Holy Roman Empire
Chapter 202: The Pinnacle of Deception (BONUS)

As British troops had just arrived in Balkan Peninsula, before they even finished taking over all defense zones, Bulgarian guerrillas launched a total counterattack. The Russians also cooperated closely, firmly pinning down allied forces at the frontlines.

It turned out that Plovdiv was indeed set up by the British as bait, intending to encircle and annihilate the main force of the Bulgarian guerrilla forces here. However, they only controlled the beginning of the battle and failed to control the outcome.

As soon as the battle began, the situation changed. More than a dozen cities, including Plovdiv, simultaneously came under attack from the guerrilla forces.

Most of these were feigned attacks, but in the chaos, the British unfinished defense arrangements were exposed.

There was no other way. Although the Greeks were not powerful, they chose the timing perfectly. Who knew if they would advance all the way to Constantinople? For safety reasons, the Ottoman Empire had to divert forces to block them.

With insufficient defensive forces and the presence of collaborators inside the city, even feigned attacks could breach the defenses. If these places were lost, the allied forces in Sofia would be trapped in a siege. The British would have no other choice but to send reinforcements.

Bulgarian guerrilla firepower was far too weak. Bullying second-rate Ottoman forces was fine, but they still could not match the British in frontal combat.

However, being unable to win did not mean they had no means to fight. The arrogant British commanders of the newly arrived British forces, who had yet to clash with them, were already treating the Bulgarians disdainfully, directly viewing them as colonial natives.

This understanding was not entirely wrong. In theory, Bulgaria could be considered a colony of the Ottoman Empire, albeit directly ruled instead.

In terms of strength, there was a significant gap. Nevertheless, the Bulgarian guerrilla forces had received training from Russian and Austrian instructors, and coupled with their high morale, they demonstrated formidable combat prowess.

With a resounding “boom,” the marching British forces were once again attacked by the guerrilla forces. After a moment, the gunfire abruptly ceased, indicating that the guerrilla forces had retreated.

A young military officer with a pale face reported, “General, we’ve been attacked by the enemy again. Two soldiers have been killed, and seven soldiers are injured!”

“Is this the first time we have been attacked by the enemy?” Inquired Major General Oliver.

“The eighteenth time!” the young officer replied in a low voice.

“Then stop blabbering. Dispatch troops to pursue them immediately!” Commanded Major General Oliver.

The casualties inflicted by the Bulgarian guerrilla forces were not substantial, but the frequency of the attacks not only slowed down their march but also significantly dampened the morale of the troops.

Major General Oliver was not one to take losses without retaliation; of course, a counterattack was in order.

Due to a lack of experience in fighting guerrilla forces, most of the time, the enemy disappeared halfway through the pursuit. If luck was not on their side, there would be more traps waiting for them along the way.

In this round of engagements, the British army not only failed to gain any advantage but, more importantly, it delayed the optimal opportunity for a decisive battle. By the time they reached their destination, the main force of the guerrilla forces had long vanished.

Everyone knew that the headquarters of the Bulgarian guerrilla forces was in the Balkan Mountains, and Major General Oliver’s orders were to encircle and eliminate them.

However, entering the Balkan Mountains meant fighting on the enemy’s home turf. The main forces would have difficulty moving, and artillery would lose its effectiveness. In such an environment, casualties on both sides would almost be in a 1:1 ratio.

Exchanging one British soldier for one guerrilla fighter was out of the question for Major General Oliver. If he dared to do so, he would soon be facing a military tribunal.

This was Major General Oliver’s first time commanding troops in combat. If he hadn’t been an influential figure, he wouldn’t have had the opportunity to take on this unlucky mission.

The British generals who had been in the Balkan Peninsula for a long time would rather confront the Russians on the frontlines than venturing into mountainous terrain to encircle guerrilla forces.

In the former, the enemy was visible, and the British military had a slight upper hand in combat. As long as they didn’t face multiple times their own numbers, the risks were manageable. In the latter, the apparent risk seemed smaller — guerrilla forces were unlikely to defeat regular forces. However, once they enter the mountains, the situation would change.

Major General Oliver believed he had succeeded by setting up a bait to lure the Bulgarian guerrilla forces into a trap.

The current outcome was evident: the enemy took the bait, but unfortunately, he overestimated the marching speed of the British army. Under the enemy’s surprise attack, they couldn’t close the encirclement formation in time.

……

Plovdiv, this strategically important city, had already been mostly occupied by enemy forces, but the defending forces continued to resist tenaciously. Urban warfare wasn’t the guerrilla forces’ strong suit, and even with internal collaborators and support, they couldn’t capture the city in one go.

Guerrilla commander Edimir ordered all troops: “Command the troops to stop the attack. Gather strategic supplies as much as possible. Take what we can carry, and burn what we can’t. We can’t leave anything for the enemy.”

A middle-aged officer reluctantly said, “Commander, isn’t it a waste to burn so many valuable resources? If we organize civilians to help us transport them, we might still be able to get them out.”

Edimir glared at him and said, “Stop talking nonsense. With this much equipment, do you think we can run? If the British catch up with us, even if our forces increase tenfold, we won’t be their match!”

Being able to destroy this portion of supplies already satisfied Edimir. Although they hadn’t taken the entire Plovdiv, politically, they could declare that they had captured the city and negotiate for a better position with the Russians.

The Russians are very practical. Initially, the treatment of Bulgarian guerrillas only prevented outright starvation. But ever since they broke through the Sardinian army’s frontlines and infiltrated into the enemy’s rear, the treatment of the guerrillas became comparable to that of the Russian military.

Although they couldn’t receive logistical support for the time being, the Russians still provided them with a batch of weapons and equipment, delivered through the narrow paths of the Balkan Mountains.

Many guerrilla officers, including Edimir, were granted formal Russian military ranks, and they now had official positions.

Gorchakov even promised that those willing to join the military after the war could obtain official Russian military designations and be responsible for guarding Bulgaria. Those who wanted to retire could also enter government departments and receive corresponding benefits.

“Independence?” Keep dreaming. The Russians didn’t come here to do charity. After enduring so much hardship for so long, all of it wasn’t for the sake of granting independence to the Bulgarians.

Present Bulgarian aspirations were not that high with autonomy being their ultimate goal. Most people still hope to receive protection from the Russians to ensure they were not subjected to Ottoman subjugation.

Especially within the religious community, they were staunchly pro-Russian, holding high expectations for Bulgaria to join the large family of the Russian Empire.

The future of Bulgaria could either be a province, an autonomous region, or it might join Russia under the name of an autonomous principality. The specific situation will depend on the decisions of the Russian government.

The prerequisite was that the Russians win this war. If they lose, all these considerations become irrelevant; the defeated side has no right to enjoy the spoils of war.

……

Sofia

At the Allied Forces Headquarters. By now, Lieutenant General FitzRoy Somerset mentally cussed out Major General Oliver’s whole family already. Betraying allies was unacceptable, let alone betraying one’s own people.

If it weren’t for Oliver’s delay in organizing the so-called encirclement, the Bulgarian guerrilla forces wouldn’t have had the chance to infiltrate and capture three and a half cities in just one week.

While these cities may have belonged to the Ottoman Empire, FitzRoy Somerset wasn’t worried about that at all, but the supplies stored within these cities, which now fell into the hands of the guerrillas.

Even though the British Empire is vast and can absorb such losses, political considerations cannot be ignored.

The immediate consequence was that FitzRoy Somerset got embarrassed in front of the French. On a deeper level, the instability in the Bulgarian region was increasing, with more people seeing hope in breaking free from Ottoman rule and were starting to support the guerrilla forces instead.

“Send orders to Major General Oliver immediately to recapture the lost territory and ensure the smooth operation of our army’s logistics supply lines,” ordered FitzRoy Somerset.

As for the matter of besieging the guerrilla forces, that could be dealt with later. If necessary, they would leave it to the Ottomans. After all, this was not the territory of the British Empire, and FitzRoy Somerset didn’t want to bother with it.

“Yes, sir!” the aide responded.

At the time of issuing this order, FitzRoy Somerset had not yet noticed that danger was approaching. Gorchakov had already been planning for a major decisive battle.

Initially, in the Sofia front, there was the Russian army with 73,000 troops plus 20,000 Bulgarian guerrillas against the allied forces comprising 50,000 British troops, 20,000 Sardinian troops, and 30,000 Ottoman troops, making their strengths roughly equal.

Now, after Russian reinforcements, their total forces still exceeded 70,000. On the side of the allied forces, the Ottoman forces were reduced to less than 10,000, with only 35,000 out of 42,000 British troops remaining on the front lines. Meanwhile, the Sardinian forces still had 19,000 troops.

It must be said that Italians are skilled at preserving their lives, having the lowest casualty rates among all the parties involved in the war. The battlefield survival manual that was circulated by Franz back in the day has now become deeply ingrained in the Sardinian army.

This means that, when the reinforcements of the allied forces were being held back by the Bulgarian guerrilla forces, the Russian army already had an absolute advantage on the battlefield.

The Ottoman army has been crippled, and the Sardinian forces are essentially idling on the field. Even if the remaining British forces are formidable, they cannot withstand double the amount of Russian troops.

On December 27, 1852, led by Gorchakov, the Russian army launched a fierce attack in Sofia.

Unlike the previous attacks, this time the Russian army targeted the weak points in the Sardinian defense line. Since the Bulgarian guerrilla forces had broken through from this area, Gorchakov realized that this was a vulnerability in the allied forces’ defense line.

However, he missed the opportunity at that time. To prevent the British from sealing this gap, this area later became the target of feigned attacks by the Russian army, with intense artillery bombardments, but without significant actual engagement.

The Sardinian forces on the opposite side also coordinated very well, firing into the air as a common practice. Both sides made it look like they were engaged in intense combat.

FitzRoy Somerset was deceived, genuinely believing that, when the Bulgarian guerrilla forces tore through the defense lines, the Sardinian defense lines were penetrated due to their unfamiliarity with the terrain and the guerrilla forces replaceing a small path to break through.

Coupled with the strain on their forces, the Sardinians seemed to be making extra efforts, putting up a vivid display on the battlefield, holding off the Russian onslaught. Thus, FitzRoy Somerset did not let his British forces join them.

From a long-term perspective, FitzRoy Somerset’s approach was correct. If the British and Sardinian forces defended together, it was estimated that this elite British force wouldn’t last much longer.

Mantuya might not be a great general, but he was undoubtedly a good superior. To reduce casualties, he always emphasized safety first, earning him the soldiers’ affection.

For the Sardinian soldiers, this wasn’t their war; they were on the battlefield just to earn their wages. Therefore, they were always ready to slack off and avoid exerting themselves.

General Mantuya, who deeply understood human nature, was well aware that this army would be his political capital upon returning to the Kingdom of Sardinia. Winning the soldiers’ hearts was a necessary task.

Leading them to victory in battles, seizing loot for wealth — these were things he couldn’t achieve. So, the only option was to lead them to preserve their lives. A general who valued the lives of his soldiers would undoubtedly be welcomed.

Now, things were getting troublesome. The Russian forces on the opposite side were unexpectedly uncooperative, giving Mantuya a headache. He thought of abandoning the defense line and running away, but if he really did it, the enraged British would probably execute him on the spot.

What about them being allies? Could the Kingdom of Sardinia do anything to the British other than protest?

A middle-aged officer suggested, “General, why don’t we open a gap at the border with the British defense line and let the Russians through? Even if the British replace fault with us after the war, we can shift the blame to them.”

Being scolded by the British every day had made the Sardinians quite irritable, and the disparity in treatment had only intensified this dissatisfaction.

In theory, everyone received the same rations, but upon arrival, the British always managed to obtain some supplies like fruits, vegetables, potatoes, and bread.

Due to the limited quantity, only British officers could receive them, leaving the Sardinians with nothing.

Even generals like Mantuya didn’t enjoy significantly better treatment, and if they wanted to improve their food, they had to dig into their pockets to bribe British quartermasters.

They did protest to the British, but the British bureaucrats presented the contract signed by the two nations, clearly stating: The British Empire provides logistical support for twenty thousand Sardinian soldiers.

Since the agreement specified “soldiers,” they could only enjoy the treatment reserved for soldiers. To the Sardinian officers, equating them with soldiers was not just a matter of treatment, it insulted their dignity.

Even a commander of the allied forces, Lieutenant General FitzRoy Somerset, seemed powerless in this situation.

London bureaucrats were not people he could afford to provoke. They operated according to regulations, fully complying with British law, and appealing domestically would be useless.

As for seeking assistance from the Ottoman forces, that was clearly impossible.

Judging by the condition of the Ottoman army, aside from the well-treated high-ranking officers, the lower-ranking soldiers relied on the British for support.

If it weren’t for the mechanical approach of London bureaucrats, who continued to distribute supplies based on the initial number of troops, and FitzRoy Somerset sharing some extra beef jerky and biscuits with the Ottoman soldiers, the Ottoman soldiers on the frontlines would still be going into battle on empty stomachs.

Mantuya shook his head: “We can’t do it this way. If they investigate later, we’ll be in trouble.”

Sabotaging allies is possible, but it must be done skillfully. If they don’t do it well, it might backfire on them. Mantuya was not willing to undertake a move like opening the defense line without careful consideration.

“How do we proceed? The Russian offensive is so fierce, and our losses are devastating. I’m afraid we can’t hold on for much longer,” a military officer said with a wry smile.

Mantuya furrowed his brow and lowered his voice, saying, “This war cannot go on. We don’t need to stay here and sacrifice ourselves for the Ottomans.

Order the troops to abandon the frontline positions. Also, conveniently misplace the deployment information of the British forces on the battlefield, and make the markings clear.

Remember to use Bulgarian, as the Russians can understand it anyway. We can only let the blame fall on the Ottoman forces; having Russian spies in their midst is entirely normal.

Once the defense line is breached, we’ll retract our forces and move into Kosovo, then return to Thrace from Macedonia.”

Clearly, he had prepared for this, and even the escape route had been planned. If the British prove formidable and manage to block the Russian advance, they will be investigating the Russian spies in the allied forces!

The primary suspects would be the Ottoman forces. In theory, both the British and the Sardinians were foreign to the region, and the Russians wouldn’t have had time to infiltrate them.