I Became a Witch and Started an Industrial Revolution
Chapter 281 : Farewell, ComradeThere were no absolutely invincible military branches, nor were there invincible weapons.
On the Luke Front, a reinforced tank platoon maintained a steady advance across the open plains. Its composition of two light tanks, two medium tanks, and one heavy tank ensured it had the capability to fight under virtually any circumstances.
Accompanying the tank platoon was a Mechanized Infantry Company riding in Infantry Fighting Vehicles and All-Terrain Vehicles, providing close security.
During the first major frontal engagement, the Alliance vanguard of the Luke Front inflicted devastating losses on the Coalition's advance forces. Large-scale troop formations had become nothing more than fixed targets for the Alliance's artillery.
Especially with the continuous evolution of rocket artillery. It had progressed from the original configuration of six liquid-fuel rockets to a 24-tube Multiple Rocket Launcher mounted on a Sherman chassis.
The concentrated firepower of just a single platoon of five launch vehicles could instantly erase everything within an area, let alone the bombardment delivered by dozens or even hundreds of rocket launchers firing in unison.
As a result, Ashadron no longer fought the Alliance with large formations. Instead, he dispersed his main force into optimized regimental and battalion-sized units to harass Alliance forces throughout the Luke Region.
Backed by the Moseladel Front, the Luke Region had been transformed into a network of dense, dispersed defensive lines extending all the way to the already heavily fortified city of Moseladel.
The Alliance refused to fight urban warfare. Whenever they encountered such situations, they resolved them with Napalm Bombs. However, the outer defensive perimeter had to be eliminated first. Otherwise, even if Moseladel were bombed into ashes, it would be meaningless.
Moreover, intelligence indicated that Moseladel had constructed an extensive network of underground fortifications. The effectiveness of Napalm Bombs would likely be significantly reduced.
Since Moseladel Port remained under Coalition control, its dual-sided access prevented the Alliance from cutting off the vanguard's logistics or completely surrounding and encircling it.
Every elite force possessed its own unique strengths, and the Coalition's vanguard was by no means weak.
As a result, despite its superiority, the Alliance remained in a relatively passive position regarding logistics and strategic posture. It wasn't that the Alliance couldn't defeat them—it was being dragged into a prolonged war of attrition and clearing operations.
The Tiger tank's commander continuously scanned the surroundings through his binoculars. Aside from the faint mist, he saw nothing unusual.
Yet the calmer everything appeared, the more uneasy he became.
"Something's not right. Stay alert."
The surrounding soldiers immediately raised their AKM assault rifles and cautiously scanned the area.
The commanders of the two Shield Field Vehicles increased their output to maximum, preparing for any incoming attack.
Although the Alliance soldiers had raised their vigilance to the highest level, none of them noticed that the surrounding mist was spreading faster and becoming increasingly dense in color.
"Urgh... The air's poisoned! I can't see anything!!"
Someone suddenly shouted over the radio.
The others immediately fell into panic, frantically searching for anything they could use to cover their mouths and noses.
"Bang! Bang..."
The ground around them suddenly burst open as soldiers clad entirely in earth-yellow armor emerged from below, charging at the Alliance soldiers exposed to the open air while simultaneously throwing grenades.
Gunfire, explosions, and the screams of blades tearing through flesh intertwined into a chaotic symphony.
"All dismounted infantry, get down!!!"
The vehicle-mounted machine guns and coaxial machine guns opened fire one after another, indiscriminately sweeping every space above 1.2 meters in height.
Large-caliber rounds tore through numerous Coalition soldiers who were locked in close combat with Alliance troops.
But that wasn't the end.
The earth-yellow armor covering the shattered Coalition soldiers suddenly began glowing.
The exploding fragments scattered into countless high-speed projectiles, inflicting devastating secondary casualties upon everyone nearby.
More and more areas became chaotic battlefields where both armies were hopelessly entangled together, preventing the Alliance's heavy firepower from being used effectively.
Under the platoon commander's orders, the tank platoon rapidly broke through the encirclement while firing toward the outer perimeter.
The Tiger had just completed loading its second shell, and the gunner was preparing to fire when the ground beneath one side of the tank suddenly softened.
The entire vehicle tilted sharply onto its side, leaving both the main gun and firing ports pointing helplessly into the sky.
The endless stream of magic left several tanks and Infantry Fighting Vehicles in the platoon struggling to cope.
The increasingly dense mist severely obstructed visibility, while its toxicity continued intensifying.
More and more Alliance soldiers fell into a state where all five senses became blurred.
Several thousand attackers surrounded only a few hundred defenders.
In the end, the entire company fell one after another like wheat being harvested.
Two tanks and several armored vehicles remained trapped in the muddy ground, unable to free themselves and forced to serve as stationary gun emplacements.
Suddenly, countless black dots appeared in the distant sky.
Looking carefully, they were dozens of massive boulders hurtling down like meteors toward the tank formation.
The sheer mass of the barrage overwhelmed the Magical Shields in a single volley, breaking them and forcing them into cooldown.
One boulder happened to graze the Tiger's 88 mm Main Gun, bending the muzzle and rendering it incapable of firing.
A Sherman was struck broadside, the enormous boulder embedding itself directly into its hull.
Regardless of whether the crew inside survived, the tank itself was finished.
Inside the Tiger, protected by its air circulation system, the commander realized the situation had completely spiraled out of control.
Gritting his teeth, he immediately connected to the artillery support channel.
"Calling Unit 112. The enemy possesses underground burrowing capabilities, mist concealment, and poison gas deployment. Estimated strength: approximately one regiment. We're finished. Grid Z, coordinates X132, Y936. Request saturation bombardment. Don't worry about us."
"...Understood. Grid Z, coordinates X132, Y936. Full-area saturation strike authorized. Intelligence has been recorded. Farewell, Comrade."
After hanging up, the commander softly said to his comrades,
"I'm sorry, everyone. Next life, drinks are on me."
"It's fine. We all knew this day would come eventually. The country won't mistreat our families."
"Haha! Then I'll be having a few extra drinks!"
"Actually... we don't have to wait until the next life."
The loader rummaged through one of the ammunition crates and pulled out a round metal canister, grinning as he hugged it.
"I secretly left one shell out and put this in instead. Old Joel's probably still scratching his head over the extra shell sitting in the warehouse!"
"You little rascal... Fine. Pour me a glass."
Everyone chatted about something.
The only thing no one asked was why they weren't trying to escape.
Could they have escaped?
Absolutely.
As the pinnacle of the Alliance's armored warfare technology, even though compromises had been made to facilitate mass production, the Tiger still possessed the most luxurious and comprehensive configuration available.
Its interleaved road wheels were a nightmare for logistics, but their balanced weight distribution and excellent traction meant ordinary pits and depressions couldn't stop it.
Powered by its high-output engine, despite weighing nearly twice as much as a Sherman, it could still achieve nearly the same top speed.
Combined with its crew of elite veterans, as long as they could hold out for another ten minutes until the Air Command Center's reinforcements arrived, they would certainly be able to withdraw safely.
But being able to escape...
Didn't mean they were willing to.
Because unlike them, the rest of their comrades had no chance of getting away.
Watching the other immobilized tanks fall one after another until only theirs remained, the commander leisurely finished the last of his drink and slapped a small button.
The Magic Engine inside the engine compartment reversed its operation and destroyed itself.
The cooling system separating the engine compartment from the ammunition storage failed.
The resulting heat ignited the remaining shells and propellant charges inside the ammunition rack.
Just as the Coalition troops were still wondering how to deal with the massive steel beast, a blinding flash erupted where it stood.
The explosion's shockwave, flames, and shrapnel engulfed everything within a radius of five hundred meters.
Although the truly lethal radius rapidly diminished after less than a hundred meters, the powerful blast still sent the majority of the Coalition soldiers tumbling across the ground.
Before they could recover and stand again, hundreds of smoke trails descended from the distant horizon toward the area.
Dense explosions swallowed everything from view.
A few minutes later, a gunship arrived overhead.
It circled above the still-burning battlefield, using its Vulcan Cannon in a continuous pylon turn for five full minutes, plowing the entire area over twice before finally departing in bitter satisfaction.
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