Solovyov in Tsarist Russia 1796.

For Napoleon, even if the armies of Russia, Prussia, and Austria came together, his strategy would not change much: to strike first.

At this time, there were even reports that the British were planning to launch a strategic offensive starting on June 27.

This pace was actually quite slow; in fact, for Napoleon, there was plenty of time.

Although the number of troops he can currently command is quite limited, it is enough for him to launch an attack.

"Soult, you issue the orders. Our army's primary objective at this time is to defeat and drive out the British and Prussian troops, and if necessary, annihilate them. The entire army shall be divided into three columns and assembled on the French border. The general attack shall commence on June 14, 1815. How many days is that?"

"Seven days left, Your Majesty."

"Distribute the plan three days before the operation begins, and be sure to keep it confidential. Our communications officer must be absolutely reliable. Use optical cipher communication when visibility is good."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Napoleon's personnel arrangements did have some minor issues, but the General Staff seems to be functioning quite well now.

If Ney had stayed with the Guards, the results might have been better.

However, the French army's current operational direction is planned to be divided into three routes.

The left-wing column consisted of Ney, Delron, and Davu, but surprisingly, Ney was in charge of command.

This may sound a bit strange, but it's not a big deal.

Davu's gloomy temper and resolute character made it difficult for him to get along with many generals.

If Eugène were here, things might be better; he could act as a mediator between Davout and the others.

However, without this prerequisite, Davu would be under Nei's command.

For Dawu, the army he commands is currently in a good situation, but the manpower is not as familiar as it used to be.

Freon, the most capable division commander, has now joined the Royal Guard. Morland, one of Davout's subordinates, has also gone to the Royal Guard; only some of the soldiers look familiar to him.

Of the generals he used to have in his 3rd Army, only Judan was missing; the others were still there. The unit designation has changed, and the army commander has also been replaced.

However, it's hard to say whether the division commanders can maintain the same level of cooperation after the separation.

With Ney on the side, and given that he was one of the later ones to "betray" Napoleon, coupled with the more loyal Davout, the soldiers on the left wing would probably have more confidence.

The situation for the troops in the central area has also changed.

Many of the generals were not in the troops they were familiar with before, and many things were still uncertain after Napoleon's return, which led to this awkward situation.

However, advancements in communication systems can at least mitigate some of the losses.

"Your Majesty, where should we locate our forward base?"

"The headquarters can go to Laon first, and I will personally command the central and right flanks."

In Laon, Soult also understood that Napoleon wanted to bring good luck, and that it was relatively convenient for operations due to its proximity to the front lines.

"However, Your Majesty, if we are to take action, we must also take into account the movements of the Russians."

"No matter where they come from, at least they won't pass through the Ardennes Mountains, which are not suitable for large-scale military operations, at least not now."

That's true. After leaving his wife and children, Solovyov hurriedly went from Vienna to the front. The Russian army did not advance from Saxony, but instead crossed Hanover from outside Berlin and headed for the Rhine River.

The Russian army's movement was not fast, and it was estimated that both the Russian and Austrian armies would not be able to engage in combat until July.

Wellington and Blücher arrived first, so if they were to take action, they could lead the way.

Napoleon was aware of this intelligence in advance, so he planned to defeat them one by one.

However, when he considered problems, he still followed the standards of his old army.

Times may have changed, and so have the staff around him.

A few days ago, the unfortunate Berthier fell to his death, the cause of which was extremely suspicious.

Of course, he also refused the emperor's request to join the army in Paris, instead attempting to distance himself from the military.

The biggest problem after the Chief of Staff was replaced by Soult is that he has been out of the staff business for a long time.

Therefore, there are always some minor problems when conveying instructions.

Fortunately, there was young Leclerc. Demid was quite adept at map work and communications, and at a young age, he became the communications minister, and a colonel at that. This starting point was higher than any of his relatives who went to the battlefield, including his uncle Jerome.

Jerome has finally started to take things seriously lately, and he's even managing to command an army.

He was originally a naval officer who had commanded a frigate, and he wasn't particularly skilled in the army, but at this point, he actually started to put in the effort.

After reviewing the battle sequence, Demid began marking the locations on the map.

"Uncle, what do you think of this?"

Now he is the only one who can avoid addressing you as "Your Majesty," which is a way of indicating a close relationship.

In the past, among these marshals and generals, only the late Marshal Lannes was allowed to address Napoleon by his name; even Murat lost this privilege after Napoleon became emperor.

"Well done, you used the principle of magnets, didn't you?"

"Yes, that way, we can easily use it whether we're on a carriage, on a map table, or standing a large map upright in a castle."

"But the logo doesn't look like the kind Michelle used. What's going on?"

"According to Count Solovyov, this type of marking is a 'Western icon,' while he prefers to use 'Eastern icons' because they better display the dynamics of the battlefield. Ours, on the other hand, can be adjusted across the entire battlefield according to the position of the troops, and it is very clear at all levels."

“Very good, even a military layman can understand this deployment.”

Napoleon was very pleased. His nephew was a clever little fellow; he had probably worked with the young men in the communications department to come up with a way to make such a board.

Solovyov was astonished when he saw it. It was truly remarkable, especially considering the lack of even mechanical computers in this era, providing a clear understanding of the dynamics of his own army on the battlefield.

However, he wasn't here. Napoleon simply thought his beloved nephew was a genius, while Solovyov should have said that his son-in-law was unscientific, like a time traveler possessing a body.

Who told you to teach him to arrange tin soldiers and use a thousand tin soldiers in a formation?

Demid put his past experiences of playing with his two younger brothers and friends who came to his house into this space.

“Uncle, but we need to act quickly. What if we can’t catch the enemy? In 1813, I returned to Paris to study, and the battle reports I heard back then always included reports of Prussian troops escaping. I still read the Grand Army bulletins quite often.” “Well, kid, you actually want to command your uncle, huh?”

"You are the emperor, and I am just an officer in your staff. You should command me."

"Alright, we need to act quickly. If we encounter either the Prussian or British troops, and they show up, we must strike them first. We cannot allow them to join forces, that's it."

"So that means a coordinated attack from multiple directions, defeating them one by one?"

“That’s it, you’re just like your father. He would be so proud to see you like this.”

At this point, Napoleon also thought of his father.

When he became emperor, his mother and elder brother Joseph said that his father would be very happy to see it.

However, the tall and thin Demid didn't resemble him much; her face looked more like Polina, his absurd but loyal sister.

"When we reach the front lines, we must act swiftly. The start of the campaign must be rapid; we should be able to reach the front lines in as little as three days. Sirte!"

"Your Majesty, what are your orders?"

"Let our troops, the infantry, speed up their march, with only brief rests at designated locations. The plan doesn't need many changes; the first phase must be completed. We'll teach those arrogant British and foolish Prussians a lesson!"

That's what was said, and the order has been passed on.

Of course, there were also spies from the other side within the French army.

Napoleon's movements were always leaked by certain people.

However, the speed wouldn't be that fast, as Wellington was still in Brussels at that time.

Even the atmosphere within the British army was relatively relaxed at this time.

Wellington's army included Brunswick and Dutch troops, and was not entirely composed of British soldiers.

Of course, this does not mean that their combat effectiveness was poor. The Dutch cavalry was a very high-quality cavalry force in the French army. In addition, they were Dutch troops who had fought bravely on the Berezina River.

The commander was the Prince of Orange, and in addition to these Dutchmen, there was also a reserve force led by Pickton.

Wellington was even in the mood to attend a reception and didn't seem to care too much about what was happening at the front.

In his view, Napoleon's actions wouldn't be so swift.

He even had a counter-attack plan based on Napoleon's initial raid, which might take place after June 20, 1815.

Based on the French army's marching speed, as well as their past combat habits and troop movement patterns, this was probably the fastest they could have done.

However, some erroneous intelligence continued to interfere with Wellington's judgment before the war.

Given the French army's numerical inferiority and the instability of the domestic political situation, it was actually more likely that Napoleon would have waited in Paris for the Allied invasion.

The French army can mobilize no more than 14 combat troops so far, but Wellington's intelligence says it is 12.

Where does the difference lie?

General Lamarck went to the Vendée and recruited troops from the local troublemakers. These troops were considered regular soldiers. However, upon hearing that the emperor was going to fight the Prussians, an additional 4000 volunteers were recruited.

In addition, Lamarck himself brought an army with him, even right next to the emperor's imperial guard, thus creating a massive army of unruly civilians.

They were all coming to fight the Prussians, which greatly surprised Napoleon.

In history, Napoleon would say that Lamarck's victory over the Vendée was unexpected and welcome news.

Now it has become, Lamarck bringing so many Vendée troublemakers is good news that was unexpected for him.

What is this and what?

The National Guard in the rear was also being rapidly formed. After all, Kano had previously served as the Minister of War of the Republic. In order to free up more troops to go to the front line, he decided to bring all the Jacobins into the army.

These people, driven by the desire to kill the king and bring back Louis XVIII, eagerly joined the army.

Their performance is much better than that of keyboard warriors, and Kano has always been very influential with them.

If it were Cano's grandson, President Cano, he would have had a very friendly relationship with even the people of the Paris Commune.

His two sons also had similar tendencies, which did not surprise Cano himself at all.

After the Jacobins and their supporters filled the National Guard, the National Gendarmerie, and the reserves, they were still able to squeeze out several thousand men to fill the various corps for Napoleon.

For a moment, on his journey from Paris to Laon, Napoleon was reminded of the vibrant life and flourishing of all things when he went to Toulon, where many people were singing "La Marseillaise," the war song dedicated to the Rhine Army.

When they arrived in Wellington, they drank some sherry at the reception and chatted with the ladies next to them.

Someone hurriedly brought in the latest information, and Wellington was shocked when he saw it.

Appalling!

The news arrived very slowly; by the time he saw it, the vanguard of the French army had already crossed Charleroi.

"All officers need to be assembled. It looks like we're going to have a meeting with this emperor."

Wellington remained calm, but the French army's actions were unexpected.

According to current intelligence, the French army's marching speed is far greater than the British army's usual marching speed. If they march 20 miles a day, it will be very troublesome for the British army to face Napoleon alone if they do not join forces with the French army.

However, the information Wellington received was insufficient for him to determine whether the French were launching a main attack or a feint.

However, if there is an enemy situation, action must be taken.

Therefore, he ordered the Anglo-Dutch forces currently in Brussels, along with the Hanoverian troops of the King's German Legion and the Duke of Brunswick's legion, to advance towards the village of Four Arms.

Surprisingly, Wellington, who was more capable of command, clearly did not expect the French army to arrive so quickly.

Meanwhile, on Blücher's side, the scouts sent out by the General Staff noticed that a large number of troops were already gathering on the French border.

The old man now saw that the French army was moving towards Charleroi, so he moved his vanguard forward in an attempt to harass the French army.

The climax of the Seventh Coalition against France is finally about to begin. (End of Chapter)