Chapter 1552: Chapter 1469: Not the South, but the North

In reality, contrary to what the leadership of the Dorne Empire or any of the empires on the Eastern Continent expected, the operational plan drafted by the Empire’s General Staff did not include targeting Dorne as the attack site.

The reason is quite simple; the distance from the Shu Territory to Dorne is still too far, preventing the Great Tang Empire’s aerial force from being effectively utilized.

In the operational plans drafted by Luff and his staff, transport planes and bombers taking off from the direction of Shen Island could provide additional support, which is evidently a difficult advantage to forsake.

If the Tang Army initiates an attack on the Ice Cold Empire from the north, on the day of landing, they can deploy a large number of paratroopers into battle while simultaneously utilizing large numbers of bombers to destroy coastal defense facilities.

This is a strategic advantage not available in an assault on Dorne, so after ruling out a landing on the Laines Empire and Dorne Empire, the Tang Country focused on attacking the dwarves’ Ice Cold Empire.

The distance makes an assault on the Ice Cold Empire feasible, but the timing needs careful consideration. After all, some seasons in the northern sea are so cold that landing is completely impractical.

Due to the location, bombers and transport planes from Tang Country taking off near Shen Island could cover more northern coastlines of the Ice Cold Empire, so the landing time has to be set in summer.

This short time window is easily missed: this year offers no hope, and next year looks the same. Whether a landing operation can be conducted in the following year depends on the state of the aircraft carrier.

More than two years ago, the Great Tang Empire risked a landing on Shen Island in early spring, causing the Navy Marine Corps to sustain over 300 disabled and 4800 sick soldiers. These soldiers fought in cold seawater, ultimately leaving lasting ailments, proving that the icy seawater is more formidable than Shen Army’s bunkers according to data.

Learning from pain and summarizing the lessons, Tang Country significantly elevated their concern for the temperature during naval landings by several dozen levels. Thus, all operational plans drafted by the Staff Department were scheduled for the second month of summer.

By this time, summer had been underway for a while, and the seawater had absorbed enough heat, likely the highest temperature in a year.

Investigation shows that the summertime sea temperature in the northwest region of Eternal Winter Port is about 28 degrees, allowing soldiers to wade ashore.

However, the Ice Cold Empire also realized the danger. Based on actual combat examples of Tang Country bombarding Qin Country, they roughly estimated the operational radius of Tang Army bombers.

Then they found a section of their coastline falls within this operational radius, causing anxiety among the dwarves of the Ice Cold Empire.

Thus, the dwarves invested significant manpower and resources to construct more defensive facilities in these high-risk areas.

Unlike Dorne’s nobility, who pocketed money without delivering results, deceived the Emperor, and skimped on construction, the military of the Ice Cold Empire proved more competent. They indeed built a high-quality defense line, sturdier than Dorne’s coastal defenses.

Since the coastline the dwarves needed to defend was relatively short, they had more energy to devote to this defense line.

More bunkers, more trenches, denser artillery, and unending barbed wire allowed the dwarves some peace of mind.

In fact, what Luff told Tang Mo, “the enemy is also preparing,” referred to this defense line of the Ice Cold Empire.

If this defense line keeps being reinforced, Tang Country’s landing plan risks failing: if they cannot complete the landing and secure a port within the brief window of a dozen days, then the operation to land in the northern Endless Sea might fail.

By then, the seawater will start to freeze, logistical support will be impacted, and Tang Army’s assault will lose momentum. The Tang Army that made it ashore might even be driven back to the sea by the dwarves’ counterattack.

“There is still no way to take immediate action.” After returning to his own Staff Department from Tang Mo’s office, Luff told his subordinates, faces full of expectation.

Many people suddenly felt disappointed, some even sighed. Even though they knew that most of the empire’s funds, manpower, and resources were allocated to the west, and His Majesty The Emperor had also devoted efforts to western development, they still felt a bit unwilling.

Qian Jinhang lowered his head, glanced at the materials in his hand again, then walked to Luff’s side and quietly suggested, “Since there will be no military action on the Eastern Continent in the short term, is it feasible to apply for funds to build a new military airport on Northern Island?”

“The advantage is that it can shorten the round trip distance for planes, increasing sortie efficiency.” He pointed at a simple map and continued to tell Luff, “There are issues, too, as Northern Island is the Shen people’s autonomous region, our operations there carry some risk of leaks.”

After hearing Qian Jinhang’s words, Luff also hesitated: if they build a new airport or expand the existing one on Northern Island controlled by the Shen people, leaks will likely occur.

The Ice Cold Empire still has a few smart individuals who might become alert and deduce Tang Country’s true intentions.

But if planes take off and land directly from the orc region, it would indeed be many kilometers farther. This is a cost Luff is reluctant to bear. At that time, air supply and bomber sortie frequency would be affected, indeed posing a significant issue.

Having chosen to initiate warfare in the northern Endless Sea, conducive to the support of land-based air force, naturally, they hoped the Air Force and paratroopers could play a greater role.

“Don’t we have a military base on Northern Island? Secretly expanding that military airport within the base… Maintain strict confidentiality… Is it feasible?” Qian Jinhang expressed his opinion.

“Submit this plan while also consulting with the intelligence department… see what Li’ao says. If they can assure us of hiding the information, that would be best.” Luff nodded, feeling that the airport used by the garrison on Northern Island seemed workable.

But to cover their tracks, the airport probably couldn’t be expanded extensively. Squeezing hundreds of bombers and transport planes into that small airport is evidently unfeasible.

The work of the Staff Department isn’t only about planning; they must also ensure the entire plan is practicable. After drafting the plan, Luff needs to repeatedly deduce the plans to ensure they can be implemented.

“The Navy’s new large amphibious landing ships are also not known when they will be commissioned, and this combat power also cannot be accounted for… Alas…” Luff sighed, feeling his job becoming increasingly difficult.

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Adding one more chapter.