Therefore, it will take a considerable amount of time for these eighteen battalions to become an army.

Then, during this period of time, the combat effectiveness of the independent regiment will not increase, but will decline to a certain extent, which is the same as when the Eighth Route Army just went deep behind enemy lines.

Before the Eighth Route Army penetrated deep behind enemy lines, the three main divisions of 30,000 people, all of whom were veterans of a hundred battles, were veteran Red Army, and their combat effectiveness was leveraged, and they did not fall behind in the slightest when fighting with devils with bayonets.

However, after penetrating deep behind enemy lines, the Eighth Route Army quickly expanded from 30,000 to more than 100,000, and the combat effectiveness of the troops showed a very serious decline.

This situation continued until 1940, when the Eighth Route Army recovered to a certain extent in terms of training and equipment after more than a year of training and the seizure of weapons and equipment from the Huidaomen.

The situation of the Independent Regiment was basically similar to that of the Eighth Route Army.

If it is not expanded, using these two thousand veterans, plus the original troops, Xu Rui will be able to pull up a well-trained, well-equipped and experienced elite veteran regiment in the blink of an eye, the combat effectiveness of this veteran regiment is incredible, with this regiment, Xu Rui can go out to do a lot of things.

Taking advantage of the fact that the main force of the Japanese army sent by Central China to go out on the expedition, Xu Rui even dared to take this regiment to fight Pukou and bite off a piece of meat from the devil!

With this regiment, Xu Rui has the ability to turn the entire Anhui upside down, and even southern Jiangsu and southern Anhui are within the scope of the independent regiment.

But if it is expanded, these two thousand backbone veterans will be scattered like beans.

Xu Rui's troops can only be used in his hands are three main battalions plus a cavalry battalion, the independent battalion in the Feicheng defense battle because of heavy casualties, after the replenishment of a large number of recruits, the combat effectiveness is also very serious, after the guard company expanded into a guard battalion, it is also supplemented with a large number of recruits, the situation is similar, these two battalions are temporarily useless.

With only three main battalions and one cavalry battalion in hand, Xu Rui can do very limited.

At most, it is to threaten Pucheng, and there is no need to count on Pukou, let alone crossing the river to attack southern Jiangsu or southern Anhui, it is simply impossible.

So, it's a dilemma.

The expansion of the army will have advantages in the long run and disadvantages in the short term.

If it does not expand, it will be beneficial in the short term and harmful in the long run.

For others, this may be a difficult choice, but not for Xu Rui.

Because Xu Rui understood very well that due to the limited manpower and material resources of little Japan, the Battle of Wuhan was already the limit, and after the Battle of Wuhan, the Japanese army could no longer organize a large-scale offensive.

At that time, the Japanese army will concentrate its forces and launch a large-scale law and order campaign against the occupied areas.

At that time, the Eighth Route Army in North China and the New Fourth Army in Central China will have the most difficult period in the future, when they will not only have to face the crazy sweep of devils, but also face the provocation and harassment of various recalcitrant troops.

The reason why Xu Rui gave up his immediate interests was to prepare in advance for this difficult time to come.

Xu Rui knows very well that in another half a year, the Central China Dispatch Army will be transferred from the current frontal battlefield offensive operations to the public security and suppression war, and at that time, the Independent Regiment and the Dameishan Base Area will become a thorn in the side of the Central China Dispatch Army, and will definitely become the primary target of the old devil Hata Junroku.

If nothing else, Shunroku Hatata, an old devil, will definitely mobilize more than two divisions to launch a large-scale sweeping operation against the Dameishan base area.

If the independent regiment does not take advantage of this precious opportunity to expand its army in time, wait for the devil to switch to the public security war, and wait for the old devil Shunroku Hata to mobilize heavy troops to sweep up, it is impossible to hold the Dameishan base area under any circumstances with the strength of only one regiment, even if there is a Shaqiaogang fortress.

The Shaqiaogang fortress can block the front, but it can't block the rest of the directions.

The devil does not attack from the front, but also from both sides over the Qingniu Ridge, Qingfeng Ridge attack, although the terrain of Qingniu Ridge and Qingfeng Peak is dangerous, and the bandits of Qingniu Village and Qingfeng Village are full of traps on all the mountain roads, but in the face of tens of thousands of troops, this trap cannot play any practical role at all.

However, if the independent regiment is expanded to eighteen battalions, almost with the formation of a division, when the devils mobilize heavy troops to sweep up, Xu Rui will also have the confidence to fight a small-scale sports battle with the devils in the lofty mountains of Qingniuling and Qingfengling, and Xu will have the confidence to thwart the devil's sweep.

It was precisely because of this consideration that Xu Rui decided to use the 2,000 veterans who had returned from injury as the backbone force and reorganized the troops of eight to ten battalions.

After explaining the reason to Mei Jiuling, Xu Rui said again: "Jiuling, among the eight to ten newly formed battalions, I want to form a separate engineer battalion, would you like to be the commander of this engineer battalion?" ”

"Engineer battalion commander?" Mei Jiuling's still immature face immediately showed a look of embarrassment.

In today's world, the engineer battalion is almost the standard configuration of the infantry division, mainly responsible for building bridges and paving roads, repairing fortifications, or dismantling enemy fortifications, such as demining, and rarely has the opportunity to go to the frontal battlefield.

Mei Jiuling said with some embarrassment: "Commander, are you ordering or asking for advice?" ”

Xu Rui smiled slightly when he heard this, and said, "This is not an order, but to ask for your opinion." ”

"Then I'm not going." Mei Jiuling suddenly perked up when she heard this, and said without hesitation, "I'd rather stay in the independent battalion as a company commander than be the commander of this engineer battalion." ”

"That's what you said?" Xu Rui smiled, "Don't regret it then." ”

"Regrets?" Mei Jiuling said blankly, "Why should I regret it?" What's so good about being a sapper? ”

Xu Rui said: "Let me tell you, this engineer battalion of our independent regiment is not an ordinary engineer battalion, and in our engineer battalion, there will be two extremely special companies. ”

"Two extremely special companies?" Mei Jiuling was even more confused, "What company?" ”

Xu Rui said: "In our engineer battalion, in addition to two engineer companies, there is also a motorized infantry company, plus an armored combat vehicle company!" ”

"What?" Mei Jiuling's eyes immediately widened, and she shouted, "A motorized infantry company, plus an armored fighting vehicle company?!" ”

If it is replaced by a big old and rough battalion commander like He Guangming and Wan Chongshan, what is a motorized infantry company and an armored combat vehicle company may not be able to figure out, and it will be even more to let them learn the corresponding tactics, but Mei Jiuling and He Shuya have systematically studied the corresponding combat theory when they were in the youth training team.

When Xu Rui talked about the theory of large corps and large in-depth operations in class, and explained the rapid blitzkrieg of tank clusters, Mei Jiuling and the other trainees began to boil their blood, and they couldn't wait to become the commander of the tank cluster on the simulated sand table, leading hundreds of tanks to launch a rapid blitzkrieg.

It was from that time that the seeds of tank cluster blitzkrieg were planted in the minds of He Shuya, Mei Jiuling, and other trainees.

Although Xu Rui only planned to form a motorized infantry company and an armored combat vehicle company in the engineer battalion, this was enough to make Mei Jiuling's blood boil.

"Commander, what you said is true?" Mei Jiuling even changed the tone of her speech.

"Of course it's true." Xu Rui said, "It's a pity that you don't want to, it seems that I can only go to Shouxin." ”

"Don't, don't, head of the regiment." Mei Jiuling shook her hands continuously, and she couldn't wait to hold Xu Rui, and then she was so anxious that she scratched her heart and lungs and said, "I'll do it, I'll do it, I'll do it, the head of the regiment!" ”

"Are you willing again?" Xu Rui said hesitantly, "Are you really willing?" ”

"Yes, yes." Mei Jiuling's chick nodded again and again as if pecking rice.

"That's good." Xu Rui nodded and said, "When the fortress is completed, you are ready to start forming this engineer battalion, but I have to put the ugly words in front, all I can provide you with now is a Type 95 light tank, six side three-wheeled motorcycles and two trucks, and finally whether this motorized infantry company and armored combat vehicle company can really become an army depends on your own ability." ”

"Yes!" Mei Jiuling snapped up and replied, "Guarantee to complete the task!" ”

Coming out of the main bunker, Xu Rui saw the little widow who was good with Gao Chu at a glance, Chu Chu.

Oh no, I can't say that I got along now, Chu Chu and Gao Chu are married, and they are also the wedding presided over by Xu Rui, and Wang Husheng is the witness.

I saw Chu Chu standing on the edge of the playground with a pot of water, waving to Gao Chu: "Brother Gao, drink some water, relieve the heat, don't get tired on such a hot day." ”

The recruits who were running around the playground laughed and ate their eggs.

The more daring recruit Danzi took the opportunity to coax and said: "Battalion commander, sister-in-law told you not to be tired, leave some strength to go home at night, do you hear?" ”

The other recruits burst into laughter.

Gao Chu became angry and roared angrily: "Whoever is that, it's you, add another twenty laps, and you won't be allowed to eat until you finish running!" I don't believe I can't cure you, his grandmother. ”

After finishing speaking, when Gao Chu turned to face Chu Chu again, his face immediately bloomed.

Then he trotted in front of Chu Chu again, salivating and smiling: "Chu Chu, why are you here on such a hot day, didn't I let you be at home so that you can have a baby?" But don't be tired of our son. ”

I have to say that Gao Chu's marksmanship is quite accurate, and he won the bid within a month of marriage.

A flush swelled up on Chu Chuqiao's face, and she said angrily: "How do you know it's a son?" ”

"Yes, the first child must be a male baby." After Gao Chu finished speaking, he lowered his voice and said, "Daughter-in-law, didn't I see that your butt is so big, the old man said, so ****** firstborn to give birth to a male baby." ”

"Nasty." Chu Chu poured Gao Chu a glass of water, and slapped Gao Chu lightly.

Gao Chu drank a big sip of cold water and enjoyed his daughter-in-law's pink fist, which was pleasant.