artillery arc

Chapter 452 United Kingdom You are plotting against me
After the review, Wang Zhong returned to the Expeditionary Force Headquarters, made a few phone calls, and arranged for the transfer of the First Mobile Army Support Brigade, which was now under the Reserve Front.

After the transportation was arranged, Wang Zhong came to the map room and saw the map that recorded the combat plan in Baras for the first time.

The whole plan was very simple, which was to advance north and south with the United Kingdom's troops.

Wang Zhong has a bit of PTSD about the "XX Advance" plan, because it reminds him of some vibrant scenes of everything competing with each other.

Fortunately, the deployment of the Balas army on the map was like the Changshan Snake, which alleviated Wang Zhong's worries.

Colonel Benjamin of the United Kingdom saw Wang Zhong and others coming in, and immediately stepped forward, stuffed a thick stack of information into Wang Zhong's hands and said, "General, this is the intelligence on the Barras Army obtained by MI6."

"Thank you." Wang Zhong took it and read the overview at the front, then saw the words "low combat effectiveness". "Well...how low is the combat effectiveness of the Baras Army?"

Colonel Benjamin: "Except for the Guards trained by retired instructor Plosson, the other troops are more like the private armies of local tribal chiefs. A considerable number of tribal chiefs have been bribed by us and will not support the Kingdom Army in combat."

Wang Zhong: "What about the level of these troops trained by retired Proson instructors?"

Colonel Benjamin considered his words and said, "They already have the rudiments of a modern army. They have a crushing advantage over the tribal armed forces in Baras."

It seems that it is really not working, Baras Army.

Wang Zhong, who had just learned about the strength of the expeditionary force, felt a little relieved.

Wang Zhong: “Oh…I see.”

Colonel Benjamin added: "But we can't take it lightly. According to the intelligence we have obtained, Plosson may send some light infantry into Baras. Our spies in Anatolia pointed out that some Plosson soldiers may have disguised themselves and passed through Anatolian territory to enter Baras."

As a neutral country, Anatolia has maintained ambassadorial diplomatic relations and personnel flow with Plossen, but its navy is not allowed to enter the Aegean Sea through the Anatolian Strait.

Wang Zhong: "You mean, we might run into Prosom soldiers without heavy equipment, right?"

"Yes. In addition, the Royal Air Force once shot down a Lufthansa passenger plane on the western border of Barras, and found personnel and equipment in the wreckage."

It seems that King Barras is not completely without the support of Prosen.

However, air transport in this era can basically only transport infantry and light weapons, and should not encounter Plossen's armored forces.

No matter how elite the light infantry are, they are still light infantry and will still suffer losses when facing tanks.

Wang Zhong casually flipped through the information he had just received, then handed it to his adjutant Yakov.

Anyway, Pavlov must have seen it all, so don't worry.

He came to the map with the entire battle plan drawn on it, and Pavlov immediately picked up the map stick and began to explain: "We estimate that the main difficulty of the battle will be here."

The map stick is poking at a place called Moha.

"This place is defended by the 2nd Division of the Barras Kingdom's Guards. This is a division built based on the organization of the Proshen Armored Grenadier Division. It has more than combat troops and weapons such as the Type and Type tanks purchased before the war, as well as the Matilda."

Wang Zhong suddenly raised his voice: "And Matilda?"

Colonel Benjamin was a little embarrassed. “Yes, we sold it to King Barras. After the war between Plossom and the United Kingdom, Plossom’s source of weapons was cut off, and the equipment of the Barras Kingdom Army mainly came from us.”

Wang Zhong stared at Colonel Benjamin: "Besides Matilda, what else is there? Is there Churchill?"

The only advantage of Churchill's thing is that it is disgustingly hard. If Barras had a Churchill, he would have to adjust the vortex.

Colonel Benjamin shook his head: "No, they only have the Matilda 1 infantry tank and the Crusader cruiser tank."

The United Kingdom calls tanks with heavy armor, slow speed and large-caliber short-barreled guns infantry tanks, and tanks with fast maneuverability, thinner armor and cruiser tanks.

The usage of the two types of tanks is just as their names suggest. Infantry tanks are mainly used to support infantry, while cruiser tanks are used for guerrilla warfare like cruisers.

In fact, it can be simply understood as heavy tanks and light tanks.

Wang Zhong recalled the specifications of the Matilda I tank and said, "That means they have basically no armor advantage over the T1, right?"

Benjamin: "Of course. The United Kingdom forces to the south will use Churchill tanks and Valentine tanks, as well as M4 Shermans, which will also have an armor advantage over them. This operation will be an armed parade. The only suspense is how long it will take us to rush to the capital."

Wang Zhong thought for a moment and said to Pavlov, "Our tank troops need to dock at the port and then hoist the tanks onto the shore, right?"

Pavlov asked in return: "What if it's not?"

Wang Zhong scratched his head. Sure enough, there was no such thing as a tank landing ship in this era—at least not Ant.

"So how are infantry units going to deal with enemy tanks?"

Pavlov: "Incendiary bombs and anti-tank guns. According to the technical specifications provided to us by the United Kingdom, anti-tank guns can penetrate Crusader tanks and can also attack the observation window of Matilda. As for incendiary bombs... as long as they can be thrown, the effect will not be bad."

Wang Zhong: "Equip the troops with light anti-tank guns. If the enemy chooses a good position, anti-tank guns and incendiary bombs alone may not be enough." Pavlov: "Well, the 45mm anti-tank gun can indeed be placed on the assault boat and directly rushed to the beach, and the troops can also tow it away more conveniently."

Wang Zhong paced back and forth in front of the map, turned around twice and said, "Look, can we just drive a ship onto the beach, then cut the bow with a spray gun or something, and drive the tank directly from the ship onto the beach?"

Colonel Benjamin showed an expression of disbelief: "This... is too rough, isn't it?"

Wang Zhong: "I hope my troops have tank support, but now we don't have time to make amphibious tanks or tank landing ships."

Pavlov: "Wait a minute, the T34 is too heavy to be carried by a wooden boat. But if it is the ZIS-3 self-propelled anti-tank gun equipped in large quantities by the First Mobile Army, it can be carried by a wooden boat. After hitting the beach, cut off the bow and drive it to the beach."

Wang Zhong: "Okay, then let's borrow a company of ZIS-3 from the old unit. When will the operation be launched?"

Colonel Benjamin: "D-Day is currently scheduled for the 28th of this month."

"It should still be in time," Wang Zhong ordered Pavlov, "Formulate a transportation plan as quickly as possible and mobilize the troops... the anti-tank battalion of the 225th Division. The 225th Division has not experienced large-scale tank battles and is relatively well preserved."

Pavlov nodded. "Okay. Since we've already withdrawn troops, how about transferring the Vortex? The Vortex troops have suffered almost no losses, and they've been resting for half a month now."

Wang Zhong: "Can a wooden boat be put on it? The vortex and the T34 are of the same tonnage."

Pavlov: "Although we can't rush to the beach, we can use it to deal with the enemy's fortresses later. The vortex is a 100mm gun. The high-explosive shell is enough to destroy most bunkers, and tanks and the like are also destroyed."

Wang Zhong: "Is the transportation capacity sufficient?"

Pavlov: “That’s enough.”

"Very good, that's it."

Colonel Benjamin was even happier: "Can we see the vortex in action? Great! We intercepted a telegram from Plosson that described the vortex as very powerful. We can finally see it with our own eyes."

Wang Zhong didn't take his words seriously at first, but he was shocked when he heard this: "Wait a minute! Have you been able to decipher the Enigma code?"

Colonel Benjamin was embarrassed: "Uh, this... is their plain text telegram..."

Wang Zhong: "According to the Treaty of Alliance and Mutual Assistance, I have the right to ask the Allies to share intelligence. Yakov, immediately draft a formal application and ask the Allies to release information related to the decryption of the Enigma code."

Yakov: "Eh? How should I write this application? I don't know the format!"

Wang Zhong wanted to hold his forehead with his hand. Damn it, if Vasily had already started acting, Colonel Benjamin would have been fooled.

Fortunately, Pavlov took over the responsibility: "I drafted it myself. Colonel Benjamin, you have been hoping that we would launch an attack to share your pressure, but you did not tell us the secret of Enigma. Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Colonel Benjamin: “Well, we did crack the Enigma code, but it’s a complex code that requires a lot of decoding work even if it’s cracked.

"We gathered a large number of mathematicians to decipher it day and night..."

Wang Zhong: "As far as I know, we in Ant do have a little gap with the United Kingdom in other scientific fields, but mathematics is the only thing we are not bad at."

Colonel Benjamin was embarrassed: "Uh, this..."

Wang Zhong: "How about this, we will submit a formal application. Please give us the complete method for deciphering the Enigma code, and we will organize mathematicians to decipher it ourselves."

Colonel Benjamin: "To be honest, this is not something I can decide. But I think the Prime Minister will not refuse. It may just require you to launch some substantial offensives."

Wang Zhong: "We will. That's it, Pavlov, remember to write the application."

Colonel Benjamin: "Let's continue talking about D-Day which is coming soon."

Wang Zhong: “Okay.”

Colonel Benjamin: "At 4 a.m. on D-Day, a task force from the 1st Parachute Division will parachute outside Moha, take control of the airport, and cut off the enemy's air support."

Pavlov added: "In one hour, the 393rd Marine Infantry Brigade will land on the beach east of Moha. Landing here will allow them to directly flank the junction between the port and the main city."

Wang Zhong: "Then our troops will rush directly into the port?"

"Yes, the enemy has basically no navy, so we plan to drive the gunboats into the port area to provide direct fire support." Pavlov said as he knocked hard on the port with his map stick.

Wang Zhong: "Sure. Davarish of the Marine Infantry on the beach has already inspected it, right?"

"We have inspected it," said Alomeev, commander of the 393rd Brigade.

"I leave it to you." said Wang Zhong.

Alomeev saluted: "I promise to complete the task."

(End of this chapter)