Chapter 41: Alarm, Armored Battalion Incoming!

"Brave warriors, your previous battles have fully demonstrated your capabilities. I have some good news to share with you! Just moments ago, I secured a batch of special equipment from Lieutenant Colonel Unere’s infantry regiment. I will be awarding this gear to the soldiers I trust the most. I hope you will continue to fight valiantly and achieve even greater glory!"

In front of the small town, Andrei spoke passionately to the reassembled players. He gestured toward the crates on the truck, patting them as he added, "Come now, those whose names I call, step forward to receive your gifts. In the upcoming battles, you will become the core of our counterattack against the enemy’s armored forces!"

In the chat channel, the five players who had received Andrei’s "modded" care package were buzzing with excitement, or rather, showing off their newly acquired gear.

Haonan Ge: [Hahaha! See that? Tank Hunter set! Tell me, aren’t you all jealous?]

Female Knight Who Captures Goblins: [Big Boss! Let me use this; I’ll do anything!]

King Su-Su: [I’m a student, give it to me!]

Blue-Haired White-Bellied Boar: [Damn! So high favorability really does have perks. Why didn't I grind my favorability up?]

Andrei had given the Tank Hunter set to five players whose favorability had exceeded 20, letting the players fully experience the benefits of building rapport. After all, favorability had to have tangible uses for him to manipulate the players later; otherwise, if it remained just a number without any utility, many players wouldn't care.

Just a moment ago, he had spent 10,000 Influence Points to unlock the Tank Hunter set, and another 5,000 to redeem five sets of the gear. Andrei wasn't entirely sure if he would encounter the enemy’s armored units in the coming fight, but based on his analysis of the infantry regiment in Coldwater Town, he felt an urgent need to bolster his anti-armor capabilities.

If the enemy mobilized heavy artillery, then no unit type he had would matter, unless he could drag his own heavy guns over for a duel. But if the enemy relied on the same tactics as before—using a small number of infantry guns combined with a mass of infantry for a charge—then the machine guns already present in the regiment would be enough to hold them back.

By comparison, this regiment was severely lacking in anti-armor power, which was why Andrei decided to unlock the Tank Hunter set and find an excuse to distribute it to the players. In the eyes of Lieutenant Colonel Unere, these anti-tank rifles were captured from the enemy. To the players, they were game rewards or, following the narrative, gear Andrei had pulled from the local armory.

Players wouldn't bother checking the books with the game's NPCs, and even if they did find a discrepancy, they would likely just assume it was a game bug. Thus, Andrei wasn't worried about his cover being blown or anyone questioning where these anti-tank weapons had come from.

Beyond the Tank Hunter sets, Andrei spent another 6,000 Influence Points to unlock "Basic Sniper Skill" and "Basic Anti-Armor Skill." Each skill cost 3,000 points—much pricier than "Basic Leadership"—but each provided a 10% damage bonus against infantry and armored units respectively, further boosting his troops' offensive power.

Andrei discovered that these command skills only took effect on his direct subordinates. After researching it, he realized that "direct subordinates" meant troops he was officially authorized to command by his military rank. For instance, although he had effectively held leadership over the entire force during the previous breakout—with Major Yuri delegating his command—the soldiers belonging to Major Yuri did not seem to receive his buffs. According to the chain of command, he only held authority over his own company.

Thinking of this, Andrei felt a twinge of regret. If his rank were higher, these command skills could be put to truly great use. A 10% damage boost for a single infantry company didn't have a massive impact, but a 10% boost for an entire army group would be devastating on the battlefield.

However, just as Andrei was daydreaming about becoming an army group commander, several Cold War soldiers on horseback came galloping toward him, gasping for breath.

"Alert! The enemy is attacking!"

"From both the north and south sides of the town, an infantry battalion is approaching from each direction. We also spotted modified soldiers among the enemy ranks. Furthermore, behind the southern infantry battalion, there appears to be an armored battalion from the Black Eagle Empire approaching!"

Hearing this, the players became instantly excited, scrambling into the defensive positions they had just finished digging. The players with the Tank Hunter gear, in particular, immediately sought shelter in nearby buildings, turning themselves into "campers" ready to deal a heavy blow to enemy armor or pull double duty as snipers.

Andrei noticed one player trying to climb onto the roof of a tower, likely thinking it offered a better vantage point. Unfortunately, the top of the spire wasn't exactly accessible; the player wandered around inside the tower for ages but couldn't find a path upward.

Too busy to manage the players—who were like a pile of dung when gathered and like scattered stars when apart—Andrei grabbed one of the returning scouts and demanded, "What’s going on? How many armored vehicles does that battalion have?"

The scout blinked, seemingly confused by the question. After all, the military reforms of the Black Eagle Empire were no secret; the composition of a standard battalion was near-public knowledge taught in military academies. But realizing Andrei was likely asking how many units remained, the scout reflected for a moment and reported quickly:

"Captain, because we were at a distance, we couldn't see everything clearly. But we saw at least ten 'Pacifiers,' over twenty 'Dreadnoughts,' and at least twenty 'Hunter' mechs!"

Damn it!

Andrei realized the last shred of his fantasy had been shattered. He had been hoping this armored battalion’s composition would be similar to a mixed tank battalion from the early days of the German invasion of the Soviet Union. Back then, a German mixed tank battalion had about 65 tanks, or in some variants, 72.

Judging by the scout's report, Andrei felt that the enemy he was facing was now equivalent to a full-fledged German tank battalion. Considering the attrition they must have suffered along the way, the fact that they still had over 50 armored vehicles was absolutely absurd!