Ch444 Analysis by 蜡笔大大大象 (translated)

I came across an interesting in depth analysis of Ch444 and the upcoming Qin-Zhao war in tieba so i will do some translation here for the non-chinese readers. I will be quoting the original text in blockquotes and my translation will be right below them.

*Note: I will be referring “Kokuyou Hills” as “Black Sheep Hill”(BSH) in the translations. That is the literal translation of the name of the location of this war and it makes more sense to english readers than the Japanese name which is hard to remember and means nothing to those who do not know Japanese.

Original post in tieba: http://tieba.baidu.com/p/4015496231
Author: 蜡笔大大大象
Translated by: King Magax

第444话的一些想法，权当看看，不足请指教。

Just some opinions on Ch444. Please take a look and do give me some pointers if there are anything that isn’t up to standard.

信
看到了一望无垠的密林，整个人不好了。脸上流下了无奈的冷汗。

这是为何，
因为信还是比较擅长广阔平原上的奔袭迂回作战，
也擅长阵前对垒硬吃对手的作战。以及攻城攻坚与守城阵地作战。
却甚少有进行密林作战的经验。
在战争史上，密林作战历来是交战双方十分头疼的问题。
打个比方，
5平方公里的密林则可以隐藏成建制的部队。

作为信来说，这是没有过的战斗经验，是一次新的历练。
(毕竟未来的吞并六国的作战，地形是千般变化的）

When Shin saw the thick and never ending forest, he seems to feel uneasy and started breaking into cold sweat.

Why is this so? This is because Shin is used to fighting and riding around in plains as well as fighting in the front lines in a head to head combat against his enemies. He is also experienced in attacking/defending castles. However, he had no experience in fighting in a thick forest. Battles in thick forests had always been a headache for both sides since the beginning of history. For example, an entire establishment could be hidden within 5km square of thick forest.

For Shin, this is a new experience and a first for him. (After all, in the future unification wars, there are bound to be all kinds of terrains)

从分镜上的地图来看，秦国对于此次作战是有备而来。
地图完整，地形细节一一展现。
那为何双方都选择了黑羊这个林海，作为作战之地呢。
因为秦国总司令了解桓骑是山贼出身，善于山地作战，丛林作战，是秦将中最擅长游击作战的将军。
桓骑擅长乘敌不备，对其实施突然攻击的战法。
他通常非常喜欢选择战斗力不强，防备不严，便于袭击的驻止之敌或运动之敌，以迅速而突然的动作，速战速决，快打快撤。最典型的例子，当年的廉颇的军师就是这么命丧其手。
那这个黑羊之地就是其发挥特长之地。
密林最大的作战价值，就是其提供了无与伦比的隐蔽性，是军队侦查和反侦察，同时驻守警戒的重要难题，司令部深知这是桓骑喜欢的作战方式。再黑羊把敌人守城的有生力量消灭那是再好不过。

From this panel, we can see that Qin is fully prepared for this war with the map on the table.
The map looks complete and the details are all shown on it.
So why did both sides chose this forest as the venue of their clash?
For Qin, the commander-in-chief(SHK) understands that Kanki was a bandit who has the skills in fighting on mountains/hills as well as forests, a general who is an expert at guerrilla warfare.
Kanki is also an expert at taking advantage of enemy’s unpreparedness and attacking from where they least expect.
He usually chooses enemies who are weak in battle, least defended and easy for him to prey on. He then strikes and retreats as soon as his mission is done. A prime example how he slayed Genpo in the war against Renpa.
Therefore, Black Sheep Hill(BSH) is the perfect place for him to showcase his strengths.
The advantage of fighting in the forest is that it provides exceptional concealment for the troops and therefore it is the worst for scouting, anti-scouting as well as defense. The command HQ knows that this is Kanki’s favorite style of fighting and wants him to destroy the troops defending the area as well as the city nearby over here at BSH.

那赵国为何也选择这个地点作为攻略之地呢。
1 黑羊是城主纪慧的熟悉的地方，某种意义上来说，这个地点是纪慧的管辖范围，林海的地形作为当地土著城主纪慧自然之道其地形的要害，这是他的优势。
密林作战的关键还是对于地形情况的了解。
2 纪慧作为城主考虑的是城池的安危，对于其来说，百姓的期待希望，是城主选择这个地方作战的一个想法，让百姓远离战争之苦。那就在不毛之地来一场防御歼灭战。
同时，桓骑的军队对于百姓奸淫掳掠杀伐的恐怖名声是由来已久，如果不将其堵在某地，那是对于城市周边的生产和百姓生命是极大的破坏的。把桓骑堵在门外，那是比较好的选择。

And why did Zhao choose this as their location for the battle?

1. BSH is an area familiar to Kisui(Ji Hui) and this is in some sense, an area under the rule of Kisui. He knows the terrain at the back of his hand and this is his advantage, which is an important advantage in this battle within a thick forest.
2. As the mayor, he is concerned about the safety of his city and therefore, he chose this location for the war to prevent his people from experiencing the sufferings that the war might bring and annihilate the enemies here.

这位摩论，是桓骑账下的参谋人员，算是比较会点谋略的人物。

其他人都是武力和作战人员，当然小木子最突出，是桓骑的宠物兼信使。
壮实的雷土君的玩笑话，还是令信不满。
因为他们并不了解信身后二人真正实力。

(First pic) This guy is Maron(Mo Lun). He is Kanki’s advisor who knows some strategies of war.

(Second pic) The others are all combatants. Of course, Ogeki is the most “oustanding” of them all, being Kanki’s pet and messenger.
The buff Raido’s words seem to make Shin feel unhappy about him.
That is because he do not know the hidden skills the 2 girls behind Shin have.

、

几句话功夫，第一个分镜显示，摩伦对小姑娘比较有点吃惊的。
军师妹纸，就点题了。
对于战友黑樱君的无力，摩伦毫不避讳的制止了。
并且认可了军师妹纸的实力，在话语中给河了貂予以军师称谓的肯定。

With just a few words, the first panel shows that Maron is surprised by the little girl and started calling her “strategist” and therefore he stopped his ally, Kuroou, who knows little about strategies, from speaking. His acknowledgement of Ten’s strength gave a nod to Ten’s position as a strategist.

没有足够的把握占领黑羊防守。那援兵未到前守城还是首选。
同时，庆舍的增援未到前，纪慧并没有立马出城前往黑羊，原因无外乎，3万的兵力没有把握获胜，恒骑的名声也在外令人不寒而栗。

既然庆舍的军队到了，那7万对6万8，这场战役，城主纪慧才敢出城出发与庆舍一起前往黑羊战斗。

那么既然双方都愿意在此地来一场决战，那便成了最好的默契。

Without the confidence of defeating the enemies at BSH, the best choice would be to stay put in the castle.
At the same time, before the arrival of Keisha’s reinforcement, Kisui did not set out to BSH. The reason is because he do not have the confidence to win with just 30000 men. Moreover, Kanki’s brutalities is pretty well known.

With the arrival of Keisha’s reinforcement, a comfortable number of 70000 vs 68000(should be 58000, this is a typo by the author) gave Kisui the confidence to set off for BSH.

Since both sides are willing to fight here, it is a win-win situation.

二位妹纸虽然不满，但是定力不错，并没有发飙。

为何这次的战役要点，是山丘呢。
作战中，往往会听到一个名字占领制高点。
这个制高点，是什么？
战场里,占领制高点有几个好处。

1 从漫画分镜地图来看，在某一范围内可居高临下观察敌情，密林作战最大难处就是侦查，在山丘高地上可以很好的发现敌情，取的有利的战斗主动权，即使敌人在暗，也不怕了。
2 山丘是压制敌人的最高地形地物。只有双方进行争斗时，才会出现制高点，占有制高点的一方有制胜的把握，因为这样可以在山丘上进行自上而下的射箭防守，并且敌方向上攀爬山丘作战，等于是一场劳心劳力的攻城作战，对于敌方是不利的。
3 良好的机动性，对于敌人作战比如围山断粮断水是一场很好的牵制作用。
这里的山丘是五座，距离也并不远，如果占领后，可以作为犄角之势，便于支援友军被围的山丘，与友军里外夹击，将敌军原本包饺子围山的作战，反被自己人来了个包饺子。

所以，山丘成了密林作战的关键点。占领了山丘相当于，将敌军彻底化为被动挨打的局面。

(First panel) While the girls are unhappy(about Kuroou comment earlier), they were able to kept it in and did not voice out their unhappiness.

(Second panel) Why did they choose the hills as their objective for this war?

In war, one of the strategies is controlling the high point of the terrain.
What is this controlling of high point?
What are benefits of controlling the high points?

1. From the panel, if we can look down from a high point, we can gather intel on the enemies. This is very important in a terrain with thick vegetation. On top of a hill or high ground, it is easier to gather intel on the enemies and thus take the initiative in the war. Even if the enemies are acting in the dark, there is no fear of them.
2. Hills are the highest point in a terrain that help provide an advantage in suppressing the enemies. Only when 2 armies clash, they will start to capture these high points. The party controlling the high point has the advantage as they can fire arrows from the top to defend themselves. Enemies will also waste more energy climbing the hill, fatiguing them, putting them at a disadvantage.
3. Good mobility against enemies who plan to surround the foot of the hills, cutting the supplies for the troops on top. There are 5 hills in the area and they are not far apart from each other. When taken, the troops on another hill can  assist allies who are trapped on another hill, effectively creating a pincer attack against the enemies surrounding that hill.

Therefore, it is critical to capture these hillsl for the war as it will put the other party in a disadvantaged situation.

两个重要矛头，信是主要作战要点。
对手是马呈和刘冬。
这边的战斗对信还是比较有信心的，毕竟有熟悉密林作战的羌妹纸。

但是令楼主反而担心的是
另一个雷土队。
虽然雷土孔武有力，但是对手却是庆舍的主力部队。
五成会有险象出现，极有可能会是拖累信，是将信至于险境的不稳定因素。

(First 2 panels) From the 2 arrows on the map, Shin’s battle is the main one, against Batei(Ma Cheng) and Ryuutou(Liu Dong). I have confidence in Shin as Kyokai is familiar with fighting within the forest.

(Next 2 panels) However, I am worried about the other frontline led by Raido. While Raido is strong, his enemies will be Keisha’s main army. There is a 50% chance that he will be in danger and cause problems for Shin, a variable that might put Shin in danger.

作战闲暇之余，小木子开玩笑了。
不过看信的表情，貌似要证明处男是看过女性胸部的吧。
这个是立flag的前奏。
曾经楼主半开玩笑的说过，恒骑某天会送什么东西给信呢。
吧友坏坏的说小木子有可能成为信的下属。
当年麃公的二位手下，成了信的不可多得的人才。

信真是又拿装备，又拿经验，又拿人才，又补充部队，美的不行。
那逗比小木子加入，也是不错的选择。

(First panel) As for the the casual part of this chapter, Ogeki is the joke again. From Shin’s expression, it seems like he wants to show that a virgin like him had seen a boob before. This is a death flag. I used to jokingly ask what Kanki will give to Shin some day and some of you guys mention that Ogeki will be the gift, becoming Shin’s subordinate in the future. As we can see, Duke Hyou’s men did become one of Shin’s treasured lieutenants.

(Second panel) Shin receives equipment, experience (points), talented commanders and bolstering his unit, this is just too perfect. Having that joker Ogeki join him sounds like a pretty good choice.

偷袭在所难免，既然羌妹纸与信分兵，必然将马呈和刘冬的伏兵偷袭之计破解。
而且王者有个特点，眼神越是沉着冷静，话语越是坚定之人，往往领便当的几率甚高。

马呈的便当在所难免，虽然满脸伤疤，久经沙场，但是也改不了信在战场前的宣誓。

整个战前，桓骑的警告，却无意中对信是做了激将之法，算是整个战役的动员。
信的斗志冉冉升起，期待下一话，将马呈斩于马下。
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(First panel) There are bound to be ambushes in this terrain. Since Kyokai is leading a seperate unit, she can definitely see through and counter the ambush. There is also something common in Kingdom. When a character is calm and determined, they will usually have a high chance of dying.

(Second panel) Batei’s death is unavoidable. Despite his war scars and experience in the battlefield, he cannot prevent Shin’s declaration before the war from happening

(Third panel) Before the war, Kanki’s warning has unintentionally spurred Shin and motivated the soldiers. Shin’s motivation s rising and i look forward the the next chapter(s) where Shin will sla Batei.

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