Chapter 221
February 11th, 2021, 06:30
Japan, Honshu, Shimane prefecture, Hamada Port (the 53 amphibious fleet’s location)
The CLTV (Corean Light Tactical Vehicles), deployed to the field in 2018, began to pour out from the large civilian ships docked at Hamada Port. The C-160 hummers seated six and had 2500 horsepower. It was equipped with an 8mm laser mini Vulcan and two-barrelled 40mm launch tubes for the GTGAS-40 Black Dragon missiles at its side.
Also, the vehicle was designed with the safety of those on board as the highest priority and was coated with the liquid metal alloy and hydronium alloy. The engine room’s bonnet and the rear rivaled that of a 500mm light armored vehicle.
From the other ships docked in port, C-3 White Tiger tanks and different types of armored vehicles considered to be the 3rd mobile marine division’s main force, were being unloaded by a freight crane. A few moments later, the field at the port was filled with tanks, armored vehicles, and heavy equipment.
The 2000 C-160 light armored hummers that headed out from Hamada Port moved through downtown Hamada and arrived at the Northeastern beach. The hummers took the paratrooper special forces and began to spread out to their target locations at high speed.
The mission assigned to the paratroopers were to join forces with the other special forces that had already landed, and retrieve the stolen historical artifacts, and destroy the corporations that were involved in war crimes.
“The forces from the special forces command have begun to move, commander.”
Brigadier General Youn Hong-gyu, who had just finished checking up on the progress of the mission, walked into the barracks and reported to Lieutenant General Lee Hun-sang, the commander of the expeditionary force.
“What about the armored ranger battalion?”
“They left 30 minutes ago, sir.”
“Seems like things are going as scheduled, then.”
Lieutenant General Lee Hun-sang glanced at his watch, then spoke while glancing at the large screen installed at the barracks.
“What about the 3rd division?”
The 11th armored brigade is moving along the 186th road to engage in battle against the 13th mechanized brigade under Japan’s army, sir.”
Major General Jo Gyu-hong, the commander of the 3rd mobile marine division, pointed to a road on the large screen and reported to the commander.
“Unlike China, Japan’s landscape is full of mountains, so I suppose we cannot use our armored forces to their full potential.”
“Yes, that is correct, sir. However, only an armored division would be capable and fit for striking the heart of Tokyo.”
“Haha, you’re right! The fate of this war is in your hands. Please do your best without overdoing it.”
“Our division was a bit disappointed by our own performance during the war against China, sir. We will do our best to end the war as quickly as possible, commander.”
“My, my, you were disappointed? I didn’t know, ha ha ha.”
Brigadier General Youn Hong-gyu, the operations director, began to report in on the latest intel.
“Commander! The 2nd escorting fleet’s forces hiding at southern Kyushu have been detected moving north. The 72nd maritime flotilla reports that they will respond.”
“I suppose the Japanese navy wants to lose what’s left of their destroyers! Tell them to give all the Japs a funeral at sea.”
Lieutenant General Lee Hun-sang, who was a war veteran, spoke without hesitation.
“Yes, understood, commander.”
The remaining forces of the Japanese navy were the 2nd escorting fleet, and the 14th escorting fleet (Maizuru local forces), the 15th escorting fleet (Oninato local forces), the 11th escorting fleet (Okosu local forces), and the Zumwalt destroyer fleet with one destroyer vessel remaining. Compared to the size of the naval forces from before the war, only one fifth remained.
* * *
February 11th, 2021, 06:30
km southwest of Sasebo, Kyushu, Nagasaki prefecture (the 72nd maritime flotilla’s location)
The two remaining Hocula destroyers, excluding the Yeong-jo (DDG-1006) that had been hit by the enemy missile, began to prepare for battle against the 2nd escorting fleet’s four ships, and the Isoyuki (DD-127) that was the only surviving vessel under the Sasebo local forces.
“Enemy vessels detected! They have entered into the range of our Haesung A ship-to-ship missiles’ range of 223km. There are five vessels in total: the 2nd escorting fleet’s Kurmama, an Atago class destroyer the Ashikara, Terruzuki, Amagiri, and the Isoyuki under the Sasebo local forces.”
A detailed report from the battle station of the Sukjong (DDG-1005) came in. Colonel Kim Ki-young, the commander of the 72nd maritime flotilla, and captain of the Sukjong (DDG-1005) checked the captain’s monitor and began to think.
The captain was considering whether to attack the enemy with the Haesung missiles when they are 180km away from their location, or attack the enemy now. The reason was, if they had to face off against the American navy at the south of Jeju Island after, then there would be not enough time to reload their munitions. Therefore, the captain had to save every round of hypersonic ship-to-ship missile as possible.
“First mate.”
“Yes, captain.”
“Let’s try to save as many of our Haesung A missiles as possible! When the enemy enters the range of our missiles, then we engage in battle. Relay the order to the Jeongjo as well.”
“Yes, captain.”
“All vessels move to battle formation!”
“Transitioning into battle formations, sir.”
Lieutenant Colonel Oh Dong-hyun, the first mate, relayed the battle formations order to the crew of the vessel and also to the Jeongjo (DDG-1007).
“Arms man! This is the bridge. Check for enemy planes.”
“No enemy planes are being detected within our 500km radius, sir.”
“What about submarines?”
“No enemy submarines are being detected within our 100km radius also, sir. A few civilian ships are being detected at sea.”
“Are they near the battlefield?”
“No, sir.”
“Then, that’s set! Keep an eye out for enemy planes and submarines.”
“Yes, captain.”
Captain Kim Ki-young, gave an order to the helmsman after speaking to the arms man.
“Helmsman! Set azimuth to 1-8-5 and half turn starboard. We sail while maintaining our current speed.”
“Azimuth at 1-8-5 and half turn starboard! Sailing at 15 knots, sir.”
The Sukjong (DDG-1005) and the Jeongjo (DDG-1007) all tilted to the starboard side and glided across the ocean.
* * *
February 11th, 2021, 07:00
A field next to the 112 road at Gotsu, Shinema prefecture, Honshu, Japan
Dozens of dirt pillars rose from the relatively small fields unfit for an armored battle. From those pillars, dozens of tanks emerged and began to move across the battlefield to face their enemy.
Boom! Bang! Boom!
The 3rd mobile marine division’s armored ranger battalion was known to rival the power of the 7th mobile corp’s 20th armored division. The ranger battalion was under the 13th mechanized brigade’s subordinate force and they had just begun the battle against Japan’s 8th armored regiment.
The 8th tank regiment had been reformed from the 8th infantry regiment in 2018. They were equipped with Type 10 MBT tanks to become an armored regiment. These tanks were built lighter than the previous type 90 tanks and were equipped with domestically developed cannons. Japan had also developed a new 120mm round to increase its offensive capabilities. Not only that, the Japanese tanks were equipped with automatic reloading equipment and the C4I system that was considered as a key component for modern warfare.
However, the military field only gave negative reviews to Japan’s latest type 10 tanks that cost 10 million dollars per unit. First, the domestically developed cannon and new metal rounds could only pierce 550mm steel. Its firepower could barely pierce the armored plating of the C-160 hummers that were taking the Corean special forces across Japan.
The American M829A3 tank’s silver bullet APFSDS (Armor Piercing Fin Stabilized Discarding Sabot) rounds had a piercing capability of 900mm. Corea’s CC-279 (44 caliber) rounds could pierce 750mm of armored plating, while the C-279 could reach 850mm. Even Corea’s 105mm cannon’s C-274N rounds could pierce through 600mm of armored plating and had more firepower compared to Japan’s 120mm rounds. Thus, the type 10 tanks became obsolete even when compared to the C-1 (type 88 tanks) tanks that had become reserve equipment for the Japanese army.
There was another problem with the type 10 tanks that were considered the worst in its offensive capabilities. These tanks had been fitted with a lighter armored plating and lost its defensive capabilities in the process as well.
The tanks were equipped with an alloy plating only at its front, while the sides were fitted with rolled steel plates only. However, the Japanese praised its defensive capabilities of being able to defend against its own cannon rounds. This resulted in testing the tanks with a cannon that could only pierce armored plating up to 550mm. Even if the front plating was sturdy, the side plates were so weak that it could be pierced by 30mm guns.
Lastly, the type 10 tanks were not equipped with an air conditioning system nor a system to defend against NBC (nuclear biological chemical) attacks. Therefore, the crew had no choice but to equip their protective gear before engaging in battle in contaminated areas.
The crew of the type 10 tanks had a possibility of dying from heat exhaustion and lack of oxygen in the tank if they wore protective gear, instead of getting killed by the enemy’s cannon rounds.
Japan’s type 10 tanks that had been under constant criticism from across the world, faced off against Corea’s latest C-3 White Tiger tanks and demonstrated all of their flaws in battle.
Pew~ Boom~
The tanks from both sides have reached 1km away from each other when the C-3 White Tiger tanks’ 100mm photon cannons struck the turret of the type 10 tanks approaching them at high speeds. The funny thing was, the photon round pierced through the turret and caused another turret of the type 10 tank to explode. It was as if they had killed two birds with one stone. A single photon round had turned two type 10 tanks into scrap metal.
“Ha ha ha, did you see that?”
First Sergeant Kang Kyung-hyun, the tank commander of tank 772 under the 7th company of the armored ranger battalion, was shocked by the unbelievable scene and began to laugh despite being in battle.
“These truly are the worst tanks of the 21st century and live up to their reputation, sir.”
Staff Sergeant Lee Ho-jun, the arms man of the 722 tank, also responded while laughing at the scene.
“Sergeant Lee! You take the lead and take out the set targets.”
“Yes, sir. You set the targets and I’ll take care of the rest.”
“All right! Corporal Kim, step on it. Turn to our 11 o’clock.”
“Yes, sir.”
The 722 tanks took out the enemy type 10 tanks coming towards them in order and began to charge forward. When the distance closed to 500m, the 722 tanks were hit by the enemy’s cannon rounds, but they were unable to pierce its plating and ricocheted into the fields.
After the sounds of engines, cannons, and explosions rang across the area for 10 minutes, the 112 road at Gotsu was full of smoke and smell of gunpowder. Numerous destroyed type 10 tanks were littered across the field. Some of the tanks were destroyed and only had parts of its frame intact.
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