Diplomatic Preparations Complete

"Stupid! You made no preparations before the battle and just sent the soldiers charging in blindly?" Count Radetzky glared fiercely at Lieutenant Colonel Buseck. "And then you were routed by a bunch of police?"

Lieutenant Colonel Buseck lowered his head and defended himself softly. "General, those police had remarkably high military proficiency, especially their rate of fire..."

"Shut up!" Count Radetzky roared. "You have utterly disgraced the soldiers of the Empire!"

No wonder he lost his temper. Buseck had truly underestimated the enemy.

If Buseck had formed most of his soldiers into Infantry Lines, leaving only two or three hundred Skirmishers out front to harass the enemy, then with the Walloon Police lacking confidence in fighting regular troops, they might perhaps have fought to a draw.

Instead, he had sent all his soldiers forward in skirmisher formation. Under the concentrated fire of the opposing Infantry Line, they had been routed without the slightest suspense.

Count Radetzky glanced at his pocket watch. The hour hand already pointed to four in the afternoon; reaching Wavre today was certainly impossible.

Moreover, they would need time to gather and reorganize the routed soldiers of Busec Corps.

He took a deep breath, calmed himself, and told the Orderly Officer, "Rally the troops. Tomorrow morning, Croix Corps will deal with those police.

"Also, report the situation here to His Highness Prince Coburg."

"Yes, General!"

The following day.

Encouraged by yesterday's victory, the Walloon Police once again stubbornly repelled Croix's first attack—this time, the latter had not underestimated them. He committed three regiments arranged in Infantry Lines for a head-on clash with the police, while also sending three Cavalry Squadrons to harass their flanks.

Fortunately, the Walloon Police's two Six-Pound Cannons had also reached the battlefield the previous night, once again catching the Austrians by surprise.

Yes,