Warlords: Rising from the Northwest Border and Sweeping Across the Powers

On October 7, the 11th year of the Republic of China, the entire Northwest Revolutionary Army's First Division of more than 20,000 combat troops began to operate in an orderly manner like a precision instrument.

In Honghe County, the First Reinforced Regiment under the First Brigade began to march towards Mocheng County, sixty miles away in the east.

Brigade Commander Wang Hua has issued a death order that Mocheng County must be captured within two days.

The 2,000-man army began to march towards Mocheng County in battalion units.

In Mocheng County, at the headquarters of the 357th Regiment, the regiment commander Wang Changjiang was still sleeping leisurely with his concubine in his arms. Although the 1st Brigade of the Northwest Revolutionary Army was stationed in Honghe County not far away, the three-month peace period had made Wang Changjiang completely relax his vigilance.

It was not until the secret sentry stationed outside the county town came to the regiment headquarters with a panicked look to report that the deputy regiment commander and the chief of staff became alert.

"Captain! The 1st Brigade of the Northwest Revolutionary Army in Honghe County next door has made some moves. The 1st Brigade's reinforced regiment, with combatants, is less than ten kilometers away from our Mocheng County. Judging from their posture, they are coming for us."

Wang Changjiang suddenly woke up, put on his clothes, and quickly went to the regiment headquarters.

"Damn it! The Northwest Revolutionary Army hasn't made any moves in over three months. How come they're suddenly coming for us?"

Chief of Staff Liu Xiang frowned and said, "Before, the Northwest Revolutionary Army acted as if they were not interested in fighting with the world, which successfully paralyzed us. In addition, the spies we arranged in Honghe County and Sanjiang County were all eliminated by them, which caught us off guard."

"Don't worry. The walls of our Mocheng County are made of rammed earth and blue bricks, poured with iron. As long as we hold the walls, close the gates, and use the heavy and light machine guns in our hands to mount them on the walls, there will be at least two miles of flat land under the walls. Let alone their two thousand people, even if there are five or six thousand people, they won't be able to break in."

Wang Jiang spoke confidently.

"Immediately have the 1st Battalion take heavy firepower to the city wall and form a dense firepower network. If his reinforcement regiment dares to attack us, we will let them know how powerful our 357th Regiment is!"

"Second and third battalions, be ready at all times. If the first battalion suffers casualties, you must step up immediately. Our Mocheng County is an iron wall. Even if the enemy is extremely powerful, they can't break in. Chief of Staff, send a telegram to the brigade commander immediately to inform him of the situation in Mocheng County. Our 357th Regiment will defend Mocheng County to the death and will never retreat a single step!"

"Yes, leader!"

Wang Changjiang was not talking nonsense. As the ace unit of the 121st Brigade, the 357th Regiment had five Maxim heavy machine guns and as many as twelve Czech light machine guns, with sufficient bullets. The food reserves in the city were enough to feed the people of the 357th Regiment for half a year. In the entire Mocheng County, except for the west gate which could be used as a breakthrough point, the other three city walls were the turbulent Mo River, which was more than ten feet wide.

Therefore, Mocheng County only has this one city gate on the west side. In addition, the city wall is more than two zhang high and more than two meters thick. It can be said that the city defense is extremely strong. No matter how powerful the army is, it will suffer a lot if it wants to capture Mocheng County.

On Cangshan Mountain two or three miles outside Mocheng County, the regiment commander Han Jiang was observing the situation at the west city gate with a telescope in his hand.

With the help of high-precision telescopes, the scene on the city wall is clearly visible.

"Damn it, Wang Changjiang has put all the heavy firepower on the city wall. If we rush up by force, I don't know how many lives will be lost. But he certainly can't imagine that we still have two great treasures."

Han Jiang showed a hint of sneer on his face, and ordered Liu Ershun beside him: "Tell the artillery battalion to bring our big treasure over here, and blow it up at the firing points on his city wall! Today I must blow a hole in the iron wall of Mocheng County!"

In order to carry out the plan of attacking Mocheng County, Han Jiang specially borrowed a company from the artillery battalion of the 1st Brigade. Also borrowed were two 150MM heavy howitzers and eight 75mm mountain cannons.

On the west gate wall of Mocheng County, Wang Changjiang asked in confusion, "Where did all the people in the reinforcement regiment go? Didn't they say they were coming for Mocheng County? Why haven't they launched an attack yet? There's not even a ghost in sight."

Two huge machines and eight other 75MM mountain cannons were pushed up on a flat hill two miles away from Mocheng County.

On the other side, Deputy Regiment Commander Liu Ershun personally led a battalion of soldiers and arrived not far from the west gate of Mocheng County. However, they were extremely cautious and hid outside the range of the enemy's heavy firepower and rifles.

"When the cannon fires, we will rush in and kill Wang Changjiang in one fell swoop after the cannons have eliminated the enemy's firepower points!"

"Adjust the firing parameters! Target the west gate of Mocheng County! Fire!"

Two 150MM heavy artillery pieces, each with a barrel four or five meters long, let out earth-shaking roars, and two shells weighing more than kilograms cut through the sky like meteors, accurately hitting the west gate wall of Mocheng County.

With a loud bang, hundreds of soldiers from the 357th Regiment who were lying on the city wall waiting to join the battle at any time were blown into pieces before they could figure out what was going on. The power of the 150MM heavy artillery was so great that it was enough to bring extremely tragic damage to all enemies within a radius of 200 meters.

In an instant, more than 357 soldiers from the st Battalion of the th Regiment were killed in the flames that shot up into the sky. Soldiers far away from the center of the explosion were pierced by shrapnel and let out bursts of wailing.

At the same time, the remaining eight 75MM mountain cannons also opened fire at the same time. The continuous artillery fire almost turned the entire city wall into ruins.

Under the power of the 150MM shell, a gap three or four meters wide was blown out on the side of the entire city wall, and brick and stone fragments were scattered all over the ground.

The heavy firepower point on the city wall, which Wang Changjiang had originally placed high hopes on, had already been wiped out under the continuous artillery attacks. On the entire city wall, the soldiers of the 357th Regiment who were able to survive were all frightened and ran downwards in panic.

After scouting out the enemy's heavy firepower points, the German army would first use artillery to carry out a round of clearing and elimination, and then let the infantry launch a charge. This was a common tactic used by the German army during World War II.

Liu Ershun led a battalion and rushed towards Mocheng County amid a loud charge. A large number of soldiers armed with rifles rushed into the city through the gaps in the city wall. At this time, the soldiers of the 357th Regiment in the city had already been panicked by the dense artillery fire that was enough to kill all the rats underground.

Even their regiment commander Wang Changjiang and chief of staff Liu Xiang were blown to pieces by the shells.

"We are the reinforced regiment of the 1st Brigade of the Northwest Revolutionary Army! We will not be killed if you surrender your weapons!"

Liu Ershun took the lead, killing the resisting soldiers with incredible accuracy with the rifle in his hand.

Later, the regiment commander Han Jiang also led the second and third battalions into the city through the gap. In less than two hours, the reinforced regiment had completely annihilated the 357th Regiment and captured Mocheng County. Under the muzzle of the 150MM heavy artillery, the Mocheng County wall that Wang Changjiang was proud of was torn open like paper.

"Send a telegram to the brigade headquarters immediately! The reinforced regiment has successfully captured Mocheng County and killed the three highest commanders of the 357th Regiment! 752 people have been captured."

"Yes, leader!"