Military career: Starting with a recruitment letter

Chapter 309 Lightning Turns to Consumption, The Future of the Demonstration Camp
The lobby of the Jinyang Directors' Office.

The crowd of onlookers was almost twice as large as yesterday, and they remained equally silent.

High-ranking officials from all seven military regions flew over overnight to witness the confrontation between the two systems.

After all, this is extremely important.

The headquarters had mandated that all major military regions establish informationized battalions within three years. However, due to technological limitations and economic reasons, large-scale construction was unlikely.

But we still need to know what information technology actually is.

Only by understanding the new system and trying to engage with it can we find ways to cope with it.

Only then can we avoid being pressured by an enemy from above, forcing us to issue helpless orders for the entire population to be mobilized at every turn.

But now, after seeing the performance of the 188th Division, the systemic suppression is too severe. Not to mention the despair of the lower-ranking officers, even these senior officers feel it is too suffocating.

Currently, the strategic assault has not lost, but it has suffered a great loss.

But don't forget, they are open-book exams.

The 7th Armored Brigade had laid out its answer in the open. Under prepared conditions, it suffered nearly 3,500 casualties in just half an hour after the battle began.

A tank regiment and half of the main force of an armored regiment were forcibly emptied into the enemy's ranks, and the force of less than a company of the information battalion was wiped out.

With this casualty ratio, how can we fight?
Should we continue playing?

Chief of Staff Xu Hong stood in front of the large screen. As the chief director, he knew all the tactical plans of the 188th Division in the early morning.

Whale fall, blitzkrieg.

This plan was presented to the directing department for all senior officers to conduct pre-battle simulations. The results showed that over 99.9% of them believed that the demonstration battalion had no chance of escaping an encirclement and annihilation of this scale.

That's a strategic assault division.

The ambush line stretched for 20 kilometers, with nearly 300 Type 96A main battle tanks on high alert and nearly 300 infantry fighting vehicles covering the battlefield. Behind them, a howitzer regiment and a missile battalion were poised to strike.

The helicopter squadron and the drone squadron are both much larger than the demonstration battalion.

With such firepower, how many units in the entire army dare to say they can withstand it?

Only Wei Jin'an, the brigade commander of the 7th Armored Brigade, believed during the simulation that the demonstration battalion could narrowly win.

But no one present paid any attention to this unique inference. As it turns out, this 0.1% inference is the most reliable one, given the current situation.

At first, Xu Hong thought that Wei Jin'an voted for the demonstration battalion because the battalion commander was someone he had trained and had fought against.

Now it seems that's not the case.

After reviewing the match, the opponent truly realized the importance of the new system.

The deputy chief of staff of the military region is retiring and will be transferred to logistics in the next month or two, so he can get used to a more relaxed job in advance.

Perhaps it's time to train the next generation of guardians for the new system.

Xu Hong stood in front of the big screen and glanced at Wei Jin'an slightly to the side. People from the Seventh Division shouldn't face much resistance.

These elderly people are all close to retirement.

However, it should be fine to hold on for a few more years. The new system is like a seedling that needs to be nurtured and protected as it grows.

Chen Mo's generation is too young; it will take at least another decade or so before they can become the next generation of guardians. By then, information technology should have been fully developed.

Xu Hong closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time.

The creation of the demonstration battalion was not as easy as imagined; one battalion almost drained the resources of the entire military region.

Why did the 63rd Military Region rank last among more than a dozen military regions during the third phase of mechanization reforms?

It wasn't because the subordinate units were incompetent, but because most of the energy, financial resources, and expenditures were subsidized to the demonstration battalion, and the remaining expenses were given to the strategic assault division.

The reform progress of the entire military region is far behind that of other military regions.

If our equipment is outdated, how can we possibly rank highly when it comes to the evaluation phase?
If not.

After the All-Army Mechanization Strategy Conference concluded, when the military region held its own meeting, it wasn't just a matter of internal criticism; even the higher-level military region didn't send anyone to attend.

I know all too well where the problem lies.

The equipment in the demonstration battalion, not to mention anything else, just the radar alone costs more than ten million yuan per unit, and the demonstration battalion has four radars that don't even have a signal arrow.

That early warning radar is even more ruthless. It's an active phased array radar with a detection range of 300 kilometers. One unit almost drained the Type 96A frigates of several units in the military region.

Otherwise, how could it be that only the 188th Division replaced the Type 96 rifles, while other units were so poor that they didn't even have Type 96s, and many units still had Type 59 modified rifles to maintain appearances?

If they encounter a demonstration camp, they would probably be even less able to resist.

It only takes a moment.

Several thoughts flashed through Xu Hong's mind.

The demonstration battalion performed exceptionally well in this system experiment, showcasing the power of the new system.

But this doesn't mean it's a good thing.

Or it's not all good. With this kind of combat capability, is it really necessary to convert battalions into regiments?
If we upgrade the unit further, from the most suitable tactical unit to a regiment, not to mention whether the military region can supply it, other units will also have objections.

The headquarters had previously considered transferring the demonstration battalion to the southwest, not only because of the experimental new units' combat performance under various conditions, although that was certainly a factor.

But the bigger issue is simply being transferred out of the military region, away from the sight of other units, to avoid causing dissatisfaction among other units due to the allocation of resources.

Today, system-of-systems warfare has reached this level.

Their fighting strength exceeded everyone's expectations; they had no choice but to go to the Southwest.

And it will only be earlier than expected, it's impossible to wait until the end of the year.

As for the battalion-level regiment, the reason why there was no clear notification from above was due to various concerns.

This will most likely lead to changes.

We should wait at least two or three years to give the troops undergoing the third phase of mechanization reform time to grow and reach a point where both sides can stand on the same battlefield.

Otherwise, this kind of overwhelming force would surely shatter the morale of all units in the military.

Sometimes, growing up too fast can also be a drawback.

Xu Hong watched the large screen as the remaining firepower of the 2nd Tank Regiment, Armored Regiment, and Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment of the 188th Division began to retreat, and the three missile battalions even hid directly in the rear.

The remaining few helicopters in the squadron didn't dare to approach the edge of the battlefield and were quickly recalled to their landing sites.

On the other hand, the demonstration battalion is adjusting its combat readiness and controlling more than a dozen drones from the strategic assault division to fly around and observe the terrain.

They are gathering strength in an attempt to launch a counterattack.

Xu Hong composed himself, put on a smile, and turned to look at the old men from various military regions.

"Gentlemen, the war has gone this far, isn't it? There's no need to fight any longer?"

“Continuing to fight is a waste of time and ammunition. The gap between information-based warfare and mechanized warfare is too large.”

"This is not an equal battle at all."

If no other military leaders from other regions came to observe, Xu Hong felt that the exercise could be declared over at this point.

The reason the 7th Brigade didn't announce it at the time was because it was the first battle, and they couldn't afford to deny the enemy a chance to counterattack.

Now, with similar examples right in front of us, even if we call a halt, it won't have any impact anymore. All units, including Xiao Tang's side, can understand.

However, there were too many big shots coming this time, some of whom were even higher in rank than Xu Hong.

Therefore, his words as the chief director are not very effective.

"Hey! Old Xu, look at you being so stingy. I came all the way from Nanjing to see how your exercise is going. If you're short on ammunition, just tell me, and I'll cover the losses for this exercise."

In the front row of the directors' office, an old man in casual clothes waved his hand dismissively, rejecting Xu Hong's suggestion.

After all, their Jinling Military Region was planning to establish an informationized battalion, which was a little later than the Jincheng Military Region.

This is precisely the time when experience is needed, so naturally, no one wants to miss this rare opportunity.

As for the other side's claim that ammunition losses were to be attributed to them, Xu Hong didn't believe a single punctuation mark.

These guys are pure bandits. You'd be lucky if they didn't ask you for something, let alone offer it to you voluntarily.

"Yeah, Lao Xu, don't be so petty. What's wrong with just taking a look? I'll invite you to watch our military exercise later. Move aside, don't block the screen."

Another elderly man in casual clothes in the front row waved his hand impatiently.

Chief of Staff Xu had no choice but to step back.

They gave up the large screen.

If the exercise is stopped now, and the demonstration battalion fails to defeat the 188th Division, headquarters will likely still have room to maneuver. However, once the main combat division is completely defeated...

There is no longer any possibility of upgrading from battalion to regiment.

We had no choice but to settle for second best and consider the issue of the serial number.

. . . . . . . .

the other side.

The edge of the stone statue shooting range.

The sounds of gunfire and artillery fire were scattered and almost inaudible.

More than a thousand of the mechanized infantry responsible for blocking the enemy from the rear were killed, and the remaining nearly a thousand either fled or went into hiding.

The terrain was rugged, and the soldiers of the demonstration battalion were unfamiliar with the area, so they couldn't catch up at all.

Seeing that there were no enemies lying in ambush nearby, Chen Mo got out of the command vehicle, enjoying the cool breeze while spreading the map on the hood of the vehicle.

They were trying to pinpoint the area where the enemy was preparing for a decisive battle.

Based on information from radar, satellite imagery, and drones, the main force of the Tank Regiment was annihilated, and the other main forces decisively retreated.

With their rear unstable, Chen Mo did not order a pursuit. While the mechanized infantry and tank companies were dealing with the enemy's mechanized infantry fire from behind, the main enemy force in front had already withdrawn thirty kilometers away.

The Type 89 122mm self-propelled rocket launcher of the demonstration battalion has a maximum range of only 30 kilometers. Once the enemy moves away from this distance, they can no longer reach the enemy.

Furthermore, if they continue to move away, the electromagnetic interference will gradually become ineffective. Although the enemy's electronic warfare brigade is not on the same level as the demonstration battalion, it will still be able to retaliate once the suppression weakens. Therefore, Chen Mo had to plan his next move in advance.

Just as he was engrossed in looking at the map...

Suddenly, his nose itched, and he sneezed several times, making Chen Mo feel dizzy and lightheaded. He looked up and looked around in surprise.

Besides the smell of gunpowder, there was a strong smell of diesel fuel, and the wind wasn't strong either.

"Who the hell insulted me?"

Chen Mo muttered something, and before he could continue looking at the map, Man Xuexi, carrying a Type 95 rifle, charged over from a distance in a flurry of activity.

"battalion commander!!"

Old Man's face was filled with excitement as he stood at attention and saluted!

"You went to fight too?" Chen Mo glanced at him sideways.

"Yes, I chased for about six miles, but I couldn't catch up. Fighting is so damn exciting."

"How many were killed?"

"Hehe! Hehe!" When asked, Man Xuexi scratched his head for a long time before finally saying, "Those guys ran too fast. Even with a machine gun, they were faster than me. I couldn't catch them."

Chen Mo: "."

So this guy chased us for ages, only to find we were practicing our iron kicks here, and we didn't even kill a single one. What's with all the excitement? You even have the nerve to come over and say something.

Seeing the battalion commander studying the map and ignoring him, Man Xuexi hesitated for a moment before tentatively asking, "Battalion Commander, would you say I've earned merit in this operation?"

"Stand up, stand up, stand up."

After Chen Mo responded instinctively, he paused, suddenly realizing that the kid must have something to ask him.

Recently, he has been frequently visiting the battalion headquarters. After the battle with the 7th Brigade ended, he asked similar questions.

Given her studious nature, she shouldn't be the kind of person who nitpicks over details.

The fact that he keeps coming to ask me so frequently whether he has performed meritorious service suggests only one possibility.

This kid must be asking me to pave the way for him, or he needs something from me, but he can't bring himself to ask, so he wants to make me think he's done something right.

"Old Man".

"To!"

Manxue stood at attention, his chest puffed out like a turkey's, his face serious.

"Just say what you have to say, don't beat around the bush, that's not like you."

"Then, Battalion Commander, I really did say it."

"One, two"

It wasn't until Chen Mo counted twice that Man Xuexi realized what was going on.

He immediately shouted, "Reporting to the battalion commander, I don't want to stay in logistics anymore. The work in the supply platoon is too boring, and I don't think it's suitable for me."

Chen Mo was not surprised at all by this request.

If it weren't boring, he wouldn't be wandering around like a rascal all day.

The camp has a bottom-ranking elimination system, and Chen Mo knows his abilities, so staying in the supply platoon is not suitable for him.

He bluntly asked, "If you don't want to stay, that's fine. Where do you want to go after you leave? Also, who should take over the supply platoon? After you discuss these issues with your Company Commander Liang, and he agrees and thinks there are no problems, then come find me."

"Report, the company commander has already agreed. Li Yajun of the supply platoon is also a candidate for cadre. He is an outstanding young man who graduated from Xijing Army Academy. Recently, he has been the one maintaining the work of the supply platoon. He is very competent and a standard outstanding cadre."

Li Yajun.
Chen Mo looked up and thought about it seriously; he did indeed remember this person.

It's really good.

Although he was a new cadre, he had only graduated two or three months ago and had been assigned to the logistics statistics department of another military region for a period of time to learn. However, he was recalled due to the construction of the information system.

They were assigned to the battalion.

Based on the unit he had previously worked for, he was specifically assigned to the supply platoon. All cadre assignments had to be confirmed and signed off by him, the battalion commander.

I naturally have an impression of it.

The results of the assessment at the end of last month were also good.

"Okay, then go and hand over your work to Platoon Leader Li, and then report to the tank company to temporarily serve as the deputy company commander."

"By the way, any changes in personnel also need to be reported to Chief of Staff Cheng."

"Yes!"

Man Xuexi was not a well-behaved person at heart. If you put him in the General Staff Department, he would lead a group of internal inspectors to catch people violating discipline in the canteen all day long, and at night he would even lead people to secretly eavesdrop under the windows of other people's dormitories.

Sometimes it's just out of boredom, listening to gossip, but more often it's to enforce discipline.

Now, hearing that he has been promoted from platoon leader to deputy company commander, even though he has a high level of education and graduated as a captain with the same benefits as a company commander, he is still very proud of his new position.

But salary does not represent position.

What's more, it was the deputy company commander of the main combat company that he liked.

"Thank you, battalion commander!"

After saying that, Lao Man rushed off to report to Qin Xiaojun in the tank company.

Watching Lao Man leave.

Wang Jianbin climbed out of the command vehicle, pushed up his glasses, and laughed, "After this battle, we should get a unit number."

"Once you have a unit number, you can't be so casual about the promotions and transfers of officers in the company."

"Number?"

When Chen Mo heard the words "number", his heart skipped a beat.

Ever since he heard his old leader say that three months was not to measure the necessity of the system's existence, but to consider the promotion of battalion to regiment, he hadn't thought about the issue of unit number for a long time.

After all, if the organization is expanded, the number of designations will remain a distant prospect.

Chen Mo glanced at the map, then looked up at the reconnaissance plane from the directorate hovering overhead, feeling somewhat puzzled.

The 188th Division was supposed to be the face of the military region. As soon as the battle started, the enemy suffered heavy losses and the main force retreated to a distance of 30 kilometers.

Given such obvious systemic suppression, the military region should reconsider and call off the operation.

Why is there no movement?

One reason he hasn't taken action for so long is that he's waiting for the military region's decision.

Should we continue fighting?

Unable to reach a conclusion, Chen Mo looked at Wang Jianbin: "Old Wang, what do you think we should do now, press our advantage, or what should we do?"

"You ask me?"

Old Wang pointed to himself, his face full of surprise. He wasn't the commander. Besides, even if he were the commander, he was just someone who came from the Silent Arrow.

They can't command such a main combat battalion either.

"You just used Sun Tzu's Art of War to point out the ambush, so let me show off a bit too. If you ask me, our current situation is like this: the momentum of a skilled warrior is like rolling a round stone down a thousand-foot mountain. That is momentum."

As he spoke, Wang Jianbin struck a flamboyant pose, holding a feather fan and gesturing as if he were making a decisive move from afar, which looked rather irritating.

Chen Mo nodded.

We will no longer wait for instructions from the military region.

"Old Zhao!"

"To!"

"Notify the entire battalion not to pursue the fleeing enemy any further. You have ten minutes to prepare."

"Ten minutes later, we will enter the heart of the stone statue and wipe out the enemy's main force."

"Yes!"

Old Zhao responded and quickly returned to the command vehicle to relay the order via radio.

Chen Mo also retrieved the map, preparing for the final battle.

Wang Jianbin's words make sense. A person skilled in commanding battles can create an unstoppable momentum, like rolling logs and stones down a high mountain.

The 188th Division was, after all, a strategic assault division. Even if some of its main forces were killed, it would only amount to one-third or even one-quarter of the total.

Chen Mo didn't know the exact number of casualties.

But it certainly won't cause serious damage. Even a centipede with a hundred legs doesn't die easily; who knows what other tactics the opponent might have in store for us?

We should take advantage of the fact that the morale of the entire battalion is at its highest now and push forward.

ten minutes later.

The demonstration battalion moved as a whole, advancing into the heart of the stone statue training ground, a surging torrent that seemed unstoppable.

On the other hand, the 188th Division...

After retreating to a certain distance.

The main force of the entire division was extremely dispersed, with each tank spaced at least 25 meters apart in all directions, exceeding the 10-meter diameter range for assessing combat damage from rockets.

Within an area of ​​hundreds of thousands of square meters in front of the main force, all the soldiers of the division, along with the logistics and support personnel, went to the field to start digging minefields.

The division headquarters has already issued the order.

If blitzkrieg doesn't work, try a war of attrition, weakening the enemy's firepower through prolonged confrontation.

Anyway, a division-level unit is a campaign-level unit, so they can fight at a loss for half a month without fear.

Let's look at this rising star, the demonstration camp.

Can it withstand it?
(End of this chapter)