Summoning the German Army! 〜The Former Strongest Dragon Summoner, Who Lost Everything to the Heroes,

Chapter 44.1

Goddess of War

Translated by SoundDestiny
Edited by Klepon

※Ruins of church, German artillery deployment area──.※

The site of the church, which was destroyed by Nasser’s attack, was lined with a large number of German troops and their operational weapons.

They were the 『German Artillery Platoon』, which Nasser had summoned in advance.

They had been summoned long before the battle started in front of the Royal Castle and were deploying field artillery on the cleared church site.

Despite being a 『platoon』, these artillerymen were numerous.

In particular, the standard German artillery equipped with several light howitzers had a large number of soldiers with specialist knowledge in communications, observation and calculation of various parameters, in addition to artillery operators.

In addition, there were also soldiers who transported and escorted the guns and handled engineering equipment for building positions, so the number was very large.

Right now they were operating the artillery as the noise they produced filled the surrounding area.

Since being summoned by Nasser, they had been separated from the main army and were now working rapidly to establish a position in the area.

In the midst of all this, an urgent message arrived from Nasser and the rest of the main 『German Army』deployed on the front line.

The radio operator, gnawing at his radio, was busily writing down the intercepted communications on a recording sheet.

After running his pen across the scrabbling paper, he turned around and reported loudly.

“『──Message from the front line. Requesting artillery fire.』”

The radio operator reported quickly while giving a salute and the junior officer, who had heard the report, snatched the record sheet and headed for the bunker where the officers were stationed.

As it was, he walked into the burgeoning semi-underground bunker and spoke with vigour to an officer who was looking through his field artillery binoculars.

One German officer was staring far ahead at the Royal Castle with soldiers accumulating rounds around the guns.

He was an artillery platoon leader with the rank of lieutenant hanging over his head.

Under his command were three German light howitzers in one platoon.

“『Report──』”

In a cool-headed voice, the artillery officer urged the junior officer.

“『Ha!』”

The junior officer reported the details written in the recording sheet.

Lining up in front of them was a German light howitzer with a long barrel sticking out, which looked like a long-nosed animal lying down with its legs spread.

It was a line of light howitzers laid down by the German artillery.

The long nose was the barrel of a 10.5 cm light howitzer.

Its legs were spread to absorb the shock and hold the howitzer firmly in place.

The shape of the shield attached was that of a modern cannon itself.

──This is the…..Goddess of the battlefield.

The standard light howitzer operated by German artillery – the 10.5 cm calibre 『leFH 18/40』.

Unlike mortars, long-range howitzers could fire observation shots even when the enemy was not visible, as reported by the observer.

The gunners attached to the howitzers  could not see even a fraction of the Kingdom’s Army, but they didn’t care. They didn’t have to care.

They fired where they were told, with the shells they  were told, in the quantities they were told. That was their mission.

The artillerymen continued to move silently.

They were used to strike with firepower from a distance where the enemy could not even see them.

They just shot at where they were needed.

There was no hurry, no fear.

But the shells they sent were a triumphant signal to the soldiers on the front line.

We listen and you shall hear────!!

Support.

Support──

Support────!!!

We’re on it, comrades-in-arms.

The true nature of artillery was to smash the enemy from a distance at the request of its fellow soldiers on the front line. The artillery officer immediately gave the order to prepare for attack and stepped up to the howitzers himself.

“『Gentlemen. Our fellow friends are calling for support. …..We’re going in with a bang.』”

“『『『Roger!!!』』』”

The artilleryman attached to the howitzers stopped their work and saluted in unison.

The officer continued.

“『From here, the enemy is invisible. Therefore, indirect sight firing is carried out based on the landing observation from the reconnaissance plane. Each man to your position. ──── It’s time to get to work.』”

“『『『Roger!!!』』』”

The artillerymen replied cheerfully and dispersed to their post.

The information from the reconnaissance plane came in soon afterwards. There seemed to be a slight time lag as it was routed through the sky on the front line but it was not much of a problem.

A radio operator who had intercepted both the field phone and the radio came running in, out of breath.

──Salute!

“『Incoming report!!』”

The coordinates were transmitted by the radio operator who had intercepted the message.

There, the artillerymen were loading up the shells.

“『Speak.』”

The radio operator responded vigorously to the artillery officer who briefly told him.

“『Target, enemy base, The Royal Castle! Distance ……!』”

“『Good.』”

Based on the read-out, the artillery officer corrected the angle of fire of the howitzers.

He spoke loudly to his surroundings.

“『Platoon standard artillery, maximum elevation angle, bearing 68 degrees, type shell, fuse detonation, charge No. 6, Move!』”

Only one designated howitzer would be used.

Artillery warfare was not suddenly firing at full force with a platoon.

It must have a trial shot first.

Where it flew and where it dropped, fire a few shots to test and observe.

When the artillery officer confirmed the estimation of the target, only then he would order them all at once.

This was called effective fire from trial firing ──── indirect sight firing.

The artillerymen received the order to test fire and moved in a familiar manner.

The artillerymen prepared and loaded the indicated 『types of ammunition』, 『fuse』 and 『charge』 without delay.

(『弾種』『信管』『装薬』)

In the meantime, the operating personnel turned the cranks to angle the elevation and adjusted the angles up, down, left and right.

The howitzer, which had been pointing east, raised its barrel slightly and pointed slightly further to the left.

“『Ready to go!』”

The squad leader in charge of the howitzer’s operation – a junior officer – shouted that it was ready.

“『Fire!!!!!』”

Dokon!  and the light howitzer made a heavy firing noise.

The shells fired from the 10.5 cm calibre were nothing compared to hand grenades or mortars.

Bwah ──── The blowback after firing made cracks on the dry earth, closing off all visibility and rolling up the smell of gunpowder smoke.

It blew into the burgeoning semi-underground bunkers, furiously stirring up the air in the officer’s bunker and the convection currents of the air flapped the false netting covering the sky above.

Ononon ………… ── and the shrapnel roared away.

“『──Continue to report.』”

Soon afterwards, a voice began to broadcast over the radio urging corrections.

The information came from a reconnaissance plane that was flying over the Royal Castle and was observing the landing of artillery shells.

The transmission of information was a little slow because it went through the ground-guided air force officers on the front line.

But even so, it was not enough to hinder the operation of five or six howitzers per minute.

According to the figures read out, instructions were again flown to the gun operator.

“『Platoon standard artillery! Same elevation, direction plus 2, same shell type, fuse detonation and load charge. Load!』”

Compared to earlier order, there was less movement and quicker preparation.

“『Ready to fire!』”

“『Fire!!!!!』”

Dokon …… Ononon …… ────!

The howitzer, which continued to fire, roared its barrel for an extended period of time.

But this was only the beginning……These artillerymen were only firing trial shots.