German Red Prince

Page 192

The troops at the front could not remain idle for long. Prussian reinforcements soon arrived in Flanders Wallonia. Some went to Wallonia to suppress the uprising, but the vast majority went to the front to support the army in Flanders. The army's good days were numbered. The front in Flanders Wallonia was very important and was the area that Field Marshal Ludendorff was most concerned about. Any progress made here would have greater strategic value than fighting on home soil.

The Flemish were in no hurry to fight, but the Prussians were very anxious and needed to gain something. They had just achieved some victories on their home front, and this was the perfect opportunity to coordinate an attack and take advantage of the Rhine's weakness to achieve even greater results.

The Prussians were thinking of attacking, and the Rhine were also thinking of attacking. On the other side was Liège, an important city in Flanders. Flanders didn't have many points of victory, and taking it would end the fighting on the western front sooner and allow them to commit troops to the eastern front.

The Rhine army had already assembled. Arahan was informed that a full-scale attack was to be launched, as the Rhine reinforcements had all arrived. It was the first time he had seen the Rhine army's military equipment. He only saw many trucks driving towards the front line that day, with steel pipe-like things mounted on the back of the trucks, but he didn't know what they were.

Rheinland doesn't have time to linger with Flanders; they want a quick victory. The trucks that are coming are upgraded versions of Rheinland rocket launchers, with greater power, longer range, and more propellant.

Dozens of trucks were aimed at the opposite position. Only then did Arahan and the group of International Brigades soldiers realize what absolute firepower superiority meant. After calibrating the coordinates, rockets were fired in unison. The sheer shock of this was indescribable. Arahan only saw countless shells flying out. Firing so many shells in such a short time was enough to give the other side a run for their money.

The Flanders army had never experienced the power of rockets before. They had only been assembled for a short time when they heard the whistling sound of shells cutting through the air, followed by a violent explosion that shook the entire earth.

"attack!"

With rockets providing a significant firepower advantage, the subsequent battle will be much simpler.

430. Target Liege

Prussia, in alliance with the Flemish army, planned to continue its advance into the Luxembourg Special Region, while the International Brigades, in alliance with the Rhine army, aimed to attack Liège.

Both sides are now preparing to attack each other almost simultaneously. The timing is quite perfect. Since both sides are attacking, the side with the weaker offensive will have to play defense.

The Flanders were full of confidence. They had just received a Prussian army with so many heavy weapons and such a luxurious setup. The other side didn't have many troops yet. They were sure they would win this round.

"Gather! Gather!"

The difference in strength between the two sides can be seen from the ranks of the troops. Although Prussia is at a disadvantage in the current war between Prussia and the Rhine, the German army is still in the first tier compared to other European countries.

The three kingdoms could fight to the death within their own borders, making the country a "monster house," but any one of them, taken individually, would have an overwhelming advantage over other small European countries.

The assembly process clearly shows that the Flemish army had been making a ruckus for a long time and still hadn't assembled, while the Prussians, despite their long march, assembled very quickly.

On the battlefield, time is life; even a second's difference can determine the outcome of a war. Rhine had just suffered a defeat on the front lines and was eager to take another bite before the enemy could react.

Flanders had never fought against the Rhine, but Prussia had been at war with them for some time and had a good understanding of the Rhine.

The most distinctive feature of the Rhine army was its speed. They were far more agile and faster than the Prussian army. Many Prussian troops were annihilated by the Rhine before they even had a chance to assemble.

So now Prussians are all suffering from PTSD. Compared to before the war, after fighting the Rhine for so long, Prussia's war-fighting skills have actually improved considerably. They learned a lot during the war, and the Rhine did indeed teach Prussia a lot.

"Assemble immediately! Get your troops assembled as quickly as possible!"

The Prussian army had already assembled, but they were getting increasingly impatient seeing the Flemish army still moving so slowly.

These guys have absolutely no idea how powerful Rhine is, and they're still dawdling around here. Aren't they just asking for death?

The officer suddenly realized that having Flanders participate in the war might not be a good thing. If such an army participated in the war, wouldn't it be a sure way for them to be harvested by the Rhine?

The Allied Powers had retained Ireland as a bridgehead for their counterattack. If Flanders were to join the war and fall to the Rhine, Prussia would be left without a bridgehead, making the war much more difficult.

Moreover, Wallonia has now revolted, which is adding insult to injury. Looking at the Flemish army that has not yet completed its formation, the Prussian officer felt nothing but headache and despair.

The Flemish army assembled noisily, showing no sign of panic. Hadn't Prussia claimed to have won a victory at the front?

Furthermore, how many troops does the Rhine have stationed in the rear? How much time will a slight delay in assembling cause? Can the Rhine react in time with a difference of ten minutes or so? Can their troops fly?

It can only be said that "this is how a ragtag army is." These Flemish troops are all experts at launching powerful attacks internally, but they are no good at dealing with foreign enemies. They are powerful internally, but subservient to foreign enemies.

After the war, Belgium ceded a large amount of land to Germany, and the border was drawn directly to Liège, making Liège the largest city on the border between Flanders and Germany.

The Prussian expeditionary force and the Flemish army are now stationed in Liège, a transportation hub and a military stronghold, which is heavily fortified.

That's why the Flemish people had such confidence: "My city is well-fortified and my cannons are powerful. How many men do you have on the Rhine side? Can you attack me? Can you even conquer me?"

Just as the Flemish army had finally assembled and was preparing to launch another attack on the Luxembourg Special Region, the enemy's attack had already begun.

The Rheinland-made rocket launchers have exceptional firepower. Although their accuracy isn't great, their main advantage is their large quantity and wide coverage.

On the Rhineland's side, there was only thick smoke and the whistling sound of rockets being launched. This deafening sound would probably be even more shocking if it were at night.

The rockets were fired like hailstones. This time, it was a massive, sustained attack. There would definitely be more than one round. After dozens of rocket vehicles had fired, the next vehicles had already finished reloading and were ready to fire another round.

After several rounds of fighting, the troops finally began their attack.

The Prussian and Flemish armies assembled and began their attack, the marching columns packed together, continuing their advance toward the Luxembourg Special Region just as they had done in the previous offensive.

During the march, the Prussian officers suddenly felt something strange. A shrill sound came from somewhere, and the air seemed to be shaking. This feeling was very familiar, and bad memories instantly surfaced again.

The Kingdom of the Rhine had already used rockets against Prussia before. This officer was fortunate enough to participate in that war. The overwhelming rockets that rained down and exploded on the ground were far more powerful than ordinary artillery. Such a dense barrage of shells left you with no chance to dodge.

"Quick! Watch out for artillery shells! Spread out! Spread out! There are rockets!"

Upon hearing the officer's warning, many Prussian soldiers reacted. Many of them had been hit by Rhine rockets before, and they immediately scattered to avoid the shells.

The Flemish army had never experienced the brutality of the Rhine or the power of rockets. They were stunned and stood there, not even realizing what was happening when the Prussian army suddenly scattered.

These people also felt the air trembling, but they didn't know what was happening. When they looked up, they saw something flying over from the sky.

"what is that?"

As the rockets hurtled towards them, leaving trails of flame, the Flemish troops craned their necks to watch, completely ignoring the German officer shouting at the top of his lungs. The Prussian troops had already run far away, yet these men were still watching the rockets.

"call out--"

The rockets struck the ground and exploded violently. Only then did the Flemish soldiers realize what was happening and begin to scatter and run away, but it was too late.

Accurate aim is more important than precise interception. Although the newly developed rockets had a short range, these people were incredibly accurate in their interception. The dense barrage of shells created a terrifying firepower coverage, with a large number of rockets falling on one area in a short period of time, causing enormous casualties to the Flanders army.

Who is attacking? Isn't it our side attacking? What? They haven't even reached the Luxembourg Special Economic Zone yet and rockets are already hitting us? The Rhineland's troops arrived so quickly?

Indeed, the Rhine army and international brigade had already assembled and were not putting much effort into the Rhine in Flanders. They were using all their best weapons to finish the job as soon as possible.

The objective is Liège. Once the city is captured, Flanders will have little advantage on the border, and it can be said that they have lost half of the war.

431. On the verge of exploding

"call out--"

Countless rockets rained down from the sky, blasting the Flanders army into disarray. Lovas dodged and weaved through the panicked crowd, hoping to escape the shells that seemed to be falling from nowhere.

The scene was extremely chaotic. The sudden explosion caught everyone off guard, and people were rushing around. During his escape, Luvas collided with countless people.

Either someone forcefully throws him away, or he forcefully throws someone away. At this point, there's no time to care who the other person is. Even if it's a marshal, Luvas is confident he can kick them off the roadside.

The explosions were accompanied by screams. With the dense barrage of shells falling, some people were bound to be hit. Some soldiers caught the falling shells head-on. Luvas witnessed a shell land in the middle of a group of people and blow them to pieces.

Internal organs mixed with blood sprayed all over Luvas, and even an arm flew to his side. Suddenly seeing this scene made Luvas lose his mind and start running towards the outside without regard for anything. He rolled into the cover next to him.

Hearing the ongoing explosions and the screams of countless soldiers outside, Lovas closed his eyes. He could feel the entire earth trembling. These must be weapons from hell. Their plan to fight the Rhine was incredibly foolish. Lovas thought that Adalbert must have been kicked in the head by the Prussian envoy.

The war waged by a group of Germans caused bloodshed among the Flemish. What should have been an internal war within the German Empire has now drawn in countless countries, with numerous small nations also being dragged into this war that had little to do with them. This German civil war has in fact turned into a small-scale "world war".

Unsure how long the bombing had lasted, Luvas lay in the bunker with his eyes closed, listening to the explosions and screams outside. He even felt a little tired and sleepy. He lay there with his eyes closed for an unknown amount of time until he was about to fall asleep when the explosions stopped, and the Rhine rocket bombardment ended.

Although the bombing stopped, no one dared to leave their bunkers, fearing another round of explosions. After a while, when there was no more sound of explosions, people gradually poked their heads out of their bunkers and looked around. All they saw were shattered pieces of earth and shattered people. Some people had been blown to pieces and buried in the dirt, which saved everyone time in burying them.

"Assemble and be on alert!"

There was no grief for the soldiers killed by the rockets. The German officers who came out of the bunker immediately started shouting for everyone to assemble. The German army did not suffer many casualties in this incident. They had encountered rockets before and knew how powerful they were, so they could detect the abnormality before the shells even landed and quickly take evasive action.

Now that the Rhine's rockets had run out of ammunition for a second round, no one knew if they had any left. Staying here would be extremely dangerous. He thought the Rhine's army might react quickly, but he didn't expect it to be so fast. The Prussian and Flemish soldiers had already acted quite swiftly, and as a result, both sides launched their attacks almost simultaneously.

This situation is extremely dangerous. Prussia is not even confident of a complete victory in a direct confrontation with the Rhine, let alone the Flemish army. The Rhine is too strong in mobile warfare in the field. This time, their army was also attacked suddenly, so their chances of winning are even smaller.

"Withdraw immediately and return to the defense of Liege."

As the commander, he quickly made his choice: abandon offense and choose defense. He was confident that he could not defeat the Rhine in a direct confrontation. Only by defending could he have a chance of survival. Liège was a major border city, and as a transportation hub and strategic center on the border, the defending side had a significant advantage.

The only regret now is that the Liege fortress was destroyed during the war, and no further fortification was carried out here after the war. After all, they were all on our side, and Germany would not allow Flanders to keep a fortress here. Were they preparing to guard against us?

After the war, Liège was not rebuilt as a fortified city, but rather as a logistics base and transportation hub, serving as a frontline supply center for the war against France. Now, it has become the front line of the war against Germany.

The soldiers, stunned by the bombardment, were still standing there dumbfounded. They didn't know how long it would take for Rhine to arrive after this round of artillery fire, and they didn't have much time to wait for these people.

After the order to retreat was given, everyone jumped onto the trucks. Once the group was almost assembled, the trucks drove back. Some soldiers who were still making a fuss and queuing had no idea what was going on. They just watched the trucks drive away. They hadn't even reached the front line yet, so why were they all going back halfway?

"Hey, I haven't gotten on the bus yet!"

A group of soldiers chased after the vehicle, but the driver didn't care. He had no time to worry about these people. If they were delayed for even a minute, they might be wiped out by the Rhine army. His superiors had given a strict order: just keep pressing the accelerator. It was up to the rest of them to see how they managed to get back to Liège.

This vanguard unit suffered a terrible fate. Not to mention how accurately they caught the shells, an offensive battle turned into a defensive one. Halfway through the attack, they were forced to retreat, and a group of them were wiped out before they even saw the Rhine troops.

The decision to quickly order a retreat was actually a very wise one. The Rhine's mobility was too high. Before these noisy soldiers could run very far, they heard the rumbling of engines behind them. The Rhine soldiers had caught up.

Arahan was shocked by the rockets that Rhine had just fired. The French Commune was considered a relatively advanced country in artillery research, and French artillery had always been favored by other warring countries around the world, with a large number of exports. However, even with the fame of French artillery, it still seemed somewhat inadequate after seeing Rhine's rockets.

With this kind of firepower coverage, a single truck can unleash the power of a dozen artillery pieces. It's unknown how many more of these powerful weapons the Rhine has. The International Brigades originally intended to flex their muscles, but instead, the Rhine showed off first.

The armored vehicles and tanks were advancing rapidly, heading towards Liège. They had only gone halfway when they saw a large crowd of people blocking their way. Many soldiers who hadn't had time to board were left behind. They had successfully delayed the Rhine soldiers.

Seeing these soldiers blocking the way, everyone was extremely anxious. As soon as these soldiers saw the Rhine army coming, they immediately raised their hands to surrender. Surrendering was fine, but please don't block the road!

"Hans, take some men and take these prisoners in. Don't let them block our way!"

Brooke, seeing the people huddled together sweating profusely, pulled out a megaphone and started shouting.

"Everyone, please move to the sides of the road. We don't have time to take you prisoner! We don't have time to take you prisoner! Please lay down your weapons and move back! Please lay down your weapons and move back!"

Behind them was the prisoner-of-war camp. Hans led a few dozen men to the front and started shouting, leading these people to the prisoner-of-war camp behind. The prisoners were surprisingly obedient and made way for the tanks as they continued to speed along the road.

At this speed, the retreating troops hadn't even settled in Liège before the Rhine army was already upon them, giving them absolutely no time to organize a defense, and war was imminent.

432. Useless at everything

Liège, the largest city in the border region, was exposed to the Rhine attack at this time with almost no preparation.

The war was precisely timed, occurring between the old and new eras, as aircraft development had not yet entered a period of rapid advancement.

At this time, most major powers were upgrading their equipment, and Rheinland's monoplane fighter was still under research, with biplanes still being the dominant type.

If we wait until Rhine completes its aircraft research, things will get interesting. The war could be shortened significantly, as undefended cities like this are perfect targets for bombers.

Liège was completely unprepared for its transformation from a fortified city into a major transportation hub. Wasn't this supposed to be an attack on the Rhine? How could the Rhine people possibly arrive so quickly?

The weapons and ammunition were still stored in the warehouse, with various mule carts loaded with ammunition, ready to provide reinforcements for the subsequent attacking troops.

In their view, now that the Prussians have come to help, the situation is stable. The Flemish people's thinking is very simple: look, back then, without the help of other countries, during the German Civil War, Prussia and the Rhine fought back and forth, and the two sides were still deadlocked after so long.

Now that Eastern European soldiers have come to help, they have won a victory on the front lines as soon as they arrived, and now Flanders have joined in.

They're doing addition. Prussia might be less than or equal to the Rhine, Prussia plus Eastern Europe is greater than or equal to the Rhine, so Prussia plus Eastern Europe plus Flanders is definitely far greater than the Rhine. Even a child could do this inequality.

Not long after the army left, preparations were still underway in Liège. The cost of a war is enormous, and the entire city was waiting for news from the front lines so that supplies could be transported out once the city had established a foothold. Not long after the army left, they heard the deafening roar of artillery fire.

Although the artillery fire was some distance away, the intensity of the shelling indicated considerable firepower, prompting many to stop their work and look into the distance.

"These Prussians are really something, huh? They're using these shells like they're free."

A logistics worker, carrying an ammunition box, exclaimed, "That series of artillery shots just now, that's really impressive. The Germans really do have money."

"Only the Germans could fire artillery like this. I wonder how many cannons and how much ammunition it would take."

Another porter chimed in with a sigh, saying that when gods fight, mortals suffer, and they could only watch from the sidelines, their job being to help the Prussians with logistics.

Clearly, these people were unaware of the fate of the Eastern European soldiers. However, Flanders was certainly better off than Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe was Prussia's blood bank, a bunch of expendable animals, while Flanders was like a favored son. From the perspective of betraying their comrades, Flanders would be sold off less severely.

"With that dense artillery fire just now, the fighting at the front must be quite fierce. The Germans' fighting power is indeed different. Once they consolidate their lines, we'll be in for a lot of trouble."

The Flemish soldiers in the city were quite excited after hearing the artillery fire.

This was a case of following the right people; Prussia was indeed the most capable. Moreover, Flanders' entry into the war was merely Prussia's way of opening a second front, and had little to do with the locals. Germany has always been a land of constant warfare, and its greatest danger is being attacked from both sides.

Others may know this, but the Germans themselves certainly know it too. If Germany were at war, the thing it would most want to avoid is fighting on two fronts. Prussia opened the Flanders front here precisely to force the Rhineland to fight on two fronts. By using this ultimate weapon against itself, Prussia now wants to see how the Rhineland will break the deadlock.

They were busy with logistics for the next offensive when news came that the troops that had just set out had returned.

Gerhard had never felt so powerless; he felt like he was leading a bunch of pigs in a war, being chased by them.

If there were so many pigs, they might have been able to hold off the Rhine for a while. But the Rhine were completely routed. Apart from the Prussian local army, the Flemish army was basically left behind in the area.

"These guys are no good at fighting, and they can't run away either. I really don't know what's the point of raising such a force. What was the point? Weren't the Belgians supposed to be pretty good at fighting?"

"They held off the Rhine for so long during the great war, how come they shatter at the slightest touch now? They were all so powerful when they were against us, how come they've become so weak when they're on our side?"

Gerhard began to complain furiously about the quality of these Flemish soldiers. They were no good at fighting and no good at running away. Logically speaking, if they were no good at fighting, they should have run faster. The order to retreat had been given, but they were all standing there dumbfounded, waiting for the Rhine to come and arrest them.

At this moment, the attacking army retreated swiftly, like the wind. Gerhard had fought against Rhine before, on the battlefield near Bremen. At that time, they had so many troops there, preparing to attack, but Rhine used this powerful weapon and suddenly switched from defense to offense, catching them completely off guard.

Rockets raining down like hailstones, coupled with the Rhine soldiers who seemed like divine warriors—this was what Gerhard saw and felt on the front lines.

Fortunately, their troops retreated quickly. The Rhine's speed was simply outrageous. On the way back, he could even see the Rhine army moving at high speed. He didn't know how many people were captured or annihilated in that small battlefield.