artillery arc

Chapter 764 Destined Death
The confidential staff officer entered the room and went straight to Wang Zhong and whispered something.

Wang Zhong nodded and said to the generals who had just finished their meal: "We have just captured the small town of Luki on the west bank of the Oder River. The enemy's resistance intensity is very low, which preliminarily proves that our speculation is correct.

"Except for the Asgard Knights, the combat effectiveness of the Prosom troops is very low and can be easily defeated under our psychological warfare offensive."

In fact, Wang Zhong was not sure whether this was the result of a psychological offensive, but he did take over a small town.

Kashukh: "The intensity of the enemy's counterattack on the town of Luki today and tomorrow can show their current combat effectiveness. I am also very curious, can they still send out troops to fight back now?"

Kirinenko spread his hands. "We should be able to squeeze out some armored troops. We also have Rokossov II tanks to fight against them."

The Rokosov II is a model based on the Rokosov I with an enlarged body, a more powerful engine, and a 122mm gun.

In addition to meeting anti-armor needs, installing a 122mm gun is more importantly to meet the troops' anti-bunker needs.

The Ante artillery unit has recently become addicted to bayonets on artillery. Not only do they pull the 203mm B4 howitzers in front of the enemy and fire, they also pull up all the 122 and 152 howitzers and fire them horizontally.

It seems that Wang Zhong artificially created a tradition for the Ant Army: the best way to deal with a bunker is not to go up and engage in indoor CQB with the enemy, but to send the enemy and the bunker into the sky together.

This tradition is implemented in all aspects.

For example, now the ANT troops generally require a large amount of explosives and anti-tank mines before conducting urban stations. In addition to the conventional pressure-activated fuses, anti-tank mines also have manually detonated fuses. These people throw anti-tank mines as grenades.

The same goes for explosives. Now each unit has a few experts who are able to make simple explosive devices. When attacking an enemy, they distribute time fuses with a delay of about ten seconds in batches. When combined with explosives, they become the favorite "attack grenades" of frontline soldiers.

After Wang Zhong learned about this "grenade", he waved his pen and named the demolition expert who used this grenade "Weilong".

In short, the Rokosov II is equipped with a 122mm gun, specially developed concrete-penetrating shells, and specially developed super white phosphorus shells. It may be only on par with the 100mm gun in terms of armor-piercing capability, but concrete-penetrating shells and white phosphorus shells are equally powerful in anti-tank operations.

After all, tanks of this era do not have anti-scaling linings or internal positive pressure three-defense systems.

Kashukh: "How many Rokossov II tanks have been equipped so far? My front only has 42 tanks, which is exactly two regiments."

Kirinenko: "I have a regiment, and Eugene's side should be the largest."

Eugene: "I do have three regiments, not much more than you. The main reason is that the Rokossov Type 1 is enough to deal with most problems. The Type 2 has changed a lot, and it takes time for the tankers to get familiar with the new vehicle.

"By the time they get familiar with the new cars, the war in Europa will be over."

Yes, this is why the Rokossov-2 did not completely replace the Rokossov-1.

When the war is over, the production of Type 1 can naturally be stopped and all efforts can be made to produce Type 2. Before that, Type 1 can be used as a makeshift to cope with most situations.

Pavlov: "In fact, the demand for anti-armor on the front line is not that strong. The 152 self-propelled artillery of the Vortex and self-propelled artillery units can both fight armor. Recently, there is also the mass-produced "Magic Arrow". After the improvement, the troops responded very well. Some troops don't even want anti-tank guns, but clamor for the Magic Arrow launcher all day long."

Wang Zhong asked two future masters to make an anti-tank missile. Unexpectedly, they actually made it and are now on the third version.

Wang Zhong instructed them that they must work hard on usability. As a result, the two of them created a completely fool-proof third-generation magic arrow. A soldier who graduated from the tenth grade could achieve a 7% hit rate after two months of training.

The Allied envoy was so shocked after visiting the test launch of the magic arrow that the United States will probably receive special funding for related research.

Wang Zhong: “In short, as long as we can stop the enemy’s counterattack, it proves that this cannibalization is effective. We must use it across the board, put enough pressure on the enemy, and not let them prepare in peace.

"The Allies will also cooperate with our offensive, put pressure on the enemy on the western front, and end the war in Europa as soon as possible and turn to fighting the Fuso Empire."

Marshal Gorky: "Will the Allies really keep their promise?"

"Of course, because now the generals of the United Kingdom have lost their voice in the Allied Command. President Luo has a far-sighted vision and knows what is right. He will not let Leonard, a short-sighted political animal, succeed."

----

Western Front, Allied Headquarters.

"At present, all our troops have completed their rest and reorganization," Ike paused and glanced at the Allied generals in the conference room. "Compared to Rokossov's troops, our losses are smaller, and we have more manpower and ammunition. We will launch a fierce offensive against the enemy before Christmas."

Ike picked up the map stick and started gesturing on the huge map.

"We have three main thrusts. One is the 30th Army of the United Kingdom, which is heading for the bridge that was not taken in Operation Market Orchard, and trying to capture the whole of the Low Countries.

"The second center, the troops of the 12th Army Group, will attack the enemy's industrial heartland, the Ruhr area. The goal of the first phase is to cross the Ruhr River and establish a bridgehead, and the second phase is to encircle Cologne.

"And the Third Army Group attacked in the south, broke through the Plossens' lines, and occupied Alsace."

After a brief pause, Ike said: "As long as the southern front is successful, Rokossov's plan to join us in Alsace will be thwarted. This may be the first time in this war that the plans of this military genius have been thwarted."

Everyone present laughed. Being able to defeat Rokossov, who had basically never lost a game in the entire war, was exciting enough in itself.

Admiral Little John, smoking his trademark cigar, said: "I don't care about thwarting Rokossov, I just don't want Rokossov to be the only one kicking these megalomaniacs' asses! I'm going to invade their land and wash our tracks in their blood!"

Ike: "Don't worry, we have plenty of opportunities before Christmas."

He turned to the map and repeated, "We have plenty of opportunities," to the large number of arrows on the map that represented the direction of attack.

----

Prothenia, 17 kilometers from the city center, is the base of the Asgard Knights.

Andreas looked at the leaflets falling from the sky: "I thought it was red snow."

Kosrek grabbed a flyer in mid-air, unfolded it, and hesitated when he saw the photo on it.

The photo was very powerful, showing a Plossom soldier smiling in front of a wall covered with the bodies of little girls.

The corpse and the smile constitute an extremely strong impact that would make any normal person feel physically disgusted.

In the corner of the photo was a line of red Plossom words: "Sinner!"

Andreas heard the sound of vomiting nearby, and turned around to see a young private from the People's Guard lying on the mount of a 105mm anti-aircraft gun and vomiting.

There were people all around who got the flyers and started vomiting.

Andreas bent down and pulled out a flyer from the snow. He found that the photos on them were different, but all were very impactful.

In the corner of the same photo were written the words Proson in red: REPENT!
Andreas picked up another one, this one with longer text: We are vengeful ghosts.

The photo shows a ragged Ante warrior. The Prosen people around him are laughing at him, but the warrior's eyes are burning with fighting spirit, and he really looks like a ghost.

Andreas: "I don't know much about photography, but I feel... I feel like these photos have been processed. They are so powerful..."

Koslake snatched the thing from his hand, threw it to the ground, and covered it with dirt and snow with his feet. "They just found the most suitable one among thousands of photos." Koslake said, "After all, these photos may have been stored in Melania's archives before."

Andreas did not answer. He picked up another one and saw that it was Rokossov riding a white horse.

The red letters next to it are a sentence from the Book of Revelation: He comes out of the darkness riding a white horse.

For a moment, Andreas felt that there was a holy light near Rokossov's head. Upon closer inspection, he saw that it was a circle of sequins. Damn, this flyer was quite clever.

"Don't look at it!" Kosrek snatched the flyer and was about to throw it away, but when he saw Rokossov's name on it, his hand immediately froze.

Just at this moment, the gendarmes came over shouting "Possessing leaflets is a serious crime", so he respectfully placed the leaflets on the cart pushed by two women behind the gendarmes.

Andreas: "Why... didn't you bury this one?"

Kosrek clenched his hands, as if he had just touched something extremely cold, and kept warming them with the hot air he exhaled.

"Because he always appears in my nightmares, I don't want to make the nightmares more terrible," he said.

Andreas: “It’s all superstition isn’t it?”

At this moment, the private who had just vomited stood up and stared at Kosrek and Andreas for a long time before he bravely asked, "Sirs, those are all lies, right?"

Koslake: "No, that's all true. We committed terrible crimes on someone else's land. That's why they want revenge."

Kosrek glanced at the receding gendarme and squatted down in front of the young private so that his eye contact was level with the private's.

He lowered his voice and said, "Listen, child. After the war begins, find a way to surrender. We bear the sins, and we will bear them. You are innocent, child!"

Andreas: “Neither have I.”

Kosrek looked at Andreas: "So I will make sure you stay alive, I promise!"

----

Entrance A of the Imperial Palace Bunker, in the center of Prothenia.

A Captain Plossom entered the bunker carrying a stack of leaflets.

The first gate of the bunker, which had been notified long ago, let them in immediately, followed by the second gate.

The captain's rank was obviously only high enough to enter the second gate, so he handed the leaflet to the colonel who came to take over.

The colonel took the leaflet through the third gate and handed it to an officer with a red rank - usually a general.

The general took the leaflet, passed through the last gate, walked through the long corridor, and came to the door of the emperor's office.

He pushed open the door.

Inside, the emperor was roaring: "What do you mean by lost Luki? Literally? You didn't even last a day and you lost Luki! Now the enemy has a beachhead on the Oder River!"

The generals present did not dare to say a word.

Emperor: "Where's Steiner? Don't let him cross the river to fight back. Take Luki back first, take back this damn beachhead!"

Everyone looked at each other.

At this time, the general who delivered the leaflets took the opportunity to put the things in front of the emperor.

Emperor: “What is this?”

"The leaflets that were just airdropped, Your Majesty."

The emperor threw the thing directly to the ground: "Don't worry about him, this must be Rokossov's lies! The brave people and army of Prosen will not listen to him! Where is Steiner? When can he attack?"

Finally, Marshal Celtic said: "Your Majesty, Steiner is currently unable to move... The Maus tank was bombed by the Allies when it was unloading, and it has not been unloaded yet. The engineers said it would take another week to repair the tank's running mechanism."

Emperor: "One week? You mean, it takes a week for something we have high hopes for to be delivered from the train station?"

"The running mechanism must be repaired," Marshal Celtic corrected, "only then can we leave the train station."

The emperor was silenced.

After a few seconds, he asked, "If we don't use the Maus tanks, how much armored force can we put into the attack?"

"There are also two armored brigades, and the 503rd Heavy Tank Destroyer Regiment."

Emperor: "Let them go out and tell them that if they fail to reclaim the beachhead, the Prosom Empire will be doomed."

"Yes."

The messenger turned and left.

The emperor leaned back in his chair and sighed: "Gil Ace, how could things turn out like this, how could things turn out like this."

The emperor's palace supervisor asked, "Do you need to call the emperor's sister over?"

"No." The emperor shook his head. "Send my sister to Cologne."

Everyone looked at each other.

The emperor slammed the table and said, "I said send my sister to Cologne! I will never hand my sister over to that gossip actor Rokossov, never!"

Suddenly, the emperor stopped because he saw the stack of leaflets he had just thrown to the ground.

The top leaflet showed Rokossov riding a white horse.

He bent down suddenly, picked up the leaflet, stared at Rokossov on it, and read the words on the leaflet: "He came from the darkness on a white horse."

The emperor's hands trembled.

Suddenly, he recited the following words: "And authority was given to him to sentence a fourth of the earth to death, by sword, by famine, and by pestilence."

The emperor sat down dejectedly, and slammed his hand holding the flyer on the table, feeling no pain at all.

Finally, the Emperor said: "Here he comes, Rokossov has taken action, he is going to bring about our destruction."

(End of this chapter)