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"Return to base..." Amid the cheers of his excited teammates, Hudson coldly uttered only this sentence—judging from his voice, it was as if this jet, which hadn't retaliated against anyone, was putting more psychological pressure on him than any ace, for some unknown reason.
……
Having finally returned to the city of Schönebeck, Jonathan found the situation extremely urgent. He had already seen that the enemy had breached the last of their firepower at the bridgehead, and a significant portion of the enemy had already entered the city.
"Holy shit!" However, he couldn't just lead the whole group forward, because shells from who-knows-where bombarded them, forcing them to take cover in the building in a sorry state. "Damn it, Captain! Where did that mortar come from? Don't they know we're here?"
"Retreat, Sergeant, I'll make contact!"
Drucker watched as the enemy's KMFs and tanks advanced little by little with the retreating soldiers, and the machine guns and rocket launchers simply couldn't keep up with them.
"I hope we're not just sitting here getting beaten up, sir! The center of the city is dangerous!"
"Not any time soon."
In an instant, as the lead assault gun rolled over a gate, a soft blast of an M1 anti-tank gun came from a nearby hut.
The 57mm bullet pierced the side armor of the assault gun, slowly igniting it. Then, right next to the sound of the gunfire, the barrel of an M1919 machine gun had been waiting for a long time. Behind the assault gun, in addition to two KMFs following closely behind, there was an infantry fighting vehicle unloading personnel. These black-uniformed soldiers undoubtedly became the best targets for an ambush.
"Jonathan! Green Smoke Screen!"
And when the buildings were finally filled with greenery, more Mustang fighter jets arrived, shielding these bad guests from the sun that didn't belong to them—whether they hid between the buildings or were slowly advancing on the bridge, they would be smashed to pieces.
"It's not time to relax, boys." Captain Drucker, as usual, showed no sign of joy. Sure enough, shells from across the river soon began to rain down on the city. "This was their first wave of troops entering the city, so there must be reinforcements following. Everyone, head to the riverbank and reorganize the defenses!"
This time they weren't alone. On the main street behind them, under the constant rain of fire falling between the rooftops, Sherman tanks, trucks towing Bofors anti-aircraft guns, and even more soldiers had arrived to join them.
"I want you to understand what we're about to do—the enemy is on the other side of the river, coming over via a forest road, and we need to buy time for our flying boys, understand?"
Chapter 217, Section 288: Schönebeck, the Water and Fire Chessboard (Part 5)
"OK, just cross this intersection and you'll get there... Oh my god!"
The large contingent was not far from the riverbank when suddenly a section of the exterior wall of a nearby building collapsed.
"Fuck! They've hidden KMF here!"
They certainly didn't expect to be outmaneuvered. The soldiers had thought that the enemy squad they had just wiped out was the remaining Britannian troops who had crossed the river, but they hadn't expected there to be even more troublesome enemies.
"Don't let them get close, damn it!" Sunderland, Portman, Gloucester, and others appeared in twos and threes in the soldiers' path, either using machine guns to sweep the infantry back or aiming their recoilless rifles at the tanks and vehicles, striking first before anyone could react.
This ambush shouldn't be anything big—after all, there didn't seem to be any KMF aircraft or helicopters coming to add fuel to the fire, let alone jet fighters. Although the soldiers did manage to twist their own ankles against their tanks, they at least had some room to retreat. It should only be a matter of time before they slowly pried these four-meter-tall mascots out of the streets and alleys and smashed them.
But it seems this battle is not going to end anytime soon.
"Calling Captain Drucker, you must take the riverbank as soon as possible, do you hear me?"
"Major?" The captain was a little puzzled. "I'm afraid it won't be quick. We've encountered a heavily armed enemy ambush here. If we force our way in, our heavy weapons will suffer heavy losses!"
“Listen to me. It seems you don’t understand what we’re facing. We’ve just received the latest news: the enemy has more humanoid weapons and transport ships heading this way from Magdeburg on the lower Elbe River. Do you understand what this means?”
"You mean the KMF that I just told you about, the one that can dive?"
The captain's face completely fell over—without a doubt, the ambush troops in front of him were buying time for the Portmans, who were going upstream, to secure the riverbank. As for the transport ships? Just look at the enemy still advancing on the road across the river; what more needs to be said?
“I can’t guarantee that the new flying lads can provide you with such close support, buddy.” The battalion commander paused, “but you should understand that you’ve reached a point where you’re in a key position in the battle. Right now, the main fighters are helping the tanks in the west solve problems. Just do your duty.”
"Alright, Major, how long will it take for our reinforcements to arrive?"
"Ground? 5 minutes."
"OK, that's enough..." As soon as he finished speaking, the enemy on the other side of the river began to fire artillery fire at them. "Brothers! Set up all your firepower and get as close to them as possible!"
"What officer are you talking about? We can't just strangle these puppets!"
"Then pry open their hatches and die with them! Jonathan, tell those men to get all the mortar shells out!"
The soldiers were taken aback for a moment, but immediately understood.
"Aim at those KMFs' heads!" The Sherman tank next to them was damaged, and the captain was the first to climb onto the still intact roof machine gun, leading the soldiers to go back and suppress the dolls' firepower—the hail of bullets flew over from one side, clattering and sparking against the KMF's armor, while the rain of bullets returned from the other side, landing on the soldiers' sides or bodies.
Shattered human bodies and bricks, pierced armor and components—the soldiers, armed with only a few rocket launchers and smoke grenades, fought a brutal battle against these steel giants on the street. The bright red First Division badge on their arms seemed like a stimulant, motivating everyone to fight to the death to tear these opponents apart, even if it meant throwing them by hand or letting them die together with enemy shells.
One by one, the soldiers fell to the ground, unable to get up again. The KMFs were also slowly wounded all over their bodies, making them unable to fight anymore. The stench of burning electronic components and the stench of blood and flesh spread through the air with the white waves of smoke grenades.
Jonathan watched as Portman's knees buckled and he half-knelt on the ground. He immediately jumped onto the canopy, desperately pried open the hatch, then wedged a grenade into it and pulled the pin. After a loud bang like a firecracker going off inside a roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), the big guy finally fell to the ground quietly.
"Damn it!" Looking back at the opposite bank, his heart sank. The enemy's main force was already close. "Where are the anti-aircraft guns? Set them up here!"
The sky seemed cold, but the falling fighter jets and KMFs, burning as they crashed into the Elbe River, were almost melting.
……
"Approaching, bomb to be dropped in 30 seconds..."
The sergeant, panting heavily, suddenly heard some better sounds—the fighter jets that had all gone to support the west were gradually appearing overhead in twos and threes.
Just like when water from flowerpots on a hot day falls on your head, it's not very refreshing, but it does feel a little comfortable. When the last KMF in front of them falls, the soldiers finally get a break.
The enemy on the opposite bank of the river began to lose their footing, because they could not necessarily see whether the American warplanes were carrying heavy surprises under their wings. Finally, they were able to set up their anti-aircraft guns on the riverbank while being suppressed by firepower.
"Fire!"
The sharp warheads traversed the air above the river, soaring over the grasslands on the opposite bank, relentlessly piercing the outer shells of the KMF and infantry fighting vehicles. Suddenly, wildfires raged across the land.
"Oh, so this is the best one?"
Later, Captain Drucker discovered something new—remember why we emphasized that the enemy coming from the opposite direction had to pass through a forest? The long-awaited A-26 and B-26 bombers will reveal the answer.
Protected by fighter jets and supported by defensive machine guns, the bombers had formed a battle formation and slowly approached the forest. The hatches opened, and cold black dots, accompanied by a biting wind, swept across the sky and plummeted vertically, leaving the enemy still advancing through the forest with a sense of unease.
Why? Because no one can be sure what will happen next.
In an instant, it seemed as if another sun was rising in the sky above Jonathan's eyes—a crimson fireball formed by the explosion of incendiary bombs dropped by the bombers, rising from the forest. Then, these suns were strung together one after another like a pearl necklace. In the eyes of the soldiers, this was a very beautiful ornament, meticulously crafted by Yankee Arms.
Conversely, the necklace, like a noose, tightly strangled the enemy's neck.
It's really hard to describe the feeling of being engulfed in flames in just a few words. On the one hand, it does burn away the oxygen like a rope around your neck, suffocating you. On the other hand, the raging fire is like a pack of wolves that has been locked up for a long time, desperately tearing at anything it touches.
The already desolate late winter forest, even with the presence of chariots, soldiers, and humanoid weapons, didn't seem lively. But when all of this turned into a sea of fire, it was as if a train to hell had already stopped before us. There were not many lucky people or things that could escape. The world became a furnace for smelting iron. Human flesh and blood, tree branches and leaves, even vehicles made of steel and iron could not escape being reduced to charred remains by their electronic components, mingling with endless wails.
……
The Britannian soldiers, who were also standing outside the woods and witnessing all of this, and were almost at the riverbank, could hardly believe that this devastation had happened on the very road they had just passed. For the first time, they had the privilege of witnessing it.
Retreating into the forest is no longer an option. The choice is either to launch a desperate attack into the city or to withdraw from the battlefield along the wilderness outside the forest. Both options present threats from the air and from the other side of the river.
Before the commanders here have made their decision, the dawn will soon break in the west of Schönebeck as well.
"AP, 800 yards, enemy assault gun, fire!" "Beautiful Kelly" was still holding the line with the last few tanks around her. "Jesus! Hurry! AP, 1 o'clock!"
"Oh my god..." The gunners panicked. A KMF (Knight Mage) was already aiming at them with the gun barrel raised. "Why isn't it installed yet!"
"It's over, we're finished..."
As the train conductor was about to give a final recollection of the journey, a sudden flash of light appeared in his periscope.
The KMF was torn apart like a mop and thrown onto a nearby infantry fighting vehicle—it was a shell fired from the flank of the battlefield, which even pierced through the infantry fighting vehicle in the process.
"What the hell?" Peanut, Xiafei, and the tanks that were with them had already retreated. What fired that shot?
"Calling, this is the 32nd Armored Regiment. We are entering the battlefield. Please be aware of your firing direction."
“Oh, look over there, boss.” The driver in the car glanced to the left through the periscope. “We can move forward while we drink.”
The M4 is not indestructible; it's like a paper cup left on the road, which could be crushed by a shell at any moment. This mindset was held by the Britannian soldiers because the T-34 had already taught them this, and then they applied it to the American troops.
But this time, the opponents who came were clearly going too far—they didn't see those bread-like, plump bodies emerging from the forest, but rather a group of brand-new fellows, in small groups.
Slightly shorter, with a wider body and tracks, a large and rounded turret emerges from the forest, the arc on the gun shield gleaming in the rising sun—all clearly designed to complement the longer tank gun in front of it.
……
"Damn it...backwards! Backwards now!"
The black formation slowly began to deform like dough, because they were surprised to find that they could not cause any damage to these uninvited guests—and on the contrary, the newly arrived 90mm tank guns were no different from an angry bear whose hibernation had been forcibly interrupted.
Two months earlier, they sat on the border between the United States and the Soviet Union in Germany, facing the sudden outbreak of war with trepidation.
Today, the culprit that caused that gunpowder atmosphere has been brought to the fore, and the town of Schönebeck will finally be able to rest in peace. The rifling that has been waiting for more than sixty days and nights will soon become stingingly hot.
"Attention all M26 Pershing units! Advance! Open fire at will!"
-
[Author's note: Sorry everyone, I've been busy drawing emojis for a certain girl these past few days. I'll tell you who it's for in the next chapter. Here's a picture of the finished product.]
Chapter 218, Section 289: Sword Pointing at Magdeburg
"Oh, they went to the other side of the river."
Inside the "Pretty Kelly" tank, in the same disheveled western outskirts of Schönebeck, the tank commander, now able to easily open the hatch thanks to the Pershing tanks' efforts, watched as many of the Sherman tanks that had been struggling together slowly drove away.
"Understood. Once the forest is on fire, the enemy will have no way to retreat. Then a small number of people can go and beat them while they're down."
"Respond quickly." At that moment, a message came from above: "The rest of the regiment who can continue fighting have gone to the riverbank. Now, we will advance with the 32nd Panzer Regiment to cover their right flank until we reach Dowdendorf. Understand?"
"Absolutely foolproof, sir." The commander pulled out a map and looked at it. The village the boss had mentioned was just over three kilometers south of Magdeburg, so the significance of the operation was obvious. "Alright, get Kelly moving quickly, shoot as you go!"
With a roar like a gasoline engine yawning as it woke up, the Sherman tank, covered in camouflage netting, emerged from the shell crater where it had been hiding, like a lion draped in withered grass and branches.
"Sorry guys, there's no way to save your lives..." Looking back at the American tanks and artillery pieces scattered all over the ground, who would have thought that today's sudden bloodbath would cripple at least thirty or forty of their own iron beasts? "I'll bring back the blood and brains of the enemy right away and pour them into your cups."
"OK, sir?" He then called out to the Pershing crew they were covering, "What's your name?"
"Iron Hammer Ranger, that's how capricious the name is!"
……
"Enemy armored formation 1200 yards ahead. Prepare to fire at will!"
Following the large group of fighter planes flying overhead, it seemed that the enemy, as reinforcements, was blocking their way to Magdeburg. I felt sorry for them. The bombs and rockets pounded the enemy's rear ranks, turning them into a sea of smoke and fire. Those at the front couldn't retreat at all, completely blocked by the corpses of their own men in front of the Pershing tanks and Sherman guns.
"Fire!—"
Pretty Kelly followed beside him, firing the shells. Then, dozens of Pershing tanks on one side opened fire like hammers striking icicles. Countless 90mm shells streaked across the sky, eliminating the laggards before the enemy could even confirm their targets.
"Slow down, maintain formation. The 36th Armored Infantry Regiment is coming from behind in half-tracks. We'll rendezvous with them."
With the speed reduced, each gunner naturally had a better grasp of the situation than during the first volley of fire, at least saving a lot of time in terms of braking and firing. Of course, the enemy did not collapse or be completely wiped out by the initial saturation attack; they also retaliated with assault guns and KMFs, seemingly unconcerned about what caliber of AP shells they were killed by.
"Oh, it's shaking a bit." A shell hit the Iron Hammer Ranger, causing the whole vehicle to suddenly get stuck like a small stone on a sled sliding down a slope. "Let me see who dares to mess with this... OK, 2 o'clock, 900 yards, see that crouching bastard?"
"Got it." It seems the Pershing's first appearance left the enemy quite unwilling. The first shot failed to penetrate, so they fired a second one. Of course, in the end, they were kicked into the mud by the shell.
"Jesus." The tank commander placed his hands on the turret walls; the two shots he had just taken had left his hands numb. "Phew, thank goodness the enemy isn't German."
“Yeah, they’re not Germans, but they’re not exactly comfortable either,” the pretty Kelly muttered.
"What are you thinking, bro?"
"Finally, it's our turn to drive the enemy away with tanks that they can't penetrate, right? Hahahaha... Sigh, it's really frustrating that our stuff came so late."
"Shall we have some fun today?" The captain of the Iron Hammer Ranger sneered and called to the driver, "Turn about 30 degrees to the right."
"What's going on, boss? Isn't there a KMF booth over there?"
"That's how it should be." Unlike the commander, who had a better field of vision, the driver didn't see a poor young woman crawling out of the tank, covered in burn marks. Before she could even lift her head, she was run over by the speeding tracks. And unexpectedly, this turn actually helped them avoid several shells from enemy assault guns.
"We've been hit!" But a guy next to us wasn't so lucky. The turret ring of his Pershing tank was suddenly engulfed in flames. Although it didn't burn into a bonfire, the whole vehicle became swaying.
"Old carpenter, report the situation?"
"The gun traverse mechanism is malfunctioning, the loader is done for... Holy crap!" The tank, which was already swerving, suddenly became terrifying at the commander's exclamation. Then the hatch opened, and a person crawled out, holding a sizzling shell in his hand!
"Oh my god, my hand was almost ruined..." After leaving the shells burning on the ground behind him, the old carpenter's commander finally breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright... alright, Ranger, we can continue fighting, but I have to go to another position now."
"You'd better give up on advancing." Yes, that armor-piercing shell that almost made a big splash was fired by an enemy assault gun. The tank commander then noticed that some of the friendly vehicles seemed to have stopped after taking a few shots—some had their tracks broken, some were physically injured by high-explosive shells, and some had armor-piercing shells penetrate their weak points.
"All units, prioritize attacking enemy tanks. Repeat, making enemy tanks the primary target."
The battle in this outlying wilderness was drawing to a close. The commanders of the beautiful Kelly and the Hammer Ranger could see through their binoculars that the enemy assault guns were collapsing at an increasingly rapid pace under the fire of their own 90mm and 76mm tank guns, and their crews were escaping at an ever-increasing speed. There was basically no need to worry about those KMFs; recoilless rifles hitting Shermans was one thing, but dealing with the Pershing, the backbone of the tank, was like kicking a concrete block. The sensible pilots had already put their androids in reverse.
"I'm a little curious about how badly you guys fell before, bro."
“We had the manpower, but not the timing or location,” Kelly’s driver replied to Hammer Ranger. “You should know that if you encountered enemy helicopters, without so many Mustangs and Thunderbolts providing cover, you would be finished too. Luckily, it’s not nighttime now.”
"Okay, then you can go back and rest when we get to the village." Iron Hammer, the tank commander, laughed wildly, but then he heard something was wrong from afar. "Oh no, everyone be careful, there's enemy artillery fire."