The Abrams Tank is reputed to be the world's premier tank, but it isn't without its vulnerabilities; its turret sides and rear, as well as the engine compartnt/engine air intake at the back, are prone to damage, and its top is also quite fragile.
The ard insurgents in Mosul have obviously studied the weaknesses of this Arican tank, targeting its critical areas.
Moreover, this particular Abrams Tank had its depleted armor removed, making it absolutely inferior to the fully equipped version used by the US Army.
Even before the rocket had hit the tank, the heavy machine gunner in the Humvee behind it had already swiveled his gun around, ready to sweep the rooftop insurgent with fire and send him to his maker.
Unexpectedly, just as the gun was turned and before he could fire, the hidden sniper took another shot.
A 7.62 caliber sniper bullet passed through the gap in the machine gun's shield and struck the machine gunner right in the throat.
He didn't even have a chance to scream before he went limp and slid into the Humvee.
At the sa ti, the rocket finally arrived, hitting the Abrams Tank on the roof and the engine's air intake on the right side, respectively.
Boom—
Boom—
Sparks flew as two balls of fire erupted in the black smoke.
Thick smoke began rising from the top of the Abrams Tank...
The crew inside panicked, first attempting to reverse.
But as they did, they heavily collided with the Humvee behind them.
The people inside the Humvee hadn't even had ti to react before they were jolted dizzy and disoriented.
The RPG rocket that ca from the rooftop had pierced the top armor, igniting a fire inside.
The thick smoke quickly filled the entire cab.
The driver, who had initially intended to drive away, was now even more terrified by the collision with the Humvee, leading the whole crew to make an absurd decision in their panic—to abandon the tank and run!
After a violent collision that caused the Humvee to stall, the driver tried to restart it twice without success...
They began to abandon their vehicle as well.
From a distance, Song Heping sighed and said as he watched the flustered Illigo Army soldiers ditch their vehicles, "This is a complete disaster."
He instinctively looked toward the building where Seal Team was stationed.
No shots rang out from there.
This ant that even they couldn't spot the sniper.
Ping—
The Grim Reaper's gunshot echoed again.
Ping—
Another two Illigo Army soldiers fell.
The rest stumbled and ran into the corner of a nearby building, shaking and too terrified to even move.
The cook pointed to where Seal Team was located and complained, "Why the hell haven't those blockheads fired yet? Why haven't they taken out the RPG guys?"
Song Heping wanted to explain that Seal Team simply couldn't see the sniper from their current position.
Their building was five hundred ters away from the small square.
And the sniper from Sword Camp was at least one thousand ters from the square.
Add the two distances together, and it was over one thousand five hundred ters.
Besides, there were many buildings in between.
Unless the mbers of Seal Team advance imdiately and take over the warehouse recently used by the ard militants to attack the convoy at the city entrance.
That three-story warehouse had tall ceilings on each level, so the rooftop was at least 9 ters above the ground.
From up there, observers with high-powered scopes might be able to spot the enemy's positions.
But from here?
Finding them would be an oddity!
As expected, Seal Team on the rooftop seed to realize they were in the wrong position; they'd already started to pick up their weapons, preparing to move.
But unsurprisingly, there was an unexpected turn.
The tanks and Humvees from Sword Camp, positioned on the road outside the city, began to wildly strafe the two buildings from which RPG gunners appeared earlier. Just then, several more ard militants erged from the previously quiet warehouse, launching various attacks on the Abrams Tank and Humvees headed to the square for relief.
Several RPG rockets were fired; one struck a moving Sword Camp Humvee, turning it into a fiery ball.
The soldiers inside scread as they pushed the door open and jumped out, rolling on the ground trying to snuff out the flas on their bodies; the scene instantly turned chaotic.
"Calling Peregrine! Calling Peregrine! Warrior Camp is under attack at the entrance of Mosul's fifth sector, requesting aerial surveillance and support!"
Lieutenant Colonel Mandres did not react.
He could not risk his troops.
And this was not the US Army's combat style.
Since there was resistance entering the city, call for air support!
Only air support could relieve their anxieties!
Drone control was in the hands of Seal Team, equipped for them to search for "Hunter," and the MQ-1 could only carry two ground missiles, so they had to be reserved for attacking snipers.
To attack those scattered soldiers, only Mandres could call in the Air Force attack squadron code-nad "Peregrine."
From a distance, Song Heping kept watching Mandres's command operations.
He had long heard that the US Army loved to call in air support.
Now it seed true.
Rather than divide their forces into several paths to attack the buildings where the ard militants were hiding, they preferred to line up outside the city and exchange fire with militants inside the buildings.
Indeed, they were cautious with their lives!
Boom——
Boom——
Thump thump thump——
Thump thump thump——
Crack crack crack——
Rat-a-tat-tat——
Heavy machine guns, tank artillery, light machine guns, and Gustav rocket launchers; all sorts of weapons were used unrestrainedly against the buildings suspected of concealing ard militants.
The clusters of buildings at the entrance were soon covered in thick dust and black smoke; soon enough, even the buildings themselves were out of sight.
Not long after, the distinctive roar of A10 Warthog Attack Aircraft was heard in the sky.
Song Heping looked up, seeing two Warthog Attack Aircraft fly by at low altitude, dropping several 500-pound MK82 general-purpose bombs close to the exchange of fire.
"Fuck..."
Song Heping was stunned.
Because those bombs ant that the few Sword Camp soldiers hiding at the base of the building walls were going to be thoroughly chilled.
Clang——
Clang——
Clang——
Clang——
Several huge fireballs exploded into the air.
Even hundreds of ters away, Song Heping could still feel his heart in his chest skip a beat; not long after, the aftershock of the blast wave swept over, blowing up the yellow sand on the ground and covering the heads of several people on the slope with dirt.
The smoke and dust completely obscured that cluster of buildings.
Before it cleared, no one knew whether those buildings would still be standing...
"Lieutenant Colonel!"
In fact, Vincent was the angriest.
He ran to the command vehicle and began to roar at Lieutenant Colonel Mandres.
"What the hell are you doing! With this kind of bombing, how are we supposed to go to the warehouse to seek high ground!?"
"Warehouse?"
Lieutenant Colonel Mandres pointed to the warehouse that was now subrged in smoke and dust.
"Didn't you see there were militants in there just now?! How are you going to get in?!"
"Of course, we fight our way in!" Vincent felt insulted, "You think we are carrying fire sticks?!"
He pointed at the blurry cluster of buildings and shouted at Mandres, "With such bombing, you've not only destroyed our vantage point but also alerted the sniper. Where are we supposed to find him now?!"
"I don't care about your sniper, I am responsible for the safety of my soldiers!" Lieutenant Colonel Mandres spoke bluntly, "With this kind of bombing, the militants inside are definitely dead, which is the safest way! I am the battalion commander, my responsibility is to direct combat, not to listen to you lecturing here!"
Despite being from the Special Forces, Vincent had no recourse against soone like Lieutenant Colonel Mandres, who outranked him by several levels.
"Lieutenant Colonel, I hope you can communicate with before calling in air support next ti! Don't forget, how many months have you bombed this place using this thod? It's useless! Absolutely pointless! 'Hunter' is still out there, and your soldiers don't dare to be stationed inside!"
Mandres was unimpressed with Vincent's attitude.
He found it unacceptable for a lieutenant to speak to him in a coarse voice, almost as if he were speaking to a superior.
So he coldly said, "Captain Vincent, how about I give you command of Warrior Camp then?"
Vincent sensed Mandres's hostility towards him.
Continuing the conversation would have only led to argunt, so he chose to turn and leave in the end.
"FUCK!"
After turning around, he kicked a clump of dirt several ters away to vent his frustration.
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