Twenty tanks followed the infantry cover and once again attacked the enemy position.
But to be honest, the role that tanks can play in this situation is very limited.
First of all, tanks do not have the ability to fight at night, and the Eighth Route Army does not have many illumination bombs. Tanks are almost blind in the dark. Their main function is to provide a movable bunker for infantry to block bullets.
Secondly, the Eighth Route Army was very close to the Japanese at this time...the position was not a straight line, but a curved line. Some positions were even intertwined. For example, the first battalion did not fully occupy the first line of defense. The Japanese carried out operations in these positions.
Counterattack trying to regain the first line of defense.
As a result, there was no clear dividing line between the enemy and our armies, and they were intertwined with each other. It was difficult for even the infantry to distinguish between ourselves and the enemy in the dark, let alone the tank crew who looked out through a small observation hole in the tank.
Since it is difficult to distinguish between ourselves and the enemy, it is difficult for the tank to use its firepower, and it is also difficult for the gunner to locate the target in the dark.
These difficulties are a problem even in modern tank warfare, let alone the T26 which did not have any auxiliary equipment during World War II.
Li Yunlong actually knew this, so he did not place any hope that the tanks would be able to take down the Japanese positions. If this was the case, the raid by the reconnaissance company led by the monk would be meaningless.
Li Yunlong was actually fighting a psychological war. He was trying to make the enemy commander nervous and focus more attention and troops on the front... Only in this way will his undefended flanks become even weaker.
Yuta Takemura was indeed fooled.
The Charge also plays a role in this.
Yuta Takemura, who has fought with the Chinese army for a long time, knows that when the Chinese army blows the charge horn, it usually means a general attack. Otherwise, most of the other times it is a signal bomb or even a whistle.
At this moment, Yuta Takemura heard the Charge and then saw the tank "rumbling" up from a distance, and he couldn't help being shocked:
This is the real purpose of the Eighth Route Army's desperate effort to seize the first line of defense!
After they captured the first line of defense, the anti-tank trenches were under their control.
With the anti-tank trenches in their hands, the tanks can easily pass through the anti-tank trenches and appear in front of the second line of defense to coordinate the Eighth Route Army's attack!
At that time, under the attack of tanks and infantry, can the imperial army with almost no anti-tank equipment be able to defend it?
This can be said to be due to Yuta Takemura's lack of confidence, or his lack of experience.
The lack of confidence is because the imperial army does not have any decent anti-tank equipment.
The lack of experience is because the Chinese army has almost no tanks, which makes Yuta Takemura very unfamiliar with anti-tank even though he is a veteran on the battlefield.
People are naturally afraid of unfamiliar things, and Yuta Takemura is no exception.
In fact, as long as he thought carefully, he would understand: What would happen if the Eighth Route Army tanks came up?
Can the Eighth Route Army coordinate effectively?
Can tanks take advantage of their firepower?
At worst, leading the troops to launch a counterattack and fighting the enemy together, the tanks will be even less able to distinguish between ourselves and the enemy. Not only will the tanks not be able to play their role, but they will also become trophies of the imperial army.
However, Yuta Takemura was already in disarray at this time and took it for granted that he could not let the enemy's "conspiracy" succeed, that is, he could not let the tanks of the Eighth Route Army pass through the anti-tank ditch smoothly, otherwise everything would be over.
So Takemura Yuta drew his command sword and ordered: "Everyone, bayonets on!"
After waiting for a few seconds, Yuta Takemura pointed his sword into the void and roared with a ferocious expression: "Attack!"
The Japanese shouted loudly, grabbed their bayonets and jumped out of the trenches to launch a counterattack against the Eighth Route Army.
In fact, this cannot be said to be a command error on the part of Yuta Takemura. At least it was correct based on the conditions and circumstances he knew.
The Japs had more troops than the Eighth Route Army: On the front of the battlefield, the Eighth Route Army had only one battalion. During the attack, it lost some of its troops due to vicious and enemy firepower, and then the full force was over 800, while the Japs still had over a thousand people.
The quality of the Japs is better than that of the Eighth Route Army: Although the quality of the First Battalion of the Independent Regiment is not weak, the Japs of the Zhucun Brigade are veterans who have been trained for a long time and have been fed bullets on the battlefield, especially their close-quarter stabbing skills. Not to mention , it’s not a big problem to fight three in one.
Based on this calculation, there is no doubt that the Takemura Brigade will regain the first line of defense in this counterattack and it will not take much time.
After regaining the first line of defense, the Zhucun Brigade can once again organize firepower in front of the anti-tank ditch to stop the tanks. If they can also fire a few gas bombs, they can perfectly push the Eighth Route Army back again and end this battle.
All these estimates were correct. The only fault was that Yuta Takemura did not expect that at this time, a strange force was already waiting for them to counterattack.
Monk's reconnaissance company has actually arrived for a while.
With the monk's impatience, he wanted to jump into the battle immediately, but Shi Sha stopped the monk from this impulsive behavior when he saw the situation on the battlefield.
"Company commander!" Shi Sha said, "Let's wait a little longer!"
The monk whispered angrily: "Why are you waiting? People who haven't seen us can't rush forward? Take this opportunity to give the Japanese a try..."
At this time, the first battalion was attacking the second line of defense. The monk was anxious as he watched groups of soldiers fall under Japanese firepower.
Shi Sha analyzed: "Company Commander, the Japs are fighting in a very orderly manner, and their flanks are also on guard. In addition, they still have an advantage in strength. I'm afraid they won't be able to cause much trouble if they rush forward now!"
The monk raised his telescope and took a look, and found that the situation was exactly as Shi Sha said. The Japanese also had troops deployed on the flanks of the highlands.
However, the monk was still a little impatient, and he asked: "Then we can't continue to wait like this, right? Waiting like this is not an option!"
Shi Sha replied: "The leader should have arrangements!"
The consideration of applying sand in this regard is correct.
Li Yunlong is the commander of the regiment and a commander who considers the overall situation. He has gone through all the troubles to move the reconnaissance company to the flank of the Japanese. He cannot be unaware of this, so he will definitely create an opportunity for the reconnaissance company.
Sure enough, soon the charge was sounded on the frontal battlefield, and the Eighth Route Army dispatched tanks and successfully induced the Japanese to come out in full force to launch a counterattack against the first line of defense.
It's okay if the Japanese don't counterattack. Once they do, the flanks will be completely exposed to the reconnaissance company.
The monk no longer hesitated at this time. He knew what to do without Shi Sha's advice. He waved the box cannon in his hand and shouted loudly: "Comrades, charge!"
"Charge!" The soldiers of the reconnaissance company rushed forward like tigers with an engineering shovel in one hand and a box cannon in the other.
This is the characteristic of the reconnaissance company... They do not use bayonets in hand-to-hand combat. Instead, they use engineer shovels as shields and box cannons as knives, and they are all twenty-ring box cannons. Many squad platoon leaders are equipped with two.