Cannon Fire Arc

At 6 p.m. on the 23rd, the headquarters of the First Mobile Group Army of Yeisk Ante was bustling.

Wang Zhong set down the preliminary casualty and battle report from the front line and said to Pavlov, "Our losses are still significant, and the Prosen armored units remain an insurmountable obstacle for us."

Pavlov replied, "Last year, we had several elegantly executed engagements, once we benefitted from the enemy's lack of experience against the T34 tanks, and the other times were pre-set defensive battles."

"Indeed, we haven't managed to gain an advantage in the plains armor clashes. In the previous armored engagements on the grasslands outside Yeisk, we had the edge in equipment with the vortex, yet it all ended the way it did."

As Pavlov spoke, Popov picked up the preliminary report and after glancing at it said, "Actually, the main losses were suffered by the 40th Tank Army, who operate older tanks and are scarcely equipped with radios. It's a side proof that the new measures we've taken in our Army Group are very effective."

Wang Zhong said, "That's one way to put it. It's a pity that radio production is still insufficient. The equipment department's report before we arrived said that it wouldn't be until October this year that every tank produced could be guaranteed to have a radio."

Many of Ante's precision industries were mainly set up in the industrial zone of Saint Andrew Fort, and now Saint Andrew Fort is under siege by Prosen, so the lost production capacity is not so easily recovered.

Popov remarked, "Thinking about it, our abundance of radios seems a bit extravagant."

Wang Zhong said, "I won't reduce our radio allocation, no! Our Army Group's troop quality is naturally higher than that of ordinary Ante units. Equipping more radios to fully utilize the advantage of troop quality is far better than giving them to units filled with raw recruits."
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Popov chuckled and said, "I didn't suggest reducing our radios."

His tone changed as he returned to the current operational objectives, "We've already hurt the enemy's 10th Army Group. Now we'll see if the decoy tanks can fool the enemy."

Pavlov checked his watch, "It's about the time for the enemy's reconnaissance aircraft to arrive – they come every day at this point, take photos and flee under the cover of night."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the phone rang. Pavlov immediately picked up the receiver, "Headquarters. Alright, I understand."

After putting down the receiver, he told Wang Zhong, "They're here. Brother Peter heard a high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft and several bombers; they must be coming to bomb us and conduct reconnaissance at the same time."

Wang Zhong responded, "Good, let the antiaircraft units make it look convincing! Also, ignite the tires at the predetermined locations."

Igniting tires was meant to create black smoke to disrupt the enemy's photographic reconnaissance. However, this time Wang Zhong specifically adjusted the position of the tire piles to ensure enough "gaps" were left for the enemy to discover the "tank units" gathering.

After issuing his orders, Wang Zhong happily switched perspectives, looking for the reconnaissance aircraft in the sky.

It didn't take much effort for him to find the reconnaissance aircraft among the bombers, and thanks to the overhead view, he could even clearly see the enemy observer's face behind the glass.

—You better keep your eyes peeled, observer Vasily! Take a good look at the tanks on the ground!

————

On reconnaissance aircraft No. 103 of the Prosen Air Force, Air Force Major Hans Fred was operating a ground observation device that had been converted from a bombing sight. This device was linked to the high-magnification camera installed on the belly of the plane; by pressing a button on the device, Fred could take a photograph.

The plane's old camera was still intact, and once its timer was started, it would take a picture at regular intervals, creating a string of photos that would detail the path the reconnaissance plane flew over the enemy territory.

Major Fred scrutinized the ground when the pilot's voice came through his headset, "Do you see anything?"

Fred replied, "Nothing yet. The enemy has lit tires, using dense smoke to block my view."

Just as he finished speaking, about a kilometer in front of the plane, a small black blossom exploded.

The Ante People's antiaircraft gun had fired upon them.

The aircraft noticeably leaned to the right, and through the glass, it was evident that the other bombers were also circling to the right.

The artillery fire range of the ground antiaircraft was generally ineffective against bombers, but Prosen pilots weren't keen on testing their armoring and structural integrity against the flak zone.

The squadron's path switched to southeast, avoiding the flak-filled killing zone now crowded with black smoke umbrellas.

The formation had barely leveled out when the lead aircraft began a left turn, tilting the floor beneath Fred once again.

However, throughout this maneuver, Fred was completely focused on observing the ground through the scope.

Suddenly, he cried out, "Something's not right! It looks like there are a lot of tanks under the smoke!"

As he spoke, he rapidly pressed the operation button, prompting the camera to take several continuous shots.

The pilot's voice came through the intercom, "Are you certain?"

"Not sure. The smoke is obscuring my view; I can only see the tip of the iceberg. I request to lower altitude!"

After a few seconds of silence, the pilot said, "Wait for the bombs from the bombers to explode, which might change the wind direction slightly and clear the view."

At that moment, a new artillery barrage from the antiaircraft guns appeared, this time on the flank of the Prosen squadron's flight direction.

But this time, the Ante People were more cautious, with some antiaircraft guns not pre-aiming but rather making a blind guess at the new heading of the squadron.

They guessed correctly, although it might also be due to long-term studies summarizing the flight patterns of Prosen aircraft.

After all, whether it's Prosen's navigators or the leaders of their formations, they all preferred to act by the book – it's not prejudice, it's a fact.

In any case, just as the lead aircraft began to turn, black clouds appeared amidst the squadron.

An antiaircraft shell exploded near aircraft No. 103, and Fred heard the sound of something colliding in the cabin behind him, followed by the curses from the machine gunner coming through the intercom, "Damn! I've been hit by shrapnel! Damn it!"

Still, Fred ignored it all, his attention fixed on the ground below.

Suddenly, a fragment pierced through the glass window of his battle station, shattering the glass, and then smashed the instrument panel on his left.

Fred swore and turned his head to see that the mercury gauge was shattered and mercury spilled out, dribbling onto the steel plate.

Captain: "What's going on? Can we continue the observation?"

"Yes! Please continue to circle."

At this moment, the bomber fleet began to drop bombs, with heaps of explosives pouring out of the bomb bays, plummeting toward the ground.

After completing the bombing, the bomber fleet began to circle right, preparing to enter the return flight path.

Fred shouted, "Don't return! We need to figure out the situation on the ground!"

Captain: "Don't worry, I have no plans to return yet—not for the moment. You have five minutes to confirm the situation on the ground, or I have to leave. The longer we linger over enemy territory, the greater the chance of getting tangled up with enemy fighters!"

Fred's eyes were pressed tightly against the eyepiece of the observation device, as if the next moment his eyeballs were going to be gouged out by the rim of the eyepiece.

"Can't we fly a bit lower?" he asked.

Captain: "No! We're heading back, and from high altitude! Otherwise, the enemy's high-altitude fighters will come up!"

Since the "enemy's high-altitude fighters" were mentioned, Fred raised his head and looked toward the direction of the sun—because the sun's blinding light could camouflage the silhouette of planes, so most sneak attacks were launched from the direction of the sun.

Perhaps it was because he had been staring at the observation device for too long, but for a moment Fred thought he saw enemy planes preparing to dive.

He then realized that it was nearly impossible for human eyes to clearly see such distant objects when facing the sunlight—even a four-engine heavy bomber was hard to make out under these conditions.

Fred said to the captain: "I think I saw something in the direction of the sun."

"What?" the captain exclaimed in shock. "Where? Let me look!"

A few seconds later, the captain's voice was fraught with tension: "You're not wrong, Major Fred! The enemy's high-altitude fighters are up high!"

Where else could high-altitude fighters be if not high up?

The next moment the captain shouted: "Falcon! Calling Falcon! We have critical information that must be taken back to the airfield! Calling Falcon!"

The radio call sign for the fighter group responsible for covering the bomber and reconnaissance plane mixed formation was "Falcon," and they should be waiting somewhere above for the enemy planes to "bite."

The bait, of course, was the twin-engine group below.

As the captain's cries became increasingly hysterical, the top turret gunner yelled: "Enemy plane! Coming straight for us! I'm opening fire!"

The sound of the machine gun firing came through.

Major Fred felt his adrenaline surge as sweat broke out on his forehead.

With shaky hands due to the tension, he adjusted the zoom setting of the camera gun and pressed the button repeatedly.

Suddenly, the plane jerked.

The co-pilot shouted: "Left engine out!"

A MiG-3 roared past behind tail number 103.

The tail turret also opened fire.

Fred's headset was filled with the pop-pop sound of the defensive machine guns.

Then, quickly, a voice rose in the headsets of all the crew: "Falcon is here!"

Fred couldn't help but look away from the observation device, searching for the Prosen Air Force fighters.

He saw them.

109 fighters, with their signature yellow noses, reflected the sunlight as they dove from on high.

The MiG-3s that had been preparing to surround aircraft number 103 began defensive maneuvers.

Fred saw a MiG-3 attempt to execute an Immelmann turn to slip under the diving 109, but the 109 pilot anticipated it and started rolling in advance.

As soon as the MiG-3 finished its maneuver, the 109 rolled in pursuit, and the pilot easily executed a large turning radius.

The MiG-3 caught fire and plummeted to the ground trailing thick smoke.

Fred felt relieved and was ready to continue observing the ground, but by this time the reconnaissance plane had begun to circle, turning towards the return flight path.

Fred shouted, "Our fighters are here, let me take more pictures!"

"There's no time, we've lost an engine! Even returning now we might only manage an emergency landing in our controlled area! We must go!"

With no other choice, Fred disregarded the fact that the plane now felt like a ship about to capsize, and frantically pressed the buttons on the observation device to take photos.

He could only hope that some of the photos developed would be usable!