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ery formidable vehicle； once upon a time； but now an obvious relic。 A team of intelligence specialists was there。 They snapped to attention when they saw the general approach。
〃What did we kill it with？〃 Peng asked。
〃We didn't； rade General。 They abandoned it after firing fifteen cannon shots and about three hundred machine gun rounds。 They didn't even destroy it before we captured it；〃 the intelligence captain reported； waving the general down the tank hatch。 〃It's safe。 We checked for booby traps。〃
Peng climbed down。 He saw what appeared to be a fortable small barracks； shell storage for their big tank gun； ample rounds for their two machine guns。 There were empty rounds for both types of guns on the floor； along with wrappers for field rations。 It appeared to be a fortable position； with bunks； shower； toilet； and plenty of food storage。 Something worth fighting for； the general thought。 〃How did they leave？〃 Peng asked。
〃This way；〃 the young captain said； leading him north into the tunnel。 〃You see； the Russians planned for everything。〃 The tunnel led under the crest of the hill to a covered parking pad for…probably for a BTR； it looked like； confirmed by the wheel tracks on the ground immediately off the concrete pad。
〃How long did they hold？〃
〃We took the place just less than three hours after our initial bombardment。 So； we had infantry surrounding the main gun emplacement； and soon thereafter； they ran away；〃 the captain told his army mander。
〃I see。 Good work by our assault infantry。〃 Then Peng saw that Colonel Wa had brought his mand track over the hill to the end of the escape tunnel； allowing him to hop right aboard。
〃Now what？〃 Wa asked。
〃I want to see what we did to their artillery support positions。〃
Wa nodded and relayed the orders to the track mander。 That took fifteen minutes of bouncing and jostling。 The fifteen heavy guns were still there； though the two Peng passed had been knocked over and destroyed by counter…battery fire。 The position they visited was mainly intact； though a number of rockets had fallen close aboard； near enough that three bodies were still lying there untended next to their guns； the bodies surrounded by sticky pools of mainly dried blood。 More men had survived； probably。 Close to each gun was a two…meter…deep narrow trench lined with concrete that the bombardment hadn't done more than chip。 Close by also was a large ammo…storage bunker with rails on which to move the shells and propellant charges to the guns。 The door was open。
〃How many rounds did they get off？〃 he asked。
〃No more than ten；〃 another intelligence officer； this one a major； replied。 〃Our counter…battery fire was superb here。 The Russian battery was fifteen guns； total。 One of them got off twenty shots； but that was all。 We had them out of action in less than ten minutes。 The artillery…tracker radars worked brilliantly； rade General。〃
Peng nodded agreement。 〃So it would appear。 This emplacement would have been fine twenty or thirty years ago…good protection for the gunners and a fine supply of shells； but they did not anticipate an enemy with the ability to pinpoint their guns so rapidly。 If it stands still； Wa； you can kill it。〃 Peng looked around。 〃Still； the engineers who sited this position and the other one； they were good。 It's just that this sort of thing is out of date。 What were our total casualties？〃
〃Killed； three hundred fifty； thereabouts。 Wounded； six hundred twenty；〃 operations replied。 〃It was not exactly cheap； but less than we expected。 If the Russians had stood and fought； it could have been far worse。〃
〃Why did they run so soon？〃 Peng asked。 〃Do we know？〃
〃We found a written order in one of the bunkers； authorizing them to leave when they thought things were untenable。 That surprised me；〃 Colonel Wa observed。 〃Historically； the Russians fight very hard on the defense； as the Germans found。 But that was under Stalin。 The Russians had discipline then。 And courage。 Not today； it would seem。〃
〃Their evacuation was conducted with some skill；〃 Peng thought out loud。 〃We ought to have taken more prisoners。〃
〃They ran too fast； rade General；〃 operations explained。
〃He who fights and runs away；〃 General Peng quoted； 〃lives to fight another day。 Bear that in mind； Colonel。〃
〃Yes； rade General； but he who runs away is not an immediate threat。〃
〃Let's go；〃 the general said； heading off to his mand track。 He wanted to see the front； such as it was。
〃So？〃 Bondarenko asked the lieutenant。 The youngster had been through a bad day； and being required to stand and make a report to his theater mander made it no better。 〃Stand easy； boy。 You're alive。 It could have been worse。〃
〃General； we could have held if we'd been given a little support；〃 Komanov said； allowing his frustration to appear。
〃There was none to give you。 Go on。〃 The general pointed at the map on the wall。
〃They crossed here； and came through this saddle； and over this ridge to attack us。 Leg infantry； no vehicles that we ever saw。 They had man…portable anti…tank weapons； nothing special or unexpected； but they had massive artillery support。 There must have been an entire battery concentrated just on my one position。 Heavy guns； fifteen…centimeter or more。 And artillery rockets that wiped out our artillery support almost immediately。〃
〃That's the one surprise they threw at us；〃 Aliyev confirmed。 〃They must have a lot more of those fire…finder systems than we expected； and they're using their Type 83 rockets as dedicated counter…battery weapons； like the Americans did in Saudi。 It's an effective tactic。 We'll have to go after their counter…battery systems first of all； or use self…propelled guns to fire and move after only two or three shots。 There's no way to spoof them that I know of； and jamming radars of that type is extremely difficult。〃
〃So； we have to work on a way to kill them early on；〃 Bondarenko said。 〃We have electronic…intelligence units。 Let them seek out those Chink radars and eliminate them with rockets of our own。〃 He turned。 〃Go； on。 Lieutenant。 Tell me about the Chinese infantry。〃
〃They are not cowards； rade General。 They take fire and act properly under it。 They are well…drilled。 My position and the one next to us took down at least two hundred； and they kept ing。 Their battle drill is quite good； like a soccer team。 If you do this； they do that； almost instantly。 For certain； they call in artillery fire with great skill。〃
〃They had the batteries already lined up； Lieutenant； lined up and waiting；〃 Aliyev told the junior officer。 〃It helps if you are following a prepared script。 Anything else？〃
〃We never saw a tank。 They had us taken out before they finished their bridges。 Their infantry looked well…prepared； well…trained； even eager to move forward。 I did not see evidence of flexible thinking； but I did not see much of anything； and as you say； their part of the operation was preplanned； and thoroughly rehearsed。〃
〃Typically； the Chinese tell their men a good deal about their planned operations beforehand。 They don't believe in secrecy the way we do；〃 Aliyev said。 〃Perhaps it makes for radely solidarity on the battlefield。〃
〃But things are