French infantry divisions, each equipped with 36 75mm field guns, and a very small number of 105mm howitzers. British infantry divisions, each equipped with 58 83.8mm field guns and 18 114mm howitzers. The four armies deployed by the British and French allied forces on the front line are one British Expeditionary Army and three French Army Armies. These troops are equipped with a total of 1,296 75mm field guns, more than one hundred 105mm howitzers, 696 83.8mm field guns and 216 114mm howitzers.
Although, such artillery is already considered very powerful. However, compared with the German army, it is undoubtedly much worse. In terms of quantity, it is only less than half of the German army. More importantly, they did not have heavy guns above 150 mm caliber. The heavy artillery of the 105mm howitzer level is also seriously less than that of the German army. This also made the British and French allied forces completely suppressed by the German army in the artillery battle.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
The artillery of the British and French coalition forces began to fire on the German artillery positions in an attempt to suppress the German artillery, protect their positions, and prevent their positions from being destroyed by German artillery fire.
It's just that most of the artillery positions of the German army are deployed far from the front line. The artillery of the British and French allied forces, except for a few 105mm howitzers and 114mm howitzers, are simply out of reach.
On the contrary, they were discovered by the German army as soon as they fired. Under the guidance of reconnaissance planes and observation balloons, the artillery positions of the German army began to cover the artillery positions of the British and French allied forces.
"Your Highness, the artillery of the British and French coalition forces opened fire. Our artillery began to use 105mm howitzers and 150mm howitzers to attack their artillery positions." Major General Manstein said.
Qin Tian nodded, using a telescope to observe the situation of the British and French allied forces on the opposite side.
Sure enough, pillars of smoke soon rose behind the British and French allied forces. Those places were where the British and French allied forces deployed their cannons. It's just that these artillery positions of the British and French allied forces are completely within the range of the German artillery. Especially the 150mm heavy artillery can directly pose a great threat to the artillery positions of the British and French coalition forces.
"Boom! Boom! Boom!"
You must know that the 105mm howitzers and 150mm howitzers possessed by the four armies of the German army are larger in number than all the artillery possessed by the British and French allied forces combined. When these artillery were concentrated to bombard the positions of the British and French allied forces, the consequences can naturally be imagined. The artillery positions of the British and French allied forces were destroyed one after another under the heavy shelling of the German army.
"Very good, very well done. If this continues, it won't be long before the artillery of the British and French coalition forces will be completely lost. At that time, our cannons will be able to continuously bombard their positions and destroy their fortifications." All destroyed." Qin Tian was very satisfied with the performance of the artillery. After solving the artillery of the British and French allied forces, the artillery of the German army will be able to fire at the positions of the British and French allied forces without interference. With fierce artillery fire, all the fortifications of the British and French coalition forces were directly smashed, clearing the way for the subsequent infantry attack.
Although, the artillery battle was very tragic. The artillerymen on both sides couldn't meet each other, but once the shells they fired hit each other, they were enough to tear each other to pieces.
"Bastard, **** the Germans, how many cannons have they assembled? They shouldn't have gathered all the cannons on the entire Western Front here?" De Kathy Terr, commander of the French Second Army Admiral Nuo complained.
During this battle, the French army suffered a lot from the German artillery. But unfortunately, because of the urgency of the war, a large amount of weapons and equipment need to be produced. The 75mm field gun with more mature technology has become the first choice for French arsenals to produce. As for the large-caliber heavy artillery that is urgently needed on the front line, the production quantity is very small. This also makes the French army on the front line, under the fierce German shelling. I can't hold my head up at all.
Also very depressed, and those generals of the British Expeditionary Force. The British Army also attaches great importance to artillery. The number of cannons owned by each infantry division was still the largest in the world in the second half of last year, more than the number of cannons owned by each infantry division of the German army. However, after only half a year, they were completely surpassed by the German army.
Behind the British and French allied forces, Marshal Xiafei personally sat in the town and directed the battle. In his view, this attack by the German army is undoubtedly very threatening to the British and French allied forces. If it cannot withstand the German attack, the British and French allied forces may not be able to hold on to the Marne River defense line. Once the Marne River defense line is breached, then the German army will be able to directly threaten Paris.
However, the battle had just begun, and the German army showed an extremely strong attack power, which made Marshal Xia Fei worried.
"Your Excellency Marshal, the front line requests more artillery support. Under the heavy shelling of the Germans, the artillery losses of the front line departments are very large." A staff officer reported.
Marshal Xia Fei frowned involuntarily. In his hands now, except for the artillery of the reserve teams of the two armies, he has no other artillery at all. He can't send the reserve teams to the front line just after the battle has just begun, right?
"Tell the frontline that there is no extra artillery to support them. Now, the battle has just begun, and they need to rely on their own strength to hold the line of defense!" Marshal Joffre ordered.
"Yes, Your Excellency the Marshal." The staff officer immediately went to send a telegram.
"God bless the French Republic!" Marshal Joffre murmured. He knew that this battle was undoubtedly the final test for France. If it can withstand it, then France will be able to continue to maintain it. If you can't resist it, the collapse of France is just around the corner!
However, under the well-prepared offensive of the German army, it is almost impossible for the British and French allied forces to resist the German attack on the Marne River.
The artillery fire of the German army is still raging, and the artillery positions of the suppressed British and French allied forces have suffered heavy losses.
What's more terrible is that the various air teams of the German Army also actively participated in the attack on the artillery of the British and French coalition forces.
At 9 o'clock in the morning, more than two hundred fighter jets and bombers arrived at the front line. These fighter jets used machine guns to shoot the anti-aircraft firepower on the positions of the British and French allied forces, and covered the bombers for bombing.
"Whoo! Whoo! Whoo!"
Bombs fell from the bomber's magazine like dumplings, and the artillery positions of the British and French allied forces were instantly shrouded in smoke and flames. After the smoke cleared, the artillery positions of the British and French allied forces were in a mess. The cannons were blown up, and the artillery was gone.
After the German air force joined in, the artillery losses of the British and French allied forces began to rise sharply.
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