Chapter 98 The Moon and Puppet Army’s Test Attack
As early as eight o'clock, the puppet troops completed their attack deployment, and all units arrived at the designated location to assemble.
Currently, the Moon Army has assembled five independent infantry brigades, a field brigade, a machine gun brigade, and a mortar brigade north of the 358th regiment's position.
In addition, there is an artillery team reinforced by various Zhiwan artillery, with a total strength of about 7,000 people.
The Imperial Association Army assembled two infantry regiments, with a total of 3,000 troops for supporting operations.
As Tailao, the commander of the major general brigade commander in Wanjia Town, Pianshan Province, issued the combat order, the Yue puppet army began to launch an attack.
More than 300 puppet troops, led by more than 100 little devils, opened a skirmish line and charged directly towards the 358th Regiment's position.
Of course, the puppet troops wanted to launch a probing attack in an attempt to attract the defenders to expose their defensive firepower.
Once the firepower point is exposed, their artillery will launch a clear shelling to clear the way for the main attack.
This is the old trick of the Japs. Just fight them a few times and you will know how to deal with them.
The position of the 358th Regiment was silent, and the battalion commanders calmly commanded the officers and soldiers of the post to conduct defensive operations.
How did the puppet troops in Bufanyue shoot, and the position was always without a shot being fired.
When the Yue puppet troops advanced two hundred meters away from the position, they all stopped and came eastward.
Rifles, light machine guns, and grenade launchers began to fire concentrated fire, and dense bullets and artillery shells were fired towards the position one after another.
This is a demonstration shooting, or it can attract the defenders to expose their firepower.
Please tell me if some troops with no combat experience encountered such a blow, they couldn't control themselves and opened fire directly.
Let’s not talk about the combat effectiveness of the 358th Regiment. Most of them are veterans and have rich combat experience.
Therefore, no matter what methods the Yue and Puppet Army used, they always stood still.
"Battle base order, without orders from the battalion headquarters, each company is not allowed to shoot without authorization. Violators will be severely punished!"
"The puppet army is testing whether to attack. Its purpose is to attract the firepower points of its defensive positions to be exposed, thereby providing targets for its artillery."
"Light and heavy machine guns are not allowed to fire, and each squad's rifle and submachine gun legs are ready to shoot."
"When the enemy enters a range of 100 meters, follow the battalion's combat orders and launch a volley of fire to kill all the puppet troops!"
Each battalion's position was in place, and the messengers walked back and forth between the companies, directly conveying the orders of the battalion commanders.
The 358th Regiment then deployed four infantry battalions on the high ground for defense, with a strength of about 2,800 people.
Each battalion will build its machine gun company and main infantry company on high ground for defense.
The other companies were scattered to the east of the high ground and set up individual bunkers for defense. At the same time, the battalions were connected to each other to support each other in operations.
It is no exaggeration to say that the position there is impregnable and it would be very difficult for the puppet troops to break through.
Especially the defensive positions on high ground are reinforced with sleepers and have a certain ability to withstand shelling.
After a heavy fire attack by the Japanese and puppet troops, there was still no response from the 358th Regiment's position.
The captain of the Moon Army who was commanding the battle raised his telescope to observe. He waved his legs, and the little devils began to urge the puppet troops to advance.
Even if the more than 300 Imperial Army soldiers were extremely reluctant, they could hold their weapons and slowly push forward with their waists bent.
More than a hundred little devils followed in groups and crawled behind.
Their light machine guns and grenade launchers have stopped advancing, and they are spreading out and hiding on the spot, preparing to cover and fire.
Two hundred meters, one hundred and fifty meters, one hundred meters, eighty meters!
A puppet soldier began to appear in front of each battalion position, especially the soldiers stationed on the high ground, and their every move could be clearly observed.
In other words, most of the time when the puppet troops were eighty meters away from the position, the commanders of each battalion decisively issued the firing order.
65 rifles, 38-type rifles, Jin-made Thompson submachine guns and pull the trigger immediately.
As a soldier's index finger pulled the trigger, dense bullets were fired one after another.
The advancing Yue puppet army troops were hit by fire, and many people instantly fell in a pool of blood.
A puppet platoon leader was waving a rifle and commanding the troops to advance, but a string of 11.43MM bullets hit him.
The platoon leader's chest was beaten into a sieve, and bright red blood flowed out from several blood holes.
The platoon leader's face showed an expression of pain, and his body slowly fell to the ground, ending his life of shame.
A hundred meters away, the puppet troops were fired upon by volleys of gunfire from each battalion.
For more than 400 months, half of the puppet troops suffered casualties and losses in just a few minutes.
The remaining puppet troops were suppressed by firepower and were hidden in different areas, unable to move at all.
At this moment, the nine light machine guns and nine grenade launchers of the Moon Army scattered in different areas immediately launched fire counterattack.
Strings of flames spurted out, and dense bullets were directed at various positions one after another.
Each grenade launcher fired grenades continuously, directly suppressing the position.
"Boom, boom, boom." As the grenade exploded, dust flew up and smoke filled the air.
About two hundred puppet soldiers took the opportunity to take out leg grenades and threw them forward. Then they quickly retreated with the help of the smoke and dust from the explosion.
Although the independent mixed fourth brigade is not a garrison brigade, it will not be used as a field brigade again and again after arriving in Shanxi Province.
Do those troops also have certain combat effectiveness? Their soldiers are very proficient in using weapons.
Light machine guns and grenade launchers cannot be said to have perfect hits, but they also have very accurate hit rates.
It is obviously impossible for the 358th Regiment to defeat the puppet troops by relying on rifles and submachine guns.
The probing attack ended around nine o'clock. The puppet troops suffered more than 200 casualties around 500, and the others withdrew in time.
The battle news was reported immediately, and Shotarō Katayama, the commander of the independent fourth brigade, came to the front line at half past nine to take personal command.
Beginning at 9:40, Moriki Tsuneichi's artillery team received combat orders.
Eight Type 94 mountain guns and eight Type 38 field guns began to launch a fierce bombardment.
Sixteen artillery pieces started shelling the exposed positions. After the test firing and calibration firing were completed.
A large number of artillery shells hit each battalion position overwhelmingly, and deafening explosions occurred one after another.
It was at that time that the 11th, 12th, and 13th Independent Infantry Brigades, the 15th Imperial Army Regiment, and all four thousand puppet troops were dispatched to attack.
The mortar brigade and machine gun brigade followed the infantry and quickly advanced towards the designated location.
Not long after, the mortars stopped advancing one after another, and they began to build artillery positions.
The mortar brigade has three squadrons in the east, which adopt a large organization. Each squadron has twelve Type 97 mortars.
That mortar has a caliber of 90mm and is known as a small steel cannon. It is a very common support artillery piece for the Moon Army.
Around ten o'clock, the machine gun brigade also stopped advancing, and they began to build machine gun positions.
Sorry for the late update.
My body feels very bad, and I didn't sleep well last night.
I will not stop updating. Big guys, give me a monthly ticket to encourage me!
I bow and thank you all for your support!
(End of chapter)
This chapter has been completed!