Chapter 84: The Untrodden Path

“First Lieutenant Morin, I know that in the street fighting in Seville, you employed some… unconventional tactics, and achieved very good results.”

The Crown Prince spoke with a kind demeanor.

Morin knew this was likely the main topic of the meeting.

“Your Highness, I dare not yet call them tactics. I merely made some attempts at improvisation on the battlefield, based on the actual situation.”

Morin answered modestly. Excessive assertiveness in front of these true dignitaries would only invite displeasure.

“There is no need for modesty.”

The Crown Prince’s eyes sharpened, and his entire demeanor became more serious.

“As the battlefield constantly changes, traditional infantry tactics have exposed more and more flaws. I believe everyone here has experienced this deeply.”

The officers present nodded one after another, their faces solemn. The Seville offensive and the brutal street fighting that followed had given them a profound, painful appreciation for the ruthlessness of modern warfare.

The terrifying spectacle of troops being slaughtered by machine guns in formation had, frankly, become a nightmare that many participating officers and soldiers would carry for life.

“First Lieutenant Morin, I heard you advocate for using small teams for bounding overwatch, utilizing terrain to rapidly infiltrate?”

The Crown Prince looked at Morin, cutting straight to the core issue.

“Yes, Your Highness.”

Morin nodded and began to elaborate on his ideas.

“I believe that in the face of powerful firepower, the individual value of a soldier far outweighs their value as part of a formation… Rather than pursuing the discipline and shock power provided by dense formations, we should leverage the flexibility of small units.”

Morin reorganized the points he had discussed with the officers on the training ground and reported them clearly and logically to the Crown Prince.

He spoke passionately. Crown Prince Georg and the other officers listened intently, nodding occasionally, their eyes reflecting deep thought.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant General Mackensen, who appeared outwardly calm, was internally holding his breath.

He was afraid that Morin would become overly arrogant due to his merits and utter some shocking, inappropriate remark that would displease the Crown Prince.

However, as Morin’s explanation became more detailed, Mackensen’s anxiety slowly subsided.

He realized that Morin’s understanding of infantry tactics was far more profound and systematic than he had imagined; it truly seemed to be more than just armchair theory.

When Morin finished, the Crown Prince was silent for a moment before nodding at him.

“Very well said, First Lieutenant Morin.”

His face first showed an appreciative expression, then became serious again.

“Your ideas are very valuable and insightful, but I have a question.”

“When soldiers are dispersed, how will you maintain discipline, ensuring they attack as commanded, rather than scattering like frightened birds under enemy fire? Just as you said, a short burst of fire from a heavy machine gun can take down a large number of soldiers.”

Crown Prince Georg’s question surprised Morin slightly.

He hadn’t expected this Saxon Crown Prince to ask such a question. The man was clearly not the legendary ‘good-for-nothing Crown Prince’ but actually had his own understanding of Army tactics.

However, Morin was somewhat prepared for this question, as other officers had expressed similar doubts before.

“Your Highness, the instinct for survival is a force more powerful than any infantry drill manual.”

“The instinct for survival?”

Crown Prince Georg frowned, but he did not speak, instead motioning for Morin to continue.

And General Mackensen’s heart, which had just settled, leaped up again.

He was worried that Morin hadn’t prepared for this ‘impromptu question and answer session’ with the Crown Prince, but he could only listen to Morin for now.

Morin: “The enemy’s machine guns, magic crystal cannons, and spells have taught us one thing: ‘dispersing’ is not cowardice, but a necessary shift in the infantry’s operational logic.”

“I personally believe the problem is not whether soldiers should disperse, but how we, the commanders, can impose order and lethality upon this instinct for self-preservation.”

“My current solution relies on the NCOs in the ranks—under fire, a soldier cannot see his Company Commander, much less his Battalion Commander, but they will definitely see their Squad Leader, their Sergeant.”

“And all of this must be built upon extensive training. We must drill these tactical offensive formations until they become the soldiers’ instinct!”

“Drill them until they can still complete coordination through muscle memory and rapport with their comrades, even when their ears are deafened by artillery fire and their eyes are blinded by gunpowder smoke!”

Crown Prince Georg was stunned by Morin’s words.

He wasn’t the only one; the other senior officers present, including Mackensen, were momentarily taken aback.

Only the few officers who had fought with Morin in Seville and received medals had their eyes gradually light up—

Only those who had truly faced that ‘hellish scene’ could quickly grasp the significance of Morin’s words.

The tent was quiet for a long moment before Crown Prince Georg recovered. His fingers tapped rhythmically on his knee, seemingly digesting the information he had just heard.

“First Lieutenant Morin, what you’ve said certainly sounds very different… but overhauling the Infantry Combat Regulations is no small matter. The General Staff must see actual and stable results.”

Crown Prince Georg spoke again, placing particular emphasis on the word ‘stable.’

“First Lieutenant Morin, you need sufficiently convincing combat examples. Do you understand what I mean?”

“Yes, Your Highness! I am very clear on this point…”

Morin looked earnestly at the Imperial Crown Prince.

“Change in any field does not happen overnight, and the military is no exception.”

After discussing for a bit, Crown Prince Georg, along with his attendants and the guards outside the tent, took his leave first.

The other officers also departed shortly after, and Morin and the others were finally able to return to their respective companies.

Stepping out of the Crown Prince’s tent, the somewhat blinding sunlight made Morin instinctively squint. He felt like he had just gone through a dissertation defense.

“How do you feel right now?”

General Mackensen’s voice sounded beside him. The old General had also stepped outside at some point and was walking parallel to him.

“Reporting, General, the pressure is immense.” Morin spoke honestly.

“Hmph. Now you feel the pressure?”

Mackensen glanced at him, his tone as stern as ever.

“I thought you’d be so carried away by your own importance that you’d guarantee His Highness a brand-new infantry drill manual in three days.”

Morin shook his head: “General, you give me too much credit. My ideas are just temporary thoughts. My mind is still disorganized and completely unsystematic. If I were to write them into regulations, I wouldn’t even know where to begin.”

“It’s good that you know your limits.”

Mackensen nodded, a softer expression appearing on his face.

“You must understand that His Highness values not what you can deliver now, but your philosophy and your potential.”

The two walked in silence for a short distance. The sound of soldiers drilling could be heard from the distant training ground.

“Friedrich.”

Mackensen suddenly called his name in a very solemn tone.

“Do you know what the things you said in front of His Highness today mean?”

“It means I won’t be able to retire anytime soon?” Morin asked tentatively.

“You damned scoundrel! You were still thinking about retirement?!”

Lieutenant General Mackensen playfully smacked Morin on the back of the head, like a grandfather hitting his grandson.

“You are walking an untrodden path. No one can say whether it leads to flowers or a cliff. Are you afraid?”

Mackensen’s gaze was sharp as a knife, as if trying to see into Morin’s soul.

Morin met his gaze without flinching.

“General, I am indeed afraid of death. That’s only human nature… But I am more afraid of the soldiers under my command dying meaninglessly, as I have witnessed.”

“If what I am doing now can give them even a small chance of survival on the battlefield, then no matter what lies ahead, I must continue down this path.”

Mackensen stared at him intently for a long time. A genuine smile finally broke through the stern, chiseled lines of his face.

“Good lad. You didn’t disappoint me.”

He extended his calloused hand and heavily patted Morin’s shoulder.

(End of this Chapter)

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