Military career: Starting with a recruitment letter

Chapter 320 A Gathering of Winds and Clouds: The Scholar Was Quite an Oddity
Chen Mo couldn't quite understand the above considerations for the time being, but he could tell from the political commissar's words...

He initially thought the 27th Army was just conducting military exercises there, and told them to have their armored regiment take a detour so as not to interfere with other people's exercises.

Well, now we've ended up in their own backyard.

Chen Mo felt that after reuniting with the people in the camp, it would be better to make a phone call to the military region to report.

Let's see how the military region responds.

For the 27th Army.

Chen Mo's personal understanding is relatively limited, but there is no doubt that this is an extremely powerful field army.

It once commanded four infantry divisions: the 79th, 80th, 81st, and 94th, and was also known as the Ninth Column of East China.

In the early 1970s, the 27th Army was ordered to be transferred north from the Nanjing Military Region to the Kyoto Military Region, and the 94th Division was transferred to Kyoto to carry out defense work.

At this point, the 27th Army had only three infantry divisions left.

By the mid-1980s, the 27th Army was reorganized into a group army, incorporating tank brigades, artillery brigades, anti-aircraft artillery brigades, engineer regiments, communications regiments, and other military dependent units.

By 96, the 81st Division under the 27th Army was transferred to the People's Armed Police Force and became the 81st Division of the People's Armed Police.

98年时，27军下辖的79师缩编为摩步235旅，80师缩编为摩步80旅，而坦克旅则是改为装甲旅。

Currently, there are no division-level units under the jurisdiction of the entire military region. The strongest main forces are the 235th Brigade, the 80th Brigade, and the armored brigade.

Logically speaking, even if three brigades were bundled together, it would be difficult to compete head-on with the 188th Special Assault Division's five-regiment system or the 61st Motorized Infantry Division's six-regiment system.

The armored regiment's Blue Army battalion passed right through the middle of their battlefield, and to be honest, they weren't afraid at all.

It wasn't that Chen Mo was bragging, but the technological gap in equipment was too severe; they were simply products of different eras.

However, according to the information revealed by the political commissar...

With Yan Zhongyi now in charge of Zhurihe, the scale of operations for the Northern Sword is likely to be much larger than it was at the No. 4 and No. 1 Target Ranges.

With a commander-in-chief in charge, the scale of the battlefield will immediately escalate to the campaign level.

In layman's terms, that means at least the Air Force was involved.

Nowadays, military exercises without the air force are not considered formal exercises at all; they are merely tests of combat capabilities.

The scale of the campaign and the terrain of the battlefield will then be utilized effectively.

For example, in the division of the battlefield, cities and other tactical landmarks, such as bridges, airports, oil depots, logistics storage bases, highways, railways, high ground, etc., will be included in the attack range.

And each corresponds to a different tactical coefficient score.

Occupying or destroying more than 80% of the territory signifies victory.

Of course, if Chen Mo thinks he's tough enough, he can choose to attack without defending, neither occupying cities nor tactical points.

Eliminating 70% of the enemy's manpower or dismantling their organizational chain also constitutes a victory.

However, the problem is...

War is a dynamic process in which the two sides compete for predetermined values. Unless the enemy and one side share the same idea and give up the struggle for "momentum" from the beginning, they will directly engage in a field assault duel.

For example, the 188th Division at the Stone Statue Target Range back then only fought head-on, and only in this way could they have a chance to eliminate 70% of the enemy's strength.

But the probability of that is extremely small.

The 188th Division's operation was a testing system, not a campaign-level exercise. They could only fight like that, and there were no tactical markers they needed to defend against.

Once it reaches campaign level.

With both sides having comparable stats on paper, the battle comes down to tactics and strategic vision. Who would willingly drag their troops into a head-on fight? That's not how you fight a war.

With Yan Zhongyi in charge, the Northern Sword military exercise will have to focus on the three essential elements of war: timing, location, and popular support.

Chen Mo stood on his own ground.

As a commander who had just arrived in Zhurihe, he had little understanding of the geography and terrain, and his firepower was insufficient to counter the main force of the enemy's army group brigade. These were the two important premises.

If they were to adopt mobile warfare and launch a long-distance assault, it would only show that Chen Mo is completely unfit to be a commander; he's too reckless.

No matter how sophisticated a system is, it will never be able to enter the battlefield on a campaign scale unless it is quantified.

You must understand that weapons are instruments of violence.

Once you reach a certain scale, you need to talk about strategy.

Using chess as a metaphor for the military, and military exercises as a game of chess, on this chessboard of a thousand square kilometers, tactical markers represent the best choices for both sides to place their pieces. The balance of the chariots, horses, and cannons, and the fearless pawns that have crossed the river, can force the opponent into a dilemma.

With heavy vehicles blocking the center line, the opponent can suffer in silence, their strength tucked away and unable to be deployed. With heavy artillery controlling half the country, troop movements can be restricted.

Understanding these concepts leads to a basic understanding of the role of military terrain and tactical markers in campaign tactics, which can also be described as establishing a kind of "momentum".

This is also the real reason why Chen Mo couldn't understand the political commissar's arrangement.

The Blue Army battalion is indeed formidable in combat.

But that depends on the situation. If it's just a small-scale battlefield and the enemy can't run fast or far, then there's no problem; just chase after them and take them down.

If they can't kill someone, they can always attribute it to the other person running too fast.

But if the battlefield is large enough and has reached the scale of a local battle, then sending battalion-level tactical units that are only suitable for reckless charges would be suicidal.

With a veteran like the commander-in-chief in charge.

If the Blue Army battalion attacks any tactical point, it will be detected by the enemy's artillery from a distance. It doesn't take much effort; the artillery battalions of two motorized infantry brigades, plus an artillery brigade, plus an artillery battalion of an armored brigade.

Launching attacks from different tactical points, it's estimated that within a minute, the entire Blue Army battalion could be sent to the elimination point to be eliminated.

This is the terror of a campaign.

It can wipe out a tactical unit in a matter of minutes.

The Blue Army's mobile contingency plan map looks like it was just drawn on the spot, with no punctuation or instructions about battlefield tactics on it.

Chen Mo studied the information until late at night but couldn't find anything else. By then, Xu Dong and the others had already refueled along the way and even changed drivers.

We are getting closer and closer to Zhurihe Town.

Chen Mo simply stopped thinking about it, threw the map into the back seat, lay down on the hard car and closed his eyes to rest.

We'll fight if they tell us to. We'll deal with whatever comes our way, and we'll be fearless in the face of any challenge.

He was just a battalion commander. Every single company-level unit in the entire army, if you took them out and fought them one-on-one, would be no match for the Blue Army battalion.

The same is likely true for battalion-level units.

As for encountering regimental, brigade, or even divisional-level forces, winning is pure profit, and losing is not shameful, so what's there to be afraid of?

The ones who should be afraid of losing face are those who are of higher rank than him.

. . . . . . . . .

Chen Mo was on his way to Zhurihe Town.

The Blue Army Battalion of the Armored Regiment arrived at the town's train station at around 2:00 AM on October 28th.

Cheng Dong had never been to Zhurihe before, but just as they arrived and got off the train, they could faintly hear the sporadic sounds of artillery fire from about dozens of kilometers away.

"Is there a drill?"

Cheng Dong was stunned for a moment, and then he instantly understood the purpose of their orders to set up a temporary camp nearby after they arrived.

The town is only about a hundred miles away from the exercise field. The Blue Army battalion is new to the area and is not familiar with the route. They can't just walk through the middle of the enemy's battlefield, can they?

That's way too arrogant.

"All companies, pass the word: no one is allowed to move around. Rest in the carriages and await further orders."

"Check the individual rations reserves and distribute them as needed. Except when necessary, keep soldiers in the carriage as much as possible."

After Cheng Dong finished shouting, he began to check the condition of the military train's equipment and the duty roster of the personnel.

The wind and sandstorms were strong at night, and the grasslands were especially cold.

He and instructor Fang Peijun had to work together, with one checking inside the carriage and the other checking on the soldiers, while the other checked the outside.

After completing the inspection tour.

Cheng Dong found a military overcoat, put it on, squatted down in a sheltered spot, lifted the coat to block the wind, and prepared to light a cigarette.

He had just lit his match.

As soon as he finished studying, he came running over, squatted down next to him with a grin, and shamelessly reached out his hand, saying, "Chief of Staff, get me a cigarette."

The sudden sound startled Cheng Dong, and the match head almost burned his clothes.

He kicked Lao Man in annoyance: "Damn it, you son of a bitch, it's a waste of your talent not to be a reconnaissance soldier. I was hiding here smoking, and you still managed to find me?"

"Hehe, well, we're out of cigarettes now."

Man Xuexi casually took out a cigarette from Cheng Dong's pocket and lit it for himself while Cheng Dong lifted his shirt to block the wind.

Cheng Dong was speechless.

He had been puzzled for a long time. It seemed that Man Xue, who graduated from the National University of Defense Technology and later entered the Academy of Military Sciences, was willing to endure hardship in the grassroots troops.

Staying at the Academy of Sciences would have offered more opportunities, a more relaxed and respectable job with better benefits, so why did I end up working at the grassroots level?

Now Cheng Dong understands.

That son of a bitch, he wasn't born with that peaceful nature, he's better suited to being tempered in the army.

"Chief of Staff, is there any news about the battalion commander?"

Man Xuexi didn't see Cheng Dong's gaze. He squatted in the corner, took a puff of his cigarette, and asked.

"No."

“However, I estimate they’re on their way. The other officers in the battalion can’t be controlled yet, so a short transfer won’t matter. But if there’s a sudden relocation, we’ll still need Xiucai to come.” Man Xuexi nodded, agreeing with this view.

This has little to do with rank or position. The Blue Army Battalion was built up by Xiucai, and he led all matters, big and small, in the battalion.

As the first commander, the one who established the battalion, and the scholar who led them in two unequal exercises and won almost every time, he was a true leader.

In the Blue Team camp, that's the weathervane, the anchor of stability.

Others, without saying a word, simply passing by the soldiers twice, are far more effective than the cadres who have to exhaust themselves with their words.

no way.

That's the charm of the first commander.

Chen Mo said that the Blue Army battalion would have a designation, and now it really does. Chen Mo said that during the initial training, promotions, merits, and advancements all counted. Now that the designation is in place, the certificates for promotions and advancements have been issued.

Salaries and benefits were all increased to match their level, and even meritorious service was rewarded.

In this situation, even if the entire battalion consists of veterans, and even if the training period is short, less than a month.

The title of Xiucai (a scholar who passed the imperial examinations) also serves as a barometer, reflecting the credibility and prestige accumulated little by little.

“However, it’s alright if he doesn’t come for now.” Cheng Dong gestured towards the direction where the sound of artillery fire was coming from in the distance, saying, “There’s a battle going on here right now.”

“With such a large force as ours, it’s impossible to allow us to cross the battlefield. If we wait, we could have to wait here for several days, or even more than ten days. It’s just a temporary encampment, and we can handle that.”

Listen to the distant sounds of artillery fire, and then listen to Cheng Dong's analysis.

Man Xuexi exhaled smoke from his nostrils and shook his head slightly: "I reckon the battalion commander is definitely on his way. Not only is he coming, but he should also be bringing combat orders."

"Combat?" Cheng Dong was taken aback by this statement.

"Yes."

Old Man looked up and gestured in the direction of the artillery fire: "There's an exercise here. The higher-ups must know. Rather than having us temporarily stationed here, it would be better to delay our departure by half a month."

"Eating, drinking, defecating, and sleeping a thousand people would be a huge problem."

"The main reason for letting them over now is probably to start a war."

"As for why I wasn't notified in advance, I have no idea."

Hearing Lao Man's analysis, Cheng Dong's expression turned much colder.

The entire battalion has marched a long distance; if there were a real mission to fight, it would be a huge disadvantage.

He stubbed out his cigarette.

He quickly got up to supervise the soldiers in each company to ensure they rested as soon as possible and were well-rested.

Even if the information about a battle is only analyzed and cannot be communicated, he still has to keep a close watch on it.

Cheng Dong used to lead a reconnaissance company, and he was very strict about discipline, leaving no room for favoritism.

In fact, as soon as such a large army entered Zhurihe Town, many breakfast stalls appeared near the train station starting at around 3 a.m., selling camel meat pies, donkey meat sandwiches, and egg drop soup, with their aromas wafting over non-stop.

This resulted in many soldiers who only ate dry rations to fill their stomachs being unable to withstand the hunger.

Unfortunately, due to the chief of staff's orders, everyone could only drool and look forward to dawn so they could have a chance to try the local delicacies.

Chen Mo realized that war was about to break out, Man Xuexi realized it too, and Cheng Dong, after being reminded, also realized it.

The real intention of involving the armored regiment in this Northern Sword military exercise is indeed only in the last few days.

Otherwise, Chen Mo's vacation would have to be extended by at least half a month. They would only be notified to come over after the exercise at Zhurihe is over and the troops are withdrawn.

The reason for not notifying them for so long is that the exercise had just begun, and no one expected that the Blue Army battalion would achieve such a dazzling result in a single system experiment.

Participating in the Northern Sword military exercise was after someone at headquarters had recovered from the performance of the Blue Army battalion.

A meeting was suddenly convened, taking into account the characteristics of the information technology demonstration battalions of the Kyoto Military Region and the Kinjo Military Region.

The topic of the meeting was not complicated.

The gist is that the Kyoto demonstration camp has been successfully tested and is now ready for expansion.

However, the timing was not right, and due to the need to conceal his true abilities, he was transferred to the Zhurihe garrison, which was understandable and he had no other choice.

Firstly, to reassure other mechanized units and allow them to focus on development; secondly, to make this unit disappear from public view as much as possible.

That was the initial plan.

However, as the Northern Sword military exercise progressed to its final stages, some at headquarters realized that since the Jincheng Military Region's demonstration battalion was currently pursuing a support combat strategy...

It cannot yet be formally put into operational testing.

Why not let the Blue Army battalion test the effectiveness of the auxiliary combat units in advance?
To put it simply, the idea is to combine a Blue Army battalion with one of the main forces of the 27th Army, and have the battalion assist the brigade to see how much the combat effectiveness of the auxiliary combat units can be improved.

To test the effectiveness of the new system in the Jincheng Military Region ahead of time.

This will also allow those in higher positions to have a clear expectation.

As soon as the idea came out, headquarters quickly issued orders to the 63rd and 27th Armies.

Needless to say, the latter is already in the middle of an exercise, so it doesn't matter if they fight for one more day or a few more days.

The 63rd Army was responsible for dispatching the armored regiment to the Zhurihe River.

In the meantime, something interesting happened. The Blue Army Battalion came to Zhurihe to pave the way for the Jincheng Military Region's Information Demonstration Battalion.

Then Wang Songhe couldn't possibly not come.

When he arrived at the Jinyang military headquarters, he learned that Chen was still in his hometown and had not returned to the army.

Old Wang immediately suggested that Chen Mo should not be informed in advance that the Blue Army Battalion was going to participate in the battle.

He had fought Chen Mo before and knew that the kid had too many tricks up his sleeve. Once he knew that there was going to be an exercise, Chen Mo would definitely take it very seriously.

Before the war begins, they will conduct a thorough study of the characteristics of the participating units, the terrain, firepower, and equipment.

Such pre-battle preparations are perfectly reasonable and are a basic requirement for every commander.

But Wang Songhe was afraid. The purpose of the exercise was to help the Jincheng Military Region test the effectiveness of its auxiliary combat units in advance. What if this little devil had other wicked ideas?

Combined with the formidable fighting power of the Blue Army battalion, he feared that the opposing forces wouldn't be able to hold out for long using conventional tactics.

A commander who can come up with the idea of ​​"non-wartime losses" on the battlefield during an exercise is not someone who can be trusted.

Therefore, Wang Songhe suggested that no information about the exercise or combat should be revealed before Chen Mo and the Blue Army battalion arrived at their base.

Strangely, the 63rd Army also agreed.

The commander-in-chief didn't raise any objections, which Qin Quan'an felt was somewhat inappropriate, but he could accept it. Only Sun Zhensheng from the logistics department scolded them, calling them a bunch of old guys bullying a junior.

However, we cannot completely fail to notify them.

This led to Liao Hongjun only providing a map and making a seemingly obvious, albeit suspicious, reminder that there was no need to engage the 27th Army.

This made Chen Mo wary, yet uncertain.

When Qin Quan'an was in the family compound, he just smiled and didn't say anything. He felt that it was inappropriate to do so, but considering the Blue Army Battalion's ability to fight against the Combat Assault Division, he ultimately didn't speak up.

They were also worried that Chen Mo might cause some other trouble.

As for Old Sun, the logistics guy, he didn't even have a chance to meet people at the family compound.

After the discussion concluded.

The script for the Northern Sword joint military exercise has been basically finalized, with the Blue Army battalion maneuvering across the battlefield.

The maneuver is used to familiarize oneself with the terrain, and the exercise order can be received halfway through the maneuver.

And after all of this was negotiated and settled.

Wang Songhe, Tang Haodong (commander of the 188th Division), and Wei Jinan (newly appointed deputy chief of staff of the military region) arrived in Zhurihe Town by helicopter overnight.

We're going to examine the two systems and see what the differences are between the main combat and auxiliary combat systems.

That is to say.

While Chen Mo was still halfway there, the main force of the armored regiment, including a considerable number of the military region's leaders, had already arrived at Zhurihe ahead of him.

so far.

Chen Mo was still kept in the dark and didn't know about the upcoming mission; he only guessed that he would be participating in the next operation.

The Blue Army as a whole also guessed it.

As the tide turns and a major battle is about to erupt, the main participating experimental units remain unaware of the situation, their sole aim being to ensure the fairness of the experiment.

In the eyes of the upper class, Chen Mo was considered an oddball.

7:00 AM, October 28th.

It's daybreak.

The vehicle, driven by Xu Dong, finally arrived at Zhurihe Station from Jinyang.

Chen Mo, who had been lying in bed all night and feeling unwell all night, pushed open the door, glanced at the somewhat desolate town, rubbed his face, and smelled the aroma wafting from nearby.

He couldn't help but laugh and said, "Old Xu, call the other three brothers and let's go try the meat pies here. They're said to be quite famous."

"I'll treat you. I've been craving this for over ten years."

"Quick, let's go, let's go."

Chen Mo was dressed casually and had no qualms about it. He beckoned the group to head towards the stalls near the train station.

There was no worry whatsoever, not even in the middle of the night.

(End of this chapter)