by Carlo Zen
Additionally, there's a company in training on standby to deploy. In other words, the Cherubim's alert came at the perfect time.
"02, urgent from 01. I'm changing your mission. Change your destination immediately to grid zone eighteen."
"...What happened?" Weiss skillfully replies with a straightforward question, as expected. Tanya finds his wonderful lack of wasted effort satisfying.
"A friendly magic recon unit spotted a large Federation force crossing our lines. My guess is that they're on their way to raid the village over there."
What she has to tell him is very straightforward.
She informs him of his mission in the simplest terms possible.
"What we know is that there are two or three ski commando battalions plus an unknown number of mages. Aid the defense by stopping them ASAP." On top of that, she offers a clarification. "Support the friendly villagers. Drive the enemy off or buy time for an evacuation."
Weiss doesn't gasp or anything, but even he can't take these orders lightly. After a few moments of silence, he replies, distressed, "With all due respect, could you rethink this? Even if we only engaged in a delaying action, sending the troops into combat with noncombatants present is..."
"I can't say it's what I'd prefer, but we can't ignore them. If we forsake the Council for Self-Government's village, General von Zettour will murder us for letting the enemy profit."
Tanya's serious. Zettour has put a lot of work into this plan to divide the enemy.
If we can't guarantee safety for the local authority that we're allied with, we can't expect victory in the guerrilla war. The essence of security is reliability and trust. If we can't provide safety, no one will believe in us...
"To think this is happening right before Christmas, too. It's so... How should I put it...? This news really makes it hard to maintain good morale."
"Well, this is politics. It's a present from our dear General Staff, Major."
"...Thank you very much for the splendid gift."
When everything is said and done, Weiss's reaction is appropriate for a soldier in the field. Military action for political ends often means committing foolishness at the request of unreasonable people.
I don't like the excuse of the holiday, but I understand that Tanya's subordinates are eager for a Christmas break. Who knows how things are for Communists, for whom Christmas is officially banned, but I'm sure that even the toughest members of the Salamander Kampfgruppe are looking forward to this time of year.
"I do have one piece of good news, though I don't know whether it'll satisfy you or not. It may be basic, but the area should be fortified---if the Council for Self-Government has been doing their job, that is..."
"Amateur fieldworks? I won't expect much."
Weiss's mind-set was the most prudent in this scenario.
Can a defensive position constructed by amateurs weather a Federation assault? If it had nothing to do with me, I would laugh it off as a sketchy gamble.
Sadly, Tanya is stuck between a rock and a hard place as a part of middle management.
"I'm not saying to stick it out until you've been annihilated. I'm heading your way now with the rest of the battalion."
How much better it would be if I could authorize them to pull back because it's an impossible task! Arghhh. Tanya shakes her head. No complaining. I have to at least get this work over with as quickly as possible.
The conclusion is simple. This needs to be done ASAP. And the enemy can't be ignored. This is what makes me hate everything. Any world where the mere three-word incantation "for political reasons" can thrust mages into heated battles is a place no better than garbage. It's proof that God doesn't exist.
If you have any doubt, just look at how the monster Being X is running amok. At any rate... Tanya shifts her priority to military matters and relays the necessary info.
"One other thing: There should be a communications officer out there. Make contact and have him evacuate. After that, you guys get out front and set up a mobile defense."
"Roger. Can I have the spare company?"
"Given their training progress, I'm having them stand by. The main force is headed your way."
"Understood. Then we'll head to the village now. Should we instruct them to burn everything?"
Tanya's response to the question is short and immediate. "No."
"At the risk of being insistent, are you sure?"
Everyone is trying to figure out how to get through the deepening winter, and beds are hard to come by, so this fight is also over those warm places to sleep. If we leave buildings for the enemies, they're likely to use them.
It's easy to guess that Weiss will hold out, saying he wants to burn them down.
Which is why... Tanya's answer has been decided from the beginning.
"Yes. 02, this is a political war."
"So you're posing as a hero saving the residents from the evil Federation?"
Tanya nods. See, you get it.
The political necessity of having to provide security won't allow us to forsake this town.
If we disgrace ourselves with Christmas right around the corner, we'll definitely have trouble later because of it.
But the only ones who would risk their lives for anyone but a clear ally...must be some kind of weirdos. Real soldiers despise that kind of romanticism.
If these were our own people...the members of the Salamander Kampfgruppe would devote themselves to defense without even asking for details, but Tanya can't deny that this is a different question.
"I'm warning you, I don't want to see you defending the village in name only. Give it your all. Reinforcements from the main unit are coming. I'm rushing over with the rest of the battalion."
"02, roger. We'll arrive ahead of the main forces and fight a delaying action."
Even when you're not feeling motivated, it's unacceptable to cut corners on your work. After giving Weiss a warning and entrusting him with the vanguard, Tanya prepares to move out herself.
First Lieutenant Serebryakov must have showed up while Tanya was on the wireless, because she's standing by right where she's needed, like always. Tanya shoots her a glance and says, "Lieutenant Serebryakov, raise the alarm for the Kampfgruppe and have everyone report to their alert positions."
"Yes, ma'am! Right away!"
Tanya has no issues with her adjutant's efficiency. Honestly, between her vice commander and her adjutant, this unit is just wonderful quality. Teamwork where each party does their job properly is exactly what this era requires.
"The rest of the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion should prepare to sortie. We'll leave Lieutenant Wüstemann's replacement company behind as a spare to protect the base. Stay alert. I'll lead the battalion myself."
"Will command go to Captain Ahrens, then?"
Right... Tanya nods and adds further instructions. Maybe it's because she's comparing him to Captain Meybert, who is too cautious, but armored commanders like Ahrens tend to prefer excessively aggressive actions.
I don't want to sound like a broken record, but instructions have to be clear. Confusion caused by unclear directions is foolishness resulting from idiot bosses.
"Tell him to protect the base, and if there are no further instructions after seventy-two hours, he should report the situation to eastern headquarters and ask for further orders."
I'm reluctant to even consider the possibility of such a just-in-case scenario, of course. It's the difference between bad and worse, though; this is better than the captain acting like a fool who abandons everything if Tanya's rendered incommunicado or something.
I'm not a child. I won't run from the responsibility of the job that's been laid down---even if Tanya's pay is not commensurate. There's not much of a choice, since a contract has already been signed.
"Oh, and thank the Cherubim command. Tell them I'll treat them to a round of drinks as a thanks for the early warning."
Though my workload has just increased, it would be barking up the wrong tree to
get angry at the bearers of the bad news. With the exception of whimsical weirdos who dream of becoming naked emperors, what you need when making decisions is accurate information. Those who provide that should receive commensurate praise.
With a comprehending nod, Serebryakov races off in her role as messenger---she gets it. Tanya is sure that she'll handle everything appropriately. At this rate, she'll mature into a fine high-ranking officer.
Now, then..., Tanya thinks after handing out all the necessary instructions. I expected an infiltration attack to come eventually. We're at war, after all. That much is bound to happen.
"Seriously, such hardworking Communists and nationalists alike can rot." Tanya grumbles this to herself but there's something I can't quite understand.
The cold is nature's fury. The Federation and the Empire have to face it equally. Even if the Federation Army is familiar with the winter in these parts, this isn't ideal hiking weather for anyone.
In short, it's not a good time to have troops on the move.
"A winter offensive doesn't seem sane. Is it recon-in-force? But I heard they don't even have enough forces to mount a counterattack..."
What crosses my mind is a guess calculating backward from a strategic objective. Recon-in-force would automatically imply a connection to a forthcoming operation.
Naturally, that implies the Federation has the forces necessary to launch a large-scale attack with what they learn from the recon.
But Tanya can't quite understand.
A major offensive doesn't make sense unless you have a lot of forces to commit to the battle. Is the Federation Army claiming they have that many ready?
"Has the Federation Army recovered more quickly than our intelligence suggested? Of all the..."
It's been only a month or two since the front stagnated.
Not even the Federation Army can escape the laws of physics. Despite having such a huge pool of manpower that you could describe it as soldiers growing on trees, they still require a minimum of training and gear.
Thinking logically, it's not possible for them to have enough strategic reserves to mount a general counterattack. If they did, they would have committed them to battle before their lines initially collapsed; otherwise, the Federation Army General Staff would have been letting a ton of soldiers just sit around twiddling their thumbs.
...That said, it's pointless to try to prove a hypothesis with mere deduction and shout that it must be XYZ.
Flatly ignoring assumptions for the moment, Tanya sorts out the issues plainly. The critical factor here is the enemy's intention.
"First, is this intended to be a recon-in-force or not?"
By asking myself that, I can start to make some sense of this mess. If this really was supposed to be the prelude to a major offensive, everything, including the wireless, would be bristling with energy. Tanya has participated in enough major offensives to recognize that special atmosphere the battlefield takes on when a large force is on the move.
She's confident that she wouldn't mess up that call.
"Which means a general offensive isn't happening at this time." She's sure of herself as she murmurs the assertion at the ceiling.
Plus, if it actually was a full-scale attack, HQ and frontline control would have been screaming for a while now. The fact that the canaries aren't singing means there's no need to second-guess her judgment.
"This is a limited offensive, then. It's valid to interpret their intention as recon-in-force."
Hypotheses should be as simple as possible.
Regardless of the underlying purpose, she can't deny the possibility that the Federation Army has launched an attack to probe the imperial defensive lines. The key is their timing.
"...What made them think it was worth the risk?"
It's the same as her original question. Does the Federation have enough troops to perform recon-in-force? If not, they're throwing away human lives in vain. Even if it is the Federation, it's hard to imagine such utter wastefulness is permitted.
Of course, if they decide not to attack as a result of the recon, they can keep sacrifices to a minimum. If by the sacrifice of a few the many can be protected, every army would celebrate any kind of tragedies.
But it's still a waste.
Should I consider another possibility? Tanya thinks again.
"Possibility one: a harassment attack."
The most likely alternative is that they're simply screwing with us.
It's a classic tactic, since it'll tire us out. The problem with that idea is that we've already confirmed that they've mobilized a force that's at least brigade strength.
That's too large a troop commitment for mere harassment.
And there's nothing to say that those are the only troops who crossed the border. Considering there could be troops lurking in strategic locations, we can't rule out the possibility of one or more detachments.
This is a half glass of water situation. Whether to be optimistic that we managed to keep half or lament that we have only half is up to Tanya.
The water that's gone isn't coming back.
In this case, the water is time and initiative. She can't afford to lose any more from her cup. I guess I have no choice... She hardens her resolve as she makes up her mind on how to respond.
Once she's determined her course, she has to follow through. The remaining units at base have deployed quickly in a swift and extremely orderly manner.
The main forces of the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion are made up of two companies, which Tanya takes command of personally. Her troops get into assault formation and then speed toward the village.
Along the way, word comes in from Eastern Army Group HQ that Federation troops are crossing the border at various locations, but there is no change to the Salamander Kampfgruppe's mission. Phew. Tanya is sure now that she's made the right decision. If she put off scrambling till later, they would have been sortieing with their cup mostly empty.
"...So it really is recon-in-force?"
I'm having a hard time believing it.
That said, it's dangerous to be distracted. Having a plentiful water supply is how the good ideas bubble up. For now, Tanya needs to do her duty---no choice but to think this over later.
"Lieutenant, any changes in enemy radio chatter?"
"None. The Federation Army only uses short-range encoded signals for comms between unit members, but they seem to be operating in total radio silence."
"...That's strange. Even though multiple units are crossing the border?"
Normally, when multiple units are trying to coordinate for an operation, long-range communications are essential. And of course, whoever's trying to intercept them naturally exploits the opening presented by those long-range transmissions by trying to pinpoint the location of the attackers.
The Salamander Kampfgruppe and headquarters are a good example. If the enemy can intercept the exchanges between the two, even if they can't understand any of the content, they can use the knowledge that "some unit" and "headquarters" are exchanging messages in their decision-making process.
"Yes, Colonel. Although the weather isn't the best for the radio waves... If we really can't pick up any long-range signals, they must be avoiding their use on purpose."
"They've put more thought into this than I expected." Wincing at her adjutant's response, Tanya has genuine praise for the enemy's craftiness.
Even a native speaker of the Federation language like Serebryakov can't interpret the enemy's encoded short-range transmissions at a glance.
"If they're not used to cooperating, they'll probably choose to operate individually."
"I imagine so."
What a pain, Tanya grumbles in her head.
If multiple units are communicating, it's fairly easy to pinpoint their locations, but when the enemy isn't on the wireless, the situation could even develop into a series of accidental encounter battles.
Tanya's forces are on the way to meet up with Weiss and the others who are com
ing from another direction, but...it makes her nervous that they can't get a read on the enemy's movements.
Maybe it would be better to prioritize consolidating our forces, even if we lose a little time. Just as she starts thinking that...
"02 to 01, it's urgent. 02 to 01, it's urgent." Weiss's strained voice with a bit of static mixed in.
Tanya answers the moment she hears. "This is 01. The signal is clear. What is it?"
"02 to 01. We've made enemy contact."
It's the encounter battle she was afraid of.
"We're engaged with a mage commando company that seems to be from the Commonwealth Army."
"01, roger." Unable to hold back, she snaps, "Shit."
A unit from the Commonwealth?
Mistaken identity happens often on the battlefield, but it's highly unlikely that Weiss would make that sort of error. Is the Commonwealth conducting a joint operation with the Federation?
"Everything is always too late. We don't have enough information to make informed decisions."
There could be Commonwealth reinforcements.
"Have you notified the communications officer?"
"There's either jamming or his radio is broken. I can't connect."
Knowing it was pointless to ask, Tanya gets the answer she expects from her adjutant.
Unable to read the enemy's movements, she's forced to think about the unconfirmed enemy forces. It's suddenly uncertain whether the troops she has heading over are enough anymore.
Either way, the situation isn't good.
"Report to HQ. Give them an update."
Tanya gives the order like a conditioned reflex. Her shock is so great, she wants to grind her teeth, and she reviews their situation in her head.
As a commander, she can think only about how tricky their position has become.
Most likely, multiple enemy units are operating individually in this battle. Theoretically, if they're spread out and not supporting one another, that gives Tanya's troops a chance to pick them off one by one, but since there isn't a good way to locate them, that's only an armchair fantasy at the moment.
She still can't rule out her units getting pulled into a meeting engagement, and nerve-rackingly, they still don't have a clear idea of how large the enemy force is. To put it simply, you can just call it the fog of war, but that doesn't make it any better.