Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Chapter 426 New weapons!

"What? The 26th Division's attack failed?"

At the front-line command headquarters of the Japanese Army's North China Front, Yamashita Tomoyuki and Mutō Akira suddenly stood up and looked in disbelief at the staff officer who came to report.

The artillery fire from Wangjiawan stopped, and the two old Japanese soldiers thought the battle was over. The 26th Division captured the entire Wangjiawan position of the Eighth Route Army.

But the two old devils didn't expect that even if they used the new tactics and consumed 0.7 base shells, they still failed to occupy the Wangjiawan position of the New st Regiment?

"Hi!"

The staff officer who came to report lowered his head and replied, "After the 26th Infantry Battalion of the 5th Division and part of the Locust Army captured the Eighth Route Army's Wangjiawan position, the Eighth Route Army blocked the tunnel entrance. The Locust Army and the Locust Army continued to attack the top of the mountain. However, they were hit by intensive fire from the Eighth Route Army's mortars on the reverse slope and the Eighth Route Army's infantry on the top of the mountain. When the 5th Infantry Battalion retreated, the Eighth Route Army's heavy artillery and mountain artillery opened fire simultaneously, forming an artillery blockade zone within 150 to 200 meters of the forward position. The follow-up troops were blocked, and the 5th Infantry Battalion's retreat was blocked, causing the 26th Division's offensive to fail."

While speaking, the communications staff pointed at the sand table and reported to the two old Japanese soldiers.

"Nani?"

"Blocking the artillery fire!?"

Yamashita Tomoyuki and Muto Akira looked at the sand table, their brows furrowed so deeply that they could kill two flies.

"Hi."

The Japanese communications staff lowered his head and confirmed:
"The Eighth Route Army deployed a mountain artillery regiment and a 105mm howitzer regiment to implement artillery fire blocking."

"How long did the Eighth Route Army's artillery fire continue?"

Muto Akira asked in a deep voice with a grim expression.

The communications officer responded: "About 20 minutes."

Muto Akira quickly came up with a number in his mind and looked at Yamashita Tomoyuki: "Your Excellency, the Eighth Route Army fired approximately 6000 rounds of artillery shells just in this interdiction."

There are a total of 105 cannons, including a mountain artillery regiment and a 72mm howitzer regiment. According to the average firing rate of 3-5 rounds per minute for each gun of the Eighth Route Army's mountain artillery and howitzer, the Eighth Route Army artillery can fire about 300 shells per minute into the artillery blockade area.

20 minutes means 6000 shells.

"General."

At this moment, another staff officer rushed in: "The 21st Division's attack failed, the entire 7th Infantry Battalion was destroyed, and the Eighth Route Army at Zhangjiagang used artillery fire blocking tactics."

"Baga... Another artillery barrage!"

Yamashita Fengwen cursed angrily, his tone revealing deep helplessness.

The intensity of the bombardment made Yamashita Tomoyuki gasp and feel a chill down his spine.

The Japanese army did not dare to use the tactic of artillery fire blocking because this tactic consumed too many artillery shells.

Because once the artillery blocking tactics are implemented in a certain area, the artillery shells will be fired there regardless of whether there are people in that area or not.

Carry out intensive fire attacks and cover that area to prevent the enemy from approaching, so as to achieve the purpose of preventing the enemy from attacking or blocking the enemy from reinforcement.

In the direction of Zhangjiazhai, the Eighth Route Army used 75mm mountain artillery and 152mm howitzers to implement artillery fire blocking.

The number of artillery pieces used is smaller, but they are more powerful.

Based on the report of the 21st Division on the number of mountain artillery and howitzers used by the Eighth Route Army and the time of artillery fire interruption, the two old Japanese soldiers calculated that the Eighth Route Army had fired at least 4000 artillery shells at Zhangjiazhai.

Where did the Eighth Route Army get so many artillery shells?
With only two artillery blocks, they fired at least 1 shells. Didn’t the Eighth Route Army’s artillery fail?
This time, Yamashita Tomoyuki and Muto Akira led two Class B divisions and two mixed brigades to attack the Jinzhong base, with a total of only 3000 tons of combat supplies, and the artillery units had three basic artillery shells.

There are two mountain artillery regiments under two divisions, two mountain artillery battalions under two independent mixed brigades, and a field siege heavy artillery battalion, with a total of about 100 cannons and 3 bases of ammunition, which is about artillery shells.

After four days of fierce fighting, the Japanese artillery only had about 0.8 base shells left, or more than shells.

The Eighth Route Army fired at least 10,000 artillery shells during the artillery blockade.

It's true that people have to die when compared with others, and goods have to be thrown away when comparing goods.

"The locust army has only been attacking for four days. At Wangjiawan and Zhangjiazhai, two key defensive points of the Eighth Route Army, hundreds of mortars, mountain artillery, 105mm howitzers, and 150mm howitzers have fired perhaps rounds."

After analyzing the battle reports of the 21st and 26th Divisions over the past few days, Muto Akira came up with a number.

"Just a little more!"

Yamashita Tomoyuki stared at the sand table and nodded, then frowned and fell into deep thought.

In addition to the 21st Division and the 26th Division, the 7th Independent Mixed Brigade and the 8th Independent Mixed Brigade also attacked the Jinzhong base from a small road.

Attacking from a small road was more difficult. The Eighth Route Army not only built a large number of permanent fortifications such as blockhouses and bunkers in dangerous locations on the road, but also could call for artillery support and was equipped with 60mm and 82mm mortars.

"Mr. Chief of Staff, I'm afraid this attack will be..." Muto Akira hesitated to speak.

Muto Akira felt that there was nothing wrong with his tactics.

He didn't expect that the Eighth Route Army fired 10,000 artillery shells with a single artillery blocking tactic.

The Eighth Route Army's artillery had stronger firepower, more shells, and stronger fortifications.

According to the current high-intensity fighting, the artillery unit's shells will be used up in two days at most, and it will be even more impossible to capture the Wangjiawan position by then.

"Your Excellency, Chief of Staff, if we want to defeat the Eighth Route Army in Jinzhong, we must..."

Yamashita Fengwen hurriedly asked, "Unless what?"

Muto Akira said, "Unless the First Army gives us the remaining combat supplies and transfers a heavy artillery brigade from the Kwantung Army to Jinzhong."

The Japanese Army has a total of seven field heavy artillery brigades, and each field heavy artillery brigade is a strategic-level force of the Japanese Army!
Each field heavy artillery brigade has at least two heavy artillery regiments under its command, and each heavy artillery regiment is equipped with 20 150mm cannons and 10 240mm howitzers.

With this firepower configuration, not to mention the Eighth Route Army’s bunkers, even fortresses can be breached.

Yamashita Tomoyuki nodded and said, "Immediately send a telegram to the General, reporting the current situation on the Jinzhong battlefield, and requesting General Sugiyama Motoshi to dispatch an additional heavy artillery brigade."

"Hi!"

Muto Akira quickly drafted a telegram and gave it to Yamashita Tomoyuki for signature. With the ticking sound of the telegram, messages were transmitted to distant places.

As Yamashita Tomoyuki expected, Sugiyama Gen rejected his and Muto Akira's requests.

In his opinion, it was a shame to mobilize strategic-level troops to deal with a mere 10,000 or 20,000 Eighth Route Army soldiers!

At the beginning of the July 7 Incident, the North China Front Army also had a field heavy artillery brigade, but as the North China Front Army's mission shifted from offensive operations to public security, this field heavy artillery brigade was transferred to other Japanese fronts.

During the day the next day, the Japanese troops of the North China Front launched three more attacks, but all were repelled by the New 1st Regiment.

The two sides engaged in artillery battle at one point.

After a day of intense fighting, the Japanese had only 0.2 base shells left. Because they had no shells left, the Japanese artillery had to announce their withdrawal.

……

Pingan County.

The new regiment headquarters.

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang were having a drink when Zhang Dabiao walked in quickly with a telegram in his hand.

"Report to the leader and political commissar."

"Deputy Regimental Commander Xing just sent a telegram stating that the Japanese troops attacking the Jinzhong base have retreated. It is estimated that over 6000 Japanese troops and over 4000 puppet troops were killed, wounded, or captured. The New 1500st Regiment suffered approximately casualties in the Jinzhong base."

After the Japanese troops who attacked northwestern Shanxi retreated, the New 1st Regiment in northwestern Shanxi did not pursue them.

It’s not that they were afraid of being ambushed by the Japanese, but after fighting for a period of time, the troops from top to bottom were a little tired.

Especially Li Yunlong, he had not had a good rest for several days. Commanding a large army group in battle was too energy-consuming and ordinary people could not do it.

After the battle, Li Yunlong slept for more than ten hours before he finally regained his energy.

"Not bad!"

Li Yunlong and Zhao Gang's eyes lit up.

Zhao Gang laughed and said, "The casualty ratio between the Japanese and puppet troops and the Jinzhong troops was about 7 to 1. Deputy Regiment Commander Xing fought brilliantly in this battle."

"Of course." Li Yunlong nodded, his eyes full of satisfaction. "Old Xing's command of offensive battles is average, but his defensive skills are first-rate. During the Long March, this guy was the rearguard. He led a company to hold off an entire Kuomintang regiment for three hours, buying time for the main force to retreat smoothly."

During the Heian Campaign in the original drama, an infantry company of the Independent Regiment blocked the eight-hour attack of the Japanese Yoshino Regiment, which was also arranged by Xing Zhiguo.

"Great!"

Zhang Dabiao nodded in praise, and then said with a sharp look in his eyes: "Commander, in this way, the number of Japanese soldiers killed in this battle will be more than 20,000."

Zhao Gang looked at Zhang Dabiao and asked, "More than 20,000 people, how did you calculate that?"

With a chuckle, Zhang Dabiao said, "We completely wiped out the Japanese 6000th Brigade and the Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade, killing approximately Japanese soldiers. Japanese soldiers were killed or wounded in the Jinzhong base area. We fought two battalion-level annihilation battles the night before last, and the number of Japanese soldiers killed should be no less than ."

"The Independent Regiment and the New Third Regiment each killed or wounded 2,000 Japanese soldiers at Majiapo and Shahukou. The number of Japanese soldiers killed should be no less than 1,000."

"According to this calculation, the total number of Japanese soldiers we killed this time should be no less than 20,000."

Killing and wounding are different. Killing and wounding refer to both killed and wounded. According to the calculation of positional warfare, 4,000 enemies were killed or wounded, which means more than 1,000 enemies were killed, and the rest were basically seriously injured or slightly injured.

On Boss Lin's side, the New 1st Regiment can only get the business price if it kills the Japanese.

"That's not a problem if you think about it that way."

Zhao Gang nodded, looking extremely satisfied, and looked at Li Yunlong:
"Old Li, why don't you contact Boss Lin to receive the goods? What are you waiting for?"

"It's only a matter of time before we receive the goods. Why rush?" Li Yunlong said angrily. "Boss Lin is as rich as a country. How can he still refuse to pay us?"

Although he said he was not in a hurry, Captain Li was very honest in his actions. He quickly drafted a telegram to Boss Lin and asked Xiao Zhang, the communications platoon leader directly under the regiment headquarters, to send it out.

Then Captain Li looked expectant. Before the battle, Boss Lin said that they had new weapons to completely annihilate the Guards Mixed Brigade.

Now that the Imperial Guards Mixed Brigade has been completely wiped out and its commander, Major General Sakurada Takeshi, has been killed, what new weapons will Boss Lin give us?
(End of this chapter)