Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 180 Enemies Everywhere

The training assault battalion is currently attached to the Ludendorf Battle Group, which in turn belongs to the Second Army.

Therefore, Morin could actually see the movements of the entire Second Army Group on the system map.

During this time, he kept watching the blue unit markers representing the Ludendorff Battle Group and the Second Army, moving and fighting slowly and steadily on the map.

By the afternoon of August 9, according to the system map, the Saxon forces besieging the Namur fortress complex appeared to have made a major breakthrough.

The icon representing the L29 armored airship circled several times above the three fortresses north of the Namur fortress complex, before the three fortresses were marked with a red cross indicating that they had been destroyed.

Morin could even picture armored airships demolishing those fortified fortresses from the air.

As the three outermost fortresses were reduced to ruins by the armored airships, a large number of Saxon infantrymen poured into the inner defense system of the fortress complex.

The advantage of this type of ring-shaped fortress complex in the United Kingdom of Flanders is that the defensive surface is heavily armed and very sturdy.

However, the downside is that once the enemy breaks through into the fortress complex, it becomes very difficult to stop the enemy's attacks from behind.

Therefore, the fall of the entire Namur fortress complex was only a matter of time.

Meanwhile, on the other side, the main force of the 'Ludendorff Battle Group' successfully intercepted the 5th Infantry Division of the United Kingdom of Flanders, which was coming to reinforce Namur, at a distance of 10 kilometers. The two sides had completed their deployment and exchanged fire.

The infantry divisions of the United Kingdom of Flanders were very large, with more than 30,000 men per division.

However, the Ludendorff Battle Group had more than 60,000 men and over 100 artillery pieces, so as long as Ludendorff didn't lose his mind, he could defeat the enemy in open battle.

Everything seems to be moving in a positive direction.
But Morin knew in his heart that they would have to face the most difficult moment alone until reinforcements arrived.

As night fell, the city of Charleroi gradually quieted down, but the tense atmosphere in the air grew even stronger.

The soldiers leaned against the newly built fortifications, taking a quick rest and cleaning their weapons.

Suddenly, sporadic gunshots rang out almost simultaneously from the west and east of the city.

Awakened from a light sleep, Morin immediately looked at the system map.

Several small red soldier cards, representing Gallic cavalry and infantry, were sneaking around to the two sides of the city.

The perimeter guards didn't stand on ceremony and opened fire immediately. The crisp sounds of rifles and short bursts of light machine gun fire broke the silence of the night.

After a brief exchange of fire, the groups of Gallic scouts seemed to have gained no advantage and quickly retreated.

Although it was just a small-scale disturbance, everyone understood that it was the calm before the storm.

The main force of the Gauls is almost upon us.

August 8, early morning.

The faint light of dawn bathed the vast fields outside Charlerois in a hazy golden glow, the air filled with the fragrance of earth and grass, so tranquil that one could almost forget this was a battlefield.

In another world, this would definitely be a must-visit spot for online influencers.

Less than two kilometers south of the city, behind a field ridge, Sergeant Bowman was carefully wiping the lens of his telescope with a special cloth.

This guard unit consists of half a platoon, which is two squads – four platoons, totaling 40 men, and is supported by two light machine guns.

This is also the standard configuration for the current training assault battalion's guard detachment.

They took over the original sentry duty yesterday afternoon and lay in wait here overnight.

In the woods not far away, two trucks were covered with makeshift camouflage nets made of fishing nets, fallen leaves, and weeds, blending them into the surrounding environment.

Last night, friendly forces on both the east and west flanks engaged in firefights with the enemy, with gunfire ringing out intermittently for half the night.

The area directly south of them was unusually quiet.

Bowman felt something was amiss; the calm before the storm often foreshadowed greater danger.

"Sergeant, have something to eat."

A soldier huddled under the edge of the field and handed over half a piece of dry, hard black bread.

Bowman took the bread and began to eat it with large bites, drinking the cold water from the kettle.

When carrying out such covert surveillance missions, there is absolutely no opportunity to light a fire, cook, or eat hot food, because even the slightest smoke could reveal their location.

As he ate his black bread, Bowman pondered when the main force of the Gauls would finally arrive.

He had just taken two bites of bread when the soldier who was lying on the edge of the field keeping watch suddenly nudged him with his elbow, lowering his voice and sounding a little nervous.

"Sergeant, look!"

Bowman's heart skipped a beat. He immediately put the black bread back into his bag, leaned forward sharply, and raised his binoculars at the same time.

In the camera's field of view, a writhing shadow appears on the distant southern horizon.

As the image in the lens was adjusted and became clearer, Bowman finally saw the 'shadow' clearly.

That's not a shadow, that's a person!
Countless people!
The mountains and fields were filled with soldiers wearing blue shirts and bright red pants!

The tricolor flags of the Gallo-Latin Republic fluttered in the marching column, and the bayonets on their rifles, already fixed, reflected a chilling glint in the morning light.

Their procession stretched endlessly from one end of the horizon to the other, like a red and blue torrent surging toward Charleroi.

Bowman gasped, a chill running down his spine. The sheer number of enemies before him was impossible to estimate! One division? Or two?

"My God!" a soldier beside him exclaimed in a dreamlike voice.

The Gauls seemed to have no intention of concealing their movements; they marched forward in dense formation along the roads and the fields on either side.

They were less than two kilometers from the town of Charleroi, and they clearly had no intention of resting but were preparing to launch a direct attack in one fell swoop.

Sergeant Bowman knew very well that his group of forty men were nothing more than a ripple in the face of this sea of ​​people.

However, the mission of their guard unit was not to intercept, but to observe and provide early warning.

Upon seeing the Gallic army, small groups of three or four men (half a platoon) rapidly advancing from the sea of ​​soldiers, seemingly as the vanguard.

"Everyone prepare to fight!"

Sergeant Bowman's voice trembled with tension, but he managed to control his emotions and calmly issued a series of orders.

"Machine gun team! Get into position! Wait until they get a little closer, then fire on my command!"

"Driver! Start the truck as soon as we open fire! We'll retreat after we've finished this engagement!"

Orders were quickly issued, and the once quiet guard post instantly became filled with murderous intent.

The soldiers half-pulled the bolts, checking the bullets in the chamber one last time. Although these veterans of the 1st Company had tension in their eyes, they showed no fear whatsoever.

Just as Bowman's guard squad was preparing to meet the first wave of attack, in the temporary command post of the training assault battalion in Charleroi, Morin was also staring intently at the enlarged system map in his field of vision.

Just a few minutes ago, the southern edge of Charleroi was suddenly illuminated by several guard units outside, forming a dense cluster of red military badges!

The red was so dense that it almost dyed the entire southern half of the map blood-red.

[The Gallic Fifth Army, Third Corps, Ninth Infantry Division]

The unit's designation was quickly displayed on the unit tag.

Then, more detailed data emerged.

【下辖：步兵旅×2（步兵团×4），75毫米魔导炮兵团×1，龙骑兵中队×1】

Troop strength: Approximately 16000

Sixteen thousand people!

Looking at this number, even though Morin was mentally prepared, he still felt a wave of dizziness.

A troop disparity exceeding ten to one!
Moreover, this was clearly only the first wave of enemy attacks.

The Gauls' tactical intentions were extremely simple and brutal.

According to the system map, the entire 9th Infantry Division had already deployed an attack front six kilometers wide before arriving in Charleroi.

It was like a vast net, sweeping across the small town of Charlerois.

They didn't care about tactical maneuvers or flanking maneuvers; they just wanted to crush all resistance head-on.

Soon, the reconnaissance units of the 9th Division made contact with the various guard groups of the Training Assault Battalion stationed on the perimeter.

On the map, the soldier cards representing both sides collided instantly, sparking intense fire.

However, it was clear that the Gallic soldiers, armed only with bolt-action rifles, were at a significant disadvantage in terms of firepower.

Relying on the firepower advantage of automatic weapons, the guard detachment quickly decimated the invading enemy scouts, and the enemy soldier badges flashed and disappeared.

However, what followed closely was the overwhelming red tide of the Gallic army.

Therefore, these guard units, which had received orders from Morin before setting off, had no intention of lingering in battle.

The blue-skinned soldiers on the perimeter quickly broke off contact, boarded the trucks that had been prepared beforehand, and began to retreat into the city along the predetermined route.

As the truck carrying Sergeant Bowman and the guard detachment soldiers drove into the 1st Company's defense zone, Bowman saw his comrades who were already waiting in full battle.

He nimbly jumped off the trailer and ran quickly to Company Commander Klaus.

"Company commander! The Gauls are here! The hills and fields are covered with people!"

Once back in the safe area, Sergeant Bowman's voice became excited and trembled slightly.

Klaus nodded calmly and then handed him a water bottle.

"You've worked hard, Bowman. Go take a break and replenish your ammunition. There's still a lot of fighting to come."

Bowman gulped down several mouthfuls of water, panting heavily, and said:

"Company commander, those Gauls... they seem a bit silly, just marching forward in such a dense formation, like a military parade!"

Upon hearing this, Klaus looked towards the dusty battlefield outside the city, his expression complex.

He paused for a moment, then added with a sigh.

"Yes, it's pretty much the same as before."

(End of this chapter)