Cannon Fire Arc Chapter 365

Chapter 365: Chapter 48: The Situation in January of 915 (Silver Alliance additional update 1/10)

Wang Zhong: “How is it, not bad, right?”

“Pretty good,” Yegorov nodded, “Actually, just breaking the tracks would satisfy me. This thing can do more than just break tracks!”

Wang Zhong: “It can also mess up the enemy's sighting system. If you hit the side, it can even penetrate a Panzer III.”

After all, this thing had a caliber of 40 millimeters.

Furthermore, one of the benefits of a machine gun: no need for precise aiming, as fate would let it hit weak spots and penetrate. As for the Panzer III that was the target, it probably caught fire that way.

Wang Zhong: “Aim at the Panzer IV, let's see how this gun performs against Prosen's current best armor protection.”

In fact, the Panzer IV they had here no longer represented Prosen's best armor protection, as better protected Panzer IVs had already appeared on the battlefield, along with various field modifications.

However, Wang Zhong didn't expect the Bofors to act as the main anti-tank force; he just wanted to see if it could penetrate the armor.

The Crusader Anti-aircraft Gun fired without a second word, creating a large cloud of dust around the Panzer IV.

After firing about 20 rounds, Wang Zhong ordered a halt to the shooting.

The Panzer IV did not catch fire.

After the target inspection, the report came through the walkie-talkie: “One tank crew member is injured, preliminary judgment is that a shrapnel flew in through the observation port and injured the crew member. Additionally, the turret race ring is jammed; we tested it, and it can't be turned. The tracks were also broken.”

Wang Zhong clapped his hands: “Good! What do you think, Yegorov, do you want it?”

“I just said I wanted it! How could I not want such a good thing?” Yegorov said.

On the battlefield, to destroy a tank, you don't actually need to reduce the enemy crew to fewer than two. Breaking tracks, jamming the race ring, basically, these are enough to make the crew abandon the vehicle.

If the driver is taken out through the observation port, the crew generally abandons the vehicle as well.

Wang Zhong remembered in Carius's autobiography “Tiger in the Mud,” during his first battle driving a 38T tank, they ended up abandoning the vehicle because a crew member was killed.

Sturmtiger tank operators are required to be competent in any position, yet they still abandoned the vehicle, because it was difficult to move the dead crew quickly on the battlefield, and the body would occupy a spot.

In such cases, the only option was to abandon the vehicle, wait until the battle was over and control of the battlefield was regained, then drag the body out, repair the vehicle, and maybe combine crew members from different vehicles to form a complete crew–thus a tank was restored to combat readiness.

Under such circumstances, a machine gun that could reliably damage the enemy tank's tracks and jam the turret race ring, or even injure an enemy crew member, played a much larger role on the battlefield than in games.

And this thing could also be used for anti-air defense.

No, its original job was anti-air defense, but not being used for that purpose seems to be the destiny of every excellent anti-aircraft gun.

After testing the Bofors on the Crusader Anti-aircraft Gun, Wang Zhong became even more excited about the twin-barreled anti-aircraft gun he planned to produce once the Bofors production line was up and running.

In the following half a month, Wang Zhong was busy non-stop.

During this time, Wang Zhong was reminded of his initial office worker life before his transmigration, with work, overtime, and more work. Had it not been for his beautiful fiancee and pretty maid awaiting him at home, Wang Zhong would have thought he had returned to Earth.

On January 29th, as soon as Wang Zhong's convoy arrived at the entrance of his estate, he saw another military vehicle approach from another road at the gate, with General Golikov waving at him energetically from it.

A moment later, Wang Zhong embraced General Golikov at the entrance of his estate.

Wang Zhong hesitated for a moment but decided not to follow Su Xunzong's example. Instead, he stepped back and asked, “Why have you come back?”

General Golikov: “The situation at the front has stabilized. I spent half a month carefully investigating the terrain at the front, preparing to launch an offensive during the enemy's southern offensive in March or April, to tie up some of the enemy's forces.”

Wang Zhong: “But fighting in fortified areas is difficult, isn't it?”

“Yes, but after reconnaissance, I found a new crossing on the Duva River. Tanks can ford the river there, and there's no enemy defense on the opposite bank. I plan to use this crossing.”

Wang Zhong: “Have you tried it? Isn't the Duva River frozen now?”

General Golikov: “Local people said they could walk across the river, so I think tanks should have no problem.”

Wang Zhong: “It's still better to investigate more thoroughly.”

He vaguely remembered that on Earth, during the first Soviet attack on Zhelefov, it was due to crossing the river that the follow-up troops couldn't keep up, and the forces that had crossed were counterattacked by the Prussian Armored Division, leading to their failure.

General Golikov: “I have a feeling the attack won't succeed, but other than attacking, there's no other way to tie down Prosen's forces. If we let Prosen concentrate its superior forces on the southern front, the situation will only get worse–we cannot lose the Kuban oil fields.”

“The Federation's support will always be constrained by transportation capacity. If they don't have to allocate resources for transporting oil, they will be able to supply us with more of other things.”

Now, every day, new Federation supplies are delivered to Ante, continuously aiding Ante like a transfusion.

However, since the war has just begun and the Federation hasn't completed the conversion of industry and mobilization, they haven't yet begun to mass-produce Liberty ships at the rate of one a day, and the constraints on transportation capacity are still quite serious.

At this point, Ludmila, coming to greet them, asked, “Is it okay to discuss military matters like this? Couldn't spies overhear?”

General Golikov: “No problem, it's like last year when everyone knew that the enemy would inevitably attack Ye Fort. That the enemy will primarily target the southern front is almost public knowledge. The question is where exactly they plan to launch the offensive.”

Wang Zhong added: “Most of the strategic issues are out in the open, laid bare for all to see; it's on the tactical level that various deceptive maneuvers are possible. But no matter where the enemy plans to attack, they have to first break through our Coastal Fortress–the Bolsk defense line, where Duke Meishikin is stationed.”

Ludmila: “Oh, that sick Duke, I met him in Shepetovka. I wonder if he's doing any better.”

Wang Zhong: “I don't know.”

Based on Wang Zhong's impression when he met with Duke Meishikin, he speculated that the Duke might have tuberculosis, which was a terminal illness at the time, and they could only extend his life.

The good news was that the Duke's symptoms were still relatively mild, possibly in the early stages, and going to a place with fresh air for recuperation might delay the time until medical science overcame this difficulty.

Now it was not clear.

Ludmila then asked, “Are you going to continue chatting in the study, or eat first?”

Wang Zhong: “I choose to eat in the study, let Nelly push it over with the cart.”

“Okay. Nelly, I'll help you prepare.”

Nelly, in addition to the expression she usually watched Wang Zhong with, said to Ludmila, “Miss, go into the kitchen, but besides the salad, don't do anything else.”

Could it be that Ludmila had the attribute of turning food into poison? Was this really so anime-like?

While secretly scoffing inwardly, Wang Zhong patted General Golikov on the shoulder, “Let's go, leave the girls to their business. I have some waffles in my room, we can fill up on them before the meal comes.”

General Golikov: “The waffles aren't important, do you have cola? They say cola is considered a luxury, and the supply we get is very limited.”

Wang Zhong: “Yes, of course I do. I've got plenty of cola here.”

“Then let's go.”

A moment later, in Wang Zhong's study, General Golikov gulped down a third of a bottle of cola in one go, and then let out a satisfied belch.

Wang Zhong asked, “Apart from cola, how's the supply of other provisions at the front?”

General Golikov: “Currently, it's not bad. Our original plan was to ration food for the workers, but Spam canned meat has changed that. The front lines are well-fed and warm now, and there's a high demand from the soldiers to go on the offensive.

“But we've just replenished with new recruits, all of whom have only undergone a few months of training. To launch an offensive with these green soldiers… ”

The General shook his head and continued drinking his cola.

Wang Zhong: “If we could get the enemy to attack, our troops could train the new recruits in defense, relying on strong positions, and the situation might be a bit better.”

But the enemy was focused on the southern line, where there was initially only one strong line of defense, and the rest were wide open plains. Units filled with many new recruits positioned in such places, fighting mostly against seasoned Prosen soldiers, would definitely suffer tremendous casualties.

“The new recruits we've currently supplemented our forces with are mostly mobilized reservists, with only a very few who are pure new recruits just out from the training camps.”

Prosen Empire, Eagle's Nest.

Chief of General Staff William Kyle reported, “Considering the current situation on the frontlines, we have already withdrawn our main combat units.

“Some of the units from the Central Army Group and the Southern Army Group that suffered particularly heavy losses have been sent to Argesukov for reorganization. The refurbishment is expected to be finished by March.”

Imperial Emperor Reinhard: “What about the replenishment of equipment?”

William von Maqi, who had been reassigned from the front to focus on supervising the Armored Troops, reported, “Production of the Panzer IV tanks with KWK40 guns has already begun. After all, it's just a modified version, so there's no need for large-scale alterations to the production line, and the workers are quite experienced.

“The problem now is that we originally produced the Panzer IV as infantry tanks, maintaining a production ratio of three to one with the Panzer III, which is mainly responsible for armored warfare.

“The production lines are the same, with three factories producing the Panzer III while only one produces the Panzer IV. To convert the Panzer III production lines to Panzer IV would require eight months of retrofitting. Right now, the production capacity of the Panzer IV is insufficient, and in fact, the Panzer III production is not sufficient either.

“Given that the war on the eastern front might turn into a brutal war of attrition, I suggest we mobilize in full to fundamentally resolve the issue of insufficient production capacity.”

Reinhard waved his hand dismissively, “No, last year we eliminated millions of Ante troops, capturing one and a half million prisoners. Such an inferior race doesn't warrant our mobilization. With our current combat effectiveness, there is still hope of ending the war this year!

“The effort to take the capital and strike the enemy's will to fight has already failed. However, the possibility of forcing the enemy to surrender by striking at their resource production areas still exists!

“Right here!”

Reinhard firmly jabbed his finger on the map at the Kuba region.

“Take out their oil fields there, and on the way of the offensive we will also seize the enemy's main coal-producing areas. Then the Ante People won't even have fuel to keep warm, and they will have to choose between freezing to death and surrender!”

At that moment, the Supreme Commander of the Army Walter von Blenheim said, “But the enemy is also aware of this. Hasn't Rabowell already obtained intelligence from the Krat Bureau?”

Reinhard: “Everyone knows this. Your task is to find a shortcut to achieve our objective, just like during the Ardennes.”

He looked around the entire room, finally turning to the Air Force Commander Duke Mayer, “When does Ante's muddy season end?”

In theory, the weather fell under the jurisdiction of the Air Force, though the Army also had its own meteorological department.

Duke Mayer answered, “April.”

Reinhard: “Then we will launch the spring offensive in April. The first phase target is to break through the enemy's line of defense from the Coastal Fortress to Bolsk. In the second phase, we aim to gallop across the whole southern plains, striving to annihilate another million or so Ante troops, completely eliminating their ability to protect Kuba!”

Chapter end

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