The frenzied attacks by the MPLA forces day and night were also a severe test for UNITA on the south coast. Under the advice of South African advisers, Savimbi only deployed three of his battalions on the front line, trying to achieve victory through constant rotation. Preserve the combat effectiveness of your troops and use them to consume the enemy to win the final victory.
However, the South African consultants did not take into account the determination of the MPLA at all. One and a half of the three infantry battalions deployed by Savimbi on the front line were gone in just one day. The artillery and rocket launchers of the MPLA seemed to be non-stop. They continued to bombard their positions indiscriminately, and the increasingly precise firepower posed a huge threat to the UNITA army. Many people were blown into the sky by artillery shells before they even saw the enemy's position. Read the book
The battle lasted only three days, and four of UNITA's infantry battalions lost their combat effectiveness and were rotated by friendly forces. In addition to the loss of personnel, the loss of technical weapons was also not small. Most of the fixed artillery placed in the bunkers had been destroyed. No, without the threat of these direct-aiming artillery, the MPLA tanks can drive directly to the river bank to serve as fixed firepower points to provide fire support to friendly forces.
Savimbi is not without tanks. The Centurion tanks of the South African army also participated in the defense. However, the artillery of the MPLA firmly holds the dominant position. Those large-caliber howitzers that shoot directly are also huge for tanks. Threat, not to mention that after the T3485 tanks were almost worn out, all the tanks put into the front line by the People's Liberation Army turned into T55.
Although the Centurion and T55 have their own differences in attributes, at a distance of four to five hundred meters, both sides are the same. They can both be destroyed by each other's firepower.
And those Centurion tanks that did not fight on the front line but were on standby in the rear were not much better, because they also had to face rocket bombings. One-third of the South African army's tank losses were from these devastating tanks. Caused by the loud stuff.
After a 132mm rocket hits a tank, although it will not destroy the tank, it can cause serious damage to the tank's equipment, such as observation equipment, tracks, and power systems. The protection of these locations is naturally not as good as that of the tank crew. Once it is hit, Hit, and the tank will be paralyzed until repaired.
In the entire defensive battle, the best performers were the white mercenaries. Most of the losses of the MPLA troops were caused by them, and under the cover of the MPLA’s artillery fire, these mercenaries could also perform better. to protect themselves.
Therefore, since the MPLA troops gained a foothold at the bridge, Savimbi has continuously filled the front lines with mercenaries to help his troops defend.
And this is exactly what the MPLA headquarters wants!
Although it was the Cuban volunteers who stole the show in Angola, in fact, the Soviet Union also sent many personnel to Angola, and the specifications were even more exaggerated than those of the Cuban volunteers.
Because the commander of the Cuban Volunteer Army was only a major general, while the person in charge sent by the Soviet Union was a lieutenant general.
The composition of the delegation was equally exaggerated. The number of officers was the largest, even several times more than non-commissioned officers, and they came from various departments of the Soviet army, including armored forces, missile forces, air force, and navy.
In addition to these officers responsible for training, the National Security Council also dispatched a small special force to Angola. Its initial purpose was to protect the safety of the advisory group and the Soviet surface-to-air missile force assisting Angola, but then the As the war situation developed, this special force was also put into frontline operations.
During the attack on the UNITA headquarters, this Soviet special forces received the most important and dangerous task. They had to disguise themselves as mercenaries and enter New Lizhibe from the rear, then find the detonation controller and destroy it!
The danger of this mission is self-evident, but only Soviet special forces can perform it, because the members of the Cuban special forces do not look white.
Before the battle began, the Soviet special forces had been dropped behind the defense line by helicopter. Each of these rigorously trained special forces members could speak fluent English, and they had Western weapons in their hands. , it can be said that there is no flaw in pretending to be a mercenary.
After the battle started, UNITA's rear was also engaged in chaos.
Regiment, a large number of wounded had to be evacuated, and ammunition and supplementary personnel had to enter the city, which made it easy for mistakes in identification.
Secretly ambushed a group of mercenaries who were reinforcing the front line. After obtaining the opponent's identity certificate, the Soviet special forces transformed into a group of British mercenaries. The UNITA military police forces responsible for checking the identity did not pay attention to the opponent at all. Whether there was any problem with the certificate, they simply saw the seal on the other party's certificate, and immediately let the Soviet special forces into the city without any inspection.
While the Soviet special forces entering the city were still thinking about how to sneak into the front line without leaving a trace, they happened to catch up with UNITA's liaison officers allocating combat troops to the front line.
So, after the commander said impassionedly that we were going to the most dangerous place, UNITA's liaison officer immediately waved his hand and sent this brave British mercenary unit to the place where the battle was most intense, which was the bridgehead. direction.
Of course, the salary here is also the highest. Mercenaries who perform combat missions here can get two hundred US dollars every day, and it is settled on a daily basis!
Although they were not here for the salary at all, the soldiers of the special forces still politely pocketed their daily salary. Then, under the leadership of the signal corps, they entered a defensive position that was as bad as the surface of the moon. inside.
Another mercenary unit waiting for them to rotate couldn't help but happily took their salary and left the front line during the ceasefire. Before leaving, the mercenary commander also gave the special forces soldiers a friendly message. He pointed at the anti-gun bunker that his people had repaired.
"This can save your life, good luck to you!"
"Thank you!"
The special forces commander could only accept the other party's kindness with a wry smile, although they had no use at all, because after entering the position, the special forces contacted the friendly forces on the other side and confirmed their position.
So next, all the artillery shells of the People's Liberation Army were deployed on the nearby defensive positions, and where the Soviet special forces were staying, not even a single bullet fell, let alone the artillery shells.
And next, they should find a way to solve the problem of explosives on the bridge!
