amaotonovel Chapter 92 The Sudden Change in the Form of War
Chapter 92 The Sudden Change in the Form of War
"Let me see! Let me see them all! This is the declaration of war that was placed on my desk last night! It was sent to me by name!"
In the capital city of Sarafia, the Lasvia Empire, Emperor Boris III was furious: Last night, amidst the layers of guards in the palace and among the 500,000 imperial troops, the demon nation calling itself "Amelansi" secretly placed a declaration of war on his table.
No one knew who had put the letter in. The palace guards and personal guards were completely baffled. The maids were arrested and investigated, but they all cried and claimed that they knew nothing about it.
"My ministers, the tentacles of the demons have already reached in! They've reached into my palace! Today they can deliver a declaration of war to my desk, and tomorrow! Tomorrow they can send bullets to my head!"
Boris III tossed the declaration of war onto the head of a nearby official, who scrambled to catch it. Silence fell over the imperial court, and the military's carefully laid plans seemed to have been disrupted.
"Something terrible has happened! Something terrible has happened! I have an urgent matter to report to Your Majesty!"
"Halt! The palace is under martial law! Entry is prohibited!"
"It's an emergency! Damn it! It's an emergency concerning the life and death of the empire!"
The officer shook off the palace guards and rushed into the main hall, breaking the silence inside. The situation at the front suddenly deteriorated to an irreversible point. No one expected that the split demon race would suddenly become so powerful, so powerful that it tore apart the empire's defenses in just one morning.
"What's all this commotion about?"
"Your Majesty! Your Majesty! The demon forces have routed our troops! They... they have completely occupied Lorraine! The war in the Kosoya region is also going badly; the Ok Lamarck Division... has suffered more than half its losses!"
"What? Ok Lamarck's division suffered more than half its losses? What happened?"
"The demons have powerful firepower; they launched a surprise attack at dawn! They are equipped with fiercely armed weapons!"
"What's going on? The demon race is so fragmented, yet they still have so much power left? Didn't the envoys they sent out say that the demon territory was falling apart, that even their temporary capital was filled with a foul odor, that the rivers were covered in blood, and that their most luxurious hotels were like roadside inns?"
"I was unaware of this, but that's exactly what the envoy reported, which is why we devised this plan!"
"Damn it! Minister of the Military! Get out here right now!"
"Yes, Your Majesty!"
"I'm giving you two days to stabilize your troops. If you fail, I'll grant you death!"
Alice was not disappointed by the Lasvia Empire's reaction speed; they were indeed unable to react. Alice's First Guards Division's armored regiments performed admirably, with trucks towing artillery and infantry advancing forward.
"Hmm? These troops we have are still useful after all~"
Alice sat in the truck, sleeves rolled up, inspecting the Carcano rifle in her hand. On both sides of the road were neatly arranged troops, with batches of Carcano rifles slung over their shoulders, and machine gun squads carrying Maxim heavy machine guns advancing from time to time.
"Sir, the troops on the Lorraine front report that they are encountering fierce resistance from the enemy, who have concentrated approximately 200,000 troops and are launching a counterattack against them."
"What about the enemy forces along the Lorraine line?"
"Most of them were flintlock muskets. The main force in the Lorraine campaign was the army from Carpath Fortress. The Lasvia Empire had been managing this fortress for many years and had deployed a large number of dwarf-made heavy artillery."
"Tell me about the dwarf-made heavy cannons?"
"Yes."
The so-called dwarven heavy cannons are a series of 203mm giant cannons sold by the dwarves since 654. These cannons have extremely thick barrels, and the dwarves designed a series of mechanisms to provide cushioning, rotation, elevation, and loading for these cannons. Due to their enormous size, the shells of the dwarven cannons also include giant explosive shells.
"203... These dwarves are not weak..."
Alice thought for a moment and realized that only the 305mm breech-loading naval gun that the Naval Artillery Research Bureau was working on could rival it. However, that thing was for the monarch class. The army did not need artillery of 155mm or larger, especially since motorization had not yet been achieved. Large artillery was too cumbersome and could not keep up with the troops, so it was useless.
"We've deployed dragon units in the Lorraine region, haven't we? Let them make an appearance; after all, they've already been built, it would be a waste not to use them."
"Yes, your order, I will convey it immediately."
Alice leaned against the truck. The modified command-type Free Truck had radio command equipment and maps, and Alice could also lie down inside.
Radio waves continued to travel everywhere, and the Lasvia Empire found itself facing an unprecedented force. Troops were constantly being defeated. The fighting in the Lorraine region was somewhat better, as the troops Alice deployed there were basically equipped with the same equipment as in the Brittany campaign. However, breech-loading rifles and 12-pound Napoleon cannons still had the upper hand in the battle, and the radio command system amplified this advantage.
"My lord! The demon army can no longer use the old tactics! Only the Mini rifle is suitable for this situation!"
"What's your opinion, Captain?"
"Before each attack, the demons would organize artillery to bombard our troops. We must have shelters to deal with the artillery fire, and order our troops to dig trenches to protect against the artillery. These trenches can also help us in the exchange of fire. Based on the trenches, we should set up artillery shelters and direct the artillery to the trenches."
"Then give the order, Captain. If you can effectively defend against the demons, I will have the military promote you!"
"Yes! Your lord!"
Alice lay prone in the trench, looking at the enemy positions. The deep trenches on the ground indicated one thing: the enemy had learned new tactics and started digging trenches. That was not a good sign, except that the enemy probably didn't have machine guns.
What about our flanks?
"We also encountered enemy trenches."
"Alright, alright~ Gentlemen of the Lasvia Empire, things might not go as you wish. Trenching? Isn't it a low-cost solution?"
"Let the artillery fire another round, then let the 2nd Armored Regiment lead the infantry in a charge!"
The artillery positions were a hive of activity, with 75mm howitzers and 155mm steel cannons awaiting orders. As the troops advanced deeper into the region, resupply became increasingly difficult, and large numbers of horse-drawn carts and trucks were deployed to the Kosovo and Lorraine directions. Alicia had enacted a "National Automotive Industry Incentive Scheme," under which manufacturers of Free Trucks received a government subsidy for each truck delivered, leading to rapid growth in the automotive industry and benefiting numerous upstream and downstream industries.
Large numbers of trucks rolled off the production line and headed to distant places, mobilizing the entire nation's industry.
"Enemy position 2879 meters away! Direction 290! High explosive charge!"
Three-wheeled coverage!
"shooting!"
The gunner pulled the firing rope, and the 155mm gun roared to life. The gun barrel recoiled backward under the force of the recoil. The manufacturing difficulty and cost of a large-caliber gun with a carriage and a small-caliber gun with a barrel are not on the same level.
But at that moment, the shells that hit the trenches of the Lasvia Empire were equally deadly.