Chapter 212: First Battle Plan
My eyes were shut, My mind drifting in meditation. The carriage under me moved the last few miles toward the destination of the battle line. The final encampment before moving forward. This, unfortunately, would not be the camp for the Logistical army or my Elite army. Instead, it was the main encampment of the Beast-kin Nations' barbaric army. It was a huge force of men and women ready to attack and kill all humans standing in their way.
The rattling of the wheels on the ground as we moved forward as I meditated brought no comfort for the days to come. It was going to be hard and fast-moving. The Empire seemed to be finally waking up that we meant business, but now we were already on their border as they woke up to us. Their initial lines would be weak and crumble under us. But they were still in forts, and we had no cannons.
Forts in this world were much different than in my past world, though. It was enchanted fortresses where people lived. It was more a place to eat, sleep and train for their men and women at the front. To take taxes and other things for those who cross borders. That didn't mean that they were bad; it just meant that sieges were going to be shorter. The war between the Empire and the Beast-kin nation was also something they wouldn't see coming, and hopefully, we could take it intact.
At least without a main door afterward.
I had the logistics army prepare for something like that, and we had carpenters and laborers brought up to the front in case of an eventuality. If that did not happen, then we would use them to transport more goods. If we captured those fortresses, they could become important link-ups and holding lines for retreats in the future. I think it would be very interesting to see if we got them.
All of this was contingent on if we got the fortresses intact. The other issue was the enchantments and the conditions of them on the forts in the Empire. Out intelligence said that they were due for Enchanters to come out and fix the enchantments, and that was one of the potential things that were coming out with the forces to reinforce the Empire's borders.
If that were true, this early attack would be the best for us. We would run over them as if they were not even there and start to move over the Human farmers that lived at the borders of our nations. They were about to get struck, and I frowned, knowing that many of them were in for a hard time coming soon. It was a question I had not asked, but I didn't have high hopes for the Farmers surviving the invasion. Their fields at this time of year would soon be up for harvest, which was another reason I brought up those laborers.
It was controlling my Logistics army and Elite army that was my responsibility. But I was unsure what they would do with the barbarian army we were fielding as the main force. Their territory for too long had been invaded and their parents murdered, women and men alike captured and sold. Their family members and ancestors were sold like commodities, and as a ruling family, I had no idea the hate they had in their hearts.
Each tribe had its hatred, and I had my forces under discipline. But a Barbarian army?
Doubtful.
I let my eyes slowly open, and I turned to look out the window and saw the coordination of the Logistics army all around the main encampment and smiled. The camp was organized, and the army was listening. It seemed Isabelle had the army on a short leash listening to my directions for now. That kept with my strict sanitary conditions that, although Isabelle didn't agree with understood that my people were much better at setting up a camp than the tribes.
My carriage arrived with cheers as we started to head into camp; my carriage was followed by a trail of draft animals and supplies for the upcoming war. We had a noticeable lack of Calvary, but it was what it was. I could only do so much and I wasn't sure if Calvary would be good for anything other than a complete victory where the enemy was fleeing.
Which meant I thought it was one of the things we needed most for the start of this war. My carriage driver drove right to the center left of the encampment where the command center was. I was in charge of where this encampment was which meant that I knew it was going to be at least somewhat randomized so the enemy wouldn't be able to guess the location in future wars. Although for now, I was focusing on this war, things still needed to be done like this.
We could not become predictable.
Isabelle got out of her tent as the carriage pulled closer as all the supply trains moved off to the Supply area that the tents had a road for them to move toward. It was all efficient and the army would learn this high-efficiency encampment style. The defenses for this camp were light at the moment, but the laborers were working on that. It would become the final supply point in the future for supplies to move up to the border and cross into the empire.
My mind stopped focusing on the huge logistics movements I was making as the carriage stopped in front of the command tent and I got up along with, Queen Mira, Asahi, and Trisha. Betsy looked at us with her War axe for a couple of moments, knowing she would get out last.
I took a deep breath, stepped out of the carriage, and smiled as War Chief Isabelle smiled as I stepped out. Isabelle looked ready for combat in her armor whereas I was back in my loincloth and simple top that I had gotten so used to over the years. It was black with gold clasps now and my Arcane staff was in hand as I stepped down using it as a walking stick with a smile.
"You are finally here," Isabelle said and I frowned as she shook her head, "Sorry that came out wrong. I know that you have been ensuring we are fed but we are on the cusp of going to war, and I need your forces." Isabelle said, and I nodded.
I pointed with my staff at the command tent, and Isabelle nodded. We walked into the high-raised tent with a nice packed-down dirt bottom which was the best I could do in the short amount of time. It was not a large tent, though and it blended in with the rest of the tents of the army. "I do not understand why we blend in so much with the rest of the encampment," Isabelle said, her voice carefully neutral, asking me.
"I realize that you think it is dumb and that it is better if your people can readily see your location and tell you information. The problem is that if our people can readily see it, then so can the enemy." I told her, "In a sneak attack, they will be able to kill us quickly and leave the army leaderless."
My biggest regret, and one of the things I had Rose working on back home, was a small compact shovel. I would much rather lose the tents altogether and start teaching the love of shovels to every member of the boot camp. Trench warfare would allow us to make fortresses in weeks. But I wasn't sure with Mana, and frankly, I had no reason to teach what the military called their true loves in war—the Shovel.
"I disagree, but you are setting up camps and bringing the supplies. We will go with your suggestion." Isabelle said and I smiled. The War chief already knew I had a strong position, and with Queen Mira walking in behind me, we had an additional A-rank defending camp.
"Now, We are unsure of an A ranker being on the border," Isabelle suddenly started the discussion. "The Elder Lily is on the front with Elder Leon joining us tomorrow. This means with Queen Mira, we will have three A rankers to attack the border. Regardless of Elder Leon making it on time, I believe that we attack. Queen Mira will merely need to stay in the background. We don't want to tilt our early hand with The Illusionists," Isabelle said, looking at me, "They have no battle slaves here yet. It seems that it has been confirmed. They brought the Battle slaves they had back to the city for some reason which we still haven't learned. Border City has been entirely black people go in but are not allowed back out."
That was worrying news and good news.
"That means tomorrow is the perfect time to move," I said with a frown. I couldn't disagree with her. "I will message my units to move into a reconnaissance role for now and to move as a unit but try to stay undetected. They have set up multiple small camps not far from here to regather supplies. I will message them to get in position but not to blend into the army. I see no reason for them to announce their existence yet. the Logistics army will keep the new supplies on the carts and wagons for tomorrow." I told Isabelle, ready to support her offensive. "I will do my utmost to support the first offensive with everything I have," I told her honestly.
"Much appreciated. Although I think the Elites you have would help, I don't think I need them for the first of the fortresses. This will test our power against the Fortresses of the Empire and how coordinated the Tribes can be." Isabelle said, "The Badger tribe has been very uncaring for my direction. I hear their Elder decided against protecting the tribe back home and is coming to the front in the next couple of weeks."
I frowned at that. More A rankers were always welcome on the front, but A rankers were like nukes. You don't have them laying around at the front in these wars because no one wanted to start a nuclear war. Instead, they stayed in the back to protect from subtle attacks from other A rankers and B rankers that could cause Mass devastation to your cities and Tribes. That took a lot of A-rankers.
That didn't mean that A rankers were not needed at the front. Queen Mira was here to protect her Succubi from A rankers killing them. But in this world, Nuking the enemy army was allowed, and so you had to have A rankers around to stop that from happening. As long as both armies knew that there were either A rankers or more A rankers in the other army meant that you had to keep civil. The fact that the fortress might not have an A ranker there meant that Elder Lily could step in and kill them all without the Army needing to engage.
It didn't make sense not to have at least one A ranker, even in peacetime in a formal military on the border, just in case. No, That fortress had an A ranker ready to ambush, probably as they saw us organize on the other side of the border.
I looked down at the map, and I looked at the Border Fortress, and I sighed; this was some Baroness's Fortress. Apparently, a strong woman had close Ties with the Military. Seems she was out of the fortress, though, for political reasons—probably the best for her. "Tomorrow, we attack the Fortress, but now we need to discuss how much of the army is needed to do that. Maybe we can attack this fortress too," I said, pointing to a more southern fortress.
"Attack two at the same time?" Isabelle asked. "Audacious, but I like it. It would allow us to put a larger gap in the border of the Empire, and we could move in more readily from there." Isabelle said, looking at it. "But splitting forces?" She asked.
"If Elder Leon is here, we can split your Forces and put my Elite Army into the mix to buff the numbers and have some coordination going on instead of us staying out of it. We will act as forces that snipe problems for the main forces in a more support role, acting as they need to." I told her with a frown thinking about it. "We do need Elder Leon to be there if we are going to do that. Then we can fortify these two positions and we will have a place to make roads and start a supply route with less chances of it being attacked." I told Isabelle, and she nodded, thinking.
"I would like to stand back until necessary," Queen Mira added, and we both nodded, but Queen Mira looked intrigued at our discussion.
"Understood, It seems we need to bring Elder Lily in here. She must be willing to attack the fortress with only herself against whoever resides on the border. But," Isabelle was looking at the well-drawn but missing many details map. "We must wonder how much defense there is and who will lead what," Isabelle said, and I grinned.
"That is the thing," I said with a grin, "I already have the authority to guide your people and split up and attack both fortresses," I told her, "I will guide and lead one-half the army to attack the southern fortress while you attack the closest. I may even take Elder Lily buying more time for Elder Leon to fight with you instead," I finished with a grin.
"We need to bring the Elder in," Isabelle said, and I nodded, and now was the time to convince the Elder of our plan. Elder Leon will have to get on board once he arrives.
Mana messages went out, and Elder Lily, a female elder with long flowing white hair who looked almost like she had a Ragdoll background in her heritage as the way her ears and hair looked, came in. Her power was strong, and her muscles were toned and perfect. Her breasts were no more than B cups if I was being charitable, but there was not a single gram of fat on her elderly body. Her age is probably in the sixties.
"Have you come to a decision, Supreme Commander, War Chief?" Elder Lily asked, looking at us both with a bit of indifference. That was what I thought, but then I realized she didn't react much as Isabelle began to explain.
I let Isabelle take the lead in explaining and sat back and listened, jumping in when I had to. Anxiety hit me, but I did not let it show.
Tomorrow.
Tomorrow would start the war.
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Announcement
Hey Guys, This is a little early of a Chapter, but I will be going on vacation for the next couple of weeks, so I will only be updating after I am back. Sorry about that, but I do not want to touch Electronics for the period of time that I am gone, so I am posting this.
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