Empire Conquest-Chapter 866 - 103: Making the Most of Remaining Strength

At 5 AM, the Marines near Rafha attacked the assembly area.

"Left, keep a bit to the left, a bit more, good!"

With a "clang," under the command of driver Fu Xiaobing, a Saudi Royal Army soldier operating the crane steadily placed an integrated external fuel tank, essentially a large 1-cubic-meter oil drum, onto the platform at the rear of the ZT-99AL tank hull.

Afterward, Fu Xiaobing ran over to inspect it and also connected the fuel pipeline.

This kind of task should have originally been completed by logistic support personnel. However, several battalions only arrived last night, and many tanks and armored vehicles needed repair and maintenance, so the logistic support troops were overwhelmed. With no other choice, Liu Zunshan allowed the Saudi soldiers guarding the camp to assist in logistic support work.

All these Saudi soldiers were Bakistani, recruited mercenaries from Bakistan, some of whom were Bakistani military personnel.

In the Saudi Royal Army, nearly all generals and senior officers are members of the Royal Family or have intricate ties with the Royal Family; the grassroots officers and technical sergeants are mostly Saudi nationals; and the lowest level soldiers, especially those in various dangerous positions, are mainly mercenaries.

Due to shared beliefs, similar living habits, and a particularly strong work ethic, Bakistani soldiers are well-received in Saudi Arabia.

Of course, the relationship between the two sides is certainly not that simple.

Saudi Arabia has always been the "financial backer" of Bakistan.

Although Bakistan mainly relies on its alliance with the Liangxia Empire to counter the powerful Fanluo Country, after suffering two consecutive defeats, the Bakistani high-level officials have long abandoned illusions, understanding that the relationship with the Liangxia Empire is merely the foundation of national strategic security, and not every situation requires the Liangxia Empire to step in.

Fundamentally speaking, safeguarding national interests still requires self-reliance.

However, Bakistan is not a wealthy oil-producing country.

Over the past few decades, the Bakistan Authority has always placed great emphasis on its relations with Mua Countries with which it shares faith, especially the oil-producing countries on the southern coast of Boss Bay.

During the Iran-Iraq War, Bakistan provided support to Iraq, including selling a large quantity of weapons and ammunition to Iraq through secret channels.

Of course, the bill was footed by Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries.

Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries also highly value their relationship with Bakistan. First, Bakistan has a population of over 200 million, being the most populous Mua Country. Second, Bakistan has fought two large-scale wars with Fanluo Country, accumulating a wealth of actual combat experience and a large cohort of outstanding military talents. Third, Bakistan’s special relationship with the Liangxia Empire makes it easier to obtain support from the Liangxia Empire, such as gaining access to advanced weapons at the earliest opportunity.

In summary, Bakistan mutually relies on Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries.

To that end, Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries provide billions of Gold Yuan in gratuitous aid to Bakistan every year to help Bakistan advance its defense modernization.

In return, Bakistan allows its citizens to serve in the military in Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries.

In fact, Bakistan acts as a bridge between the Liangxia Empire and Mua Countries, especially Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries.

In the decades after the war, the Liangxia Empire has retained immense influence in the New Moon Region, which, even after the Boi War, was not weakened, relying on the relationship between Bakistan and Saudi Arabia and other Mua Countries, and through the strategic trust established between Bakistan and Saudi Arabia and other countries.

Strategically speaking, the mutual trust carries immeasurable value.

For instance, when Kuwait was invaded, the Saudi Royal Family immediately agreed to open the country’s military bases to the Empire and provide unconditional support. According to a report obtained by the Military Intelligence Bureau in August, if the Empire did not immediately dispatch troops to Saudi Arabia and launch an airstrike on Iraq, even a few days’ delay would allow the Tiaoman Empire to potentially send troops to Iraq, thereby recognizing Iraq’s legitimacy in annexing Kuwait.

For Liu Zunshan and other grassroots troop officers, the greatest convenience is actually being able to casually issue orders to the Saudi Royal Army officers and soldiers.

When Fu Xiaobing finished his work and climbed up the tank, Liu Zunshan handed over a cigarette.

Behind them, another 30 or so tanks were still preparing for departure, with the attack time tentatively set for 5:30, about half an hour away.

It’s only mid-September, and it would be daylight by 6 AM.

Scheduling the attack to start after daybreak is considered a significant adjustment.

In the past month or so, nearly all Alliance Army airstrikes have focused on night operations, especially against those high-value targets that received focused protection.

If bombing was required during the day, a large number of bombers would be dispatched for carpet bombing from several thousand meters in the air.

Relying on advanced night vision equipment, the Alliance Army could achieve greater advantages at night.

Of course, the night operation advantage is equally evident on the side of ground forces.

In the border battle in July, the Armored Battalion, commanded by Liu Zunshan, had already demonstrated through action that, relying on advanced infrared imaging night vision devices, the Empire’s Army tanks could gain sufficient tactical advantage at night, thereby creating a one-sided situation and easily defeating opponents lacking night vision equipment.

Following this line of thought, the commanders of the Iraqi military would naturally assume that the Alliance Army would launch an attack before daybreak.

This is also why the fire preparation is scheduled to begin after 0:00 AM.

Usually, the duration of fire preparation before an attack does not exceed 2 hours. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Since the target is relatively limited, mainly focused on the frontline of the position, and the fire preparation is primarily aimed at assisting the ground forces in breaking through the enemy’s front-line defenses, unless there is a special reason, 2 hours is sufficient, and extending the fire preparation time does not have much significance.