Empire Conquest-Chapter 871 - 105: Rapid Assault (Part 2)

The key issue is that, with the assistance of the twin-supercharger system, the performance of the diesel engine has significantly improved.

Take the startup speed, for example, the twin-supercharged diesel engine is not much inferior to a gas turbine. At an ambient temperature of 20 degrees Celsius, at sea level, it reaches maximum output power from a cold start in just 20 seconds. Ideally, it can accelerate from standstill to 30 kilometers per hour in about 7 seconds.

To be fair, the ZT-99’s start-up speed is not slow at all.

Equipped with a gas turbine known for its mobility, the over 40-ton combat weight T-80 can accelerate from standstill to 30 kilometers per hour in approximately 6 seconds. Similarly, the 64-ton combat weight M1A1, also equipped with a gas turbine, accelerates in roughly 7 seconds.

If the ZT-99 adopted a 1500 horsepower gas turbine, the acceleration time would be 6.4 seconds.

It can be seen that the improvement in using a gas turbine is not significant.

However, the issues it brings are quite prominent.

To achieve a 450-kilometer highway journey, the ZT-99 must have an internal fuel tank capacity of 1800 liters, while using a diesel engine, even reducing the tank capacity to 1200 liters can achieve a 550-kilometer range, expanded to 1500 liters to reach 700 kilometers.

Do not underestimate a few hundred liters of internal capacity.

At the time of the final design, the internal fuel tank capacity of the ZT-99 was only 1200 liters, saving space to load 12 more shells.

If using a gas turbine, the ZT-99’s ammunition baseline would be less than 40 rounds!

This is one of the main reasons why the Empire’s Army decided to use a diesel engine.

As for the combat range, it can be resolved by installing external fuel tanks.

When fitted with a 1000-liter external fuel tank, the ZT-99’s highway range can reach 900 kilometers.

The key is that theoretically, the ZT-99 can carry two such auxiliary tanks, increasing the highway range to 1300 kilometers!

Of course, this is completely unnecessary, because the maintenance-free fault cycle of the ZT-99’s diesel engine is theoretically at most 1000 kilometers. The maintenance cycles for the tracks and suspension system are also within 1000 kilometers, so a range over 1000 kilometers has no practical combat significance.

Because the external fuel tanks will obstruct the rear firing arc, the commander often directly jettisons them before executing combat missions.

During resupply, Liu Zunshan ordered all tanks to discard their external fuel tanks and took advantage of refueling to perform the final checks and maintenance.

This is unavoidable.

The ZT-99AL was specifically developed for the Marine Corps, aimed at coastal areas, therefore, in some respects, inland combat situations were not considered.

The most prominent is the air conditioning system.

The ZT-99AL still uses the first generation air conditioning system and not the second generation system of the ZT-99B.

After the ZT-99AG was exported to Bakistan and other allies, the main feedback received by the Empire’s Army was that the air conditioning power was severely insufficient. In low latitude tropics, especially in tropical deserts, the cooling effect was very poor, thereby weakening the tank’s sustained combat capability.

When the tank crew is unbearably hot and unwilling to stay inside the tank, what combat power does the tank have?

The Empire’s Army deployed in Bakistan also reported the air conditioning issue.

Because of the excessively high temperature inside the vehicle, the Empire’s Army stationed in Bakistan even specifically regulated that the tank crew’s training time in summer be limited to under 2 hours. There must be at least a half-hour rest between two training cycles with proper measures against heatstroke, such as providing refreshing drinks to cool down and quench thirst.

During peacetime, it’s not a problem.

In wartime, if the tank cannot sustain long-term combat, that’s certainly a big issue!

The crucial point is that those affected aren’t just the tank crew.

If the temperature is too high, many electronic devices cannot function normally.

Actually, this is an unresolved issue with the ZT-99’s thermal imager.

As a result, the ZT-99B adopted a higher-powered second-generation vehicle air conditioner.

Unfortunately, the Marine Corps ZT-99AL did not adopt the second-generation air conditioner.

According to Liu Zunshan and other tank crewmen, the logistics officers responsible for tank procurement must have never been to the Armored Forces and don’t understand what it’s like to stay inside a tank for more than ten hours. Therefore, when procuring tanks, for cost-saving reasons, they chose cheaper, much less efficient vehicle air conditioners.

After arriving at Boss Bay, to solve the problem of insufficient air conditioning power, the Marine Corps personnel came up with a makeshift solution.

They asked the logistics support unit to prepare large amounts of ice; during each resupply, a bucket of ice would be sent into the tank to lower the internal temperature.

If special containers are used, the ice can last about 4 hours inside the tank.

The key is that all Marine Corps tanks have been modified for a high-humidity environment, allowing all electronic devices to function normally in humid conditions. If it’s an amphibious tank or amphibious armored vehicle, all internal equipments are required to operate normally after being soaked in seawater.

Because of this, there’s no need to worry about moisture affecting electronic devices.

Besides, after the ice melts, it can be used to supplement the consumed freshwater, such as the diesel engine requires a few hundred liters of coolant every 1000 kilometers. In normal circumstances, especially during wartime, the so-called "coolant" is actually water with additives. If faced with exceptional situations or inadequate conditions, directly using drinking water can keep the engine running for a few hours.

When refueling, the most crucial task is the final ammunition inventory and to determine the ammunition type ratio based on the actual situation.

Liu Zunshan issued a very important order.

He instructed all tanks to increase their load of armor-piercing bullets to 50%, making anti-armor combat their main mission.

At 3 PM, Liu Zunshan set out with the team again.

After half an hour, a message from the rear came through indicating that the "Zhi-10A" detected an armored force advancing south from Samawa, suspected to be a Republic Guard division stationed there, and therefore inferred that there are at least hundreds of main battle tanks.

Obviously, the Iraqi army has discovered the assault force led by Liu Zunshan.

Another key point is that Liu Zunshan and his team were about 80 kilometers south of Samawa at that time, leaving only about 50 kilometers between them and the northern advancing Iraqi forces.

The "Zhi-10A" did not send an earlier warning because it hadn’t moved north with the armored forces, remaining patrolling over the Saudi-Iraqi border.

At the advancing speeds of both sides, an encounter will occur in one hour, at most one and a half hours.

Clearly, this is an extremely critical timing.

Even if the Marine Corps’ armed helicopters are immediately deployed, they are stationed at the rear, so the earliest they can arrive is approximately 2 hours later. If the weather changes, for example, if visibility decreases, the Marine Corps Air Force would find it very difficult to provide direct support.

As for the Navy Air Force stationed at the land base, even less reliable.

The first strike action of the afternoon began around 1 PM, so by this time, almost all tactical aircrafts executing the strike mission had exhausted their ammunition, many were on their return journey, and at this pace, they can only be redeployed at around 5 PM to carry out the evening strike mission.

It can be seen that expecting air support before engaging the enemy is unrealistic.

However, the situation is not very dire.

A sandstorm is approaching from the northeast direction, therefore the "Zhi-10A" sent a message indicating that the frontline commander can choose to halt advancement immediately, try to stall until around 5 PM, which after the sandstorm’s arrival, would negate the necessity to engage with the Iraqi forces.

However, Liu Zunshan did not adopt the suggestion made by the air commander.

It’s not that he’s reckless, but stopping now would affect the entire assault operation.

The sandstorm is likely to last until nightfall; spending hours at night on preparations, especially on tank maintenance, would surely prevent advancing to Samawa as planned.

Moreover, the Iraqi army may not retreat when the sandstorm arrives but instead may hide in place.

In other words, a battle with the Iraqi army still has to take place tonight or tomorrow morning, and by then, air support might still be unavailable.

Furthermore, all tactical reconnaissance methods get nullified due to the sandstorm.

It stands to reason that the Iraqi army is certainly more familiar with this desert and knows better how to deal with sandstorms.

If the Iraqi army regains combat readiness first, then the armored force under Liu Zunshan might even be subject to an assault during nighttime preparations.

At that point, never mind advancing to Samawa; preserving their lives would be considered fortunate.

Clearly, stopping now is definitely not an option!