Portuguese Timor is the second colony upied by the Kingdom of Portugal in East Asia, and one of Portugal''s crucial strongholds in Asia.


    The currt poption of Portuguese Timor is over 350,000. Ny perct are indigous peoples, three perct are other foreign ethnic groups, and less than sev perct are  immigrants from Portugal and Europe.


    Portuguese Timor is a small colony with a small poption, with just over 0,000  residts.


    However, Portuguese Timor''s economic value is high. Although the Nethends gradually upied more than half of the territory, which is the western region of East Timor Ind, Portugal still retained itsnd on the eastern part of East Timor Ind.


    More importantly, Portuguese Timor, despite only ,000 square kilometers, contains substantial mineral resources, including gold, manganese, chromium, tin, and copper. The nearby Timor Sea also boasts abundant resources of petroleum and natural gas.


    Although not many mineral resources have be discovered, Portuguese Timor is a crucial stepping stone for Austrsia, allowing it to control the ctral zone of the Dutch East Indies.


    If Austrsia can control Portuguese Timor, it would have the ability to turn the tire Timor Sea into its ind sea.


    Moreover, with Portuguese Timor, it can maintain some control over the western part of Timor Ind, which is Java Ind.


    Ever since the two kingdoms dered war on each other, this war has attracted some atttion among Europeans.


    Unexpectedly, what was initially merely diplomatic conflict escted into warfare betwe two nations.


    This can only be attributed to Austrsia''s firm stance and Portugal''s refusal to back down.


    Major European countries have expressed concern about this war, but in these chaotic times, Europeans are ustomed to war and gerally unfazed by it.


    At prest, Portugal has three colonies in Asia, located in East Asia, Southeast Asia, and India.


    But these three colonies sharemon features- small in size and poption, therefore it is impossible to have arge garrison.


    This led to the fact that the total garrisons in all Portuguese colonies in Asia are merely over 3,000 in size.


    Holding off the onught from the Austrsian army with just over 3,000 individuals is virtually impossible.


    Of course, Alfonso I is not relying on these 3,000 individuals to win the war. Reinforcemts from Portugal maind are already moving. The fastest ones will arrive in no more than a month.


    Ev before the war started, the Ministry of Defse had detailed ns. Austrsia will deploy at least 50,000 individuals, with ,000 as the vanguard, responsible for swiftly upying Portugal''s colony in Southeast Asia - Timor.


    The remaining 40,000 will be divided into two parts: a portion will act as the main force and willnd on Portugal''s other Asian colonies after the vanguard sessfully takes over Timor.


    The remaining reserve force will temporarily stay in Austrsia in a state ofbat readiness. On one hand, it can prevt possible emyndings in Austrsia. On the other hand, as a reserve force, it can support the frontline in emergcies.


    Of course, capturing Portuguese Timor rapidly and th leveraging it as a stepping stone fornding in Portugal''s other colonies in East Asia and India is critical.


    After losing three colonies sessively, the Portuguese governmt will have to consider the repercussions of continuing the war.


    On August 8, 907, at 4 pm, at Marlborough Port.


    After the Austrsian Governmt dered war on Portugal, the First Defse Division was prepared to take a transport ship for a beachnding on East Timor Ind.


    Brigadier Geral of the First Division is Silvio Lonnie Rodlin, apettmander who advocates offsive firepower.


    However, at this point, Silvio Lonnie Rodlin looked somewhat hesitant, his resolute face clouded with concern.


    Of course, Silvio Lonnie Rodlin was neither fretting over defeating the Kingdom of Portugal nor fearing the immint war.


    What troubled Silvio Lonnie Rodlin was actually Arthur''s order to minimize casualties as much as possible and curtail Portugal''s vitality in Timor, including Portuguese influce.


    Weaking Portugal''s vitality is straightforward, isn''t it about killing as many Portuguese soldiers as possible?


    Casuallties among soldiers can be reduced with careful nning. This can be achieved byying down heavy fire beforeunching an attack, trading increased firepower to hance the survival rate of soldiers, and minimize casualties.


    But how can they curtail Portuguese influce in Timor? They couldn''t possibly ughter Portuguese civilians in Timor, could they? Although doing so can weak Portuguese influce, Austrsia would th be perceived as the viin in this war.


    Turning a supported war into a condemned one is a losing proposition from any perspective.


    Shaking his head slightly, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin decided to temporarily set his worries aside and conctrate on capturing Portuguese Timor first.


    Unless it is a national emergcy, Arthur''s Guard Division is unlikely to be deployed to war.


    It represts Arthur''sst card, and it is also currtly the best-equipped and best-trained army in Austrsia.


    This is why the First Defse Division gets to be the vanguard. Apart from the Guard Division, the First is Austrsia''s oldest, most trained unit, whosebat capabilities are on par with Germany''s elite soldiers.


    To uphold the tradition of prioritizing firepower, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin ordered all artillerym to bring more than double their ammunition. He also requested assistance from the navy.


    Marlborough is a small port city in eastern Quend State, an ideal boarding location for thending party due to its small scale.


    Launching an operation under the watchful gaze of a metropolis like Sydney would inevitably alert the Portuguese ahead of time.


    Although it would not significantly affect the war''syout, the prepared Portuguese would definitely inflict more casualties on the Austrsian Army.


    The distance from Marlborough to Portuguese Timor is not short; ev if the fleet travels at full speed, it would take at least several hours.


    This has resulted in the fleet nearing Portuguese Timor at a six in the morning before the break of dawn.


    On top of this, it is currtly the winter season in the Southern Hemisphere. Although Portuguese Timor is not too cold, the dim predawn light provides the perfect opportunity for a sneak attack.


    The soldiers of the First Division have had a long rest on the transport ship, and although the quality of sleep may not be the best, they are full of anticipation.


    "Action!"manded Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin, and the soldiers of the First Division promptly disembarked from the transport ship in small boats, making a beachnding.


    At six in the morning, East Timor Ind was still pitch dark. Ev wh all the soldiers of the First Division had sessfullynded on East Timor Ind, daylight was just about to break.


    The real reason the First Division countered no resistance, in fact, is because thending site they chose was located in the Dutch-controlled area.


    The Portuguese may have be prepared, forcing security measures along the coast. But who would have expected that Austrsia''snding site would be in the Dutch-controlled area?


    The Nethends is differt from Portugal; it has numerous colonies throughout Southeast Asia, and the Dutch East Indies consist of manyrge and small inds.


    This has created an obvious problem for the Nethends. They simply cannot fully control the Dutch East Indies, giv their size.


    Many of the smaller inds and dested regions within the Dutch East Indies are significantly beyond their control.


    Although the west side of East Timor Ind was acquired throughpetition betwe the Nethends and Portugal, the Dutch''s main atttion on the ind is focussed on the city in the west.


    Afternding in the middle of East Timor Ind, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin issued forthwith an order for all soldiers to march eastward, aimed straight for Dili, the capital of Portuguese Timor.


    Portuguese Timor is home to more than twty thousand Portuguese. The vast majority reside in Dili, the capital of Portuguese Timor.


    Which means, controlling Dili is tantamount to controlling the tirety of Portuguese Timor.


    Of course, to guard the most important and only city in Portuguese Timor, there is a Portuguese garrison nearby of about one thousand soldiers, and approximately two thousand indigous soldiers.


    Hce, as the soldiers of the First Division drew near to Dili, they countered this peculiar sight.


    Defsive fortifications of a certain scale had already be built a Dili, including long stretches of trches and positions.


    Under the supervision of a few Portuguese soldiers, many indigous peoples were working there. It could be se that the vast majority of these fortifications were built by the indigous peoples.


    At dawn, the figures of a majority of the Portuguese troops wer''t clear. But they were probably still resting. After all, who would have thought that the Austrsian Army would arrive at Dili on the second day after proiming war?


    Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin immediately instructed his soldiers to halt their advance and conceal their presce, th ordered all the artillerym to set up temporary positions to bombard the Portuguese and indigous peoples in front.


    Perhaps due to the fatigue of not sleeping all night, the atttion of the Portuguese soldiers was focused on the indigous peoples. The soldiers asionally interchanged phrases, and thshed out at the indigous peoples nearby.


    The indigous peoples had it ev worse. Any slight pause in their actions would be met with the ruthless shouts of the Portuguese and evshes, making it impossible for them to be alert ough to detect the presce of the Austrsian soldiers.


    Moreover, since daylight had notpletely brok, the First Division was giv yet anotheryer of protection. Ev wh the artillery''s makeshift positions were set up, the Portuguese failed to detect anything amiss.


    Receiving the artillerym''s report, Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin nodded in satisfaction. He eyeing the Portuguese hundreds of meters away coldly andmanded, "All artillery units, aim at the emy on the position, indiscriminate bombardmt!"


    What Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin referred to as indiscriminate bombardmt was in fact area bombing.


    This method was highly reliant on the consumption of shells, which in turn burned through military expses.N?v(el)B\\jnn


    But for the rather extravagant Austrsians, trading ammunition expditure to reduce personnel casualties was a win-win deal.


    The First Division was equipped with the CA Machine Gun, the M897 type mm field gun, and the GA906 Model 5mm Semi-Automatic Cannon.


    Themon feature of these three guns was their semi-automatic artillery technology.


    Although this would also increase the consumption of shells, the boost to firepower was substantial.


    By virtue of these three semi-automatic guns, and the extra shells the artillerym were to carry as instructed by Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin.


    One of the reasons why Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin wasn''t worried about logistics consumption was Arthur''s promise.


    Arthur had specially instructed Geral Silvio Lonnie Rodlin before the army set off; to fight freely without having to worry about logistical costs.


    Because military factories had already produced arge number of spare bullets and ammunition and the Austrsian fleet would quickly deliver these supplies to the frontline.