Codegease: Air and Land Warfare 1946

Page 76

If you ask where the general and Colonel Carrie went...

That afternoon, the general could only go to the side to think quietly, while the colonel and Eddie Hill kept exchanging tactics. Otherwise, it would have been torture to keep the lieutenant colonel's brain working at full capacity.

Now, the colonel and the general went to another room together—where video communication had been ready for some time.

"Hmm, it's coming." He turned his gaze to the flashing screen in front of him.

Gradually, Schneizel, who was sitting in the main seat, and the various dignitaries and generals sitting around him became clearer—the conference room of the Tokyo Concession City Hall appeared completely before their eyes.

"Good evening, General."

"Ahem, no, no, I..." Marendo stammered, looking at the various gazes of the people in the room, his heart pounding like a piece of paper on a wave.

"Um... Your Highness, how is Governor Carares doing?"

"He is still receiving treatment in the hospital. Although he is out of danger, his left eye cannot be saved."

"Ah...that's it..."

"So, General Marendo Barosia, could you please tell us, in front of us, what were the causes and consequences of the accident this morning that resulted in Governor Carares's serious injury?" The prince's question was like a knife piercing straight to the heart.

……

"Ahem, Your Highness, it was all just an accident. After we had completely secured the defenses of every block yesterday, the enemy launched an attack on us. But it wasn't nearly as bad as it is today. They were getting their hands on us and were getting beaten to a pulp. Even though their artillery fire was loud, it was just a bluff. We weren't afraid at all."

The general paused, then seemed to find some confidence to speak.

“But all of this was unexpected, Your Highness. The city was basically unaffected except for sporadic artillery fire, and the soldiers could have slept soundly on the front lines. Right, just like those truck drivers who went through the portal asked before, the portal was not threatened.”

"Even if the night view is so beautiful, there's no need for so much talk, General."

"Oh, I'm sorry, but what I meant was that it seems the enemy created this comfortable situation for us, taking advantage of our carelessness to move more troops outside Berlin, and then launched their real attack this morning."

"So you're saying the enemy outside the city was actually weak before this? Then why didn't you strike first?"

"That night I did plan to attack outside the city, but due to the limited information on the terrain outside the city and the enemy's deployment, I first sent some companies to conduct reconnaissance. However, the result was that the enemy outside was on high alert and was fully prepared to deal with our surprise attack. At this point, forcibly breaking in would only be a pointless bloodbath."

"This doesn't sound like you, Major General." Schneizel narrowed his eyes, and Marendor was also startled, afraid that he had said something wrong.

“Ahem, let me speak.” Duke Sassler, sitting next to the prince, spoke first. “Major General, just two days ago you were confidently telling us that your 100,000 men could wipe out the enemy. But what about now? Did you accidentally add 100,000 unarmed and defenseless civilians to your large force?”

Just as Marendo was about to lose his temper, Carrie, who had been standing by for a while, put a hand on the general's shoulder, which stopped the argument.

“Ah, that’s right.” The major general curled his lip. “But that’s relative to previous intelligence, Your Excellency the Duke.”

"Oh?"

"Ha, have you already forgotten about your little brat being the vanguard?" The major general quickly shifted his tone to attack, "Back then, when Caronville showed the video of him interrogating prisoners of war, the soldier he captured claimed that there were probably as many as 200,000 Soviet troops outside the city. And now I'm telling you, that kid was lying! And that bastard Caronville was lying too!"

"The Soviet army outside the city is far more than that; they number at least a million! He's definitely just picking a docile lamb to fool us! He's only judging the enemy's strength by looking at the enemy surrounding him, completely disregarding the wider area. Your Highness, do you believe that? If the enemy numbered less than 300,000, how could things have turned out like this?"

"Is Your Excellency trying to shift the blame onto that young officer?" another general in the conference room spoke up. "Isn't shirking responsibility a bit like bullying the weak? He's just doing his duty, and you're making things difficult for him at every turn? Does that mean a lieutenant colonel's reconnaissance skills are inferior to those of an entire army group?"

“You know, my air force only completed the full crossing of the portal at dawn this morning,” Marendor began to argue somewhat illogically. “And Caronville, he deployed helicopters on the very first night; he could have easily gone to scout outside the city. But what happened? He sent them crashing into the enemy lines to their deaths, providing absolutely no information about the outside world!”

"And me? By the time my helicopters and aerial KMFs are ready, it's almost dawn. By then, the enemy's forces will already be on their way to launch a surprise attack. What's the point of me going to scout at this point?"

……

"Did we come here to see you complain, General?" Schneizel's expression was very unpleasant. "Isn't this loud noise beneath your dignity?"

"Ah, I'm sorry, please forgive me..."

"Alright, let me summarize for you. You mean you were ambushed by a large enemy force, and it was all due to a lack of intelligence? It's all the vanguard's fault?"

“That’s right! I can show you all what happened to me today.”

……

The large screen in the conference hall switched to a video that had been transmitted. Accompanied by the sounds of war and roars in the video, the people present couldn't help but start whispering among themselves.

"God... such a massive attacking force from three directions outside the city... this huge army is like a dam bursting..."

"This number... is it really the same unit as the vanguard's small-scale skirmishes?"

"Hey, the vanguard hasn't encountered this many fighter jets before, has it?"

"Let alone fighter jets, I rarely see such a wide-ranging artillery barrage. It seems the enemy has been hiding their true intentions quite well."

"Tsk tsk, now I know why the vanguard was able to come back alive. Looking at the difference in the battlefield situation before and after, it was definitely not something that an army of the same size could do."

"So, Lieutenant Colonel Caronville didn't discover the enemy gathering outside the city before he returned? That's certainly a serious dereliction of duty..."

"Ugh, it's like Marendor has no responsibility at all."

"Didn't they already say that even if he wanted to investigate, he couldn't see very far?"

"That's such a far-fetched argument..."

……

"Alright, that's about it, Your Highness." Marendo's figure reappeared on the screen. "Now, I admit that I will not shirk my responsibility regarding the injury to Governor Carares. But I hope Your Highness understands that this is not just my fault alone. The vanguard's failure to ascertain the enemy's deployment also contributed significantly..."

“Enough, Marendor!” Schneizel interrupted him. “Now, answer these questions.”

"Yes!"

"First, can you confirm how many enemies are outside the city?"

"I can say with certainty, Your Highness, that it is at least the size of four of our army groups. One each in the north, east, and south of the city is responsible for the attack, while the one in the west has been blocking our outward assault."

"Oh really? So many enemies? I hope you're not just imagining things."

"How dare I deceive His Highness the Prince..."

"Alright then, in your opinion, how many troops would be needed to crush the enemy forces outside the city?"

"We need at least three army groups. My current 100,000 men are not enough. As long as we have more men, overwhelming them will be a piece of cake. Of course, it would be even better if we could send more elite legions."

"Hmm, not a lot, but not a little either..." Schneizel slowly calculated. "You know, it will take us almost a month to complete the planned troop assembly, and the transport ships are already overwhelmed."

"What is Your Highness's opinion?"

"Alright, now it's your turn to ask." The prince turned the conversation to the others present. "Can you tell me which units are currently assembling the fastest in Area 11?"

“Your Highness, I know,” Duke Sassler replied. “One is my 45th Army, followed by Lieutenant General Wood’s Black Prince’s Army and General Windsor’s Edward III’s Army, then the 14th Army and the 47th Army, and…”

"Then could you give a rough estimate of how long it would take to assemble and resupply the first three units if all the existing resources were used for that?"

……

"Ten days might be enough, Your Highness."

“Alright, now I’ll state my thoughts.” Schneizel paused. “Gentlemen, since General Marendor has assured us, I intend to allocate all current transport resources to the Legion of Edward III, the Black Prince’s Legion, and the 45th Army. Transporting other units that are progressing slower will be temporarily suspended until these three units are transported, at which point we can consider resuming transport. What are your opinions?”

"Emmm..." Many people in the conference room started scratching their heads.

"Generals, please consider the greater good. I do not wish for anyone to be overly concerned with their own selfish interests when it comes to the sacred expedition to Britannia." Schneizel raised his voice considerably. "Warriors are not divided into different classes."

"Hmm... I agree!"

"I agree!"

"Sigh... I agree too!"

"agreed, agreed!"

"Very well, everyone. So, it's decided then. Go back and make your preparations."

Chapter 66, Section 104: A Silent Plot

Just as Schneizel was about to announce the end of the meeting, Marendor on the other end of the radio seemed to remember something.

"Ah, Your Highness, I'm sorry, but I'd like to know exactly what I'm supposed to do next..."

"Your mission? Your mission is to hold Berlin for ten days, ensuring the landing zone doesn't fall into enemy territory. During this time, you're also responsible for receiving and diverting supplies to the other three corps and army groups to suitable storage areas, ensuring they aren't destroyed or captured by the enemy. Understand?"

"Then who are they who came to District 45?"

"First, we'll all assemble in District 11, then proceed through the portal together. You'll also be responsible for gathering detailed information about the enemy's deployment outside the city, so that everyone can formulate a battle plan for the counterattack and breakout. Any other questions?"

"Understood, Your Highness. However, regarding the reinforcements, I remember that one unit from my own legion has already completed the land transport in the Tokyo Concession."

"Is it really necessary to have only two regiments? Is the general facing a situation where even two regiments are extremely valuable?"

"Ah, how could that be!" Marendo's upper body stiffened abruptly. "I was just thinking that since I'm still the commander of the Dragon Roar Legion, within my jurisdiction, instead of letting them sit idle, why not call them over? It would free up space for these three units with urgent missions..."

"Alright, we'll take care of coordinating your two regiments and the transport convoy. As for when they'll be deployed through the portal, that's not something I can answer for you right now."

"Yes... Your Highness..."

"Alright, then the meeting is adjourned."

……

The screen went off, and one by one, the dignitaries and generals present got up and left. Only Schneizel stopped Duke Sasler beside him, seemingly intending to leave with him.

"You told me before the meeting, when are you coming?"

"If nothing unexpected happens, he should already be at the conference room door."

The two walked out of the conference room and saw a familiar figure leaning against the wall, waiting quietly among the slowly receding crowd.

“Look, Your Highness.” The Duke pointed, and Schneizel’s gaze easily settled on the man—purple hair, an ordinary colonel’s uniform, and a young officer holding a report in his arms.

"Caronville! Come here!"

"Your Highness!"

"Hmm? Is this the result of what you mentioned before about the surprise interrogation of the captured Soviet soldiers?"

"Yes."

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……

“It’s strange that the soldiers who have fallen into your hands behave so differently from those in the battlefield footage.” Schneizel carefully looked at the passage on the paper. “The three prisoners you interrogated said that each of them came from a different army group. It seems that General Malen’s prediction was quite accurate. The Soviet army does indeed have at least three army groups outside the city. I just don’t know how much weight an army group carries.”

"I will continue to interrogate him, Your Highness, please rest assured."

"Hmm? You mean these people are hard to talk back to?"

"To be fair, not every soldier in our company can accurately say how many people are in their army group, and the highest-ranking officer I captured was only a squad leader."

"Very well, then, you two, let's wrap this up here."

……

……

The Duke and the lieutenant colonel slowly walked out of the city hall, followed by the Duke's personal guards, and strolled along the main road in front of the city hall.

“Then, Your Excellency,” Caronville said, preparing to bow and take his leave, “I shall…”

"Wait a moment, child. I need to walk a short distance on the street now. Would you mind coming with me?"

"Ah...no problem."

“Alright, then.” The Duke’s tone became more serious. “Regarding what happened just now, you must be hiding something, right?”

“Ha.” Caronville chuckled. “That’s right. I spent more than just one day interrogating them; it took me from last night until 17 PM today. And these soldiers’ mouths…”

"Its hardness is beyond your imagination?"

“That’s absolutely right, sir. I tried everything to persuade them, but those soldiers were as hard to talk to as the doors of an ancient tomb. They were not as easy to talk to as those American soldiers. Let me describe the situation at the time.”

“At that time, I was also very tired, so I asked, ‘Are you guys very strong? Then I’ll stay with you.’ I just kept going like that, and after a while, one of them finally couldn’t take it anymore and said to me, ‘Do you believe it or not? There are endless comrades outside Berlin, you can’t possibly defeat us.’”

"In the end, he said to me, 'The three of us are from different army groups! Think about it carefully! You idiot!' He didn't sound like he was lying; he sounded angry and was scolding me."

"Is that so?"

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