Show the sword, start from the guerrillas

"I know about this and have learned about it. Marching rations are now being produced in large quantities. Combat rations... Although ginseng is hard to get and a bit expensive, for the sake of the soldiers' combat effectiveness, let's find a way to buy some from merchants in the northeast! If possible, it would be good if each frontline soldier could be provided with three taels of such combat rations!"

"Should we change the uniform issue? The camouflage uniforms of the Beishan Detachment are quite effective in concealing troops in mountain warfare. We still have time, so we can ask the dyeing and clothing factories to speed up the production of a batch..."

"The issue of military uniforms can only be put on hold for now! Although the camouflage uniforms are irregular in shape and color, they are difficult to print and dye. Our current capabilities are not sufficient to equip them on a large scale! However, we still need to modify them, so let's start with these infantry regiments near the headquarters, modifying them one regiment at a time to meet the needs of frontline operations first, and then logistics will come later!"

"Haha, our Eighth Route Army uniforms are not very uniform! Some are gray, some are blue, and some are yellow. They are all due to technical problems in printing and dyeing and the source of clothing materials. Many of them are simply uniforms seized from the puppet army, which were slightly dyed and distributed! But fortunately, our military caps are similar, and we also have armbands, so we can tell them apart!"

"Commander, you just said that the production focus should be placed on ammunition. Does that mean the industrial structure should also be adjusted? For example, at the headquarters arsenal and the Liangjiacun arsenal, can the Type 81 rifle be discontinued or transferred to other arsenals to specialize in the production of semi-automatic weapons?" Minister Zhang raised a question.

"Transfer! Move the production line of the Type 120 rifle to other places. The headquarters arsenal will continue to specialize in the production of 82 heavy mortars, mortars, heavy machine guns and other weapons. Liangjia Village should increase the production capacity of semi-automatic rifles and make more submachine guns! We will try to buy more bullet production lines, and it would be best if we could produce hundreds of thousands of rounds a day!"

"Okay, I'll send out the notice after the meeting! There's another problem. The arsenal in northern Shaanxi uses the same bullet model as the Russians. The weapons they produce are the Guoliunov heavy machine gun and the rotary machine gun, and the rifles are the Mosin-Nagant! They lack a semi-automatic rifle as a stable firepower unit in combat."

"Look at these newly organized infantry regiments. Not to mention the mortars, the platoons have the Type 24 heavy machine guns, the squads have the Type 81 light machine guns, the squad leaders, deputy squad leaders, assault team leaders, and precision shooters all have semi-automatic rifles, the assault group has submachine guns, and only the logistics and new recruits use bolt-action rifles like the Type 81 Cavalry rifle."

"Now, semi-automatic weapons are actually an indispensable weapon for our infantry squad! Heavy machine guns are used for comprehensive suppression, light machine guns are used for special care, and grenade launchers are used to clear enemy firepower points. Semi-automatic weapons are the main weapon for killing enemy manpower. So, should we also produce some semi-automatic weapons for the troops in northern Shaanxi?" Minister Zhang raised the question.

"The main problem over there is that the gun and ammunition models are not the same as here! The troops in northwestern Shanxi use the Mosin-Nagant the most. The 6.5mm version of the Type carbine is also equipped there, but semi-automatic rifles are rarely sent there. Can we use the ammunition of the Russians to make some semi-automatic rifles for the troops there?"

"This idea is feasible! Our comrades said that the sniper scopes we bought are actually used on a semi-automatic sniper rifle! In fact, the arsenal over there also got a sample of the semi-automatic SVT40, but it takes time to reverse the technology and imitate the manufacturing."

"Didn't the Russians send us some experts who specialize in producing firearms? Didn't they provide us with blueprints?" "No new models. Tanks, rotary machine guns, Kulyunov heavy machine guns, including Mosin-Nagant, are all obsolete or about to be obsolete models. They won't give us the latest ones! On the contrary, the Type 81 submachine guns we sent to northern Shaanxi have similar performance to the Russians' latest submachine guns, and they are better looking and more suitable for the height and arm length of our soldiers."

"I see... After the meeting, send a telegram to northern Shaanxi immediately and have the comrades in the transport team set off immediately to take the semi-automatic sample gun brought by Mao Xiong's family to the Liangjia Village Arsenal and give it to that little guy to start copying! Tell him that northern Shaanxi already has a stable production line for gun manufacturing technology, and chrome plating can also be done. We even have a large amount of metal chromium in stock!"

"So, let him do it in the right direction and don't worry about the process! The equipment we exchanged for was not obtained in vain...Haha, well, the equipment we exchanged for was also provided by that little guy. This is the biggest blessing for our Eighth Route Army!"

"Then why not let him lead the team directly to northern Shaanxi? Wouldn't that be faster?" When a staff officer asked this question, he was met with contemptuous looks in the room.

"Although your method is the fastest, you don't understand his influence on Beishan! With him in District 9, even if he stays in the arsenal every day, the people in District 9 are stable, because they know there are people behind them, medical units, and equipment manufacturing. They don't have to worry about any logistical issues, they just need to fight!"

"The most crucial point is his role and contribution. We cannot afford to be careless! I would rather wait a month or two than let him make any mistakes! So, don't say that!"

"Okay, that's all. In the coming period, all our bases will temporarily suspend their offensive against the enemy and shift their focus to ensuring the autumn harvest and planting! At the same time, everyone should train hard to improve their combat effectiveness and prepare for the next war! Last time, we launched a Hundred Regiments Campaign. This time, we can also launch a Hundred Regiments Campaign!"

"Hundred Regiments Campaign? Hundred Regiments Campaign is great! Haha, in the last Hundred Regiments Campaign, we only had millet and rifles. In this Hundred Regiments Campaign, we still have millet and rifles, but we have added semi-automatic submachine guns, heavy machine guns, heavy mortars, and 60mm mortars... For us, this is considered a upgrade, right?"

"Hahaha, it's really a step up... hahaha..." The meeting room was filled with joy, and everyone felt excited.

The truth is, when the last Hundred Regiments Campaign took place, what was the state of the Eighth Route Army, what was the level of its equipment, and what was the external environment like? Everyone still remembers it clearly!
This time, we have better equipment and more troops, the enemy is weaker and smaller in number, and the Central Army has no time to come and cause friction and hinder us... With such good conditions, if we don't fight this war well, we will be sorry for the development in the past few years! (End of this chapter)