Operations Department of North China Front Army Headquarters.
Okamura Neiji, Tanabe Moritake, Miyano Michichi and other Japanese officers looked at the trumpet-like weapons on the table and fell into deep thought.
This rocket launcher was brought from Taiyuan by a special plane arranged by Yoshio Iwamatsu, and was escorted by a lieutenant colonel.
"Did the Eighth Route Army use this weapon to defeat the reinforced concrete bunkers and gun towers of the Imperial Army?"
Looking at the weapon that looked like a loudspeaker in front of him, Okamura Neji's expression and tone were as puzzled as Iwamatsu Yoshio's.
"Hi!"
Japanese Lieutenant Colonel lowered his head and reported: "Although it is light in weight and looks simple in structure, according to Colonel Yamamoto, this weapon is about as powerful as a 105mm howitzer."
"Colonel Yamamoto?" Miyano Michichi looked stunned and asked, "Is it Colonel Yamamoto Kazuki?"
"Otherwise, we should use the same method as the last bombardment of Niangziguan, arrange mountain cannons in the distance, and let the sword squadron accurately shoot the various elements."
The Japanese reconnaissance planes could only take pictures from a high altitude, so the Japanese only knew that the Eighth Route Army was building fortifications, but did not know the details.
The first stage of the operation was the iron wall encirclement. The main purpose of the operation was to drive the Eighth Route Army and ordinary people to a certain area by Japanese and puppet troops from all directions.
Okamura Neiji said in a condensed voice: "Tanabe-kun, immediately send the 66th Flying Squadron that just arrived to Taiyuan and hand it over to the command of Lieutenant General Yoshio Iwamatsu. It will be used to disrupt the progress of the Eighth Route Army's defense fortifications. Remember not to make low-altitude dive attacks.
, to avoid being shot down by eight-way anti-aircraft weapons.”
After the Japanese guards and the Japanese Lieutenant Colonel left, only Okamura Neiji, Tanabe Moritake and Miyano Michichi and other senior Japanese officials were left in the operations hall.
"The first phase of the operation has begun, but the main event will have to wait for a few more days."
"This is expected." Deputy Chief of Staff Youmo Jingsan said, "The Eighth Route Army could have guessed that the Imperial Army would launch a retaliatory operation."
It is part of the 6th Flying Regiment along with the 66th Flying Team, the 70th Flying Team and the 32nd Flying Team.
The one who spoke was Xing Zhiguo, who sounded worried: "This is a long-range artillery strike. Although the artillery fire coverage is very effective, I'm afraid the accuracy cannot be guaranteed."
"Burying explosives?"
The success rate is too low, and it may not be possible to come back.
"Although Colonel Yamamoto failed in several attempts to behead the Eighth Route Army, Colonel Yamamoto was an excellent soldier and was deeply loved by General Shinozuka."
Seeing that Miyano Michichi was impatient, Okamura Neji smiled slightly.
But the risk is very high. After all, a team of a mountain artillery battalion has a very large target even if the mountain artillery is dismantled and transported by mules and horses.
This time, in order to deal with the Eighth Route Army in northwest Shanxi, the Japanese army not only mobilized three infantry divisions, but also prepared to mobilize more than a hundred aircraft from the main force of the 2nd Flying Group.
This map alone is of great value, even the little Japanese military map is not so detailed.
"Hi!" Tanabe Moritake lowered his head and turned to leave.
Immediately afterwards, Okamura Neiji added: "At that time, Miyano-kun can take the Hayate armored train and go to the battlefield to observe."
But then again, even if there is no reimbursement, if these 12 mountain guns can be exchanged for 2 tank battalions, Li Yunlong will naturally be happy.
Although the New Regiment now has more than 80 75mm mountain guns, these 12 mountain guns are also the size of a mountain gun battalion.
"Oh?" Neji Okamura was also surprised, "Miyano-kun also knows Colonel Yamamoto?"
night.
However, precisely because of the new regiment's anti-aircraft firepower, the Japanese reconnaissance planes did not dare conduct low-altitude reconnaissance.
He picked up the information and read it over and over, studying the Japanese's Type 94 armored train.
Li Yunlong, Zhao Gang, Xing Zhiguo and Wang Dehou were in the outer room of the regiment headquarters.
Li Yunlong read the intelligence, data and maps in his hand over and over again.
Although the new group's anti-aircraft firepower is powerful, it does not have air superiority after all.
Everyone looked at Li Yunlong, slightly stunned.
However, the 32nd Flying Group last supported the North China Front in the Battle of Zhongtiao Mountain, and was shot down by the Eighth Route Army's anti-aircraft weapons in the Battle of Taiyuan. Most of its aircraft were shot down.
Only by dismantling the mountain cannon for transportation can it be possible to bring the mountain cannon over.
The Japanese Lieutenant Colonel lowered his head and said, "Yes! This weapon was snatched from the Eighth Route Army by Colonel Yamamoto himself, who led a special agent team."
Okamura Neji nodded. It seemed that Yamamoto Kazuki really had something. Even Iwamatsu Yoshio, Shinozuka Yoshio and Miyano Michichi all praised him.
"What if the previous rounds of shelling failed to blow up the rails and the armored train just ran away?"
As for why the 66th Flying Squadron was transferred to the command of Yoshio Iwamatsu.
Okamura Neji picked up the photo and looked at it.
"Li Yunlong also knows how to be afraid?"
The power of the howitzer is much greater than that of the mountain cannon, and it is an excellent choice for bombarding armored trains. However, the howitzer has too high requirements on roads, and many road sections have to pass through the Japanese defense zones, which cannot be carried through at all.
The result was as he expected.
Everyone frowned, brainstorming strategies to kill Miyano Doichi.
"Based on my relationship with Boss Chen," Li Yunlong said, "If I ask him for help, he shouldn't refuse. Moreover, these mountain cannons will be blown up directly after use. After completing the business, I can ask Boss Chen for reimbursement."
New group.
These photos were all taken by reconnaissance aircraft at high altitudes. They look a bit blurry, but you can distinguish the civil trenches and other fortifications in the photos.
Then, Li Yunlong said in a decisive tone: "There is no need for mountain cannons. Let's just plant explosives on the railway tracks and blow them up!"
The map shows all the forces and terrain leading from northwest Shanxi to Baoding. In another atlas, even villages and bandit forces are standardized.
Although the new regiment is equipped with two caliber howitzers, 105 mm and 150 mm.
After the Eighth Route Army and the people are driven to a small area, elite troops are sent back and forth to attack until the Eighth Route Army and the people are completely wiped out.
"What's new?" Okamura Neji asked.
Now the North China Front Army has no way to take down Li Yunlong, mainly because of the lack of troops. At present, some of the troops transferred to North China by the Kwantung Army have already boarded the train. Once the troops arrive to stabilize the communication lines, and then transport the combat materials in place, they can completely destroy them.
base area.
At that time, the news reached the headquarters, and almost all the combat staff members ruled out the correct answer. Only he guessed that Li Yunlong led the new regiment.
Wang Dehou proposed a method.
While speaking, Tanabe Moritake took out some black-and-white photos from his armpit folder and handed them to Okamura Neiji.
"This is also a way."
Miyano Michichi said: "I met Colonel Yamamoto once at the First Army Headquarters."
…
"Call long-range artillery to blow up this armored train."
A sneer appeared at the corner of Okamura Neiji's lips, and his tone was disdainful: "When the imperial army's soldiers press the border, he will know what despair is."
There was no way to let Japanese reconnaissance planes detect the situation in the base area.
Then, Okamura Neiji waved his hand, and several guards walked in and took away the rocket launchers and rocket grenades. The Japanese Lieutenant Colonel also followed and left.
"But... we can't let these mud-legged people build the fortifications too easily."
Li Yunlong's eyes lit up slightly when he heard this, as if he had caught something.
Tanabe Shengwu smiled arrogantly and happily: "So what if the Eighth Route Army guessed it, they still can't escape the fate of being wiped out."
North China Front Army Staff Officer Tanabe Moritake said: "Your Excellency, Commander, the aviation reconnaissance troops have been conducting reconnaissance in northwest Shanxi in the past few days and have discovered some new situations."
The method of asking Zhao Gang to snipe Miyano Doichi has been rejected.
"In addition, even if a mountain artillery battalion conducts long-range shelling, there is no guarantee that Miyano Michichi will be killed."
As for Chen Feng's transportation of weapons, ammunition and food to the base area, it was usually done at night, and the Japanese reconnaissance planes did not detect it.
Tanabe Moritake said: "The New First Regiment, the New Second Regiment and the Independent Regiment of the Eighth Route Army in Northwestern Shanxi began to build a large number of positions on the key roads entering the bandit areas."
The main reason is that Ning Okamura now has to direct the mopping up operations in central Hebei and has no time to take care of northwestern Shanxi.
Then, Okamura Neiji looked at the Lieutenant Colonel: "I will arrange a special plane. You will escort this weapon to the mainland and hand it over to the Ordnance Department."
Riding the Hayate armored train, your own safety is guaranteed, Miyano Michichi is in a happy mood: "Thank you so much, General."
Li Yunlong did not raise his head and continued to stare at the map on the table: "Last time we used 26 mountain cannons to blow up Niangziguan and the Japanese armored trains. If we want to carry out long-range bombardment this time, we will need at least 12 mountain cannons and hundreds of rounds of artillery shells.
But... this is a mountain artillery camp. We are 300 kilometers away from Baoding, so it’s not easy to get there."
"Hi!" Zhongzuo, the Japs, shouted.
He was deeply impressed by the New Regiment's bombardment of Niangziguan. In that battle, Zhao Gang killed Hirata Masahiro, deputy chief of staff of the North China Front Army, and Muto Akira, commander of the 2nd Guards Division.
After Tanabe Moritake left, Miyano Michichi asked expectantly: "Your Majesty, General, when will the Tiegun raids in the central Hebei region begin?"
Zhao Gang put forward an idea: "If we ask Boss Chen for help, ask him to arrange for a plane to transport mountain artillery and artillery shells to Baoding for airdrop at night. Our artillery troops will go over lightly, set up mountain artillery positions before dawn, and wait for the Japanese armored trains to arrive.
, fire again and kill it."
Why don't you blow up the armored trains instead of blowing up the railway tracks? Wouldn't that be like taking off your pants and farting, which is unnecessary?
"Colonel Yamamoto Kazuki is a top student at the Imperial Army University. He also went to Germany for further studies, specializing in special operations."
The 66th Flying Team is affiliated to the 2nd Flying Group of the Kwantung Army and is a bomber flying team.
"You can let the Sword Squadron plant explosives on the railway tracks." Wang Dehou said, "When the Japanese armored train comes, blow up the front and rear tracks. This way, the armored train that planted Miyano Michichi cannot escape and can only be destroyed.
Our mountain artillery was covered by artillery fire."
Xing Zhiguo said: "If you want to blow up such a large armored train, you will probably need at least hundreds of thousands of kilograms of high explosives. The railways are usually patrolled by Japanese troops. Our people don't have that much time to bury explosives. Hundreds of thousands of kilograms of explosives are needed."
It’s not easy to bury it on the railroad tracks.”
"The special agent team under him is an elite force, which impressed me deeply."
He just entered the operations hall wanting to report this matter, but Okamura Neji's eyes had been focused on the rocket launcher sent by the First Army, and he had not had time to report it.
Zhao Gang and Wang Dehou nodded, both feeling that what Xing Zhiguo said made sense.
"You don't need hundreds or thousands of kilograms of explosives."
Li Yunlong pointed to the photo information on the table and said: "Look, this Type 94 armored train has a total of 8 carriages. That old Japs Miyano Michichi will definitely be in the command car. We just need to blow up the command car. Although the Japs armored train
The sides and top are made of steel plates, but the bottom structure is made of wooden boards, which cannot withstand the shock wave of explosives."
"Still the old method, let the Sword Squadron bury explosives, then use wires to detonate them, blow up the command car and then retreat immediately."
Zhao Gang thought carefully and felt that this method was more reliable. His eyes lit up: "Haha, Lao Li, you still have more ideas!"