artillery arc

Chapter 678: The Future Vision of the “Rokosov Faction”
Wang Zhong: "Your Majesty, don't do this in formal occasions. You should call them by their military rank, their military rank."

"Okay." Olga pulled away, straightened her messy clothes, and picked up the shelf. "Marshal Rokossov, did the canonization ceremony go smoothly?"

"Very well, Your Majesty."

Olga: "From now on, you must set an example and lead our army to more victories!"

Wang Zhong frowned slightly, thinking that His Majesty the Tsar was not very good at speaking polite words. He wondered whether she had studied well with her teacher when she was a child.

Olga: "Don't make that expression. Just deal with this kind of polite talk. Anyway, I won't be the Tsar for long, but I will be your godsister for a very long time."

When she said this, the lady of state following behind her turned green in the face.

Belinsky laughed and said, "Your Majesty is really a joker."

Olga: "Isn't it? After all, you didn't even let me participate in such an important event as my brother's canonization. Don't worry, Your Majesty, I have already thought about what to do in the future."

Wang Zhong noticed that Cardinal Lafkid had a very serious expression.

Is the head of the Inquisition worried that Olga will defect to the United States while going to Baras?
Wang Zhong quickly said, "Your Majesty will be with me in Barras. Of course, if the Inquisition is worried, it can also send an attendant to follow me."

Cardinal Lafkid: "Of course we will send an entourage. Not only that, we have already established a complete intelligence network in Barras. Not even a fly will slip away from under our noses."

Olga: "Bishop Lafkid is always so thoughtful."

Wang Zhong echoed, "Yes, the Tribunal has played an indispensable role in ensuring stability in the rear."

Rafe Kid pushed up his glasses and didn't reply.

Belinsky: "You two, since Marshal Rokossov returned from the front, you haven't had time to get together properly, right? Today's ceremony is completely over, and you can use your time as you like."

Wang Zhong immediately said to Olga: "Your Majesty, my wife is hosting a tea party at the manor this afternoon. If you have time——"

"I have time." Olga glanced at Lyudmila and smiled, "Of course I have to attend my sister-in-law's tea party, so let's go."

----

As the pressure on the front lines eased, Wang Zhong no longer hated court social occasions as much as before.

The tea party organized by Lyudmila will not only be attended by the noble ladies of Yeburg, but also by the "Rokosov faction" officers currently in Yeburg. It is not a court social event in the general sense.

After all, most of the officers of the "Rokosov faction" came from the civilian class, including the sons of shoemakers, tinkers, and so on, and they could not serve in the palace at all.

It is better to say that officers from the old aristocracy are now reluctant to attend this tea party, for fear of being isolated. In this way, they will lose the support of "their own people" and will not be able to integrate into the new faction. The calculating aristocrats will not suffer this loss.

It is said that General Turgenev is now stuffing aristocratic officers into embassies in allied and neutral countries, asking them to serve as military attachés or simply find excuses to go abroad.

This action seemed to help the aristocrats flee abroad, but objectively it did purify the composition of Ant's entire army and made them united.

Therefore, the church's inquisition also acquiesced to this practice. Anyway, those noble officers who committed heinous crimes had been almost completely purged after the victory in the defense of Yebao in the winter of the first year. Since the small fry could not integrate into the new era, let them go.

After the tea party began, all the officers gathered in the lounge next to the tea room.

Wang Zhong looked at General Gorky and asked, "Do you really have to wear the general's epaulettes?"

"In fact, I originally hoped to achieve a breakthrough on the central front and recover some territory before being promoted. Now you see, I have been the commander of the Western Front for more than a year, and the front has only advanced a little bit. The new places we have occupied have made the entire front look like it was gnawed by a dog."

General Gorky shook his head and said, "If I am given the rank of marshal under such circumstances, what will the soldiers and officers think? Turgenev is putting me on the fire."

Kirinenko: "There are forests and mountains in the middle, and the overall density of troops is higher. It's not your fault that we can't attack, Comrade General. Comrade Marshal also said that the terrain of Kosalia determines that our counterattack will definitely start from here."

General Ivan Stepanovich added: "The enemy has now formed a salient. If we find an opportunity, we can cut off this salient and surround it. However, I have carefully investigated the enemy's defenses opposite my front, and it is not easy to cut off this salient."

After the liberation of Sherpa, General Ivan Stepanovich's Shepetovka Front was reorganized into the 2nd Khazaria Front, which is currently responsible for guarding the demarcation line between the north of Sherpa and the enemy's Central Army Group.

Wang Zhong: “My plan is to liberate the entire Khazaria first, then take Melania to the Baltic Sea and cut off the enemy’s Central and Northern Army Groups.

"I have discussed this idea with General Gorky several times."

General Gorky: "This will be an unprecedented encirclement. We will destroy the enemy's central and northern army groups in one fell swoop. If successful, Prosen will have no more soldiers to fight!"

The generals said one after another: "That's great! If this can be accomplished, the shame of being annihilated in the beginning of the war can be completely washed away."

"We can also annihilate a large number of Prosen people, and their theory of racial superiority can be completely destroyed!" At this time, Kashuh suddenly said: "This intention is too obvious, and the Prosen people cannot be unaware of our plan. Moreover, Melania has been occupied by the Prosen for almost six years. After operating for a long time, there must be a large number of fortifications.

“In addition, after the battlefield is compressed, the density of Proson’s troops will also increase, and the combat area is highly urbanized. I’m afraid the cavalry penetration tactics we used in the previous attack will not be useful.

"Will this plan go so smoothly?"

The officers who had just been singing praises stopped.

Wang Zhong: "In fact, there is another direction we can choose. We can attack Moravia."

Kashuh: "There are mountains over there, and our tanks are useless. I have a feeling that the battle next year will not be easy."

An officer echoed: "Next year we will be fighting on Plossom's land. The enemy will probably defend their homeland like us, fighting to the death."

The generals were all silent.

Wang Zhong: "I don't know if you have noticed that the quality of Proson's troops is declining."

"Indeed." General Gorky immediately agreed. "During the summer offensive, we found that there were many more inexperienced recruits. However, due to Proson's military tradition, these recruits had participated in scout camps when they were young, and had served Proson in military engineering units before being recruited. Their overall quality is higher than our conscripted soldiers."

Kirinenko: "Their replenishment rate is very slow. Each division can only get one battalion of new soldiers every quarter. Some of the divisions we annihilated had only one-third of their full strength."

A general echoed: "Yes, my army destroyed three enemy infantry divisions. According to the captured documents, these three divisions were only 70% of their strength before the summer campaign began."

Another person said: "Our prisoners complained that a large number of troops were used to form new divisions. The veterans who were supposed to return from injury were also pulled into the new divisions, resulting in a decrease in the overall strength of the troops and a lower proportion of veterans."

General Gorky concluded: "The enemy's war potential is being consumed, the population and industrial capacity of the entire Allied Powers are far superior to those of Prosen and his allies, and we will win the final victory.

"Marshal Rokossov predicted this two and a half years ago."

Everyone looked at Wang Zhong together.

Kirinenko raised his glass: "Cheers to Marshal Davarich!"

Everyone raised their glasses together: "Cheers!"

Wang Zhong: "This is a tea party, is it appropriate to drink?"

"Your servants have brought the wine, why are you still worrying about this?" General Gorky asked back.

Wang Zhong: “Yeah, cheers!”

If the Russians say cheers, then it really is a cheers. No matter what's in the cup or how much is in it, just drink it all in one gulp.

The waiter was also very smart. When he saw people toasting, he came over quickly and collected the empty cups on a tray.

General Gorky asked, "I heard that you set up a school specifically for war orphans?"

Wang Zhong: "Yes, their parents shed their blood for Ant's mother. I cannot allow these children to live a miserable life. I want to give them the best education. They will become pillars of society after the war."

Khashoggi: "I propose a toast to the fallen soldiers."

Just at this moment the waiter came over with a tray full of wine.

Everyone picked up their drinks and toasted.

After drinking, General Gorky said, "In fact, before considering the offensive next year, the first thing we should consider is to break through the Tiber River. I think it is unwise for General Rokossov to stop advancing after occupying the east bank of the Tiber River. We should take advantage of the enemy's unstable foothold to force a crossing of the river and establish several beachheads to hold on until the offensive begins."

Wang Zhong: "It is impossible to build a solid fortification on the beachhead, and the losses to the enemy's artillery fire are too great. We have other ways to force a crossing of the Diber River.

"I have gathered a large number of dragon trailers supported by the United States. They are transporting ships from the coastal fortresses and other places to the banks of the Tiber River day and night."

General Gorky laughed: "First the siege tank was named Urban, and now it's sailing on dry land. I thought you wanted to be Caesar, Augustus, but you want to be the Sultan."

Wang Zhong: "It's just a coincidence. After we complete the preparations, we will launch a battle to cross the Tiber River. This attack will adopt your tactics, General Gorky. We will launch an attack on the entire front - for this we need a large number of ferries, which is why we are 'sailing on dry land'.

"After breaking through the enemy's weak points, the cavalry and armored forces will quickly cross the enemy's defenses and attack the rear, completely disrupting the enemy's supply lines."

(End of this chapter)