artillery arc

Chapter 349 "A Duel Like Something from a Knight's Novel"

Reporter Mike: "Can you tell me more about the new weapons?"

The Plosson infantryman looked puzzled: "Aren't you allies? Do allies keep secrets from each other?"

According to the agreement signed last year, Ant, the United States and the United Kingdom will exchange intelligence on their respective weapons, but this exchange requires one of the parties to know about the existence of such weapons and then make a request.

In addition, the allies need to share technical intelligence on the captured Plossom Army equipment so that they can prepare early. If the allies propose to send a technical team to conduct on-site surveying, the countries cannot refuse.

Reporter Mike did not explain this to the Proson people, but just perfunctorily said: "I think our diplomats or military attachés should know, but I'm just a reporter. Please describe the weapon to me."

The infantryman thought for a moment and said, "It looks like... a bit like an extended version of the PPSh submachine gun..."

At this time, another infantryman interrupted and said, "When firing, it was like two people having sex, pa pa pa."

"No, it's like my mom is spanking my butt with a stick," another infantryman corrected his companion.

"Hey, the reporter is asking me! Let me answer!" The infantryman who was interviewed first raised his voice.

Mike: "This is a weapon that makes very little noise when fired, right?"

"It's smaller than normal weapons, and there's almost no flash, and the smoke is very small. On the battlefield, you can't tell where the bullet came from."

The Plosson infantryman who had just spoken again interrupted: "Even our good sergeant was fooled. He initially thought the enemy was on the other side, so he found a cover based on this judgment, and then he was hit by the enemy."

Reporter Mike: "Good Sergeant?"

"It's the good sergeant, he's from East Styria, he's about twice our age, and he takes care of us like a father." The Plosson infantryman who spoke lowered his head and sighed, "What a pity, I thought the good sergeant would accompany us throughout the war."

The other infantrymen also bowed their heads. It was obvious that the "good sergeant" was widely respected among the infantrymen.

Reporter Mike: "At least you can survive this war, while your peers still have to endure the test of war. All you have to do in the prisoner-of-war camp is eat well and sleep well every day, do some work in the factory, and then you can return to your hometown and participate in the reconstruction of your hometown."

The infantrymen looked at each other.

Reporter Mike added: "You guys don't still think you can win, do you?"

The infantrymen looked at each other, and finally their eyes fell on the armored lieutenant who was at the beginning - the Plossen prisoner in the carriage, who had the highest rank.

Lieutenant of the Armored Corps: "The High Command said that they would force Ant to surrender this year. In the first half of this year, the Ant people still fought in a mess."

In the more than 100 days in the first half of the year, Ant suffered more than one million casualties - about 5,000 to 8,000 per day, which adds up to one million.

The corresponding casualties of the Prosen people should be around 30, so the armored soldier made this statement.

What's more, in the last month of the first half of the year, the Ant army suffered a huge loss, and the exchange ratio became even uglier. It was originally four to one, but now it has become that Ant has to pay six people to eliminate one Prosen.

At the beginning of the second half of the year, the Southern Army Group's attack on the Sukhaveli Front was even more devastating, defeating many Ante troops.

Reporter Mike smiled and said, "You did perform well, but can you perform better than last year? Last year, the Ante troops in your encirclement were all irreversible losses. How many Ante soldiers have you killed this year?

"Those wounded soldiers, when they return, are veterans. Last year you had the best chance of defeating Ant, but you failed. This year you believe you can defeat Ant, who has learned and grown in the war. Isn't that strange?"

Mike paused and added, "Besides, Ant now has the support of the United States. Do you know how strong the industrial capacity of the United States is?"

As a United States citizen, although Mike often makes fun of Uncle Sam, when it comes to this moment, he is still very proud of the country behind him.

It is natural to be proud of your country and your nation.

Unfortunately, Mike's pride only inspired the fighting spirit of the Proson people. The armored lieutenant said: "I don't know how strong the industrial capacity of the United States is, but I know that Proson's technology is the best in the world!"

Mike sneered: "Then the world's best technology was suppressed by the Ants, whom you regarded as an inferior race."

Lieutenant Plosson was full of energy and ready to argue with Mike just now, but he suddenly became listless.

Mike continued to question: "They are also new weapons. How many of the Ants' vehicles did you destroy?"

"Three!" Lieutenant Proson said confidently, "I saw three assault guns stop and their crews ran out!"

Mike: “Those are actually broken tracks!”

Mike didn't know that the three vortices had broken tracks, but he was a reporter.

The Proson people obviously didn't know how powerful the United States reporters were, and they didn't even doubt it - or maybe Mike's acting was too good. The Proson people looked at each other, and one said, "Broken tracks mean you're out of the battle, so it can be considered a victory."

Another said: "The enemy is an assault gun, and it is ambushed, which limits the use of scenarios. Our Type 6 heavy tank is more versatile! For example, if the track is broken, we can continue to fight, but if the track of the assault gun is broken, we can only abandon the vehicle!"

This argument was quickly supported by all the armored soldiers, who said, "Yes! When we were surrounded, we all lay down. If the assault guns were faced with such a situation, they would have to surrender, but we continued to fight!"

"If we don't lie low and rush forward to engage in close combat with the assault gun after clearing the smoke, it's hard to say who will win!"

"It's not the assault guns that caused us to be defeated, it's the air force! Ant's air force paralyzed us, we were actually defeated by the air force!"

"Yes, it's the Air Force! It's not the assault guns' fault! Those assault guns of Ante would have died even more miserably if they encountered the Stuka!"

Reporter Mike looked at the Proson people with surprise as they completed the logical loop, and thought to himself, who the hell said that the Proson people were rigid and inflexible? At least they are very flexible when it comes to excusing themselves!

Mike: "Wait a minute, you guys were bombed by the air force? Il-2?"

"No, it's a dive bomber. Ant learned how to fly our Stuka!"

Mike raised his eyebrows. He knew that there were no dive bombers among the aid aircraft, and Ant had not developed a new single-seat dive bomber.

So he asked tentatively: "Do those dive bombers look like flying milk bottles in the sky? Like, the kind babies use."

The Proson people looked at each other and nodded: "Yes, it's very similar!"

"It's probably because it uses an air-cooled engine, so it's so short and thick."

Mike slapped his thigh and said, "Hey, that's the United States' P47 fighter. You'll be paralyzed by the fighter, and it will be even worse if you encounter our United States' bomber!
"Just wait and see. The United States has just defeated your ally's fleet in the ocean! Four aircraft carriers were sunk! The United States will counterattack soon. The Fuso Empire will be destroyed first, and then it will be your turn!"

Lieutenant Proson stood up, "We will defeat Ant this year, end this prolonged war, and then face you head-on!"

Mac and the Plossom stared at each other, when the flashbulbs came on.

Mike's partner Robert said in Ansari: "Very good! I bet it's a good photo. Mike, you can consider organizing the article around this photo to make it more explosive! Your Ant Special Report is now the flagship product of our newspaper!"

"Remember the telegram from the newspaper, 'Make it more like a chivalric novel'? That's it!"

Mike responded helplessly in Angsa: "The telegram also said that 'readers like Duke Rokossov like a movie star'. Obviously, the protagonist of the novel should be Lieutenant General Rokossov. Who wants to see a United States reporter and a Prosen knight-like duel, especially a verbal duel of this kind?

"No, I think I can start with the fact that the Prosom people look down on the United States. I'll write a great article that will make readers furious! It's about Prosom wanting to destroy Ant, and then land on Umbrella through the Black Bell Strait between Ant and the United States!"

After Mike finished speaking, Robert smiled: "Good! Very good!"

Mike continued along the same line of thought: "Write down that after Proson opens up a channel to his ally, the Fuso Empire, he will pass on his advanced technology to the Fuso Empire, turning the empire back to its disadvantage!"

Robert gave a thumbs up and said, "Great! I knew it would work. It will sell like hot cakes, this time! Not only that, but war bonds will also sell like hot cakes!"

Mike: "Not only that, some people in Congress question the necessity of our assistance to Ant. We should focus our forces on the Western Front and take action against the Mamluks and the Kingdom of Sardinia as soon as possible. His Excellency the President will definitely like our report very much!"

The two United States journalists faced each other and burst into laughter.

The Proson people standing nearby were bewildered.

Mike: "That's it for this issue. I have to write the report quickly and send it back home along with your film!"

Robert: "No more interviewing Rokossov?"

"I won't interview you for now. I have a feeling that Rokosov will soon have another big victory. He might even equal the loss ratio of Ant and Proson this year!"

----

Wang Zhong: "It is obviously unrealistic to expect to equalize the losses in one battle."

He glanced at the officers and soldiers who participated in the battle today: "The quality of the Proson troops is still there. We have the tactical advantage today, but according to the statistics of the bodies and wounded recovered on the battlefield, our actual exchange ratio is 1 to 1.6, so we have a slight advantage.

"We racked our brains to gain such a great tactical advantage, but the exchange ratio is only a little bit ahead. If we launch a direct frontal offensive now, it is unlikely to wipe out the Proson troops on a large scale."

Wang Zhong looked at the map and said, "Therefore, our tactical goal remains unchanged. We will concentrate the forces of an army group to annihilate one or two enemy divisions and force the enemy to temporarily stop its offensive.

"Our strategic goal is to delay the enemy's arrival on the banks of the Valdai River until September, using the vast grasslands and muddy season to wear down the enemy's logistics."

(End of this chapter)