As your forces prepare to move out there is one last piece of business to attend to. Yes you could delegate meeting the alleged partisan to an underling but you want to handle this personally. You arrive at the company command post where the person is being held. Moving past a few supply trucks you encounter a curious sight, a man in a rather shabby suit is standing up against a wall while there are a row of soldiers holding weapons in ready positions. By all accounts it looks like a firing squad. You turn to the subcommander directing the troops.
"Whats going on here captain?" you ask in consternation.
"Executing a spy attempting to infiltrate our ranks sir", he replies firmly.
"What evidence do you have to confirm this?" you ask curious.
He looks at you rather obviously, "the man was trying to convince a patrol to take him to a higher officer by saying he was part of a resistance group".
"How do you know he wasn't being truthful?"
"Merovians are famous for their cloak and dagger stuff, its obviously an attempt to smoke someone higher up the common chain".
"Did he do anything incriminating?"
"Not yet, but it doesn't hurt to be careful".
You sigh, "I'm going to have verify that further, so I'm going to have to ask you to call off the execution for now", the statement is not a request.
The captain grunts disapprovingly and motions to a sergeant, the troops back off and the would be cadaver breathes a sigh of relief. You go up to him confident that he's already been searched for weapons and begin talking.
"I may have saved you from death for now but I'll need some good information to take to my superior to vouch for your credentials", you effortlessly lie. That interrogation elective you took was quite illuminating. Teaching how to gain information without resorting to loutish methods of coercion. Combined with your age it should deceive outsiders into thinking you're not an important officer. Elegantly removing the concern of an infiltrator trying to take out higher ups.
The man talks quite enthusiastically after your introduction. He is an older fellow dressed in a worn out suit. Apparently he is clerk from the capital, Flume. Part of a network of people that oppose the current regime. They are mostly older people with traditionalist leanings who support a return to the old government. Which makes them natural allies for the empire. Decent people who oppose the illegitimate administration.
Still it seems a little too convenient and you can't rule out a ruse. You don't have the rank high enough or have the connections with the spooks to know if they're associated with the Heritage Foundation. A web of partisan groups and sympathisers within the federation angling for a return to the old ways. Of course, the other side did the same; supporting republican movements in imperial territories. The military power of such groups would be negligible but they should provide useful information. Though you'll have to not trust it completely at least at first. Nevertheless, they are good people.
***
Your forces leave the town in good order. Once again light battalions lead the advance. Your local contacts say the cantonment is currently occupied by a severely under-strength garrison. And that many military formations have pulled back towards the capital. They know the terrain around the area and are able to provide valuable information.
The sound of firefights in the distance already tells you the scouts have encountered resistance before the first messages arrive. Isolated shots are soon followed by the continuous clanging shriek of volley guns. Some time after the reverberations of armour can be heard. The sounds only intensify as the reserve battalions join in.
The initial reports say the enemy forces attempted to make several stands on agreeable terrain like ridge lines. Your troops managed to dig them out and rout them with light losses. Pursuing them several miles back through the countryside and a couple of hamlets to the cantonment.
Their equipment is laughably outdated but it still poses a threat. You pass the burned out hulks of several obsolete interwar and even great war federation tanks along with a couple of your own.
There is no artillery to attack the base, as its still back at the baggage train. But that's no matter as there's plenty of armour and mortars to soften up the strongpoint. The assault is carried out and the cantonment is taken within a few hours. Resistance was stiff but ultimately futile as you outnumbered the foe even before superior equipment came into play. Surrender eventually comes and you have a few hundred prisoners to send back.
Most of the supplies and equipment in the cantonment have already been destroyed, probably days ago. Though some of the bigger stuff was spiked weeks ago like a couple of ancient great war siege howitzers. There's not much that will be useful here.
Casualties
Roll 2d100 = 134 * 0.8 Intelligence = 107
4872 - 107 = 4765 effectives
Your first fallen... You're not sure how to feel. Men and women have now died due to your decisions. It is a heavy burden. You will have to make better decisions that put your soldiers at less risk.
Once the base is taken you have a few different courses of action. There are two towns of sizeable magnitude from here. One is somewhat closer than the other. The resistance says there are modest regular forces defending both along with some town militia. They have some support in one of the towns and can try convincing local forces to give up the town, the attempt could fail. The other town is home to a group of firebrand radicals who will try to stir up revolutionary fervour so resistance is almost certain.
You could try to take both towns simultaneously which would involve splitting your forces. Or you could just take one town after another. Though doing so could make resistance heavier with the extra time.
Along with that you've received a request for assistance from other imperial forces. There is apparently a significant enemy presence holed up in a fortress that is currently being invested by another brigade. Moving to assist immediately will involve leaving both urban centres to your rear which could be a problem. Or you could hold it off for later.
[] Split your forces and attack both towns at the same time.
- [] Which battalions will be split off and who will lead the detached force.
[] Attack one town first (the closest) and then the other with your full force.
[] Ignore both towns, move to the help other imperial forces take the fortress.
[] Write-in.
