Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 43 Morin, a true tactical wish-granting machine

An uproar erupted in the temporary camp headquarters.

"What? A counterattack?"

"Weren't they just driven back? How come they've recovered so quickly?"

How many reinforcements are there?

The officers were abuzz with discussion, and a sense of unease quickly spread.

"Quiet!"

Major Thomas growled, silencing the commotion, and took a deep breath before continuing:
"The brigade headquarters' orders are clear: hold Seville! Keep the enemy here until our armored airships arrive to provide support."

"Hold on to Sevilla?"

The command post fell silent the moment the order was given.

Many officers looked at each other, unsure of how to hold their ground.

For these Saxon officers, who were used to fighting in open terrain, conducting defensive operations in cities was actually a somewhat unfamiliar 'proposition'.

Or rather, for the armies of various countries in this era, all battles ended outside the cities.

Moreover, the major battles and conflicts between the various empires took place in overseas colonies, which obviously did not have many large cities, let alone fights in cities.

Major Thomas felt a sense of helplessness as he looked at the reactions of his officers.

Isn't he the same?

In the past, whether in the army or military academies, the teaching focused on how to command troops in field operations, but never on how to fight in cities.

At this time, due to the Saxon Army's habit of 'mission-based command', the brigade headquarters did not give any specific tactical instructions to the regiments and battalions, only saying that they should hold Seville.

As for how to defend it?
Then it's up to each of us to rely on our own abilities, but you have to carry out my orders anyway.

Of course, one person in the battalion reacted differently from the others, and that was Morin.

If others felt confused and at a loss after hearing this order, he was completely bewildered.

Isn't this just preparing for urban warfare?
After platooning charges and hand-to-hand combat, street fighting is now the next priority.

So you've encountered all the most brutal war scenarios in such a short time?
In the midst of this suffocating silence, someone, I don't know who, was the first to turn their gaze to Morin, who was standing in the corner.

Then, the second, the third
More and more people unconsciously turned their attention to this young lieutenant who had created a miracle on the battlefield.

Captain Hauser, the other company commanders, and even Major Thomas, the battalion commander, all focused their attention on Morin.

Their eyes were filled with expectation, dependence, and a hint of almost blind trust that they themselves were unaware of.

"no."

When Morin noticed the gazes of others, he almost fainted.

What's going on?
Why is everyone looking at me?
Am I some kind of tactical wish-granting machine? Can I just shake it and get ideas?

At this moment, Morin could clearly sense that the officers of the 1st Battalion had subconsciously developed a kind of 'path dependence' on him after experiencing a series of battles.

His composure and tactical skills, which surpassed those of others, made him the first person they thought of when faced with a problem.

"Lieutenant Morin."

Major Thomas finally broke the silence.

"You just graduated from military academy, where you learned the latest military theories. What are your thoughts on urban warfare?"

All eyes were fixed on Morin, anticipating what other groundbreaking tactics he would come up with.

At this point, Morin knew he couldn't escape it any longer.

He knew in his heart that now was not the time to hide his abilities, as this concerned the lives of hundreds of people in the entire 1st Battalion, including himself.

If he doesn't say something, the Saxon officers will likely lead their troops into the meat grinder in the most primitive way.

He took a deep breath and quickly reviewed all the knowledge he had learned about urban warfare in the military academy before his transmigration, as well as all the knowledge he had gained from various war histories and case studies.

Then reorganize it using a language that people in this world can understand.

"Major Thomas, colleagues. Since you all trust me, I'll just offer some of my humble opinions." Morin took a step forward, took the pencil handed to him by the battalion staff officer, and stood in front of the map.

"What we are about to face is a street battle."

"street fighting?"

"That's right, it's a battle in the city's maze-like streets and alleys. So the first thing we need to understand is that we must completely abandon traditional combat thinking."

Maureen's first words immediately drew everyone's attention.

“The city is not the wilderness. There are no open battle lines or secure rear areas. Every building and every street can become an independent battlefield.”

Morin picked up a pencil and drew a circle on the map around the area under the jurisdiction of the 1st Battalion.

"Therefore, my first suggestion is to break it down into smaller parts."

"Break it into parts?"

Major Thomas frowned. He could understand the word, but not its specific meaning.

"Yes, break it down into smaller parts."

Morin nodded and quickly sketched several diagrams representing positions on the map with a pencil.

"We can no longer rigidly construct a single defensive line based on companies. We must break up our troops and disperse them into squads and platoons, into every key building."

He looked at everyone and explained:
"Our goal is not to hold a line, but to control an area."

“Each building we occupy is an independent stronghold. These strongholds support each other and form a large network with crossfire.”

"If the enemy charges blindly, they will suffer heavy losses. If they want to advance, they must remove our obstacles one by one. In this way, we can deplete their forces to the maximum extent and delay their attack."

"Disperse the troops into the buildings?"

Captain Hauser stroked his chin and then voiced the doubts that others had also had.

"What about command? The troops are scattered, how can we give orders? What if we are surrounded by the enemy at any point, and we don't even know it?"

"That's my second point: changing the way we move."

Morin drew a line between two adjacent buildings on the map.

"We will resolutely avoid going through the streets if we can avoid it! The streets are the fire zones for both sides! All our personnel mobilization and supply transportation must be carried out through the interior of buildings."

“I’ve observed that there are many rows of buildings on the streets of Seville, and they are all brick and tile structures, so they can be demolished quickly even without explosives! Therefore, we drilled holes in the walls of adjacent buildings to connect the entire block as much as possible!”

"Drill a hole in the wall?" a platoon leader exclaimed in surprise. "Is that even possible?"

"Why not?" Morin retorted. "We have entrenching tools, pickaxes, and the supply corps even carried some explosives!"

The officers exchanged bewildered glances. Morin's ideas completely overturned their understanding of warfare. This wasn't war; it was demolishing houses.

But upon closer reflection, they realized that what Morin said made a lot of sense.

The most dangerous places in a city are open streets. If you can avoid the streets and move freely inside buildings, your safety and mobility will undoubtedly be greatly improved.

However, other officers raised new concerns.

"Lieutenant Morin, if the enemy breaches one building, wouldn't they be able to move to other buildings as well?"

Upon hearing his question, Maureen countered with a question of his own:

"Are our soldiers carrying fire sticks? Don't they think they'll open fire once the enemy enters the building?"

"Wouldn't that mean fighting indoors?"

"Is there a problem? The enemy's forces will also be scattered and tied up inside the building."

Morin paused for a moment, then looked at each of the officers around him with a very serious expression.

"Gentlemen, I hope you can temporarily forget those past experiences. Urban warfare is an extremely brutal battle, and there will be no safe place in the entire city!"

"If we want to achieve final victory, we can only do so with blood and willpower!"

(End of this chapter)