I'm the Dauphin in France

Chapter 840 The perfect plan

Joseph nodded: "Yes, the 4th Infantry Division will be the first to arrive at the Ardennes Plateau."

Massena was overjoyed. He waved his fist imperceptibly and said, "Great! With so many reinforcements, we can launch a counterattack against Ferdinand!"

After the armies of Thuringia and Upper Hesse were defeated, the Allied forces still had nearly 14 troops on paper, but 3 of them, led by the Duke of York, had just arrived north of the Ardennes Plateau and had not yet been put into the battlefield.

Another 1 troops were used to besiege the Luxembourg Fortress, so the main force actually fighting in the Ardennes Plateau was only about 5 people.

By the time the French Southern Netherlands Front arrives here, Massena will have 8 troops under his command.

If the 5 men of Oudinot's Legion who were hunting outside were recalled, the total number would be 8.

On the Ardennes Plateau, the number of French troops will be very close to that of the Allied forces.

If the difference in troop strength is not too big, the French army's combat effectiveness can definitely defeat the coalition forces.

Under this situation, Massena had enough confidence to achieve a great counterattack victory in Luxembourg.

He calmly planned again, looked at Joseph and said, "Your Highness, if the 4th Infantry Division can hold off Frederick's Corps for half a month, no, ten days will be enough, then I will be able to defeat Ferdinand's main force!"

Frederick was the name of the Duke of York.

He had never launched a counterattack before, on the one hand because of the large gap in troop strength, and on the other hand he was worried that if he formed a confrontation with the Brunswick Corps in Luxembourg, once the Duke of York arrived from the north, he would be trapped in one pincer attack.

But now that there is an elite force to stop the Duke of York, the situation is completely different.

However, the 1th Infantry Division had only 3 people, and it was not an easy task to hold off the Duke of York's -strong army for ten days.

Joseph thought about it and shook his head, saying, "I think there is no need to let the 4th Infantry Division be responsible for blocking.

"The Army of Wallonia and the Army of Artois, plus the American volunteers, a total of 1 men, should be enough to hold off Frederick for ten days.

"The Duke of York's troops have been very tired after a long march from Antwerp. We can use the Burgplatz Peak to set up a defense line."

Burgplatz Peak is the highest point in the north-central Ardennes. Although it is only over 500 meters above sea level, it is still usable terrain.

Massena looked more relaxed: "If they can complete the blocking mission, perhaps within ten days, we can achieve a decisive victory."

With the Royal 4th Infantry Division joining the offensive sequence, the combat plans he could implement became more diverse.

He continued: "Our army will abandon the front line of defense and then rush down the Ardennes Plateau from Diekirch and Le Dange, forming a pincer attack on the enemy's rear.

“If all goes well, we can cut off Ferdinand’s troops in the middle, or at least sever the enemy’s logistical supply lines.

"After that, we relied on our combat power advantage to continuously push the enemy forces to the southwest..."

He sighed with some regret: “It’s a pity that the enemy has surrounded the Luxembourg Fortress, and we can’t get in touch with General Berthier for the time being.

"If he could launch a simultaneous counterattack from the direction of Luxembourg City, it would deal a heavier blow to the enemy."

Joseph nodded: "The troops in Luxembourg City are indeed a bit of a waste."

Massena blamed himself and said, "I was worried that there were too many enemy troops besieging the fortress, so I asked Major Soult to bring a regiment to strengthen the defense there. Otherwise, we would have more troops available for counterattack..."

Joseph narrowed his eyes when he heard this: "You mean, Major Soult is in the Luxembourg Fortress?" "Yes, Your Highness."

Joseph couldn't help but smile: "Perhaps, the troops there will not be wasted."

He really had little confidence in Berthier's ability to command the legion in battle, but it would be a different story if Soult was there too.

Soult, the French marshal who was later described by Napoleon as "one of the Big Three", was known for his calmness and sharpness, and his ability to seize opportunities in battle was definitely among the top among European generals.

Joseph believed that he would be able to remind Berthier to launch a counterattack at the most appropriate time.

In this way, the battle in Luxembourg will enter the rhythm that Massena most hopes for.

Joseph listened to Massena's description of the subsequent combat deployment, and suddenly thought of something, raised his hand to interrupt him:

"Perhaps, we can trust General Berthier and Major Soult more."

Massena looked at him in surprise: "What do you mean?"

Joseph said: "After we cut off the enemy at the Diekirch line, if the Duke of Brunswick reacts quickly enough, he may immediately retreat northward to the north of the Sauer River.

"In that case, we will still face a decisive battle in the future."

Massena nodded when he heard this.

The coalition forces had nearly 100,000 troops. Even if the rear guard was attacked, the Duke of Brunswick might be able to gather 60,000 to 70,000 troops for retreat.

And if he then joined up with the Duke of York and defended the Sauer River, he would have to fight a tough battle if he wanted to advance into the Rhineland.

Joseph continued, “We should focus on annihilating the coalition forces.

"For example, lead the Duke of Brunswick's army deep into the Ardennes Plateau, and give the main offensive mission to General Berthier."

Massena is indeed a military genius. As soon as Joseph finished speaking, he quickly planned a specific battle plan in his mind: "You mean, our army pretends to be defeated and retreats in the Ardennes Plateau to attract the main force of the enemy to enter the southwest of Wiltz.

"Then General Berthier led the troops in Luxembourg City to the north from behind the enemy, crossed the Sauer River to attack Trier, and then went straight to Koblenz."

Koblenz is the most important ferry crossing in the northern section of the Rhine. Occupying it not only cuts off the Allied forces' retreat to the east bank of the Rhine, but also provides a bridgehead for continuing to attack the German hinterland.

Massena's eyes lit up with excitement as he spoke: "When the Duke of Brunswick gets the news, he will definitely panic. And our army will launch a pursuit battle in the Ardennes Plateau..."

He shook his head: "No, with our army's mobility, if we deploy in advance, we should be able to intercept the main force of the coalition forces south of the Sauer River...

"Or the enemy will retreat from the Burgplatz to Gelden, and we can leave the Walloon Army there...

"Oh, right? In this case, there is no need to recall the Oudinot Corps. Instead, let him join General Berthier. They will have nearly 20,000 troops and can even cross the Rhine and attack Nassau..."

He suddenly looked at Joseph and said seriously: "Your Highness, I must admit that the battle plan you proposed is the most perfect one! Our army will always take the initiative. Not only will it be possible to quickly occupy Koblenz, but it will also avoid a brutal decisive battle."

Joseph was a little embarrassed by what he said. He had only proposed a general direction, and the subsequent battle plans were all made by Massena himself.

(End of this chapter)