Sword: Heart of Iron

Chapter 158 I didn’t lose, why are you judging me?

Zhao Fangyuan crouched and ran into the command post, his boots still stained with mud: "Sir, the Fourth Column requests heavy artillery support!"

Wang Feng looked at the time - 16:23.

"The enemy planes are still in the sky. If we launch a fire attack now, it will expose the coordinates of the artillery group."

"Let Chu Yunfei wait for another two hours!"

Zhao Fangyuan: "The enemy tanks are coming. Without heavy artillery to stop them, I'm afraid we won't be able to hold our position!"

Wang Feng subconsciously switched the perspective to the bird's-eye view, extended his vision forward, and dense red dots came into view. Zooming in, he saw more than a dozen Type 94 tanks covering the infantry and slowly approaching their own positions.

Pull the perspective back again.

It is not difficult to see from the military badge that there are only four infantry battalions holding on to the front battlefield.

Zhao Fangyuan swallowed his saliva and said, "Sir, the four anti-tank guns are all in the First Column. The Japanese army is on the front battlefield, using ground forces and aircraft to launch an offensive. There is also a cavalry regiment on the flank. It is not difficult for the Fourth Column to hold on, but the losses will probably be great, which will affect subsequent operations!"

Wang Feng frowned and looked up at the planes flying across the sky.

"Take down all the anti-aircraft machine guns and deploy them to the front battlefield!" He thought of a solution, "Lay the gun barrels flat and fire at the Japanese tanks."

The thickest armor of the Type 12 tank is no more than 6.5 mm, and it is difficult to penetrate it with 13.2 mm rifle bullets. However, in front of mm armor-piercing bullets, it is as thin as a piece of paper.

Zhao Fangyuan was stunned: "Good idea! Sir, it's a good idea. We only have four anti-machine guns, which can't block the airspace at all. We might as well lay them flat and use them!"

Wang Feng waved his hand: "Hurry up and give the order!"

Zhao Fangyuan saluted: "Yes!"

------

On the frontal battlefield.

Chu Yunfei looked anxious and turned to look at his adjutant: "Is the explosive pack ready?"

Sun Ming was in a heavy mood and nodded: "Brothers are ready."

Chu Yunfei sighed: "First, use the Type 92 infantry gun to fire a round. If there are fish that slip through the net, then send in the death squad."

As a general, he naturally does not want to watch his soldiers die together with the enemy.

After the reorganization of the troops, the artillery battalions under the column were uniformly equipped with Japanese-made Type 94 mountain guns or domestically produced Type 27 mountain guns.

The Type 92 infantry gun was directly equipped to the infantry battalion.

Sun Ming responded and was about to walk out of the command post when the phone on the table rang.

Chu Yunfei frowned and grabbed the microphone: "Hello! I'm Chu Yunfei from the Fourth Column!"

A voice came from the phone: "Hello, this is Zhao Fangyuan from the General Staff."

Upon hearing that it was the Chief of the General Staff, Chu Yunfei stood at attention and said, "The Fourth Column is still holding its position. Please give instructions!"

Zhao Fangyuan: "Listen carefully, we have a total of four anti-aircraft machine guns, all deployed to the front line of your Fourth Column. Commander, lay the machine guns flat and shoot at the enemy tanks!"

"Did you hear that?"

Chu Yunfei was overjoyed: "Yes, sir!"

After hanging up the phone, he looked at Sun Ming who was standing beside him and said, "Let the suicide squad members withdraw and send the anti-aircraft machine gun team up!"

Sun Ming frowned and scratched his head: "Anti-aircraft machine gun?"

Chu Yunfei stood next to the observation hole and looked at the battlefield ahead. The engine sound of the Type 94 tank became clearer and clearer.

"Yes, just use anti-aircraft machine guns to fire!"

"Go down and get ready!"

He was fortunate enough to observe the heavy machine gun testing.

He still remembers vividly the bullets, which were almost as thick as a stack of Yuan Datou coins.

(.50 is 12.7mm in diameter, 13.2mm is a bit thicker.)
After a round of gunfire, the thick concrete wall suddenly collapsed, and the target hidden behind it was also smashed to pieces.

The Japanese Type 94 tank simply could not withstand such tremendous power.

boom--

On the battlefield, more than a dozen Type 92 infantry guns opened fire, and the dull sound temporarily suppressed the sound of the tank engines.

The grenades landed around the tank, and the shock wave spread in all directions, causing the vehicle body to tremble.
"Dodge! Dodge!" the Japanese tank commander shouted hurriedly towards the cab.

This was the first time the 16th Division had engaged the garrison, but before this, the rest of the troops had tried to use captured infantry artillery to attack tanks.

Both sides gained experience in the battle.

Over time, the Japanese tank soldiers also figured out a set of countermeasures.

The Type 94 tank has weak armor, but the positive effect is that it is very light and has decent maneuverability. As long as it turns from time to time, it can effectively avoid being hit by artillery fire.

After all, it is not easy to adjust the shooting angle of artillery.

The tank driver only needs to push the joystick down.

This puts the infantry behind them in a difficult position.

But how could the noble tank soldiers care about these?

"idiot!"

"How did you drive the car? Did the tank soldier drink?"

As soon as the Type 94 tank at the front turned its body, it was unanimously cursed by the infantry.

On the fourth column position.

An infantry artillery team is busy working.

The squad leader shouted hurriedly: "Hurry up and put the shells in!"

"preparation!"

Suddenly a voice interrupted the command: "Squad leader, the Japanese tanks are moving!"

The squad leader frowned and immediately put the telescope in front of his eyes.

Inside the telescope, a Type 94 tank suddenly shifted fifteen degrees to the left and left the firing range of the infantry gun.

"Damn it, the Japs have really learned their lesson!"

"Move the gun quickly!"

The artilleryman gripped the handle tightly and spun the wheel rapidly.

"Hurry! Hurry!" The squad leader was anxious and kept urging.

Da da da--

Suddenly, there was a burst of intensive and deafening gunfire from the position.

The artillery squad leader looked in the direction of the gunshot and saw a twin-mounted anti-aircraft machine gun on a position not far away, spraying flames and firing bullets frantically forward.

The squad leader was shocked: "Oh my god! Isn't this an anti-aircraft machine gun?"

Machine guns were rare in the National Army, let alone super-large-caliber anti-aircraft machine guns, which had never been seen before.

Most soldiers' knowledge of this weapon is still on paper.

What else can an anti-aircraft machine gun do besides air defense?

The new recruit beside him blinked and said, "Squad leader, all the parameters have been adjusted."

The squad leader came to his senses: "Ready!"

"Fire!"

After the gunshots rang out, there were still sporadic infantry artillery fire on the position.

But the dominance of the battlefield has completely shifted to the hands of the "air defense" forces.

"Bullets! Bullets! Hurry up!" The machine gunner sat on the chair, opening and closing his eyes, close to the aiming instrument.

The Changzhi 1938 anti-aircraft machine gun has a firing rate of only 400 rounds per minute, which is very low on paper.

But it doesn’t matter. If the firing rate is not enough, we can make up for it with quantity.

The twin-mount design makes up for the disadvantage of low rate of fire to the greatest extent.

The loader carried an ammunition belt and ran to the anti-aircraft machine gun magazine in small steps.

"This bullet shell is so damn hot my feet!" The loader couldn't help but complain softly.

The soldiers feel proud to be able to use domestically produced machine guns. They can shoot without any worries and no longer have to save ammunition. They feel more confident!

But there was one bad thing: the shell that had just been ejected from the bolt was extremely hot to the feet, and I was wearing cloth shoes, which had very poor heat insulation effect.

Due to the continuous and crazy shooting, a large number of bullet casings soon accumulated around the machine gun.

It's really a bit untenable
After reloading the ammunition, the machine gunner swallowed, gritted his teeth and continued shooting.

The Japanese tanks were gradually approaching, but judging from the results of the range measurement, they were still about one kilometer away.

In the absence of optical sights, shooting at this distance requires pure faith to hit the target, but under targeted and intensive strafing, there will always be a few "lucky ones".

"Quick! Prepare the ammunition!"

The machine gunner turned his head and yelled at the top of his lungs.

Inside the command post.

Wang Feng always observes the battlefield situation through the three-dimensional combat map.

The nearest anti-aircraft team has been deployed to the battlefield, and the anti-aircraft machine guns are extremely effective in killing people when they are leveled!

Using anti-material weapons to attack ordinary soldiers can only be described as inhumane.

From a bird's-eye view.

Dense bullets flew through the air and hit the front armor of the Type 94 tank.

boom--

Unlike the dot-like mark left by the 6.5mm bullet, the 13.2mm bullet directly created a dent and emitted a muffled sound after hitting the target.

The shooting continued.

After being hit by more than ten rounds of continuous shooting, the front armor of a Type 94 tank was riddled with holes and the vehicle body began to swing wildly and uncontrollably.

Wang Feng was stunned for a moment, then he suddenly realized.

The bullet must have penetrated the armor and hit the crew inside.

The fate of the surrounding infantry was not much better.

Although the machine gunner tried his best to aim at the Japanese tank when shooting, the trajectory was severely deviated, and it was inevitable that innocent people would be affected.

From Wang Feng’s perspective, a Japanese soldier was hit in the left thigh by a 13.2mm bullet and fell to the ground wailing.

"My legs! My legs!"

The pain came a little later, and the Japanese soldier continued to struggle on the ground.

Wang Feng raised his eyebrows.

The power was indeed strong. Only one bullet was enough to smash the affected part into pieces, and half of the thigh disappeared.

"Lower the anti-aircraft guns, military court!" Wang Feng smiled and recalled a famous military meme from his previous life.

“Martial Court.”

"I didn't lose the battle, why are you judging me?"

Within the field of vision, a second anti-aircraft machine gun joined the battlefield. The two machine guns formed a horn with each other, forming a huge firepower network in front of their own position.

The power of the anti-aircraft machine gun when it is laid horizontally is indeed amazing, but it always feels like something is missing.

"It would be great if there were small-caliber anti-aircraft artillery." Wang Fengyi exited the bird's-eye view and pondered in his heart.

The technology has been unlocked, and research and development is being stepped up. I believe we will see results soon.

Zhao Fangyuan walked in holding a telegram tightly: "Sir, the 7th and 8th columns have arrived at the Yongcheng front line!"

Wang Feng turned around and asked: "Third, what is the movement of the Ninth Division?"

Zhao Fangyuan shook his head: "It is still unknown at the moment."

"But another piece of news came from the Fifth War Zone Headquarters. The 107th Division, which had originally planned to head north to Xuzhou along the Jinpu Road, suddenly changed direction and headed straight for Yongcheng."

Wang Feng was shocked.

Another division coming?
Zhao Fangyuan: "If the news is correct, the Seventh and Eighth Column may have to face three Japanese divisions at the same time."

Wang Feng's heartstrings suddenly tensed up and he felt vaguely uneasy.

There were nearly 100,000 Japanese troops in three divisions.
The 7th and 8th columns were the weakest line-filling troops, and their combined size was equivalent to that of a Type A division of the Japanese Army.

It is possible to stop two divisions in a short period of time if we grit our teeth.

But if there is one more division, that may not be the case.

Wang Feng thought for a moment and said, "Send a message to Yu Xuezhong. We must hold on for more than a week no matter what!"

"After we take care of the 16th Division, the 1st Column will allocate some of its forces to support him southward!"

Zhao Fangyuan: “Yes!”

Wang Feng: "Also, have Kong Zhiyong's Third Column be prepared. If the situation takes a turn for the worse, immediately leave Changzhi to the east and assist the Second Column in occupying Puyang as quickly as possible!"

After the reorganization of the troops, he thought he had sufficient manpower.

But when it comes to actually being deployed, I still feel a little stretched.

------

Yongcheng.

Yu Xuezhong frowned, "Knowing that our troops were coming to stop them, the Japanese army voluntarily gave up Yongcheng. It seems that they want to catch us all here!"

Zhou Guanglie nodded: "The Japanese are very cunning. With their intelligence capabilities, they must be aware of the current situation."

"In the entire Fifth War Zone, no troops were evacuated from the Longhai Line at all."

"But despite this, we are still rushing north at all costs. The purpose is obvious. Our garrison is the first target for encirclement and annihilation!"

"Sir, according to the order of the General Staff, I suggest that our two columns not go anywhere and hold Yongcheng firmly like a nail."

"If the Japs dare to come, we will deploy defenses in the city and engage in street fighting!"

Zhou Guanglie pointed at the map, his eyes full of determination.

After the reorganization of the 51st Army, the 113th Division and the 114th Division became the th and th Column respectively.

The column commander is still the original division commander.

Yu Xuezhong was promoted to the general command post and served as Wang Feng's deputy.

Mou Zhongheng nodded, his tone somewhat excited: "Brother Zhou is right, the Japanese army voluntarily gave up Yongcheng, just to annihilate us here in one fell swoop."

"Then let's just give them a taste of their own medicine and fight the Japanese devils in the streets with the help of Yongcheng, and wear them down here!"

Yu Xuezhong frowned even more tightly: "Hold your troops still for now, and immediately submit the battle plan to the General Staff in the form of a telegram."

The order Wang Feng gave was very simple - to block the enemy heading north in the Yongcheng area.

How to fight, when to fight, and what tactics to adopt were all left to Yu Xuezhong to decide.

He only cares about the result, not the process.

However, entering Yongcheng, actively jumping into the encirclement, and stopping the enemy through street fighting was too radical and risky.

It is said that a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall.
Zhou Guanglie sighed: "Our two columns have only more than 30,000 people at most, but what about the Japanese army?"

"Two full divisions!"

"We have heavy artillery, tanks, and aircraft for cover, and the area is flat. There is no other way except street fighting!"

Everyone knows their own difficulties. In this situation, Yu Xuezhong could not think of any other solution.

"Although the army has been restructured, I heard from people in other columns that they all call us the 'Northeast Column' and say some sarcastic things behind our backs, saying that our Northeast soldiers can only passively resist and retreat."

"Regarding this matter, I just want to say one thing. During the meeting, the commander repeatedly emphasized that our garrison is a whole, and any behavior that is not conducive to unity is prohibited within the garrison!"

"I know you are angry, but hold it in. Take it out on the battlefield and kill more devils for our brothers to see!"

Zhou and Mou clasped their heels together and saluted: "Yes!"

Yu Xuezhong: "Go down and get ready!"

After saying that, the two of them hurriedly left the command post.

(End of this chapter)