Codegease: Air and Land Warfare 1946

Page 201

Compared to the relatively peaceful Area 11, Germany on the other side of the portal seems somewhat out of place in the original art style.

Governor Nunnally faced numerous life-threatening situations on her way to Honshu Island, nearly never seeing Tokyo Bay again, as if traversing undulating mountain peaks and valleys. Meanwhile, the 45th District's rivals were strangely in a state of constant decline, with very few ups and downs to speak of.

"Based on our intelligence south of Berlin, and comparing it with our past combat experience, the Soviet army is not currently in a state of launching any offensive. Our offensive is like hammering a sword on an anvil, with every punch landing squarely."

In front of Elizabeth's room, General Windsor was reporting the situation to Her Highness the Princess.

"Forget the flowery language, I just hope you haven't embellished what you've said." The princess rubbed a strand of hair at her temple. "If there are no unusual developments on the southern front before nightfall tonight, please pass on my message to General Trosa: the hammer and sickle flag is no longer allowed to fly over the Baltic Sea."

"Should we land directly by sea, Your Highness?"

"What should we do when one method doesn't work? We should have other methods in mind until then." Elizabeth's expression remained relatively calm. "Rügen Island is the gateway to the Baltic Sea, and we must take it no matter what. In the coming days, please go to Rostock and urge them on. If those two destroyers aren't repaired soon, what will become of the naval officers' reputation?"

"Alright, Your Highness, I thought you would..."

"Huh? What did you say? Say it again? Do you think I didn't hear this message before, or do you want to..."

Seeing Elizabeth's drastic change in expression and her looking around as if searching for something, Kelly, who was sitting inside and busy writing at her desk, quickly turned around and waved vigorously at the general, urging him to leave.

Upon closer inspection, it seemed that the prince was hiding something long under his buttocks; if I'm not mistaken, it must be Elizabeth's sword.

The general had no choice but to retreat with a embarrassed expression. Oh, and the female guard at the door, seeing this, even took out a broken pen to show him.

"Does it look familiar? It was just chopped down this morning. There's even a chair back in the garbage dump."

……

As landing craft adorned with the Britannian flag were deployed one after another on the beaches of Stralsund, the Soviet commanders on the opposite beach had already accepted their predicament.

Marshal Zhukov had given Colonel Kodelevsky a firm order: without his or Comrade Stalin's consent, no one was to voluntarily withdraw from Rügen Island.

Fate is always full of challenges. The colonel had absolutely no experience in island defense operations, so he had to hurry up and obtain some battlefield records from the Allied forces in the European and Pacific theaters regarding the enemy's island defense and beach defense.

The Germans didn't offer much useful guidance; the Japanese, on the contrary, did a better job. However, transferring issues from the Pacific to Rügen Island wasn't so easy to resolve. A few examples will make this clear.

First, let's talk about Iwo Jima. More than 5 Japanese soldiers held out in an area of ​​20 square kilometers for a month against the U.S. military, which had a five-fold advantage in land, sea, and air. They even inflicted greater casualties on the enemy. In addition to the Japanese troops' persistent defense, the favorable weather and terrain of Iwo Jima were also indispensable factors in this.

First, Iwo Jima was one of the Japanese military bases before the start of the Pacific War, and a year before the American landing, it had already carried out meticulous defensive arrangements. Second, Iwo Jima was little developed, and even rice had to be imported from Honshu Island. The indigenous population was only a little over a thousand. The island was densely vegetated and had complex terrain, making it easy to set up hidden firing positions in the jungle.

If they were to excavate Mount Suribachi and set up artillery positions and gun ports of all sizes, allowing every U.S. Marine to be armed with a machine gun, wouldn't it take a lot of bloodshed to fight their way to the top? That American dream is better left in the dream.

Next, let's look at Okinawa. 100,000 Japanese troops were stationed on 1,200 square kilometers of land, and they held out for more than two months against an enemy twice their size plus kamikaze pilots. Besides the smaller difference in manpower, Okinawa itself is also a more complex place in terms of terrain.

Although there wasn't a place as abrupt as Mount Suribachi where a world-class fortress could be carved out, the overall terrain was more treacherous. The undulating mountains and ravines were more difficult to conquer than reinforced concrete, and the hidden firing positions were easy to defend but difficult to attack. Heavy rain, mud, and harsh weather severely restricted the deployment of the US military's mechanized supply lines and heavy firepower. Furthermore, the Japanese soldiers' combat methods, which broke through the limits of Yankee thinking, only made things worse.

Shuri Castle, once a fortified stronghold, is now a ruin. "Typhoon of Steel"—Okinawa Island was the site of the largest and deadliest battle in the Pacific. The name "Typhoon of Steel" couldn't be more fitting to describe this battle.

……

On the other hand, looking at Rügen Island... there's absolutely no need to worry about its combat quality and basic capabilities. It's fully equipped with heavy weapons. Moreover, the Showa madmen have the Rising Sun's red heart tied to their heads, while the Soviet Red Army has the hammer and sickle with the party in their hearts. How can superficial, crazy brainwashing compare to loyalty of body and soul?

The main problem lies in the land beneath our feet. Unfortunately, Rügen Island is not only a large near-shore island with an area of ​​900 square kilometers, but it is also flat and fertile, covered with farmland and pastures, and highly developed. The few highlands and coastal cliffs on the island are concentrated in the Baltic Sea direction, which faces away from the mainland, and the sparse groves are even further away from the mainland.

Even more critically, because the Baltic Sea had long been free of any notable disputes and had no strategic value even during the Nazi era, there were no man-made fortifications to rely on other than the existing towns. In fact, when the Soviet army occupied the island, they searched the entire island but found not a single anti-landing artillery piece.

Ha, if Rune Island were in the Pacific Ocean, whether it was Kuribayashi Tadamichi or Ushijima Mitsuru in charge, they would probably have to commit seppuku within a week.

If we start counting from the breaking of the Siege of Berlin, less than half a year has passed. In addition, Britannia has been using its superior firepower to continuously destroy all defensive measures within firing range in the southern part of the island for a long time. Helpless, Colonel Kojelevsky had no choice but to abandon any plans to delay on the beachhead and instead defend the eastern, northern and central parts of the island using villages and trench fortifications.

However, compared to the Japanese army back then, the colonel has a few things he can be complacent about.

Similarly, because Rügen is an island in the near sea, Britannia is not yet able to deploy a large naval fleet, nor has it captured Poland across the Oder River. The nearest air force base in Poland is only a little over 150 kilometers away, so its island defense forces can receive strong naval and air support in a timely manner.

This was something the isolated and helpless Japanese army could not even dream of back then—the planes could only be used for kamikaze attacks, with no air superiority whatsoever, and as for the warships, let's not even mention them. Just think about how ridiculous a certain battleship, which was built with great expense and high hopes, became.

However, as time went on, the situation of the Baltic Fleet was not very optimistic. The situation on Rügen and Szczecin was escalating, and the air raids on Britannia did not stop. So far, the battleship October Revolution and the cruiser Gorky had only suffered minor damage, while many of the dozen or so destroyers had been sent back to the shipyard for repairs due to the air raids, leaving only six ships that could still hold on to the front line.

First, they used huge bombers to drop rockets and bombs, roughly disrupting the Red Navy's air defense formation. Then, they used jets and KMFs to launch attacks on the warships at high speed with rockets and cannons. The Baltic Fleet, whose air defense capabilities were far inferior to those of the West, was already fortunate to have survived the battle.

"So where is the Royal Navy? Why can't we see a trace of them now? They keep saying they're preparing, but what are they preparing for?" Colonel Kodelevsky had been indignant about this for a long time and had expressed his dissatisfaction to Marshal Zhukov many times. Even Admiral Golovko, the commander of the Baltic Fleet, couldn't help but send a telegram to Moscow to urgently request the Northern Fleet to come over.

"The Swedes are the same; everything is so clear, yet they still haven't committed to sending a fleet to provide support."

……

And so, at dawn, when the colonel was still waiting for good news, he heard the roar of artillery fire from Stralsund.

Shells leaped from the city, skimmed over the shallow waterways, and landed on the already mottled land opposite. A gloomy atmosphere shrouded the sand and soil of Rügen Island, making it impossible to distinguish whether it was a misty sea fog or dust from artillery fire.

The salty wind blew across the beach and amidst the rolling waves, and the first landing craft was launched into the water with a resounding thud. Hundreds of Britannian soldiers were here, preparing for the final moments before the beach landing.

"The autumn wind is bleak, and the waves are surging; the Milky Way is brilliant, as if emerging from within it. Hahahahahahaha." Sergeant Kan Hu, standing beside his infantrymen, recited poems from his hometown. "Hmm, today I can finally know what it feels like to land on the beach in a landing craft."

"Well, I hope this isn't the last time." Sergeant Syndra, who was sitting in the infantry fighting vehicle, drove into the cargo hold of the landing craft. "Be careful not to get seasick, Sergeant Major, otherwise the Britannian landing craft will be eating Eastern food for the first time, just like you ate last night."

Well, this infantry squad has to wait for the next ship. In the meantime, Kan Hu went to find the squadron leader Torres, who hadn't set off yet—well, Giger got promoted after his rest.

Unlike infantry and armored vehicles, which can drive directly into landing craft, the KMF, due to its high center of gravity, must be carefully lowered into the landing craft first, and then secured with steel cables to prevent it from falling into the sea or even capsizing the boat. As a result, it is difficult to move even in slightly large waves.

That's terrible, isn't it? There aren't that many KMF Portman and Wing Diving drones, so we can only make do with what we have, right?

"Oh, my dear friend," Torres gave him a good hug. "Take care and stay strong."

"Okay, but..." Kan Hu wanted to make a joke before leaving, "Why are you guys so quiet lately? Even when you're about to win a battle, you're so concise."

"Hehe, I won't be like those nobles and knights who feast on gold and jade, only learning to shout and yell when charging."

"Oh, I get it. Then let's include our shouting in the news reports for the public, shall we?"

……

One after another, the infantrymen stepped into the landing craft, and with the thumping of the propellers, they moved further and further away from the sand on the beach.

Kan Hu leaned against the bulkhead and looked around. The small boats that filled the waterways were cutting through the waves like a migrating school of fish, leaving trails like flying arrows. The fully equipped armed helicopters had already taken off, flying over the fish and heading towards Rügen Island.

A quiet island, a broken beach, and the crimson sunrise in the east has quietly emerged from the soil.

Chapter 257, Section 338: The Silent Island Guardian (Part 1)

The waves were much calmer than at midnight, and there was no counter-fire. The infantrymen stood in the landing craft like drowsy, comfortable babies for a long time, and before they knew it, they had reached the shore and opened the door.

"Get off the boat quickly! Everyone stay on the beach and keep a low profile. Don't move around!" As the sergeant major, Kan Hu was the first to jump onto the beach. He looked around and then squatted down.

The feeling was neither unfamiliar nor familiar—there had been no war for many years, or rather, no field combat for infantrymen, but after arriving in District 45, in less than half a year, they had all been indoctrinated into brave warriors, armed to the core.

The infantrymen lay prone or squatted, vigilantly peering into the depths of Rügen Island, assault rifles held to their chests, their eyes constantly scanning the surroundings for any ominous sounds, awaiting the sergeant's next command.

Kan Hu wasn't waiting for any specific orders, but for a KMF—yes, the Portman that emerged from the waves, carrying a waterproof case containing a large minesweeper to be assembled.

Syndra's infantry fighting vehicles also landed, and Portman's pilot calmly gave a shout before leading the team forward.

The group formed a single file. Portman was at the front, carefully searching back and forth with a minesweeper to clear a safe passage for the soldiers behind him. Syndra's infantry fighting vehicle kept a certain distance behind them, followed by Kan Hu's infantry. In addition to carrying their own weapons, some of them also carried a large bag full of small flags.

Every time Portman cleared a safe distance, the infantry would follow behind on both sides and plant these small flags to give instructions to the landing forces behind them, and also to set the stage for future mine-clearing operations. The red flags were very conspicuous during the day, and they also had reflective paint, so they would reflect light at night when there was illumination.

The advancing column was slightly disorganized and disjointed. Firstly, this was their first time using such tactics in an offensive operation, and secondly, the path on the beach was indeed difficult to traverse.

In the two months leading up to the landing, having suffered greatly from Soviet minefields, artillery and bombers thoroughly cleared the fields south of Rügen Island several times. This did cause significant damage to the Soviet minefields, but it also created more problems for the landing troops. The dense craters and overly soft soil were extremely unfriendly to vehicle wheels and feet.

If we were to force a drawback, it would be that it allowed Britannian soldiers to witness their own terrifying potential for explosive power amidst the devastation of the land.

"Looking around, there were no grass or bushes, no trees or animals, and even the buildings built by humans had vanished without a trace. Looking down, there was only dark earth, and looking up, there was only a gray sky. All that blocked our view, besides the smoke of gunpowder, was the eroded slope—we achieved in two months what would have taken two years in the past."

"The amount of shells used is really large."

"In District 45, even the one in a hundred lives are just consumables, let alone artillery shells."

……

They were being advanced by more than one team. On both sides, about 100 meters apart, there was a KMF or armored vehicle equipped with a minesweeper leading the way, followed by a second armored vehicle, with infantry following behind.

The team on the right was clearly much better equipped, with an assault gun equipped with wheels leading the mine-clearing operation—well, what can you do when Portman and Sunderland's arms can't handle too much force?

Following behind was a Sunderland Crabbe, who walked with his head down, holding an energy shield. As for the infantry at the rear of the column, their skill level seemed to be far inferior to Kan Hu and his group.

Immediately following was a loud bang, and a roar erupted from beneath the wheels of the assault gun.

"Slow down, you guys," Portman's pilot cautiously reminded them. "We can't rule out the possibility that the Soviet mines have delayed fuses. Be careful not to damage the chassis and wheels."

As it was speaking, its mine detector started alarming.

"Sergeant Kan Hu, have your men mark this spot; we're about to turn a corner."

……

The landing operation proceeded smoothly, and General Trossa awaited reports from the front lines in the command center in Stralsund.

"General, the first advance force has already advanced 800 meters towards the center of the island, and has encountered no obstacles except for a very small number of remaining landmines."

Looking at the photos sent back from the front lines, where damaged landmines could still be seen partially exposed in the craters near the beach, the general thought that the two months of artillery fire had not been in vain.

"Have the follow-up mine clearance arrangements been made?" Trosa seemed satisfied. "Also, can anyone tell me the status of the bridge?"

At this moment, a small group of people, who hadn't been seen for a long time, stepped onto the bridge connecting Rügen Island and Stralsund. A dozen or so people stood on the bridge, and a man named Portman was slowly emerging from the sea, suspended by a steel cable.

"Reporting to the general, the situation isn't too good." The captain was still busy reporting from inside. "The bridge repair work is basically a piece of cake. We just need to do a good job of air defense around the area. The main thing is under the bridge, in the water."

"how to say?"

“There are traces of blasting on the bridge piers below the sea level, and in one place you can even see the steel bars. Do you remember the Soviet patrol boats that were placed on the other side of the island in the first few weeks of the island siege? I don’t rule out the possibility that the mines they dropped damaged the bridge piers.”

"What's your opinion, Captain?"

"The bridge deck should be able to accommodate infantry and regular vehicles soon, but the number of vehicles passing through at one time must be controlled. KMFs and infantry fighting vehicles should be unaffected, but heavy vehicles such as assault guns and Canterbury tanks will not be able to pass for the time being. As for the repair of the underwater bridge piers, I think the work of salvaging those Soviet patrol boats will take less time than this."

……

Unexpectedly, another small problem blocked the landing forces' path. General Trosa soon received news of troops advancing along the island's roads.

"I'm sure the Soviets took all our vehicles back and measured them all, General." The sergeant, who was making a video call with his PDA, was also full of discouragement.

Looking behind, an infantry fighting vehicle was parked on the bright white sand road, and in front of it was an assault gun that had plunged headfirst into a large ditch, its rear end sticking up high.

“We just roughly measured the crater. Its length and width are just enough to stop an assault gun, and its depth is just over the front of the assault gun. We are now considering whether to fill the crater and continue or take a detour through the wilderness.”

"Regardless, first be aware of the surrounding safety, Sergeant..." The general was about to remind him to be careful of any Soviet ambushes when he saw a soldier walking onto the grass behind the sergeant. "Hey! Stop that guy behind you who doesn't even have a mine detector!"

"What?" the sergeant exclaimed in shock. "Hey! Don't wander off!"

However, before the reckless soldier could turn around, a dark object, about the size of a mortar shell, suddenly emerged from where the soldier had just walked. A deafening explosion followed, sending shrapnel and steel balls flying in all directions, and the screen went black amidst the soldiers' agonizing screams.

"Damn it!" Trosa slammed her fists on the table in anger. "A bunch of useless burdens who don't even care about their own second sons..."

Chapter 258, Section 339: The Silent Island Guardian (Part 2)

Samtens is a small town with a population of less than 2,000, located 14 kilometers southwest of Stralsund, and is also a major transportation hub on the island.

To the west lies a bridge leading directly to the mainland; to the south, one can reach the ferry crossing between Rügen Island and the mainland; and to the east, one can almost drive straight to the coastal port and Bergen, a small town of ten thousand people—the largest town on the island, the core defensive zone of the Soviet troops guarding the island, and also the only field airfield of the Soviet army on the island.

Unfortunately, the town was within the maximum artillery range of the Britannian army in Stralsund. In preparation for the future landing, they had already used various air forces to destroy most of the buildings and the surrounding natural cover.

Colonel Kojelevsky was forced to abandon his plan to use it as the first line of defense and reluctantly withdrew all of the city's surface defenses. It was only a matter of time before Britannia captured it as the first stronghold to conquer the entire island.

Everything went as the colonel had predicted. Shortly after the landing craft were launched, a large squadron of armed helicopters arrived. They circled the streets and houses for a long time, confirming that there were no humanoid creatures in the town, before heading deeper into the island to continue reconnaissance. Two troop transport planes then hovered in the air and lowered the ropes for the rappelling soldiers.

One infantry unit was positioned at the town hall in the center of town, while the other was in a relatively intact two-story building to the east. Both units rappelled down from the rooftop. This arrangement allowed them to maintain a suitable distance for cover, and the rooftop also reduced firing channels for potential Soviet soldiers lying in ambush inside the buildings.

The roof of that house wasn't very steep, and although the city hall had a pointed roof, the huge hole it had been blasted open was perfect. This was the landing spot the people on the plane had circled for a while before deciding on—as for the other houses, they were already completely destroyed.

"Phew, can I be proud of this?" After descending to the rooftop attic and slipping into the second floor, the two soldiers started joking, "We're becoming more and more like the people of District 45."

"What's the matter?"

“In the past, the houses in a certain village would be in such a state of disrepair before we even arrived. Now it’s our turn to demolish them ourselves and invite the Soviets.”

"Are you out of your mind... Alright, remind the guys behind you not to rummage through anything in the house, windows, drawers, cabinets, and watch out for any half-open doors." As he spoke, he squatted down and carefully cut a gleaming thin thread on the stairs.

The room was in such a terrible state that not even a single intact table or chair remained. As a result, the soldiers who followed behind didn't notice that a Mosin-Nagant rifle, which had been sticking out, had been quietly retracted into the collapsed wall near the second-floor balcony.

"Why can I still breathe and have a heartbeat..." Ekaterina's black hair was covered in dust and sand as she hid there. When the steel cable and the sound of black footsteps came down beside her, the suffocating air instantly blocked her throat.

She only breathed a sigh of relief when the hurried sounds of their departure faded down the stairs and the men in black reached the street. Then she saw a few reflections on the glass of the attic of the house across the street—it was the usual message from Ilya reminding her, "Everything is safe, proceed as planned."

"They didn't come into your room," Ekaterina whispered into the walkie-talkie. "How are Lieutenant Zilinkov and the others?"