The three battalions of the independent regiment spread out their forces in a triangular formation.
This is also the disadvantage of facing the enemy on the plains. It is difficult for the defending side to build a line of defense that can block the enemy.
Mountainous highlands are easier to deal with. All it takes is a few battalions to spread out, each occupying the highlands and blocking the road below with firepower to make it difficult for the enemy to move forward.
But in the plains, the enemy can attack from any direction, and there are very few terrains that can be defended and exploited.
This is also the reason why the three battalions of the Independent Regiment must be deployed in a triangular formation. Only in this way can they cover each other without flanking.
Otherwise, if the troops are deployed in a straight line, the Japanese will be stupid and attack from the front of the defense line. They only need to take a detour and attack from the flanks, and they can easily defeat the independent regiment.
The defensive position of the third battalion is due east. Two hundred meters in front is a small river. The river meanders from north to south and then extends to the southeast. To the north is an open land with good sight. To the south is an altitude of 73 meters, which is gentle in the north and steep in the south.
hills.
The Seventh Company deployed its troops around the hill.
Wang Xuexin placed three platoons on the hill. Of course, the sharpshooter platoon must have a better view so that the original bullets in their hands can work better.
When Zhang Qingcai received the mission, he responded simply: "Don't worry, company commander, I promise not to let a Japanese soldier pass from the high ground!"
"What did you say?" Wang Xuexin asked.
Zhang Qingcai blinked, then stood up and replied: "Report to the company commander, no Japanese can even think of passing through the high ground!"
Wang Xuexin raised his hand and slapped Zhang Qingcai twice on the head: "Don't let the Japs pass by. Do you know what your mission is? Cover the rocket launcher. Even if the Japs get to you, why don't you cover them!"
Only then did Zhang Qingcai realize where he was wrong, and he quickly stood up: "Yes, I promise to complete the task!"
The first row and the second row were placed on the two wings of the high ground, digging individual fortifications like spreading beans.
After making these arrangements, Wang Xuexin took a nap in the fortification.
He also wanted to sleep for a while, but it was too cold to sleep, so he could only stamp his feet and shiver.
Soon, the sky gradually became brighter, and the snowflakes were still flying in abundance.
At this time, Wang Xuexin discovered that there was already a thin layer of snow. On the trees, in the grass, on the roof, here and there, you could vaguely see a little bit of white.
If there is no war, just light a fire and roast sweet potatoes to keep warm. If you can heat up a pot of wine, there will be no regrets in life!
Then I thought...when the hell did I become so easily satisfied!
So there is a saying that is really true, happiness comes from comparison.
Shigekawa Kazuichi was lying on a slope on the other side of the river, sticking his head out to observe the Eighth Route Army's position through binoculars.
He couldn't understand the Eighth Route Army's defense.
Scattered and messy, yet orderly within the chaos.
"This is not a main force group!" Shigekawa and a pair of staff officers beside him said: "They only have more than a thousand people, and they don't have cannons."
"Is it another unit?" The staff officer who was also watching with binoculars turned around and replied: "The unit that attacked our army last night may have withdrawn. The unit in front of us is responsible for covering its retreat."
Shigekawa Kazuichi nodded slightly, thinking it was possible.
But no matter what it is, we have to deal with them first.
I thought Shigekawa waved his hand back, and the tanks and armored vehicles that had been prepared behind him started to move. As the frontline commander drew his command sword and waved forward, they lined up in an offensive formation and led groups of infantry forward.
Advance.
Shigekawa and Ichibu waited for the reinforcements from the rear infantry.
On the one hand, he felt that this was unnecessary, and on the other hand, he believed that the shame of the Tank Regiment must be wiped out by the Tank Regiment... To recover the captured Type 97, if it cannot be recovered, it can be blown up.
.
If all this requires the coordination of infantry, wouldn't the tank regiment become a joke?
These cooperating infantrymen are the reconnaissance detachment and engineering detachment of the 1st Tank Squadron, totaling more than 500 people.
There are not many troops, and two hundred of them are non-combatant engineers.
However, Shigekawa Kazuichi thought this was enough because he had seventeen tanks and three armored vehicles.
This kind of military power is no exaggeration to say that it is enough to confront two regular Chinese divisions and easily defeat them.
(Note: Regarding the combat effectiveness of tanks in China, the reference example is when Luoyang was captured in 1944, the Japanese 6th Tank Regiment covered engineers and infantry to break through the city wall. The three divisions of Chongqing defending Luoyang suffered 4,386 casualties and were captured
6,230 people; Japanese troops suffered 80 casualties and 281 injuries.)
Since Shigekawa Kazuichi simply did not believe that the Eighth Route Army in front of him could stop his steel army, he did not even slightly change the direction of attack and continued to advance along the front.
In Chongchuanhe's eyes, this Eighth Route Army was just a pitiful insect. All he had to do was move forward and he could crush it to death.
The Japanese infantry thought the same way, even the engineers were no exception. They were chatting in low voices as they followed the tanks forward, as if what they were seeing was not a battle but a performance.
The Eighth Route Army responded quickly.
"Company commander!" Xie Baoqing, who was observing the enemy's situation from a high place, waved his hand to Wang Xuexin below and shouted in a low voice: "The enemy is coming up!"
In fact, Wang Xuexin has already felt it.
The rumbling engines of armored vehicles and tanks can be heard miles away.
He was just rubbing his feet, which were almost numb from the cold, and trying to get them to run.
After moving for a while, he felt more comfortable. Wang Xuexin ran to Xie Baoqing and poked his head out. He saw more than 20 tanks and armored vehicles in front of him in a wedge shape, crossing the river one by one and heading towards the Eighth Route Army position. The one in the front was an armored vehicle with the front
There was a plaster flag swaying in the breeze, looking majestic and arrogant.
The order to set off the smoke was issued from the battalion headquarters. The soldiers immediately poured gasoline on the piled scrap rubber and lit it. Soon the battlefield was filled with choking black smoke.
This surprised Kurokawa Kazuichi, and at the same time he felt a little uneasy.
Because smoke is indeed a good way to deal with armored forces, it can reduce visibility and thereby weaken the combat effectiveness of tanks and armored vehicles.
From this, he could judge that the eight groups in front of him were well prepared and not just a ragtag group covering the retreat of the friendly forces as he had thought before.
But of course Shigekawa Kazuichi was not willing to retreat like this. If he stopped attacking just because the enemy released smoke, he would probably become the laughing stock of his subordinates.
What's more, what if it releases smoke?
Kill Imperial troops with smoke?
Therefore, instead of showing weakness, Shigekawa Kazuichi ordered coldly: "Shoot! Disperse the enemy's smoke!"
The sound of gunfire soon started, and several tanks parked their bodies on two wings, aiming at the source of the smoke and firing.