Empire Conquest-Chapter 895 - 117: The Battle for Hearts and Minds (Part 2)
Obviously, this is unbearable weight.
Driving a 100-ton tank to a speed of 70 kilometers per hour requires a 2500 horsepower engine!
Moreover, a 100-ton tank literally has no strategic mobility, and its tactical mobility won’t be much better, because there’s just no bridge that can let a 100-ton tank pass safely.
If logistics is also considered, a 100-ton main battle tank would be an absolute disaster for the Army Armored Forces.
Therefore, alternative solutions must be sought.
The ZT-99AL has exposed a problem in actual combat, requiring a small engine that can continue to supply power to electronic equipment when the main engine stops. The reason is simple: the main engine consumes too much fuel, even when idling, reducing the tank’s sustained combat capability, and also shortening the engine’s lifespan, thereby increasing maintenance difficulty.
In the army, determining engine maintenance and lifespan is based not on mileage but on motor time.
Even if the tank stays in place, as long as the engine is running, it will positively affect its lifespan.
Up to now, just the 5th Marine Division has already scrapped a dozen tank engines!
Of course, the basic troops report not just issues.
Among all the main battle platforms, three types of equipment are especially welcomed by front-line soldiers.
The first is the BZ-98 Infantry Fighting Vehicle.
Speaking of it, in siege operations, infantry fighting vehicles are indeed the main force.
Although most of the time the BZ-98 hides behind the ZT-99AL due to insufficient armor protection, when initiating attacks, what the infantry most wants to hear is the sound of the 30 millimeter machine gun firing, because the machine gun in urban combat is almost undefeatable.
Even when encountering sturdy targets that the 30 millimeter machine gun cannot handle, the BZ-98 still has heavy anti-tank missiles available.
The key is the combination of the 30 millimeter machine gun and heavy anti-tank missiles can handle all enemies encountered in urban combat.
If there’s any problem, it’s actually two points.
First, the power of the 30 millimeter machine gun is still slightly small; if it could be enhanced, the efficiency in dealing with bunkers and other sturdy targets would greatly improve.
In battle, Marine Corps soldiers used captured 57 millimeter High-altitude Guns to deal with machine gun bunkers, which were much more effective.
Therefore, most soldiers suggested increasing the machine gun caliber to above 50 millimeters.
Additionally, heavy anti-tank missiles are too expensive, and the commonly equipped armor-piercing warheads are not ideal for dealing with sturdy defensive works.
If possible, it would be best to develop warheads specifically for half-armored targets.
Following BZ-98 is the 120 millimeter self-propelled mortar, modified from the BZ-68 armored transport vehicle.
This is also quite understandable.
In siege combat, mortars are the most indispensable because only mortars can use their curving trajectory to deal with enemies hidden behind buildings.
As for problems, mainly the ammunition types are too singular.
Although high-explosive bombs can solve almost all targets with enormous lethality, in certain special situations, special ammunition is still needed.
For instance, before advancing, infantry often rely on smoke cover, which requires mortars to launch smoke bombs.
Additionally, when dealing with enemies indoors, special incendiary bombs are far more effective than high-explosive bombs.
Of course, when encountering armored targets hidden behind buildings that tank guns and anti-tank missiles cannot reach, having armor-piercing mortar shells would be even better.
The third weapon isn’t the High-altitude Gun, but the 150 millimeter self-propelled howitzer borrowed from the Army.
Since the BZ-98’s 30 millimeter machine gun has a maximum elevation angle of 75 degrees, there is no need to use the High-altitude Gun against enemies on rooftops.
In several intense urban battles, the soldiers of the 5th Marine Division created a brand new tactic, letting the howitzers approach and fire directly.
The key is, self-propelled howitzers have a larger elevation angle, making them extremely suitable for dealing with enemies hidden in high-rise buildings.
If dealing with rooftop enemies, mortars will suffice.
However, Basra has many buildings higher than 10 stories, and the Iraqi forces know it’s unsafe to hide on rooftops.
When dealing with enemies hiding inside buildings, howitzers are more effective.
After enjoying the benefits, the Marine Corps specially allocated an artillery company, then sent platoons one after another to the front line to provide direct fire support for ground forces.
As for strike effects, there’s no need to elaborate.
Of course, howitzers also have some shortcomings.
For example, lacking sighting equipment, often needing to be close enough to let gunners directly aim and fire.
Moreover, insufficient ammo reserves.
A self-propelled howitzer only carries 45 rounds, yet the propellant is enough to fire 120 shells. When designing self-propelled howitzers, long-range combat was mainly considered, with the propellant configured for full-powered firing, while in urban combat all are underpowered firing.
The result is, a cannon often runs out of shells in half a day and must retreat to replenish ammo.
Even frontline resupply consumes considerable time.
However, among issues reported by base troops, the most concerning issue is actually the personal weapons.
It’s not that the power of low-caliber rifles isn’t enough, but infantry need a more effective combat weapon to deal with enemies hiding behind cover.
In urban combat, this problem is more prominent.
Many times, it’s because infantry lack the ability to tackle enemies behind cover that they must call for support, slowing down their attack speed. One must realize, in urban areas, temporary defensive works like machine gun bunkers account for more than 80%.
If infantry can resolve enemies themselves, the attack speed will increase.
The issues reported by base troop soldiers are definitely not solvable in the short term, but they will undoubtedly be resolved sometime in the future.
Of course, the battle to attack Basra must still proceed as usual.
The propaganda battle launched on the morning of the 26th.
The afternoon reached its peak.
Dozens of tactical transport planes arranged by the Air Force dropped hundreds of tons of leaflets over Basra, ensuring every soldier and civilian had a hundred copies.
Nighttime saw the conclusion of the propaganda battle.
Several Marine Corps convoys equipped with specialized loudspeakers broadcasted the next day’s combat arrangements to the soldiers and civilians in Iraqi-controlled areas.
To put it simply, 12 hours of withdrawal time was given to Basra’s civilians and soldiers, either leaving for another place or going to the shelters set by the Alliance Army.
After the 12-hour withdrawal period, the Alliance Army will launch indiscriminate bombing of Basra’s urban area.
At 9 a.m. on the 27th, the propaganda battle will end, and bombing operations will commence simultaneously.
Now, it’s already past 8 a.m.
According to Ding Zhennan’s arrangements, 120 "Hong-9D"s deployed at Diego Base took off around 3 a.m., expected to reach Basra’s sky at 9:30 a.m.
These bombers each carry 30 tons of bombs, accurately 60 500-kilogram-level air bombs.
All are stock bombs, so no one will feel sorry using them excessively.
Upon reaching Basra’s sky, these bombers will group into 6 plane groups, then drop bombs densely over designated areas.
Essentially, it’s a carpet bombing.
To ensure safety, the bombers’ dropping altitude will be above 5500 meters.
Regarding bombing effects, Ding Zhennan actually doesn’t care much.
He never intended to annihilate all enemies entrenched in the urban area by thoroughly destroying Basra.
If discussed, indiscriminate bombing itself is a psychological warfare.
When 3600 tons of bombs crash down from the sky, penniless civilians, armed soldiers, and Hussein’s son are indistinct.
Before the forces of destruction, there’s no distinction of noble or humble.
9:30 still hadn’t arrived when noises came from outside.
When Ding Zhennan stepped out of the command center, the bombers were already overhead.
A dense mass of over a hundred bombers had trailed out over a hundred clear jet trails, looking truly spectacular with an overwhelming feeling.
Actually, the bombers were flying high, without jet trails, they’d be invisible.
As Ding Zhennan prepared to return to the command center, Liu Zunshan rushed out, looking particularly excited, as if he had won the lottery.
Indeed, he won the lottery!
