Anti-Japanese War: I have unlimited assistance

Soon, Duan Shutong and his sniper team successfully killed another Japanese machine gunner.

Just then, Cui Bangen noticed that machine gunners on his own position were being hit repeatedly, with bullets hitting their heads.

Cui Bangen's face darkened as he immediately realized there was an enemy sniper on the other side.

The marksmanship of the Japanese soldiers in the 12th Division was not to be underestimated. The Japanese snipers, equipped with Type 97 sniper rifles, were even more skilled, inflicting some casualties on the 772nd Regiment.

Where are the Japanese snipers?

Duan Shutong inquired.

Cui Bangen observed through his binoculars for a while, then shook his head: "I can't see any enemy snipers. Request the brigade headquarters to issue an artillery order."

Bullets flew wildly on the battlefield, and explosions and smoke rose and fell. It was difficult to spot snipers hidden hundreds of meters away with binoculars.

Similarly, it was difficult for Japanese snipers to spot Eighth Route Army snipers.

Both sides were using snipers to take down enemy commanders and machine gunners.

Soon the brigade headquarters issued the order to fire, and a continuous whistling sound rang out in the sky. The sound came very quickly, coming from afar and getting closer.

The gunfire and explosions were so dense that they masked the sharp whistling sound, and the Japanese soldiers only managed to take cover when the shells started falling.

However, it was too late. In the first round, hundreds of shells fell simultaneously, killing and injuring dozens of Japanese soldiers on the spot.

The Japanese battalion commander's expression suddenly changed drastically: "Baka! Retreat..."

Before he could finish giving the order, the second round of shells had already landed, and dozens more Japanese soldiers fell into pools of blood.

The Japanese battalion commander slipped away, and the other Japanese soldiers who were lucky enough to survive also turned around and ran away. The artillery of the 386th Brigade then started a slow-moving barrage.

Wherever the Japanese soldiers ran, shells would fall.

More than 200 meters away, a group of more than 20 Japanese snipers saw the attacking infantry retreating to their positions.

The artillery fire from the Eighth Route Army also followed.

The Japanese snipers' expressions changed drastically, and they quickly got up and fled.

Although their location was well hidden.

However, the artillery firepower of the Eighth Route Army was too fierce. All the artillery was firing. A single shell could leave nothing but barren land within a radius of tens of meters. Not to mention the dense barrage of shells falling down, not even a rat could survive.

"Hehe, caught you!"

Cui Bangen sneered.

He couldn't see the Japanese sniper from his concealed position, but once the Japanese sniper left his position and started running, he could see him from the mountaintop.

He immediately picked up the walkie-talkie and made a call:

"Brigade Headquarters, this is Cui Zhuang, Area 12, requesting heavy mortar fire coverage!"

The Japanese sniper is currently still in area 11 and is sprinting towards area 12.

Cui Bangen had anticipated this move.

"Brigade headquarters received!" The brigade's artillery staff officer replied immediately and then used a walkie-talkie to notify the 120mm heavy mortar regiment of the 386th Brigade, "Area 12, heavy mortar fire coverage!"

This is the advantage of walkie-talkies. If a telephone were used, not only would the telephone line be easily blown up, but an operator would also be needed to transfer the call, which could potentially cause a delay in the battle.

Walkie-talkies don't have this problem; as long as you're within range, you can contact them anytime, making them easy to operate.

On the position of the 386th Brigade's heavy mortar regiment, 36 120mm heavy mortars were lined up, and the gunners quickly adjusted the firing data to aim at area 12.

The gunner placed the shell on the edge of the muzzle, ready to fire.

"Target, area 12, 5 rapid-fire rounds!"

"put!"

As the gunners swung their miniature flags down, the 36 gunners quickly loaded the shells into the barrels, then bent over and covered their ears to avoid the blast.

Flames and gales flashed from the cannon muzzles, almost forming a continuous expanse.

Shells streaked across the sky, tracing graceful arcs as they hurtled towards area 12, 4.5 kilometers away.

Meanwhile, in area 12, Private First Class Masao Murakami, a sniper carrying a Type 97 sniper rifle and a pouch of ammunition, wore a smile of relief, as if he had survived a close call.

The 12th Division snipers were not only excellent marksmen, but also physically stronger than ordinary soldiers; each one was a top-tier soldier.

They quickly put a significant distance between themselves and the ordinary soldiers.

However, the smile on Murakami Masao's face suddenly froze, and he looked up at the sky in disbelief.

Just then, a black dot was seen falling from the sky, followed by a faint, sharp whistling sound. Because of the continuous artillery fire behind them, the sharp whistling of the shells was no match for the sound of the explosions, which meant that even elite soldiers had no time to react.

How many large-caliber artillery shells can a top soldier withstand?
"idiot……"

Murakami Masao only had time to utter a curse before he and the observer beside him were engulfed in massive explosions.

Along with Masao Murakami, more than twenty other sniper teams were also engulfed by the explosion.

"idiot!"

Inside the 12th Division headquarters, Naito Masakazu, watching as a battalion of soldiers and over twenty elite sniper teams were almost completely wiped out, angrily threw his binoculars to the ground.

"Order the 2nd Heavy Artillery Brigade to open fire on the Eighth Route Army infantry positions!"

The Eighth Route Army's aircraft roared overhead, and heavy artillery thundered on the ground, making Naito Masakazu extremely envious.

In fact, the 12th Division was also well-equipped and could put up a fight against the 386th Brigade.

The biggest problem was that the 12th Division had no artillery support.

Although the 12th Division used to have a flight regiment, it had long been transferred to the Central China region to bomb mountain cities and other places, and was placed under the command of the Expeditionary Army Headquarters.

The 3rd Air Division dared not send planes to reinforce them.

The four artillery regiments of the 2nd Field Army's heavy artillery brigade only dared to fire for five minutes at a time before immediately having to conceal themselves or move to a new artillery position.

Even so, some artillery pieces were still spotted and destroyed by Eighth Route Army aircraft, resulting in significant casualties among the artillerymen.

"Hi!"

The chief of staff immediately called the 2nd Artillery Brigade in the rear.

The Japanese artillery brigade immediately opened fire on the infantry positions of the 386th Brigade.

Unfortunately, by this time the infantry of the 386th Brigade had already taken refuge in artillery bunkers and air-raid shelters. The largest caliber heavy artillery of the 12th Division was only 150 mm, which was not enough to destroy the artillery bunkers or air-raid shelters.

Thanks to the valiant fighting of the soldiers of the 386th Brigade, less than 100 men from a full-strength infantry battalion of the 12th Division, which was full of elite soldiers and had many top-notch soldiers, managed to escape.

Naito Masakazu did consider flanking attacks, but the troops he sent out were all driven back. Many of the narrow paths in the Taihang Mountains were impregnable.

Not long after, an enraged Naito Masayuki ordered a barrage of artillery fire and then commanded his soldiers to launch a large-scale attack on the Eighth Route Army's positions.

……

"Nani?"

"The 12th Division suffered another 2000 casualties today?"

When the news reached the North China Area Army Headquarters, Tada Shun suddenly stood up and looked at the communications officer who had given the report.

The old Japanese soldier knew that the 12th Division's attack was not going well, but he did not expect it to be this bad.

Including today's attack, the 12th Division has suffered nearly 6,000 casualties!

However, the casualties were still not as high as those of the 12th Division during the Russo-Japanese War at Port Arthur, where the 12th Division suffered 1.6 casualties, a casualty rate of 80% of the entire division.

Which unit of the 129th Division was responsible for defending Jiuguan?

Tada Shun asked with a furrowed brow, "Even with air support, an ordinary Eighth Route Army unit would have no chance of stopping the attack of the strongest division of the country."

"It's the 386th Brigade of the 129th Division of the Eighth Route Army!"

The intelligence officer who came to report bowed his head and answered.

"Brigade 386?"

Tada Shun narrowed his eyes and said:

"Order the 10th Division to join the attack on Old Seki!"

Tada Shun naturally knew that the 386th Brigade was the most elite and strongest unit in the 129th Division.

However, how can a mantis try to stop a chariot, or an ant try to shake a tree? The equipment and combat power of the 386th Brigade were ultimately no match for the New 1st Regiment.

With an attack from two Class A divisions of the Locust Army, I don't believe they can't wipe out the mere 386th Brigade.
Tada Shun is now quite red-faced from the beating.

Because without capturing Niangziguan, it would be impossible to support the main force of the First Army in breaking out from Zhengtai Road.

If the First Army is completely annihilated, its commander will die a violent death.

He, the commander of the North China Area Army, will probably have to commit seppuku. (End of Chapter)