Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 146 The Water Dispenser Contestant
"You're half right." Morin nodded approvingly.

"Think about it, what kind of unit is our training assault battalion?"

Without waiting for Manstein's reply, Morin began to analyze the situation on his own.

“We are a unit directly under the General Staff, bearing the title of ‘Imperial Guard,’ and are a pilot unit personally overseen and strongly supported by His Highness the Crown Prince.”

"Sounds impressive, doesn't it?"

Manstein nodded subconsciously.

"But what about in reality?" Morin changed the subject. "We only have one battalion of troops."

"For the Second Army Group, which has more than 200,000 troops, how much weight can a battalion carry? How much of a role can it play?"

"We are like a drop of water in the ocean, and we are still insignificant at the moment."

Morin stopped and looked at the brightly lit army group headquarters in the distance.

"More importantly, General Bilo, along with his staff, simply doesn't understand us."

"If we were in the troops commanded by His Highness the Crown Prince and General Mackensen, we would certainly be given important positions."

"But the officers of the Second Army did not know how effective our new equipment and tactics would be in actual combat."

“In their eyes, we might just be an ‘experimental force’ that hasn’t been tested in actual combat.”

"If he rashly throws us into a crucial battle, it's fine if we win, but if we lose or even cripple them, do you think he can explain it to the General Staff and His Highness the Crown Prince?"

Upon hearing Morin's analysis, Manstein suddenly understood and then sighed.

"So, he simply left us hanging and waited to see how things went?"

“That’s right.” Morin smiled. “This General Bilo is known for his caution.”

"For him, the safest approach is to first use his familiar old troops to fight."

"It's safer to leave this 'unknown' piece outside the board for now."

"Besides, didn't you see? He and his staff are currently racking their brains over how to cross the border and fight with more than 200,000 troops tomorrow. They don't have the time or energy to develop any operational plans for a mere battalion-level unit."

Manstein finally understood, and the confusion and frustration on his face turned into helplessness.

Morin could tell that this young operations staff officer was full of enthusiasm for the upcoming war and longed to achieve great things on the battlefield like General Mackensen.

"Don't be discouraged," Maureen comforted her. "Gold will always shine."

"The war has only just begun. This is a long marathon, not a sprint. We have plenty of battles to fight. I'm just afraid that you'll regret not resting more today."

Although Morin said that, he knew in his heart that they wouldn't be sidelined for long.

Once the battle reaches a stalemate, or when a tough nut to crack arises that conventional troops cannot crack, General Bilo will naturally remember that he still has this 'experimental unit' under his command.

That will be the time when the training assault battalion truly shines.

The two returned to the camp and found Kleist patrolling the sentry posts with several officers and soldiers.

Morin briefly explained the situation at the command post to him.

Kleist's reaction was similar to Manstein's: first disappointment, then helplessness.

"Alright, stop looking so long." Morin patted the two of them on the shoulder. "An order is an order."

"Let everyone get some rest and recharge."

Looking at these energetic officers and soldiers, Morin had only one thought in his mind.

Fine, let this bucket of cold water cool down your feverish heads.

And indeed, things turned out exactly as Maureen had guessed.

General Bilo did indeed leave the training assault battalion on standby because he didn't know how to use it.

For him, the most important task at present is to handle a series of complex issues such as the Second Army's crossing of the river, its advance, and logistical support with the assistance of his staff.

As for that 'infantry battalion' that the General Staff sent over, let's leave it for now. It won't cause any major problems.

August 8, early morning.

As dawn broke, the town of Wiz, which had been silent all night, became bustling again.

The vanguard of the Second Army began to cross the Meuse River in an orderly manner on the pontoon bridge erected by engineers, officially entering the territory of the United Kingdom of Flanders.

Infantry, cavalry, and artillery converged into a gray torrent, surging towards the opposite bank.

Meanwhile, in the area further north, General Mackensen's First Army had also crossed the border.

Their objective was to strike the main force of the Flanders army head-on, forcing it to retreat to the north, thus clearing the flank for the main force's "revolving door" operation on the right wing.

Prior to this, the Saxon Empire's diplomatic corps had issued several ultimatums to the United Kingdom of Flanders, hoping to gain passage through its territory to attack Gaul.

As a sovereign nation, the United Kingdom of Flanders naturally rejected such a demand that completely disregarded national sovereignty.

The war officially broke out in full force within the territory of this small Western European country.

Morin stood on a high ground outside the camp, observing the spectacular river crossing scene in the distance through binoculars.

He saw that most of the soldiers in the Second Army had expressions of excitement and confidence on their faces.

According to his superiors, the war would be a lighthearted armed parade.

They will hold a victory parade on the Champs-Élysées in Paris before the autumn leaves fall.

Only Morin knew that, barring any unforeseen circumstances, they were about to face a bloody massacre that would last for years and devour an entire generation of European youth.

As the vanguard of the Second Army crossed the Meuse River, three messages appeared in succession in the [Intelligence] tab.

The United Kingdom of Flanders declares war on the Saxon Empire

The Holy Britannian Empire declares war on the Saxon Empire.

The Gallo-Baltic Republic declares war on the Saxon Empire

Upon seeing these three messages, Morin realized that Brittany and Gaul had only mobilized, but had not directly declared war.

Now it seems that they were waiting for such a reason: to 'resist the shameless invasion of other countries by the Saxon Empire'.
"Sir, when do we leave?"

Just as Morin was watching the main force cross the river, Manstein came to his side and asked softly, "No rush."

Maureen put down his binoculars and said:
"We'll catch up once the main force has gone through. Right now, we're just 'water boy' players, so don't rush it."

Manstein didn't understand what "water bench player" meant, but he nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

He simply gazed into the distance at the land soon to be engulfed by war, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

After some time, as Morin chatted with some border residents before the troops set off, the [Information] panel was refreshed with detailed information about the United Kingdom of Flanders.

This country was formed by the merger of the 'Low Countries'—the Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg—from Morin's memory in this world.

The merger process was quite dramatic.

The former Dutch royal family successfully acquired the ancient and prestigious title of "Count of Flanders" through marriage with the last descendant of the ancient Flanders County—a descendant who was merely a 'claimant'.

In order to demonstrate the historical legitimacy of its rule, which was far older than that of the newly formed Gauls and Saxony, the newly established United Kingdom decided not to use geographically charged names such as "Nederland" or "Lowlands".

They chose "Flanders," an ancient title dating back to the Middle Ages, to name their country.

In Morin's view, this was purely an act of 'clinging to one's ancestors'.

They are attempting to use older legal principles to cover up and conceal the national identity that has gradually formed in modern times.

However, this practice did earn them some vague respect within the European aristocratic circles at the time.

Due to its unique geographical location, this country has long been an extension of Brittany's influence in Europe—it wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it Brittany's 'own son' in Europe.

Historically, Brittany has repeatedly helped its people regain their kingdoms after being conquered by the predecessors of Gaul or Saxony.

It can be said that without the protection of the Holy Britannian Empire, this country would not have been able to exist independently to this day.

Following the Sagau War of 1870-1871, the United Kingdom of Flanders, facing the rapidly growing and aggressive Saxon Empire, wisely chose to form an alliance with the Gallo-Brussels Republic.

This diplomatic strategy of playing both sides among several major powers and repeatedly shifting positions has allowed them to gain significant advantages during peacetime.

But when war actually comes, they will have to pay the price for their choices.

The high command of the United Kingdom of Flanders was well aware that it was impossible for them to withstand the overwhelming steel torrent of the Saxon Empire on their own.

Their only hope rested on the timely assistance of their allies, Gaul and Britannia.

Therefore, when the Saxon First and Second Armies crossed the border, several Flanders infantry brigades deployed on the border line quickly disengaged and retreated after a brief exchange of fire.

Their actions almost perfectly matched the pre-war simulations conducted by the Saxon General Staff.

Part of the troops retreated to the vicinity of the Liege fortress in the south.

They joined forces with the existing garrison of the fortress and other reinforcements, forming the "Liege Battle Group" of approximately 36,000 men, intending to hold out based on the twelve strong fortifications surrounding Liege.

Another part of the troops retreated northward and built a new defensive line along the Rosendal-Breda-Shertogenbos-Nijmegen line.

Their mission was to stop Mackensen's First Army from advancing further north and threatening the core areas of the United Kingdom in the north.

This decision to divide the forces was something that Morin found utterly incomprehensible.
When facing an enemy with overwhelming numerical and qualitative superiority, concentrating forces and relying on key nodes for defense is the only correct choice.

Even if it means a complete army retreat, sacrificing territory for the lives lost, that's fine too.
However, the commander of the United Kingdom of Flanders did the opposite, dividing their already limited forces in two, which was tantamount to courting death.

However, after reading the details about the country's internal situation in the [Information] panel, Morin suddenly realized why they had made such a foolish decision.

This United Kingdom has long been plagued by serious North-South conflicts.

The Dutch of the north considered themselves the leaders of the United Kingdom, the 'old nobles' of high blood.

They controlled the nation's navy, global trade, and vast colonies.

Its merchant class, like the Holy Britannian Empire, was mostly Protestant, lived a frugal life, and disdained the 'extravagant' traditions of Catholicism in the south and the 'wasteful' lifestyle of the merchant class.

The southern region, on the other hand, is the economic engine of the entire country.

This region boasts abundant crystal and iron ore resources in Liège and Charleroi, as well as a developed military industry, and Luxembourg, known as the 'financial center of Europe'.

Southerners generally believe that the agricultural economy of the North is a "living fossil of the past" and are strongly dissatisfied with the long-standing dominance of northern bureaucrats in the capital, Brussels.

This deep-rooted regional conflict and cultural clash directly led to a situation where, when the country faced foreign invasion, the North and South did not unite to fight together, but instead chose to mind their own business.

Southern troops defended Liège, a major industrial city in the south.

The northern army defended the northern economic center and ports.

This division was undoubtedly great news for the Saxon Empire.

From the perspective of the General Staff's strategic planning, the northern region of the United Kingdom of Flanders was not the primary target of this offensive.

Mackensen's First Army only needed to make a show of force, repel the Flanders forces in the north, and ensure that they would not threaten the flank and rear of the main force on the right flank.

The real key lies in the Liege fortress in the south.

This fortress was the most important hub connecting the railway networks of the Gallo-Baltistan Republic, the United Kingdom of Flanders, and the Saxon Empire.

If the Saxon army wants to successfully complete the enhanced version of the 'Schlieffen Plan', it must take this place in the shortest possible time.

Only by capturing Levi could they utilize this hub to continuously transport subsequent troops and massive amounts of logistical supplies into Gaul via railway.

It can be said that the outcome of the battle for Liege will directly determine the success or failure of the entire Western Front campaign.

Moreover, the General Staff has a precise timetable for the advance of the main force on the right wing, down to the day. Once the attacking force is bogged down at the Liege fortress, it will trigger a series of chain reactions.

Morin closed the [Information] panel, having already formed a clear assessment of the overall course of the battle.

The focus will remain the same as in another world, on the formidable fortress complex of Liège.

If the advance of the troops fails, he and his training assault battalion, as part of the Second Army, will eventually be drawn into this brutal offensive.

It's just a matter of time.

As the proud "water cooler," the training assault battalion followed the last batch of troops from the Second Army across the Meuse River.

When Morin and his soldiers set foot on the land of the United Kingdom of Flanders, it was already the afternoon of August 4th.

He could see from the map that the vanguard of the Second Army had begun to split up and launch a strong attack on the Liege fortress complex to the southeast.

(End of this chapter)