Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Nikolai expected that the changes from the Russo-Japanese War would naturally influence military doctrine and patterns ten years later.

However, people don’t change as easily as expected.

And the military, deeply infiltrated by those unchanging hardline conservatives, changes even less.

What does this mean?

"Sir, the enemy is digging holes and waiting here too! They seem to have predicted our flanking maneuver!"

"Then we’ll flank around the enemy that predicted our flanking!"

After their defeat at the Marne, the retreating German forces shouted, "To hell with it, we have no supplies, no food, but bullets overflow, so let’s just set up machine guns and wait here!" and sat down, thus beginning the trench warfare on the Western Front.

France trying to flank around those trenches.

Germany blocking the flanking. France trying to flank again. Germany blocking again.

Instead of fighting by pushing back and forth, the pattern became one of running sideways and widening the front.

This race to the sea finally ended in October.

At last, something that could be called a solid "front" had formed in Western Europe.

"Damn it, we have no choice! Charge into enemy lines!"

"Chaaaaarge!"

Though they were nothing more than crude holes, France and Germany hadn’t shed enough blood yet to fully appreciate the horror of trenches.

However, it wasn’t that these two countries, competing for top military power of the era, faced such a massive front without any doctrinal changes.

France, which needed to recover its territory, was definitely the first to change its doctrine.

"When the target is fixed, swift maneuver has always been the way to gain advantage!"

"Quick speed and surprise that the enemy can’t respond to!"

"Only short and intense advances can neutralize defensive lines!"

The first European army to adopt mobile artillery doctrine.

Since Napoleon, all army doctrine focused on firepower based on position changes.

France, believing victory came from rapid formation changes and concentrated fire when facing the enemy, focused all its strength on mobility and speed.

This doctrinal change led frontline commanders to attempt perfect combined attacks of cavalry and infantry.

Meanwhile, Germany...

Click.

Ratatatata-

"More firepower solves everything."

They simply planted machine guns in the ground instead of carrying them on carts and actively employed howitzers.

France constantly seeking change and Germany refusing to budge.

Though some back-and-forth combat still occurred due to incomplete trenches, the Western Front showed no signs of changing anytime soon.

For reference, Britain couldn’t make any changes to army doctrine.

They were still struggling just to learn division-level combat doctrine.

==

The first thing Roman did upon assuming command of the Northwestern Army Group:

"Does Roman hate cavalry?"

"He sent all the cavalry divisions to our side. Even though this Southwestern Front is larger than the Northwestern Front..."

He immediately sent the cavalry divisions under Ivanov.

Cavalry still held considerable value. Small-scale mobile operations, reconnaissance, messaging, and supply and rear security.

On this vast land mass, there were roles that only four-legged cavalry could fulfill by traversing it.

Nevertheless.

"Horses can’t hold shovels."

Roman couldn’t see what role those thousands of horses would play in defensive warfare.

So he sent them all away.

Preferably under Commander Ivanov who could make good use of them.

The next thing he did was dig trenches.

This wasn’t just mindlessly digging holes. Such crude pits had been common tactics since the Battle of Medina in Roman times.

What Roman wanted to recreate were the trenches from the American Civil War.

’Those New World fellows fought for nearly 4 years. Much longer than the Russo-Japanese War.’

It was because of those trenches that they could fight for 4 years; if they had just done pitched battles on open ground, everyone would have died and the war would have ended in a year.

The trenches then were for cover, but they were the first recorded instance of creating kilometer-scale trenches dozens of times.

And now in the 20th century, with firepower incomparably stronger than the Civil War, trenches don’t just provide cover.

They enable offense too.

"How long will these trenches last? Maintaining constant defense and preparation for attack across tens, hundreds of kilometers is an extremely wasteful endeavor."

While Kornilov wondered why both sides would maintain fronts where change had stopped, Roman thought the opposite.

"Those Hanses will be hungrier next year than this year, and hungrier the year after than the next."

"...That might not give them the ability to maintain the front, but it certainly gives them motivation."

"That’s right."

The longer Russia maintains the Eastern Front, the more advantageous it is.

Conversely, Germany is in a position where they must break through.

"Even if the enemy captures the trenches at massive cost, that’s fine."

"Why is that?"

"Because we can just build more behind them. Surely they can’t plant crops and farm on that little bit of pushed-back land."

Retaliatory attacks that naturally follow when pushed back by the enemy?

Roman knew nothing of such things.

He just thought that, like Port Arthur fortress, a good casualty ratio was all that mattered.

"They should have just bought from us instead of trying food self-sufficiency from the start. Then we wouldn’t have had to take- I mean unify Poland either."

"..."

Though Roman could feel Kornilov staring at him while holding back words he wanted to say, he paid it no mind.

He was the engineering general carrying out the Tsar’s orders.

Now those Hanses would pay the price for rejecting the warm hand the empire had constantly extended.

Just as those who have struggled with poverty appreciate small things, and those who have been bedridden with illness find joy in health.

They too would learn to appreciate food on the table once they experience hunger.

And the Tsar wanted them to starve sufficiently first.

==

While simple warfare and military operations were handled by General Staff,

More macro-level matters.

That is, issues involving multiple political elements rather than just internal military affairs, were decided by gathering various personnel.

Among those I frequently discussed with were naturally Chief of General Staff Kuropatkin and Kokovtsov and the Prime Minister, but today experts from various fields gathered regardless of cabinet or General Staff.

Two months into the war.

Still no sign of Hindenburg and Ludendorff becoming heroes, and the Polish territory grows more secure by the day.

To some extent, countries have adapted to wartime conditions and the structure and fronts can be considered set.