"… We have to come to an agreement with the nikancha to set up a defensive line in the mountains between their colony and Cape Loducus. That'll be enough to deal with the Shiksan corps' attack," Birkin reiterated.
Eiblont smiled bitterly. "I've already told you that the nikancha won't allow our troops to enter their territory. I've dealt with them many times and they're all made of stone.
They've established an independent nation and think their territory is sacred and inviolable.
Even if you tell them that the Shiksans are about to attack, they'll suspect that we're up to no good and are plotting against them. "
"Have Colonel Borkal come back. Isn't he on good terms with the nikancha?
The nikancha trust him even more than the guarantee we gave him. Let him tell the nikancha that we are here to help them, not to invade their territory! "
"It's no use," Eiblont shook his head. "The nikancha trust Colonel Borkal mainly because we've been trading resources and firearms with him.
Colonel Borkal had gained the nikancha's trust through honest dealings, but the nikancha wouldn't trust him when it came to the sovereignty and territory of their independent nation.
When we forcibly relocated the nikancha settlements in Tyrrsim, Mormaly, and Aduras, we even used military force to massacre the stubborn leaders and elders of the settlements. We also killed many of the young and strong nikancha people. Many of the nikancha people in the nikancha country were already disgusted by our actions.
If it wasn't for the fact that they couldn't find anyone else to trade with, Wild Bull would've been chased out of their nation long ago. "
"Then we'll make the first move and take the initiative to attack the northern mountainous region. We'll use the terrain to set up a well-equipped defensive line and make Shiks bleed all over the place," Birkin said fiercely.
"Piccolo, if we adopt your plan, we'll have one more enemy and one less ally.
Originally, we wanted the nikancha nation to act as a barrier to the north of our colonies. If we send troops to attack them, we'll have an enemy that won't rest until we're dead.
We only have to deal with one Shiksan. If we do as you say, we'll have to face two enemies. That'll make our already weaker forces even more tense, "Eiblont retorted.
General Beechlin sneered. "Are the nikancha our enemy?
Based on their combat strength, we only need to deploy two local garrison squads to stop them from entering our defensive zone.
It is precisely because we are short on manpower that we need to occupy the mountainous areas along the northern coast and rely on the mountainous terrain to set up defensive lines.
If Monolith is equipped with the new rifles, I'm confident we can take on ten Shiksan corps at once. "
"Do you think it's enough to deploy the Monolith Corps in the northern coastal mountains?
In that case, what about the coastal defense line and the three major ports? Should they rely on the local garrison to carry out their tasks?
You're messing up the entire defensive setup of the war zone and giving the enemy an opportunity to take advantage of.
The Shiksans aren't wild boars that walk all the way to the end. When they see Monolith appear in the mountains, they'll naturally think of the coastal defense line.
Also, even if we occupy the northern coastal mountains, what about our logistics?
That's not our colony, where there are roads leading in all directions.
The nikancha are used to walking on mountain roads. How are our wagons supposed to transport supplies to the frontlines? If we offend the nikancha, our supply lines will be ambushed at any time.
That's why our plan to attack the northern mountains first won't work! "
Eiblont seemed a little angry and his voice grew louder.
"What are they arguing about?" Claude looked up and asked Bolonik, who sat down beside him.
"They're arguing about how to stop the ten Shiksan corps."
Bolonik picked up a teapot on the table and found that there was no water. He rang the bell and got his aide to bring him a pot of water.
After that, he pointed at the map on the wall and explained to Claude, "The northern mountainous region occupied by the nikancha nation is next to Cape Loducus. Bick and Allen believe that Shiks will definitely march south from there after amassing ten standing corps.
Because only by occupying this place can the enemy attack the nikancha nation or Port Vebator colony in our war zone.
Piccolo suggested allying with the nikancha people to set up a defensive line in the northern mountainous region. That way, the Shiksan corps would be able to wear down their morale and manpower in the mountainous region.
"With our new rifles, we can keep the enemy at bay. Even if the war drags on, it won't affect the economy of our eight colonies.
Allen, on the other hand, believes that the nikancha won't believe our warning. Even if they find out that Shiks is going to attack them, they won't let us enter their territory to help them defend.
"If the nikancha aren't willing to let us help them defend against the Shiksan attack, we won't be able to set up defensive lines in the northern coastal mountains.
Once Shiks takes over the northern mountainous region, Port Vebator will be a piece of flat land. We have to be prepared for a tough battle and clear out the wilderness.
"If the enemy only has two or three standing corps, we can ignore the terrain of the northern coastal mountains and who's occupying them.
"Shiks, on the other hand, has prepared ten standing corps. That's six hundred thousand men.
"We only have two corps and eighteen garrison lines in our theatre. The enemy outnumbers us and without the geographical advantage, it'll be hard for us to defend against the enemy's relentless attacks.
"If we get tangled up with the enemy, we'll be surrounded and it'll be hard for us to escape."
Claude immediately understood what Bolonik was trying to say. The disparity in military strength was too great. Even though there were Monolith, Thundercrash, and the 18 garrison lines in the war zone, they still had more than 200,000 soldiers in total.
However, the eight colonies under the theatre's jurisdiction were too large. That small number of troops would have to be stationed at strategic locations.
Monolith, for example, had two corps under it. One of the four corps had to be stationed at Port Vebator, Port Patres, and Port Cobicus, as well as the Dorinibla River defence line.
So, Monolith could only muster about twenty thousand men from a folk. Even with the corps' direct subordinates, they would only have one more line.
Claude's Thundercrash, on the other hand, was an offensive-type light cavalry corps. It would be a bit of a waste of their talents in defensive battles.
If the six hundred thousand men of Shiks' ten standing corps came crashing down like a hammer, even with Monolith's folk, Thundercrash, and a few garrison lines, it would be hard for them to defend against the enemy's fierce attacks on flat terrain. There was even the possibility of them being surrounded and wiped out by the enemy.
The enemy could then gather their forces and focus their attacks.
On the other hand, the defensive line would have to be deployed separately. The enemy was already strong to begin with, so it would only make the disparity even more apparent if they were scattered all over the defensive line.
As long as the enemy attacked a single point of the defensive line without any regard for casualties, the entire defensive line would be rendered useless once the enemy took over. They might even be hunted down by the enemy.
It was with this in mind that General Beechlin and General Eiblont quarreled over the mountains of the north coast.
If they wanted to fend off the enemy outside the colony, it was indeed the best terrain for a defensive battle. They just needed the nikancha's support and assistance.
Eiblont, who was stationed in Port Vebator and had interacted with the nikancha many times, knew their temperament well. Unless they were willing, they would reject all requests from the theatre.
Even if you were helping them out of the goodness of your heart, they would instead suspect your intentions.
Based on that alone, Borkal was the only one in the theatre who had a good grasp of the nikancha's temperament. He had his own way of dealing with them.
It was just like when Claude wanted to evacuate the nikancha in the three colonies. In Borkal's hands, it became a rallying cry to free the oppressed and exploited people of Aueras.
For that, the nikancha's elders generously allocated a million crowns worth of resources and gold and silver for the relocation of their suffering compatriots.
So, Claude ordered his troops to go on a killing spree and force the nikancha who didn't want to migrate onto the transport ships.
In the Nikancha country, the tearful complaints of the Nikancha who had been forcibly migrated made the elders who had advocated for the return of their Nikancha compatriots. It was their foresight that had saved their people from being oppressed and killed in the colonies.
That was why Borkal, who helped them reach an agreement, was given the glorious title of 'Friend of the nikancha'.
Eiblont's idea was to help the nikancha nation reorganize their armaments and prepare for war. They would sell or give away whatever they didn't need in their warehouses to strengthen their military might.
That way, when Shiks attacked, the nikancha would be able to stand on the frontlines and whittle down Shiks' forces. When they couldn't hold out any longer, the theatre would intervene.
That way, the nikancha would be filled with gratitude towards the theatre and willingly join forces against Shiks.
However, that plan had its flaws. By the time the nikancha couldn't hold out any longer, the Shiksan army might have already reached the border. Even if the theatre sent troops into the northern mountainous region, they would only be able to occupy a small part of it. They wouldn't even be able to form a deep defence line.
If Shiks managed to break through even a little, the entire front line would collapse.
That was why Beecklin insisted on occupying the entire northern mountainous region. Port Vebator, Cromwell, and Balingana could no longer afford to fortify their defenses and clear out the wilderness.
Port Vebator had the theatre's first gunsmithing workshop that produced the most advanced rifles.
The colonies of Cromwell and Balingana had just settled down more than two million military families. If war broke out again in these three colonies, it would deal a heavy blow to the war theatre's foundation.
"Stop bickering, you two. Come and sit down. Let's discuss this properly." Bolonik summoned Eiblont and Birkin with a frown.
Claude put down the document in his hand. "I have a question. I remember Majid III quelled the noble rebellion in his kingdom in the second half of the year before last. How did he manage to form ten new standing corps in less than two years?
It's impossible to be so militaristic. Our kingdom only managed to form five new main legions during the five years of the Eastern Regional War to supplement the ace field legions. The rest were formed by the forced conscription of local second-line legions … "
Claude believed that if the ten new corps were formed from conscripted recruits, there wouldn't be much to worry about.
In less than two years, the new army would be filled with farmers who had put down their hoes and transported to the distant continent of Nubissia to participate in the colonial war.
One could only imagine the morale and fighting power of the new corps. Perhaps even the nikancha forces would be able to keep them out of the country.
Skri silently handed him a newspaper titled 'Today's Important News'. "Take a look at this first."
Claude looked at the news section that was outlined in red and his expression darkened.
The newspaper was published more than three months ago. It was also about Shiks wanting to lease Fochs Bay Colony to Cape Loducus.
However, it was mentioned that Prince Hansbach rebelled and colluded with Seaking and the Alliance to wipe out Aueras' Dreadnought in February of last year. After that, he released more than 300 thousand Shiksan captives from Rimodra, Askilin, and Sidins who had been forced to do hard labor.
Majid III sent envoys to reorganize the captives into five corps and paid Prince Hansbach a sum of money to rent the best port in Rimodra, Floric, and Sidins for the five corps to rest and recuperate.
According to the report, Shiks reorganized the captives into five corps in the hope that they would learn from humiliation and fight in the war against Aueras.
Then, they would join the colonial war against Aueras and use the blood of their enemies to wash away the humiliation of being a captive. They would use victory to repay Majid III for his trust and support.
Once the lease agreement for Cape Loducus was reached, the five corps would be the first to be sent to the colony. Claude's face was ashen.
The three hundred thousand captives were Shiksan soldiers from the first and second colonial wars and possessed a certain level of combat prowess.
That was especially true of the five corps, which numbered around three hundred thousand in the second colonial war. They were forced to surrender by Michaelci's strategy of cutting off the enemy's supply lines.
However, the new nobles of the kingdom coveted the free labor of the captives and used their families to migrate to the war theatre to supplement the five folk they were about to form. They came to an agreement with Michaelci and shipped the captives to the kingdom to be used as the main labor force for the development of the newly conquered territory.
Now, the three hundred thousand Shiksan captives were rearmed and formed into five standing corps.
They were veterans who were prepared to redeem themselves in the upcoming colonial war. They were much stronger than the new corps and wouldn't be easy to deal with.
Monolith and Thundercrash, on the other hand, had just transferred the veterans to the local garrisons and recruited a hundred thousand new recruits.
Even though they had completed their recruit training, they hadn't been on the battlefield and had no combat experience.
"Preposterous!"
Claude clenched his teeth and slammed his fist on the conference table. "I'm glad that we rejected Prince Hansbach's request to follow him. Otherwise, we would be traitors to our country!"