Chapter 810: Chapter 41: The First Battle with Night Combat Equipment

Prosen Technical Experimental Unit.

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin watched the technicians check the night vision equipment installed on the Leopard Tank.

At this time, Major Luke of the 51st Armored Grenadiers Regiment of the 9th Armored Grenadier Division came over, standing next to the already started tank, and warmed his hands in front of the exhaust port using the warm exhaust fumes.

“It’s really cold, Lieutenant Colonel,” he said. “Isn’t this night vision equipment just a spotlight? What if it gets shot out by an enemy sniper?”

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin shook his head: “No, this large lamp emits infrared light, only the infrared night vision device mounted on top of the tank can see what it illuminates. The Anteans don’t have infrared night vision devices, so they can’t see it.”

Major Luke: “Then can’t we see either? How are we supposed to coordinate with you in pitch darkness? Your own infantry can’t see as well, what’s the point then?”

“You can see, as long as we use Incendiary Bombs to light up the enemy’s position, then you can see where the enemies are,” Lieutenant Colonel Kanin said. “Also, there’s a faintly glowing identification strip on the back of the tank. Follow it to ensure you don’t get caught in the tank’s tracks.”

Major Luke pulled out a cigarette: “Damn, might as well have your tank commanders light a cigarette and let us use the glow of the cigarette butt to locate the tanks.”

“That won’t work. Enemy snipers would target the glow of the cigarette,” Lieutenant Colonel Kanin immediately responded. “Before I was transferred to the experimental unit, there was an officer who went outside the shelter to smoke at night and got killed.”

“By a Witch?”

The female biplane pilots who bombed at night were called Dark Night Witches by the Prosens, and correspondingly, the Ante’s female snipers were also referred to as Witches.

Prosen Soldiers would not admit they were afraid of these Ante women soldiers; they could only slander that they used witchcraft, and their fear was of the evil witchcraft.

At this time, the head technician of the Technical Experimental Unit ran over to Lieutenant Colonel Kanin, saluted, and then reported: “All night vision equipment and ‘Nightingale’ model infrared lamps have been checked and are ready for the attack.”

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Lieutenant Colonel Kanin: “Understood. Major Luke, please have your regiment ready.”

Major Luke stubbed out his cigarette and expelled all the smoke left in his lungs: “The first real battle with night fighting equipment in human history, we have made our mark in history.”

After saying that, he turned and disappeared into the night.

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin climbed onto the tank, entered the turret, put on his headset, and picked up the microphone: “All vehicles pay attention, turn on the infrared lamps and night vision equipment, start advancing.”

The engine volume of the colonel’s vehicle suddenly increased, and the vehicle sharply lunged forward before settling into a smooth advance.

“Hank,” the colonel called out to the driver, “Don’t be so rough.”

Sergeant Hank: “Lieutenant Colonel, I just finished armored recruit training, and at school, I drove the 38T training tank, I’m still not used to the Leopard.”

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin: “Prosen Soldiers don’t make excuses, remember that.”

“Yes, Lieutenant Colonel.”

The Gunner interjected: “Lieutenant Colonel, the technical sergeants said infrared is a type of thermal energy, wouldn’t we be warming up the Ante Soldiers then? They couldn’t possibly feel the heat and discover our attack, right?”

The Lieutenant Colonel: “The technical sergeant said it wouldn’t happen.”

“But last time during the test, when I put my hand in front of the lamp, it really got very hot!”

Lieutenant Colonel: “That’s because the lamp is an electrical appliance. If you put your hand near a glowing light bulb, it’ll also be hot. Less nonsense, observe carefully.”

Having said that, the lieutenant colonel picked up the specialized infrared night vision device issued to him.

Because the night vision device was comparatively large and costly, even the modified tanks of the Technical Experimental Unit only had two night vision devices, one each for the gunner and the driver. The vehicle commander and the electromechanical operator (who also served as a machine gunner) did not have such equipment.

The lieutenant colonel’s hand-held night vision device was removed from the infantry squad’s machine gun–yes, only the machine gunner in an infantry squad had a night vision device.

On Earth, towards the end of the war, Sturmtiger equipped the STG44 assault rifle with night vision devices, issued to a few elite units, but now Prosen had not yet developed assault rifles, and night vision devices were still experimental products, extremely scarce.

Through the night vision device, the lieutenant colonel saw the “road” illuminated by the infrared lamp, and he was somewhat surprised at how well the lamp illuminated.

He suddenly recalled the first time he saw a kaleidoscope as a child; facing the magnificent world inside the kaleidoscope, he must have been just as surprised and filled with curiosity.

After “playing” for a while, as his excitement passed, the lieutenant colonel felt the limitations of the night vision device.

The field of vision was too small. Even if he adjusted the magnification to the lowest and expanded the view to the maximum, it was just that–a small area.

Moreover, in parts not illuminated by the infrared lamp, everything was very vague.

The lieutenant colonel put away the night vision device and observed the night with his naked eye, although there was almost no moonlight, but the human eye could still barely distinguish the outlines of trees.

Lieutenant Colonel Kanin began to doubt, can this device really enhance night combat capabilities?

The Ante Witches reportedly did not have night vision devices, but they always managed to drop bombs where the Prosens were stationed.

——–

Filippov suddenly heard the phone ring, lifting his head from the chessboard.

He was studying chess books alone, his recent newfound pleasure.

The regiment staff officer picked up the receiver: “This is the regiment headquarters, what’s the issue? Engine sounds? Are you sure?”

Filippov stood up, took the receiver from the staff officer, and just in time heard the First Battalion Commander hurriedly reporting: “Indeed, engine sounds, everyone heard them, very loud, but we haven’t seen any enemy flares; this does not conform to the Prosens’ usual nighttime attack patterns.