novelAbuy Chapter 137 What? Annihilating the enemy's armored brigade?
Chapter 137 What? Annihilating the enemy's armored brigade?
Upon hearing this designation, Li Jianghe raised an eyebrow and burst into laughter:
"We've finally got them! This time, we're going to teach these Japanese devils a lesson they won't forget."
Chi Fengcheng frowned and said:
"Jiang He, the Japanese First Independent Mixed Brigade is notoriously difficult to deal with."
In the past few days, they have defeated three main regiments of our Second Army Group in three consecutive days.
Their tanks and armored vehicles are incredibly numerous and difficult for infantry to stop when they charge.
Wang Huayu, who was standing to the side, nodded repeatedly.
"Yes, we must be careful no matter what. Armored forces against armored forces are like needles against wheat awns. One wrong move could mean total defeat."
Li Jianghe could understand their concerns, after all, this unit had brought too much shock to everyone in the Second Army Group.
Those main regiments were not bad in combat, their personnel were well-organized, and they even had well-constructed and complete positions.
However, when they encountered the First Mixed Brigade, they were completely powerless to fight back. After two charges, they completely broke through the front line, and what followed was a pursuit battle and a one-sided massacre.
"Don't worry, I know what I'm doing. I just need you, Commander Chi, to hold off the Japanese offensive in the east. Our Third Detachment needs to concentrate all its forces tonight and wipe out the Independent First Mixed Brigade as much as possible."
Li Jianghe said this.
"Eat up the First Independent Mixed Brigade?"
Chi Fengcheng thought he had misheard; his deep voice was filled with surprise and confusion.
Wang Huayu reminded Li Jianghe:
"Jiang He, if it's just this one mixed brigade, there's no need to worry too much."
But right now, they also have to face the Japanese army's Setani Detachment.
This unit is definitely still around Taierzhuang. Once you get entangled with the 1st Mixed Brigade, and the Setani Detachment launches a sudden attack, our 31st Division, with only these men, will probably be unable to help.
According to this plan, Wang Huayu knew very well that the 31st Division would have a very difficult time just holding the East District.
It was simply impossible to spare any additional troops to intercept the Setani Detachment.
As for other units, they are probably not reliable either, as they are either too far away or engaged in fierce battles with other Japanese units and are unable to extricate themselves.
"Don't worry, I've already considered that. You two, all you have to do tonight is watch this good show unfold."
Li Jianghe still wore a calm and unhurried smile.
He was well aware of their concerns, but the reconnaissance troops that Li Jianghe had previously dispatched were also constantly transmitting information about the Japanese army's movements and related intelligence.
The Setani Detachment is currently moving towards the Liujiahu area to protect the transportation line between Yixian and Taierzhuang, and can also provide support to Japanese troops to the west and east at any time.
As they were talking, the Japanese heavy artillery barrage finally ended, and the ground offensive resumed.
On the east side of the city wall, Yasuoka Masaomi watched as a tank squadron, along with accompanying infantry, slowly approached the completely destroyed city wall, and a smile involuntarily crept onto his lips.
"Can this really be called a city wall? Our tanks can even drive right up it."
As Yasuoka Masaomi said this, he felt that this battle might be simpler than he had imagined.
The biggest obstacle—the city walls—was now destroyed under repeated bombardment by heavy artillery.
Chief of Staff Saito Akira, wearing pilot's goggles, his triangular eyes appearing particularly sinister, spoke in a deep, gruff voice:
"We should still be more careful."
According to Kei Seya, the enemy also has armored units with formidable firepower, capable of destroying any of our tanks.
"Hmph, let's face it head-on then. Is there anything to be afraid of?"
"I am quite confident," said Masaomi Yasuoka.
This confidence stemmed from his repeated victories since entering the Xuzhou battlefield, which he had gradually accumulated.
On this flat terrain, Yasuoka Masaomi believed that his armored forces could not possibly lose to the Chinese army on the other side.
Even Li Jianghe's third team was the same.
The collapsed city wall had actually formed a gentle slope, and the soldiers hid behind the reverse slope formed by the gentle slope.
They managed to set up the anti-tank gun with difficulty, pointing the muzzle forward.
Long Wenzhang put down his binoculars and thought to himself that the First Mixed Brigade was indeed different. It launched a massive attack with more than ten tanks and armored vehicles right away.
Finally, when the Japanese tanks entered firing range, a furious roar rang out.
"Fire!!!"
Almost instantly after he finished speaking, the anti-tank guns on the city wall opened fire on the Japanese tanks.
"BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!"
A cannon can fire at most three shells, and some can even fire only two.
The first one was used for calibration, and the second one was used to bombard tanks.
"Pay attention to shifting firepower. Don't keep firing with your backside sticking out; the Japanese are watching you closely!!!"
Long Wenzhang shouted.
However, some new recruits in anti-tank gun squads still lacked the awareness to quickly shift their firepower.
In the first round of anti-tank artillery bombardment, three Japanese tanks and two armored vehicles were destroyed.
But their counterattack came very quickly.
Grenade launchers, tank guns, vehicle-mounted machine guns, and rear infantry guns, etc., instantly bombarded the exposed anti-tank gun positions.
"Boom!!!!!"
With each loud bang, anti-tank guns that were not moved in time were destroyed, and the entire anti-tank gun crew was wiped out.
Some anti-tank gun crews, despite attempting to shift their firepower, were still hit by a barrage of shells, resulting in the deaths of all crew members.
"Replenish anti-tank guns!!!"
Long Wenzhang shouted.
Their anti-tank gun squads were not all deployed on the city walls, because it was likely that too much firepower would be lost in a single salvo.
By replenishing supplies in batches and simultaneously using firepower to slow down the advance of Japanese tanks, casualties can be minimized while the results of the battle can be maximized.
Machine guns roared from the city walls, but these heavy machine guns still had some difficulty penetrating the armor plates of Japanese tanks.
In the ensuing back-and-forth battle, neither side gained an advantage. The Japanese suffered significant tank losses, and many of the anti-tank guns of the Third Detachment on the city walls were also destroyed by the Japanese.
The fighting in the East District continued, with the 31st Division and some guards remaining there repelling the Japanese ground forces' advance.
The city walls here were badly damaged by the bombardment of super-heavy howitzers, with several huge gaps blasted into them.
Taking advantage of their artillery firepower, the Japanese troops stormed the city walls, only to be driven back by the counter-attacking forces of the Northwest Army within the city. This repeated itself many times, leaving the walls and surrounding areas piled high with corpses from both sides.
The fierce battle continued until nightfall.
Looking at the Japanese tank force that had once again retreated, and the dozen or so burning tanks and armored vehicles in front of the city wall, Yasuoka Masaomi finally realized why Seya Kei was so cautious when facing this enemy force.