Copper Walls and Iron Bastions

The magnificent New Basilicata City had been transformed into a giant fortress in less than a week.

Teams erecting scaffolding, transporting supplies, and quarrying Giant Stone came and went in an endless stream.

Cannons protruded from the rows of bastions like hedgehog spines, inspiring dread at a glance.

Twelve artillery batteries stood in a ring across the surrounding hills, equipped with more than two hundred cannons of varying sizes. Each was protected by sturdy fortifications, while chambers had been carved into the mountains beneath them, enough to sustain several company-sized units. Vast stores of food, liquor, medicine, ammunition, and other supplies had also been stockpiled there.

Once war broke out, these batteries could support one another with overlapping fire. Any force attempting to concentrate on taking a single battery would face bombardment from no fewer than three others.

Only by attacking from every direction and paying a terrible price could they break through the twelve batteries, which resembled the signs of the zodiac, and assault New Basilicata City at the center.

This was thanks to Lothar having emptied out an entire British expeditionary force outpost. Though he had given the Black Rebels quite a few light weapons, the Texans had transported nearly all the heavy firepower back intact.

Otherwise, given the strength and foreign currency reserves of the Texans, an agricultural nation, it would have been nearly impossible for them to purchase enough modern artillery.

Overall, New Basilicata City had become an extension of Wolfsborg.

Even if the English could drive their Land Cruisers up the mountains, every step forward against such defenses would cost them blood.

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