High School Soldier
82. Easy small battles 4

25 September 2321, 14:29 WIB/1914 Luan Empire, noon.

**

In the vast expanse of grassland under the clear blue sky, where the people of the Andzrev Continent referred to it as the Holy Land, two armies of great numbers were gathered. The two troops who were in the front row, carried the flag with long sticks and created a steel forest.

The tip of the spear that soared from the 5-meter-long stick, seemed ready to finish off their respective opponents. The best swords of the army have been unsheathed, and are ready to slash the necks of the enemy.

The Combat Equipment that both armies possessed, was prepared at several suitable points. The firing range of the balista and the giant catapult has been tuned, the ammunition in the form of stones and large spears ready to be fired by each weapon operator.

Each commander of the army was at the forefront, at the very front among the thousands of troops they both had. Sigiz clasped his spear tightly, and gulped as he faced an almost balanced number of enemies. The first battle in his 10-year reign is imminent.

Sigiz's troops, even though they had only first undergone a major battle, at least they had abilities on par with those of veteran soldiers. Coupled with the dragon riding troops, the army led by Rantz trembled with the lizard slash army.

The army generals desperately build the spirit of the soldiers who will face the two largest armies of the continent. Although it was able to make the mental soldiers improve, but no one knew about the end result of this war.

At least, Sigiz can feel relieved to get a little help from the TNI. Although the power obtained was only one Combat Group, but it was a choice Sigiz himself made.

No one believed that with the help Sigiz got, the payment that would be given would definitely be very expensive. To get strong help, leaders are not reluctant to pay for it with something big. At least after this battle was over, the Kingdom of Arevelk would ensure itself to be an ally of the TNI.

“Damn it! Why would that bitch queen be able to cooperate with the otherworldly forces!?”

Rantz held her magic sword tighter and tighter, she clenched her teeth as hard as she could. He has no desire to retreat even though Sigiz is getting strong help.

However, he felt fear for the green troops that were inside the iron wagon. He did not want to believe this, as he faced an army that almost destroyed the joint forces of five countries.

There was no other sense that made the face of the entire Luan Empire army stiffen, other than the fear of the green troops that were the aid of the Arevelk Kingdom.

**

The strategy that the Combat Group 1 used was open combat, this was the simplest tactic. Where they will be in the front row to weaken the enemy, then target the weakest part of the enemy, then hand the battle to the troops of Arevelk Kingdom.

The commander of Combat Group 1 ordered each of the Squad commanders to lead his troops.

The division of troops is short, because the combat experience of the troops is arguably quite extensive. Since the battle tactics used by the opponent were direct combat, the commander of this army had to think of a special strategy.

‘Flight attack’ is a tactic that will be used by Combat Group 1, this tactic used by the German military during the 2nd world war. This attack was a method of rapid warfare that relied on infantry troops with armored vehicles, and was supported by close-range air strikes.

This method quickly damages the opponent's defensive line and then disrupts the defensive line. By using various attack maneuvers, this method attempts to upset the opponent's balance by making them difficult to respond to attacks.

A sudden, quick and unexpected attack will bring great defeat on the other side by not giving any chance to reassemble the defense.

Attacking the entire line of defense will be done by the infaternity troops, this way will know the main strength of the enemy and make them difficult to regroup the defense.

This attack will then end with ‘battle extermination’.

“But the problem is the army of witches belonging to the enemy.”

All the information regarding the enemy had been processed, the military magician belonging to the Luan Empire was said to be strong enough to change the course of the war.

At least, 3 main battle tanks with railgun cannons can be relied upon in this battle, dozens of armored vehicles with heavy machine gun firepower and combat helicopters have been fitted with dozens of rockets as small air power.

The message senders from the Arevelk Kingdom forces tell the Commander of Combat Group 1 to do battle first. This opportunity was well received by the Commander of the troops who surnamed the Colonel.

Warriors of Combat Group 1 will do less battle they ‘enjoy’ before to this world. The tactics of war they learned while still in the academy, they would deploy in order to win the battle.

Although Combat Group 1 can certainly win this battle, formulating and implementing tactics is very important in a battle. Because even the strongest forces can lose the battlefield despite a well-coordinated war strategy, proper military strategy, and well-designed operation strategy.

Combat Group 1 had the advantage of helping the Kingdom of Arevelk, which was not bound by Sigiz's command. That is, Sigiz did not have the authority to order the invading Combat Group 1 or any other. Unless he wants this army to fight first.

**

Rantz enforces a war strategy, in which his army of military witches will attack something valuable belonging to an enemy that is too strong to attack. He believes if the green squad has a weakness, at least one weakness.

He thought that if he were to go on a direct attack with a large army, it would only harm this army. That was why he used his army of military magicians to attack the enemy's strongest weapon. When the strongest weapon belonging to the enemy was successfully eliminated, the last attack carried out was to send a large number of troops to eliminate the weakened green troops due to the loss of their strongest weapons.

This army does not have an army of dragon riders, but that does not mean it does not have a strong weapon. This army is equipped with 10 cannons, this weapon will help the army of military magicians to destroy the enemy's strongest weapon.

However, the cannon operator must know the limits this weapon has. If the cannon continues to fire ammunition beyond capacity, it will explode and kill the soldier.

The operators inserted gunpowder from the front of the cannon, at the command of the commander of the artillery section. Because Rantz could immediately give the order to attack.

**

Nio who was leading the 1st Cruiser Squad, looked so excited when he heard the sound of the otherworldly cannon. The sound produced was not as loud as that of a railgun cannon. The entire army muttered about the possession of cannons in the military of this world.

The explosion of the cannonball did not shake the entire Squad that had been scattered, each Squad was not up to 100 meters away.

The commander of each tank ordered the gunner and driver to go and aim at the moving troops with horses. All the shooters in all three main battle tanks had prepared bullets and were aiming at targets while maintaining a suitable distance.

Three consecutive explosive sounds rang out and shocked Sigiz's forces and himself. Even the earth seemed to tremble as the railgun cannon released bullets at the speed of sound.

The army of mages milter cast a short spell while pointing the tip of their wand upwards. A moment later a reddish-colored light appeared and formed a dome that protected the entire army from enemy attacks. Rantz and his troops felt confident that this dome could protect them from the enemy's strongest attack.

Bullets fired from the raligun cannon hit the magic dome. It was impossible if the bombardment of the cannon was unable to destroy the magic dome. Slowly the red transparent dome cracked and shattered after being unable to withstand the shelling of the railgun.

The magicians, which had been neatly arranged, were now easy targets for all squads who had been tamped at an effective distance to shoot assault rifles. The machine gun on the shoulders of some soldiers also fired 800 bullets in a minute.

“Regu 1, guide armored vehicles and rantis to attack the enemy's main magician forces. Replace.”

“Regu 1 will execute the command. Finish.”

His flat conversation with the command center of Combat Group 1 was so clean from the sound of the cries of enemy troops. Nio gave a hand code to the Squad members to lead the army of armored vehicles and rantis that were still on their way.

Dozens of rockets were released from the helicopter that flew just a few tens of meters above the magician army. The witches were powerless with dozens of rockets exploding with great power, even the pieces of the body would later only become scavenger food.

“What does this team really want? If they just want to be a shooting practice taget, they just have to say.”

Nio's expression heard from the radio communication channel only made the members of his Squad smile in anguish.

The Combat Group 1 thought that the Luan Empire's army of military magicians would launch a heavyweight attack. However, all these troops received was a small rain of arrows. Hundreds of arrows only bounced when they hit the body of the armored vehicle.

Soldiers in helicopters carried out air strikes with cannon mounted, in addition to dozens of rockets that had been fired. What the enemy's main troops received from the helicopter gunnery attack was a rain of lead, and the process of instantaneous death.

With ease, bullets from heavy machine guns of armored vehicles deliver death angels to an army of witches with the help of helicopters.

“Why? God of War, why isn't this what I thought?”

Rantz with his pale face looked up at the sky. Bombardment of cannons belonging to his troops, as if useless against a much stronger cannon belonging to the TNI.

This battle was not a draw, but it was the Empire that had challenged the Kingdom of Arevelk to battle. And the Kingdom had obtained help that even destroyed half the power of its military magician army.

A sane soldier would call it a massacre, not a battle. The army of military magicians was not given the chance to chant a single word of spell.

“This is not as told! That damn green army will slaughter us!”

“Retreat! Quick retreat! Release protection shot!”

“Hands! My hand is broken!”

“What magicians do not do something?”

“Cursed are you otherworldly troops!”

The technology gap is wide open, where magic is the strongest weapon of this army against technology owned by the TNI. The problems the Empire had had had weakened the strength of the troops and threatened the existence of the country. The Empire had paid a heavy price for forcing itself to go to war with the other world and the Kingdom of Arevelk.

The wars that are taking place now, are wars that the Empire alone cannot win.

The troops condemned the Bogat Emperor for continuing to burn the spirit of nationalism without accepting the reality. Nobles of the military faction, or rather mercenary criminals who were only able to throw propaganda trash, easily said if this battle as ‘ reclaim the Holy Land from the people of the other world’. That's fucking bullshit.

This war should have belonged to the forces of Arevelk Kingdom, yet they could only see the slaughter from a distance of several kilometers behind the main battle tanks and the Regions.

Combat Group 1 nearly annihilated half the Empire's force, and Sigiz could not allow his troops to take part in the battle that the Combat Group 1 had fought.

“Not reasonable.”

Some army generals approached Sigiz, they also had the same problem as their Queen. Not knowing what to do to allow Combat Group 1 to let this army take over the battle.

This army saw two iron dragonflies continuously spewing lead rain on the infaternity and cavalry troops brutally. Sigiz had seen a similar one while in Karanganyar, but for his troops, they had seen with their own eyes a small part of the powerful TNI force.

The Imperial army had completely panicked, and was trying to save itself. However, bullets from assault rifles and heavy machine guns did not let them survive.

No one was a quiet warrior after being fooled after hearing if ‘win this war then glory to Empire’, until finally it became an easy meal of Combat Group 1 which was neatly arranged thanks to an impromptu strategy meeting.

Undoubtedly, this kind of foolishness would be recorded in the history of the Luan Empire.

It was clear that the opponent of the Empire was the Kingdom of Arevelk, but Combat Group 1 was temporarily part of the army. At least, Sigiz did not want to take the risk if his troops were in battle with the TNI forces.

The generals of the Imperial army tried to regroup their forces after being hit by artillery. If this army retreated, surely the Empire would run propaganda again as usual.

They had not expected that the Emperor would obey the nobles of the military Faction for the sake of this war, so foolish as to have no hope of being repaired.