Arc of Gunfire

Proson Technical Experimental Force.

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin watched as technicians inspected the night vision equipment mounted on the Panther tank.

At this time, Major Luke of the 51st Panzergrenadier Regiment of the 9th Panzergrenadier Division, who was cooperating with their actions, came over and stood next to the tank that had started. He put his hand in front of the smoke exhaust vent to warm himself with the warm exhaust gas.

"It's so cold, Lieutenant Colonel." He said, "This night vision equipment of yours is just a searchlight. What if it is knocked down by an enemy sniper?"

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin shook his head: "No, this headlight emits infrared rays. Only the infrared night vision device equipped on the top of the tank can see what it illuminates. The Ant people do not have infrared night vision devices. Look. Not enough.”

Major Luke: "Then we can't see it either? How can we cooperate with you in total darkness? Your own infantry can't see it either. What's the point?"

"You can see it. As long as we use incendiary bombs to light the enemy's position, you can see the enemy's position." Lieutenant Colonel Kanin said, "Also, there is an identification strip behind the tank that emits weak fluorescence at night. , look at the track to make sure you don’t get caught in the tank as you advance.”

Major Luke took out a cigarette: "Damn it, why don't you, the tank commander, light a cigarette and let us look at the light from the cigarette butt to confirm the location of the tank."

"No, enemy snipers will use the flames of cigarette butts." Lieutenant Colonel Kanin immediately replied, "Before I was transferred to the experimental unit, there were officers who went outside the bunker to smoke in the middle of the night and were killed."

"Being a witch?"

The female biplane pilots who came to bomb at night were called night witches by the Proscenians, and correspondingly Ant's female snipers were also called witches.

Proson's male soldiers would not admit that they were afraid of these Ant female soldiers. They could only slander them for using witchcraft, and what they were afraid of was evil witchcraft.

At this time, the technical chief of the technical experimental force ran over, saluted Lieutenant Colonel Kanin, and then reported: "All night vision equipment and 'Nightingale' type infrared headlights have been inspected, and we are ready to attack."

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin: "Got it. Major Luke, please prepare your regiment."

Major Luke pinched out the cigarette and blew out all the remaining smoke in his lungs: "The first actual night combat equipment in human history, we can also leave our name in history."

After saying that, he turned around and disappeared into the night.

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin climbed onto the tank, got into the turret, put on the headphones, and picked up the microphone: "Attention all vehicles, activate the infrared headlights and night vision equipment, and start moving forward."

The engine volume of the lieutenant colonel's car suddenly increased, and the car jumped forward a step before turning into a steady progress.

"Hank," the colonel called the pilot's name, "don't be so aggressive."

Corporal Hank: "Lieutenant Colonel, I have just finished armored recruit training. The 38T training tank I drove in school is not suitable for the Panther yet."

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin: "Ploson soldiers will not make excuses for themselves, remember this."

"Yes Lieutenant Colonel."

The gunner intervened in the conversation: "Lieutenant Colonel, the technical sergeants said that infrared rays are a kind of heat energy, so are we warming up the Ant soldiers? Can they feel the heat and notice that we are attacking?"

Lieutenant Colonel: "The technical sergeant said no."

"But during the last test, I put my hand in front of the headlight and it was really hot!"

Lieutenant Colonel: "That's because the headlight is an electrical appliance. If you put your hand close to the glowing light bulb, it will get hot. Stop talking nonsense and observe carefully."

After that, the lieutenant colonel picked up the infrared night vision device specially equipped for him.

Because night vision devices are relatively large and expensive to build, even the modified tanks of the technical experimental unit only have two night vision devices, one for the gunner and the driver, the commander and the electromechanical personnel (part-time machine gunner) next to the driver. There is no such thing.

The lieutenant colonel's hand-held night vision device was removed from the machine gun of the infantry squad - yes, in an infantry squad, only the machine gunner has a night vision device.

On the other side of the earth, Sandoko once equipped the STG44 assault rifle with night vision devices in the late period and distributed them to a small number of elite troops. However, Proson has not yet developed an assault rifle. Night vision devices are now experimental products and are in very small quantities.

The lieutenant colonel saw the "road" illuminated by infrared headlights through the night vision device. He was a little surprised that the lighting effect of the headlights was so good.

He suddenly remembered the first time he saw a kaleidoscope when he was a child. Facing the magnificent world in the kaleidoscope, he must have been so surprised and full of curiosity.

After "playing" for a while, as the excitement passed, the lieutenant colonel felt the limitations of the night vision device.

The field of view is too small. Even if the magnification is adjusted to the lowest level and the field of view is maximized, it is only such a small area.

And in the parts not illuminated by infrared headlights, everything is very blurry.

The lieutenant colonel took off the night vision goggles and observed the night with the naked eye. Although there was almost no moonlight at this time, the human eye could still barely distinguish the outline of the trees.

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin began to wonder, can this thing really enhance night combat capabilities?

Ant's witches are not known to have night vision goggles, but they can always throw bombs where the Prosins are stationed.

————

Filipov suddenly heard the phone ringing and looked up from the chessboard.

He is studying chess records alone, which is a new pleasure he has recently discovered.

The regiment staff officer picked up the receiver: "This is the regiment headquarters. What's going on? The sound of the engine? Are you sure?"

Filipov stood up and took the receiver from the staff officer. He happened to hear the battalion commander on the other end of the phone making a hurried report: "There is indeed an engine sound. Everyone heard it. It was very loud, but we did not see the enemy's Flares, which were not in keeping with the Plosans' practice of attacking at night.

"I have ordered the soldiers to enter the position."

Filipov: "Your order is fine. Continue to observe and report any findings."

At this time, another phone also started to buzz. It happened to be next to the staff officer, so he picked it up easily.

Filipov put down the receiver in his hand and looked at the staff officer.

The staff officer repeated Filipov's order just now, put down the receiver and reported: "The second battalion also heard the sound of the engine."

Filipov: "The third battalion did not hear it. The second battalion heard it a little later than the first battalion - the enemy's main offensive force was in the position of the first battalion. Take over the first battalion of the 355th Regiment."

Filipov's regiment has just received reinforcements from the 1st Battalion of the 355th Regiment. This battalion is now the regiment reserve and is staying behind the core position of the regiment.

The staff officer immediately answered the phone and handed the receiver to Filippov.

"Commander, what's the matter?" asked the battalion commander of the 355th Regiment.

Filipov: "You move toward the first battalion's position immediately. They may be attacked soon."

"Now? When it's this dark?"

Filipov: "Just in case."

As soon as he finished speaking, there was an explosion outside the regiment bunker.

Staff officer: "It sounds like the direction of the first battalion."

Filipov: "Did you hear the sound? Now, leave quickly."

"yes."

Filipov almost dropped the receiver on the phone, then came to the observation window of the regiment bunker and looked out.

There was obviously fire in the first battalion's position, and then there were continuous explosions.

Staff officer: "They were touched? So the sound of the engine is a camouflage trick to attract our attention, and the infantry who were touched are the main force?"

Filipov: "There should be intensive gunfire."

At this time the phone rang again.

Filipov immediately picked up the receiver. Only then did he realize that he had hit it too hard and the receiver shell was slightly cracked, but it did not seem to affect its function.

The voice of a battalion commander came from the receiver: "Captain! Something is wrong! We saw the cannon fire at a distance of 800 to 1,000 meters. It was too dark to see clearly and there was no way to measure the range.

"But the enemy can accurately shoot at the bunker we repaired in the afternoon."

In the afternoon, Filipov's regiment occupied the enemy's first position, advanced about five kilometers, and then stopped at the edge of the extreme range of our artillery fire.

The current fire points and bunkers on the first battalion's position should have been temporarily repaired after occupying the position, and there may not be time to camouflage them.

But—calling the firepower points one by one in the middle of the night?

Filipov: "The enemy set off flares? Why can't I see it at the regiment headquarters?"

"No! This is the evil place. We have extinguished all the light sources on the position. We extinguished them when we heard the sound of the engine. And I swear that the soldiers did not violate discipline. All candlelights were blocked. Will not be seen by enemies from afar."

Filippov: "This is crazy."

He looked outside again to make sure there was no moonlight.

At this time, the battalion priest hurriedly ran into the regiment bunker: "What's going on? The enemy attacked? I didn't see the flare."

The priest is going to rest according to his schedule at the moment, and will come back to replace Filipov and the others in the middle of the night.

Filipov: "We are trying to figure out what happened."

Priest: "What do you mean?"

At this time, the staff officer suddenly said with a look of fear: "Maybe it's a vampire! There are Moravia among the Proscenians. Moravia is also the hometown of the vampire Count Dracula. The Prossens may have found the reclusive vampire. The tribe organized a vampire army to fight at night!"

Priest: "The church has specially studied the legend of vampires. After all, the Moravians are distant relatives to us. The Eastern Holy Church also has quite a few followers in Moravia, among which the secular sect accounts for a large proportion.

“The local church has researched the legend of vampires and believes that the so-called vampires may be people who have developed antibodies to rabies, because rabies gives them better night vision and is also afraid of strong light.

"The local church has been trying to capture a sample and send it back for research, but so far they haven't caught it. I don't quite believe that the Prosin people have found a real vampire."

The staff officer looked at the priest in surprise: "Is that so?"

"That's right. One of the main purposes of the secularists is to use scientific methods to explain those strange things that cause chaos and chaos. On this point, we have certain similarities with Prosin. We can even think that Emperor Prossin learned from the works of St. Andrew. Draw inspiration from.

"It's just that St. Andrew admits those things about strange powers and gods, and needs to study and accept them. The Prosins want to use technology to forcibly replace them."

Filipov couldn't help but interrupt the conversation between the two: "Say something meaningful about the current situation!"

Priest: "We have to grasp the essence of the problem, Captain Davarich, so has the position been lost?"

"No, it's just that the firepower point was hit by the enemy in the dark using incredible methods."

Priest: "Then hold the position first and wait until daybreak."

At this time, gunshots were heard from the first battalion's position.

Filipov grabbed the receiver and was about to call to ask about the situation, but the phone rang on its own.

"Regiment commander!" The voice of a battalion commander came through the receiver. "There is a firefight. The enemy infantry is trying to occupy the position. We are engaged in hand-to-hand combat."

Filipov: "Hold on, the regiment reserve has set off from the regiment headquarters position and should be at your place soon. Resist until the last person!"

————

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin has a strong desire to complain.

This night vision equipment is more useless than imagined! Although the enemy's firepower points and anti-tank gun bunkers were destroyed with night vision equipment, in the end it was still up to the infantry to rush forward and fight the enemy hand-to-hand!

Now there are flames from incendiary bombs on the enemy's position. After the infantry comes up, the two sides are even. It is an ordinary close combat.

Also because of the fire from the enemy's position, the gunner of the Kanin vehicle had turned off the night vision equipment and relied solely on the original sight to find the target.

And the electromechanical personnel who did not have night vision equipment are now relying on the firelight of the enemy's position to find targets and shoot.

So what’s the point of night fighting equipment?

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin relied on his own instincts to realize the most suitable use of these night fighting equipment: penetration raids by elite troops.

Unless this kind of frontal attack does not fire artillery or light things at all, there will be no difference between having night fighting equipment and not having it.

The lieutenant colonel sighed. As a technical experimental unit, his unit had already tested several prototype weapons, but they were basically useless.

Maybe in the future, if these equipments develop, they can become something that can change the shape of war, but now, in their "infant form", they are useless for war.

In order to verify his judgment, Lieutenant Colonel Kanin once again picked up the night vision device specially issued to him and looked at the battlefield.

This time, night vision worked! He saw that the Panzergrenadiers who had just rushed forward to fight hand-to-hand were retreating.

Sure enough, you can’t beat the Ant people in hand-to-hand combat——

No, Lieutenant Colonel Kanin realized that he had blamed the infantryman wrongly this time.

In the distance, under the "illumination" of the infrared searchlight on the Panther's body, a large number of Ant troops were entering the trenches on foot. It was obvious that enemy reinforcements were coming.

Damn, they are indeed the caped Ant Guards. Reinforcements come quickly and the commander's tactical skills are amazing.

"The attack failed. All Leopards, reverse and return to the starting position."

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin's car started first and moved backwards, followed by the other Panthers of the test group.

Except for one.

"Car No. 303, what's wrong with you?" Kanin asked.

No. 303 immediately replied: "Report! The gearbox is finished! Our reverse gear has failed!"

"Then drive forward and turn around!"

"yes!"

Engine No. 303 roared several more times.

Even Lieutenant Colonel Kanin could tell that something was wrong with the gearbox.

No. 303 anxiously reported: "The forward gear is gone, we've broken down!"

"Damn it!" Lieutenant Colonel Kanin ordered, "Don't let the tank be captured. Immediately place explosives on the infrared equipment and prepare to blow up the tank."

"yes!"

At this moment, the gunner exclaimed: "The enemy rushed out of the trenches and pursued our defeated army!"

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin made a prompt decision: "303, blow up the car quickly, other cars stop and cover 303's bombing of the car!"

"No, we've installed the explosives!"

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin looked at No. 303 and saw the commander running backwards with the crew. The tank that remained in place did not even turn off its fire.

Then, an explosion occurred and No. 303 turned into a burning torch.

Burning torch?

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin's scalp felt numb.

Just then the anti-tank guns on Ant's position opened fire.

With a "sun" sound, the artillery shell flew over and hit a Leopard illuminated by No. 303.

Because the distance was only about 800 meters at this time, the Panther was directly penetrated and stopped immediately. The two remaining tank crews jumped out of the tank with astonishing proficiency and ran backwards.

"It's a vortex! Release the smoke!" the lieutenant colonel shouted, "release the smoke quickly, we are illuminated by the fire of No. 303! Release the smoke quickly!"

Amidst the sound of smoke launchers, the first night battle in human history in which night combat equipment was deployed ended in such a disgraceful manner.