Chapter 301: Flank of the Defense Line

War is like Go. Go emphasizes using the least number of pieces to encircle the most points. War also emphasizes using the least number of troops to occupy the most space.

Especially in landing operations, space is almost everything.

Without space, subsequent troops and supplies cannot be transported ashore, and troops and ammunition will only become less and less.

Without space, the artillery that should have stayed in the rear can only face the enemy's rifles on the front line because they have no rear.

Without space, even if you win ten times, if you lose once, you will be driven into the sea and annihilated, and you have to land again from the beginning.

Charles's battle plan is like occupying a corner in Go. He used a nearly straight line of defense to dig a triangular landing field of several square kilometers from the throat of Bolayer.

General Winter looked at the map while comparing the documents, with some worry on his face:

"It's not easy to take this line of defense, Colonel."

"This is the second line of defense, with perhaps one regiment of troops!"

"And the enemy has deployed at least one regiment on the coastal defense line, which means that we need to defeat two regiments of about 7,000 people to occupy this line of defense."

General Geprat said, "And you must move fast enough, otherwise the enemy will immediately use the advantage of troops to launch a counterattack against you!"

General Hamilton reminded, "Don't forget that the enemy also has 105MM howitzers, they will explode a barrage of bullets in front of the enemy's defense line!"

...

Several people talked about the dangers and difficulties of this battle.

Charles looked confused:

"Defeat two enemy regiments?"

"Howitzers blasted barrages?"

"No, our enemy only has one regiment, and there will be no barrages. Moreover, I always think that we are the side with superior forces!"

General Winter couldn't help laughing: "You are really humorous, Colonel! We are a landing force, and the enemy has a division of more than 10,000 people waiting there. Where is the superior force?"

Geplat and Hamilton didn't laugh.

Geplat thought that Charles had his reasons for saying so.

Hamilton was reminded by Charles and seemed to think of something, and nodded slightly to agree!

Without waiting for Charles to explain, Hamilton analyzed: "Because our landing point is not the 'A' corner, right?"

Hamilton looked at Charles.

The landing beach north of Bolayer is a sharp corner with a horizontal line of defense in the middle, which is very similar to the letter "A", so it is called the "A" corner or "A" beach.

General Winter asked doubtfully: "Isn't it the 'A' corner that we want to occupy? How can we occupy it if we don't land from the 'A' corner?"

Hamilton pointed his finger at one end of the enemy's second line of defense: "We land here, and as soon as we land, we will face the enemy's second line of defense, and it is the flank of the enemy's second line of defense!"

Geplat and General Winter were stunned for a moment, and then both looked at Charles with shocked eyes.

Charles nodded and replied:

"Why not?"

"We will fight from west to east along this line of defense of the enemy. The enemy's one regiment is scattered in this line of defense of about six kilometers. The number of troops we have to face at any moment may be less than 100!"

This is equivalent to the enemy forming a "1" long snake formation and continuously sending troops to Charles' landing troops.

"In addition!" General Hamilton added: "Once this line of defense is taken down, the enemy's troops deployed on the coastal defense line will be surrounded. They have Charles's defense line in front and our naval guns in the back... What we need to consider is not how to defeat them, but how to deal with these prisoners!"

Hamilton is still quite capable, Charles thought, after all, he is an army general with rich practical experience.

But what Charles didn't know was that Hamilton was only frustrated.

He has been in the army for decades and has experienced countless battles, but his strategy is far inferior to that of a young man who has never fought a war.

"My God!" General Geprat, who had been staring at the map, finally understood. He looked up at Charles and exclaimed: "You are simply a genius, Colonel! In our eyes, such a difficult battle, you just changed the landing point and turned it into the enemy's nightmare!"

...

This battle has indeed become a nightmare for the Ottomans, and even a nightmare for Sanders and Bahar.

The Ottoman 17th Division was stationed in Bolayer. It was part of the Third Army and had just been transferred to the command of Colonel Bahar.

Bahar adjusted the deployment of other troops, but did not move the 17th Division.

He believed that the 17th Division was safe and did not need to worry about the bombing of enemy naval guns.

To the west of Bolayer was the Gulf of Saros. If the enemy fleet entered here, it would be bombed by naval guns from three directions.

To the east was the Sea of ​​Marmara. The enemy fleet needed to pass through the Dardanelles to reach this side, which was impossible. They had already failed.

Bahar carefully read the deployment map of the 17th Division:

One reinforced regiment plus a temporarily formed militia regiment were stationed on the coastline, one regiment guarded the defense line northwest of Bolayer, one regiment guarded the defense line southeast of Bolayer, and the remaining regiment was in the northeast of Bolayer as a reserve, ready to reinforce the three defense lines at any time.

(Note: The Ottoman Empire's military organization was based on Europe, with one division, two brigades and four regiments, and the militia regiment was temporarily added.)

Perfect!

If the enemy landed here and planned to cut off the supply line, they would face the 17th Division's wave-like attack.

When the cannon sounded, Bahar, who had been busy all night, was so tired that he fell asleep on his desk. He was awakened by the cannon sound and immediately recognized that it was the direction of Bolayel.

Bahar rubbed his eyes and yawned, smiling easily: "These idiots actually planned to attack Bolayel, they must be tired of living!"

Although he said this, Bahar did not dare to neglect his hands. He stood up and stretched his sore back, and ordered the staff: "Order the 11th Division to prepare to reinforce the 17th Division!"

"Yes, Colonel." The staff responded and trotted to convey the order.

The 11th Division was outside the peninsula. The narrow terrain of Bolayel determined that it could not deploy too many troops. If it was too dense, it would suffer heavy casualties once it was bombed by enemy naval guns.

However, before the order was delivered, another staff officer ran to Bahar in panic and reported: "Colonel, the 17th Division requested reinforcements. They can't resist the enemy's attack!"

"What?" Bahar looked at the staff officer in surprise.

The 17th Division is the second line of defense. The battle has just begun. How could it not resist the enemy's attack?

"Colonel!" The staff officer explained: "The enemy landed on the beach of Aniya Village, and the landing speed was very fast. They said there were tanks!"

"Tanks? This is impossible!" Bahar was stunned.

(Note: The defenders mistook the armored landing ship for a tank)

The staff officer stepped forward quickly and pointed out the location of Aniya Village on the map: "Here, on the flank of the second line of defense!"

Bahar's face instantly lost color. That was not only the flank of the second line of defense, but also the flank of the entire Bolayer line of defense!