Reincarnated as Napoleon II-Chapter 190: The Modern Warfare

South of Klagenfurt, Carinthia

March 21st, 1836.

French forward elements had already settled into position during the night. Infantry lay behind ridgelines and tree cover, spread out across the southern approaches to Klagenfurt. No fires. No unnecessary movement. Orders had been passed quietly, unit by unit, until the entire line understood what would happen next.

But nothing moved yet.

The colonel stood near an observation point carved into a shallow rise overlooking the valley. Beside him, a group of artillery officers studied the terrain again, not for the first time.

"The slope isn’t clean," one of them said, pointing toward the city. "Too much obstruction. Buildings, trees, elevation breaks."

Another officer adjusted his glass.

"If we fire from here, the shells will hit the outer line, not the interior."

The colonel listened without interrupting.

"And the alternate position?" he asked.

The officer turned slightly and gestured to the west.

"There’s a higher ridge about a kilometer out. Less obstruction. Better angle into the city."

The colonel nodded.

"How long to move?"

"Two hours to reposition all batteries. Maybe more depending on the road."

The colonel looked back toward Klagenfurt.

From this distance, the Austrian positions were visible. Infantry lines stretched across the outer approaches. Guns were placed behind them. Movement continued inside the city—reinforcements, supply, preparation.

"They’re ready," the captain beside him said.

"Yes," the colonel replied. "So we don’t rush it."

He turned.

"Move the artillery."

***

The delay was not visible to the Austrians.

From their perspective, the French line remained still.

Inside Klagenfurt, the Austrian command had already committed everything to the defense.

Infantry filled the outer lines. Reserve units were placed deeper within the city. Artillery had been aligned along the southern approaches, covering the roads and expected avenues of attack. Cavalry units were held further back, ready to respond where needed.

The general commanding the defense stood near the edge of the city, looking out toward the southern ridges.

"They’re not moving," one of his officers said.

"They will," the general replied.

"When?"

The general did not answer immediately.

"They’re waiting for something," he said.

***

Two kilometers to the west, French artillery batteries were being repositioned.

Guns were dragged into place along a higher ridge that overlooked the city at a cleaner angle. Engineers worked quickly, clearing minor obstructions, leveling ground where needed, ensuring the guns would hold steady once firing began.

Shells were brought forward in organized stacks.

Each marked.

Each accounted for.

A French artillery officer stood over a set of calculations, checking elevation, range, and trajectory based on the new position.

"This will give us interior reach," he said. "Not just the outer line."

The colonel stepped up beside him.

"Confirm."

The officer nodded.

"We’ll hit their guns, their reserves, and anything moving inside the city."

The colonel looked toward Klagenfurt again.

"Then we start with that."

***

By late morning, everything was in place.

Infantry held position along the southern line, waiting.

Piedmontese units had moved into the flanks, spreading outward to prevent Austrian movement beyond the main defensive arc.

The artillery was ready.

The colonel raised his hand slightly.

"Begin."

***

The first guns fired.

A sustained concussion that spread across the valley as multiple batteries opened in sequence.

155mm shells left the barrels in controlled intervals, each one carrying enough force to break more than just a point of impact.

They crossed the distance in seconds.

Then struck.

The first impacts landed inside the city.

Inside, buildings near the defensive positions took the first hits. Stone fractured. Roofs collapsed inward. The shock of the explosions carried through the streets, disorienting units that had expected to absorb the first impact at the perimeter.

***

"They’re hitting inside," an Austrian officer said, looking toward the rising smoke.

The general’s expression tightened.

"Adjust the guns," he ordered. "Return fire."

But the French artillery did not stop.

The second volley came in tighter.

Shells landed along the artillery lines behind the Austrian infantry. One battery was struck directly, the explosion tearing through both gun and crew. Nearby units shifted, trying to reposition, but the next volley landed before they could complete the movement.

The effect spread.

Where the Austrians had concentrated their forces to hold the line, the bombardment now punished that density.

***

On the French side, the artillery officer watched through his glass.

"Correction holding," he said. "Maintain."

The colonel nodded.

"Continue."

The bombardment lasted longer than any previous engagement.

Each volley adjusted slightly, walking fire across the Austrian positions—outer line, artillery, interior movement routes. No single point was targeted repeatedly. The entire defensive structure was disrupted in sequence.

Inside Klagenfurt, coordination began to break.

Orders were still given.

Units still attempted to hold.

But the pressure came from multiple directions now, and it did not stop long enough for them to recover.

"Advance," the colonel ordered.

French infantry began to move.

Units advanced through the southern approaches, using the terrain where possible, keeping spacing as they moved forward. Rifle fire began as they reached effective range, targeting visible positions along the Austrian line.

Machine guns were brought forward shortly after.

Set low.

Aligned across the outer defensive positions.

When they opened, the effect was immediate.

Austrian infantry attempting to reform under artillery pressure found themselves pinned by sustained fire. Movement slowed. Then stopped entirely in certain sections.

"They’re holding the line," a lieutenant said.

"For now," the captain replied.

***

Inside the Austrian command position, the situation was becoming clear.

"They’re not just breaking the front," one officer said. "They’re breaking everything behind it."

The general looked out toward the smoke rising from within the city.

"Hold the line," he said.

"We are holding," the officer replied. "But we’re losing cohesion."

The general turned.

"We don’t fall back," he said. "Not here."

***

The French continued forward.

Step by step.

The artillery shifted again, now targeting deeper sections of the city to prevent reinforcement from stabilizing the outer line. Infantry closed the distance, pushing into the edges of the Austrian defenses.

The line began to bend.

Then sections of it gave.

***

By late afternoon, the southern defensive line of Klagenfurt had fractured.

French units had begun entering the outer parts of the city, moving through broken streets and partially collapsed structures. The fighting shifted from open engagement to controlled urban movement, clearing sections while maintaining pressure on the remaining Austrian positions.

The Austrians did not collapse.

They held where they could.

But the structure of their defense was no longer intact.

***

The colonel stood at the edge of the city as the sun began to drop.

"They committed everything here," the captain said beside him.

"Yes."

"And we’re breaking it."

The colonel did not respond immediately.

He looked ahead, toward the deeper sections of Klagenfurt where fighting still continued.

"This is the last stand they chose," he said.

The captain nodded.

"And if this fails?"

The colonel’s gaze did not shift.

"Then the war ends."