This was the first time she was entrusted with having to explain things like this.
“This is about our plans for the time being. The Strike Package won’t participate in operations on any of the fronts.”
Gathered in HQ’s briefing room were the captains of the 1st Armored Division—like Michihi and Rito—and their lieutenants, as well as Shiden, who was the captain of HQ’s defensive unit. And standing before them and giving the briefing was Kurena, who seemed rather excited. Claude and Tohru were also there to offer extra information if needed in place of Anju, who was absent.
“So we’ll remain in training until we’re informed of our next operation… We can’t all get time off, but in between training, we’ll take turns to rest.”
“Oooh.”
“Yeah, that makes sense.”
“Also, engineers from the western front’s forces will be coming to set up a new reserve position in the strip of the Zasifanoksa Forest that’s next to the base. We won’t be helping with the construction, but we can stay up to date on its structure.”
Mitsuda, commander of the 5th Battalion, raised his head.
“Reserve position? I thought the western front’s army was spread along the reserve position on the Saentis-Historics line. Are they setting up a reserve position for the reserve position?”
“The Saentis-Historics line became the new main line after the reinforcement work was done. They don’t want to fall back any farther than this, but they do need to set up a position they can retreat to if it comes down to it.”
“…Oh. They’ll reach the fields and factories if they fall back anymore.”
All fronts in the Federacy, the western front included, had been forced to pull back to the very edge of the combat territories. Since the Federacy had the largest territory in the continent, they still had land they could retreat to in terms of sheer surface area. However, the next time they’d be forced to do so, they’d be in the production territories, where the farmland and factories that supported the Federacy’s vast population were.
A front’s army included tens of thousands of troops. Placed over a stretch of land, they would take up a hundred kilometers, including the rear ranks. They’d end up occupying the entire outer circumference of the production territories.
“So they have to be prepared for everything,” Michihi said, looking up at the ceiling.
Indeed, resolved as they were to defend their homeland, they had to be prepared for the worst.
Locan, the 7th Battalion’s commander, raised a hand. “I understand training for the operation, Kurena, but what about supplies?”
“About the Reginleifs’ parts, we’ll be supplied the bare minimum we’ll need on the next shipment.”
The Strike Package was deployed in a rotation, with one of the four armored divisions on leave. During that time, that division’s Reginleifs were sent back to the factory for inspection and overhauling. But now all four divisions were to deploy to the operation together, with every spare unit and those scheduled for inspections being sent out. This plan was meant to resolve the issue.
The captains all responded negatively to the words bare minimum, so Claude appended, “They don’t have enough to deliver the amount we need, but Supplies and Arsenal are busy like crazy right now. Colonel Grethe had to do a lot of convincing to secure us this shipment, so no complaining. Also, try not to wreck your units.”
The captains nodded with strained smiles, but Shiden piped in:
“Roger that, I guess, but if yer gonna ask someone not to wreck their unit, you might wanna talk to your captain first, Claude boy.”
“True enough. I’ll let him know.” Claude nodded nonchalantly.
But this was no joke; she really would have to tell him not to do anything reckless with his unit going forward. With that thought in mind, Kurena took over the briefing again.
Shin looked coolheaded, but he was actually really prone to letting the blood go to his head… This was something Kurena only realized recently.
“Er, and about getting new troops. The Vargus civilians are finishing training over in Fortrapide City, so they’ll join us, mostly as accompanying infantry. Other units aren’t in a position to lend us their infantry anymore.”
“…Mostly as infantry?”
The captain of the 6th Battalion, Kunoe, sighed. It was almost like the new troops were meant to compensate for Processors who might die in the battles to come.
“I hate this… I thought I was used to this, but seeing our friends die still hurts.”
At least until Operation Overlord starts, Kurena thought.
The details were still undecided, so they couldn’t tell the others yet, but eventually, they’d inform all the captains and Lena, who wasn’t here. They needed to let Grethe know, too. She was a colonel, meaning she wasn’t a noble, but she didn’t know about Frederica’s identity. As brigade commander, she needed to be informed about the operation.
Shin and the others had spoken to Frederica and decided to wait and see how Ernst and the other top brass of the military would respond. But before that, Kurena would need to ask Bernholdt to arrange a meeting with the new Vargus recruits, and she’d need to check the defensive formation, too…
Whoa…
Being commander meant you were really busy, as it turned out. Kurena frowned, trying to keep her expression out of sight.