Don't Talk to Him

While Frederick and Maria were on their honeymoon, the Duchy of Weissen continued to run as usual.

The Wesen Army continued to strengthen its efforts to become a regularized force, with operational paperwork being one of its priorities. The goal was to institutionalize the process from top to bottom.

According to regulations, commanders at every level below regiment, as well as department heads, had to write as detailed an after-action report as possible within half a month of the end of a battle, regardless of whether they had won or lost. The reports had to describe how the battle unfolded, record casualties and expenditures on both sides, identify problems, and suggest improvements.

At the divisional level, commanders submitted a monthly report to their superiors at High Command, attaching the reports from subordinate units.

These reports not only provided accurate source material for writing military histories, but also laid the groundwork for reviewing battles and teaching.

In a map-room at Wessen Military Academy, Pavel, one of the exchange students from Bohemia, and his classmates recreated the 11th Regiment of the 1st Division's actions during the "Battle of the Red Waterwheel" on a sand table.

In that battle, the 1st Division's artillery had fired a Creeping Barrage, followed by an assault from the 11th Regiment.

However, a number of questions had arisen about the details of the battle.

So Frederick had designated it a model battle for discussion and study across the entire army.

Pavel had been formally studying at the academy for less than a year. Today, like the other first-year cadets, he was listening from the sidelines as senior students reviewed and discussed the battle.

Every so often, he glanced at the guest of honor beside the sand table.

The academy occasionally invited active-duty officers to take part in discussions