Holy Roman Empire

The sudden and decisive battle not only disrupted the layout of the Vienna Government but also broke the plans of the British. Your next read is at empire

In this world, it is always "easy to add flowers to brocade, difficult to send charcoal in snowy weather." Prusso-Russian forces had already begun the decisive battle, and the London Government had no time to help them draw allies.

The tendency to weigh pros and cons is a natural human instinct and is no exception in international political diplomacy since it is people who make the decisions in politics and diplomacy.

Whether it is the Central Asian Countries, the Ottoman Empire, or the German Federation, they would all choose to observe the situation at this time.

If the Prusso Federation failed in the battle, the war would end prematurely. The Berlin Government wouldn’t have the strength to organize a second battle, and the Russians would not give them the time.

Even if these potential allies joined forces, they wouldn’t be enough to take on the Russians, so helping or not, the result would be the same.

If the Russians were defeated, then there would be no doubt the war would continue, except that the momentum of strength and weakness would switch, and the initiative in the war would be reversed.

Everyone wouldn’t mind adding flowers to brocade by selling favors to the English-Prussian, similar to the first Prusso-Russian war, pouncing on the Russians to tear off a piece of flesh.

No, the German Federation is an exception.

George I dared not accept the victorious Prusso Federation; though there are few instances of usurping power in Europe, the elective monarchy, known as the "Comedic Empire," is an exception.

Of course, if the Prusso Federation won this battle, the British would not push for a Prussian merger either. The London Government needs a chess piece to counterbalance Austria, not to cultivate a competitor.

...

As the battlefield shifted westward, winter was no longer a land of ice and snow, posing another major challenge for the Russian logistical system. This can be seen from the deployment of the Russian Army’s forces.

The troops on the southern front acted close to Austria to facilitate nearby resupply; the northern front had sea supply and could transport materials from St. Petersburg or purchase from the Nordic Federation; the Warsaw battlefield had the Vistula River and Narew River, allowing for water transport.

However, the Narew River is mainly thawed snow, and its navigation time is limited each year. In two more months, it will be frozen, and if the upper reaches are blocked, the downstream can not be relied upon.

Ivanov had always opposed launching the battle of Warsaw, also considering these factors. If it weren’t for controlling the Vistula River, he would not have launched the troops even if the Fourth Army was stuffed in.

In this respect, the Russian Army was much more rational than during the first Prusso-Russian war. They did not rashly move out troops, causing their front-line soldiers to go hungry.

The movement of an army takes time, especially the mobilization of an army of millions, which requires even more time.

"Speed is of the essence in warfare" clearly does not apply here. It’s not that the soldiers are not trying hard, but marching with baggage and supplies, it is impossible to speed up.

In this aspect, the Prussian Army, fighting on home ground, had an absolute advantage. The railways built by the Berlin Government could now be put to use, and General Maoqi was the first to complete the deployment of troops.

At the Prussian Army’s high command headquarters, looking at the marked marching routes on the map, Maoqi let out a sigh.

Ivanov was still the Ivanov he knew, taking stability to the extreme. Except for the over-eager Fourth Army, the following troops all moved at a walking pace, and the distance between two approaching units typically did not exceed thirty miles.

A forced march would take just a morning. In such a short time, even if he wanted to do something, it would be difficult.

"Dispatch our cavalry, let them turn into small groups to harass the enemy, to slow down the marching speed of the enemy’s other troops, but do not engage with them," he ordered.

Pausing for a moment, Maoqi added, "As for the enemy’s Fourth Army that has already presented itself at our doorstep, don’t bother with them for now, let them come in first.

Order the Seventh and Eighth Divisions to flank from the right for encirclement; command the Fifth and Seventh Armies to assemble immediately. I want to strike at the Russian’s vanguard first."

If they couldn’t swallow up the Russian main force, taking down the vanguard first was a good choice. This was the extent of the tactical flexibility of the forces in Maoqi’s hand.

War is about who makes more mistakes. Since the Russians had made a mistake, Maoqi naturally would not let it pass.

Time and again it was proven on the battlefield that rushing for merit and running too fast isn’t always good. If the teammates cannot keep up, one must face a trial by fire.

The eagerly advancing Fourth Russian Army was now going to face a test. It appeared they had left just two days in advance, and their marching speed wasn’t very fast, but in reality, they had slipped at least five days apart from their teammates.

The high command needed time to make decisions, the orders needed time to be relayed, and the troops needed a gap time from assembly to action.

Five days was enough to make a significant difference. Even if the Fourth Army’s marching speed was not fast, the nearest Russian force was pulled more than one hundred and thirty kilometers away.

In that distance, once war broke out, even if the surrounding Russian troops made all-out efforts to rescue, that would be a matter of two days later.

In reality, this existed only in theory. Troops that could march more than one hundred and thirty kilometers in two days existed, but the premise was abandoning the baggage and heavy weapons and equipment.

Without these belongings, and dragging their weary bodies, the fighting capacity of the troops would be significantly reduced. Not to mention rescuing, it’s possible they would merely be bringing their heads to be taken.

No, the Russian cavalry could certainly do it—they wouldn’t even need two days. One day would be enough.

Perhaps relying on this, Major General Obodo dared to risk advancing toward Warsaw.

In any case, an early decisive battle was the demand of many people at home. As the initiator of the campaign, Obodo had naturally gained a lot of favors from day one.

If he could also secure military achievements, it would be natural for him to replace Ivanov as the spokesperson for the Russian military in the future.

"Risk"?

Nowadays, what doesn’t come with risks? The Fourth Army was strong and robust. Leveraging their strength, they could, at the very least, hold their ground and wait for reinforcements to arrive.

Successive victories on the battlefield had sent Major General Obodo soaring with pride, to the extent that he no longer regarded the enemy as a significant threat.

In the Russian Army, many shared the same view, with a multitude believing that the enemy’s previous win was sheer luck, catching Russia at its weakest.

But now that the Tsarist Government had purged the rot from within its ranks, and these "divinely inspired" generals were in command, how could they not triumph?

...

At dawn, as the first glimmer of light appeared in the sky, Major General Obodo, just out of bed and still groggy, heard the distant rumble of artillery.

But being an experienced soldier, he immediately became alert. Before he could figure out what was happening, a guard hurried over.

"General, our vanguard has encountered the enemy and is requesting fire support."

"How did the enemy get here so quickly?"

No sooner had Obodo spoken than he realized his mistake. It was not a question for the guard to answer.

"Order the artillery to support them, and call the officers for a meeting. I need to organize our battle assignments."

The enemy hadn’t intercepted them on their way here, and now they were practically at Warsaw’s doorstep when the enemy suddenly appeared. It was clear this wasn’t a simple blockade.

Being a man unafraid to risk, Obodo naturally wasn’t one to shy away from battle. Had he been incompetent, he couldn’t have concealed it from the high command and led the Fourth Army into action.

There are checks and balances in the Russian Army. Only a strong officer can fully command his troops. In an army that worships strength, "military achievements" are essential for asserting dominance.

Without convincing ability and accomplishments, it is difficult to have deep control over the troops. Obodo guessed that if he made any premature movements, complaints would have been telegraphed to headquarters in no time.

...

The brutal fighting began, and though Obodo had guessed the opening moves, he did not foresee the outcome.

The Prussian Army moved faster than he had anticipated. Before he could respond, he found himself trapped within an encirclement.

From the outbreak of hostilities to the formation of the encirclement, the enemy had taken less than two days—an indication that they had come prepared.

The decision whether to break out became the biggest dilemma for Obodo.

An officer with a bristling beard, speaking fervently, said, "General, we can’t retreat now. The enemy’s preparations are obvious, and choosing to break out would result in heavy losses.

This mission was initiated without orders, and if our troops suffer great losses, we can’t avoid facing a military court upon return.

Rather than be disgraced and jailed, I’d prefer to die on the battlefield. That’s where soldiers belong!

Moreover, the situation isn’t that desperate yet. We have over a hundred thousand troops; the enemy won’t be able to digest us easily in a short time.

Let’s hold our defensive position here and wait for reinforcements to arrive, then catch the enemy off guard!"

The "military court" was key to the issue. In battle, acting on one’s own isn’t a sin; one can’t wait for orders from headquarters for every decision—how could opportunities be seized that way?

But to act independently and then suffer a defeat is a grave offense, and all the blame would fall on them, with no one else to take the fault.

Obodo knew there had to be flaws in the enemy’s encirclement. Ordering a breakout now could get at least half his troops out, but as the highest-ranking commander, it would mean his end.

It wasn’t just about him; the entire leadership of the Fourth Army would be doomed. Whether they would end up in a military court was a matter of luck; worse, Ivanov might use them as an example and simply have them executed.

After analyzing the situation, Obodo found himself in a bind. Ordering a breakout would be suicidal. Not only would he be finished, his family’s honor would be tarnished.

Staying put was fraught with danger too. The enemy was clearly well-prepared, and the likelihood of their reinforcements arriving was slim. They could easily be wiped out if they weren’t careful.

Getting reinforcements in a week was the best-case scenario. While the closest troops were only a hundred kilometers away and cavalry could make it by nightfall, some were several hundred kilometers distant.

To break the siege, it was necessary to mobilize a large force, otherwise, it would be like throwing meat buns to a dog.

Assembling troops and breaking through enemy mid-route obstructions required time—and time was precisely what the Fourth Army lacked most.

"Order our troops to hold their positions and await reinforcements. From now on, send a distress telegram to headquarters every day, making sure to emphasize the severity of the situation."

After much hesitation, Obodo decided to take a gamble. Better to survive by chance than to perish with certainty. For a glimmer of hope, he had to use the hundred thousand soldiers of the Fourth Army as bargaining chips.

If he lost the bet, he’d rather die on the battlefield than be executed. The Tsarist Government was more forgiving towards the dead.

With death, all debts are cleared. As long as you die on the battlefield, all past issues can be overlooked.

If, by some chance, he won the bet, then he would be the big winner. Winners are above reproach, and previous insubordination would become adaptability and seizing opportunities on the battlefield.

The "aura of a famed general" would naturally fall upon him, making him another military marvel of Russia for posterity to admire.

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