Starting from the Planetary Governor - Chapter 863

Chapter 857: The Universe is Burning (Part 4)

Soldiers from the Marine Corps will conduct airborne operations at tens of thousands of meters in the air, aiming for their target location. Their

specially designed wingsuits, equipped with jet engines, allow them to descend at speeds far greater than free fall, and their smaller targets significantly reduce the chances of being hit by anti-aircraft fire. Even if they were hit, only a few casualties would be lost, far less than the casualties of a large transport ship densely packed with thousands of soldiers in a multi-layered honeycomb structure, wiped out by a single shell.

The Marine Corps has been researching orbital airborne troops for some time, and their technologies should be relatively mature. These airborne divisions have also conducted tactical exercises in safe locations and even engaged in actual combat on some battlefields.

However, those combat operations were primarily conducted in areas no longer crucial to victory and were more experimental in nature.

However, they are currently shouldering the heavy responsibility of supporting ground combat.

During the breakthrough phase, they performed exceptionally well, even spectacularly.

The transport planes carrying the airborne troops were inevitably destroyed. However, before they were destroyed, the vast majority of the well-trained airborne troops had already jumped out.

Their wingsuits performed remarkably well. Overall, the number of soldiers killed during the airdrop was small. The casualty

ratio was surprisingly similar to that of a drop capsule.

But drop capsules are expensive, and they can only accommodate a limited number of people. How could it be as “cheap” as a direct airdrop?

It’s just one life.

However, the greatest risk of a direct airdrop is landing.

Falling at speeds exceeding free fall alone is a significant challenge for the human body. Furthermore, the deceleration process is also extremely demanding. At a certain altitude, the parachutes would be deployed, causing a sudden deceleration. At the same time, the wingsuits’ final function as disposable equipment would come into play. The frontal nozzles released energy to help the soldiers detach the suits before landing and reduce their speed to a safe level.

Even a normal person would still die from the fall. At this point, the exoskeleton beneath the wingsuit provides a final layer of protection. Once the soldiers’ legs land, the exoskeleton absorbs most of the kinetic energy, protecting them from injury and allowing them to return to combat immediately.

Of course, this is all based on ideal conditions. Even in well-prepared exercises, casualties occasionally occur, let alone in actual combat, where the terrain is far more complex and the pressures are far greater.

This is the first risk.

The second biggest risk is that during the final moments before landing, their speed will decrease,

making them targets .

Especially in the current battle situation, the Greenskins’ anti-aircraft fire has not been completely eliminated. Even though the airborne troops are landing at the drop zones established by the elite Space Marines and Honor Guards ahead, the intense fighting on the ground makes these drop zones unsafe.

This means that even the most common Ork scouts can easily hit soldiers on the verge of landing.

While the airborne troops could return fire mid-air with their weapons, the lack of cover and the need for controlled landing would clearly put them at a significant disadvantage in a firefight.

The third major risk stems from the fact that direct individual orbital airdrops lack high precision. Once they land, the airborne troops are scattered and disorganized, making it impossible to maintain their integrity. A

safe drop zone, even if the enemy is close at hand, would provide the well-trained troops with time to regroup and rejoin the battle.

However, such an opportunity is currently lacking.

Even if they manage to land successfully, the enemy is likely within range.

They are forced to pick up their weapons and fight on the spot, at best forming makeshift combat groups with nearby friendly units.

This leads to a fourth risk point: the airborne troops’ lack of heavy equipment.

While some light armored vehicles and light tanks, specially modified for airborne deployment, were deployed as armored firepower, and some Sentinel mechas were also present, they were undoubtedly vastly inferior to the heavy tanks and cannons of conventional armies, even the Titans.

This placed them under immense pressure if forced to engage in brutal combat upon landing.

Overall, the airborne troops encountered numerous unfavorable factors during this airborne operation,

resulting in heavy casualties.

Objectively speaking, this was not a successful airborne operation.

The deployment of some experimental units into such a brutal war was somewhat irresponsible.

However, only through the test of true combat can a sufficiently strong army be forged.

The lessons learned through the bloodshed of this battle will undoubtedly help this orbital airborne force further evolve.

Furthermore, to truly understand its objective significance, one must consider its comprehensive nature.

Regardless of the heavy casualties suffered by the troops who landed, at least a dozen airborne divisions, totaling over 300,000 soldiers, carried out the airborne mission, and nearly 200,000 ultimately landed and participated in the battle. Even though some of their formations were disorganized after landing, and some ran into difficulties and were quickly eliminated, they had indeed achieved Gu Hang’s strategic goal: to quickly replenish the ground forces.

The Phoenixes that had previously landed, along with numerous other Space Marines and the elite members of the Honor Guard, would not stand idly by and watch their allies suffer.

As the frontline commander, Wang Jun acted decisively, rescuing and rallying these paratroopers.

They then split into two groups. One group remained to defend the drop zone, providing a safe environment for the second and third waves of drop pods and orbital airborne troops.

Wang Jun, meanwhile, personally led the liberated elite troops, along with a small number of airborne Sentinel mechs, infantry fighting vehicles, and light tanks, to attack his original objective.

After sacrificing the lives of 67 Space Marines, 792 Honor Guards, and 20,000 airborne troops, they destroyed their mission target in three hours.

When the green earth shield disappeared, the human forces had already begun to evacuate.

The headquarters only gave them eighteen minutes to evacuate.

When the time was up, orbital firepower poured down.

The most important anti-orbital air defense fortress group of the green-skinned orks in the area was reduced to ruins under the baptism of two X-class cannons and countless L-class and M-class naval guns.

As well as some airborne troops who were originally responsible for blocking the orc reinforcements when the main force attacked, they were entangled and had no time to evacuate. A total of three airborne corps also disappeared.

(End of this chapter)