Show the sword, start from the guerrillas

In a defensive battle with well-equipped fortifications, the defending side would benefit, so the casualties ratio would be one spoonful more than the other. If the superior firepower were added, the ratio would be even more exaggerated.

For example, in the Lijiapo battle, before the independent regiment joined the battle, the Eighth Route Army suffered heavy losses, because the devils had the advantage of terrain and weapons, etc. Another example is the defense battle of the arsenal, where the devils squeezed into the arsenal, and Li Yuexuan led the soldiers in the two trenches to easily wipe out the devils, which was also a defensive advantage.

For example, the defending side has enough time to adapt to the environment and become familiar with the terrain. The artillery can also measure distance, determine the bombing fence interval, calculate the trajectory in advance, etc. This is also an advantage.

Today, even though the Japanese used airplanes, artillery, and poison gas bombs, the comrades of the 17th Regiment created an extremely exaggerated war loss ratio. The Japanese paid the price of two and a half infantry battalions, an artillery battalion, and a tank cluster, and the 17th Regiment also paid the price of more than 400 casualties (123 people died, and the rest were wounded and poisoned).

Time will not stand still because of the sacrifices of both sides, and it is still passing by little by little. In a village only 1 km away from Xinxiang, Saito, the temporary commander of the 108th Division, fell into a brief silence. That's right, at this time, there are still about a squadron of Japanese soldiers alive in the Japanese attack position, so they reported the situation of this attack to Saito.

"Bagayalu, there is no tall city here, and the Eighth Route Army did not rely on the village to fight. They just dug fortifications around the village in the plains. We dropped 10 tons of bombs, bombed 5 tons of grenades, used 50 tanks, and even released poison gas, but why couldn't we take this small village?"

"This reminds me of the battle in Hengyang... Facing the Chinese defenders' positions, our soldiers could only lose their lives one by one, but they could never take down the city! For 47 days... Did the Eighth Route Army want us to fight a long-term attack on this village as a provocation?"

"No, absolutely not! We have no time to waste. The Pinghan Line must be unobstructed, or at least the southern line must be unobstructed. The Jinpu Line, the Jiaoji Railway, and the Yangtze River waterway..." Saito's mind quickly flashed through the transportation network that could still be used, and then he refocused his attention on the battlefield here: "Go, give the first regiment an order, let them die on the road to attack!"

"Also..." Saito glanced at the road east of the county town and said, "Tell the Second Regiment to reinforce the attack position of the First Brigade as quickly as possible and prepare for the attack."

"There are only two regiments of the Eighth Route Army over there. We must take this village down with all our might! If we fail, the entire Eighth Route Army in North China will laugh at us, and we will lose the initiative to fight for the control of North China! From now on, we can only hide in the city. The Eighth Route Army may attack us at any time! This is a battle related to the fate of the country. Let them fight with the determination to die!"

"Ha Yi..." After the Japanese officer in charge of delivering the message bowed, he immediately went to contact the two regiments.

Just when Saito was about to make a last gamble, a team of several thousand people was waiting in a village 5 kilometers southeast of the nameless village.

Before, this team had been hiding in the tunnel, but now they were standing on the ground with their guns pointing to the north.

"Captain Guo, our comrades in the divisional artillery regiment are ready and can bomb at any time!" At the east end of the village, at the artillery regiment headquarters, the artillery commander Lao Zheng solemnly said to the divisional special agent commander.

"Alas... it's a pity for these little Japanese soldiers, they will soon become cannon fodder, why not catch them and put them to work in the fields..." Lao Guo said with a smile, and the cigarette box in his hand was brought to Lao Zheng's eyes, and a Sakura cigarette stood out among the many cigarettes. "I don't agree with what you said, the little Japanese soldiers must be suppressed to death, and they must not be allowed to breathe!" As the head of the regiment Zheng said, he took out the protruding cigarette and clamped it between his fingers.

"Okay, now we are just waiting for the report from the forward observation post! We took a shortcut and let the 17th Regiment lure the Japanese to the nameless village. Now, it's time to let the Japanese see our strength!"

"When the Japanese just left the city, it was a good time, but you, Old Guo, stopped us from bombing. What on earth were you planning?"

"What's your plan? Aren't we here to help you, Old Zheng, who have some tough guys under his command?" When Captain Guo said this, he saw a soldier picked up the phone and decisively shut up.

"Report to the regiment commander, according to the report of the scouts in front, the Japanese 105 howitzers are now hidden in the mulberry forest, and there is a small team of Japanese guarding it nearby." The signalman said to Commander Guo.

"Here, here's the big gift for you! Where are the Japanese? Where are they? Old Zheng, the Japanese regiment coming out of the county town is now in your hands. I will bring the special forces regiment to get you the howitzers!" After Captain Guo finished speaking, he patted Captain Zheng on the shoulder, rushed out of the office and ran towards the direction of the howitzers.

"Old Guo, what's the use of seizing the Japanese's 105mm howitzers? They don't have any shells left. They're no better than our 120mm heavy mortars... I heard that in order to produce oil, Yanchang Oilfield has used the captured mountain artillery barrels as water pipes... Alas... When will our artillery be able to truly stand up?" Old Zheng talked while smoking, his eyes fixed on the battle map.

Chirp... In the north, about 500 meters away from the road, a signal flare suddenly rose, which confused the Japanese soldiers who were marching at a high speed: Did we go to the wrong place? Wasn't the battle in the east? Why was there a signal flare in the south?
Well, even though the Japs didn't understand what was going on, out of fighting instinct, they stopped moving eastward and instead headed north, finding a ridge on the edge of a wheat field on the north side of the road to use as a cover, temporarily hiding themselves.

Just as the Japanese were hiding, the artillerymen in the village to the south became excited when they saw the signal flares.

"Fire..." Captain Zheng shouted loudly, and the commander next to him waved the red flag decisively, allowing the 54 mortar groups that had been waiting for a long time to fire the first wave of salvos.

Boom boom boom... What effect would a 54-gun 120mm heavy mortar bombing have? Anyway, after this salvo, the village was covered in dust, and many roofs were covered in dust. Then, 54 shells whistled northward, and finally landed where the Japanese were staying, and then exploded.

Boom boom boom... Boom boom boom... All beings are equal in front of the cannon! In the wild without effective anti-cannon shelters, the effect of artillery bombardment is terrifying... (End of this chapter)