Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 176 Rigid Thinking
Morin, along with Manstein and Kleist, arrived at the eastern edge of Charleroi's southern city.

Although the battle that just ended was brief, its intensity exceeded everyone's expectations.

Morin watched as the red troop markers representing the Gallic cavalry on the system map coalesced into a single force and slowly retreated south. Only then did he breathe a slight sigh of relief.

When the 3rd Company Commander saw Morin and Manstein approaching, he quickly walked over as well.

"battalion commander!"

He did not salute, which is also a requirement of the combat regulations for the training assault battalion.

"What about the casualties?" Morin asked directly.

"not too good."

Jonas grinned, his expression a mix of relief and lingering fear.

"The platoon that went out suffered more than 40 casualties, especially the first guard detachment, which had only about 20 men left when they came back, and they had almost run out of ammunition."

"If it weren't for the timely artillery barrage from the field artillery battalion, the Gauls certainly wouldn't have retreated so quickly, and my two platoons would have been completely wiped out outside the city today."

At this point, Jonas continued, still somewhat shaken:

"Battalion Commander, the Gauls' cavalry is really something. Their mobility is too strong. We just prepared to retreat, and they immediately pressed forward. It's like they planned it all out, giving us no chance at all."

"Yes. When cavalry fights infantry, they take advantage of the gaps in your formation changes. The enemy is definitely experienced in this."

Morin nodded. After all, the Gallo-Russia Republic was a long-established cavalry power, so a cavalry commander would definitely have no problem seizing the right moment.

If it were any conventional troops with less firepower, this wave of Gallic cavalry could probably have wiped out an entire platoon and a half with only minor losses. It's just unexpected...

"And those cuirassiers of theirs, they're fucking tough!"

Jonas mentioned this with a mixture of surprise and annoyance.

"The soldiers who came back said that when our light machine guns and rifles hit their chests, it was like a tickle; they would just flash blue light and bounce off."

"It took several hits in a row to break through one! If we hadn't remembered to shoot at the horse and charged head-on, our defenses might have collapsed on the spot."

"but."

Jonas then changed the subject, a hint of doubt appearing on his face:
"I always felt there was something wrong with their tactics. They were too reckless. What kind of reconnaissance unit charges forward with the whole army right away? They were like madmen, as if they wouldn't be done until everyone was dead."

"No, think about it from a different perspective."

Morin interrupted Jonas, having already seen the entire process of the enemy commander's unit card going out on the system map.

The enemy did indeed charge recklessly from beginning to end, even launching a suicidal charge with their infantry cuirassiers at the end, but...
"If it weren't the training assault battalion in Charleroi today, but another regular infantry unit that wasn't equipped with so many automatic weapons, what do you think the outcome of the battle would have been?"

Company Commander Jonas was stunned, while Morin patted him on the shoulder:

"We'll think about it slowly when we have time. Let everyone take some time to rest and recuperate. Send the wounded to the battalion's field hospital and continue to strengthen the defenses. Ammunition and supplies will be replenished to you soon."

"Yes, Battalion Commander!" Jonas replied loudly, snapping out of his daze.

Morin gave him a few more instructions, telling him to be vigilant and prevent the enemy from launching a counterattack, before turning around to return to the temporary command post set up in the city center.

Walking along the road, Manstein walked beside him, saying solemnly:

"Battalion Commander, although we repelled the enemy's vanguard this time, we also exposed quite a few problems."

"Although our firepower density is high, its effectiveness is greatly reduced against elite units with enchanted armor. Moreover, our field troops are still somewhat passive when facing large-scale cavalry rapid incursions."

Morin hummed in agreement, mentally reviewing the battle that had just taken place.

Indeed, a large part of the reason for this victory was luck.

First, the colonel named Molière was too arrogant, giving them the opportunity to make mistakes.

Secondly, the newly arrived field artillery battalion was like a godsend.

If it weren't for their attacks, which seemed to be blessed by the 'God of Artillery,' striking with the precision of laser-guided shells and cutting off the Gallic cavalry's flanking maneuver, the two platoons that were surrounded would have been in grave danger.

"It seems the era of cavalry in this world hasn't completely passed yet," Morin thought to himself.

At least in this world where magic and enchanted equipment exist, traditional cavalry can still unleash terrifying combat power under certain circumstances.

Just as he was pondering this, the system's notification sounded in his mind at an inopportune moment.

[Information Update: Overview of the Organization and Equipment of the Cavalry Units of the French Republic Army]

Morin paused in his steps.

"What's wrong, Battalion Commander?" Manstein noticed his unusual behavior.

Morin shook his head and quickened his pace.

"We need to get back quickly. Call Kleist over later so we can rearrange our defenses. The main force of the Gauls should be here soon."

Back at the temporary command post on the first floor of the city hall, Morin plopped down in a chair and immediately focused on checking the information that the system had just updated.

Overview of the Cavalry Units of the Gallic Republic Army

[Curacailers: Heavy assault cavalry of the Gallic army, the only unit to be widely equipped with the '1890 model' enchanted cuirassier. Following the Sagau War, the Gallic Republic significantly expanded the size of its cuirassier force, currently boasting up to ten regiments.]

Dragoons: The backbone of the Gallic cavalry, equipped with lances and Bethie's carbines, they could charge as shock cavalry or engage in firefights as mounted infantry. While not the most numerous of the Gallic cavalry, their versatility made them the true mainstay.

[Chevroleteers: Light cavalry, primarily responsible for reconnaissance, pursuit, and flank harassment. Equipped only with carbines and revolvers, their protection is no different from that of ordinary infantry. They are few in number and typically exist as divisional reconnaissance units.]

Hussars: The largest light cavalry unit, typically serving as corps-level reconnaissance, cover, and communications units. They are known for their ornate uniforms and fearless fighting style, but their weaponry consists only of sabers and revolvers, limiting their direct combat capabilities; they are primarily used for menial tasks.

Morin read through the list one by one, becoming increasingly astonished with each reading.

"Holy crap, ten regiments of cuirassiers?" he couldn't help but mutter under his breath.

According to the Gauls' organization, a cavalry regiment had 900 cavalrymen, so ten regiments would have more than 9000 heavy cavalrymen equipped with enchanted breastplates.

Although the protective capabilities of this enchanted breastplate cannot compare to those superhuman plate armor warriors from Brittany and Saxony who are covered from head to toe, there are just too many of them!

"The Gauls are really rich, or rather, they've invested heavily in building their army, but it just feels like they've spent it in the wrong places," Morin shook his head.

Further down the list are dragoons, charioteers, and hussars.
This well-defined and comprehensive cavalry system made him feel as if he had returned to the classroom at the Saxon War Academy where he studied the history of European wars.

"These Gauls have revenge etched into their very bones," Morin thought to himself.

The disastrous defeat in the Sagau Wars clearly had a huge impact on Gaul.

Over the years, they have patiently and arduously expanded their military and prepared for war, developing their entire army system, especially the cavalry, which symbolizes offense and honor, to a truly terrifying scale.
"Commander, what are you thinking about?" Kleist's voice pulled Morin back to reality.

Morin looked up and saw that Kleist and Manstein had arrived and spread out a field map of the area on the table.

Saxony's military intelligence provided the combat troops with some field maps of the offensive routes, but the information was mainly about the terrain, with little detailed description of the city's internal structure.

“Nothing, just thinking about the Gauls’ army configuration.” Morin stood up, walked to the side of the map, and pointed to the vast fields south of Charleroi.
"In that battle just now, we witnessed the power of the Gallic cuirassiers. Their enchanted breastplates are very effective against our rifles and submachine guns."

"Therefore, we must find a way to get a few of those things back to study and see if there are any weaknesses."

As he spoke, he glanced at the system map.

Those red cavalry tokens, representing the Gallic cavalry, had retreated far away after suffering heavy losses, and it seemed they wouldn't dare to come up again anytime soon.

This is an opportunity.

He immediately turned his head and shouted towards the door, "Messenger!"

A young soldier immediately ran in: "Battalion Commander!"

"Go and fetch me the commander of the supply corps."

"Yes!"

Soon, a slightly overweight supply officer came running over.

"Captain, you're looking for me?"

"Ah."

Morin pulled him over and pointed to the southeast direction on the map.

"Immediately arrange for a few trucks, take some men, and follow the Third Company Commander back to the battlefield."

The supply officer hesitated for a moment: "Battalion Commander, should we go out now? What if it's the Gauls?"

“They were just crippled, and now they’re like frightened birds; they dare not come up.”

Morin waved his hand and said in an unquestionable manner:

"Your mission is to assist the Third Company in bringing back as many cuirassiers from the battlefield as possible. Remember, bring back those that are still intact and haven't been pierced."

"Get the chest armor back?"

The supply officer's expression was somewhat strange; it wasn't uncommon for the supply train to clean up the battlefield and collect scraps.

“Yes, we’re going to work on the breastplate,” Morin said confidently. “That thing is good; we need to study it. And while we’re at it, we shouldn’t miss out on any usable weapons and ammunition either; bring them all back.”

"Yes! I'll take care of it right away!" Although the supply officer was still a little worried, he immediately accepted the order and left.

Watching his departing figure, Morin's heart stirred again.

Those enchanted breastplates are not just research materials; if we could figure out their principles, we might even be able to use them ourselves.
Once the thought arose, it could no longer be suppressed.

"Battalion Commander, isn't it too risky to send the supply corps to the battlefield to retrieve equipment?"

After the supply officer left, Kleist couldn't help but speak up, his tone tinged with worry.

"Although the Gauls' cavalry have withdrawn, they are certainly still watching us from a distance. If we send men out like this, what if they launch a surprise attack?"

“There are definitely risks, but the rewards are also huge,” Morin said, looking at the map without looking up.

Manstein also agreed: "Captain Kleist, I think the battalion commander's decision is correct! The Gallic cavalry just suffered a crushing defeat, their commander was killed, their organization was disrupted, and their morale must have plummeted. Now, even if they had the guts, they wouldn't dare to approach the city easily again! We can take advantage of this window of opportunity to do what we want to do."

He paused, then added, "Besides, didn't the battalion commander send the third company commander along? With combat troops providing cover, there shouldn't be any major problems. We can't just sit in the city and wait to die because we're afraid of the risks."

When Kleist heard Manstein say the same thing, he stopped insisting.

He knew that both of them had a point, but he was naturally cautious and always liked to consider the worst-case scenario first.

Once a consensus was reached, Morin steered the conversation toward another, more important issue.

"This battle exposed a major problem for us."

Morin pointed his finger at the map, to the open area outside Charleroi.

“Our outer perimeter guard units are too vulnerable when facing enemy cavalry.”

The terrifying mobility of the cavalry made Morin realize that they could easily bypass the front and attack the weakest point.

Even if the training assault battalion has an absolute advantage in firepower, if the infantry in the operation is caught off guard by the heavy cavalry during the transfer, the consequences will be disastrous.

If it weren't for the artillery battalion's swift response and timely fire support, those two platoons of brothers would probably have been cut down like vegetables by the Gauls' cavalry.

"You mean we should withdraw all the perimeter security teams back into the city?" Kleist asked, frowning.

“No,” Morin immediately rejected the idea, “completely abandoning perimeter security would be tantamount to blinding ourselves.”

He was unwilling to simply retreat into the city, as that would significantly reduce the entire army's control over the surrounding area, especially their field of vision.

Once he loses real-time monitoring of the battlefield outside the city, the effectiveness of his own cheat map will be greatly reduced.

"And even if we were to recall the guard units, we should at least wait until the enemy's main force has fully advanced before considering it."

Morin added, "Before the main force arrives, we must seize the initiative on the battlefield as much as possible, rather than passively huddling in the city and taking a beating."

Manstein listened quietly from the side, and then spoke up: "Indeed. If we abandon the outer perimeter, the Gauls can approach and scout without any scruples, which will be extremely detrimental to our subsequent defense."

Morin squinted and pondered for a while before offering his opinion:

"The enemy was able to succeed in the battle just now because they seized the opportunity when our guard units were shifting positions. The infantry in action were almost powerless against the cavalry charge! So, could we start by improving the mobility of our guard units?"

Both Manstein and Kleist's eyes were fixed on him.

"Equip all the perimeter security teams with trucks," Morin said, enunciating each word clearly.

This suggestion caught their attention.

Oh right! How could I forget that!

Although the Huijing truck currently has virtually no off-road capability and can only travel on flat roads, even moving along roads is much faster than infantry walking on foot.

With trucks as a means of transportation, the guard units can greatly reduce the time they spend exposed in the field when moving to new positions, significantly reducing the risk of being caught by enemy cavalry.

Once enemy activity is detected, the guard unit can immediately board vehicles and quickly retreat back into the city along the highway, or move to the next pre-designated position.

"I am so"

At this point, Morin couldn't help but slap his forehead, feeling somewhat guilty.

"Fighting purely infantry battles every day has made my thinking a bit rigid; I couldn't even think of such a simple method."

He was indeed somewhat annoyed; it was a very obvious oversight.

Such a mistake, which could have been avoided, cost the troops dozens of casualties.

(End of this chapter)