Ahvaz Military District, Susangerd region.
The tanks had all been fitted with protective netting, camouflage netting that matched the color of the swamp. Once they entered the swamp, they blended in, making them difficult to spot from high in the sky.
Yesterday, an Iraq plane flew over the sky here, greatly alarming General Sharaf, who feared the operation would be ruined if discovered by the enemy.
Fuel supplies were in place, and the other divisions on the southern front had finished assembling. They were waiting for the operation here to begin. Once they crossed the swamp, the troops in the Abadan region would be recalled for defense, and this side would immediately shift from defense to offense with a swift strike, completely driving the Iraq army on the southern front out of the border.
After Abolhassan gave another motivational speech to the officers at the headquarters, the surprise attack across the Susangerd Swamp officially began.
This half of the swamp had been almost entirely scouted. Rajavi led his armored assault group, consisting of 180 Chieftain Tanks, 230 M113 Armored Personnel Carriers, and 200 off-road trucks, carrying sufficient fuel and ammunition, to begin the operation, codenamed: Glory of Dulehan.
Every vehicle carried ample bundles of reeds. When they encountered areas where the trucks struggled to pass, they would lay the reed bundles down, thus creating a passable road.
After the tanks and armored vehicles passed, they had already carved out two ruts. The off-road military trucks following behind, which had wide tires and deep treads, were also able to pass smoothly, thanks to the reeds laid down beforehand.
Although the tank's maximum road speed was over sixty kilometers per hour, off-road speed was the most crucial factor in this type of terrain. The tanks' travel speed in this area was less than fifteen kilometers per hour, meaning it would take two or three days to traverse these hundreds of kilometers of swamp.
Driving in this swampy area during the day was fraught with danger. Already, one unlucky driver had veered off the route. Initially, one side of the track just slid, but by the time the tank ahead prepared to tow it, half of the track was already sunk deep into the mud pit.
One tank couldn't pull it out. They added another, but even two tanks operating at full throttle failed to retrieve it. Instead, the tank sank completely into the mud pit, leaving only its turret exposed.
Helplessly, Rajavi ordered the tank abandoned. By the time the convoy passed later, even the turret had been submerged. The power of the swamp was evident.
The Chieftain Tank had powerful firepower and thick armor, which were its strengths. However, this also led to the issue of excessive weight. Crucially, this type of tank used narrow tracks, making passage through this terrain nearly impossible. Only through repeated aerial reconnaissance to confirm a viable route, combined with continuously laying down reeds, was this impossible feat accomplished.
The part of a tank with the greatest structural strength is not the frontal armor, but the tracks. Tracks are the armored vehicle's shoes, constantly subjected to the harshest treatment. If the structural integrity is insufficient, a single turn can cause the tracks to be torn apart by immense forces. Each tank's tracks weigh at least five tons, accounting for one-tenth of the vehicle's weight.
It wasn't that the British didn't know how to widen the tracks; rather, each design had its purpose.
Wide tracks gave tanks strong passing ability in complex terrain. However, wide tracks inevitably caused issues with steering and acceleration because the excessive width resulted in too much grip, leading to uncomfortable handling during turns.
Narrow tracks, conversely, offered distinct advantages in quick starts and rapid turning, providing high maneuverability. However, this maneuverability relies on excellent terrain, such as cities, roads, or flat desert areas.
At the same time, overly narrow tracks drastically reduce a tank's terrain adaptability. In a swamp, for example, the T-62 Tank can travel without any auxiliary support, provided Captain Ali doesn't make that foolish turning maneuver. Generally, there would be no issue. But for the Chieftain Tank, this is a life-or-death test; if things go wrong, it won't be able to get out.
After driving for less than three or four hours, the tanks ran out of fuel.
The L60 2-Stroke, Inline 6-Cylinder Opposed-Piston, Water-Cooled Multi-Fuel Engine, although outputting up to 720 horsepower, was an absolute fuel guzzler, requiring over 200 liters of fuel per hour. Especially in the swamp, the tank drivers were essentially flooring the accelerator, and the 1,000 liters of fuel added before departure were completely exhausted.
Before setting off, an auxiliary fuel tank had been strapped to the rear of every tank. This contained extra fuel, allowing the tanks to drive for a few more hours until they reached a solid piece of ground scouted ahead, where they would spend their first night in the swamp.
Traveling at night was strictly forbidden. They had already lost one tank while following the pre-planned route during the day; the losses would be even greater at night. This kind of loss was not worth the risk.
Deciding where to camp was also a major challenge. If they stopped just anywhere, the tanks would surely be swallowed by the swamp without a trace by the next morning.
This route had been planned for many days before finally being confirmed, illustrating the inherent risks.
They needed roads that could support the tanks, hard ground where enough tanks could stop, and they also had to avoid detection by enemy aircraft. All of this was creating trouble for Rajavi. Fortunately, at least for now, everything was proceeding normally.
By the end of the day, they had only covered one hundred kilometers.
Aside from the extremely difficult passage for the Chieftain Main Battle Tanks, the other vehicles traveled relatively smoothly. The M113 armored vehicles following behind did not face the same difficulties as the Chieftains.
The M113 is a light amphibious tracked armored transport vehicle, capable of carrying soldiers and cargo. It has amphibious capability, high speed, and excellent maneuverability over uneven terrain.
Because its armor is made of aerospace-grade aluminum alloy, it maintains strength while reducing weight. Its full combat weight is only 10.26 tons, and the 275-horsepower diesel engine drives the vehicle body effortlessly.
The vehicle has two crew members: the driver and the commander. The driver sits in the front of the hull, and the commander sits at the front of the troop compartment. The power system is in a compartment to the driver's right, similar to the Type 63 Armored Vehicle. The troop compartment contains two rows of benches and can carry 11 soldiers (10 soldiers sitting on the benches on either side, and 1 sitting in the seat behind the commander). These seats can be easily removed to free up the troop compartment for other uses.
The off-road trucks following behind, carrying ample fuel, began refueling the tanks and armored vehicles. The fuel they carried could meet the unit's consumption needs for five days. Crucially, they planned to establish a supply base fifty li west of the swamp, providing the tanks with their final essential resupply before the assault, meeting the requirements for attacking the enemy positions.