Arc of Fire

Wang Zhong was ecstatically dancing when he suddenly realized something, “Wait a minute! Why do I only see ammunition vehicles, and not towing vehicles?”

The B4 howitzer looked like a self-propelled gun, but it actually had no power.

Although it used a tractor chassis, it couldn’t move by itself and needed another tractor to tow it.

On Earth, there were models of this thing with their own power, but it turned out to be too heavy; its two small tracks couldn’t bear the weight and would sink into a lot of ground surfaces, so they eventually gave up on it.

Is this world different?

Indeed, in this timeline, the tracks of these heavy guns looked longer than those of the tractors on Earth.

So, Wang Zhong tentatively asked, “This cannon… Is it towed by the ammunition vehicle? Can it even pull it?”

Popov cast another disdainful glance at him, “Aleksei Konstantinovich, what were you doing during the parades?”

Wang Zhong shrugged, unabashedly answering, “Looking at women’s chests, what about it?”

"Pfft.” Vasily, who was serving as a guard with Grigori, couldn’t help but laugh, then received a glare from Popov, immediately standing at attention and looking straight ahead.

Popov turned back to Wang Zhong, saying, “These things are for the parade, it doesn’t look good to tow them with the gun barrel facing backward, so they come with their own power now.”

Wang Zhong was shocked, “With the power added, how heavy would it be?”

"Around twenty or thirty tons, I think. I’m a cleric, ask the artillerymen for specifics. Anyway, it’s not light.”

Wang Zhong: “So, how fast can it go?”

If this thing could run 30 kilometers per hour on the road, it might be more useful than its Earthly cousin.

The B4 howitzer on Earth had a scary-sounding name for a reason given by the German soldiers. In fact, large-caliber 203mm artillery was common on the Eastern Front; the Germans had them too, and the Soviets didn’t give them a nickname like XXX’s Hammer.

Mainly, the German forces used their 21CM howitzers as howitzers should be used, bombarding enemies over a dozen kilometers away, with those being bombed unable to see the big guns firing.

But the Soviets weren’t like that. Although the B4 heavy howitzer was indeed a howitzer with a maximum indirect fire range of 17 kilometers, the Soviets liked to push this thing to within 500 meters of the German bunkers and open fire.

They even pushed it into cities for street fighting.

The Germans could clearly see this thing slowly advancing, aiming at them.

It was terrifying; a single shot could either kill or cripple by the shock alone. Over time, it gained the nickname ‘The Hammer of Steel.’

Latterly, the thing became so famous, and yet was so slow to position, that often by the time it was in place, people inside the bunkers had run away.

If this thing could hit a road speed of 30 kilometers, those in the bunkers probably wouldn’t have time to run. After all, its killing range was truly vast.

Popov shrugged: “Don’t get your hopes up. This thing moves at the same speed as the marching pace during a parade when it’s on its own, its travel mechanism is specifically designed for parades.”

Wang Zhong was deeply shocked, the idea of cheering it up specifically for a parade was beyond his imagination.

He sighed, asking, “Can this thing be towed quickly with a vehicle for fast maneuvering?”

Popov: “I’m just a bishop, you might consider asking the soldiers of the Ceremonial Artillery Corps about that.”

By this time, the train had come to a complete stop, and the Ceremonial Artillery Corps disembarked on the platform, lining up in formation.

Wang Zhong’s first impression of these Guards of Honor was that a bunch of nutcracker toy soldiers had arrived.

The uniforms of the Guards of Honor made it feel like a chronological mess; those dressed in such uniforms should go and duel with Napoleon, not appear on such a modern battlefield.

Wang Zhong asked Popov, “Can I order them to change into combat uniforms?”

"As long as you can get that many uniforms, then yes.”

"Hmm, that’s the way it is,” Wang Zhong smiled, “I’m sure Pavlov can get hold of them!”

At that moment, Wang Zhong noticed several railroad workers looking anxious as they crossed the railway and began to operate the rail switch in the middle of the parallel tracks.

From his recollection since his arrival at Loktov with his troops, he hadn’t seen the rail switch operators move that switch. In fact, the tracks between the two platforms were seldom used, probably for passing trains during peak times.

However, now the train traffic towards the battlefield was so severely disrupted by locomotive losses, it never ran at full capacity, so the extra passing track wasn’t needed.

Wang Zhong watched as the workers completed the rail switching operation and raised a green lantern.

Soon, a train sounded its whistle and slowly glided into the station.

This train didn’t carry track repair cars or anti-aircraft carriages; it was a haphazard mix of all kinds of carriages, including tank cars and ordinary passenger and freight cars all strung together, completely disregarding order, giving the impression it was hastily assembled and dispatched promptly.

Wang Zhong murmured, “Why do I get the feeling that this train looks like the product of ‘send one more before the encirclement is closed’?”

Popov: “I feel the same way.”

The train came to a slow halt and before it had fully stopped, the driver opened the boiler release valve; a white steam immediately spread out from the front, engulfing the locomotive’s wheels.

A driver jumped off, shouting, “The locomotive’s cylinder is punctured; it can’t go fast anymore! We need to change engines!”

Wang Zhong paid little attention to the driver’s words, instead fixating on the passengers of the train.

Civilians.

Mostly women and children, with many little faces pressed against the glass of the carriages, gazing out.

No smiles on any face.

Railway workers pulled over hoses to refill the train’s water supply, offering water at each window. Countless hands with various water containers reached out, competing to provide water for the boilers.