Sword of Light: Humanoid Self-Propelled Artillery

Chapter 302 Difficult to Move an Inch
Of course, not all places are suitable for pushcart-style mine detectors, and sometimes pushcart-style mine detectors are not very convenient to use, such as in the current half-meter-thick snow.

Of course, such snow-covered roads were very convenient for Wang Gensheng and his men to lay landmines. They didn't even need to dig too deep into the soil to lay landmines, and the heavy snow falling could quickly cover up the traces of the landmines they had laid.

Thus, portable mine detectors, which are easier to carry and use, were developed.

Of course, portable mine detectors and mine detection carts both use the principle of electromagnetic induction, but they are lighter, smaller, and easier to carry.

During the war, the German army was equipped with several models of this equipment, with the earliest model entering service as early as 1940. Judging from this timeline, relevant preliminary research work may have already begun, or even started before the outbreak of the war.

The Neptune was the earliest portable mine detector developed by the military, mainly consisting of three parts: a probe, a handle, and a signal receiver box. Its probe was circular, 24 centimeters in diameter, and its outer shell was made of aluminum. The entire device weighed 13 kilograms.

Before starting mine detection, the user must first place the probe close to the ground, then rotate the knob on the receiver casing clockwise until a sound can be heard in the earpiece. Then, rotate the knob counter-clockwise until the sound becomes faint, at which point the mine detection can begin. When a metallic object is encountered, the sound in the earpiece will suddenly increase, indicating the target has been detected.

However, in terms of performance, Neptune can be described as quite unreliable and prone to failure.

Although it can detect large metal parts, it is powerless against early wooden box mines where only the detonator contains metal.

Furthermore, the bulky signal receiver box was fixed directly to the end of the handle, and it swayed along with the handle during mine detection, making this part extremely vulnerable to damage. Due to its poor performance, this model was quickly replaced by other equipment, but the original products continued to serve in the military.

After numerous experiments, Deguo finally launched a reliable portable mine detector, the Berlin 40 detector, a product that is more reliable and efficient than all previous models. Visually, its probe has changed from the usual round shape to an oval shape and is also larger. The handle is detachable for adjustment to different lengths and is inserted into the probe and secured with a wing bolt. The bakelite case for the receiver can be carried on the shoulder or under the arm, allowing for convenient use after opening the cover. When metal is encountered, the sound in the earpiece amplifies sharply, indicating target detection.

Furthermore, it is highly effective against disc mines buried at a depth of 50 centimeters, Mk V mines buried at a depth of 40 centimeters, box mines buried at a depth of 2 centimeters, and bounding mines buried at a depth of 13 centimeters, making it very popular with the Chinese military.

This model experienced a setback in its deployment: shortly after entering service in 1940, the military halted its delivery, citing the need to "keep the variety of mine detectors in the army to a minimum." However, the real reason behind this may have been its complex construction and high cost. The high command's attitude soon reversed, with a May 1941 document stating: "The delays in the delivery of the 'Aachen' and 'Cologne' models have made it necessary to restart the delivery of the 'Berlin' model. A portion of this model has already been delivered to the troops, and it should have been recalled to minimize the variety of mine detectors used and maintain uniformity in army equipment. However, due to the increasingly adverse impact of production difficulties on the troops' equipment caused by mine detectors from other companies, it is necessary to restart the deployment of the 'Berlin' model." Of course, the reasons mentioned in the document may only be part of the story. Considering the excellent reputation of the "Berlin" in the troops, halting its deployment likely provoked discontent and protests from frontline soldiers, which also contributed to its return to the battlefield.

Of course, although the mine detector was developed by the Germans first, as the Germans shifted from offense to defense, the United States and some other allied countries naturally also needed mine detectors.

As soon as the mine detectors were captured, the Allied forces immediately began reverse engineering and developing them.

Then came the SCR-625 mine detector, which began production in September 1942 and was quickly put into service. Its unique and easily identifiable design enabled it to detect metal mines buried at depths between six and twelve feet.

It's important to understand that a detection depth of six to twelve feet corresponds to a depth of 1.8 to 3.6 meters, which is significantly greater than the maximum detection depth of the Berlin detector, which is only 50 centimeters. This depth range almost covers the depth at which landmines are buried in actual battlefields.

The core component of the detector is a six-foot-long (1.8-meter-long) probe with a circular detection coil at one end. The operator carries dry-cell batteries in a backpack, while the resonator is attached to their shoulder for easy operation. Additionally, a pair of headphones is provided to clearly hear the detection signal in noisy environments.

This new mine detector boasts outstanding performance, providing strong protection for soldiers' lives on the battlefield. Its successful use not only improved mine clearance efficiency on the battlefield but also laid the foundation for subsequent mine detection technologies.

Of course, the US military was using this type of detector at the time. It was facing snow up to 50 centimeters thick. If it were the Berlin detector, it would have failed, since the Berlin detector's depth is only 50 centimeters.

Therefore, once there is snow cover, the detection effect will naturally be greatly reduced.

The next morning, after a night's rest, Smith led the Marines and other remaining troops toward the Watergate Bridge.

Unfortunately, they encountered a minefield laid by Wang Gensheng after advancing only one kilometer.

With a loud bang, a Pershing tank, which was leading the way, had its tracks blown off by an anti-tank mine and came to a stop in the middle of the road.

Upon seeing this scene, Smith immediately frowned; his worst fears had come true.

However, Smith had no better solution to this situation. He could only wave his hand and order the mine-clearing soldiers to start clearing the mines, while the soldiers inside the tank climbed out and began repairing the tank tracks that had been blown off.

The mine-clearing soldiers were killed as soon as they stepped forward to clear the mines.

There was no other way; Wang Gensheng's method of setting up the hair tie in advance proved effective.

Landmines buried two or three meters away are simply undetectable by the mine detectors in the hands of the mine-clearing soldiers. After all, the pole of a handheld mine detector is only 1.8 meters long, so how can it reach a landmine buried two meters away?
Landmines modified from hand grenades are not very powerful, and their power is further weakened after a distance of two or three meters. However, no matter how much they are weakened, they still have the power to injure people.

Moreover, even if there is a 50-centimeter-thick layer of snow, snow is not water. The density of fluffy snow is only one-tenth or even one-twentieth that of water, so it does not affect the effectiveness of the shrapnel.

(End of this chapter)