As Gastonne was shaking his head, Kishar spoke “By international war law 1002 any third party to interrupt a battle can and will be considered a war criminal. Even if it's royalty. Thankfully outside me and my army no one knows you did break that law. “

“Ahh blackmail. Great.” 

I won't even ask why  Looking at Leo he thought that beast is probably useful to them

Then Granbell said “Then cant Leo kill them all and we are finished?”

“Impossible, i can use Shadow bind once a month and even then the radius of my attack wouldn't be near enough for a one hundred thousand army.” Leo answered

“I see, then.. Why do you need us General?”

Kishar returned to his original place “I'm interested. In you, him and her. Besides the fact that Leo can't use Shadow bind doesn't mean our enemies won't be terrified by him. Simply put, the presence of you four greatly boosts our chances for success. Besides, it's better here than Regalla. That is what I can promise you.”

“In other words all and any manpower is needed right now” As Granbell said that kishar smiled

Granbell sighed and crossed his army looking down at the map on the table “Fine then, k+lets develop a strategy” How can fifty thousand do anything to one hundred and thirty thousand?

“The strategy is clear, attri-”

“No, that would be suicidal. It clearly did not work up to this point so we can not continue that way.” Granbell stopped kishar

Attrition warfare my ass thats not victory thats just waiting for death

“Im the general here right?” Kishar added

“You are, and im a prince.”

“A prince sent to Regalla hah.”

Whats  with them and regalla? Why is it so weird to everyone?

“Then kishar how about this” Attaritus started “Lets vote, currently in this tent have gathered the men of highest position. SO let us vote. A new strategy or attrition warfare.”  As kishar had a couple of officers behind him three to be exact he was sure he could win the vote “Alright then… Everyone who is for Change of strategy shall raise his hand” He said closing his eyes “And everyone who wants the continuation of attrition warfare get behind me.”

As he opened his eyes he saw Eliyenne raised the hand, Attaritus raised, Thargad raised, Granbell raised, Cromwell siblings raised. And Gastonne raised the hand.

“Its nine against two.” As he said that Kishar turned around to see two of his men raised the hands and stepped right a bit

“Traitors…. Fine, fine you win. Albeit when Roland”

“Fuck Roland.” Attaritus said making everyone be quiet again

No even without attrition warfare what can we do?

Fifty thousand who are starved and without morale, if we attacked them head onwards it would again be suicide

“Alright then ill prepare the men for recapture”

“No.” Granbell answered to Attaritus as he wanted to leave to prepare the men

“No? What do you mean we voted-”

“We voted for the development of a new strategy that will get us to victory, not hell. So use your heads and think, or are your brains simply used for decoration?” Granbell was harsh with his words but effective 

“Then what do you think bro? What should we do” Thargad asked

This map is weird, or do I simply not know how to read maps?

This is my first time seeing one in real life.. Fantasy life? Both.. 

To the west of the map is a lake with words above it of Jarico, if i'm right Jarico the enemy’s name? So kingdom of Jarico is west of us. 

What are those red dots for?

As he was looking at the map there was a clear borderline between Jarico and Rose. The river, a little downwards from the river were plain lands and finally forests

“Can someone point our direct location on the map?”

As he said that Kishar pointed at the forests right below the plain mountains and above it were seven red dots going towards some sort of square facing the river

From the square city two dots were seen downard then they were split into two different directions and then there was an eighth in middle of the four and downwards from the two

“Whats this?” Is that a city? Then the red dots could be

“It's the port city, Saint Jeraint, we lost at the beginning of the war two years ago. Actually the besieging of it was the start of the war. Shouldn't you know this though”

“Pah i had far more important business!”

“Right..”

“So the red dots are their supply line encampments?”

“If youre thinking about attacking them, give up its impossible. The map is not the best at showing the actual terrain. They are heavily guarded by guards and forest” He showed on the red dot between all of them the eight one

“This one has a forest from three sides and a waterfall from behind on which they built a fort. Its two sides camp with one being down from the waterfall and second above around the waterfall. It was natural but now it's even a man made fortress.” 

“So that's the main camp, the one most of the food goes to. The one where their injured go to for a moment of silence and peacefulness. What about the four around it?”

Kishar moved his finger to the left of the middle dot towards the most left and closest to them camp “Close to the Cray river which is now heavily guarded due to it being conquered two days ago. And the one behind it is close to passage jeroint bearing the same name as the port city of Saint Jeroint.”

“Then the Cray river is the one making the waterfall as well?”

“Yes that is right.”

“And they drink from it right?”

“Well probably.”

Hm. My gaming mind tells me there is hope, “if we put our forces heavily on those two dots, they will think we are trying to retake river Cray and Jeroint passage, but instead using that distraction we are gonna take the main camp, and then the second phase begins.”

“Have you been listening bro? The whole problem is because we do not have forces to do that sort of thing yes? We barely have a fifty” Thorgason said and was stopped by Granbell raising his hand to fix his hair a bit “So we will make them, if im correct they should probably be expecting we are getting reinforcements right? tell kishar, are there any leftover swords and armors?”

“Well” He pointed his finger towards the back of the forest and a square “I'm sure the castle holds some armor. Why?”

“I want to make dummies, they will have armor and bear banners and if i'm correct you have spies in the enemy army?”

“How do you know that?”

“The supply lines” He pointed at the red dot “They should be hidden and a military secret, yet we know where they are. Unless scouts found out which i doubt” he nodded “I do have spies.. Yes”

“Bro, just tell us what are you thinking already.”

“Alright.. So” Here goes nothing… “We make dummies, and alongside or twenty thousand injured knights we post them at” He put his finger at the red dot close to river Cray “Making them think we are attacking there, as bait General kishar and Attaritus will be there. plus the spies the general has will spread rumours of a big reinforcment”

“Okay so whats next?” Thorgason continued with questions

“In the silenced night we take smaller elite garrisons, and attack” He pointed at the red dot in middle of others “Their key supply camp”

“And? They still have other supply lines” 

“Well first, food. I saw our army is not the best with it, I heard stomachs screeching and screaming on my way here. You did as well. We can rob them, second” He started tapping it “It's a waterfall connecting to river Cray, the same one our enemies drink from.”

Everyone looked at him not so pleasantly “Poison? That's unethical and cowardly” Attaritus said “Would you rather die?” Granbell answered

“”Well lets say your plan miraculously works my prince… Who says they will continue if they are even drinking from the river in the first place. And the success of taking the fort is small as well”

“That's where we twist it, see I deceived you so they will be as well. We will try to take it, but our only goal is deceiving them and turning their attention poisoning is bonus which will maybe happen.” He swiped his fingers right to the other red dots “these two, we take these two. From that position we don't even need to take the fort or other camps” He moved slowly his fingers towards the road up to the city “We can just stop it on the way with smaller elite units”

“I.. I don't see how is this plan leading us to anywhere, they will still have bunch of food in the remaining three camps, and it's a question if we can stop the supply line with smaller elite garrisons, their supply lines are well guarded when supplies are carried from one to another place, like legitimately a whole army is defending it you know?” Kishar said

“Fear.. You are trying to bring our morale up and bring their down, smaller victories can be key to achieving bigger ones. They will be tired under constant stress of being attacked, and especially if they think we have reinforcements. They will make large gaps because of fear of encirclement” Attaritus said “Yes, and food. Primarily this is to bring food to our knights but also to add on morale after constant losses. If the enemy also becomes scared it's a bonus.”

“Alright.. Then i see.” Kishar said “Well it's our only idea so nicely done trash” Leo said 

Tch not adding to the strategy in any way but must insult me. I hate this guy already

“The strategy will be implemented whenever his excellency the great Leo decides he can use magic” Granbell returned

“Oh well thank you for the complement and, ill be able to use magic within three days. But shadow bind takes far too much mana, so one month for shadow bind.”

“Alright then, the strategy will take place one month from today when Leo replenishes his mana. Until then any gaps in the strategy can be filled by the senior officers and commanders or whatever.” Granbell said looking at the officers in the tent

“Also we need to send a smaller unit to the castle to get the armor, if it's not enough go to the neighboring ones, take it from the dead if needed , and return it after the war ends.  We need at least fifty thousand armours, or some clothes representing something similar to what either the Imperial Rose or the Kingdom of Galla knights would wear.”

Kishar turned his head looking at Eliyenne “Eliyenne you will be in charge of getting the armor and clothes.”

“Yes ser.” 

“Ill go with Eliyenne.” Granbell said “She needs protection.”

“Oh I was hoping you'd stay in the base… But alright” Thorgason said

Attaritus then coughed “Then thorgason shall take three hundred men and lead them as personal bodyguards to Lady Eliyenne and His royalty Granbell.”

His yes lighted up “... Yes ser!”

Granbell smiled and looked at Leo and Leyna “You two are gonna come with me as well.”

“Thats obvious we are your bodyguards” Leyna said and Leo nodded while Gastone was looking down

“Gastonne?”

“Well..”

“Is everything alright?”

“I had a tour around the base, and the food.. I don't think the army will survive even a month.”

kishar nodded and said “It is what it is, those who survive will hopefully see better days”

“No, create smaller units of ten and start hunting, fishing also. I'm sure there is a river nearby”

“Yes river Cray is flowing close to us as well.”

“I see… Well poisoning may be a bad idea then but… For now the knights should fish there”

“Knights are far too prideful.” Kishar wanted to say but was stopped. “I don't care, that's the orders you're gonna give them and if anyone rejects they should be executed for going against the orders of superior.”

I don't care if this is tyrannical or if they are prideful, I'll ensure I'll live.  I only started my fantasy life, won't let it end so easily