"That's the basic situation, the enemy is now frantically digging trenches, we have surrounded them, only the Principality of Rylin has opened an opening. The soldiers on the front line said that they were digging trenches overnight, what should we do, should we attack overnight? ”

Ivan stood next to the sand table and gestured with his hand. Gastens stood beside him, holding a cup of black leaf tea, and frowned, "They think digging a trench will stop us?" It's too simple to think about. If we encounter this kind of ditch again, let the soldiers who follow the tank move go up and dig a downhill slope and then dig an uphill slope, and the tank will cover the fire on the side of the ditch close to us. Now the enemy has no one who can destroy our tanks, and their ditches can only delay us, not stop us. ”

"But we have pursuers behind us, and although they were initially misled by our suspicious tactics, they soon found the right direction. According to Zink's intelligence and our scouts, the fourth, fifth, seventh, and eighth legions following us estimated that they would have two days at most, and they would arrive. ”

"Two days is enough, tomorrow the attack will be launched, and at the same time, the Second Army of Reclamation will send us supplies. Food is easy to manage, mainly ammunition, this time I asked for three base ammunition, high-intensity combat can last two weeks. I intend to encircle and send reinforcements here to annihilate the enemy's main forces. ”

Gastens didn't say much, but the command was silent all of a sudden. This was the first time he had proposed the idea of a war of annihilation, and everyone looked at him, waiting for him to continue to explain.

"Now is a good time, there are eight main attacking corps of the enemy, the first three are scrapped and can only be used to consolidate the occupied areas. The Sixth Corps can be dealt with tomorrow, after which only four corps remain. We have two corps on our side, and on the south side there is also the defense line of the Second Corps of Army Reclamation, which is just enough to form a pocket. After we had eliminated the Sixth Legion, we turned around and attacked the pursuers behind our butts, who were in a hurry to get on their way, and we certainly didn't have time to set up our positions. Let's not skimp on ammunition, chisel through them in one go, leave a legion on the south flank, surround and eat it. After that, we chased after the remaining three legions. ”

Gastens has had this idea for a few days, and today I can stop and sort it out, and I basically take shape, and he takes it out, and I hope you will discuss it. Ever since his battle plan for the enemy's command was rejected, he was more inclined and more accustomed to bringing his ideas out for discussion.

"Will the three legions on the north side stop us?" , Ivan asked.

"It will take time for them to gather their rout, and they have no positions and are not easy to deal with our tanks," interjected Beken Warren, commander of the 1st Army.

"The chariots will be used to attack the encircled legion at that time, and the north flank is the flank of our troops, and it is difficult to fight without chariots," added Haba Nye, commander of the second corps, "without chariots and positions, if you defend, you will suffer heavy casualties." ”

"That's easy," Gastens crupulated, "and the chariot will remain on the north side after completing the chiseling mission, relying on a few small heights to do a tug-of-war to prevent the enemy from entering." A corps on the south flank, eaten by our line and the line of the Second Army Corps. We attack, they defend, what do you think? ”

"Okay...... It is easier to fight one regiment than three, and with chariot troops, they do not dare to act rashly. ”

Haba Nye had no objection to Gastens' proposal.

"The number of combat vehicles is still too small, let's use it for emergency use, go where there is an emergency, and maintain the stability of the front."

Ivan added, "If the tank is fixed in one place, it is estimated that the defense line in other places will not be able to manage." ”

"This is okay, the chariot is a mobile force, to assist in the defense of the north side, and we have the second army and the second army of military reclamation on the south side to eat one of the enemy's disabled legions, it should be no problem, right?"

"No problem!"

Everyone present replied in unison, and Gastens smiled and decided on the battle plan.

"Let's just fight like this, as long as we can annihilate half of the enemy's main attacking corps here, the situation will be opened."

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At dawn, Sinis White, commander of the Sixth Regiment of Ankenrein, waited for good news.

"The trench has been dug, six meters wide and three meters deep, which basically surrounds our defensive line, and the fighters are tired enough, and many people have fallen asleep on the positions."

Chief of Staff McKel Tay also has black circles under his eyes, he has not slept well for six days since the start of the war, this time the operation is not going well, and now the attacking side has been beaten into a turtle defense, and he is also very unhappy.

"That's fine, the enemy is expected to attack soon, I thought they would attack last night, and gave us a night's time, which is not bad."

Sinis smiled helplessly, "Now I hope that our trench will be strong and can hold out until the main force arrives, otherwise it will ......"

"Otherwise, we don't think we'll be able to do it," McKel Tay continued, following Sinis's words, "but it is said that if Elena does not kill the prisoners, it is a big deal to surrender and pay some ransom and go back." ”

Hearing this, Sinis glanced at McKel and did not speak. McKale understood the look in Sinis's eyes, and it wasn't a reproach or anything, but an approval. It seems that he, the commander of the corps, is not optimistic about the situation of this battle.

————————————

"How are they?"

Gunner Dean Warren rotated the turret, looking for a target and asking loudly. Observer Bale Warren looked at it from a few angles, not quite sure.

"It looks like it's still digging, I don't know how long it will take."

"It should take some time, the enemy is smart, this trench is getting wider and wider, this time it can only be filled, not forced. Luckily we brought some wood, otherwise it wouldn't have been easy. ”

Shelley was also observing the situation outside, and the two machine gunners were busy providing fire cover and did not participate in the discussion. The other three people in the crew had a chat for the time being because the car stopped.

"The enemy doesn't seem to have much will to resist, and they try to stop us from filling the hole, but it doesn't work well. Several steam cannons were also destroyed by us, and they had no choice. ”

Shelley Amer is still relatively calm, and last night's tactical arrangement, the head of the battle group, Strong Capcom, has already mentioned this possibility, so he is still relatively optimistic about the overall progress.

"It is said that after fighting this Sixth Legion, you are going to pack a big bag on it?"

Observer Bale Warren watched and asked questions without words.

"Didn't you say it all at yesterday's meeting? The specifics are kept secret, but we may have to take on mobile defense missions. This is to use us as spearheads and reserves, and it is estimated that we will have to fight a big battle. ”

Shelley's answer is vague, but the general direction is correct. Several other members of the crew were not as keen as him, and when they listened to his analysis, they immediately felt justified, and immediately became excited again.

"Great, hurry up and finish this, let's go to the enemy for a decisive battle and kill them!"

"Yes, yes, these reactionary forces should have been swept away by us a long time ago."

Shelley listened to everyone's discussions, and there was some expectation in his heart. Now the steam turbine has stopped for a while, and only the sound of machine guns is left in the carriage, which is much quieter. He was about to say something when he heard news from outside.

"Fill it in, line up to attack!"

Shelley nodded, started the engine, and the familiar howl filled the carriage again. The comrades of the entire car group concentrated their efforts, followed the 02 car group in front, and passed through the passage that had just been filled. The soil of the passage was not solid, and the tank could feel the slope as it drove over, but that was about it. The trench dug by the enemy stayed up all night and stopped the Behemoth Warband for about an hour. And that's all they have to say.

——————————————

"Hurry, hurry, hurry!"

The commander of the Fourth Regiment of the National Salvation Army, Maiwen Grini, who was riding on horseback, rode in the middle of the procession, urging from time to time. The latest news they got was already a day ago, and the cunning main force of Elena suddenly turned west from their expected southward head, and rushed directly to the Sixth Legion, taking the Sixth Legion by surprise. Now, the situation of the Sixth Army is critical, and it is likely to be surrounded, and the pursuers of these four legions on their own side cannot even help at all.

Where Maiwen Griney passed, the soldiers bowed their heads and hurried, and they had been following the enemy's buttocks for four days, and they could not keep up, and they were extremely tired. Moreover, they did not find a way to deal with the enemy's tank units and were pessimistic about the outcome of the war. Although the regiment gave the order to attack the enemy's non-tank units, these soldiers and grassroots commanders still did not know how to fight in order to win in the face of the enemy where infantry and combat vehicles were fighting together.

"Report ————"

Another herald with an anxious face rushed into the ranks. The soldiers looked at him with silent expressions, knowing that it was probably another piece of bad news. There has been a lot of bad news these days, and the upper echelons of the legion have not been conveyed downward, and there are gossip everywhere in the troops, some say that the Sixth Legion was annihilated, some say that the Assist Legion was counterattacked by the enemy, and some say that His Majesty opposed this battle and decided to remove Henry Claflin. The soldiers didn't know which one to listen to, so they had to listen to them all and figure it out for themselves.

"What, you said the Sixth Legion has been annihilated? The enemy turned around and attacked us? ”

This time, McEwan Grini's voice was a little louder, and the guards and some ordinary soldiers around him heard it. Suddenly, the news quickly spread among the Fourth Legion, faster than McEwan Grini's decision-making.

"These cunning enemies!"

Mai Wen scolded, but there was nothing he could do, but he was a little flustered. He couldn't solve the enemy's chariot, and now the enemy turned around and hit them, and he really didn't know what to do. However, even if you don't know, you can't hesitate, the enemy's march is fast, and the two sides are advancing in opposite directions, and soon they will encounter.

"Order the front line, camp on the spot, push all the shield chariots and steam cannons up, and don't let the enemy pass through the line!"

Giving the order, McEwan looked at his chief of staff, Path Abgarst, again, "Path, what do you think?" ”

"I think it's okay, we have to inform our brother troops, and everyone can fight together, maybe it will be useful."

"Well, go and inform the Fifth, Seventh, and Eighth Legions, all stop, camp on the spot for defense, and be sure to compress the enemy's space for movement. Our three legions were originally assembled to surround them, and now that we have the opportunity, we must seize it! ”

There were two fewer heralds next to McEwan Grini, and McWin Grini whispered to his chief of staff, "The enemy has long-range weapons, shall we put the staff behind?" ”

"Okay."

Paz Abergarth nodded, and turned to set up. McWyn touched his chest, praying for victory in the war.

————————

However, the outcome of the war does not shift by the will of a certain person. Although Maiwen Grini prayed earnestly to the god Orn to help him win the war, he was unable to stop the enemy from breaking through their defenses. The three legions that pursued the enemy together were in their own hands, and none of them obeyed the other, and he, the nominal coordinator, was useless. The enemy spotted the junction of the two corps' defensive lines, and the chariot troops advanced and the infantry followed, and in less than half a day they completely broke through their makeshift defensive lines. Their own soldiers had already lost the will to fight in the previous battle, and not long after the battle began, those who surrendered and fled abounded, and they had three legions of 180,000 troops, but there was no way to take the enemy's two legions. By night, the Fourth Army had been cut and surrounded, stuck between the northern line of defense of Elena and the troops of the Workers' and Peasants' Revolutionary Army, and had become a locked target in a pocket, with no way out.

"Captain Grinei, there's really no way, we can't win against them, the warriors mean, it's so pointless to die like this. And the enemy still has the Great Magus, even if we win the current battle and force their Grand Magister to be in a hurry, we will still be killed by all, so it's better to just give up. ”

"Give up, what do you mean by giving up?"

Maiwen Griney raised her voice, but she knew very well in her heart what the four division commanders standing in front of her were thinking. This time, the enemy fought back for half a day, the defense line was pierced, and the two division commanders were shot at a distance, and the remaining four division commanders came together as soon as the situation was determined, obviously with common deliberation and preparation.

"What we mean is very simple", Jack Robinson, commander of the 1st Division of the Fourth Army, held his head high and took a tough attitude, "we can't fight anymore, there is only a dead end if we go on like this, and if we surrender, anyway, Elena will not kill the prisoners, let the family pay some ransom, and we can always go back." ”

"That's right, the enemy's monster chariots are too powerful, we don't have any means to attack them, and we can't stop them by digging holes, so fighting is not a war, it's a massacre, we are being slaughtered unilaterally. And the enemy's weapons are also very powerful, their Thunder 1 steam rifles can fire continuously, while ours can only shoot single shots, which is simply not able to fight in close combat. ”