We promised to develop a game called Candy Crush, what the hell is the Third Reich?

Chapter 235 [The End of Chipyong-ri, the Changing Battlefront] (4k)

The launch of the flares brought the two sides face to face, leaving them with no way to avoid each other.

The outbreak was sudden, and the battlefield instantly turned into a meat grinder.

Faced with machine gun fire from the US federal forces at close range, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldiers threw grenades in an attempt to breach the US federal ring fortifications.

But he was shot down as soon as he threw the grenade.

The outermost perimeter of the US federal defenses consisted entirely of tanks and armored vehicles. When the grenade explosions landed nearby, they couldn't even destroy the outer armor.

Countless volunteer soldiers fell on the way of the charge, desperately throwing grenades.

The Chinese People's Volunteer Army provided fire support from the rear.

However, without the support of artillery, even machine gun fire hitting the armor and tanks of the United States would only cause sparks.

The volunteer soldiers at the forefront were willing to risk their lives to clear a path.

One grenade after another flew toward the US federal positions.

Explosions continued, but to everyone's dismay, they were unable to break through the US federal armored tanks. The grenades were too weak, and only a few were fired from a slightly farther distance.

It flew into the gap between the tanks and armor of the US federal forces, but did not detonate the tanks.

The few screams of the American soldiers had no effect.

The effect of the flare lasted only 30 seconds.

But in those 30 seconds, the attacking Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldiers suffered heavy casualties.

As the flare went out.

The volunteer soldiers breathed a sigh of relief and, taking advantage of the darkness, quickly approached the U.S. federal defenses.

But only a moment later.

whoosh-

Another flare was launched into the sky.

The battlefield was once again as bright as day.

The battle at Chipyong-ri was more difficult than any Blue Star netizen could have imagined.

Including the soldiers of the 7th Special Operations Brigade of the Great Xia Federation.

Although I had heard Chief of Staff Qu Guang mention the importance of Chipyong-ri before, this place, where the US federal government had no chance of retreating, might become a key point in the 'Fourth Campaign'.

But no one expected the battle to become this intense.

Because the artillery battalion was bombed by the US federal government, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldiers could only launch a desperate charge against the basin that was only 2.3 kilometers wide.

But the United States has compressed all its armored vehicles and tanks into a steel base, which is not so easy to break through.

It was absolutely a matter of risking one's life to fill the gap.

Meanwhile, the volunteer soldiers charged forward desperately.

boom--!
One landmine after another was triggered.

This raises the bar for achieving a breakthrough by several notches.

After a night of fierce fighting.

The Chinese People's Volunteer Army suffered heavy casualties but only managed to break through one of the US federal positions.

As dawn broke.

Hundreds of bombers attacked, bombing the mountains surrounding Chipyong-ri.

The Chinese People's Volunteer Army was forced to switch to covert defense.

The breached positions were then recovered by the US federal government.

not only that.

The U.S. federal troops in the center of Chipyong-ri, the core artillery group also began to exert their power, bombarding the surrounding mountains with wave after wave of shells starting in the morning.

The bombardment continued until nightfall.

According to statistics from some players on Earth, the number of howitzer shells fired during the day alone is no less than 1.5.

This is still only a partial perspective.

If we had a complete viewpoint, the number of statistics might be even greater.

however.

The battle at Chipyong-ri has only just begun.

Due to the hasty attack on the first night, only two regiments reached their designated positions to attack. By the second night, the Chinese People's Volunteer Army had six regiments concentrated around Chipyong-ni.

An even fiercer battle for control of the position began.

The U.S. federal forces launched flares one after another, turning the Chinese People's Volunteer Army's night raid into a daytime assault.

An attack by six regiments.

However, they were never able to break through the 1.6-kilometer-wide defensive line in the center of Chipyong-ri.

this moment.

Blue Star players truly felt the difference brought about by firepower equipment.

no way.

It's just so realistic.

The only factor influencing the battle was an artillery battalion.

If the Chinese People's Volunteer Army had a complete artillery battalion, they could bombard the center of the basin.

The battle will never be this difficult.

However, the artillery battalion of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army was bombed by the US federal forces, which meant that they could only attack with infantry.

This also marks the first time the U.S. federal government has regained confidence in its firepower.

The US federal flares were fired every five minutes without stopping.

Another night of fierce fighting.

But during the day...

It's the US federal government's home turf again.

Bombers flew over in waves to bomb, and it wasn't just planes from the peninsula; the US also transferred all its planes from US bases in Japan.

Even players who experienced the Battle of Britain had never seen such a scene before.

Hundreds of flights.

The bombing was concentrated on several mountains surrounding Chipyong-ri, with a density far exceeding expectations.

Not only that.

The battle at Chipyong-ni also alerted other departments of the U.S. federal government.

Just as Qu Guang analyzed before.

If the Chinese People's Volunteer Army is blocked at Chipyong-ni, or fails to capture Chipyong-ni, then the surrounding U.S. federal troops will be informed and have time to adjust.

As it is now.

After two days of intensive attacks failed to capture Chipyong-ni, the U.S. federal forces, having realized the situation, dispatched 30 tanks to reinforce Chipyong-ni.

Meanwhile, reinforcements from the 6th Division of the puppet army and the 27th Brigade of the British Commonwealth Army, located to the south of Yeoju, were also approaching Chipyong-ri.

The Chinese People's Volunteer Army was attacked from both sides.

not only that.

After watching the livestream from the perspective of the volunteer army's side, netizens on Blue Star realized that the situation was even more serious.

After the fierce battle of Hengcheng Counterattack, eight regiments of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army rushed towards Chipyong-ni without stopping. After two days and two nights of fighting, they were completely out of ammunition and food.

Yes.

It means literally running out of ammunition and food.

They'd run out of grenades, bullets, and only enough rations for one meal left.

Now they are facing U.S. federal troops in the center of Chipyong-ri.

Even an offensive strategy is no longer an option.

A rifle without bullets can only be used as a stick, while most of the U.S. federal tanks in the center of the Chipyong-ri Basin are still intact.

In two days, not even a single flare was fired.

I dare not imagine how much ammunition the U.S. federal government has in the center of Chipyong-ri.

In addition, federal support is on its way.

Facing a situation of being attacked from both sides.

The Chinese People's Volunteer Army, which had been besieging Chipyong-ni, finally chose to retreat on the evening of the third day.

Great Xia Federation, 7th Special Operations Brigade.

Inside the rest room. Watching the gradually retreating Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops, the special operations brigade soldiers in the rest room all sighed. There was really no way to fight them.

We've run out of bullets; we can't exactly charge in with a rifle.

It would be better to preserve our strength.

However, after this retreat, the situation of the 'Fourth Campaign' became uncertain.

Qu Guang was also in the lounge, frowning and sighing:
"This is going to be tough."

The soldiers below watched expectantly, and Qu Guang brought up the 'real-time map' and began to explain:
"The Battle of Chipyong-ni did not involve the American troops there, so the Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops on the eastern front were no longer able to go to the western front to cut off the rear of the American federal troops on the western front."

"The entire Eastern Front will shift from an offensive to a defensive posture."

"same."

"The reason why the Chinese People's Volunteer Army held out for so long on the western front was to coordinate with the surprise attack on the eastern front."

"But now that we can't break through on the eastern front, there's no need to continue holding the western front."

"The 50th and 38th Armies on the western front have been almost wiped out."

"The Chinese People's Volunteer Army on the eastern front withdrew northward, and the Chinese People's Volunteer Army on the western front also withdrew northward and crossed the Han River."

"But none of these are the most important."

"Most importantly, the Battle of Chipyong-ni exposed the shortcomings of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army in attacking fortified positions."

"The next move by the US federal government will likely be to target the weaknesses of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army in attacking fortified positions."

Qu Guang finished speaking with a frown, then looked at the map and sighed.

Ridgway, who was newly transferred to the U.S. federal government, was indeed different from MacArthur.

The 'magnetic tactics' used at the beginning of the campaign tested the limits of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army's nighttime marching, allowing the US federal troops to maintain a distance of 20-30 kilometers while keeping the Volunteer Army at bay.

Then, on the eastern front, the U.S. federal troops, from the division commander to the corps commander, suffered a complete defeat due to the infiltration tactics of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army. They all believed that it was time to retreat.

But the order to retreat was forced to be revoked by Ridgway, the commander of the U.S. federal forces.

Furthermore, an order was issued to defend Chipyong-ri to the death.

They went so far as to transfer aircraft from Japanese military bases across the Pacific to support Chipyori.

Their keen awareness of the battlefield is evident.

In particular, they held Chipyong-ni, exposing the shortcomings of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army in attacking fortified positions, which had been masked by their victories in the previous three campaigns.

Imagine.

After the defense of Chihaya-ri this time.

Even if only one U.S. federal troops remain, they will hold their ground.

Unlike the previous three campaigns, where the U.S. federal troops would retreat once they realized there was no way to win, the federal troops did not retreat.

Because there are successful examples.

Then the subsequent US federal troops will inevitably think that they might be able to hold it as well?
The Battle of Chipyong-ni forced all the Chinese People's Volunteer Army troops on the eastern and western fronts to retreat north.

Perhaps it's a matter of fate or destiny.

The Han River was frozen over the night before the Chinese People's Volunteer Army crossed it at the start of the Fourth Campaign.

On the day after the 38th Army crossed the Han River during their evacuation, the frozen Han River thawed.

This gave the Chinese People's Volunteer Army a brief period of rest.

Similarly, due to this withdrawal, after the Chinese People's Volunteer Army retreated to the north of the Han River, it began a mobile defense and flexible defense.

That is, to voluntarily withdraw during the day when faced with a strong attack and bombing by U.S. federal forces.

They launched a counterattack at night, recaptured their positions, and engaged in repeated skirmishes with the US federal government at one location.

The firepower of the US federal government is indeed formidable.

However, they were also tormented and helpless in the face of the small-scale counterattacks of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army across the entire front.

Meanwhile, the U.S. federal government, under Ridgway's orders, launched "Operation Butcher" with the aim of quickly leveling the uneven front lines on both the East and West.

And they continued to advance northward.

After half a month of intense firepower, they were only advancing a few hundred meters each day.

The US federal government has finally leveled the uneven front lines on the Eastern Front.

And without stopping, they launched Operation Ripper.

This plan, commissioned by Ridgway, involves a full-scale offensive, with tank formations at its core to break through the central battle line.

The tactic of counter-encircling Seoul on the western front.

However, the effect did not seem to be as great as expected when facing the Volunteer Army, which had been adjusting for half a month.

Although the tank groups made concentrated breakthroughs, they were able to advance 3 kilometers per day.

Because the Chinese People's Volunteer Army would withdraw after the daytime counterattack before the arrival of the US federal troops.

The position was riddled with mines, and anti-tank teams were left behind to hold off the armored forces.

When facing anti-tank teams, it takes the U.S. federal armored forces half a day to stop and restart their advance each time they need to, not to mention that there are landmines everywhere after they occupy the position.

But after nightfall...

The Chinese People's Volunteer Army, which had withdrawn during the day, would return to harass the positions they had captured during the day, repeatedly fighting with U.S. federal troops.

The Chinese People's Volunteer Army's strategy of "night raids and day ambushes" plus "segmented blocking attacks".

Despite the impressive-sounding "Operation Ripper," the core tank and armored formations could only advance an average of 2 kilometers per day.

at this time.

U.S. federal troops have approached the 38th parallel, and neither the military nor the U.S. federal government dares to make a decision easily on the sensitive issue of whether or not to cross the 38th parallel.

Because this is not a simple war.

It was a war with strong political implications.

Crossing the 38th parallel requires consideration of the reactions from all sides. Given the current advantage gained from the counterattack, it is necessary to consider whether crossing the 38th parallel will provoke the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.

They were ordered to fight to the death.

We also need to consider whether crossing the 38th parallel would provoke the Soviet Union to intervene, given that the US federal government is currently gaining a slight advantage.

Because the peninsula itself is bounded by the 38th parallel.

It was driven by both the Soviet Union and the US federal government.

So after advancing across the Han River and capturing Seoul.

Whether to cross the 38th parallel or to halt adjustments is a topic of ongoing internal discussion within the US federal government.

No one dared to make a decision easily.

but
One person actually dared to do it.

That was General MacArthur, the Commander-in-Chief of the United Nations forces.

At a time when both the military and the authorities are facing a headache.

MacArthur mentioned more than once that he wanted to cross the 38th parallel and establish a nuclear-radiation zone between the Yalu River and the peninsula to cut off the Republic's supplies.

How to designate an area filled with nuclear radiation is beyond question.

But nobody would listen to this insane suggestion.

They actually dared to throw that thing.

But that gave the Soviets an excuse.

Moreover, given the fighting spirit of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army, if they were to abandon that thing, they would dare to charge over and attack the US federal troops.

In this situation, it wasn't just the volunteer soldiers who suffered.

They were also implicated.

MacArthur's remarks were so extreme that the US federal government hadn't even discussed whether or not to invade the 38th parallel.

First, strip MacArthur completely.

MacArthur was removed from his post as Commander-in-Chief and replaced by Ridgway, who had led the Union to victory in the Fourth Campaign.

Meanwhile, Ridgway's original 8th Army also welcomed a new army commander.

Van Fleet.

Many Blue Star players are not familiar with this name, but some Blue Star players who frequently experience the [Normandy Landing] battlefield do know it.

Van Fleet, who was a regimental commander during World War II, led his troops to land in Normandy.

The troops under his command were the fastest to land on the beaches and suffered the fewest losses.

He subsequently participated in the Rhineland Offensive, penetrating deep into the empire's homeland, and was promoted from regimental commander to army commander in just 100 days through his military achievements.

And now, only six years have passed since the end of World War II.

Such a powerful general, coupled with a shrewd and experienced new UN Commander-in-Chief, was not good news for the Chinese People's Volunteer Army.

(End of this chapter)