Munitions Empire-Chapter 1236 - 1156 chose to attack northward
The Tang Empire’s aircraft carrier fleet can only persist for another three days before returning to Linshui and Beiyuan for resupply.
Although the port on South Island is already operational, its biggest issue is that most of its throughput has been dedicated to "receiving" rather than "processing."
Various construction materials and personnel from the Tang Empire are being continuously transported to this island, with a constant influx of supplies every day, leaving no room for aircraft carriers to dock for resupply.
In fact, the same is true for New Island. Its limited logistical capacity is fully occupied with transporting supplies for the Orc army’s logistical support, making it impossible to meet the demands of a large fleet.
Since the fleet is departing, the roughly 300 carrier-based aircraft on the fleet’s four aircraft carriers will have to leave as well. Though these aircraft could theoretically remain on New Island’s airport for continued operations, the Tang Empire clearly has no intention of doing so.
Bernard certainly has no obligation to force his valuable naval aviation units to work overtime providing air cover for the Orcs. They can fight to the death for the 9th Group Army but won’t sacrifice their chance for a well-earned rest on behalf of the Orc forces.
Returning to Linshui or Beiyuan with the carriers for about a week’s respite seems far more appealing than remaining on South Island or New Island. ƒгeeweɓn૦vel.com
After all, the Orcs still have air cover and support from the Tang Nation Air Force stationed on New Island. The Navy completing its escort and landing mission and then withdrawing for rest and reorganization is entirely reasonable.
The Navy’s carrier withdrawal means that the aircraft supporting the Orcs’ operations will immediately decrease by about one-third!
This relatively polished statistic masks the actual impact: the most critical frontline support attack aircraft will see their numbers reduced by more than half.
The departing naval aircraft are primarily Stukas, while the Tang Nation Air Force planes supporting the frontline include many strategic bombers performing bombing missions rather than ground support.
Shan Lu’s expression remained grim throughout the day. He was on the verge of being driven mad by the incompetence of his troops. The 2nd Infantry Division had almost lost combat effectiveness; their defenses were breached by the Shen Army, and the landing zone nearly got wiped out.
The hundred thousand Orcs that landed had barely started attacking before losing almost ten thousand to Goblins! Meanwhile, the Tang Army’s support for subsequent operations is set to be halved… How is this war supposed to be fought?
"Idiots! All of you are idiots! His Majesty The Emperor of the Tang Empire gave us this opportunity, yet we failed to seize it ourselves!" Standing before a map, Shan Lu vented his violent frustrations.
The Orc elder beside him also showed signs of embarrassment. He had witnessed firsthand how diligently the Tang Empire aircraft supported the Orc army. Honestly… the humans hadn’t betrayed their trust this time; it was indeed the Orcs who had dropped the ball.
"We hadn’t anticipated earlier that those diminutive Goblins… would possess such formidable combat strength." Picking up a kettle and pouring Shan Lu a glass of water, the elder tried to calm down the most respected Orc commander in human eyes.
To be frank, the Orc Emperor, far away in the Orc Empire, no longer wielded much influence over the Orcs engaged in battles on Ben Island. There were three spiritual leaders for these Orcs: the Orc God, the "Queen," and Shan Lu.
The Orc God is a faith intrinsic to the Orcs, requiring no further explanation. The Queen refers to Imperial Concubine Yue’er, who brought hope to the Orcs and now serves as a spiritual anchor for Orcs within the territory of the Tang Empire.
In their eyes, the ability to eat their fill in the Tang Empire, earn supplies through labor, and aspire to a future in the "Land of Hope" all stemmed from Yue’er’s protection.
Meanwhile, Shan Lu serves as their leader. Chosen by Yue’er as a commanding general, he possesses a "divinity" unique among Orc leaders. As long as Shan Lu continues to receive support from the Tang Empire, he remains irreplaceable.
"This is modern warfare! Things aren’t how they used to be." Taking the cup of water handed to him, Shan Lu drank and sighed, saying, "If this were the age of swords and spears, one charge from the 1st Division would have had us overlooking Shen Capital by now! But now, it’s about artillery, tanks, and aircraft… Shen Army has it all, and we have none."
The Tang Empire has actually provided the Orcs with numerous planes, all deployed on New Island. However, due to range limitations, they, like the Tang Empire air force fighters, can’t conduct prolonged aerial patrols over the battlefield.
Only the Tang Empire Navy Aviation planes can patrol frequently near the landing zone, but they’re about to leave.
The Orc Butcher Fighters, once deployed on Ben Island, can only linger for about ten minutes in operations near the landing zone. While there’s plenty of fuel, and Orc pilots are willing to fight to the death, and Tang Empire ground crews ensure the planes remain in excellent condition… relying solely on New Island’s airport still can’t secure air supremacy near the landing zone.
"To solve this, we need to quickly seize an airport. That way, our planes can take off directly from the captured airport to engage in combat!" Shan Lu set down the cup and turned his gaze back to the map.
Thanks to satellite images and high-altitude reconnaissance photos provided by the Tang Empire, the Shen Army’s key facilities, including most airports and railway stations on Ben Island, are precisely marked.
Such precise maps lift some of the fog of war, immensely aiding Shan Lu’s command and planning.
Never underestimate the critical impact of battlefield reconnaissance on a campaign. Before World War II, wars often left commanders without even a clear understanding of their own forces, let alone the enemy’s.
This is why World War II was so riveting: technology partially obscured the fog of war, leaving commanders to rely purely on their skills to influence battle outcomes and stage brilliant campaigns.
Later wars often involved overwhelming superiority. For smaller countries, it didn’t matter if a dog occupied the top commander role with a major power—they could hardly hope to overcome such disparity… Such wars lack artistry and appeal…
To the west of the map—where the Shen Army’s 4th Armored Division launched its assault—lies a field airport. This large field airport had long served as a vital military hub for the southern part of Ben Island, boasting extensive and well-maintained facilities.
It even has auxiliary infrastructure like power stations and waterworks. Seizing it would undoubtedly bolster the Orc Air Force’s operations.
Despite being damaged by Tang Army bombings, the Orcs could leverage their expertise. Most of the Orcs here have worked as laborers in the Tang Nation. They might not excel at waging war, but they’re consummate professionals when it comes to repairing concrete surfaces.
If the airport is captured, the Orc engineering commanders promise they can repair it in just one day and one night. With enough quick-drying cement, this time might even be further reduced.
The current question is whether they can capture the airport—or rather, which airport they should aim to seize?
In this direction, only the 5th Infantry Division is available, while the recently landed 4th Infantry Division still requires rest and reorganization. If they wait for the 4th Division to prepare before launching an attack, Tang Empire Navy carrier-based air support will only remain for just over a day.
Another option would be to pull back the 1st Armored Division currently advancing northward and redirect it westward for a new assault. In theory, the primary defensive line now consists of the badly battered Shen Army’s 4th Armored Division. The Orcs’ 1st Armored Division should have no trouble breaking through their defenses and capturing the airport.
But Shan Lu is hesitant. He knows the Shen Army still has armored divisions yet to engage, and reinforcements are likely coming from the north!
If he pulls back the only armored division, he risks another fiasco where enemy armored units breach his defenses and threaten the landing zone.
Therefore, Shan Lu is unwilling to reassign the 1st Armored Division from its northeast position to launch an attack westward.
A third option is more direct and straightforward: instead of targeting the western airport that’s closer, have the 1st Armored Division push northward to attack another Shen Army airport. Though farther away, this airport is positioned directly along the 1st Armored Division’s current advance route!
Capturing this airport would achieve the same goal, despite its smaller scale. Additionally, it’s closer to Shen Capital! More importantly, the 1st Armored Division wouldn’t need to change course, eliminating concerns about another Shen Army counteroffensive.
While the 1st Armored Division advances northward, Shan Lu can gradually deploy the newly landed 4th Infantry Division behind the 5th Infantry Division’s defensive line. This arrangement ensures the Shen Army’s 4th Armored Division won’t cause another debacle by breaking the 5th Division’s defenses.
To enable infantry units to block Shen Army tanks, Shan Lu requested additional RPG Rocket Launchers from Lu Qianshan. The request was approved, and the shipment of 300 RPG launchers recently delivered to South Island will be expedited to Ben Island for Orc forces.
Shan Lu shared his plan with the elder beside him to seek his opinion. After contemplating for a while, the elder chose the most prudent option: "The last strategy seems the safest. It minimizes risks of enemy tricks. In a head-to-head clash… we Orcs always emerge victorious in direct combat."
Shan Lu nodded, as he personally favored this plan as well. From his perspective, the elite Orc 1st Armored Division, equipped wholly by the Tang Empire, has guaranteed combat effectiveness.
The Shen Army likely won’t be able to crush this armored division or halt its progression. This way, he can secure steady advancement toward Shen Capital and capture an airport capable of supporting frontline operations!
"Then order the 1st Armored Division to advance north! Launch the attack tomorrow morning! I’ll request air support from General Lu!" Shan Lu’s gaze settled on a place named Dingcheng.
The terrain here is relatively flat, perfect for an armored unit to fan out and launch an attack. Capturing Dingcheng would allow them to continue advancing northward and seize the Shen Army’s airport marked as number 3.
