Soldiers Assault: Starting from the 7th Steel Company

Chapter 232 A sneak attack isn't that easy.

Just as Chen Jiang's logistical work was going smoothly, the order for Brigade C to participate in the exercise was finally issued. This was an opportunity for the entire brigade to test its ability to participate in actual combat.

The entire army group is counting on their brigade to play a different role.

Because Chen Jiang was in charge of logistics and engineering construction, he did not receive the order for the exercise immediately. He only found out when Brigade Commander Long Kaifeng called a meeting of the leadership team.

He glanced at the exercise notice he had received and the operational plan submitted by Brigade C, and felt that something was amiss.

Chen Jiang frowned even more when Long Kaifeng read out the combat missions of his subordinate units.

This exercise was a battle between our army group and another army group at the Zhurihe Exercise Center. The total strength and air power of both sides were about the same. The 84th Army Group, which was the Red Army, had an additional C Brigade. However, Chen Jiang discovered that Long Kaifeng was using the troops as an ordinary armored brigade.

The strategy remains the same: long-range raids to ambush enemy rear supply bases.

On the surface, this tactic seems perfectly reasonable. After all, the main battle tanks of Brigade C can move over a wide area using heavy transport vehicles, and they have enough fuel to support a focused assault on the enemy once they reach their destination.

The biggest problem here is that the armored force of Brigade C is actually only one regiment, and the main battle tanks are only one battalion. It's barely enough to launch a surprise attack on a single point of the enemy with a few dozen tanks, but what if the enemy comes prepared? This number of troops is not enough.

Other combat units became a burden, unable to advance and struggling to defend. This tactic is simply a waste of the mindset of past mechanized forces.

"Does anyone have any further comments? If not, we'll adjourn and everyone can go and prepare." Long Kaifeng closed his notebook and calmly glanced at everyone.

It feels great to be in control of everything. Based on past experience, these routine questions are just a formality, and no one will express any opinions, especially since I've already closed my notebook.

"I have a few words to say." Suddenly, an untimely voice rang out in the meeting room.

Upon closer inspection, everyone recognized him as Chen Jiang.

Actually, Chen Jiang didn't want to talk about it, since it didn't really concern him. But he really didn't want this newly formed unit to suffer a major setback right from the start.

"Our brigade only has this many armored units. If we launch a long-distance raid, the target would be too large if the main force of the brigade were to attack. If we only send out a heavy tank battalion, I'm afraid we won't be able to take them down. It's a bit risky to fight like this."

Chen Jiang's words were actually quite fair, but since Long Kaifeng had already given the order, it would be a slap in the face for him to say anything more.

Long Kaifeng had always commanded a mechanized infantry regiment, and his most proficient combat tactic was to use armored personnel carriers for long-range raids. In his worldview, now that there were heavy armored vehicles, they could be used to raid enemy rear areas with main battle tanks, making the attack power even stronger and increasing the probability of achieving the objective.

So he immediately waved his hand and said, "Deputy Brigade Commander Chen is overthinking it. This time we will only send two battalions to attack, one tank battalion and one mechanized infantry battalion, with sufficient supplies and ammunition. They will march 200 kilometers at night, so there will be no problem with their concealment."

"but."

"No buts, execute the order." Long Kaifeng interrupted Chen Jiang before he could continue speaking, as he needed to establish absolute authority at the leadership meeting.

Chen Jiang wanted to argue a bit more, but seeing Li Haiguang's gaze, he could only swallow back the words he was about to say.

As they left the conference room, Li Haiguang called out to Chen Jiang, "Deputy Brigade Commander Chen, your task is to ensure the supply of fuel and ammunition to the combat troops. This task is extremely important."

"Political Commissar, let me lead the team!" Chen Jiang had a feeling that this operation was likely to end badly, so he thought it would be better to lead the team himself. That way, if something went wrong, at least some of the brigade's main force would still be intact.

"Forget it. The brigade commander is eager to make a name for himself and wants to show off in front of the leaders this time. It has already been agreed that he will personally lead the team."

"Can I go with them?" Chen Jiang hadn't given up yet.

"Comrade Chen Jiang!" Li Haiguang's voice also rose. "The battle plan has been drawn up, so don't cause any trouble. Your task is not light either. Don't think that logistics is unimportant."

Although everyone is a member of the leadership team, Li Haiguang is the political commissar, and in terms of rank, he is definitely higher than Chen Jiang. So, since Li Haiguang has already said so, if Chen Jiang keeps grumbling, it will be considered disobeying orders.

He could only give a military salute and say, "Okay, I obey orders."

Then he slowly left.

The exercise proceeded as scheduled.

The night was as dark as ink, and the roar of heavy equipment shattered the silence of the grassland.

Long Kaifeng personally led the assault group, like a sharp knife piercing straight into the heart of the Blue Army.

Heavy transport trucks carrying Type 99 main battle tanks and infantry fighting vehicles sped along the bumpy dirt road, raising dust that resembled a roaring yellow dragon.

Chen Jiang was in charge of the rear command post, with a huge electronic sand table and constantly flashing communication terminals in front of him.

He efficiently coordinated the advance of the fuel supply convoy to the pre-set locations, and the ammunition distribution process was also flawless.

His preparations were impeccable, even exceeding expectations, as he delivered a batch of spare supplies ahead of schedule to a more concealed area closer to the front lines.

However, the war unfolded exactly as Chen Jiang had feared.

Long Kaifeng's assault group successfully infiltrated the vicinity of the Blue Army's logistics hub in the early hours of the morning. However, when they were still more than ten kilometers away from the final launch point, a sudden change occurred.

Because the bridge ahead turned out to be a dangerous bridge with a maximum load capacity of only 10 tons, meaning only small civilian vehicles could pass through.

Even if Long Kaifeng's main battle tanks and heavy trucks were separated, it would be impossible for them to pass through. In fact, their armored infantry fighting vehicles weighed more than 10 tons. What could they do?
"What are you good for? Why didn't you verify the load-bearing capacity of this bridge beforehand?" Long Kaifeng unusually cursed at the reconnaissance company commander.

The reconnaissance company commander was full of grievances. The bridge was not marked as dangerous on the map at all, and the warning sign for the dangerous bridge had only been put up recently. But how could he dare to argue at this moment?
"Commander, why don't we drive up and try? This sign seems to have only been up for a few days. Sometimes these signs are just for show. Back in my hometown, the bridges have a weight limit of 5 tons, but those big trucks still drive up."

"Are you out of your mind? Try it? Our lightest armored infantry fighting vehicle weighs nearly 20 tons. How are you going to try it? If it falls, are you going to take responsibility? Can you even bear that responsibility?" Long Kaifeng was furious at the infantry fighting vehicle battalion commander who was giving him advice.

What kind of lousy, terrible idea is this? Everyone else, seeing that the person who came up with the idea had been scolded, didn't dare utter a sound.

Long Kaifeng looked at the map. "How about we go around from here?"

"Brigade Commander, I'm afraid we don't have enough time. Both of these roads are mountainous, and we're equipped with heavy gear, so we might not be able to get through. Besides, we won't be able to move quickly. By the time we get there, it will be too late."

Upon hearing this, Long Kaifeng felt a chill run down his spine.

If they fail to arrive at the raid launch point within the stipulated time, it will affect the entire operation!

Long Kaifeng could not possibly shoulder this responsibility.

He was now genuinely regretting it; what Chen Jiang said actually made some sense. However, his dignity and pride wouldn't allow him to call Chen Jiang for "advice," otherwise, what prestige would he have left?

"Go, go around here, right now!" he said to the communications officer. "Report our actual situation to the Red Army headquarters, and tell them that our launch time needs to be delayed by one hour."

"Snapped!"

Cheng Guoqiang, the commander-in-chief of the Red Army at the Red Army headquarters, immediately smashed the Jingdezhen ceramic cup in his hand to the ground after receiving the message from Brigade C.

"That Long Kaifeng is really talking nonsense!" Cheng Guoqiang never expected that the C Brigade, on which he had placed high hopes, would fail him at such a crucial moment.

What does a 1-hour delay mean?

The battlefield is ever-changing; even two minutes can alter the course of a battle, let alone an hour.

As for the difficulties he mentioned, what were they doing before the war?
Moreover, the raid plan he was given was described with absolute certainty, almost as if he were certain of breaking a boulder on his chest, but now it has turned out like this.

"Sir, we have no choice but to change the battle plan now," the chief of staff said helplessly.

Because Brigade C launched its surprise attack an hour later than originally planned, the Blue Army had ample time to adjust. When Long Kaifeng and his men finally arrived at the attack launch point after overcoming numerous hardships, the Blue Army, which was already on high alert, did not fall into chaos as Long Kaifeng had anticipated.

Several well-camouflaged anti-tank missile sites and pre-designated artillery zones launched attacks simultaneously, and the dense electromagnetic interference instantly severed most of the communication between the assault group and the brigade command.

The Blue Army is also a complete army group. Through reconnaissance, it had already detected the movement route of the C Brigade assault group and opened its trap.

Long Kaifeng's tank battalion and mechanized infantry battalion immediately found themselves in fierce fighting.

The Blue Army utilized the terrain and pre-established positions to continuously implement mobile defense and counterattacks, while its armored forces also rapidly encircled the Blue Army from the flanks in an attempt to encircle them.

Although the Red Army tank battalion fought hard and destroyed many Blue Army tanks, it was also rapidly losing manpower.

Even more fatally, a special operations unit of the Blue Army successfully outflanked and attacked Long Kaifeng's command post. Although they were repelled by the guards, this resulted in a critical twenty-minute interruption of command.

The atmosphere inside the brigade command post suddenly became tense.

The communications officer anxiously tried to re-establish contact with the front lines, while the light spot representing Long Kaifeng's unit on the screen was constantly squeezed and divided by the blue arrows representing the Blue Army.

"Report! Last report from the assault group before communications were lost: they encountered a counterattack from superior enemy forces and are in dire straits, urgently needing air support and long-range artillery support!" a staff officer reported loudly.

Long Kaifeng immediately ordered a request for long-range fire support from the group and also requested air support.

However, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst, and the Blue Army implemented strong electronic jamming, making communication with superiors intermittent.

In the rear command post, Political Commissar Li Haiguang frowned, staring at the Red Army's exercise situation display screen, and said in a deep voice: "In this situation, the brigade commander can't hold out for long!"

Everyone's eyes instinctively turned to Chen Jiang. He was in charge of logistics, but at this moment, his earlier accurate concerns carried weight.

Chen Jiang strode to the communications station, picked up the microphone, and said with unusual calmness, "Calling the logistics support transport convoy! This is Chen Jiang!"

"We are a logistics support transport convoy. Please give us your instructions, sir!"

After the call connected, Chen Jiang shouted, "Activate the emergency plan immediately! Fuel supply crews, move to Area 7 according to the predetermined route, and be careful to avoid reconnaissance by the Blue Army! Forward ammunition supply team, your position is now the most critical, report the real-time situation around you to me!"

He had secretly strengthened the communication and mobility capabilities of several key logistics units as early as when the supplies were being sent to the front lines, and even equipped them with some of the army's combat power.

At this moment, these units, which were originally just "transport teams," have become the combat units closest to the battlefield and the only ones that can still maintain effective communication.

Through their intermittent but extremely valuable battlefield information feedback, Chen Jiang gained a completely new understanding of the local combat situation.

"Political Commissar!" Chen Jiang turned his head, speaking rapidly but clearly, "The Blue Army's encirclement has a weak point in the northwest, which is the junction of their two mobile units. Currently, the fire density there is low. If the brigade commander and his men can launch an attack in this direction, they might be able to break through! Our supply point number three is nearby and can provide emergency fuel and ammunition replenishment to support their continued combat or breakout!"

A glint flashed in Li Haiguang's eyes, and he immediately made a decision: "Just as Deputy Brigade Commander Chen said, immediately send the analysis results and breakout suggestions to the brigade commander through all possible means!"

A few minutes later, after paying a heavy price, Long Kaifeng's command post finally restored some communication capabilities and received this crucial information. Long Kaifeng stared at the situation map and suggestions Chen Jiang had provided on the screen, his face ashen. He realized his mistake, but decisively ordered the remaining troops to launch a desperate assault in the direction Chen Jiang had indicated.

Meanwhile, the logistics unit coordinated by Chen Jiang played an unexpected and crucial role. A convoy of trucks fully loaded with fuel, following the pre-arranged plan, risked approaching the combat zone, not only providing valuable supplies but also temporarily serving as obstacles and cover, disrupting the pursuit route of the small Blue Army unit.

In the end, Long Kaifeng led the remaining armored forces of less than a company to break through the encirclement of the Blue Army and rendezvous with the support logistics unit, thus avoiding being "annihilated".

Although the exercise is still ongoing, the C Brigade, this meticulously crafted "sharp knife," was dulled in its first demonstration, suffering heavy losses and failing to achieve its predetermined combat objectives.

"Brigade Commander, the exercise isn't over yet, and our brigade hasn't been completely wiped out. We still have combat power, and we might be able to turn the tide!" Chen Jiang rushed to the front line and encouraged Long Kaifeng.

(End of this chapter)