第１９４６堀：戦場となる地形確認 (Part2)
"Right, jokes aside, we need to ensure the town and fortress of Ioa-And hold at all costs if we want to avoid an increase in our own workload. That’s why I need those of you who might be leading troops to fully grasp the terrain and the intelligence we have. If anything strikes you as concerning, speak up—we’ll investigate it on our end."
I see. So, they called us here not just to get a handle on the terrain, but to sniff out any potential vulnerabilities or hidden paths.
"Understood. If I may, sir—may I ask one question first?"
"Go ahead, Jessica. What’s on your mind?"
"Yes. As a prerequisite, where are we planning to deploy and stage our forces from? I realize it will vary depending on the flow of battle, but still."
Ah, that’s a crucial point. Knowing exactly where we’ll be emerging on this map is vital.
"That’s something I want you all to consider as well. I’ll draft a few patterns, of course, but fundamentally, we need to ensure our allies recognize us clearly. Plus, I want to keep the fact that we’re utilizing the dungeon a secret. As a rule, we’ll establish our entry and exit points ten kilometers to the rear. We can't afford to let the cat out of the bag so easily."
"I see. So, we’ll be approaching from the south—from well behind the town."
Well, that’s standard procedure. Dropping into the heart of the enemy lines would only lead to a chaotic melee, and there’s always the risk of friendly fire. It’s the safest bet.
"Exactly. Base your strategies on that premise. And furthermore..."
"Is there more?" Stasia tilted her head. "Are you referring to the available combat strength?"
Indeed, we need to know the projected force size for the And sector. Facing two hundred enemies would require at least thirty soldiers, ideally equipped with firearms. Magic could handle it, but if ammunition can do the job, I’d prefer that. We’d need ten more for rear support, of course.
Then again, it depends on the enemy’s composition. If it’s just goblins or orcs, ten people could handle two hundred. If it’s ogres or higher, thirty is the safer bet. If there’s a dragon involved, we’ll definitely need that heavy firepower.
"Correct. Regarding strength, we’re looking at a maximum of two hundred. I assume the forces idling at the northern town and southern fortress aren't the only ones available, right?"
"Understood. If we declare a state of emergency, I can pull from my own units, as well as Tori’s and Fiora’s. That’s what those forces are for, after all."
Makes sense. They were meant for the New Continent anyway, so pulling from the expeditionary force is logical.
"Hmm. What about those of us stationed in Weed?"
"Does Weed have any surplus to spare?"
"If you call it that, yes. Though I imagine that’s true everywhere. We’re always prepared for contingencies."
"True enough. But Weed has its own diplomatic obligations to manage. You’d be dispatching forces from there, but have you considered the logistics?"
"Indeed. We currently have standby forces dealing with the locust plague Kaya reported, but the numbers aren't massive. We can mobilize about a hundred without issue. It’ll serve as practical training to sharpen their edge, so it’s actually a welcome opportunity."
"I see. A perfect proving ground, then."
"Yes. It might sound outrageous to the nations currently embroiled in the conflict, but Weed’s soldiers are lacking in real-world combat experience."
Ah, Jessica’s right. They’ve fought monsters countless times in the dungeon, but human-on-human combat is limited to the occasional bandit suppression. They have very little experience with actual war. Well, the monsters are the exception—they’ve been slipping out to fight in various places on the sly.
I thought the conversation would turn to who exactly is going, but...
"And now, the final point. You could say this is the main event."
"Eh?"
The others looked as surprised as I was; we all thought that was the end of it. But then...
"The prototype land battleships are complete. We begin field testing in the wasteland tomorrow morning."
"Haaah!?"
What kind of insane announcement was that?! I mean, I knew Filia and Agil said they’d finish them in a week, but still!
"All three of them."
"..."
We were speechless. Seriously?
The full picture of the Ioa Kingdom’s front line—the town of And and its fortress—was finally coming into focus. We were still in the dark regarding the specifics of the enemy’s strength, but the terrain at least seemed defensible. And those lunatics had actually finished the prototypes.
The land battleships were about to emerge into the wasteland for their trial run!