Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Chapter 436 Kill him without leaving a single piece of armor
Ten days later, following an order from the Ministry of National Defense, several corps launched another offensive.

Zhang Zhonglin immediately ordered his troops to launch an attack on Andong.

The reorganized 57th Brigade and the newly replenished 192nd Brigade launched an attack from Qingjiang, along the Wangjiazhuang and Qinggongzhen direction.

However, the offensive of the 57th and 192nd Brigades was not very successful due to the resistance of the two detachments.

For several days in a row, progress could only be made slowly.

Inside the Anton command post, Chen Chengxing looked at the report from Team 3, but the more he read, the more something seemed off.

"Is this the 74th Division? Why is their attack so weak?"

Based on previous understanding, even with three teams blocking the way, the 74th Division's attack power would definitely not be this slow.

It's been four or five days since we reached Qinggong Town, and Team 3 even launched several counter-attacks.

Out of consideration for preserving strength, the counterattacks of the three teams were not large in scale; otherwise, the 74th Division would probably not have made any progress.

"According to intelligence, only the 57th Brigade and the 192nd Brigade participated in this attack," Xu Wu reported.

"The 192nd Brigade suffered heavy losses before, and although it has been replenished with troops, a decline in combat effectiveness is inevitable."

"No, that's not right." Chen Chengxing shook his head.

Although the 192nd Brigade was not part of the 74th Division, it was still operating under the unified command of Zhang Zhonglin, and Pengcheng could not possibly replenish its ranks with the old, weak, sick, and disabled.

"Leaving aside the combat capabilities of the 57th and 192nd Brigades, where are the other main forces of the 74th Division?"

Chen Chengxing's gaze involuntarily drifted towards Daihe Town.

"I think Zhang Zhonglin is trying to cover his tracks."

The 74th Division had armored forces, although they were all armored vehicles and light in weight, but it was impossible for them to cross the river to attack.

If Zhang Zhonglin wants to make use of armored forces, the passage between Yangshui River and the abandoned Yellow River is his only option.

The last time we attacked Andong, the armored vehicles of the 74th Division launched the attack in the vicinity of Daihe Town.

"Xu Wu, transfer the 206th Regiment to reinforce the defense line at Daihe Town," Chen Chengxing ordered.

In Chen Chengxing's defensive plan, Team 1 was responsible for the defense of the line from Daihe Town to Daguan.

Team 4 was responsible for the area from the east of the city to Zaxingzhuang, while Team 3 built a deep defensive position south of the abandoned Yellow River.

As for Team 2, they have always served as the reserve team in Anton's defense.

Although Chen Chengxing didn't know what Zhang Zhonglin was up to, strengthening the defenses of Daihe Town was always the right thing to do.

Just as the 206th Regiment was shifting its position, Zhang Zhonglin arrived at Wangzhuang, south of Daihe Town.

At this time, the 51st Brigade, the 57th Brigade, and the 171st Division of the 7th Army were secretly assembled here, totaling seven regiments.

"Commander, the reconnaissance unit reports that the G Army seems to have detected something and has increased its defensive forces along the Daihe Town line," Wei Zhenwen reported.

"Add as much as you want! Even if Chen Chengxing sets up the entire Second Branch in Daihe Town today, I'll still wipe them out without leaving a single survivor!"

"Pass on my order! Launch the general offensive in half an hour!"

"Tell the artillery positions to fire as quickly as possible, and don't worry about supplies! The motor transport company is ready to transport them."

"yes!".
At 8:00 a.m., the 74th and 171st Reorganized Divisions, under the cover of aircraft, suddenly launched a fierce attack on Daihe Town.

The two regiments of the reorganized 51st Brigade were all assigned as suicide squads and kept charging towards Daihe Town.

The two sides fought fiercely for several hours in Daihe Town and the surrounding ferry crossings.

"That's more like it! Ah! This is the kind of strength that the Guo Army's ace team should have!"

From the top of Andong City, Chen Chengxing could see the chaotic battle in Daihe Town using the artillery telescope.

The fighting prowess displayed by the entire 74th Division excited him.

If you keep fighting weaklings, your second branch will never grow strong. Only by fighting against elite opponents can your second branch become stronger.

"If the offensive of the 74th Division continues like this, the casualties of the 1st Team will be huge," Xu Wu said seriously.

It was getting dark, but the 74th Division showed no signs of retreating to rest and continued to attack the 1st Company's position.

"Send a message to the first team, and after dark, the three regiments will gradually retreat in an inverted triangular formation, leaving the middle passage open so that a wave of enemies can come in and be wiped out."

"Have the artillery regiment prepare to await orders and provide fire support at any time."

Chen Chengxing wasn't one to just take a beating without fighting back. Since the 74th Division wanted a breakthrough from the Central Committee, he decided to give them a chance.

By eliminating their vanguard, we can severely weaken their offensive momentum.

However, this move is a double-edged sword. If Chen Chengxing hadn't believed in Erzhi's combat power and the series of special abilities that boosted them, he wouldn't have dared to do it.

If handled well, it could severely dampen the 74th Division's offensive momentum; but if handled poorly, even without a complete rout, they would suffer greatly.

"Commander, the 51st Brigade reports that the vanguard of the 151st Regiment has reached the G Army's position, and our army has torn a hole in the G Army's position!"

"Good! The 51st Brigade did a great job!" Zhang Zhonglin immediately walked to the sand table.

"Pass on my order: the 58th Brigade and the armored battalion shall immediately join the attack!"

"Tell Lu Xing to ignore the G troops on both flanks and launch a surprise attack on Andong City!"

"Once we reach the walls of Andong, we'll turn around and surround the main force of the G army!"

"I'd like to see how Chen Chengxing plans to stop my armored assault!"

The 74th Division's retreat to Qingjiang this time was not just about replenishing its ranks.

Zhang Zhonglin specifically asked Chang Ruiyuan to submit an application, and the Ministry of National Defense reinforced the 74th Division with a tank company.

There were a total of 3 Type 97 medium tanks and 5 Type 95 light tanks.

Although Japanese tanks couldn't compare to American Stuart and Sherman tanks, a tank is a tank, and its protective capabilities were far superior to those of the armored vehicles originally belonging to the 74th Division.

"Yes!" Li Yunliang immediately called the 58th Brigade, which was already prepared.

As the second unit was gradually retreating, they suddenly heard the roar of an engine, and the soldiers immediately reacted.

"Tank! It's a tank!"

"Quickly! Bring up the anti-tank gun! Rocket launcher teams, get ready!"

Although the two regiments did not have many M18 anti-tank guns due to ammunition shortages, each regiment was still able to receive one or two.

In addition to the domestically produced Type 71 40mm rocket launchers, the rocket launcher teams in each regiment also had some American-made 60mm bazooka rocket launchers.

Although the Bazooka has a lower armor penetration depth than the 40mm gun, its range is much greater, with an effective range of up to 270 meters.

Although the anti-tank team couldn't see very far because it was nighttime, both tanks and armored vehicles had headlights on their front.

Anti-tank guns and rocket launchers can simply be fired in the direction of the searchlight.

"Boom!" "Boom!"
With the anti-tank guns and rocket launchers firing, the three Type 3 tanks at the forefront were quickly destroyed one by one.

"Damn it! Where did the G army get so many anti-tank weapons?!" Zhang Zhonglin's expression changed drastically as he watched the flames erupt.

After so many battles between the G army and the KMT army, they must have anti-tank guns and bazookas, but the number of them is definitely not very large.

"Commander, you've forgotten, we received a telegram from Pengcheng before; the G Army has domestically produced rocket launchers," Wei Zhenwen reminded him.
"Moreover, the Second Bureau of the Ministry of National Defense also discovered the same weapon in Soviet Russia, and the G Party must have obtained the technology from Soviet Russia."

"Foreigners really are all untrustworthy!" Zhang Zhonglin said angrily.

"Even though an agreement has already been signed with the Chairman, they are still secretly supplying weapons to the G army!"

Although Zhang Zhonglin had heard during the War of Resistance against Japan that the G Army had a shoulder-mounted small cannon, he did not think of it as a rocket launcher.

Even if you beat Zhang Zhonglin to death, he would never believe that the CCP would transfer technology to the Soviet Union.

"Pass on my orders! The armored battalion is to retreat immediately! The 172nd Regiment of the 58th Brigade shall provide cover! The 173rd Regiment shall flank eastward and cooperate with the 51st Brigade to annihilate the retreating G Army!"

If the armored battalion is deployed, the 58th Brigade will definitely be able to force its way to the outskirts of Andong.

But for Zhang Zhonglin, this armored battalion was far more valuable than Andong City.

Let alone Andong, Zhang Zhonglin wouldn't be willing to trade an armored battalion for Langya, the Shandong capital of the G Army.

Since they couldn't wipe out the G army west of Andong City in one fell swoop, Zhang Zhonglin was willing to accept taking out a regiment first.

"What a pity! What a real pity! Such excellent tanks and armored vehicles!"

Upon learning that the 74th Division's armored forces had halted their advance and were quickly retreating through the gap, Chen Chengxing trembled with heartache.

He had wanted to establish an armored force for a long time, but had never had the opportunity.

This time, he was the closest he had ever been to his armored battalion.

"Old Chen, I think you'd better stop dreaming. That's a tank. You think you can keep it just because you capture it?"

Luo Ping ruthlessly woke Chen Chengxing from his dream.

Let alone an armored unit, even if you capture a single tank, the field commander will immediately call the headquarters.

"It will happen, sooner or later." Chen Chengxing shifted his attention away from the armored battalion of the 74th Division.

"Xu Wu, pass on my order: have the 201st Regiment rebuild its defensive line and block the advance of the 74th Division."

"The 203rd and 206th Regiments will attack from both sides and wipe out this regiment of the 74th Division!"

"Since we can't surround them as a whole, let's take out one of their regiments first!"

The 74th Reorganized Division not only had more firepower than the Second Detachment, but also had more troops.

Before the final battle, weaken them as much as you can.

"yes!".
Upon receiving the order to counterattack, the three regiments, already seething with anger, immediately launched their counterattack.

Moreover, the attack came extremely fiercely right from the start.

The sudden counter-encirclement by the two branches took the 173rd Regiment of the 74th Division, which was preparing to block the retreat of the G Army, by surprise.

At this time, the 172nd Regiment and the armored battalion had withdrawn from the G Army's front line.

They are preparing to coordinate with the 173rd Regiment to jointly attack the 203rd Regiment, which is retreating along the abandoned Yellow River.

But now, the G army has suddenly surrounded his 173rd Regiment?!

The sudden change in the battlefield situation caught the 173rd Regiment off guard.

Caught off guard, the 173rd Regiment's forward defense line was breached.

Sun Qingfeng, the commander of the 173rd Regiment, immediately called the headquarters of the 74th Division.

"Commander! Our unit has been surrounded by the main force of the G Army! Our forward positions have been breached!"

"The G army hasn't collapsed at all! Their plan is to lure the enemy deep into their territory!"

"Commander! Requesting fire support!"

Sun Qingfeng knew very well that reinforcements would not arrive in a short time.

At this point, sending artillery as reinforcements is the most appropriate and fastest option.

"Qingfeng, hold on! I'll immediately order the artillery to provide you with fire support!"

"You can directly contact the artillery positions and guide them to attack the G army!"

(End of this chapter)