Empire Conquest-Chapter 798 - 70: A Matter of Life and Death
Most of the T-72Bs and BMP-2s were destroyed by anti-tank missiles fired from the rear, while some were taken out by infantry with rocket launchers.
When Situ Lin led the tank charge, more than ten BZ-98s from two mechanized infantry companies moved up, providing fire support with heavy anti-tank missiles near the hill ridgeline.
It seemed that Situ Lin and his group had arrived too suddenly, and the enemy hadn’t noticed these vehicles at all.
However, it’s certain that this position cannot be held anymore.
Almost all defensive structures have been destroyed, even the hastily dug foxholes have been damaged. Although the dense craters could offer some cover for the infantry, without strongpoints, heavy weapons like machine guns and automatic grenade launchers can’t exert their power.
Next, the enemy just needs one round of artillery bombardment, and then send infantry to capture this position.
The anti-tank missiles could handle enemy armored vehicles, but couldn’t deal with swarming infantry.
In fact, there weren’t many infantry on this position to begin with, including the lightly wounded, not even 300 men.
"All units report status."
"Armor-piercing rounds for Number 1333 are used up, there are 8 multi-purpose grenades left, plus 3 submachine guns and 6 magazines, as well as 3 hand grenades."
Hearing this, Situ Lin’s heart tightened immediately.
Number 1333 is the third tank of the third platoon, and this means that the company commander Captain Zhang Jianguo who was fighting there is highly likely already dead.
At the very least, the tank he commanded was destroyed by the enemy at the start of the battle.
"Number 1322 still has 2 armor-piercing rounds and 9 multi-purpose grenades."
The situation of the second platoon is similar, with only one ZT-99B left that can fight, and the second platoon leader Lieutenant Niu Halong is probably also in grave danger.
Subsequently, the commanders of the two ZT-99Bs from the guard platoon reported, saying they were down to single digits in ammunition, and the armor-piercing rounds were about to run out.
Actually, Situ Lin’s situation wasn’t much better.
There were still 3 armor-piercing rounds and 7 multi-purpose grenades left, with 4 of them stored inside the vehicle. When Situ Lin inquired about the situation, Wu Qitie was taking out the 4 spare shells and loading them in the magazine behind the turret. In other tanks, this job is usually handled by the loader. Since there isn’t a loader, many of the tasks usually handled by the loader have to be shared by the commander and the gunner.
To be honest, this is also the most criticized aspect of the ZT-99.
Not to mention battle, even in peacetime, with only three crew members, each one has a third more maintenance work than in the past.
Five tanks aren’t too few, considering that the enemy suffered heavy losses, even if they launch another attack, the number of troops they can deploy wouldn’t be too many.
But the problem is, with no armor-piercing rounds available, it becomes a big problem!
Although the multi-purpose grenades can be set to explode in a manner serving as armor-piercing shells, and their effectiveness is significant, with an equivalent armor-penetration thickness reaching 600 millimeters, handling second-generation main battle tanks is certainly not difficult, but the frontal armor thickness of the turret and hull of the T-72B is definitely over 600 millimeters.
In fact, there’s no need to guess.
In the initial battle, several anti-tank teams from the Eastern Luosha crept forward and attacked the T-72Bs with rockets. The results showed that rockets with a shaped charge warhead having a penetration thickness of 550 millimeters couldn’t penetrate the frontal armor of the T-72B’s turret and hull.
One would have to move to the side or rear to destroy the T-72B using a rocket launcher. 𝗳𝚛𝗲𝕖𝕨𝕖𝗯𝚗𝚘𝕧𝕖𝗹.𝗰𝗼𝕞
Obviously, the multi-purpose grenades are not going to be useful against the T-72B.
That’s why, in the initial battle, Situ Lin relied almost entirely on armor-piercing rounds, only using multi-purpose grenades against infantry fighting vehicles.
The logistics team has to deliver the ammunition.
Understanding the situation, Situ Lin activated the long-range radio, contacted the logistics support company at the strongpoint, asking if they could deliver the ammunition as soon as possible.
Actually, Situ Lin had a clever trick up his sleeve.
Don’t forget, the land air force arranged transportation helicopters to deliver "Lienu" anti-tank missiles to the forward strongpoint, allowing the forward-deployed armed helicopters to continue action.
According to convention, these transport helicopters won’t return empty, they will carry some of the wounded back to the rear as they return.
Of course, mainly the wounded from the East Luosha Army.
Before this, Pavlov had already arranged personnel, or more precisely, some lightly injured personnel, to drive vehicles to send the severely injured to the rear support point.
Thus, the land air force’s transport helicopters are likely still at the forward stronghold and haven’t left yet.
Even if just one helicopter is available, it would suffice to bring dozens of armor-piercing rounds.
A complete 125 mm armor-piercing round weighs about 30 kilograms, 50 rounds would weigh only 1500 kilograms, while the payload capacity of the Land Air Force’s general transport helicopters is around 2 tons.
Because the enemy’s tanks are also few in number, resupplying each ZT-99B with 10 armor-piercing rounds will be sufficient.
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According to Situ Lin’s judgment, that Armored Brigade of the Western Luosha Army can’t even gather 50 tanks, and being able to deploy 20 is the limit.
As for the range, that’s even less of a problem.
A round trip is just over 100 kilometers, and they can refuel once back at the support point.
Counting the time to load shells onto the helicopter, it takes a maximum of half an hour.
Unfortunately, the situation isn’t that ideal.
"Luo Youliang, you’ve been working with me for so long and still can’t figure out priorities? I don’t care what underhanded tricks you use, get me a helicopter immediately and bring the armor-piercing bullets up quickly. Otherwise, all the brothers in the battalion will never forgive you even in death!"
"Rest assured, Commander, I’ll crawl if I have to, to drag those shells up to the front!"
"Bullshit!"
Before the other side could answer, Situ Lin hung up.
Luo Youliang is the captain of the supply company and one of Situ Lin’s most trusted subordinates.
He’s already said this much, so Situ Lin shouldn’t press further.
The transport helicopters from Land Air Force arrived early, before the wounded from the Eastern Luosha Army were sent, so after unloading the ammunition meant for the armed helicopters, the three transport helicopters flew away. The front line is tight everywhere; helicopters can’t wait for the wounded to arrive.
Luckily, Luo Youliang had already called for support before this, arranging for helicopters from the rear to carry the seriously wounded.
As expected, the medevac helicopter from Land Air Force would arrive at the forward support point within minutes, and Luo Youliang promised to personally commandeer that helicopter.
However, the medevac helicopter is a modified "Z-4."
The "Z-4" has been in service with the Empire’s Army for over 30 years, a typical light helicopter, and the transport model can carry up to 8 infantry at most.
The key is that its maximum load capacity is just over 1 ton.
Because the medevac helicopter has a lot of first aid equipment aboard, the actual load capacity is less than 1 ton.
Even if the medevac helicopter is commandeered, it can only transport 20 to 25 armor-piercing rounds to the front line.
Divided up, each tank can get a maximum of 5 rounds.
Clearly, this quantity is far from enough.
Luo Youliang made a special guarantee that he would send vehicles to transport ammunition to the front line, but it would take more time, at least 2 hours.
Clearly, no one can say what the situation would be like after 2 hours.
Situ Lin scolded Luo Youliang, but he wasn’t really angry, because none of this was Luo Youliang’s fault, or anyone’s fault.
It’s a miracle that they could still hold the position at this point in the battle!
They only had 15 tanks total, even counting the armored vehicles of the mechanized infantry company, it was at most equivalent to half an Armored Battalion.
With this small force, in less than an hour, they crushed a whole Armored Brigade of the enemy!
During the fighting, Situ Lin had no time to think or feel anything else, as all the focus was on the battle.
After the battle ended, he realized it was sheer luck that he was still alive.
Before this, if someone had told Situ Lin that he could lead half a battalion to withstand the attack of a Western Luosha Armored Brigade, he definitely wouldn’t have believed it.
Reflecting on the course of the battle, Situ Lin was filled with fear.
Take for example, if they hadn’t stopped and fired smoke rounds at the beginning, they might have been destroyed by armor-piercing rounds from a T-72B while retreating up the hill.
Sitting down, Situ Lin habitually pulled out a cigarette and lighter, but after three tries he still couldn’t light it.
His hands were shaking, unable to hold the cigarette.
Not until Wu Qitie turned around and took the lighter did he finally light the cigarette.
Normally, smoking is strictly prohibited inside the tank because there are lots of electronic equipment and a large amount of ammunition inside, but no one cared now.
However, he only took a few puffs.
"Commander, they’re coming again!"
Hearing Tang Xuebing’s warning, Situ Lin shuddered involuntarily, then quickly took two more puffs before tossing the cigarette butt out of the hatch.
