Arc of Fire

Chapter 625: Chapter 67: I Have More Cannons, What, You’re Not Convinced?

November 23, 0800 hours, outside the encirclement of the Abawahan Front Army.

The division commander of the Eleventh Guards Infantry watched the snow-covered plains ahead through binoculars from a forward observation post.

Just then, a whistling sound came from the sky, marking the start of the Prosen artillery bombardment.

The division commander put down his binoculars, listened for a few seconds, and asked the staff officer, “Do you hear the explosion of 210mm shells?”

"It doesn’t seem so,” the staff officer replied. “Only 150mm guns.”

The division commander listened again and shook his head, “The density of fire is not high either; it feels like only one division’s complement of artillery is pounding us. They certainly underestimate the bomb shelters we dug in the permafrost. This level of bombardment is ineffective.”

At that moment, the battalion commander of the Second Guards Tank Destroyer Brigade, who was defending this sector with the Eleventh Division, entered the shelter, “The bombardment has started, but why does it feel like the intensity of the fire is inadequate?”

"Indeed.” The division commander smiled, “The enemy probably doesn’t have much artillery ammunition left. Let’s show them what a real fire preparation is.”

He then picked up the phone, “Hello, artillery battalion, this is Division Commander Lialkov. Has the High Command sent the reinforcements for our heavy artillery? They have? Great, use the coordinates we calculated earlier for counter-bombardment. What? How much ammunition? Spend one third of our current stock; save the rest.

"You say one third can last for four hours? Then fire for four hours. Let the enemy either wait four hours or move through the barrage—let them choose. That’s it.”

After hanging up, Lialkov looked at the battalion commander, “I’m curious to see whether the Prosen soldiers are truly the ‘steel warriors’ they claim to be.”

The battalion commander laughed, “That’s definitely not the case. I faced their tank units head-on when I was with the Western Front Army. After they realized they couldn’t cope with the Whirlwind, they broke down. They fear death just like anyone else.”

Just as he finished speaking, a whistling sound of shells tearing through the sky contrasted sharply with the continuous fall of enemy shells on their position.

At General Xiplin’s temporary headquarters

General Xiplin frowned as he looked at the breakfast brought by the orderly, “Is this all we have for breakfast?”

"We have tried our best,” the orderly replied.

Xiplin remained silent for a few seconds before speaking, “I want to eat the same food as the soldiers. Distribute this food to the guards. From today onward, all officers must eat the same as the soldiers.”

The senior officers in the room exchanged glances, some quickly wiping the corners of their mouths, fearing remnants of the day’s breakfast might still be lingering.

"Yes,” the orderly paused, “This amount of food can’t be shared with the soldiers, you better eat it. Starting next meal, I’ll prepare what the soldiers have.”

Xiplin nodded, took a bite of bread, and asked while chewing, “How is the Fifteenth Army’s assault going?”

"They are currently undergoing artillery preparation, but the enemy is responding with twice the density of fire. Fortunately, the Fifteenth Armored Army didn’t start from our regular attack positions, given their experience,” the chief of staff reported. “Currently, they report a very dense fire net just in front of the deployment area.”

Xiplin replied, “The fire net will not be permanent; let them patiently await their moment. What about the Sixth Army Group? We can’t just attack on our own; they must also launch an assault on the other side!”

The chief of staff appeared troubled, “The Sixth Army Group… says they don’t have enough ammunition and tanks to launch an attack.”

Xiplin looked up sharply, “What?”

"They don’t have ammunition and tanks; they can’t attack.”

Xiplin sighed, “Send a telegram to the High Command, ask them to find a way to solve the Sixth Army Group’s supply issues.”

In the heart of Prosen, at Eagle’s Nest.

"Why was there no airdrop yesterday?” Emperor of Plowsonia questioned Marshal of the Air Force Duke Meyer, “You said yesterday that you could manage an airdrop; why the delay?”

Duke Meyer replied, “We first had to redeploy transport planes from various locations, and also, the Antean Air Force has been frequently bombing our airports recently, putting our frontline airports under full stress.”

"You always have excuses! Yesterday it was the aviation lubricants not functioning well in the minus forty degrees weather. Last year, you were affected by minus forty degrees! It’s the same this year!”

Duke Meyer explained, “The Science Academy has developed an anti-freeze lubricant, but… that lubricant would still freeze; this year’s low temperatures have exceeded the historically recorded lowest temperatures. Even Plowsonia has had cases of people freezing to death these days

The Emperor exclaimed, “People in Plowsonia have died from cold?”

He turned his head to look at the only person not in a military uniform present.

The Minister of Internal Affairs quickly shook his head, “No, those who froze to death were people who got drunk and passed out on the streets at night. We have such cases every winter. There are somewhat more this year because we believe the national living standards have once again improved this year, encouraging everyone to celebrate

Emperor of Plowsonia glared at the Minister, “Is that the truth?”

The Minister opened his mouth but eventually opted for silence.

The Emperor continued, “The current difficulties are temporary, once we defeat the Anteans, the situation will ease! In fact, the grain, meat, and dairy products collected from Kazarlia this year have greatly improved domestic living conditions and weakened the impact of enemy blockades.

"As soon as we capture the oil fields of Kuba, our dependency on synthetic oil will decrease, and the released resources can further improve the living standards of the populace.”

All the generals remained silent.

Emperor looked around, “Why are you all silent? Do you really think we can’t secure the oil fields of Kuba?”

The generals looked at each other in dismay.

The fattest, Mayer, took out a handkerchief and kept wiping off his sweat.

The Emperor scanned the generals over and over again, finally sitting down dejectedly, “Well, if we can only rescue the Sixth Army Group, that will have to do. Under no circumstances can we allow the Anteans to capture so many of our troops! We cannot!”

Celtic Marshal and Bryan Marshal exchanged glances.

"What?” The Emperor keenly looked back and forth between them, “Do you think we can’t even manage to rescue the Sixth Army Group?”

Celtic Marshal, with an awkward expression, admitted, “Our supply lines are too stretched, and they are being disrupted by guerrilla attacks.”

"I do not understand, weren’t we overwhelming in October? Can’t we just overwhelm them once more?”

Celtic Marshal responded, “In October, we were dealing with Ante’s supplementary troops. At that time, Ante’s veterans were either resting after the summer campaign or lying in hospitals. The current front-line enemies from the Xiplin Group have finished their rest and have started returning to the front in large numbers. These troops are not so easily shaken.”

The Emperor’s mouth twitched.

"Everyone but Giles, leave.”

The generals, as if relieved of a heavy burden, left the war room.

The young Emperor turned to his trusted friend, “If I tasked you with the command, could you rescue the Sixth Army Group?”

Giles replied, “If all the armored troops from the Western Front Command are reassigned to me, there’s a fighting chance.”

The Emperor shook his head, “I cannot do that before we complete our anti-ship missile defense line, as you know.”

Giles, with a grim face, responded, “Then I can’t do it either.”

The Emperor fell silent.

After a long wait, Giles spoke, “I’ve reviewed the booklet compiled by General Rocosov that the intelligence department delivered. It’s full of overt conspiracies. We need a total mobilization to have any chance of breaking his ‘prophecy.'”

The Emperor argued, “Did you not see the Minister of Internal Affairs’ face just now? If we mobilize completely now, the fragile confidence we’ve built with the people will be ruined.”

"It’s better than losing the war,” Giles argued, “This defeat could indeed be an opportunity to disclose the true situation at the front to the people and start total mobilization, then next year we might have a chance to negotiate a respectable ceasefire.”

The Emperor stared at the globe, whispering, “I need to think.”

At Xiplin Group’s new headquarters.

"Why haven’t we attacked yet?” Admiral Xiplin glanced at the clock, “It’s almost noon!”

The Chief of Staff explained, “The enemy’s barrage has not stopped yet. The Fifteenth Armored Army believes that passing through the fire blockade forcefully would lead to significant casualties.”

Admiral Xiplin asked, “Hasn’t stopped yet? Damn it, how much artillery do they have?”

"I don’t know,” the Chief of Staff immediately replied, “Our aerial reconnaissance has found several suspected ammunition depots, but because we are dealing with General Rocosov, we do not know whether these depots are real or decoys.”

Admiral Xiplin responded, “Waiting a bit longer won’t be an issue. They’re wasting ammunition like this. When we do attack, they won’t have enough left.”

As he finished speaking, a communications officer came in to report loudly, “The old headquarters has been hit by an Antean Air Force raid. The anti-aircraft troops left there shot down five Antean dive bombers.”

"See!” Admiral Xiplin raised his voice, “This Rocosov is not as undefeatable as you all make him out to be, he can be outmaneuvered. Don’t demonize him, don’t scare yourselves.”

The Chief of Staff admitted, “But his subordinates are using excessive artillery to block our advance. It seems we don’t have many good options to counteract that.”

Admiral Xiplin insisted, “As I said, let them waste their ammunition. I don’t believe their supplies are good enough to support such lavish waste.”

At Abawahan Front Army Headquarters.

Pavlov reported, “After the intensity of enemy air raids lessened, the daily arrivals of military trains increased by twenty percent compared to October, and supplies coming from the direction of Balas have also increased. It seems the Fusang Empire in the South Pacific has suffered a defeat, reducing their ability to harass our Pacific transport lines.”

Wang Zhong picked up the report Pavlov had just placed in front of him and read the summary directly, “Wow, we’ve never fought such a well-supplied war. Looks like our nightly artillery barrages on the enemy can resume. It would be a great loss if these many shells were to get blown up by the enemy’s air raids.”

Popov agreed, “Indeed, we can formulate a firepower plan, ensuring we keep thirty percent in reserve each day, and direct all the rest to fire.”

Wang Zhong remarked, “If we had this many artillery pieces at the end of October, the casualties wouldn’t have been so severe.”

Pavlov added, “The toughest times have passed, now it’s up to General—oh, Grand Duke Frederick of the Sixth Army Group to hold on as long as he can.”

Wang Zhong commanded, “Intensify the psychological warfare. Are the loudspeakers I requested set up?”

"Sixty percent completed,” as psychological warfare was Popov’s “specialty”, he was in charge of this aspect, “We begin broadcasting today.”

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