The report of encountering Ming army reconnaissance tanks was sent back to the division headquarters.
After a while, an order from the reconnaissance battalion headquarters came from behind, ordering the cavalry company and bicycle company to scout forward, and the support company to follow up.
At this time, at the division headquarters two kilometers behind, the radio communications company of the division's communications battalion was listening for radio waves in the air.
The signal soldier wearing a headset tested each channel and suddenly shouted:
"Master, we have it!"
Division Commander Ha Feng'a grabbed a headset and heard a clear cry from inside:
"...A mouse was found, the mouse has carrots, asking for reinforcements...The badger dog called the fox, the badger dog called the fox...Repeat, the mouse was found in the south, the mouse had carrots, asked for reinforcements..."
"The fox calls the badger dog, the fox calls the badger dog...How many mice are there? How many carrots are there? Over."
"The badger calls the fox...the field mouse 50 to 100...the field mouse 50 to 100...the hamster 30 to 50...the hamster 30 to 50...the carrot 37-3...the carrot 37-3...over."
"Fox received it, reinforcements will be sent immediately... Order you to make contact first... Order you to make contact first... Completed."
"Badger dog received it, contact it immediately, it's over."
The headset "hissed" twice and then went silent. The communications soldier quickly raised his head and said:
"Master, no, they are going to attack the reconnaissance camp!"
Hafeng'a nodded, biting an unlit cigarette. After a while he said:
"Yeah, I know. Let's get in touch first before talking about it."
He chewed his cigarette hard, raised his ears and listened to the front behind the heavy fog, waiting for the sound of artillery and machine gunfire.
This is what the reconnaissance troops do. The most effective reconnaissance is not to lie in the bushes and count the enemy's heads, but to engage in contact with the enemy. Now that the fog is thick and it is night again, the cavalry company is mobile and flexible, and a small battle can lead to casualties.
It won't be very big, and you can still get a rough idea of the enemy's firepower and troop strength.
The enemy's code words are relatively simple, and Hafeng'a is also a veteran, so he can basically understand them. The field mice obviously refer to our cavalry, and the hamsters refer to the bicycle soldiers. The carrot 37-3 refers to the three 37mm anti-tank guns.
…
In the reconnaissance camp, the cavalrymen dispersed into the fields farther away. They all held their rifles in their hands, bent over their horses, and nervously trotted forward. The bicycle soldiers marched on the road, even more cautiously, staring at
He stared at the fog in front of him, fearing that a shell would hit him head-on.
The Qing soldiers of the support company pushed the anti-tank cannon and followed behind with the anti-tank gun. Fortunately, this 37mm cannon is short and light, weighing only more than 300 kilograms, so it can be pushed quite fast by manpower.
Suddenly, two bright car lights appeared in the field ahead, and then the engine roared, the two light beams turned, and the three small cannons in the center of the road fell into the light beams.
The artillerymen shouted in horror, and the anti-tank platoon leader immediately knelt on the ground and loudly ordered them to turn the anti-tank guns and aim at the two light beams. But it was too late.
"Dang-boom!!!"
There was a flash of fire on the opposite side, and a small cannon was blown back to the side of the road. The gunner was killed and the other injured. Then the shell in the barrel detonated again, blowing the barrel away.
Then tongues of fire shot out from the front fender of the tank, chasing the gunner of the second small cannon. The two gunners ran for more than ten meters and were hidden in the fog, but the last gunner was shot and fell to the ground dead.
Then, the tank's lights went out, and the surroundings were dark again. Only the tank could be heard roaring away from the place.
The third small gun turned to the approximate position of the tank under the command of the platoon leader, who shouted:
"put!!"
The muzzle fireball flashed, and there was a "ding" sound of metal hitting metal in the darkness, a spark flew out, and the cannonball flew away.
The platoon leader continued to shout:
"Quick, reload!"
The barrel of the gun was opened, the hot small shell jumped out, and the second shell was filled in. The gun body was rotated to the approximate position of the tank.
"put!!"
The muzzle flash flashed by, and only a line of fire was seen streaking straight into the distance and disappearing.
Missed, the tank had moved far away, the sound of the engine was still very clear, somewhere tens of meters away, it was no longer moving, but the engine was still running, as if it was waiting for my group to go again
Die.
The anti-tank platoon leader stood up, biting his fist and looking at the thick ink-like fog in front of him, his eyes were about to burst into flames.
Now that the fighting has begun, there is no need to worry about so much. The reconnaissance battalion commander behind grabbed the radio headset and loudly reported to the division headquarters:
"583,583, I am 130, I am 130... We were attacked by enemy tanks. Three people in the anti-tank platoon were killed and wounded, and one gun was destroyed... Requesting support from Unit 5... Requesting support from Unit 5..."
"130, I am 583," the division commander's voice appeared, very calm, "How many enemy tanks are there?"
"Report, one!"
The teacher's voice was silent for a few seconds, and then he ordered with obvious anger:
"Order the reconnaissance battalion to destroy that tank! ... No reinforcements are available yet!"
Halfon'a threw down his headset and showed his anger. There was only one enemy tank, but the reconnaissance battalion had 300 people, three anti-tank guns, and eight anti-tank guns. In such a favorable fog, they could not even defeat a single enemy.
A tank, and I want support from Unit 5!
What does Unit 5 do? It is an anti-tank battalion specially prepared to deal with the armored troops of the People's Guard. It is a unit directly under the division and is equipped with 36 37mm anti-tank guns, 20 47mm anti-tank guns, and anti-tank guns.
The firepower is very powerful. This battalion is with the main force of the division and cannot easily leave. According to intelligence, the People's Guard has more than 100 tanks and armored vehicles in total. Only one has appeared now, and the main force is not yet known where it is.
The reconnaissance battalion commander cursed the division commander and ordered the entire battalion to withdraw from the road and disperse into the fields.
But having said that, if this is the only enemy tank, then with the strength of the reconnaissance battalion, it won't be a problem to kill it.
All the cavalrymen held rifles with bayonets, unscrewed the caps of grenades on their waists, and spread out. The soldiers of the bicycle company dropped their bicycles and followed behind with anti-tank guns, ready to wait for the cavalry to rush up and explode them with grenades.
After the round, use the anti-tank gun to destroy it.
The company commander loudly ordered:
"Cavalry Company—Charge!!"
At the command, dozens of cavalrymen rushed towards the tank. The horses' hooves turned up the soil in the field, and white air was sprayed from their mouths and noses. The cavalrymen leaned on their horses and bumped, staring ahead. The sound of the engine was heard behind the thick fog.
Getting closer and closer, the cavalry company commander shouted:
"preparation--"
The tank's lights suddenly came on, the turret rotated, and the synchronized machine guns on it spurted flames. Two or three cavalry horses in the light were shot, and they fell in front of them screaming.
The company commander shouted:
"cast!!!"
Dozens of grenades flew out with smoke, and there was a sudden explosion. In the firelight, only the body of the tank could be seen as motionless as Mount Tai. Only a few grenades exploded in the front of the tank, obviously not causing any damage to the tank.
It was vibrating, the tracks were grinding against the soil, and it almost made a big turn on the spot, then quickly fled into the distance. The turret turned to the rear, and the machine gun kept firing at the pursuers.
Although the distance was relatively close, it was so dark outside that the machine gunner in the turret could barely see anything through the narrow observation hole, just a rough diffusion.
The cavalry lowered their bodies, listening to the "swish" of bullets in their ears, holding the horse's belly with all their strength, trying to use their speed to get behind the tank, and then throw a round of grenades at close range. In this kind of soft field soil, the cavalry
It can't run, but the tank can't drive even more. The maximum speed of this kind of tank on the road is only 40 kilometers per hour. Now it's good to be able to drive 15 kilometers cross-country in the fields. The cavalry behind it is catching up at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour.
However, the Lightning 2 tank was designed specifically for the muddy areas in the south of the Yangtze River. At this moment, it exerted its maximum effectiveness. The wide tracks gripped the mud strongly, and the speed reached 20 kilometers.
But the distance was getting closer and closer, and the cavalry company was determined to kill the tank. The second round of grenades was thrown, and the tank immediately ate seven or eight grenades and was engulfed in flames. One of its tracks was also broken, and the chain "cracked"
"La" and fell off. The tank roared and turned half a circle on the spot, then stopped.
Since this time it was the weak rear part that was hit, and it was the gasoline engine, flames immediately broke out above the engine.
"Bang", the turret roof opened, and four tank crews in black uniforms got out one after another, jumped off the tank and ran away.
The cavalry behind had already seen it by the light of the fire. As they rushed over on horseback, they all shouted joyfully:
"Catch them alive, catch them alive!"
The four tank crewmen ran a few meters and fell down on the spot. Two of them suddenly took out a short weapon each and opened fire very violently. Two cavalrymen were shot immediately, one fell from the horse, and the other fell to the ground with his horse and man.
, fell several meters away.
Dozens of cavalrymen immediately jumped off their horses, lay down on the ground, and fought back with their rifles. But the guns of the Ming army tank soldiers on the opposite side were too powerful and they couldn't be hit at all. They were like two machine guns, no, they fired faster than machine guns.
Quickly, in the dazzling firelight, bullets hit like water, and the two opponents were so heavy that dozens of people here could not lift their heads.
The Qing soldier hugged his head and buried it in the soil, his heart beating wildly: Is this the legendary new weapon-a submachine gun?
A Qing soldier shouted:
"Throw a grenade!"
When the four tank crews on the opposite side heard these words, they got up and ran away, shouting sadly and angrily as they ran:
"Hey - where did you die -"
"We brought people here!"
"It's almost done! It's time to come out!!"
"Help! Come out quickly!!!"
Originally, all the Qing troops behind them got up and gave chase, but after hearing these words, they immediately felt bad. After a slight hesitation, the Ming tank crew in front disappeared into the thick fog.
The Qing cavalry company commander slapped his thigh and cursed:
"You idiot, you're trying to trick us! Hurry up and chase!!"
The four tank crews in the front gritted their teeth and panicked, one foot deep and one foot shallow. Suddenly, the person in the front bumped into something and fell to the ground.
That's an armored personnel carrier.
Suddenly, the four people seemed to have met their relatives. They climbed into the car and yelled:
"Ri, your mother, it turns out you are so close! Do you want to watch us be killed?"
Several arms on the open armored vehicle pulled them up, and a voice laughed:
"Xiao Shengzi?... There's nothing we can do. The regiment wants us to squat here. We can't move until the Qing soldiers are under our noses..."
The Qing soldiers behind also heard this conversation, and they stopped one after another, panting heavily and looking at each other, wondering whether to run back. But the scene in front of them made them instantly determined.
More than ten meters away, almost right under my nose, a green flare flew up. A few seconds later, bright car lights lit up in front of me, followed by the sound of the engine.
Fifteen armored vehicles were lined up in a row about ten meters apart, and the machine guns on each vehicle were spitting out tongues of flame.
Dozens of Qing soldiers were shot and fell one after another before they could shield their eyes. The remaining twenty or so were so frightened that they ran away.
The long array of armored vehicles began to rotate their tracks, rolling over the soil. Not only the machine guns on the front of the vehicles, but also several soldiers stood on each armored vehicle, hiding behind the baffles, using their submachine guns to shoot at the fleeing soldiers in front.
.
These cavalrymen were originally hunters, but now they were chasing into an ambush. The situation was suddenly reversed, and they all became the targets of being hunted. They panted heavily and ran as hard as they could, with only one thought in their minds: run faster and run into the dense thicket in front of them.
In the fog, the light beam cannot shine on me...
In their previous concept, how could armored vehicles be used in this way? They always had an armored vehicle driving slowly in front, and a large group of infantry followed behind, using the armored vehicle to cover it and moving forward. Now suddenly turn on the lights like this,
Without even saying hello, a dozen armored vehicles rushed over. Isn't this bullying?
…
The armored vehicle vibrated and chased them at a speed of 25 kilometers per hour. These Qing soldiers found that no matter how they ran, they could not get rid of the light beam behind them. They were hit in the back one by one and fell to the ground. Some fell directly in front of the armored vehicle and were kicked from the heels by the tracks.
It rolled all the way to the top of the head and turned into a piece of meat paste, mixed with the soil...
In an instant, there were only a dozen or so cavalrymen left among the dozens of cavalrymen. They fell to their knees one after another, foaming at the mouth, and raised their hands in surrender.
The armored vehicle roared past them, with a sentence dropped on it:
"Go to the back and find the infantry to surrender!"
These Qing soldiers were so exhausted that they gasped and cursed:
"He...hell, he won't even...surrender..."
At this moment, eight fires flashed in the darkness far ahead, accompanied by a sound similar to that of a small cannon. Two of the armored vehicles here made violent metal collision sounds, as if they were hit by a heavy hammer. The front armor
Two holes were punched through the board, a co-pilot and a soldier were shot to death, and a blood hole as big as a bowl opened in the chest.
These are two 14.5mm anti-tank gun tungsten core bullets. They penetrated the front steel plate of the armored vehicle.
Soldiers from the bicycle company of the Qing Army came up carrying anti-tank guns. There were eight of them in total. The gunners lay down there to reload, while the rest also lay on the ground and threw grenades towards the light.
Because there were fifteen armored vehicles, the grenades were thrown relatively scattered, and the Ming soldiers ducked their heads to hide. After the loud noise, the armored vehicles were still moving forward.
The armored vehicle commander ordered on the radio:
Fifteen armored vehicles stepped on the accelerator and rushed towards the Qing soldiers with their bright lights. The machine guns at the front of the vehicles started firing again. The Qing soldiers on the ground got up one after another and ran backwards with their anti-tank guns on their shoulders. They were again swept away in the light.
Quite a bit.
Seeing that they were getting closer and closer, with a distance of less than ten meters, the Qing soldiers in front saw that they could not escape, so they ran to both sides and spread out, intending to outflank the armored vehicles from behind. Fifteen armored vehicles roared, and their tracks kicked up the mud.
Get into the crowd of Qing soldiers.
A command sounded:
"Everyone get out of the car——"
Immediately, the back door of the armored vehicle opened, and ten Ming infantrymen jumped out of each vehicle. As soon as they jumped out, they each selected their targets. The submachine guns in their hands spit out tongues of flame crazily, and they shouted and rushed towards the Qing soldiers around them. The Qing soldiers felt a rush in their hearts.
Excited: I finally got off the bus and could finally fight fairly!
They carried long bayonet rifles and roared at the Ming soldiers holding short weapons in front of them, calculating in their minds whether they could nail their opponents to the ground in two or three blows.
However, the Ming soldiers in front of them did not come to fight with them at all. They picked up the short weapons in their hands and opened fire. Before the Qing soldiers could see what was going on, their chests were cut into sieves.
The "hand-to-hand combat" only lasted ten seconds. All the Qing soldiers were lying on the ground with their eyes wide open and blood pouring from their chests.
More than a hundred Ming soldiers were breathing heavily and sitting on the ground holding on to their armored vehicles.
A soldier stroked the Thompson submachine gun in his arms, touched the small grip under the barrel, and the 50-round drum at the back, and sighed weakly:
"This thing... is really good..."
The armored vehicle company commander next to him also gasped and laughed:
"It seems that what Mr. Xiang told us is absolutely correct. Once submachine guns enter the battlefield in large numbers, the era of fighting with bayonets will be over."
…
Two kilometers away to the south, the headquarters of the Sixth Division of the Eight Banners also vaguely heard the explosion in front. Division Commander Ha Feng'a also wore a pair of headsets, with a gloomy face, watching the communications soldiers keep talking on the radio.
call:
"130,130, I am 583, please reply! Please reply!..."
Although there was no reply in the headset, the sound of the engine continued to be heard, and it became louder and louder. The "click" sound of the machine gun, the shouts of the soldiers, and the screams were also mixed in. The signal soldier raised his head, feeling guilty.
Looking at him:
"Teacher...Master seat?"
"Look what I'm doing, keep calling!"
"Yes...130,130, I am 583..."
Suddenly, there were several "clacks" in the earphones, and the voice of the reconnaissance battalion commander came half-deadly:
"Master's seat... Division... Master's seat... The enemy's main force! The enemy's main force! Dozens of vehicles... Dozens of vehicles! Our battalion is finished... We are finished... You have to avenge us... Master's seat...
ah--!!!"
The last scream was accompanied by a burst of submachine gunfire. Hafeng'a's face suddenly turned pale. The signal soldier continued to shout:
"Hey, 130! 130! Please reply! Please reply!!"
At this time, a person spoke in the earphone:
"No need to shout, your reconnaissance battalion has been wiped out by our People's Guards! You should also wash your butts quickly and wait for us to wipe them out..."
Halfon'a listened to the provocative voice in the earphones and clenched his fists loudly. He took off the earphones and turned around to order:
"The enemy's main force has been discovered. Order the fifth unit to start deploying forward, and be sure to hit the enemy head-on!"
"嗻!"
"Order all combat units of the division to run forward and advance quickly! Order the artillery regiment to follow the infantry regiment and deploy forward! Order all units to abandon their columns, come down from the road, and line up on both sides to form a combat position!"
"嗻!"
After the orders were passed down one after another, Hafeng'a murmured:
"The enemy's main force... this was detected by the reconnaissance battalion using all their lives... The enemy's main force... was detected very well, but the cost was a bit high..."
…
At this time, near the town of Moling, 12 kilometers away in the south, the end of the formation of the Sixth Division of the Eight Banners was still marching on the road. As the battle order came here, the infantry regiment, artillery regiment and other combat units immediately accelerated forward, and the division
Logistics units such as the health battalion, the munitions battalion, the supply department, the veterinary company, and the military police company all stayed behind.
Five kilometers away on the west side of the highway, there is a long queue of trucks parked on the country road, hundreds of them. In the fields on both sides, there are a large number of tanks, armored vehicles and self-propelled artillery parked.
None of these vehicles had headlights or started, and lay quietly in the thick fog of the night. On the side of each vehicle, bright yellow round emblems and black swords were eye-catchingly painted.
Different from the decoy troops in the north 12 kilometers away, this is the main force of the People's Guard.
They had already taken advantage of their maneuverability to detour behind the Sixth Division of the Eight Banners and were ready to attack. They were just waiting for the end of the Qing column to pass before they could block the opening and form an encirclement.