Lieutenant Colonel Huthier interrupted, "Alright, don't play with the two of you. There's no need to liven up the atmosphere now, so let's think about what to do about it! ”

Potiorek waved his hand helplessly: "Okay, Lieutenant Colonel." But as things stand, I don't think there's a need to strategize and tactically.

The main force of the rebels is like this, and it is conceivable what the miscellaneous army looks like, and it is not easy to take them to the battlefield.

Frankly, I'm not at all optimistic about this mission. Now I fully agree with His Excellency the Governor's statement that he must first learn to save his life on the battlefield.

The most important thing for us at the moment is to take command of the army, and then train this rabble briefly, at least teach them to obey orders. ”

Jokes aside, with a gang of rabble to attack Cairo, Potiorek is not so iron-headed.

The French Army in these years is still very deterrent, and no one dares to despise them.

In terms of the current strength of the rebels, let alone conquering Cairo, even if the war is burned to the Nile Delta, it is a miracle in military history.

The regular army has the fighting style of the regular army, and the rabble has the fighting style of the rabble, and they are all fledgling guys, so naturally they don't pay so much attention to it.

Strategy and tactics, for the rabble army, that is completely superfluous, simply cannot be realized.

Lieutenant Colonel Huthir nodded: "You can recognize this, it seems that my worries are unnecessary.

However, we are not completely without opportunities, and the fact that the main force of the French army cannot win does not mean that even the Egyptian colonial army cannot be defeated.

At that time, the main force of the French army will let the Mahdi and them drag it, and we will be responsible for sabotage.

I heard that Egypt was the most important cotton producing area for the French, and the destruction of these plantations was probably enough for them to suffer for a while.

If you were lucky, you could encourage the Egyptians to join in the rebellion, and the effect would have been much better.

It's really not okay, find an opportunity to blow up the Nile and artificially create a ......"

……

Compared with the casualness of Austria, the British have to pay more attention. In order to create an opportunity to meddle in the Suez Canal, the British government directly sent a military instructor corps headed by Lieutenant General Gerett.

On one side is a fledgling cadet, and on the other side is a general with rich combat experience, and normal people know how to choose.

Lieutenant General Jeret did not disappoint Mahdi and directly came up with a perfect combat plan, or at least it sounded perfect.

The high-spirited Lieutenant General Geret took the baton and put a little on the map: "This is the Nile Delta, the heart of Egypt, and the focus of the French business."

To drive out the French, you must first destroy their foundations here. Without the delta as a support, the cost of sending troops to the French would have to at least double.

For France, Egypt was at least part of their countless colonies, and the government of Paris could not afford to invest resources without limits.

As long as it hurts them and makes them realize that colonizing Egypt is a mistake, the French government will weigh the pros and cons.

With our strength, it is unrealistic to seize the delta region directly from the French.

But we also have our own advantages - the Nile.

Find a suitable place to build a dam to store water, and then blow the dam open, and the flood will drive the French away for us......"

Pure flickering, but it can't stand the top brass of the rebel army like to hear it. The temptation to drive the French out of Egypt was too great compared to the Austrians' proposed secession.

In order to fool the leader of the rebels, Geret also made a lot of efforts to supplement the knowledge of the Egyptian region.

Only then did a perfect battle plan be developed, which increased the chances of victory for the Mahdi rebels at least tenfold.

But this doesn't work, a hundred times zero is zero, let alone tenfold?

Unless something happens on the European continent, such as the destruction of Paris by the original plane, it is impossible for the French government to abandon the Suez Canal.

Half of Sudan + Egypt, with a total population of only a few million, is definitely not as strong as the Ottomans who were destroyed by the anti-Turkish alliance.

Even if the cost of war increases, where can it be increased? The Great Revolution two years ago only made the French government poor, but it does not mean that the French people have no money.

In a hurry, the French government is not unable to do the genocide. As long as the force is strong enough, the hidden dangers of the colonies are not a problem at all.

Listening to the beautiful blueprint drawn by Jerett, Mahdi was moved, but it was still not visible on the face.

For a leader, personal image is also very important. If this plan is implemented, the Egyptian people who originally supported him are likely to waver.

Some nervously asked: "General, will it be too ...... to do this?"

Geret glared at Mahdi fiercely and interrupted, "War always requires sacrifices, it can be soldiers or civilians. As long as victory can be won, these sacrifices are worthwhile. ”

There is no doubt that he saw Mahdi's true purpose. No one wants to take responsibility for this kind of command, which is destined to be criticized.

What seems to be an indecisive inquiry is actually to let Jeret take the blame. It's just that for the sake of the British Empire's plan, Geret still chooses to endure it.

There is no need to be angry with a dead man, anyway, the end of this rebel army has been doomed from the beginning.

After hesitating for a while, Mahdi said helplessly: "Okay then! In order to get rid of the enslavement of the French, they could only grieve the people in the downstream areas.

Abdullah, send someone to count the losses of the people, and when the French are driven out, we will compensate them in the future. ”

Having made this decision, Mahdi seemed to be much more relaxed all of a sudden.

……

With a "perfect" battle plan, the top brass of the rebel army was even less interested in the Austrian officer corps.

If it weren't for the fact that Huttier and others had the weapons and equipment they wanted, plus they needed the support of Austria, it is estimated that they would not even be bothered to see each other.

"General, the French are ...... powerful"

Before Huthir could finish speaking, Mahdi interrupted: "Lieutenant Colonel, we already have a perfect battle plan, for the sake of safety, it is inconvenient to disclose it, please forgive me." ”

The atmosphere in the room suddenly became awkward, and his kindness was like a donkey's liver and lungs, and he was so angry that Hudil's face was red.

If it weren't for the task, he would have brushed his sleeves away. Even so, it is now on the verge of exploding.

If you don't accept the suggestion, forget it, the latter sentence "perfect combat plan...... For the sake of safety, it is inconvenient to disclose", so he almost wrote the word "suspicion" on his face.

As soon as the words fell, Mahdi realized that he had lost his words. There are some things that can be thought about and cannot be said.

The speaker has no intention, but the listener has the intention.

The "perfect battle plan" is tantamount to saying that Hu Tier and others are incapable, and they have formulated a battle plan.

"For the sake of safety, it is inconvenient to disclose", which reveals a strong sense of distrust?

Mahdi remedied: "Your Excellency, I have no doubt about your intentions. It's just that it's a big matter, and we have to be cautious, so please forgive me. ”

With a sneer, Huttier sneered, "Of course, I fully understand what Your Excellency is doing.

This kind of thing, if you change it, no one will keep it a secret from an outsider. After all, outsiders are unreliable, what if you run to tell the French? ”

Seeing that the atmosphere was more tense, Mahdi realized the danger. He is not an ignorant novice, and he knows very well how good the French are.

This is the African continent, and the British have a limited voice, and they are simply powerless to confront the French. Without the support of Austria, it was a joke that they wanted independence.

Patiently explained: "Your Excellency has misunderstood, I have no doubt about your meaning. If you want to know, you can refer to our next military meeting. ”

He really didn't suspect that Austria would go to snitching. In Mahdi's view, the reliability of the British and Austrian representatives on this issue was higher than that of the top echelons of the rebel army.

The fact that these people were able to come here has already made clear the position of the two governments, and to informant is treason.

If the French can oppose the British and Austrian delegations, it will not be a question of African independence, but a matter of Britain, France and Austria.

The French could not accept this idea of meddling in their own internal affairs, and the British and Austrians could not accept the French arranging spies at home.

If that were to happen, Mahdi would wake up laughing in his dreams. The Great Powers did it, and the French had no time to pay attention to them.

In fact, Mahdi's reception of the British and Austrian representatives with great fanfare, in addition to military assistance, was more for his subordinates.

There have always been problems with the internal organizational structure of the rebel army, and various systems are not perfect. The bond that holds the rebel army together is primarily Mahdi's personal charisma.

This is obviously not enough, and human loyalty cannot stand the test. If something happens on the battlefield, the rebel army could collapse at any time.

If you want to reorganize the rebel army, you will not be able to do it at all in the short term, and the French will not leave them so much time.

It is very necessary to bring in foreign forces. Britain and Austria are both thick thighs, and the support of these two will undoubtedly greatly increase the confidence of their subordinates.

So far, the effect is very significant. Since the arrival of the British and Austrian delegations, the morale of the rebels has quickly stabilized.

Those who had wavered and were ready to defect to the French had now stopped their rebellion.

To be able to build an independent state, no one wants to be enslaved.

After all, the colonial rule in these years is really cruel, and in front of the colonists, they are the big people in the local area, and they may move their heads at any time.

No one wants to go on in a precarious day. Seeing hope, everyone is still willing to give it a go.

Hearing this explanation, Hutil's expression softened slightly, but he still didn't give Mahdi a good look.

"No need, General. I have no interest in your plans, and I only joined because we have a common enemy.

You have been to the European continent and should know that we have a feud with the French. We are happy to do anything that can cause trouble to the enemy. ”

There's no friendship to talk about, it's too unreliable.

After the rise of the Habsburgs, Sudan was the territory of the Ottoman Empire, and it was directly on the opposite side, so naturally there was no friendship.

Hatred brings the two sides closer together more than friendship. Anyone who knows the history of Europe knows how the "Fao-Austrian" feud came about.

The two countries have been PK for hundreds of years and are still in confrontation. Before the battle for hegemony on the European continent was completely decided, France and Austria both gave each other the motive of stabbing each other.

The rebels, who wanted to overthrow the French, were also on the opposite side of France. With a common enemy, the two sides have the conditions to get closer.

Speaking of which, Mahdi already understood Khutil's intentions, but it was within his boundaries.

Mahdi chimed in: "Yes, just to take out our common enemy."

It's just that Your Excellency, we are in a bit of trouble right now, and we need your help.

As you know, the rebel army has just been established, and its internal organizational structure has not had time to be perfected, especially the lack of enough good officers.

I know that Your Excellency is a top student of the Austrian Army University, and I would like to ask you to help train the Eighth Division, and temporarily act as the commander of the Eighth Division. ”

After a pause, Mahdi added: "The 8th Division is a new unit, and there is a bit of a lack of weapons and equipment, so it ......"

Nominally, the total number of rebel troops has exceeded 100,000, and it has also been organized into eight infantry divisions with reference to European countries, but in fact it is the first division of the Mahdi line that has really seen blood.

The rest of the troops were all composed of the rebel armies that came over one after another, and the composition was intricate.

The Eighth Division is the latest unit to be formed, and its combat effectiveness is at the bottom of all the rebel armies, and its equipment is even more of a mess.

There were more than 9,000 men in the division, and the total number of rifles was only 800. Now lost to the Austrians, even the only eight hundred rifles Mahdi is ready to be recovered.

There is no way, the rebel army is too short of weapons and equipment. It is true that Britain and Austria support him, but it is a pity that the weapons and equipment of Britain and Austria are not blown by strong winds.

Until the results are seen, both countries have very limited levels of investment.

The British provided 7,500 rifles, 300 pistols, five field guns + some ammunition, barely enough to equip an infantry division.

Austria came up with about the same aid as the British. The military aid of the two countries combined is enough for two infantry divisions, and the rest have to be figured out by themselves.

Until they prove themselves on the battlefield, it will be difficult for the rebels to receive assistance on a larger scale.

Mahdi threw the 8th Division under the command of Khutil, and in fact he was forced to be helpless, how could a unit with ten people without a gun go to the battlefield?

In Mahdi's view, the Austrian officer corps wanted to go to the battlefield because of these restless young men who wanted to prove their abilities on the battlefield and get the capital for promotion.

Since these people want to make achievements on the battlefield, they must first solve the matter of weapons and equipment of the Eighth Division.

Even if these people are all embroidered pillows and are useless on the battlefield, he can still pick up some weapons and equipment for nothing.

If the Austrians could train the 8th Division, he would only be even happier.

The Frenchman's comeback is coming, and Mahdi will not pass up any opportunity to increase the strength in his hands.

As for the troubles that need to be faced in the future, that is after the expulsion of the French. If it fails, there is no future.

"We're here to help! We can find a way to solve the problem of equipment. ”

After a little thought, Hurtier decisively agreed. Isn't it just weapons and equipment, it's all a minor problem.

Everyone has a quota in their hands, and it's just an infantry division, so they don't need many weapons at all, and it's enough to make up for it.

It is not easy to have an opportunity to practice in actual combat, and it is nothing to pay for a part of the decommissioned weapons and equipment.

……