Chapter 1172: Chapter 17 Great Alliance Moves Forward (2)_3

In fact, from the moment Colonel Skool entered the Iron Peak County military camp, he was attentively observing everything around him.

From the soldiers’ clothes, weapons to their mental state, and then to the layout, discipline, and overall perception of the camp, including the quantity, quality, and condition of the horses.

The things Colonel Skool saw made him increasingly alarmed and cautious about the Iron Peak County rebels, so he inadvertently became more reticent.

Interestingly, the composition of Winters Montagne’s forces is distinctly different from the local troops of the New Reclamation Legion, which mainly consist of infantry.

Under Winters Montagne’s command, the troops instead exhibit a distinctly “Paratu style”: highly emphasizing mobility and being as lightly equipped as possible; not only do they have cavalry units beyond the standard scale, but even the infantry are assisted by many pack horses and draft horses for transporting personal belongings.

If you cover all identifying markers and let a third-party officer visit the camp of Mont Blanc, Thunder Group, Bian River, and Iron Peak County forces.

The third-party legion will surely think that the Iron Peak County’s new army comes from Paratu, while the troops stationed in the three counties are the reserve forces of the United Provincials.

The true Paratu-commanded forces look like the Provincial Army, yet the Venetian-controlled forces more resemble Paratu forces than the Paratu forces themselves, a peculiar scene within the Four Counties Allied Forces.

…

Bard, Captain Moro, and Major Jeska remained in Revodan, Colonel Seber and Andre were out patrolling with the cavalry, so currently, only Winters and Senior Mason were in the camp.

The reason Colonel Bod brought the intermediate officers of the three counties to Winters’ camp was solely to hold a meeting.

Winters sent someone to find Senior Mason, who was inventorying supplies. Eleven officers represented the three counties, two represented Iron Peak County, plus the allied commander, Colonel Bod, who was elected as the new Commander of the New Reclamation Legion, totaling fourteen officers began a military deliberation meeting in the stable.

Unlike the “military conferences” in drama and poetry where generals battle with words and devise ingenious strategies, academy-trained officers’ pre-war meetings are always simple, focusing on “accounting.”

“After last year’s expansion, the force directly under General Adams already has ten battalions. After the Maplestone City incident, these forces were incorporated by that traitor Chloe.” Colonel Skool continued in the role of “account book,” stating from memory: “General Adams also gathered at least four squadrons of cavalry, which also fell into the traitor’s hands.”

Winters placed ten “soldier” pieces on the map to represent ten battalions, and placed four knight pieces to represent four cavalry squadrons.

Colonel Skool added: “The New Reclamation Expeditionary Army–Sanel’s forces–has at least four battalions and two cavalry squadrons.”

Winters placed more pieces on the map.

Colonel Skool continued: “Whether it’s the rebel forces that fell into the hands of Sanel or the New Reclamation Expeditionary Army, their equipment and training levels are quite good. Especially the New Reclamation Expeditionary Army; they are considered to be Grof Magnus’s few capable direct subordinates, and Sanel is even considered Grof Magnus’s military pillar.”

Colonel Gaisa spit viciously: “Last year when the Herd Barbarians came to plunder, we were grateful for the Grand Council sending elite forces. Yet in a blink of an eye, The Viper turned around and bit us–Grof Magnus, that viper! Not trustworthy at all!”

“That means the enemy has at least seven thousand well-trained infantry, fifteen hundred qualified cavalry, and may be equipped with artillery units.” Colonel Skool calmly summarized: “In the case of defending Maplestone City and Maple Fort, perhaps a scale of fifteen hundred to two thousand armed militia can also be recruited.”

No one present expressed dissent.

“But their problems lie in the dispersion of forces and morale.” After listing the enemy’s strengths, Colonel Skool began to explain the enemy’s weaknesses:

“Maplestone City and Maple Fort both require defense, and neither Sanel nor Chloe can attack entirely. So their forces will inevitably be dispersed.”

“The forces originally belonging to the New Reclamation Legion only surrendered due to inertia and won’t willingly be loyal to the traitor. According to intelligence, to fill the vacancies of junior officers, Chloe, the traitor, appointed a large number of ‘honorary officers’–those who bought military rank.”

There were a few contemptuous snickers among the officers present.

“Morale cannot be assessed, so we must plan for the worst.” Colonel Bod turned around and coldly admonished the younger officers: “If you expect the enemy to lay down weapons and surrender at the start of the war, then we might as well disband now, kneel before the traitor and beg for his mercy, rather than waste the soldiers’ lives.”

The officers and junior officers said nothing.

“Having settled the enemy’s account.” Colonel Bod refocused and said solemnly, “Next, let’s count our own.”

Compared to the accounting of “restructured New Reclamation Legion” and the New Reclamation Expeditionary Army, the numbers for the Four Counties Allied Forces need not be calculated, as the officers present already know them by heart.

With the complete mobilization of Mont Blanc County’s stationed forces, six battalions–expanded by two battalions since last year.

Thunder Group County and Bian River County, needing to guard against the Northern Foothills Province’s Red Rose troops, dispatched a total of seven battalions.

However, the two counties also provided a total of seven cavalry squadrons, most of which were temporarily conscripted riders, and some elite Piaoqi cavalry.

Including the Iron Peak County’s new army — despite its small size, it still operates like a complete entity–a total of four infantry battalions, twelve hundred cavalry, and… four six-pound long guns, as per the calculation method of the Alliance Army.

In fact, after one winter’s expansion, the Iron Peak County’s new army has expanded to five regiments of twenty companies, with a ledger strength of two thousand four hundred men.

However, the newly formed fifth regiment was left by Winters to guard Revodan, so the force dispatched this time consists of four battalions.

The Four Counties Allied Forces have a ledger total of 8160 soldiers, 2880 light and heavy cavalry, and the Iron Peak County’s unique 4 artillery pieces.

According to the ledger figures, even against the fully-equipped “restructured New Reclamation Legion” and the New Reclamation Expeditionary Army, the Four Counties Allied Forces hold the advantage.

“Then there remains one issue.” The fire flickered in Colonel Bod’s eyes: “Do we rescue Mirror Lake County?”

He plunged a sword in the center of the map: “Or attack Maple Fort.”