“Imperial Guard,” this term directly defined the status and affiliation of this unit.
Without limiting it to specific formations like battalion, regiment, brigade, or division, but establishing it independently as “Unit X,” granted it great flexibility.
The detailed planning section of the proposal also verified Albert II’s speculation.
The current plan was to first expand this unit into a full-strength reinforced regiment-level unit.
In the future, it could be further expanded to brigade-level or even division-level scale at any time according to the needs of the war situation.
At the same time, the Crown Prince and others also pointed out that they hoped that during the expansion and rest process of this instruction unit, outstanding officers and non-commissioned officers could be drawn from various main forces of the entire army to receive training.
After they finished their studies, they would return to their respective units to form “Assault Battalions” subordinate to their own divisions.
“Incubation and actual combat… a two-pronged approach? Judging from the proposal, it’s quite good…”
Albert II rarely read through this proposal from the army so carefully, and his heart was full of praise for his “good son.”
After thinking for a while, he finally decided to agree to this plan, which seemed beneficial without any harm.
The amazing combat results presented by the Instruction Assault Battalion previously were enough to convince anyone.
Moreover, after browsing the army’s combat records since the start of the war, Albert II also keenly realized one point:
With the expansion of the scale of war and the evolution of tactics, the Empire indeed needed an elite force like this, capable of rapid response and flexible deployment, to deal with various complex battlefield situations.
However, when he picked up the pen to sign the document, his movement paused.
He thought for a moment, then in the blank space of the document, he wrote his own instruction in his powerful handwriting.
“Wartime military merits should be rewarded with thunderous momentum. The promotion of meritorious officials need not stick to conventions.”
After writing this sentence, Albert II signed his name at the end of the document.
Agreeing to this plan, he had his own considerations.
This unit was supported and formed by Crown Prince Georg single-handedly. Its existence itself symbolized the royal family’s power penetrating into the army, the traditional reserved land of the aristocracy.
This was exactly what he was happy to see.
Not to mention, behind this Friedrich Morin with an amazing resume stood that “Radiant Crystal Queen” Madam Falkenstein.
As a leading figure in the Radiant Crystal industry, Madam Falkenstein had always been one of the objects the royal family tried to win over.
However, this head of the Falkenstein-Eisenstein United Industries had always been cautious in terms of “taking sides.”
“Descendant of a declining Junker noble family, a commander with outstanding military exploits, an awakened spellcaster, and supported by the Radiant Crystal Queen…”
Albert II couldn’t help but combine these labels in his mind.
“This young Captain really has a complex composition.”
A thought suddenly popped into his mind.
“If I grant him a true noble title, would it bring him closer to the royal family?”
“Even bringing General Mackensen and Madam Falkenstein, who have close relationships with him, closer under the banner of the Empire?”
This thought flashed through his mind.
Winning over Morin and making him one of the royal family’s spokespersons in the army would have obvious benefits for consolidating imperial power and balancing the forces of various factions in the army.
Or rather, throw Morin into this calm water surface and see if this young officer can stir up some waves…
The Emperor’s gaze fell on Morin’s resume again. Finally, he picked up the phone and asked the operator to connect to the office of the Minister of War, General Falkenhayn.
“General Falkenhayn, regarding the expansion plan of the Instruction Assault Battalion, I agree… The document will be sent to you soon.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!” Falkenhayn’s respectful voice came from the other end of the phone.
“Also, there is one more thing you need to pay attention to…”
Imperial Army Department Building, Conference Room.
Smoke swirled, and the atmosphere was solemn.
Around the long conference table sat a dozen senior army officers wearing various medals.
They were the core members of the Army Department, controlling the Empire’s army personnel, logistics, training, and other major powers.
Minister of War General Falkenhayn sat at the head of the table, looking expressionlessly at the document in his hand, which had just been sent from the palace with His Majesty the Emperor’s personal written instructions.
“Gentlemen, regarding the expansion plan of the First Imperial Guard Instruction Assault Battalion, His Majesty has approved it.”
Falkenhayn’s voice was steady, no different from his usual manner of presiding over meetings.
“According to the proposal, this unit will be reorganized into the ‘Imperial Guard Instruction Assault Unit,’ initially expanded to a regiment-level unit. The Personnel Department and the General Staff will come up with a detailed plan for the specific organization and personnel transfer.”
The senior officers present were not too surprised by this. Even those who felt this matter was hasty knew that the Instruction Assault Battalion’s combat achievements were there, and expansion was sooner or later.
“Next is the issue of Captain Morin’s promotion…”
Falkenhayn raised his head, his gaze sweeping over everyone present, pausing specifically on several older officers.
“Currently, the preliminary decision is to promote Captain Morin to Army Lieutenant Colonel.”
“What? Lieutenant Colonel?!”
As soon as the words fell, an old general with a traditional Saxon handlebar mustache couldn’t help speaking up, his voice full of surprise.
“Minister, did I hear correctly? From Captain directly to Lieutenant Colonel? This… this skips the rank of Major! This is against regulations!”
His words immediately drew agreement from some senior officers.
“Yes, this is too exaggerated! The Imperial Army’s promotion system has strict regulations; every step requires corresponding seniority and merit.”
“Exceptional promotion isn’t unheard of, but skipping a field officer rank directly, this… this is simply unheard of!”
“I admit Captain Morin has outstanding military exploits and is a rare talent, but we can’t break the rules of the entire army just because of one person, right?”
“Exactly! He’s only twenty-two! A twenty-two-year-old Lieutenant Colonel?!”
The conference room immediately became noisy, with voices of opposition rising one after another.
Most of these generals were conservatives from traditional military aristocratic backgrounds. They regarded the army’s traditions and regulations as more important than anything else.
In their view, Morin’s previous promotion speed had already “changed the ancestral laws,” and now adding fuel to the fire was simply unbelievable.
Falkenhayn didn’t speak, just listened quietly. He naturally knew there would be such a reaction.
At the same time, he noted down the names of these senior officers who raised objections one by one—this was specifically emphasized by His Majesty.
When the voices of opposition subsided slightly, another relatively young officer cleared his throat and spoke: “Gentlemen, rules are dead, people are alive… We are now in a state of war, a war that determines the fate of the Empire!”
He stood up, hands on the table, leaning forward: “We might as well look at Captain Morin’s resume. From the Liège Fortress to the gates of Paris, the troops he commanded fought the toughest battles and gnawed on the hardest bones… Are his merits not worth the rank of a Major?”
“More importantly, the new tactics he proposed, and that ‘HEAT warhead’! Everyone here knows the value of these things clearly.”
“It is no exaggeration to say that he alone has changed the tactical form of our army! For such achievements, let alone a Lieutenant Colonel, I think giving him a Colonel rank wouldn’t be excessive!”
This young general’s words were forceful, leaving the conservative officers who were excited just now speechless for a moment.
“Merit is merit, rules are rules! They cannot be confused!” The handlebar-mustached old general was still unconvinced, sticking his neck out to retort.
“He is also a spellcaster! Even has records of killing multiple mages on the battlefield!”
“Then let him go to a Mage Tower or the Magitech Research Institute for further study!”
“You stubborn old man is simply unreasonable!”
“You…!”
Falkenhayn watched the two sides arguing endlessly, knowing that this would lead nowhere.
He knocked on the table, attracting everyone’s attention.
“Alright, stop arguing… Since there are internal differences, why not listen to others’ opinions?”
Falkenhayn paused and added: “For this meeting, I specially invited representatives from the Saxon War College to attend. Captain Morin once studied there, and they know him better.”
Everyone’s gaze turned to the end of the conference table.
Two officers in War College uniforms sat there. The leader was none other than the college’s Vice Dean, General Hohendorff.
This old general was highly respected in the army, rigid in character, and recognized as a representative figure of the army’s “conservatives.”
He was even the teacher of most people in this conference room.
Seeing him, the handlebar-mustached old general and others immediately showed joy on their faces.
They felt that without thinking, General Hohendorff would definitely stand on their side and defend the army’s traditions.
Several conservative officers exchanged glances, with expressions of assured victory on their faces.
In their view, General Hohendorff was a staunch defender of Saxon military traditions.
He spent the latter half of his life cultivating elite officers for the Empire in the War College, valuing rules and seniority the most.
Making him agree to a twenty-two-year-old skipping grades to promote to Lieutenant Colonel was harder than making him believe a sow could climb a tree.
Minister Falkenhayn also looked at Hohendorff. Honestly, he was also somewhat uncertain.
He knew this old general’s temper, but if they couldn’t reach an agreement today, he would be uncomfortable caught in the middle.
“General Hohendorff…”
Falkenhayn’s voice was polite, after all, the other party’s seniority was there.
“You and your colleagues at the War College should know something about Captain Morin… What is your view on this exceptional promotion?”
General Hohendorff didn’t answer immediately.
He slowly took out a pipe from his pocket, filled it with tobacco, lit it with a match, took a deep puff, and exhaled a cloud of white smoke.
In the entire conference room, only the sound of him puffing on the pipe remained.
Just when the handlebar-mustached old general was about to lose patience, Hohendorff took the pipe from his mouth, and those shrewd eyes behind the smoke scanned everyone present.
“This young man Morin, I talked with him a few times when he was at the college.”
The old general’s voice was a bit hoarse.
“He has many ideas. Some viewpoints on future warfare felt refreshing even to me…”
Hearing this, the younger officers’ eyes lit up, while the conservatives’ expressions changed slightly.
“However,” Hohendorff changed the subject, “I’ve seen many young people with ideas, but most of them are armchair strategists… War is not as simple as deducing on the sand table in the college.”
The conservatives breathed a sigh of relief, and the handlebar-mustached old general even nodded in agreement.
“So when he graduated from the college and rushed to the front line with the ‘Instruction Assault Battalion,’ I was actually somewhat worried.”
Hohendorff continued: “I was worried that he would be taught a good lesson by the cruel reality and lose his sharpness from then on.”
He paused and took another puff of smoke.
“But I was wrong.” There was a trace of self-mockery in the old general’s tone.
“Not only was he not taught a lesson, but he slapped my old face with victory after victory! Liège, Charleroi, Amiens, Creil, and this time Paris…”
“His tactics are flexible and varied, bold yet careful, completely unlike a young man just graduated from the military academy, but more like a veteran who has experienced hundreds of battles.”
“Gentlemen…”
General Hohendorff knocked his pipe in the ashtray, stood up in the conference room for the first time, his gaze becoming as sharp as an eagle.
“We are all discussing rules, discussing traditions… but we forgot the most important point—why did we establish these rules?”
“Isn’t it precisely to cultivate commanders who can win wars for the Empire!”
“Now, a genius who can win wars and win them in a way we have never seen before is right in front of us, yet we want to bind him with so-called ‘rules’?”
The old general’s voice suddenly rose.
“Do you think a Major rank is worthy of the credit he has established for the Empire? Do you think that by the time he waits for seniority step by step to Lieutenant Colonel, this war will be over?”
“War will not wait for a genius to grow slowly, and the enemy certainly won’t!”
After speaking, General Hohendorff said decisively: “Regarding the proposal to promote Captain Morin to Army Lieutenant Colonel, I personally completely agree! No objections!”
Another college representative behind him also stood up immediately and echoed loudly: “We at the War College agree to this proposal.”
The handlebar-mustached old general and other conservative officers all stared at Hohendorff dumbfounded, their expressions extremely colorful.
They couldn’t figure out why this most rigid old man would be the first to stand up and support such a deviant proposal.
Minister Falkenhayn’s face showed a relieved smile.
He stood up and clapped his hands vigorously.
“Very good! Since the representatives of the War College also agree, then this matter is settled!”
He looked around the room and announced in an unquestionable tone.
“Personnel Department, draft the order immediately! Appoint Friedrich Morin as Army Lieutenant Colonel, serving as the commander of the newly formed ‘Imperial Guard Instruction Assault Unit’! The order will be issued to the front line along with the reorganization plan!”
In the conference room, there were no more voices of opposition.
Not long after, a telegram bearing the seals of the Army Department and the General Staff was sent to the temporary headquarters of the First Army Group resting on the outskirts of Paris.