On August 16, 848, the province of Ensten was cloudless.

Behind the Luoshan crossing, which had been tightly surrounded by trenches and iron shield breastwall defenses, Daisy, the head of Elena's internal affairs, Calaiber Warren, commander of the 1st Militia Division, Garence Warren, commander of the 2nd Militia Division, and a group of staff officers and communications officers of Elena's troops, boarded the command platform not far behind the Luoshan crossing. They will be here, commanding the battle of Elena's defense. The enemy is the 19th, 20th, 21st, and 22nd armies of the Neglo Republic with a total of 120,000 men, and its own defensive force is only two militia divisions that have been trained for less than half a year.

"What is the movement of the enemy?"

Daisy doesn't know much about the military, but as a woman from Gastens and the head of Elena's internal affairs, she has been recognized by everyone for her meticulous work thinking and meticulous work attitude. At the same time, as Gastens women, the comrades who stayed behind Elena did not resist her taking care of Elena's affairs.

"The enemy has been busy last night. But they were very well defended, and our spies couldn't get in. Because of the language, intelligence work is very difficult to do. ”

Zinker Warren, who was in charge of intelligence, also came to the podium. This battle was the one that decided the fate of Elena, and all the high-ranking people who could come, except for the comrades who dealt with the army of Elliot at Johor Bahru Pass and maintained the law and order and production of the small town of Elena, came.

"And we care about those things," Caleb Warren said, gestiating as he pointed to the massive facilities that the enemy had laid out overnight. The facilities were covered with a thick tarpaulin, and they could only be seen as huge, but not as specific.

"Gastens replied that they had destroyed the enemy's steam artillery, right?"

Daisy had some foreboding when she saw those things. She couldn't help but confirm with the people around her again, confirming that her lover had destroyed the enemy's killer weapon as he said.

In a recent letter, Chairman Gastens said so. He also said that he would return to Elena after continuing to harass the enemy and kill as many enemies as possible. ”

Calaiber Warren is worried about the same thing. After discovering the behemoths that the enemy had placed in front of the formation, he even found a letter from Gastens at that time. Unfortunately, none of the people present had ever seen a steam cannon, so they could not judge the true face of those weapons from their appearance.

"If it's not a steam cannon, is it a chariot or a catapult?" Garence Warren has some uncertain speculation.

"Elliot's kind of armored fighting vehicle is good for attack, but our trench defense line is there, and the enemy can't see it. This kind of car can't cross the trench. And with the Luoshan Type 1 here, it is difficult for them to send enough soldiers to fill the pit. ”

Calaiber denied Garence's idea. But the other comrades present did not have a better guess. The comrades reconfirmed the various layers of defense at the Naksan crossing and began to wait for the appearance of the enemy.

After all, no matter how mysterious those things are, they will always be used in the attack, and as long as they are used in the attack, their true colors will be revealed.

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Jon Warren, the commander of the 1st Company of the 3rd Regiment of the 2nd Division of the Elena Militia, reached out to wipe the beads of sweat from his forehead, wiped the sweat from his hands on his trouser legs, and re-grasped the Glory Rifle in his hand. The pyroxene in the steam backpack behind him was steadily releasing heat, and through the thick layer of heat insulation, he was a little uncomfortable to bake.

"Company Commander", a soldier under Jon Warren, a new farmer who had fled from Ensten Province some time ago, Halder Warren, reached out and pushed him, "What are those big guys of the enemy?" ”

"Big guy?"

Jon Warren's attention just now wasn't really on the enemy's formation. He was worried about Gastens. Of course, the high-ranking leader didn't need him to worry, and Jon Warren was confident that Gastens would be fine with the expedition. What he was worried about was whether Elena, who did not have Gastens, would be able to defend the Luoshan crossing. After all, for so long, Gastens has established an image of absolute reliability in the hearts of all Elena's people, as the leader of Elena.

"That'...... It can't be a steam cannon, right? ”

Halder Warren's voice trembled a little, after all, the Negru Republic used steam cannons to destroy Paul Chung's army in the Western Theater of Operations. Jon Warren reached out to block out the sunlight and saw the big ones stripped of their tarpaulins. The black, thick, metallic barrel glows in the sun. The wide eight-axle cart, pulled by the horses, began to move slowly towards Jon Warren's defensive line to the sound of the whistle. Along with them, there were also enemy infantry phalanxes. The soldiers in the front row of the phalanx, dressed in three layers of improvised plate armor and unarmed, moved step by step, following the rhythm of the sound of the air flute. The sound of tens of thousands of people marching together shook the air, making Jon Warren's throat tense a little.

"That's a steam cannon?" Jon Warren repeated the question, his voice shaky. According to the arrangement of Division Commander Garence Warren. All militia units with old steam rifles, partly in trenches and partly behind the line of the breastwork. The soldiers who used the Naksan 1 were responsible for inflicting devastating blows on the enemy at pre-arranged firing points. This defensive front had been tested by Skye Hamm's army in the Western Theater and was supposed to be very reassuring. However, seeing the enemy's heavy and huge weapons, seeing the enemy's neatly moving, silent and solid formation, for some reason, Jon Warren felt a little weak in his heart.

"Company commander?"

Halder Warren was still speaking, and Jon Warren turned his head to find his soldiers looking at him. At this moment, he suddenly realized that he was not alone, he was now a company commander with a company of 100 people. Even if he was afraid, he couldn't show it in front of his brothers.

"What about the steam cannon?" We love Lena's army, and we have never suffered defeat. Moreover, Chairman Gastens also said that steam cannons are not the mainstream direction of weapons development, they can't beat our Los Angeles steam machine guns! ”

In fact, Jon Warren didn't know exactly what Gastens meant by the direction of weapons, but he knew what to say at this time. Hearing his words, the soldiers were visibly relieved and began to make final preparations under his orders. The steam pack was pressurized in place, and the sound of depressurization became more and more frequent. The soldiers guarding Elena were also prepared.

Jon Warren subconsciously looked at a Luoshan Type 1 steam machine gun fire point next to him, where there was a machine gun team of ten people. From his angle and distance, the movements and expressions of those people could not be seen. However, as long as he could see that the group and the machine gun were still there, Jon Warren felt confident about the battle.

After all, as he said, Elena has not yet lost in such a battle.

The sound of the air whistle continued, and the enemy's steam artillery stopped about two hundred meters from the defensive line at the Luoshan Pass. This position has already entered the range of the Luoshan 1 type, and the Luoshan 1 type that came out of the front also tentatively fired a few shots. However, the enemy blocked the front of the steam cannons with movable steel plates, and after the bullets of the Luoshan I machine gun bounced on the armor plates, they were no longer able to break through the enemy's defenses.

The Negru soldiers in the formation walked through the gap between the cannons and continued to advance. As if by pre-appointment, they gave up the firing trajectory of the cannon.

"Boom, boom—"

Almost at the same time, more than forty steam cannons began to fire in this small area, and the high-speed flying shells flew over Elena's trench line and smashed straight into the iron shield breastwall behind the trench line. In the blink of an eye, the originally neat and solid iron shield breastwork defense line was beaten into discontinuous iron plates by the enemy's artillery bombardment. Many iron plates were pierced or smashed, and the soldiers who were originally lined up behind the iron plates suffered some casualties, and the screams were endless.

"That's a steam cannon!!!"

Jon's voice was drowned out by the sound of the Luoshan 1 machine gun. Maybe it was stimulated by the enemy's steam cannon, or maybe it was the hope that it would be able to put equal pressure on the enemy. Half of all of your own Luoshan-1 steam machine guns on the front line began to fire continuously. The continuous sound of machine guns filled the gap behind the cannon fire, and countless bullets flew through the open space between the warring sides, hitting the line of guns that were advancing with the sound of air whistles. Soldiers of the Neglo Republic, equipped with three layers of armor, at this distance, under the protection of such heavy armor, suffered limited injuries. Some of the soldiers were hit in the legs, hands and feet, and some of the soldiers in the back row, concentrated by the stray bullets flying from the armor, let out some screams. But on the whole, this wave of firepower exchange, Elena's soldiers, did not take advantage.

"Company commander, what should I do!!!

Haldex's hands trembled. Had it not been for the fact that their Glory rifles had been placed on the trench in front of the trench, Jon would have wondered if Haldex's would have accidentally shot the bullet.

"We're not in a hurry", the excitement of the start of the battle is gradually diluting Jon Warren's fear, "Our guns are at short range, and when the enemy enters our range, we will shoot again!" Don't be in a hurry, let alone be afraid, behind us is our home. ”

"Good!" , Halfe calmed down. He stopped talking, pressed the side of his face to the Glory rifle, and began to aim. In front of him, the enemy's steam artillery had already begun the second round of firing.

"Boom, boom—"

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"That's a steam cannon! How could that be a steam cannon! Daisy couldn't control her surprise as she watched the first round of firepower exchange between the two sides, "Didn't Gastens say that he destroyed all the enemy's steam cannons?" ”

"The boss should not be wrong," Caleb Warren's voice was also a little nervous, "it is possible that the enemy has replenished the new steam cannon." Or they hid part of the steam cannon. Either way, these things seem to be our problem. ”

"The boss is already working hard for Elena, and we can't lose," said Gallence Warren, who was carefully observing his own losses, "This weapon is too damaging to the Iron Shield Breastwall defense. I look at it like this, and our iron shield breastwall defense line will not last long. However, the trench does not seem to be affected much, should all the soldiers be evacuated to the trench? ”

"The space in the trench is limited, the platoon gun tactics are not changed, the soldiers can only shoot at intervals, and there is a gap between the fire density and the platoon gun formation behind the iron shield defense line", Caleb Warren has worked the defense of the Luoshan crossing, "We arranged the platoon gun soldiers in the trench, mainly to make up for the fire gap of the Luoshan 1 machine gun, to avoid the enemy's surprise attack and control our fire point." The main output is still based on the gun formation behind the iron shield breastwork. If you take the soldiers down......"

"Pull it down, if it goes on like this, soon the Iron Shield Breastwall defense line will be gone."

Gallance stood by his opinion. And under the podium, the enemy's steam cannon fire had already entered the fourth round. And the enemy's infantry phalanx has also entered the most comfortable firepower zone of the Luoshan 1 type. The roar of artillery and the dense sound of machine guns intermingled with faintly audible screams, filling the air with tension.

"Daisy?" Caleb Warren looked at Daisy, "What do you think?" ”

"I don't know how to fight", Daisy bit her lip, "You will decide on this matter, no matter what you decide, I will support you!" ”

"That'...... Get out. ”

Calaiber didn't insist. More precious than the density of firepower, Elena's life is more valuable. There are 20,000 people in total, and if there are too many deaths here, there will really be problems.

"Also, Zink," Daisy turned to Zink Warren, "find a way to contact Gastens and tell him what we're doing here, and ask him to come back as soon as he can." ”

"Understood, I'll arrange it!"

Zink nodded, turned and began to order. At the same time, Calaiber's orders were passed down, and the soldiers who had been defending behind the Iron Shield Breastwork began to break away from the Iron Shield Breastwork and enter the trench. The original platoon gun soldiers in the trenches have begun to assist in shooting.

When the enemy's infantry phalanx entered a distance of about 100 meters, the Luoshan 1 shot was finally able to show its full power. The soldiers in the front row of the enemy wore only armor and did not carry weapons. After entering the firing range, they must give way to the gap to shoot at the soldiers behind them. And these gaps have become life-urging charms. At the same time, in response to the problem of insufficient protection of the enemy's head and legs, the machine gunners of the Luoshan 1 machine gun also began to deliberately avoid the enemy's chest armor and focus on attacking weak points. This policy worked, and the enemy began to suffer heavy casualties.

But at the same time, the enemy began to return fire. The rifles they used were smoothbore guns with limited bullet accuracy, and they were not much of a threat to the Elena soldiers in the trenches. But even so, bullets flying everywhere will always find unlucky unlucky ghosts. Elena's defensive soldiers are also slowly attritional.

The fighting, it continues.