Chapter 140
Wang Zhong, having finished responding to the 13th Armored Battalion, refocused his attention on the enemy ahead.
Since the artillery preparation hadn't yet ended, the enemy remained at the edge of Wang Zhong's field of vision-through the overhead vantage point, only a few tanks could be seen, and the main force being organized was invisible.
But with the naked eye, he could vaguely discern the distribution of the main forces, yet since Wang Zhong actually had no idea how to calculate distances and coordinates, he couldn't guide the artillery strikes.
Damn it, when the mud season comes next spring and no one can move, I'll definitely find time to properly learn how to calculate distance and coordinates.
At this moment, Wang Zhong heard Yegorov's voice. He turned his head and saw his top infantry powerhouse standing outside the regimental command bunker shouting: "The barrage is extending! Are we preparing to enter the position?"
Wang Zhong quickly checked with the overhead vantage point and indeed, the impact points of the shells were shifting rearward.
Just as he was about to answer, the enemy launched smoke grenades.
The first and second ambush positions were completely shrouded in smoke-even going up there now would make firing impossible.
At the same time, the enemy began advancing.
Due north were the enemy's armored grenadiers, and to the northwest were two armored battalions of the enemy, nearly a hundred Type 3 and Type 4s.
Wang Zhong looked at Yegorov and pointed at the ground, signaling to stay put.
The positions were full of smoke. If they retreated, they couldn't deliver firepower and would be forced into infantry meatgrinders. And those were elite infantry-veterans of Bohemian and Carolingian campaigns.
Ever since the last time in Loktov when he had to fight a close-quarters meatgrinder with elite enemy infantry, Wang Zhong never wanted to get into melee with these Prossenian veterans again. Damn it, they're scarier than tanks.
Yegorov gave a thumbs-up and turned back toward the regimental command bunker.
Wang Zhong turned around and found the communications soldier waiting on the tank engine deck with the field phone and phone line in hand. He picked up the phone: "Connect me to the 152... no, the 155th Regiment."
The heavy artillery regiment under Wang Zhong's command was numbered the 155th, but he always called it the 152nd because the regiment's artillery used 152mm caliber guns.
The call connected quickly: "155th Regiment, go ahead."
Wang Zhong: "This is Rokosov. Target coordinates are..."
After reporting the coordinates, the artillery regiment responded: "Resetting the firing data will take about five minutes."
"I know, I know, you need five minutes."
The artillery unit said five minutes last time too, but opened fire after just two.
Wang Zhong: "Once the settings are done, wait for my order before firing."
"Understood. But aren't we firing at our preset positions this time?"
"Yes. Firing at positions only hits infantry, and due to our fortifications, quite a few can still hide. We're targeting the advancing columns."
Telephone lines generally weren't intercepted by the enemy-after all, the battlefield was chaotic, and even the communications soldiers laying the wire might not know exactly where they laid it. So it was okay to be a bit specific over the phone.
The artillery side fell silent, while Wang Zhong rested the receiver on his shoulder and continued observing the enemy.
The enemy truly hadn't expected the 151st Division's forces to be positioned behind the third line. They were pressing in from three sides without realizing.
Maintaining the phone on his shoulder, Wang Zhong spoke through the internal line to Alexander: "Target the enemy tanks advancing on the flanks. You can hit them, right?"
"Leave it to me," Alexander said confidently as he began rotating the turret.
At this moment, the tank engine wasn't running, so the turret could only be turned using the battery's power-and the Ante Empire's batteries were awful, so Alexander had to rotate it slowly.
As for why the tank wasn't started? Obviously because the engine was too loud and would be heard by the enemy.
The mechanic of Vehicle 422 stood beside the tank holding the crank handle, just waiting for Belyakov to ignite the engine so he could assist with cranking.
The enemy finally advanced into the point Wang Zhong had pre-aimed, so he shouted: "Open fire!"
Very quickly, Wang Zhong heard a whistling in the sky, and then the shells landed right in the center of the enemy's assault formation.
The Prossenians liked to attack with relatively tight formations-if a heavy shell landed between two tanks, there was a chance of blowing off both their tracks.
On the battlefield, a broken track wasn't like in a game where you fix it in a few seconds; out here, a broken track meant abandoning the tank temporarily and returning later for repairs after securing the battlefield.
Additionally, heavy shells also had a chance of stunning tank crew members-provided the hit was accurate.
The first volley of 24 shells landed, and all the infantry in the enemy formation hit the ground. From Wang Zhong's overhead vantage point, he could see that this wave alone had killed at least 30 infantrymen.
Five tanks also stopped advancing. That level of damage was actually acceptable.
Wang Zhong: "Adjust the firing parameters. Elevation correction..."
By tweaking the parameters, the impact points of the shells could be finely adjusted. Wang Zhong had specially learned a bit of this from Dietrich. Dietrich was now at the artillery observation post on Hill 153-if enemy tanks entered his line of sight, they'd likely face even more precise attacks.
The second volley of howitzers came down. Another four tanks halted. At this point, all enemy tanks stopped and began deploying smoke.
Infantry also got up and threw smoke grenades.
It seemed the enemy judged that they were currently in the artillery observers' field of vision, so they chose to obscure the line of sight and continue advancing.
Will that work? Wang Zhong wondered.
At that moment, he heard the roar of engines in the sky.
He immediately checked the sky with his overhead vantage point.
Dao 215 recon aircraft!
It was observing our artillery positions!
Back in Loktov, Wang Zhong had lost three B4 howitzers to this thing.
Wang Zhong: "Cease fire! Artillery regiment, cease fire! Prepare to relocate to the reserve position!"
As an experienced commander, Wang Zhong had of course prepared reserve positions for the artillery regiment.
After all, they'd already been counter-bombarded once.
In addition to ordering the artillery to prepare to relocate, Wang Zhong issued another order: "Have the cover troops prepare to burn the tires."
Whether or not the artillery moved, so long as that thing was overhead, the gunners didn't dare fire recklessly.
Later, if the enemy occupied the positions, they wouldn't even be able to bombard them in return.
Now it would come down to the hard power of infantry and tank crews.
Wang Zhong patiently waited for the enemy to enter the armored units' firing range.
As he was waiting, Alexander said, "This distance is about right. If they get any closer, the enemy might rush in and exploit their visibility advantage. Fire."
Wang Zhong checked the range-600 meters. That was indeed within effective range for regular armored unit members, so he said to Alexander: "Fire!"
The cannon roared instantly.
Belyakov also roared: "Turn the crank! Get it started!"
The mechanic cranked with all his might.
In the next moment, the signature rear exhaust pipe of the T34 spewed black smoke, and the engine's roar came to life.
Just then, Alexander fired the second shot-precisely striking a Type 4 tank.
At that point, the other tanks' first volley had only just begun.
Instantly, six enemy tanks were hit.
Then, one Type 4 stopped and rotated its turret toward Wang Zhong's third ambush position.
Wang Zhong: "That Type 4 turning its turret! See it? It's going to fire a smoke grenade at us! Definitely!"
Loader: "Armor-piercing round, got it!"
Alexander fired immediately, but the enemy fired at the same time.
Alexander's armor-piercing round struck the vertical side armor of the Type 4. The surviving Prossenian tank crew instantly bailed and fled-extremely skilled, with no hesitation at all.
Apparently, Prossenian regulations required experienced tankers to abandon vehicles immediately if they could no longer fight.
The round fired by the Type 4 traveled slower; two seconds later, Wang Zhong heard the explosion and saw colored smoke erupt from the smoke grenade.
Wang Zhong: "Stukas incoming! Evacuate the bunkers! Infantry, deploy smoke!"
Having gained practical experience last time, both the armored and infantry units responded with great composure this time.
Wang Zhong already spotted the Stukas. If the Prossenians followed up with an artillery barrage while the Stukas dropped bombs, things would be bad.
A deadly screech came from the sky.
The next moment, three Divine Arrows launched from the ground, intercepting the diving Stukas!
All three Divine Arrows hit their targets. Before the Stukas crashed, a second wave of Divine Arrows launched into the sky.
The pilots were clearly thrown into disarray. Before, they only knew the White Horse General could shoot down recon aircraft and block observation-they didn't know he could fire Divine Arrows like fireworks.
The downed Stukas crashed askew toward the ground.
Wang Zhong turned to Grigori, who was tending the horses, and shouted: "Quick, go capture the pilots!"
Grigori nodded, mounted his horse, and led the cavalry who had previously guarded Wang Zhong straight toward the Stuka crash site.
Just as Wang Zhong expected-the enemy aircraft scattered at once, flying low to the ground. That made it hard for the Divine Arrows to lock on.
The bombs they casually dropped landed about 50 meters in front of the third ambush position-this distance posed no threat at all to the carefully constructed position.
Neither the shockwave nor the shrapnel could harm anyone.
Wang Zhong thought to himself, this is fair-you block my heavy artillery, and I block your air support. Once we capture the pilots, we can interrogate them properly and extract some intel.
--
While fierce fighting raged in Olachi, at the Summer Palace in Saint Yekaterinburg...
Olga Nikolayevna Antonovna was shouting at the guards by the gate: "I'm a princess! How dare you stop me from entering my own room?"
The guard remained unfazed: "This is the command center, not a salon, Your Highness. And His Majesty the Emperor personally ordered that you not be allowed to disturb the meeting."
Olga snapped: "A meeting? A meeting to discuss how to bury nearly a million troops? We need to retreat now!"
Guard: "Your Highness, yelling at me won't help. Even if I agree with you, I still can't let you in."
Olga took a deep breath, shook her head, and walked off.
After walking some distance, reaching a corridor with no guards, Olga quietly took out a delicate sachet and pulled a golden ring from it.
The ring was identical to the Crown Prince's ring.
"I really didn't want to use the fake ring I secretly cast, but the situation is urgent. Brother, you'll forgive me."
(End of Chapter)