Will the kemonomimi encounter Alien Ranch Story?

If they take a detour, the fleet will be unable to support the infantry, and the detour will not be easy either. Unmanned bombers taking off from ground airfields and suicide drones operated by warlocks will constantly harass the fleet. Even if these weapons do not pose much of a threat to the heavily armored warships, they will still slow the fleet down in order to set up an anti-aircraft umbrella to protect the accompanying ground troops.

Without taking a detour, they had to wait for ground troops to clear the way. And this was when the Kazdel people were slaughtering the enemy; their various light artillery pieces and their deadly small arms advantage were a nightmare for the Letanian infantry.

Even if they finally manage to get through this rotten land, when attacking the enemy's important facilities such as the station, Kazdel's fixed fortifications and strong defenses will cause huge casualties to the Letanians and waste tons of time.

"General, our equipment is completely unsuitable for use here. Those Sarkaz demons have far more advanced equipment than us. The lads of Letania often suffer heavy losses before they even get within range, and the fleet can hardly provide sustained artillery fire suppression, which is also unrealistic." Rather than admitting their incompetence, they might as well shift the blame to the military industrial units, and there was even evidence to support that claim.

On the table were two weapons: a Letanian standard infantry crossbow and a Kazdel raider rifle obtained from the battlefield.

The former is the standard weapon that Letania finalized and began producing five years ago and is gradually replacing. Compared to the crossbows that required manual winding in the past, it has become a semi-automatic mode with a motor-driven fast automatic winding mechanism. It uses a magazine to feed ammunition, with about five arrows in a magazine.

The latter is Kazdel's new version of the rifle, a lower-tier alternative to the Supporter, with a 15-round steel arrow magazine, electromagnetic and gas propulsion modes, and is longer and less convenient to carry than the crossbow.

However, according to soldiers on the front lines, this thing has a range at least 1.5 times that of their own, while the rate of fire is not much different, and its power is enough to penetrate most of the protective armor of crossbow bolts.

Most importantly, their sustained firepower is more than three times that of their own troops, since bullets are much lighter than crossbow bolts, meaning that soldiers can carry much more ammunition than crossbow bolts.

"What is this? Some kind of firearm?"

"No, it's more like Victoria's electromagnetic crossbow, except they made the arrows very small and used some special material and structure to provide propulsion at the tail, allowing the arrows to reach a relatively high speed."

"Just ordinary metal bullets? Not etched bullets?" If they were etched bullets, it would be understandable why the frontline soldiers were being hit so badly; it was practically like throwing money at them. But if they were just ordinary metal bullets...

"General, this thing can fire at least 300 meters, while our crossbows have difficulty penetrating armor at 150 meters and are almost harmless at 200 meters." To achieve a higher rate of fire, some kinetic energy has obviously been sacrificed.

"Moreover, the crossbow arm and string will age and may break and injure soldiers in the heat of battle. But the enemy's weapon does not have this problem. After our soldiers leave the cover and the cover of the naval guns, they are simply being beaten by the enemy. They often need to sacrifice half a squad to get close to their effective range."

As for accuracy, that hasn't even been mentioned yet. Crossbow bolts are larger and more susceptible to the effects of blast waves, making their accuracy at long range negligible. Rifles, on the other hand, are much less affected, and even in close-range engagements, the Letanians are more likely to suffer losses.

"And they also have very skilled snipers, extremely skilled!"

How powerful is it?

“It’s hard to describe, why don’t you see for yourself?” Meanwhile, near the farm’s truck dispatch station, a young girl whispered to her companion, “Vasily, I heard you used to be a hunter. What’s the difference between hunting in Ursus and here?”

“Compared to those black-skinned dogs in Ursus, these prey are much easier to find.” Each one was draped in an iron-gray cloak, wearing a peaked hat, and covered in odds and ends; they were clearly easy targets.

A former Yeti sniper, crouching at another sniping spot, lamented, "These prey can't even learn survival skills from death."

"Could it be that they simply can't survive to pass on their experience?" Sniping isn't about killing everyone you see. In reality, they have their own target assignments, and a sniper's active time after firing is measured in seconds. Therefore, they'll simply let go of anything that isn't a high-value target.

“Look, that idiot from the 133rd Regiment is still hanging on the wall. He’s been playing dead for two days, and nobody’s gone to take the gun from his hand.”

"Nobody cares if a dead bear's teeth are still sharp." Vasily moved his scope. The fact that they could chat on the battlefield was thanks to the fact that the Leitanians hadn't prepared any electronic measuring equipment, which meant that the communication systems of both sides were completely undisturbed.

They couldn't interfere with Letania's communication system because they genuinely couldn't disrupt the point-to-point communication lines the other side used, which consisted of flag signals, lights, and small drones on landships.

The other side, however, hadn't even considered how Kazdel's radio and donkey communication networks might interfere with theirs.

On the other hand, if the Sarkaz Demon King's Originium Arts could be interfered with, it wouldn't be so frightening and intimidating.

“A big fish has come, just outside the safety line we marked out a day ago. However, I don’t have a better view from here; he went into a camouflage net facility. Can you see him clearly from your end?”

"Yes, it seems to be a high-ranking general, outside the security line." The girl's angle was perfect for seeing the target below through the gaps in the camouflage netting.

"May I fire, sir...?"

"Wait a minute, I'm moving. Wait a minute, you shoot first, I'll follow up."

"It's time to teach them a lesson: never trust the information the enemy gives you!"

The so-called safety line is not safe at all; it is merely a range line drawn by snipers with a relatively low hit rate. They will not attack targets outside this line unless they are absolutely certain of success.

This also sends a very clear message to enemy officers: that the attack range and field of view of these elusive snipers are limited, which will mislead their search teams and counter-fire, prompting them to prioritize finding sniper positions that fit this pattern.

At the same time, it also lowers the enemy's guard, in case we catch a big fish. Look, there's a fish coming!

"General, these bodies were all killed by those snipers. They were all killed with a single, fatal shot, without any hesitation, and the victims were completely unprepared." Most of them were shot in the torso, with a few shot in the head.

Generally speaking, snipers rarely target the head because the target is too small, making it difficult to guarantee a hit.

Moreover, for the sniper bullets they use, hitting the torso or the head has the same effect—it's an instant kill.

"Our people have marked out a red zone around the perimeter, which is the area that will definitely be attacked, while the yellow zone on the outer perimeter is the area where there is a certain probability of being sniped."

"Won't they move?"

"In fact, they move very fast, and our conventional counter-attack and anti-highway artillery fire is completely ineffective against them. Every time we thought we had wiped them out, the soldiers on the front lines said that they actually did not cause any effective interference at all."

“My officers, gunners, and sorcerers are all on the enemy’s kill list, which makes it very difficult for us to organize an attack.”

After all, several of their officers disappeared as soon as the fighting started, and everyone immediately had to find cover, turning the attack into a half-hearted effort. "It seems the enemy doesn't have many people, given that they're targeting high-value targets."

"Yes, our technical experts said that the other side may only have five or six people at most, and their high-penetration ammunition is no less than that of etching bullets, and even more accurate and powerful."

If we could mass-produce and deploy them, our frontline casualties would be two to three times higher than they are now, and we've bombed any area where more than five people could hide.

The technical sergeant said he had never seen such a strange sniping tactic before, and that the usual methods used against high-ground snipers and stealthy snipers were completely inapplicable to it.

Their movement was too fast, their range too long, their accuracy too high, and for some reason, their ability to select targets was also exceptional. They always chose high-value targets, such as officers, gunners, drivers, surveyors, and war mages. Nobody knew how they could find these units so accurately.

"Could it be clothing?"

"The officers were all dressed the same, and so were the sorcerers, but the ordinary junior officers and sorcerers were not targeted at all."

Clothing was indeed considered, but the noble officers were not like the commoner officers in Kazdel. They could not tolerate being dressed like beggars, and it took a lot of effort and persuasion to get them to remove their medals and decorations.

In the end, it was the enemy snipers who helped persuade these stubborn gentlemen. Of course, the enemy bullets were undeniably persuasive, a fact that all the lower-ranking officers of Letania could hardly deny; no amount of eloquence or words could sway them. But enemy bullets could truly convince them to remove the symbols of their status.

“Hats, medals, gloves, we even prohibited frontline soldiers from saluting their officers.”

"No wonder no one moved when I came in..." the general suddenly realized. "So it worked?"

"The frequency has been reduced by half compared to the past, which should be considered effective, but officers and technicians are still being sniped. It is now almost impossible to organize an offensive. Everyone is resisting crossing that death line."

They tried everything, from artillery bombardment to camouflage, and while some methods were effective, they couldn't prevent a few officers from being sniped every time they were assembled to launch an attack, disrupting the entire deployment.

It's not that we haven't considered having soldiers fill officer positions one by one, so that even if they are sniped, the formation can be quickly reorganized.

However, the problem lies in the quality of Letania's soldiers. Almost everyone in Kazdel has received compulsory education. There is a difference between junior officers and soldiers, but the difference is not significant, and they can be used as temporary replacements.

But in Letania, it's different. Most of the officers are of noble birth, and the commoner status of the lower-ranking officers is an insurmountable gap between the two. Of course, you can let a commoner captain take over the position of that noble platoon leader.

However, he found it difficult to cooperate with the noble officers of other allied forces, who would instinctively reject this lucky guy.

Not to mention, if this civilian captain also dies, there won't be a replacement. Do you really want those guys who can only read orders, who have never been to military school, and who can't even read a map, let alone command operations, to be officers?

If this guy also dies in battle, then we'll have to let an illiterate old farmer conscript take command.

Brother, you'd be better off withdrawing this unit to rest and replenish it, and waiting for everyone to be ready before sending it in again. At least that way you won't cause the entire front to collapse.

On the other side, you have to die at least to the rank of private before someone can't read the map, while on our side, you only need to die to the rank of corporal or squad leader before an illiterate old farmer appears.

"So, just a few people were enough to hold you off for so long?"

"Not entirely."

"They also guided those strange missile attacks, guided artillery, guided every weapon you can imagine, General..."

During the assembly, they were hit by a barrage of rockets. While moving, a group of drones suddenly crashed into the lower back of the team and exploded. The attack had only been underway for half a minute when their own artillery opened fire, and the surveyor was taken down by a single shot. Before a replacement could be found, a round of artillery fire destroyed the artillery position.

Ultimately, it's a complete mystery how these people aimed at their targets, why their firing range kept changing, and why artillery fire couldn't eliminate these damned rats.

Meanwhile, amidst the ruins, a soldier asked, "Sergeant, do you have any tips for finding targets?"

"Yes, before I looked at the clothes, then the badges, and now, I look at the pose."

"posture?"

“Anyone standing straight and tall, with their backs bulging, is a target. You probably haven’t seen the Kazdel people or the Ursus serfs of the past.” Vasily moved carefully, trying to avoid being spotted by the enemy.

"Um, I used to be in the central region... you know, sergeant."

"Hmm," another fallen girl rescued? Vasily recalled his colleague's physique and appearance. Hmm, he certainly didn't seem like the type to entertain serfs and lowly miners.

“Serfs, even trained serfs, find it hard to straighten their backs. They toil in the fields year after year, and these are indelible marks of their movements. For us, separating them from those pampered black dogs is as simple as separating white rice from black beans.” Vasily climbed onto the collapsed crane and set up his gun.

"The actions of the middle class and the aristocracy are also easy to distinguish. It's hard to describe. I suggest that if you have the opportunity to go to the rear, you can go to the labor camps and carefully observe the differences in the actions of the descendants of the nobility and ordinary citizens."

Even if the former were wearing the same tattered clothes, their scent, like a firefly in the night, would still catch the attention of someone like Vasily.

Therefore, even if those noble officers removed their insignia and changed into the same uniforms, their taller stature, more upright posture, and more powerful and confident movements, along with most importantly—

"The nobles won't stand at the front of the group where it's most dangerous. Whoever is surrounded in the safest position in the middle is the target!"

Snipers on Earth haven't had it easy. After all, they emerged during World War II, when there were no officers with such aristocratic airs, and during World War I, the weapons were inadequate for such professional sniping operations.

"I understand. Are you done?"

"All right……"

"Well then, it's time to send this gentleman down to hear his men's complaints..."

The girl aimed at the target and pulled the trigger. About a second later, Vasily also pulled the trigger, and two specially manufactured high-precision sniper bullets pierced through the ventilation holes from two directions, hitting the general who was examining the body with his head down.

"Run!" During military training exercises, when counter-fire arrives within 30 seconds, snipers must dismount within 10 seconds and find cover within 30 seconds. This training saved many lives on the battlefield.

Because the Letanian counter-fire usually takes 20 to 30 seconds to prepare, and it's unknown when it will arrive.

The girl picked up her rifle, activated the amplification mode of her exoskeleton, and jumped directly from the top of the ruins. The jet system allowed her to land easily, perform a forward roll, and jump into the well she had already scouted out. She then quickly slipped away along the underground irrigation channel.

Minutes later, Letania's artillery fire plowed through the deserted ruins once more, while the two snipers had already retreated to their underground safe haven.

This professional exoskeleton for running away is the type that maximizes mobility. It is equipped with camouflage, a jet system, wheeled feet, various grappling hooks, and a jumping assistance system, making it easy for people to scale walls and rooftops. This is why the Leitanians couldn't understand why their artillery fire was ineffective.

Furthermore, their mapping sorcerers' calculation speed is far too slow compared to the Kazdel artillery's biological fire control computer. For the sniper units, it's like racing against an old lady.

During exercises and training, only the precise, rapid, and incredibly effective artillery fire of our own forces can be called counter-sniper artillery fire, while that of Leitania can only be called a farewell salute.

Chapter Twenty-Six: Well done.

Chapter 26

Although the fighting was very difficult, Letania, with the combat power of its powerful land-based fleet, continued to advance its occupied territory step by step. The part that advanced along the railway line was blocked by the military stations along the way, but the part that detoured from other places successfully defeated the defending forces that were blocking its way.

Of course, it could also be said that the defending forces calmly retreated after killing all the enemies who dared to stay outside the land-based ships and mobile fortresses. Any attack that did not include super-heavy armored units would turn into a massacre of the attackers.

The lessons and experiences of war are reciprocal; generals may learn slowly, but the ordinary soldiers on the front lines learn quickly. What used to be small-scale charges has now become alternating advances of twenty or thirty men spaced a dozen meters apart.

They don't need military academies, nor do they need instructors yelling and whipping them with foul language; the enemy's steel arrows will teach them these basic tactical maneuvers in their own way.

Similarly, realizing that conventional bunkers were unlikely to stop spell cannons, the Sarkaz seemed to abandon trench warfare and instead rely on rapid mobile warfare using their large number of light and agile units.

The battle patterns of both sides strode forward in directions that generals and senior commanders could no longer comprehend. In this process, the Leitanians paid a more heavy price than on the northern front. When the fleet reached the first rendezvous point, a mining settlement that had been almost leveled by artillery fire, morale was on the verge of collapse.

It's hard to explain why an attacking force that seemed to have the upper hand would end up like this.