01x09 - Preparations for Advance

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A Few Days After the Battle of Arene

T: At Arene, I insisted ondefending my nation's people,

T: eliminating only the enemy mages.

T: My hands are still pure asthe driven snow... Probably.

Gu: Excuse me.

Gu: It's been a long time, Major Degurechaff.

T: Uger...

T: Major Uger!

T: Glad to see you're doing well!

Gu: Same to you.

T: You're with the army's railway division now?

Gu: Yes.

Gu: I've heard a lot about you.

Gu: Anyway, are you on your way to Strategic HQ?

T: Yes.

T: You, too?

Gu: Lately, I've been doing nothing butrunning errands for General Zettour...

T: If the railway division's busy,

T: then it's a big operation?

T: Looks like you know something.

Gu: Well, I guess it's safe to tell you.

Gu: I owe you for recommending me for a rearguard position.

Gu: The railway division has been asked to

Gu: make a plan for emergency transportfrom the combat zone.

Gu: The planning folks intend topull the Rhine front way back.

T: Pull back our lines?

T: After we've pushed the enemy so far back?

Gu: Indeed.

Gu: The plan seems to be to drawthe enemy's main unit in and destroy them.

T: I see.

T: So like Bonaparte at Austerlitz,

T: or perhaps Hannibal at Cannae.

T: That's a surprise.

T: A surround-and-destroy operation on the scale of the Rhine front...

T: A bold but fascinating plan.

Gu: You've got that right.

Gu: The brass wants to end the w*r with the Republic soon, no matter what.

T: But how do we surround the enemy?

Gu: I haven't been told the details.

Gu: But your unit will be asked to serve as the rearguard

Gu: so the enemy doesn't learn about the retreat.

T: The rearguard, huh?

Gu: The battle will be even fiercer than what's come before.

Gu: Once you get to Strategic HQ,

Gu: I'm sure they'll prepareeverything you ask for.

Gu: Imperial Army Strategic HQ, Joint Conference

Gu: The Arene incident damaged our railway network,

Gu: making supplying the front lines difficult.

Gu: A full-scale as*ault at this timewould be impossible to sustain.

Gu: Is a landing operation possible,like the one against the Entente Alliance?

Gu: The Allied Kingdom's response would be the issue.

Gu: In theory, they're neutral,

Gu: but they won't let us pass through their territorial waters.

Gu: Which means it will take time...

Gu: I believe some degree of attritionis unavoidable.

Z: We need a paradigm shift.

Z: We're facing the first world w*r since the dawn of humanity.

Z: The pre-w*r doctrine of entering an enemycastle to force them to sign a peace treaty

Z: isn't practical here.

Gu: How do we win, then?

Z: We don't win. We avoid defeat.

Z: I think that's the only way to stay standing.

Gu: General Zettour, are you sayingyou're opposed to the offensive, too?

Z: No, I support the idea of aggressive action.

Z: But breaking their lines shouldn't be our goal.

Gu: What do you mean?

Z: We eliminate as many enemy soldiers as possible

Z: and render them unable to continue fighting.

Z: That's the one way to end the w*r.

Gu: Do you have a practical plan?

Gu: The planning department already has a plan to destroy their main force.

Gu: A decisive battle? In these circumstances?

Gu: Are you serious?

Gu: Isn't that reckless?

Gu: The first stage of this plan is a large-scale withdrawal

Gu: from the battle lines, in order to lure the enemy forward.

Gu: It's the first step toward the rest of the plan.

Gu: We must go forward.

Gu: You could say a "forward escape" is the best path toward victory.

Episode Preparations for Advance

May , Unified Year

Rhine Front: Imperial Army Right Flank, Front Lines

T: Break! Break!

Gu: Damn it! They got me!

T: Take cover, !

T: Grab and fall back!

Gu: This is ! Company has lost multiple men!

Gu: Losses are at over %!

T: Company , put out decoys and retreat!

T: Anyone who can support them, do it!

Gu: Roger!

Gu: Who are our guests?

Gu: A force recon unit.

Gu: They're the size of an expanded battalion!

Gu: Maybe they really are planning a full-scale offensive!

Gu: They're coming! Fire! Fire!

Gu: Damn it! Air burst rounds?

V: Everyone, form up!

V: Limit yourself to stochastic evasion and—

Gu: This is !

Gu: We've lost half our men already!

Gu: We won't last much longer!

: Damn...

T: This is Fairy !

T: We are surrounded and engaged witha company-sized unit of enemy mages!

T: What is your situation?

Gu: Initiating Plan .

Gu: Not quite ready yet,

Gu: but you have permission for an immediate withdrawal.

T: Permission to retreat? Now?

T: Unnecessary.

Gu: What? Are you serious?

T: If we retreat here,they might discover our con.

T: Since we can't let the enemy learn about the retreat,

T: we will continue.

Gu: Roger.

Gu: We'll have it ready ASAP.

Gu: May God's protection be with you.

T: God's protection...

T: I can see Being X's ugly face—

T: Rhine Front: Imperial Army Right Wing, Rawl Lowlands

Gu: Hurry!

Gu: Destroy the heavy cannons!

Gu: Hurry!

Gu: The rest can get on the next train!

Gu: Get moving!

Gu: Operation Fog and Sun A False Retreat From the Battle Lines

Gu: We will shortly reachthe designated retreat point.

Gu: I don't see any pursuing forces.

Gu: They seem to think we're engaging in a large-scale offensive.

Gu: Hey, hang in there!

Gu: We don't have enough bandages!

Gu: Where are the medic mages?

Gu: How much longer?

Gu: M-My stomach... My stomach!

Gu: Warrant Officer... Warrant Officer Teyanen!

V: Lieutenant Grantz, what were your grades in classes?

V: Didn't you learn in officers' school that all responsibility for a unit's actions

V: rests with their commanding officer?

V: In law class.

Gu: I think I did...

V: At the Battle of Arene, the major emphasizedthat you were acting under orders.

T: I'll say this once more.

T: This is the order from our superiors.

V: She was the commanding officer,

V: so there was no need forher men to feel responsible.

V: Maybe that's what she wanted to say.

Gu: I never thought you'd be making mefeel better, Lieutenant Serebryakov.

V: Huh? What's that supposed to mean?

Gu: Hang in there, Teyanen!

Gu: Teyanen!

Gu: Plan was a success.

Gu: It's all thanks to your unit.

Gu: On behalf of Strategic HQ, I thank you again.

T: Your words honor me too much.

T: Actually, I wanted to ask you something.

Gu: What is it?

T: I'm told our military is distributingfalse propaganda via third countries?

Gu: You hear things fast.

T: Supposedly, the mess at Arene destroyed our supply lines.

T: Even maintaining our front is difficult,

T: and we're planning a reckless, large-scale as*ault.

T: {\c&HEEE&\fs}The Empire on the Brink

T: Republican forces will believe it and will concentrate their forces.

Dialogue: ,::.,::.,SignB: ,{\c&HEEE&\fs}A Desperate Large-Scale as*ault?

T: If we want to draw them in, encircle them, and wipe them out,

T: don't we need to disrupt them and put them in disarray?

Gu: Just like at Norden?

Gu: You never cease to amaze me...

Gu: Your new orders.

T: Thank you.

Gu: The name of the second operation is "Shock and Awe."

Gu: The plan is to directly take outthe enemy's HQ

Gu: and leave them in disarray.

T: And then capture the enemy units?

Gu: Indeed.

T: I see.

T: On a strategic level,it makes a good deal of sense.

T: But if it were that easy totake out the enemy's HQ,

T: the Rhine theater wouldn't havefallen into a stalemate to begin with.

Gu: That is quite true.

T: Then we'll need a new tactic.

T: Something completely unexpected.

Gu: God has brought us to this moment, hasn't he, Major?

T: Doctor Schugel?

T: Imperial Army V- Launcher Secret Base

T: What is this?

Gu: A special acceleration booster deviceI developed for force recon.

Gu: Code named V-!

Gu: It's a new type of recon unit

Gu: that flies too high to be interceptedand too fast to be pursued.

Gu: Use these V-s to cross their defensive linesand attack their HQ.

T: When did you build this?

Gu: General Zettour requested their development.

Gu: He requested a new type of equipmentto break through heavily defended areas.

T: And a certain mad scientist made somethingthat surpassed your expectations, huh?

Gu: It's still in the testing stages,

Gu: but the fact that we could get a small run

Gu: of mass-produced versions ready before the decisive battle is truly...

Gu: Truly, a blessed message from God!

Gu: That's the only way to describe it!

Gu: Behold these huge boosters!

Gu: It contains five specially-made enginesthat run on hydrogen fuel!

T: Doctor, it's fine to boast about their size and numbers,

T: but you can adjust their speed and direction, right?

Gu: Adjustments? You don't need adjustments!

Gu: Just fly straight!

Gu: Just keep going straight forward!

Gu: That look on your face...

Gu: You're worried the boosters might be too heavy, right?

Gu: Relax! No need to worry at all!

Gu: The used fuel tanks can be purged from the booster when they're empty.

Gu: By lightening the load,the final speed gets even higher!

Gu: Its final speed is Mach .!

Gu: As the first humans to break the sound barrier,

Gu: we will shake off anyoneand everyone on our tail!

T: Um, how will you handle the increase

T: in drag and shock waves causedby breaking the sound barrier?

T: Vibrations and shocks caused by aeroelastic flutter

T: should be something mages can handlewith their defensive shell.

T: You can do it, right?

T: It would be strange if you couldn't.

Gu: I suppose he thinks everythingcomes naturally to everyone.

T: Yeah. He's a natural-born disaster.

T: He went and got us a one-way ticket to hell.

T: Rhine Front: Former Imperial Army Right Wing, Rawl Lowlands

Gu: No response.

Gu: It seems they really have withdrawn.

Gu: Roger.

Gu: Contact command.

Gu: This is Rhine Command,

Gu: speaking to all units on the left flank.

Gu: Republican Army Rhine Theater Forces

Gu: We have confirmed that Imperial forceshave withdrawn from the Rawl Lowlands.

Rhine Theater: Republican Army Left Wing, Rear Echelon

Gu: Begin advancing our main force immediately.

Gu: Roger.

Gu: All units, advance!

Gu: We've gathered our main forcesand started advancing the left flank.

Gu: The right flank is staying put.

Gu: If we take out the left flank, the Empire will give up.

Gu: And that will end the w*r, huh?

Gu: Yes.

Gu: I want to repay them for what happened in Arene.

Gu: But I'm reduced toa cigarette gofer for a while...

Gu: Distribute them among the right flank. They aren't doing anything.

Gu: Are you sure?

Gu: Leave enough to celebrate our victory.

Gu: Second Lieutenant Grantz.

Gu: Lieutenant Weiss...

Gu: Calm down, Lieutenant.

Gu: You look kind of pathetic.

Gu: Sorry, sir.

Gu: Well, I understand how you feel.

Gu: To be honest, I don't feel calm, either.

T: Now, you've been specially selectedfor this mission.

T: To be blunt,

T: our mission is to ride rockets right into the enemy HQ.

T: I'm sure that only a few of you elevenare capable of enjoying a rocket ride,

T: but we have to do this.

T: And if we have to do it, we must ensure we succeed.

T: Our current intelligence hasgiven us three attack targets.

T: One of them is the enemy's Rhine theater HQ.

T: Once we take it out, the enemy will be leaderless and easily destroyed.

T: In other words,tomorrow's mission will end the w*r!

T: We are the head of the entire army!

Gu: No soldier in the Empirecould remain calm after that.

Gu: Hell, no soldier in the world could.

Gu: I take that back.

Gu: The Republic's main force has already started its advance.

Gu: Only a matter of time before the western industrial districts are within firing range.

Gu: Preparations for Plan , the as*ault on the enemy HQ, are ready.

Gu: What is the state of the next plan?

Gu: I'm told we're finishing our last preparations on the left flank.

Gu: Deployments at the target point are completed,

Gu: and we can begin tomorrow.

Gu: We've crossed the Rubicon.

Gu: And now, it's all up toMajor Degurechaff, huh?

Z: If we're eating in silence, we must be more nervous than I expected.

Gu: I thought you never got nervous.

Z: You, too.

Z: I'm surprised to find you're nervous.

Gu: The Fatherland's fate rests on this mission.

Gu: If we fail to take the enemy's head, the remaining plans will also fail.

Gu: Moving forward is the only way we can win.

Gu: No, it's the only path we have at all.

Gu: Anyone who stands in the way ofthe Fatherland will be destroyed.

Gu: My friend, victory for the Empire!

Gu: Victory!

May , Unified Year

Gu: Hydrogen fuel levels confirmed.

Gu: Firing angle and direction confirmed!

Gu: All equipment working normally.

Gu: All units, proceed to final preparations.

Gu: Releasing safeties.

Gu: Launch preparations complete.

Gu: Staff is to leave the area!

Gu: We will now launch a mage company

Gu: via the manned rockets code named V-!

Gu: Light all rockets.

Gu: May God watch over the Fatherland.

T: My comrades-in-arms, I believe not in God,

T: but in Strategic HQ,a stronghold of logic and reason.

T: Our pride lies in duty and sacrifice.

T: We go to win this battle.

T: A true Imperial soldier goes anywhere, even Purgatory, and conquers it!

T: Show them what good guard dogs we are!

Gu: All units, take off.

Gu: I shall pray for your success.

T: I was supposed to climb the ladderin the rear lines.

T: How did I end up here?

T: It's all... It's all Being X's fault.

T: Until I pound free-market principles into that piece of sh*t,

T: I won't die, no matter what!

T: I'm going to live... to live and...

T: I'm going to end this!

T: Everyone, prepare for non-magic-dependent drop!

T: Release door knockers!

T: Operation Shock and Awe as*ault on the Enemy HQ

T: "To the family of my friend,

T: Warrant Officer Tweet Nika Teyanen.

T: I'm terribly sorry to inform you

T: that Warrant Officer Teyanenwill be retiring due to injuries.

T: A military doctor has decided that he needs long-term care.

T: I ask forgiveness that I can only returnthe child you entrusted to us in this state.

T: I know it isn't much,but I have put in a request

T: for a Class Combat Medal and a w*r Injuries Medal,

T: and it has been accepted.

T: I hope he successfully recovers."

T: I never thought I'd lose one of my troops to a rotten potato...

Next time: Next Time Path to Victory

Next time: This program is fiction. All persons, groups, places, laws, and names appearing in it have no relation to the real world.