Holy Roman Empire

Upon receiving the distress telegram from the Fourth Army, Ivanov’s entire demeanor darkened.

It was a very clear matter, anyone with even a bit of military sense knew that if an isolated army realized something was wrong, they should immediately retreat.

The Fourth Army was not operating with a combat mission and was completely free to act on its own. After discovering a large enemy force, why didn’t they immediately adjust their marching pace, maintain a safe distance from the enemy, and wait for reinforcements?

Even if they were slow to realize, the Fourth Army could have chosen to break through before the enemy encirclement was complete and rendezvous with the Russian Army behind them.

The Fourth Army had cavalry units; it was impossible for them not to have noticed the enemy’s movements, as the mobilization of tens of thousands of troops simply couldn’t be kept secret.

Ivanov in the rear had already received news of the Prussian Army’s movements, only a little late, and before he could react, a telegram for help from the Fourth Army had arrived.

In an era without radio, the Fourth Army’s call for help had to be delivered to the 107th Division in the rear by airship troops and then forwarded to headquarters.

Despite having ample time, they failed to act promptly; Ivanov always deeply despised such commanders like Obodo who lacked a grand vision.

Ivanov understood the reason very well; the Fourth Army had acted on its own. If they didn’t achieve enough military success, then returning in defeat would mean the end of the careers for commanders like Obodo.

To act opportunistically and seize the chance of victory, it is essential to be successful; failure does not equate seizing the opportunity.

The competition within the Russian Army was also very fierce; once tainted, advancing further was almost impossible.

Not to mention, acting without orders could at best mean early retirement if one was lucky.

For their personal futures, the commanders of the Fourth Army gambled on luck, dragging their feet until now.

This telegram for help might seem innocuous, but it actually implied shifting the blame, probably hoping Ivanov would order their retreat.

Those who understood the troop deployments of the Russian Army knew that the Fourth Army was vital for the upcoming Battle of Warsaw, with the Vistula River being crucial to the subsequent logistical support of the Russian forces.

"Bang!"

Ivanov slammed the table fiercely and cursed, "Ёбтвоюмать!"

"Пошёлнахуй!"

…

Listening to Ivanov’s roar, everyone in the headquarters was on tenterhooks, afraid of drawing fire unto themselves.

After a full quarter of an hour of cursing till his mouth was dry and his tongue parched, Marshal Ivanov finally stopped. He was truly angry; he had never seen such incompetence in his subordinates.

If the Fourth Army was finished, it would be difficult for the Russian Army to win the Battle of Warsaw. Militarily speaking, currently, the situation at the front was unclear, and rashly sending troops to rescue was highly risky, very likely resulting in the enemy encircling and annihilating the relief forces.

Ordering the Fourth Army to break out and save as much strength as possible was the best strategic choice.

However, in reality, things couldn’t be that straightforward. At Ivanov’s level, a military leader must also consider politics.

If he ordered the Fourth Army to retreat and the losses were severe, he would bear part of the responsibility.

Seeing Obodo’s foolish actions, it was clear there were others behind him. Given this opportunity, these people would inevitably try to pin the blame on Ivanov.

Politics is not about right or wrong, but benefits and drawbacks. Don’t expect your opponent to be merciful; politicians’ bottom line is never the lowest, only lower.

Once he had calmed down, Ivanov’s frown deepened. He surveyed the map, pondering the enemy’s true intentions.

The Fourth Army was significant for the Battle of Warsaw, but with regard to the entire Prusso-Russian War, it was just one of many. In the heat of war, Russian losses in a month often exceeded tens of thousands.

If it meant winning the war, Ivanov wouldn’t blink an eye over sacrificing the Fourth Army.

After a moment of contemplation, Ivanov approached the operations staff officer and asked, "Where is our closest unit to the Fourth Army now?"

The operations staff officer nervously replied, "The nearest is the 107th Division of the Ninth Army, currently stationed in the Radom region; next are the Fifth Army and the Seventh Army, but they are north of Warsaw and cannot move to reinforce."

Ivanov’s frown grew even tighter; sending a division to reinforce would probably see them eaten by the enemy halfway there.

To relieve the Fourth Army, at least an entire army’s force was needed. Unless the forces executing the southern strategy were diverted, other units would take too long to arrive.

Glancing at the distribution of the Russian forces on the map, Ivanov shook his head. Abandoning the battle on the southern front to rescue the Fourth Army was strategically a loss far outweighing the gain.

The southern front battle could receive supplies from Austria, with the least amount of logistical pressure. Breaking through the enemy’s defense line, whether advancing west towards Berlin or north to capture Poznan, was highly alluring.

If Berlin were taken, the Prusso Federation would be finished; if Poznan were captured, the enemy would be cut off from their rear, leaving the Prussian forces in the Warsaw region isolated.

After pondering for a moment, Ivanov slowly said, "Order the Eighth Army, the Ninth Army, and the Tenth Army to immediately form the Southern Army."

"General Matilde, commander of the Eighth Army, will also serve as Commander, General Mettler, commander of the Ninth Army, as Deputy Commander, and General Mourinho will serve as Chief of Staff in addition to commanding the Tenth Army."

"They are to complete the organizational construction as quickly as possible. Within a week, I want to hear news of the outbreak of battle on the southern front."

The personnel appointments were highly irregular; however, extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. The Russian Army’s structure did not include the level of an army group; the army was the largest unit, with the army group being a temporary establishment during wartime.

The enemy’s main force was on the Warsaw battlefield, and most of the troops on the southern front were second- and third-tier units. While termed the Southern Army, they would actually have to fight separately.

If one were to set up a command for paratroopers, it would take at least a month for them to sort out the situation with their troops.

On the battlefield, speed is of the essence. To waste a month was simply to court death.

In the past, there was a Southwestern Army within the Russian forces, but it had been decimated in last year’s winter battles by Maoqi and subsequently disbanded.

Over time, as the Russian Army’s strength continued to expand, an army’s troop strength ranged from a few hundred thousand to over two hundred thousand, fully capable of independent combat, which also decreased the need for a separate army group.

Previously, the Russian forces had been primarily defensive, with most of the time Marshal Ivanov directly commanding the large troop formations. The recent delegation of authority had resulted in the Fourth Army acting on its own initiative.

It effectively dispelled Ivanov’s idea of forming an army group. Had the situation not been so urgent, he would not have established the Southern Army.

After all, the damage caused by a wayward army group could be far worse than that of a single army.

The newly formed Southern Army was already facing severe internal checks and balances, with three army commanders doubling as army group leaders, none of whom could act recklessly.

During combat, they would command their forces separately, as these were well-established troops that required no additional coordination, allowing for the maximum combat power to be unleashed in a short period.

As for the drawbacks, Ivanov could no longer afford to consider them. If the war could be won, any larger issue would be trivial in comparison.

After a pause, Ivanov added, "Order the Fifth Army and the Seventh Army to attack the Warsaw region, instructing them to control their own pace and not to repeat the Fourth Army’s previous mistakes. I don’t have an unlimited number of troops to clean up their mess."

"Haut, draft a telegram to St. Petersburg, reporting our battle plans and the recent personnel appointments," he continued.

Without mentioning the Fourth Army, it was evident that Marshal Ivanov intended to disregard them. After all, the Fourth Army had advanced without orders and of their own volition—it was not his responsibility to bear, even if they were completely annihilated.

A middle-aged officer asked with reluctance, "Marshal, what about the Fourth Army?"

Ivanov glared at him fiercely, replying with great dissatisfaction, "What about them? Do what needs to be done, just as it ought to be done!"

"Is Obodo not confident in his own tactical genius? Now’s his chance to prove it. As long as he can lead the Fourth Army to defeat the Prussian Army, all problems will be solved!" he asserted.

Defeat the Prussian Army?

The thought was already causing those present to silently mourn for the Fourth Army. Without a doubt, it was an impossible task.

Having realized his emotional slip, Ivanov sighed, "Order the Third Army and the Sixth Army in the rear to provide rescue, hoping there is still time."

"Send orders to the Fourth Army to formulate their own battle plan. Reinforcements will arrive as quickly as possible."

"Command the Airship troops to airdrop supplies to them. Send a telegram to St. Petersburg to secure a batch of transport airships as soon as possible, preferably Austria’s Eagle 4," he instructed.

Man proposes, God disposes.

This phrase aptly summarized Ivanov’s orders. The Third and Sixth Armies were resting and resupplying in the rear. It would take at least ten days to half a month for them to mobilize and arrive at the frontline. Find exclusive stories on empire

If any mishap occurred en route, such as an encounter with the Prussian Army, they might not arrive within a month.

The only way to ensure speed was to deploy cavalry. Unfortunately, the Russian cavalry was distributed among various units, or else assembling hundreds of thousands of cavalry could be worth a try for the rescue.

Of course, that was in an ideal scenario. The logistics of sustaining hundreds of thousands of gathered cavalry alone could lead to collapse.

Now the Fourth Army could only rely on itself, and the airdrop of supplies by airship was more of a psychological comfort. The Russian Army had only a few dozen transport airships, and in theory, if all were operational, they could airdrop a maximum of forty to fifty tons of supplies per day.

In reality, being able to airdrop seven to eight tons of supplies daily would be a blessing from God.

Airships also needed maintenance and care; each flight required a thorough inspection, consuming a significant amount of time.

Furthermore, the Russian transport airships were scattered across various locations, limiting those that could be quickly assembled. Considering adverse weather conditions, managing to airdrop seven to eight tons daily was genuinely challenging.

Such a modest amount of supplies for an army of over a hundred thousand was a drop in the bucket. However, transportation of entirely high-calorie foods could at least meet the soldiers’ basic sustenance needs.