Chapter 537: Mock Battle Part II

The echo of gunfire resounded in the air of Northern Italy as the Lombardic defenders protected their lines against the charging Austrian Soldiers. Despite being entrenched in the earth, they could not fully prevent casualties. Whenever an Austrian soldier had hit their target with a wax bullet, the defeated soldiers would fall to the ground and act as if they were dead.

Though the Casualties were high, the Austrians continued to press forward through the gunfire and into the trenches that lie in front of them. As for Heimerich, he was in command of one of the flanking battalions, which under his orders had revealed their position as they poured into the relatively undefended sides of the trench line.

The King of Lombardy stood atop a hill overlooking the chaotic battlefield, witnessing his defenses being overrun on three fronts by the Austrian soldiers. Despite having overwhelming numbers, his forces could not repel the suicide charge completely, resulting in several hundred men pouring into the trenches and stabbing at the Italian soldiers with their wooden training bayonets.

Bruno frowned as he saw his soldiers' defenses collapse under the weight of the Austrian onslaught. He knew that even if this were an actual battle, the Austrian soldiers would gladly charge into gunfire with the same sense of fervor. Such resolve in the face of death was something his inexperienced soldiers were lacking. Thus, he could not help but sigh before commenting on the situation.

"It would appear that I have gravely underestimated the resolve of your recruits. Tell me, Berengar, how do you install such loyalty in the hearts of your men?"

The Austrian King had a smug smile on his face as he gazed through his binoculars to witness the mock battle in all its glory. After seeing victory was at hand, he put his device aside before answering his puppet's questions.

"The Answer to that is quite simple. Through serious efforts by my propaganda machine, the men in my army believe that giving your life in pursuit of the fatherland's victory is the most noble endeavor. Nationalism is a powerful tool, and I have conditioned the people of Austria to believe the three most important things in this world are family, folk, and the fatherland."

Berengar reflected on his past life as he said these words, in many ways the reverence the Austrian people had for their King and fatherland was reminiscent of that which the Japanese people held towards their emperor and homeland during the Imperial era.

Such reverence displayed itself on the battlefield in acts of valor. So much so that it was not uncommon in the last days of the Pacific theatre to see Japanese soldiers charge at machine gun fire with swords and bayonets. Entire divisions died in battle rather than surrender to the enemy. Such unwavering loyalty was a rarity throughout the entirety of human history, and it was a goal that Berengar sought to make a reality for his Empire in this world.

Bruno reflected on Berengar's words as the two men stood in silence, watching the last vestige of the Lombardic Armies surrender to their Austrian counterparts. Only after the mock battle was over, and victory was achieved, did Berengar declare his side victorious.

"It would appear that, although Heimerich's tactics were flawed, in he was willing to dispose of so many valuable lives in the pursuit of victory, he still achieved a favorable result. I will consider this a pass. However, what awaits him next will be far more troublesome. You have informed the villagers in the mountains about the military exercise. Is that correct?"

Bruno nodded his head in silence as he gazed at the mock battlefield. Though his soldiers were well equipped and were decently trained in the use of their weapons, they lacked one major component which was required to be an effective armed force. The resolve to kill and die for their homeland. After all, when faced with actual combat, who would want to risk their life for a puppet state?

The Lombardic King gazed over at his suzerain with a complicated expression. On the one hand, his current life of luxury and power had resulted from Berengar's war against the Holy Roman Emperor. However, despite the benefits that came with being a puppet king, there was a complete and total lack of honor and prestige that plagued his conscience.

Still, the amount of wealth and resources that Austria had invested in rebuilding Lombardy after its destruction was no small amount. Berengar did not create this protectorate just so it could become a failed state. Rather, he sought to make Lombardy prosperous. After all, the greater their wealth, the more they could pay in tribute to their Suzerain.

This newfound prosperity that resulted from Austria's investment had caused Bruno to obediently follow Berengar's will, rather than foolishly attempt to undermine his authority. Lombardy may never become a great power, but under Austria's protection, they would at the very least be very wealthy, and perhaps free from the chaos of warfare.

Berengar did not notice the glance that Bruno was giving him. He was far more interested in the state of the Lombardic Defense Force. After gazing upon the equipment in use by the army, he came up with a simple plan to expand their capabilities.

"If I'm not mistaken, your Defense Force comprises 10,000 men, all of which are infantry. Correct?"

Upon hearing this question, the Lombardic King awoke from his daze and quickly nodded his head in response.

"Yes, your majesty..."

The Austrian King scratched his chin as he thought about the upcoming crusade against his lands. Without a doubt, Naples would invade Lombardy with a large army. 10,000 riflemen were not enough to halt the enemies' advance for long.

Perhaps Milan would fall before Berengar could deploy his forces in its defense. After all, he would have to focus on securing his own borders during the initial invasion. It was with this in mind that the Austrian Monarch expanded his Protectorates capabilities.

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"Very well... I permit you to raise your forces to a full division of 25,000 men. I expect you to model it after a standard Austrian Field Division. Three Infantry Brigades, One Cavalry Brigade, and one Artillery Brigade, as well as a few supports battalions.

You can purchase any equipment you may require from Austria. As for the horses necessary to establish the Cavalry, do not worry about that. Soon I will have more horses available than I know what to do with."

When Bruno heard this statement, he frowned. If Berengar was permitting him to raise an entire division, it meant that the upcoming crusade was going to be more fierce than he had initially estimated. Thus, he could not help but inquire about what is valuable intelligence Berengar may have that could help him secure his borders.

"Is there something I should be aware of?"

Berengar shook his head before placing a hand on the man's shoulder. With a calm gaze in his eyes, he assured the man that everything was under control.

"You don't need to be so worried. As part of our pact, I will respond to any aggression into your lands with sufficient military force. However, recent events have caused me to act on my ambitions earlier than I expected.

I do not know what my borders will be like four years from now, nor my army's capabilities. I am simply preparing for an unlikely possibility that I may not be able to deploy my troops to your borders quick enough to halt the enemy's advance."

After hearing his Suzerain's reasoning for the expansion of the Lombardic Defence Forces, Bruno sighed in relief. For a moment there, he feared that Berengar was going to abandon his oath. However, if what the man said was true, then it did not hurt to prepare for the upcoming conflict well in advance.

With that out of the way Berengar gazed upon the army in the field once more, the thousands of Austrian soldiers were preparing to march into the mountains for the next phase of their military exercise. With a wide grin on his handsome face, Berengar made a friendly wager with his puppet King.

"So tell me, Bruno, how long do you think Heimerich's forces will endure against the Jagdkommandos onslaught? Care to make a bet?"

Bruno thought about this question for several moments in silence before giving his answer.

"I'll place 1,000 guldens on them lasting a grand total of three months in these mountains. How about you?"

The Austrian King did not hesitate to give his answer to this question.

"A fortnight is all my Jagdkommandos need to completely annihilate this Infantry Brigade composed entirely of recruits.."

When Bruno heard this, he was quite shocked. Did Berengar really have so little faith in his own soldiers? He knew little about the Jagdkommandos, but he knew Berengar had only chosen two dozen of them to participate in this exercise. No matter how elite they may be, he could not believe such a small number of soldiers could defeat an entire infantry brigade so quickly.

Of course, Bruno did not know what training the Jagdkommandos went through, or where their specialties lied. Though there were only twenty-four of them dispatched on this mission, there were thousands of villagers in these mountains who could be trained to use a rifle against the "Austrian Invaders". If Berengar had chosen correctly for the commander of his special forces, then the man would most likely make use of these locals to expand their forces, and quickly defeat the Austrian Brigade.

Thus, Berengar was quite confident about his wager. Luckily for him, Bruno was ignorant of this strategy and easily fell into the trap that Berengar had laid for him. With a smug expression on his lips, the Lombardic King agreed to Berengar's terms.

"Very well. If your Jagdkommandos can actually repel the Infantry Brigade in two weeks, I will pay you double!"

Berengar chuckled when he heard this before shaking the man's hand, sealing the bet in a gentleman's agreement.

"I look forward to taking your coin, Bruno..."

after this was said, the two Monarchs prepared to ride off into the mountains to witness the rest of the military exercise take place.

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