A/N: The views of General Ketchener regarding "colonials" are his, not mine.
Southern Campaign Pt I: Ketchener's Advance
40 years after the Great War
Londinium
Good evening everyone, and welcome back to our program continuing to explore the near-mythical figures connected with the Great war. I'm your host, Andrew WTN special correspondent.
Tonight, we are moving on to an often-overlooked part of the War: The Southern Campaign. Although it is not nearly as well-remembered as events such as Operation Revolving Door, the Moscau Raid or the second Normandie landings, it is no less important than any other part of the conflict.
Indeed, the Southern Campaign holds some very important events including the Massacre at Tripoli and the first major defeat of the forces of the Allied Kingdom and the Commonwealth on land.
It is that defeat we are to look at today. – Andrew WTN special correspondent.
September 9th Unified Year 1925 06:00
Commonwealth North Afrika Command Centre, Iskandria
Lieutenant General Horatio Ketchiner groaned as he rolled in his bed. His head throbbed painfully, an unfortunate side effect of overindulging in the twenty-four-year-old scotch he'd been saving for a special occasion. It had gone down far too easily, and his old bones were paying for that now. It had been worth it though, the comrades he'd bid farewell to on their journey to protect the home country deserved the very best he had to see them off.
He just wished he could have gone with them.
He reached an unsteady arm towards his bedside table and fumbled around for his pocket watch to check the time. The timepiece, along with a barony and its noble title, had been a gift from the royal family for his distinguished service. He cared little for the lordly label, but he prized the watch as much as any of his military awards. It was proof that his opinion had once been respected, that he had been needed.
That seemed like a long time ago now.
Is that really the time? Where the hell is my batman? He thought wondering what might have happened to his personal attendant, the man had never been late before. Then he realised how foolish that question was.
Oh, that's right, he's been called away too. He remembered, feeling a wave of melancholy at being left behind when so many good men had been recalled. An old soldier like him wasn't required for this war and any opinions or advice he might wish to give would simply be ignored. His only purpose was to stuff a uniform and decorate Iskandaria.
He'd long fallen out of favour with the ruling elite of the Allied Kingdom. He'd been told his views on maintaining the Commonwealth through forceful intervention was outdated. Greater autonomy and democratic freedoms were the order of the day; no longer did Albion gentlemen carefully guide the colonies with the benefit of their education and wisdom. Now they were to pick their own leaders and eventually choose their own destinies. They were being given the opportunity to choose their own paths, even though it may lead them to ruin.
Ketchener was not part of any of those destinies. He was seen as a walking symbol of the old way of running things. Even his title of Consul-General was seen as an outdated concept and much of his powers over the Gyptian government had been reduced. He was sure he would be the last man to hold this title. The last man of Albion to be given the task of defending the shifting sands beneath their feet.
His past triumphs in the wars in South Afrika, the uprising in the Raj and his defence of the Suez against Rumeli aggression were no longer viewed as great achievements. They were now symbols of oppression and failures of diplomacy. Nothing more than symptoms of what they called "a poorly run colonial administration." He was still praised for his military tactics and ability to command, but now everyone asked if he should have been there in the first place. His past glories and the memories of those he had fought alongside were being pushed aside and forgotten.
Modern politics meant that he was no longer an acceptable face to have around. He'd been sent here so he was out of the way; a symbol like him was an embarrassment. They probably hoped he'd simply retire and fade into obscurity; but he had no other life outside the military, no family other than a niece that shared his namesake. He'd given everything for Crown and country and now they no longer wanted him.
He let out a heavy sigh as he lifted his aching body out of bed. The morning was already bright and hot, despite the early hour, worsening the feeling of dehydration. Despite the years he had served the Crown in the warmer parts of the Commonwealth, he'd never quite grown used to the heat and he was already beginning to sweat.
What he needed now was a cup of tea and a wash, but without his valet, he felt a little lost. He would need to find someone else to acquire these things for him and he'd likely have to tend to his uniform himself until he found a suitable replacement. It had been quite some time since he'd had to polish his boots himself.
His thoughts were interrupted by a polite rap at the door. He threw on his dressing gown and crossed the room to answer, cursing with annoyance as he attempted to force away the pain that assailed his temples.
"Yes? What is it?" He inquired, perhaps a little too irritably as he flung the door open.
A young Indus soldier from the Allied Raj 12th Frontier Force stood nervously in front of him, frozen stiff by the older man's sudden apparent annoyance. This was one of the many colonial regiments passing through on their way to defend God's blessed islands of Albion. At the moment, there were Indius, Nova Australians and New Cambrian's roaming around the place under his nominal, - if temporary, command.
Ketchiner fought off a sigh as he stared down at the man, had the Allied kingdom fell so low that it needed to call on people like this to rally to its defence? The boy looked no older than 18 and was terrified of a doddering old man like him. How would he face up against one of the vile Hun when he charged at the poor fellow with a bayonet and his spikey helm?
The fellows from the Allied Raj were nice enough chaps, but they obviously weren't suited to soldiery. They were born to tend the fields and serve their betters, an important and noble task to be sure but they were not born to rule and protect. Compared to the grit and determination of an Albion gentleman, these men were nothing but peasants given arms. They would likely break the moment they saw the enemy; the poor fellows simply weren't made for this.
Still, at least he now had someone who could be relied upon to fetch him a decent cup of tea.
"General." The man stuttered with a heavy accent while hastily assembling a salute, "Lieutenant Colonel Bastine needs to see you in the command centre."
"Bastine?" Ketchiner asked with confusion before remembering the name of his new temporary second in command. He was a mage commanding the 9th NANCAC Magic Reconnaissance company, another temporary colonial regiment assigned to him while they awaited transport to Albion. At least this one had a bit of Albish blood in him, although it had doubtlessly been watered down by now. Ketchiner hadn't yet decided whether the man was trustworthy, he might have inherited the criminal nature of one of his Nova Australian ancestors.
"I see. Go fetch me some water to wash with and a pot of tea. There's a good man." Ketchiner ordered as he began shooing the soldier away. The young soldier seemed confused by this and stared at him for a few moments before glancing towards the command centre and back again.
"Hop to it man! I haven't got all day!" Ketchener said in a firm but not unfriendly tone, causing the young soldier to snap back into life and begin his newly assigned duties.
Ketchener retreated into his room and began preparing his Khaki uniform, silently wishing they still wore the old red coat rather than the drab brown. Before long, the Indian soldier returned with the tea and water he had requested and Ketchener quickly washed and shaved while the tea served to chase his headache away.
As he finished his morning grooming rituals, he paid particular attention to his moustache. Although the army had long since abolished the necessity for all soldiers to sport facial hair across their upper lip, Ketchener refused to abandon the old tradition. In his mind, it was as much a part of his uniform as his hat or jacket, and he would sooner melt in the desert heat than dress improperly in front of his troops.
After some last-minute adjustments to his uniform, he strode out confidently and headed towards the command centre. With the benefit of years of parade ground practice, he kept his back straight and maintained a healthy marching speed despite his advancing age and the previous evening's excesses. He was the leader of these men and he would set an example, regardless of their background or the aches and pains his body possessed.
As he strode into the war room, he was surprised to find it full of activity. So much so that his own presence went undetected by the various officers in the room. There was usually very little to do, outside of the routine duties they performed on behalf of the Gyption government, that was why so many of his staff had been recalled to Albion. Nowadays they mostly dealt with the additional administration required to keep track of all the troops en route to the Allied Kingdom.
The Chaotic atmosphere made it clear that something important had happened.
"Gentlemen." He greeted, clearing his throat, finally gathering their attention. One could only hope that whatever news they had received was the cause of their breach of etiquette, rather than that they were deliberately ignoring him.
"General." A tall slender Australasian man wearing a slouch hat greeted him eventually, snapping him a salute that matched the namesake of his headwear. "We've had a bit of rum news from intelligence, it looks like those Imperial buggers have landed a force in Ildoan Libya. We thought they might be trying a strike at the Francois while they are reorganising, but reports suggest they are heading this way instead."
Despite the man's lackadaisical salute and coarse manner, Bastine's report was concise and informative enough that he got the picture, even with the accent. He supposed his lapse in etiquette was forgivable, he'd heard the man had been promoted up the ranks, so it was unsurprising he was a little rough around the edges. Perhaps he might not be such a bad man to have under his command after all.
His thoughts did not linger on the man for long however as a thrill of excitement filled his chest as he crossed over to the large map table that dominated the room. He had expected he would be forced to sit out this war and watch helplessly as his countrymen gave their lives in defence of the Commonwealth, but the Imperials had handed him a way to help. This was his chance to prove he was still useful, to do his part for Queen and country.
But why attack the Commonwealth forces first? They might not have been the best equipped at the moment due to so much of their matériel being diverted to the homeland, but they had plenty of troops available. Especially with so many being sent through the Suez. Did they really expect that they could take a position as fortified as the Canal before De Lugo moved to counter?
"The Airfield." Ketchener thought out loud as he saw the exposed airstrip on the map. Precious few Republican aeroplanes had escaped the fall of Francois, leaving the problem of air superiority in the hands of the Allied Kingdom's air force.
They didn't have many planes left after the colony had been emptied of almost everything that could defend the homeland. However, once Londinium learned the Imperials were here, they would send reinforcements to keep the skies in their control. That was why the airfield must be their target. If they dealt a blow to the airfield itself, they could deal with the still reorganising Free Republican Army without fear from the skies. This Imperial commander was a cunning one.
"That's what I thought Sir. I've already given orders to begin fortifying the airstrip."
A wise and logical move to be sure, any good officer would no doubt do the same but Ketchener wanted more, he wanted a chance to hurt the Imperials for their transgressions. He wanted a chance to make a difference.
"Good man! What do we know about their disposition, who and what are we up against?"
"Early estimates are two to four divisions of light infantry, some armour and anything up to a regiment of mages." Bastine replied before his tone turned grave, "We also have unconfirmed reports of both the Devil of the Rhine and the Saint with them. Their Commander is also very experienced, a veteran of the Rhine front, Lieutenant-General von Romel."
Ketchener didn't bother to ask how they knew so much, he had already known they had a man in Tripoli keeping an eye on the Ildoans. He may have been considered a has-been, but Mr John was at least kind enough to drop in for a cup of tea and to reveal his presence. It was clear the spy had passed on the intelligence as soon as the Imperials had arrived.
"Sounds like they're outfitted for a manoeuvre battle. Surround the airfield and attack from all sides, pick us off at their leisure eh?" Ketchener observed casually as he continued studying the map of his domain. Light infantry, fast vehicles and mages could overwhelm a much larger force if they were given room to move and the desert gave them plenty of space.
"Hardly sporting of them don't you think? The airfield isn't very defensible, I think we should choose to play this little game by our own rules." He grinned feeling younger than he had in years. It was time to do what he did best.
"General?" Bastine asked with confusion.
"We'll sally forth and meet them here." Kitchener explained pointing at the map, "The geography means they can't flank with the tanks, he'll be forced to send everything down this stretch of the line. We'll end this Romel's little adventure right here."
"But Sir, we don't have enough heavy stuff we can use to take out the armour!" Bastine objected, looking shocked that Ketchener had even suggested the idea.
"Nonsense Man! What about the new 40mm anti mage rifles? They'll be more than enough for light armour." Perhaps he'd been wrong about the man, didn't he see the opportunity they had here? A solid victory here could cause the Empire to rethink their dominion over Europa. Perhaps Albion's blood didn't run as thick in this man as he'd hoped.
"They haven't arrived yet sir, everything was routed to Albion."
"Damn! Then take the guns from the Iskandaria garrison." He continued undeterred; he wouldn't let this chance go to waste. "They won't do the Gyption troops any good if Romel gets passed us anyway."
Bastine looked ready to argue but Ketchener hit him with an iron glare. He'd stared down armies before, he would not put up with the nonsense of a man half his age, he knew what he was doing.
"Permission to take my mages out to slow the enemy advance, Sir." The Nova Australian asked instead, "If we do this we'll need to get to the pass and fortify it before they get there first, we need more time."
Ketchener smiled broadly before giving his approval. He felt like he was finally getting a good reading of the man. He wasn't a coward but was rather cautious. Not a terrible trait for an officer, but sometimes a man needed to gamble everything on the roll of the dice and now was that time.
"Get the planes in the air to support and get everyone else ready to move out," He ordered to the other officers hovering around as Bastine left to stall the enemy. "I'll be leading this one myself."
He strode out the door before anyone could argue, he wasn't about to ask anything of his men that he wasn't willing to do himself. Besides, these troops would need his experience and guidance.
He'd prefer to have a proper Albion regiment for this battle, but he would make do. They might be colonials, but they had still signed up to do their duty. That showed they had courage, even the troops from the Raj could be put to decent use with that attitude.
As God as my witness, I'll make every man jack of them a hero before this is over!
He reached into his pocket and glanced at his watch, feeling a warm sense of pride as he relived old battles fought long ago. He would add a new victory to their number. He would show his detractors that he was still useful, and he would show the Empire the folly of their little expedition. But he would do it not for himself. He would do this, as he always had, for Crown and Country.
For the Queen.
For the Commonwealth.
XxxxxX
September 10th Unified Year 1925 17:00
Gyption Western Desert, 70 miles from Iskandria
"Here they come again!" Grantz heard one of his comrades warn as he turned to see another group of Commonwealth mages racing towards the expeditionary force again. "Two companies, one-o-clock."
They'd been weathering hit and run attacks from the enemy since they'd crossed the Gyption border. The Mages seemed to appear out of nowhere and attack them before they had time to react. They'd strike and disappear into the dunes without a trace, they never knew when they'd reappear again, meaning everyone was on edge.
It felt like their advance had slowed almost to a crawl and any hopes that they might have caught the Allied Kingdom's colonial forces by surprise had been dashed. They now knew they were advancing towards a prepared enemy and everyone was dreading the inevitable confrontation waiting for them in the sands.
"These guys certainly are persistent I'll give them that." He heard the Commander call with undisguised annoyance. "It's always such a pain fighting people who are dedicated to their work."
She was right as always, these guys were no joke. They attacked regularly and hit hard, targeting the relatively undefended tanks and infantry before disappearing again. Every time they chased off one group of attacking mages another assault began from another direction, forcing them to return to the battlegroup.
They didn't dare pursue them too far however, the Major estimated there was a whole regiment out there hitting them a few companies at a time. Since they had yet to commit their full force, both the General and the Major were convinced this was a ploy to draw them out. They wanted the 203rd to chase them to rob the battlegroup of its mage support, without them, the rest of General Romel's forces would be sitting ducks.
They'd done their best to minimize this risk, the Letzenbourg mages had been scattered amongst the vehicles ready to shield them if anything got through. The combination of the companies in the air and the mages in the vehicles meant that damage to the convoy had been minimal so far. Even then, the bulk of their casualties had been due to the intermittent air raids from the local RAF units. But the strikes were already taking their toll on morale, especially when combined with the blistering heat.
"Major, we also have incoming aircraft!" Another voice warned and Grantz began to wonder if he'd invertedly summoned them with his thoughts, "Light bombers escorted by fighters."
Grantz looked to the skies and saw the silhouettes of the approaching biplanes. The aircraft may not have been the most up to date models the Allied Kingdom had to offer, but they still did the job, especially when their assault was supported.
He had to hand it to the Commonwealth troops, they were good at coordinating with their air force. This wasn't the first mage assault accompanied by an airstrike, they were making the most of their aerial advantage and were obviously coordinating their strikes for maximum effect.
"The mages are splitting up again." He heard Captain Wiess reported, drawing his attention away from the approaching aircraft and back to the mages.
He watched as one of the enemy companies broke away from the group in perfect formation and headed towards the supply trucks. The desert heat made the distant figures shimmer, and for a second it looked like they had disappeared. For a brief moment, Grantz dared believe they might all be a mirage, but the other company began opening fire and even at such a distance he could sense the flare of mana erupt from their muzzle flashes.
"02, take your company to intercept the group going after the trucks." The Major snapped not allowing the intense heat to affect her ability to command. "3rd Company engage the second group. The rest of you, cover the rear of the convoy in case this is another feint."
"I guess I'll have to deal with the aircraft." She cursed, pulling the type 95 from her neck as she stared up at the bombers with disgust.
Grantz found himself staring at the computation orb. It still amazed him that the Major could use it so effortlessly when any other who had tried had failed so spectacularly. No matter the outcome of the Prince and Major's duel, this artfully crafted instrument was proof that she was the best there was. With that orb, she could reach altitudes that were impossible for anyone else. Grantz almost felt sorry for the Commonwealth pilots.
"Acknowledged." Weiss confirmed gesturing the company to follow "Wake up Grantz, don't let the Commander catch you daydreaming like that."
Grantz apologized and let out a silent curse at his lapse, he'd hoped nobody had noticed. He mentally slapped himself and fell into position alongside the rest of his company. The Captain was right, Major Degurechaff would not be pleased if she caught him lost in thought in the middle of the battlefield. They had a job to do.
They advanced at full speed towards the Commonwealth mages increasing their altitude to gain the height advantage. Grantz readied his rifle and began picking out a target, waiting for the Captain's order to fire. They were still outside of effective range, but the practised movements were automatic and helped subdue the anxiety of being in combat.
As before, the enemy was ignoring them and was instead heading towards the vehicles with the single-minded intent to do as much damage to them as possible. It was impressive how focused they were on their task, Grantz doubted he could manage the same if he knew there was an entire company pursuing him.
Meanwhile, the second group was attempting to distract the rest of the battalion. A glance over his shoulder told him that they had already engaged, and an explosion overhead revealed that the Major was dealing with the aircraft. They would not need to worry about any stray fire from behind, they could focus on driving away their attackers.
"Pick your targets and open fire." Ordered Weiss, "keep them away from the convoy."
The company complied instantly, each switching their aim and firing off a few shots to keep their targets from descending towards the supply trucks down below. A second burst of fire erupted from the vehicles below adding to the firepower whizzing through the air.
The enemy mages were forced to break off their attack to evade the incoming wall of lead, and their formation fell apart. Grantz' chosen target ended up separated from the rest of his platoon and he took the opportunity to take him out before he could recover. He held his breath to steady his aim and forced some mana into his weapon. Time slowed as he watched the distant figure weave back and forth in front of his sights, then he judged the time was right and squeezed the trigger.
"Got em!" He said triumphantly as the mage fell from his gear and plummeted towards the ground, pushing aside the nagging feeling of guilt that accompanied it. He had no time to think about the moral implications, he needed to protect the convoy and his comrades.
He turned quickly to fall back into formation, searching for his next target. However, Weiss and the others had made swift work of the rest of the attacking company and both the Commonwealth mages and the aircraft had already begun to withdraw. He breathed a sigh of relief, they'd managed to keep them away from the convoy at least. The Major would have been furious if they'd have let anything get through.
Grantz wanted to follow and deal with these mages, if only to stop the relentless harassment, but with so many out there they would need the whole battalion. If the rest of the 203rd went off to hunt the commonwealth troops, the close combat unit could end up grievously outnumbered if the enemy pulled off a counterattack. He doubted even Prince Wilhelm could deal with those sorts of odds, so they would have to suffer this torment a little longer yet.
He looked to the Captain for direction; he could see the older man wanted to chase them down as much as he did. These guys were wearing everyone down with their hit and run tactics and it was starting to get to them. If not for the Major's calm, and slightly terrifying, presence, they would have broken off to pursue them for sure.
"02 to 01, we've driven them off." Weiss reported with barely concealed annoyance, as much as he wanted to pursue and end the threat for good, he was too much of a professional to give in to temptation.
"Good." The Major radioed back, "The aircraft have withdrawn too, any sign of a follow-up attack?"
"We're not picking up anything else, maybe they've given up for now." Visha piped up hopefully, making his heart skip a beat as he heard her voice. However, her optimistic assessment was soon shot down by the Commander.
"Don't drop your guard, they haven't given us a break so far. We shouldn't expect them to be so considerate." The Major replied with a voice laced with irritation.
It seemed these attacks were even getting to the Major. Grantz silently wished that the mages would give up before her mood got any worse. It was sure to end badly for them if they didn't and it wouldn't be an easy time for the 203rd either.
His company formed back up with the rest of the battalion and waited nervously for the next attack. Several of them summoned observation formula and studied their displays nervously for any sign of magical activity in the shifting sands but there was nothing. The mages were gone.
"It seems you've scared them away Captain Wiess." A familiar and cheerful voice called as he ascended from the convoy towards the group. "And without them reaching the supply trucks, I appreciate the hard work you're all putting in but you're making us feel like we're not pulling our weight down there."
Grantz chuckled at Prince Wilhelm's praise. The boy was likely feeling a little frustrated at being left to guard the convoy. The boy liked to lead from the front, he always seemed convinced that if he was fighting, others would not need to be put in danger. Ironically it was this sort of attitude that made people want to fight and protect him all the more.
"Captain Hozollern, you are supposed to be guarding the supply vehicles." The Major warned as the young Prince reached them, still sporting the black eye that the Major had gifted him. Unlike the rest of them, he wore a white robe and headdress over his black Letzenbourg uniform. He claimed it was to keep cool, but Grantz couldn't see the sense in wearing an extra layer in this heat. His flight suit was proof of that.
Grantz felt a twinge of nervousness on his behalf as the Major glared at him. The boy seemed immune to the sense of dread that the girl emitted, even after she'd given him his new bruise. In a way, he was jealous of how fearless the boy was, in another he feared for the boy's wellbeing.
"I came to give my report Major." The Boy said with a cheerful grin, "Thanks to your valiant efforts the convoy has suffered no further damage, although some of the tanks have suffered mechanical failure due to the sand. The General asked me to let you know that we'll be coming to a stop."
Grantz felt a strange mixture of emotions as he heard that news. On the one hand, he was looking forward to getting out of the sun, even for a short while. The heat seemed to be sapping both his strength and mana at double the usual rate. On the other hand, however, the convoy would be completely exposed once it halted for the day and although there were only a few hours of light left, they would be at great risk until the sunset.
"Very good Captain return to your post." The Major cut in before he could continue. She'd been quite terse with him since the incident on the ship, more so than usual. Was she really that annoyed with how their duel had played out?
Nobody had been entirely sure what had happened during their bout and nobody was foolish enough to bring it up in front of the major. They'd been too far away to see the end of the fight clearly but they knew the Major had been pretty angry about it. They'd all assumed that Prince Wilhelm had done something dangerous as the Major's outburst had sounded like he'd almost been killed. It was also the only reason they could think of as to why she would punch him.
Thinking about it brought a smile to his face. Visha was right; as terrifying as the Major was, she did care for those around her, and Prince Wilhelm was no exception. They all suspected she cared for him even more than she cared to admit. Her anger and her continued hostility towards him was proof, if she didn't care, he'd have been left behind long before now. That was probably why she'd given him the safest job in the convoy, she wanted to keep him out of harm's way.
"Major, there really isn't much for us to do. We should use this lull to gain some intelligence." The boy said, ignoring the Major's command to return to the convoy. "Perhaps I should take a platoon to scout ahead."
"Denied, your company is in charge of protecting the vehicles." Replied quickly with a frown.
"The column won't be left undefended; I'll only take a platoon and you and the rest of the 203rd will be on hand to chase off anyone foolish enough to come close." Called the prince once again, undeterred by the Major's darkening mood. "I'm sure the General would like to know exactly what we're up against."
"I'll deal with that Wilhelm, you get back to your position." She returned, causing those who knew them to smile again. Prince Wilhelm was the only person she ever referred to so familiarly when on duty. He had never known her to forget to refer to anyone else by their rank, but with Prince Wilhelm, she often forgot both his military and social rank. The strangest part was she didn't seem to realise she was doing it.
"I see." The boy sighed looking disappointed, "I was hoping to use this opportunity to prove I was capable in my new role to support you."
Apparently, the Prince's demotion had affected him more profoundly than any of them had realised, perhaps it really had shaken his confidence.
"I suppose I'll just do whatever I can to help the General while you're gone."
Grantz caught the Major twitch in the corner of his eye and saw her frown deepen. He wondered what the prince might have said to have caused it. Was she worried about the prince's drop in confidence too?
"Fine, if you're so enthusiastic you can tag along." She said with a hint of exasperation gesturing the Prince and Visha to follow her, trusting that Captain Weiss would handle everything else while they were gone. "Lieutenant Grantz, you can come too, Captain Weiss keeps telling me you're not so green anymore, I think its time you proved it."
Grantz felt his heart sink, it seemed his well-earned rest wasn't to come to pass, even one with the fear of bombing raids and mage attack. Worse still, it looked like the Major wanted to put him to the test. Still, it wasn't so bad, at least he'd get to spend some extra time with Visha.
XxxxxxX
September 10th Unified Year 1925 18:30
Gyption Western Desert, 60 miles from Iskandria, near the town of Alealmayn
Tanya scowled as she peered through her binoculars at the enemy who were fortifying in the pass between the sea and the Qattara Depression. She and Wilhelm were perched on a ragged cliff that overlooked the pass, keeping a healthy distance between themselves and the enemy to keep themselves hidden.
The sun had begun to set; bright sunlight giving way to long shadows that masked what lay inside. This made hiding easier but as time wore on it made it increasingly difficult to see what they'd have to deal with. However, what she had seen so far gave her a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.
The expeditionary force's presence was supposed to be a secret and no one in the Allied Kingdom, their Commonwealth or the Free Republic should have any idea they were here. Yet for some reason, the Commonwealth commander had sent out a sizable force out to prevent any entry into the pass. Either their officers had astounding foresight, or Wilhelm's reckless destruction of the Abwehr had caused a massive intelligence leak.
"Quite a show of international cooperation they've put on for us down there, isn't it?" Said the probable reason for this predicament at her side. She turned to favour him with a glare, she didn't have the patience for idle comments or his attempt to mimic Lawrence of Arabia with that ridiculous get up. He didn't seem to notice her scorn however and instead continued to study his sword, doing his best not to let the light reflect down at the enemy and give away their position.
She wasn't especially happy to have him tagging along, she had yet to forgive him for the incident on the ship. Just thinking about it made her feel uncomfortable.
It was mortifying that he'd done that in front of all of those people and he more than deserved the bruise she'd given him in response. The only consolation she could take from the whole incident was that her troops were too professional to talk about it, at least openly. She wasn't sure she could maintain her position if they were gossiping and spreading rumours because of the incident. She wished she'd never provoked the brat into actually fighting the duel, she would have to be more careful in future.
Despite not wanting him around, she didn't dare leave him unsupervised with the General. She was willing to believe his promise to stop undermining her and follow her orders, he'd seemed unusually sincere about that. However, she'd already seen how much damage he could do, even with good intentions. He'd destroyed imperial intelligence over a petty grudge and a desire to set her free, she could easily envision him inadvertently destroying the expedition if left to his own devices.
She sighed as she thought about the nuisance beside her. In hindsight, she probably should have allowed him to slake his bloodlust, he'd no doubt have happily slacked off in camp if she'd given him the chance to let out all his pent-up frustration.
She had told herself that leaving him and his company to protect the column was the wisest choice. Their lack of ranged firepower made them of limited use when engaging the mages hit and run attacks. His troops were better used to extend their barriers to reduce damage to the vehicles and serve as a last line of defence if anything went wrong.
However, if she were being brutally honest with herself, she had just wanted to keep him out the way. It still felt too awkward to be around him.
This had backfired. Since her troops had prevented anything getting through, Wilhelm had quickly become bored. He'd spent most of the time between attacks badgering her for permission to lead a scouting party. She suspected he'd use the opportunity to go pick a fight with whoever he ran into on the way, so she'd been reluctant to let him go alone.
Still, they did need to know what they were up against, and his badgering was becoming more annoying by the minute, so she'd reluctantly agreed to bring him along.
Wilhelm had been right about one thing though, the force they faced was truly international in origin. The Allied Kingdom seemed to have called on troops from all of their colonies east of the canal, all flying several slightly different versions of the flag of the Allied Kingdom to specify where they were from.
She could barely tell the difference between the banners and ignored Wilhelm as he flaunted his knowledge of vexillology. She was more concerned about how many guns would be pointed at her. It was just her luck that the Allied Kingdom had got so many troops there so quickly. Either that or Being X had given them a helping hand.
Still, with so many nationalities on hand organisation must have been difficult.
They'd hoped to quickly sweep in and take out the Commonwealth airfield before the enemy realised they were here. The plan was to demolish the place and get out as soon as possible so they could go pick on the Republicans while they regrouped. It was a plan that Tanya wholeheartedly endorsed. Attacking a lightly defended airfield then mopping up demoralised republicans wasn't exactly desk work, but it was a veritable vacation compared to the Rhine.
Unfortunately, the Commonwealth had decided to be difficult and force a confrontation.
They had no choice but to try to push through, however. General Romel had rightly judged it was imperative they take out the enemy's airfield as quickly as possible. They'd already suffered numerous air raids and were incredibly lucky to have come out of them so lightly.
Worse still, these pilots weren't the fools that the Legadonians had been in Norden. They sacrificed accuracy for altitude, keeping them out of range of most of the 203rd. The expeditionary force had few AA cannons, so she'd been forced to use the cursed type 95 to get the altitude to engage them and prevent them from damaging the convoy. Even now she could feel Being X's malign influence whispering praise to the false God in her mind.
If they couldn't destroy the airfield, Romel would be forced to continue to rely on her to protect them from the aircraft. That would mean she'd be forced to use Being X's trinket daily and she would gradually lose her mind too it. However, if she refused her orders, she'd be court marshalled and her career would be over. She might even be shot for disobedience.
She'd had no choice, one way or another they had to get passed the Commonwealth.
Damn you Being X! I will not let you win. She thought grinding her teeth in frustration. We need to find some way to push through!
"Major, there's another division behind the ridge." Reported Grantz in a whisper as he and Visha made their way back towards them, both hunched over to minimise their chances of being spotted by sentries. "They have less anti-tank guns but there's a lot less space for the vehicles to manoeuvre amongst the rocks."
She nodded her understanding and gazed back out over the enemy. Tanya had been pleasantly surprised by Grantz so far on this outing. He was starting to show signs of a brain in that skull of his, and he seemed to be able to put it to good use. As long as he could stop staring at Lieutenant Serabryakov like a lost puppy for five minutes.
Truthfully, she hadn't expected much from him, she'd only bought him along at Wiess's behest. He seemed to think he had the makings of a Company commander if a vacancy ever appeared, but she had her doubts. She figured she'd test him out while they were here, making sure to keep Visha around to pick up the slack if he failed. Meanwhile, she could make sure that Wilhelm didn't slip his leash and they'd be able to get the job done.
Fortunately, Grantz had stepped up and proven that he could make some useful observations, making her job much easier. He'd grown a lot since he'd first stepped onto the Rhine, it was nice to see another one-off her human resources start to grow into something more than a war maniac. She felt a curious sense of pride in his progress.
"And the Depression? Is it possible for the vehicles to traverse?" She asked quietly, looking to her aid whom she'd sent to check.
"I'm afraid not Ma'am." The girl replied glumly, "If General Romel and his tanks go through there, they'll never get through the fine sand and salt lakes."
Damn! She thought gritting her teeth once more, that meant they had no choice but to go through. Even if they only sent the mages to attack the airfield, they'd be harried by fighters, anti-air and the Commonwealth mages the whole way. The casualties would be horrendous. It almost made her wish they could use the V1's again.
Almost.
She quickly shook the thought from her mind, it would be reckless for the mages to leave the main army. Without mage support the rest of the expeditionary force would be sitting ducks, even if the 203rd succeeded, there'd be no army in the south to return too. They might destroy the airfield, but the southern campaign would be over.
"Looks like we'll have to go through them." Hummed Wilhelm in a singsong voice as he came to the same conclusion as she had. Although unlike her, he seemed to be far happier about it. "And quickly too or the supply situation could be a little tricky."
Infuriatingly, he was once again correct in that assessment. Although the task force was reasonably small, it still had a limit of what it could carry and an army ate through its supplies with alarming speed, especially fuel and water. Technically, their supply line was kept open by the Ildoans, but their unreliable ally had once again fallen short.
The Ildoans refused to take the supplies brought in from their ports across the Gyption border, meaning that if they wanted to resupply they would have to go and fetch it themselves. Ideally, they could send out a small detachment of vehicles to go and collect them but with the Commonwealth mages running amok, such an idea was unwise, to say the least.
This meant they were on a timer, the desert heat meant they couldn't sit and wait for an opportune moment, they'd have all died of thirst before then. They had no choice but to attack before they ran out of supplies.
It was clear from his comments that Wilhelm understood this, but for whatever reason, he seemed completely untroubled by it. His carefree attitude was beginning to grate on her nerves again, she suspected he had some idea forming in his devious little head and she didn't like it one bit.
She did her best to ignore him and looked back out towards the forces in front of her. By her estimation, the enemy had them both severely outnumbered and had enough firepower to counter what few armoured units they had. This, combined with the mages that had proven themselves to be far too competent for her liking, made the chances of their success in a face-to-face fight seem pretty slim.
"They obviously don't feel the need to guard the depression to heavily." Wilhelm piped up again, pointing to the relatively few troops covering the direction of the impassable terrain.
Tanya's pushed down her frustration, she knew the boy wasn't stupid enough to have missed Visha's report on the inaccessibility of the depression, he was clearly driving at something. However, Wilhelm being Wilhelm meant he wouldn't simply tell her, he wanted a chance to show off, even if it was only for the benefit of Grantz and Serabryakov.
"We don't have time for guessing games Wilhelm, what are you getting at? We've already established the area is impassable."
"Impassable for the vehicles yes." He purred smugly as though he hadn't just made the most obvious observation in the world. "We can put troops or mages in without any problems."
"To what end? If Mages flew over, we'd be intercepted, even with the Shroud we'd be seen, and they'd send the whole mage regiment after us. And if we sent troops would take at least a day to get through on foot, the enemy could easily redeploy to counter by then."
Perhaps she'd knocked a few brain cells out when she'd punched him, usually, his plans were just risky not stupid.
"Christina thinks it'll take about a day and a half, maybe less if we don't rest but we'll be fatigued for the battle if we did that." The brat continued completely oblivious to her words. "I think if we leave before midnight, we can be in position to assault by 06:00 the day after tomorrow."
Tanya stared at the boy for a few moments with confusion, wondering for a moment if they were even having the same conversation. It seemed as though the boy had thought up some strategy, although Tanya already had her doubts as to its chances of success. Unfortunately, the little Captain had forgotten to share this plan and more importantly who was in charge here.
"What assault Wilhelm? The General hasn't ordered one yet, we have to get back and report our findings first."
"That's why I need you to support me when I tell him about my idea." He beamed, oblivious to the fact that nobody knew what he was talking about. Fortunately, Visha and Grantz were as in the dark as she was, so she was saved from having to ask the awkward question herself.
"Erm Prince Wilhelm?" Visha asked raising an arm like a student asking a question in school, "What idea are you talking about?"
Wilhelm's grin widened at the opportunity to flaunt what passed for his tactical acumen. If not for the fact they were still trying to keep hidden, she was sure he would have made a show of taking a bow for his audience and brandishing his sword theatrically.
"I'll take the close combat company through the depression on foot, so our mana signatures don't give us away. Meanwhile, the rest of you will get in position for a full-frontal assault, making sure to use Shroud so the enemy still thinks we're with the main forces." The little Captain explained cheerfully. "When you launch the assault, my company will attack from the side and aim for their HQ. The chain of command will collapse and so will their lines, it'll be just like Dacia and revolving door!"
Although he was outwardly making a show of explaining his plan to the two junior officers, his gaze kept straying into her eye-line. It was as though he was trying to impress her somehow and she found it strangely irritating.
What do you want a pat on the back? She found herself thinking as his green orbs caught her gaze.
Still, it wasn't a terrible plan she had to admit. Even if they failed to take out the enemy command structure, a company of enemy mages rampaging around amongst their lines would likely cause the lines to crumble anyway. Especially when fending off another assault.
There was just one part of this plan Tanya didn't like, trusting Wilhelm to get the job done. He'd already made it clear that his aim or ridding himself of his so-called curse came first, could he really be counted on for something as important as this? As much as she disliked the idea, the safest option was to go herself.
"If that's the case, a company from the 203rd should go, you'll remain with the main group." She said, gesturing the group to begin making their way back to camp.
Tanya braced herself for a barrage of complaints and protests from the boy but was surprised to find nothing incoming. Her suspicions began to rise again, had she missed something?
"I thought it might be wiser to utilise my company to make use of our limited range, but I defer to your superior experience on the matter." The little Captain said smoothly as they began making their way down the slope. "And you've already forbidden my company from engaging that regiment but I'm sure Captain Wiess and 3 companies can handle them all alone."
Damn, how could I have forgotten about the mages? She thought, mentally slapping herself. Weiss was a good soldier, but would he and three companies be able to hold off an entire regiment? Even if she allowed Wilhelm to engage them, they'd still be outnumbered. Besides these mages had been giving them the run around since they got here, and Weiss may not be able to keep Wilhelm in line.
Romel would likely come to the conclusion that the little Captain's first idea was the best one, despite her misgivings about letting him go alone. Keeping the 203rd together maximised their abilities, losing a company severely affected their productivity. Meanwhile, allowing the close combat unit to act independently was the wisest course to an outside observer. They weren't as integrated into the battalion as any other company.
"Fine, I'll suggest you lead the flanking manoeuvre." Tanya conceded irritably, she'd just have to make sure they cut through the enemy lines as quickly as possible so she could get him back under control. "Just make sure you follow the plan to the letter."
Wilhelm nodded with a smile, confident despite not yet having permission from the General to continue with his scheme.
"I do have one question though, it almost seems like you knew we'd run into this, how did you know?" She asked narrowing her eyes at him.
Wilhelm stopped and stared at her for a few moments. His smile wavered a little and he suddenly looked very tired.
"I had a bad dream."
Authors notes
Hi all and as always thank you for reading.
This is the "proper" start of part three and it really did feel like I was starting again for some reason, even though I have everything established and have been hyping (probably too much) the southern campaign for a while now.
The fight against the Commonwealth forces in the south in this story will be almost all my story rather than the canon as it's barely mentioned in the LN and Anime. It only mentions that they were taken off guard and quickly defeated. (I'm pretty sure the Manga has gotten to this part now but I haven't read it yet so I can't refer to it.) I wanted to add a bit more to the south however and especially the Allied Kingdom/Commonwealth because I felt they were lacking a little bit.
Hence why we have General Ketchener. Again, I must say his views on "colonials" are not my own so please don't hate me Indian and Australian readers. I tried to make him seem like an old-fashioned imperialist with outdated ideas rather than just a straight-up racist but I think it's obvious he thinks that Albion people are superior. I like to make all characters have their good and bad points because people are like that in real life so hopefully, I've got a nice balance here.
Some of you might be a little disappointed that the "incident" on the boat hasn't fully been addressed (Grantz said nobody saw it and Tanya doesn't want to think about it) but this isn't really a romance story. There will be other moments between them where they will grow closer throughout the story and hopefully a few more moments between them that will make you smile.
Again, I hope you enjoyed the chapter, and thank you for reading.
Xanen