Black Iron’s Glory

Chapter 432 Claude's Response

General Beechlin suddenly felt like an exhaled leather ball, paralyzed on a sofa chair. He was well aware that Claude was right to take over the northern coastal mountains and build a strong defensive front, and that the biggest drawback of deploying the Rock Regiment to accommodate labor lay in the heavy logistics of supplies and the support provided to the front line in the rear battlefield, even if the Nikancas attacked him en route, and that those difficulties could be addressed in any way.

What is most frightening is that the Hicks break south from the northern coastal mountains, so that all the so-called preparations, and even the guilt of the Nikancas, will render the battlefield an enemy, the cost of which will be useless. The Hicks are not crazy wild boars, they just know to run in one direction, they will also choose a breakthrough direction in their favor, they will not compete with well-equipped defensive positions, and no commander is willing to let his soldiers die in vain.

If the Hicks chose the eastern mountains as a breakthrough, the defensive guards deployed in the northern coastal mountains would face an extreme embarrassment. They can't retreat. If they retreat, perhaps the Hicks will turn around and occupy an unattended position and go south, then the defensive front built by the theatre's capture of the northern coastal mountains will be wasted, wasting money and morale.

But the defense was unnecessary, because the Hicks were not attacking in that direction, and the defensive forces on the front could only watch the Hicks attacking the city in the other direction. The generals of the war zone can think with their asses and conclude that the Hicks' offensive cannot be resisted at all by the armed forces of this Nikancha nation.

By the end of the Nikanca nation, the surviving Nikanca had grown into captives, and if the defensive forces on the Northern Coastal Mountain Defensive Front had not retreated, the Hicks would have faced the desperate prospect of cutting off their own besieged supply corridors by enclosing the back roads. The Hicks will not have to waste their ammunition and soldiers' lives at all. They will only have to surrender if they surround the theatre for a while...

Unless the forces in theatre seized the northern coastal mountainous areas, they returned to attack the eastern border mountainous areas, fully constructing the defensive front in both respects to deploy heavy troops, leaving the Hicks inorganic in either direction. But that is simply not possible, not to mention whether the attacked Nikanchas would disrupt behind their backs, or whether the theatre would not be able to pull out so many guard units to defend the mountainous areas in both the north and east directions.

According to General Bitchklin's plan, the entire Rock Regiment was deployed in defensive positions after first seizing the northern coastal mountainous areas to build a defensive front, relying on solid and well-equipped positions and advanced new rifles to resist the attacks of the 10 Standing Regiments of the Kingdom of the Hicks. As such, the operational tasks of the various jurisdictions under the jurisdiction of the theatre are carried out by the newly formed eighteen local guard corps, supported by the Legion of Thunder as the engine power.

But with the addition of the eastern border mountains, the Thunder Corps needs to be pulled to the front line as a guard force. However, if the Hicks regroup the three seaport cities in the theatre, relying only on one or two local guard regiments would most likely lead to the collapse of the seaport city, which would be late.

“Actually, I don't think we need to be so nervous that the Hicks won't be able to attack in the next year or two.” Claude looked at the map and came back to sit down and poured himself a cup of black tea from the table.

General Albert knocked his finger on the table: “Claude, if you need anything, say it quickly. This time, the Kingdom of the Hicks is truly ten standing legions, with more than 600,000 horse soldiers at its mercy. Even if you let us relax, you have to make a point. ”

Claude smiled and asked, "How many regiments can they escort to the Rodex Bay colony in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland at a time, given the size of the King's fleet in the Kingdom of Hicks and the leased joint fleet? ”

The question was simple, but the generals found it odd, and they didn't understand why Claude was asking it. Looking at each other, General Skerry opened his mouth: “It is clear to all that two regiments, before the Third Colonial War, transported two standing regiments to Port Vibato. ”

“Do you remember what happened over the next six months after they arrived at Port Vibato transporting these two standing regiments?” Claude asked again.

General Skerry's eyes immediately lit up, and he seemed to have understood what Claude was trying to say: “The food crisis. When the Kingdom of Hicks transported those two standing regiments to Port Vibato, four regiments were stationed in the Port Vibato colonial county, causing food stress. Finally, they had to put an end to the respite of the Neptune and the Combined Fleet and urgently deliver grass from the Kingdom of the Hicks.

In an effort to resolve the food crisis in Port Vibato's colonial county, the Hicks began to hunt down the Nikans, devalued them into slavery, and turned most of their youth into mineral slaves in the colony, eventually provoking the rebellion of the Nikans. At the same time, the brutal policy towards the Nikancas caused dissatisfaction with those two mercenary support regiments and had to be stationed separately. As a result, you found a fighter plane and won the Third Colonial War... "

“Uh...” Claude was a little embarrassed: “I didn't ask you to say my results. I have just asked such a simple question, which is that the Kingdom of Hicks, using the Neptune fleet and the United Fleet, can only transport two standing legions at a time to the colony of the Gulf of Rhodes, except that this shipment does not include subsistence items such as grass, which are required by both regiments.

Generally speaking, the merchant fleet travels to and from both continents once a year in the first half of the year, while the Kingdom of Hicks travels only three times a year, that is, transporting six regiments. After all, the Neptune fleet and the Combined Fleet also need to repair the time of rest of the warships and troops. It is not possible to float endlessly at sea, otherwise the ship will not stand...

Even if the Kingdom of the Hicks and the United Kingdom of the Fox Islands had reached an agreement to lease the colony of the Gulf of Rodex and would begin transporting regiments in the first half of next year, it would take at least two years for him to complete the transporting task. Let us not forget that there is also the problem of grass, which the six regiments consume every month.

After the Kingdom of Hicks has transported all ten standing legions to the colonies of the Gulf of Rodex, you can calculate how much food, grass and other commodities more than 600,000 people need to consume on a daily basis. Even if the Neptune fleet and the Combined Fleet were to take three trips a year, it would only be enough for the daily consumption of the ten Standing Legions, and they would need to find alternative ways to stockpile wartime grass supplies.

It is also a matter of grass, and stockpiles of armaments, such as ammunition, firearms and artillery, are equally required. I have always wondered whether King McKid III of the Kingdom of Hicks understands the military, and he is right in trying to crush our theatre with more than 600,000 men from ten standing legions. But he must not have figured out how to deploy and deliver the grass, ammunition and other supplies needed for so many troops...

More than 600,000 troops, 10 standing legions, sounds terrible, but as long as we cut off their logistical supply lines, it's more than 600,000 prisoners and labourers waiting to be accommodated in our theatre. In fact, there is no need to worry about the so-called depression of the soldiers. If we drag on for two or three years, these 600,000 troops will become a heavy burden on the Kingdom of the Hicks, and they will eat themselves up, and Machid III will certainly regret what he has said. ”

The atmosphere in the conference room suddenly got a little lighter, and, yeah, everyone was following the news that the Kingdom of Hicks was ready to send ten standing legions to the continent of Nubicia to continue the colonial war, and that more than 600,000 horses had become a mountain on the minds of all those who knew. Even General Bolognick finds the situation and the situation facing the theatre very difficult and difficult, as his overwhelming strength advantage makes it difficult for the theatre to find a winning strategy, no matter how calculated.

“How can I forget that more than 600,000 men and horses need to consume food and grass...” General Bolonik patted himself on the forehead and smiled consciously: “Claude, I feel much more relaxed with your analysis. I couldn't sleep the last two days when I received the information. When I thought of the 10 standing legions, I felt like I was being crushed by a mountain, and it was difficult to turn around. I forgot what the Marshal taught us and made mistakes that were not right. ”

General Albert pondered, “Even if McGidd III had lost his mind, there would always have been qualified soldiers in the Hicks kingdom, otherwise McGidd III would not have settled the noble rebellion in the country so quickly. Those servicemen should be well aware of how huge a figure would be to consume food, grass and other commodities needed by more than 600,000 men and women in the 10 Standing Legions, and they might be able to solve the problem. For example, collect locally, or get food and grass supplements from colonies on the West Coast..."

“If the Kingdom of Hicks had only rented the colony of the Gulf of Rodex, he would not have been able to raise the grass needed by more than 600,000 horses locally. The Rodex Bay Colony, the smallest colony in the United Kingdom of the Fox Islands on the continent of Nubian, with a population of less than 20,000, is known for its splendid scenery, but is just a scenic spot for leisure and leisure. Primitive landscapes are maintained for the majority of the Territory, with very few pastures and farms, the only city, the city of Rodex, bordering the bay, and the majority of the inhabitants depend on fishing for their livelihoods. ”

Claude finished reading the information he had on the Rodex Bay colony: "It is simple, given the current situation in the Rodex Bay colony, that it is simply not possible to meet the grain needs of one regiment, let alone ten standing regiments. By renting a colony in the Gulf of Rodex, the Kingdom of Hicks meant that they were merely passing through and could not change the situation of the entire colony, whose administrative dominance remained in the hands of colonial officials in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

If I were a member of the military of the Kingdom of Hicks, I would suggest that Machid III buy the colony of the Gulf of Rodex, which the United Kingdom of the Fox Islands also meant to sell. The entire Rodex Bay colony must be in possession if the daily grass consumption of the 10 Standing Regiments is to be assured. Immediately after the arrival of the previous regiments, military cultivation and logging were carried out throughout the colony. That would take only two or three years to have enough grain reserves.

Nevertheless, McKid III could never have done so by sending ten standing legions and renting the colony of the Gulf of Rodex in order to destroy the Nikanca nation and to continue this colonial war with our theatre of war. The tragic defeat of three colonial wars, the occupation of even the Port Vibator colonial county by us as the eighth direct jurisdiction of our theatre, the rebellion of the Nikancas to build an independent State and the continued attack on his landlocked colonies, has made the Kingdom of the Hicks a great joke for all colonial Powers, an absolutely intolerable humiliation for Machid III.

Without the possibility of grass reserves in the colonial fields of the Gulf of Rodex and the waste of time and increased costs of transportation by sea, the only option available to the Kingdom of Hicks would be to make extensive purchases of everyday goods such as grass in the colonies of the countries of the West Coast. We can deduce the approximate date on which the Kingdom of the Hicks intends to launch its offensive as long as there are multiple agents in the theatre infiltrating the colonies of the West Coast to focus on the entire food market and once it is discovered that grain prices have caused an abnormal rise in volatility. We may also be able to accumulate supplies such as food in advance and sell them at high prices, at a higher cost to the Kingdom of Hicks.

Of course, it is not easy to raise and buy grass to meet the needs of more than 600,000 people and horses in the colonies of the West Coast countries, some of which, like our battlefield overseas jurisdictions, have been fully exploited. Like the hinterland colonies of the Kingdom of Hicks, they focused on the exploitation of mineral resources, and the food they needed was procured from other colonies. Food purchases in the Kingdom of Hicks would raise food prices across the West Coast, and in such circumstances, the best way to reduce costs would be to resort to war.

So I will be certain that when the Kingdom of Hicks sends his ten standing legions to the colonies of the Gulf of Rodex, and not all of them have been assembled, McKidd III will surely order his army to open the Nikantha Nation first. In his view, the presence of the Nikancha nation for one more day would mean that his disgrace would be extended by one day. Only the total annihilation of this nation, built independently of the inferior slaves, the harsh punishment of these rebel slaves, and the blood of the slaughter and slaves will wash away the disgrace these rebels bring to the Kingdom of Hicks... "

Claude looked at the four generals in the conference room: "This is the conclusion I deduced, in fact, that I believe that the first goal of the Kingdom of the Hicks is not the direct jurisdiction of our war zone, but the Nikantha nation. The destruction of the Nikantha nation is one that will familiarize the Hicks' Standing Army with the battle and restore its strength. The second is to obtain large numbers of young and powerful prisoners to meet their labour needs and even sell them to those mineral development firms. The third point is of paramount importance in obtaining food reserves for the Nikanchas in order to achieve their war goals.

All we need to do is let the Nikantha understand what kind of desperation they're going to face, let them come to us on their own initiative, ask for our assistance and support to help them deal with those damn Hicks. Just because of the sad sanctity of the Nikancas, we cannot go to the door and tell them that the Kingdom of Hicks has sent ten standing regiments to deal with them, or they will question whether we are deceiving them or secretly trying to harm them.

We can only lead the Nikans to discover the situation on their own initiative, and all we have to do is hide it, and even if the Nikans come to ask us for the truth, we have to tell them that the Kingdom of Hicks is looking for trouble in our war zone, not them. Only then will those Nikanchas understand the seriousness of the situation and focus on the armed forces of the Hicks Kingdom assembled in the colonies of the Gulf of Rhodes.

And the more troops the Hicks have assembled, the more Nikancas will need help in our theatre. Only in the face of the threat of annihilation will they willingly resist the invasion and attack of the Kingdom of Hicks under our command. We can send troops, with the assistance of the Nikanchas, to set up a defensive front, clear the walls and lure the Hicks deep into the mountains. Perhaps the deep mountains occupied by the Nikantha are the best battlefields for us to destroy our enemies.

At the same time, we can sell the light artillery captured by the Hicks to the Nikancas in the warehouse, who always wanted the artillery and put us in charge of teaching them. Personally, I think the war zone can respond to that request, and it would be useless for us to have these light artillery guns from the Kingdom of Hicks in exchange for some gold and silver from the Nikans. If they lose the war, all of this gold and silver will be loot for the army of the Kingdom of Hicks, so why not use it to strengthen the economic construction of our war zone... "