Bright Sword: From Soldier to Brigade Commander

In order to strengthen their firepower, Su Fei further announced that they would leave behind two mountain cannons to form an artillery platoon. Once they found the enemy forcing a charge and the situation on the front line was critical, they would use cannons to greet them. There was no need to aim precisely, they could just shoot at the enemy at random.

The county captain and political commissar cried with excitement.

Once upon a time, these county brigades couldn't even afford rifles. On average, there was one rifle for every four men, and each rifle only had five to eight rounds of ammunition. Now, everyone has a weapon, ammunition is plentiful, and there are machine guns and artillery. If they had had such equipment earlier, would they still be afraid of the Japanese? They would have fought the Japanese with real weapons and beaten them to death.

Touching the guns, cannons and bullets, they expressed their gratitude profusely and vowed to let the Japanese soldiers taste our power.

Su Fei was also moved.

This is the real man of China!

Armed with sickles, carrying poles, homemade guns, and a few broken rifles, they dared to lead a county brigade to fight against the devils and puppet troops. According to them, they had lost countless battles, been chased and beaten by the devils and puppet troops, and suffered countless deaths and injuries. Countless people would stand up from the pool of blood and fight again after each battle.

Compared to them, Su Fei himself lacks the true iron-blooded masculinity and the courage to fight hand-to-hand!

He relied more on his intelligence, cunning, and later military literacy and knowledge to win cleverly. However, this cleverness was actually a kind of speculation, weakness and lack of self-confidence.

When our weapons, ammunition and equipment are equal to those of the enemy, we should engage in a face-to-face battle with the enemy, a true spirit of drawing the sword, rather than engaging in a self-serving battle of wits.

In the past, he could be called the fox and the wild wolf of northwest Shanxi, but this was not enough. He must have a stronger fighting spirit and be more proactive and aggressive. He must become a tiger in the anti-Japanese army!

The stronger the enemy, the stronger I am. The more vicious the enemy, the more vicious I am!

Fight to the end and never take a step back!

Crush the Japanese!

Sweep away the traitors!

"Captain Zhao, Political Commissar Xue, you've worked hard. But don't worry, once we understand the enemy's situation and have attracted the Japanese's attention, I will lead the main force of the army to launch a surprise attack on the Japanese artillery regiment from the flank and fight the Japanese to the death!"

Su Fei stood at attention and saluted.

The cadres of the county brigade also stood at attention and saluted, then quickly led their troops to charge towards the enemy.

Su Fei turned around and rode his horse to inspect his own troops, a so-called regular army of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army filled with new recruits.

"Brothers, today, the main forces of the Japanese army and the traitors have surrounded the main force of our independent brigade, Chief of Staff Fang Ligong's three battalions. The battle is underway. Our brothers are resisting stubbornly, constantly sacrificing lives and being injured. They are waiting for our reinforcements and rescue. Can we give up the battle and leave safely? No!"

"Today, the enemy may have set a trap here, but we are not afraid! If we were afraid of death, we would not have come here. What is the difference between us and spineless traitors?"

"Now, we must fight the enemy to the death. Anyone who is afraid of death can go back, leave here, lay down his weapons, and become a slave of your country. Anyone who is not afraid of death must muster up the courage. Let us fight the devils together, eliminate the devils, and eliminate all the devils here! Even if we all have to sacrifice ourselves, we will not look back and will never take a step back!"

Su Fei shouted and mobilized the troops in front of them, demanding that during battles and charges, officers must charge to the front line.

In addition, a supervision team was set up, and anyone who was timid or not brave in battle would be shot directly for treason.

After the mobilization, all officers and soldiers were excited and expressed that they would fight to the death, never leave, and never retreat a single step!

Here, more than a thousand people were allowed to leave by Su Fei, and they were able to leave with some food and other supplies.

However, these people also insisted on participating in the war.

"Let's fight the Japs!"

"Those officials are afraid of the Japs, but we are not. As long as we have a gun, I can beat ten of them by myself!"

it is good!

Su Fei immediately reorganized the troops, mixing them all together. More than 2,000 people were organized into four battalions, with veterans and officers as the backbone. They were quickly assembled.

A battalion was left behind to take charge of artillery tasks, staying in the local area to dig trenches and set up artillery positions. The artillery backbones of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army served as technical guidance and on-site teaching.

They used all their mountain guns, infantry guns, and some machine guns.

The mission is to bombard the enemy's main force fiercely after discovering it, bombarding it at all costs.

After thinking it over, Su Fei left another 200 men to serve as their guards and defense. Now, these people immediately dug trenches and anti-gun holes and prepared for battle.

After increasing the distance, Su Fei's troops moved to the northeast, aiming at the enemy's artillery regiment positions while waiting for an opportunity.

At this time, the county brigade's troops had already engaged in a firefight with the Japanese guard troops, and the fighting between the two sides was very fierce.

The soldiers of the county brigade used mortars, grenade launchers and mountain artillery to bombard the Japanese army and support the front line.

The Japanese counterattack became more and more fierce, and more troops appeared. Obviously, the Japanese began to suspect that these county brigades were Su Fei's main force, because they also changed into the clothes of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army.

Soon, the earth-shaking whistling of artillery shells and explosions were heard!

The Japanese artillery group began bombing.

Mountain cannon!

Field artillery!

In the overwhelming explosion, the county brigade suffered heavy casualties!

They were swallowed by waves of air and dust.

Su Fei could see that the Japanese artillery group was lying in ambush in the south of Linwu County, 3000 meters outside the city and more than 4000 meters away from the county brigade.

Judging from the sound of the artillery, it was an enemy artillery battalion with 18 artillery pieces.

The enemy artillery group is exposed!

Well, we made great sacrifices just to lure out the enemy's artillery positions.

It's daytime now and you can see clearly.

The walkie-talkie contacted Duan Peng: "Attack the enemy artillery immediately."

Now, Duan Peng is the artillery commander.

Based on his estimates and observations, Duan Peng constantly directed the artillery to adjust the angle of fire.

Of course, their location is relatively hidden, behind a forest.

Moreover, they were divided into two groups to avoid being concentrated and being taken away in one wave after being discovered by the enemy.

The two parts of the artillery battalion were more than 1000 meters apart.

One of the companies launched an attack on the Japanese artillery position.

Mountain artillery and infantry artillery fired fiercely, and the shooting angle was further adjusted based on the shooting effect.

In an era when phased array radars are completely lacking, the same principle applies: discover the enemy first and strike preemptively!

Su Fei's troops returned. The troops paid great attention to confidentiality and were very quiet. There were a large number of reconnaissance cavalry on guard in front. Their appearance made the Japanese reconnaissance cavalry hurriedly hide to avoid being scared away.

Upon discovering the enemy reconnaissance cavalry, Su Fei's troops began to disperse and further conceal their whereabouts.

The Japanese army was feeling proud when they suddenly heard the sound of artillery fire and were so frightened that they froze.

A large number of artillery shells, mountain artillery, and infantry artillery flew over the heads of the Japanese army, blowing some Japanese artillerymen away and killing them. Many Japanese artillerymen were forced to stop their operations and hide.

The Japanese commander immediately gave orders to adjust the firing angle, modify the target, observe Su Feijun's artillery positions, and bombard fiercely.

The fierce battle lasted for half an hour.

The county brigade had more than 400 people, and more than 250 were killed or wounded. Many soldiers were blown to pieces without a trace.

Many soldiers held their rifles tightly until they died, refusing to let go.

When the Japanese infantry and cavalry launched a charge, the soldiers of the county brigade used machine guns and artillery fire to beat the Japanese soldiers down while they were cutting wheat.

They went on the defensive, shooting at the enemy from craters and natural gullies.

A small squad of Japanese cavalry was almost wiped out and was machine-gunned many times.

A Japanese infantry company also suffered more than half of its troops killed or wounded.

More than 2 Japanese artillerymen were killed or wounded, and more than a dozen shells exploded, destroying two mountain cannons.

The heavy artillery of the first company of Duan Peng's artillery battalion suffered 30% casualties overnight.

The battle here is a fight of attrition.

Japanese commander Major General Chida immediately realized that Su Fei's main force had been exposed.

He personally commanded the battle on the southern front and immediately ordered a general attack!

The Japanese army's hidden troops immediately rushed out from their positions, bushes, gullies and trenches.

Four infantry companies of an infantry battalion, plus the battalion headquarters and more than 1200 other troops, swarmed out and divided into three groups to launch an encirclement and annihilation campaign against the county battalion and Duan Peng's heavy artillery company.

They came like a swarm of locusts, covering the sky and the earth.

The Japanese army charged at an extremely fast speed, shouting slogans, and the vanguard soldiers fired and dodged bullets at the same time.

Elite troops.

At the same time, the Japanese army's battalion artillery, which consisted of two infantry guns, and squadron artillery, which consisted of three mortars, also covered this side.

Major General Chida personally mounted his warhorse and led a cavalry squad out of the command post. "Warriors of the Empire, follow in my footsteps and personally wield your swords to slay the strongest enemy the Imperial Army's 26th Division has ever seen!"

Of course, the excited old devil Chida did not lose his rationality. He left an infantry battalion and a cavalry search squadron as reserves, which could reinforce the battle in the east if needed.

The third infantry battalion must be stationed like a nail on the south side of Linwu County to prevent the defenders in the city from breaking out and escaping, and to defeat the Imperial Army besieging the city.

Before the attack, he also sent a telegram to the commander of the northern front, the commander of the independent mountain artillery regiment, asking him to be on guard against possible sneak attacks by Su Fei's troops.

If necessary, the mountain artillery regiment should also send troops in the form of cavalry to outflank Su Fei's army.

The Japanese army went crazy.

The Japanese army launched a general attack.

At this time, Su Fei discovered that his battle plan was wrong!

He originally thought that the Japanese mountain artillery regiment was concentrated in the north. He planned to use the county brigade as bait to attract the main force of the enemy infantry to besiege. He would take advantage of the opportunity and lead his troops to forcibly attack the enemy artillery unit, use cavalry to quickly charge, defeat the enemy in one fell swoop, and then use the enemy's artillery fire to bombard the enemy, causing chaos in the enemy, and guide the meritorious troops defending the city to attack, attack from both inside and outside, and defeat the enemy in one fell swoop!

Now, neither telegraph nor walkie-talkie could get in touch with the defenders in the city, so he could only fight unilaterally.

More importantly, the Japanese artillery counterattack just now proved that their artillery fire was divided into two artillery groups in the north and south, and half of the artillery fire was on the southern line!

Even if you succeed in your assault by chance and destroy the enemy's artillery in the north, you can't stop the other artillery from suppressing your firepower, right?

Su Fei admitted that the Japanese artillery was more professional and much stronger than his own artillery which was mainly composed of recruits. If he could not destroy the enemy artillery, he would not be able to win.

He was forced to change his tactical plan.

Lower the target and defeat the enemy's southern forces.

Rather than engaging in a large-scale melee with an uncertain outcome and taking great risks, it is better to take one step at a time, win local battles, and influence the overall situation!

As long as there are repeated fierce battles outside the city, the defenders inside the city will definitely feel it and will definitely not dare to attack and cooperate!

"Duan Peng, change the plan. You hold on, and I'll come back to support you immediately!"

The call was made via walkie-talkie and Duan Peng also heard the response.

300 officers and soldiers were left behind to cover the retreat and ambush the enemy's possible assault troops, while the remaining 1000 officers and soldiers rode on war horses and slowly returned to the southern line to provide support.

To the northeast of Linwu County, about fifteen miles away from the county seat, these troops tried their best to hide themselves in woods and villages.

All the war horses of Su Fei's troops were assigned to the troops for riding, two cavalry battalions.

Some draft horses didn't even have saddles, so the soldiers simply wrapped them with some cloth, made stirrups with ropes, and rode on them.

When they returned more than 3000 meters, they were intercepted by Japanese troops.

The Japanese army had surrounded Duan Peng's troops and the remnants of the county brigade on three sides.

The battle was extremely brutal.

The Japanese army swept in, and the artillery, under the visual observation of the vanguard troops, constantly corrected the target, becoming more and more accurate, and brutally killed and wounded Duan Peng's troops in large numbers.

Duan Peng's troops no longer hid and suddenly opened fire with 20 mortars!

They bombarded the dense Japanese infantry and cavalry to the west and south at the fastest speed.

The mortars, with a rate of fire of 20 rounds per minute, burst out almost all at once, suddenly bombing the Japanese army and leaving them in a state of disarray.

Boom boom boom.

A bolt from the blue, smoke and dust filled the ground, air waves rolled, and all the Japanese soldiers were shattered!

The second and third companies of Duan Peng's artillery battalion are both light mortar companies and have been enduring the Japanese for a long time.

Su Fei's order was conveyed to Duan Peng, requiring that once the artillery fires, half of the remaining shells must be destroyed as quickly as possible! Each gun must fire at least 30 shells.

Of course, you can't just attack randomly, you have to face the enemy's dense infantry or cavalry groups and maximize the damage to the enemy's ground assault force.

This is also the application of Su Fei's blitzkrieg and mobile warfare thinking.

Due to insufficient manpower and firepower, we must attack the enemy flexibly and flexibly.

The Japanese army was caught off guard!

They obviously thought that the heavy artillery company consisting of the smashed mountain cannon and infantry gun, as well as the nearby infantry, was the main force of Su Fei's troops.

After several rounds of artillery bombardment, Su Fei's troops had very few manpower left, so the infantry group overwhelmed them.

Now, there is such a terrifying artillery group lurking here?

The four infantry companies and one integrated company of the Japanese Army's first infantry battalion, a cavalry search company, and the cavalry squadron led by Major General Chida himself all suffered devastating blows.

More than half of them were killed or injured!