Gundam, but from the Ground Alliance to the Human Alliance to the out-of-control servitor

The agent directly transferred the video communication screen to the screen in Lieutenant General Krueger's command car; it was touching that since the war broke out, this was the first time that such high-definition frontline video communication could be accessed here.

Colonel Nair's confident face appeared in the center of the picture. In the background, there were broken electronic screens, flying bloodstains, and federal infantrymen dragging corpses past from time to time.

It seems that even though the Zeon army is empty of troops, it still resists firmly.

"Didn't you encounter a large-scale Zeon force...?"

However, Lieutenant General Kruger's expression only improved slightly for a moment, and then darkened again.

"Are there any officers who captured Zeon? Or other information collected?"

"Hmm...I'm still confirming this. These Zeon guys are indeed fighting tenaciously..."

"Then confirm the situation as soon as possible. Now I really want to know the movements of the Zeon army!"

Lieutenant General Kruger seemed to have lost interest and turned his attention back to the holographic projection sand table in the center of the command room. On it, more and more plots of land were dyed into the red of enemy-occupied areas and the gray of lost contact.

"Lieutenant General Kruger does have reason to be anxious," the agent nodded slightly. The current plan of the 6th Army to concentrate its forces to attack the enemy's first unit can be said to have been in vain:

The several troops that were divided into the combined attack failed to converge at all and either lost contact or encountered the Zeon Army troops in advance.

As a price, it was gradually revealed that several other Zeon airborne troops that had been ignored by Lieutenant General Kruger were not small forces used to distract the Federation.

Throughout northern California, the federal army was already empty-handed. National Guard brigades stationed in Sacramento and Stockton lost contact after reporting large-scale enemy attacks.

In such a situation between ourselves and the enemy, how could Lieutenant General Kruger, who had originally hoped to concentrate his forces and wipe out the enemy's effective forces first, not feel restless?

However, such an attitude is a bit too much for the mechanized brigade commander who, despite the fact that he was lucky enough to get something for free, did capture a major logistics base of the Zeon army and destroyed a large amount of Zeon supplies. Indifferent.

"Yes, Colonel Nair, this is the first time the headquarters has heard such good news since the start of the Zeon Army's airborne operations..."

The agent adjusted his voice slightly and said in an excited tone.

"...What you destroyed is most likely the only large logistics base and airborne field that the Zeon Army plans to establish in southern California. This is crucial to the outcome of this battle."

The agent tapped Lieutenant General Krueger gently on the back where the camera could not see it.

"Ah, yes, well done, Nelle."

Lieutenant General Kruger came to his senses, and with a confident expression of victory, he pushed away the haze that had shrouded his face for a long time.

"Haha, I have a hunch that when we write the first victory of the Federation Army on the ground in the future, you will at least be the protagonist of the prologue!"

"Then I will continue to collect the information left by the Zeon Army. I will report to you in detail later when I have the results!"

Colonel Nair's face became obviously much more relaxed, he saluted, and then the screen closed.

The command room of the group army fell into silence. After a while, Lieutenant General Kruger smiled bitterly and shook his head, pointing to the agent behind him and said:

"I'm really spoiled - after staying with you for so long, I have forgotten the mental outlook that I need to maintain at all times as the commander of an army."

"As for me, you really don't have to worry. No matter what, I will try my best to fight until the last moment——"

The agent didn't say much, he just gently lifted the thermos on the locker on one side and poured a cup of still-steaming coffee for Lieutenant General Kruger;

Unfortunately, Lieutenant General Krueger only had various instant coffee powders here. The only indicator he used to evaluate coffee was the caffeine content, making it impossible for the agent to use the skills he had trained under Director Fanel.

"-But you are really too nervous these days, and your lifestyle goes far beyond the scope of health. You only slept for three hours last night; you should note that your physical and mental health as a coach also affects your victory. The important weight in the scale.”

"thanks,"

Lieutenant General Kruger gently touched the liquid level in the coffee cup with his lips to confirm that the temperature was right, then raised the cup and drank it all.

"But how can I relax in this situation? Isn't my daily exercise... just for... being able to survive the critical few days..."

As he spoke, Lieutenant General Kruger still completely leaned his back on the seat and closed his eyes.

"I will alert you if there is an emergency."

The agent turned off the lights in the command room, leaving only the bright blue light emitted by the various display screens and the holographic sand table, which faintly reflected the outline of the agent standing upright.

Chapter 22: The Long Night (2)

In the early morning of March 0079.3.2, Year 7 of the Universe (UC37), D+[-]:[-].

The rapid sound of gunfire woke Lieutenant General Kruger from his nap. He suddenly stood up using the armrests of his chair, and almost fell back because he felt dizzy for a moment - it was the agent who supported him from behind.

Lieutenant General Kruger gasped and opened his eyes wide, but only felt that there were only scattered and chaotic light spots in his eyes. It took a while before his normal vision returned.

"What's going on, agent, where's the shooting!?"

"The Zeon Army entered the city of Santa Clarita from the north on Interstate 5 and exchanged fire with the stationed part of the 47th Motorized Infantry Brigade. We are confirming the specific situation, Lieutenant General."

Lieutenant General Kruger, who was rubbing his temples to soothe the buzzing in his ears, tried hard to get rid of fatigue and sleepiness, broke away from the agent's support and said:

"I...go wash my face and find out the size of the enemy and the direction of attack as soon as possible!"

"As you wish."

……

Unlike the 2nd Descent Division, which landed directly on Edwards Air Force Base, the Zeon Earth Attack Force's 3rd Descent Division landed in Grapevine Town, located at the southernmost tip of California's Central Valley;

It's said to be a town, but it's actually just a place similar to a highway rest area.

There are large areas of flat wasteland and dry riverbeds around here, which can facilitate the assembly and deployment of airborne troops - this is what Zeon's combat plan envisages.

However, when Zeon's 3rd Descended Division landed, they discovered that the land at the foot of the mountain was indeed flat. However, in the tsunami caused by the falling fragments of the colonial satellite, it was also the seawater rushing out of the valley that was the first to be washed away. a place for soaking;

Even now, more than a month later, this wasteland, which has no vegetation and lacks the asphalt cement ground reinforcement in the city, is still a large quagmire.

The 3rd Descending Division had to waste a lot of time to complete the regrouping of the airborne troops without large-scale contact with the Federal Army, and hurriedly began to separate north and south along Interstate 5.

Among them, the Southern Route Army ran into the defense line of the Federal Army's 1th Motorized Infantry Brigade head-on after an hour's drive.

"Get off everyone!"

At the sound of a whistle, the armored grenadiers of the Zeon Army jumped off the infantry fighting vehicles that turned out of the road and spread out to the hillsides on both sides of the road, allowing the mobile suits and airborne tank units to quickly advance along the middle of the road to form a A spearhead of attack.

The mechanized infantry of the federal army held several commanding heights in the westernmost part of Santa Clarita, overlooking the intersection of north-south Interstate 5 and east-west State Highway 126.

Due to the low visibility at night, the small group of leading Zeon scouts had to turn on the headlights of their hoverbikes, and were then spotted by the sentries of the 47th Mech Brigade——

As a security force left directly around the headquarters by Lieutenant General Krueger, and stationed in Santa Clarita, which is surrounded by mountains and was slightly better affected by the disaster, the 47th Motorized Infantry Brigade can be said to be completely acting as an agent. under surveillance;

Even if it is a fixed sentry post for peripheral security, a telephone line can be directly connected to Lieutenant General Kruger's command vehicle.

Under the occasional inspections by agents, the 47th Mech Brigade maintained a high degree of vigilance. After discovering Zeon's vanguard, they immediately decided to let these scouts go and hide directly to ambush Zeon's main follow-up force;

However, unfortunately and fortunately for Zeon:

The landmines that were not triggered by the hoverbike caused the airborne tanks of the follow-up troops to run directly over them. The muffled sound of the mine explosion made the nervous Federation soldiers mistake it for an attack order and headed directly towards the Zeon scouts riding on the hoverbike. Fire.

At this moment, the fact that the federal army was on guard here was undoubtedly exposed.

"Quick, quick, don't stay on the road... Let the troops behind stop and hide first!"

This road built in the valley greatly restricted the deployment of Zeon troops, forcing Zeon officers to greet them back and forth and drive the convoys blocking the road to both sides of the road.

"Hell, I thought we were all late, but didn't I expect that the other troops were slower than us?!"

According to prior space reconnaissance, Zeon is convinced that this should be a gathering point for the Federation Army in California, and it is very likely to be the location of the local Federation headquarters——

Therefore, there are three airborne divisions, plus an independent mobile suit group, all with Santa Clarita City as the center to arrange landing points, striving to eliminate this federal army's nest as soon as possible.

Looking from a partially collapsed residential building on the roadside, in the Zeon officer's telescope, there were countless tracer bullets flying around with fire shadows; that was the federal army following the debris of buildings on both sides of the road and on the hillside. Firefight with Zeon infantry before infiltration.

"[Side 3 expletive] Aren't the Federals well prepared? What about other flanking forces?"

An airborne tank turned into the branch road next to the interstate highway, then slowly climbed up the hillside beside the road. It turned the turret and fired a grenade at the building with muzzle flashes in the distance and where federal infantry was hiding. .

But in the next second, flares were fired from the Federation's position, illuminating the Zeon airborne tanks that were trying to attack them. Several anti-tank missiles were immediately fired in this direction.

The airborne tank fell backwards by surprise, but even though it had the word "airborne" in its name, the airborne tank weighing more than 30 tons was not a light vehicle with such a sensitive response, and it still failed to hide behind the mountain before the missile arrived.

"boom!"

A plume of black smoke emerged from the body of the airborne tank. Relying on inertia and gravity, the destroyed airborne tank slid crookedly down the hillside, blocking a branch road for the Zeon army to deploy its troops.

The Zeon officer curled his lips. This would not work if it continued like this. It would turn into a fueling tactic. He waved his hand forward.

"Hurry up and let the engineering brigade come forward to clear the federal minefields..."

"Ugh-"

The sound of large-caliber artillery shells whizzing through the air is so conspicuous that it is not buried in the bursts of gunfire.

"Since the Zeon army moved from the valley along Interstate 5, then we only need to carry out shelling along the highway, agent?"

Lieutenant General Kruger, who had recovered, stood next to the holographic sand table again and drew a bombardment zone along the road.

"No problem, General Kruger. The entire headquarters is under the preset coordinate network for our fixed-point bombardment."

Hundreds of photoelectric signals were output from the command vehicle. The heavy artillery units directly under the group army and the artillery in the artillery battalion under the mechanized infantry brigade all raised their gun barrels uniformly.

Chapter 23: The Long Night (3)

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Chapter 24: The Long Night (4)

Santa Clarita is a satellite city in the valley northwest of the Los Angeles metropolitan area. It is surrounded by mountains, so it was slightly less damaged by the impact of a large tsunami caused by the impact of the colonial satellite debris;

A small river named Santa Clara passes through the city from east to west, and finally merges into the Pacific Ocean; this river once dried up, leaving only the cracked river bed exposed, but the intrusion of the remaining sea water and subsequent climate abnormalities caused Frequent rainfall has allowed considerable water flow to re-gather here.

It has been more than half a month since Lieutenant General Krueger selected this place as a temporary assembly point for federal troops in southern California;

At the agent's suggestion, the original camera network in the entire city was restored, and various barracks, positions and outposts were connected by wired telephones and the Internet, plus laser signal transceiver stations placed at commanding heights in the city. ——

It can be said that in this small city with a radius of less than [-] miles, the federal army still managed to maintain communication and battlefield awareness capabilities comparable to those before the outbreak of the war despite the interference of nanoparticles.

"Lieutenant General Kruger, the Zeon Army's mobile suits have broken into multiple groups and invaded the city. Five groups have been found, heading towards our artillery positions."

As the agent waved his arm, five small red triangles appeared on the holographic sand table at the junction of the edge of the hillside and the town, and quickly moved into the city.

In this small city where the average building height is less than three stories and was developed purely to alleviate the crowded and expensive housing problem in the Los Angeles metropolitan area, Zaku, who is more than 17 meters tall, has no place to hide.

"Did we cross the mountain range in just over twenty minutes? What a terrifying all-terrain maneuverability... We don't have enough defense forces in this direction..."

Lieutenant General Kruger affirmed that the troops of the 47th Motorized Infantry Brigade stationed here can only block several major highway intersections passing through the town. It is undoubtedly a fantasy to fill the entire boundary between the town and the mountains. .

"...It's really difficult. Even if Zeon is airborne from orbit, it can gather far more troops than us here. It seems that we can't stay here forever."

The agent nodded slightly in agreement. According to the known intelligence, the appearance of such a large Zaku force meant that the attack from the north must come from another division-level Zeon airborne force different from Edwards.

Coupled with the Zeon troops landing near San Francisco and Sacramento in northern California, the situation in California that is extremely unfavorable to the federal army has gradually become clear.

So, what was the reaction of Gabro's Federation Army headquarters to the Zeon Army's large-scale airborne landing?

Very simple, only eight words:

"If you hold on firmly, there will be a solution."

Of course, this is not an excuse. The federal army is indeed in action. The air assault brigades belonging to the entire North American theater are already gathering and even boarding planes to take off. The heavy troops on the ground have now been loaded onto trains. , heading towards California——

In this case, in the eyes of the staff at Gabro's headquarters, asking Lieutenant General Kruger to contain Zeon's airborne troops in California is not an unreasonable request. The only problem is:

Now, Lieutenant General Kruger's 6th Army, facing the Zeon Army's 'small' number of 'lightly armed' airborne troops, was about to be unable to hold on even before the first night was over.

"Please dispatch my intelligence control team, General Kruger. We should be able to hold off Zeon's mobile suits for a while."

The agent turned slightly sideways, raised his right arm as if to invite, and pointed his fingers together toward the outside of the command vehicle door—rows of tactical robots and unmanned combat vehicles were already activated.

As a small gift from Brigadier General Gamitov Heyman, an entire combined battalion-sized unmanned mechanized force was deployed to the California theater with agents;

The various types of equipment under its jurisdiction include those that were urgently withdrawn from the production line and modified after the outbreak of the war, as well as the results left over from unmanned weapons test projects at different times in the history of the Federal Army. Now they are all handed over to agents for control. .

"Let's move out. If the wireless remote control hadn't been interfered by rice particles, we should have been involved in the battle long ago."

Lieutenant General Kruger did not hesitate. At this time, every ounce of combat power should be fully utilized:

"Let me see the potential of unmanned combat; we must attract the Zeon Army mobile suit units that are turning around and create opportunities for friendly forces to move. Can you do it, agent?"

"Do my best."

There was no impassioned mobilization speech before departure, no passionate oath of victory when entering the battle. Except for the slight clicking sound of a mechanical joint in operation, the unmanned intelligent control team boarded the vehicle in silence.

"The flash of Union artillery fire is gone, Captain!"