173 – The Age of Steel and Sorcery (2)
As head of the war planning department and deputy chief of defense planning, the first task to be undertaken was to overhaul the organization of the Uk ranian Army.
The Uk ranian Army’s system was a terrible hybrid.
Just a few years ago, steel wire muskets were used as official equipment.
Even most of them were donations from the Consumption Empire.
It is absurd to expect effective infantry warfare with such a tumbleweed.
Even the armament of the soldiers is like this, there is no way the military organization including the administrative organization is intact.
“We will unite up to four corps under two headquarters. The Capital Corps is reorganized into the Capital Command.”
Four corps divided in four directions centered on the capital.
Because the boundary is also very ambiguous, the command system cannot operate properly in an emergency.
It was also the reason why the southern and northern corps did not respond quickly as soon as the coup took place.
As each corps under the Army Headquarters has its own discretion, it takes too long to judge the situation.
There was naturally confusion in the command system.
Ernst Pell, the first Minister of War, also deeply sympathized with this part. We boldly decided to divide our troops into the Western Military District and Eastern Military District Headquarters.
“Region names will be deleted. The southern corps are the 1st corps, the northern corps are the 2nd corps, and the names of the western and eastern corps are the 3rd and 4th corps, respectively.”
Taktak, I said as I moved the boards on the desk.
“And this will be the headquarters of the Special Warfare Command.”
“…… It’s just the Special Response Brigade headquarters.”
“Yes, it is. We intend to expand the size of the facility to bring all three special operations groups into the area.”
“It is a de facto succession.”
“We don’t need a lot of Special Forces anyway. It can be used as a hidden card, but what we need now is a massive, thoroughly trained regular army.”
There is one fact that people misunderstand. Even in modern times, special operations forces are not always invincible.
On the battlefields to be unfolded, there will not be only the small-scale infiltration battles experienced in the capital, Kayef.
A hell where tremendous artillery fire comes from beyond the trenches and thousands to tens of thousands of soldiers engage in bloody battles over an area.
No matter how brilliant the special forces are, there is no answer if the main battlefield starts to be pushed back.
“As the name suggests, the Special Warfare Command is a unit under direct control of the Army Headquarters that functions as a command in itself. All operational activities are directly connected to the Chief of the General Staff, but are not subject to any other interference. I plan to give the commander as much autonomy as possible.”
Sonny Zeppelin, who reacted sensitively at first, nodded calmly after hearing my explanation.
“If that’s the case…… It won’t be bad.”
“And one more thing. There is something I want to tell Vice Admiral Sonny Zeppelin in advance.”
“What is it?”
“You will probably be appointed as the general staff’s sorcerer’s chief soon. After all, he is the protagonist who took part in the coup.”
“Isn’t it?”
There are not many positions in the army where Sonny Zeppelin, who is a great mage and has peaked as a sorcerer, can be seen.
For her, the post of Magical Captain, right below the Chief of the General Staff, would be the best career she could build in the Uk ranian Army.
That’s why I needed permission in advance.
Following the Special Response Brigade, it took her a little bit of getting into her mind that she had to touch the sorcery bottle, which was nothing more than her identity…….
Because it was absolutely necessary in the rapidly changing landscape in the future.
“We will also disband the magic battalion organized in each infantry division.”
“What?”
“Infantry no longer needs sorcerers. No, to be precise, it’s inefficient. Rather, if a real battle takes place, only the poor sorcerers will be sacrificed.”
On paper, there are less than 4,000 magicians in the Kingdom of Uk ran.
It is less than 1/10 of the army of only 90,000.
Of course, which country is not like that?
It’s really stupid to use such a high-level manpower mixed with infantry.
“The basic operational framework of the currently developing military equipment is based on mages.”
“Airplanes and…… You mean the steel box car I saw last time?”
“It’s a thing called a tank.”
“Yes, the tank.”
In the terrible trench warfare that will unfold in the future, aviation and armor will be the only armies that will perform as expected.
Have you secured the right to supply or not?
Is the armored force more than the enemy or not?
Because these two conditions will decide the outcome of the battlefield.
It was like that in the original history I was living in, and it was like that in Hearts of General.
And those who operate those two weapons are currently all mages.
It’s too much of a waste to fall victim to the current tactic of blending in with the infantry and returning after a few spells.
“You know that, Lieutenant General. A mage is just an ordinary human who knows how to use magic. If you get shot, you die. But if he can easily defend against bullets, that’s not it either.”
Sonny Zeppelin was quick to respond. Because it was true
“But fighters and tanks are different. It is basically lined with iron plates, and in addition to that, mages will be able to project effective firepower from the safe inside.”
“Are you overestimating the new weapon, Brigadier General Enoch?”
It was Orlando I who raised the question this time.
He was a very reformist, but he still had some outdated views.
Besides, a weapon of war of a kind never seen before.
It will take some time for the unfamiliar concept of a tank surrounded by steel plates to prowl the battlefield.
“These weapons are the key to defending the Uk ranians from an Imperial attack.”
In fact, if the defense reform currently being pursued by the Ministry of War could be reduced to three sentences.
Simplifying the chain of command.
Efficient deployment of troops.
And it was the development of new weapons.
At the same time, befitting the position of head of the war planning department, the officers and friends under my command must be grinding hard to come up with all sorts of scenarios even at this time.
And the scenario is being written based on the newly reorganized unit format mentioned earlier.
That is.
I had no intention of backing down on this reform proposal even if King Orlando I asked for it.
Anyway, I had to reorganize my troops into the most efficient form in Hearts of General.
“All good, all good. But Brigadier Enoch…….”
“Yes, Lieutenant General.”
“This is just a notice! What if even the head of the war planning department did this!”
I answered with a shrug at the Grand Mage, who was looking at me with a puzzled expression.
“The War Planning Department is like that.”
“This, this…” … ! You’re going crazy!”
“I learned everything from someone. Vice Admiral Sonny Zeppelin.”
“I’m afraid I’m not the youngest student of the great mage. Even the youngest general is stubborn.”
“Damn it, I feel resentful of my past self.”
“Introspection is like that in the first place. It’s the same rank as general now, so accept it, Sonny.”
At the end of Orlando I’s words, we burst into laughter. It’s only a few years away from being able to laugh and share jokes like this.
Until then.
This small country had to be reborn, both militarily and diplomatically.
Because now is the beginning of the big step for the survival of Uk ran.
***
Republic of Polania.
The capital Prabha.
The faces of those gathered at the Presidential Palace of the Republic in the center of Prava were all dark.
“The Reinhalt Empire enacted the Land Defense Act. At the same time, they signed a defense cooperation treaty with the Soviet Empire.”
“Meanwhile, Sovier’s puppet regime was born in the eastern part of Uk ran. In fact, it looks like it is surrounded by enemy countries on all sides!”
Amid the rapidly changing international situation, the country under the most pressure was the Republic of Polania, not Uk ran.
Like Uk ran, the Kingdom of Bersaw, which was independent at the same time as the fall of the Rus Char Empire, was reborn as the Republic of Polania after the monarchy collapsed due to a revolution more than ten years ago.
Until then, Polania was proudly active as a member of the Imperial Alliance.
The government has changed several times, and now it is impossible to say that it has good relations with the countries of the Imperial Alliance, including the neighboring Reinhardt Empire and the Soviet Empire.
Of course, there are political issues, but the main reason for the Republic of Polania to have conflicts with neighboring countries was definitely the ‘territorial’ issue.
The Soviet Empire, like the Uk ranians, persistently demanded the cession of the northern territories held by the Republic of Polania.
In the case of the Reinhalt Empire, at the time of the civil war in the past, the Republic of Polania was in the middle of a fierce dispute over the effective right of the ‘City of Gdankow’, which the Republic of Polania subtly stationed troops and absorbed.
The justification is sufficient.
The enemy’s power overwhelms the republic.
The fact that the embers of war raging all over the world would eventually directly burn the Republic of Polania was a fact that everyone gathered at the official residence expected.
“If war breaks out, our republic will be attacked from all sides.”
In the first place, the geographical position is too unfavorable. In a way, it was worse than that Uk ranian one.
Since the west side is bordered by the Free Democratic Republic of Prü, isn’t there a high probability of getting help from the Freedom Alliance?
“Still, there is a treaty signed, so you can definitely expect support from the Free Democratic State of Fru and the three Baltic countries.”
“It would be nice if that was the case… ….”
Of course, it wasn’t that the Republic didn’t prepare any countermeasures.
The Republic of Polania had considerable military power, and the number of people who could be mobilized immediately in the event of a war was by no means insufficient compared to the two empires.
As for the weapons and weapons, most of the units have been successfully modernized since they signed a state contract with the Free Democratic Republic of Prüh and the United Kingdom of Britain.
Even with those two empires, the Republic of Polania would be a bit too much of a burden to swallow easily.
Nevertheless, the Republic’s president, ‘Jusef Faust’, wanted to find a more reliable and stable solution.
In the first place, what was the reason that the Republic of Polania did not officially join the Freedom Association even though it was using the name ‘Republic’?
Whether it’s the Imperial Alliance or the Free Alliance, in the end, everyone is a group that moves for their own interests.
Even if they cooperate with the Free Alliance, it is unclear whether they will sincerely help the Republic of Polania, which is geographically too far away.
Jusef needed a more reliable partner than them.
It was then.
After the secretary in a suit hurriedly entered the meeting room, he approached President Yuzef and whispered in a cautious voice.
“Mr. President, the Uk ranian Ambassador to Polania has arrived.”
“Um…… !!”
“The Uk ranian side who secretly accompanied the ambassador is said to be Enoch Levandel’s closest aide. Rumor has it that they are in a romantic relationship.”
At those words, Yuzef’s eyes shook slightly. He never thought he’d come, but he’s sending his lover to act as a substitute?
Informal interviews made through behind-the-scenes contact.
Since it was created to avoid provoking international public opinion as much as possible, I thought that a person who would be irrelevant to being known externally would come.
“So who is that?”
“This is a young officer named Major Rumia Bluet. There are many eyewitness accounts that she stayed with Enoch Levandel and assisted her during the last Reinhardt Empire.”
If she really was Enoch Levandel’s lover, it would make sense for her to send a soldier with the rank of only a major as an envoy to meet the president alone.
If she sent her lover as her substitute, everything she brought would be considered the direct opinion of Enoch Levandel and the Uk ranian royal family.
“Major Rumia Bluet… ….”
Jusef Faust chewed on the name slowly.
Somehow, it felt familiar, but it was probably just a guess.
