Why would I join the army if I can’t drive a Gundam!

Chapter 276 Smoke of War
"Damn bastards, how dare these Federation soldiers!"

"This is not the time to talk about this. Why hasn't the signal been sent yet? Is there a problem with the equipment?"

"Impossible, I've already checked the equipment!"

"What is that bastard Diraz doing?"

In a crater on the lunar surface, a modified transport ship lies silently at the bottom of the crater, its hatch on one side open, revealing a series of mobile suits inside.

This is the remnant of the Dozle faction of Zeon who volunteered to attack the lunar city of Von Braun. They were considered to be doing relatively well. Although their warships had been handed over to the Axis Expeditionary Force during the retreat, they also obtained a batch of mobile suits that the other side could not take away.

However, due to a lack of maintenance and support capabilities, most of these machines suffered from various malfunctions. But after receiving supplies from the Delaz fleet not long ago, these dozens of machines were finally able to move again.

"Sir, sir!"

Just as the officers were anxiously waiting, a soldier suddenly rushed in, tumbling and crawling.

"We've received the signal to cross the Rubicon!"

In 49 BC, Julius Caesar, a general of the Roman Republic, faced an ultimatum from the Senate.

If he led his army across the Rubicon River, the border between mainland Italy and the province of Gallo Camino de Santiago, it would be considered a rebellion. Caesar ultimately chose to cross the river, uttering the famous words "Alea iacta est" (The dice have been rolled).

Therefore, for the remnants of Zeon, the meaning of this sentence was crystal clear: burn your boats and fight to the death!
"Sound the battle alarm!"

The Zeon commander, whose temples were already turning gray, looked out the window and then spoke with absolute certainty.

"Your Highness has been kind to us. If we fail today, it would be good enough if we were to die together!"

"Long live Zeon!"

Immediately, fervent shouts echoed throughout the transport ship. Pilots in space combat suits quickly boarded their mobile suits. Knowing that this assault was a one-way trip, most of the Zeon pilots carried double the ammunition. The 120mm machine gun magazines were fixed to the mobile suits, and some modified Zaku FZ even carried external fuel tanks.

In fact, it's not just this machine, but also this transport ship. This ship has also been modified and equipped with several single-barreled naval guns similar to those of the Musai-class. Although using them to fight against warships would be suicidal, they can still easily bully small boats like patrol boats!

The Zeon commander plans to directly attack Von Braun's Anaheim factory. Even if he can't seize the mobile suits, he wants to destroy the factory and disrupt the Federation's Gundam development program!

Meanwhile, another group of his men had already entered Von Braun and obtained weapons and ammunition from the spies who had been lying in ambush. While they were operating there, the soldiers would launch suicide attacks on Von Braun's government and law enforcement agencies, in short, to throw the entire lunar city into chaos!

As each machine detached from the spaceship, the transport ship also became lighter and quickly escaped the constraints of lunar gravity, then approached von Braun under the cover of surface obstacles.

"Unidentified transport ship, your ship has entered the lunar city security zone, please leave immediately!"

Despite staying as close to the ground as possible, the transport ship was detected by the von Braun security forces' detection system, which immediately activated its emergency plan, warning the transport ship while dispatching a patrol team to check the situation.

"Ignore them, keep moving forward, go as far as you can!"

"Unidentified transport ship, final warning: if your ship does not change course, we will open fire!"

Soon, as the transport ship sped forward, a small airship belonging to the lunar city's security forces also flew over. After a warning, the airship, equipped with multiple small-caliber machine guns, pointed its turrets at the transport ship below.

"All artillery crews, fire freely!"

The security forces on the patrol boat were still waiting for a reply from the transport ship when they saw several enclosed gun emplacements suddenly emerge from the hull of the transport ship on the screen, their muzzles raised high and aimed at them.

"That's not a transport ship, they're armed!"

"avoid!"

The patrol boat immediately began to maneuver wildly to avoid the artillery fire from below. However, after dodging several particle beams, the security forces discovered that the enemy's artillery skills seemed to be a bit poor. The two sides were only a thousand miles apart, but not a single particle cannon shot hit.

"Fight back, fight back!"

Although they didn't know why, the security forces on the patrol boat were not going to let this opportunity pass and immediately began to retaliate with small-caliber machine guns, causing sparks to fly from the hull of the transport ship.

"Why can't we take that thing down yet?"

Commander Zeon was furious when he saw the patrol boat swaying overhead.

Although he knew that it would be troublesome for turrets that couldn't be built using traditional methods because they lacked a coordinated fire control system and could only rely on manual calculations, he didn't think it would be that troublesome.

What could the gunner who was being scolded say? Everyone was used to using automatic fire control, but now they had to rely on manual cranking and visual search for the enemy. Moreover, they hadn't practiced the basic skills for several years, so naturally they were out of commission. Fortunately, the patrol boat's firepower wasn't very strong either, and it couldn't do anything to the transport ship. The two sides continued to advance towards Von Braun, going back and forth.

After dozens of rounds of fire, the Zeon gunner finally found his rhythm and hit the patrol boat. The particle beam directly shredded the patrol boat's hull, causing it to lose power and then crash to the lunar surface, trailing billowing black smoke.

“Hey, I got it!”

Seeing the crashing spaceship, the Zeon gunner was immediately filled with excitement.

However, the next second, a dense barrage of missiles rose from the other side of the horizon, and at that moment the transport ship had entered the lunar city's defense perimeter!

"Full right rudder!"

The transport ship, which had been charging in a straight line, suddenly began to change direction rapidly and began releasing grains of rice in an attempt to interfere with the missile's lock-on. Some missiles were affected by the interference and fell haphazardly in all directions before detonating, but others were not affected and continued to chase after the transport ship.

"Missiles coming!"

"Prepare for impact!"

The next second, a series of explosions caused the entire spaceship to shake violently. The reinforced hull was torn apart in the explosions, and the rear half of the spaceship was blown to pieces, billowing thick smoke.

"Commander!" The mobile suit unit operating on the lunar surface saw the departing spaceship and the disappearing signal, but they had no time to grieve. The sacrifice of the transport ship had attracted the attention of most of the enemy, allowing them to approach the ground defense perimeter. Behind the huge artificial dome behind the defense perimeter was Anaheim's construction factory.

"Fire! Fire!"

Among the Zeon mobile suits charging in a swarm, two Zaku FZ were holding cluster rocket launchers instead of machine guns or rocket launchers.

After traversing the jagged and complex terrain and entering the plains, the two Zaku FZ tanks unceremoniously raised their weapons and pulled the triggers towards the distant horizon.

Cluster munitions were then launched by rocket engines, tracing graceful curves in the air before landing on the defensive structures surrounding the Anaheim airfield, clearing a path for friendly forces to advance.

Meanwhile, in the von Braun city, inconspicuous trucks appeared on the upper streets of the lunar city and rushed toward the local government and law enforcement agencies located there.

"Long live Zeon!"

The truck driver, braving a hail of bullets from the sentries, floored the accelerator and crashed through the roadblocks toward the building. Although the driver was already dead, the truck continued its charge, crashing directly into the building. Subsequently, a pre-timed bomb on the back of the truck detonated.

After the explosion ended, several more vans and other vehicles sped into the smoke. The remaining infantrymen, who were already prepared, jumped out of the vehicles and began a rampage of destruction.

The roaring automatic rifles relentlessly rained bullets down on the security forces members who had survived the explosion.

Amidst the sounds of gunfire, the piercing air raid sirens once again echoed throughout the lunar city, just as they had during the One Year War.

"Quickly, request reinforcements from the Federal Army garrison!"

The security forces, which outnumbered the remnants by hundreds of times, were overwhelmed by the attack and unable to mount an effective counterattack. Many officers were not even on duty, and those who were were mostly killed in the explosions. As a result, the security forces that were supposed to be deployed to protect the stability of the city became the ones calling for help, frantically calling for support from the Federation's lunar fleet.

However, the Federation forces are already gathering at Anaheim Electronics, because its Advanced Development Division's construction plant is under heavy attack by remnants. There, Anaheim Electronics is developing two mobile suits for the Federation: the RX-78GP00 Blossom and the RX-78GP01 Jade Curtain. The latter, in particular, is still under construction and cannot be lost.

Even the test pilots at Anaheim have begun equipping the Blossom with weapons and ammunition, because the remnants of the Zeon forces in the Doomsday Assault have stormed into the factory area, defeated Anaheim's security forces, and are about to enter the core area.

"Damn it, these bastards, they actually chose this place to carry out their operation!"

The Federation commander was also anxious as he watched the flames of war erupting all over the screen. After all, the Grenada tragedy was still fresh in his mind. As the most influential elder brother of the lunar cities, Von Braun's losses would only be greater than those of Grenada.

"Immediately dispatch the Second Division to Von Braun!"

"Let the security forces find out exactly how many enemies there are!"

"Sir, should we request backup?"

"Simply send a letter to the fleet headquarters and report the situation truthfully!"

The lunar fleet commander had no intention of calling for help immediately; that would be a sign of incompetence. Judging from the current situation, his troops could handle it!

"Sir, Grenada has also been hit by a bombing!"

"Damn it, these damned remnants! Raise the highest combat alert! Deploy the entire fleet! This is no small matter; the enemy is going to wage war against us!"

Less than a few hours after the fierce fighting broke out on the moon, the remnants of the enemy forces lurking on some of the colony satellites on side2, side4, side6, and even side3 began to take action after receiving the information.

"Have you all memorized the operational objectives?"

"remember!"

"Then repeat it!"

"Team A is responsible for destroying the dispatch center and the port authority building! Mobilize the Self-Defense Forces, then Team B attacks the Ministry of Defense and kills the traitor Schlesell who betrayed the Principality!"

"Very good! Gentlemen, whether the mission to rescue Dozle succeeds or fails is none of our concern. What we must do is avenge Commander-in-Chief Gihren. Therefore, please lend me your power!"

Inside an inconspicuous mansion in Zim City, hundreds of remnants began their final preparations for the operation. Although their goal was to destroy their hometown, these remnants did not hesitate at all. After all, in their view, Zim City had severed ties with them from the day the civilian government chose to betray them.

And those living here are no longer their compatriots, but traitors and cowards!

"Then, let's take action!"

At the commander's order, a fleet of military vehicles, provided by insiders of the Republic of Zeon, drove out of the mansion and headed swaggering toward their respective targets.

One of the convoys heading to the Ministry of Defense slowed down halfway, waiting for friendly forces attacking the port to draw attention away from the situation. Meanwhile, a patrol team of police officers re-established by Rambarar after the war noticed the vehicles painted with the Self-Defense Forces' colors.

Because the driver was not wearing a military uniform, they immediately went forward to conduct a routine inspection, only to be met with a hail of bullets.

Despite suffering heavy losses, the firefight also put Zim City on high alert ahead of schedule, preventing the remnants' attack from achieving its original surprise effect.

Faced with the remnants exposed in the city, Ramball immediately ordered the mobile suit units and armored units to be deployed to suppress them. After all, the situation in Zeon was different from other regions. Once those die-hards seized an opportunity, what awaited the Deikun faction within Zeon was only a bloodier purge. Therefore, Ramball had to nip the situation in the bud before it got too out of control!

Watching the footage transmitted back by the drone from his residence, Ramball knew that Makarius had once again been right. After all, the standard weapons used by those vehicles and remnants could not have fallen from the sky!
"After you've evacuated the people, don't hold back. You can bombard them if you want. Damaged houses can be rebuilt. My only demand is that none of these remnants escape!"

After giving orders to the commanders at the front, Ramball secretly resolved to carry out another round of purges within the Republic of Zeon. Otherwise, given the current situation, how could he dare to let Sera return!

On Delaz's side, after learning that the lunar city and allied forces on each side had launched attacks as planned, drawing the attention of the Federation forces, Lieutenant General Eju Delaz also issued an order to attack.

However, the lieutenant general did not actually intend to engage the Federation's orbital defense fleet. He even planned that the fleet would simply leave the Reef space region, make a brief appearance in Earth's orbit, and then withdraw, treating it as an armed parade.

As for Dozru, then the only option is for the general to die; otherwise, he wouldn't be able to profit from the suffering of others.

"The Federation forces probably still don't know what's going on!"

(End of this chapter)