Leaving Third Avenue, Veylin had no mind to admire the streets. He hurried straight toward City Hall.
Artificially creating extreme cold was a double-edged sword. Veylin's first thought was of the insect army under his command. Worker Mantises and War Beetles were cold-blooded creatures, after all. At forty degrees below zero, they would probably freeze stiff before the fighting even began, leaving them utterly unfit for battle.
Those Slag Snails we captured earlier... Veylin calculated silently. Magma flowed through those creatures' bodies, giving them extremely high body temperatures. Not only could they withstand the bitter cold, but perhaps they could also be modified into siege weapons and pack animals. Ordinary oxen and horses would still be needed for transport, too, though they should be fine with proper protection.
Then there was the matter of personnel.
To launch a major winter offensive, the initial shortfall in winter clothing for regular soldiers and logistics personnel would be at least thirty thousand sets. They would also need to establish ongoing production to replace losses during the war.
As he pondered this, Veylin passed the pancake stall on the corner, where the owners were packing up.
"Hans, stop fussing with all this!" Miri snatched the rag from her husband's hand and gave him a push. "Get to the textile mill! They'll dock your wages if you're late!"
The man named Hans remained unhurried. He bent to pick up some wrapping paper from the ground and said gently, "No rush. The mill's starting an hour later today."
"Later? Why?"
"Because of that fighting in Golden Thread Province." Hans deftly helped his wife fold up the heavy awning. "The foreman said wool production over there has dropped quite a bit, and the raw materials are slow to arrive. There isn't much work today. If I go