Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

During the day today, because the Japanese blocked the firing ports of the concrete fortifications, the napalm bombs had limited effect on the concrete fortifications.

Chu Yunfei's original plan to clear the outer fortifications today was not completed.

However, besides napalm bombs, Li Yunlong also had a trump card for dealing with concrete fortifications.

In fact, Li Yunlong's heavy howitzer unit had already tried this in northwestern Shanxi, building their own concrete fortifications and conducting a large number of live-fire exercises and simulated combat training.

The 203mm howitzer, equipped with chromium-vanadium alloy projectiles and special fin-stabilized shells, destroyed all of the Japanese army's concrete fortifications.

The attack a few days ago did not use 203mm howitzers because heavy howitzers are not mobile and have not yet reached the front line.

Following Li Yunlong's order, the heavy howitzer battalion, which had just arrived in Guoxian County, was moved overnight to the front line in Xinxian County.

early morning.

Before dawn.

Chu Yunfei then summoned all the battalion commanders to the command post for a meeting to discuss today's attack plan.

"Commander, give our Second Battalion another chance. We will definitely clear the outer defenses of Xin County today."

The speaker was Lin Zhiqiang, whose Second Battalion of the Independent Brigade had more than 2000 men, equivalent to a regiment.

In yesterday's attack, the Second Battalion suffered more than 300 casualties due to limited air support, but managed to capture eight concrete fortifications.

However, there are still more than 100 concrete construction projects outside Xinxian County.

From the day concrete fortifications were invented, they became synonymous with permanent fortifications, making them extremely difficult to conquer.

Even the German army, facing the Maginot Line, could only avoid its main force and attack from the Ardennes Forest.

Given the strength of the German army, it's not that they couldn't break through the Maginot Line, but the casualties would be too great.

Chu Yunfei's tone left no room for doubt: "Your Second Battalion will withdraw and reorganize first. Today, the First Battalion will continue the attack. There are even tougher battles to come. We'll see how your Second Battalion performs."

Although the Second Battalion did not have a smooth battle yesterday, its overall casualties were much lower than those of the enemy, so it was already considered a good performance.

Lin Zhiqiang: "Yes!"

"Battalion Commander Sun," Chu Yunfei said to Lin Zhiqiang, "Today, your First Battalion will take over from the Second Battalion to continue the attack. The Air Force, Tank Battalion, and Howitzer Battalion will support you, along with heavy howitzer fire support."

"Yes, mission accomplished." Sun Ming's eyes lit up. This firepower... he had never fought such a rich battle before.

An attack by an infantry battalion was supported by fire from a tank battalion, an air squadron, a 105mm howitzer battalion, and a 203mm heavy howitzer battalion.

"This firepower support is incredible!" Sun Ming clenched his fist, instantly filled with enthusiasm and confidence.

'How come all the benefits go to Sun Ming?'

Lin Zhiqiang and Wu Ziqiang, the third battalion commander, looked at Sun Ming with envy.

The battle that the Japanese suicide squad launched at night was also fought by the First Battalion. The First Battalion annihilated more than 800 Japanese soldiers, so the Second Battalion was sent to attack the next day.

"Reporting to the battalion commander, Battalion Commander Wang, the heavy howitzer commander, has arrived."

Just then, Chu Yunfei's bodyguard strode in and reported to Chu Yunfei.

"Invite him in quickly."

Chu Yunfei's expression brightened with joy.

……

More than an hour later, at seven o'clock in the morning.

The soldiers of the First Battalion quickly finished their breakfast.

Sun Ming never dared to let his soldiers attack without eating breakfast again.

On the day of the attack on the Japanese forward positions, Sun Ming planned that the troops would have breakfast after taking the Japanese forward positions.

result…

The air squadrons came one after another to drop bombs and provide reinforcements, which made the ground offensive very smooth. The soldiers did not have breakfast until the afternoon.

The sky is bright.

Tank battalion.

1st Battalion of 105mm Howitzers

1st Infantry Battalion.

The soldiers of the 203mm howitzer battalion had all finished breakfast and were preparing for their attack.

The first to open fire were the 203mm heavy howitzer battalion.

"Distance...left...up..." On the position of the 203mm heavy howitzer company, with the shout of the company commander Li Erxi, the gunners skillfully operated the elevation and traverse mechanisms, and the four huge gun barrels gradually rose, the muzzles slowly pointing towards the city wall of Xinxian County.

After Li Erxi killed Abe Norihide with two shots and was transferred to the New First Regiment, not only did Li Yunlong give him a Colt pistol, but Yan'an also sent him a commendation telegram.

At that time, Li Erxi saw that the new regiment was equipped with 203mm howitzers, so he asked the regimental headquarters to transfer him to the heavy howitzer battalion.

Seeing his exceptional talent in artillery, Li Yunlong learned to fire 105mm mountain guns and 152mm howitzers in less than two months and appointed him as an artillery squad leader. At that time, Li Yunlong was forming a heavy howitzer battalion, so he transferred him to the heavy howitzer battalion as a platoon leader.

He began to learn rangefinding, practice his skills, and engage in live-fire shooting under the guidance of Boss Lin's instructors. Gradually, he mastered the shooting techniques of the 203mm howitzer and became the most outstanding gunner in the battalion.

He can test fire one shell from 10 kilometers away, and the second shell can accurately hit the target with an error of less than 10 meters.

Just then, the new regiment was to be reorganized into a column. The original heavy howitzer company commander was transferred to the 2nd Infantry Column as the artillery battalion commander. So Li Yunlong appointed Li Erxi as the company commander of the heavy howitzer battalion.

The first battle of the 1st Company, 1st Battalion of Heavy Howitzers was not against the Japanese concrete fortifications.

Instead, it was the county town wall behind the concrete fortifications, or more precisely, the Guizishan artillery position inside the city wall.

To avoid artillery fire and bombardment, the Japanese cunningly carved out some gun emplacements in the city wall and placed mountain guns and Type 92 infantry guns in those positions.

The Japanese defenses in Taiyuan were similar.

Yesterday, the Second Battalion's attack was met with artillery fire from the Japanese artillery inside the city walls.

Due to the complex terrain at Niangziguan, the 129th Division had to move its 203mm howitzers to a position 400 meters away from the Japanese fortifications before firing.

However, the battlefield between the New First Regiment and the Japanese was located in the Xinxian Basin, a very flat area.

From 3 kilometers away, heavy howitzers could be aimed at the Japanese concrete fortifications and fired directly.

However, to avoid being attacked by Japanese mountain guns, it was necessary to destroy the Japanese mountain guns inside the city walls first.

This is a very technical job, and it's quite difficult.

Because if a shell flew over the city wall and into the city, it would inevitably injure the civilians inside.

Therefore, during the attacks in the previous days, the Independent Battalion's artillery did not bombard the city walls, and the air squadron did not drop bombs on the city walls.

"Fire, one row at a time!"

"Tom!"

The deafening roar of cannons shattered the morning silence. A huge flame burst from the cannon muzzle, and a massive shell shot out, arcing through the sky before plummeting towards the city wall like a meteor.

"boom!"

The shell exploded in a huge burst more than 200 meters from the city wall. After the smoke cleared, a crater with a diameter of 10 meters was left at the point of impact.

Because he was afraid that the shells would fall into the city, Li Erxi's pre-firing was somewhat conservative.

It is no exaggeration to say that if a 203mm howitzer shell were to land in the town, given the density of houses in the county town, it would definitely cause dozens or even more casualties to the town's residents.

However, with the point of impact as a reference, Li Erxi quickly adjusted the firing parameters.

"Distance... to the left... up..."

"Fire, one row at a time!"

"Boom!!"

An explosion erupted from the outer wall of the city, the tremendous sound of which seemed to shake the entire county town. A section of the thick city wall collapsed instantly.

"All cannons, target the county town wall, fire freely!"

Li Erxi gave the order to fire.

However, since it is a curved shot rather than a direct shot, the difference in firing parameters can cause the point of impact to deviate by hundreds of meters.

Two shells inevitably flew into the city, but most of the shells hit the targets on the city wall.

……

A few minutes later.

The headquarters of the Japanese 9th Brigade was located in an underground bunker within the county town.

"General."

A staff officer rushed in:

"The mountain artillery battalion suffered heavy losses from an attack by enemy heavy howitzers."

"What?!" Koshiki Toranosuke suddenly stood up: "Baka..." (End of Chapter)