While everyone was talking, Colonel Acat of the Cadian Legion was also carefully observing the tactical map. In the past week, he had been going to the front line for reconnaissance with similar doubts. According to his keen tactical mind, the enemy seemed to be still there.
Shows no obvious intention to achieve a certain goal.
So he told his thoughts truthfully.
"Perhaps the intelligence is wrong? Maybe the enemy thought that our army's front line was in the direction of their march, but they were wrong? They knew that we were about to launch a general offensive and decided to strike preemptively?"
"I doubt it."
Colonel Rafa Walton of Vostonia shook his head and retorted:
"Perhaps this is also a possibility. If, as you said, the enemy's large forces are attacking the wrong target, they are not so stupid."
"If the enemy makes such a mistake, then we must take advantage of it, but if they have other unknown evil intentions, then we cannot wait for the situation to develop and must act quickly." The officers of the Astra Militarum stopped at the right time.
After speaking, everyone looked at Soshyan.
Then the commander-in-chief of the battle began to draw the signs on the map.
"Two days ago, the last batch of support troops arrived. A total of 110,000 soldiers from various units have been deployed on the defense line. There are still 50,000 soldiers on standby on the track. Due to the enemy's puzzling route, we will
There will be contact with the enemy's flank, and several Qadian regiments will be responsible for the approximately nine-kilometer-long salient defense line."
As Soshyan spoke, he used the laser pointer in his hand to mark the new defense lines and tactical icons on the map.
"Although I don't want to appear overly confident, in my opinion if the enemy exposes its flanks or tracks other targets, then we will have the opportunity to hit the enemy hard, and the battlefield will soon become a meat grinder for the staff.
If the situation goes as expected, once we attack the enemy's flank, the enemy's troops will withdraw to Attica, and we will have the opportunity to break through the enemy's defenses."
Afterwards, Soshyan stared closely at Stryker.
"That's it. While we are blocking the advance of the enemy's troops, we are stepping up our attacks on the outskirts of Attica. Colonel Stryker, you still remember the denseness of the jungle around Attica and the depth of the fortifications. You have to take advantage of this."
, I will not mobilize you on a large scale. The Catachans will be dispersed in platoons and move covertly, and take the opportunity to retake the previously lost Olympia Foothills camp. I think this way you will be able to compete with a mechanized infantry.
The combat effectiveness of the troops.”
The briefing was over, and after receiving their respective orders, the commanders all left one after another.
Soshyan stopped Stryker.
"Colonel, what do you think the enemy's goal is?"
Stryker hesitated for a moment, then looked at the other chapter leaders cautiously, and said slowly:
"The secret guarded by Guy's family?"
Soshyan nodded slowly.
"Not long ago, we detected a weak energy burst signal from the snowfield in the far north of the continent. The intensity was between the eruption of a small volcano, and the location was exactly one of the five coordinates. The direction of the Black Legion's sudden action
It’s also the north.”
The leader of the Dark Angels Chapter, Azrael, also slowly spoke.
"The Hellfire Stone, the Black Legion has probably found the Hellfire Stone first."
Stryker stood there at a loss. He didn't know why this kind of thing would involve him. Originally, he thought the matter was over.
Soshyan then drew a line on the map.
"But from Attica to that coordinate, the straight-line distance alone is nearly 8,000 kilometers, and the actual distance must be more than 10,000 kilometers. If the Black Legion only takes the ground road, it may not reach it in ten days and a half, so I speculate
, they will go to a portal first."
"What?"
"To be honest, I don't like guessing."
Soshiyang said this, but his hand pointed at the center of a certain area marked as the new frontline on the map.
"But I believe in this conjecture. The enemy will not send out precious troops for no reason and take the risk of being surrounded and annihilated by our army at any time. This means that there is something worthy of their struggle. There are not many such things on the Paiji planet."
Stryker was silent, his expression already revealed the answer.
"So, when the battle begins, the first goal for you and your regiment is Camp Olympia, and locate the portal. You must find it. You have defended there before, and you are most familiar with the terrain around it. This matter only requires
You and your people can do it...but you must also remember that only we people know about this matter. Just report it to me directly. If the Black Legion knows that we are also looking for this portal, they
It may be destroyed in advance, and other troops, including the Astartes, will help intercept the enemy's troops, and Attica will also be besieged. Several things must be done at the same time, and the troops will be tight, do you understand what I mean."
"Understood, tell the truth. Now I feel honored to take over this task. You must not have misjudged me."
"I trust you."
Soshyan smiled slightly.
"Get ready, you will land in three hours."
After Stryker left, Azrael appropriately expressed his views to Soshyan.
"Is it really okay to leave it to them?"
"No problem, I trust Colonel Stryker."
"If it's really about the Hellfire Stone—"
"If it is true, then Abaddon must be more concerned than us. If he notices any Astartes appearing near the camp, he will immediately order their destruction. And I am also concerned about another thing -
"
As he spoke, Soshyan moved his gaze to the weak energy signal in the far north.
"If Abaddon had found the Hellfire Stone a long time ago, why is Mardel still in a semi-sealed state? Is there any discord between them? Or maybe Abaddon has another purpose?"
Then he shook his head.
"There are too many uncertainties here. We cannot invest all our efforts just for one uncertain factor. At present, our focus is still on conquering Attica and directly destroying the enemy physically. This is the best way to avoid all troubles.
As the war continues to drag on, I can't imagine what troubles will arise in the future. Don't forget that Abaddon's trump card, the Spirit of Vengeance and the Planet Killer, have not appeared. In addition, the several black stone fortresses he captured during the Gothic War are also quite large.
threaten."
Hearing what Soshyan said, Azrael thought for a moment and nodded.
"Yes, there is a proverb in ancient Terra, the night is long and the dream is many, the best way now is to cut the knot with a sharp knife."
At this time Randall suddenly said:
"What if the Catachans do find a portal and capture it?"
Soshi raised his eyebrows and replied:
"Report to the Gray Knights and let them handle it. If they can't spare the manpower, then according to the situation of each regiment, allocate manpower to form a small team and seize the Hellfire Stone through the portal."
When the meeting ended and Soshyan was about to return to the Eternal Loyalty to discuss the next orbital bombing with Lothar, an unexpected news brought an unexpected visitor.
Soshyan was even stunned when he received the news.