Azur Lane: Kaiserin (Book 1)

Ch21: Strategic Command

I'm currently seated beside the Fuehrer listening to the others make their case. None seem thrilled by the idea of me interfering with the status quo and yet much to my surprise, rather than openly challenge the Fuehrer they merely appeal to him through what they perceive to be logic. There are many big names here, arguably the best of the best, and yet not one of them see the fatal flaw in their plan.

Scholz: As you can see, Mein Fuehrer, there is no reason for us to divert our forces on such an expedition.  We already maintain control over the entrance to the Baltic and have many forces stationed along the entirety of the northern coastline thus preventing any hopes the enemy may have of a possible invasion by sea even if they were to somehow slip by.

Me: You claim to have the entrance secured and yet all of the nation's KANSEN are currently deployed in Northern Francia. Even if the enemy tried to move a fleet the size of the Moon past your supposed defences there with not even a single KANSEN defending the area they'd be able to traverse to and fro without so much as a second glance towards the shore.

Scholz: Are you implying that our great army cannot crush even the Moon beneath its feet?

Me: If your army was so great you would have already won this war, no? Or perhaps the army is as legendary as you say but it is you who simply lack the spine to do what is necessary.

There is some laughter from the rest of the room at my comment but it only serves to anger Scholz even further. He'd been put in charge of the army ever since it stalled shortly after they attacked the Northern Parliament but since then he has done nothing but prevent further losses. This in and of itself is admirable on the surface but when one considers the fact that the Northern Parliament hasn't launched any major offensives as yet, it becomes a cause for concern. Such actions breed complacency and complacency breeds neglect and neglect when they eventually attack will prove disastrous.

My plan won't exactly remove them altogether but it will provide us with much-needed resources without risking an all-out attack on the current frontlines. Should they choose to redirect forces to fight us in the North then we could theoretically push in the south and attempt to capture the oil fields as in my own world's history but that isn't particularly necessary. We're currently gaining plenty of oil by simply trading with Rumelia and we make tons more synthetically. Add to that the fact that much like Zhejiang, none of the girls seems to require the same level of maintenance or resources that the actual ships would have required and all in all we're doing quite fine though from these reports I can see that we still maintain a substantial amount of man operated vessels as well which could prove an issue if Rumelia changes their policy on trading with us. All the more reason to fix our current public image.

Fuehrer: I suppose now would be a good time to tell you all that I have already accepted her proposal.

There are looks of surprise from across the room but he ignores them in favour of continuing with what he has to say.

Fuehrer: I had also considered what you all brought up just now but let us face it, as things currently stand the best we can hope for is a stalemate. We must see changes if only to raise the morale of our own populace who has remained strong so far but will eventually start losing morale if no progress is made. 

Fritsch: Will such an attack not compromise our front lines? 

Fuehrer: No, because all those assigned to her are currently being used as reserves. The new assignments are simple to understand. Effective immediately, all KANSEN are being placed under her command as well as the 5th and 8th army groups currently stationed in northern Germania. 

Scholz: But-

Fuehrer: Should she succeed, Bergmann's forces will move in and secure any additions as we transition those lands into independent, "liberated" nations that are aligned with us. We'll minimise out involvement in their affairs publicly to merely coercing them to side with us.