Trench Bolts and Magic

Chapter 85 The Road No One Has Traveled
“Lieutenant Morin, I know that you used some unconventional tactics in the urban warfare in Seville and achieved very good results.”

The Crown Prince spoke kindly.

Morin knew in his heart that this was probably the main topic of the meeting.

"Your Highness, it is not yet time to call it a tactic. I have only made some attempts to adapt to the actual situation on the battlefield."

Morin's humble reply was that excessive ostentation in front of these truly important figures would only breed resentment.

"No need to be modest."

The crown prince's eyes sharpened, and he became more serious.

"As the battlefield continues to change, traditional infantry tactics have exposed more and more problems, a point that I think everyone here is well aware of."

The officers present nodded, their faces grave. The offensive in Seville and the subsequent brutal street fighting had given them a profound understanding of the cruelty of modern warfare.

The horrific scene of being slaughtered by machine guns in a line has, frankly, become a nightmare that many officers and soldiers who participated in the war may never be able to shake off for the rest of their lives.

"Lieutenant Morin, I heard that you advocate using small teams for alternating cover and taking advantage of the terrain for rapid infiltration?"

The Crown Prince looked at Morin and asked directly about the core issue.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Morin nodded and began to explain his ideas in detail.

"I believe that in the face of overwhelming firepower, the individual value of a soldier is far greater than their value as part of a formation. Rather than pursuing the discipline and impact brought by dense formations, it is better to give full play to the flexibility of small units."

Morin reorganized what he had said to the officers on the training field and reported it to the Crown Prince in a clear and organized manner.

He spoke with great enthusiasm, and Crown Prince George and the other officers listened very attentively, nodding from time to time, their eyes showing a thoughtful expression.

Lieutenant General Mackensen, who appeared calm on the surface, was actually very nervous inside.

He was afraid that Morin would become arrogant because of some achievements and say something outrageous that would displease the Crown Prince.

However, as Morin's story unfolded more deeply, Mackensen's anxiety gradually subsided.

He discovered that Morin's understanding of infantry tactics was far more profound and systematic than he had imagined, and it seemed that he was not just talking about it on paper.

After Morin finished speaking, the Crown Prince remained silent for a moment, then nodded to him.

“Well said, Lieutenant Morin.”

His face first showed an expression of appreciation, then turned somewhat serious again.

"Your ideas are very valuable and inspiring, but I have a question."

"How do you maintain discipline when the soldiers are scattered, so they attack according to orders instead of scattering like birds under enemy fire? Like you said, a short burst of fire from a heavy machine gun position can take down a large number of soldiers."

Georg's question surprised Morin somewhat.

He really didn't expect the Saxon crown prince to ask such a question. The other party was obviously not the kind of incompetent crown prince in legends, but actually had his own understanding of army tactics.

However, Morin was somewhat prepared for this question, as other officers had raised similar concerns before.

“Your Highness, the instinct for survival is a more powerful force than any infantry manual.”

"The instinct for survival?"

Crown Prince Georg frowned, but he didn't speak, instead letting Morin continue.

General Mackensen's heart, which had just settled down, was once again in suspense.

He was a little worried about the 'impromptu Q&A session with the Crown Prince,' as Morin hadn't prepared in advance, but for now, he could only listen to Morin continue.

Morin: "The enemy's machine guns, magic crystal cannons, and spells taught us one thing: 'spreading out' is not cowardice, but rather that the combat logic of infantry needs to start changing."

"Personally, I think the problem is not whether the soldiers should spread out, but how we, as commanders, can imbue this survival instinct with order and lethality."

"My current solution is to rely on the NCO in the team—in the midst of artillery fire, a soldier may not be able to see his company commander, let alone his battalion commander, but he can definitely see his squad leader and sergeant."

"And all of this must be built on a lot of training. We must train these tactical offensive formations into the soldiers' instincts!"

"They trained so well that even when they were deafened by artillery fire and blinded by smoke, they could still coordinate their attacks through muscle memory and the tacit understanding between comrades!"

Crown Prince Georg was stunned by Morin's words.

Not only him, but the other senior officers, including Mackensen, were also stunned for a moment. Only those officers who had fought alongside Morin in Seville and received medals gradually brightened up in their eyes—

Only those who have truly faced that 'hellish scene' can understand the meaning of Maureen's words in a short time.

After a long silence in the tent, Crown Prince Georg finally came to his senses. He tapped his fingers rhythmically on his knees, seemingly processing what he had just heard.

“Lieutenant Morin, what you’re saying does sound very different. But making sweeping changes to the Infantry Combat Regulations is no small matter. The General Staff needs to see tangible and stable results.”

Crown Prince Georg spoke again, emphasizing the word 'stability'.

"Lieutenant Morin, you need to have sufficiently convincing battle examples, do you understand what I mean?"

"Yes, Your Highness! I understand that perfectly well."

Morin stared intently at the crown prince of the empire.

"Changes in any field cannot be achieved overnight, and the military is no exception."

After communicating with everyone, Georg took the lead and left with his attendants and the guards outside the tent.

The other officers then left one after another, and Morin and his men were finally able to return to their respective companies.

When he came out of the Crown Prince's tent, the glaring sunlight made Morin subconsciously squint. He felt as if he had just finished a thesis defense.

How did you feel just now?

General Mackensen's voice rang out beside him, and the old general had also come out at some point, walking side by side with him.

"Reporting to the general, the pressure is immense," Morin said truthfully.

"Hmph, now you feel pressure?"

Mackensen glanced at him, his tone as stern as ever.

"I thought you'd get carried away and promise His Highness that you'd come up with a brand new infantry manual within three days."

Morin shook his head: "General, you think too highly of me. My ideas are just temporary thoughts. My mind is still a mess and they don't form a coherent system at all. If I were to write them down as articles, I wouldn't even know where to begin."

"Just know your own limitations."

Mackensen nodded, a softening expression on his face.

"You should know that what His Highness values ​​is not what you can produce right now, but your ideas and your potential."

The two walked in silence for a while, and from the training ground in the distance came the shouts of soldiers drilling.

Friedrich

Mackensen suddenly called his name in a very solemn tone.

"Do you know what those things you said to His Highness today mean?"

"Does that mean I won't be able to retire anytime soon?" Morin asked tentatively.

"You son of a bitch, you actually thought about retiring?!"

Lieutenant General Mackensen gave Morin a light tap on the back of the head, like a grandfather hitting his grandson.

"You're walking a path no one has ever walked before. Whether there are flowers or a cliff ahead, no one can say for sure. Are you afraid?"

Mackensen's eyes were sharp as knives, as if he could see right through Maureen's heart.

Morin met his gaze without flinching.

“General, I am indeed afraid of death, that is only human nature. But I am even more afraid of the soldiers assigned to my command dying meaninglessly, as I have seen.”

"If what I'm doing now can give them a better chance of surviving on the battlefield, then no matter what lies ahead, I have to keep going."

Mackensen stared at him for a long time, and finally a genuine smile appeared on his sculpted, cold face.

"Good lad, you didn't disappoint me."

He stretched out his large, calloused hand and patted Morin's shoulder heavily.

(End of this chapter)