Empire Conquest
Chapter 375 - 371: The Army’s Business

Chapter 375: Chapter 371: The Army’s Business

Visiting the Prime Minister Mansion weren’t just Liu Changxun, Bai Zhizhan, and Liu Xiangzhen, but also Peng Huaisong, Situ Jingde, and Lian Xusheng, along with a group of Army generals.

The discussion didn’t solely concern the Navy’s operations, but also the Army’s operations.

In fact, it primarily revolved around the Army’s operations.

Throughout the afternoon, the three Navy generals basically sat in as observers.

That made sense, since before entering politics, Xue Yuanzheng had been an Army Admiral, and given the current strategic situation, the Army indeed deserved more attention.

In Xue Yuanzheng’s words, after crippling the Newland Navy, at the very least the situation on the East Ocean was stabilized.

What about the "Fenjin" carrier?

Just as the Empire’s Navy couldn’t effectively launch a strategic offensive with just one carrier, the Newland Navy couldn’t possibly turn the tide with a single carrier either.

After suffering a crushing defeat, the Newland Navy would certainly need a lot of time to correct issues that had been exposed and to rectify their weaknesses.

For instance, the inferior performance of their ship-borne fighters, failing to match the Empire’s fighters, definitely warranted an urgent replacement with better-performing fighters.

Thus, in the short term, the Newland Navy would be focused on defense.

The Bulan Royal Navy?

Even though the Bulan Kingdom had declared war on the Liangxia Empire, and Chur, during his declaration of war, vehemently mentioned that the Bulan Kingdom would steadfastly support the Newland Federation, the defender of freedom and the civilized world, in a unified front against the evil empire from the east, in the short term, the main task of the Bulan Royal Navy was still to defend its homeland and keep an eye on the Tiaoman Navy across the way, not to trouble the Empire’s Navy.

Even if they dispatched carriers to the Fan Flame Ocean, the number would not be significant, and they couldn’t possibly arrive immediately.

According to information provided by the Sixth Bureau, it would already be quite an achievement if the Bulan Royal Navy could prepare to dispatch carriers to the Fan Flame Ocean within the year.

At the earliest, their carriers might enter the Flame Sea next year.

Actually, by that time, it would already be too late.

As long as the Army moved quickly, committed sufficient forces, and received support from the Navy—mainly in arranging vessels to transport troops and materials—then cleansing the Toe Peninsula within a few months was not a challenging task, and there was even hope to push south from the Mala Peninsula and attack Lion Spring City by next year.

Having captured Lion Spring City, the Bulan Royal Navy wouldn’t be able to enter the Flame Sea and would only be able to ply the waters of the Fan Flame Ocean.

What about the assault on Nanzhu Country?

As Liu Changxun said in the morning, the main force would still be the Army, with the Navy only providing maritime transportation support. Because this was operation facing the ocean, specifically targeting the Newland Federation, the Navy would appoint a general to serve as the Commander-in-chief; however, the concrete warfare would still be undertaken by the Army.

In fact, this was a tacit agreement reached between the Army and the Navy.

As long as the battle faced the ocean, faced the Newland Federation, it would be managed by the Navy, while all other operations would be handled by the Army.

What the Navy really needed to worry about was the operation to attack Guan Island.

It must be said that the Army’s tasks were much heavier.

In addition to the aforementioned commitments of heavy forces in the Toe Peninsula and Nanzhu Country, the Army also needed to make movements on three other fronts.

First was the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom.

According to Peng Huaisong’s views, with the formal involvement of the Newland Federation in the war, the conflict with the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom should be considered over; there was no need for further delay.

Although the Navy had intercepted the Newland fleets and sunk or captured dozens of cargo ships, seizing a large number of strategic materials, as long as the East Saiyi Regime still existed, the threat of the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom remained, an issue the Empire could not ignore.

Of course, Peng Huaisong also proposed a seemingly viable plan.

Provide more assistance to the West Saiyi Regime, deploy an elite force primarily comprised of Armored Troops to quickly seize several main cities on the Main Island of Saiyi, especially the Imperial Capital and East Imperial City, eliminate the East Saiyi Regime, or at least ensure the West Saiyi government becomes the sole legitimate authority.

As for what happens next, that’s irrelevant to the Empire.

After all, it’s about deploying troops to eliminate the East Saiyi Regime.

Because a small number of troops was needed, only three Armored Divisions, and with the support of the West Saiyi National Self-Defense Force, Xue Yuanzheng didn’t object. He made the decision before the discussion ended to have Peng Huaisong arrange the deployment of combat troops and military supplies, aiming to capture both the Imperial Capital and East Imperial City within the year.

This also indirectly confirmed a rumor.

The Empire had never annihilated the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom because they wanted to sustain the war until the Newland Federation joined the battle.

If the Saiyi Imperial Kingdom were to be defeated too soon, what excuse would the Empire have to maintain a state of war?

Next, let’s consider the northwest direction.

Lian Xusheng gave a detailed report, concluding that if war with the Luosha Federation began, the Empire Army’s current preparations would be severely inadequate.

The transport conditions were too poor; the railway and road infrastructure were seriously deficient.

On the eastern side of the national border, there was only one railway and one highway, which at maximum capacity could support a mechanized force of about 500,000.

Any more than that would negatively affect military operations due to poor logistical support.

The fatal issue was that if the mechanized troops could only rely on their own logistics, they would be able to advance a maximum of 200 kilometers.

Considering actual conditions, reaching 150 kilometers would be more realistic.

The reason being that on the western side of the border, there was also just one railway and one highway—and the Luosha Army controlled several railway bridges. If the Luosha Army blew up a railway bridge, it could paralyze the entire rail line.

If the Army had to rely solely on highway transportation, the Armored Forces could only advance 150 to 200 kilometers.

Besides, the efficiency of highway transportation was too low; it would inevitably slow down the advance of the Armored Forces, thus reducing the efficiency of their combat operations.

Regardless, in the heart of the continent, one would have to face these problems.

Of course, Lian Xusheng explicitly mentioned that these problems could be solved.

If it were possible to take the railway bridges controlled by the Luosha Army by storm, that would be ideal.

Relying on railway transport, the Empire Army’s Armored Forces could push forward to Leaf Castle at the eastern side of Ula Mountain.

Even if a blitz failed and the Luosha Army managed to destroy the railway bridges, just deploying enough engineering troops to ensure the continuity of transport within a few months would be sufficient.

The key was actually time.

In Lian Xusheng’s words, even if an attack was launched in early June before the peak of summer, the Empire Army would have at most five months. They must reach east of Ula Mountain by early November to seize Leaf Castle, a bridgehead of immense strategic significance for the advance into the West Continent.

If this failed and dragged on into winter, the consequences would be unimaginable.

Not only are winters in the Luosha Federation bitterly cold, but beyond Leaf Castle, to the east on the vast plains, there wasn’t a single large city that could accommodate a large army.

In fact, there weren’t even medium-sized cities, just small towns.

That is to say, if Leaf Castle wasn’t captured before winter and there was no willingness to retreat, the troops would have no choice but to spend the winter in the open.

Not to mention the impact on morale, slogging through the harsh months until spring arrives, only to greet a well-rested, vigorous Luosha Army launching a fierce counterattack.

Even the mighty Empire Army might not withstand the formidable reprisal of the Luosha Army.

It’s said that the deep winter chill of the heartland could defeat any army.

For thousands of years, no army has crossed Ula Mountain in winter to invade the West Continent.

Decades ago, even the great army led personally by Emperor Shiwu met its match outside the walls of Leaf Castle, ending the western campaign.

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