As the war entered its full phase, the fronts where the Anglo-French alliance and Russia clashed gradually began to solidify.
First and foremost was the Black Sea theater centered around the Crimean Peninsula.
It was where I was stationed—and where the main forces of both sides were concentrated, locked in suffocating, relentless engagements.
It would not be an exaggeration to say that whoever prevailed here would decide the outcome of the war.
Next came the Sea of Azov and the Caucasus fronts.
In the Caucasus, Russian forces were on the offensive while the Ottomans had entrenched themselves in defense—but no one had ever expected an Ottoman victory there to begin with.
Frankly speaking, from our perspective, even if the Ottomans were defeated, it would not change the overall course of the war.
As long as they kept Russia occupied, that was enough.
In the Sea of Azov, the Royal Navy—having already devastated Black Sea ports—simply moved over and repeated the same operation.
The key objective was to prevent the stockpiled food and supplies in Azov ports from reaching Russian forces.
If we could seize those supplies for ourselves, all the better—but the Russians were not fools.
They had prepared thoroughly, determined to prevent any landing at all costs. In the end, we limited ourselves to destroying the ports and withdrew.
Even so, the damage dealt to Russia was already significant—and preparations for the next front, which would deliver an even greater blow, were steadily progressing.
"Your Highness, as previously reported, the Baltic Fleet is fully prepared. Helsinki has already been subdued, and in the White Sea, our ships are bombarding every position they can reach."
"They must be losing their wits by now. What of Saint Petersburg?"
"They're defending it desperately, as expected of their capital. But we should soon receive a reply from Prussia. If they join us, advancing on the capital will no longer be out of reach."
"With matters proceeding smoothly with Field Marshall FitzRoy as well, the situation couldn't be better. Still, this is precisely when discipline must not slacken. Though I suppose you understand that far better than a novice like me, Admiral."
"Haha, not at all. From what I've seen, Your Highness, your grasp of the broader picture surpasses even mine. Had you entered the service, you might well have been remembered as a great general."
Not a chance.
The only reason I could play the part of a cool-headed strategist here was because I knew how the Crimean War had unfolded in the original timeline.
The details differed, and the timing wasn't identical—but the overall flow remained similar enough that I could offer the occasional nudge.
Ask me to actually devise full strategies, though, and my mind would go blank.
Better to remain a professional backseat strategist—stepping in only at the right moments.
Push too far, and I might expose the limits of my knowledge—and that would tarnish the image I'd carefully built.
"If anything, I've been reflecting on whether I've overstepped with my interference."
"When the results are good, what's the problem? That reminds me—the Field Marshall mentioned that you argued the line infantry doctrine is now obsolete."
Ah, damn it.
So much for quietly stepping back—I'd dug my own grave.
"It was simply my personal assessment after observing the course of the war and hearing the medical staff's reports. You're free to dismiss it as the ramblings of a non-professional."
"Not at all. the Field Marshall said it felt like he'd been struck over the head when he heard it. He admitted that while weapons have advanced, tactics have been followed out of habit rather than reconsidered."
"I see. He only told me he would think about it."
"The military is a conservative institution. Changing doctrine is one thing—but if it turns out to be wrong, the consequences would be immense. So it's often safer to stick with proven methods, even if they're outdated. That said… even taking that into account, the current line infantry system produces far too many casualties."
So now they were all switching positions this quickly?
Well, to be fair, adaptability wasn't a bad trait.
At least it meant they were capable of reflection.
Still, with mortality among the wounded reduced to a twentieth of what it had been, their perception of me had risen to uncomfortable levels—and I had no idea where that might lead.
"But we can't simply abandon established doctrine in the middle of an ongoing war."
"True. However, using the data gathered from this war to develop new doctrine afterward should pose no problem. And this isn't just an Army issue. Even the Navy must remain vigilant. For all we know, we may simply be overwhelming the enemy with superior technology rather than employing truly effective tactics."
I hadn't intended to trigger this kind of ripple effect.
Somehow, it now sounded like I was calling for a full-scale reform of the Empire's military.
That had never been my intention.
"Setting that aside, once Sevastopol falls, Crimea will effectively be ours. What do you think—should we intensify the offensive, or continue tightening the noose as we have been?"
"It would be best to take it before winter sets in."
"Then we should accelerate the offensive."
Even with strong supply lines, winter would inevitably bring an increase in non-combat casualties due to cold and disease.
The original Crimean War had likely followed a similar pattern.
Casualties had been enormous, with a large portion coming from non-combat losses—which may have delayed Britain and France in recognizing the flaws in their doctrines.
But unlike that timeline, we weren't in such a hurry now.
"No, that's not what I mean. The ones in a hurry are them, not us. No matter how important Sevastopol is, it cannot compare to their capital."
The way to flush a rat out of a corner isn't to crawl into its hole—it's to fill it with smoke.
Humans may pride themselves on reason, but they are far from perfectly rational.
If they were, wars like this would never have started.
Admiral Nakhimov, commanding the Russian forces, was undoubtedly a capable and rational man—but above him stood an absolute ruler: the Tsar.
No matter how strongly he advocated for a defensive strategy, would the Tsar sit idle if the capital itself came under threat?
"Prussia will soon respond to our request. We can move after we see their answer—there's no need to rush."
The timing was perfect.
Right beside the Prussian king stood a young iron-blooded prodigy—one likely to deliver exactly the answer I wanted.
Maintaining an expression of calm confidence, I took a leisurely sip of the coffee that had arrived with yesterday's supplies.
Honestly, I still couldn't quite believe how things were unfolding—but one way or another, everything was proceeding according to plan.
As Russian territories along the Baltic Sea came under relentless bombardment by the Royal Navy, Prussia began to feel the shifting tide of war.
News had reached them of the massive Anglo-French landing in Crimea—and of the siege of Sevastopol.
Taken together, the situation left Russia with only one plausible path to victory.
A catastrophic defeat by the allied forces—one so severe that Russia could exploit it.
***
"Your Majesty, we have received intelligence that Austria intends to declare its participation within the month and begin mobilizing troops."
"Austria? So they've finished their calculations as well. I expected them to wait a little longer."
"It seems the situation in the Asian theater has shifted rapidly. That may have forced their hand."
Asia…
Yes, there had been reports—was it Korea? Japan?—some distant eastern state attacking Russia.
To think Russia had fallen so far as to be struck by minor powers on the fringes of Asia.
Friedrich Wilhelm IV, King of Prussia, was less concerned with whether Russia was actually losing in Asia, and more with the fact that it had been attacked at all.
Nations across Asia had eyes and ears.
If they had dared to strike Russia, it meant they were confident there would be no meaningful retaliation.
"So the self-proclaimed hegemon of Europe is now being attacked from all directions. How amusing. Then what course should we take?"
Prussia's grand strategy was clear:
National interest above all else.
Everything else was irrelevant.
From that perspective, there were only two options.
Remain neutral, conserve strength, and quietly reap benefits after the war.
Or side with Britain, strike Russia, and seize advantages directly.
If Russia held out well, neutrality would prevail. If not, intervention would be the wiser choice.
The time to decide was fast approaching.
Enter too late, and participation would be meaningless. At minimum, they would need to act in step with Austria.
Otherwise, they would settle for issuing statements favoring Britain while condemning Russia in words alone.
But as news from Asia arrived, Friedrich Wilhelm IV found himself increasingly inclined toward intervention.
In no small part due to the influence of a young Junker who had been studying developments in London—Otto von Bismarck.
"Your Majesty, Britain already moves through the Baltic as if it were their own backyard. In other words, if we assist them, advancing to Saint Petersburg would be entirely feasible."
"So you propose not merely intervention—but striking Russia's capital?"
"Yes. This is not Napoleon's time. We hold naval supremacy—and not just us, but Austria is preparing to join as well. Russia's main forces are tied down in Crimea. The risks to us would be minimal."
"…Indeed."
"The fiercest fighting may be in Crimea, but striking the enemy's capital would earn us a decisive share of the credit. We achieve maximum gain at minimal cost. And in the postwar negotiations, Prussia—having dealt such a blow—would naturally command significant influence."
After listening to Bismarck's speech, the king made his decision.
He rather liked this young Junker.
That was why he had granted him rapid promotion upon the recommendation of the British ambassador.
Burning patriotism, bold speech, and unconventional thinking—
To the king, this young man seemed fully capable of supporting Prussia's future.
"Very well. I share your view. Summon the British ambassador at once. War is one matter—negotiation another. We must carefully align our interests. I intend to entrust that role to you. Are you up to it?"
"Yes! If entrusted with this task, I will stake my life to see it done."
"No need to stake your life—just do it well."
Bismarck had described this war as Britain asserting itself as the world's foremost superpower by pushing Russia aside.
What mattered was not the war itself, but the world that would emerge afterward.
For Prussia to become the leading power of the German states—
And to be recognized as a great power on par with France or Austria—
They chose to take a decisive step forward.