There is still a certain amount of pressure for Wang Xuexin to command this tank company.
The reason is that he usually doesn't have much time to train with the soldiers... Although the training plans are all approved by Wang Xuexin and even many of the training plans were drawn up by Wang Xuexin, the plan is one thing, and the training and actual combat are another. thing.
However, the soldiers became more energetic when they learned that Wang Xuexin was personally commanding the battle.
"Comrades!" the second platoon leader said to the crew: "This battle is personally commanded by the battalion commander. Fight hard and don't lose to those who lose our battalion commander!"
"Is there any problem with the battalion commander's command?" the driver replied: "Our battalion commander is the first person to drive a tank!"
"The tank tactics of our entire army were devised by the battalion commander!" the machine gunner continued: "I am only commanding a company now, and there are only eight tanks... so what are you worried about?"
"Go!" the second platoon leader retorted: "It seems like you are not at ease with the company commander's command. Be careful if this word reaches the company commander!"
The machine gunner laughed awkwardly: "The company commander is commanding... That's okay, but it's still a bit inferior to the battalion commander, isn't it?"
The second platoon commander had no objection to this. When it came to this battalion commander, not only was he incomparable to the company commander, there was no one else in the Eighth Route Army who knew more about tank warfare than him!
Therefore, the second platoon leader actually felt more at ease.
What they didn't expect was that the most unreliable person was the battalion commander Wang Xuexin... He was afraid that he would make some low-level mistakes in command or cause undue losses, which would not only be a matter of face, but also a matter of regret for these hard training and Trust his subordinates unconditionally.
Wang Xuexin walked at the front of the unit, just behind the No. 320 car, the leader of the second platoon.
This is Wang Xuexin's habit of fighting. He is always at the front of the team.
In fact, this is also a helpless choice. The Eighth Route Army lacks communication equipment. If the commander is in the rear, he cannot use the walkie-talkie to know the enemy situation in front in a timely manner like in modern warfare, especially in the dark night and he is commanding tanks with poor external perception capabilities. Communication It seems extremely important.
Otherwise, it is possible that the battle is almost over and the commander still does not know what happened. It would be strange to win the battle in this way.
The way Wang Xuexin communicates with the tank is a radio carried on the backs of the two communication soldiers behind him. He can communicate with the platoon leader's command vehicle through the radio.
The platoon leader's command vehicle cannot even be said to be a "command vehicle" because other vehicles are not equipped with radios, and the tank-infantry-tank connection does not work well in the dark, because it is difficult for other tanks to operate in the dark. In time, he saw clearly the signal flag following the infantry.
This is also what Wang Xuexin worries about. The coordination between three tanks in a platoon can only rely on the tacit understanding between the tank commanders. Just like playing basketball or football, teammates know what he is going to do as soon as they move, so they give Corresponding cover and response.
While following the tank forward, Wang Xuexin took the time to use the radio to test the contact with each platoon leader:
"Second Platoon reports the situation!"
"Everything is fine!"
"Third Platoon reports the situation!"
"Everything is fine!"
…
At this time, the second platoon leader suddenly reported: "Batalion Commander, there seems to be a situation ahead!"
Wang Xuexin poked his head out and saw a few lights flashing at the corner of the street ahead.
Wang Xuexin guessed that it was the Japanese reinforcements coming from the center of the city, and the time was indeed about the same.
So he made a decisive decision and ordered: "Everyone is here, prepare to fight!"
The platoon commanders responded and immediately stopped to load the shells and aim the muzzles around the corner.
This goal is quite obvious, because the lights on those side three wheels are very dazzling.
Wang Xuexin was a little surprised. Did the Japanese not want their lives? Knowing that the Eighth Route Army tanks had entered the city, they dared to march with the lights on. Wasn't this clearly exposing themselves to the enemy's artillery fire?
In fact, the Japanese were very embarrassed at this time. Since the city gate was quickly breached by the Eighth Route Army, even Anda 23 did not know where the Eighth Route Army was now.
At this time, Anda Twenty-Three has two choices:
The first is to set up defenses on the spot, placing anti-tank guns in the center of the city and waiting for enemy tanks to drive up.
Although this is feasible, because when dealing with enemy tanks, anti-tank cannons mainly use "darkness to strike light", that is, hiding in the dark and suddenly firing a shot at the enemy tank, which can often yield great results.
.
What's more, the Japanese's "Type 1 37mm" anti-tank gun still has the problem of insufficient penetration. It can only penetrate 30mm of vertical armor at a distance of one hundred meters, while the front armor of the T26 has 25mm.
In other words, if the slope of the armor is calculated, the "Type 1 37mm" anti-tank will have a hard time penetrating a light tank like the T26 even at a distance of one hundred meters.
To put it bluntly, this anti-tank gun is a piece of equipment that is already lagging behind as soon as it was developed.
The reason why the Japanese developed this kind of anti-tank gun was based on the armor data of the Mao Xiong tank during the Battle of Nomenhan... At that time, the armor of the T26 was only 15mm, and the Type 1 anti-tank gun could penetrate it at a distance of 500 meters.
Who thought that the backhand of T26 would be increased to 25 armor.
(Note: The Japanese also have a "Type 1 anti-tank gun", but it is of 47mm caliber and served in 1942)
Therefore, this "type one anti-tank gun" is completely worthless to the Japanese. It is only possible to penetrate it at 100 meters. Its level of danger and difficulty is no less than holding a bag of explosives to blow up the target!
Therefore, many troops know that this equipment exists, but are unwilling to install it... It is of no use on the battlefield. No anti-tank can survive facing enemy tanks at a distance of 100 meters.
But Anda 23 saw the value of this anti-tank gun when defending Yuncheng.
What if the enemy tanks pass through the city gate, but the anti-tank is hidden in front of the city gate? Isn't there a tank with one cannonball at that time?
This is also the reason why Anda 23 requires three anti-tank guns at each city gate: one on the left and right, and another one hidden in the house in the middle.
In this way, even if the anti-tank gun only has a range of 100 meters, there will be no problem in sealing the city gate.
but……
If the tanks of the Eighth Route Army had already poured into the city from the city gate, the anti-tank guns would have been unable to catch them.
Defense in place?
Does that mean we have to watch the Eighth Route Army tanks occupy most of the city and finally surround the city center?
This is obviously not possible!
So Anda Twenty-three took the risk and chose the second option, quickly reinforcing the South Gate. He wanted to put the anti-tank guns into the battle before the South Gate fell.
Since "speed" is required, the anti-tank gun must of course be towed by a car.
If any protection is needed, it would be to place a few three-wheeled motorcycles in front for reconnaissance.
Wang Xuexin immediately thought of this. He looked at the light as if it were a handbag, firstly because it was not that bright, and secondly because it swayed greatly.
So Wang Xuexin ordered: "Don't fire, wait for my order, and let the vanguard go!"