Strategic overview and list of current, in progress and planned works Report 4, Summertide 2506 compiled at the direction of by Brigadier General Karl Von Shrober

  General location = Area 4 starts at the former small town of Jydske (now called logistic base Jyd) overlooked by the guns of Fortress Tezew (dealt with in Report 3) and ends with the Bolgasgrad-Baiyn fortress complex.

  Current: Log Base Jyd consists of a series of food and other sundry goods warehouses, coal and wood stockpiles along with a large hospital (still under construction), crematorium (coal powered, fully operational), kitchens, bakeries, general barracks, garrison barracks, training grounds (shooting ranges mock trench and sectional fortification models) administrative offices, military courts and prison. This is all surrounded by a wet moat (outer ring), dry moat (inner ring, lined with metal tipped wooden stakes and planted with thorn bushes to impede movement) earthen berm topped with a wooden palisade, complete with fortified gates and wooden watchtowers. Outside the wet moat there were markings for further works not yet realized, however the basics were in place for immediate defensive needs.

  The original structures of the small town were used in the construction of the military base that replaced it, the inhabitants had either been evacuated (the old, young and pregnant women only) or were conscripted into the labor battalions. So you will find utilitarian barracks building replete with carved wooden eves painted in lucky colors next to sun bleached boards shrinking as they aged. There was little stone construction; however there was some use of 'concrete' in the foundations and limited underground work (mainly for sanitation where cast concrete pipes were common for water and waste/runoff) that was now becoming available.

  The line of the river leading to Fortress Choika has some completed earthen bunkers overlooking likely crossing points/high ground, artillery positions and mortar pits. The far side has been reduced in level so that flooding has occurred, any high ground removed as much as possible. There are areas of dry land and shallower marsh, however these all happen to be in range of the artillery from the various forts and artillery positions either planned or under construction. That is at where possible in the time available before the flooding and freezing cycles of the Kislev winter.

  The other planned works are marked out with surveying markers and small trenches cut in the turf marking out the lines of bunkers etc (these are mostly awaiting supplies and labor from further east) though some excavations (where troops are idle manning the limited completed works) is taking place. The lowering of the land and other works to make the approaches to the best crossing points hostile to the foe however takes priority.

  Fortress Choika was once a small town reliant on servicing the river trade from Erengrad to Pragg as well the general river trade. It has been transformed into a concrete island, set into the highest point of ground along this section of the river consisting of small hills and streams leading down to the mighty Lynsk. The former river docks have been replaced by a low slung wooden jetty set into concrete piers, into which is set several small steam cranes and in the center a small scale trackway leading back to a fortified concrete entrance to the fortresses underground areas.

  The high ground has allowed the use of reinforced concrete (made by placing iron frameworks surrounded by wooden moulds then filling concrete into the void leading to solid structures after a curing period) to replace the hard to source stone. The materials for this are sourced locally, gravel harvested from the river dredging operations (to deepen the river to shield against the foe) lime from local quarries (heated with special clays then ground to form a fine powder or clinker) gypsum obtained from the Dwarven sources and of course blessed holy water (produced en mass by groups of various priests and sanctified magic users. They also seeded the concrete with mass enchanted holy trinkets and charms against the fell powers. Though this particular mix was restricted in quantity due to the exhaustion of the people involved in making the process more than fancy words mumbled over pilgrim trash.

  This material has been used to construct thick walls set into earthen berms built around them. These fully surrounded the raised mound into which the command bunker and other hardened facilities have been constructed into. (Such as hospital and magazine/armory space) The walls are replete with musket/bow firing positions, swivel gun emplacements, carronade firing slots and light mortar positions (though only one out of three are manned or armed at present) all alongside the murder holes set into the underside of the battlements so that hot oil and flaming liquids can be poured down onto any attacking foe.

  Protecting this is a wet moat (then a small earth strip, needed so that the labor battalions can repair things) then a stake lined dry moat. There was then a wide paved road leading around the edge (to prevent entrenching and undermining efforts in case of siege) of this. The four bridging points over these defensive measures were protected on the far side by both traditional gate structures, murder holes sheer walls etc (all made of this new material) and artillery bunkers set into their bases (yet separate to preserve wall integrity) the Gatling guns and carronades placed inside them ready to spray death and destruction! Their ammunition supplied by ingenious lifting mechanisms leading to underground shell and bullet stores as well as the obligatory powder magazines. At their full possible rate of fire there is three hours currently available.

  The positions for longer ranged artillery (not installed at the time of this report) consist of embrasures in the concrete bunkers and other installations of the central mound. The cannon can fire at the foe then the force of the shot drives the gun back into the tunnel (set into the mound complete with ventilation systems for the powder smoke and fumes) via a metal trackway up a concrete slope before sliding back into position to be reloaded and readied for another shot. The crews for these weapons have quarters and storehouses for their own needs (meaning that they can live a subterranean existence for as long as the supplies hold out) both military and food based.

  There is also a concrete Airship tower with integral heliograph bound into the peak of the artificial construction below which concrete hangers for Dwarf Gyrocopters have been pre-formed (as of now they have a short squadron of three machines manned or dwarfed by a crew of six pilots and two active small airships for reconnaissance purposes) and covered underground fuel tanks (currently under final construction) This forward observation means that any attack or raid will be communicated (unless clouded by foul magic's) well in advance of impacting the defenses meaning that reinforcements can be rushed to the point of decision with time to spare!

  Outside the inner ring of fortifications and bunkers there are many warehouses, military sundry stores, grain silos, coal stores, armories, smithies, gunsmith shops, small cannon foundries/repair shops. The streets and buildings are hardened (often with firing slits, cannon embrasures, flame cannon positions set into covering positions) concealed murder pits and stinger traps (pressure sensitive paving slabs that receded from the activation of a small pressure pad just before itself to reveal poisoned metal spikes that did not cause death rather intractable infection that lingered this side of death, depending on their distance from holy purity) all designed to slow the egress of the foe into the sacred precincts of our patrimony.

  There is a rough wooden palisade around these support structures in place at present though the plans and marks are in place for more substantial works. There is a large active patrol force of winged hussars and horse archers in the areas left most vulnerable at present to provide some area protection.

  The creation of manmade marshlands and swamps on the far side of the river was first line of defense and the only one in most cases until the plan was carried further forward. From Choika the land slopes downwards towards the next major strongpoint of Bolgasgrad, though the territory is not as hard to construct viable fortifications upon as further west (it is not as marshy for a fair few imperial miles as nearer the other end of section 4) it is still presenting challenges that might need more assistance or magical interventions?

  The raised trenches, artillery positions, mortar pits and flame pipe openings are mostly completed until you reach the confluence of the northern and the southern branches of the river Lynsk where they are all completed. (Though the actual weapons and manpower to make them effective are often lacking at present) Behind this are various other potential lines of defenses marked by surveyors and awaiting time and further resources.

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  Fortress Bolgasgrad, located at the confluence of northern lynsk and southern Lynsk river fronts. Until recently the ground surrounding the old city had been a large marshland and in some cases swamps and pockets of decay and corruption. The first thing that had taken place even before the great battle was the draining of the ground around the old town (which itself was being deconstructed at the time ready for the new construction) To facilitate this a large drainage ditch/moat was constructed around the edge of the low ground, then it was linked into the various other channels used to drain the water from the area and act as part of the defensive plan for the Fortress.

  The far banks of the river Lynsk both southern and northern branches have been changed to make the most use of the marshy terrain left during the spring and autumn periods. This leaves large flooded areas permanently present. (These are preserved via rear area reservoirs to maintain water levels.) All designed to direct any potential breakthroughs to certain constrained corridors of attack, just as further west. The cover provided by the artillery and mortars is thicker here at peak rate of fire capable of laying a carpet of fire down upon the land (or so the artillerist I drank in the local army tavern told me over vodka and beer). However the levels of ammunition storage mean that this can only be sustained for short period of time before resupply from the main magazine and shell filling facility at Baiyn.

  There are also more specialist weapons, troops, available to this large garrison, such as concrete rocket firing areas and Ariel defenses in the form of bombards mounted on open turrets. There are also Gatling cannons tasked with close in attackers manned often by auxiliaries (such as women and children rendered unfit for labor or military duties.) and supplied with ammunition by others of the same units. Often these facilities were backed up by concrete lined bunkers (made possible by the drainage of the area.) linked by covered trenches or tunnels with nodal bunker and raised forts.

  The fort itself is based around the raised area at the center that made up the old town of Bolgasgrad (this has been ascribed to the Ungols or to other earlier human nomads) three sloped bastions, three gatehouses all heavily defended by cannon all faced in thick concrete slaps made on site by the labor battalions. The earth for this was thrown up by the construction of the deep dry and wet ditches that went all the way around the fort. This also linked in with the drainage ditches constructed to get rid of the swamp.

  The roads leading from the three gates were all flanked by large bunkers protected by emplaced Erengrad breech loading guns, troops and mobile defenders in this case made up of small attached groups of horse archers housed in hardened stables to the rear of these reinforced concrete constructions. They guarded access to the central area of this gargantuan complex better in some ways than the equally new but older style fortification it was emplaced to protect. One road let to a dead end as it faced the soon to overrun water logged shore line (rumors abounded that it had also been seeded with explosive underground mines made locally by the women again I am told, magical booby traps and poisoned food and drink) Though on this side the piers and road bed of a large bridge was left in place for future need.

  The Pragg road led north through the second gate into a series of dog legs guarded in turn by bunkers of the same type as earlier in the road, linked by a web of tunnels, trenches and waterways (for defense, mobile artillery and hospital platforms) This was of course after the second ring of defenses consisting of lower concrete faced walls also defended by bunkers, gun turrets and other firing positions and emplacements. The gate leading from this onto the outer positions was not as tall but still did the job of projecting stolid strength. The road then came to the last line which outside of the crossing point consisted of trenches, gun positions, earthen bunkers with various frontline services such as field hospitals, commissaries, command bunkers and armories/magazines set just back from them and ready to act as a secondary line of defense. before heading out into the dead ground outside the moat and north to Pragg. This was defended by two large self contained fortifications and a modern gate complex complete with sheet steel doors and a drawbridge to allow the quick sealing of this vital weak spot.

  The third gate lead to another (through more warehouses and the concrete roofs of various military facilities, the only kind left as the population after helping with construction had been evacuated) set into the second ring of walls, smaller mini bastions and artillery platforms that abutted the river to the south of the main fort. The only remaining bridge led from the third gate over the southern river Lynsk and linked Bolgasgrad with the log base of Baiyn. There was a wood and earth construction on the other side to protect against sudden assault.

  After the inner defenses there was the various support facilities needed that could not be squeezed into the available space under the surface of this fascinating place. This ranged from crematoriums and certain foods production facilities to artillery, heavy equipment repair areas and storage warehouses. The peaked wooded roofs of the old town had been replaced by the ventilation ducts sloped and rounded concrete walls and the snouts of ready to fire ewapons and the eyes of keen and well armed men and women.

  Bolgasgrad to Baiyn section of the frontline is complicated, consisting of both raised and entrenched fortifications and complex defense and counter offensive preparations.

  The line of the river facing the southern defenses of the fortress consists of raised trenches, redoubts backed up by mortar pits and behind that artillery positions complete with ammunition bunkers and other hardened facilities. The river was also festooned with floats attached to floating mines designed to foil any riverine attack by the foe and in winter providing a welcome (they were command detonated via cable lain on the river bottom leading to the fort to the north) to the scum!

  In progress: The Log base will (once completed) be protected by triangular bastions with carronades for close in work and larger guns with longer barrels for medium range force projection. At present the log palisade and limited cannons available still provide protection from light raids or forces while construction is ongoing.

  The fortifications leading to the mouth of the river Jydez (across from which Fortress Tezew lies) are proving harder than projected to complete due to the marshy ground, limited working period before the area become impassible due to weather and ground conditions. The solution is to construct raised trenches built into the berms (they need to be at least two men height above the local water table) This is happening, however a concentration on those limited areas of higher ground near to the river

  Fortress Choika, The outer wooden palisade is starting to be replaced with a concrete faced wall complete with squat towers protected with gun embrasures (the guns and trained men for which are not yet fully in place) The defense line further east towards Bolgasgrad has been improved by the provision by the dwarfs of large number of specialist water pumps designed to keep the works dry and enable more lasting constructions to be established before the rainy reason then the winter freeze sets in and prevents any further real progress to be made.

  Fortress Bolgasgrad, further work is taking place to move the finished artillery pieces and various other items from their sites of manufacture in the Empire, Erengrad and beyond into place as well as the men to man them.

  Bolgasgrad to Baiyn, behind the mainline rough entrenchments and bunker complexes a small gauge trackway is being constructed to supplement the river transports used for heavy items such as guns and steel beams/doors etc (as well as to provide resupply to the defenses themselves) Secondary lines of defense are also being surveyed behind this so as to provide fall back areas in case of a sudden bridgehead or frontal collapse.

  Planned

  The major four planned items not yet realized is the expansion of the heliograph network beyond central lines of communication, more airship, gyrocopter and magical beast airfields and associated support facilities (stables, meat animal pens, vetinary buildings and quarters for associated magic users) upgrading existing magical protections and detection methods (along with increasing the funding of the local secret police dedicated to the rooting out of traitors and followers of the Dark Gods) and general improvements in logistical matters and methods.