The overall formation of the assault regiment is triangular, with the first battalion at the front and acting as a sharp knife, the second and third battalions on both sides, and the regiment headquarters and directly affiliated teams are in the middle.
Raid battles most test the commander's ability to command on the battlefield. The assault regiment is the elite among the elite of the Eighth Route Army. What is the elite?
It is not only reflected in the excellent weapons and equipment, but also in the fact that I can defeat what other troops can defeat, and I can still defeat what other troops cannot defeat. What is needed is this kind of momentum of giving up to others. This is what Zhou Weihan established in the assault regiment.
The purpose of founding the group left behind at the beginning.
Dayangji was originally under the control of the Japanese army and was not even considered a guerrilla zone. Ordinary military maps cannot fully reflect the surrounding terrain.
In order to ensure that it occupied a favorable position as soon as possible, before the 92nd Army left Dayangji and the 12th Army had not arrived, the reconnaissance company surveyed the surrounding terrain and drew a detailed terrain map for the assault regiment to use.
The main force of the 12th Army departed from Dayangji, and the assault regiment approached it from behind. By the time He Cuizhi stood on the roof, the assault regiment was already less than three kilometers away from the national army.
The march route of the 28th Group Army was planned by Chief of Staff Feng Jichang. Although this guy looked down on the Eighth Route Army, he did an extremely good job at his job and won Li Xianzhou's trust. He deserves a lot of credit for the 28th Group Army being able to get to where it is now.
Some commanding heights on both sides of the marching road of the national army were occupied in advance, which can serve as a guard and warning.
At this time, the National Army soldiers standing on the commanding heights suddenly noticed a large figure appearing on the horizon in the distance, and hurriedly fired a warning shot. With a crisp gunshot, the assault regiment immediately split into two groups. The second battalion on the left attacked the baggage train behind the National Army.
Troops detour.
Before the war, in order to strengthen the firepower of the assault regiment, Zhou Weihan specially transferred two organic mortar companies from other regiment-level combat units, so the assault regiment was equipped with three mortar companies, with a total of 18 mortars.
The 82mm caliber mortar is an anti-Japanese weapon as famous as the Czech light machine gun. Compared with other artillery, it is lighter in weight and has a range of nearly three kilometers, making it suitable for mobile operations of assault regiments.
Each mortar has a gunner, three gunners, and three ammunition handlers. Only one gunner used an engineering shovel to level the ground and pressed the seat plate to the ground. The other two people immediately assembled the three sets of parts.
The basic skills he had practiced so hard on weekdays finally came into use. In an instant, 18 mortars were assembled. At the same time, the surveyors of each company began to report the position, and then the gunners began to calibrate and shoot the elements according to the position parameters.
"Six mortar salvoes, let go!"
The first round of artillery shells pierced the sky and flew towards the commanding heights where the national security troops were located. In a blink of an eye, the fire engulfed their position.
While the three mortar companies were pouring out their firepower, the three infantry battalions used the cover of artillery fire to shorten the attack distance. On the other hand, on the Nationalist side, although they heard the warning shots, due to the large number of people, many Nationalist soldiers subconsciously
I thought someone had misfired, but within ten seconds of the gunfire stopping, shells followed.
The terrain around Dayangji made it impossible for the troops to conduct an ambush, so Dong Jiang's purpose was very clear. If he wanted to cause damage to the moving national army, he needed to seize two or three commanding heights as soon as possible and expand the space.
The explosion of the artillery shells was like a thunder in the ears of the national army. Li Xianzhou asked the jeep he was riding to stop: "What's going on? Don't mess up!"
Deputy Commander-in-Chief Chen Youxin reacted most quickly. His eyelids were twitching as soon as he woke up in the morning, and he had a vague premonition in his heart. He never imagined that the Eighth Route Army would really dare to launch an attack during the march.
"Commander, it must be the Eighth Route Army. They are coming for us!" Chen Youxin frowned: "The Eighth Route Army will never fight an unprepared battle. It must have been prepared this time. It is better to withdraw to Dayangji first!"
Before Li Xianzhou could speak, Chief of Staff Feng Jichang, who was riding in the same car, was as steady as a mountain: "That's wrong, sir. The Eighth Route Army will never be the main force this time, it can only be a small force. Otherwise, Yang will gather the surrounding reconnaissance troops."
We will find traces of the Eighth Route Army early in the morning!"
"Besides, our army has tens of thousands of people. How can it be disrupted by a small group of Eighth Route Army troops? They can be destroyed with a backhand!"
The marching array of the national army stretched for about fifteen miles from north to south and four to five miles from east to west. As Feng Jichang said, it would be difficult for the assault regiment alone to effectively kill it. Once the national army reacted, it would be easy to be killed.
Li Xianzhou was also a veteran general who had experienced many battles. While he ordered the trucks of the guard regiment to form a circular formation, he also ordered Feng Qichang to contact various troops.
Although the reaction of the National Army was slow, they finally responded to you. The 1st and 3rd Battalions of the Assault Regiment had just occupied the commanding heights and had not yet rushed to expand their positions. Under the command of Feng Jichang, the two Nationalist troops formed a pincer shape and moved towards the Assault Regiment like a tide.
As they rushed over, the battlefield suddenly erupted with fierce gunfire.
In front of a crossfire network composed of several Browning heavy machine guns, the national army fell in pieces. However, the situation on the battlefield was extremely unoptimistic for the assault regiment, and there was a risk of being eaten if they were not careful.
Feng Jichang, who was personally supervising the battle, was mobilizing troops in an orderly manner and preparing to encircle the assault group's location. Unexpectedly, gunshots rang out from the team behind them.
"Chief of Staff, our transportation team was attacked by the Eighth Route Army. The enemy's firepower was fierce. Please send troops for support!"
A voice asking for help suddenly came from the walkie-talkie. Feng Jichang was furious when he heard the words: "That's nonsense. Where did the Eighth Route Army have so many people? They asked for reinforcements as soon as they encountered an enemy situation. How could they act like soldiers of the Party and the country!"
"Order to replenish the regiment's household supplies and baggage. The 66th regiment will immediately launch a counterattack against the Eighth Route Army. If you retreat before the battle, military law will be engaged!"
"Urge the artillery troops to counterattack immediately. I want to cook a pot of steel broth for the Eighth Route Army!"
The combat staff on the side responded hurriedly. Feng Jichang was furious at this time, but when he saw that the attacking troops were repelled by the Eighth Route Army again, he couldn't help but become furious.
Several national soldiers ran the fastest and ran towards him without hesitation. They happened to hit the muzzle of Feng Jichang's gun. It was really bad luck. Feng Jichang immediately ordered the supervising team to fire.
As the supervising team mercilessly killed several deserters, the national army's defeat was shaken, and many people fled and stopped in their tracks.
"If you dare to retreat again, this will be the fate of these people!"
Although the military discipline of the national army officers and soldiers is not very good, on the battlefield, it is most effective to supervise the battle team personally, not to mention the fact that Major General Feng Jichang, the chief of staff, personally controls the battle.
In Feng Jichang's eyes, although the officers and soldiers of the 12th Army were transferred to the 28th Army, they were still not considered direct relatives. At this time, in order to prove that his speculation was correct, he had already made up his mind to eliminate the Eighth Route Army in front of him as soon as possible regardless of the casualties of officers and soldiers.
On the other end, although the fighting was fierce in front of him, Dong Jiang was observing the situation on the battlefield through a telescope. After occupying the commanding heights, the 50-meter small artillery as the squad's firepower showed its power, while the three mortar companies kept facing the national army's
Heavy machine gun and mortar positions were used to suppress the attack.
"Found it, it's really well hidden!" Dong Jiang understood the principle of catching a snake within seven inches, and the National Army Command Headquarters was the target he was looking for.
"Captain, the target is a bit far away, more than two kilometers away, and the enemy uses trucks to patrol the area, so we can't determine the specific location of the enemy's headquarters!" said the artillery company commander.
"I can see clearly that it doesn't need to hit accurately, but it needs to cause a certain amount of damage and cause confusion to the enemy!" Dong Jiang said.
As for the artillery units of both the enemy and ours, although the national army carries organic mountain artillery, it is not as flexible as mortars. Under a sudden attack, it first moves to a safe area and then looks for a suitable artillery position, which is more difficult than mortars.
Cannons consume more time.
This gave the assault regiment a chance to breathe. Less than ten minutes after the battle started, Li Xianzhou's command headquarters did not move back because they were worried about being misinformed by the officers and soldiers that they had withdrawn from the summit first.
The power of the 82mm mortar is not small. As long as one shot hits the target, it is enough to blow up half a meter of civil engineering works. It is really a big killer on the battlefield.
"What? What did you say?" Li Xianzhou shouted loudly.
"Commander He said that he originally wanted to lead the 81st Division to come to support, but a large number of regular Eighth Route Army troops appeared outside Dayangji, and they carried organic mountain artillery. They have now occupied the peripheral fortifications in the east and north directions. He is
Organize troops to counterattack!"
Li Xianzhou only felt his scalp numb after hearing this. Although Feng Jichang reported to him that the enemy in front of him would be eliminated in half an hour, but as the vanguard of the 20th Division, he reported that a large group of the Eighth Route Army rushed towards the 20th Division, with at least five troops.
There were more than a thousand people, and then bad news came from Dayangji.
"Chief Commander, the situation is not right, we should have made a decision early!" Chen Youxin was worried. He certainly didn't want the 28th Army to be completely defeated here.
As soon as he finished speaking, rounds of artillery shells exploded around the headquarters, and each truck turned into a huge ball of fire. The air waves generated by the explosion rushed towards us along the gaps between the trucks.
Although it did not cause many casualties to the National Guard Corps, the momentum it created was terrifying. All the officers and soldiers on the front line of the National Army looked to the rear, feeling even more horrified.
Chen Youxin called on several guards to help Li Xianzhou to avoid the artillery fire to the west. As he walked, he said: "I really think about the future of the 28th Army. Although the strength of the Eighth Route Army is unknown at the moment, it is divided into North, South, and Middle Routes, which has caused a lot of harm to our army.
When it comes to harassment, Zhou Weihan always plans before making a decision. If he doesn’t take action, he will be fine, but if he does, he will be sure and ruthless!"
"Our army is in an open position, which is really not conducive to organizing a counterattack. The top priority is to withdraw the troops to Dayangji for follow-up!"
Li Xianzhou knew that he should make a decision as soon as possible, but a hasty evacuation might cause more chain reactions, and his face turned pale with anxiety.
"General, although the Eighth Route Army in the middle has a small number of troops, its combat effectiveness is extremely strong. Our troops are currently relatively weak on the east and west sides. Once we retreat, we are very likely to be killed. The chief of staff has no time to retreat, so he should command the troops to counterattack. I am willing to
Lead the 20th Division to block the Eighth Route Army troops on the northern front, please lead the troops to retreat!"
"Haicheng, a friend in need is a friend, so be more careful. I'll be waiting for you in Dayangji!"
The three regiments of the 20th Division in the north are fighting with the Eighth Route Army and cannot retreat at all. Feng Jichang is commanding the 64th Regiment of the 22nd Division on the right, and the 65th Regiment of the 22nd Division in the rear is fighting with the 2nd Battalion of the Assault Regiment.
Li Xianzhou ordered the 64th Regiment of the 22nd Division on the left to turn around and retreat towards Dayangji. The artillery and guard regiments of the group army headquarters followed closely behind, and the supplementary regiment tried to take away as much baggage as possible.
The conversation was divided into two parts, and the situation on the battlefield was constantly reported to the headquarters.
Zhou Weihan held a tea jar in his hand and listened quietly to Zhao Bingzhang's report: "Ten minutes after the battle of the assault regiment started, our two units on the northern front rushed towards the battlefield. After approaching the battlefield, the enemy's 20th Division showed signs of turning around.
, our infantry had a close encounter with the officers and soldiers of the first half of the 20th Division, and the artillery launched a fierce offensive against the second half of the 20th Division..."
"Currently, the 14th Brigade has dispatched a regiment to outflank the enemy's left flank, and the 15th Brigade has dispatched a regiment to support the assault regiment!"
After Zhao Bingzhang finished speaking, he closed the folder and then said: "This is a summary of the current battlefield information. I heard from Ding Wei's tone that the situation is favorable to our side. Judging from the report, the enemy was suddenly attacked and was slow to respond.
Our army has a chance!"
Zhou Weihan nodded when he heard this: "Very good, the troops formed quickly. This is worth carrying forward. It seems that the commanders and fighters on the front line are still very determined!"
"Tell the 14th and 15th brigades that there is no need to save ammunition and artillery shells. I will double the supplies for them according to the consumption of this battle. The offensive must be more fierce and put enough pressure on the national army!"
"In addition, notify the cavalry regiment to dispatch. With so many people from the national army, it is impossible to block them all. Search from west to east!"
In this battle of Dayangji, the national troops were surrounded from three directions in the east and south. However, no troops were deployed in the west direction. This was actually deliberately arranged by Zhou Weihan.
As the saying goes, "Three sieges and one missing" is not only reflected in sieges, but also applies to field battles.
Once the Eighth Route Army encircles the National Army, it will not only need to mobilize more troops, but also make the National Army officers and soldiers have a desire to resist. Deliberately leaving a hole will allow the National Army to see a glimmer of hope for survival. Such a defeat is also
More straightforward.
Furthermore, the west is the territory of the Japanese army. Zhou Weihan and Li Xianzhou, as Chiang Kai-shek's confidant and favorite general, will never surrender to the Japanese army. As for some stragglers who flee to the west, even if they surrender to the Japanese army, they will inevitably be punished.
The local Japanese and puppet troops caused an impact.
On the other side, the battle of Li Yunlong's 16th Brigade has not yet started, but it is a good show of fake Li Gui meeting the real Li Kui.
After receiving Zhou Weihan's notice, the 16th Brigade conducted an urgent internal investigation and found no team that went out privately. So Li Yunlong finally breathed a sigh of relief, but he was concerned about this group of Eighth Route Army soldiers.
Zhang Lindong and his group of more than 100 people retreated to the Niuwang Lake stronghold. According to the route, the 28th Group Army happened to be heading north. Because they did not know that the main force of the Eighth Route Army was ambushing here, they happened to be caught.
"Okay, every injustice has its owner, and every debt has its owner. I want to see which monster is disguised as the Eighth Route Army!" Li Yunlong said angrily.