Reincarnated as Nikolai II

Russia, having temporarily halted all domestic reforms and policies.

While Witte actively focused the empire's administrative capacity on war and Bunge's grand plan was added to this.

Sergei Dukhovskoy, commanding battles at the frontline, carefully examined each change in the war situation as Supreme Commander.

"One month to occupy and control Korea. Very fast."

"Korea won't resist the Japanese army. They must think it meaningless now that their emperor and high officials are captured."

"They must have their own plans prepared."

Though Roman was holding well at the Yalu River, battles intensified when Third Army Commander Nogi Maresuke also joined.

Dukhovskoy had no choice but to send matching forces to block Maresuke's troops being sent up to Uiju in Pyongan Province and beyond.

"It will become somewhat of a war of attrition, but we're winning greatly in fortress battles at least, so nothing to worry about."

What Dukhovskoy truly wanted to examine wasn't just one or two battles.

"Colonel Elston, by my observation the Japanese army can't exceed 300,000 at most now."

"That's right. First Army barely 50,000, Second and Third Armies not exceeding 100,000, so even including forces scattered across that peninsula, roughly 250,000 level."

"Yet they'll keep sending forces through ports endlessly. Same for us. The Siberian 1st and 2nd Corps have arrived, and if needed, more forces from all military districts can come."

The Tsar's military calculus hinged on a fundamentally flawed assumption - that this would be a brief engagement. His strategic thinking followed a seductively simple logic: surely the enemy's resources and resolve would be limited, compelling them to launch aggressive offensive actions. In his mind, Russia could simply weather these attacks from defensive positions, gradually depleting enemy forces until victory was inevitable through attrition.

Examining the peculiar deployment known as the 'Roman Line' that traced its way from the lower reaches of the Yalu River up to its middle course, one can see why he found this reasoning persuasive. The positioning seemed to support his vision of an efficiently defensive war. However, this assessment would prove to be a critical miscalculation, revealing the dangers of building strategy on untested assumptions about an adversary's capabilities and intentions.

That place is... already hell.

Even if some luckily cross the river, Roman won't just watch. Before their artillery and heavy equipment can cross the river, machine guns mounted on wagons are already waiting for them.

However, when spring comes. That is, when the weather starts warming, it might become difficult to maintain this Yalu River as the front line.

'Then we'll face not 300,000 but 600,000, or even more.'

The same worry original history's Russian commanders had - the choice between full-frontal battle and delaying tactics.

Though circumstances were somewhat different, Dukhovskoy too was having the same concerns.

No matter how sturdy Roman's fortress and how well defended to accumulate damage on the enemy, the decisive battle is mobile.

It means to end the war, they must leave the fortress and stick a knife in their necks.

"Then when, where, and how to conduct the mobile battle. That would be this war's greatest key."

"A mobile battle with hundreds of thousands of troops clashing... Will they agree to it after gaining numerous ports?"

"If they lack the ability to drag out the war long as the Tsar said, they absolutely can't avoid it."

Even the Okhrana is engaging in intelligence warfare in this war.

According to Director Sekerenskiy, the enemy has the ability to conscript and send easily a million to this border by next summer.

"...Then it would be the day their regular forces run out."

Still unknown. Whether brave or foolish, if these are regular troops charging straight at the fortress, we must wait for the day their quality drops sharply.

With neither the location nor date of the mobile battle decided yet, Dukhovskoy planned to spend winter here at the Yalu River.

With the Far Eastern Fleet, Pacific Fleet, and Baltic Fleet all trapped in Vladivostok now, the reason the enemy couldn't think of rear landing operations was precisely because this Yalu River front was solid.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

While Dukhovskoy glared as Supreme Commander examining enemy movements day by day.

Roman wasn't thinking such complicated thoughts.

"Enemy reinforcements! At least four divisions! Three reserve brigades! Plus artillery and siege forces!"

"Finally a 24-hour offensive, full assault! Good! We'll switch to rotation! Major General Fok (Aleksandr Fok:1843-)."

"I'm older but you, Major General Roman, are in overall command. Just give orders."

"Please take charge of rotating battles leading the East Siberian Division."

"Of course."

Roman repaid with death the Japanese army showing no freshness except continuous reinforcement.

That such efforts couldn't take his fortress.

That he'd consider it if they offered more, more deaths as sacrifice.

Roman dividing his forces in two against their full assault was evidence of this.

'It can't be just this much. If so, the Tsar wouldn't have been so wary.'

Though races differed, Roman believed those yellow people had sufficient ability to capture this place.

Not yet. They can do more. No, they must.

Only then can he show what's really prepared up there.

==

Imperial General Headquarters.

Since its establishment in Hiroshima for the 1894 Sino-Japanese War, the one thing this organization endlessly researched and hypothesized.

That was war with Russia.

For nearly 10 years, army and navy command headquarters and elite staff had researched.

How to defeat that giant bear-like empire?

"Can we quickly occupy Korea and incorporate Korean troops?"

"Are you crazy? Feed, house, train people who can't even shoot, create units and use them? And right after war starts?"

"They'll have to supply troops and materials from about 7,000 kilometers away. That means they'll have to negotiate if the war situation is good!"

First conclusion: Must wage war with negotiation in mind.

"The Baltic Fleet... finally came to the Far East."

"What is Britain doing? Why are they just watching the Baltic Fleet come to the Far East!"

"They're rather happy the naval presence in the Baltic Sea decreased making the Mediterranean safer!"

"Damn! At this rate... naval battle is difficult. The moment we retreat east, our continental advance becomes bubbles."

"So land battle is the only answer. Must maximize army strengthening with reparations from Qing."

Second conclusion: Difficult to gain war advantage through fleet decisive battle.