Cannon Fire Arc - Chapter 768 - 25 Only the Living Can Throw Stones at Prosen's Captives
Chapter 768: Chapter 25 Only the Living Can Throw Stones at Prosen’s Captives
Wang Zhong had just entered the Headquarters early in the morning when he heard the phone ringing.
“Let me handle it, it must be Yegorov,” he said as he raised his hand to stop Pavlov, who was about to answer the phone. He quickly walked over to the telephone, picked up the receiver, “This is Rocossov speaking.”
As expected, Yegorov’s voice came through the receiver: “Division Commander! We have already crushed the organized resistance of the Prosens, and under the guidance of the local church, we are purging the hidden Prosen stragglers and clearing the booby traps they laid.
“The day after tomorrow, you can revisit the old place.”
Wang Zhong glanced at his watch: “22 hours, not bad! The time spent clearing booby traps and stragglers doesn’t count towards your time anymore. You’ve passed, continue advancing towards Bogdanovka and crush any resistance from the enemy.”
“Yes!”
…
Wang Zhong hung up the phone and looked at Pavlov.
The Chief of Staff admonished, “No! You are not allowed to go now! The Front Army Headquarters’ route of movement has already been set, we move together once the vanguard confirms the location.”
“I haven’t even said anything yet,” Wang Zhong said, feeling slightly aggrieved.
Popov laughed heartily: “Everyone in this Headquarters can guess what you were about to say.”
Wang Zhong: “Then when can I revisit the old grounds?”
Pavlov: “If you had a legitimate reason like scouting the front lines, I would let you go. But to leave the Headquarters just to satisfy your nostalgia, I can’t agree.”
An idea struck Wang Zhong: “A legitimate reason? Yes, I have one. For propaganda needs! Back then, I was almost captured alive by the Prosens right here, I hid under a BT7 tank, and it was the people of Loktov who rescued me. I’ve mentioned this during interviews.
“And I’ve told reporters from the Federation and the United Kingdom! This story made the front page in all the Allied Nations’ newspapers! Now I gather the journalists to write another article, that’s reasonable, right?”
Pavlov was taken aback: “You… At least wait until this wave of attacks is over, right? The muddy season is just a month away, then you can go satisfy the ‘propaganda needs’!”
Popov: “Indeed, right now the whole world knows we are counterattacking, the front pages are surely all about the counterattack.”
Wang Zhong: “In that case, let’s make it a series of reports, one about Loktov, one about Upper Penie, and end with Ronied. By that time, we would be close to the border.”
Pavlov and Wang Zhong exchanged glances for a second, sighed, and turned their gaze to Popov: “Military Bishop, you handle the propaganda, it’s your area.”
Popov stroked his chin: “I think… Once the journalists are ready, revisiting the old grounds should be fine. By then, the enemy’s armored troops should be depleted, and there really won’t be much for you to decide.”
Wang Zhong was about to speak when a Communications Staff entered: “Report! The Guards Sixth Tank Army reports significant casualties, losing 110 T34W tanks.”
“What?” Wang Zhong was startled, “110 tanks? Do the Prosens still have armored forces that can cause such heavy casualties?”
Pavlov looked at the map: “In front of the Guards Sixth Tank Army, there shouldn’t be any enemy armored divisions. Could the intelligence provided by the underground church district be incorrect, with unreported Prosen armored forces?”
Wang Zhong: “Impossible, I flew over this region, I would have seen any armored forces.”
He had seen it with an external enhancement.
Communications Staff: “Guard Sixth reports the ambush was by enemy tank destroyers resembling Panzer IVs, with tank guns that look like fishing rods.”
Wang Zhong: “It seems other units equipped with T34s have reported these kinds of tank destroyers before.”
Popov: “The Judge also confirmed through prisoners that the enemy might have a new type of tank destroyer modified from a Panzer IV.”
Wang Zhong: “When were they ambushed?”
“This morning,” answered the Communications Staff.
Wang Zhong: “The enemy can’t have gone far. I’m taking off right now to search for this Prosen tank destroyer unit that took out 110 of our tanks.”
(In fact, it was close to 200, but since the Panzer IV destroyers were in bunkers on the beachhead, Ante’s frontline troops couldn’t see clearly)
Pavlov sighed.
Wang Zhong: “This is a legitimate reason! We can’t ignore this kind of unit! The losses are too great!”
“I know, go ahead,” Pavlov said. “Also, do not land on the outskirts of Loktov.”
“Of course not, I need to bring back important intelligence! Do I look like someone who can’t prioritize issues?” Wang Zhong’s tone carried a hint of reproach.
Pavlov: “Indeed, my apologies.”
————
After taking to the sky, Amelia, sitting in front, asked, “What’s the urgent rush to take off? If you were even a bit later, I would have been up in a fighter wrestling with the Prosen pilots.”
Wang Zhong said, “The enemy has deployed a new type of tank destroyer, causing us major casualties.”
“Major casualties? Does Prosen already have firepower capable of threatening your new tanks?”
Wang Zhong replied, “They always have, their newly modified 105mm anti-aircraft guns turned anti-tank guns can pose a threat to us from quite a distance. However, the ones mainly suffering are the forces still using the T34W.”
“When will the issue of insufficient numbers of new tanks be resolved?”
“That, well, it took over a year for the T34W to completely replace the dual-turreted T34, these things can’t be rushed. The good news is that the Prosen infantry forces have few weapons that can deal with the T34W. This old fella seems quite effective in bullying the Prosen infantry forces after the fifth wave.”
Then they would stumble upon Prosen’s “firefighting team,” which eerily resembled Earth’s history.
Amelia said, “So why not slightly modify the T34W, like elongating the barrel or something? Major Charlie, just transferred in from the United Kingdom, told me that the Army is planning to smack a 17-pound gun onto the Sherman’s head and even named this tank variant Firefly.”
Wang Zhong explained, “The Federation has a similar emergency plan as well, like placing a 90mm gun on a Sherman’s chassis to make a convertible sports car.”
Prosen was forced to produce tanks with thicker armor and better firepower due to Wang Zhong’s side bringing out new tanks, which in turn pressured the Allied Forces on the Western Front to prematurely introduce the Firefly and Jackson tank destroyers. It looks like the Pershing will soon join the fight on the Western Front too.
Wang Zhong also sent a T54 prototype along with the remains of Prosen’s new tanks to the Federation and the United Kingdom and in exchange obtained production licensing for engines and new machining tools, wondering if it would hasten the birth of the M48 Patton.
It was rumored that the boisterous General was still alive; it was uncertain who the M48 would be named after.
————
Meanwhile, on the other side of Earth.
President Luo looked at the blueprint presented to him: “What in the world is this?”
Eck responded, “Our emergency plan, Mr. President.”
President Luo scrutinized the design: “The chassis is from a Sherman, I see that, but what about…the turret?”
“If we install a rotating mechanism, the modified 90mm gun is too heavy; its rotation speed would be very slow, and the overall weight would be excessive. Thus, the Ordnance Department removed the turret basket and rotating mechanism altogether and just mounted the cannon with an anti-shield.”
The President pondered, “So, the gun can’t rotate?”
“It can, but only in a limited range. The gun mount is modified from our anti-tank guns; it has a frontal arc of 20 degrees.”
The President analyzed, “Enemies could easily gun down our gunners and commanders with machine guns.”
“Tank Destroyers like the Hellcat are the same. Sir, the Hellcat needs to maneuver to the flank of enemy tanks to penetrate them, but this device can penetrate the Tiger King head-on.”
Upon viewing the bizarre creation on the blueprint, the President remarked, “I don’t like it; feels as if someone’s flesh has been stripped off, leaving only the skull.”
“But, this device can be produced very quickly, all using proven technologies, and is ready for immediate production. The prototype has already been made and performed very well at the Aberdeen proving grounds, very reliable.”
The President, still fixated on the bizarre design, heard Eck add, “This thing takes even less production time than the Sherman.”
“Ah?” President Luo lifted his head, “That less?”
“Yes, there are no turrets, no rotation mechanisms. As an emergency measure, nothing is more suitable! Also, while we push for the full production of the Pershing, the Sherman production line doesn’t need to stop completely; we can produce this thing.”
President Luo removed his glasses, “Alright, get it to the front lines for now, but I want my boys to have the Pershing ASAP! Also, hurry up the research on our new medium tank!”
————
Wang Zhong announced, “Right spiral! I’ve spotted something! I mean, I feel something!”
Amelia immediately executed a right spiral.
“The Panzer IV chassis, with a barrel long like a fishing rod! We’ve found them!” Wang Zhong said while pretending to look at the map in his hands, then reading out loud the intelligence view from an overhead perspective, “The enemy is retreating toward Bogdanovka, damn, they steal so many T34s and think they can escape?”
Amelia asked, “Should we call in an airstrike? Daylight can last for about two more hours today, and attack aircraft from the emergency airfield can make it here.”
Wang Zhong decided, “No, I want to summon our troops to surround them. Yegorov’s mechanized infantry is nearby; they should be able to advance quickly. We’ll obliterate this small infestation by tomorrow!”
Amelia inquired, “Shouldn’t we warn the T34 units not to provoke them?”
Wang Zhong assured, “Of course, I’ll handle it.”
