artillery arc

Chapter 730 Crossing the Front Line
Plossen, Army Group South Headquarters, 7 hours, 16 July.

"Hello? Hello?" Mendel held the receiver away and looked at it carefully to make sure he had not broken it.

He put down the receiver and looked at the staff officers around him: "The commander of the 25th Army may have been killed. Contact the army headquarters immediately to understand the situation and ensure that the army responds correctly to Ant's attack."

The Army Group Chief of Staff immediately replied: "The 25th Army has six land Stuka squadrons, they will prepare counter-fire for the Ants and completely destroy the Ants' offensive forces.

"According to past experience, the attack of the ANT troops prepared by counter-fire will be stagnant for at least five hours. At the same time, the intensity of the attack and the amount of technical equipment invested will be greatly reduced!"

Mendel: "When was the last time there was a counterattack? June in the north?"

"No, the enemy in the north forcibly broke through the swamp without conducting artillery preparations or giving us time to prepare for counter-artillery fire. Our troops stationed in the breakthrough area were not even equipped with 'Nbowbelts'."

The Prosen people called the rocket launcher "Nemperor", and the so-called "Land Stuka" was just a nickname. The official name was "500mm Nebelwerfer carrier".

Marshal Mendel: "So using the land Stukas to prepare for counterfire was a tactic from a few months ago? That won't work. All Nebelwerfers should fire only after they have engaged the enemy at the front line."

Chief of Staff: "That's too dangerous. Our land Stukas place special emphasis on accuracy and have a short range. It's possible that the land Stukas won't be able to withdraw in time! This kind of counterattack should be left to the towed Spitfires equipped by each unit."

After the various caliber Nebelwerfers carried by the 251 series halftrack proved their worth, the Plossons began to equip infantry units with Nebelwerfers that could be towed by barrel carts or even donkey carts - essentially a series of iron pipes welded together that could launch rockets.

These smoke throwers have now become the most effective assault firepower of the Plosson infantry. They are more powerful than mortars and have a faster coverage speed. Their disadvantages are that they take a long time to reload and have limited ammunition.

Marshal Mendel: "I order the land Stuka troops to wait until the defense line and the Ante are in contact before opening fire! Since our Nebelwerfer's advantage over the enemy is accuracy, we must make use of this advantage!"

Chief of Staff: "All land Stukas are independently organized. If they are lost in our hands, I'm afraid it will be difficult to explain to His Majesty the Emperor!"

"If we lose our defense line, it will be even harder to explain to His Majesty the Emperor!" Marshal Mendel said loudly, "Let them wait!"

"Yes." The chief of staff winked at his staff, and they picked up the phone and began to implement the marshal's orders.

A moment later, the chief of staff reported to the marshal worriedly: "We were attacked unexpectedly, and the land Stuka troops are now in chaos. It should be the underground resistance organization that sent the intelligence of the land Stuka troops' station to the Ante side."

Marshal Mendel shook his head: "In the past three years, the 'intelligence advantage' of the Ants has caused us a lot of trouble. Fortunately, we will soon have an intelligence advantage as well."

A young staff officer looked very happy: "Really? Raberville has a new intelligence channel? Why can't he provide us with intelligence now?"

Marshal Mendel looked at the young staff officer and explained, "No, it's not Raberville's new intelligence channel. It's that we will soon be fighting within our own borders. Our resistance organization should also provide intelligence.

"It took the Ants three years to push us back. Now it depends on how long we can hold out."

The entire headquarters fell silent, with an atmosphere of solemnity.

Marshal Mendel broke the silence: "Be happy, the Ants have a large territory, so the war lasted for three years. Our territory is not as large as Ants, so the resistance may only last for one year."

Chief of Staff: “Is this something to be happy about?”

"Yes, a short pain is worse than a long one." Marshal Mendel shrugged. "Now tell me, do you have any feasible suggestions? We have an army commander who died and all the troops were caught off guard."

“我们可以把504重型装甲营和最新编成的大普洛森装甲师投入作战。大普洛森装甲师有98辆豹式和48辆虎王处于完全战备状态，还有44辆四号长管和110辆四号坦克歼击车。”

Marshal Mendel: "I requested that the Gross-Plossen Panzer Division be split into a series of battle groups of 20 tanks or armored vehicles. How is this being carried out?"

"The split has not yet been fully started." The chief of staff was sweating, "The main command and the director of armored forces are opposed to this split."

Mendel cursed: "This Moltke! The large armored division with 400 tanks he envisioned is completely meaningless, because our support system cannot support such a large unit!"

After a roar, Marshal Mendel sighed and said, "Let the Great Plossen Division go out in batches. Each batch should have between 20 and 40 tanks. I believe this is the most flexible and effective unit. Deploy them on the route that the Ants must take to Melania, and fight side by side with the local infantry defenders!"

"Yes!"

----

In fact, Fritz, commander of the 25th Army, managed to save his life.

When he woke up in the infirmary, he stared at the ceiling for a long time until a shell that landed nearby exploded, causing the wooden ceiling of the infirmary to shake violently and raining down a lot of dust.

Dust fell into Fritz's eyes, causing him to close them. He tried to rub his eyes with his hand, but his right hand remained motionless.

He had to open his eyes again and see his right hand wrapped in bandages through his tears.

At this time, the military doctor found that Fritz had woken up, so he came over and said, "Commander, if you are awake, please get up and command the troops! The enemy's artillery preparation has been completed, and they will definitely attack!"

Franz then got up and asked the doctor: "How is my hand?"

"It's saved. The shrapnel is stuck between the tendon and the nerve. If it had been a little more off, you would have been disabled forever. Now you can recover after a year of recuperation."

"That's good." Franz changed the question. "Where are my staff and adjutant? They should be with me in the division bunker."

"Then it's probably gone. All the survivors of the entire bunker should have been sent to me, but you see, you're the only officer here, and you're an officer with red shoulder straps."

Franz: "How bad is it?"

"I'm a doctor, not a military strategist! I only received 40 hours of military training. The instructor said that as long as I pick up the pistol and don't hurt my own people, I'll be victorious. I can't answer the military questions you ask." The doctor spread his hands and went to take care of other patients without waiting for Franz's response.

Franz could only get up and stumble out of the tent, then he saw a huge fireball rising from the Plossen position to the east of the medical center.

"Oh my god, it's the Urban assault gun," Franz muttered. "Quick! Organize the troops to advance to the area bombed by Urban. According to past experience, the area bombed by Urban will become a breakthrough point!"

However, it is not known whether no one noticed Franz’s red collar badge—or mistook its background color for blood—in any case, no one responded to Franz’s shouting for a long time.

So he turned and went into the medical clinic, and under the stunned gaze of the doctor, he picked up the phone: "This is Franz, at the 54th Division's position, Army Group Command, if you hear me, please call back!"

There was a roar from the other end of the phone: "The army commander cannot occupy my channel! Hurry up and transport the wounded back from the front! Also, I don't have enough plasma, I can ask the wounded to donate!
“Organize donations as soon as possible!”

Franz put down the phone and looked at the doctor: "Does this make sense? I can't find a way to contact my army headquarters!"

Military doctor: "Perhaps you can get a motorcycle and drive back, provided that the Ante people do not use cavalry and light armored troops to penetrate the rear this time like they did in their previous attacks."

Franz: "During the time I've been back at the headquarters, how much damage will our troops suffer due to the loss of command?"

"Then maybe you can find a division or corps command post nearby. My responsibility is only to save your life, which I have done. It is your mission to save the entire army."

Franz shook his head and rushed out of the wooden medical clinic. He glanced at the wounded squatting outside the clinic waiting for treatment and shouted at the top of his voice: "I am Franz, the commander of the army group. I need someone to escort me to the nearest command post. Who can continue to fight?"

Several wounded soldiers stood up quickly.

Franz asked one of the lieutenants: "Why are you lying among the wounded? I can't see that you are injured?"

"I was stunned, General. My head is still buzzing. I don't know what you are going to do, but count me in."

Franz: "Okay, everyone take up your weapons, our target is the nearest division headquarters, or regiment headquarters will do!"

----

Henry looked at the rising mushroom cloud, turned around and said to his troops: "The enemy and their bunkers have gone to the sky! It's up to us! Break through the enemy's defense line in one go! Hometown is waiting for us!"

As he spoke, the tank started up with a roar, and black smoke billowed out of the exhaust port.

Since the year before last, black smoke has been billowing out of Ant's tanks when they are started. This is probably because the refinery was in a hurry to meet the refining KPI and did not fully extract the impurities in the oil.

Vehicles that use gasoline imported from the United States emit much less black smoke.

The tank, belching out billowing black smoke, was moving due west.

Podolskov, who was leaning on the turret, said to Henry, "Are you excited? We are only thirty kilometers away from home!"

"Not excited. We stayed thirty kilometers away from home for half a year! At first I dreamed about returning home every day, but now I'm used to it."

Henry took out an apple, cut off a piece with a dagger and put it in his mouth, and continued: "The morning when the Plossoms broke into my hometown, I had two apples for breakfast."

Podolski looked at the apple in Henry's hand and asked, "A specialty from my hometown?"

"No, an apple from Antelope. I just eat it every morning to remind myself of that day."

At this time, the soldiers of the Melania People's Army who were marching in formation next to the tank shouted enviously: "You guys actually got there first!"

Henry: "Yeah! Let's go home first!"

After passing the infantrymen, Podolskov asked, "How do you know you've returned home? Can you tell by smelling the air?"

"Of course not. I think it should be the road signs. Seeing the road signs and signs in Melania's language means——"

Suddenly, a "woooo" sound came from behind the Prosen position, and a long tail flew over the head of the "Revenge for Heroic Brother" tank and landed on the marching team behind the tank.

The sound of the explosion and the rising smoke and dust immediately obscured the troops marching behind.

Podolskov: "The Prosens have also learned their lesson and started to prepare for counter-fire and launch sudden fire attacks against us."

As he spoke, he picked up the radio receiver and said, "Attention, all units, the enemy's rocket launcher is just ahead of us. Speed ​​up and rush over immediately!"

Henry could clearly feel the tank's engine increasing its output. Soon, Revenge for the Hero Brother rushed through a row of hedges and just saw several barrel trucks towing multiple rocket launchers preparing to retreat.

Podolskov picked up the anti-aircraft machine gun and fired a burst of shots, killing two drivers of the barrel trucks in succession.

The barrel cart towing the rocket launcher overturned into a ditch on the side of the road. The gunner sitting on the barrel cart rushed down, stumbling and trying to escape.

Henry opened fire as well, having been accustomed to operating the thread-cutting machine by years of war.

The "flying weights" caught up with the fleeing Plosson artillerymen and smashed their upper bodies to pieces from behind.

The remaining Plossons all surrendered, kneeling on the ground with their weapons raised.

Henry yelled in Plossian, "Move back! We don't have time to take you prisoners! Move back on your own!"

The tank caught up with the fleeing Prosen people, crushed the crude rocket launcher, and then caught up with the overturned barrel truck.

After a bumpy ride, the tank drove over the wreckage of the barrel truck, ignoring the fire caused by the leaking fuel.

"What did you just say?" Podolskov asked.

"I let them go east on their own, saying we didn't have time to capture them. In their propaganda, the Prosons either said that we Melanians were foolish enough to use sabers to cut tanks, or that we were an inferior race with no intention of fighting. Officer Proson just shouted 'Move back, we don't have time to capture you', and the Melanians obediently moved back."

Podolskov: "But haven't you been resisting?"

"Yes." Henry looked proud. "The resistance never stopped."

----

Melania capital city Vistulawarsi.

Hermann suddenly picked up the radio and listened attentively to the broadcast in the Ant language.

"What's wrong?" asked Hermann's child.

Hermann: "Marshal Rokossov of Ant has launched an offensive, saying he wants to go straight to Vistula!"

The child was overjoyed: "We are going to be liberated?"

Hermann shook his head. "No, from the perspective of the situation, if they really want to break through the defense of the Southern Army Group of the Prosens, they should outflanking the enemy to the north, which will bring the greatest benefits. I think this may be their plan to deceive the enemy. Marshal Rokossov likes to do this the most."

Child: "Won't they come and free us?"

"I don't know. Maybe the United Kingdom has some kind of agreement with them." Hermann smiled bitterly. "It's not the first time they've used us as bargaining chips."

At this time, there was a knock on the door downstairs.

Hermann shut up and changed the channel on the radio, and the obscene music played by the puppet government radio station rang out in the room.

Soon a strong young man climbed up the stairs, took off his felt hat, and sat down in front of Hermann: "Captain, our radio station received a secret message. The exiled government in the United Kingdom wants us to launch an uprising."

"Now?" Hermann looked surprised. "If we revolt now, won't it cause trouble for the Ants? They will encircle us from the north. They will definitely encircle us from the north."

The young man asked in confusion: "What happened to the Ant people?"

Herman: “They have launched an offensive on the southern front, and they will probably launch an unprecedented outflanking attack. When they do, the exploits of the Plossons three years ago will pale in comparison.

"The United Kingdom certainly doesn't want this, they want both Proson and Ant to lose."

The young man still looked puzzled: "What does this have to do with our uprising?"

"If we revolt, the Ants must rescue us. If the revolt fails, the United Kingdom will have an excuse to say that the Ants are not sincere in liberating us. The exiled government in the United Kingdom will gain legitimacy, and no matter what kind of government the Ants support under Melania, the exiled government will be able to compete with them."

The young man cursed: "Damn, these United Kingdom bastards! But if the Ants don't come to rescue us, they're almost as bad!"

Hermann shook his head. "In any case, we cannot revolt now. Wait until the Ants destroy Prosen's Central Army Group and Northern Army Group and turn their troops to us. Then it won't be too late to revolt and support us."

"But……"

"No buts," Hermann interrupted the young man.

"How could those guys who are living a comfortable life abroad know the hardship and cruelty of our struggle? They are all in the safe United Kingdom, or even hiding further in the United States!
"But I am with you! Every time you shed blood and sacrifice, I take the same risk! I know how brutal the enemy is. So listen to me and bide your time!"

The young man nodded. "Okay, I'll pass your opinion on to the committee. But I heard someone is going to airdrop in later today."

"Oh? Senior officials of the exiled government from the capital of the United Kingdom?" Hermann's brows twisted into knots. "It feels like they will bring bloodshed."

"Not really?" the young man said. At this time, Hermann's wife, who had just opened the door for him, came up with a fruit plate.

Hermann: "Eat some fruit. This is a good thing circulating on the black market. It came from a Plossen named Schindler. He is different from other Plossen people. He is more flexible in his work."

The young man showed a worried look on his face: "Could this... be a spy from the Imperial Household Ministry?"

"If so, we would have been wiped out long ago." Hermann replied, "This Schindler is helping us rescue our captured comrades and find the hidden traitors. He is absolutely trustworthy."

The young man nodded and picked up an apple from the fruit bowl: "An apple is enough for me."

Then he went down the stairs with the apple in his hand, and Hermann's wife followed him immediately.

The Herman children said, "Will we revolt?"

"Do you wish for an uprising?" Hermann asked.

"Of course. When the Plossons first arrived I was only nine years old, and you said I was not as tall as my rifle. Now I am fifteen, much taller than my rifle, and I can shoot a Sten submachine gun!"

The support provided by the United Kingdom to Melania's resistance group included a large number of Sten submachine guns dropped from the air.

This type of gun has many disadvantages. Resistance fighters generally prefer the Prosen MP40 submachine gun, but the MP40 is indeed not that easy to get, while Sten is available in any quantity.

Herman: "Don't rush to attack Sten yet. Go and scout tomorrow to see how the Prosen people react. If the Ants really launch a large-scale attack from the south, the Prosen people will definitely make some moves.

"Remember, when you see the Prosen armored vehicles, you should not only remember the model, but also the logo on them. This will help us identify the unit it belongs to and who the commander is!"

Child: "I remember! I have done so many investigations. Tomorrow I will go to the streets and search all the Prosen people's secrets!"

Hellman smiled, picked up the radio, and tuned the channel to the Ant people's broadcast again.

----

Henry kept his eyes looking forward.

Podolskov: "You've popped your eyes out of their sockets! Don't worry, the thirty-kilometer journey will be over in a flash!"

Henry then withdrew his gaze.

The infantryman next to him suddenly said, "I almost forgot how the road signs in Melania were written. After all, we have been speaking Ante for so many years."

Podolskov: "No, we will still rely on you to translate the road signs and find the way!"

"Don't worry, I haven't forgotten my mother tongue," said Henry.

At this time, eight P47s from the attack aircraft squadron roared over from the enemy's direction, and it seemed that they had just completed a bombing attack.

Podolskov picked up the microphone: "Pilot! I am the tank with a red flag on the ground! How is it ahead?"

Henry couldn't hear the pilot's answer clearly. He could only watch Podolskov covering one earphone with one hand and following the fleet of aircraft.

"Okay, we got it. Thank you for letting me know." After hanging up the phone, Podolskov said to Henry, "The pilots bombed the enemy's anti-aircraft artillery position in front, and there is also a headquarters, probably a division or army-level headquarters! Get your boys ready!"

Henry immediately shouted: "There is a headquarters and an anti-aircraft artillery position ahead, get ready! We will follow the tanks and rush in!"

Just as he finished speaking, a shell hit the Hero Brother's Revenge.

As a result, the shell created a series of sparks on the turret and hit the beech tree behind the tank.

The sound of artillery fire was heard, and Podolskov shouted: "We are hit by 88mm artillery, it is the enemy's anti-aircraft gun! Prepare to fight the anti-tank weapons group! Henry, get your soldiers off the car!"

Henry: "We'll help you find the enemy! It's easier to see the enemy with more eyes!"

As soon as he finished speaking, he caught a flash of light and shouted, "Front, there's a flash in the farmhouse! The cannon should be hidden in the farmhouse!"

As he spoke, a shell from the 88mm gun hit the heroic brother Revenge again. It was obviously heading for the turret ring, but ended up hitting the hull.

Podolskov: "Target the barn! High-explosive shells loaded! Fire!"

The Hero Brother's Revenge roared, muzzle storm tearing at Henry's hair.

The next moment, there was a huge ammunition explosion in the barn, and the entire wooden roof was blown off, sending an orange-red fireball into the air.

(End of this chapter)