By the time Liu Hua returned to the headquarters, it was already ten o'clock in the morning, and it was only two hours before the Japanese arrived at Baicaoyan. As soon as he sat down on the stool, the chief of staff handed over several telegrams.
"Commander, the telegram just sent by the special operations brigade seems to have happened." Seeing the returning commander, the chief of staff said with a sigh of relief.
"Uh, what's wrong?" Liu Hua frowned.
"Commander, during the investigation of the special operations brigade, we found that the number of patrols sent by the Japanese army to the periphery has increased a lot today, and the firepower has also been strengthened. Do you think the situation will change? Have the Japanese troops discovered our operations?
Intention?" the chief of staff asked worriedly.
"Um, the Japanese have increased the patrol strength and firepower. Has the special operations brigade detected any other situations?" Liu Hua looked at the telegram in his hand, raised his head and asked.
"No, I just reported that the number of soldiers patrolling today has increased, and the firepower has also been strengthened."
"Since there are no other circumstances, Chief of Staff, I think there should be no problem. The Japs' reinforcement of the patrol team should be because they have been overstretched by the qualified cavalry battalion of the Special Operations Brigade in the past two days, so they have to strengthen it. Give it to the Special Operations Brigade immediately.
Send a report and tell them that after the battle starts, the special operations brigade must deal with all the patrols as soon as possible, and then the guard battalion will cooperate with them in the battle." After hearing what the chief of staff said, Liu Hua answered affirmatively.
Soon, just when Liu Hua was about to send a message to the three main regiments to ask whether the troops were ready, the telegrams from the three main regiments were sent to the headquarters one after another. Seeing the telegrams, Liu Hua picked up the telescope and looked at
Towards the entire road that will become a battlefield. After the bustle just now, the road has returned to its previous tranquility. It is like a lion with its bloody mouth open, waiting for the arrival of its prey.
"Commander, a call came from the group. They have found the Japs' vanguard, a squadron in total. The search range is 200 meters on both sides of the highway." Chief of Staff Li Qing said to the silent Liu Hua.
"Finally, here comes the order. All attacking troops of the first regiment must retreat 200 meters and continue to be vigilant to prevent the enemy from finding any clues. The same order was also sent to the second regiment." Liu Hua began to fulfill the orders of his commander-in-chief.
Responsibility, issuing combat orders to subordinates one by one.
"Commander, the leading Japanese troops have successfully passed through the regiment's position and are continuing to search and advance. The regiment has not exposed its target..." The chief of staff continued to read the telegrams sent by each regiment one by one.
…
"Commander, the Second Regiment is calling. You can already see the Japs' vanguard. In five minutes, the Japs' vanguard will contact the guards stationed in Changle Village..." At this time, the telegram was sent from the Second Regiment.
"A call came from one regiment. They have discovered the Japanese logistics and transport team. Should we launch an attack immediately to cut off the Japanese march?" The chief of staff read the telegrams sent by each regiment to Liu Hua one by one.
"Start attacking." Liu Hua ordered decisively.
"Woooooooooo..." First, the prepared artillery group opened fire. The whistling sound of artillery shells streaking across the sky reached the headquarters. "Boom, boom, boom..." Then, bursts of shocking explosions were heard again.
Headquarters. "It's finally started." Hearing the explosion of artillery shells, Liu Hua muttered to himself. At the same time, he stood up, picked up the telescope, and looked at the highway where explosions continued to sound in the distance.
You know, in order to wipe out all the Japs along the way, there were three companies of mortars, two companies of Japanese mountain artillery, and one company of thunderbolts participating in the bombardment this time. These are basically all the important equipment of the independent brigade.
Armed with weapons, it can be said that Liu Hua basically moved all his wealth and went all out to fight this battle successfully.
Before the Japanese 117th Regiment was bombarded, it had been marching in two columns. At the same time, in order to prevent the Eighth Route Army from attacking and artillery fire along the way, the formation of the main force of the entire regiment was very loose. As the final killing ground,
Although the elite regiment was continuously attacked by various attacks during the march for several days, the soldiers still persisted and did not relax at all. Therefore, although the entire formation was loose, it was not chaotic. The soldiers
Although it was hard work and his eyes were red, he still maintained a state of alert all the time.
When they heard the whistling sound of artillery shells piercing the sky, the first thing all the Japanese soldiers realized was that they had been shelled, and the effect was achieved by groups of artillery shells flying across the sky. As a result, these battle-hardened veterans quickly dispersed automatically
Formation, lying on the ground at the fastest speed. You can imagine that with the explosion of artillery shells, the entire Japanese marching group, thousands of people, fell on the ground at the same time as if someone was commanding them. How spectacular it was.
But in this way, the lethality of the first round of artillery shells in the artillery battalion is obvious. Except for some shells that fell directly into the Japanese formation, causing certain casualties to the Japanese. Although other shells fell next to the Japanese marching column,
.But the flying shrapnel did not do much damage to the Japanese lying on the ground.
"Baga, we were ambushed by the Eighth Route Army. When did the Eighth Route Army have such fierce artillery fire? Didn't the empire's intelligence department say that the Eighth Route Army's equipment was inferior? How could this be?" The soldier pushed him off his horse.
Okamoto cursed loudly as he listened to the sound of artillery that could only be heard on the front line.
"Quick, I'll send a report from the North China Headquarters. Our 117th Regiment was ambushed by the Eighth Route Army near Changle Village. The Eighth Route Artillery fire was very fierce. Please ask for support." Okamoto stopped his meaningless insults and said to
ordered a telegraph operator next to him.
After giving the order, Okamoto came to a relatively safe place under the protection of his own soldiers, picked up the telescope, and began to observe the enemy's situation.
At this time, almost all the soldiers of the main force of the regiment were lying in the wilderness on both sides of the road. Although the artillery shells fired by the Eighth Route Army continued to explode in the middle of the team, their courage was not a threat to the lying down imperial army fighting against the Japanese Empire.
Not very big. Very few Imperial soldiers could be hit, unless an unlucky soldier was directly hit by a cannonball.
However, Captain Okamoto did not feel lucky for this, but was very angry. You must know that when fighting against the Japanese army on the front line, it was always the Eighth Route Army who were suppressed and beaten by the elite imperial army. But now, facing
For the poorly equipped Eighth Route Army, it was completely the other way around.
Okamoto saw this and was anxious in his heart. Although he wanted to retaliate and fight back, there was no other way because the Eighth Route Army on the opposite side could not even see a single figure except for shelling.
"Does our enemy have enough artillery shells to squander it like this?" Captain Okamoto said mockingly. However, to be able to sit in the position of captain, Okamoto still has very outstanding intelligence and ability. It will be clear soon.
Have your own ideas and prepare to issue orders.
"Artillery, mountain artillery squadron, immediately measure the location of the Eighth Route Army artillery and organize the artillery to fight back as soon as possible. The elite imperial army of this empire cannot lie on the ground so cowardly and wait for the artillery shells to arrive." Okamoto shouted to the people around him.
the artillery squadron leader shouted.
"Report to the captain, the Eighth Route Army is very cunning, and their artillery fire is very scattered. After the preliminary measurement just now, we have discovered at least six artillery positions. With the only mountain artillery squadron in our hands, it is impossible to carry out effective suppression, and
They will also be destroyed by the Eighth Route Army." The artillery squadron leader replied softly.
"Baga, you are not a warrior of the empire. I don't care. In short, organize artillery immediately to fight back. The soldiers cannot be exposed to the enemy's artillery fire. Order all soldiers to leave the road immediately and occupy several villages on both sides of the road.
Stand on the top of the hill and wait for reinforcements, hurry up." After hearing what the artillery squadron leader said, Okamoto roared loudly.
Immediately, the Japs on both sides of the road began to move, slowly spreading out, bending down, and lying on the ground from time to time. They attacked and advanced towards the hilltop next to the road. Although shells continued to fall around me, but for these
For veterans, it is impossible for such artillery fire to do much harm to them. So, each of the Japanese soldiers held up their rifles with bayonets fixed, staring straight at the mountains ahead, and slowly advanced.
"Artillery battery, heavy machine guns, concentrate firepower, target the Japs within 100 meters in front, and hit me." Gao Yuan, the regiment leader, looked at the Japs rushing toward him as he slowly thought about the hilltop where he was, and immediately gave the order.
"Click, click, click...boom, bang, bang..." 12 mortars and 4 heavy machine guns were all aimed at the 100-meter-wide road in front of them and opened fire. The fierce blow that came in suddenly hit the Japanese in front of them.
They were caught off guard, and dozens of Japanese soldiers fell into a hail of heavy machine gun bullets and mortar shells.
The Japs were worthy of being elites. In the face of the fierce rain of bullets and the soldiers whose jade was shattered in front of them, no one panicked. Under the command of their respective sergeants and squad leaders, the remaining Japs slowly organized themselves in order to carry out the operation.
Fight back and retreat backwards. A discerning person can tell at a glance that the Japanese want to retreat to the other side of the highway and rely on the high roadbed of the highway as a fortification to carry out resistance.
However, the commander of the first regiment did not let them get what they wanted. When they had just retreated from the road and lay down on the roadbed to shoot at the second battalion in front of them, he did not know that his back was completely exposed on the other side of the road.
Under the guns of the battalion. Seeing such a good reality, the battalion commander certainly would not let it go. He immediately ordered the four heavy machine guns that had been prepared for a long time to open fire.
The Japs were so lucky this time. The heavy firepower from the front and the rain of bullets from behind hit their backs. Facing the hail of bullets from both sides, the Japs were in a dilemma. Those Japs who reacted quickly moved to both sides.
The soldiers who tried to escape from the design range of the heavy machine gun and who were slow to react were beaten to the ground mercilessly by the soldiers.