glancing at them. When he looked up, he said, “Before I go into detail on your objective, I want you to understand the nature of your task. Operation Saturn will be a two-pronged assault. The first part of the operation is a mass assault against the South American First Front. You will have no part in this. You are the exploitation thrust that will only come after a general offensive meant to shatter a critical section of the SAF forces. Once this has been achieved, I will unleash you upon the Chinese.
“Second Tank Army will lead the attack. In it are the bulk of our cutting-edge armored divisions. This includes the Behemoth tanks that proved so decisive in California. It also includes the new American main battle tank, the MBT-8 Jefferson.”
As the President spoke, various slides appeared on the screen behind him.
Stan saw a Behemoth tank shown from various angles. He now saw the new U.S. Jefferson. It was radically different in appearance from the Behemoth or even the old M1A3 Abrams. The Jefferson was five meters long and 2.4 meters tall, making it the puniest of the MBTs on the battlefield. It had much better high-tech materials than an M1. Like the Behemoth, it had magnetically balanced hydraulic suspension and armored tracks. Unlike the Behemoth, it had inner wheels for highway movement, giving it greater mobility. With its heavy armor, it also had a huge 175mm cannon. It fired rocket-assisted shells: anti-personnel, anti-armor or anti-air. The fire control computer could lock onto targets and direct a six-salvo round in two minutes. It had six Beehive flechette launchers and 25mm autocannons to blast down most incoming enemy missiles or shells. It was a vast improvement to the mainstay but old M1A3.
The President glanced back at the screen before regarding the crowd again.
“It is true we do not yet have the Jefferson MBTs in great number. But there are two divisions of them in Second Tank Army. We have carefully tested and saved them for this moment. Instead of feeding the new MBTs piecemeal into the summer and autumn battles, we wanted a significant number of them to use as a hammer at the right time and place. That time is now and that place is here in Nebraska and Colorado.
“Instead of spreading the Jeffersons around, we’ve gathered the best armor into a mailed fist. That’s the secret to this venture. We have combed our forces for the latest and best formations. You are the cutting edge, gentlemen. It will be up to you to drive to …”
The President peered at them, scanning the crowd as if searching for something special.
“Ladies and gentlemen, the purpose of Operation Saturn is to bring a swift end to the enemy invasion. The Germans thought to bargain with us while we were down so they could drive a hard deal. Very well, I accepted their offer. This was to give us a single objective: hurt the Aggressors in the Midwest hard enough to drive them back into Mexico and end their venture.
“My advisors tell me that the SAF formations have lost their fighting spirit,” Sims said. “For the last several weeks, the SAF troops have fired artillery at our soldiers, but not dared to attack across the Platte River. They’ve become scared. They are the weak sister in the coalition presently directed at us. Therefore, we will overwhelm a portion of their line with a giant offensive, smashing their confidence and sending them reeling back in disarray. Once we achieve that, you will go onto the offensive.
“You will be the spear that tears out the enemy heart. Army Group Washington must sprint to Colorado Springs, reaching the Rockies. By doing this at speed—by making the greatest tank drive in history—you will trap the PAA Third Front in a gigantic cauldron. In order to destroy Third Front, we will have to keep them inside the bag and any enemy breakout attempts from outside.”
The President grinned a predatory smile.
Stan found himself grinning in return.
“That means a twofold operation for you,” Sims said. “The first part, as I’ve said, is to drive to Colorado Springs at great speed, letting nothing slow you down. I’ve already hinted at the second objective. It will be to build two fortified defenses along your deep penetration route. The western defense line—stretching from the Platte River to Colorado Springs—will keep the PAA Third Front captive. The eastern defense stretching the same distance will stop any SAF forces from breaking through and letting the