Wang Zhong: “Shells falling on the water can’t compare to the damage they do on land. Although underwater shockwaves will injure many people, the water itself absorbs a lot of energy, preventing the waves from traveling far.”
Underwater explosions have a smaller lethal range, but their lethality increases. However, the problem is, for the fragile human body, this increased lethality doesn’t make much difference.
Whether a person is killed by partial organ bleeding or by all internal organs bursting, there isn’t much difference to the dead.
Moreover, underwater explosions also affect the lethal range of shrapnel.
That is to say, there is basically no shrapnel. Firearms designed for underwater use on Earth after the war use special bullets with a lethal range of only about 30 meters.
Don’t underestimate “water”, this almost incompressible material.
Popov, arms crossed: “This way, we’ve come across a formidable enemy, eh? On land they use trenches to advance and negate our artillery, and once they get to the riverbank, they rely on the water to weaken our artillery fire. What did that guy sign his name as last time he invented Morse code for us?”
Wang Zhong: “Siegfried Gilais.”
He remembered it so clearly not because the enemy made a big impression, but because his name was only one letter different from the “Good Redhead” in Legend of the Galactic Heroes.
Wang Zhong looked across the river again.
The enemy had begun to advance again, slowly but surely.
Now, Wang Zhong saw the enemy like he used to watch ants move when he was a child squatting next to an anthill.
But as a child, when he got bored, he could pour water from his kettle to create a flood, then pretend he was God, choose a lucky ant to be Noah, and give it a piece of leaf as an ark.
Now he could only watch the enemy advance—right?
Wang Zhong suddenly spotted an oversight by the enemy: “Wait a minute, have they pulled up any anti-tank guns?”
The others also came to the observation window, looking through their own binoculars.
“I don’t see any.”
“But they might be camouflaged. Our own anti-tank guns are very well camouflaged.”
Wang Zhong: “Grigori!”
Grigori immediately entered: “Here.”
Wang Zhong: “Did you see any anti-tank guns yesterday?”
Grigori: “No, we used up all the enemy’s flares before we retreated, and we didn’t see any anti-tank gun positions.”
Wang Zhong picked up the receiver: “Connect me to the airfield.”
Soon, the voice of the ground controller from the airfield came through: “Who is it?”
Wang Zhong: “It’s Rocossov, let Harlamov listen.”
“Alright.”
After a moment, Harlamov’s voice came through: “Major General! What’s the matter?”
“Did you see any anti-tank guns while you were flying?”
“No, I’m pretty sure of that. The enemy’s trenches were freshly dug, camouflage nets were barely up, and we could clearly see each section of the trenches, they didn’t set up any anti-tank guns.”
Wang Zhong: “Good, thank you.”
He hung up the phone and grinned at the others: “The enemy wasn’t expecting us to attack, they didn’t set up anti-tank guns at the front.”
Pavlov: “Are you planning a tank assault? But how are you going to cross the river? The Prussians’ submersible tanks all fed the fish. And then these chunks of metal conveniently turned into reefs, ferries don’t dare go to the opposite bank now.”
Wang Zhong: “I’ll go over the bridge. Drive the KV off the flatbed, two T34s on a car, then unload on the other side of the railway.”
Pavlov: “What about enemy artillery bombardment while you’re unloading?”
Wang Zhong was at a loss for words.
It was then that Vasily said, “We’ll bombard them first, then lay down a smoke screen at the bridgehead!”
Pavlov shook his head, “No, no, that would obviously signal we’re up to something, eliminating the element of surprise. The enemy would be prepared. We can’t stake victory on the enemy’s negligence! If the enemy reacts and starts bombarding us, we would suffer huge losses, especially the locomotive, which is most vulnerable.”
Wang Zhong suddenly slapped his thigh, “No! We won’t unload the KVs. Instead, add a few more tank cars behind the three flatcars carrying the KVs, and load them with Naval Infantry. And don’t reverse the locomotive onto the bridge, just drive straight, pushing the train forward.”
He excitedly went to the map table and examined the map closely, “Look! The enemy’s regimental and brigade headquarters are right beside the railway tracks. They have no reason to dismantle the railway, so our armored train can definitely charge right up to the entrance of the enemy’s regimental headquarters.”
“Just the KVs is not enough, after all, the tank’s coaxial machine gun can only fire forward, it’s nearly useless. We can add sandbag fortifications on the flatcars and mount machine guns.”
Pavlov: “We can even put one of our anti-aircraft guns on there, a 25-mm machine gun whose effectiveness against personnel has been confirmed.”
Wang Zhong: “And add elite Naval Infantry. Then to prevent this raid from being caught by enemy dive bombers, deploy a Divine Arrow team as well.”
After thinking for a while, Pavlov said, “This tactic completely defies common sense. If I had submitted such a plan back in military school, I would have surely failed. But strangely, now I actually think this plan might work.”
Wang Zhong: “Of course, it’s feasible. The enemy doesn’t have anti-tank guns, what will they use to hit our armored train? Plus, we can prepare artillery fire, and with the train’s speed, we can rush up to the enemy in an instant.
“Of course, to execute this plan, we need highly skilled infantry. These soldiers must have enough initiative to spread out and control the surrounding area when the train stops.
“So, we must get help from the Naval Infantry.”
“I’ll make a phone call…”
Wang Zhong then turned to Vasily: “You stay at the locomotive with the captured radio, and keep in touch with me at all times.”
“Okay… Huh? With you?”
Wang Zhong: “Of course, I’ll personally command the leading KV tank.”
The reason Wang Zhong personally took command was to draw out the enemy’s anti-tank guns ahead of time. The biggest threat to the plan was the anti-tank guns.
Especially the enemy’s 88-gun; a direct encounter with it would be like walking into the tiger’s den.
So, Wang Zhong had to take the risk himself.
Wang Zhong was worried that Pavlov would object, so after speaking, he looked towards him.
Pavlov was also looking at Wang Zhong: “Would you listen if I objected?”
Wang Zhong: “No.”
“Then that settles it.” Pavlov sighed, “Moreover, compared to your previous reckless plans, this one is much safer. At least you’ll be in a KV1, and even I know that its armor is reliable.”
Wang Zhong: “Really? You won’t report me? The moment you pick up the receiver, you’re contacting Liu Xia.”
“No.”
Popov asked, “If we’re not letting Ludmila Vasilyevna know, then which team should we choose?”
Wang Zhong: “Yekaterina Andropovna Bolancheva, that little one who’d keep chasing the enemy even if she lost sight of the target with her Divine Arrow.”
Nelly raised an eyebrow.
Wang Zhong continued, “Her abilities are more suitable for this mission, after all, there might not be many opportunities to directly see the enemy while the train is moving at high speed.”
It was then that Pavlov put down the telephone receiver, “The train station said they can add another locomotive, that way we can maintain high speed both coming and going.”
Wang Zhong: “Good, let them proceed with that!”