Chapter 1116 Don't fight devils, fight mules and horses
"Reporting to the commander, all the ammunition dropped by the transport plane to us has been found. They are bullets and shells that we are in short supply. They are enough for us to use for two days." The major rushed to the top of the city and reported with excitement.
The subordinates standing next to the colonel all became happy.
With these ammunition, they are more confident to defend Laiyuan City.
Not only that, today's successful airdrop gave them hope. Even if Laiyuan City is surrounded by heavy troops from the garrison and the superiors are unable to replenish ammunition for everyone from the ground, the troops still have the option of airdrop, and it will definitely not be cut off.
Lose.
Surprisingly, the colonel was not as happy as his subordinates.
After nodding to show that he knew, he fell into deep thought, looking at the gradually quiet outside the city, waiting for something.
Half an hour later, the smoke wall surrounding the city completely dissipated. The colonel raised his telescope and scanned the location where the gunshot had just been fired. Many corpses of the imperial army came into his sight.
His brows slowly wrinkled.
The ammunition just dropped by the transport plane is very important, and the imperial troops who died in the battle are equally important. Both are indispensable.
If the ammunition depot had not been destroyed and the troops were in urgent need of ammunition replenishment and stabilization of morale, the colonel would not have sent his men out of the city to die for ammunition.
"Report!" The major who led the troops out of the city climbed up to the top of the city and brought the colonel back to reality.
Seeing that the colonel turned his attention to himself, he immediately reported: "Sir, a total of 96 imperial troops and 118 imperial alliance troops have not returned from the attacking force."
Colonel frowned even deeper: "The loss is greater than I expected."
"Just for two days of ammunition, we lost more than 200 people. It's such a loss."
"However, because of the ammunition airdropped to us by transport planes, the chaotic morale of the troops is obviously more stable than before, and everyone is more confident in defending Laiyuan City. From this point of view, the loss of more than two hundred people is well worth it."
At the Laiyuan Independent Battalion Headquarters, the subordinates were also reporting the battle situation to Zhao Wen.
Contrary to the solemn expression of the Japanese commander, Zhao Wen's face was full of smiles.
Although they did not grab a box of ammunition dropped by a transport plane, the troops destroyed more than 200 Japanese puppet troops.
In Zhao Wen's eyes, the ammunition dropped by air just entered the city, and it was no big deal.
As long as the troops fight harder during the feint attack at night, the ammunition just dropped by the Japanese army will be used up in two nights at most.
The Japanese and puppet troops killed are different. Those are the real results. The Japanese and puppet troops in the city can never be replaced. This pair of troops will definitely reduce a lot of combat pressure when they attack Laiyuan in the future.
"Tell comrades to have a good rest during the day and let's have a meal in the evening to celebrate the victory just now." Zhao Wen ordered happily.
Before several company commanders could be happy, the communications squad leader rushed in with a serious look on his face.
"Batalion Commander, there's an urgent call from the regiment headquarters."
"A small Japanese transport team entered the base area two hours ago and marched towards Laiyuan City in a hurry."
"The baggage train is all made of mules and horses, with more than 300 horses. The escort force includes a squadron of Japanese soldiers, a company of puppet troops, and an airplane in the sky."
"The regiment headquarters ordered us to stop this baggage train at all costs and not allow them to enter Laiyuan City."
Zhao Wen glanced at his watch and analyzed: "Enter the base area at eight o'clock. If we march urgently, we will enter Laiyuan City at six o'clock in the afternoon."
"The little devils are very good at calculating. All the baggage trains have turned into mules and horses. Our method of slowing down their march by destroying the roads will not work."
"There are aircraft escorts in the sky, so it is impossible to gather heavy troops to intercept them head-on. We can only use small forces to continuously attack them with guerrilla warfare and sparrow warfare."
"But this kind of petty quarrel cannot stop the supply team at all. At most, it will cause them to lose some troops and supplies. The main force and most of the supplies will still enter Laiyuan City on time."
The instructor frowned and reminded: "Batalion Commander, the mission given to us by the regiment commander is not impossible."
Zhao Wen frowned deeper and deeper, shook his head and replied: "Even if we can't finish it, we have to find a way to finish it."
"The key to the mission is to slow down the marching speed of the baggage train so that they cannot advance to Laiyuan City at night. With the current strength of the Independent Battalion, as long as it waits until dark, it will definitely be able to swallow them up."
"The extra meal for the troops tonight has been postponed."
"Instructor, please stay here with one or two companies, protect the heavy artillery company and the air defense company, and continue the feint attack on Laiyuan City after dark."
"Other troops will follow me and stop the baggage train outside Laiyuan City at all costs."
"Da da da……"
A string of machine gun fire sounded beside the highway, and bullets flew toward the Japanese and puppet troops on the highway in a fan shape.
Two puppet soldiers next to each other fell down. One died on the spot, and the other fell to the ground and screamed in pain.
The Japanese and puppet troops next to them were not affected, as if they did not see the scene in front of them. They walked around the corpses and wounded and continued on their way without fighting back.
Zhao Wen saw this scene clearly and analyzed with a stern face: "The Japanese and puppet troops are determined to enter Laiyuan City before dark. Our sneak attack is just an itch for them. Unless there is a way to hurt them.
Move your muscles and bones, otherwise the baggage train will definitely not stop."
"Battal Commander, there is really no other way for me to take the Third Company to the mountain pass in front to intercept them. Even if the Japanese have planes, I am confident that I can hold them off for half an hour." The Third Company Commander gritted his teeth and pleaded.
"No!" Zhao Wen refused without hesitation.
"You were indeed able to hold off for half an hour, but half an hour later your third company was also destroyed by Japanese planes."
"What should we do?" the third company commander asked, frowning.
"Hit the mules and horses!" Zhao Wen suddenly shouted with his eyes lit up.
"The purpose of the Japanese dispatching the baggage train is to deliver ammunition supplies to Laiyuan City. If the ammunition is gone, it will be meaningless for them to go to Laiyuan City."
"The ammunition is all on the backs of mules and horses. Without the mules and horses, the Japanese and puppet troops can only carry the ammunition and move. The marching speed will definitely slow down, and they will not be able to enter Laiyuan City before dark!"
"Yes, let's fight like this, notify the troops, and shoot the mules and horses of the Japanese army's transport team at all costs."
"Kill the Japanese transport team, and we will eat mules and horses tonight, and we will take care of them."
"Da da da……"
The familiar machine gun fire sounded again, and the three mules and horses fell to the ground with a "plop..." and the ammunition boxes tied to their backs smashed to the ground together, scattering everywhere.
This time the Japanese did not turn a blind eye.
Immediately, a dozen puppet soldiers were mobilized to carry the boxes on the ground, abandon the dead mules and horses, and continue to move forward.
"It's useful to beat mules and horses, keep attacking..." Zhao Wen shouted excitedly after seeing all this.
"Bahba...dah-dah...boom-boom..."
Various gunshots sounded like firecrackers, accompanying the baggage train.
The mules and horses were beaten to death one after another.
The Japanese squadron leader's face was full of anger. He had already seen the purpose of the Eighth Route Army.
Holding the command knife in his left hand and clenching his fist in his right hand, he wanted to order the troops to counterattack and kill the surrounding Eighth Route Army, but in the end he held back until one of his subordinates caught up from behind.
"Sir, more than forty of our mules and horses have been killed. Each mule and horse carries three hundred kilograms of ammunition, and it takes at least six soldiers to carry it and continue the march."
"Almost all soldiers are carrying ammunition now. If another mules and horses are killed, we will have to give up the extra ammunition."
"Bageya Road, what do planes do for food? Why don't you help us kill the Eighth Route Army around us?" the squadron leader cursed.
The deputy captain explained: "Sir, the Eighth Route Army troops that attacked us all operated in groups of two or three. They also wore camouflage nets on their bodies. They hit and ran. The plane was cruising at an altitude of several hundred meters and could not find them at all."
"Unless they come together and fight as infantry platoons, the aircraft cannot threaten them."
