Chapter 114: Volume 3 - 24 Liebgoet
When the near-victory battle report of the 4th Fleet was transmitted back to headquarters, Admiral Robert, responsible for the Army, knew that it would soon be the Army’s turn to perform. Now, the battle preparations on Miloke and Miloke II Star have nearly been completed, at least enough for the first phase of the landing offensive.
The first phase of the landing will involve a total of over sixty fully mechanized infantry divisions and more than twenty armored divisions, including the Federation First Army Armored Division and the Aviation Marine Corps 3rd Armored Division, two of the Federation’s ace units, which will form the main force of the landing. As for the vanguard, the options chosen were the Aviation Marine Corps 16th Armored Division and the rebuilt 9th Armored Division, both of which shone brilliantly in the Miloke Planet campaign.
The 9th Armored Division, in the battle to defend New Rome, Miloke’s largest industrial city, held its ground with half its forces cooperating with brother units until the Federation’s counteroffensive began, fighting countless fierce battles and creating many meritorious companies and battalions. The 16th Division’s remarkable achievement was during the Jialuo Mountain battle; when the division was deployed, Admiral Blatt, the overall commander, had virtually no more troops to dispatch. If the 16th Division could not hold the line, the Federation would retreat at the dawn of victory, with no defensive terrain for thousands of kilometers at the rear, the Imperial Army would wreak havoc like beasts unleashed, tearing the Federation’s defenses to shreds in a sweeping advance across vast regions. Fortunately, it was the 16th Armored Division that went in; not only did they hold the position, but led the charge in the subsequent counteroffensive, routing and capturing Imperial forces several times their own number under the onslaught of this armored division.
In the honor room of the Aviation Marine Corps 9th Division, various banners and collective medals are displayed. On the front wall, there is a blank space. A new soldier once asked why this blank space was left in the center, and the veteran answer was: "That space is reserved for a mechanic soldier who won a first-class merit! At the most critical moment in the battle of New Rome, it was this mechanic soldier who destroyed the opponent’s forward base command post, delaying the Imperial Army’s offensive for two days, saving New Rome and the 9th Division. The division commander said, ’In troubled times, heroes emerge. A mechanic soldier can also create miracles; this space is reserved for him, and for future heroes!’"
With just one sentence from the division commander, every new recruit stepping into the 9th Division felt their hearts surge with excitement and passion, realizing that they too had the chance to create miracles! This blank space instantly became a goal in the hearts of every soldier in the Aviation Marine Corps 9th Armored Division, infusing the division with a new spirit, significantly boosting both cohesion and combat power!
In the tense preparations of the 16th Armored Division, now reorganized into a regiment-level unit, the original Special Reconnaissance Battalion seemed devoid of pre-war tension. Within hours, the warriors would board a giant transport ship, becoming the first to set foot on the main star Galileo’s Lucerne Planet. Yet, those reading books, playing ball, and shooting the breeze seemed at ease, as if the upcoming battle was of no concern to anyone.
The newly reinforced soldiers in this regiment were all elite warriors, veterans selected from various units of the division, but their curiosity persisted about the mysterious deputy company commander who once dared to create chaos behind enemy lines with just a squad. Especially in Torick’s company, a few newly added special soldiers persistently followed Torick, who led them into the grassroots officers’ rest room, relentlessly asking: "Company commander, tell us about it. If someone asks about our company’s glorious deeds, we’d have something to say, wouldn’t we?" Torick glared: "This is military secrecy. Do you think it’s for you to boast about?"
As soon as the deputy company commander was mentioned, the old-timers in the rest room perked up. This group, who followed Fatty back from behind enemy lines, had either become platoon leaders or squad leaders, adorned with numerous medals, enjoying considerable prestige in the entire 16th Division.