Chapter 465 - On The March Yet Again (1/2)
On horseback, Eckhard rode among his Army; behind him were 75,000 Austrians; their purpose was simple, annex the Teutonic State in the name of King Berengar von Kufstein, and repel the Eastern Coalition. The 5th, 7th, and 9th Divisions who were dispatched for this mission were relatively inexperienced in warfare.
Despite this, they were eager to perform in battle and confident in their training. With the great Field Marshal of Austria at the helm, they believed that there was no conceivable way that they could lose this war.
At the moment, these Austrians were embarking into Bohemia, where they would regroup with the 1st Division of the Royal Bohemian Army. Though Berengar was also the King of Bohemia, he had seldom spent time within its lands, instead, he had delegated the responsibility of Governance to a personal representative who instituted the King's reforms.
Though there was initially some dissent to Austrian occupation, after the Kingdom of Bohemia was fully repaired from the devastation of the Hussite wars and was on the path to prosperity the people gradually accepted their fate. As he was marching Eckhard gazed upon the fertile fields that were once filled with the blood and corpses of friend and foe alike.
He had spent several years of his Military Career within this Kingdom, only for it to end up in the hands of his master. A bitter smile formed on the man's face as he gazed upon the reconstruction that had occurred since Berengar seized control of these lands.
Cities were rebuilt with the advanced technologies provided to them by Austria. Plumbing existed and waste treatment plants, much like what was seen in Austria. Vast road networks connected the various cities that sprawled across the Kingdom, and rumors were afloat that Bohemia would be united to Austria via its massive train network one day soon.
The old buildings and fortifications that had been destroyed in the previous conflict were replaced with German-style structures, which heavily emphasized the ongoing Germanization in the Kingdom. Even the language the Bohemians spoke was replaced with German in the education system that had been implemented. The people walked around in the Austrian dress style and appeared to be well fed due to the agricultural improvements that Berengar had introduced.
While the world focused on Austria as the most powerful Kingdom in the west, they had wholly neglected the fact that Bohemia was rapidly catching up to its neighbor due to their joint monarch and his exceptional reforms. As the veteran Field Marshal gazed upon the rapid progress, he had conflicted feelings as he could no longer recognize the once distinct culture of the Bohemians. Instead, all he saw was yet another Austria...
Eventually, Eckhard and the soldiers beneath his command found their way to the mustering grounds where 25,000 Bohemians had gathered. Among their ranks were former Hussites and loyalists alike who had all come together underneath the iron fist of Berengar von Kufstein and his current regime. These men who once fought each other over religious differences were now united under the guise of nationalism.
While many of the soldiers within the Bohemian Army's ranks were Bohemian, the officer class was almost entirely comprised of the Ethnic Germans who lived within the Kingdom. The reason for this was simple, to ensure loyalty to their German King and to allow effective communication between the Austrian and Bohemian Armies.
The uniforms of the Bohemian Army were based upon those used by the Austro-Hungarians during the final days of the Great War from Berengar's past life. The difference was that they also wore the same trench-style armor issued to the Austrian Army, albeit in the color of Steingrau instead of Feldgrau.
They were equipped with the same Schmidt Needle Rifles that were issued to the Austrian Army, the 1422 Service Revolvers, and the 7.5cm FK 22 field guns. Many of these men were veterans from the conflict in Iberia and proudly displayed the medals that they had earned through gallantry.
The Field Marshal in command of these forces was none other than Alexej Kaspar, the man who once led the Kasparian Hussites against the Catholic powers of the old Bohemian Crown. By now, the Hussite Reformation and its beliefs were being replaced by the German Reformation.
Thus an old veteran like Alexej had no place in society but to take up the sword once more in the name of the new Bohemian State. When he gazed upon his old friend Eckhard, the man smiled before greeting the Austrian Field Marshal.
”My friend, I am glad that you have made your way to Bohemia once more; I assure you that my men are ready to fight by your side and claim victory for our King! The Eastern Coalition won't know what hit them!”
Eckhard smiled and nodded his head, with an army of 100,000 men, all armed with the advanced weapons they currently wielded, Eckhard was confident that victory would be achieved so far as the Teutonic State was concerned, as for the conquest of the Baltic and the other regions that Berengar had outlined, it was easier said than done. However, he did not express this concern. Instead, he merely gave his orders to the Bohemian Field Marshal; after all, Eckhard was placed in command of this Campaign.
”Prepare your men; we march at dawn!”