After returning from Turner's place, Song Heping drove around the oil fields again before lunch.
He had to imprint every corner of the terrain into his mind by comparing it with the map.
However, his mood was sowhat depressed after the inspection.
When he got back to the living area, the cooks were eating.
They dined separately from Samir and his group.
Everyone had different beliefs, and so taboos needed to be respected.
The cook still loved cooking.
His interest hadn't diminished since arriving here.
Sotis Song Heping found the cook quite odd.
A rcenary leader so passionate about cooking was certainly an anomaly.
"Song! Where have you been?!"
The cook always had a slightly hoarse but strong voice, calling to als as if calling a dog to its food.
"I went around the oil fields again."
Song Heping leaned his gun against the table and settled into his chair, pulling a basin in front of him.
The cook ca over with the pot, distributing his specialty, red vegetable soup.
When he served Song Heping, he said, "What's so good to see around here, the oil field area is just a plain, not even a high point, damn hellish place."
White Bear interjected, "Song's tactics last night were great, dispersed ambush, mutual support, quick response. We didn't lose a single man last night, while Mad Dog's oil fields had two workers injured, and they had dozens more people than us!"
"Right!" Grey Wolf also started praising Song Heping, "I didn't expect Song's tactical command to be so formidable. Looks like we're going to make a fortune this ti, just with the security contract for this oil field. A few years of this, and we all can go back to Russia and live comfortably."
Previously, the Queen had never regarded Song Heping highly, but after witnessing his performance over ti, she recognized him as a commander.
"Song, you're a tough one!"
Saying this, she raised her bottle of mineral water, substituting water for wine.
"You guys are really optimistic..."
Song Heping chuckled bitterly.
"Do you know what Turner called for just now?"
He repeated what Turner had said earlier.
"Do you think we can defend the oil field?"
As he spoke, he pulled out a map from his pocket and spread it on the table.
"Take a look for yourself, how many tis we can hold out."
The attention of several fell on the map, and they began to discuss vociferously.
Disaster Star showed no interest in tactics at all.
He focused all his energy on the lamb chops, eating with grease dripping from his mouth.
"The terrain is indeed disadvantageous, but we can recruit more local rcenaries, set up guard sentries around, and push back as they co. Then establish positions around the oil field area. I don't believe their combat strength can be much better than ours," said White Bear with brute simplicity.
"Fight a mobile war. Like you did last night, more defenses, mutual support, outflank their rear, strike from both sides."
The cook's idea had a bit more thought in it.
"I don't know much, but I know sniping. I can handle defense in one direction, just give a high tower."
Hunter was confident in his sniping skills.
"I can too, just give more bullets, I can also stop them,"
the Queen declared competitively.
"I don't understand tactics, but whatever you arrange, I'll follow through and guarantee the completion of the mission," Grey Wolf said earnestly, in his typical fashion.
Eventually, everyone's gaze fell on Song Heping.
After finishing the red vegetable soup, Song Heping took out half a pencil and drew several circles on different positions of the map.
"What is this...?" the cook failed to understand.
Song Heping laid his cards on the table, "If these are artillery positions, how would you attack them?"
Everyone imdiately fell silent.
They looked at the circles Song Heping had drawn.
All were located about 3-5 kiloters from the periter of the oil field.
"I just drove around by myself, putting myself in the shoes of the ard militants to think this through. If I were them, I would definitely do this," he said.
He looked up, surveying everyone.
"Queen, Hunter, what is the range of your sniper rifles? How far can you control? 1000 ters is the limit, right? Can you hit their artillery positions?"
Queen and Hunter turned off.
Both shook their heads in turn.
Not to ntion the terrible conditions at night without light, even in broad daylight with very good visibility, sniper rifles couldn't shoot that far, not even large caliber ones.
"This is still just a regular mortar position," Song Heping stated, then picked up the pencil again and drew several more circles in even farther locations.
"What if I establish rocket artillery positions here? To my knowledge, the local ard forces in Illiguo have plenty of Katyusha Rocket Launchers and 107 rockets in their arsenal, which have a range of up to 8.5 kiloters. If they set their artillery positions there and bombard us ruthlessly, what do you think the consequences will be?" he asked, then threw down the pencil.
"All of you are thinking about how to fiercely confront them face to face, but the question is, will they engage directly with you? They won't. They co to scout, basically to see how many people are currently in the oil field area, how the equipnt restoration is going, and how the forces and sentries are arranged. Do you think they plan to attack us head-on?"
The cook said, "If we are attacked, we can call the US Army, and they can send air support. As soon as the A10 attack aircraft or AC-130 gunship arrive, they'll all be dead."
Song Heping shook his head wryly, "Cook, aren't you underestimating the guerrillas? Not to ntion, how many years did your country fight guerrillas in the Caucasus until they were completely eradicated?"
At this remark.
All eyes fell on Disaster Star.
Disaster Star seed to have heard too, looking up at everyone.
Song Heping hurriedly explained, "Disaster Star, I apologize for using you all as a case study."
In a deep, resonant voice, Disaster Star said, "Don't worry, I'm not from a Caucasian extremist group."
After finishing, he continued gnawing on a lamb chop.
Song Heping continued to address the cook, "Also, back then, how much military and air force did your country use? Do we have that kind of air power? How long would it take for the allied air forces to arrive if you call for their help? Can you guarantee that when they arrive, the militants haven't fled? Will they wait for them to co and bomb them?"
The cook was so stumped he shut up completely.
When it ca to tactics, no one could outtalk Song Heping here.
"This won't work, that won't work," White Bear blurted out irritably, "So what do we do? Just give up?"
Song Heping said, "We have to act, so I plan to buy a batch of large-caliber mortars. To fight artillery, you need artillery."
"You told before you needed hundreds of thousands of US dollars, was it to buy this?" the cook asked.
Song Heping nodded, "Yes."
The cook was sowhat distressed, "That stuff isn't cheap... especially the shells. Buying them from that second-rate dealer Harvey is even more expensive; he sells ordinary 60mm mortar shells for 300 US dollars each, it's robbery!"
Song Heping said, "No matter the cost, we must buy them. If we don't, we can't even protect our own project. 'No pain, no gain'. We must purchase the mortars and shells, we have to establish at least one mortar platoon, otherwise we can't continue with this project, we won't last a month here. Believe it or not?"
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