Codegease: Air and Land Warfare 1946

Page 160

"Don't move, Captain, something just broke your head." Looking into the tent, he saw many comrades like him, treating their wounds—some sitting, some lying down, some muttering to themselves, and some shouting.

"Phew, I'm fine, still conscious... I don't even know how many times I've passed out on the battlefield, since Stalingrad... Anyway, enough of that, what are the casualties for the whole company?"

"Only one enemy artillery shell landed here. Two comrades were killed and about ten others were wounded. In addition, of the four T-34 tanks parked outside the village, only one is still operational."

"These shells are quite heavy. Has Britannia used some new weapon?"

The people inside were talking amongst themselves when another young comrade rushed in.

"Company commander, there's a situation."

"What's going on? Is it shelling again?"

"No, after the company commander was wounded, basically all of the enemy's shells landed on the front line. There is even worse news. According to the letter from the front, the enemy has fired about 10 shells in the past half hour, but we still haven't been able to locate the enemy's artillery positions."

"This? My God, is that cannon really that far away?"

"We've already sent a message to the higher-ups on your behalf, but there's something else. In a town not far to the east, one of our ammunition storage camps was also unexpectedly hit by artillery fire. Right now, it's practically illuminating the whole of Germany!"

"Damn it..." Anton, ignoring his injuries, scrambled to his feet. "Comrade, quickly tell the air defense soldiers in the nearest village, and also hurry up and call all the air defense positions in the surrounding villages and towns to stop, turn on the searchlights and get them in position. The enemy may very well send air units to sneak over and attack by following those lights. Quick! Sound the alarm!"

……

"Alright, Lieutenant Colonel, so how's your progress?"

"Ah, Warrant Officer Inteker, the 44th Michigan Brigade at the front reports that it looks like 'Poseidon's Halberd' has hit some important targets."

"Haha, congratulations! The Soviet army's offensive will have another stumbling block starting at noon today."

Griffin, Angelina, and Sisian's plane was climbing into the sky, while the train cannon was still there, proudly raising its head, preparing for the next devastating shot.

"So the southern front might be a bit easier tonight?" Angelie muttered. "But Warrant Officer, I don't think this is a long-term solution?"

"Hmm? How do you say it?"

"The noise from the railway guns is too conspicuous. If our enemy planes were to detect it, we probably wouldn't be laughing as happily as you are now. It's true that fighting at night is their weak point, but that doesn't mean they don't have eyes at night, much less that they're blind at night."

“That’s right, Lieutenant, but there really isn’t a better way right now if we urgently need the firepower of the railway guns.”

"Not only that, but even using fake buildings as a disguise is not a wise move. You've probably almost forgotten how big a fuss the Americans made when they first bombed Berlin a month ago, haven't you?"

"Phew, damn it, I can't get a word in edgewise when this is mentioned..." Griffin didn't dare to utter a sound and could only listen to the excitement.

"Lieutenant Angelie, do you really need to be so pessimistic about the war? Haha."

"War is something that can't be greeted with a smile, at least not in District 45. Our enemy may be fooled once or twice by the train guns and the buildings built on top of them, but they can't be fooled forever."

“But we never thought it would last a lifetime. Once the underground wells for the railway guns are built, we won’t have to do this anymore.”

"You're still deceiving yourself, Warrant Officer. The enemy will eventually find out everything about us. They've been increasingly aware of our strength for the past two months, and the gap between us and them..."

“The size of the gap needs to be based on the difference in the speed of learning and cognition between the two sides.” Xixi’an answered her earnestly and optimistically. “I don’t know what kind of person Her Highness Elizabeth is, but at least I have personally witnessed that when she learned of our defeat, she was not angry and dejected day after day, but slowly looking for a way to break through.

"Heh." Angelie gave a wry smile. "Why can you always talk with such a smile?"

"Lieutenant, I once participated in the interrogation of a Soviet officer, and he said this: 'What you have done is not even as good as what Nazi Germany, who recently died at the hands of the Soviet Union, did. Even a Soviet child could beat you to a pulp.' I don't know if this was a fact or just contempt, but I think he was lying."

"I'm really not joking, Warrant Officer. Have you thought about how serious this war is?"

"Have you ever thought about whether an ordinary child can remain as calm as a seasoned veteran when he first encounters bloody battles?"

"Ok?"

"Courage and wisdom can be learned, just as a babbling toddler can learn to speak. The enemy is learning about us, and we will also learn about the enemy. The enemy will understand our capabilities, but every time they throw shells at us, they are teaching us their military strategies. We may find it difficult to become their conquerors, but perhaps it is they who should reflect on their actions if they want to completely defeat us."

"What... what do you mean?"

“The enemy can crack our courage and strategy every minute and every second. Berlin has been occupied by millions of American and Soviet soldiers. Even District 11 has been turned into a sea of ​​fire. Or, what if the capital, Pendreken, is reduced to pieces? Haha.”

Hearing Xixi'an's quiet laughter, Angelie always felt a strange unease.

"If this is what they want to do, and they are perfectly capable of doing it, then shouldn't they be the ones who shut up first for the tens of thousands of square kilometers of German land in District 45, which is guarded by the Holy Britannian Empire?"

Chapter 186, Section 256: The Sands of No Man's Land

Wittingen, a city with a population of just over 10,000, is located about 4 kilometers west of the border between Lower Saxony and Saxony-Anhalt. Similarly, in Germany, where the country was divided and governed by state, this city became one of the British territories.

The Union Jack rose over Wittingen, fluttering amidst the cheers of Nazi Germany's defeat, the joyous news of the end of World War II, and the plains of the Berlin Incident and the crisis on Europe's borders.

And now, it is still fluttering, its fluttering form passing through the shell craters of the battlefield, through the thick smoke that darkens the sky, through trenches and barbed wire, and appearing in the binoculars of a Britannian officer wearing the Order of Agincourt in the eastern part of the city.

"My God, this... the newly arrived 38th Army has been struggling for ages and still hasn't managed to take Wittingen?"

Standing in this abandoned trench, listening to the still-echoing artillery fire and the faint sound of engines in the sky, everyone who knew the situation was filled with worry.

"Hello, excuse me... oh?"

When he turned around, three young ladies, all wearing the insignia of the Knights, came over to greet him.

"You are... Lieutenant Daimler, who knows Captain Griffin?"

“Ahaha, it is indeed me, if I remember correctly.” Daimler stepped forward and shook hands with the white-haired girl who was leading the group. “Lieutenant Lilizia Lütjens? Well, if I’m not mistaken?”

“It’s an honor that you remember me, sir.” Lily smiled slightly, glancing at Juliet and Ypel behind her. “Are the four of us the only ones from our Knights here to handle these matters?”

"Wait a moment, let me call my men over."

……

Now, the three young ladies led the three young men, led by Daimler, and the six of them busied themselves heading to a house far from the front line.

"Speaking of which, the 38th Army just came from District 11, originally intending to capture the nearest city, but then..."

“I have a feeling, Lieutenant,” Lilizia answered first. “It seems that our different enemies all have different fighting styles. For example, the Soviets basically keep attacking and are always trying to wipe out our entire forces, while the Americans are always filling the skies with planes, although I haven’t seen their ground forces with my own eyes yet, and the British…”

“They harass us from the sky every now and then,” Juliet added, “but on the ground, they rarely initiate conflict with us, which keeps us from being too passive. On the other hand, we still get badly hurt by them…”

"Yes, Her Highness Elizabeth has already said that we should not launch a large-scale offensive against the British forces for the time being, and that we should wait for future plans. The generals understand the reasoning, even if it's only because of the Princess's authority, but some of the younger officers are a bit..."

"So, we're going to educate people, is that it...?"

Once inside the house, who were the people there?

"General." Daimler saluted the old man first, then looked at the few sullen and dissatisfied young men in front of the general.

"OK, they're yours now." After giving his instructions, the general walked away to attend to other matters.

"Hmm, speak now, Lieutenant." The officer who had started the commotion was a major, and he looked disdainful. "Do you know why you're here?"

“Hey, what if I say I don’t know?” Daimler started to argue.

"Since you don't know why the general summoned you..."

What if I say I know?

"If you already know, why are you asking? Bringing here a death warrant for Her Highness the Princess? Let me tell you, you knights..."

"Hmm? What's wrong with the Knights? Are you trying to say we're using our connections to attack you?" Lilizia chimed in, "We didn't say anything because of our background. As for you, Major... don't look at people like you're scolding your own subordinates, otherwise it'll seem like all your real talent is only right under your nose."

"Alright, alright, I won't waste my breath arguing with you. I just want to know, our 38th Army came to this 45th District, and we didn't even get much intelligence from them. Then they ordered us to attack this, ah, that inexplicable British army in the 45th District?"

"Major, we've only been in contact with the British army for less than half a month. Is that so strange? Besides, isn't this exactly what Her Highness the Princess said: 'Every legion and army group that comes to District 45 should not try to avoid the process of exchanging blood for wisdom and winning victory with wisdom'? I think you can put this mission into practice on this battlefield, right?"

"Ha, you make it sound so easy. Come, let me tell you about the mess I made while leading troops to attack Wittingen."

The major led them to the electronic map and casually spread out a few photos.

"The current situation in Wittingen is as follows. Although the British have hardly launched any offensives, they have been holding the city's interior and suburbs. All the flat ground and roads that can be traversed by KMFs and armored vehicles are covered with various obstacles. Barbed wire is not much, but concrete blocks can directly prevent assault guns and infantry fighting vehicles from passing. As for the trenches and artillery positions they have dug all over the place..."

Lily and Daimler said nothing, watching the major silently for a long while.

"Come on, let me break it down for you. If we charge, we'll be bombarded by a barrage of machine guns and artillery, and recently they even brought in a few new anti-aircraft guns to sweep us with their ammunition belts; if we follow the new artillery preparation manual, we'll be bombarded with shells from some unknown British artillery; if we continue to fight back against their artillery according to the book, we'll be harassed by those three-colored circle planes; and if we call in the air force and manage to drive them away, we'll immediately get our knees crushed by landmines!"

"It's not just us now; the entire army group, from top to bottom, involved in the attack on Wittingen, has had a terrible time. The attacks either fail, or after capturing positions or villages outside the city, they can't get any follow-up support and are pushed back by the British. Do you know how it feels to have been suffering for so long and still see that Union Jack flying over Wittingen? That's something we were so indignant about so long ago! And now you're telling me it's something that wants to tear us apart?"

"Oh, well, looks like the window is locked too tightly." The major angrily spat all over the ground, turned around and pushed open the window. Then, the desolate landscape outside Wittingen, bathed in dim sunlight, came into view.

“Look, look closely, look at all those tanks and KMFs piled up all over the combat zone. We can’t even recover the bodies and vehicle parts that have fallen into the craters... We’re increasingly feeling like we didn’t come here to explore a new world. We’ve taken on an engineering project: build a mass grave, let Britannia in District 45 manage it, and all we have to do is send blood into it?”

“When you encounter a problem, you should think about how to solve it, not complain.” Lilizia shook her head. “Or if there’s any problem, we can help you, help your general, report it to Her Highness the Princess, and then…”

"You make it sound so easy. Reaction? How come..."

Suddenly, Lilizia took off the glove from one arm and rolled up her sleeve.

"Please understand this before you speak: the strategy manual you were holding earlier, which was designed to target the enemy in District 45, was obtained at the cost of the lives of tens of thousands of Britannian warriors."

The major stared in disbelief at the girl, whose palms and elbows were covered with numerous faint marks: needle marks, abrasions, and stitches. Under the protection of her gloves, bandages were wrapped around skin that appeared to have been burned.

“I admit that the Knights Order’s special status is indeed somewhat unfair to you, but Agincourt isn’t the only Knights Order that came to District 45, and not every one of them has become a trusted member of Her Highness the Princess.” Lily’s eyes, which occasionally narrowed as if showing a hint of pain, continued, “Sir, if you encounter any difficulties on the battlefield, please tell us, and we will report to Her Highness the Princess. This may not allow you to return alive with medals, but at least, if we are victorious in the future, your name will be immortalized.”

The major was stunned for a long time before picking up a pen and paper and quietly writing something down.

……

"More troops, more artillery, more air support, and more mine-clearing equipment, hmm..."

Once everything was over, Lily and Daimler came out to prepare to return to Berlin, holding the notes the major had written for them, and began to reflect on themselves—or rather, to grumble.

“Hey, I’m saying,” Ypel spoke up, “don’t you guys think that Britain is a bit like our EU, both when they’re at war?”

"What...what do you mean by that?"

"They all stay in one place and don't come out, then they rush to take advantage of any opportunity that's like finding money on the street."

“While it’s similar, if the EU had fought us like this, Prince Schneizel would probably have had to put in far more effort to build his reputation, and might not have even succeeded…” Lily pondered. “Oh no, we wouldn’t even have been able to take Siberia, let alone establish Britannia in Europe…”

"Yes, now I think Her Highness Elizabeth has more talent for war. Plus, almost the entire expeditionary force trusts her leadership completely. I'm afraid she might become a rival for power with the Second Prince in the future..."

"Daimler, with those words, the Black Knights and the Chinese Federation are likely to be the biggest losers."

“Alright, Warrant Officer,” Julia interjected. “Hurry up and contact Angelie or Sissie and have them draft a report.”

"Hmm? Why are you making them write it?"

“I’m not very good with words, and most of your sentences are too inflammatory. As for Ypel, I’m afraid she’ll write the report like a child’s diary…”

Hey! Watch out from the sky!

A shout caused everyone to scatter into the nearby trenches, where sparks flew as a truck they had just passed was burned to pieces.

"Oh, look at that..." Daimler glanced at the truck, then at the departing figure, its two engines spinning away, "If we don't come up with some countermeasures soon, Her Highness the Princess will be the biggest loser..."

Sorry everyone, I went to two comic conventions in Chengdu and Chongqing these past two days to see Yao Renmao. Although I didn't manage to draw the Gundam well for him, I still think it was worth it... I accidentally flirted with two girls and am currently infatuated with their beauty...

Chapter 187, Section 257: What's dug into the ground isn't necessarily a grave.

"Yes! That's it, comrades! Let them hear how Katyusha sings!"

Clusters of fiery birds, launched from rockets, soared into the sky, singing sharp and terrifying melodies. Lieutenant Lemilia and his soldiers squatted on the ground, wiping the winter sweat and mud from their faces as they watched the spectacle unfold—beginning with the truck carrying the organ stand beside them, and ending with the ruined town ahead transformed into a landscape of fire and rain clouds.

"We can just keep an eye on the trucks here, at least we have reinforcements coming to take over the attack."

“Yeah, damn it…” The lieutenant wiped the sweat from his helmet and looked at the black assault gun in a tank bunker next to the truck.

Yes, that's right, comrade. You read that right. It really is that top-heavy, heavy-duty thing from the Britannian army. It's slumped in this poorly dug tank bunker, all its wheels ruined. So how do you explain the existence of this crude but fresh tank bunker for a garrison unit that has just been wiped out by the Soviets? I think it's easy.

The assault gun is still relatively intact, so it can be used by the infantry. Several knowledgeable comrades took the radio equipment out of the turret, put it on the roof of the assault gun, and slowly started to adjust it.

"Lieutenant! There's sound!"

"Calling Lieutenant Petrovsky, how's the situation on your side? How are the reinforcements?"

“Give it to me.” Lemilia said, jumping onto the assault gun. “Ah, Major, we’ve run into some trouble. They’re about to storm Zerbst.”

"Too slow, comrade! We're already 20 minutes behind schedule in capturing the town!"

"Sorry, Major! We advanced too fast as ordered and became separated from the artillery behind us. Then we came into contact with a large number of enemy armored units nearby, and they were practically waiting for us."

"what?"

"They deployed an unprecedented number of heavy firepower vehicles into an equally large number of bunkers, and our T-34 tanks didn't gain much of an advantage when engaging them. By the way, Major, I'd like to know, with such strong winds and thick fog today, the Air Force planes must have missed quite a lot!"

“I understand, Lieutenant. In that case, I hope the second wave of reinforcements will be able to ensure your continued defense after we capture the town. It’s getting dark, and the Britannian army is likely to launch a counterattack. As for the subsequent offensive plans… you understand.”