Thunder Warrior Saves the World

Page 38

The Mi-8 helicopters of the 5th Supply Company brazenly appeared on the battlefield, delivering crates of ammunition to the airborne troops' positions. The number of wounded soldiers carried onto stretchers and helped into the helicopters could be counted on two hands. Well, the airborne troops weren't Wagner, and Lu Wu wasn't Shoigu or Gerasimov; they wouldn't do something as unethical as withholding ammunition from the front lines. The acting commander of the 328th Regiment, upon discovering this, was clearly not happy. With so few wounded, the number of killed in action could only be even fewer. Comparing this to his own casualties, a chill ran down his spine.

Along with the supply company arrived three Hind attack helicopters from Captain Valerio's reconnaissance company and Spetznaz's squadron. These three Hinds would take over close air support from the 48th Company's Hinds, whose pilots had been fighting continuously for several hours. While they weren't exactly rolling their eyes or sticking out their tongues, their combat effectiveness had been greatly reduced. In the upcoming battle, the reconnaissance company would serve as the main force of the attack.

Reinforcements from the 2nd Battalion also arrived on the battlefield. However, the acting regimental commander did not allow the reinforcements to enter the position directly. Recalling that he had not been bombarded by the enemy during this period, he decided to take a risk and deploy the reinforcing company in the woods on the flank of the front line (which happened to be where the scouts had hidden). The plan was for the company to strike the enemy from the side when the enemy launched a frontal attack on the front line.

To prevent their deployment from being detected by enemy aircraft, he specifically ordered them to be divided into squads for maneuver. That way, even if they were spotted by aircraft, they would probably be identified as routed soldiers! The acting regimental commander wasn't really sure either; the only thing that gave him some peace of mind was that this wasn't his directly subordinate unit.

The brief rest ended quickly, and the two sides, now reinforced, clashed again.

Before the reconnaissance company launched its attack, a drone patrolling the battlefield detected unusual heat radiation from the trees on their flank. This time, the 7th Brigade command didn't bother the pilots to deal with the threat; the long-dormant roar of the SU-122M self-propelled howitzers ruthlessly shattered the acting regimental commander's hopes. After two rounds of shelling, although the trees provided some cover and absorbed some of the shockwaves and shrapnel, the infantry company, which had gone to great lengths to evade the helicopters, still suffered heavy casualties, essentially losing its ability to launch an offensive. This was only because the SU-122M's M-30 howitzers were not equipped with incendiary shells; otherwise, a single round of incendiary shells would have reduced the entire infantry company, along with the trees, to ashes.

Now, the 3rd Battalion only had two infantry companies deployed in tiers along the front line to deal with this attack. Lacking heavy firepower, outnumbered, and with their individual firepower suppressed, their only advantage was their existing defensive fortifications. By this point in the battle, the acting regimental commander was completely exhausted.

Volume 1: Chapter 209 (Chapter 194) The Return Journey (2)

The armored units of the 7th Brigade launched their attack almost simultaneously with the reconnaissance company and paratroopers. The difference was that the reconnaissance and paratroopers aimed to capture Hill 143, while the main force of the 7th Brigade aimed to quickly pass through Hill 143 and Wieger village to enter Highway 76 to pave the road with mud.

7. Upon seeing a large number of tanks appear in his line of sight, the 2nd Battalion Commander regretted his decision—he shouldn't have lent out that infantry company! Although an infantry company could only play a limited role against such a large enemy force, having one more person on the position meant they could hold out for a little longer, and the chances of receiving reinforcements from Wieger Village would be much greater.

However, what they didn't know was that the main force in Wiegel Village had never seen the messengers sent by the 328th Regiment. Under the patrol and surveillance of long-range drones, all Belken people who tried to leave Hill 143 were targeted and eliminated. Neither the messengers sent by Schmidt nor the two battalion commanders were able to leave Hill 143 successfully.

But the Belken people of Wiegel village were no pushovers. They couldn't possibly miss the bombing and artillery fire raging on Hill 143 right next to them. The 58th Brigade of the 32nd Infantry Division, which had arrived earlier, had already completed its combat preparations. However, with the activation of radio jamming, the 58th Brigade lost contact with Colonel Schmidt. Seeing the fierce fighting on Hill 143, but with the main force of the Amelia forces still nowhere to be seen, the 58th Brigade suppressed its urge to reinforce Hill 143 and remained hidden within Wiegel village. The Amelia forces arrived at Hill 143 earlier than expected, so they were now alone there; the rest of the 32nd Division was still en route, about two or three hours away, so they had to proceed cautiously.

Then they saw the battle finally spread to the outskirts of Hill 143, and the ghostly chariot forces of the Amelia finally appeared in the afterglow of the setting sun.

The enemy's tank numbers were not as many as expected, even fewer than their own. Upon realizing this, the commander of the 58th Brigade was invigorated. However, he didn't recklessly send his tank units, hidden in the ruins, into a head-on collision—a medieval knightly armored duel. After all, these Belken soldiers generally knew that Belken tanks were currently no match for the Amelia tanks; engaging in a decisive battle outside their cover would be pure suicide. Besides, the 58th Brigade's current objective wasn't to annihilate the Amelia, but to hold them off; there was no need to take unnecessary risks.

However, aerial reconnaissance had already pinpointed the locations of these vehicles, whose engines were still running.

After completing two rounds of artillery assaults on Hill 143, the Qi SU-122M quickly adjusted its parameters and unleashed all remaining ammunition on the positions in Wigel Village at top speed!

"Bar 'Whiskey,' anti-tank gun, 11 o'clock position, 400 meters away."

"Whisky, received. Anti-tank gun, 11 o'clock, 400 meters." The crew commander of T-72AV No. 135, codenamed "Whisky," repeated the drone operator's instructions. "Fire!"

"Target destroyed. Next target, heavy machine gun, 2:30, 250 meters away." On the terminal, it can be seen that the gun mount of the camouflaged gun on both sides has been destroyed in the explosion, and all the gun crew members have fallen. The drone operator quickly marked this target as destroyed and reported the location of the next target to the vehicle crew.

Similar communications were frequent on the communications vehicle. All potential threats to the infantry fighting vehicles and self-propelled artillery were eliminated one by one. The poorly protected, or even nearly unprotected, self-propelled artillery was protected by the infantry fighting vehicles, their throttles floored, closely following behind these heavily armored main battle tanks. The Berezov's autocannons and grenade launchers kept the Belken infantry pinned down in their trenches, afraid to show their faces. The reckless anti-tank soldiers were ultimately a minority, unable to break through the layers of fire to threaten the self-propelled artillery at the heart of the formation.

The 7th Brigade didn't engage the 2nd Battalion, which was trying to intercept them, and crossed Hill 143 at top speed, heading straight for the village of Wieger along the road. In just ten minutes, the entire ground force of the 7th Brigade had crossed Hill 143 in tight formation.

Just as the tank units and the armored vehicles of the 58th Brigade began exchanging fire, a new development emerged on the battlefield along Highway 76. Here, it seemed the Ergia had more cards to play—after they deployed their infantry divisions as reserves, the Belken finally couldn't hold on any longer and began a slow retreat.

The experienced Elgeans naturally wouldn't allow the Belken to maintain a normal retreat order, and their cavalry divisions, which had remained stationary until now, came in handy. These traditional cavalry units bypassed the main battle line along Highway 76, raiding the flanks of the retreating Belken and constantly harassing them.

Under the cover of night, these cavalrymen wielding sabers successfully created chaos and panic among the infantry whose morale and organization had declined. They couldn't even figure out how many enemies had appeared on their flanks. Although the junior officers tried desperately to control the infantry, the shock and fear of facing a cavalry charge was not so easily dispelled—the towering knights, over two meters tall, rode their beasts towards them, the earth trembling under their trampling, the hooves easily breaking and crushing bones and internal organs, and each swing of their gleaming sabers brought up a cloud of blood, or even a terrified human head.

Once the first person threw down their weapon and turned to flee, rumors and panic spread like a flood, quickly engulfing the Belken army along Route 76. They lost the ferocity they had displayed at the start of the war, and fled in disarray, much like the Elgeans before them.

This scene was undoubtedly the best stimulant for the Kingdom's army. Without even needing orders from their superiors, the Ergia soldiers became increasingly fanatical, as if they had taken an aphrodisiac, accelerating the collapse of the Belken forces.

10月4日晚上20时21分，爱尔吉亚王国突破了贝尔肯帝国布置在76号公路上的防御阵地，开始沿着公路长驱直入，以期与已经突破了58旅拦截、正在沿着公路一路狂飙的第7旅进行汇合。此时距离代号“迦楼兰”的反攻行动开始已经过去了17个小时21分钟，战斗的天平开始往爱尔吉亚王国的方向倾斜。

Volume 1: Chapter 210 (Chapter 195) The Return Journey (3)

10月4日，22时05分，76号公路，第7旅的移动指挥部内。

"Drone reconnaissance shows that the Belkens have not sent any troops to pursue us, and there are no enemy troops in the vicinity," Yelena said softly, handing a report to Lu Wu.

Lu Wu was not surprised by this result. The 58th Brigade could only use its armored vehicles to pursue them, but almost all of these vehicles were destroyed in the final concentrated fire of the self-propelled artillery. The few surviving vehicles had to face Bai Xue's T-72 formation. How could they possibly have a well-organized armored force capable of both pursuit and combat now? The airborne battalion that occupied almost all of Hill 143 was like a knife stuck in the throat of the Belken people, preventing them from pursuing them freely.

"The airborne battalion and reconnaissance company have returned to Alpha base, and most of the prisoners of war from Swarthburg have been transferred to the base."

The main force of the 7th Brigade had already disengaged from the main battle, but naturally, they hadn't forgotten the detachments still remaining on Hill 143 and Swarthborough. After the 7th Brigade broke through Hill 143, the airborne battalion and reconnaissance company didn't immediately annihilate the remaining 2nd Battalion of the 328th Regiment and seize their positions. They deliberately maintained a jagged front line, but once again halted their offensive. The reason was naturally their lack of long-range firepower—the self-propelled artillery had gone with the main force, the fixed-wing aircraft were still waiting for their turn (lol), and the remaining three Hind helicopters were running low on rockets. If they launched an artillery barrage on Hill 143 after the Belken reinforcements arrived, they would be in a very passive position. Therefore, they decided to leave a portion of the Belken forces behind to deter the enemy from attacking.

And indeed, this proved to be true. Around 7 PM, after the 32nd Division's artillery arrived, fearing friendly fire on the 2nd Battalion on Hill 143, their fire was limited to the now-empty mine area, completely ignoring the paratroopers and reconnaissance troops. However, by this time, the 7th Brigade had already advanced far enough that even with the 32nd Division's vehicles flooring the accelerator, they couldn't catch up. The paratroopers and reconnaissance troops, after setting up some farewell gifts, quietly boarded their aircraft and left the position. Therefore, when the 32nd Division's fresh troops landed on Hill 143, took over the 328th Regiment's position, and began their probing advance, they encountered almost no resistance—the casualties from a few booby traps and tripwire-set automatic rifles were negligible compared to previous attacks.

Swarthburg, on the other hand, was relatively uneventful. Although some Belken prisoners of war, seeing the sparse guards, attempted a riot as they left their cells to be transferred by plane to the rear, they were swiftly and ruthlessly suppressed by the Green Men. All those involved in the riot were executed, a deterrent measure that effectively deterred the remaining prisoners and ensured that subsequent prisoner transfers proceeded without incident. After completing the prisoner transfers, they similarly placed the remaining explosives at the castle's main entrance as a friendly blessing for the next wave of visitors.

"How's the situation in Elgia?" After checking on their own troops' movements, it was time to check on their allies. The 7th Brigade had two objectives in this offensive. The objective at Swarburg had already been achieved; now it was up to them to see if the Elgia would falter.

"Six. The progress is quite good." Yelena opened the map of Fabandi, where a large area had been changed back from red to blue. "Half of the western outer city has been regained by the Elgins, and the Belken are fighting fiercely around these few points. These points are right in the middle of their retreat route, so it will take the Elgins a lot of effort to take them down. But if they do take them, they can surround the remaining Belken troops in the city. Whether they surrender or are annihilated, it will infuriate the Belkens."

"What's the progress on Route 76?"

4 “The Elgins have broken through, and they are clearing out the remaining threats along the road. The 35th Cavalry Division is heading towards us and is expected to meet us here.” Yelena tapped a spot on the road with her finger. “They will escort us back to Fabanti.”

Lu Wu estimated the time, "That's about an hour from now."

Lieutenant General Albert Morgan, 57 years old this year, is the commander of the 35th Cavalry Division of the Kingdom of Ergia. The 35th Cavalry Division is considered a veteran elite force in the Fabandi Military District, which is why it was able to play a crucial reserve role in this operation. After successfully creating chaos on the flank of the Belken and helping the infantry break through, the 35th Cavalry Division continued to advance along the road to meet the 7th Independent Brigade of the Amelia Guards, which had created the preconditions for this operation.

Both the Belken and the Elgians had many speculations about this suddenly appearing volunteer force, some far-fetched, some plausible, and many more. Albert had naturally heard quite a few, such as the Elgians being invulnerable to swords and spears, and having three heads and six arms. Now, he had the opportunity to formally encounter this legendary force shrouded in mystery, the one that had turned the Belken upside down.

To avoid friendly fire, the 35th Cavalry Division and the 7th Brigade had exchanged positions and sizes over the radio multiple times. The 35th Cavalry Division had already set up defenses at the rendezvous point to prevent any unforeseen circumstances. Therefore, when a large number of headlights and the roar of engines appeared at the end of Highway 76, the Elgin cavalry did not react excessively. While calming their horses, which were startled by the sudden beam of light, they squinted their curious eyes at the massive convoy.

These tanks, as rumored, exuded martial prowess. Their smoke-stained exteriors, while making their military bearing less than neat, added a touch of menacing aura. A red star was painted on one side of the tank's rounded turret, inside which stood a proud white tiger, much like the unit itself.

After confirming each other's identities, the convoy, led by the cavalry, started moving again. Albert Morgan was led to the center of the convoy, where he met the commander of the unit and his princess. The entire process naturally attracted the flashes of reporters' cameras—excellent propaganda material, extremely valuable, and should be given priority to those in the media.

After the reporter finished his political task, Albert got into the car. Without any outside interference, they were finally able to have a proper chat.

Volume 1: Chapter 211 (Chapter 196) Fabandi

Nothing unexpected happened on the remaining stretch of the road, and they soon entered the territory under the actual control of the Kingdom of Elgia along Highway 76.

Although it was past 11 p.m., close to midnight, the streets were filled with groups of demoralized prisoners of war in yellow uniforms, hands raised, marching under the watchful eyes of Elgin soldiers. They were to be taken to a POW camp for management. The rumbling armored convoys drew most of their attention; many prisoners instinctively stopped, staring wide-eyed at the vehicles passing by. Naturally, their actions earned them rifle butts and shoves from the Elgins.

"Hey! You fascists, haven't you always wanted to go to Faban? Now you finally have a chance to get into the city! Aren't you happy? Aren't you surprised?" Uncle

A rough-and-ready tank crewman opened the hatch, leaning his upper body out of the tank. His left hand held a flashlight, illuminating the dazed prisoners of war, while his right hand held a yellow megaphone he'd somehow acquired. He began to harass the prisoners.

"You don't seem very happy? Is it because you can't share this joy with your fascist families? Don't be sad, we'll soon send your fascist brothers to reunite with you! Oh, no! Your fascist families are still in Belken, we should be sending you back home to reunite with your families!"

Under the lamplight, the prisoners of war's faces were flushed. Some pointed at the rough-looking enemy, their mouths moving, their voices drowned out by the roar of the tanks, but clearly uttering foul language. This display of impotent rage did not anger the Allied soldiers; instead, they burst into laughter. Now, it was the Belken invaders' turn to be prisoners.

No one stopped the 7th Brigade tank crews from provoking the prisoners of war. In the eyes of these Erdogan soldiers, the invaders were still alive because, as Erdogan, they still possessed a basic moral compass and wouldn't arbitrarily execute those who surrendered. However, this didn't mean they didn't intend to pursue the crimes committed by these invaders; their current plight was merely a small interest payment for their sins.

Amidst cheers and laughter, the 7th Brigade and the 35th Cavalry Division finally arrived at the end of Highway 76. After passing through the checkpoint, the 7th Brigade officially entered the capital of this kingdom with a long history.

The 7th Brigade's temporary base was set up in the Imperial Guard's barracks next to the Royal Palace. This was the first time in the history of the Kingdom of Elgia that a large-scale, armed, and live-fire foreign military force had been stationed in its capital, especially given the scale of this first deployment—right next to the royal palace. It's important to understand that the capital, as the core of a nation's political and military power, is extremely important and sensitive. Unless there's an exceptionally close relationship, or even a father-son relationship (Japan and South Korea: ?), a sovereign state would absolutely not accept an armed force that doesn't obey its orders being stationed next to its command center.

Rosetta's proposal naturally drew some criticism and discontent, but he suppressed these dissenters with an iron fist, unifying internal opinions. All talk of damage to national prestige or a huge threat was utter nonsense. In Rosetta's view, this was a golden opportunity to deeply bind Amelia and Elgia politically, to continue courting Amelia, to seek further cooperation, and to increase the intensity of cooperation. With such an opportunity for national rise, what did a little loss of face matter?

Therefore, Rosetta not only designated the 7th Brigade's garrison on the Imperial Guard's grounds, but he also opened some guest rooms in the palace to accommodate high-ranking officers of the 7th Brigade, including colonels. In addition, he planned a special award ceremony to honor these internationalists who had traveled thousands of miles to England to fight against the aggression; a large number of international journalists would attend the ceremony.

Of course, this award ceremony wasn't decided solely by him; Lu Wu had also agreed in principle to organize such an event. For the 7th Brigade, it was also a great opportunity to enhance their reputation and build their image. If they were to establish a paradise on earth in the future, these processes would be indispensable.

Such a significant ceremony would naturally not be held in the pitch-black middle of the night, and the soldiers of the 7th Brigade also need rest to present a better image to the public. Therefore, the medal-awarding ceremony will not begin until 3 p.m. on the 5th, giving them half a day to go over the ceremony's procedures and make necessary preparations. After the medal-awarding ceremony, a banquet awaits them.

However, these were things Lu Wu and his team would have to worry about tomorrow. Right now, all they wanted was to leave the stuffy, cramped vehicle, wash away the grime and odor, and get a good night's sleep. On the battlefield, they had neither the time nor the means to maintain personal hygiene. After several days, they were covered in a layer of mud. Their already stiff combat uniforms, soaked with sweat and mud and then dried, became as stiff as cardboard, making them anything but comfortable to wear.

But even this somewhat unkempt army attracted considerable attention as it marched through the streets of Fabandi. This was thanks to the propaganda department of the Kingdom of Elgia. Perhaps because their leader was currently accompanying the Amelia to deal with the invaders, the propaganda department had devoted much effort to publicizing this volunteer army painted with red stars and tigers, making them quite famous among the Elgia civilians, especially the residents of Fabandi. Therefore, when they discovered that what had woken them from their sleep was this legendary "Tiger Army," they were filled with excitement and curiosity. Although restricted by light control, they couldn't turn on their lights to observe the army closely, so they opened their doors and windows, waving the Seven Star Rose Flag, welcoming their arrival in their own way.

This was a very novel experience for Lu Wu and his team. The last city they entered in three tanks as a unit was Grozny, and the one before that was Novorossiysk. Both cities had long been destroyed by war, with nine out of ten residential buildings empty and the remaining one rigged with anti-tank gunners. They had never seen such a scene before.

This welcome continued until they entered the Guards' controlled area. Part of the 35th Cavalry Division escorting them was not stationed in Fapanti, and they had new combat missions the next day, so they parted ways with the 7th Brigade here, and the Guards camp had made enough space to accommodate this force of several thousand men.

Volume 1: Chapter 212 (Chapter 197) Anton is up to something again.

After leaving some officers to guard the garrison, Lu Wu and the other colonel-level officers went to the royal palace.

Last time they came from the sky, so they only "visited" the castle; they hadn't actually been to the real palace. However, it was late at night, not a good time for sightseeing, so they went directly to their respective rooms under the guidance of the waiters.

Although these rooms were all single rooms, the beds were large enough for two or three people to lie down comfortably, and each room had a private bathroom. The decor also matched Lu Wu's stereotypical image of Western aristocracy. However, Lu Wu had heard that Rosetta was of commoner origin and had even met her before. Based on his impression, Rosetta didn't seem to be the type of person who would decorate the palace so extravagantly.

However, Lu Wu wasn't bothered by it. After all, he was the one enjoying these things now. He simply cleaned himself up in the bathroom and changed into the clean bathrobe that had been prepared there. Suddenly, he remembered that he should go and check on the gains from these battles.

However, when he opened the system, what popped up wasn't the battle report, but—

[Welcome to a major update: Armaic Assault!]

Lu Wu's hand trembled, his horrified eyes resembling those of a player who had been AFK for two or three months, hadn't even unlocked the new vehicles, and then, upon opening War Thunder, found a bunch of developer logs announcing another update with new vehicles. He quickly scrolled down the page, skipping the useless chatter, and went straight to the updated vehicle list—the ground vehicles added included the 2S25 "Octopus" SD self-propelled anti-tank gun, the 2S38 "Deflector" self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, the BTR-ZD "File" self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, the BMD-1 airborne infantry fighting vehicle, the BTR-D armored personnel carrier, and the 2S9 "Nona" self-propelled mortar-howitzer. The four smaller vehicles following are all developed from the BMD airborne infantry fighting vehicle chassis: the BTR-D omits the BMD-1's turret, slightly lengthens the hull, and expands the rear troop compartment; the BTR-ZD is a BTR-D with a twin-mounted 23mm ZU-23 anti-aircraft gun; as for the 2S9 "Nona," it is equipped with a long-barreled 120mm mortar, capable of firing at high angles like a traditional mortar, firing indirect fire at long range like a howitzer, and firing directly like a cannon. New air vehicles added include the Su-22M3, MiG-27M, and MiG-27K ground attack aircraft, as well as the MiG-23MLD fighter jet. The helicopter lineup also includes a new heavy transport helicopter: the Mi-6.

The 2S25 is placed after the anti-tank vehicle line, the 2S38 is a high-level vehicle without the Silver Lion bonus, and the four BMD family vehicles are placed after the BTR-152A. The three vehicles are folded together, which is quite reasonable.

Lu Wu glanced at the time of the announcement and realized it had been posted on the 3rd. Good heavens, he was still on the edge of Hill 143 at that time, he had no time to see this notice. But by a twist of fate, he just happened to avoid the maintenance period.

After closing the notification, Lu Wu looked at the new tech tree and seemed to be deep in thought. He felt that the new toys Anton had made this time seemed to be hinting at something: there were airborne combat vehicles and heavy transport helicopters. Could it be that the answer to this update was to vigorously develop the airborne army?

The more he thought about it, the more he realized it made sense. The Mi-6 helicopter could carry a maximum internal load of 12 tons, while the BMD-1 vehicle weighed only 7.5 tons and could fit inside the Mi-6's cabin. It was practically throwing the answer in his face—what era are we living in? Still using traditional paratroopers? Bring me a 120mm mortar!

Looking at the adorable young girl "Nona," Lu Wu's heart couldn't help but burn with excitement. What "Golden Acacia"? She's just a 27-ton old hag born in the 60s, how could she compare to the youthful "Nona"? What? You say "Nona" was developed in the 70s, only ten years later? Come on, that's ten years! Can a 30-year-old woman compare to a 20-year-old girl?

What? You're saying "Golden Acacia" uses a 152mm howitzer? Who just said 2S3 is fat? Miss "Golden Acacia" is mature, sexy, and incredibly charming. As a man, you have to have both!

Ahem, getting back to the main point, the "Nona" 120mm mortar has a maximum range of 12.8 kilometers and can fire new types of shells such as laser-guided shells and heat-guided fiber optic shells. This is much better than the SU-122M currently used by the 7th Brigade. Moreover, this is a genuine self-propelled artillery piece. Whether it is reliability or mobility, it is more reliable than these makeshift contraptions. Besides, this thing is connected to the BTR-152A, which means that as long as their research and development threshold is not high, it is just a BTR-ZD!

The BMD-1 is also a very classic airborne infantry fighting vehicle, or rather, it pioneered the airborne infantry fighting vehicle. In addition to a 73mm low-pressure smoothbore gun, this airborne infantry fighting vehicle has a troop compartment at the rear of the vehicle that can accommodate 4-6 people. Its combat weight is no more than 10 tons, and it can be deployed by air or by parachute.

Despite its extremely weak defensive capabilities and the fact that its supposedly six-person troop compartment has only one forward-opening top door, greatly hindering the efficiency of infantry loading and unloading for combat (in actual use, it rarely carries more than three infantrymen), none of these are now problems! Because the enemy they are now facing is not NATO, but the Belken, who are still heavily equipped with bolt-action rifles. The BMD can easily destroy enemy anti-tank fire at long range, covering the advance of paratroopers and allowing them to easily seize enemy positions. At this point, some astute readers might ask: "Wait a minute, Professor Lu, the Berezovsky can achieve the same effect, and it has a four-round horn and can carry six infantrymen!"

This is the key point: the Berezok can only be bought with Golden Eagles, not the BMD-1. Besides, do paratroopers really need four Kornets? For dealing with Belken tanks, the BMD-1's 2A28 missiles are sufficient, not to mention the two SEG anti-tank missiles inside. As for the original BMP, that vehicle has several forward-mounted vehicles, and its size and weight are too much for a Mi-6 helicopter; paratroopers definitely can't use it.

Volume 1: Chapter 213 (Chapter 198) - Writing the Report

The new equipment is all good, but how should it be configured to maximize its effectiveness? The addition of new equipment will inevitably change the current tactics of the 7th Brigade, but before formulating new tactical ideas, Lu Wu needs to make a summary report on their performance in this operation so that he can take targeted measures.

Anton's new activity successfully dispelled the drowsiness brought on by the overly soft bed. Lu Wu, leaning against the bed, simply pushed the tablet screen up to reveal the keyboard underneath and began typing the post-battle report.

[Some Reflections on the Combat Performance of the 7th Guards Independent Brigade during Operation Garuda]

He started by typing out this title, which set the tone for the report. After all, it was an internal document, and self-criticism was more useful than praising his own performance. A battle summary couldn't be written in just a few hours or a night, so he planned to write an outline first and then gradually add and refine the content.

He quickly reviewed the battle reports from Alpha Base onwards, following the timeline. Several reports that required attention were saved on the left side of the screen.

I. Problems in Coordinating Operations with Friendly Forces

During the battle of Swarthaburi, our army deployed the 32nd Battalion of the Elgin Royal Guard Infantry to sweep through the castle's interior. This unit was deployed within Fabandi and moved using our army's helicopters. Due to the oversight of the Elgin troops' lack of helicopter experience, the 32nd Battalion suffered severe airsickness during the maneuver, significantly weakening its combat effectiveness and leading to unnecessary casualties in subsequent battles. Given our personnel shortages and the difficulty in changing this situation in the short term, and the anticipated increased joint operations with the Elgin army, it is necessary to conduct relevant training to reduce unexpected incidents caused by differences in combat systems. Simultaneously, confidentiality must be maintained during training to prevent the leakage of specific technical details to the enemy.

Coordination with friendly forces is an unavoidable aspect for them; they are severely understaffed. Their role in this operation was rather unique—a surprise force designed to disrupt the enemy's rear lines. Their coordination with other Elgin units was limited to the battle of Swarthburg, and even that level of coordination went awry. If they are to serve as the main attacking force in a future direction, the coordination required will be far more complex than that one battle. The varying speeds of mechanized infantry versus traditional infantry, motorized infantry, and cavalry alone will be a major challenge, not to mention the disparities in firepower. How to ensure different units coordinate without fighting each other is something they will need to study next.

Lu Wu bolded and underlined the section on training, closed the first battle report, and glanced at the second report, which had been written after capturing and interrogating Colonel Schmidt on Hill 143. They then learned that the 328th Regiment was precisely the Belken unit that had escaped from their encirclement. Some information revealed by Schmidt answered a question that had lingered in the 7th Brigade's staff for a long time: they had already laid an ambush on the 328th Regiment's route to reinforce the 210th Regiment, so why did Schmidt stop advancing and turn tail just before entering their trap?

He continued:

【二、拦截328团失败暴露的装备问题：经过对328团被俘军官的审讯，可以确定，10月2号328团的突然撤退导致伏击失败的原因是贝尔肯的侦察兵发现了通往伏击阵地的不同道路上均有我军的故障坦克车与自行火炮。临时装备的可靠性不足，容易出现问题导致延误战机。SU-122M等应急改造装备需要及时替换为可靠性更高的标准装备。】

Fortunately, this problem now has a solution. Anton has done a good thing this time. The emergence of the BMD vehicle family can address the issue of equipment reliability at its source. Compared to other problems, this equipment reliability issue is actually the least serious and easiest to solve.

[III. Issues with Airborne Firepower Configuration Exposed During the Battle of Hill 143:] 5

The third report is Miller's combat report on Hill 143. Most of the casualties in Operation Garoulan were concentrated on Hill 143 and Swarthgard, hence the report on Hill 143 is the longest. (Seven)

The pairing of paratroopers with helicopters, while solving the mobility problem of paratroopers relying on foot transport to some extent and compensating for their lack of heavy firepower, still suffers from several drawbacks. Helicopters' range cannot fully cover the combat duration of paratroopers, their attack angles are limited, and their effectiveness against low-lying ground targets or targets in lower buildings is low. Prolonged operations significantly weaken the crew's combat capability, and the amount of ammunition they carry is extremely limited. Once depleted, resupply takes a considerable amount of time, during which paratroopers must rely solely on their light weapons.

When paratroopers are operating on the ground, helicopters cannot provide them with safe cover, and fire support arrives slower than ground vehicles. This problem directly led to casualties among paratroopers during the assault on the 143rd Hill mine dormitory area. Furthermore, helicopter noise is significantly higher than that of ground vehicles. If a covert raid is needed, the noise from the helicopter rotors makes it easier to reveal troop movements. However, deploying troops to distant locations to avoid rotor noise exposure prolongs the paratroopers' preparation time before the attack. Approaching the target on foot not only depletes the paratroopers' energy prematurely but also increases the risk of unforeseen events. Therefore, paratrooper units should be equipped with suitable armored ground vehicles.

Lu Wude admitted that the cause of this problem was none other than himself. In his attempt to control costs, he had directly tied two airborne infantry companies to helicopters, a practice that ultimately led to the sacrifice of "Lava" and his men. At this moment, he was experiencing firsthand the difficulties Shoigu had faced. "When the cannons roar, gold flows." Without money, how can you build a good army? Part Three

He exhaled and typed the fourth point in the report.

IV. Issues in the Use of Army Aviation:

In Operation Garulan, army aviation helicopters played a crucial role. Whether it was the assault on Swarthborough or the battle for Hill 143, the presence of army aviation helicopters fundamentally altered the course of the war. Furthermore, in several battles across different areas and at different times, army aviation helicopters undertook the vital tasks of providing ground firepower, supplies, and personnel to ground troops. Some Mi-4 helicopters, with relatively weak ground attack capabilities and low protection levels, were also deployed for ground support, while Mi-24 attack helicopters were also heavily used for personnel transport. While the army aviation units performed these tasks well, this performance concealed the hidden danger of personnel overwork. Performing tasks outside their specialty made it easier for crew members to become fatigued. In the battle for Hill 143, there was an incident where friendly fire was almost caused.

Meanwhile, in these battles, we should also note that the Belken's air defense awareness is strengthening, and the density of their anti-aircraft fire has increased. It is foreseeable that, over time, the threat posed by their ground forces to helicopters will rise. If lightly protected helicopters like the Mi-4 continue to perform ground support missions, casualties may occur. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a dedicated, professional, and independent army aviation force with clearly defined uses, clearly distinguishing the operational scenarios for different helicopters, improving the combat efficiency of the force, and reducing the probability of casualties.

Volume 1: Chapter 214 (Chapter 199) Before the Awarding of Medals

Lu Wu wrote the outline of the report until after 4 a.m. So he only slept for a little over five hours before Yelena woke him up. There were less than five hours left before the medal awarding ceremony began, but he was still completely unaware of the afternoon's procedures. Therefore, he needed to figure out the afternoon's procedures and get everyone ready in the remaining time.

The process of the medal awarding ceremony was actually decided a long time ago, but the Kingdom of Elgia only received the specific list of participants in the last two days. Fortunately, they had ordered a large number of medals when they decided to hold the ceremony, so there were enough to go around and there would be no embarrassing situation of not having enough medals.

"Did the Ergia send us their procedures? I don't recall." Lu Wu, who was naked and had his bathrobe tossed on the bed, tried to put on various clothes while recalling the process. Finally, he frowned and asked uncertainly.

Yelena was silent for a moment before replying, "A week ago, not long after we arrived at the Alpha base, they had already sent us all the relevant information. But you talked about too many things at the time; we'll see later."

"Such a thing?" Lu Wu looked utterly astonished, even his hand paused as he buttoned his shirt. He genuinely didn't remember.

"That's not right. I don't remember ever seeing any telegrams or memos from Elgia. Our documents are all in electronic format, and Elgia wouldn't send us electronic copies. If they did, I would definitely remember them." The man was still struggling with this question.

"You can check it on your tablet; I've already converted it into an electronic file," Yelena said indifferently.

"Is that so..." Lu Wu felt it was best not to delve too deeply into this matter. He quickly straightened his clothes—he had specially worn the military dress uniform that he usually kept in his closet and rarely wore throughout the year for today's medal-awarding ceremony. In fact, this was his first time attending such a ceremony. There weren't many formal medal-awarding ceremonies on Andong Star; airdropping medals had become the norm. Only before Lu Wu became a brigade commander and was still a private would high-ranking officers call together those who were to be awarded medals in the same batch for a separate ceremony. The entire process was kept under twenty minutes, quite uneventful.

He pulled up the memo sent by the Ergia and looked at it carefully.

The Kyrgyz went all out this time. Every single officer and soldier in the 7th Brigade, from top to bottom, from frontline troops to rear service units, received medals. Among the awarded medals were the "Special Contribution Medal," the third-class "Knight's Guardian Medal," and the "Order of Supreme Dedication of the Kingdom of Kyrgyzstan," all traditional Kyrgyz medals. They also specially commissioned a batch of "Defense of Svorbella" medals. The name and design of this medal were reminiscent of many other medals. Lu Wu guessed that the "Defense of Svorbella" medal wasn't unique to their 7th Brigade; the 44th Infantry Division probably had them too. After the Battle of Fabandi, everyone in Fabandi might have a "Defense of Fabandi" medal. And if they liberated a fallen city, they might even introduce a "Liberation of [City Name]" medal.

These BA medals were primarily awarded to soldiers and junior- to mid-level military officers. However, Rosetta was generous with senior officers, awarding them the Order of St. Egil, named after the kingdom's historical general Egil. Historically, Egil commanded 20,000 infantrymen against a vastly superior force of 100,000 cavalry from the north. His masterful command resulted in the annihilation of over 50,000 enemy cavalry, successfully averting an invasion. Therefore, this medal was typically awarded to highly capable senior officers who had led their troops to decisive victories against large enemy forces and achieved strategic objectives.

Because it was wartime, the medal-awarding ceremony was simplified considerably. It consisted of Rosetta's speech, the awarding of medals, and finally a speech by the representative of the 7th Brigade. That was it—just those three steps, simple and quick.

"Huh? Why is there a representative from the 7th Brigade giving a speech?" Lu Wu asked, pointing to the last part of the agenda.

Yelena blinked. How novel! After such formal investiture ceremonies, wasn't it customary to express loyalty and willingness to serve His Majesty? Oh, the 7th Brigade is an international brigade, not loyal to the King. Well, that's fine. The content can be slightly adjusted to express a fighting spirit.

"Could this representative be me?" Although he already had the answer in his heart, Lu Wu still held a sliver of hope.