NOVPUBWith the end of the siege of Andkhui, the Russian Army finally gained a foothold in the Afghan Region and achieved a temporary lead.
By the time the news reached Vienna, half a month had passed. Franz, who had been closely following the Afghan War, was now studying a map of Central Asia.
He acknowledged that the scenery of Andkhui was quite nice, with each valley a scenic spot, snow-capped mountains above, green fields below, waterfalls in the distance, and fruit trees upon closer inspection.
But the Russians, having traveled thousands of miles to fight there, couldn’t possibly have done it just to see the scenery in Andkhui, right?
Besides the nice scenery, the local natural conditions were also relatively favorable, making it one of the more affluent areas in the Afghan Region.
As for strategic value, frankly, Franz didn’t think it was all that important.
Strategically, from the Russians’ perspective, capturing the region of Herat to the west or the Wakhan Corridor to the east would have been more valuable than the Andkhui region.
Especially the Wakhan Corridor, which led directly to British-India.
As a qualified spectator, the most important quality is curiosity, and Franz was no exception.
If his limited military knowledge couldn’t discern the true intentions of the Russians, then he would ask those who might, considering that Austria was supporting a whole group of staff officers, it could be like a temporary assessment.
In the Vienna Palace, Franz had called an impromptu meeting with several up-and-comers from the Austrian General Staff.
"The war between England and Russia has been ongoing for almost a month now. The Russians, who took the initiative, didn’t amass large forces to take the strategic locations of Herat and the Wakhan Corridor but instead captured Andkhui. What do you think are the true aims of the Russian commanders?"
This was a question without an answer, testing their imagination. Whether it was a rational analysis or a combination of guesses and hunches was acceptable.
In Franz’s view, this question was better suited for someone who was considerably lucky.
After all, the final outcome might differ significantly from the Russian commanders’ original plan. No matter how rational the analysis, it couldn’t account for the ever-changing nature of the battlefield.
For soldiers, luck is also extremely important. Although it smacks of superstition, sometimes you just have to believe in it.
For every general who has achieved great success and left a piled heap of bones in his wake, besides personal abilities, luck also plays a significant role.
Those with bad luck are often felled mid-journey, as one would know from a flip through the records of Austrian military academies.
Each year’s top military academy students are certainly not lacking in abilities, but still, only a few manage to make a name for themselves.
The rest are just unlucky: for example, getting killed on the battlefield, injured during training and discharged, or committing a mistake just when they’re up for promotion...
"Your Majesty, Andkhui may just be a feint by the Russian Army, intended to mislead the British.
The direction of the Russian offensive might be uncertain, but their ultimate strategic objective is clear: everything revolves around seizing the Afghan Region.
I think the Russians will likely target Herat next; the British have deployed heavy forces there, and a direct assault would be very costly.
Perhaps the Russian commanders want to break the norm and choose an unexpected route of attack, like a wide flanking maneuver reminiscent of what the Mongols did in the past.
Force their way through Persia, insert themselves behind Herat, cut off the retreat of the defending forces, and then encircle them for a siege."
Colonel Dank’s plan might or might not be feasible, Franz could not draw a conclusion without detailed local information, but firstly, the creativity of the idea was certainly commendable.
Throughout history, countless classic battles relied on imaginative ideas that ordinary people could not fathom, combined with the most important element—luck.
Replicating this kind of success was almost impossible. The same was true for the strategy of large encirclement and flanking maneuvers; the Mongols succeeded, but that didn’t mean the Russians could mimic them.
If the Persian people decided to be stubborn and not cooperate with the Russians’ movements, intercepting the Russian Army from passing through, there would be quite a spectacle to witness.
Without any comment, Franz simply smiled at Colonel Dank and then turned to an attendant beside him to give an order, "Record this first. Does anyone have a different opinion?"
As the department with the largest imaginations in Austria, agreement was never expected. As soon as Franz finished speaking, another officer began to speak. 𝔫𝖔𝖛𝖕𝔲𝔟.𝔠𝖔𝖒
"Your Majesty, I think the Russian commanders are simply aiming to occupy Andehui, with no other purpose.
From a geographical analysis of Afghanistan, the areas with relatively better natural conditions and more fertile land are only Andehui and Herat. Other areas are comparatively barren.
Now that they are flying the flag of liberating the Afghan Region, the Russians’ relationship with the Afghan people is still somewhat amicable. Once they have occupied these two regions, they could obtain some food locally for supplies.
The logistics system of the Russian Army is in complete disarray. As a frontline commander, they must be aware of the nature of the bureaucrats back home.
This war was also launched ahead of schedule, and the frontline troops do not have sufficient logistical materials. If the advance on the battlefield is too rapid, logistics could fail at any time.
If I were a Russian commander, the first thing to consider would be how to resolve the logistical issues, at least ensuring that frontline troops don’t go hungry, rather than how to achieve victory.
The British Army has deployed heavy forces in the Herat region, leaving only Andehui for the Russians to capture with relative ease. By occupying the area, they could at least solve the food problem for tens of thousands of Russian soldiers.
In this regard, the strategic significance of the Russians taking Andehui is not much less than taking the Wakhan Corridor."
Although it was difficult to accept, Franz still thought it was indeed possible. After all, Russian bureaucrats were a kind of magical creature, having sabotaged the frontline combat troops countless times already.
England and Russia were both major powers, and the Afghan Region held significant strategic importance for both countries, which guaranteed that the war would not end in a short period.
Not figuring out how to feed the troops first, in the event of an emergency, could mean total disaster.
Perhaps to the average person, the Andehui region at most resolves the food issue for tens of thousands of Russian troops, but Franz did not see it that way.
In a critical moment, this region could save the lives of the Russian soldiers. After all, if you run out of food, you can always plunder it from the locals.
Completely solving the food issue was impossible, but getting rations for a month or two was still hopeful.
With a shortage of strategic materials, just stop the attack, build defensive fortifications to reduce consumption. As long as no one starves, all other problems are negotiable.
As for the problem of offending the Afghan people, in such a situation, probably no Russian commander would care anymore.
...
One astonishing speculation after another refreshed Franz’s perspective. If he did not know these were just wild guesses, he might have even suspected that the Russian commanders were military geniuses of their time, with so many intricacies involved in capturing Andehui.
