Blow up the M1A1 main battle tank with one shot?

How can it be!?

By the time the second rebel tank was blown up, Redon had already seen the four main battle tanks that appeared at the bridgehead and lined up.

Of course, it was the tanks of the government army.

In just one round of shooting, four M1A1s took out four rebel tanks.

Almost simultaneously, two RA-12ERs that fell from the sky destroyed two other government tanks.

The four government tanks did not stop, and after destroying the rebels' tanks, they drove towards the positions and kept firing at the rebels.

At this time, the smoke screen of the position was already dispersed.

Fortunately, it was not only the four tanks that arrived to reinforce them, but also several battle groups with RA-12ERs, but they did not follow the tanks.

These anti-tank groups were responsible for dealing with the rebels' infantry fighting vehicles while the tanks were charging at the rebels.

When reinforcements arrived, the morale of the defending officers and soldiers was immediately high.

Seeing six M1A1s smashed to scrap metal, the rebel officers and men who attacked the position panicked and lost the courage to continue fighting.

Let's not forget that the rebel infantry did not have weapons capable of dealing with the M1A1.

Besides, the government officers and soldiers on the third line of defense did not retreat, and immediately launched a counterattack under the leadership of Churkin and other operatives as reinforcements arrived.

In less than five minutes, several M2A3 infantry fighting vehicles of the rebels were completely destroyed.

The rebels were completely routed and rushed to retreat, to be precise.

The government forces launched a counterattack and regained the two lost lines of defense in one fell swoop.

When Lei Dong came out of the bunker, a tank drove up, and Zhang Zilan stood behind the turret, surrounded by an operative with a radio on his back.

The fighting was not over, and not all of the rebel officers and soldiers had fled, and a few were stubbornly resisting.

Perhaps, just didn't have time to escape.

Jumping off the tank, Zhang Zilan dragged Lei Dong up, and looked carefully to confirm that Lei Dong was not injured, so he nodded slightly.

The tank didn't stop and immediately drove away.

Lei Dong didn't give much introduction, the situation on the battlefield was clear at a glance, and Lei Dong was not very clear about the casualties of government troops and operatives.

Returning to the front finger near the bridge, Redon meets Churkin and Joka.

Churkin was fine, except for a few flesh wounds, a bandage on his arm, a wound on his face, and a change of body armor.

When Redon came in, Churkin was changing the barrel for the DF8SMG.

Joka was also slightly injured and did not look serious, but he was in a very bad mood, and only two operatives who fought alongside him came.

It is clear that the driver did not make it through.

It wasn't just the operative who flew the M1A1 who died.

In the battle, which lasted less than an hour, 172 government troops were killed and more than 100 seriously wounded, and almost all the rest of the officers and soldiers were wounded.

Seven operatives were killed, 12 seriously wounded and more than 20 slightly wounded.

In addition, three operatives have not been contacted, who had previously been on the second line of defence, leaving behind while the Government forces were retreating.

The preliminary judgment is that the three operatives have fallen into the hands of the rebels.

Can the bridgehead still be held?

Even counting the officers and men who were slightly wounded and still able to fight, the government army still had less than 150 men, and about 60 of the operatives brought by Redon and Churkin could continue fighting.

In total, there are more than 200 people.

As for the reinforcements brought by Zhang Zilan, there were only 4 tanks and 6 anti-tank groups, with a total of only 30 people.

With this little force, it is simply not possible to withstand the bridgehead.

Lei Dong did not let Zhang Zilan do it for him, and personally reported the situation to Wang Dong.

"Okay...... I understand...... Rest assured, I know what to do...... Got it. ”

Putting down the microphone, Lei Dong let out a sigh before he said: "We will stay and continue to guard the bridgehead, and strive to hold out until tomorrow." If we can't hold it, we will withdraw to the other side and blow up the bridge. You have to rush back, and the situation in the west and south is not good. ”

"Don't be bruised." Zhang Zilan admonished.

Lei Dong nodded, not saying much.

In fact, Wang Dong had already instructed Zhang Zilan that as long as the situation on this side was out of control, let Lei Dong and them retreat quickly, and then blow up the bridge.

Before returning, Zhang Zilan left two sets of RA-12ER for Lei Dong.

Although Wang Dong made the decision to give up the bridgehead on the north bank, it would be better if he could hold on, even if it was just to hold on to this side for one more day.

Quite simply, as long as the bridgehead remained in the hands of government troops, the rebels on the north bank of the Tigris did not dare to advance eastward.

In fact, in the beginning of this battle, the rebels have already suffered heavy losses.

In order to take the bridgehead in one fell swoop, the rebels committed two battalions, one of which was an armored battalion, and used 18 main battle tanks.

As a result, all 18 main battle tanks were destroyed!

In addition, the infantry battalion of the coordinated offensive lost 14 M2A3 infantry fighting vehicles.

In terms of personnel, the rebels lost at least 600 officers and soldiers.

Although the rebels still have some main battle equipment, at least 20 M1A1 main battle tanks and 30 infantry fighting vehicles, the strength is quite sufficient, but after suffering such heavy losses, and losses within an hour, the rebels have lost the courage to continue the attack.

You know, even in Mosul, the Iraqi army did not suffer such heavy losses.

Let's not talk about whether the commander of the rebel army cares about the life or death of his officers and soldiers, but it is a big trouble to mobilize the officers and soldiers at the grassroots level and organize the next round of attacks.

Seeing no hope, knowing that they are going to die, will the grassroots officers and soldiers charge into battle?

As a result, the rebels did not organize another offensive that day, and only occasionally harassed government officers and soldiers in the bridgehead positions with mortars.

Because the casualties were so heavy, the government forces did not launch a counterattack.

After regaining the lost positions, the government forces redeployed and only used the only automatic grenade launcher to carry out a symbolic counterattack when the rebels were shelling.

Of course, this was to tell the rebels that they were still in position and had not retreated across the Tigris River.

On that day, the main battlefield was in the west.

After bringing reinforcements, that is, four M1A1s, to the south bank of the Tigris River, Zhang Zilan received an order from Wang Dong.

The rebels launched a general offensive in the west, and the government forces in this direction were about to be routed.

To be precise, it has been defeated.

The rebels had advanced hundreds of meters, occupying three blocks, and government forces had retreated to Victory Square, the last line of defense to the west.

If the rebels were allowed to occupy Victory Square, the entire city would be open to the rebels.

Quite simply, several of the main roads in the city lead to Victory Square, and the rebels only need to advance along the main roads to complete the interspersed division of the city.

Victory Square must be defended, and it is better to drive the rebels out!