Chapter 101 The Car Team is Taken Out, Stormy Weather is Brewing (Please Subscribe!)
"Thump~ thump~ thump~~"
A more muffled cannon shot than that of a 20mm cannon rang out as three PMC-308 airburst shells, propelled by the powerful propellant gases, completed their in-bore acceleration within the 3.78-meter barrel.
This phase was unremarkable, much like the working principle of a 30mm machine gun during World War II.
However, in the next stage, it takes 25 microseconds to pass through the muzzle brake.
The velocity measuring coil measures the projectile velocity of each airburst round and transmits it to the fire control computer integrated into the entire machine gun system.
Based on the target distance given by the laser rangefinder, the projectile programming device starts working, inputting three data segments into the corresponding projectile fuse, thus completing the entire firing process.
"Bang~ Bang~ Bang~~"
The projectile flew a few hundred meters before exploding in mid-air above the body of a BTR-60.
The release of 3 x 162 tungsten spheres, each weighing 1.24 grams, instantly turned the area into a death zone.
This BTR was destroyed by several 20mm cannon shells.
Upon hearing that Xia Yu was short of target vehicles, Xiao Anka immediately generously shared the results of the past two days.
He spent a fraction of a minute of man-hours and a few kilograms of armor steel to slightly repair the vehicle's exterior, but he didn't know if it could withstand the airburst damage from the new machine gun.
Domi drove the car closer and, after observing, concluded that it was not possible.
The fragile roof armor was easily torn apart by the tungsten ball, leaving countless tiny holes everywhere you looked.
"Sergeant, didn't you say this kind of ammunition is for shooting people?"
Hans was amazed by the effectiveness of the PMC-308 airburst bomb.
"To be precise, it is used to attack various bunkers, trenches, and armed personnel outside the line of sight."
Kuhn patiently explained the concept to his younger brother.
"Besides personnel, it can also shoot down helicopters, light armored vehicles, and various optical systems on main battle tanks."
Kuhn preferred this programmable airburst round to the high-penetration PMC-287 subcaliber fin-stabilized discarding sabot armor-piercing projectile.
One shot is equivalent to several high-explosive shots from a 20mm cannon, and after programming, it also has a top-attack capability, making it a truly multi-purpose ammunition.
Xia Yu said he likes any bullet containing tungsten, since Chinese people have a particular fondness for it.
To alleviate logistical pressure (and save money), he imported several tons of finished tungsten from China well in advance.
Although the country has tungsten reserves, it can only produce tungsten concentrate at most.
Unlike domestic manufacturers, who not only refine products for you in one step but also drive down the price.
At over $30,000 per ton, you won't lose out or be cheated.
Xia Yu is such a shrewd boss that one ton can make 5,000 such airburst bombs. Including the material cost of the shell casing, gunpowder, and fuse, it costs about 20 to less than 30 US dollars per bomb.
A basic load of 400 rounds of the Marder S30 shell, combined with other types of ammunition, costs around $20,000.
Such a price could easily be discounted, even if his employees are reluctant to do so.
"Alright, let's continue training. This time, let's try the PMC-283."
Xia Yu clapped his hands and beckoned the men to get in the car.
Like the original Rh202 autocannon, the mK30 2/Abm autocannon uses only three types of ammunition, far fewer than the American Bushmaster of the same caliber, but this also makes logistical resupply easier.
The PMC-283 tracer fragmentation core armor-piercing projectile is designed to compete with the DM43 tracer armor-piercing incendiary projectile.
It is cheaper than small steel needles and can handle most scenarios that require armor penetration. The PMC-287 model is only used for key offensive operations.
The basic ammunition load of 400 rounds consists of 150 rounds of PMC-308 ammunition, 150 rounds of PMC-283 ammunition, and 100 rounds of PMC-287 ammunition. Half of the loads are equipped with 200-round ammunition feeders, and the rest are spare ammunition.
"Thump~ thump~ thump~~"
Kuhn fired three shots in quick succession, easily penetrating the thickest frontal armor of the BTR-60.
Penetration is difficult because it is a fragmentation projectile core. It is in line with its design concept that the projectile would shatter and tumble inside the vehicle compartment after penetrating the first layer of armor.
"Mole, don't be stingy with ammunition. Our training target for today is to complete a certain number of rounds."
Xia Yu said domineeringly.
Their concentrated fire defenses have little else to offer but plenty of artillery shells.
"Mongoose, you should also fire a hundred or so shots to get familiar with the operation of the new cannon."
"Yes, commander!"
Hans had been eyeing it for a long time.
Although he wasn't part of the main attack force this time, who wouldn't love a brand-new machine gun?
"Thump~ thump~ thump~ thump~~"
The short bursts of fire were replaced by continuous long bursts, and the tranquil rainforest was filled with the roar of machine guns.
The killing machines created by humans unleashed their firepower indiscriminately, causing the top "assassins" in the rainforest to tremble in fear.
Two-legged creatures are terrifying; thankfully, they don't want to live in the rainforest.
The joint training continued until late at night. The strongest crew in the concentrated fire defense emptied 400 shells, nearly 2,000 rounds of machine gun and rifle ammunition, fired two rounds of smoke grenades, and even fired two rounds of Kornets.
With this level of training intensity, not only did Kuhn regain his form, but Hans also played quite well.
After driving the new car for two tanks of gas, I've gotten to know its quirks. Strong power always offers more room for performance than weak power.
Needless to say, Xia Yu, the tank commander, is exceptionally capable. He can handle the roles of every member of the crew and command operations with ease.
This is also perfectly exemplified by the six members of the non-vehicle crew digital team.
Their coordination with the vehicle crew and the mechanized infantry has reached a new level, and everyone is full of confidence for the official start of the battle.
Of course, they have to win the final battle against the rebels.
The new vehicle was serviced on the spot, and ammunition and fuel were replenished.
Xia Yu and his colleagues camouflaged and concealed the Weasel S30 infantry fighting vehicle, which was ready for combat at any time.
The car can't be driven back. The rebel spies near the Anka Mechanized Infantry Battalion's encampment have already withdrawn, but the man in the white top hat is still watching them.
It is impolite not to reciprocate, and Xia Yu also had "eyes" watching the white top hat.
Their drones took off in the morning and returned to their base before the afternoon's fighting ended, so they wouldn't capture any activity in the rainforest.
A cautious nature can help you avoid most dangers.
Especially in a dangerous place like Afica, caution is all the more valuable.
They made it back to their camp before midnight and slept until the afternoon of the next day before they were fully recovered.
The day after tomorrow is the day of the official decisive battle, so they have no combat missions today or tomorrow.
The calm before the storm; both Busa and the rebels were sharpening their knives and preparing for battle.
“Mr. Huangyou, these are the latest intelligence sent by Busa.”
Xia Yu came to Xiao Anka's place for a meeting, and he handed over a stack of aerial photos.
"Just like with Bomatou, the rebels have laid a large number of anti-tank mines in the core areas they control."
While the White Hats are not very efficient in combat, their intelligence gathering capabilities are superior to those of industry newcomers like Ji Huo Defense.
However, if we take their drones, they will also have eyes that can stay in the air for a long time.
As a civilized company run by civilized people, Xia Yu and Ji Huo Defense only accept gifts in the form of spoils of war.
"TM-83, old buddy."
He recognized the rice cooker in several photos.
"I suggest that the Anka mechanized infantry battalion not go deep into these core areas. The armored forces hiding here can be left to concentrated fire defense."
Xia Yu took the initiative to shoulder the responsibility.
Such a minefield can stop Bousa's T-64B1M, but it cannot stop the concentrated fire defense's T-64B1M.
The TM-83 anti-side armored mine uses a large-cone shaped charge liner with a hollow explosive charge for directional detonation, propelling a nail-like self-forging fragment to attack the side of the armored vehicle.
Xia Yu still remembers the specific data: the maximum armor penetration depth within a 50-meter range was 400mm.
Neither the side armor of the T-72 nor the T-64, even with explosive reactive armor, could withstand such damage.
But if a single layer can't hold up, what about stacking three layers?
Back in Bomatou, Xia Yu dared not venture deep into the minefield.
Now that Panaka is here, firing two or three TM-83s on each side is no problem at all.
The Weasel S3 can't withstand even one shot, so let the T-64B1M take the lead and clear the mines.
He layered such thick armor specifically to deal with this kind of situation.
Xia Yu wondered how the rebels would react; he was really looking forward to their response, which would surely be very interesting.
"Mr. Weasel, thank you for your help."
Xiao Anka stood up and expressed her gratitude to Xia Yu.
The tough task was assigned to the concentrated fire defense team again, and even if Busa would pay all the expenses, he still deserved a word of thanks.
“This is what we do, but Battalion Commander Anka, I suggest you take the opportunity to join a main battle tank.”
Xia Yu waved his hand, and then gave Xiao Anka a pertinent suggestion.
Upgrading the Weasel A3 to the S30, while giving it anti-tank capabilities, still couldn't overcome its thin armor.
They definitely can't afford the cLARA explosive reactive armor kit, so synthesizing a main battle tank is the most effective solution for attacking fortified positions.
As for the Afica-style combined arms battalion, it has armored personnel carriers (two levels of firepower), heavy infantry fighting vehicles (two levels of firepower), and main battle tanks, although the number is a few hundred million less.
“My father and I will apply to Busa for a budget, but we’ll have to trouble Mr. Weasel then.”
Little Anka had long harbored this intention; he was extremely envious of Xia Yu's T-64B1M, which was covered with three layers of sharp blades.
As for being reassigned as the commander of the main battle armored battalion, Xiao Anka felt he didn't have the ability. He suggested that he could definitely command an infantry battalion combined into a single tank.
This tank must be like Xia Yu's, with its defenses enhanced to the mAx level.
“That’s easy to say. I still have a batch of Sharp Blade Countersunk vehicles in stock. Besides keeping some for my own use, I can modify another one.”
And just like that, business started coming in again!
That's the point of pain that Xia Yu needs to portray.
Ermaozi's production capacity for sharp blades has always been low, so it's unlikely that too many will be available on the market.
He was under a 2011 arms sales contract with Thailand to deliver 49 Oplot-M tanks for $200 million.
As a result, the project was delayed again and again until Thailand purchased a batch of Vt-4 from China.
When it comes to ramping up production capacity, China is far more professional than Russia, which can only live off its past achievements and rely on its legacy.
However, from another perspective, the limited production capacity of the sharp blade also has its advantages. Xia Yu's opponents in Afica would find it difficult to buy such a defense even with money.
In the era of feudal dynasties in China, it was not a big deal for local powerful families to have knives and guns; the real crime was to hide armor.
Xia Yu always placed great emphasis on defense, using tortoise shells and porcupine quills, which made him virtually invincible against the rebels.
However, when his opponent spends money to do the same thing, he will also feel uncomfortable playing against them.
Modern equipment, after all, is not some martial arts manual that has the effect of killing those who try to learn it.
After returning from Xiao Anka's place, Xia Yu found Kuhn and the others while tidying up the tent.
After being informed of the potential landmine attack, everyone remained calm.
"That's the situation. We can fulfill the contract as agreed, but neither the T-64B1M nor the Weasel S3 are likely to participate in the attack on the White Hat."
On the battlefield, soldiers are expendable resources, and so are weapons and equipment.
Without a system to help maintain the vehicles, Jihuo Defense's profit margin certainly wouldn't be as high as it is now.
"We have enough Marder S30s, and White Top Hat doesn't have any main battle tanks. Their Amx-10Rc's 105mm rifled gun isn't the British L7, so even if they use armor-piercing rounds, it won't penetrate our frontal armor."
Hans was the first to speak.
It's clear he has a deep disdain for French weapons.
Hans's view was correct, especially regarding this cannon.
To compare with the L7 105mm rifled tank gun he mentioned, this 52-caliber old gun uses fin-stabilized discarding sabot armor-piercing projectiles and can achieve a penetration depth of 420mm in homogeneous steel.
The Italian Centauro tank destroyer is equipped with a 105mm rifled gun of the same class as the L7, has two more wheels than the Amx-10Rc, and uses an 8x8 chassis.
That's what happens when something is neither fish nor fowl. What kind of cannon corresponds to what kind of chassis? In order to make a small car carry a big cannon, the big cannon has been reduced to a small cannon (in terms of power).
It can only bully the monkey version of the tank, or the heavy infantry fighting vehicle without the explosive reactive armor kit.
"If we can't win from the front, we'll be even more vulnerable to attacks from the flanks, not to mention they have a numerical advantage. Watch out for their guns."
Xia Yu assigned Hans a task.
"The enemy is also equipped with Amx-10P, and according to intelligence, they are not using the M693 cannon, but the Rh202 cannon, which is the same model as ours, which was upgraded later."
The combination of machine guns and tank guns is a well-thought-out configuration, except that the tank guns are a bit rubbish.
Xia Yu and his men switched to 30mm autocannons, and the White Top Hats' armored forces, while having a numerical advantage, were now completely outmatched in firepower.
"Also, be careful of their anti-tank missiles. Although I didn't see an ADT control station on the launcher on the vehicle, I would rather take a hit from a 105mm shell than be hit in the face by a missile."
It uses the same machine gun as the Marder, and naturally, the anti-tank missiles it is equipped with are also the same.
Previous generations of Milan were not worth mentioning. What Xia Yu was wary of was the improved Milan ER with an ADT control station, which had the same 1000mm+ penetration depth as the basic short version.
Their T-64B1M could hold its own, but the Marder S30 was utterly helpless.
"Mole, 01, eliminating the enemy's anti-tank forces is the top priority."
Xia Yu highlighted the key points.
"Yes, boss x2!"
The two responded with serious expressions.
The adversary has escalated from rebels to established PMC companies in the industry, and the intensity of the battle has increased.
Previously, we only needed to defend against the opponent's RPGs, but now we need to defend against missiles.
The pre-war meeting ended, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.
It's not just Xia Yu's side; several other companies are also preparing for the competition.
In addition to their concentrated fire defenses that focus on striking armored forces, they also take on multiple contracts, including eliminating rebel armed personnel, capturing urban fronts, and attacking logistical supply lines, as they manage the lower-level mercenaries.
Large companies have many employees and many businesses.
Although these small contracts don't compare to the millions of dollars per unit for a whole armored battalion, they add up to a considerable sum.
If it weren't for the White Hats' unseemly behavior, Jihuo Defense could have complemented and cooperated with them.
It's not too late to say this. Making an example of them will help them gain recognition and make a name for themselves. Eventually, there will be companies willing to cooperate with them.
I broke my promise; I need to lay the groundwork for another chapter before we can start fighting.
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