Reinforcements arrived, and the Imperial army, along with the Northern Military District troops and new officers, began their march south once more.
This time, they were accompanied by the navy, so they were confident that retaking Perpignan would not be difficult. Furthermore, during the brief respite, Tiger tanks had been continuously deployed to the front lines, bringing the total number of Tiger tanks in this campaign to 270, a division-sized force.
The Tiger tanks had been coated with anti-magic defense arrays and reinforcement enchantments to counter the Elves’ magical attacks. As a result, their price had skyrocketed, but the Empire could afford it.
“I am Duke of Prague, the new field commander. I was originally the field commander of the 1st Field Army under the Central Army, but I have been forced to take over as the successor to Duke of Dortmund. My strategy is simple. We will crush our enemies with overwhelming firepower and numbers.”
To counter the aerial battleships, three anti-aircraft fleets had arrived. Each fleet consisted of 15 Saint Anton-class destroyers, resulting in a total of 45 destroyers hovering over the Western Military District troops.
They weighed 8,000 tons and were equipped with 120 magical cannons. Of course, they were also enchanted with spatial expansion magic, allowing them to carry a large number of personnel and supplies.
The anti-aircraft fleets’ counterparts, the aerial battleships, were colossal vessels weighing a staggering 50,000 tons. It was said that their mass alone, due to their size, was 30,000 tons, while their armor weighed 20,000 tons. This meant that they were extremely difficult to damage, even with heavy attacks.
There were 15 of these aerial battleships, forming a single fleet. The Empire’s anti-aircraft fleets outnumbered them, but the difference in weight was overwhelming.
“This is the Quadra anti-aircraft cannon produced by the Imperial Maesterium. It is primarily designed for anti-air attacks, but it is also versatile enough to be used in ground combat.”
The Quadra anti-aircraft gun was a quadruple-barreled K6 heavy machine gun. These Quadra guns were currently being mounted on Jeeps for use in combat. The Western and Northern Military Districts had a total of twenty Quadra guns and twenty Jeeps equipped with them.
In addition, they had prepared magic bullets to counter the aerial battleships, which they believed would be effective in inflicting significant damage.
“1 million troops, 270 Tiger tanks, 3 anti-air fleets, and 216 Oswald Cannons are ready! If we lose to those pointy-eared bastards even with this, can we live on, feeling ashamed? Warriors of the Empire! If we were to be defeated by them, it would be more honorable to die here! Are you prepared to die!”
“Uwaaaaaaaa!”
“Uwaaaaaaaa!”
“Uwaaaaaaaa!”
The Imperial soldiers’ morale soared at the new 4th Field commander’s declaration.
“4th Field Army, advance!”
The 4th Field Army, the vanguard of the Western Military District, began their march towards Perpignan. 300,000 troops advanced simultaneously, turning the plains before Perpignan black in an instant.
In response, the Republic forces waiting in the Perpignan trench line began firing their magical cannons.
“Fire the magical cannons!”
Boom! Boom! Boom!
As the magical cannons fired, a rain of steel fell upon their heads, accompanied by explosions that consumed the trench line.
The occasional Elf soldiers used their magic sticks to cast shield spells, but they were unable to withstand the powerful physical force of the shells and eventually crumbled.
Soon, the vanguard armored force, the Tiger tank division, broke through the magical cannon barrage and approached the trench line. They then used their 125mm main guns to fire high-explosive and armor-piercing shells, eliminating enemy forces and specialized units within the trench line.
“Deploy the aerial battleships.”
The commander of the Elf corps, who had been observing the battle, ordered the deployment of the aerial battleships.
Fifteen of the massive aerial battleships moved into position at high speed and began bombarding the front lines with 400 magical cannons and 100 magical guns. 400 magical beams shot out from the aerial battleships, threatening the Tiger tanks on the ground.
However, the Tiger tanks, with their thick armor coated in anti-magic defense arrays and reinforcement enchantments, withstood the magical attacks from the magical cannons and the magical attacks from the magical guns and continued to advance.
Boom! Boom!
At that moment, hundreds of magic beams flew towards the aerial battleships and exploded.
Kaboom! Kaboom!
The Imperial anti-aircraft fleets had joined the battle. Furthermore, the aerial battleships’ enemies were not limited to the anti-aircraft fleets. Oswald Cannon had adjusted the gun elevation to fire from above the aerial battleships, raining steel down on them and adding to their firepower.
Kaboom! Kaboom!
The enemy fire coming from above and head-on forced even the heavily armored aerial battleships to shake.
And as the Elves’ aerial battleships were preoccupied with the anti-aircraft fleets and Oswald Cannons, the Tiger tank division began to break through the trench line.