Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 665

Chapter 663, Battle of Titans

between the two sides of the Titan War entangled each other in space. If one side came near the planet’s orbit to support the ground battlefield, the other side would certainly not agree.

However, each side always found similar opportunities.

The other side’s ships would quickly come to the rescue, and the ground-based orbital guns would often open fire at this time, quickly driving away the starships that interfered with the ground battle.

However, the starships’ arrival did not take long. A few short bursts of missiles, macrocannons, and lances could significantly change the ground battle.

Both sides were forced to rely more on orbital guns to drive away enemy ships and intercept orbital fire.

They had to intercept not only the occasional orbital strikes from starships, but also the enemy’s land-based missiles.

The battle unfolded on this plain, with a seemingly long contact surface of 300 kilometers. In reality, it was very short under the impact of high-destructive weapons.

A feasible option would be to transport several Dongfeng Fen-class missiles to the ground, deploy them on launch pads, and strike enemy positions directly from land.

A single Dongfeng Fen missile could have a range of dozens of kilometers—multiple launches could cover the entire enemy front.

This missile would eliminate all exposed personnel within a six-kilometer radius of the central area, regardless of how many soldiers were entrenched. For soldiers in trenches, the kill radius would also reach approximately three kilometers, making sheltering in the trenches less effective.

Unless they were in some fortified permanent fortifications or shelters, they might survive if they were more than a kilometer from the impact point.

Using this super-large bomb as the core was already a standard tactical approach. After the massive missiles had detonated, ground troops equipped with three-dimensional defense equipment could respond with greater effectiveness.

Both sides deployed these weapons on the ground, as well as in the sky and on larger starships.

A single bombing would often result in tens to hundreds of thousands of casualties, significantly altering the battle lines on both sides.

However, the reason the battle lines weren’t completely covered by these massive bombs was due to interception by various anti-aircraft firepower.

These bombs were expensive and in short supply. While a single launch and subsequent interception at an altitude of ten thousand meters would certainly pack some punch, it was limited. Furthermore, depending on the interception location, they could potentially hit their own forces.

Simply put, the interception capabilities of these universities were crucial to the continued operation of the ground war.

But while they didn’t want to be bombed, who wouldn’t want to bomb the enemy?

Salilius and Martins wondered.

They had previously attempted Space Marine infiltration operations, targeting enemy defenses and interception batteries and railgun fortresses, attempting to destroy them.

But each attempt had failed.

Ironclad prioritized this defense,

just as the Empire prioritized the defense of its own interception positions.

This was the reason for the earlier deployment of precious Titans to create a significant bulge in the battle lines.

This salient is an excellent launching point for an offensive, making it easier to encircle the enemy. This salient inherently threatens the enemy’s flanks and is also closest to strategic targets in the enemy’s rear, shortening the distance required to advance.

The salient created by the Alliance National Knights directly targets a core area in the enemy’s rear.

This area is not only the Iron Armor’s ground-based supply distribution center, but also a major Imperial storage base prior to the Wanzhou Star Campaign. It also houses key fire interception positions and railguns.

Capturing this area would not only guarantee victory in the campaign, but would also increase the chances of delivering some of the enemy’s large bombs, delivered by missiles or strategic bombers, making them less likely to be intercepted.

However, from a defensive perspective, a salient position is extremely disadvantageous. The length of the defensive line is much longer than a straight line, requiring more manpower to defend. Furthermore, the exposed flanks make it easy for the enemy to break in from the base of either flank, trapping the enemy and trapping them.

It was precisely because of these distinct advantages and disadvantages that both sides engaged in fierce fighting around the salients, often leading to strategic decisive battles.

The Imperials, unwilling to abandon their offensive opportunities, committed significant forces to defending the salients. The Ironclad, naturally aware of the Imperials’ strategic objectives, also focused their efforts on eliminating the threat posed by this “springboard” to their vital rear bases, effectively eliminating the salients deep within their own defenses.

After a night of intense interstellar combat between the Space Marines, at dawn, the Ironclad launched a ferocious assault on the salients.

By dawn, heavy artillery had blanketed the Imperial positions,

practically bombing every inch of ground.

The Imperials’ heavy artillery returned fire.

Bombing the enemy’s artillery positions proved difficult, as both sides relocated theirs to more distant positions. However, they could predict the enemy’s incoming attack direction, and regardless of whether the attack had actually begun, they were certain to deliver a barrage of shells.

However, the Ironclad’s Infested hordes continued to charge forward, bearing the pressure of the bombardment.

Even though every inch of the ground had been bombed, numerous human soldiers suddenly appeared. Machine guns, rifles, and company howitzers were pushed out from the dugouts, even as the two sides locked horns and engaged in bayonet-wielding.

Furthermore, both sides were continuously sending reinforcements to the front lines.

However, this reinforcement was extremely difficult. Artillery couldn’t directly bombard the troops engaged in close combat, but the bombardment line could be moved back a few hundred meters. Whether it was the Iron Armor’s infected troops or the Imperial infantry and armor, they had to cross this bombardment line to advance, at an unfathomable cost.

During this process, the human side had a more favorable reinforcement situation than the Iron Armor side.

Humans were more resourceful, knowing how to dig tunnels to advance; if a tunnel collapsed, they knew to pause; if they had to cross the ground, they knew how to proceed slowly, taking cover and advancing during the intervals between bombardments.

Still, heavy casualties were inevitable before reinforcements could reach the front lines.

Fortunately, the enemy was in a worse situation. The stupid infected were so stupid that even fewer could come up as reinforcements.

They stared at the salient and fought hard for a whole morning, suffering heavy casualties and consuming a lot of artillery shells, but the effect was mediocre.

The Empire also faced a great challenge and suffered heavy casualties, but at least they held on.

By noon, the number of new infected reinforcements was getting smaller and smaller, and the remaining enemies were eliminated one by one. The Empire soldiers on the position thought they could calm down for a while, relax and fight the next battle.

As a result, the expected calm did not come. On the contrary, the whole earth shook.

The soldiers were a little surprised.

They were familiar with that trembling sensation.

The sound of Titan footsteps.

Two days ago, when they had fought their way out of this salient, they had fought alongside Titans.

Titans again? But there hadn’t been any reports of a large-scale offensive recently.

Titans weren’t just defensive weapons; they were the most powerful offensive weapon.

Perhaps because the salient was difficult to defend, their superiors had sent Titans in to give the invading infected a taste of their own medicine?

But soon, they sensed something was amiss.

As time passed, the ground began to shake, and with the sound of actual footsteps, they realized the Titans were coming from the enemy’s side!

The Iron Armor Titans had been dispatched!

The Iron Armor rebels, of course, had Titans as well. With their previously close relationship with Alfonzo’s Cult, they naturally sought support from Alfonzo for the Titan Legion.

They had Titans and Knight Mechs, too.

However, the number of Titans and Knights the Iron Armor possessed was undoubtedly far less than that of the Imperial forces.

In previous battles, they had rarely deployed this powerful but precious weapon.

But today, they did, and they deployed it in force.

At least two hundred Knights and Titans charged into this position!

The frustrations suffered by the Iron Armored forces at the hands of the Alliance Titans a few days ago were now fully repaid.

After a whole morning of desperate defense, at great cost, they were finally breached.

The Iron Armored rebels even advanced their artillery positions significantly, firing towards the Imperial artillery positions.

The Titans were doing the same.

In an instant, the Imperial artillery positions, previously firing fiercely, became somewhat subdued.

If they continued this way, the entire salient would be destroyed.

Even worse, the Iron Armored rebels’ attack was aimed at the base of the salient. If they were to penetrate it, the entire salient would be wiped out.

The entire salient contained not only sixteen divisions deployed as defenders, but also a large force poised to launch a forward offensive from this salient.

If the Ironclad rebels truly overran them, their retreat cut off and logistical support inadequate, they would likely face the consequences of complete annihilation.

That’s over a million troops!

Such a scenario would have been a catastrophic defeat.

At this critical moment, the Alliance’s National Knights once again demonstrated their prowess.

As the Ironclad rebels’ Titans displayed their might, the Alliance’s Titans also appeared.

Suddenly, a rare battle erupted across the vast lands of Wanzhou Star. Colonel

Gu

Zhouhua, perched at the control console, nervously juggling both observing the enemy’s movements and monitoring the signals from the various components of his warlord-class Titan.

Beside him were two major-level assistant operators. Inside the Titan, fourteen other operators and coordinators, each responsible for its own components,

formed the Warlord-class Titan’s operations team.

This is the biggest difference between Titans and Knight Mechs. A Titan requires an entire crew to operate, while a Knight Mech only has one.

Traditionally, Titan Legions operate without rank.

This is understandable.

The Imperial Titan Legions are generally subordinate to the Adeptus Mechanicus. Each Adeptus Mechanicus itself doesn’t use rank to distinguish between superiors and subordinates, so naturally, there are no ranks within the Titan Legions.

But the Alliance is clearly different.

The National Knights, while bearing the title of a knightly order and operating Knight Mechs and Titans, are in reality still part of the Alliance Army, under the direct leadership and jurisdiction of the Alliance Army Department. Their precious equipment is largely manufactured by the Alliance itself, with some dispatched from the Mingyang Cult on Jindi Star. Even if it comes from the Adeptus Mechanicus, it’s usually purchased. The pilots and Titan operating crews are all trained by the Army itself, so naturally, they are managed according to rank.

Colonel Gu Zhouhua is one of them.

His surname was Gu, and he was indeed from the same family as Governor Gu, though the lineage was more distant. His grandfather had been a mid-level manager at the Gu Trading Company, and by his generation, the Gu family had long since moved beyond the trading company and the transport team.

Although Governor Gu hadn’t provided them with any special care, their surname, background, and their own abilities alone enabled them to achieve success in various areas within the Alliance.

Gu Zhouhua, a graduate of the military academy, attended Zhongsi Academy, and with decent grades, he joined the Titan Corps and, within a few years, rose to command a warlord-level Titan.

However, he was still nervous.

Despite numerous Titan-to-Titan training sessions, how could training truly be the same as actual combat?

Training was primarily practice, with the shells fired being dummy rounds, and close-quarters combat was conducted with extreme caution, fearing the cost of repairing a Titan if even a single damage was sustained.

Of course, they were not without combat experience.

Weren’t the Titans the ones fighting the battle a few days ago?

As the decisive force in the army, they’d fought numerous battles before that.

However, those battles had always been fought with superior numbers against inferior forces; with superior equipment, against infantry, tanks, and fortresses.

This was truly a first for Titans, a deadly confrontation.

But the relief was that the enemy seemed to be outnumbered.

Upon receiving the urgent order to attack, the Alliance National Knights rushed out in full force.

Three hundred knights and Titans, while the enemy appeared to have only a little over two hundred.

This reassured Gu Zhouhua slightly.

Should we win?

But his worries soon returned.

Winning or losing is a matter of strategic considerations. In actual combat, those on the front lines, who lives and who dies, have little bearing on the ultimate victory

. But these chaotic thoughts vanished the moment the first shell struck his Warlord-class Titan.

“Confirm void shield depletion!”

“Weapon systems ready!”

“Lock on target! Hit the most prominent traitor mech!”

“Fire!”

“Fire again!”

“Charge! Kill them all!”

—

Make up for yesterday, there’s one more chapter.

(End of this chapter)