Chapter 104
After Wang Zhong finished speaking, Lyudmila hesitated to say something.
Count Rokosov noticed this and said: "Lyuda, just say whatever you want to say."
Lyudmila nodded: "Alright. He was hit directly by the main cannon of an enemy battleship, so he lost some of his memory. His personality also changed."
For a moment, Wang Zhong couldn't tell whether Lyudmila was covering for him or if she truly believed that.
Count Rokosov frowned: "A concussion, huh? That's possible. I've seen plenty of cases during the Civil War where people's personalities changed drastically after artillery strikes, but those changes were always for the worse."
But the old man immediately shook his head: "Then again, you never know. Although I still doubt a concussion could turn a good-for-nothing troublemaker into a capable and sharp General, the facts are right in front of us."
"Compared to him being possessed by Saint Andrew, a concussion seems more reasonable."
Wang Zhong pressed his lips together. He couldn't explain this, and lying might only deepen suspicions, so he simply stayed silent.
Count Rokosov sat behind his desk and picked up a letter: "This is a letter to the Army Group Headquarters, which says my son is a useless good-for-nothing who may cause many innocent soldiers to die and lead to the loss of a lot of the Empire's technical equipment. It requests that he be transferred to some unimportant place to guard pickles."
After speaking, the old Duke took out a match, struck it, lit the letter, and tossed it into the ashtray on the desk, watching it slowly burn to ashes.
The old man undid the discipline button on his uniform and pulled open the collar, then looked at Wang Zhong and asked: "How many people do you have left in your unit?"
"914 people, including logistics, artillery, tank crews, and the clerical staff at headquarters."
"Only that many, huh." Count Rokosov thought for a bit and said, "I've been retired for a long time, so I'm not familiar with the latest military equipment or this blitzkrieg stuff. I have no intention of returning to the army to be a burden. But as a retired General, I can still help you within my limits. Go ahead."
Wang Zhong: "Please inform the Army Group Headquarters that Agsukov is at risk of being encircled. The enemy's second tank group is to the north. If they complete the encirclement, it's over."
Count Rokosov shook his head: "Holding Agsukov is His Majesty the Tsar's decision. The Grand Patriarch even came here personally to boost morale. Even if the enemy could indeed encircle from the north, the Army Group Headquarters will surely respond by saying we'll fight them here to the end."
"That way, there will be no excuses left for others, and His Majesty the Tsar will be pleased. Do you understand? Unless someone can persuade the Tsar or convince the Grand Patriarch to give up Agsukov, the army will not retreat from here."
"Besides, in my personal experience, it's very difficult for the enemy to complete such an encirclement. Do you know how large of an arc that would be?"
Count Rokosov gestured at the map.
Wang Zhong: "It might've been impossible before, but the technology has advanced. Didn't you see what the Prossenian forces did in Carolingian?"
Count Rokosov's face darkened: "I saw it, but all the Generals believe that happened only because the Carolingian forces had no will to resist."
"All the Generals."
"Better not worry about this anymore. You can't influence it, and neither can I."
After speaking, the old man smiled slightly, showing some helplessness.
Wang Zhong understood and had to make a different request: "My unit needs reinforcements, including experienced veterans, technical weapons... I'm short on everything."
Count Rokosov shook his head: "Even if some veterans recover from the hospital now, the numbers definitely won't be enough and can't provide large-scale reinforcements. The reserves are typically mobilized during the annual winter training, and they come up as fully organized units, so we can't give you reserves for now either."
"As for military academy students, the higher-ups panicked back then and rushed to mobilize all the students. Now that they believe our counteroffensive is near, they're even less likely to mobilize them again."
"If you want supplementary troops, you'll have to select from the Protectorate Army, those with at least basic shooting experience..."
Wang Zhong interrupted the old Duke: "These Protectorate soldiers haven't been trained in grenade throwing. They might even blow themselves up trying to throw one."
Count Rokosov: "Exactly. You could promote all your veterans to squad leaders, each leading 7 to 8 rookies. That might help them die a little later."
"Of course, you could also choose not to conduct brutal meat grinder battles. In my experience, fighting in trenches on the plain * as long as the enemy doesn't break into the trenches * gives rookies a pretty good survival rate."
"The most important thing is, if you want to maintain your unit's structure and still replenish it with rookies, this is the only way."
"By around January next year, the new recruits drafted now should have finished training, and the veterans will have recovered from the hospital. Then we can give you a large number of high-quality reinforcements."
Wang Zhong showed a serious expression: "January next year, huh... fine, fill me up with rookies for now. I'll have the veterans train them as much as possible. Though I don't know how long it'll be before we're back on the battlefield."
"My regular soldiers are all warrant officers who haven't even graduated yet. They should be able to teach them some survival skills."
"And technical weapons! I need technical weapons! I need T34 tanks, anti-tank guns, LaGG-3 or MiG-3, and also the Il-2!"
Wang Zhong's strategy was to ask for everything. After all, Lu Xun said if you want to open a window, you have to propose tearing down the roof.
Count Rokosov laughed heartily: "Look at you! Saying all that! Only the Army Group level can command air force units * you'd have to become a General first."
"But as for tanks and artillery, that might be possible. You've already commanded several kinds of tanks at the front line. Which type do you want to be resupplied with?"
Wang Zhong: "T34, and specifically the parade-type T34! Tanks without independent commanders and radios have at least 50% reduced combat effectiveness!"
Count Rokosov shook his head: "I can get you tanks that have already been manufactured, but I can't make the factories produce different ones. T34s, right? I'll see if I can get you two battalions. Any more than that is probably not possible."
Wang Zhong: "I'd like all of them to be platoon command vehicles with radios."
"That's not doable." Count Rokosov shook his head decisively. "But you can do this * concentrate the platoon command vehicles, equip them with the best tank crews, and form a special tank platoon. As for the rest, if you think they're not combat-capable enough, assign them to low-intensity missions."
Wang Zhong thought about it, and it made sense. In fact, during the battle at Loktov, half of the tanks his unit had left were already equipped with radios. The battlefield situation had forced him to 'popularize' radios, so he might as well concentrate them from the start.
Count Rokosov: "Anti-tank guns... hmm? Petro, if you're tired, just sit down."
Petro, who had been sweating beside them the whole time, let out a sigh of relief and plopped down onto the sofa.
The sofa let out a loud protest.
"You need to lose weight." Count Rokosov said, then looked at Wang Zhong again. "Which anti-tank gun do you want?"
"ZIS-3! The 45mm anti-tank gun can't effectively penetrate the front of enemy tanks * it has to hit the sides, which severely limits choices for anti-tank positions."
The old Duke nodded: "How about heavy artillery? Isn't the 203 too slow to reload?"
The B4 heavy gun requires a small crane to reload it. Even the famously brute-strength Russians can't reload it by hand.
Wang Zhong: "It really is slow, and it's not very accurate either."
He clearly remembered the feeling of 'playing the lottery' the first time he had to use that thing.
"Then we'll give you 152 heavy guns instead. They're more accurate, have faster firing speed, and similar range. The mobility is better too. As for the B4, if there's no railway nearby, it can only crawl like a turtle."
"Alright, I'll figure something out and get you a 152 artillery regiment."
At this point, Petro finally caught his breath and said: "Father, the most important thing is to promote Alyosha, give him a division-level structure. That way, it'll be easier to resupply him."
"You think I don't want that?" Count Rokosov cursed, "Those pig-brains are still thinking in terms of palace intrigue! I believe in Alyosha, but they don't! They'll oppose promoting 'Rokosov's idiot son' to Major General!"
As he spoke, the old man began banging on the desk * just short of taking off his leather shoes and smashing them on it.
After banging, he sighed: "Forget it, this kind of thing can't be rushed. I'll have to write to some old friends. Give it three to five days and it should be settled. For now, I'll fill up your brigade * infantry, T34s, heavy artillery, anti-tank guns * I'll take care of it. You two brothers can go catch up."
Wang Zhong looked at the chubby Petro. He was quite satisfied * other than not getting airplanes, he got everything he wanted.
Staying any longer wouldn't get him anything more.
Things like converting BT tank chassis into SU-76 self-propelled guns * the old Duke had already said he couldn't do that.
He'd just have to wait until he met someone who could.
So Wang Zhong turned around and happily walked toward Lyudmila, who was waiting by the door.
But Lyudmila mouthed a reminder to him: "Pavlov!"
Wang Zhong slapped his thigh: "Oh right, I still need staff officers! And clerks, and accountants! Preferably sixth-level civil officers!"
Count Rokosov was shocked: "What do you need sixth-level civil officers for? That's the equivalent of a university vice president! You... fine, I'll try. Now get going!"
The old man waved his hand.
Wang Zhong turned and left.
Petro struggled to his feet and followed after his younger brother.
****
Once the younger generation had left, Count Rokosov pressed a button on the desk.
Ten seconds later, the side door opened, and the butler who had greeted Alyosha at the door walked in: "Sir."
Count Rokosov smiled: "Mikhail, my old friend, can you believe it? That Alyosha has become an outstanding soldier."
"Really?" The old butler looked surprised, "How is that possible! But indeed, this time when he came back, he didn't spank the maids or grope around."
Count Rokosov clicked his tongue: "I don't know what changed him. Maybe he really did suffer a concussion from a heavy artillery strike. Mikhail, bring me some liquor!"
"The doctor said you can't drink anymore."
"To hell with the doctor! Ants are supposed to drink themselves to death at the table * to hell with the doctor! Bring me some liquor! Vodka! And open a can of fish for me!"
Using fish as a drinking snack * that's an Ant tradition.
(End of Chapter)