"Tuba is equipped with a large number of anti-aircraft machine guns?"
"All the chariot squadrons are in pieces?"
"Where did the anti-aircraft machine gun come from?"
"how come……"
Saito Saburo couldn't believe it.
I read the telegram several times before I was convinced that it was true.
The defeat of the Kasahara Regiment was already very surprising. But what was more serious was yet to come, that is, the entire tank squadron was lost.
That's a tank squadron!
A total of twelve chariots!
Not one of them survived?
horrible……
How did Tubalu do it?
This news made Saburo Saito feel incredible and very uneasy.
The key to the matter lies in the anti-aircraft machine guns on Tubal Road.
You must know that this is an anti-aircraft machine gun. It can shoot into the air. It can threaten aircraft.
Army aviation's ground attack requires flying at low altitudes.
Many times, the flight altitude is only two to three hundred meters.
If there are only some light machine guns on Tubal Road, the threat to aircraft is not great.
The continuous firepower of the light machine gun is very poor. It can only hold thirty rounds of ammunition at most.
What's more, Tubal Road is short of ammunition.
However, if there are a large number of anti-aircraft machine guns on Tubal Road, it will definitely be a great threat to low-flying aircraft.
If one or two are shot down, the losses to the aviation force will be huge.
Unless bombers are dispatched...
However, this is unrealistic.
Tubal Road will not wait for you to bomb. The bombers will have dispersed as soon as they arrive.
It is impossible for the aviation force to use precious bombs to blow up lonely people.
Especially the Tubal Road in North China had almost no valuable bombing targets. Therefore, the Japanese aviation force in North China had almost no bombers.
The bombers were all transferred to central China to carry out bombing missions in Chongqing and other places.
The aircraft equipped by the Japanese aviation force in North China are almost all the most backward fighters and reconnaissance aircraft. They are slow and the weapons are basically machine guns.
Once caught in the firepower of the enemy's anti-aircraft machine guns, the consequences will be disastrous.
"Your Excellency Chief of Staff..."
A counselor has arrived.
Saburo Saito slowly brought his thoughts back.
"Report!"
"explain."
"The North China Front Army Headquarters called to inquire about the situation in Ping'an County."
"knew."
Saburo Saito looked unhappy.
This North China Front Army Headquarters is really.
Isn't it just a small county town that was temporarily conquered by Tubal Road in a sneak attack?
Do you need to be so nervous?
Calls from thousands of miles away to inquire! It’s so funny!
Right under your noses, Tubal Road has developed the Jizhong base area, and there is nothing you can do about Tubal Road!
Too lazy to call back.
Let’s wait until the imperial army regains Ping’an County.
"Ping'an County..."
Strange, what is the origin of Tuba Road around Ping'an County?
Previous intelligence showed that they only had two designations: the New Regiment and the Independent Regiment on Tubal Road, and the others were all guerrillas.
That new group was the culprit who severely damaged the Bantian Alliance in Cangyun Ridge. Its leader was called Li Yunlong, but there was no valuable information.
I never went to military school.
Nor has it been registered with the Chongqing government.
He has a completely mud-legged background. He became a monk halfway.
Saito Saburo is annoyed by such people the most.
Because it is impossible to study and figure it out at all.
You have no idea what kind of person this Li Yunlong is, what kind of character he has, and what his weaknesses are.
"Your Excellency, Chief of Staff."
"Matsui United called back."
Another adviser arrived.
Saburo Saito came to his senses and took a telegram.
The telegram was sent by the Matsui Regiment. It was a reply to Saito Saburo's previous call asking about the current battle situation.
"More than five hundred casualties..."
"The offensive on Tubal Road is very fierce..."
"There seems to be enough ammunition..."
The call back from Matsui United made Saburo Saito even more confused.
Obviously, the Tubal Road gathered around Cangyun Ridge is not weak in combat effectiveness. It is possible that they are the main force of the Tubal Road.
To be able to cause hundreds of casualties to the Matsui Regiment even when the Matsui Regiment was well prepared is definitely not something that ordinary people can do. It is certain that the Tubal Road here is not simple.
So here’s the problem, Tubal Road in Ping’an County is not easy!
Able to capture Heian County. Able to defeat the Kuroshima Cavalry Regiment. Able to stop the advance of the Kasahara Regiment...
No matter how you look at it, he looks like the main force.
Otherwise, it would appear that the imperial army was too incompetent. It cannot be said that the imperial army was defeated by a group of guerrillas, right?
The commander also wants to save face...
Could it be said that Tubal Road has divided its forces? The main force has been divided into two groups?
Shake his head.
I couldn't figure it out. I decided to check again.
Before the situation on Tubal Road is clear, the aviation force should not be dispatched for the time being.
An airplane costs tens of thousands of yen.
The monthly salary of a big soldier is only 6 yen. It doesn't hurt even if hundreds of people die.
"Order!"
"Tie!"
"Order the Kasahara regiment to continue the attack and make sure to find out the strength of the Tubal Road around Ping'an County."
"Tie!"
The staff officer turned around and left.
Saburo Saito frowned and shook his head after a long time.
Alas, the Imperial Army seems to be having a hard time...
…
The Japanese invaders retreated.
The first battalion also evacuated Xiaowangzhuang immediately.
Zhang Chu was worried about the arrival of Japanese aircraft and suggested that the troops disperse quickly.
For the time being, the Japanese aircraft are still unsolvable and can only be avoided. They cannot effectively counterattack.
After evacuating Xiaowangzhuang, the platoons were used as units to launch guerrilla warfare.
Harassing Japanese invaders from a distance.
Without tank cover, the Japanese invaders were just living targets.
The soldiers of the first battalion are now fully equipped with weapons. There are Garand semi-automatic rifles, sniper rifles, and mortars. Coupled with the M2 heavy machine gun that was just delivered, it is no longer a problem to block the advance of the Kasahara regiment.
The problem now is, nothing has been captured.
In this kind of positional battle, Zhang Chu had no chance to go up and clean up the battlefield on the side of the Japanese invaders.
After all, the Japanese invaders numbered more than 3,000 people. Even if they suffered some losses, they still had more than 2,000 people. They were still very strong. They would divide their forces into multiple ways and outflank them at any time.
However, this is not what Zhang Chu needs to consider.
For Zhang Dabiao, Zhao Gang and others, this common tactic has long been understood.
He wants to do something new.
"Tell me, where is the Japanese invaders' baggage?"
"Fanzhuang Station."
"Then let's go to the station and have a look?"
"good!"
Neither Zhang Dabiao nor Zhao Gang had any objections.
Kasahara United took a train from Taiyuan to northwest Shanxi and got off at Fanzhuang Station.
Fanzhuang Station is not a big station. Usually there are not too many Japanese invaders stationed there. This time is an exception because the Kasahara Regiment is here. The Kasahara Regiment's logistical equipment is still at Fanzhuang Station.
If this Fanzhuang Station is destroyed, it will be equivalent to ruining the Japanese invaders' logistics.
For Zhang Chu, there is another benefit. It is that a large number of weapons and ammunition can be seized. The harvest is full.
It turns out that many weapons are good things.
Such as the m2 heavy machine gun.
Such as Deshka-38 heavy machine gun.
Their only flaw is that they cost money, money, money...
So you have to work hard to accumulate funds.
In addition, if the nearby railway can be blown up, it can effectively slow down the Japanese invaders' reinforcements in northwest Shanxi and buy other troops more time.
You can also buy more time to conquer (sneak attack) another county.
"Who are you taking?"
Zhang Dabiao suddenly felt that it was very difficult.
He can't leave because Zhao Gang is not familiar with the front line yet.
If Zhao Gang and Zhang Chu were allowed to go there, they would be equally worried. Fanzhuang Station is like a dragon's pond and a tiger's den.
Along the railway, the Japanese invaders had set up a large number of strongholds. Once they got close, they would be attacked, and it was impossible without strong troops.
"I go by my own!"
"What? You go alone?"
"Yes, I'll go by myself! I'll go and feel the situation first before I talk!"
"no!"
Zhang Dabiao flatly refused.
You're kidding! Let you go by yourself! Li Yunlong will definitely scold me to death later.
Can't argue...
While we were talking, someone came.
It was the Second Battalion of the Independent Regiment.
"Consultant Zhang!"
"Second Battalion Commander!"
"Commander Zhang, we are going back to work."
"You go this way?"
"Our regiment has received a combat mission to destroy the railway line and delay the Japanese invaders from moving north."
"Yeah?"
Zhang Chu rolled his eyes.
This is not just right. I just happen to act with you.
"Captain Kong is here too?"
"They are still behind. They will arrive the day after tomorrow. We are the vanguard."