When it comes to ammunition loading, you can always trust Blackman.
The BM-21 hail truck requires 20 minutes to fill a 40-tube container manually, but with the help of a crane, this time can be reduced to 10 minutes.
Of course, both China and Eastern Europe have innovated and developed new rocket launchers that can automatically reload a round within 3 minutes, ensuring the absolute rate of fire for the first two rounds of attacks.
"Ready, go!"
Xia Yu turned on the stopwatch on his phone, and Massar emptied the launch tube of a hail truck on the spot, dispatched a rocket artillery platoon's loading team, and conducted a live-fire exercise.
Very quickly, the 9m22U rockets, pre-loaded with fuses and ready to be launched at any time, were lifted to waist level by a crane, and two people took turns feeding the rockets into the tube one at a time.
Two people standing on the vehicle, one on the left and one on the right, assisted in loading the rounds. The close cooperation among the team members kept the average loading time of each round within 12 seconds.
In other words, the interval between the two rounds of firing is less than 8 minutes, and at most, 800 rockets can be cleared in just over half an hour.
"You've set a record, but it's not easy to apply for a Guinness World Record."
Looking at the stopwatch frozen at 7 minutes and 51.87 seconds, Xia Yu said admiringly to Massar.
This is probably the last glimmer of hope for traditional rocket artillery!
Because the existing automatic loading systems seem to be a bit outdated, everyone is researching modular loading, turning the fixed launch tubes into quick-change ammunition boxes.
After firing one box, you can switch to the next. You can also choose from various calibers to arrange and combine them to meet multiple needs.
But Afica is definitely a generation or two behind in terms of version, so the old Hailstorm is enough to deal with the rebels.
“I don’t care about that stuff. Once I’ve taken down Sasu, I’ll lead the team back to Busa.”
Marcel clearly didn't grow up watching variety shows; his childhood was marked by the Second Sino-Afic War, a civil war that sparked a massive conflict in the Afic Islands.
Therefore, he longed for peace more than war, and this factor was undeniably also a reason for his decision to join the army, in addition to family reasons.
"Then you'll be disappointed. We'll capture Sasu alive. You've seen what happened to Battalion Commander Anka. You'll have to escort him back with you then."
Xia Yu corrected Marcel.
"Sasu is determined to capture him," he said.
"Okay, I'll give him a good beating on the way."
Massar stretched his limbs and revealed a cruel smile.
Hopefully, that old man Sasu can hold on. Anyway, they handed the people over alive, so they shouldn't be shortchanged on their money.
Upon returning from the rocket artillery battalion, Xia Yu immediately convened a pre-battle meeting.
Group 2 was tasked with intercepting Sasu at the border, a pre-arranged plan, and with the firepower of the Mi-24V, they obviously wouldn't need six people.
Xia Yu assigned two vehicles to the Weasel S30 to join the main force in the attack, while the third vehicle in the convoy, the GpZ-80, was handled by 03 and 06.
One of them was in charge of driving, and the other was in charge of eliminating all threats with a machine gun.
Considering that this is a pure mine-clearing vehicle, and given the limited space inside, Xia Yu didn't even install an automated weapon station.
The addition of a machine gunner is just a precaution; with T-64B1Ms and Marder S30s in front, basic safety is guaranteed.
"That's the situation. After the Massar rocket artillery battalion opened fire, we need to break through the 578.6-meter mixed minefield set up by the rebels as quickly as possible, as planned."
Xia Yu pointed to the enlarged map on the wall with a stick and emphasized.
"With each line of defense advancing, we may have to fight for more than 10 hours straight. Some of us may get injured, but as long as we defeat the rebels, it will all be worth it."
Everyone sat up straight, listening attentively to Xia Yu's pre-battle mobilization.
With a salary that's top-tier in the industry, one should naturally be prepared to clear all obstacles for the boss.
"After taking over Sasu, the company will suspend business for a month. This period will be a time for rest and recuperation as well as intensive training. We also hope that everyone, as veterans, can grow with the company. In addition, we will also welcome fresh blood."
"This was agreed upon with Kuhn," Xia Yu announced to everyone before the battle.
Everyone was already prepared for the arrival of new staff.
The company has evolved from having only one vehicle crew and one combat team to its current land combat configuration of two vehicle crews and two combat teams. If the mission is only to carry out strike missions, this is still sufficient.
However, as the business expands, while the vehicle crews are fine, they need more combat personnel.
"Some of them are our instructors for this training camp, and some will be trained with us after they are hired. You old folks shouldn't let them outdo you!"
After hearing their boss say that they would not be hiring any more Selviyas this time, Sergei and Anton realized their mistake.
The list of instructors may include the SAS veteran I met in Keniya last time.
Aside from being younger than him, they were completely outmatched in both combat experience and fighting ability.
There's no way around it; their military service is more than three times longer than theirs, and they've participated in countless overseas deployments and actual combat missions, while they only faced the enemy in real combat after they were discharged.
Even though I did a pretty good job, I still felt a little intimidated in front of the senior colleagues.
Soldiers should be proud, but not arrogant; only in this way can they grow through competition.
"That's it, meeting adjourned!"
After explaining everything that needed to be explained, Xia Yu announced the end of the meeting, leaving the group of people deep in thought.
The next morning arrived quickly. As usual, the T-64B1M did not go out. The Marder S30 towed the TRF1 howitzer to the vicinity of the minefield and, as usual, delivered 10 rounds of 155mm high-explosive shells.
This was the last routine artillery harassment mission, also intended to lower the rebels' guard.
Just like in a poorly soundproofed tenement building, people downstairs can only sleep when the second shoe drops.
Not shelling today will keep the rebels on edge, which will actually hinder their ability to launch a general offensive.
"Thump~~"
After firing the last shell, the folding gun mount was reattached to the rear hook, and the mole car crew pulled the gun crew away.
"Luckily we were assigned to patrol the minefield; Busa and his gang are addicted to bombing mines."
Two rebels poked their heads out from the bushes under the rainforest, muttering to themselves as they watched Kuhn and his men leave.
Ten 155mm shells a day, fired for two or three weeks straight, that's over a hundred shells. Even if their camp is large enough, there will still be unlucky ones who get hit.
In their platoon, two were killed instantly by the bomb, and another lost both legs and then died from infection.
This is why they prefer to patrol the minefield; it may seem dangerous, but it's actually the darkest place. As long as they don't fire, the enemy's machine guns won't fire.
There were some clever people among the rebels, but from the moment they started eating Sasu's food and rebelling against Busa, they were unlikely to have a good end.
Trying to escape?
The minefield is like a wall, serving both to prevent Busa from escaping and to protect Sasu from escaping by his own people.
Like the last night raid on Busa's camp, only a few drivers knew the safe route through the minefield. They were all Sasu's confidants, the kind who would commit suicide if captured alive.
This also explains why Kuhn sent men to clean up the battlefield and captured two artillerymen alive, but neither of them knew how they managed to get through the minefield unharmed.
There's no other way; if there's no shortcut, then we have to get through it.
After Kuhn and his team returned and had lunch, they refueled the Weasel S30.
There was nowhere to refuel on the way to the charge, and the same went for ammunition; all four cornets on the rack were replaced with anti-tank versions.
Drone footage showed that the rebels had built various fortifications. A single Kornet with a thermobaric warhead wouldn't solve the problem; encountering a T-72M1 would be the most fatal mistake.
It's unclear how many armored vehicles 800 rockets can destroy, so it's better to equip them all with anti-tank horns just in case.
In comparison, the T-64B1M has no problem handling it; it's not afraid of any rotten mangoes!
They unloaded the tRF1 that had been fired but not yet cleaned and pushed it aside. The group then attached a trailer to the Weasel S30, which was filled with the key items for their speedrun through the minefield.
While the concentrated fire defense team was still busy here, Massar had already led his rocket artillery battalion out.
There's nothing we can do about it; it's not an extended-range missile, and the original Hailstorm missile is still a bit too short-ranged.
They had to be like the rebel artillery, pulling their equipment and getting close to the target, only when they were more than ten kilometers away, before they could launch an attack.
The infantry battalion of the mixed brigade has completed the clearing of the area around the camp.
Even though Sasu had deployed spies, there was no sign of more than a dozen trucks leaving the camp at this point.
The film crew from Busa quickly split into two teams: one followed the Massar rocket artillery battalion, while the other filmed the Anka mechanized infantry battalion.
Xia Yu only came to Xiao Anka's side after they finished filming the footage before their departure.
"As we agreed before, your men will enter the rebel camp half an hour after our convoy breaks in, and then clear the area through the passage we've opened!"
As I said before, the minefield blocked the rebels' escape route.
Even if the troops were completely overwhelmed by concentrated fire, the remnants could only wander around the camp like headless flies.
Xia Yu didn't have time to deal with them, so he handed them all over to the Anka infantry battalion to capture.
This is the job they've been doing since the unit was formed, and Xiao Anka is very familiar with it; he can even give orders while sitting in a wheelchair.
"Yes, our armored vehicles are similar, and the film crew will shoot footage of you entering the minefield."
Anka nodded in confirmation.
Indeed, both sides have one T-64B1M, while the other side has even more Weasel S30s and Ankas. The real Li Kui can easily impersonate the fake Li Kui, and the footage can be directly used from theirs.
"Guard our rear and don't let the remnants escape from this side."
Xia Yu added another instruction.
"Don't worry, I'll leave my T-64B1M in the middle of the road. Let's see which T-72M1 dares to come over."
One of them is worth 700,000!
Even if Xiao Anka was willing to do it for him, Xia Yu was not willing to take the money for nothing.
If a weasel enters a chicken coop, it's bound to go on a killing spree.
With preparations complete, the concentrated fire defense team and the Anka mechanized infantry battalion set out together and arrived at the main attack point before the agreed time.
Two rebel patrolmen, who were taking a break in the woods, were stunned when they saw the armored convoy charging menacingly toward them.
We have minefields here, how dare Busa and his men go there?
Why wouldn't you dare?
It's just a minefield!
In the footage, Hero Anka's T-64B1M and Weasel S30 rushed to the edge of the minefield, slammed on the brakes, and came to a stop, forming an inverted "品" shape with a large eight-wheeled vehicle that looked like a BTR-82S that came later.
"Buzz~~"
The hydraulic rods push open the top cover of the GpZ-80 troop transport compartment to both sides.
"Calling headquarters, calling..."
What are they trying to do?
The two took out their radios and made a call, but they couldn't quite understand what Xia Yu and his team were doing.
"Pfft~ Whoosh~ Whoosh~~"
Two powerful rockets pulled two 100-meter-long white ropes towards the minefield.
"Reverse!"
Under 06's control, the GpZ-80, in reverse gear, slowly drove backward until the steel cable straightened the twisted soft cable and the end touched the edge of the minefield.
"Detonate!"
"Boom~ Boom~~"
Two Gbp-150 blasting zones, with a total of over 1,300 kilograms of mixed explosives, were detonated instantly, clearing a 100-meter-long safety passage amidst intense flames and smoke.
Yes, who still seriously clears mines these days? If we can solve it with TNT equivalent, we won't waste manpower.
"Whoosh~ Whoosh~ Whoosh~~"
Before the smoke and dust had even cleared, rockets tore through the sky and rained down on the rebel camp like a meteor shower.
"Quick, take a picture of the sky!"
The film crew promptly switched cameras to capture this beautiful rocket rain from another perspective.
The tail hatch of the Weasel S30 opened at that moment, and six armed men who did not look black jumped out.
The assault team, which had no mission yet, transformed into a loading group, quickly opened the trailer's hatch, and worked together to tow a new Gbp-150 blasting strip.
The 03, who also had no work to do, abandoned his machine gun, crawled out of the top door, stood on the vehicle body to help pull the blasting belt upwards, and followed the training steps to stack and stuff it into the GpZ-80 tail launch box.
Replacing them with firefighters would be a better fit, and thankfully they have enough time.
"Whoosh~ Whoosh~ Whoosh~~"
As the four hail trucks fired their salvo, Massar took a deep breath of the smoke-filled air and shouted into the radio:
"4 sets of 40 rounds, 2 rounds of reloading!"
"It's xN!"
The time it took the black men to load 40 122mm rockets was about the same as that of the concentrated fire defense team loading two Gbp-150 demolition belts. In terms of weight, Massar's team was even better.
There's no way around it; they don't have to clear mines every day, but the other side has to practice their skills diligently.
"Boom! Boom! Boom! Rumble!"
The earth-shaking explosion made Sasu, who was enjoying a cobalt cigar in the afternoon, jump up from his deck chair and nimbly draw his small pistol.
Where did the explosion occur?
He asked the deputy chief of staff who rushed in.
"It's from the direction of Camp 2. The rocket artillery battalion from Busa fired a salvo, at least a hundred rockets!"
The deputy chief of staff replied, panting heavily.
He was outside just now, and after determining the approximate landing point of the rocket, he ran towards the general.
"Immediately call everyone to take cover in the bunkers. I destroyed one of their ammunition supply vehicles. They can only fire one or two salvos at most."
"I've calmed down," Sasu said calmly.
Before his open rebellion, he had some experience in the military. Busa's rocket artillery battalions were as poor as beggars, not to mention that they hadn't played much of a role in Panaka.
Without concentrated fire defense, that's certainly true, but with Xia Yu as a variable, the situation changes.
"It's bad, General! The patrol has reported that an enemy armored convoy is rapidly crossing the minefield!"
A major who was on duty at the headquarters liaison office stumbled in.
Clearly, this news had a great impact on him.
"How is that possible? I clearly had so many landmines and shells planted. Were they just for show?"
Sasu brandished his pistol and roared.
Even the deputy chief of staff of the brigade didn't believe it at first, but it looked like Busa was using two methods at the same time!
"Explain in detail how they got into the minefield?"
"The other side used explosives, the kind that can be dragged by an RPG and flown. When it lands in a minefield, it explodes and creates a path. If it weren't for the rocket just now, we would definitely have heard the noise."
The major said in a trembling voice.
"Quickly, send two tanks over there. We must block the gap and prevent their armored convoy from getting in."
Upon hearing this, Sasu had no choice but to believe it, and he immediately dispatched people to try and salvage the situation.
"Also, send the five closest 107mm rocket launchers over there and have them bombard the enemy's convoy."
The deputy chief of staff of the brigade filled in the gaps in Sasu's knowledge.
Using armor against armor is only a conventional tactic; using medium- to long-range firepower to cover the enemy's armored targets is a much more sophisticated approach.
"yes!"
The communications major immediately took care of it, while the brigade's deputy chief of staff, who was in his prime, took a steel helmet from the coat rack, put it on Sasu's forehead, and pulled him outside.
The cabin was no longer safe, and in order to avoid being killed by shrapnel from the rockets, they had to take cover in the semi-underground bunker as soon as possible.
Being prepared in advance makes a difference, and if it's a regular army from a major power with high obedience, the casualty figures will only be lower.
But this is Afica, and many of the rebels are new recruits, so desertion is inevitable. The casualties from the battle that has already begun before any contact will be considerable.
"Detonate!"
"Boom~ Boom~~"
The smoke rose again, and the firefighting convoy advanced another 100 meters.
"Less than 400 meters left, speed up, reload!"
"It's an X7!"
As Sergei and his men reloaded, the second round of attacks by the Massar rocket artillery battalion commenced simultaneously.
"Whoosh~ Whoosh~ Whoosh~~"
After a slight adjustment of the launch tubes, 160 122mm rockets swept over Camp 2, which had just been hit, and landed on Camp 3, which was further ahead.
The rebel soldiers who were with the officers and sergeants went into the nearest bunker, but those who deserted or were terrified were not so lucky. They were sent flying into the sky along with their barracks by rockets.
Modern warfare is brutal; their AKs were blown to pieces before they even fired a single shot, and all of Sasu's investment in them went down the drain.
So why did the deputy chief of staff of the rebel brigade do the opposite?
"Buzz~~"
Two T-72M1s slowly drove out of the semi-underground bunker, the drivers shifted gears and accelerated, the engines roaring as they headed toward the location reported to the patrol team.
A convoy of five pickup trucks followed closely behind them.
Each vehicle's tail hook towed a Type 63 107mm rocket launcher, and their ammunition filled the pickup truck bed.
If there are enough to fire two salvos from 12 tubes, plus the ones already loaded in the launch tubes, that's 180 107mm rockets.
While the firepower is certainly not as great as that of large-caliber hailstones, the sheer number of 180 hailstones stacked over a small area poses a tremendous challenge to both concentrated fire defense and the Anka mechanized infantry battalion.
Under heavy fire, non-armor-piercing warheads may not be able to break through the Marder's hatch top panel, but they can damage the vehicle's observation and aiming equipment, and destroying the externally mounted Kornets is also effortless.
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