Chapter 663: Chapter 1 Brewing
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March 10, 1916, Pronovka Village, the Headquarters of the First Front Army of the Antean Kazarlia.
Wang Zhong entered the headquarters cursing and mumbling, pulled over a chair by the door, picked up a small tool that was leaning against the shoe cabinet, and began to clean the mud off his boots.
Pavlov: “Setting up headquarters in such a dium-sized village ans having to endure the mud. If the headquarters had been set up in Bolsk, you could have walked on asphalt to get here.”
Wang Zhong: “Forget it, that would have put us too far from the front line. Generals being far from the front line, and from their troops, ans being very close to defeat, very close.”
Pavlov shrugged his shoulders and changed the subject: “Today there’s still no anomaly, the ammunition stockpiling speed is below expectation but it’s not a big problem, we still have two months to continue increasing the ammunition.
“The Prosen side is also very quiet, the front line reported that the Prosen forces sent out a patrol last night, and there was a low intensity skirmish with our troops.”
Wang Zhong: “Keep an eye on the frequency of enemy patrols. Although I believe the enemy won’t launch an attack during the muddy season, but… what if there’s any change? How’s the intelligence from within Prosen?”
Pavlov: “The routine report early yesterday morning ntioned that since Prosen began its total mobilization, it is conservatively estimated that three million young people have enlisted in the military, most of the new recruit training camps are at full capacity, and factories have also begun operating day and night.
“According to intelligence obtained by the Allied Forces, the first batch of civilian factories will complete their conversion by the end of this month.”
Wang Zhong nodded, he finally finished cleaning the mud off his boots, put the tools back in the shoe cabinet, and stomped his feet a few tis on the mat by the door before walking into the headquarters feeling satisfied.
On the north wall of the headquarters hung a large map of the Southern Front, featuring a winding front line marking the actual control line between enemy and us.
Wang Zhong frowned upon seeing this front line.
The outbreak of the War on Earth was because the Russians had controlled a salient, and the Sturmtiger planned to use a pincer movent to cut off the salient and annihilate the Russian heavy troops entrenched there.
Now, the experience from Earth was useless, because on the map in front of Wang Zhong, it was the Prosen forces that controlled the salient.
The Antean Army had absolutely no control over any salient on the Southern Front.
This made it impossible to predict where Prosen would attack.
But the Prosen forces would definitely attack, because their military doctrines and traditions made them firmly believe that to win the war, they must attack.
Wang Zhong had been pondering these past few days where and how the enemy would attack.
Popov: “You’ve been ditating in front of that map for days now, but I think instead of blindly guessing the enemy’s direction of attack from the map, it would be better to take a closer look at aerial photos.”
Wang Zhong: “You’re right, I should personally conduct a reconnaissance to see how the enemy troops are assembling.”
Popov: “I told you to look at aerial photos, not to go scouting yourself! Besides, haven’t you already scouted several tis? It seems you didn’t find anything new about the enemy’s movents.”
Wang Zhong: “That’s exactly why I need to scout more until I find the enemy’s new movents. Where is Alia?”
Vasily: “Haven’t seen her today. Also, the Air Force reported that the airfield was bombed by the Prosen Air Force yesterday evening, and they are still repairing the runway, so planes can’t take off for the ti being.”
Wang Zhong sighed helplessly.
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At this very mont, inside Wang Zhong’s dormitory.
“Here, I heard that people from the United Kingdom like to drink tea, this tea is from Yeburg.” Ludmila held an exquisitely carved teapot and poured a cup for Alia, “Do people from the United Kingdom add milk and other things to their tea? I’m not very clear, so I prepared it the sa way as for coffee.”
Alia: “No need, I prefer it plain.”
She lifted the cup and gently sipped.
Ludmila: “I’ve actually wanted to talk to you for a while, but the fighting has been fierce, and I heard that you have to take off every day to et the enemy, and even accompany him on personal scouting missions.
“I also have to be on duty next to the Divine Arrow, so I just couldn’t find the ti.”
Alia: “I have no inappropriate thoughts about your husband, he is indeed very outstanding, but…”
“You misunderstood.” Ludmila laughed, “I just wanted to thank you. I heard that he still let you take off in that red Pe-3 knowing that the enemy would set an ambush, using you as bait? That’s too much, I scolded him harshly for that!”
————
Wang Zhong suddenly started sneezing, one after another, each with a tremor that seed to shake the earth.
Popov: “In my holand, sneezing like this ans soone is cursing you.”
Pavlov: “It must be the Prosen people, you wiped out a million of their troops in the winter campaign, forcing them into total mobilization, they must hate you to death.”
Wang Zhong: “Hmm, let them have their verbal satisfaction. This sumr campaign, I’m going to completely break their bones!”
————
Alia: “I’m actually very grateful to him for arranging opportunities to increase my combat achievents, although in the end I only added one more downed plane. But…”
“`
Miss Witch stopped because she noticed Ludmila’s aningful smile.
“I want to reiterate,” Alia raised her voice, “I do indeed have special feelings for Rocossov, but that’s because he might be the only one of my kind in this world.”
Ludmila looked surprised, “Eh? What do you an?”
Alia explained seriously, “You’re also a user of mystical powers, so I can speak frankly with you, and you should understand. I can sense threat and hostility; I definitely know when an enemy is diving towards , and I’ll know where they’re coming from!”
“Your husband has the sa ability; he knows where the enemy is. During reconnaissance, he knows where to take photos, and the films from his reconnaissance flights are all filled with valuable enemy targets.”
Ludmila tilted her head, “Hmm, ever since he was bombed by a 380mm shell in Ronied, I felt that he had changed.”
Alia asked, “How many milliters?”
“380mm, from the main gun of the battleship that your Royal Air Force’s Lancaster sank. He was the only one who survived—at least, almost the only one. Oh right, so duchess’s lover survived too.”
Alia: “What? A lover?”
Ludmila: “Yes, so nobles survived the purge after the civil war and brought so bad customs with them. I am a follower of the Secular faction and don’t have such inclinations; he’s the only one for .”
Alia: “Oh.”
Then silence fell.
Feeling awkward, Alia brought the conversation back on track: “Anyway, Rocossov and I are of the sa kind, unlike you. We both use non-scientific powers. eting him felt like finally encountering a fellow countryman. That’s all.”
“I think you might have misunderstood sothing, I really just wanted to express my gratitude to you,” Ludmila elegantly sipped her tea.
Alia also picked up her teacup—she hadn’t touched it since the beginning.
After taking a gentle sip, the girl from United Kingdom sincerely complinted, “This tea is rather good.”
“Of course, it was specially sent over by your embassy during New Year’s.”
Alia: “You’re using top-quality black tea, a gift from our embassy, as a gesture of thanks to ?”
Ludmila: “Yes, any problem with that?”
“Not really. By the way, what’s the deal between Rocossov and His Majesty the Tsar?”
“His Majesty probably likes my husband; he just views His Majesty as a younger sister. After all, he is entrusted by the forr Crown Prince. My husband is a man of deep loyalty.”
“Ah, I see,” Alia responded and then both won simultaneously sipped their tea.
————
Empire of Prosen, Belka Tank Testing Ground.
A re-designed Model 6 tank made its way to the center of the testing field, marked by a Red Flag, and then all its crew mbers disembarked and ran toward a nearby bunker in a single file.
A Whirlwind Tank Destroyer stopped 600 ters away from the new prototype. A Prosen major commanding the tank confird that all the prototype’s tank operators had entered the bunker before raising his hand and chopping it down forcefully.
The Whirlwind fired.
The 100mm gun’s muzzle flash swallowed the ground around the destroyer.
The prototype tank remained stationary, seemingly undamaged.
From a distance in an observation bunker, the Imperial Emperor put down his binoculars, “Let’s go take a look.”
He took the lead out of the bunker, climbed onto an already running barrel cart.
The barrel cart imdiately sped off towards the prototype, followed by two motorcycles and a half-tracked vehicle carrying a squad of soldiers.
The Emperor, unable to contain his impatience, alighted from the still-moving cart and walked up to the prototype, his eyes fixated on the bullet holes on the front of the vehicle.
The Armored Corps Director, General Moochi, caught up and said, “Your Majesty, when we repaired this enemy’s new assault gun, we used quite a bit of our own technology, and our own shells were used for the shells; according to previous tests, the Anteans’ shells have a lower penetration due to the quality of their gunpowder…”
The Emperor interrupted, “Do not make excuses!”
Giles also advised, “600 ters is rather a short distance. We’ve tested another enemy assault gun wreckage, and the new Model 6 tank equipped with a 10.5 cm gun can penetrate the enemy’s front at 1500 ters; the newly deployed Big Max self-propelled anti-tank gun uses this artillery, and indeed it can exchange fire with the Whirlwind.”
The Emperor: “What about Rocossov’s new heavy tank? Can it withstand it too? Our new tank must resist the Antean 100mm gun attack at 600 ters, understand? Redesign it, increase frontal protection!”
General Moochi: “The new Model 6 is already sixty-six tons; adding more defense would exceed seventy tons, too heavy, inconvenient whether for transport or long-distance mobility.
“Considering the enemy’s new assault guns and the new heavy tanks are very rare, I believe just being able to withstand a 76mm gun like the T34 is sufficient…”
“No!” the Emperor cut off the Armored Corps Director, “By our June offensive, we need a new tank that can perfectly crush all of Ante’s armored vehicles, to serve as our main breakthrough force! Now go check the self-propelled anti-tank gun!”
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