Sword: Heart of Iron

Chapter 97 Snowstorm Chihe Town
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Snowflakes were flying and the wind was cold. Wang Feng squinted his eyes and picked up the telescope.

In the field of view through the telescope, the shit-yellow uniforms of the Japanese army appeared under the ice and snow.

The Japanese soldiers attacked in a dispersed formation and slowly approached.

The perspective switched to the bird's-eye view of the map, where a row of dense red dots suddenly appeared, moving towards their own position at an extremely fast speed.

It's the enemy's aviation formation!

Zoom in.

Six Type 97s were severely exploded, and more than ten fighter jets were carrying bombs.

Snowy and windy days would affect aircraft operations, but the arrogant Japanese no longer cared about that. In their eyes, the Chinese army that had lost its capital was no different from a piece of paper.

The top priority is to open up the Jinpu Line as soon as possible and completely destroy China's will to resist.

Wang Feng turned back to the command post and picked up the phone: "I want Chu Yunfei's troops!"

After two busy tones, a voice came from the other end of the phone: "Sir! Our troops are ready for battle!"

The entire defense line stretches for eight or nine kilometers along the west bank of the Chi River.

Only the direction of Chihe Town was guarded by two battalions under the First "Red Flag" Mountain Tactical Corps, and the rest of the front was under the charge of Chu Yunfei's troops.

Wang Feng: "Japanese fighter planes are approaching, prepare for defense immediately!"

"Without my order, you are absolutely not allowed to let the Japanese invaders cross the river!"

Chu Yunfei said without hesitation: "Please rest assured, sir. Even if all the troops are killed, I will carry a gun to fill the line and will never let the Japanese cross the Chi River!"

After hanging up the phone, Wang Feng walked quickly to the observation hole.

Zhao Fangyuan followed behind: "Sir, should we bombard the Japanese army?"

Wang Feng waved his hand: "Wait a little longer, we don't have many shells left."

Although the Battle of Kashiwagi Inflicted heavy damage on the Japanese army, it consumed a large amount of weapons and ammunition.

The shells for mortars, mountain artillery and infantry guns are easy to replenish, but 105mm grenades are not easy to get.

There were not many Japanese troops equipped with such large-caliber heavy artillery, and each of them was elite and a tough nut to crack.

In Wang Feng's opinion, instead of waiting for the next seizure, it is better to pin hope on self-production.

Maybe it would be easier to make your own.
Zhao Fangyuan nodded, thinking that what his superior said made sense.

Good days cannot be enjoyed in one day.

hum!
The Japanese air force was gradually approaching, and the buzzing sound echoed throughout the west bank of the Chi River.

New soldiers are afraid of cannons, and old soldiers are afraid of machine guns.

The buzzing sound in the ears was like the enemy's war drums. The louder the sound, the more nervous the recruits became.

Fortunately, the veteran beside him was calm enough and held the situation.

The veterans of the First "Red Flag" Mountain Tactical Corps and Chu Yunfei's Reserve Tactical Corps had all experienced the baptism of Japanese bombers and played a role in calling for action at critical moments.

"Quick! Take cover!"

"Keep down, don't get up!"

Within the headquarters.

Wang Feng also lowered his body as much as possible, immersing his consciousness in the three-dimensional battle map.

The focus was not on the impending bombing.

It is wishful thinking to want to destroy the entire Chihe defense line with just an air formation.

On the Asian battlefield, the weight of the air force is far less than that of the infantry or even the armored forces.

Japan's strategic resources were limited and it could not afford to carry out carpet-style air raids. The Chihe defense line was very long and there were no high-value fixed strongholds. It was also snowing and windy, so it was impossible to carry out precise strikes like large-caliber artillery.

Airmen can sit at the same table with dogs.

From a bird's-eye view.

They stationed themselves in an area two to three hundred meters east of the Chi River, waiting for the bombing by fighter planes to end before launching an infantry charge.

On the map, Wang Feng noticed several 'special units'.

Unlike the 'little red dots' that symbolize infantry, these 'special units' are triangles.

Zoom in.

Wang Feng frowned: "Type 94 tank?"

There are roughly four vehicles in front of Chihe Town, and about twenty vehicles on the north and south sides.

That’s quite a lot!

Wang Feng was shocked: "These damned Japanese are really smart!"

"They actually deployed the main force of the tank unit to the flank battlefield."

Theoretically speaking, the river channel in Magang and Sanheji where the 31st Army is stationed is narrow, and it is closer to Bengbu, an important town on the Jinpu Line. Therefore, setting it as the main attack direction is the best choice.

But the Japanese army also knew that the 31st Army was a tough nut to crack.

If they wanted to cross the river in the short term, they would inevitably suffer heavy casualties, so they did the opposite and placed the main force in the Chihe Town line.

It is obvious that they are sure that the troops deployed here are not the elite main force.

Wang Feng: "Tian Ji's horse race"

"Notify the anti-tank guns and prepare for battle! Don't fire blindly, listen to the instructions!"

Zhao Fangyuan nodded: "Yes!"

The Japanese Type 3.5 ultra-light tank has a combat weight of only about 4 tons and an armor thickness of 12 to mm.

This level of tank is euphemistically called an ultra-light tank. If it were placed on the European battlefield, it would barely be on par with a half-track personnel carrier.

I remember that in the Pacific battlefield, we were beaten badly by the US military and were unable to take on the task of breaking through the front line. We could only move to the rear and serve as second-line transport vehicles.

The Americans had no anti-tank weapons to deal with the Type 2 tank, but they could set it on fire with a single salvo from the M Browning heavy machine gun.

On the contrary, it is such a tank that can still dominate the battlefield in China. Its extremely light combat weight has even become an advantage, and it can adapt to most road conditions in the country.

hum!
In just a moment, the Japanese air force flew overhead, the bomb bay opened, and bombs fell like dumplings.

A small part of it fell into the river, creating waves that soared into the sky.
Only about half of the bombs exploded within the position.

The snowflakes were engulfed by the powerful shock wave, and the flames of the explosion rose in the snow curtain.

After the smoke cleared, the snow on the ground had melted away, leaving only charred soil and broken rocks.

Wang Feng stood up and shook off the dirt and debris on his body: "Notify all troops to prepare for a counterattack!"

"Pay attention to protecting the flank positions and beware of the enemy's detour!"

"Engineers, check the telephone lines immediately!"

The detailed tactics of the Japanese army could not be hidden from him at all, as he could see them clearly from the bird's-eye view.

It’s still the same old routine, a feint attack from the front and placing the main force on both sides for outflanking.

East bank of Chi River.

The Japanese army began to attack, and the wind and snow affected the shooting vision of soldiers on both sides.

This is a good opportunity for Wang Feng.

The soldiers pulled the cold bolts of their guns and fought back with all their might. The bridge had been blown up, and the Japanese army could only cross the river by boat or build a pontoon bridge under the bullets.

Boat crossing is unlikely.

Against the backdrop of a scorched earth war, the 31st Army had destroyed all the river boats upstream and downstream of the Chi River.

The surrounding towns were not spared either.

Even if the Japanese army searched the entire Chuzhou, they would not be able to find ten ships.

In desperation, they had to build a floating bridge.

At the Japanese position, officers personally commanded the battle.

"Artillery fire cover!"

"One round of shooting, fire!"

boom!
The moment the shell left the gun, smoke burst out from the muzzle.

Bullets flew across the sky and landed on one point.

Since they chose to build a pontoon bridge, the Japanese army would not be stupid enough to stand on the other side and serve as targets.

Mortars, mountain cannons, and grenade launchers worked together, and in a moment the intensive artillery fire blew a gap in the defense line.

"Quick! Move quickly!"

"idiot!"

"Cover! Kill them!"

From a bird's-eye view, Wang Feng's attention was instantly drawn to it.

Then start micromanagement immediately.

He picked up the phone on the table and said, "I want the mountain artillery!" Zizi~
On the other end of the phone: "Sir!"

Wang Feng: "Move the artillery position forward 500 meters immediately, quickly!"

"I want a reply in fifteen minutes!"

There was no hesitation on the other end of the phone: "Yes, sir!"

"Quick, the commander ordered us to move our position forward 500 meters!"

Wang Feng hung up the phone and immediately called a messenger to pass the detailed coordinates of the Japanese artillery position to the mountain artillery battalion.

The Japanese troops in the southern section of the Jinpu Road were transferred from Beijing and Shanghai, and it is very likely that they had deployed large-caliber heavy artillery. In order to ensure the safety of his own artillery units, he deliberately placed the artillery units backwards.

The heavy artillery units cannot show up, otherwise they will suffer heavy losses if they attract bombing by Japanese fighter planes.

Fifteen minutes later.

The mountain artillery brigade arrived at the designated location on time.

Determine the coordinates, correct the parameters, open the breech block, and load ammunition.

In the snow, the soldier who started the battle held a short-handled flag and shouted loudly.

"three!"

"two!"

"one!"

"emission!"

The command flag in his hand fell, the artilleryman pulled the fuse, and the moment the shell was fired, the gun carriage shook backwards, raising a cloud of snow.

"Keep loading!"

"Prepare!"

The Japanese army's mountain artillery units made the frontline positions their primary target.

Our own mountain artillery battalion will make destroying the enemy's artillery its top priority.

After all, not everyone is like Wang Feng, who has the omniscience of God.

It is simply the biggest cheat in artillery battles.

Even when facing a 105mm howitzer or even a larger caliber howitzer, as long as it is within the range, it is certain to kill the enemy with one shot.

Wang Feng immediately changed his perspective and followed behind the shell.

It flew through the wind and snow, drew a parabola in the air, and landed directly on the Japanese artillery position.

In an instant, the entire position was ablaze with color, and the gun mount was engulfed in flames.

The Japanese commander who went to the battlefield in person was not spared. A shell landed at his feet and he was instantly knocked down by the shock wave.

From a bird's-eye view.

After the smoke cleared, Wang Feng observed the entire position. The coordinates provided were very accurate, and six 75mm grenades landed accurately in the target area.

Only a handful of Japanese soldiers survived the explosion site.

Wang Feng noticed the Japanese commander and zoomed in to confirm whether he was dead or not.

Blood was flowing slowly from the top of his head, half of his face was burnt and burnt, and he was lying on the ground, breathing in more than out.

Look at the logo on the officer's chest.

Still a wing captain.

Wang Feng was secretly surprised.

He was the second Japanese officer to die from precise artillery bombardment after Morimoto Ichiro in the Battle of Kashiwagi.

It is estimated that until his death, he would never understand how the enemy discovered his artillery position.

I guess when they get to Amaterasu, he and Iichiro Morimoto will have a lot of common topics.

In just a dozen seconds, the Japanese soldiers who survived the first round had just managed to stand firm.

The violent shock wave made my head feel a little dizzy, and before I could recover, the second round of shelling came.

The artillery position was completely destroyed.

On both sides of the Chi River.

For the Japanese army that lost its artillery support, building a pontoon bridge became extremely difficult.

Chu Yunfei and Zhang Hu had seen through the Japanese army's intentions and ordered their troops to fight back desperately.

The Japanese army gained a foothold on the other side of the Chi River, and a brutal tug-of-war began between the two sides.

At the same time, Chihe Town flank.

At one point the river is less than seventy meters wide.

The Japanese army decided to break through the flank here.

After noticing the unusual movements of the Japanese army, Wang Feng immediately issued an order to draw out a mountain tactical battalion from the reserve, led by Wu Guangsheng, to wait for the enemy to tire themselves out.

Half an hour after the bombing.

Five or six hundred Japanese troops appeared on the east bank of the Chi River.

Wu Guangsheng led his soldiers to ambush in the reed marsh.

The wind and snow were strong and the vision was obstructed.

The Japanese soldiers who made a flanking move mistakenly thought that there was no defense at this place and were overjoyed.

"Cross the river!"

"Send a message to Captain Iida, our troops are building a pontoon bridge here!"

The Japanese captain issued a series of orders and turned his head to look at the west bank of the Chi River, as if he saw military merit waving to him.

"Cross the river quickly!"

Wu Guangsheng led his troops to lie on the snow, looking coldly at the Japanese troops in front of them without saying a word.

He is biding his time.

An opportunity to kill all the Japanese devils.

It was quiet all around, and the Japanese soldiers also felt that there was no defense on the other side of the river.

The imperial army was invincible and the Chinese army was already overwhelmed with defending the front battlefield. How could it have extra troops to deploy here?

Not being scared away is impressive.

The commander of the brigade said that if we continue at this pace, we will reach Xuzhou in one month and occupy Wuhan in another month.

You can go back to China to see the cherry blossoms in early April!
At that time, the spoils captured in Nanjing will be brought back to their hometown as a symbol of the honor of military exploits.

Just thinking about it makes me feel so honored!
"well!"

Thinking of this, the Japanese soldiers worked much faster.

In order to facilitate the subsequent tank and artillery units to cross the river, the pontoon bridge was built very wide, and two or three hundred Japanese soldiers were busy.

When the gun was halfway set up, Wu Guangsheng narrowed his eyes, pulled the bolt, and said in a cold voice: "Fire!"

"Grenade launcher! Blow up the bridge for me!"

The sound of gunfire rang out from the reed marsh. The Japanese soldiers on the pontoon bridge shuddered and subconsciously wanted to draw their guns and fight back.

The grenadier crouched down and fired the grenade based purely on the feel of his hands without any careful aiming.

On the half-broken floating bridge, the Japanese soldiers reacted immediately and turned around to retreat to the river bank, but unfortunately it was too late.

Under the coverage of grenades, half of the pontoon bridge was destroyed in an instant.

The Japanese soldiers who stayed above fell into the river.

The river water was icy cold and the Japanese soldiers struggled to crawl to the shore, but how could Wu Guangsheng miss this good opportunity?

"Hit me!"

"Hit those in the river first! Don't let those damn Japs get away!"

The soldiers turned their guns and aimed at the Japanese soldiers struggling in the water.

The machine gun fired bullets, causing splashes on the water.

The blood dyed the Chi River red. The Japanese soldiers who fell into the water couldn't even pick up their guns to fight back and could only allow themselves to be killed.

The extremely low temperature in the river and the intense exercise caused him to quickly lose temperature and he soon lost his strength.

The sound of bullets passing by my ears drowned out the sound of water splashing.

Seeing the floating corpses beside them and the blood floating in the water, the Japanese soldiers, knowing that they could not get ashore, were extremely terrified and struggled in vain.

"idiot."

This group of devils who had invaded Nanjing finally experienced the feeling of being unarmed and being slaughtered at will.

(End of this chapter)