Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Whatever the case, Ivanov had no intention of retreating further here.

Though the Dual Monarchy could mobilize 10 million like Russia, that was literally throwing away reality for numerical talk.

Recently Chief of General Staff Kuropatkin and Prime Minister Kokovtsov seemed ready to actually mobilize 10 million, having received something from Britain and France.

Thanks to this, Ivanov was confident in not being outnumbered, though uncertain about troop quality.

"Contact Warsaw. Ask for more troops."

"Understood."

Originally, Ivanov's Southwestern Army Group faced the Dual Monarchy's 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 7th, and 11th Armies.

Five field army scale forces.

Though they had attacked occasionally since May, he thought it was because of Constantinople, but only today with German forces added did it become clear they weren't just probing defense lines.

"Machine guns, artillery, request whatever's available. No, just bring all the Siberian Corps (SC) and Turkestan Corps (TK) remaining in Warsaw. Then we should be able to match them roughly."

"Is it alright to bring so many troops while Commander Roman is conducting his offensive?"

"Doesn't matter. Warsaw is overflowing with troops."

The Warsaw General Staff controls the massive front by flexibly sending troops to all theaters from the Baltic Sea to Romanian front.

Naturally, this means they maintain tremendous reserves of forces not participating in the front lines.

'If we scrape up SC and TK in Warsaw... We won't be pushed back.'

Then not only fill up the diminished 3rd, 4th, 8th, 9th, and 11th Armies but exceed initial forces.

Dozens of divisions are in fierce battles in Artois and Champagne on the Western Front?

'...More blood will flow here.'

Even more forces than those two combined were gathering here.

This was truly a battle of scale only Russia and the Dual Monarchy could conduct.

==

Roman Isidorovich Kondratenko had steadily researched future battlefields since his time as Engineering School Commander after the Russo-Japanese War.

When fighting on open ground, digging in and making machine gun positions then firing at approaching enemies is most effective.

This was practically an unchangeable law since machine guns began producing company-scale firepower.

Similarly, to break through enemy trenches or defensive positions, there's nothing but crawling forward or charging regardless of formation.

'But is that the best way?'

Since battlefields won't always be defensive and there must be days when you have to leave positions and rush enemy lines, should doctrine order just running with a single rifle while entrusting life to luck?

Roman couldn't accept it. No, he couldn't convince himself.

This is suicide.

It's inefficient.

Just madness.

At least as a commander, one should set clear objectives and adopt the best methods to accomplish goals - how is entrusting things to luck any different from being a gypsy fortune teller?

Nevertheless, despite long effort and research, Roman couldn't produce a satisfactory answer.

Then the Great War broke out.

Initially, Brusilov's cavalry swept the battlefield.

Engagements erupted everywhere before front lines formed, and the general's cavalry never gave enemies time to prepare.

However, trench warfare eventually took away even that advantage of cavalry mobility.

Now Roman had to provide an answer as commander, whether good or bad.

How to break through this trench warfare.

In other words, what form of battlefield doesn't establish trench warfare structure?

And ridiculously, the answer lay where it could never have been known before the war.

"...Large-scale battles where trench warfare has no chance to establish."

The moment when extremely defense-advantaged battlefield forms break is only when there's no chance to defend.

Just as when two infantry forces collided in medieval times developing into melee, battlefields where trench warfare doesn't establish are only when massive forces collide such that mere dugouts can't stop them.

In other words, trenches partly don't establish in large-scale battles.

Roman knew too. This could never be the answer to trench warfare.

However, ramming with corps or field army scale forces was more offensive-efficient than with a mediocre single division.

This was why Roman so strongly opposed Kuropatkin's offensive orders.

If conducting an offensive now.

It absolutely wouldn't end at the level of 10,000 or 20,000 deaths.

And once that offensive starts, it can't be stopped just because you want to stop.

Detailed doctrine can be adjusted.

During advance, increase riflemen to handle enemy machine guns or sufficiently shell to make enemy positions chaotic.

However, even the great Roman couldn't touch the fundamental battle pattern.

Tremendous numbers must die.

No, must be made to die.

Because that's the only way to kill enemies hidden in trenches.

"...Fucking hell. Just fucking hell."

Since yesterday, 2,500 artillery pieces have been firing preliminary bombardment reaching 100,000 shells per hour.

Enemy response isn't big yet but surely they'll know an offensive storm is coming soon.

"Major General Kornilov. Are you leading the vanguard this time too?"

"Yes sir."

"A grave position."

Like shells exploding from the warhead first, the vanguard in an offensive is guaranteed annihilation.

Nevertheless, Kornilov didn't say a word about this.

"Won't end with just one or two divisions being swept away like usual."

Though Kornilov also didn't know how this battle would turn out, the continuously thundering artillery fire suggested it wouldn't be an easy battle.

"Combat ratio will be worst too. Our soldiers' lives will be exchanged for a few lead bullets and corpses will hang on wire obstacles like shirts on clotheslines."

"...That bad?"

"Probably worse. That's what breaking this trench warfare means."

Indeed, in original history, trench warfare was temporarily broken in battles like the Somme or Verdun where millions fought.

It wasn't for nothing that both sides increased troops committed to single battles from 1916 when they realized this fact.

Though not knowing such future, Roman instinctively knew better than anyone that the next form of trench warfare would be extreme attrition warfare.

Extreme attrition warfare.

A battle where whoever endures longest consuming given troops and supplies wins.

"Thinking of it that way, quite a democratic war."

Are they conducting democratic warfare because they're countries implementing election systems? Roman couldn't stop the sarcasm flowing out.

Yes, same principle.

Just as Duma representatives with more votes get elected during election season, here too the side with more surviving troops will win.

Because such madness is what he's about to do now.

"When bombardment stops at noon, advance. Exactly 3km. Don't know if you'll still be alive there, but no need to advance further than that. Other units will take over the vanguard."

"I'll see you there."

"Good, let's meet alive."

Nevertheless, Roman had to do it.

Because this was what the General Staff ordered, what the Tsar desired.

A selfish commander ordering death while hoping for survival.

He couldn't help but taste bitterness.