industrial lord

Chapter 522 How to get to the destination
The regiment commander is not at home. Now the highest commander of the 32nd Regiment is the regiment chief of staff Gauss. After receiving the order for the entire regiment to go to the training ground for assessment, he immediately convened a meeting of all the battalion commanders and company commanders of the regiment.

The map has been hung on the wall of the conference room. Military maps are much more detailed than civilian maps, marking contour lines, the width of roads and bridges, water sources, etc.

There is a main road from the regiment’s base to the destination, which is clearly marked on the map.

Gauss said to everyone in the conference room: "The division headquarters asked us to go to the training ground on our own to meet up with the regiment commander for a military skills assessment. They only specified the arrival time and didn't say anything else."

"There was no notice for this assessment. The regiment commander went directly from the division headquarters to the training ground. I guess this was intentional by the division headquarters and there is some purpose behind it."

"So everyone should behave well, maybe there will be unexpected surprises."

At this time, a battalion commander asked: "Chief of Staff, did the division headquarters say that Heijiabao wanted to participate?"

They are all veterans with many years of experience. The imaginary enemy troops from Heijiabao will appear in every exercise, and several officers even came from there.

According to the routine, during the exercise, as soon as you leave the military camp, there will be sword masters and magic gods staring at you, waiting to give you a big blow.

Gauss shook his head and said, "No."

This is also a routine, they don’t know how much they have suffered.

"Then consider it as if you have it."

This proposal was unanimously agreed by everyone.

Next, we began to study the marching route.

The 32nd Regiment did not have enough horse-drawn carriages to accommodate passengers, only enough to carry baggage, so the soldiers could only walk on foot.

Marching in winter is very difficult, especially since it snowed not long ago. Walking slowly and being slippery is one thing, but the most worrying thing is the non-combat casualties caused by the cold.

Marching more than 200 kilometers is a bit difficult for a regiment. If the distance is short, they can arrive quickly by forced march. If the distance is long, they can ask for support from the division's transport vehicles according to regulations. If the distance is even longer, they can apply for cooperation from the railway department.

According to the current regulations of the Wesson Army, in non-war situations, infantry can walk 20 kilometers a day on long-distance marches on foot, 30 kilometers a day on dispersed marches, and up to 50 kilometers a day if all members ride in horse-drawn carriages.

These distances allow for sustained combat, camping and rest time for soldiers and livestock.

The time given by the division headquarters was sufficient, but this time it was not just the 32nd Regiment that went to the training ground. There was also the 33rd Regiment. The first one to arrive could grab the house close to the canteen and bathroom first.

So everyone was discussing how to speed up the march.

At this time, Metzger raised his hand to speak.

Putting aside his legendary military achievements, he and the division commander Eugene had a friendship because they had fought together and were punished by Frederick to shovel horse manure. With him in the delegation, he had extra connections in the division headquarters.

Everyone is willing to listen to his opinions, except during meals.

After Gauss nodded, Metzger said, "Based on my understanding of the division commander, he said that if we go to the training ground on our own, it means that as long as we arrive on time, he doesn't care how we get there. He gives us a lot of autonomy, as long as we don't break the law."

"Oh?" Gauss's eyes lit up. "Are you sure?"

If this is the case, there is a lot of room for maneuver.

Metzger replied: "I can assure you that he is the type of person who leaves the unimportant little things to his subordinates and only takes care of the key arrangements."

Gauss nodded and let him continue.

Metzger continued, "There was a new recruit in our company named Zopel who had worked in the shipyard."

"I heard him say that every night there is a special train from the timber processing plant in Putz to transport wood to the shipyard, even in winter."

"The trains that transported timber were all double-engined trucks with many carriages. But there wasn't much being transported back from the shipyard, so the trains were empty."

Everyone's eyes lit up. It was so cold, and taking the train was certainly more comfortable than walking.

A freight car could hold 40 soldiers and eight horses, and an infantry unit could hold a platoon of 8 soldiers and a large amount of supplies. The regiment staff had already calculated that at least 36 cars were needed to transport a regiment, including its personnel and equipment, and 50 cars were needed if field supplies were included.

Although it is not known how many carriages the shipyard's timber-carrying train has, it is certain that there are not too few. It is estimated that the troops can be transported to Putz Province in 3 to 5 days, and after getting off the train near the training ground, they can walk to the destination in half a day.

Gauss immediately asked Metzger to take Zopel and a communications staff officer from the regiment to the shipyard with a communicator to inquire about the situation, and report immediately if they could get on the train.

Although you have to pay for taking the train, it is much less than walking all the way and having to eat and drink on the way.

Metzger had a driver's license, so he immediately drove the regiment's van to the shipyard more than ten kilometers away.

The negotiations went smoothly. The shipyard and local railway representatives were worried that the military support work targets for this year had not been completed by December, and they would just use empty cars to transport the troops, so they agreed immediately.

"Are there enough compartments?!" Gauss spoke to Metzger on the communicator.

Metzger's voice came from the communicator: "Yes, there are 40 trains carrying timber, and there is another passenger train going there early in the morning in the city. It's cold now and there is no one there, so it's basically empty."

"I've calculated that with trucks carrying supplies and people, and some people taking buses, the entire group can be transported away in one day."

Gauss immediately asked: "What conditions do they have?"

Metzger replied, "The shipyard said we just need to help unload the wood from the train tonight."

Gauss immediately replied happily: "No problem, I agree!"

It's just physical work, a piece of cake for the army.

Gauss asked about the arrival and departure time of the truck, and asked Metzger to make some arrangements there so that when the large group arrived tonight there would at least be hot water to drink.

The 32nd Regiment immediately assembled urgently. The battalion commanders had people pack their luggage and move supplies. Lunch was postponed for an hour and an additional meal was provided. After the meal, they collected weapons and ammunition and went to the shipyard.

The staff began to plan the march route to the shipyard and after getting off the train, and to arrange the remaining troops.

A staff officer found Gauss and said, "Chief of Staff, this is the report sent to the division headquarters. Please review it."

Gauss took the draft report, read it, thought about it, and said, "You can't write it like this. I'll write it."

The original report stated that the 32nd Regiment would depart by train, but Gauss wrote simply that the entire regiment would depart before p.m.

He then contacted Metzger and told him to do this and that.

At lunch, the reports of the 32nd and 33rd Regiments arrived at the division headquarters one after another. Eugene read them at the dining table and then showed them to the other regiment commanders.

Division Chief of Staff Erich commented: "The 32nd Regiment said that the entire regiment will be able to set out before 33 o'clock this afternoon. This is a very fast response. The rd Regiment will not set out until tomorrow morning."

Holding the report of the 33rd Regiment, he nodded and said, "The 33rd Regiment has a detailed marching plan. The three battalions, the regiment headquarters and the subordinate units will march in four separate routes to avoid being crowded together. It is expected to arrive at the training ground in about 8 days."

"They sent out an advance team this afternoon to scout the road conditions and prepare cold-weather supplies in advance. They are very well prepared."

It was clear that he was very satisfied with the 33rd Regiment's thorough preparations.

Walter, the head of the 33rd Regiment, said: "We have plans to deal with various situations, including the plan to go to the training ground."

Erich nodded with satisfaction, but he was a little dissatisfied with the 32nd Regiment. After taking another look at the report with only one line of words, he said to Erwin a little angrily: "Does the 32nd Regiment intend to make a plan on the way?"

Erwin was also confused and didn't understand what Gauss was doing, but he still had to speak well of his partner: "Gauss had fought there in the late stage of the Trade Route War. He is familiar with the road and terrain. The map is in his mind and he can make adjustments at any time."

Erich obviously disagreed with this statement. He shook his head and said to the staff officer who came to deliver the documents: "Notify the 32nd Regiment and ask them to send the detailed plan before sunset tomorrow."

Eugene said to Erich, "Forward these two reports to Heijiabao. They can take action tomorrow."

The commanders of the 32nd and 33rd Regiments looked a little grim. They hoped that their chiefs of staff and battalion commanders would be prepared for this.

(End of this chapter)