Jiang Ziyue was surprised by Dietrich's behavior, but soon seemed unconcerned, and instead said to Gus, "Let them play." We get down to business. I have calculated that in addition to our fleet, there are also patrol fleets of the Frontier Fleet that have been deployed in the Neu-Rhine and Space mining bases, and armed merchant ships of the state-owned mining companies, and we should be supported by about 300 cruiser-class warships. ”

"Not every Frontier Fleet's patrol fleet is as invincible as your Task Force Nine." Gus reminded.

Jiang Ziyue smiled slightly and said, "But if they are unified under our command, the power will definitely be infinite." ”

"In total, there are more than 900 warships, and it looks like the strength is good. But what about our enemies? "If they do retreat, then when they come back, they will definitely send out more powerful troops." Even if they don't retreat and stick to the space of the 135th parallel, I estimate that they will get reinforcements and then attack again. ”

"What worries me the most is that they are going to attack us despite the pressure of logistical exhaustion."

Although Gus was well aware of his limited strength, he did not pay attention to the toughness of the enemy, saying, "It's unlikely. Without the supply fleet, the enemy could not hold out for long. ”

"But maybe 'sex' still exists." Jiang Ziyue was very worried, "I don't think we should stay here and wait for the enemy to attack. It's more than twenty-five light-years away from Neo-Rhine, and if Neo-Rhine is attacked, it will take a long time for the notification ship to get there, and it will take even longer for us to rush there. ”

"You want to be stationed directly near the planet New Rhine?" Gus asked.

"Yes. In that case, we can launch a counterattack directly against the enemy attacking Neurhine. In the unlikely event that the enemy's fleet did not retreat, but risked their lives and continued to pounce on the New Rhine, we would have been able to stop them in time. ”

"After all, you're still too worried about the enemy's attack on the planet Neo-Rhine, regardless of logistical supplies." Gus pointed out Jiang Ziyue's psychology.

Jiang Ziyue looked at Gus and explained, "Although the federal army always fights in superior situations, since General Su Yu became the commander in 2890, they have become patient and persevering. Come to think of it, the enemy has even copied the Space Storm tactics, so why can't they continue to attack after losing the supply fleet? Perhaps they were expecting that we had all let our guard down. ”

"I think you're overthinking, Ziyue." Gus smiled and said, "It seems that you haven't lost a battle yet, so you've become very cautious and even suspicious." ”

"Gus, it's not that I'm suspicious, I think we're really a little bit underestimated." Jiang Ziyue seriously responded to Gus's statement, "If the enemy has no supply fleet, it is equivalent to falling into a dead place, 'leaving it to die and then revital'." We should not be too optimistic. Otherwise, I'll lead the cruiser over first, or I can deploy the ships that can be used there. When you find the enemy attacking, you command your own fleet to come to the rescue. ”

"Well, it's up to you." Gus nodded in agreement, but then turned his gaze to Lotta, who was dancing? Studt and Joseph? Dietrich, asked, "Do you want to break them up, though?" I know you don't have much feelings for Lota, but Joseph loves her dearly. ”

"Since you know about the two of them, you shouldn't involve them in this mission." Jiang Ziyue blamed Gus.

"What are these words? The person Lota loves is you, not Joseph. Gus retorted.

"Why did it happen to me again?"

"Take your rival with you, and your lover, all of them go to New Rhine first. I still have some things that I have to do before I can leave. Gus suddenly looked a little heavy, "When I left the flagship, all eight hospital ships returned. In the past series of battles, they only had time to save more than 900 people, each boat was stuffed with nearly 5,000 corpses, and more than 3,000 people could not even find their relics. ”

The huge number of casualties made Jiang Ziyue feel more painful, and said in a low voice: "We all have to be responsible for the death of these brothers. ”

"Yes, they all joined the mission after I persuaded them." "Many of them are veterans who are ready to retire after the disbandment of the 'Cyrus' fleet. Some of them were going back to get married, some were going back to be with their families, but I tricked them into coming here. It was only now that I realized that I was incompetent, and that I had not been able to destroy the enemy despite the sacrifice of so many brothers. ”

Jiang Ziyue was silent. Neither Gus nor himself underestimated such a large battle damage. Nearly sixty percent of the losses of combat ships are, after all, only material, but more than half of the personnel losses are simply unbearable disasters.

Even in a series of so-called "asymmetric wars" that took place on the earth at the end of the 20th century and the beginning of the 21st century because of the great difference in the scientific and technological level and strength of the two warring sides, it was almost impossible for the superior side to achieve "zero casualties". Nowadays, the New Roman Imperial Army and the Immortal Interstellar Bundeswehr are at the same level in terms of military technology and the quality of military personnel, and it is even more impossible to avoid casualties in 'engagement' war. Therefore, there must be damage in every battle, but at the moment this kind of loss is beyond the expectations of the Imperial army commanders.

For a long time, Gus? Whitehead said, "I'm already in 'Gabriel? A white 'colored' coffin was booked on the hospital ship Faroupis. ”

Jiang Ziyue knew that Gus was Christian and had not yet married, so according to the custom of many Christian denominations, the coffin of the body was usually painted with white paint. And he also knew that there were examples of carrying coffins to expeditions in ancient times, but Jiang Ziyue said: "We don't need coffins, leave the coffins for the enemy." ”

With that, he got up and took his leave. Maybe it was the rush to lead the army to the New Rhine, or maybe the death toll Gus said was too heavy.

As Jiang Ziyue worried, Gerald, commander of the Fourth Fleet of the Commonwealth Bundeswehr? Major General Hancock, listened to his subordinate Edward? At the suggestion of Colonel Mandalay, he led more than 900 warships and the remaining nearly 30 integrated supply ships, feigned a retreat, and then turned around and rushed to the planet New Rhine, a hundred light-years away, despite the danger of depletion of logistical supplies.

While Gus and Jiang Ziyue were arguing about the possibility of a battle in the rubble base of the asteroid where Gus and Jiang Ziyue were arguing, the Federation warships painted with white pentagram stars surrounded by olive leaves had begun to attack some of the Imperial space stations and planetary bases on the periphery of the planetary system where New Rhine was located.

The first to bear the brunt is the "bow" and "wave" large space station, which is nearly 1,000 astronomical units away from the main star Europa. Like newer passenger ships, the station uses rotating habitation modules to give the cabin a certain gravitational effect. It's just that it's much larger than a passenger, making it look like a giant drum lying on the side of the stellar Europa ecliptic, with strips sticking out of the tube connecting hundreds of cargo ships of all kinds.

When they learned that the Federation fleet had arrived, the Imperial cargo ships docked here scattered one after another, leaving only the militia of the mining company.

The "Bow Boost" and "Wave" station is a purely civilian space station, and it is not equipped with any fixed weapons itself. But the new Roman Empire's state-run Interstellar Mining Company stationed more than thirty armed merchant ships here. Naturally, these "quasi-battleships," which were 'operated' by the militia and whose firepower and protection were quite weak, were not the opponents of the wolf-like Federal fleet. They were quickly routed, but there were still a large number of well-equipped militiamen at the "Bow Radical" and "Wave" stations, who did not intend to surrender, but wore army-standard power armor and engaged in a "fierce" battle with the Bundeswehr interstellar marines who forced their way onto the space station.

Hancock originally thought that the "bow" and "wave" could be easily obtained, but he did not want to encounter a strong resistance. Attempting to escape from the escape window and docking compartment of the strip capsule, which did not participate in the turning, the Federation Marines entering the space station were mercilessly blocked back. Even if the Federal Marines used their 'fine' flying skills to board the shell of the cylindrical cabin that kept rotating all the time in the "bow, 'excited', and 'wave'," it would still be difficult to attack the space station.

The battle lasted nearly three hours, and the space station "Bow Surge" and "Wave", which was 240 kilometers long and had a maximum diameter of 80 kilometers, was still firmly in the hands of the militia of the New Roman Empire.

"Withdraw all sorties of Marines and destroy this space station." In the face of the enemy's stubborn resistance, Gerald? Hancock gave the order in exasperation.

The Federal Army attempted to capture the "Bow" and "Wave" stations in order to obtain a large number of daily necessities and hydrogen energy on the station, as well as a large number of general spacecraft spare parts. Now that it cannot be occupied, it should be destroyed, which is the standard code of conduct of the aggressor. But even if the behemoth were blown up, the Wehrmacht would still be able to find a lot of useful things from the flying debris.

When the warships of the Bundeswehr's Fourth Fleet lined up and prepared for an artillery bombardment, Lieutenant Colonel Robb offered Hancock an offer to lead the team to occupy the "Bow" and "Wave" space station.

"Blow it up, Lieutenant Colonel Luo." Hancock didn't have hope for Robb. And it was not very appropriate for Hancock to have someone who had become the commander of the detachment personally lead the team to carry out a fortified task similar to a broadside battle.

"General, I can make a military order, if I don't capture this space station, I will kill myself on the space station." Robb swore his promises.

Hancock was hesitant about his words. In the previous series of battles with the Imperial Army in the 135th line space, Robb's command talent in fleet operations was already 'revealed', and he was asked to serve as an interstellar marine, wearing power armor to attack the space station, but the general had no confidence in him at all.

Luo Bo continued to persuade: "General, the 'Bow' and 'Wave' stations have a large number of resources for our army to use. It would be a shame to give up so easily. Believe me, I'll take the entire station intact. ”

Seeing that he was full of confidence, Hancock finally agreed, and immediately notified the whole fleet and authorized Robb to lead the interstellar marines to relaunch the landing operation.

After the communication was over, Robb lifted the safety buckle on the command seat, got out of the space combat suit, and then said to the first mate Scati? Major Tiassi said, "Skaty, Hercules will be 'handed over' to you." ”

Scati also lifted the safety buckle and stood up, saying, "Sir, I ask to join you in battle. ”

"You're also fighting? Who will command the battleship? Robb understood her motives, but Skaty should not have left the Hercules with him, and he didn't want Scati to confront his countrymen directly. After all, it is easier to sit in a battleship and attack a compatriot by inputting computer commands than to kill a compatriot directly with a weapon equipped on the body face-to-face.

"This is what I have to do, sir." Scati solemnly explained, "In order to prove that I have severed ties with this evil country and am loyal to my new Federation, I ask for your permission for me to go to war with you." ”

"Have you ever been a Star Marine?" Robb asked knowingly. Every officer in the Bundeswehr at the rank of captain must have experience serving in the Star Marine Corps.

Scati didn't answer, but quickly got out of his space combat suit and 'straightened' his chest in front of Rob, so that he could see clearly that there was a red 'color' medal with an oak leaf on his strong and plump chest. This is a special medal for rewarding outstanding interstellar marines with outstanding skills, heroic combat, and hard training.

Luo Bo hesitated slightly, and then said to the navigator Captain Bai Haitao: "Captain Bai, you will take over the command." With that, he immediately rushed to the escape pod behind the bridge with Scati.

The specially built power armor "Hidden Dragon King" and the marines belonging to the "Hercules" have all been hung with projectile belts, ready to go into battle at any time.

Wearing the "Hidden Dragon King", Robb connected to the tactical command system of the entire Fourth Fleet. Presented on the helmet display, it is the battle sequence designated by the flagship, as well as the overall structure of the target "bow" and "wave" space station and the deployment of troops that have been "exposed" in previous battles.

Robb quickly gave a new tactical instruction: "With the exception of the 'Hercules' Marine Corps, all the Marines in the combat detachments are concentrated on attacking the enemy's central strip cabin, striving to enter the central control room there as soon as possible. Do you get it? ”

This tactic doesn't sound like anything new, as many detachment commanders have done it before. However, because the central strip capsule is where the general control room of the space station is located, the militia in the capsule has concentrated its 'elite' elite forces to defend it to the death, and the attacking federal forces have been defeated. However, as long as the Federation forces want to capture the space station intact, they must capture this area as soon as possible in order to quickly cut off the connection between the various parts of the station.

Despite the uninspired instructions from the new commander, the Marine officers and men on the ships preparing to attack responded in unison: "Understood, sir. ”

"Very well, brethren." Robb praised, "Strike! ”

The Federation warships surrounding the space station 'shot' the Marines and threw them at the space station.

Robb switched to the communications channel of his battleship Marine Squadron and announced in a loud voice, "Brethren, Scati? First Officer Tiassi joins us in the attack. At the time of my death, she will take over from me at the helm of the squadron. ”

"Yes, sir." Men shouting over the communication system.

Robb then announced his real target. Then he asked aloud, "How did we say that?!" ”

The Marines chanted in unison: "Hoha-ho-ha-"