Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Chapter 142 How to Break the Trenches (10)

The enemy artillery units fired a substantial number of shells during the engagement, unleashing an impressive barrage that filled the air with the thunderous sound of explosions, but the outcome was unexpected.

Keeps firing.

"Deputy Chief of Staff Hoffmann, how many days have they been firing?"

"Exactly one week. We're trying to track positions and counterattack but... can't match their firepower."

"Roman, planning to change the map?"

Infantry General Paul von Hindenburg, originally destined to join German High Command (OHL) after becoming Germany's most popular by triumphantly facing Russian Imperial forces, was still buried nameless on this Eastern Front.

Today too, facing Roman Isidorovich Kondratenko.

And the engineer who only defended mockingly for a year suddenly goes berserk.

'Just how many shells does Russia have? No, if they had such firepower they could have used it earlier?'

He knew their medium artillery firepower was superior to his forces.

That was information easily grasped after a few engagements.

But firing nearly ten million shells in less than a week?

'Russian army command allowed this madness?'

Kuropatkin of General Staff.

Kokovtsov of the cabinet.

Even the empire's Tsar.

Allowed such nonsense?

Battle firing hundreds of thousands of rounds before attacking.

Nikolai, looking at his knowledge, dismissed it thinking 'since they'll use 2.5 million rounds basically per week at Verdun later, this must be natural on the Eastern Front too.'

Kokovtsov permitted it consoling himself 'though financial burden straining the empire, might need less pensions if saving hundred thousand lives.'

Kuropatkin just didn't know the field as a desk soldier. When war hero Roman strongly advocated and used it, he thought that must really be necessary for offensives.

No, even if he knew he couldn't have stopped it.

Then Roman?

"Whew, Kornilov, you're alive."

"Hmm, casualties are high but enemy resistance wasn't as fierce as expected. Above all, since we stopped after just 3km advance..."

"They say on the Western Front they sacrifice one division, one corps to advance 1km! You've already achieved great merit!"

Though to Hindenburg, just one year into the war, it looked like the enemy had gone beyond mad to betting life and death on imminent merit, the Northwestern Army Group just advanced carefully like testing a stone bridge before crossing.

"I'll prepare the troops."

"Good, and Chief of Staff Ludendorff."

"Yes, Commander."

"Let's show what true elite forces are."

"Meeting strength with strength?"

"Only way to stop them."

Just facing off in firepower battle might suffocate in that breathtaking bombardment.

If the enemy came out of trenches, naturally they too must have mindset to break through enemy to stop them.

Above all, if pushed back further.

'If pushed back more, Berlin OHL might drive us out.'

'...A battle we can't lose. Understood.'

They understood without needing to talk. Both men already had precarious lives that could be dismissed anytime.

When Roman, worried about delaying action on defense-advantaged battlefield, bet everything on firepower.

The two men staked their positions on this defensive offensive.

Crossing objectives.

"Commander-in-Chief, German forces attempting counterattack!"

"Hmm? They came out of trenches too?"

"Mobile artillery confirmed! Enemy counterattack operation certain!"

"...Why?"

However, battlefield bound to meet.

"Enemy advanced less deep than expected. Enemy main force position seems unchanged from original front!"

"...Quite passive compared to shells expended. Roman, were you planning to go straight to Berlin? Today I'll prove Brusilov's offensive was just luck by driving you out."

Rusza and Champagne in the west.

Gorlice and Tarnów in the south.

And Bydgoszcz in the east. Explore stories on empire

Series of major battles erupting regardless of front.

Autumn 1915.

The war between Allied and Central Powers was reaching its peak.