CHAPTER 657: CHAPTER 316: [VARIOUS WAYS TO DIE UNDER DRONES] (4K)

"This sunset, this environment?!"

"Is this Kursk!"

The soldiers beside him were a bit puzzled:

"Kursk?"

The driver holding the map looked at it and said:

"That’s right."

"We are at Kursk."

"We were in the World War II series before, and there was fighting here."

"I didn’t expect the plot to advance decades later."

"And we’re fighting here again."

Many soldiers on Blue Star had played the World War II series, especially when it exploded in popularity; everyone wanted to participate in every major battle.

The Battle of Kursk was one of them.

An Antarctic Star Federation soldier on the nearby tank said:

"When was that in the plot again?"

"1943, I think."

"And now it’s 2022."

"The plot moves fast."

"In a blink of an eye, 79 years have passed?"

"I just didn’t expect after so many decades that this land would see war again."

"Damn it."

The tank driver looked at the map and said:

"It’s more than 79 years."

"Our current timeline has already passed the 2022 point."

"So."

"The land is at war again after more than 80 years."

Everyone looked at the magnificent sunset, momentarily speechless.

Suddenly.

The tank driver, gazing at the sunset, noticed something stuck at the back of the tank when he looked down.

He bent down and pulled it out.

The crowd was intrigued and looked over.

They saw the tank driver holding a slender stick and curiously asked:

"What is that?"

The tank driver examined the stick and said:

"It should be a part of a drone’s support strut."

"It probably got stuck here when they sent the brigade commander skyward."

Upon hearing this.

The crowd inexplicably chuckled:

"Oh."

"Brigade commander went skyward... hahaha."

"Sorry, I couldn’t help it."

"Damn, why is that so funny?"

"Hahaha, luckily this is just a plot, and the brigade commander didn’t actually die."

"But this is live-streamed, right? There are people watching."

"..... Hiss!"

"Pretend I said nothing!"

The crowd laughed nonsensically, then suddenly stopped, feeling absurd, yet it eased their tension significantly.

The tank driver, still examining the stick, noticed the writing on its edge:

"There are words on it."

The soldier next to him asked:

"Where is this thing made?"

The tank driver looked at the familiar script on it and read aloud:

"Yi...."

....

Outside the plot.

The soldiers of the Great Xia Federation had withdrawn one after another.

In the conference room’s plot projection.

Only Shen Yan and a few soldiers who hadn’t been spotted by drones survived.

The rest had already arrived in the conference room.

Watching with everyone else.

Advisor Qu Guang looked at the projection, then at Special First Battalion, Battalion Commander Liu Feng, then at Company Commander, Second Company Commander....

Basically, all the officers of the Special First Battalion gathered.

Qu Guang said:

"What are your thoughts?"

The officers from Special First Battalion exchanged glances, and Liu Feng began:

"Honestly."

"These drones are quite absurd."

"We can only try from electronic warfare."

"But the plot hasn’t arranged for units or equipment in this area, based on past experience in fighting this, it’s utter annihilation."

Hearing this.

The soldiers of Special First Battalion who had just withdrawn nodded in agreement.

It’s utterly absurd.

Back in the World War II series, after so much training and progress.

Even in the Global Counter-Terrorism DLC, they could engage those NPC units effectively.

But only 20 years passed.

In 2022, everything was reset.

The previously learned tactics and methods are almost useless now.

Trenches?

Even if dug extensively, they’re useless, ’Earth’ now doesn’t need continuous bombardment, the opponent sends out a small drone.

Buzz——

It just flies over.

No matter if there are foxholes in trenches.

The enemy spots it.

A dive, straight into the foxhole.

Boom——

Like exploding popcorn.

The foxhole bursts with debris.....

Iron flood?

If you dare play that way, that’s great.

How much for a tank, an armored car, from tens to millions of US Dollars.

Even if it’s not these.

A regular military truck costs several thousand dollars at least.

On the other side?

A drone.

Costs hundreds of dollars, maybe even less if bought wholesale somewhere.

The only valuable part might be the explosives it carries.

A $2 million tank, with a small drone charging... Boom——!

It becomes scrap metal instantly.

Such tactics.

Even the United States couldn’t withstand it.

Trenches won’t help, iron flood can’t stop, urban warfare.... that’s even more futile.

Previously, you’d have to fight room-to-room, even blanket fire coverage.

To destroy enemy forces.

But now.... just knowing which floor you’re on, a few drones.

Buzz——

They go in.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

They simply take it away.

Moreover, with drones of this size.

Barely bigger than a palm, at some distance, it’s just a speck.

Only when it’s close can you hit it.

But letting a drone get close means you’re almost done.

And original cover and such, against drones, are virtually ineffective.

Drones fly hundreds of meters overhead, easily watching below for any movement, knowing exactly where people are.

Still, they’re too far away, possibly unnoticed.

Until a drone is directly overhead, diving and crashing down, can you hear that terrifying whistle.

Then....

The scene naturally goes dark.

This period.

At least 70% of Special First Battalion’s soldiers were taken out by drones.

All kinds of deaths occurred.

But there were no cases of counter-kills.

Truly, counters weren’t possible.

Even if a drone was shot down, it only took out a drone, and didn’t harm the opponent at all, just lost a few hundred dollars.

But if not shot down, it’s oneself that dies.

Qu Guang also watched the projection, pondering.

But after a long time, still shook his head:

"Drone costs are too low."

Thinking for a long time, Qu Guang could only sigh.

No other solutions.

The reality is, their costs are ridiculously low, compared to a tank worth millions of dollars, drones are truly dirt cheap.

A $2 million tank, buying cheap drones, using the simplest ’swarm’ tactic, assuming a drone costs $1000.

The price of one tank buys 2000 drones.

And these 2000 drones, carrying bombs, even if only one-third hits, will destroy hundreds of opposing tanks, trucks, and such large equipment.

This wave alone would cost opponents tens of millions of dollars.

This is just dealing with equipment.

What about people?

A $1000 drone, diving at them, everything a mother nurtured for over a decade and decades is gone.

Those ten or twenty years of effort, far exceed $1000.

While the technology barrier is low.

There are Blue Star soldiers who found crashed but unexploded drones, just about the size of a platter, carrying a maximum-load bomb.

Easily dismantled, its battery can’t even power it for half an hour.

Proper consumer-grade drones.

The kind bought for casual play, but this thing with a bomb can casually take a life.

And its functions are diverse.

Integrating reconnaissance, surveillance, firepower strike, electronic interference, communication relays, psychological warfare.

When discovered, it’s destroyed.

Capable of attacking from unexpected locations.

Even when you’re facing enemies up front, a drone might come from friendly lines behind you, diving and bombing.

Also, countermeasures are limited.

Due to complex electronic interference, it might affect own communications.

Blue Star soldiers are worried too.

If it continues like this, there’s no end.

The Earth’s 2022 war, how can it be so absurd? Evolved way too fast, right?