Early August, East Prussia

"Generals, to the east of our army is a dense forest that takes days to pass through, to the west is a swamp that is completely impassable, and the Prussians sit on the hills to the north and wait for us to rush to our deaths. So, can anyone tell me what we should do next? ”

In the commander's wide tent, Marshal Apleksin Jr. pointed to the location of the Prussian army's line on the map, and asked aloud to the generals gathered around the map table.

The hill in front of the Russian army is actually not very high, the altitude will be 180 meters at most, but compared to the current position of the Russian army, there is an inclination angle of more than 5 degrees, and the inclination angle from the foot of the mountain to the top of the mountain is as high as 20 degrees. This inclination is already very laborious just walking, not to mention braving the rain of bullets to rush up, so you can imagine how carefully the Prussians would prepare a bloody feast.

"Marshal, I suggest that when the weather clears, the whole army should pass through the forest to the east, so that the Prussian line can be bypassed."

One of the elderly generals touched his chin and said.

"Hehe, do you think I don't want to wait for the weather to get better before attacking? But Her Majesty the Empress gave me an order that in mid-August I must storm under the walls of Königsberg, and there is not much time to waste! ”

"Uh... Okay"

"It seems that there is only one way to attack from the front..."

Someone sighed helplessly.

"But if you go directly to the high ground, you will definitely suffer heavy casualties, and if you don't have enough troops before you rush to Königsberg, I'm afraid it will be difficult to have enough time to take it this year."

The other retorted with great resistance.

"Hehe, the military order is like a mountain, it seems that you can only choose to attack head-on"

Marshal Apleksin Jr. frowned, his face full of weariness.

"Report! Colonel Pushkov, commander of the Izmailovsky Corps of the Guards, has an urgent need to see! ”

Just when the generals were worried, they saw the herald running into the camp.

"Call him in"

The field marshal waved his hand indifferently.

"Report Marshal! I am Colonel Pushkov of the Izmailovsky Regiment of the Guards Army, and this is my subordinate, Artillery Lieutenant Orlov! ”

Colonel Pushkov was the same Guards officer who had previously taken Peter on a tour and demonstration of the new artillery, and Orlov was also the lover of Count Orlov, who assisted Catherine in successfully usurping the throne.

"Tell me, you have something urgent to report, I'm very busy."

Marshal Apleksin Jr. glanced at the two Guards officers in green uniforms.

"Report to the marshal, Lieutenant Orlov said that he had a way to break the Prussian army!"

"Oh? Oh, well, let's hear it, Lieutenant Orlov."

The marshal apparently did not quite believe that an artillery lieutenant could have any tricks.

"Thank you, Marshal!"

Unlike the tradition of shaving that had been in place since the time of Peter the Great, the Lieutenant Orlov still had a beard and was at best a stubborn Cossack to Marshal Apleksin the Younger, who had been in the upper echelons of St. Petersburg's aristocracy for many years.

"Marshal, I find that our army is now faced with the dilemma of having to charge head-on the hill. However, I have just surveyed the terrain of this area in the morning, and found that the forests to the east are very easy to cut down trees, which can be used to make wooden boats, so that they can be used to cross the swamps on the west side and go around the left flank of the Prussians for a sneak attack."

"Hmm... Good idea, just one problem"

Marshal Apleksin Jr. pondered for a moment and asked rhetorically.

"How long will it take to build and how many ships will it take to transport tens of thousands of troops across the swamp without being discovered by the Prussians?"

"Actually, you don't have to transport all the soldiers over, I think it's enough to bring only a small number of soldiers and artillery over."

Orlov replied decisively.

"Because the Guards are equipped with new guns, the firing range is longer, the angle of fire is higher, and even within a certain range can hit the top of the mountain, just transport these new guns by boat"

"Oh, that's right"

The field marshal smiled noncommittally.

"Also, those trees can also be made into wooden carts, the difference between them and ordinary carts is that the wooden planks on the body are thicker, and they are in the shape of a bucket, which can better block the attack of bullets."

"Huh? Wooden carts? Is this what you came up with as well? ”

The generals who stayed on the sidelines and watched the joy laughed.

"Uh... No, marshal, this is what I saw during an exercise, and the other side rushed forward with artillery fire in similar wooden chariots, and as a result, rushed to the line of defense unscathed..."

Orlov did not dare to say that he saw it during the exercises presided over by Peter, after all, the Grand Duke did not have a good reputation, especially the native Russian officers, who were very disgusted with German officers and admirers of Frederick the Great.

"Wooden chariots? Hahahaha, do you think it's still ancient Roman times? Joke! ”

"No, this is a kid from a noble family playing a game, hahaha-"

The senior officers laughed again.

"Believe me, marshal, I think this plan is completely feasible! We, the Guards, are willing to move forward! ”

Orlov clenched his fists and pressed them to his chest, a sign of his absolute loyalty.

"Hmm... How long do you expect it will take to build a wooden boat and transport it to the edge of the swamp? ”

Marshal Apleksin Jr. glanced at Colonel Pushkov, who was next to Orlov, and asked with a smile.

"Three days, ah no, two days if there are enough people!"

Orlov said without hesitation.

"Then I will give you three days, today is the 4th of August, and in the early morning of the 7th of August, you must transport your wooden boat to the swamp and make sure that it can pass through the swamp, otherwise you will be the first to rush up the hill occupied by the Prussians!"

"No problem, Marshal!"

Orlov took up the task with a sonorous force.

"Hehe, don't say so sure, young man"