Chapter 71: To War

A week had passed since Victor ordered his army to assemble near Jenkas. All of the soldiers and supply carts were now ready to leave from Hannover to Jenkas. Victor took most of his elite guard while only leaving 225 French Imperial Guard soldiers to protect his family.

Bülow and the 10,000 infantrymen who had been summoned arrived and began to assimilate into the army. The army was fully ready to leave at Victor's command. During the week Victor prioritised spending time with his family above all else, there was no guarantee he would win this war so being with his loved ones beforehand was imperative.

By the end of the week, Victor and his army set off for Jenkas. It was a 6-week march that was unimpeded by torrential weather. The marching of the soldiers was dignified and effective, they had been drilled hard by their commanders to the point of perfection. They themselves could be on par with the army of Maldenberg.

With 6 weeks of precise and organised marching the troops from Hannover had finally made it to Jenkas. The majority of the army was already there, but the soldiers from Draysden were still a few days away so Victor managed to catch up with all his generals and devise a strategy for their new campaign.

In the following week, the soldiers from Draysden had finally arrived. The Luxenberg army was complete. All commanders convened in an officer's tent to review the plan again. Marshal Soult, the commander of all Luxenberg soldiers began to lay out the plan.

"Gentlemen, our plan is simple, we will work as a separate entity to the Fontaine army. They know that we are siding with them, the enemy does not. We will strike the city of Hausen which is only a 2 week march away from The Hessen River. We capture it and proceed to the capital of Archenshien. Our aim is to divide the Maldenberg forces and capture valuable hostages. Any Questions?"

All the other generals nodded, the understood what they needed to do, but General Tauentzien raised his hand and asked, "Who will be left in charge to defend, Hausen once it is taken?" Marshal Soult smiled at the Tauentzien and pointed at him. His corps in particular had a fair few of the summoned Polish Line Infantry, who were renowned for their defensive capabilities. So it made sense for them to be a stand-alone garrison.

With no further questions, Victor's army was on the move. It was a month-long march to Hausen so the men acted quickly before the Maldenberg army could make their move against the Fontaine faction.

During the march, Simeon Fontaine received a messenger pigeon containing Victor's plan. It slightly upset him that his army was not marching to his defence but at the same time, it was helpful that the Luxenberg army was joining the wall.

Helen Fontaine was unappreciative and even accused Victor of only trying to expand rather than help. There was some truth in those words: Victor was planning to gain new lands through this war, but the Fontaine family could not dispute his tactics. They needed his support otherwise they would instantly be conquered by the share force of Arthur Maldenberg and his army.

When the Luxenberg army had crossed The Hessen River, Grand Duke Maldenberg who was mustering his troops in the north, received word of Victor's army approaching his city of Hausen. The Maldenberg army was 6 weeks away from Hausen, 4 weeks from Archenshien and 4 weeks away from Osterbon.

"That bastard dears to conquer my lands! I thought he would at least rush to Fontaine faction's aide, but no he will march from south and take my territory. We will split the army, 1 half will march to Hausen and retake it while the other half will look to engage the Fontaine army."

With the Maldenberg army split in 2, the detachment sent to retake Hausen was under the command of his son Adrian, while Grand Duke Maldenberg would take the war to the Fontaines.

In the next 2 weeks, the Luxenberg army had arrived at a lightly defended Hausen. The garrison barely had 5,000 men defending it, most of which were only militiamen. Almost every available soldier was called to the Maldenberg army. In the face of such overwhelming odds, the garrison commander of Hausen offered his surrender. 

The Maldenberg family had conquered the city of Hausen in recent years. Arthur Maldenberg himself executed the former marquis and his family who ruled Hausen. The takeover of the city was a relatively tame affair, the citizens held no love nor loyalty for the Maldenberg family.

3rd Corps under General Tauentzien began to garrison and fortify the city, Victor anticipated that a detachment of the main Maldenberg army would come down to take back Hausen. If the Luxenberg army did not engage the detachment army, Hausen would be relatively defended. 

Victor was cautious of Grand Duke Maldenberg, he was an inspiring commander who had drilled his soldiers to become his instruments of war. Even if Victor outnumbered the oncoming detachment it would be a hard-fought battle. It was imperative that Victor dealt a crushing blow to the oncoming Maldenberg host and captured the city or Archenshien. 

Succeeding in these 2 tasks would mean the Maldenberg army would have to divert more manpower from the Fontaine front. If the Fontaine army could hold its own, Victor could easily sweep from south to north, conquering multiple cities and potentially vassalising some of the dukes from the Maldenberg faction.

Nevertheless Victor and the main army rested in Hausen for 2 days to assist General Tauentzien with defensive preparation before setting out to Archenshien which was 2 week journey. The race was on the detachment army under Adrian Maldenberg was 2 weeks away and so was the Luxenberg army. Whoever got to Archenshien first would have the advantage of choosing the battlefield or in Maldenberg's case a heavily defended siege.

Victor knew that if any detachment army was sent he had to get to them first before they got Archenshien. Better yet, if Victor could take the city and fortify it, it would a tremendous task for Adrian and his army. The walls of Archenshien were high and thick, it would take days of concentrated bombardment to breach the walls and you could not use ladders or climbing hooks.

With both armies marching double time it would be a tight window for either army to gain the advantage.