The Empire begins with the Fourth Scourge.

Chapter 2768 The Army's Spring

2767, The Army's Spring
Through the optical sensor, one can only see one huge tank after another gradually emerging from the smoke, and the most conspicuous thing is the very eye-catching twin-barreled gun.

Immediately following, another burst of intense artillery fire erupted.

"It's a turbo laser cannon!" Lieutenant Bynum, the commander of the lead 1-H super-heavy hover tank, shouted in alarm. "Immediately increase the deflector shield power! This vehicle moves to the right!"

Before he could finish speaking, several turbine laser beams struck the tank's deflector shield, and the violent energy ripples instantly tore through the protective force field, followed by several more!

Fortunately, the 1-H super-heavy tank also had incredibly thick armor. After taking several hits from the turbo laser cannon, the front armor belt tore apart, and the vehicle was immediately engulfed in thick smoke, but it still managed to maintain its mobility.

Without saying a word, Bynum and the other crew members opened the hatch, jumped off the tank, and tumbled into a nearby shell crater.

The roar of artillery fire filled his ears, and explosions echoed all around him as the armored units of both sides engaged in fierce combat. Only then did the tank commander, Bynum, realize that his own armored units were using their superior mobility to evade to the sides.

Explosions were deafening, and in the midst of such a collision of steel torrents, he, such a tiny human being, was completely ignored.

Commander Bynum looked at his beloved tank. He had felt incredibly honored when he was chosen as the commander of the Galactic Empire's most advanced and powerful land weapon—the 1-H super-heavy hover tank. But now, looking at the hideous cracks in the front armor of his tank, he felt a chill run down his spine.

No one knew the power of the 1-H tank better than him. This tank was 20.5 meters long, weighed 180 tons, and was equipped with a powerful anti-gravity engine, allowing this behemoth to levitate at a height of two meters above the ground and reach a super-high speed of 300 kilometers per hour.

Meanwhile, the firepower of a Mark 4e/S heavy laser cannon and a Mark 3/S medium turbo laser cannon ensures the tank's formidable firepower. Combined with a powerful deflector shield system and thick armor, it can withstand a full-scale volley of enemy fire head-on without harm.

Bynum was extremely confident that even the Imperial Army's AT-AT all-terrain walking machine would be easily destroyed by the 1-H super-heavy tank. He had once told his comrades that the 1-H was the most powerful army unit in the galaxy.

But now, Bynum looks back in the direction of the battle.

What exactly was that thing that destroyed my proud super tank in just a few shots?
Rumble rumble rumble~~~~~
The muffled roar of engines in the distance grew louder and louder, even causing the ground beneath his feet to tremble! Then, something terrifying appeared before him through the smoke!

This is an extremely terrifying war machine!
There are two sets of tracks on each side, and a fifth set of tracks in the middle to distribute the weight of the machine! The entire body is covered with incredibly thick armor. The tracks roll over the scorched earth, producing a dull metallic roar, and the ground they pass through is pressed into deep furrows, making a groaning sound.

On the turret, the two huge black cannons that had just fired were still emitting a faint wisp of smoke!

Bynum collapsed to the ground, trembling all over. At that moment, he saw a 1-H tank behind him already firing back. The heavy laser cannon fired a blazing beam that shone directly onto this terrifying weapon of war. However, it was very obvious that the tank's armor surface had a unique material that generated a series of tiny electric currents under the laser's illumination.

Then, to his horror, he discovered that the tank... was completely undamaged!
It's important to know that the 1-H heavy laser cannon can even be used for anti-air attacks. It was designed to carry out devastating strikes against enemy bomber formations in the event of loss of air superiority, and could even threaten frigates entering the atmosphere.

However, it was impossible to damage the tank at all?
Boom!! The tank suddenly opened fire! The terrifying sound of the shell and the blast of air immediately jolted the tank commander, Bynum, so much that he stumbled backward several times before finally getting up. However, he was limp and swayed as he knelt on the ground, his head filled with the deafening roar.

He was in a daze, only able to hear gunshots and explosions all around him, as well as the terrifying sound of treads grinding against the ground.

He didn't know how much time had passed when suddenly he felt himself enveloped by a huge shadow. He looked up blankly and found one of those terrifying tanks parked right in front of him. Its tracks alone were almost taller than him, and two monstrous gun barrels were right above his head!
The hatch opened, and a tank crewman poked his head out, glanced at Bynum kneeling on the ground, and slapped a booklet in his face.

Bynum picked up the booklet in a daze and opened it, finding a dignified and solemn portrait printed on the cover, with the title "Tang Xiao's Sayings".

Looking up at the tank crewman, I saw him make a gesture to move aside.

Bynum suddenly jolted and scrambled to make way, while the massive war machine roared onward.

He stumbled along aimlessly, clutching the booklet. Along the way, he saw the wreckage of tank after tank. There were 1-H super-heavy tanks, 2-M assault tanks, and in the distance, he could see the massive wreckage of two AT-AT walking machines burning.

There were also wreckages of the Dawn Kingdom's heavy tanks, but only a few. Many others were simply broken down on the road, with the tank crews cursing and swearing as they repaired them.

When everyone saw the "Tang Xiao Quotations" he was holding, no one made things difficult for him. Instead, they gave him directions and told him to keep walking forward.

Bynum, who had regained some of his senses, realized that his armored unit had been destroyed and the Imperial Army had failed!

……

"M-850, Grizzly Heavy Tank... Not bad, very good." In the combat command center, General Dai Hongkui looked at the combat data in front of him with great satisfaction.

The new equipment sent from the rear this time has performed remarkably well and played a key role in this successful assault. Currently, whether on the main battlefield or the flanks, the Galactic Empire's army has begun to crumble, and the flames of war have spread into the interior of the Black Mountain base. General Dai Hongkui stared at the advancing red dot on the map, a slight smile playing on his lips.

In general, although the offensive was meticulously planned, many unexpected things still happened when the battle broke out. The main reason was that too much new equipment was deployed, making it difficult to accurately plan the battle strategy.

For example, the A-130 Predator mechanical wolves suffered heavy losses in this battle. Although they evaded the Galactic Empire's long-range artillery fire, their performance after charging into enemy lines was far from ideal.

Faced with the hastily constructed defensive lines by Imperial soldiers, these mechanical wolves encountered a dense barrage of fire and electromagnetic pulse attacks, which quickly destroyed them due to their lack of long-range firepower.

This resulted in them becoming separated from the robot army behind them. On the one hand, the mechanical wolves that had invaded the enemy's position were blocked by the Imperial infantry, while on the other hand, the robot army was heavily damaged by the Imperial's long-range artillery fire, suffering heavy losses.

The original plan, which involved mechanical wolves leading the assault and combat robots providing long-range fire, was not effectively organized and was instead picked off piecemeal by the Galactic Empire's artillery fire.

Fortunately, they managed to fulfill their role as cannon fodder, drawing the attention of the Galactic Empire and creating an opportunity for subsequent infantry attacks.

This was also thanks to the Fourth Army's offensive, including harassment by the Condor Company and other ineffective flank infiltrations by the Fourth Army. Otherwise, this failed frontal assault could very well have turned into a disaster!
Fortunately, the CMC-300 power armor, which is now being deployed in large numbers, played a crucial role, and the army soldiers wearing the power armor quickly tore through the Imperial army's defenses.

In addition, the mass-produced Thor mechs and the new siege tanks also provided crucial long-range fire support.

The Thor mech is now being deployed in large numbers in the army, and its weapons have been modularly configured, allowing it to be equipped with three types of modules: an air-to-air module equipped with air-to-air scattering missiles, a siege module equipped with four 330mm caliber Punisher cannons, and a Thor's Sword module equipped with the Extractor Cannon for attacking the heaviest targets.

The weapons deployed to the battlefield this time were all equipped with the Punisher Cannon, specifically designed to bombard the Galactic Empire's positions.

The new Crucio siege tank has enhanced long-range firepower, with a longer range and higher accuracy than the previously widely used AAV-5 siege tank. Its 180mm caliber concussion howitzer can unleash even more terrifying artillery fire.

The Piranhall II siege tank was an improved version developed by Rory Swann, chief engineer of Tyronn Heavy Industries. The main improvements were to the gun system and the use of vortex shells, making it more powerful than the Piranhall I.

During this offensive, the artillery positions, composed of Thor mechs and Type II siege tanks, effectively suppressed the Galactic Empire's long-range firepower. Their roles were clearly defined: with mechanical wolves and orbital-dropped Inchor Avengers drawing fire on the main battlefield, along with a large number of combat robots serving as cannon fodder, the artillery positions had only one objective—to suppress the Galactic Empire's long-range artillery fire.

In contrast, while the Galactic Empire's long-range firepower was incredibly powerful, it lacked unified command and spent most of its time bombarding swarms of combat robots. As a result, these robots were precisely targeted and destroyed one by one by the Penetrator II tanks and Thor mechs, completely suppressing its firepower advantage.

However, the performance of the Type II siege tank and the mass-produced Thor mech was not unexpected, as they had both appeared in previous battles and were improved versions. What truly surprised General Dai Hongkui was the latest heavy tank—the M-850 Grizzly Tank!
When these tanks were delivered, the manufacturer, Halo Weapon Systems, repeatedly emphasized that the weapon incorporated many new technologies, making it expensive, and urged caution in its use. However, they also requested more operational data.

Such a request is contradictory, but it also shows the importance the other party attaches to the Grizzly heavy tank.

Actually, the clash between the armored forces on the flanks was unexpected, yet also quite reasonable.

Because the terrain in that direction is relatively flat, it is very suitable for armored units to launch surprise attacks. Therefore, both the Galactic Empire and the Kingdom of Dawn have chosen to adopt the tactic of armored forces flanking and advancing in this direction.

As a result, the tank units of both sides collided head-on.

In previous battles, General Dai Hongkui was extremely wary of the Galactic Empire's latest 1-H super-heavy hover tank. This tank was fast, heavily armed, and equipped with deflector shields, making it a formidable force on the battlefield. Most of the time, the only option was to send air force bombers to deal with it; otherwise, even 10 Scorpion tanks might not be a match for it.

However, the appearance of the Grizzly Tank completely changed this situation! This tank was actually able to confront the 1-H super-heavy tank head-on!
Based solely on the specifications on paper, the Grizzly tank is 12.3 meters long, 8.4 meters wide, and 7.2 meters high, with a combat weight of 71.4 tons and a top speed of 69 kilometers per hour. Its main armament consists of two medium-sized turbolaser cannons, two sets of four-barreled missile launchers, and two close-in weapon systems (CIWS) laser cannons.

Compared to the 1-H super-heavy tank, which is 20.5 meters long, weighs 180 tons, and can hover on the ground and run at 300 kilometers per hour, the Grizzly tank seems to be at a complete disadvantage.

However, the situation is completely different!
Because the M-850 Grizzly tank is basically a naval configuration! That's right, it's luxurious!
The Grizzly Tank's main armor belt is made of neutron steel, the rare metal currently used as the currency of the Dawn Kingdom, giving them the strength of warships. And that's not all; the improved reactor allows the tank to also withstand the energy consumption of voltage-based thermal coatings!
This technology, which uses voltage to give armor surfaces stronger thermal protection, is also used on warships, and is commonly used on the armor of warships such as the Hellsangel-class battlecruisers and Executioner-class corvettes.

Given that the Galactic Empire primarily uses energy weapons, this armor protection makes the Grizzly Tank virtually indestructible! Even when exposed to the enemy's heavy laser cannons, the voltage-type thermal coating can still isolate heat to the greatest extent possible.

Finally, the two medium-sized turbo laser cannons, which serve as the main guns, also use hybrid ammunition—that is, they encapsulate explosive gas under ultra-high pressure and fire turbo laser beams in the form of projectiles.

The disadvantage of this is that the emitted turbo laser beam is slower, but the amount of encapsulated explosive gas is larger, and the power is greater.

On warships, this firing mode is generally only used when the two sides are very close, but in land warfare, this is not a problem at all!

The Grizzly Tank's slow-moving turbine laser projectiles have ample time to hit within ground combat range, and their power is absolutely lethal!

Compared to the 1-H super-heavy tank, which wasted a lot of space by suspending its heavy body to install an anti-gravity engine, the Grizzly tank is undoubtedly more efficient!