"What kind of lousy map is this? Don’t they have anything more detailed?" Next to a self-propelled artillery piece, under the camouflage net, the artillery commander of the Tang Army couldn’t help but complain as he stared at the map on the table.
Even though so precise maps were made with satellite surveys before the war, and these maps might have higher accuracy than those used by the Dwarf Empire itself, they still seed sowhat inadequate for the Tang Army artillery...
They were fighting on foreign grounds, and the impact points of the shells needed to be repeatedly adjusted. So coordinates were inaccurate, greatly diminishing the efficiency of the supporting troops in combat.
Sotis, they had no choice but to employ artillery barrage tactics, which were not commonly used in the past, to ensure the destruction of a range of Dwarf fortifications.
Previously, they didn’t need to do this. Just one shell could precisely destroy the enemy’s tactical point, ensuring that the troops could quickly break through the enemy’s frontline.
"We can only make do with it. You’ve seen the captured maps; they’re not as good as our own," another officer laughed and offered so comfort: "Anyway, there’s no issue with shell supplies. If worst cos to worst, just fire a few more rounds."
"Are those gun barrels free of charge?" the officer said, looking pained as he glanced at a hill of shells stacked not far away.
Weapons like self-propelled artillery also have a lifespan. A gun that fires too many shells will naturally need its barrel replaced. Those heavy armored vehicles that look so imposing aren’t really that impressive during use.
Anything chanical requires maintenance, and the stronger the power, the more fuel it consus... Those geniuses fantasizing about driving a large off-road RV in a post-apocalyptic world never even considered the conditions necessary to use such vehicles.
Supporting the normal operation of such heavy vehicles is extrely difficult. Parts need replacing, fuel needs refilling, and generally, where the battlefield is fought, a temporary maintenance station must be set up.
This is why, during warti, even though the rear is constantly producing weapons, the frontline is perpetually short on weapons for another reason: besides the losses, normal usage consus even more.
Gathering 1,000 cannons may look grand and magnificent, and a single volley might resemble an overwhelming avalanche, but after several hundred to several thousand shells are fired, those cannons are near their discard point. Then you’d know how troubleso it is to replace such a large number of cannons at once.
The larger the caliber of the artillery, the shorter the lifespan of the barrel: a battleship’s gun barrel might only last a few hundred rounds, and once exhausted, it needs to return to port for maintenance and replacent—yes, the image of a battleship blocking soone’s port and firing without concern for costs is actually quite rare.
Generally, when battleships support landing operations, a cannon might just fire three to five rounds, take out the toughest permanent fortifications, and then move aside to rest. The remaining tasks are usually handed over to the smaller caliber guns on destroyers and cruisers.
"It’s how assault battles go, it’s not like we haven’t fought them before." An officer stood by and shrugged, forcing a smile.
Their consumption is indeed much greater than when they were in the wild battle state before, and as the fights continue, other miscellaneous logistics start to crowd out precious frontline transportation capacity too.
The troops need to prepare winter coats; troops in the field need ample fuel for warmth. The importance of blankets and quilts has increased, and every unit must prepare sufficient winter supplies.
Even this is not enough. The Tang Army must prepare adequate winter supplies for everyone in the occupation zone, including the Empire’s new subjects. Yes, that includes Dwarfs, Elves, and their prisoners of war.
re clothing and bedding for winter aren’t enough; they also need to prepare ample food and sufficient dicine... In short, a war such as this has progressed, no longer just a simple war.
When a country occupies a region, unless it’s through plunder and colonization, it must transition to governance. Pirate-style plundering might extract profits in the short term, but the contradictions and crises that arise will cause occupation costs to continuously soar, making it a completely unwise endeavor in the long run.
Therefore, even though the upfront investnt is significant, and occupation costs high, Tang Mo strives to secure more leverage for subsequent rule.
He embodies typical Huaxia thinking: Conquest must be complented by rule and assimilation. After conquering an area, it must be governed and assimilated. Otherwise, it’s rely a waste of ti.
The policy of appeasent is only a compromise chosen when powerless, and an inferior colonial model is a ti bomb of chronic self-destruction, a path only taken by uncivilized barbarians with no future prospects.
"If you can get through winter without a winter coat, then we’ll apply for one less and ask for one more shell," an officer nearby sarcastically remarked, shutting up the complaining comrade.
Despite many People of Qin, Shu, and Chu not quite understanding why the Great Tang Empire invests so much in placating Dwarfs and caring for prisoners, they must admit they themselves are beneficiaries of this mindset.
Back then, they were also allured and placated, and precisely because of this benevolence, they stand here today, wholeheartedly willing to fight for His Majesty The Emperor.
"Actually, there aren’t many days left. I reckon the Dwarfs can’t hold out much longer." Seeing his colleague silent, the officer continued comfortingly, "Didn’t you hear? We’ve already taken over the West Station. The Dwarfs abandoned over a thousand civilians and prisoners in their retreat."
"I heard," the previously complaining officer looked at the unfolded map on the table, still very displeased.
"If they weren’t short on dicine and food, they wouldn’t have done such a thing. It’s very demoralizing," his colleague explained: "Think about what state you were in when you abandoned the wounded back then."
"..." The complaining officer, being a person of Qin Territory, previously a Qin Country artillery commander, showed a sheepish expression upon hearing the question: Back then, damn it, he didn’t even care about his artillery and fled, hiding all the way, then surrendered with his unit. Who cared about the wounded?
"Let’s not bring up the past. Let’s focus on analyzing several strike coordinates," he changed the topic, seemingly regaining his composure.
The officer from the Zheng Region of the Tang Country smiled, knowing well that the colleague didn’t want to bring up that embarrassing past of being chased around. Thus, he didn’t pursue the subject further.
Everyone has a past, but what matters more is the present. Now they are all soldiers of the Great Tang Empire, fighting for His Majesty The Emperor. Isn’t that enough?
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