The hivemind is conquering for me? Chapter 752: War Planning

A planetary map unfolded before our eyes. The world featured mostly small island clusters, its surface covered by over 95% water. Still, two enormous continents dominated. One lay entirely secured below the Spartari fleet orbiting above. The other continent—ours, especially its rightward section—showed a sprawling red outline that shifted every moment.

"Prior to reinforcements reaching the planet, the Drakoshi dispatched hundreds of ships into low orbit to secure a beachhead. Right here on Keffon's eastern coast. Sadly, planetary defenses got overwhelmed at this spot, where most Drakoshi troops landed. Thus, during their two days before the navy showed up, they seized thousands of miles of land and fortified it as a safe zone using AA and orbital weapons for deploying more forces."

Cockburn pointed along the boundary separating red from blue areas.

"The frontline stretches two thousand five hundred miles, with fierce combat raging across its full length." His finger jabbed at the battle's heart. "Emoth clan leads the charge this time—melee-focused and straightforward. They always try the same ploy: punch through the center for an encirclement. Given all the ground we've yielded for this deadlock... It won't succeed.

Emoth prove easy to handle, yet other clans in this alliance war bring real strategic dangers needing careful attention. Southward lies clan Oizik. They rarely venture into our lands—the Coalition handles them more—but on ocean-heavy worlds like this with archipelagos, they're a major menace. Their sub and naval tech excels, though our sea forces strive to trap them ashore, where they falter."

His finger slid northward on the map, to a green marker near the border's edge. "Here we stand. Foes above mix heavily. Dinnac mechs have appeared, erecting strong defenses, plus signs of clan Zolt—fire-affinity weapon experts.

Across the whole front, Clan Vim mercenaries scatter thinly to minimize losses. Yet they're the ones to watch closely, though as you know, Emoth remain the most common Drakoshi we'll face even here."

Cockburn magnified the map, tracing to a Drakoshi stronghold. Clicking its icon summoned a massive hologram of the fort. Towering hundreds of meters, layered walls twice as broad, bristling with wall-mounted guns shredding even heaviest armor.

"Drakoshi aim to smash our center, but high command orders us to hit their flanks. My elites' success has left Drakoshi in our zone short on ammo, weakening their usual defenses.

At dawn, our task is seizing this outpost. It blocks northern reinforcements, letting allies crush Drakoshi there. Locally, Phalanx backups with heavy armor battalion head here for a dawn strike. You Psionic volunteers, with my elite team, must wreak maximum quiet sabotage beforehand to cut our casualties.

Order of the Guardians reinforcements arrive soon, offering pages, squires, and two castellan knights—as Sentinel enabled—to hold fallback three miles off in highlands. If disaster strikes, rally there for fighting withdrawal till Phalanx links up.

Your sabotage methods are yours, squad leader Skaja—I grant you full command of my elites too. Their lives are yours to safeguard. A thousand victories, brave warriors. I depart, to meet on tomorrow's field."

"A thousand victories," echoed everyone together as Skaja stepped to the war table's head.

"Our prime assault target: this big boomstick." She indicated the massive gun atop the fortress. Its perch suggested the fort existed to shield it.

"Those who've witnessed these boomsticks fire know their lethal power; for others, quick rundown: Thermobaric launchers firing vortex bombs, using unique ammo unlike depot stocks. It blasts a special gas—nonflammable alone—but weapon-heated and fired, it reshapes landscapes instantly. Rare and devastating. Dinnac signature.

For us: First, ensure that weapon can't hit Phalanx tomorrow. Priority one.

Priority two: Kill the leaders. Lacking intel beyond scouts, identify commanders inside. Risky, so elite fighters only tackle Drakoshi brass.

Priority three: Wreck the walls. Faster breach means swifter victory, fewer dead. Walls seem flimsy—Drakoshi rushed construction, used weaker secondary material, aiding us. Plant charges en route, detonate tomorrow with Phalanx."

All hung on Skaja's words, until one interrupted.

"Sounds fine, Skaja, but how reach the walls? Spotlights blind hundreds of yards out. You can't mean stroll up for a slagging welcome?"

Skaja nodded. "Fair point. But no frontal walk. See this southern forest patch? We infiltrate from there and—."

Gabrielle cut in. "—Useless. Drakoshi aren't fools; Vim means invisible mines riddling woods. River north too broad, west open fields. Detour east for longest safe path—best for our numbers."

"Madness?" a voice shouted. "Hours wasted we lack. Trust Skaja: mine-clearers, forest luck."

"No, frontal charge! Glory to empire!"

"No, we—."

Chaos exploded in strategy arguments. Peril of civilian volunteers: sharp minds, no drills.

Skaja scanned, pondering, till spotting one silent map-gazer deep in thought. Battle-tested, beaten yet victorious by him, she trusted his tactical genius and called out, hushing all.

"Sentinel Apollo, you're quiet. Your view? How breach to walls?"

…

My mind drifted back. Cradled in Jewel's arms, still a kid. Mirror base layout, universe's far flip-side. Biopad live: overhead Ripper Freethinker assault view.

Ker’mins gripped a chokepoint between twin acidic, raging streams. Hive unadapted to fluid, but my scheme: upstream thousands miles, erect living dam, renew where milder.

Four hours: Ker’min slain. Edge lost, doom hastened weeks before Jewel flanked elsewhere.

Lesson: Rushing rivers lull guards. Natural barrier. But Psionics plus science tames wilds. Snapping present as queried, scheme sparked—twisting river's guard-dropping illusion our gain.

"North assault. Via river."