I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 1195 Concentrating Forces
After four days of discussion among the coalition's military leaders, the overall strategic direction for the operation against France was finally finalized.

Next, the staff officers of each country began to formulate specific combat plans.

Of course, the main focus was on the General Staffs of Prussia and Austria. Austria followed Prussia's lead last year and established a General Staff modeled after France, but it was a subordinate department of the Royal Military Council. Britain did not have a General Staff yet, so it left the arrangement to Prussia and Austria.

The British and Prussian commanders emerged from the conference hall side by side, bowed politely to each other, and then walked off in opposite directions.

Prince Hornloe and the other foreigners in the corridor had all moved away before turning to the Duke of Brunswick and whispering, "It would be best if you personally led three Royal Guard infantry divisions and a hussar division to remain along the Cologne-Nassau line. If the French defenses on the western front falter, immediately cross the river and attack Trier and Palatinate."

"As for Switzerland, let the main brigade and the National Army handle it. There shouldn't be any fierce fighting there."

The Prussian Royal Guard was an elite force, while the soldiers in the main brigades were mostly newly conscripted peasants with relatively weak combat capabilities.

For Prussia, the core objective was to reclaim the Rhineland; attacking Switzerland would only help Austria reclaim Italy, and there was no need for them to exert too much effort.

“I completely agree with you,” the Duke of Brunswick nodded. “I trust that young staff officer will make reasonable arrangements.”

Although the top military leaders of various countries unanimously agreed to concentrate their forces during the meetings over the past few days, there is still room for maneuver in how to concentrate them.

Prince Hornloe continued, "I have heard that the Danes have made it clear that they have refused to join the anti-French coalition. This gives us the opportunity to obtain Kiel."

Kiel is a city in southern Denmark bordering Prussia, specifically in the Schleswig-Holstein region. According to a secret agreement between Britain and Prussia, Kiel and the former Pomerania would be Prussia's "benefits."

But after Sweden decided to join the anti-French coalition, it could only keep its sights on Danish territory—the former Pomerania belonged to Sweden.

“The Danish army is not difficult to deal with,” said the Duke of Brunswick. “A small force can be deployed to achieve victory. This should be implemented before the decisive battle with the French begins…”

Meanwhile, the Duke of York, the Commander-in-Chief of the British Army, encountered his Foreign Secretary in front of the gates of Schönbrunn Palace.

"So you're in Vienna too?"

Lord Hawkesburg quickly bowed to the British prince, saying, "Your Highness, I am here to sign the second aid agreement with Earl Kobtzel."

The two then walked together out of Schönbrunn Palace.

"Your Highness, did the Marquis Wellesley not come with you?" Lord Hawkesburg asked, somewhat surprised.

This most capable British army general should not have been absent from the most important military conference of the Allied forces.

The Duke of York sighed: "Last month, the Spanish launched a fierce attack on Porto. He had to stay behind to reinforce the defenses."

Lord Hawkesburg turned his head and said, "It seems we should urge His Highness Regent João to send troops as soon as possible."

The Duke of York nodded. He knew that the Portuguese-Brazilian alliance was about to launch an attack on Spanish colonies in South America, which would tie down a large number of Spanish troops—New Granada was Madrid's financial lifeline.

The Foreign Minister continued, "The Americans will also give France a huge 'surprise' before the war in Europe begins."

The two approached the British prince's carriage. The Duke of York gestured towards the carriage: "Would you like to come back to Hanover with me?"

"Thank you for your invitation, Your Highness. But I still have to go to St. Petersburg."

The Duke of York frowned slightly: "Haven't the Russians already stated that they have no intention of joining the war against France?"

Lord Hawkesburg smiled confidently. "Trust me, they will come." "Oh? How did you come to that conclusion?"

“I have met Alexander I several times. He is a very ambitious tsar with an extremely high opinion of himself,” the Foreign Minister said. “He acquired the South Caucasus and East Poland so easily that he is like a wolf that has tasted blood. I am confident that I can persuade him.”

The Duke of York nodded and was about to turn and get into the carriage when he stopped and said, "Frankly speaking, given the strength and strategic deployment of the Allied forces, the lack of Russian troops will not affect our ability to defeat the French."

“You’re right,” Lord Hawkesburg nodded, lowering his voice slightly. “But we need to introduce a force to prevent Austria from spiraling out of control after France’s decline. You know, it is because of the ‘threat of the Orthodox Church’ that the German states cannot do without us.”

A week after the British left Vienna, the Allied staff formulated the entire battle plan—

The total number of troops deployed at the beginning of the war was 45, and at least 14 more soldiers were recruited within six months of the start of the war.

The main force will be concentrated in Italy, including 180,000 men from two Austrian fronts, 50,000 British soldiers recruited from the German states, and 23,000 soldiers from the Hanoverian army.

A total of 25 troops.

Prussia's 7 troops will be deployed on the right bank of the Rhine, both to guard against a sudden French attack across the Rhine and to tie down a large number of French troops in the Rhineland region.

Meanwhile, Prussia's 6-strong Swiss Army attacked Zurich, opening up the Alpine passage for the Allied forces.

2 British soldiers will launch an attack on the Netherlands.

In addition, 3 British troops and 2 Saxon troops launched a feint attack on Baden from Württemberg. These 5 men could turn south at any time to support the Swiss front or cross the Alps to Italy.

In other words, under extreme circumstances, northern Italy could muster an army of 36!
This completely eliminated the problem of the coalition forces being dispersed during the previous anti-French coalition.

……

Little Poland region.

Melec, a major town in the northern part of Sandomierz province, Poland.

This area is on the northern side of the Carpathian Mountains and is now occupied by Austria.

Starting from here, Warsaw is 250 kilometers to the north, and the route is almost entirely flat except for two tributaries of the Vistula River.

Having acquired this territory, Austria was completely reassured about the weakened Poland—which had only 3 troops and whose capital was indefensible.

At this moment, the newly appointed Governor of Sandomeze, Marquis Prosno, was frowning as he looked at the two or three hundred people in the church square.

Those were nobles from Melec, protesting the empire's decision to abolish serfdom before maintaining the Polish parliament.

Yes, Vienna took over the allocation of land to the serfs in order to avoid provoking their protests.

Of course, Warsaw's previous land policy was too radical, so on the advice of Count Spielmann, the Minister of the Interior, it was changed to a redemption payment of serfs equivalent to 15 years of land tax.

This can be considered as accumulating experience for Austria's future serf reform.

(End of this chapter)