Bright Sword: From Northwest Shanxi to Shangganling

Inside the headquarters of the Yincheng Campaign, a huge battle map has already been hung on the wall.

Xu Wu is explaining the current battle strategy of both sides.

"The 5th Division of the South has lost the ability to fight and has retreated to the rear of the 3rd Division of the South. The 8th Division of the South has rebuilt its defensive line on the south bank of the North Han River."

“Our immediate enemies are now the Southern Capital Division, the Southern 6th Division, the Southern 8th Division, and the Southern 3rd Division.”

After describing the Southern Army units in turn, Xu Wu gave a brief overview of the current situation of the 4th Army Corps.

在兵力方面，吃掉南5师后，4兵团与南军的兵力比已经达到了3.5:1，火炮方面则是达到了2.5:1。

"It wasn't easy," Ding Wei said with some emotion. "After fighting for so many years, this seems to be the first time we've gained an advantage in firepower."

"This is the first time we've gained the upper hand, but we're still far from meeting the standard configuration," Chen Chengxing said.

"Our battlefield is 22 kilometers wide, but we only have 999 artillery pieces with a diameter of 75 mm or larger, which is an average of 45 pieces per kilometer."

"According to the combat experience and standards of the US and the Soviet Union during World War II, in offensive campaigns, the density of artillery pieces per kilometer should be no less than 100 and tanks no less than 20."

"Without the Air Force, this number would have increased exponentially."

"Looking back now, we still have a long way to go in terms of firepower."

Compared to the South Korean army, or the Kuomintang army and the Japanese army before them, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army can now boast of overwhelming firepower, but in reality, it has not even reached the standard of combat.

"Alright, Old Chen," Li Yunlong couldn't help but say, "This is a thousand heavy cannons, plus the regimental and battalion artillery, that's almost two thousand! A year ago, I wouldn't have dared to imagine this."

“That’s right, that’s right.” Ding Wei and Kong Jie nodded in agreement.

They've fought wars for half their lives, when have they ever had so many cannons?

Although they hadn't yet reached the combat standards Chen Chengxing had mentioned, the overwhelming firepower was something they had never encountered in their lives.

Having gotten used to being in a disadvantageous position, it's really a bit of a shock to suddenly become the side with the superior firepower.

Chen Chengxing also laughed.

"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. Sooner or later we'll be able to have firepower that surpasses the standards of the US and the Soviet Union. Let's focus on these four divisions of the Confederate Army for now."

"We can't let them get away again this time."
While Chen Chengxing was busy making final adjustments, the US and South Korean armies also received intelligence about the large-scale mobilization of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.

Previously, Ding Wei and Kong Jie's offensive only involved one or two divisions.

Now, nearly 20 troops are being mobilized, along with a large amount of heavy artillery and supplies being continuously transported.

Such a large commotion would be difficult to evade detection by the US and Confederate armies.

Upon receiving the intelligence, the Southern Army immediately sensed that something was terribly wrong.

Inside the headquarters of the 6th Division of the South, Kim Jun-ho asked, "What did the higher-ups say? When will the reinforcements arrive?"

The chief of staff shook his head helplessly: "Sir, all our requests for assistance have gone unanswered."

"Damn it." Kim Junho said helplessly.

His report to the UN Command indicated that the Chinese People's Volunteer Army was likely planning a large-scale operation to reach the Hwacheon Reservoir.

I never expected that even after exaggerating so much, the US military would remain unmoved.

Without outside help, this battle will likely be difficult to win.

Just as Kim Jun-ho was racking his brains for a way to break the deadlock, the chief of staff said, "Sir, according to intelligence, the enemy's 2nd Division on our front has completed the handover of positions and the entire division has moved to the front of Yanshan. At the same time, the enemy's 200th Division on our left flank is also making moves. Should we order the troops to withdraw and retreat?"

According to the chief of staff, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army is making a big move now. Since the US military has not reacted, the most important thing is for your 6th Division to retreat and save its own life.

"No." Kim Jun-ho shook his head without even thinking.

"Although the enemy's 200th Division has made some moves, the scale is very small."

"I judge that the enemy's main attack direction is Yanshan, and other directions are probably feints. As long as we hold the front of Yanshan, we can block the enemy's bayonet."

Looking at the map, Kim Jun-ho ordered, "We can't retreat now; we have to move forward."

"Pass on my order: two howitzer battalions shall secretly advance and conceal themselves south of the rocky mountain, ready to provide artillery support at any time."

"In addition, reinforce the 39th Regiment with an infantry battalion, and reinforce the 40th Regiment, which is responsible for defending the Jiangxi position, with a company. The 41st Regiment will assemble in Ludongli and be ready to provide support."

"This," the chief of staff said with some surprise, "Sir, according to the latest reconnaissance, the scale of this enemy operation is definitely not small."

"We're setting up a decisive battle here. If our flanks are breached, we'll definitely be surrounded."

“Then don’t let them retreat!” Kim Jun-ho said firmly. “Send a message to the Capital Division, the 8th Division, and the 3rd Division, instructing them to hold the flanks.”

"The enemy's spearhead is aimed at us. As long as those two hold them off, my 6th Division will fight the Volunteer Army to the death!"

To demonstrate his determination, Kim Jun-ho sent a telegram to his superiors and then moved the division headquarters to Jujeong-ri.

Juzhengli was part of the second-line position of Yanshan. If the Volunteer Army's 152mm howitzers advanced to the front line, they could even directly bombard this place.

Kim Jun-ho's actions also showed Clark his determination.

In addition to sending three more artillery battalions to the 6th Division of the South, Clark also gave strict orders to the 6th Division of the South and the 8th Division of the South, forbidding them from retreating even a single step without authorization.

After being defeated, the 8th Division of the South withdrew from the north bank of the Yangtze River to the south bank. Its current position is generally oriented north-south, and it is responsible for defending the flank of the 6th Division of the South. Further southeast of the 8th Division is the 3rd Division of the South.

In contrast to the unconventional formation of the 8th Division of the South, the formation of the elite Capital Division, which the South Army was so proud of, was quite normal.

The Southern Capital Division dispatched its First Regiment, the renowned Southern Dynasty White Tiger Regiment, with three battalions lined up in a row, responsible for defending the southwestern mountainous area of ​​Yincheng. The regimental headquarters was located in Erqing Cave, eight kilometers away.

The 2nd Regiment of the South was responsible for defending the area around Wufangling, while the 3rd Regiment of the South was responsible for defending the mountainous area in front of Yincheng.

The only mecha regiment in the Southern Army served as the reserve force for the Capital Division in the rear.

Chen Chengxing did not give the Southern Army much time to prepare. At 9 p.m. three days later, the general offensive began.

Nearly 2000 artillery pieces of all sizes were firing at top speed, and the entire 22-kilometer-long front line of the Southern Army in Yoonseong was subjected to fierce fire.

More than 2500 tons of artillery shells turned over 40% of the South Korean army's surface fortifications and 90% of its barbed wire minefields into ruins.

Ten minutes after the shelling began, Li Yunlong and Kong Jie were the first to order a halt to the shelling. Before Ding Wei could launch his attack, the two of them needed to complete the task of trapping and beating the dog.
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Putting down his binoculars, Li Yunlong turned and ordered, "Tell the 7th and 8th Divisions that as soon as the artillery fire stops, men must charge onto the positions."

"Hill 552 and Hill 415 must be taken as quickly as possible!"

Despite the several-kilometer-long front line in front of Li Yunlong, the entire mountainous area is generally oriented north-south, with only a horizontal ridge in the middle.

Except for this ridge which has a back slope to protect against artillery fire, the rest of the mountainous terrain is vulnerable to indiscriminate bombardment by artillery from both sides.

Li Yunlong's best breakthrough point is here.

In order to capture the two key positions of Hill 552 and Hill 415, Li Yunlong launched a pincer attack with two divisions from both sides.

The two divisions launched 13 offensives laterally. The 3rd Battalion of the 71st Regiment was the spearhead of the attack on Hill 552, and they were at the forefront.

Seeing the enemy's stubbornly resisting firing positions, the 3rd Battalion Commander turned and shouted, "Communications officer!"

"Here!" A communications officer ran over carrying a walkie-talkie.

"Calling in artillery to conduct a fire strike on the northeast high ground of 552 Shanliangji!"

"Get your comrades ready and follow the barrage of comments."

The 3rd Battalion was arguably the best unit in the C Army in terms of infantry-artillery coordination training, which is why Li Yunlong ordered them to be the main force in the attack on Hill 552.

Taking advantage of their superior manpower and firepower, the 3rd Battalion planted the red flag on the hilltop in just 13 minutes.

Twenty minutes later, a total of 15 breaches were torn open in the South Capital Division's lines.

The Chinese People's Volunteer Army used tunnels to inflict heavy losses on the UN forces several times. The South Korean army had long since learned this technique and also dug a large number of tunnel fortifications on the reverse slope.

However, the South Korean army's understanding of tunnels was still at a 1.0 level, making it easy for the Chinese People's Volunteer Army to deal with them.

Whenever they encountered a tunnel entrance, the soldiers would not say a word, but would immediately pour explosive charges into it until the entrance collapsed. After that, the troops would abandon the tunnel and continue advancing.

They left only one or two wounded soldiers in place to block the area with firepower, preventing the Southern army from digging them out again.

Only after capturing the entire front-line position did the various units turn around and re-dig open the collapsed tunnels.

At this point, there are usually only two kinds of people in the tunnels: the dead and the soldiers who are eager to surrender.

"Sir, the White Tiger Regiment, the 2nd Regiment, and the 3rd Regiment are all requesting reinforcements from the division headquarters. The Chinese People's Volunteer Army has launched a full-scale offensive, and they have all been attacked by the main force of the Volunteer Army!"

“West 8.” Nan Dushi Shi Zhangquan Zhiyong’s face was somewhat grave: “The Volunteer Army’s offensive is too fast!”

The White Tiger Regiment reported that their front-line position had been lost, which was the only horizontal mountain ridge on the front line.

The chief of staff asked, "Sir, what should we do now?"

"Of the three regiments' positions, the White Tiger Regiment's is in the most danger. Order the Mech Regiment to provide immediate support to the White Tiger Regiment!"

The White Tiger Gang not only suffered the worst defeat, but also held the most crucial position. Once the middle lane was breached, the two flanks would be at risk of being surrounded.

Upon receiving the order, the commander of the mecha regiment, Bai Tianyu, did not hesitate and personally led his troops to provide support, arriving at the White Tiger Regiment's headquarters first.

Upon meeting, Bai Tianyu skipped the pleasantries and immediately proposed, "The Volunteer Army has launched a large-scale offensive this time; we can't defend against it."

"I suggest avoiding the Volunteer Army's offensive, infiltrating northward along the Moon Shadow Mountain path, then taking Hill 522 to launch a blitzkrieg on the Volunteer Army's flank and rear."

"With the mobility of my mech regiment, the Volunteer Army will definitely not be able to react in time."

In addition to tanks and armored vehicles, the mech regiment also has a large number of trucks, making it a fully mechanized force.

Since its formation, the Mech Squad has never officially made its debut, and this battle is precisely the best stage for the Mech Squad to shine.

If the flanking attack succeeds, not to mention how much damage the Capital Division could inflict on the Chinese People's Volunteer Army by launching a counterattack, this operation alone would be enough to make Bai Tianyu famous throughout Korea.

Bai Tianyu's plan was good, but Sun Dongmin, the leader of the White Tiger Regiment, didn't think so at all.

"Commander Bai, no matter what, you at least have to let my White Tiger Regiment survive first, right?"

"I don't even know if I can hold out until dawn, and you still want to launch a lightning attack on the flanks and rear of the Volunteer Army?"

The most important thing for the White Tiger Regiment right now is to survive. If the White Tiger Regiment collapses, the entire Capital Division will be left defenseless.

At this point, launching a surprise attack on the flank of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army would be completely pointless.

Bai Tianyu was very disdainful of Sun Dongmin's audacity, and the two started arguing after only a few words.

The mecha regiment soldiers obeyed Bai Tianyu's orders, and while they were arguing, the mecha regiment had already headed north along Moonshadow Mountain.

Seeing that things were getting increasingly chaotic, the deputy commander of the Southern Capital Division had no choice but to rush over to mediate.

After listening to the two men's proposals, the deputy division commander decisively said, "Commander Sun's opinion is more correct. Our goal now is to survive."

"Immediately notify the mech regiment to retreat and defend the front line of Erqing Cave."

"Yes!" Bai Tianyu had no choice but to obey the order and was forced to give up this opportunity to make a name for himself.

After receiving the order, the mech regiment began to turn back, preparing to support the White Tiger Regiment's main battlefield.

At the same time, Li Yunlong also dispatched a reinforced battalion.

The reinforced battalion's mission was to infiltrate behind enemy lines, control the White Tiger Regiment's retreat route, and then completely encircle and annihilate the White Tiger Regiment.

In front of the reinforced battalion, there was also an advance special operations team of 14 men.

In this general offensive, Chen Chengxing assigned a special operations squadron to Ding Wei, Kong Jie, and Li Yunlong to carry out special missions.

This squad was dispatched by Li Yunlong, and because the mission was urgent, Wei Dayong chose to lead it personally.

Their mission was to storm Erqing Cave and destroy the White Tiger Regiment's command post.

Also traveling with him was Duan Peng, the company commander of the C Army's reconnaissance company. Li Yunlong desperately wanted his own special forces team.
The group, disguised as Southern soldiers, used their agility to cross the Southern army's artillery blockade without sustaining any injuries.

When they reached Hill 380, their path was blocked by barbed wire.

Wei Dayong took out a map and a flashlight covered with a cloth.

Once the location was confirmed, the breaching team immediately took out pliers and went to cut the barbed wire.

The barbed wire set up by the Southern army was as thick as chopsticks. It was not easy to cut through the barbed wire made of dozens of strands of wire, even with the speed of pliers.

Seeing the slow progress of the demolition, Duan Peng suggested, "Captain Wei, I think we should stop cutting. There are still several barbed wire fences ahead. It's too much of a waste of time. We might as well just jump over them!"

Wei Dayong thought for a moment and said, "Okay, let's just flip over!"

The barbed wire in front of them was over a meter long, enough to stop ordinary troops from climbing over, but for the special forces, whose members were all elite soldiers, it wasn't a big problem.

The special forces soldiers simply helped each other to cross the barbed wire fence, and the last soldier used a cotton blanket he was carrying as an aid to climb over from the top.

After crossing five barbed wires, the soldiers' clothes and trousers inevitably developed numerous tears, and their faces were smeared with soot. If you didn't look at their weapons, they would look like beggars.

However, the soldiers didn't care about their tattered clothes; they were only worried about one thing.

mines.

You can't see where this thing is, and there's no way to guard against it in the pitch black of night.

(End of this chapter)