Chapter 671 07.670: “Acting Group Leader (asking for monthly votes!)”

“After passing here, we will reach the command trench.” The staff officer said to Horatio as he walked quickly forward.

Horatio followed closely, and behind him, the sounds of laser guns and lumberjacks intertwined, breaking the silence of the night sky. However, when they passed through the second sequence of “logistics trenches”, the danger and chaotic exchange of fire seemed to be left behind.

From the cat-ear cave, fully armed Krieg men poured out like a tide, quickly rushed into the first trench, and began to clear out the enemy who had launched a sneak attack at night.

“Are nighttime attacks like this frequent?” Horatio couldn’t help but ask.

“It happens all the time. But our attacks are more frequent.

However, the combination of elite commandos and snipers in this heretic raid is a little unusual. Colonel, they seem to be targeting you.” The staff officer responded solemnly.

Horatio stepped into a spacious trench, and the ground under his feet was finally no longer soft, smelly mud, but a hardened, solid and flat dirt road.

On both sides of the road, a row of low reinforced concrete bunkers are neatly arranged. The windows of the bunkers are reinforced with retractable grilles and steel bars. During the day, the grilles can be retracted for ventilation; at night, they can be pulled down to block the light in the room to prevent being detected by enemy reconnaissance units.

Inside the trench, soldiers were standing guard in straight posture, Officer Krieg was walking hurriedly with documents in hand, and vehicles dragging supplies were coming and going, creating a busy scene.

The staff officer walked to a door guarded by a Krieg soldier and knocked on the heavy steel door. Soon, the door was slowly pushed open from the inside by a Krieg soldier who was also wearing a gas mask.

“Report! This is Captain Horatio Cochrane, the Navy captain who is in contact with us.” The staff officer stood at attention and saluted, saying loudly.

The door continued to open outwards, leaving enough space for the visitor. Horatio led Farida and Louise into the room, turning his head slightly and looking at the only remaining grenadier behind him.

The staff officer saluted the grenadier solemnly. The soldier raised his gun and returned the standard salute. Then he turned around and walked alone in the direction he came from, gradually disappearing on the dark horizon and returning to the cat ear hole in the trench where he was.

The door closed quickly with a dull and heavy sound.

Horatio turned his head and looked at the Krieg standing behind the battle table.

The man was casually wearing a black and gold Death Hussar jacket, a shining cavalry breastplate underneath, a Minerva helmet on his head, and Krieg’s iconic gas mask on his face. The eyepiece lenses were black, making it impossible to peek into his eyes behind him.

To be honest, being stared at like this can be a bit creepy.

Horatio heard that the Krieg’s generals were carefully selected from the soldiers, and the replacement rate was much faster than that of other regiments, so there was no uniform.

Judging from the details of the general’s clothing, he might be from the Skeleton Hussar Regiment, which is a light cavalry unit among the Death Cavalry, and is good at executing reconnaissance and raid tactics.

“Welcome to the 15th Siege Regiment’s General Staff, Colonel Horatio Cochrane.

I am General Gebhard von Blücher.” The steady voice came through the mask, sounding no different from an ordinary person, just a little colder and more solemn.

“It’s an honor to meet you, General. I received an order from the Military Affairs Department to join this battle to gain experience for the establishment of the Imperial Navy’s landing combat force.

Although I am an officer of the Imperial Navy, when I was a captain, I served as a liaison officer of the fleet and participated in the Farr Star Expedition, fighting side by side with the British. I have some experience in land warfare. “Horatio stepped forward and handed the general’s order to the messenger beside him.

The herald took the order, opened it and presented it to the general.

The general took it, and after a brief silence, he spoke: “But unfortunately, you are too late. The Inquisitor notified us to retreat, and we will start evacuating in the next few days.”

“The extermination order has been delayed,” Horatio said. “We have another Inquisitor questioning the legitimacy of the extermination order. Inquisitor Black Hammer will need another three months to issue the extermination order.”

General Blücher was silent for a moment and looked at the staff officer. The staff officer nodded in confirmation: “Inquisitor Teiperu will soon arrive on the surface with the priests of the Martian Mechanicus. We only have three months to end the ground campaign.”

“This is our last chance.” Horatio looked serious.

“Several regiments on our frontlines are facing a shortage of officers as they have been killed in two years of intense fighting.

From colonel to captain, the full staffing rate of officers in our regiments is less than 30%. Although you are from the navy, you have graduated from a military academy after all.”

General Blücher was silent for a moment, then quickly got back to the point and bluntly quoted Horatio’s comments on Wellington.

“Therefore, my arrangement for you is to appoint you and Military Supervisor Commissioner Farida Hud as acting Colonel Regiment Commander and Acting Military Supervisor-Colonel respectively, and each command an infantry regiment.”

Then the general pointed to the sand table, and Horatio and Farida each took a step forward.

“You will serve as the acting commanders of the two adjacent front regiments in the Passchendaele-Ypres area. We will carry out the subsequent supply of ordnance and personnel together.”

“I thought I might be able to get the Ministry of the Interior to pay attention to this battlefield again. After the Second Damocles Gulf Expedition, the Ministry of the Interior paid great attention to my publicity reports.

If I ask the Ministry of the Interior for more support, they will not turn a blind eye. This may play a key auxiliary role in our final three months of the general offensive. “Horatio said thoughtfully.

General Blücher looked at Horatio through the dark lenses of his gas mask. “Then I’ll leave it to you, Colonel Cochrane. Staff Inspector Clausewitz will assist you. You will go to the battlefield with the next batch of reinforcements.

The rebels are short of supplies and on the verge of collapse. Under our heavy pressure, they will definitely try every means to fight us.

We must end this siege within the next three months.

But first, before reinforcements arrive, we must stabilize and strengthen the existing front and achieve a complete blockade of the central hive group.”
–
“So, we have become the commanders of two Astra Militarum regiments?” Farida looked at Horatio, trying to wipe the mud off the military supervisor’s uniform.

“Yes, we are responsible for two adjacent fronts. You and Louise will take care of each other. She has experience serving in the Cadian Blitzkrieg and can help you.

I will cooperate with Staff Officer Clausewitz, and our two regiments need to work closely together in subsequent operations.”

“No problem, but to be honest, I never thought I’d serve on land.”

Farida smiled helplessly, thinking of what she said to Horatio when she first met him –

[“Try to become a naval officer, Mr. Cochrane. As captains, we all serve the God-Emperor. Some captains are well-dressed, well-fed, have their own chefs, and comfortable bedrooms; while others can only drink muddy water and eat canned food in the muddy trenches. They may be equally great, but if you have a choice, don’t let the opportunity slip away.”]
Unexpectedly, even though he was already on board, these words still turned into a boomerang and hit him.

“Don’t worry, Horatio. I will do my best to assist Inspector Hood.” Louise’s assurance made Horatio feel a little relieved.

“The death rate of officers on this battlefield is far beyond my imagination. Whether this is due to the rebels’ organized beheading of officers or the excessive intensity of the battle, it has sounded the alarm for us. We must be careful and not take risks,” Horatio warned in a serious tone.

“Then how do we replenish the missing officers in the company?” Farida looked puzzled. “I don’t think you will send your own naval captains to be disposable cannon fodder.”

“You don’t have to worry about that, there won’t be any problems with the Krieg promotion in the field.

Just follow the command link.” Staff Officer Clausewitz explained, “You will perform the functions of regimental commanders. After arriving at the regimental command post, I will help you adapt to commanding a Krieg infantry regiment.”

(End of this chapter)