaru and Nara Shikaku explained a lot of Konoha's strategies and ideas to him, which ordinary Jonin did not receive when accepting missions.
This is an unspoken rule within the Hokage lineage. Since Shuichi and his companions are likely to become commanders of Konoha in the future, the seniors will pass on their knowledge and skills during wartime. Namikaze Minato was also the second to last to leave.
After leaving the room, Shuichi's squad assembled immediately. The three had prepared supplies in advance and began their first mission.
This mission is short-lived. Orochimaru requires all teams to return to the Aoba City stronghold within a week; failure to do so will be considered as death or disappearance.
"I'll probably be fighting Sunagakure in the Land of Rivers from now on; that's the weakness of the Super Beast Imitation Drawing," Shuichi thought to himself. "Konoha has actually sent a third of its forces to the Land of Rain; it seems the war situation will be very complicated."
The Second Great Ninja War took place in the Land of Rain, a chaotic battlefield where the three great nations and the Amegakure engaged in a protracted tug-of-war, while the Hidden Konoha and Sand Village did not fight each other with full force.
Now things are different. Konoha and Sand Village are facing Total War. Troops stationed in the Land of Rivers may be attacked by Sunagakure forces crossing through the Land of Rain, while they may also be setting up surprise attacks. The risk level is much higher now.
"Our mission this time is in the Southern Sichuan Ridge area, which is about 200 kilometers away from the border and very close to the central part of the Land of Rivers, so we need to be careful starting from the third day..." Shuichi explained to his two teammates as they ran towards the mission location.
According to some preliminary reconnaissance by the Anbu, the Sunagakure's invasion range did not directly cut the Land of Rivers in two, but rather presented a strange distribution. Due to the large number of Sunagakure's people, the Anbu did not dare to penetrate completely.
Shuichi and his two companions traveled at a fast pace, but not in a straight line; they adjusted their angle periodically. Their initial route into the Land of Rivers was also roughly planned, involving a gradual exploration.
This was a plan set by the command headquarters. Orochimaru and Nara Shikaku spent a day planning how each team's route would cover the area that needed to be scouted once, based on the characteristics of each team.
Shuichi was astonished when he saw the map. Dozens of winding routes filled the eastern part of the Land of Rivers and the Land of Rain, some with large gaps and some with small gaps, but overall arranged in an orderly manner.
"Being a commander is really tough; you risk losing your hair if you do it for too long."