Chapter 687: Returning in tit-for-tat revenge (first update)
Author: 574981
Chapter 687: Returning in tit-for-tat revenge (first update)
"Captain, the Eighth Route Army's blocking force is equipped with a large number of mortars, specially designed to attack our offensive troops. The two squadrons that just went up were destroyed by bombs..." The captain of the main offensive force rushed all the way to the commander of the regiment, and reported with a sad face, feeling very aggrieved.
In previous battles, they used artillery fire to suppress the Eighth Route Army. But unlike today, the offensive troops were attacked by more than a dozen mortars as soon as they were dispatched.
The offensive position was right on the road and on both sides of the road, with a clear view and not even a hiding place.
The artillery shells rained down, and they had no place to hide, so they had no choice but to charge forward despite the artillery fire. The consequences can be imagined.
The regiment had not received news that the troops had broken through the Eighth Route Army's blocking position for a long time, and they were very anxious and had been considering other ways to break out.
After confirming that a breakthrough from the front was not feasible, he made an immediate decision: "We will break through from the left wing..."
"The troops immediately turned around and fought their way into the valley field on the roadside. They used the corn straw as cover to break out of the encirclement."
The captain of the brigade breathed a sigh of relief. As long as he did not continue to attack from the front, the casualties in the assault would be much smaller in any direction.
As a result, no one moved, and the sound of firefights came from the direction newly chosen by the commander of the company to break out.
"No...the Eighth Route Army that is outflanking us on the left wing is already in place, and we can't go that way..." the commander analyzed with a stern face.
"The troops continued to turn and broke through from the right wing of the battlefield, where the Eighth Route Army had not yet reached the outflank position."
For this ambush battle, the Duer Regiment had been lurking here for two days, and the fat in their mouths could not let them escape no matter what.
The idea of a Japanese captain trying to break out of the pocket formation is destined to be a sweet dream.
As soon as an infantry squadron left the road, a company of the Eighth Route Army came towards them.
"Captain, we seem to be surrounded by the Eighth Route Army..." the adjutant said nervously.
The captain punched the ammunition box next to him, and replied helplessly in pain: "I can see..."
"We also know that the Eighth Route Army that ambushed us is the main force of the Duer Regiment that everyone has been looking for, otherwise there wouldn't be so many field artillery to participate in the battle."
"The breakthrough route has been cut off, so we can only wait for reinforcements, defeat the Duer Regiment, and then return to Baoding to aid."
"The troops immediately established a circular defense line with me as the center."
"Quickly report the encounters of our troops to the Baoding headquarters,"
"Please Commander, please mobilize troops from Pingyang Town to reinforce us. First attack the main force of the Duer Regiment, and then attack the Shunping garrison."
"Our troops will fight tooth and nail to drag the Du Er Regiment on the battlefield."
"The Eighth Route Army used Baoding as bait to encircle the area and bring reinforcements."
"We use ourselves as bait, surround the Duer Group here, bloom in the center, and annihilate them all."
…………
The enemy's headquarters, combat staff, and messengers from the Duer Regiment came in and out, constantly summarizing the latest battle conditions on the battlefield here for Kong Jie's reference.
"Commander, the Japanese army is shrinking its troops and establishing a circular position on the spot..." A messenger rushed into the headquarters to report.
Chen Quan immediately made a judgment: "The Japanese want to wait for help..."
"Commander, I suggest that the troops press forward immediately without giving them a chance to establish a defensive line."
"The more chaotic they are, the faster we can destroy the enemy."
Kong Jie said confidently: "It's okay to wait for reinforcements. We have field artillery to help. No matter how strong the temporary circular position built by the Japanese army is, it will be destroyed."
"I'm worried that they will use themselves as bait to drag us here and gather together to annihilate them."
"The 1st, 23rd and 3rd Battalions immediately accelerated their attack speed and compressed the scope of the Japanese army's activities."
"The field artillery battalion suspended shelling, and waited until the infantry drove the Japanese together before implementing artillery fire coverage to increase the hit rate of artillery shells."
…………
"Dong dong dong..."
The crossfire from two heavy machine guns suddenly blocked the path of the 2nd Battalion and the 5th Company. The first few soldiers were instantly beaten to pieces, and blood spurted out, instantly turning their uniforms red.
The company commander quickly threw himself on the ground and raised his binoculars.
Two heavy machine guns were set up more than a hundred meters away, at each other's horns, to intercept him.
Fifty or sixty Japanese soldiers gathered behind the heavy machine guns, working hard to fill sandbags, dig trenches, and build positions.
"They must not be allowed to build a blocking position..." the company commander thought to himself.
He waved to the instructor behind him and ordered: "Lao Zhou, I will lead a frontal attack to attract Japanese firepower."
"You lead the grenade squad around to the flank of the heavy machine gun and blow them up."
"The Japanese army's blocking firepower was so intense that they couldn't even set up grenade launchers for a frontal attack, so they could only attack from the flanks in a detour."
After saying that, he ordered at the top of his voice: "Ready the machine gun..."
"Suppress the Japanese heavy machine gun firepower and open fire..."
The entire company is equipped with six light machine guns. In a single competition, the light machine guns are definitely no match for the heavy machine guns. However, relying on the numerical advantage, the fifth company still successfully suppressed the two heavy machine guns.
"Boom boom boom..."
In less than a minute, the sound of grenade explosions rang out from the Japanese heavy machine gun position.
The gunfire stopped suddenly, and the enemy blocking the way of the fifth company was killed.
The company commander quickly got up from the ground, held up the box gun and ordered: "Continue to attack forward..."
"Fire all the machine guns, defeat the little devils in front, all rush towards me..."
Time was limited, and the Japanese army's temporary blocking position was less than one-third complete. The soldiers could not hide themselves while squatting in the trench, and they would definitely not be able to fight.
"Da da da……"
Light machine gun bullets flew towards them, and several Japanese soldiers with their upper bodies exposed were instantly knocked down.
The remaining little devils wanted to stop on the spot and block the Eighth Route Army's offensive.
However, the blocking position at their feet was not repaired, and the soldiers did not even have a bunker to hide from bullets. What could they use to stop them.
After a little analysis, the squadron leader decided to retreat.
There are two more circular positions at the back, located in the inner circle. They are much smaller in size, but have several times more troops. They should have been repaired.
"Kill..." Seeing that the Japanese were about to run away, the company commander rushed faster than before.
"We must not let the cooked duck fly away from our mouths...shoot with machine guns and kill them for me..."
…………
At the Japanese temporary headquarters in Baoding, Okamura Neji was furious in his room.
After confirming that the Eighth Route Army was attacking Baoding from the east and attacking from the west, he thought that the Eighth Route Army in Yizhong would take the opportunity to encircle the point and mobilize reinforcements.
However, as Baoding City was breached and the Baoding garrison suffered heavy casualties, the idea of encircling the point for reinforcements suddenly disappeared.
The Eighth Route Army in Yi Zhong did not have the ability to spread the beans into an army. The total number of troops was so large, and each one was missing.
After deducting the losses since the great sweep, the Yi Zhong Eighth Route Army plus the Du Er Regiment only had four to five thousand men.
Leave more than 1,000 people to defend Pingyang Town, use more than 2,000 people to attack Baoding, and then allocate some troops to protect the headquarters and logistics. At most, 1,000 people are left for reinforcements.
There were two reinforced brigades in the returning reinforcements. The terrain along the route was flat and not suitable for ambushes. No matter from any aspect of analysis, the Yi Zhong Eighth Route Army did not have the strength to encircle the point and mobilize reinforcements.
As a result, he once again underestimated the strength of the Eighth Route Army in Yizhong.
"Your Excellency, Commander, I think the proposal to return the reinforcements is very good." The deputy chief of staff intervened in time, trying to calm the commander's anger.
"When the enemy changes, we change. Since the Eighth Route Army wants to encircle the points and send reinforcements, they will annihilate the returning troops."
"We can also retaliate in kind."
"There are not many Eighth Route Army troops left guarding Pingyang Town. Three infantry brigades should be able to be mobilized."
"If we transfer the cavalry and chariot troops to cooperate with them, we will definitely be able to sweep away the main force of the Du Er Regiment."
"Destroy the Duer Regiment, and the remaining garrison regiments of the Eighth Route Army in the Wing will turn into a bunch of stragglers, without a leader, and their combat effectiveness will be drastically reduced."
"It will be easy to destroy them again."
The first update is delivered today, please order it all!
