Even if I'm a useless bum at Whampoa Military Academy, I'll be invincible in the War of Re

The Japanese 90mm mortars reacted very quickly and were incredibly powerful. They reached the defending troops' positions in no time. In just two rounds of fire, they destroyed one of the defending troops' M1919 heavy machine guns, killing both machine gun crew members. This served as a wake-up call for the soldiers of the Third Battalion.

The Japanese "small cannons" had a range of 3800 meters. They fired from 3 kilometers away, which was beyond the reach of the infantry guns and 20mm mortars of the Third Battalion. So they were very arrogant.

Lu Zeng's eyes practically spit fire as he coldly shouted:

"Request reinforcements from regimental headquarters! Use 75mm mortars to blow those bastards out of there!"

The communications soldier quickly ran to a conspicuous spot, took out two signal flags from his person, and sent a distress signal to the regimental artillery company.

The Japanese mortars continued firing, suppressing the 3rd Battalion's heavy machine guns. They had no choice but to adopt guerrilla tactics, firing two bursts and then moving to a different location, which greatly reduced their firepower.

Without the suppression of heavy firepower, the morale of the Japanese infantrymen soared, and they got up from the ground and continued their charge.

The defending troops began to use 60mm mortars and light machine guns to block the enemy, taking down many Japanese soldiers.

The Japanese were not deterred by these casualties, but continued their fierce attack under the hail of bullets. Their mortars, infantry guns, and light and heavy machine guns provided fire support, and the battle intensified.

As the engagement distance closed, the 3rd Battalion's light weapons also joined the battle, increasing the firepower exponentially. The Japanese finally learned what dense firepower meant, and their casualties skyrocketed.

The real threat of the Third Battalion lies not in any one type of weapon, but in its well-organized system with a proper combination of long, medium, and short ranges, and numerous firing positions. The Japanese could not control the situation with just two mortars.

When the skirmisher line of the Kitahara Battalion advanced to within 100 meters, it could no longer push forward and had no choice but to lie on the ground and exchange fire. Bullets flew wildly over the heads of both sides, and if one was not careful, one would be hit and fall down.

The Japanese heavy machine guns and infantry guns were destroyed one after another. The six cannons of the battalion's artillery company were disassembled and put into use, displaying great power. After firing, they retreated into their bunkers and then moved along the trenches.

Such flexible and varied tactics made the Japanese very uncomfortable. Whether it was the Type 92 heavy machine gun, infantry gun, or mortar, their mobility was poor, and they would be bombed if they were not careful.

The Japanese could only rely on two mortars to hold their own, but after a while, they were locked onto by the regimental artillery company. Just as the Japanese were feeling triumphant, a volley of shells flew in from the sky, covering the area where the small mortar was located, and instantly blasted it into scrap metal.

Major Kitahara happened to see this and screamed in terror:

"It's an Imperial-made 75mm mountain gun!"

"The Chinese have 75mm cannons, at least three!"

"Quickly call the artillery battalion and blow them up!"

This discovery was a huge shock to the Japanese. The 58th Regiment only had eight 75mm mountain guns, and now that the defending troops also had them, whether it was mortars or mountain gun groups, they were no longer safe.

Without an absolute firepower advantage, this battle will be difficult to win.

Colonel Kurahayashi immediately ordered the mountain artillery battalion to keep a close watch on the defenders' mountain guns and to destroy them at all costs.

The morale of the Kitahara Battalion was also affected; after losing one mortar, the other became much less aggressive.

It's like two masters sparring; once they discover that the other also has a way to kill with a single blow, they will be cautious in their attacks.

The Japanese skirmishers were pinned down to within a hundred meters of the front line. The two sides engaged in a marksmanship contest, and the heavy firepower was no longer used blindly. They would fire and then retreat. The Japanese were just as cunning as monkeys.

As time went on, Major Kitahara's smile vanished. He was horrified to discover that his most prized skill—positional warfare—had been suppressed by the defending forces.

Although the Japanese soldiers were very good marksmen, especially the riflemen who never missed a shot, they had to raise their bodies to hit the defenders in exchange for fire due to the terrain and limited visibility.

Raising one's body significantly increases the risk of being hit, and many Japanese soldiers lost their lives because of this, as the defending soldiers were equally accurate marksmen.

Company Commander Captain Yamamoto leaned over and said:

"The Chinese have a large number of sharpshooters; any brave warrior who dares to show his face will be shot."

Captain Yamamoto had participated in the Battle of Nanjing and had extensive combat experience. He could tell the clues from the firepower configuration of his defending troops.

"This unit also has a large number of M2 mortars, which pose a great threat to machine guns and grenade launchers, rendering the Imperial Army's grenade launchers almost useless."

The M2 is the mainstay of the US military's current service equipment, so how could it appear on the Foxconn battlefield? It's unbelievable!

The expression on the face of the Kitahara Battalion also turned serious, and he frowned as he asked:

"Are you sure this is an M2?"

Captain Yamamoto said firmly:

"No mistake! As far as I know, among the elite Chinese troops, only the Tiger Army extensively uses the M2 mortar!"

"What?! The Tiger Army! Weren't they resting in Xinyang?"

"Commander, the garrison not only has M2 rifles, but also Springfield rifles, and is equipped with a large number of snipers. This combat method and equipment configuration are too similar to the Tiger Army."

Xinyang is only about 100 kilometers away from Fujinshan, so its presence here is not surprising.

"Yosh, this is very important information. I must report it to the regimental commander when I get back."

So what if they are the Tiger Legion? Does the Imperial Army fear them?

"This is just the right opportunity for our 13th Division to meet the renowned Tiger Army!"

Captain Yamamoto said no more. Neither he nor Major Kitahara would back down. They looked down on the Chinese people, considering the Tiger Army to be nothing more than slightly stronger trash.

"boom!"

A 60mm mortar shell accurately hit the Japanese grenade launcher, killing two and wounding two of the four Japanese soldiers. The 15-meter kill radius was enough to wipe out the entire grenade launcher team.

Mortars never rely on accuracy to win; with a kill radius of fifteen meters, anyone landing near the Japanese soldiers would be killed.

Its most terrifying feature is its range of over 2,000 meters and its combat weight of only 20 kilograms. It can be moved after firing, making it very difficult to detect. It is a natural counter to the Japanese grenade launchers and heavy machine guns, and it also poses a threat to the Type 92 infantry gun.

After the Japanese army's three great weapons in positional warfare were suppressed, their so-called combat effectiveness was greatly reduced, and the exchange ratio between the enemy and ourselves became 3 to 1 or even 4 to 1, allowing the Third Battalion to fight with ease.

Rifleman Fang Lang had already killed three Japanese soldiers. He now regarded the Garand semi-automatic rifle in his hand as a treasure, as it eliminated the need to pull the bolt, greatly increasing the rate of fire.

His combat team was operating around the "Big Eight" rifle, consisting of a semi-automatic rifle, a sniper rifle, and a Springfield standard rifle.

The sniper riflemen were responsible for precise shooting and protecting Fang Lang's safety, while the Springfield riflemen provided support in the operation. Fang Lang was responsible for suppressing the Japanese troops' massed charges.

Fang Lang's rifle was enough to suppress half a squad of Japanese soldiers; its firepower was far superior to that of the Type 38 rifle.

The Japanese soldiers were not satisfied and sent out a few more to sneak up. They formed a diamond attack formation, with two in front and two behind, and a Type 96 machine gun providing fire support from the rear.

The machine gunner was a veteran who fired short bursts of two or three rounds at a time, and he was very accurate. Fang Lang was almost hit several times.

Bullets kicked up dust all around, and Fang Lang could only lie face down in the trench, his exposed body completely protected by his M35 helmet.

Fang Lang gave a hand signal to sniper Cai Fei, meaning to let the four Japanese soldiers get closer before firing, and Cai Fei would take care of the machine gunner.

This tactic was risky; Fang Lang had a high probability of being shot, but no one objected.

Everyone was prepared to make sacrifices, and if it were them, no one would back down.

Someone always has to make a sacrifice.

The three pretended to be suppressed by the Japanese machine guns, allowing the Japanese assault team to advance and get closer and closer.

120 meters!

100 meters!

80 meters!

60 meters!

The opportunity came. Just as the Japanese were preparing for their final sprint, Fang Lang suddenly straightened up and fired several shots with lightning speed from his "Big Eight" pistol before quickly retreating.

The Japanese machine guns opened fire, and seven or eight bullets sent rubble flying from where Fang Lang was hiding. His helmet was also blown away by a stray bullet.

Fang Lang leaned against the trench, panting heavily. He had just narrowly escaped death!

Cai Fei also pulled the trigger, and the Japanese machine gun fell silent. Of the four Japanese soldiers who were attacking, three were killed and one was wounded.

Fang Lang took down three men, and the last one was shot and killed by rifleman Liu Wei.

They won their gamble, eliminating the machine gunner and a four-man combat team. The seriously wounded soldier wouldn't have survived long if no one had rescued him.

It took Fang Lang a long time to recover, and when he pulled the bolt, he found that there were no bullets left.

He casually took an eight-round magazine from the ammunition box, skillfully pressed it into the chamber, chambered a round, and leaned out to continue fighting.

The battle lasted for more than two hours before Major Kitahara finally gave up and ordered a halt to the attack.

A seriously wounded Japanese soldier reached out his hand, asking others for help to take him back.

Another Japanese soldier risked his life to rush towards the seriously wounded soldier, but Fang Lang steadily pulled the trigger, and the Japanese soldier fell down after being shot.

The wounded soldier couldn't be saved, and then another one died.

The Japanese squad roared:

"Ignore them, get out of here!"