From cannon fodder to sweeping across thousands of stars

The federal army on Robert IV can actually deploy less than 120,000 troops.

And they are distributed in multiple bases on the planet.

For a huge earth-like planet, this number of people is just a drop in the ocean.

But as a "force of existence" on weekdays, it is enough to symbolize the federal jurisdiction over this planet.

After all, there are farmers on this planet.

The occasional rebellions have not caused any waves.

Even if some areas where rebellions occurred are far away from the various bases of the federal army on the planet, the ground troops need to spend a long time to travel.

But don't forget that there is a garrison fleet outside the atmosphere of Robert IV.

The marines assigned to the fleet can land around the world within an hour through orbital airdrops.

Some people may think that the number of garrisons on this planet is still too small.

But please don't forget that this is just an agricultural planet.

Even if it is in a border galaxy, it is just an agricultural planet.

The federation controls more than 400 such planets.

Even considering the size of the troops currently deployed, it is a huge number.

Moreover, in the era of interstellar war, it is very stupid to station a large number of troops on certain border planets.

The vast universe is the best stage for surprise attacks and leapfrog tactics.

If the troops are stationed on various planets, it is even difficult to gather a large number of troops in a short period of time.

Therefore, whether it is the Federation or the Star Dragon Empire, they have now deployed a small number of "existence troops" on various inhabited planets.

The main fleet and the main ground forces are concentrated on more than a dozen military planets in strategic depth.

When a war breaks out, these main forces can be quickly assembled and flexibly go to various battlefields.

From another perspective, the "existence troops" on various border planets are actually tools for sacrifice and delaying time.

After encountering an enemy invasion, those who are lucky can hold on until the arrival of reinforcements, and then make the headlines of newspapers and become new heroic troops.

Those who are unlucky can only become part of the list of casualties.

In addition to the various problems in training and organization mentioned earlier.

This directly led to the defenders on Robert IV being hit by tactical hydrogen bombs and various tactical missiles.

The surviving soldiers had almost no ability to fight back when facing the orbital paratroopers dropped by the Empire.

The federal soldiers trapped in a valley in front of Amber are a very good example.

"Tsk tsk tsk tsk, this fight is too bad!"

What made Amber complain was a light mechanized force.

About a platoon of mobile infantry and 7 light armored vehicles.

And the imperial orbital paratroopers who ambushed them at night.

Just below the slope where Amber was, and opposite the valley.

Amber roughly counted, there should be less than 20 people.

But the training level of these 20 people is obviously several levels higher than that of the federal soldiers.

When Amber was attracted by the sound of the exchange of fire, the imperial orbital paratroopers had already destroyed the leading and trailing vehicles with individual anti-vehicle missiles.

The so-called tactic of "cutting off the head and tail and attacking the middle" is still so useful in this era.

The ambushed federal soldiers almost got off the car and fought back on the spot according to the combat regulations in panic.

But under the dense fire suppression, the federal mobile infantry could not disperse at all.

They were completely suppressed near the vehicle, and many people couldn't even raise their heads in the flames of the chain gun.

Not to mention letting them fight back.

"The technical and tactical level of these soldiers from the federation is not very good."

Isabel, who was lying on the slope shoulder to shoulder with Amber, looked at the federal soldiers who were suppressed and couldn't raise their heads, and said slowly.

Amber really couldn't find any reason to refute this statement.

After all, these "border army" soldiers, whether in terms of technical and tactical level or actual combat experience.

They can't be compared with the orbital paratroopers that the empire has put into battle this time.

In the "actual combat" that these mobile infantry had experienced before, the most dense firepower was probably the stones thrown by hundreds of mobs.

On the other hand, Amber didn't say how strong they were on the empire side.

But at least in terms of firepower distribution and attack sequence during the ambush, it was done quite well.

And thanks to the exoskeleton system equipped to each infantryman, their equipment carrying capacity has been greatly enhanced.

So the firepower density of infantry squads in this era has also been greatly improved.

Although there are only 20 people in the team, in addition to the conventional Gauss rifle and 40mm automatic grenade launcher.

There are also two 25mm chain guns, a portable electromagnetic gun, and an unknown number of single-soldier anti-vehicle missiles.

"Boom!"

Several mobile infantrymen who were gathered together were hit by a shell that fell from the sky.

After the smoke and dust dissipated, there was only a huge crater on the ground, some limbs and equipment fragments.

"Good guy, such a small number of people also brought mortars."

Amber clicked a few times on the terminal on her wrist, and the ballistic detection program built into the tactical mask began to calculate.

And soon marked several possible launch positions on the HUD.

Amber adjusted the optical lens zoom of the mask, turned on the infrared detection mode, and scanned them one by one.

Finally, I saw a heat source and a moving figure behind a bush about 500 meters away in my 3 o'clock direction.

"I'm going to help. If we don't take action, all these big soldiers will die. I still want to get off their car!"

"Are you coming to help me together, or are you just here to watch?"

Amber retracted behind the slope, checked the weapon in her hand again, and glanced at Isabel who also retracted.

"I didn't stop you from attacking the imperial soldiers. It was the limit of what I could do."

The female spy who was labeled as ‘treason’ said angrily:

"I would never open fire on soldiers of my own country."

"No problem, I respect your choice~"

Amber didn't talk nonsense to her and ran out with a sniper rifle.

"Just stay here."

As the words fell, Amber's figure blurred for a while, and then completely disappeared into the air.

He turned on the optical stealth mode and started running at high speed.

The fierce exchange of fire on the battlefield at this moment can completely cover up the sound of his running.

And his first target now is the mortar position he just discovered.

This thing is still too much of a threat to infantry.

If it fires a few more times, the federal mobile infantry in the valley will probably collapse.

The distance of 500 meters is only more than 30 seconds for Amber, who is sprinting with all his strength with the support of his exoskeleton.

He quickly rushed to the edge of the bush and saw his target.

A 120mm portable mortar, and two Imperial Orbital Paratroopers conducting bombardment operations.