Happy times are always like quicksand slipping through one’s fingers; the tighter you grasp, the faster it flows away.
Three days’ time, for Morin, who had just experienced a “thrilling” covert battle, was only enough to properly bid farewell to the people around him.
The morning at the Falkenstein Estate was still shrouded in a thin layer of mist. Dewdrops hung on the meticulously pruned branches and leaves, precarious and ready to fall.
“How long will you be gone this time?”
Cecilia was helping Morin adjust his military uniform. At this point, she wasn’t trying to hide much in front of Helga and Patricia.
“Hard to say. Maybe a few months, maybe longer.”
Morin held Cecilia’s hand and secretly brought it to his lips for a light kiss.
“The current battle situation across all of Europa is still quite complex. We might have to execute different combat missions at any time.”
“Fritz… no matter what, you must pay attention to your safety. Remember that there are people in this home who care about you.”
Cecilia didn’t weep and wail like a little girl. She was a mature woman, knowing that at this time, tears would only become a burden to her man.
She merely gave Morin a deep look, as if to carve his appearance into her soul.
“I will handle everything domestically, you don’t need to worry… I’ll also help urge them along regarding the progress of the armored vehicles and the supplies you need on the front line.”
“Then I leave it in your hands, my chief of logistics~”
Morin smiled, then separately hugged Helga, whose eyes were red, and Patricia, who looked reluctant to part.
“I’m off.”
After waving goodbye to Cecilia and the others, before getting into the car, Morin looked at two figures waiting there.
One had an empty sleeve dangling from one side, while the other was missing a leg and leaning on a crutch.
Although these two disabled individuals were in civilian clothes, they still emanated a murderous aura that could be felt by those around them.
And they were exactly two veterans who had retired from the instruction unit due to disabilities sustained in combat.
After it was confirmed the unit was heading to the Balkan Peninsula, Morin found these two among the instruction unit’s disabled retirees.
He asked them to help train the guard force at Cecilia’s estate and to serve as security advisors.
Although the Imperial authorities had strengthened the protection of “high-risk targets” after the opera house assassination incident, Morin felt it was better to add another layer of security himself.
Regarding their former commander’s request, these two veterans naturally accepted immediately.
After all, having previously received a substantial disability pension sufficient to feed their families, they had been enjoying a rather comfortable life, but they had also long grown bored to death during this period…
“You two, I leave things here in your hands for now.”
“Rest assured, sir! We guarantee we’ll train these bodyguards into true elites!”
Getting into the car heading to the station, the look in Morin’s eyes gradually shifted from tender and affectionate to cold and hard as iron.
When the car drove into the instruction unit’s station, what met the eye was a busy yet orderly scene.
Dust flew, and the roar of engines was incessant.
The soldiers who had gone out on leave in batches had also been urgently recalled.
Fortunately, the soldiers on leave previously were already the last batch in the rotation, so the entire instruction unit didn’t have any unlucky guys who hadn’t been able to take leave since the end of the last combat mission.
Everyone had rested somewhat, or met with their families. Many also sent back the allowance issued from the last battle, which was more generous compared to regular units.
And the day before the full assembly was completed, a black car from the Ministry of War drove into the station.
An officer responsible for military personnel affairs stepped out of the car, holding a long-prepared promotion order in his hand.
“Lieutenant Colonel Friedrich von Morin… no, you should be addressed as Colonel now.”
With a professional smile on his face, this officer handed the promotion order and brand new epaulets to Morin.
“Given your heroic performance during the opera house incident, and the instruction unit’s outstanding contributions in past campaigns, upon recommendation by the Army General Staff and review by the Personnel Department of the Ministry of War… you are hereby officially promoted to Colonel in the Imperial Army.”
The reasons cited by this officer sounded very high-sounding.
But Morin could tell at a glance that this was a reward for the “political reliability” he had shown during the opera house incident, and also so that he could have a voice in front of those haughty Austro-Hungarian noble officers after arriving in the mess that was the Balkans.
However, looking at the epaulets representing the rank of Colonel, the corners of Morin’s mouth still couldn’t help twitching slightly.
Suddenly getting promoted before a battle, in many war novels or movies, is usually a rather unlucky flag.
As if God was saying: “After finishing this good meal, it’ll be time for us to hit the road.”
But since the people from the Ministry of War personally came to confer the rank, he couldn’t exactly refuse it.
Moreover, being promoted to Colonel also meant Morin was only one step away from becoming a general.
To reach this position at his age, besides members of the royal family and the scions of those top-tier grand nobles… no, even they couldn’t do it.
Morin was completely unique…
On March 14, 1915, the instruction unit began departing in batches aboard multiple military trains.
Currently, the organization of the instruction unit hadn’t changed much. The main force was still three fully motorized infantry battalions and one 105mm artillery battalion.
However, most of the equipped trucks had been replaced with the latest improved versions.
Compared to previous models, these trucks were equipped with higher-horsepower radiant crystal internal combustion engines, and the tires used the latest run-flat technology and were widened and thickened, significantly improving off-road passability.
For the impending journey to the Balkan theater, where road conditions could be called a disaster, this was absolutely a life-saving improvement.
In terms of specific organization, each infantry battalion consisted of three infantry companies and one heavy weapons company.
The structure of the infantry company hadn’t changed much, but the M1915 semi-automatic rifle had also begun to be issued to various squads successively, replacing the previously equipped Gew. 98 bolt-action rifles.
This weapon, capable of providing sustained accurate suppressive fire at medium ranges, would greatly alter the tactical flexibility of the infantry squad.
The heavy weapons company was still mainly equipped with 12 MG08 heavy machine guns, 4 75.8mm early-model mortars, and 4 flamethrower teams.
In combat situations, these equipments would also be reinforced to the three infantry companies by the battalion commander.
As for the artillery of the 105mm artillery battalion, it had also been upgraded from the leFH 98/09 105mm howitzer to the K14 long-barrel 105mm howitzer, which began deployment at the end of 1914.
Since the new artillery was swapped in, the artillerymen hadn’t stopped grinning.
Compared to the previously equipped leFH 98/09, the K14’s barrel was significantly lengthened.
The maximum range was also increased from 6.5 kilometers to 11 kilometers, with a higher muzzle velocity, flatter trajectory, and better accuracy.
Besides these three main infantry battalions and one 105mm artillery battalion, the regimental direct-reporting units also had quite a few adjustments and reinforcements.
The regimental combat engineers were upgraded from a platoon-level unit to a company-level one.
While supplemented with a large number of combat engineers adept at demolitions, earthworks, and urban street combat, there was also an additional platoon equipped with six 170mm heavy mortars…
These heavy mortars, with an actual caliber reaching 175mm, like the 75.8mm early-model mortars, had already been equipped to troops in small numbers before the war.
When Morin discovered them in the ordnance inventory, he unhesitatingly snagged a batch for the instruction unit.
Although this thing looked a bit like an oversized tin barrel, and its range was only a pitiful 1600 meters.
But its wheeled carriage design allowed it to be directly pushed by four soldiers for short-distance tactical mobility, enabling it to directly follow infantry assaults with immense flexibility.
And the power of a 170mm shell was obviously not to be underestimated either.
In the mountainous terrain of the Balkans, this kind of artillery capable of high-angle fire with wide range coverage would be the infantry’s most reliable reliance.
As for the former communications platoon, it was also expanded to a communications company at Morin’s request, while large radio stations had also been decentralized to the battalion level.
Although current radios were still clunky chunks of iron requiring dedicated vehicles and personnel to tend to them, the information advantage they brought was incalculable.
On a rapidly changing battlefield, being able to transmit orders one minute faster than the enemy often meant victory and survival…
Finally, the regimental 77mm field gun company, serving as Morin’s “pistol”… also completed half of its artillery replacement after the “RAK15” anti-armor gun began official mass production, officially granting the instruction unit anti-armor capabilities.
In addition to this, Ludwig’s Armored Knight squad had also completed its preparations.
Three “Siegfried Mark 1s” painted field gray waited quietly to be loaded onto the train and secured.
Through this period of breaking in, Ludwig and his pilots could already skillfully control these big guys to conduct tactical coordination with the infantry.
And next would also be the time when this coordination officially experienced the test of actual combat.
It could be said that Morin had done everything in his power, providing the instruction unit with the best equipment, training, and welfare of the era, doing the best in every aspect.
The psychological disorder unique to Chinese transmigrators, “Insufficient Firepower Phobia,” received preliminary relief here.
According to the precise timetable formulated by the General Staff, the instruction unit’s transfer should have been as precise as a clock.
But the only constant in this world is that plans can never keep up with changes.
Especially when this change involves a complex systemic engineering project like railway transportation.
When Morin arrived at the station with the regimental headquarters and direct-reporting units as the second echelon, what he saw was not a train ready to depart, but a group of sweating railway engineers cursing loudly at black smoke pouring from the locomotive.
“What’s going on?” Morin frowned, striding up to the major in charge of dispatching.
Seeing the brand new Colonel’s epaulets on Morin’s shoulders, the major hastily stood at attention and saluted.
“There’s a problem with the radiant crystal internal combustion engine of this train, possibly due to running overloaded for too long before… The engineers are rushing to repair it, but…”
“But what?”
“But it will take at least a day to fix, maybe even longer.” The major wiped the sweat from his forehead. “And right now, all trains heading to the southern front are fully booked. If we want to transfer a new locomotive over, we’ll have to wait until at least tomorrow night.”
Morin took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to swear.
Tomorrow night?
The instruction unit’s vanguard had already departed. If the regimental headquarters and direct-reporting units were left here, who would command them when they reached the front line?
Getting backstabbed by his own logistics before even reaching the battlefield made Morin once again feel a sliver of doubt toward the rigorous “Saxon craftsmanship.”
“No, how is it possible there’s no backup locomotive to use?”
“Because these days, besides the Balkan Peninsula direction, there are large-scale transfers taking place across the entire line. There truly are no locomotives available in the short term.”
Hearing the other party’s explanation, Morin realized this troop mobilization was a major movement.
So they definitely weren’t just making moves in the Balkan Peninsula; it most likely also involved the Eastern Front, which had been silent for a long time.
He glanced at his wristwatch, then said grumpily, “The follow-up troops of the Fifth Army Group haven’t all finished transferring yet. If we’re stuck here until tomorrow night, the entire transfer plan will be disrupted.”
“I know that too, but…”
The major in charge of dispatching was almost in tears. He naturally knew the importance of Morin and the instruction unit, but facing this unexpected situation, he was indeed somewhat at a loss for a moment.
Just then, an officer wearing a dark blue uniform with a golden double-headed eagle emblem on his collar walked over.
His pace carried a peculiar leisureliness, forming a stark contrast with the busy and anxious Saxon soldiers around him.
“You must be Colonel Morin, right?”
The other party spoke Saxon with a slight accent but fairly fluently, wearing an ingratiating smile on his face.
“I am Major Sakasi, the liaison officer stationed here by Vienna to assist with railway transportation.”
Morin returned the salute but didn’t speak, instead scrutinizing this Austro-Hungarian liaison officer.
To coordinate with the Saxon Army’s operations this time, the Austro-Hungarian Empire had made quite a few positive gestures—sending available train cars to Saxony to help transport supplies and personnel was one of them.
“It seems you’ve run into a little trouble?”
Major Sakasi pointed at the broken-down locomotive and shrugged. “If you don’t mind, perhaps we can help.”
“You?”
“Yes, there just so happens to be one of our Austro-Hungarian military trains that just finished unloading and is preparing to load supplies to return to the Empire.”
Major Sakasi said enthusiastically, “Although it was originally used to transport some logistical supplies, the condition of the cars is very good. It is completely capable of undertaking the transport mission for your regimental headquarters and direct-reporting units.”
Hearing Major Sakasi’s words, Morin actually wanted to politely decline at first.
Because he always felt the Austro-Hungarian Empire’s railway transport capacity was extremely unreliable.
After all, they were capable of pulling off the “god-tier operation” of transporting a cavalry unit by sending the men and horses to two destinations hundreds of kilometers apart.
The administrative inefficiency of this seemingly massive empire, and the chaotic language communication among its various ethnicities, was simply a spectacle in world military history.
“Major Sakasi, thank you for your kind offer.”
Morin tried to make his tone sound tactful; after all, the other party was an ally.
“But we need to carry a large amount of heavy equipment, including trucks and artillery, your train…”
“Oh! Absolutely no problem!”
Major Sakasi patted his chest, guaranteeing it.
“It’s a reinforced flatbed freight train, and even has a few passenger cars originally meant for high-ranking officials. The comfort level is definitely much better than those hard troop transport cars of yours!”
Morin looked at the other’s solemn vow, then at the Saxon locomotive nearby that obviously wouldn’t be fixed anytime soon.
And the major responsible for dispatching also nodded to him—this was indeed the fastest method currently available.
Time waits for no man…
If they delayed too long on the road, causing them to be unable to reach the assembly area on time, the trouble wouldn’t be small.
Under the communication of the liaison personnel from both sides, the other party also guaranteed that there would absolutely be no problems and they would definitely deliver Morin and the regimental headquarters to the destination.
Plus time was indeed tight, so Morin could only somewhat skeptically command the instruction unit’s regimental headquarters to board the train.
“Alright.” Morin finally nodded, although he always had a feeling of unease like boarding a pirate ship. “Then I’ll leave it to you.”
“Rest assured, we will definitely deliver you and your troops to the destination!” Major Sakasi answered confidently.