Chapter 198: Chapter 150, The Deathly Iron Can_3
The artillery bombardment had now basically ceased, guessing that the gunners had almost exhausted their shells.
However, the target area that their 3rd Infantry Corps needed to conquer had also been cleared by them.
Two Composite Camps from the 1st Extinguishing Wind Brigade swiftly moved through the breach they had created, followed by each moving south and north to start encircling the Green Skin Orcs.
The rest of the allied forces had also begun a full-scale offensive.
Leaving two battalions to hold the position, severing the connection between the Green Skins to the south and north of the front line, while the main force, led by Major Perbov of the 1st Brigade, 1st Battalion, started maneuvering northward.
However, it was the southern part of the Green Skin positions, now divided, that ended the battle first. Not many Green Skins survived there, especially at the far south, which had been previously overrun by the 7th Garrison Division 4th Regiment. The fortifications were almost entirely destroyed, and although the Green Skins recaptured it after the retreat, the quickly rebuilt defenses were clearly subpar, and the artillery had nearly wiped out all the Green Skins there.
Compared to the southern positions, the north theoretically had more troops engaged, with the 3rd Independent Regiment also joining the encirclement of the enemy.
But the Green Skins that were alive there, especially in large numbers, and more importantly, there was a Green Skin leader present.
…
The presence of a powerful leader among the Green Skin Orcs makes a night-and-day difference in their performance.
Without a leader, they would squabble amongst themselves, unable to form a group, recklessly charging without thinking; with a leader, even though they were still mostly reckless and thoughtless, they at least could act in unison.
Roast Axe was such an Orc leader, commanding great influence. He was the second-in-command within the clan, only subordinate to the Big Ripper leader, commanding many strong underlings.
He knew that according to the elders, according to Big Ripper’s plan, they were about to launch a full assault on those shrimps. Many big booms, along with many big tanks, big cans, were all ready and Big Ripper had even sent him the second largest one to the front line in advance to calm his mind.
This was bigger than a Murder Can; the elders called this thing the Fear Big Can.
Even though to operate it, it would require sawing off one’s legs and integrating them into the machinery, inserting many tubes into one’s brain and spine, never to leave it again for life.
But… so what?
With such a powerful thing, one could hack, shoot, and blast with many barrels more exhilaratingly… no Green Skin would want to come out of such a device, right?
Once inside the Fear Big Can, Roast Axe was in constant pain and torment, only able to alleviate it by killing. He couldn’t wait to lead his boys and slaughter all those shrimps.
But Big Ripper kept telling him to endure, endure, endure.
Enduring, he endured until the sky-breaking, earth-shattering bombardment came.
Where was more support from the big machines?
Gone, all of it!
What to do now? Up to this point, they were surrounded by shrimps from all directions, and if this continued, even if he and his boys fought bravely, it would all be over.
Under his call, at least four hundred Green Skin Orcs gathered around him.
He led this team of Green Skins to break out towards the east.
On this path, they bore a sense of invincibility, slaying anyone who blocked their way, may it be gods or buddhas.
Roast Axe, now encased within the Fear Big Can, stood four meters tall, much larger and stronger than an ordinary Murder Can, and its armor strength had even surpassed the power armor of a Star Warrior.
Bullets fired at him had very little effect, unable to breach the defense; a group of commanders organized dozens of rocket launchers for a concentrated volley, killing several Green Skins, but Roast Axe, who was the main target, took the bombardment head-on with minimal damage.
That thing even targeted the commander, charging forward, cutting down any soldiers in its way like chopping melons and slicing vegetables, with multibarrel autocannons firing, with wheels of sawtooth blades sweeping, dozens of infantry soldiers butchered along the way.
The commander tried to retreat in the face of imminent danger but failed to do so, with the instructor killed by the autocannon, and the commander himself bisected at the waist by the sawtooth.
The entire battalion was routed, and even that particular breach was difficult to reinforce in the short term.
Thankfully, Major Perbov’s battalion had maneuvered into position. But even so, the interception was extremely difficult.
Whether it was the Strider V or the home-produced ‘Challenger’ Tanks, they were all at risk of being torn apart in the presence of the Fear Big Can!
The autocannons mounted on the armored vehicles had difficulty hitting the Big Can. Despite its wild shape and massive size, its agility was not weak at all, and the gun turrets had less than perfect accuracy. Even with a substantial number of bullets hitting, they merely left small dents on its metallic armor, failing to penetrate.
Plainly put, the caliber was insufficient.
Even the 76mm tank gun of the ‘Challenger’ Tank seemed inadequate. Mainly, the local artillery technology wasn’t up to par, with shell velocity also lacking; despite the caliber, it struggled to penetrate armor.
Of course, the tank’s effectiveness was still somewhat better than that of the autocannons.
Unless there was a barrage of hundreds of autocannon rounds concentrated on it, or dozens of successful hits from 76mm tank shells, whereby metal fatigue would rupture the armor of the Fear Big Can, there was no dealing with Roast Axe.
On the other hand, he could approach close to armored vehicles, his massive pincers even capable of grasping the vehicle’s head, causing deformation; a few seconds of direct fire from the multibarrel autocannon could breach the armor, killing those inside; and a spray of sparks would fly as the wheel of sawtooth blades cut through the armor plate…