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新的空降兵营是229人的编制，计划装备31辆BMD－1伞兵战车、7辆BTR－D装甲输送车和3辆2S9自行迫榴炮。
The basic paratrooper squad organization was adjusted to 6 men plus one BMD-1 armored vehicle, with 3 being the vehicle crew and 2 being infantrymen capable of dismounting and fighting. The three-man, three-man system was maintained. Platoons did not have their own command vehicles, while paratrooper companies had a separate 9-man company headquarters, equipped with one BMD-1 and one BTR-D. The battalion headquarters had a 22-man organization, equipped with one BMD-1 and two BTR-Ds. Below the battalion headquarters, an additional support platoon consisting of three 2S9 armored vehicles and a transport platoon equipped with two BTR-Ds were established.
Major Miller's airborne battalion, even at full strength, only had two companies totaling 150 men, so naturally, they needed to cramming more men in to make up the numbers. Lu Wu didn't mince words; except for the support and transport platoons which weren't yet assigned, the rest of the troops came from Svorbella along with the newly formed 2nd Motorized Infantry Battalion from the mother base and several T-72AVs to replenish the tank battalion's losses. Of course, the former company numbers were also slightly adjusted: the 6th Company retained its original number but was split into a 63-man company, the 48th Company was renamed the 1st Company, and the men from the 6th Company and the replacements formed the 2nd Company.
Yes, the low-level motorized infantry battalion planned for Operation Garuda, equipped with BTR-152 and T-34-85 rifles, has now been deployed. With the arrival of the 2nd Motorized Infantry Battalion, the infantry force of the 7th Brigade has grown to a size of three battalions.
旅部直属的炮兵营编制虽然不变，不过SU－122M和SU－5－1也会逐步替换成新锐自行迫榴炮2S9。替换下来的十几辆老东西无外乎两种处理方式——回炉重造，或者甩给爱尔吉亚人。
How to handle it specifically depends on what price the Elgins are willing to offer. Lu Wu felt that the Kingdom's army would be willing to offer a good price, after all, these things that they looked down on were quite valuable in the eyes of the Elgins.
While the 7th Brigade was adapting to new equipment and organizational structure, the Army of the Kingdom of Ergia was also busy.
After three days, they finally achieved their goal—the cavalry, represented by the 35th Division, and several infantry divisions intercepted the Belkens in front of them through a forced march. They fought fiercely with the Belkens outside the city, successfully buying time for the infantry in the western outer city to completely cut off the enemy's retreat route inside the city.
Despite suffering considerable casualties, the Kingdom's army has now successfully surrounded more than 30,000 people in Fabandi. Unless these 30,000 people can break through the encirclement, or the troops outside can open a passage, they will only have two outcomes: surrender or be annihilated.
Neither of these outcomes was what the Belken wanted. The Belken on both sides charged at Elgia's machine gun positions like madmen, ignoring casualties, attempting to carve a path to survival with human lives. The Kingdom's army also went all out, deploying most of its heavy artillery in this direction, bombarding day and night. The entire western outer city was practically transformed into rugged, man-made hills made of rubble and debris.
However, this actually created considerable trouble for both sides: this terrain only benefited the defenders. If the Belken actively left their cover to attack, the rugged terrain would additionally deplete the soldiers' stamina, and without cover, casualties were more likely. Similarly, if the Elgeyans tried to advance and further restrict the Belken's movement, they would be targeted by riflemen hidden in unknown locations. This environment was practically a paradise for snipers.
……
4. Give me some votes! Look, I didn't miss updating even while I was away in Shenzhen. How diligent I am!
Volume 1: Chapter 220 One day of rest, will update again on Saturday.
I didn't get home until almost midnight last night, I was so tired. I'll stop here today and update again tomorrow.
Purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding purple potato pudding
Book 1: Chapter 221 (Chapter 205) Alexei
Aleksey is only 48 years old this year. Before the war, he was a hot favorite in the Fabandi military district and was regarded as a rising star. He was the most likely to be promoted to colonel before the age of 50 and become the youngest colonel in the army of the Kingdom of Ergia.
After the outbreak of war, he did not disappoint the trust of others. After Colonel Alex, the commander of the 312th Infantry Regiment, was killed in action, he quickly took over command. Without any support, he stabilized the 312th Regiment's position with only about 800 men and inflicted heavy casualties on the attacking Belken troops.
This defensive battle not only earned him a medal but also rightfully promoted him to colonel, making him the official commander of the 312th Regiment. The 312th Regiment became the division's star unit, and after receiving reinforcements of personnel and equipment, this star unit was originally supposed to become one of the main forces in the second half of Operation Garuda.
But now, this promising commander and his adjutant are drinking alone in a bar in the city, with even their peaked caps on the bar counter.
This all started with a transfer order he received this morning. It was a handwritten order from the royal palace, directly removing him and the 312th Regiment from Operation Garullan and temporarily placing them under the command of the 7th Independent Guards Brigade of the Amelia Volunteer Army. This sudden transfer order completely excluded him from this major counter-offensive.
"I am an Ergia, but I shamefully hid behind foreigners and learned about mechanized warfare while my brothers were liberating their own land!"
Alexei placed his glass on the bar, and the bartender, understanding, refilled it with the golden liquid. Alexei wasn't being too outrageous; the bar he'd chosen was owned by high-ranking army officials and was only open to military personnel. The bar's staff were all on the payroll and underwent regular vetting, so he didn't need to worry too much about leaks.
The liquid in the cup poured down his throat like a thread, and Alexei continued to grumble, "I don't know what's so great about this so-called mechanized warfare. Brigade commanders, division commanders, even His Majesty the King are all infatuated with this term..."
“The fact that Amelia’s volunteers were able to defeat the Belken with such a small number of men already demonstrates just how powerful mechanized warfare is,” said Alexei’s adjutant, sitting beside him.
“Perhaps,” Alexei pursed his lips, but finally had to admit, “Okay, this mechanized warfare is indeed very powerful. But!” His voice rose, “It’s wartime! Learning this kind of thing can be done anytime! Rather than learning this new theoretical knowledge, I would rather pick up a gun and go to the front lines, even if it’s just killing one more Belken devil, that would make our soldiers a little safer.”
“Victory on the front lines can only guarantee temporary peace, but if the entire kingdom’s army could reach the level of the volunteers, then the Belken invasion would never happen again. From this perspective, learning more advanced combat systems is more important.” The adjutant pointed out the inappropriateness of Alexei’s words.
"You!" Alexei turned around abruptly and glared at his adjutant, his eyes filled with shock at being betrayed by his brother.
“I believe you understand this as well. But to put it bluntly, you would rather be transferred to learn new theoretical knowledge than to learn new things yourself and go to the front lines to fight.” The adjutant ruthlessly exposed his true colors. “But you know that once the brigade commander and the others have set their mind on something, they won’t easily change it, so you can only come here in a state of impotent rage.”
"Hey!" Damn it, I can't hold back anymore! Seeing the bartender's twitching lips, Alexei slammed his fist on the table in protest, "I'm your superior. Don't forget who promoted you to this position. At least show me some respect!"
The adjutant bowed slightly, his face still expressionless and expressionless. (Daily update! Novel Group: [Unintelligible characters] "So I used 'you' (formal).")
The bartender made an abstract, gurgling sound, and when he saw Alexei's gaze turn towards him, he quickly turned his face away.
"What are you laughing at?" Alexei questioned.
“I’m thinking of something happy,” the bartender explained.
"What happy thing?"
“My brother was awarded the Order of the Guardian, Second Class, yesterday.” The bartender proudly raised his chin, his eyes quickly sweeping over the ribbon of the Order of the Guardian, Third Class, on Alexei’s chest.
Alexei was immediately speechless. His astonished look made the adjutant beside him finally break out of his expressionless face and burst into loud laughter.
"You've gone too far! I've put up with you for too long!" Alexei was furious again, pointing at his adjutant, looking ready to start a fight. Damn it, I can tolerate encountering a Knight Guardian, Second Class, but you dare to act so arrogantly in front of me without a medal?
"Let's get back to the main topic." The adjutant quickly surrendered and changed the subject, saying, "We still have to report to the 7th Brigade of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army later."
Alexei snorted, slammed his glass back on the bar, stood up and left, leaving behind the words, "Remember to pay the bill."
"Hey! I have to pay again? I didn't order anything!" The adjutant frantically pulled out his wallet, took out a few bills and placed them on the bar. He hurriedly tried to follow Alexei outside, but saw his superior suddenly stop and turn back towards the bar.
"You've gotten my hat all dirty. When I get back, I'll definitely complain to your manager and have him dock your pay." Alexei brushed away non-existent dust from his hat, put it back on, and uttered a harsh remark.
"We are very sorry for the bad experience. We will make corrections in time and look forward to your next visit." The bartender rolled his eyes and responded insincerely.
"And next time, don't fucking try to fool me with some children's drink that has no alcohol at all. I ordered alcohol and paid for it, not some alcoholic beverage!" Alexei seemed to suddenly remember something, and after taking a few steps, he turned back and gave him this instruction.
“Then you’ll have to get the higher-ups to lift the drinking ban first.” The bartender shrugged. Since the outbreak of the war, the military had issued a ban on alcohol, requiring all taverns and restaurants to refrain from serving alcoholic beverages to military personnel. Violators would be severely punished. A bar like this, which only served military personnel, naturally couldn’t go against the higher-ups. “I can’t help it. The cellar is full of liquor. Do you think I don’t want to serve you? If I did, the three of us would be court-martialed and jailed. You should be grateful that they served you a substitute instead of milk!”
The only response Alexei received was a middle finger.
Volume 1: Chapter 222 (Chapter 206) - New Student Regiment 312
"Alexei Lomonosov, 312th Infantry Regiment of the Army of the Kingdom of Ergia, reporting for duty!"
Alexei straightened his clothes in front of the command post, and only after confirming that everything was in order did he knock on the door and identify himself.
"Please come in." The young voice, consistent with the rumors and reports, suggests that the reporters were not exaggerating the matter.
Upon entering the room, Alexei subconsciously began to scrutinize the excessively young commander. The thought of their age difference filled him with a strong sense of frustration, as if he might as well commit suicide.
While he was sizing up the other man, Lu Wu was also sizing up the colonel who had been transferred to his command.
Why was the 312th Regiment transferred to the Kyrgyz? Actually, it was Lu Wu's initiative. Although the 7th Brigade is called a brigade, it's actually a battalion-level tactical group. While this type of organization had already been used in combat during the Ukrainian conflict that began in 2014, it's worth noting that in the Luhansk and Donetsk regions, the Russian BTG (British Special Attack Group) received strong support from the eastern Ukrainian armed forces—a BTG infantry unit consisting of only one battalion is easily exposed on its flanks and prone to running out of manpower. To avoid this disadvantageous situation, Lu Wu had to request personnel from the Kingdom of Kyrgyzstan.
Of course, simply asking for manpower directly wouldn't be appropriate. After all, even the Kingdom's army felt it didn't have enough troops, so why would they willingly push their men into someone else's arms? Therefore, Lu Wu and his men packaged their intentions differently. "Look, didn't we provide you with a tank unit before? But one tank battalion isn't enough. Tanks need to coordinate with infantry, but how can foot infantry keep up with oil-powered tanks? You need to build mechanized infantry—at the very least, motorized infantry—to be considered truly complete."
Coincidentally, Lu Wu had recently turned down Princess Rosa's subtle suggestions about air force development, so this could serve as compensation. Now, the two were like a seductive woman meeting a charming man, their desires ignited instantly. However, the Kingdom's army had held several rounds of discussions and research regarding which unit to send.
After the outbreak of war, the Belken's new equipment and tactics made the Ergia realize that their classic "square division" structure of two brigades, four regiments, and sixteen battalions was no longer suitable for future warfare. Therefore, they began to adjust their organization, and so far, six divisions have begun piloting several different new structures. These divisions, without exception, were decimated and had to be withdrawn for reorganization. The 312th Regiment, being one of the most decorated regiments among these 24, also required the least manpower and equipment under the new structure, allowing for the fastest reorganization. Considering these two factors, the 312th Regiment became a key pilot unit.
“I’ve already reviewed the information on our 312th Regiment,” Lu Wu said, making Alexei frown after he sat down. “To be honest, I’m very dissatisfied with this organizational structure.”
"I'd like to hear more details." Q
"First, this needs to be explained by the combat missions that the 312th Regiment will be undertaking," Lu Wu explained. "The 7th Brigade is positioned as a breaching force; we will be the first to tear a gap in the enemy's defenses, creating opportunities for follow-up troops. Your task is to guard our flanks and follow up promptly after we achieve a breakthrough. Your firepower must be strong enough to suppress the enemy's frantic counterattacks."
"So you felt we were outnumbered and our firepower wasn't enough." Alexei nodded, deeply agreeing.
If the pre-war organization had been maintained, it would now have four infantry battalions with a total strength of over 1,000 men each, equipped with two heavy machine guns each. Although the heavy machine guns were reduced to the company level under the new organization, the infantry squads were also reduced to small units of only 12 men each. The 16th Company of the 4th Battalion was reduced to the 9th Company of the 3rd Battalion. Although the regiment now has 36 heavy machine guns, 4.5 times the previous number, which was previously the number required for an entire brigade, the number of riflemen has also decreased to less than 1,000. With these changes, their firepower density is only one-third of what it used to be.
But would the higher-ups agree to revert the 312th Regiment's organization back to normal? Alexei had no idea. Then he heard Lu Wu say, "But your firepower is far too weak. Not only do you lack artillery, but you only have 36 machine guns. On average, more than thirty men share one heavy machine gun. If it's just defense, it's manageable, but on offense, your infantry units will severely lack the machine gun fire to suppress the enemy."
Can you explain what you mean by "only"? 36 machine guns and they still think it's not enough? They want artillery at the regimental level? Good heavens, are these foreigners all that rich?! Nine
"We will provide the 312th Regiment with a batch of light machine guns, enough for you to distribute light machine gun firepower down to the squad level." The inventory in the warehouse was naturally not "new" equipment like the PKM or RPK, but rather the much older DP28 light machine guns. However, even the DP28's combat effectiveness on this battlefield was astonishing.
Lu Wu had considered assigning the decommissioned self-propelled artillery to the 312th Regiment, but considering that the 312th Regiment lacked professional artillery, he would have to train them from scratch, and this would further reduce the number of infantry personnel, so he ultimately abandoned the idea.
Lu Wu's words left Alexei completely bewildered. The number of machine guns that could be assigned to a squad must be over eighty, right? Were their machine guns really that portable and easy to operate? After all, he couldn't expect his infantry squads to operate like machine gun squads, seven men serving one machine gun. If they dared to do that, he could forget about launching an offensive—an attack of five hundred men would be a matter of a few machine guns firing a few rounds! He recalled the Belken soldiers dancing like breakdancers under his machine gun fire, and the thought of the roles possibly being reversed sent chills down his spine.
The coke content is off the charts. (Three)
Fortunately, Lu Wu's next words eased his anxiety. A light machine gun—as the name suggests, it wasn't the cumbersome machine gun with its water-cooled steel casing, shield, gun mount, and revolver currently in service with the Kingdom of Elgia. It also didn't require a squad of six or seven men. The DP28 wasn't much heavier than a rifle, requiring at most two people: a gunner and an assistant gunner. The assistant gunner was responsible for carrying ammunition. Therefore, sacrificing two riflemen for a machine gun capable of keeping up with their charge was a completely worthwhile trade.
Volume 1: Chapter 223, Chapter 207: The Imperial Army's Material Dilemma (Part 6)
According to Lu Wu's plan, after the 312th Regiment reported for duty, he should have organized a live-fire confrontation or a joint live-fire exercise to give both sides a better understanding of each other's capabilities and allow them to practice together, which would facilitate future arrangements. However, with war raging, there were no conditions to arrange such a practice; everything had to be tested in actual combat.
While live-fire exercises or combat drills cannot enhance mutual understanding, there are other ways to increase mutual understanding between the two sides.
After a brief stay of several days at their base near the kingdom, the 7th Brigade returned to Alpha Base in the south along with the 312th Regiment. Due to Operation Garullan, the pressure from the Belken Army at Alpha Base was no longer as great.
The soldiers of the 312th Regiment who received the batch of DP28 light machine guns were obviously very excited. Although the disc-shaped magazine on the gun looked very strange, the riflemen who had only used bolt-action rifles quickly fell in love with this automatic weapon that could fire a large number of bullets in a short time and reload quickly. For a long time, the sound of DP28s firing could be heard on the firing range.
In the following period, the paratroopers, whose helicopters and BMD armored vehicles were not yet in place, trained with the 312th Regiment. This was a hellish experience for the soldiers of the 312th Regiment: these guys were wearing gear that was obviously much heavier than their uniforms and belts, so how could they achieve better results than them? It didn't make sense!
The officers, witnessing this scene, seemed to ponder deeply—others could achieve such results despite carrying heavier loads, so why couldn't you? How could the soldiers of Ergia be so lacking in spirit! Seeing the paratroopers on the sidelines already conducting their special training under the guidance of their sergeants, the men of the 312th Regiment gritted their teeth and joined in.
This mixed training quickly enabled the 7th Brigade to master the level of the 312th Regiment. On the other hand, although the soldiers of the 312th Regiment were put through a lot by the increased training intensity, their individual combat capabilities and tactical skills improved. More importantly, their squad machine gunners had also become proficient in using their DP28s.
The rank and file of the 7th Brigade were waiting for the new equipment to be in place and for them to be integrated with it, while the higher command was not idle either. Alexei had now handed over the actual command of the 312th Regiment to his reliable adjutant, and he himself spent all his time in the command post with Lu Wu and others studying the new movements of the Belken.
Although the Aiqirgiya had already surrounded the enemy forces in the city of Faybandi, several days had passed and little had changed in the controlled area. More than 4 corpses had been left behind by both sides—of which only about 0 were Belken. Unsurprisingly, most of these casualties occurred when their own side stubbornly attacked.
After suffering over three thousand casualties without making any substantial progress, the royal army was forced to halt its offensive. Fortunately, they held the strategic initiative, and their advantage would only grow as the war dragged on. However, the besieged Belken were unwilling to prolong the conflict. Several large-scale attacks they launched only killed or wounded a thousand or so Elgin soldiers, and did nothing to change their predicament. They could only hope that their main force, blocked outside the city, would break through the Elgin blockade.
The Belken rallied their remaining tank forces, attempting to break through the lines using their vehicles. Unfortunately for them, the 7th Brigade only withdrew its ground troops—they still maintained an air force capable of dominating the battlefield. Upon discovering the Belken's tanks were becoming active, the Elgins turned their ground forces into canned goods. The Il-2 aircraft, also having undergone rest and repairs, then spent two days turning these behemoths into rotten cans.
With the north route blocked, the Imperial Army turned its attention to the south.
The activities of the Belken forces around Alpha Base became more frequent. In order to avoid Chinese People's Volunteer Army aircraft, the Belken's large-scale troop movements and ammunition deliveries were all changed to nighttime. In order to prevent the people at Alpha Base from noticing these unusual movements, the northern forces launched a large-scale offensive during the day for a week in order to divert the attention of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army Air Force.
Of course, the troops launching this offensive in the south were not the same ones who had previously sought to capture Alpha Base. After Operation Garullan was launched, the Belken began to transfer troops from their occupied territories in the west to reinforce the area, and it was this new force that launched the offensive in the south.
The formidable Amelia Volunteer Army, which Qi and his men feared most, disappeared again after the medal ceremony. Their spies in Fabandi had been purged after the failed rebellion, with only a fraction remaining. Furthermore, the city was under martial law, and the surviving moles couldn't transmit intelligence via radio or physically bypass the blockade. Therefore, Belken's staff could only assume that the unit had completed its resupply and rest, left Fabandi, and was waiting for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to the Imperial Army.
Based on this speculation, Belken devised an offensive in the south—a bait to lure out the 7th Brigade. The main force of the Kingdom's army was in the north; if something happened in the south, the 7th Brigade would have to be sent to put out the fire. Only after successfully diverting the enemy's attention could they confidently engage the Kingdom's army in a decisive battle in the north.
It's already mid-to-late October, and the temperature is starting to drop. Once it falls a little lower, the troops will need to consider changing their uniforms. And once winter arrives, the demand for supplies will increase dramatically, especially fuel. Although the Belken Empire has implemented strict information control within its own borders and occupied territories, news of the unfavorable progress at the front has spread throughout the occupied areas, emboldening the resistance organizations there. Yesterday they'd sabotage a few rails, today they'd replace factory raw materials with substandard ones, tomorrow they'd assassinate a lone sentry, the day after tomorrow they'd dare bomb a warehouse, and the day after that they'd gather a group to attack a supply line!
Lu knew that production efficiency in the occupied territories had always been low, and with the incitement of these resistance groups, it would be even lower. The supplies currently being provided to the front-line troops were the same batch that had been transported from the Empire at the very beginning of the war. Once these supplies ran out, the troops would have no choice but to withdraw.
It was precisely because of this pressure that the General Staff of the Belken Empire's Army formulated such an operational plan when the enemy situation was unclear, placing their hopes for victory on the enemy's cooperation.
Volume 1: Chapter 224 (Two Hundred and Eighth Chapter) Aerial Strike
"Lieutenant Beatrix Bremer and Lieutenant Alice Tina Bernhard are here to report for duty."
Alpha Base, briefing room. Two girls in flight suits entered. Although they were flying the IL-2, their equipment wasn't standard for the time, but rather aligned with Lilia and the others: a bulletproof vest over their regular flight suits, and their leather caps and goggles replaced with composite material pilot helmets. Beatrix had waist-length black hair, and her voluptuous figure, barely concealed by the flight suit, combined with her purple eyes, exuded a stunning allure. Alice Tina's figure was slightly less impressive, but her golden eyes, matching her hair color, revealed her serious and earnest personality.
"Come in." (Sound)
The two pilots noticed that the large briefing room contained only the briefing officer standing in front of the curtain; there was no one else besides the three of them. They were already used to this scene.
"Everyone's here, let's begin." The briefing officer distributed briefing boards to the two men, pressed a remote control, and a map of the area north of Fabandi appeared on the screen. The map's scale quickly shrank, focusing on a certain mountain valley. "Two hours ago, Ergija scouts discovered a concealed artillery position here, with five 105mm howitzers. This position poses a significant threat to the Kingdom's army, and due to the terrain, the Kingdom's artillery is unable to destroy it, so they request airstrikes."
"After assessment, we believe that a two-aircraft squadron of Il-2s will be sufficient for this mission. The two of you will be in charge of carrying it out." He went over the specific details, which were all on the briefing board.
"Kingdom's intelligence indicates that a small number of machine guns are deployed around the position. As long as you don't fly your planes to the ground and point the cockpits at the gun barrels, these water cannons won't pose a threat to you." The briefing officer's voice sounded weak and listless, just like the mood of the two Baba Yaja squadron pilots at this moment.
"So, our mission is still to fly over the Belkens, drop bombs, watch them get blown to bits, and then fly back to tell you about the Belkens' miserable state, right?" Beatrix raised her hand to speak like a good student, although of course, what she said had nothing to do with being a good student.
“That’s right, congratulations on learning how to answer first.” The briefing officer still looked listless. He raised his hand to look at his watch. “The ground crew should have already prepared your planes for takeoff. Now that you all know what to do, get moving.”
"Hey, you didn't even ask us if we had any questions!" Beatrix said, disgruntled.
"This is a ground attack mission that couldn't be simpler. There's almost no air defense and no air force interception. I can't imagine what problems might arise." The briefing officer sighed. This had been their routine lately—a large number of small, scattered targets that the Ergia couldn't handle, but they couldn't just leave them unattended, so they had to call in the air force or army aviation. "Alright, do you have any further questions?"
“Uh…” Beatrix lowered her head and looked at the questions on the briefing board again, then whispered, “Nothing?”
"No, sir," Alice replied, having also reviewed the briefing.
3 “I knew it.” Life is tough, the briefing officer sighed. He waved his hand and said, “Go on, come back early and you might still make it to the cafeteria.”
"Have you forgotten that we have a separate mess hall for aircrew? We can have a hot meal anytime after a mission."
Lu: "...Get lost!"
Inside the hangar, two Il-2 attack aircraft have completed their preparations and are waiting for their master's visit.
"Your aircraft is in optimal condition, and the canopy is sparkling clean. You can see the sky clearly." The ground crew responsible for preparing the two aircraft lavishly praised their work as they entered the hangar.
"Do I need to remind you that my codename is 'Werewolf' and not 'Trigger'?" Beatrix put on her flight helmet, tied her long hair up, and tucked it into the helmet to avoid affecting her operation. The badge on her aircraft was a werewolf, not some fox with a revolver in its mouth, and it didn't have three claw marks. "Also, this is an attack aircraft, so it can't fly at an altitude where you can see deep blue."
4. "Just get the gist of it," the ground crew said nonchalantly.
Alice, who was standing to the side, had already entered the cockpit. Ground crew handed her an AKS-74U, which the girl secured inside the cockpit. After the routine checks were completed, the ground crew removed the wheel chocks in front of the landing gear, and the two Il-2s left the hangar one after the other, entered the runway, and began taxiing and takeoff.
After the two attack aircraft took off and maintained an altitude of 1000 meters, Alice glanced at the instrument panel and noticed that some indicators were slightly lower than usual, but still within the normal range. She knew exactly why: her flying habits had been a bit too aggressive, putting more strain on the Il-2's engines, which, according to the ground crew's maintenance report, were due for a major overhaul. Therefore, Alice's flying had become much more subdued lately, to the point that her wingman was somewhat unaccustomed to it.
"I'll lead the attack this time, and you'll be my backup." Alice estimated that after flying two or three more times, she would need to disassemble and overhaul her aircraft, at which point she would have to stay on the ground for a while. She wanted to fly as much as she could while she still could.
"Understood." Beatrix was indifferent; it was all the same to her anyway. Their payloads were exactly the same. In fact, as long as Alice's bombs were accurate enough, she could complete the mission by herself. Thinking of this, she quickly added, "Remember to leave some for me; I don't want to fly back with this pile of metal."
At least we can't have made a wasted trip, right?
They quickly reached the vicinity of the target area, and the formation descended to visually search for the target. The location of the Belken artillery positions matched the briefing perfectly. The attack vehicles sweeping across the positions naturally attracted machine gun fire, but Alice wasn't worried that the meager firepower would cause her any real harm—even if they managed to hit, she could trust the armor protection of the Il-2.
The departing Il-2 drew an arc in the air to complete its turn, established its attack path amidst the machine gun barrage, and then launched its attack.
The moment the bomb was removed from the rack, Alice felt a lightness in her body, and then she saw the warning lights on the dashboard light up.
Volume 1: Chapter 225 (Second Hundred and Nine) A Second Blossom
"Damn it! I've been hit!"