Comrade, your ingredients are too complicated.

The 240mm self-propelled howitzer is the strongest ground suppression firepower of the Eighth Route Army at this stage.

Before the AT3091 and AT3092 railway guns were put into service, this steel behemoth capable of firing high-explosive shells weighing hundreds of kilograms was undoubtedly the number one favorite among commanders.

That's why when the brigade commander learned that headquarters had transferred four of them to him, his face immediately lit up with joy, a smile even brighter than if he had successfully committed "telecom fraud".

"Good heavens! The deputy commander-in-chief has really gone all out this time!"

"The three main divisions, each with its own artillery regiment, have 36+12 howitzers. Add to that four 240mm howitzers, the army's directly subordinate artillery group, and the fire support from the air force, and this will be another well-funded battle."

"I want to see how those Japanese devils will keep hiding their true nature in their shells."

Shimen, a strategic point on the Hebei Plain, guards the intersection of three major railway arteries: the Pinghan Railway, the Zhengtai Railway, and the Shide Railway.

As a vital passage connecting North China and the Central Plains, it was not only an important distribution center for supplies for the Japanese army to sustain its war effort, but also a strategic hub for controlling the entire war situation in North China.

It was precisely because of this irreplaceable strategic value that the Japanese army painstakingly built up this area over several years, constructing an unprecedented and complex three-dimensional defense system.

Faced with such fortified cities that resemble iron shells, without sufficient artillery support, the infantry could only rely on trench warfare tactics to advance slowly, inevitably failing to complete the combat missions assigned by headquarters on schedule.

This is the main reason why brigade commanders care about the firepower of their artillery units.

Seeing his old partner flash that Li Yunlong-esque smile again, the skinny staff officer immediately took two steps back in disgust and quietly moved to the front of the Japanese defense map.

His thin fingers tapped the winding blue line of the Hutuo River with a "thud," the sound suddenly rising eight octaves:

"Reporting to the brigade commander! According to reconnaissance feedback from the front lines, the ice thickness on this section of the Hutuo River has reached 35 centimeters!"

"With this thickness, infantry and armored vehicles can cross the river on ice, and BT-7s can also pass directly. But if you want medium tanks to get across, you'll have to build a pontoon bridge."

"However, our engineering troops are highly skilled and can complete the construction work in just 3 hours. According to the planned combat rhythm of the troops, the medium tank company can catch up with the assault on the outer city ditch."

With Shimen as its core, the Japanese army constructed four ring-shaped defense systems around the city.

The outermost perimeter defense positions consisted of satellite outposts such as Yuanshi, Huolu, Baifo, and Yunpanshan, and were mainly garrisoned by puppet troops.

These defenses appear to be very strong, but in reality, their defensive capabilities are extremely limited; frankly, they can only serve as an early warning system.

After all, even Yunpan Mountain, equipped with double-layered trenches and thirteen reinforced concrete bunkers, could only hold out for a maximum of one hour under continuous fire from 155mm howitzers.

Besides, what kind of fighting power could the puppet troops possibly have?

The CCP had almost reached Beicheng and Tiancheng. Anyone with a brain would still be willing to risk their life for the Japanese.
Based on the above analysis, the skinny staff officer's prediction of breaking through the outer strongholds within three hours was indeed well-founded tactically.

Although the brigade commander was startled by his old comrade's sudden increase in volume, as the TG's number one entertainer, he quickly regained his composure.

After a moment, he stared at the battle map, his brow furrowed, and voiced his concerns.

"Three hours? That's perfectly acceptable. Actually, I'm not too worried about the fighting on the outskirts of the city; the real test is the street fighting inside."

"According to intelligence, the Japanese have built strongholds using tall buildings such as the Dashiqiao Bridge, Zhengtai Hotel, railway station, and power plant, and have also constructed bunkers at street intersections. They have even punched gun holes in the walls of houses." "Once the urban warfare phase begins, the troops will face the challenge of fighting house by house. At that time, the casualties are likely to be quite high."

Upon hearing this, the skinny staff officer simply waved his hand dismissively, showing no sign of seriousness.

Seemingly sensing his old comrade's confusion, he took out a list from his briefcase, pointed to the top name, and spoke with undisguised pride.

"The regimental commanders in our brigade are all outstanding individuals, capable of leading troops independently."

"Li Yunlong, the only paratrooper commander in the entire army, is the most dangerous man in the nation. Ding Wei, after going to Southeast Asia, is doing very well, handling construction, diplomacy, and military training all at once."

"Kong Jie's defensive skills are second to none in the entire division. He will surely become a fierce general guarding the border in the future."

At this point, the skinny strategist paused, a smile playing on his lips:
“Even Cheng Shifa, this ‘honest man,’ has honed his skills on the battlefield in Siam. He is now adept at both attacking fortresses and urban warfare.”

"He was the frontline commander in the urban street fighting of the Shimen Campaign."

That's right, Cheng Shifa, who suffered greatly under the Viet Cong and almost suffered a stroke from anger, has returned.

At the end of last year, Cheng Xiazi, who had been fighting for more than half a year, suddenly received an urgent telegram from Zhanhu and the Army Morale Prodigy, so he took Lao Hu back to China to report on his work.

Adhering to the principle of making full use of talent, the skinny staff officer pulled him to the front line again, specifically in charge of the street fighting part of the Shimen Campaign.

After all, he had already taken down tough targets like the Kra Isthmus Defense Line, the Three Towers Pass Fortress, and Taiyuan, so what was a mere Shimen?

Upon hearing that his old subordinate, whom he had personally trained, had honed such skills on a foreign battlefield, the brigade commander burst into a hearty laugh.

"Excellent, excellent! I never expected Cheng Shifa to prepare such a surprise for me. I'll have to learn from him and see how this urban warfare expert deals with the enemy."

······
As Chen and Zhou were talking, the armored train slowly pulled into Zhangying Station. With a piercing whistle as its wheels screeched against the rails, it finally came to a stop next to the makeshift field platform.

"arrive."

The skinny staff officer patted his old partner on the shoulder and stood up first. The two had just stepped onto the platform when a mud-covered jeep roared up in front of them.

"Let's go, the forward command post is waiting."

The brigade commander nimbly jumped into the co-pilot's seat, living up to his reputation as the "Number One Legman of Whampoa Military Academy," with Zhou following closely behind.

With the roar of engines, the escort team of twelve Jiefang trucks immediately spread out in a fan shape, raising a trail of dust, and escorted the jeep to the field command post three kilometers away.

A short while later, the convoy arrived at its destination.

Just as the brigade commander and his entourage were about to head straight for the command room, a strange noise suddenly caught their attention.

Amidst the roar of the electric motor, the sturdy crane boom slowly lowered, and the mechanical clamps slammed into the 240mm shell. (End of Chapter)