Chinese martial arts! Grandmaster

Nanjing, the Qianwang Mansion.

Chen Jie received military reports from generals such as A Man and Xu Xiaodao almost every day.

Because the intelligence department of Ximentang was equipped with telegraph machines, information could be transmitted very quickly.

Daily battle statistics would be continuously sent to Nanjing.

Therefore,
Chen Jie was very clear about the progress of the war in the Hanzhong area.

He never doubted Aman and Xu Xiaodao's leadership abilities.

However, the difficulties that Ximentang encountered in the Hanzhong area made Chen Jie frown slightly.

in fact,

When Chen Jie learned that the Kwantung Army had actually adopted the "bunker platoon" tactic in the Hanzhong area, he was greatly surprised.

In that other 'urban world', this 'bunker' tactic was specifically used to limit guerrilla warfare and to conduct flanking maneuvers.

This tactic, refined over half a century, remains the most efficient tactic for both positional warfare and siege warfare.

Chen Jie never expected that the Japanese would be able to create the "bunker platoon" tactic decades ahead of time, based on the tactical characteristics of Ximentang.

It seems that the combat capabilities of the Kwantung Army should not be underestimated.

They are highly adaptable to tactics and can develop the best response based on the opponent's style and characteristics.

of course,

If it were simply a matter of breaking the Kwantung Army's 'bunker platoon' tactic, Chen Jie had many ways to do it.

This tactic has a major drawback: it cannot be used for movement.

Furthermore, it is difficult to withstand attacks from heavy weapons, although the thick smoke from the burning perimeter can obstruct the artillery's view.

but,

With the use of an infrared sight and armor-piercing rounds, it is easy to pinpoint and eliminate bunkers.

After all, Ximentang's arsenal is capable of producing armor-piercing shells in an endless stream.

in addition,

The elite troops of Ximentang were equipped with far-infrared sights.

The second method is to use tanks to push forward.

The tank's robust defenses allowed it to ignore the Kwantung Army's heavy machine guns and artillery during an assault, directly destroying bunkers with its main gun.

The Ximentang Tank Legion has already been established.

However, the area within Jiujiang Prefecture is not a plain.

Given the current traffic conditions, the tanks will be moving very slowly once they enter the mountainous area.

Chen Jie has never deployed his tank corps in battle.

His main objective was to use his tank corps to sweep across Northeast China and seize Liaodong.

In addition, Guan Qilin's army stationed on the grasslands will also be a target of the tank legion's attack.

Only on flat terrain can the power of tank corps be maximized.

In mountainous areas and areas with many waterways, the movement of tank corps is restricted.

These two methods are very effective against bunker tactics.

The only drawback is that heavy armor-piercing rounds are not cost-effective.

Heavy armor-piercing projectiles are very expensive to produce and are generally used to attack warships.

Using armor-piercing shells to build cheap bunkers is a waste of money.

In particular, the bunker was surrounded by many sandbags, so a medium armor-piercing shell might not be enough to destroy it; only heavy armor-piercing shells could be used.

Therefore, using armor-piercing rounds is the least cost-effective method.

Moreover, the Japanese army was constantly building bunkers. If armor-piercing shells were used, the more they fought, the greater the losses would be, which would be a losing proposition.

The third method of breaching bunkers in a platoon-like formation is rather cruel.

Sarin gas bomb!
Whenever Ximentang launched an attack on the bunker, the Japanese would burn black smoke around the perimeter to obstruct the artillery's view.

Therefore,
When Simon uses the 'Sarin Gas Bomb', the black smoke spreads outwards, making its destructive power even more terrifying.

This type of poison gas is a restricted weapon; it is a highly toxic neurotoxin that produces a fatal effect on the human nervous system by stimulating muscles and vital organs.

Inhaling sarin gas causes muscles to contract violently and become unable to expand, paralyzes respiratory function, and causes spasms in the internal organs.

Even the entire body can go out of control, and death can occur in just a few minutes from inhalation.

The Simondo military factory has a department that specializes in the research and production of 'biological and chemical weapons'.

Thanks to the various materials Chen Jie brought from the 'Urban World', many restricted weapons have acquired the capability to be produced.

Among them, the 'Sarin gas bomb' was produced by Ximentang because the raw materials were relatively simple.

All along,
Chen Jie didn't really support the production of large quantities of 'poison gas bombs'.

but,

You may not use this, but you must have it.

In special circumstances, a 'poison gas bomb' can instantly silence the enemy.

of course,

Biological weapons should never be used on our own soil.

If it spreads, it will have a devastating impact on the people in the entire region.

Chen Jie's focus is not limited to the Hanzhong region.

What he wanted to do was to recover the entire Northeast and completely drive the Japanese army out of Daqian.

From a holistic perspective, the Hanzhong region is currently attracting a large number of Japanese troops, with 300,000 Kwantung Army soldiers already stationed there.

This is definitely good news for Ximentang's recapture of Northeast China.

in addition,

Chen Jie has already dispatched naval commandos who have infiltrated into the Japanese mainland.

He was waiting to see the progress of the construction of the Third Fleet of the Westminster.

Ever since the last surprise attack on the three major fleets of the East and the breaching of the sea defenses, Chen Jie has been thinking about attacking the East Asian mainland.

Because this is the most important step in destroying the Eastern Empire.

Driving the Kwantung Army out of Northeast China was not Chen Jie's primary objective.

What he wanted was to colonize the Eastern Empire and disarm them.

However, there are too many uncertainties in achieving this.

Leaving aside the question of whether the Russian and Guan Qilin's armies would cooperate with the Japanese to flank Ximentang's army when they were sweeping through Northeast China.

Given the weather conditions in Northeast China, the cold winters make it difficult to predict many battlefield situations in advance.

Chen Jie knew that if he wanted to attack the Japanese Empire's homeland, he had to eliminate all the Kwantung Army's troops stationed on the outskirts.

Otherwise, if they occupied the Japanese mainland, the Japanese overseas legions would lose control, posing an even greater threat to the Great Qian Dynasty.

The Eastern Empire had over a million troops stationed overseas, while its domestic army was relatively small.

Once the overseas legions are out of control, they will launch wave after wave of attacks on the Great Qian Dynasty.

Therefore,
Before attacking the Japanese mainland, the main force of the Kwantung Army must be eliminated.

Next,
Chen Jie sent a telegram to Aman and Xu Xiaodao, instructing them to first ascertain the specific layout of the Kwantung Army's bunkers.

Simultaneously,

He ordered the supply troops to send a batch of medium armor-piercing shells to the Hanzhong battlefield.

Although using 'medium armor-piercing shells' to destroy bunkers is not cost-effective, Chen Jie doesn't care about the cost as long as he can keep the Kwantung Army tied down in Hanzhong.

-

Hanzhong, Yangxin County.

Ximentang retreated to Xianning Prefecture, and after resting, continued to send troops to attack Yangxin County.

This is a crucial military location connecting Xianning Prefecture to Jiujiang; it must be captured.

Although some bunkers were breached during the attack.

but,

Because of the order to "hold out to the death" issued by Daiyama Iwao, the Japanese troops inside all the bunkers resisted very tenaciously and were fearless of death.

Even after the cannons of Ximentang blew open the bunker, the Japanese soldiers inside refused to surrender and fought to the death.

Therefore, the continuous attacks caused Ximentang's casualties to increase rapidly.

The situation in the battle was far from optimistic for Ximentang.

The key issue was that the Kwantung Army had built too many bunkers around Yangxin, and bombing only a few of them had little effect on the overall situation.

in addition,

The number of shells consumed by each bunker was a headache for Aman and Xu Xiaodao.

If this continues, not only will they be unable to defeat the Kwantung Army, but Ximen Tang's attrition will also become unsustainable.

Most importantly, the Kwantung Army was also urgently constructing bunkers along the main route to Jiujiang Prefecture.

After the internal steel plates were used up, wooden planks were used instead of supports, and an additional layer of sandbags was added.

therefore,

Several days after the two sides fought a major battle in Yangxin County, Ximen Tang not only failed to defeat the Kwantung Army's "fortified platoon" tactic, but the Kwantung Army's "fortified" defensive range expanded considerably.

They steadily advanced, building the bunker all the way to the main road connecting Yangxin County to Ruijin County in Jiujiang Prefecture.

The Kwantung Army had more than three hundred bunkers.

The entire Yangxin County was transformed into an impregnable fortress by the Kwantung Army's bunker tactics.

If Ximentang wants to open up the passage from Jiujiang Prefecture to Xianning and form a connection with Jinling, he must concentrate his forces and take Yangxin County.

Another option is to abandon Yangxin County, retreat to Xianning Prefecture, and then directly attack Ezhou Prefecture.

but,

Regardless of the tactical choice, Yangxin County, a strategically important location, must be captured; otherwise, Ximentang will be at a disadvantage in the upcoming battles.

Based on the current situation...

Even if Ximentang remains inactive in Xianning Prefecture, the Kwantung Army will likely build fortifications around Xianning Prefecture.

If Xianning Prefecture were trapped by the bunkers, it would be in a very passive position.

Just when Aman and Xu Xiaodao were feeling extremely troubled, the second batch of supply troops from Jinling arrived.

A smile appeared on Ah Man's face when he saw the 'medium armor-piercing shell'.

He immediately ordered the concentration of 50,000 elite troops to directly capture Yangxin County and completely shatter the Kwantung Army's "bunker company and platoon" tactics.

In this major battle, Ximen Tang took the lead and launched a fierce attack on the Kwantung Army.

Three days later.

Xu Xiaodao's artillery regiment, with fifty improved 80mm caliber field guns and three thousand mortars, entered the battle.

Infrared targeting enables precise long-range bombing.

Most importantly, the 'medium armor-piercing shell' is significantly more powerful when precisely targeted by the 'horizontal firing field gun'.

The 'flat-fire field gun' is similar to the Japanese field gun, but there are significant differences in caliber and power.

Its cannon is at an angle of less than 45 degrees, and it fires horizontally. Although the range is short, the angle of the parabola is small, so it can almost achieve no blind spots.

The bunker was built very sturdily and could withstand attacks from ordinary artillery.

but,

Under the attack of medium armor-piercing shells, and with the precise aim of 'horizontal field guns'.

Even with the surrounding area shrouded in thick smoke, the bunker became a fixed target.

Since armor-piercing shells were only used to break through the outer defenses, once they exploded, the Japanese army would be met with a barrage of ordinary artillery fire.

In general,

A bunker can be completely destroyed by a maximum of three medium armor-piercing shells.

Immediately afterwards, mortars rained down like a meteor shower, accompanied by incendiary bombs, engulfing the collapsed bunker.

The first wave of attacks breached twenty bunkers with armor-piercing shells.

quickly,

The artillery barrage sent sand and dust flying everywhere, and the Japanese soldiers hiding in the bunkers had no chance to escape.

Once the bunker is destroyed, a single incendiary bomb can completely ignite the interior.

The soldiers of Ximentang kept a great distance, at least three kilometers away, and did not make contact with the Japanese army at all.

After the first round of bombing, advance 300 meters and conduct the second round of bombing.

Proceed step by step, pressing forward relentlessly!
Despite the strict orders issued by Daiyama Iwao, all Japanese soldiers stationed in the bunkers were required to fight to the death against Nishimon-do.

but,

After medium armor-piercing shells and field guns were deployed to the battlefield.

The tactic of bunkers being linked together was completely broken.

Without the cover of the bunkers, the Kwantung Army soldiers became cannon fodder, without even a chance to fight back.

therefore,

After the first round of shelling, the outermost twenty bunkers were quickly destroyed by Ximentang.

Most of the Kwantung Army soldiers who held their positions in the bunkers were killed in action, but some scattered individuals managed to escape before the incendiary bombs fell.

At this point, the drawbacks of the "bunker platoon" tactic quickly became apparent.

We can't leave!
Once the heavy firepower begins its attack, the bunker can only passively take hits.

After breaching the outermost bunker, Ximentang's army advanced 300 meters and continued their attack on the row of bunkers, following the same rhythm as the first round.

It still uses 'medium armor-piercing shells' and 'horizontal field guns'.

They swept through the enemy lines, unstoppable!

The continuous artillery barrage destroyed more than a dozen bunkers in one fell swoop.

then,

In less than an hour, a huge gap was torn in the 'bunker platoon' meticulously constructed by the Kwantung Army on the outskirts of Yangxin County.

After Ximentang stormed into the area of ​​the row of bunkers, he was almost unharmed.

Because they used 'medium armor-piercing shells' for targeted elimination, coupled with heavy artillery bombardment and incendiary shells following in tandem.

Therefore,
Very few Kwantung Army soldiers survived.

Even if they were lucky enough to survive, they would have no way to escape under the cover of artillery fire.

therefore,

In just over an hour, Ximentang had already arrived in Yangxin County.

Next,
Xu Xiaodao's artillery regiment launched an attack on the two huge turrets.

These two turrets were the main targets of Ximentang's attack, serving as a hub and supply depot for the surrounding small bunkers.

Once these two turrets are breached, it will be equivalent to completely destroying the "row of bunkers" in Yangxin County.

According to the plan that Aman and Xu Xiaodao had discussed beforehand.

Once these two turrets are breached, this place will become an important stronghold for Ximentang after he occupies Yangxin County.

After all the surrounding bunkers are captured, they can be rebuilt and garrisoned by the new army of the Daqian Ministry of War. This would effectively defeat the Kwantung Army's "bunker platoon" tactic and break through the Kwantung Army's defenses.

Boom! Boom! Boom!
As dozens of medium armor-piercing shells roared deafeningly, they concentrated their fire on one of the turrets.

Sand and gravel flew everywhere, and the ground shook.

Many sandbags were smashed to pieces, and one side of the entire turret collapsed from the blast.

The power of the armor-piercing projectile was on full display at this moment.

at the same time,

Ximentang's ordinary cannons and incendiary bombs opened fire fiercely from the breach created by the blast.

The artillery regiment, with over two hundred mortars, launched a fierce attack on the two turrets.

The Kwantung Army soldiers stationed inside the gun turrets displayed remarkable tenacity at this moment.

They were fearless and refused to yield an inch.

but,

Faced with overwhelming firepower, no matter how brave one acts, it will only increase casualties.

Da da—da da—!
Explosions, machine gun fire, bombs, cries, and shouts mingled together.

Chaos erupted inside both turrets! (End of Chapter)