"So, I predict that Katalin will definitely make the Northern Expedition. In addition to her own wishes, the current situation is also extremely favorable."
Talleyrand and Lane continued to discuss everything, and before they knew it, they had arrived at a camp where people were everywhere. Among them, the ruins of a three-story apartment had been used as canvas by the soldiers in a short period of time.
Wood and bricks were temporarily piled up to ensure protection from wind and rain, and a large sign was erected at the entrance of the apartment.
"Ute's Miracle Food Group! The price is reasonable, the ingredients are fresh and delicious, everyone is welcome to come and try it!"
This is a temporary military hotel opened by a halfling gang. It is also called the "Meal Group" by the soldiers. It has always been the favorite place for officers and knights to stay when there is no war. As we all know, halflings are particularly good at cooking.
As long as there are decent ingredients, halflings can always cook delicious meals.
Francois approved this group of halflings to join the army in the military camp, and they were quickly welcomed by almost all the officers and knights. So dining groups, which can also be called field clubs, began to appear, and people opened them here at their own expense.
Xiaozao or socializing.
As soon as they opened the door and came in, there were about thirty old guards and more than forty knights in the room. When everyone saw Ryan's appearance, almost everyone stood up, and Ryan stretched out his hand and said with a smile: "Like you, I came to eat.
Sit down and let each of you eat what you want."
"Hahahaha~" Everyone laughed and then sat down, but everyone's eyes were still on Ryan. Some even shouted: "Your Majesty, I recommend the spring vegetable stewed mutton here, it is very delicious!"
"Then one, oh no, two." Ryan and Talleyrand found a quiet corner to sit down, and the knight said to the halfling waiter who was running around barefoot excitedly: "One more."
You can take care of the staple food and your special sweet wine."
Then, the two people continued to talk about the situation.
It was rare for Ryan to personally explain to Talleyrand the advantages and disadvantages of Catalin's Northern Expedition. The high elf really didn't know much about war, but he had already concluded that Catalin would definitely choose the Northern Expedition.
"Katalin's Northern Expedition has two advantages. First, whether it is for the royal family, the Duma or the refugees in Kislev, it is very urgent to regain their homeland, so most people think that the Northern Expedition must be
, and the second is the comparison of military strength. Katalin has
Fifty thousand White Guards. At present, after we defeated Hal-Eternal Eye, the Chaos army entrenched near Kislev City is only ten or twenty thousand, and they are all stragglers. This is an excellent opportunity. If we change
I came here to seize the opportunity."
"But Katalin also has obvious disadvantages. First, as we all know, the lower limit of the army depends on training and discipline, and the upper limit is equipment and veterans. The White Guards... are terrible. Secondly, her own command skills are also very low.
, after the Battle of Zedevka, Kislev’s excellent generals and marshals were all lost, and the ability of tactical planning and battlefield command is bound to continue to decline.”
Talleyrand nodded after listening to Ryan's analysis: "Very good, Your Majesty, you can almost go to the final battle with confidence. Katalin will definitely lose this battle, but she won't lose too miserably, because she is facing a person who has already escaped.
For a person who once lived, there is no pressure to escape again. The only variable is the old guard, uh, I mean, how much fighting power Katalin and her old guard have."
"Are you so sure?" Ryan smiled.
"I don't understand military affairs, Your Majesty, but I understand politics and people's hearts." Talleyrand shook his head: "Just watch, but remember, don't go to the rescue, no one will accept your kindness, and the responsibility for the defeat will still be placed on you.
We've made enough of you on Erengrad.
, it’s time to stop, and if we guessed correctly, Emperor Karl-Franz’s messenger will arrive soon. He is nominally here to congratulate and labor the army, but in fact he is here to spy on the strength of our army, and also
There is a test to see if we intend to annex Erengrad."
"Can you predict the future?" Ryan's eyes flickered. He had received a secret report from MI7. Metternich, the special envoy of Emperor Karl-Franz, had arrived at Talleyheim! But Talleyrand didn't know it at all!
"Limiting the target to your Majesty and the leader of the other party, I can guess something." Talleyrand shook his head: "I also guessed that the Czarina will come to beg you one day. When the time comes, I have a
I have thoughts to tell you.”
"Not now?" Ryan blinked.
"Before the time comes, and once said, the method will be ineffective and will be very troublesome." Talleyrand said with a wry smile: "I hope you can understand that some things are timely and confidential."
"Your Majesty, the Northern Expedition is not possible!" In Katalin's private residence, the Minister of Logistics, Baghramyan, knelt in front of the Czarina. He almost burst into tears and said sincerely to the Czarina: "The timing is not right.
"
"What's the wrong time?" Katalin had just announced at the Duma Congress that she had approved the decision of the Northern Expedition, which was supported by the vast majority of the Duma. Three days later, the White Guards will move north to prepare to recapture Kislev.
City, driving away the Chaos army there. Now hearing Bagramyan's plea, the Tsarina was very impatient,
She thought for a while and said in a considerate tone: "I understand what you mean, Hof, the White Guards are indeed poorly trained and they are basically new recruits, but the opportunity is rare. According to the scouts, the enemy only has more than 10,000 people. We
There is no way that five of you can defeat one, right? Training while fighting, the battlefield is the best classroom."
"Moreover, the empire's supply to us will be cut off! If we wait any longer, the White Guards will have no choice but to disband! This is impossible. I have made up my mind. After three days, the army will set off immediately!"
Bagramyan's request was rejected. This was not because Katalin insisted on having her own way, but because almost all the Dumas hoped to make a quick northern expedition.
Three days later, the Kislev White Guards began to concentrate their troops and move north.
Katalin and the Dumas were unable to determine whether Knight King Ryan continued to "recover" Kislev City and Prague in the north. In addition, the empire's logistics supplies were gradually dwindling. They were determined to rush on and seize the fruits of victory.
.
After discussing the marching route, everyone chose the fastest route, starting from Bekafen and heading east along the river to the important town of Fortenhof in the east, and then going directly north from Fortenhof through Lachhof to the
Kislev city.
The military operation started very smoothly. As Ryan analyzed, Chaos now only has a group of stragglers left. When the White Guards appeared on the battlefield, the scattered Chaos army of dozens or hundreds of people was quickly expelled and defeated. At most,
, Katalin can receive twelve good news in one day.
This made the queen full of confidence in the next war. She learned the lesson from the last defeat of Zedevka. When she encountered the Chosen Champion of Tzeentch Cha-Zanai at a place on the banks of the Talabek River,
When attacking Ke and his Raven Guard Legion, Katalin was careful not to forcefully surround or pursue them.
This allowed Zang Aike to seize the opportunity and escape.
The White Guards wanted to continue their pursuit, but at this time the climate suddenly changed. In April, Ostermark had entered spring, and the Upper Tarabek River began to thaw. Just after Zang Ek and his men escaped the frozen river,
The climate suddenly warmed up, the ice and snow thawed, and the river surface turned into a torrent with a large number of floating ice floes.
The White Guards were unable to forcibly cross the fast and wide Upper Tarabek River, and the two sides began a confrontation along the river.
Fifty thousand White Guards, under the order of Grand Marshal Kislev Denikin, built a large number of rafts and boats in preparation for setting up pontoon bridges.
On the other side of the river, Cha-Zan'ek, the Chosen Champion of Tzeentch, managed to assemble as much of a Chaos army as he could, with less than ten thousand men. The Chosen Champion of Tzeentch knew that he faced an absolute disadvantage in numbers, and due to
After the failure of the Battle of Bekafen, the number of elites was seriously insufficient, and most of them were stragglers with low combat effectiveness and low morale.
However, nothing excites Zang Ek more than this.
Because he will prove through an epic victory that he, Ekko, is still the master of the battlefield and the trustworthy champion of the Demon Bird God!
But at this moment, an army joined and the situation changed.
A group of less than two thousand medium-mounted cavalry, led by a Kurgan Khan, chased the Wild Wolf Lord Leman Russ from the Far East. The two sides were in the shadow of the Talabek River.
Encountered near the forest, after negotiations, Kurgan Khan joined Zan'ek's army, and the two sides announced an alliance.
His name is powerful throughout the Far East. He has penetrated into the hinterland of the Cathay Empire several times and gained the attention and love of the Four Gods of Chaos. At the most intense time, he once fought his way to Wei Jing, the capital of the Cathay Empire, forcing the Dragon Emperor to personally lead the three
The main camp and the 26th Guards fought and finally drove them back to the north of the Great Wall.
His name is Subotai-Aanglang!
Old World, mid-to-late April, Kislev and Empire border, Shadow Forest.
The Chosen Champion of Tzeentch, Cha-Zan'ek, remembered the previous encounter with lingering fear.
Two days ago, when he and his army were surrounded by the White Guards, Zan'ek was left with more than a hundred Chosen Warriors of Tzeentch from the Raven Guard Legion, and he was almost surrounded by 50,000 people!
If he is not careful, he will be found in the empire!
This made Zan Aike break out in a cold sweat and he was frightened.
Since the defeat of Bekafen, the number of troops around Zan'ec has been greatly reduced. The Tzeentch legion he led was already losing troops and its strength was greatly reduced. Especially after the news of the defeat of Mortkin's main force of Chaos came, the Tzeentch army
The Qi Legion is also facing serious problems of desertion and attrition. The chiefs and champions have serious disagreements. Some have escaped, some want to escape, some want to continue looting before leaving, and some even want to
Continue south.
Zan'ec had spent a lot of effort to assemble these defeated soldiers, but what was very troublesome was that the Nurgle army led by Nurgle's chosen champion, Plague Doctor Festus, had received Nurgle's clear oracle request.
Withdrew, the two sides continued to fight within themselves during the retreat, and fought two battles. In the end, Zan Aike was left with more than a hundred people, and he was almost surrounded and killed by the White Guards.
If not for the joining of Kurgan Khan Subotai-Canglang, Zan'ike would definitely have fled, but even now that he has been joined by Khan Subotai, Zan'ike is still not optimistic about the current war situation.
After managing to integrate all the remaining defeated generals, he only had 9,000 men under his command, and including Subotai's cavalry, it was only over 10,000.
With an absolute disadvantage in terms of military strength, low morale and strong pressure, the Chosen Champion of Tzeentch knew that he must have a bold plan, otherwise he would not be able to withstand the White Guard's attack.
Now, on the north bank of the Upper Talabek River, in the middle of the woodland on the right side of the Shadow Forest, Tzeentch's Chosen Champion Cha-Zan'ek and Kurgan Khan Subotai-Cang Lang are discussing how to conduct this war.
They must fight a very beautiful retreat, and quickly defeat the White Guards and retreat before the Lion army in the west can react and surround them.
"The enemy may break through the defense line, and the cowardly Nanguo will suppress us with numbers." A Chaos Warlock stood in front of the map and explained the situation to Zan'ek and Subotai: "In the south, they are on Talabek
Several camps and logistical supply stations have been established on the south bank of the river, and pontoons and rafts are being built to prepare for crossing the river."
"The stronghold of Lachhof on the north shore is still in our hands, but it is already in ruins. Lachhof is surrounded by the Shadow Forest to the west and the Witvo Mountains to the east. We have no danger to defend it. We
There are only 500 men in Lachhof, and their morale is low. It is impossible for the defenders to hold there, but if I
If we abandon Lakhov and retreat, then once all the White Guards cross the river, we will be at an absolute disadvantage in terms of numbers, and it may be difficult to win." Zang Aike said to Subotai Khan: "The problem now is
, how do we ensure that we can concentrate our forces and quickly defeat the opponent's vanguard."
"You have too few people, Zan'ike." Subotai Khan had a slender black beard. He wore a felt hat, a white wolfskin cloak, and a black chaos armor underneath:
"Are there any reinforcements? Elsewhere?"
"There is another army that may be able to help us." Zang Ek pointed his hand at the north: "If Sigvald can support us from the rear, everything will be fine."
As soon as these words came out, the Chaos Champions and Warlocks under Cha-Zan Ek looked at each other and opened their mouths.
"Your distinguished Lord Chosen by God."
"Prince Sigvald..."
"Prince Sigvald, whose legions of Slaanesh were routed by Breton knights and hussars west of Grovald Forest, had fled with his army to the mountain passes, with another Slaanesh champion.
Together with Stika."
"What?" Zang Aike roared angrily: "He actually ignored our agreement! I asked him to stop. This is an order! This is an order!"
"There is not much use in talking about these now." Subotai Khan always remained calm. He continued to observe the map. After thinking for a while, Subotai said seriously: "Then, if we want to win, then we must win."
You have to take some risks.”
"You mean?" Zan Aike also looked at the map: "Strikes halfway through?"
"It's not enough to attack halfway across the border." Subotai pointed his finger: "Lachhoff, we must experience a defeat here and win in defeat."
"Seek victory in defeat? You mean, attract the main force of the White Guards?"
"Honorable champion chosen by the God of Eagles, have you ever heard of a famous tactic of luring the enemy in the Far East? We must lose first. Only if we lose will the Russians be lured over."