Like a deflated balloon, Birkin slumped back into the sofa.
He knew that Claude was right. The greatest weakness of occupying the northern mountainous region and deploying Monolith to wait for the enemy wasn't the lack of logistics and support for the frontlines. Even if the nikancha ambushed them along the way, they would be able to find a way to solve those problems.
What they feared the most was that the Shiksans wouldn't break through from the northern mountainous region. If that happened, all their preparations and even offending the nikancha would be for naught.
The Shiksans weren't like wild boars that only knew how to charge in a single direction. They would choose a direction that was advantageous to them and wouldn't clash with a well-equipped defensive formation. No commander would be willing to send their men to their deaths for no reason.
If the Shiksans chose the eastern mountainous region as their breakthrough point, the garrison stationed at the northern mountainous region would be in an extremely awkward position.
They couldn't retreat. If they did, the Shiksans might just take over the unguarded position and advance south. If that happened, the defence line they had set up at the northern mountainous region would be a waste of resources and morale.
However, there was no need to defend either, since the Shiksans weren't attacking from their direction. The garrison could only watch as the Shiksans attacked from another direction.
It didn't take a genius to figure out that the nikancha nation wouldn't be able to defend against the Shiksans with their measly military might.
When the nikancha nation was destroyed, the surviving nikancha youths would become captives. If the garrison in the northern mountainous region hadn't retreated by then, the Shiksans would only have to surround them and cut off their supply routes.
At that time, the Shiksans wouldn't have to waste their ammunition and lives. All they had to do was surround them for a while and the garrison would have no choice but to surrender.
That was, unless the theatre attacked the eastern border after conquering the northern mountains and fortified their defences there, leaving the Shiksans with no openings to exploit no matter which direction they attacked.
But that was impossible. Putting aside the possibility of the nikancha causing trouble in the background, the theatre wouldn't be able to divert that many garrison troops to defend the northern and eastern mountainous regions.
According to Birkin's plan, they would first occupy the northern mountainous region and set up a defensive line there before deploying Monolith there. They would rely on their sturdy, well-equipped positions and advanced rifles to stop the ten standing corps of Shiks.
That way, the garrison duties of each colony under the war zone's jurisdiction would be handled by the newly formed eighteen local garrison regiments, with Thundercrash acting as a mobile force responsible for providing support.
However, if the eastern mountainous region was added to the equation, Thundercrash would have to be deployed to the frontlines as well.
That way, the war theatre would no longer have any mobile reinforcements. If the Shiksans gathered Seaking and the Alliance's forces to attack the three port cities, it would be too late to rely on just one or two garrison lines to fight back and the port cities would fall.
"Actually, I don't think there's a need for us to be so nervous. The Shiksans won't be able to launch an attack in the next year or two."
Claude looked at the map for a while before sitting back down and pouring himself a cup of black tea.
Eiblont rapped the table with his finger. "Claude, just spit it out. What's the point of being mysterious?
This time, Shiks really did send ten standing corps and six hundred thousand soldiers to the border.
Even if you want us to calm down, you have to at least give us a reason. "
Claude smiled and asked, "Say, how many corps do you think Seaking and the Alliance fleet can escort to Cape Loducus?" "That's right," Claude said.
It was a simple question, but the generals found it odd. They didn't understand why Claude would ask such a question.
After looking at each other, Skri finally said, "Two corps. Before the third colonial war, they transported two standing corps to Port Vebator. I'm sure everyone knows that."
"Then, do you remember what happened in the half a year after they transported the two corps to Port Vebator?" Claude asked again.
Skri's eyes lit up. It seemed he understood what Claude was trying to say. "A food crisis.
After Shiks transported the two corps to Port Vebator, there were now four corps stationed in Port Vebator Colony, which caused a shortage of food.
In the end, they had no choice but to stop Seaking and the Alliance from resting and urgently transport a batch of provisions from Shiks.
"To solve the food crisis, the Shiksans started capturing nikancha on a large scale and enslaving them. Most of them were sent to the mines as slaves, which incited the nikancha to rebel.
At the same time, the two mercenary corps were dissatisfied with their cruel treatment of the nikancha and had no choice but to split their forces. That gave you an opportunity to win the third colonial war. "
"Ugh …" Claude said awkwardly, "I didn't ask you to tell me about my accomplishments.
The simple question I asked just now is that Shiks can only transport two corps to Cape Loducus with Seaking and the Alliance's fleet. However, the transport won't include the food and other necessities needed by those two corps.
"Usually, the merchant fleets travel between the two continents once in the first half of the year. Shiks, on the other hand, can only do that three times a year, which means they can only transport six corps.
After all, Seaking and the Alliance also need time to repair their ships and rest. They can't keep drifting at sea forever. Otherwise, even if the people on board can take it, the ships won't be able to.
"Even if Shiks and Fochs come to an agreement to lease Cape Loducus and start sending their corps over in the first half of next year, it'll take them at least two years to complete the mission.
"Don't forget about the issue of food. How much will six corps consume every month?
"When Shiks sends all ten corps to Cape Loducus, you can calculate how much food and other necessities the 600,000 people will need every day.
Even if Seaking and the Alliance make three trips a year, it'll barely be enough for ten corps. They'll have to think of another way to stock up on supplies during wartime.
"And that's just the problem of food. We'll also need to stock up on ammunition, guns, cannons and other military supplies.
"I've always wondered if Majid III knows anything about military affairs. He wants to use ten corps of 600,000 men to crush our theatre. That's a good strategy.
However, he definitely hasn't thought about how to distribute and transport the supplies needed for so many troops.
Six hundred thousand soldiers, ten standing corps, it sounds terrifying, but as long as we cut off their supply lines, we will have more than six hundred thousand captives and laborers waiting to be taken in by our war zone.
"Actually, we don't have to worry about the so-called invasion at all. As long as we drag this out for two to three years, the 600,000 men will become a heavy burden for Shiks. They'll be eating themselves up and Majid III will definitely regret his big words."
The atmosphere in the meeting room suddenly lightened up. Everyone was paying attention to the news that Shiks was going to send ten standing corps to Nubissia to continue the colonial war. The 600,000 soldiers were like a huge mountain weighing down on the hearts of those who knew about it.
Even Bolonik felt that the theatre was facing a tough situation. No matter how he calculated, the overwhelming advantage in numbers made it hard for the theatre to come up with a winning strategy.
"How could I forget that six hundred thousand men require rations too …" Bolonik slapped his forehead and smiled. "Claude, I feel much more relaxed now that you've analyzed the situation.
I haven't been able to sleep for the past two days after I received the report. Whenever I think about the ten corps, I feel like I'm being crushed by a mountain. Even turning around is difficult.
I forgot the marshal's teachings and made a mistake I shouldn't have. "
Eiblont asked after some thought, "Even if Majid III is a fool, Shiks should have qualified soldiers, right? Otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to quell the rebellion so quickly.
Those soldiers should know very well that the consumption of rations and other daily necessities for more than six hundred thousand people in ten standing corps would be a huge figure. They might have a way to solve this problem.
For example, they could gather supplies on the spot or get supplies from the colonies on the west coast. "
"If Shiks only rents Cape Loducus, they won't be able to gather enough supplies for 600,000 men on the spot.
Cape Loducus is the smallest colony of Fochs on Nubissia. It has a population of less than 20,000. While it's famous for its beautiful scenery, it's only a vacation spot for nobles and officials.
Most of the colony's landscape is pristine, with only a few farms and pastures. The only city is Cape Loducus, and most of the residents live by fishing. "
Claude finished reading the information he had on Cape Loducus. "It's simple. Given the current state of Cape Loducus, there's no way it can satisfy the rations of a corps, let alone ten.
Shiks' lease of Cape Loducus means they're just passersby and won't be able to change the state of the colony. The administrative authority is still in the hands of Fochs' colonial officials.
"If I were someone from the Shiksan military, I'd suggest Majid III buy Cape Loducus. Fochs happens to be interested in selling it as well.
"To ensure the daily rations of ten corps, we have to take control of Cape Loducus.
"When the first few corps arrive, they'll immediately start clearing the land and planting crops.
"That way, we'll have enough rations in two to three years.
"However, Majid III won't do that. The reason he sent ten corps and leased Cape Loducus is to wipe out the nikancha nation and continue the colonial war with us.
"We've lost three times in the war and even Port Vebator has been taken over by us, making it the eighth colony of our theatre. The nikancha rebelled and established an independent nation and kept attacking his colonies inland. Shiks has become the laughing stock of all the other colonial nations. That's an intolerable humiliation for Majid III.
Since they can't plant crops in Cape Loducus and shipping them by sea is a waste of time and resources, Shiks' only choice is to purchase rations and other daily necessities from the colonies on the west coast.
"As long as we send more spies into the colonies to monitor the food market, we'll be able to deduce the date of Shiks' attack the moment there's an abnormal rise in prices.
"We can also stock up on rations and sell them at a high price to make Shiks pay a higher price.
Of course, it will not be easy to collect and buy provisions for more than six hundred thousand troops in the West Coast colonies. Some of the West Coast colonies, like our overseas territories, have already been sufficiently developed.
Some are like the Shiksan colonies and focus on mining resources. Their rations are also purchased from other colonies.
"If Shiks buys rations, the price of rations on the west coast will rise. Under such circumstances, the best way to reduce costs is to fight for war.
"That's why I'm certain that when Shiks sends its ten corps to Cape Loducus, Majid III will order his army to attack the nikancha nation before they can even gather their forces.
"The way he sees it, the longer the nikancha nation exists, the longer his humiliation will be.
Only by completely destroying the nation built by slaves and punishing the rebellious slaves will they be able to wash away the humiliation they brought upon Shiks with the blood of the slaves and slaughter. "
Claude looked at the four generals in the meeting room. "That's the conclusion I came to. In fact, I believe that Shiks' first target isn't our colony, but the nikancha nation.
Destroying the nikancha nation will allow Shiks' standing corps to familiarize themselves with combat and recover their fighting power.
Secondly, they'll be able to get a large number of young captives to satisfy their labor needs. They can even sell them to the mining companies.
Thirdly, and most importantly, they'll be able to obtain the nikancha's food reserves to achieve their goal of fighting for war.
"What we need to do is to let the nikancha understand the hopeless situation they're about to face and make them come to us on their own to ask for our help against those damned Shiksans.
"However, due to the pitiful nature of the nikancha, we can't go to them and tell them that Shiks is sending ten corps to deal with them. Otherwise, they'll suspect that we're trying to deceive them and harm them.
"We can only lead the nikancha to discover this on their own. All we have to do is hide it. Even if the nikancha come to ask us about the authenticity of the information, we have to tell them that Shiks is looking for trouble with us and not them.
"That's the only way the nikancha will understand the severity of the situation and pay attention to the Shiksan forces gathered in Cape Loducus.
"The more Shiksan forces they gather, the more the nikancha will need our help.
"Only when they're faced with the threat of extinction will they willingly follow our command to defend against the Shiksan invasion.
"We can send some troops to set up a defensive line with the nikancha's help and lure the Shiksans deeper into the mountains.
"Perhaps the mountains occupied by the nikancha will be the best battlefield for us to wipe them out.
"At the same time, we can sell the light cannons we got from Shiks to the nikancha. Haven't they always wanted us to teach them how to use them?
"Personally, I think we can agree to that. The cannons are useless to us anyway, so we might as well trade them for some gold and silver.
"If they lose, the gold and silver will become Shiks' spoils of war. We might as well use it to strengthen the economy of our colony."