Chapter 1 The Planning

Compared to a few years ago, the Eastern Peace army now pays more attention to pre-emptive planning in its operations. Dai Yun, who was originally the most skilled in chaotic battles, is now slowly getting used to this approach. Leading sufficient military strength and a certain amount of supplies with adaptability, not confined to plans, is the best way to showcase the demeanor of a famous general. However, with the strength of Eastern Peace, everyone gradually realized that the space for famous generals was becoming smaller and smaller. Eastern Peace does not need such famous generals, but rather experienced military officers who can fully consider all aspects of the battlefield. Because Eastern Peace's current mode of operation is becoming increasingly complex, and the requirements for logistics and supply are also getting higher and higher. Without detailed pre-war planning, the generals may be able to fight very happily, but the greater possibility is that they will not be able to carry out long-term sustained operations.

Of course, in a position like Dai Yun's, she only needs a directional idea, and the detailed plan will naturally be planned and perfected by a huge staff team. The staff team under the commander has veterans who are experienced in combat, and also young officers who are proficient in military strategy and study in the staff headquarters. Under the preparation and training of many major battles, the entire team has taken on a strong Ye family style in tactical thinking. In areas of Yunzhou that have already been occupied and where various consolidation measures and construction work have been carried out, no loss is allowed. In foreign operations, attention is focused on annihilating the enemy's main force, and they are not so keen on occupying and expanding the territory. In fact, the various armies of Yunzhou are now worried about the area being too large and the expansion being too fast. The speed of compiling and training garrison battalions can't keep up. However, the local garrison work cannot be handed over to the main battle battalions, as that would definitely wear down the fighting will of the main battle battalions. At the same time, such work cannot be entrusted to the private soldiers of local wealthy gentry to assist in the execution, no matter how enlightened and impartial these people are, otherwise, in the long run, it will definitely threaten the Northern Frontier Pacification Office's rule over the region. One hundred battalions, about 300,000 troops in scale, and another 200,000 or so main battle battalions, are already the limit that the Northern Frontier Pacification Office can supply without overdrawing any other potential and maintaining financial health.

The core of Dai Yun's operation against Xiling this time has a strong sense of rotational training, because the main battle battalions are all gathered on the eastern front, and it is more troublesome to mobilize to the eastern front. However, the number of new and old garrison battalions combined is sufficient. Although it is a bit risky and large-scale intense combat cannot be easily carried out, organizing surprise raids and sabotage operations under thorough reconnaissance can allow all garrison battalions to experience what a major battle is like.

The core of Dai Yun's operation this time is speed, relying on the speed of the entire army to crush all resistance that the enemy may organize. Although the garrison battalions are weaker than the main battle battalions in various equipment, they have one thing in common, that is, the entire army can ride into battle. Everyone in the world knows that there is no pure infantry in Yunzhou. In Yunzhou, it is normal to get a horse and raise a horse, even if you are not a soldier, ordinary people will have horses at home. This allows Dai Yun to deploy such surprise attacks very calmly. The troops mobilized by Xiling are a mixture of cavalry and infantry, with the cavalry slightly behind the infantry in the forward configuration, forming defensive lines, and deployed in several towns. Even if Xiling's infantry can ride horses, they cannot organize so many horses in a short period of time, which cannot be changed in a short period of time. After the first strike wipes out the enemy's cavalry, they can then erode the enemy with speed. No matter what kind of defense line the enemy organizes, or how large the scale, Dai Yun's plan is always, never directly attack head-on, but use one unit to attract and monitor from the front, and quickly mobilize surrounding friendly forces to outflank the rear, and then encircle and annihilate. If necessary, she can even find airship units to bomb and support.

This large-scale raid will deploy fifty garrison battalions, plus 20,000 tribal cavalry from the Benlang Plains, 5,000 Dai family soldiers from Tianling Fortress, 1,700 new recruits from the Ye family fortress guard battalion, and 440 new recruits from the Special Operations Battalion. Compared with the 270,000 troops that Xiling has in total in the entire theater of operations, the number of troops is small, but the combat effectiveness is much higher than the opponent. This operation, due to the very high requirements for communication and command, in the plan proposed by Dai Yun, it is required to mobilize at least 150 airships to participate in the operation. The staff officers of the command headquarters listed the mobilization plan for these airships. Originally, the airships belonging to the army, in addition to the minimum of twenty or so necessary for reconnaissance and communication on the eastern front, eighty-two airships could be drawn out. There are twenty Snow Owl airships undergoing testing. After the testing is completed, they are mainly to be delivered to the army of the Pacification Office and Danyang. This time, the delivery will be delayed, and they will be pulled to the battlefield for actual combat testing. The Communications Bureau has always maintained a surplus of small communication airships, and it is not a problem to borrow twenty airships from them. The Ye family workshop itself has a team of test airships, and it is a small matter to borrow ten to twenty airships. The two major courier companies now have airship delivery services. Given the relationship between the military and them, it is just a matter of asking them to establish a dedicated airship line for communication and delivery, and borrowing ten airships that do not participate in combat. The other gaps will have to be asked from Danyang. However, borrowing for a month and a half, and continuously carrying out high-intensity operations, in this era where there are no effective anti-aircraft weapons in the world, Tan Xiaopei and others will probably be very happy to have their airship team carry out rare high-intensity exercises.

Most of this operation plan is about supply and communication schemes, and not much is involved in combat. However, after Ye Tao carefully scanned it, he immediately asked: "Yun'er, this plan will definitely not work. The difference between the garrison battalion and the main battle battalion is not only in the combat power of each battalion, but also in the selection of combat commanders and leaders. Most of the camp commanders of the garrison battalion are talented in administrative management, or they are upright and good at dealing with people, and most of those who are brave and good at fighting are in the main battle battalion. And so is the commander, and so are the soldiers below. Once they encounter combat, what if they don't have enough tactical command ability?"

Dai Yun was stunned for a moment, she really didn't expect this problem. Tan Weixin smiled and said from the side: "It's simple, put all the staff officers who made these plans down. Then, Sister Yun, you have to work a little harder and arrange a special airship. Wherever you need to be in charge, just fly there. Anyway, we don't have any military factions here, so you won't have any problems with disobeying orders wherever you go, right?"

Dai Yun nodded repeatedly and said, "Well, let's do it that way." Then she turned to Ye Tao again and asked for his opinion: "What do you think now?"

Ye Tao sighed and said, "Let's do it that way... We only had such a rare gathering for a few days, and we have to go our separate ways again." There is a reason for Ye Tao to say this. When it comes to tactical command, Dai Yun is much stronger than him, so it is natural to let Dai Yun be responsible for tactical command. But at the same time, the confrontation between the West Route Army and the Northern Liao, as well as a series of intelligence and spy command and dispatch, must be supervised by someone. Don't look at the fact that Ye family fortress is only two days away from the Central Army Town by airship, but a round trip is four days, which is very critical for some urgent matters. Ye Tao must return to the Central Army Town to be in charge.

Dai Yun chuckled. She was originally a very heroic woman, and she hasn't changed at all after becoming a mother. "It's only these few months. The West Route Army won't start another war very far away. After that, we will be very idle for at least two to three years, right? You also promised to take the children to Yazhou to play, so don't forget."

Ye Tao raised his eyebrows and said, "I have had His Majesty personally confirm that we will have a vacation after destroying the Northern Liao." Ye Tao's words relaxed the atmosphere in the study. A long vacation is something that many of them have been looking forward to for a long time. Apart from that, it is really hard to find anything else in the world that can attract the Ye family and his people.

Tan Weixin said, "I'm going to the Central Army Town with you this time."

Ye Tao frowned and asked, "Why?"

"Economic plan." Tan Weixin just said these four words lightly, and Ye Tao could only sigh and reluctantly agree. It is not without reason that Eastern Peace values and even indulges him and Tan Weixin. Many things can only be done by the two of them. Ye Tao is unparalleled in engineering and manufacturing. Although he knows that he copied it from later generations, his deliberation and grasp of key technologies have always kept Eastern Peace on the fast track of development in terms of technology, without wasting time and manpower on looking around. And his attitude towards learning has forced him to become an excellent manager and leader, and even a combat commander above the qualified level. But compared to him, Tan Weixin seems to be more unique and irreplaceable. Over the years, whether it is Eastern Peace, Yunzhou, Benlang Plains, or Yazhou, relying on those most basic contents, the plans she has handled have continuously widened the gap between Eastern Peace and other countries. And now, in order to allow the Northern Liao to quickly integrate into the Eastern Peace system after turning back, so as not to hinder Eastern Peace's great cause of conquering various countries and unifying the world, it is only natural to prepare in advance.

"Why don't you bring the children over?" Suddenly, Dai Yun said, "They will definitely have a lot of fun. The scenery of the Northern Liao is really good. And it's also very safe, there won't be any problems. They are cooped up in the Ye family fortress and the workshop, and they are almost getting sick."

Ye Tao agreed very openly to this. The children are very well-behaved, but after all, they grew up in this special family. They certainly wouldn't get sick. These children have a much broader vision than ordinary people. They always gather in the test flights of various types of airships, and their footprints cover four or five hundred miles around. But their curiosity is unmatched, and Dai Qiuyan's calm temperament is becoming increasingly unable to control these little ones. And Dai Qiuyan herself, doesn't she also hope to be able to run out to sketch and paint? Thinking about it this way, it wouldn't be a bad choice for everyone to like to move around in the occupied areas in the months before the war restarts.