From the 7th Steel Company to the Synthetic Division

Everyone in the conference room realized the problem, and their expressions became serious.

Chu Zhangang took in everyone's expressions and was very satisfied with the result of the "warning." He continued, "Dividing the troops into three routes and advancing simultaneously is conducive to flexible handling and prevention of possible ambushes by the Red Army along the way."

Even if one or two routes are blocked, our other troops can still advance northward smoothly.

"As long as some troops can reach Langshan and launch an attack, it will create space for the other two forces to arrive, and we will have hope of victory."

The approach used by Chu Zhangang is the traditional strategy of not putting all your eggs in one basket.

This would not only prevent a situation like the 708th Brigade, where the 7th Steel Brigade pretended to be a road administration unit handling a traffic accident scene and thus blocked the entire brigade's main force.

It also allows the 7th Steel Brigade to focus on one thing at a time, without having enough troops to handle all three routes simultaneously.

Furthermore, with attention scattered, the probability of making mistakes is greater.

This would be even more advantageous for the 909th Brigade.

Xu Xiaocun and Chu Zhangang had already finalized a new marching plan before the meeting, so there were no objections to it.

Neither the political commissar nor the chief of staff spoke, so naturally, the battalion commanders and the others below also had nothing to say.

Chu Zhangang continued, "This exercise is time-sensitive and arduous, and we are facing the Steel 7th Brigade, which we have never fought before and which just defeated the 708th Brigade."

This is a key unit cultivated by our theater command, and one of only two heavy combined arms brigades in the entire army.

Although they were only recently formed and are far behind us in many aspects, as a completely new organization, they have countless possibilities, and we must take them very seriously.

I have compiled more detailed information about the 7th Steel Brigade into a document, and I will send a copy to each of you. You must read it carefully and study it thoroughly when you get back.

The failure of the 708th Brigade was mainly due to underestimating the enemy and lacking sufficient understanding of the Red Army.

We must never repeat the mistakes they made. Therefore, we must not only avoid underestimating them, but also thoroughly understand them. We must know ourselves and our enemy to ensure victory in every battle.

Chu Zhangang raised his voice in his last sentence, highlighting his determination to win.

At this crucial moment in his promotion to deputy chief of staff of the military region, conducting this military exercise with the 7th Steel Brigade was indeed a difficult problem for him, but at the same time, it was also a rare opportunity.

Chu Zhangang knew very well...

If he can indeed lead his troops to capture Line 535 in seven days and defeat the already renowned so-called digitalized combined arms brigade in one fell swoop.

Then, Commander Chu's fame in the war zone will easily surpass that of Wang Kezheng, the "former five-time champion".

He became a benchmark brigade commander in the theater of operations for the transformation of divisions into brigades.

Let alone being promoted to the rank of deputy chief of staff of a military region at the level of a full division commander, it is not impossible for him to even cross the rank of deputy "lord" before the age of fifty.

Knowing the significance of this battle to himself, and having learned from the previous defeat of the 708th Brigade, he decided to fight.

Chu Zhangang showed absolutely no underestimation of his opponent and dared not slacken in the slightest. His plans and deployments were meticulous and watertight, demonstrating his shrewdness, meticulousness, and remarkable military talent.

This was the first time the officers below had seen their brigade commander so cautious about putting on an act.

The nerve in my heart couldn't help but tighten even more.

After Chu Zhangang had finished making the necessary arrangements and giving the necessary instructions, he looked to the side and said, "Political Commissar, is there anything else you would like to add?"

“The brigade commander has explained it in great detail, and I have nothing to add,” Xu Xiaocun replied.

"Then let's break up the meeting."

Chu Zhangang waved his hand and was about to get up when he suddenly heard someone below shout, "Wait a minute, I have some different ideas to share."

Chu Zhangang, who had already raised his buttocks, had no choice but to put them down again. He looked in the direction of the voice and found that it was Hong Yi, the captain of the reconnaissance brigade, who was speaking.

After saying all that, this last act left Chu Zhangang feeling a little annoyed.

Isn't this tantamount to challenging his authority?
However, the reconnaissance battalion is the ace unit of the 909th Brigade and the only remaining regimental-level unit that has not been disbanded, so it occupies an important position in this exercise.

Chu Zhangang must give him sufficient attention.

So he suppressed his emotions and said in as calm a tone as possible, "Captain Hong, let's talk about it then, but it's getting late, so keep it simple."

Chu Zhangang's first half of his statement was a gesture of respect to Hong Yi, while the second half expressed his dissatisfaction.

Hong Yi was in his thirties, the prime of his life, a time when he was most passionate and radical. He sensed the dissatisfaction in Chu Zhangang's tone, but he didn't care.

He continued, "Advancing from three directions simultaneously is like spreading eggs out; it can effectively prevent interception."

But I felt it was too ostentatious, and our combat power was divided into three groups, each tens of kilometers apart, which weakened our overall combat capability.

If one of the routes is attacked, it will be difficult for them to support each other in time. If the enemy deploys a large force, they can easily be defeated one by one.

Hong Yi, as the head of the reconnaissance brigade, is indeed quite capable.

The problem he raised was the drawbacks of splitting up the forces.

However, as the brigade commander, Chu Zhangang's personally researched and formulated tactics were questioned, and in front of everyone, he lost face.

He immediately retorted with great dissatisfaction, "How can it be called being too flamboyant? What do you mean by defeating them one by one?"

Seeing that Chu Zhangang was getting emotional, Xu Xiaocun quickly patted Chu Zhangang's arm to remind him to calm down and not make the situation awkward.

Seeing that Chu Zhangang was so engrossed, Hong Yi smiled helplessly and said nothing more.

Seeing the expression on Hong Yi's face and feeling the reminder from Political Commissar Xu Xiaocun beside him, Chu Zhangang didn't want to be accused of being stubborn.

Forced to suppress his indignation, he looked at Hong Yi expressionlessly and said, "Then tell me, how many groups should we split into?"

"I think it would be best to proceed along two routes, with a distance of 30 to 50 kilometers between them."

Hong Yi remained expressionless, yet showed no fear of Chu Zhangang's pressure as a brigade commander, saying calmly and respectfully, "In this way, even if something happens, cover and support will be very convenient."

Moreover, our forces are more concentrated, so even if the Red Army wanted to cause trouble along the way, they would be hesitant and have reservations.

This also prevents the Red Army from concentrating its superior forces to target and annihilate one of our weak points in defense.

Hong Yi's analysis is entirely correct, and it really hits the nail on the head.

For example, the route transported by rail was staffed with armored battalions, engineer battalions, logistics departments, and field hospitals, with absolutely no air defense measures.

Furthermore, the railways are all located in wide open areas, without a single concealment or cover.

If the 7th Steel Brigade could discover this force and launch a concentrated attack with all the helicopters from the Army Aviation Battalion, they could easily cripple the entire force.

do not forget.

Rail transport differs from road transport; trains must run on tracks. If the tracks in front of the train are blown up while it is traveling at high speed, the train will derail, and the transported equipment and people will be destroyed along with it.

Bombing train tracks with armed helicopters is as easy as Zhang Fei eating bean sprouts.

Without its sole armored battalion, the 909th Brigade would lose its battering ram at the forefront, making it several times more difficult to capture the 535 defense line.

The other two routes also have their own weaknesses, and as long as targeted measures are taken, they can be dealt with just as badly.

However, it is more difficult to handle than railway transportation.

Hong Yi clearly saw the problem and wanted to reduce the three routes to two, and readjust the two routes to effectively avoid the shortcomings of the routes.

If he had encountered a brigade commander like Wang Qingrui, or worked under a chief of staff like Chen Jun.

Hong Yi's words will therefore be taken seriously.

He will also be highly regarded by Chen Jun.

Unfortunately, he was in a traditional division-to-brigade unit, where the hierarchical structure between superiors and subordinates was very pronounced.

A mere lieutenant colonel, the head of a reconnaissance battalion, dared to question a senior colonel, and even publicly overturned his tactics at a meeting.

It was destined to end badly!
"The three-pronged advance was planned in advance. The brigade commander, chief of staff, and I discussed it for a long time. We have considered all of the things you mentioned, and there are definitely no problems. Moreover, the troops have already assembled, and we don't have much time. I think we should not make any changes easily."

Chu Zhangang remained silent with a dark expression, so Political Commissar Xu Xiaocun had to step in as a peacemaker, but his words still sided with Chu Zhangang.

But Hong Yi is indeed very stubborn!

The previous suggestion was not adopted, but Hong Yi did not stop there. Instead, he continued to suggest, "I also think that it is not appropriate to leave behind the motorized infantry battalion."

Okay.

Chu Zhangang made two arrangements, but both were rejected by Hong Yi in public. How could Chu Zhangang, the brigade commander, save face?

"Chi~"

Chu Zhangang was so angry he laughed.

His face, which had already turned dark, turned pale. He stared coldly at Hong Yi and said, "What's wrong with it? Tell me, let me hear your brilliant opinion."

The other battalion commanders and officers above the battalion level present were all adept at understanding human relationships and social dynamics.

Seeing Brigade Commander Chu Zhangang's dark blue face, everyone knew that Chu Zhangang was truly angry this time; if it were them, they would have shut their mouths long ago.

After all, he is the brigade commander, the top leader, and subordinates should at least give him some face.

Hong Yi continued to resist.

Everyone was on tenterhooks for him.

Regardless of whether what Hong Yi said was right or wrong, he was at least a man of true character.

Even with everyone's eyes on him, and some even giving him meaningful glances, he didn't back down at all and continued to say whatever he wanted to say.

"The 1st Motorized Infantry Battalion is the main force of our brigade in mountain warfare. It is best at fighting siege battles and its combat strength is the sum of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions."

This attack targeted the 535 defense line. Although there were only two battalions of the Red Army on the position, other Red Army units could reinforce the position at any time.

Even if the Red Army's battalions and companies lacked training and had poor coordination capabilities, it was still enough to pose a certain threat to our side.

If our brigade does not concentrate its superior forces against the enemy and launch a powerful and rapid offensive, taking advantage of the Red Army's inability to send reinforcements, we can seize the 535 defense line in one fell swoop.

Giving the enemy enough breathing time, taking down the 535 defense line will be no easy task.

Therefore, I believe that one company remaining in place is sufficient; they can be drawn from the Second and Third Battalions. The First Motorized Infantry Battalion, which excels in siege warfare, must participate in the attack.

Hong Yi shared his idea, and everyone present agreed that it made perfect sense.

Chu Zhangang, who had personally spoken with Wang Kezheng in detail and knew how strong the Steel Seventh Brigade's surprise attack capabilities were, was not swayed by Hong Yi's ideas.

He patiently explained, "The chief of staff of the Seventh Steel Brigade is no ordinary person. He never plays by the rules in battle and is most adept at using intrigue and trickery to cut off enemy escape routes."

The headquarters of the 708th Brigade was wiped out, and all its combat supplies were destroyed, all because of the lack of rear defense.

Do you want us to make the same mistake? To give them the opportunity to cut off all our logistical support?

Both Chu Zhangang and Hong Yi made valid points, leaving the group unsure of what to do.

Hong Yi continued to argue with Chu Zhangang, explaining according to his own line of thought: "I think that since they just used this tactic, according to conventional military logic, they shouldn't try to sneak attack our brigade headquarters again."

Moreover, our situation is different from that of the 708th Brigade. The 708th Brigade's base is less than 500 kilometers away from Langshan, so it is not difficult for armed helicopters to carry out a raid.

My brigade is 1,500 kilometers away from Langshan, and the maximum range of our armed helicopters is only 1,000 kilometers.

Unless the armed helicopters dispatched by the 7th Steel Brigade can refuel en route, it will be difficult for them to attack our brigade's base.

It is unwise to assign the strongest motorized infantry battalion to guard the home base for such a slim chance.

Therefore, I still recommend that the 1st Motorized Infantry Battalion participate in the battle.

Hong Yi didn't give Chu Zhangang any face at all, and his analysis was indeed reasonable and well-founded. Even if Chu Zhangang wanted to refute it, he couldn't find a reason for it.

But the pent-up anger inside him only intensified.

This made his expression even uglier!
Seeing that Chu Zhangang couldn't persuade Hong Yi, Xu Xiaocun could only step forward and say, "Captain Hong, you may not know the specifics."

The brigade commander made a special trip to the theater command today to learn about the internal situation from the theater commander.

This decision was made after careful consideration, taking into account the ideological tendencies of the theater commanders and gathering specific information about the 7th Steel Brigade.

This plan may not be the most suitable for combat requirements, but it is certainly the most suitable for this exercise.

Therefore, my opinion is that we shouldn't change the exercise plan anymore. Let's just do as the brigade commander said, and everyone should go and prepare according to the plan.

Xu Xiaocun had already made his point, so even if Hong Yi was stubborn, he had to understand the implications.

Knowing it was impossible, they settled for second best and said with some helplessness, "Since you insist on keeping the 1st Motorized Infantry Battalion here, I have another suggestion that I hope the brigade leadership will consider."

Chu Zhangang secretly breathed a sigh of relief when Hong Yi finally stopped dwelling on those two matters.

He exchanged a glance with Xu Xiaocun, then frowned and asked, "What suggestion do you have? Tell me first?"

Hong Yi had already made some startling remarks tonight, and everyone present was curious about what else he had in mind, so they all focused their attention on him once again. (End of Chapter)