Chapter 194: The Verdun Meat Grinder (3)
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Chapter 194: The Verdun Meat Grinder (3)
Not long after the first round of simultaneous fire, these ten large cannons unleashed a second volley. This round of fire once again caused dozens of casualties and threw the Prussian army into chaos. Everyone knew they couldn't stay there and take the cannon fire, but they had no clear plan of action. Some brave souls attempted to charge towards the cannons, only to trigger landmines along the way. Others, more timid, retreated to the rear, trying to find cover, only to trigger more landmines.
Amidst the chaos, an organized assault seemed impossible. The troops could only scramble back as best as they could to save as many lives as possible. During the retreat, they had to painstakingly clear the minefields, a much more efficient job than the British had done to identify these narrow areas.
"General, the enemy has been pushed back after just a few volleys of our cannons. We've had minimal casualties, it's incredible," said an officer from one of the Northern legions excitedly to Joseph, who was observing the battle through binoculars.
There were many officers in the Northern legions who knew Joseph, having been saved by the Bonaparte brothers in the past. While there had been some tension between the Bonaparte family and the Northern legions, their reputation was still positive within the army.VIsit n0(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience
"Who said we had minimal casualties? We just lost several soldiers," Joseph corrected. He raised his binoculars again to survey the situation, sighed, and shook his head. "We lost one of our breastworks, and another minefield is nearly gone. Some of the mines were even removed how can you call that minimal casualties?"
"General, are there any techniques we can use for those mines that are easy to spot?" the officer asked.
"Of course, like reducing the amount of explosive material, decreasing the size, and lowering the cost," Joseph replied, genuinely concerned.
After spending half a day destroying a hastily built breastwork and efficiently dismantling a French minefield, the Anglo-Prussian coalition forces returned to their starting positions.
This was undoubtedly a significant setback, but compared to the two other pieces of bad news they received that evening, it seemed almost inconsequential.
This caught Joseph's attention, and he quickly arrived at the command center to coordinate the fortress defense. Reports from various observation points came in, detailing the enemy's movements.
"What are these people thinking? In warfare, shouldn't they launch probing attacks from various directions first to understand the enemy's defenses and then attack with focus and strategy? What are they doing? Do they understand tactics at all?" Mura commented upon hearing these reports.
If Napoleon were here, he would have likely chuckled and said, "Alas, Murat, you're discussing tactics now?"
However, since Napoleon wasn't there, and Joseph, despite not being known for sharp wit, genuinely considered the situation. He explained, "I believe the enemy is aware of Russia's withdrawal from the war and the improved weather in the south. They are likely concerned that Napoleon's Italian Legion will arrive soon, so they're launching an early assault. As for probing attacks, today's attacks are, in essence, probes from multiple directionsthey have to save time. According to our calculations, they don't have enough troops to launch a full-scale assault from so many directions. This must be an all-around probe."
After this explanation, Joseph turned his attention back to the map, studying it carefully. Then he issued orders: "We must preserve our defenses for the future. Today, artillery must not use cannons heavier than 12 pounds, and only single-bore cannons are allowed in combat. 'Canister shot' is prohibited. When using 'wide-sword' mines, the simultaneous detonation of more than three is prohibited. Flamethrowers are not allowed, and 'little melon launchers' are also forbidden. In other areas, we should hold our ground. Zones 1, 7, 12... may slightly retreat but must not fall back beyond the second trench."
Soon, the British and Prussians initiated their attacks from multiple directions. Although, as Joseph had anticipated, these simultaneous attacks were more sound than fury, exerting limited pressure on the defensive positions. Nevertheless, because of Joseph's prohibitions, the troops appeared to be quite active.
After a day of battle, the British and Prussians jointly assessed the results of their attacks and identified several problems on the enemy's side. First, the French had received more support for modern weapons, but their shortage of artillery, especially due to losses on the Northern front, was evident. It seemed that their mines were also in limited supply, with some minefields having a lower density than others. Moreover, the cleared minefields contained a mix of old and new mines, which, in the eyes of the British and Prussians, showed an insufficient number of mines.
However, these issues could potentially improve over time, given the presence of numerous military factories near Paris. Thus, the coalition forces needed to launch their assault quickly, or else the fortress would grow stronger with each passing day.
The Duke of Brunswick, General Blcher, and other British commanders focused their attention on the two weak points that seemed to be traps while considering other segments more suitable for defense. These would become their main targets for tomorrow's attacks.
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Chapter 194: The Verdun Meat Grinder (3)
Not long after the first round of simultaneous fire, these ten large cannons unleashed a second volley. This round of fire once again caused dozens of casualties and threw the Prussian army into chaos. Everyone knew they couldn't stay there and take the cannon fire, but they had no clear plan of action. Some brave souls attempted to charge towards the cannons, only to trigger landmines along the way. Others, more timid, retreated to the rear, trying to find cover, only to trigger more landmines.
Amidst the chaos, an organized assault seemed impossible. The troops could only scramble back as best as they could to save as many lives as possible. During the retreat, they had to painstakingly clear the minefields, a much more efficient job than the British had done to identify these narrow areas.
"General, the enemy has been pushed back after just a few volleys of our cannons. We've had minimal casualties, it's incredible," said an officer from one of the Northern legions excitedly to Joseph, who was observing the battle through binoculars.
There were many officers in the Northern legions who knew Joseph, having been saved by the Bonaparte brothers in the past. While there had been some tension between the Bonaparte family and the Northern legions, their reputation was still positive within the army.VIsit n0(v)eLb(i)n.com for the best novel reading experience
"Who said we had minimal casualties? We just lost several soldiers," Joseph corrected. He raised his binoculars again to survey the situation, sighed, and shook his head. "We lost one of our breastworks, and another minefield is nearly gone. Some of the mines were even removed how can you call that minimal casualties?"
"General, are there any techniques we can use for those mines that are easy to spot?" the officer asked.
"Of course, like reducing the amount of explosive material, decreasing the size, and lowering the cost," Joseph replied, genuinely concerned.
After spending half a day destroying a hastily built breastwork and efficiently dismantling a French minefield, the Anglo-Prussian coalition forces returned to their starting positions.
This was undoubtedly a significant setback, but compared to the two other pieces of bad news they received that evening, it seemed almost inconsequential.
This caught Joseph's attention, and he quickly arrived at the command center to coordinate the fortress defense. Reports from various observation points came in, detailing the enemy's movements.
"What are these people thinking? In warfare, shouldn't they launch probing attacks from various directions first to understand the enemy's defenses and then attack with focus and strategy? What are they doing? Do they understand tactics at all?" Mura commented upon hearing these reports.
If Napoleon were here, he would have likely chuckled and said, "Alas, Murat, you're discussing tactics now?"
However, since Napoleon wasn't there, and Joseph, despite not being known for sharp wit, genuinely considered the situation. He explained, "I believe the enemy is aware of Russia's withdrawal from the war and the improved weather in the south. They are likely concerned that Napoleon's Italian Legion will arrive soon, so they're launching an early assault. As for probing attacks, today's attacks are, in essence, probes from multiple directionsthey have to save time. According to our calculations, they don't have enough troops to launch a full-scale assault from so many directions. This must be an all-around probe."
After this explanation, Joseph turned his attention back to the map, studying it carefully. Then he issued orders: "We must preserve our defenses for the future. Today, artillery must not use cannons heavier than 12 pounds, and only single-bore cannons are allowed in combat. 'Canister shot' is prohibited. When using 'wide-sword' mines, the simultaneous detonation of more than three is prohibited. Flamethrowers are not allowed, and 'little melon launchers' are also forbidden. In other areas, we should hold our ground. Zones 1, 7, 12... may slightly retreat but must not fall back beyond the second trench."
Soon, the British and Prussians initiated their attacks from multiple directions. Although, as Joseph had anticipated, these simultaneous attacks were more sound than fury, exerting limited pressure on the defensive positions. Nevertheless, because of Joseph's prohibitions, the troops appeared to be quite active.
After a day of battle, the British and Prussians jointly assessed the results of their attacks and identified several problems on the enemy's side. First, the French had received more support for modern weapons, but their shortage of artillery, especially due to losses on the Northern front, was evident. It seemed that their mines were also in limited supply, with some minefields having a lower density than others. Moreover, the cleared minefields contained a mix of old and new mines, which, in the eyes of the British and Prussians, showed an insufficient number of mines.
However, these issues could potentially improve over time, given the presence of numerous military factories near Paris. Thus, the coalition forces needed to launch their assault quickly, or else the fortress would grow stronger with each passing day.
The Duke of Brunswick, General Blcher, and other British commanders focused their attention on the two weak points that seemed to be traps while considering other segments more suitable for defense. These would become their main targets for tomorrow's attacks.
Chapter 194: The Verdun Meat Grinder 3Not long after the first round of simultaneous fire, these ten large cannons unleashed a second volley. This round of fire once again caused dozens of casualties and threw the Prussian army into chaos. Everyone knew they couldn't stay there and take the cannon fire, but they had no clear plan of action. Some brave souls attempted to charge towards the cannons, only to trigger landmines along the way. Others, more timid, retreated to the rear, trying to find cover, only to trigger more landmines.Amidst the chaos, an organized assault seemed impossible. The troops could only scramble back as best as they could to save as many lives as possible. During the retreat, they had to painstakingly clear the minefields, a much more efficient job than the British had done to identify these narrow areas."General, the enemy has been pushed back after just a few volleys of our cannons. We've had minimal casualties, it's incredible," said an officer from one of the Northern legions excitedly to Joseph, who was observing the battle through binoculars.There were many officers in the Northern legions who knew Joseph, having been saved by the Bonaparte brothers in the past. While there had been some tension between the Bonaparte family and the Northern legions, their reputation was still positive within the army.VIsit n0veLbin.com for the best novel reading experience"Who said we had minimal casualties? We just lost several soldiers," Joseph corrected. He raised his binoculars again to survey the situation, sighed, and shook his head. "We lost one of our breastworks, and another minefield is nearly gone. Some of the mines were even removed how can you call that minimal casualties?""General, are there any techniques we can use for those mines that are easy to spot?" the officer asked."Of course, like reducing the amount of explosive material, decreasing the size, and lowering the cost," Joseph replied, genuinely concerned.After spending half a day destroying a hastily built breastwork and efficiently dismantling a French minefield, the Anglo-Prussian coalition forces returned to their starting positions.This was undoubtedly a significant setback, but compared to the two other pieces of bad news they received that evening, it seemed almost inconsequential.This caught Joseph's attention, and he quickly arrived at the command center to coordinate the fortress defense. Reports from various observation points came in, detailing the enemy's movements."What are these people thinking? In warfare, shouldn't they launch probing attacks from various directions first to understand the enemy's defenses and then attack with focus and strategy? What are they doing? Do they understand tactics at all?" Mura commented upon hearing these reports.If Napoleon were here, he would have likely chuckled and said, "Alas, Murat, you're discussing tactics now?"However, since Napoleon wasn't there, and Joseph, despite not being known for sharp wit, genuinely considered the situation. He explained, "I believe the enemy is aware of Russia's withdrawal from the war and the improved weather in the south. They are likely concerned that Napoleon's Italian Legion will arrive soon, so they're launching an early assault. As for probing attacks, today's attacks are, in essence, probes from multiple directionsthey have to save time. According to our calculations, they don't have enough troops to launch a full-scale assault from so many directions. This must be an all-around probe."After this explanation, Joseph turned his attention back to the map, studying it carefully. Then he issued orders: "We must preserve our defenses for the future. Today, artillery must not use cannons heavier than 12 pounds, and only single-bore cannons are allowed in combat. 'Canister shot' is prohibited. When using 'wide-sword' mines, the simultaneous detonation of more than three is prohibited. Flamethrowers are not allowed, and 'little melon launchers' are also forbidden. In other areas, we should hold our ground. Zones 1, 7, 12... may slightly retreat but must not fall back beyond the second trench."Soon, the British and Prussians initiated their attacks from multiple directions. Although, as Joseph had anticipated, these simultaneous attacks were more sound than fury, exerting limited pressure on the defensive positions. Nevertheless, because of Joseph's prohibitions, the troops appeared to be quite active.After a day of battle, the British and Prussians jointly assessed the results of their attacks and identified several problems on the enemy's side. First, the French had received more support for modern weapons, but their shortage of artillery, especially due to losses on the Northern front, was evident. It seemed that their mines were also in limited supply, with some minefields having a lower density than others. Moreover, the cleared minefields contained a mix of old and new mines, which, in the eyes of the British and Prussians, showed an insufficient number of mines.However, these issues could potentially improve over time, given the presence of numerous military factories near Paris. Thus, the coalition forces needed to launch their assault quickly, or else the fortress would grow stronger with each passing day.The Duke of Brunswick, General Blcher, and other British commanders focused their attention on the two weak points that seemed to be traps while considering other segments more suitable for defense. These would become their main targets for tomorrow's attacks.
