Republic of China: Ace Pilot

Chapter 669 Large-Scale Tank Warfare: The Japanese Are Just Paper Tigers
Outside Heshan Town, both sides also had 7000 troops clashing.

The Japanese army had 35 tanks, including 10 tanks in the Independent Regiment.

Twenty gunboats had already joined the battle when it began. Japanese warplanes provided support from Guangzhou and the sea in two directions, and even the fastest would take at least 10 minutes to arrive.

This battle appeared to be evenly matched, with the Japanese even having a slight advantage.

But in fact.

After the previous resistance, coupled with the targeted elimination of their command system by our side, the morale of the Japanese army has been greatly reduced, and they are in a state of being out of control.

Furthermore, this Japanese army carried limited fuel, which was simply insufficient to guarantee the long-term operation of the mechanized forces.

If we win this battle today, those 7000 Japanese soldiers will be like meat on a chopping board, unable to escape the mountainous region of southern Guangdong.

The key lies in the independent regiment and its advanced military equipment.

Fang Wen dared not take this lightly, focusing all his attention on both the movements of the Japanese air force and the command of ground troops in combat.

The mechanical perception ability allows the user to survey the battlefield from above, clearly mapping the location of every Japanese tank and the densest areas of infantry into their mind.

He stared at his watch and calculated in his mind: there were still 8 minutes and 23 seconds before the Japanese warplanes arrived, and he had to further expand his advantage in the battle before then.

He then picked up the microphone and issued orders to various units on different operational frequencies.

"Liu Yubao, you lead the tank squadron to focus your attack on the tanks on the east side. The infantry behind them is having problems with coordination and is not keeping up."

"Qi Zhihao, you lead the second tank squadron to charge forward. The Japanese artillery positions are set up 1000 meters ahead of you on the side of the road, with about 500 Japanese soldiers in between. They don't have heavy firepower. Remember, use mobility to create chaos as the main strategy."

"The liaison groups conveyed my orders to all units of the Southern Guangdong Anti-Japanese United Army to speed up. Our tanks have already created chaos behind Japanese lines, and this is the best opportunity to attack."

"Yan Huaixun, report back immediately after your rocket team has finished loading. I will then direct you to attack the new target."

"Pan Jiafeng, the gunboat squadron is attacking the Japanese forces in the center. Don't let them recover; maintain suppressive fire."

"Wu Yingzong, send out the vanguard company of the Third Battalion to attack the tanks on the west side with individual rocket launchers. The other units hold their positions and await orders."

"Calling the 172nd Regiment, your regiment hold your position and do not let the Japanese army bypass you."

"Air defense positions, enter air defense firing readiness status, and be ready to act at any time."

Under Fang Wen's orders, all departments immediately took action.

Liu Yubao led seven Taishan Pine medium tanks at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour on land outside Heshan Town when they encountered Japanese tanks.

The Japanese army had 16 tanks on the east side, including 9 Type 97 medium tanks and 7 Type 95 light tanks.

However, due to the limited horizontal field of vision, Fang Wen knew that Liu Yubao and his men could only see a maximum of four Type 4 medium tanks in front of them.

Therefore, Fang Wen picked up the microphone again.

"Liu Yubao, your unit is facing 16 tanks. The enemy is advancing in groups of 50 meters apart. Be careful of the tanks behind you coordinating to encircle you."

"Yes, Captain."

Liu Yubao, who was inside the tank, immediately used the Taishan walkie-talkie to contact other tanks.

Subsequently, the seven Taishan Pine Tanks dispersed, forming a wedge formation, with two tanks at the front as the apex and the other five tanks arranged in a "V" shape at the rear, with a spacing of 100 meters.

This is an offensive formation that concentrates frontal firepower to break through the defense line, with tanks on both flanks providing cover for the rear. It is suitable for attacking open terrain and can also defend against enemy tanks changing formations to encircle and flank the enemy.

At this moment, the Japanese tanks also changed formation.

Seven Type 7 light tanks, with their speed advantage, rushed out from the rear, making a wide arc, and attempted to enter the rear of the tank column.

Meanwhile, nine Type 9 medium tanks charged forward head-on.

Faced with this Japanese military strategy, Liu Yubao fearlessly chose to counter it.

Seven Taishan Pine vehicles charged towards the Japanese tanks.

Both sides opened fire as they charged, firing shells at each other.

Most of the shells missed their targets; only two enemy and friendly tanks directly in front of each other were hit by each other's shells because they were traveling in opposite directions.

The Japanese Type 97 medium tank was equipped with a 57mm short-barreled gun, whose armor-piercing shells could penetrate 50mm of steel plates.

However, the frontal armor of the Taishan pine was 10 centimeters thick, making it impossible to penetrate. The shells exploded on the armor, leaving only an unpenetrated wound.

The Taishan Pine medium tank is equipped with a 75mm Taishan-made short-barreled tank gun, whose armor-piercing rounds can penetrate 80mm of steel plates.

The Japanese Type 97 medium tank, just like the zip-lining of their fighter jets, had an average armor thickness of only 25 millimeters, with the thickest part of the frontal armor being only 37 millimeters.

With such armor thickness, it was no match for the shells fired by Taishan Pine; a single shell penetrated the armor of the Japanese tank.

Immediately, the difference in quality between the two tanks became clear.

As the tanks drew closer, they opened fire and were hit one after another.

Only one Taishan Pine tank stopped due to a bullet hitting its tracks, while five Japanese tanks were destroyed by artillery shells.

On the battlefield, five Type 5 medium tanks, belching fire and black smoke, inflicted significant damage on other Japanese tanks.

Those who were once so arrogant on the battlefields of China have finally realized that they are nothing but paper tigers.

The remaining two Type 97 medium tanks were subsequently surrounded by the faster Taishan Pine medium tanks.

After a barrage of shelling, the two Type 97 tanks were reduced to scrap metal.

Meanwhile, the seven Type 7 light tanks had not yet completed their mission of flanking the enemy.

The Taishan tank squadron turned its vehicles around and charged toward its new target.

Behind the battlefield.

Qi Zhihao's tank squadron had just destroyed the last three Japanese military vehicles and then advanced along the road toward the rear of the Japanese army.

Five hundred Japanese infantrymen fired wildly with Type 500 rifles and 7.7mm machine guns. The bullets crackled as they hit the tank armor, but they could barely leave a white mark.

To deal with these Japanese soldiers, the tanks simply ran them over and also fired a few high-explosive shells.

Immediately, the Japanese soldiers abandoned their attack and turned to flee.

At times like these, artillery shells are less effective than machine guns. The gunner stands up, grips the turret machine gun, and begins firing.

The Japanese infantry outside fell in droves, like wheat that had been cut down.

The three Taishan Pine tanks swept through the enemy lines like they were in an empty field, scattering the 500 Japanese soldiers, and then advanced to the artillery position 1000 meters ahead.

There, there are weapons that threaten the Taishan Pine Tank.

Two infantry guns that had not yet been delivered to the front lines.

If hit from the side, this infantry gun can destroy the side armor.

But this did not work. After the three Taishan Pine tanks appeared at the artillery position, they circled back and continued to cause trouble in the rear of the Japanese army.

With such mobile sabotage, the rear of the Japanese army was thrown into chaos.

At this time, on the main battlefield, on the west side.

On the front-line trenches, the vanguard company soldiers squatted in pairs.

Tanks in the distance drove along, firing at the positions of the Independent Regiment and the 72nd Regiment.

The infantry behind the tanks followed cautiously.

A hail of bullets rained down on the position, knocking down more than a dozen Japanese soldiers.

Just as the Japanese tanks' attention was drawn to the positions ahead, the scouts in the trench stood up, shouldering their individual rocket launchers and aiming at the Japanese tanks in the distance.

Thirty individual rockets were launched almost simultaneously, trailing white smoke as they flew. The Japanese tanks instantly burst into flames, and the drivers panicked and tried to escape, only to be killed by soldiers of the Independent Regiment on the position with rifles equipped with scopes.

Of the 19 Japanese tanks on the west side, 13 were hit by rockets; none of the tanks' armor could withstand this deadly weapon.

The remaining six Japanese tanks had lost their combat advantage and immediately retreated with their troops, intending to rendezvous with the main Japanese force on the road.

Unexpectedly, they were also attacked on the other side.

A network of aerial firepower consisting of 20 gunboats appeared from the northwest and attacked the Japanese troops on the road.

Each gunship and aircraft was spaced apart, each responsible for a section of the road, providing aerial fire support.

A hail of bullets rained down, and the Japanese troops, in an attempt to avoid the air strikes, scattered off the road, their formation in disarray.

Two minutes remain before the Japanese air force attacks.

All units entered a state of combat readiness, and even the 71st Regiment, which arrived last, and the Anti-Japanese Allied Army of the three counties in southern Guangdong launched an attack from the rear.

The situation was very good, and Fang Wen picked up the microphone to give orders to the air defense positions.

Under his command, 20 anti-aircraft guns adjusted their firing direction and aimed at Guangzhou.

Two minutes later, Japanese warplanes appeared in that direction.

"Fire."

A string of 20mm anti-aircraft shells shot into the sky, exploding into black flowers in that airspace.

Japanese warplanes were immediately caught in a dense zone of anti-aircraft fire.

Three Japanese planes exploded in the air, and the remaining Japanese warplanes were unable to maintain formation flight and scattered to avoid anti-aircraft gun fire.

The anti-aircraft fire continued, and black flowers kept exploding in the sky. Wherever the Japanese warplanes flew, the anti-aircraft artillery followed.

This level of air defense is almost equivalent to the defense of a city. Even with poor accuracy of anti-aircraft guns, there will always be unexpected surprises under continuous saturation fire.

Four Japanese warplanes crashed one after another, causing the Japanese warplanes that came to support from the direction of Guangzhou to give up their pursuit.

They carelessly dropped the bombs they were carrying and then turned their plane around and retreated.

The aerial bombs that were originally intended to bomb the Independent Regiment and the Anti-Japanese Allied Army landed in the deserted mountain valley, exploding into large areas of fire and black clouds, but without causing any damage.

The battle lasted for half an hour, during which Fang Wen directed all units to launch a full-scale attack.

The massive consumption of ammunition caused enormous damage to the Japanese army.

Today, most of the tanks that the Japanese army sent out have been destroyed.

The vanguard and central forces suffered continuous air fire, while the rear guard was forced to retreat step by step under the attack of the Southern Guangdong Anti-Japanese Allied Army and three Taishan Pine tanks, and had already retreated to the artillery positions.

Now, the Japanese army is huddled together, still trying to concentrate its forces to resist attacks from multiple directions.

wrong!

The fact that the Japanese army could do this must mean that someone was directing them.

It seems that after the two commanders were killed, they have a third commander.

We must not allow the new commander to restore this chaotic force; that would introduce more variables into the battles to come.

Therefore, Fang Wen immediately amplified his supernatural abilities and observed the area below.

Under the scanning of the mechanical senses, Fang Wen saw a large number of officers appearing in the central area of ​​the Japanese army.

Several radio stations were also set up on the nearby earthen slope.

Whether intentionally or unintentionally, the new Japanese commanders gathered their troops back and arranged them to defend their own perimeter.

Fang Wen sneered.

The Taishan Storm, a copy of the Katyusha rocket, is specifically designed to deal with clustered targets.

Although the accuracy rate is very poor, under the command of his superpower, he can still hit such a large target.

Moreover, Yan Huaixun just reported that the three Taishan Storm tanks have completed loading.

Therefore, Fang Wen picked up the microphone.

"Yan Huaixun, change the rocket firing parameters immediately: range 2,800 meters, direction due east, deflection 15 degrees south! Repeat this, confirm and report immediately!"

Yan Huaixun's voice came through the radio: "Received! Range 2,800 meters, direction due east, 15 degrees south!"

"Confirmed, adjust immediately."

"Yes."

After a short while, Yan Huaixun called out.

"All data have been verified and the launch vehicle has completed angle adjustment. Requesting firing command!"
Fang Wen's supernatural ability swept across the Japanese army group again. The densely packed soldiers were crowded in that area, and the officers took them back to their units.

This was the perfect opportunity; if this window of opportunity passed, Japanese officers would lead these troops to reorganize the defensive line.

Fang Wen said in a deep voice, "Fire!"

On the high ground behind Heshan Town, Yan Huaixun waved down the small red flag and roared, "Release it!"

In an instant, 72 132mm rockets, trailing orange-red flames, soared into the sky like a flock of angry firebirds.

After flying a certain distance in the air, the rocket spreads out in a fan shape and then falls.

Although the scattering surface was somewhat large, the area where the Japanese troops were huddled together was exactly covered by the scattering surface.

Fang Wen shifted the perspective of mechanical perception from the rocket to the ground.

The acting Japanese commander stood on a high place, raising his sword above his head, as if he wanted to say something to the Japanese soldiers below.

But he could no longer speak.

The flash of light reflected from the saber made him instinctively look up at the sky, his eyes widening in despair.

Moments later, it was engulfed by the smoke and dust from the falling rockets.

The shockwave from the explosion was like an invisible giant hand, directly blowing away the Japanese soldiers on the periphery, and dense shrapnel wove a deadly net among the crowd.

Then, more rockets fell, hurling dirt and dismembered limbs into the air.

Seventy-two explosions occurred in succession in the Japanese army's huddled positions.

The casualties were not as serious as imagined; there were only a few hundred people.

But its deterrent effect is very strong.

Without officers gathering or new orders being issued by the command system, the Japanese soldiers began to disperse, unwilling to remain in place and be attacked by the mysterious weapon.

Become!

The collapse of the Japanese army made Fang Wen certain that victory in this battle was within his grasp.

The Japanese army now only has a few tanks left, and no military vehicles at all. Even if the Japanese navy's warplanes come, they can't save them.

He picked up the microphone and issued the general offensive order on different frequencies.

All troops, except for those in anti-aircraft positions, joined the operation to annihilate the Japanese army.

The Taishan Pine Tank became the main force in the assault, taking the lead in penetrating into the enemy's midst and tearing the already chaotic Japanese army to pieces.

Then, the ground troops also rushed in.

Everyone was filled with resentment and wanted to vent it on those damned Japanese devils.

In the sky, the gunboat squadron assembled and, under Fang Wen's command, formed a rocket launch formation.

A Japanese Type 97 fighter plane flew in alone, but upon seeing this, it immediately turned back.

Subsequently, Fang Wen's radar detection device reported that the Japanese flight formation had changed direction and returned to the sea.

(End of this chapter)