Alien Arms Empire

 Chapter 935 936 Not enough shells

Liu Guozhu's First Armored Division has recently been undergoing a large-scale replacement of new tanks. The appearance of this tank is completely different from the previous tanks. It has an arc-shaped head like a pot lid.

This curved turret is said to have a better bulletproof appearance, allowing enemy shells to be bounced away, and its protective capabilities are stronger than the previous Panther tank turret.

At the same time, the new tank abandoned the huge gun shield design of the Panther tank. Instead, it opened in the middle of the front of the turret and installed a smaller internal shield, which increased the flexibility of the gun itself.

This design reduces the weight of the huge shield, making it possible to install a stabilizing device for the artillery, allowing the artillery to complete part of the aiming action while traveling, greatly shortening the artillery's reaction time.

Strictly speaking, this device had its prototype on the American M4 Sherman tank. It was later developed into a gun stabilization system, giving the tank the ability to fire while moving.

Now the Tang Army installed this device on the famous Type 59 tank, giving it capabilities similar to the Sherman tank.

However, due to technical limitations, the 59 tank is only equipped with gun stabilizers in the high and low directions, and there is no similar equipment in the horizontal direction.

The brand new 59 has actually been modified with many things. The biggest improvement may be the unique and powerful 105 mm caliber tank gun.

  The original 59 tank uses a 100mm caliber gun. This caliber is very special and very powerful.

 But Tang Mo did not use this caliber directly. Instead, he directly raised the tank gun to 105 caliber. Because in Tang Mo's drawings, this star artillery born in Britain is more powerful and has better performance.

Once the technology tree of this kind of artillery is completed, it can be installed on a series of subsequent models, allowing many light armored vehicles to obtain powerful enough firepower.

For example, the subsequent eight-wheeled armored vehicle—the successor of the Tang Dynasty Lion Armored Reconnaissance Vehicle—can be used on wheeled assault guns.

  The brand-new artillery is also equipped with a smoke extraction system, which can greatly improve the working environment inside the vehicle, so that the crew in the tank will no longer be troubled by smoke and dust.

  The original 59 tank smoke extraction system is at the front end of the gun barrel, and the effect is slightly poor. After the main gun was modified to use a 105 mm caliber, the smoke extraction system was placed in the middle area of ​​the barrel, which has better performance.

The most important thing is that this kind of artillery has a muzzle velocity of 1,600 meters per second, and its armor-piercing ability is very good. Because it is a rifled gun, it is very accurate and can fire at long distances to attack targets.

There is another reason for adopting this rifled gun design. Tang Mo does not intend to use the smoothbore gun technology. The use of rifled cannons is equivalent to the same origin, and there is no sense of violation in this world.

 After Tang Mo takes out the Type 96 main battle tank, the 125 mm caliber smoothbore tank gun will immediately be on par with tanks from all over the world in terms of power, thereby gaining a greater advantage in armored warfare.

 The new Type 59 main battle tank has a coaxial machine gun, replaces the directional machine gun with an anti-aircraft machine gun, and eliminates the opening in the front of the body.

 This increases the protection and also allows the new tank to eliminate the need for electromechanical personnel. The crew was reduced to four, but new, more reliable radio equipment made up for the operational problems caused by one less person.

While achieving comprehensive performance improvements, the Type 59 main battle tank has also paid a corresponding price. The number of artillery shells it carries has been reduced across the board, from about 80 rounds on the Panther tank to only 34 rounds.

 Yes, the new Type 59 main battle tank only has 34 rounds of ammunition - it should have had 38 rounds, but the capacity of 4 rounds was sacrificed in order to install an infrared night vision device.

Like the No. 4 tank, the Tang Empire's 59 tank also underwent a series of "adaptation modifications." There were many utility compartments installed outside the round turret, so it looked very much like a later improved model with external armor added. .

 But in fact, the brand new 59 tank has no additional armor installed at all. The surrounding circle looks like reactive armor boxes, but they are actually storage boxes.

 In order to increase the range of this tank, two external fuel tanks were added to the tail like traditional Soviet tanks.

 These two fuel tanks will be discarded before entering the battlefield to avoid being hit and catching fire under combat conditions. This usage is similar to the external fuel tank of a fighter jet, which is equivalent to bringing two more barrels of fuel.

Looking at these new equipment, Liu Guozhu himself felt scary: he thought that the Leopard tanks equipped by the Armored Forces of the Tang Empire were powerful enough, but he did not expect that just over two years later, more powerful tanks began to be installed in the troops.

From the appearance point of view, this brand-new tank can be described as science fiction: it has so many grids around the turret, which is very convenient to see.

 Apart from the danger when the commander goes out to use the anti-aircraft machine gun, this tank may not have any other shortcomings. Stronger armor, better mobility, and a more powerful main gun... except for the slightly poor sustained combat capability, it is almost perfect.

　　The Panther tank, which he had used before and thought was quite good, was actually going to be used as second-line equipment and given to the newly formed armored forces. In the next two years, all No. 4 tanks will be eliminated...

It’s scary to think about it: the Panther tank, which cannot be defeated by other countries, has been discontinued in the Tang Empire and will be gradually handed over to the second-line troops for use.

Even, one day in the future, these Panther tanks may be used as unwanted junk aid to other countries, or sold "cheaply" to countries that want it.

"How is it? New tank." Walking next to Liu Guozhu, his company commander patted Liu Guozhu on the shoulder and asked.

“It’s good, but I really don’t have too many tank shells.” Liu Guozhu felt helpless when he mentioned this matter.

His tank is not the same as other tanks. He is now the platoon leader of the first tank platoon, so he has to command the other four tanks. Sadly, his radio is larger and takes up two extra rounds...

In addition to the need to reserve a place for activities, his command tank only had a pitiful 30 shells, which was a frighteningly small number.

"My car is not the same?" The company commander laughed directly when he heard Liu Guozhu's complaint: "Just be satisfied. At worst, you can burn it all and withdraw it to replenish it."

“It’s a fatal shortcoming.” Liu Guozhu sighed depressedly.

 This is impossible to do, because in his combat experience, the number of shells is actually a very important performance indicator.

The armored forces of the Tang Empire have always followed the Desan route, which is also the route favored by elite tank crews.

Tang's tanks have always had heavy armor, powerful artillery, and enough shells—this style allows tank crews to continue fighting on the front line without any need for replenishment in a short period of time.

But the Soviet tanks followed a completely different path, because in World War II, the combat experience of the Soviet armored forces was completely opposite: their tanks were easier to destroy, and they often had to fight for their lives against the enemy at the cost of losses.

 Based on this experience, apart from the maximum range, tanks of the Soviet system do not focus on continuous combat capabilities: the firepower must be strong, the armor must be thick, and the power must be sufficient. What is sacrificed is the number of shells.

The German Panther tank of World War II had an ammunition load of 80 rounds, while the corresponding Soviet tank T-34 had only 56 rounds, the German Tiger tank had 87 rounds of ammunition, and the Soviet Union's similar tank IS-2 only had a pitiful 28 rounds of ammunition.

There are historical reasons for this: German tankers are used to standing still and doing passive defense, while Soviet tankers are used to rushing forward to risk their lives. Therefore, German tank crews needed a large amount of ammunition to support their operations, while Soviet tank crews often died before running out of ammunition.

Of course, this does not mean that the Soviet tank designers did not consider the tank crews at all, because the experience provided by the surviving tank crews is: before they have fired all the shells, the Germans have collapsed and retreated. Or surrendered.

The current armored forces of the Tang Empire, especially the elite armored forces, have combat experience similar to that of the German armored forces in World War II. They are used to the German style of fighting, so they are dissatisfied with the 30-round Soviet tank.

 Because in their concept, the battle to fire off 30 shells is too much. When they use Panther tanks, they often fire more than 50 or even 60 rounds to fight the enemy continuously.

"I also know that it may not be enough, but you are also a platoon leader now. Don't always think about going up to get results every day. Think more about how to mobilize the tank platoon to cooperate in combat." The company commander said seriously. He was very optimistic about himself. of this young subordinate.

"Yeah, now we have to get more used to firing twenty shells to retreat." Liu Guozhu shrugged his shoulders and joked: "I hope the battalion commander won't blame us for becoming more and more timid."

"Get out!" The company commander slapped Liu Guozhu on the back of the head and cursed with a smile: "Who gave you the courage to tease the battalion commander! Besides, you guys can destroy the opponent further away and retreat more calmly to "Replenishing artillery shells in a safe place, what does it mean to become less and less courageous?"

“Isn’t this a joke, company commander!” Liu Guozhu scratched the back of his head and said with a smile.

 (End of this chapter)