Chapter 44: Everyone Shall Become a Master of Urban Warfare

The officers fell silent. Morin's words had made these professional soldiers keenly aware of the brutality of urban warfare.

On the other side, Morin looked toward Major Thomas, the battalion commander:

"Major, I suggest we immediately petition the regimental headquarters to break up the regiment's direct-support heavy machine gun company and distribute its guns among our battalion's various companies!"

"Break them up? But the heavy machine guns are the regiment's most vital supporting firepower, especially in defensive combat. Furthermore, everyone has witnessed the terrifying power of these machine guns over the past few days..."

Major Thomas replied with some hesitation:

"Wouldn't concentrating the machine gun positions maximize their advantage?"

"In urban warfare, a concentrated heavy machine gun position is simply a sitting duck!"

Morin retorted without a trace of politeness:

"Not to mention that the enemy has flying mages who can strike consolidated machine gun emplacements at any moment! Even if it's just enemy infantry flanking us from another direction, a few grenades thrown in and it's all over!"

"But if we disperse them, pairing a single machine gun team with two or three riflemen for cover, finding a window with a good field of view or a street corner that offers some cover yet allows for easy movement, and applying camouflage, we can completely lock down an entire street!"

"A machine gun position must never be pinned down in one spot; that makes them far too easy for the enemy to target. Once you realize the situation is turning sour, you must immediately retreat to a backup firing point..."

"We also need to construct barricades using anything and everything we can find. I recall the supply train transported barbed wire, did it not? Don't hoard it; lay it all across the streets!"

...

Morin spoke rapidly, sharing everything he knew, while the officers, including Major Thomas, quickly pulled out their little notebooks to jot it all down.

"Finally, regarding our artillery."

Morin glanced toward the edge of the city. "Once urban warfare breaks out, our 77mm field guns and 105mm howitzers will find it extremely difficult to provide accurate indirect fire support, because we and the enemy will be completely intermingled."

"Instead of leaving them idle in the rear, we should drag them right into the city!"

This idea was even more insane than all the previous proposals combined, stunning everyone in the command post.

Drag artillery into the alleyways? Has this kid lost his mind?

"Lieutenant Morin!" Major Thomas's voice had changed register. "Artillery is a precious asset. If we throw them into urban combat, the casualties will be catastrophic!"

"Major, I know it's a huge risk."

Morin looked at his battalion commander, explaining with a firm and patient demeanor:

"However, artillery pieces leveled horizontally in urban combat are the most devastating weapons in our hands, especially those 77mm field guns. I know they are equipped with old-fashioned shrapnel shells. As long as they are fired at point-blank trajectory, a single shell can sweep clean an entire street!"

"And the 105mm howitzer? It is essentially a mobile battering ram! As that colleague of ours just asked, what should we do if buildings are occupied by the enemy?"

"Simple, blast them with 105mm high-explosive shells!"

"If the brigade command wishes to hold this city, they must first consider how to survive the defense, and only afterward worry about reconstruction."

Complete silence fell over the temporary battalion headquarters, broken only by the sound of heavy breathing.

Every officer, including Major Thomas, was utterly shaken by the brand-new canvas of warfare Morin had painted.

Breaking down into small units, relying on buildings, moving internally, machine guns locking down streets, fixing bayonets on artillery...

These fragmented tactics, when combined, formed a complete and rigorous system of urban combat.

Though they had never encountered it before, as professional soldiers, they could instantly grasp the feasibility and immense power of this system.

"A genius... absolutely a genius. You kid were simply born for war..."

Captain Hauser muttered to himself. The look in his eyes as he gazed at Morin had shifted from prior appreciation to a trace of awe.

After all, it was difficult for a normal person to conceive of such things.

Major Thomas, as if awakening to a delayed realization, was trembling all over with excitement. He grabbed Morin by the arm, appearing utterly ecstatic.

"Morin! You... you... I am going to brigade headquarters immediately! I am going to report your plan to the regimental commander and General Paul! If we need a scheme to hold Seville, these tactics you described are precisely it!"

Without giving Morin a chance to react, he clutched his hastily scotted notes and bolted out of the command post like a gust of wind.

Once Major Thomas had departed, the remaining officers swarmed forward in a rush, bombarding Morin with questions on every conceivable detail.

"Lieutenant Morin, how do we deal with enemies who might be hiding in the shadows?"

"How should we arrange firing points inside rooms most effectively?"

"What if the enemy copies us and drills holes through the walls?"

Surrounded in the center, Morin felt his head throbbing.

Yet, he patiently answered their questions one by one.

He knew that the deeper their understanding of urban warfare, the higher their chances of survival, and the more stable the entire Seville defense line would become.

He had to ensure that this force was still standing when the armored airships arrived, which would in turn maximize his own chances of survival.

When he finally managed to dismiss everyone, Morin could finally catch his breath.

He sat casually on an empty ammunition crate, but a new problem surfaced in his mind.

His tactical framework was built upon traditional infantry-versus-infantry thinking.

However, the enemy possessed mages and armored knights.

Putting mages aside for the moment, they still seemed vulnerable to kinetic weaponry.

Yet, how were they supposed to deal with those eight white iron cans of the Garter Order?

In open terrain, they were charging spearheads.

In the confined environment of urban alleys, they would only transform into even more unstoppable mobile fortresses...

Given the strength they had previously demonstrated, they could easily smash through walls, crush barricades, and ignore any infantry firepower.

At the mere thought of that scenario, Morin felt a chill run down his spine.

"Perhaps infantry in another world felt equally helpless when they first saw tanks..."

The thought flashed through Morin's mind, but he also knew he had to find a solution.

Otherwise, the seemingly flawless urban warfare system he had just devised would be nothing more than a paper lantern ready to puncture at the slightest touch against those metallic behemoths.

Relying on infantry to blow them up with grenades or military explosives?

Leaving aside whether the explosive power would be sufficient, Morin doubted infantry would even get the chance to approach a rampaging armored knight in urban combat.

Their agility was clearly far superior to early-stage tanks, making 'anti-tank gymnastics' nearly impossible to execute against these iron cans.

The weapons they carried and the squires following beside them would tear any infantry attempting to approach into pieces.

What about using artillery?

This was the only possibility Morin could think of. He had just recommended bringing artillery to the front lines for direct fire, but could these guns pose a threat to the armored knights?

He could not answer this question himself.

Therefore, he needed to find someone who understood armored knights and ask them.

Ludwig.

With that name in mind, Morin hesitated no longer. He immediately stood up and hurried toward the garrison of the Teutonic Knights detachment.

...

The encampment of the Teutonic Knights detachment looked entirely different from the temporary quarters of ordinary infantry.

There were no noisy soldiers here, only technicians and squires in oil-stained overalls working quietly and efficiently.

Six armored knights that had survived the previous battle were parked in the open area. Technicians climbed up and down, conducting emergency repairs with various tools. The sound of hammering echoed incessantly, and the air was filled with a uniquely blended scent.

As Morin stepped into the camp, someone noticed him.

"Lieutenant Morin?"

It was Ludwig's voice.

Morin looked toward the sound and saw Ludwig standing on the shoulder of his mount, holding a wrench in his hand.

Seeing Morin, a hint of surprise crossed Ludwig's face before he nimbly leaped down from the three-meter-tall armored knight, landing steadily on the ground.

"What brings you here? Do you wish to speak with me further regarding Patricia?"

Wiping the grease from his hands, Ludwig walked toward Morin with a familiar, easygoing warmth.

Mustering his thoughts, Morin had to admire this fellow.

Even while participating in the maintenance of an armored knight, aside from his gloves, there was hardly any grease on him, and he remained as elegant as ever.

Still, Morin struggled to adjust to the man's altered attitude. Yet, this was not the time to dwell on it, so he cut straight to the point:

"Lieutenant Colonel Ludwig, I have a most urgent question I wish to consult you on."

Noticing Morin's serious expression, Ludwig withdrew the smile from his face, turning solemn.

"Go ahead."

"Can our 77mm field guns and 105mm howitzers pose a threat to the armored knights of the Garter Order when firing directly at close range?"