On September 8, QinTian and his forces were less than fifty kilometers from Warsaw. An infantry division of the 11th Army of the 8th Legion had advanced to a small town merely ten kilometers away, engaging in skirmishes with the stationed Russian troops.
After a brief resistance, the Russian forces retreated into the city. Clearly, the near-total destruction of the Russian Northwestern Army had left them incapable of effectively opposing the Germans. Their withdrawal from vast territories, save for Warsaw, was a desperate attempt to hold out until reinforcements arrived.
At the municipal hall in Chełm, now requisitioned by the 8th Legion, QinTian, General Hindenburg, and Major General Ludendorff conducted their affairs.
"Your Highness, the advance guard of the 11th Army has reached Warsaw and requests permission to commence an attack," reported Colonel Manstein.
"An infantry division attacking Warsaw? Do we have a chance of success?" QinTian inquired.
"Your Highness, there are at most twenty thousand Russians within the city, and their fighting spirit is notably diminished. Our infantry division should be more than capable of defeating them and capturing Warsaw," General Hindenburg confidently replied.
Although the 8th Legion's infantry division comprised only around sixteen thousand troops, their equipment was vastly superior to that of the poorly armed Russians, making the prospect of defeating twenty thousand Russians a reasonable expectation.
QinTian nodded, "So, shall we take Warsaw?"
"Your Highness, the General Staff believes that holding Warsaw would be more advantageous than capturing it," Major General Ludendorff stated.
"Oh? What plan does the General Staff propose?" QinTian asked.
"General Hoffmann, please present the operational plan submitted by the Operations Department to His Highness," Ludendorff instructed.
"Yes, Chief of Staff," Brigadier General Hoffmann stood up.
"Your Highness, our primary objective in the Kingdom of Poland is to secure its territory. The real threat comes from the Russian 9th Army and the 2nd Guards Army. The remnants of the Northwestern Army within Warsaw are no longer a concern. We need only leave a regiment to guard against them. Our main forces will engage the two Russian armies," Hoffmann explained.
"Given Warsaw's status as the capital of Poland, it is inevitable that the 9th Army and the 2nd Guards Army will attempt to reinforce it. We shall use Warsaw as bait to lure them into a trap," he continued.
QinTian understood the strategy; it was a plan to surround the enemy and cut off reinforcements. This was indeed a sound approach. To conquer the Kingdom of Poland, defeating the two Russian armies arriving to rescue the Northwestern Army was essential. Once they were vanquished, capturing Warsaw would be akin to plucking a ripe peach.
"Agreed. This strategy is feasible. However, I have one stipulation," QinTian remarked.
"What is your stipulation, Your Highness?" Ludendorff inquired.
"The two Russian armies must not simply be defeated; they must be encircled and annihilated. We cannot afford to leave any remnants. With Russia's vast population and military, if we wish to truly conquer them, we must eradicate their fighting forces," QinTian insisted.
"Understood, Your Highness. We will do our utmost," Ludendorff assured.
"What does the detailed battle plan entail?" QinTian pressed.
"Your Highness, the 9th Army has reached Lublin, while the 2nd Guards Army is stationed at Białystok. Lublin is approximately one hundred twenty kilometers from Warsaw, and Białystok is about one hundred fifty kilometers away. Our plan is to wait until these two armies approach Warsaw, then launch an encirclement attack on one. The 8th Armored Division will serve as the vanguard, capable of swiftly breaching their defenses, allowing our infantry to follow up and decisively crush them. After dispatching one army, we shall turn our attention to the other. Our logistical capabilities, utilizing numerous trucks, will far outpace the Russians, preventing their escape," Hoffmann detailed.
The tactics employed by the 8th Legion were straightforward, yet backed by overwhelming strength, even simple strategies had a high likelihood of success. Thus far, no Russian force had withstood the 8th Armored Division's assaults. They could easily shatter Russian defenses and pave the way for subsequent infantry attacks, potentially crushing the enemy entirely.
"Attack the closer army when the time comes, but we must prevent the other from coming to their aid," QinTian commanded.
"Understood, Your Highness," nodded Ludendorff and the others.
In engagements against the Russians, the German army rarely relied on intricate tactics; their overwhelming strength typically sufficed to crush the enemy. However, against the armies of England and France, a more cautious approach was warranted. Although the firepower of the 8th Legion surpassed that of the Allied forces, other German units lacked such a decisive advantage.
Despite being one of the great powers, the Russian army's combat effectiveness was notably weak. Their status stemmed largely from their sheer numbers, instilling fear in other nations.
Once the 8th Legion adopted the strategy of surrounding the enemy to cut off reinforcements, they besieged Warsaw without immediate assault. Aside from the infantry division of the 11th Army, other units paused their advance toward the city, focusing instead on reorganization. A substantial influx of supplies from Germany was transported along the roads, preparing them for the impending confrontation.
Meanwhile, the 9th Army and the 2nd Guards Army continued their march toward Warsaw, albeit with increased caution and a significantly slowed pace, advancing no more than twenty to thirty kilometers per day. Thus, their arrival in Warsaw would require nearly another week.
The Germans, dissatisfied with the Russians' sluggish progress, began to simulate attacks on Warsaw to hasten their advance.