The smoke from too many spent cigarettes hangs heavy in the dimly lit War-room.
Weak beams of light timidly push their way into the heavy air through weather battered wooden shutters.
The great deal of written reports, reconnaissance photographs and orders of Battles that have been scrutinized over and over through the too long night, is finally resting on the large, thick, wooden table.
While the men that worked them are catching some well deserved rest, the papers too lie finally alone -stained, scribbled, crumpled.
But it was worth.
The situation IS dire...
The thin line of men and machines courageously screening the Alps from the German "ally" is simply too thin.
Even accounting for the terrain, so suitable for a defensive stance.
Even accounting for the trench-works and fortifications present and newer ones being built.
Even the pride of the troops standing tall on the friendly, familiar mountaintops.
And even all the money spent on researching the most advanced weapons, war machines and specialized training.
The dozens of the newest fighters, with their daily overflying of the borders.
The entire industrial might of one nation is hellbent production...
but it's still simply not enough.
But something can be done.
As those in command are getting whatever sleep they can, others are running.
Via cars, trains, planes- some are even riding horses and old squeaking bikes.
The last cool hours of the summer's morning are giving up to the ferocious sun that has been hammering Italy since half June.
...
Orders that take weeks to be carried out, bureaucratic inertia slowing down the simplest operations, uselessly redundant chains of command.
And worse.
Nepotism, old- surpassed- military beliefs, favors, blind stupidity and corruption have been the real plague of Italy's Army for far too long.
That much was finally found and corrected.
Through the long night the entire army was virtually demolished and rebuilt.
Painstakingly careful to details and with razor-sharp decisions those few good men in command finally got rid of the last vestigial remains of the Imperialistic War School that for too long truly ruled the fields demanding the sacrifice of too many in the first World War.
The messages dispatched to the all-too-many HQ's scattered in and around the country started very simply- "Welcome to the new Italian Army"- and just as simply went on.
Mutilating useless branches, relocating efficient commanders where they were needed and removing those too old or too stupid to fight in a modern conflict.
Sure, there will be those refusing- screaming, a good deal of feet-stomping and delusional threats.
Ubi Major, Minor Cessat.(Before the big problems, the small ones are forgotten.)
Either things starts being fluid, direct, functional and truly reactive- or it's simply better and more efficient to simply surrender and be crushed.
So be it. Time to step up.
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All of this just to confirm I am indeed still working on this. And last night, although I was so tired I went to bed REALLY early, was quite proficient.
Thanks to this ART- Army Restructuring Tool (a free tool to more easily set up Army, Corps, Divisions etc.etc.) I found out how BADLY I mangled my own army with stupid choices.
While it could have worked nevertheless, I do prefer try and make things efficient.
In this way I found out some good commanders forgotten that could replace old farts with no margin of improvement, drastically improved ways of assigning armies to specific setups...
It was necessary.
No pictures for today but tonight I will try to put something up.
I love this AAR and I want to see it done. Right.
Thank you all for your time and patience.
