The post-New Year revelry lasted until three in the morning before everyone, under the roaring of the military chaplains, finally rolled back to their barracks.
That night, Wang Zhong stayed in Kubinka with Ludmila.
The next morning, Wang Zhong got up early, preparing to go to the Ordnance Department’s testing ground to see the test of the 100mm gun carrier vehicle.
After all, this was the main event, and it was the most reliable method to mount the 100mm cannon on an armored vehicle until a larger turret ring than the T34W’s could be developed.
If possible, Wang Zhong, of course, hoped for a turret; self-propelled guns, despite bearing the name “assault,” were in fact not quite suited for offensive operations.
The original design intention was to assign them to infantry divisions to attack fixed bunkers during the offense, but later they were mostly used in defense against tanks.
The task of demolishing bunkers was typically left to Stukas or larger caliber heavy artillery.
The Sturmtiger had a 15cm infantry gun, which was extremely powerful but not very convenient for maneuvering on the front lines.
Then they mounted this infantry gun on the chassis of a Panzer I, turning it into a Bison self-propelled infantry gun, which was much more effective at destroying bunkers than the StuG III.
Wang Zhong pondered these matters as he ate his breakfast.
Just as he stood up, Ludmila also got up.
Wang Zhong, “What are you doing? Going to the Ordnance Department’s testing ground to watch our 100mm gun carrier vehicle? I’ll tell you, I think it’s promising!”
Ludmila sighed, “I’m going home! After all, as a prayer hand, I don’t need to master other skills. I would indeed like to join the sniper training to learn how to use a rifle to kill the enemy, but they think it’s best for prayer hands not to learn these.”
Wang Zhong, “You could also learn a bit; it’s always good to be able to defend yourself.”
Ludmila, “They want me to retreat immediately after firing the Divine Arrows. All the prayer hands are required to do this.”
Wang Zhong, “Ah, I see.”
Prayer hands are an irreplaceable resource; even if all the children from the seminary were taken out, there wouldn’t be many.
In fact, all individuals capable of utilizing Divine Power are irreplaceable resources; once one dies, you can only wait for a natural birth, and that still is akin to a gacha with no guaranteed drops.
Therefore, the Sanctified faction of the Eastern Holy Church had always been conservative in the use of Divine Power, preferring to ensure their survival over deploying their potential because the presence of Divine Power represented the existence of God. Continue your adventure with M-V-L
The Secular faction, firmly believing that Divine Power is a scientific phenomenon, has been constantly studying Divine Power, and also tends to treat Divine Power as a conventional force for use.
Disbanding the God’s Arrow Company and distributing it to the basic units was to make this attitude apparent.
But even the Secular faction wouldn’t consider cramming prayer hands into airplanes, the kind of vehicles where one is likely done for if shot down.
Wang Zhong looked affectionately at his fiancée who then said, “You have tasked us with air defense responsibilities, significantly increasing our survival rate. I, on behalf of all prayer hands, thank you.”
“Hmm,” Wang Zhong nodded, “Let’s go, Vasily, prepare the vehicle!”
Vasily, “General, the vehicle is already prepared.”
“Let’s go.”
————
After dropping Ludmila off at the estate, Wang Zhong’s convoy arrived at the Ordnance Department’s weapons testing ground. This testing ground was located at the opposite end of Ye Fort from Kubinka, connecting the two sites and passing through the center of Ye Fort by the Ekaterina II Monument, forming a straight line.
Upon entering the testing ground, the sound of gunfire was heard; Wang Zhong asked Vasily, “What gun is firing?”
Vasily flipped through the documents in hand, “It should be the self-propelled gun using the T70 chassis in testing, perhaps some tests were not completed yesterday. They wouldn’t test your facilitated projects before your arrival.”
Wang Zhong, “Hmm.”
The convoy, following the guidance of the testing ground, drove straight to the firing range and then found several Prosen tanks parked inside.
Wang Zhong recognized at a glance that the armor on these tanks had been strengthened compared to those he had faced.
He turned his head to look at the firing position, switched to a bird’s-eye view, and saw that the distance between the firing position and the targets was, at the shortest, 500 meters and, at the most, 800 meters.
He was shocked and shouted, “Why is the maximum test distance only eight hundred meters?”
At that moment, a crowd of officers and technicians ran out from the nearby observation post at the testing ground, heading straight for Wang Zhong’s convoy.
Before these people could get close, Wang Zhong repeated the question, “Why is the maximum test distance only 800 meters?”
The lead officer shrugged, “They say that’s the standard tank engagement range, and it’s also written as such in the regulations.”
Wang Zhong switched his perspective, confirming that the officer’s name was Ginov Grigoryevich, a brigadier general.
He thought for a moment and decided not to reveal he knew the name, so he said, “Who are you? Introduce yourself. All of you.”
“Ginov Grigoryevich, brigadier general. I was ordered by General Gorky to bring the captured tanks, which had not been recorded in our army’s roster, here.”
Wang Zhong once again confirmed with an external view that this person didn’t have an affiliate unit.
Wang Zhong, “Where’s your unit, General?”
Ginov Grigoryevich sighed, “It was completely wiped out in an enemy ambush. My command vehicle was destroyed too, and I barely made it back alive. General, please have the military court judge me! My recklessness and hasty advance led to the loss of over a hundred tanks of my brigade!”
Wang Zhong, “Are you part of the quick victory advocates?”
“I am,” Ginov Grigoryevich nodded without hesitation.
Wang Zhong, “Then why didn’t Gorky hand you over to the military court but instead had you bring back the captured tanks?”