Reincarnated as Nikolai II

As far as I know, Brusilov is a very aggressive and ruthless commander.

In the now-vanished original history, even with 2.5 times the troops and 1.7 times the artillery power, he aimed for complete annihilation and always gave his forces near-suicidal objectives.

The German army implemented independent command through mission-type tactics?

Brusilov was the first in the Russian army to execute independent breakthrough.

He knew well that the Russian army could never become the German army.

That's why as a commander, he took all judgment into his own hands and ordered his subordinate soldiers to go, charge, and die.

And now.

"Low use of heavy artillery and high ratio of light artillery and cavalry. At least triple the enemy's cavalry forces? Is this right? As far as I know, the Dual Monarchy has the second most cavalry in Europe, yet there's a threefold difference?"

"Yes. They also seem to be actively employing trucks and motorcycles."

"The armored vehicles sent from Warsaw."

"All abandoned in the first battle."

"This is maddening."

Unlike original history, Brusilov has sufficient troops, firepower, staff, and supplies.

Meaning they don't need to do hand-to-hand combat with bayonets or sabers due to lack of ammunition, or individual breakthroughs due to lack of troops.

Nevertheless, hearing reports coming up from the Southern Front.

"Trenches don't work on the Southern Front. Even if made, those trenches don't connect. However, General Brusilov maintains extremely close distance with retreating enemies."

"Pursuit?"

"That too, but because the goal is enemy annihilation rather than territorial occupation like the Western and Eastern Fronts."

The Southern Front is wide. Not exactly that the front line is long, but it's vast enough to make the front line ambiguous.

To the extent that there are places where they don't even see the enemy all year after setting out to fight or making trenches and missing each other.

That's because they've bundled the entire theater from Poland through Slovakia, Hungary, Ukraine, to Romania as the 'Southern Front,' making troop density ridiculously low from the start.

Even so.

"It's excessive."

"I think it's excessive too."

"I can already hear in my ears what our enemies will say about Tatars and Mongolians."

Is there any need to risk lives so desperately in pursuing retreating enemies?

This way, our casualties won't be small either.

Of course, the number of enemies killed and captured will increase accordingly.

"Perhaps you gave him a hint? That he needs to launch a strong offensive due to Western European pressure?"

"No. It's just that General Brusilov originally doesn't listen well to the General Staff and does things his own way."

"...I see."

Yes, how could people change so readily, especially those with convictions carved deep as mountain roots? This is the Brusilov I know and have watched unfold - a man who treats orders from above as mere suggestions when they conflict with his iron-clad beliefs. He would march straight into the maw of death itself if he believed it would achieve his aims. Such unwavering determination marks him as both brilliant and dangerous.

Since the Russian army's command structure grants near-absolute authority to army group and theater commanders, they won't directly intervene in his decisions. Still, I can't help but wonder if there will be any cavalry left in this country once the dust of this battle settles. The very institution seems to be bleeding away with each passing engagement.

While Brusilov drives his Southern Army to exhaustion, pushing them until their uniforms are drenched with sweat, we must remember it's still January - the bitter chill of midwinter bites at exposed flesh and freezes breath into crystalline clouds. The contrast between their overheated bodies and the merciless cold only adds to their trials. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire

Entering the third year of war means we too are continuing the war consuming life force beyond basic physical strength.

French men are dying from hard labor in the rear and gunshot wounds at the front? Same with us.

[Lowest unemployment rate in Imperial history]

[Alarming increase in household income!]

[Double salary when both husband and wife work?]

"..."

Around this point, we might start hearing talk of abandoning the gold standard or completely prohibiting gold exchange.

[Historic high exchange rate gap between Ruble-Pound]

[Can't abandon gold standard, absolutely]

[Getting rich just by breathing? That's Russia!]

"No, we haven't become rich, those who abandoned the gold standard have become beggars."

"Well, isn't it the same thing?"

As the war drags on, naturally all responsibility falls on the government and arrows will return to me above it.

Having implemented normal elections from 1916, the State Duma will also slowly start spitting out talk of ending the war.

[The Dual Monarchy is ten multinational states.

According to surveys, Austro-Hungarian imperial citizens impressed by the Petrograd Declaration want to separate and become independent as ten countries, and anti-war pacifists wanting peace are increasing-]

"Kokovtsov, are you still manipulating the press these days? This isn't the time when Okhrana was purging, what is this?"

"No sir. Absolutely not!"

"Then is the Duma just watching the prolonged war? Those talkative complainers? Our imperial citizens want the war where millions died to continue?"

Though they say I haven't left the capital since the Romanov 300th anniversary celebration, do they think I'm that foolish?

If this is trying to cover my eyes, I should seriously consider once again the Okhrana from Director Sekerenskiy's time-

"Your Majesty. May I explain?"

"Go ahead."

"Though casualties aren't small, how many of our over 170 million imperial citizens have directly felt the pain of losing family?"

"...The ratio would be small."

"Also, our imperial citizens were originally poor. Farmers' accumulated wealth is at most a little land, and workers live day by day. They've clearly become wealthier than before the war. Though not significantly, their income has increased."

Well, even so, life controlled by the state is stifling and citizens will instinctively try to escape it.

"Above all, the empire has grown. Territory has expanded and continuous victories have united imperial citizens' hearts. The State Duma? Though they know better than anyone the seriousness of state finances and harmful effects of prolonged war... Who would dare call for ending the war during election season? No one except oddities like Deputy Beren Volkov could do that."

"...So these articles are true?"

"To speak more directly, how bad could things be compared to twenty years ago?"

"..."