The French military headquarters was in chaos; no one, including Xia Fei, had anticipated the Germans would launch an attack before the French Army, turning a planned offensive into a makeshift defensive battle.
"What is the terrain of Combray?" Xia Fei anxiously asked.
"It's hard ground, General." Kanes's eyes filled with fear, "The kind of ground suitable for tank attacks."
Following Charles' advice earlier, Kanes had identified all the hard ground defenses, and Combray was one of them. However, it was ruled out because it was within Fuxu's Northern Group Army's defense zone in northern France.
Soon, more detailed information was brought to Xia Fei:
A solid layer of chalk, an open area for miles around, with extremely flat terrain.
Xia Fei closed his eyes in frustration. He knew that such terrain through the offensive preparation period meant not just "suitable" but "perfect" for tank attacks.
