At the head of Aihui City, the commander of the Russian army, Lieutenant General Stessel, looked at the state of the battle between the Russian army and the Beiyang Army under the city, and frowned.

The artillery battle between the two sides is still raging, but the counterattack force on the Russian artillery positions is getting weaker and weaker. The caliber and number of light and heavy artillery of the Beiyang Army exceed the similar artillery of the Russian army, especially the 18 150 heavy howitzers on the east and west wings, and the damage to the artillery positions of the Russian army is very large, even if the artillery itself is not directly hit, as long as it explodes near the position, the huge air wave will overturn the artillery and lift the Russian artillery away, so that the artillery position will be extinguished and lose its combat effectiveness in an instant.

"General, if this continues, in less than ten minutes, our artillery positions will be destroyed, our soldiers will lose artillery cover, and the enemy's artillery fire will break the will of the imperial soldiers!"

Valentin's words echoed in Stexel's ears, but instead of answering, he turned his gaze to the infantry phalanx engaged in the distance.

The combat situation of the Russian infantry is also not optimistic, and the shooting accuracy of the Beiyang Army is no worse than that of the Russian army; The advanced magazine rifle equipped by the Beiyang Army only needs to change the magazine for five shots, while the Russian rifle is loaded with one bullet, and the Beiyang Army soldiers can shoot 15 bullets in one minute, but the well-trained Russian soldiers can only shoot 5 rounds, this gap caused by the exchange of fire between the two sides for 20 minutes, the Russian army has been killed and wounded more than 5,000 people, and the Beiyang Army has lost less than 500, and the battle loss ratio is 10:1, this kind of battle is the first time to encounter Stexel.

Soon, the gap continued to widen.

As the formations of the two sides were fixed at a distance of 70~90 meters, the Makqin heavy machine guns of the Qing and Russian armies were also slowly pushed into battle in front of their respective positions.

With the characteristic clicking sound of the Maxim heavy machine gun fire, the death toll on both sides skyrocketed. The Makqin heavy machine gun, with a rate of 600 rounds per minute, suddenly showed its bloody fangs, quickly devouring the lives of each other. In front of the Makqin heavy machine gun, whether it is the Beiyang Army or the Russian soldiers, neither side can be spared, but wherever the area strafed by the Makqin heavy machine gun, the soldiers are as fragile as a straw encountering a hurricane, and a large area falls in an instant.

The tremendous lethality of the Maxim heavy machine gun was completely excavated at this moment, and Stessel couldn't bear to watch his soldiers fall into a pool of blood in pieces. However, when he looked at the same casualties of the Beiyang Army soldiers on the other side, his heart was a little happier. As the Supreme Commander, he could endure this price for the sake of victory.

However, soon his gaze froze.

The Beiyang Army chose to lie down on the spot, dodging the slaughter of the Makqin heavy machine guns, leaving only the heavy machine gunners and ammunition suppliers to fight.

Soon, the Russian soldiers also lay down in the same way, leaving the Russian army's Makqin heavy machine gun to continue firing.

As the soldiers on both sides lay on the ground, the casualties of heavy machine-gun fire were significant, so the phenomenon of heavy machine-gun fire broke out on both sides. At this moment, the equipment gap between the two sides was suddenly reflected. There is no difference between the Makqin heavy machine guns on both sides, which are wheeled and water-cooled. However, the Beiyang Army's Maxim heavy machine gun was equipped with a shield, that is, like an infantry gun, the middle and rear position of the Maxim heavy machine gun was equipped with a steel plate that could resist the penetration of bullets.

In the process of heavy machine gun fire between the two sides, the heavy machine gunner of the Russian army was quickly shot because he did not have a shield to protect him. Nearby Russian soldiers tried to take over and continue the fight, but as soon as they held the shooting guard, they were beaten into a meat sieve.

Five minutes after the heavy machine gun engagement, the Russian heavy machine gun company was suppressed and unable to return fire. At the same time, the extra heavy machine guns of the Beiyang Army began to strafe the Russian army, and after the Beiyang Army achieved the advantage of fire suppression, all the infantry companies got up again and began to move forward.

With the Beiyang Army's step-by-step advance, it was useless for the Russian army to lie down and dodge, and under the strafing of the Beiyang Army's heavy machine guns, the Russian soldiers who did not have any ability to fight back were suddenly splashed with blood, and flesh and blood flew everywhere. Soon, the Russian infantry phalanx was scattered and routed one after another, and was forced to retreat with heavy casualties.

When the central formation of the Russian army was slowly defeated, on both flanks, the Russian infantry phalanx was not supported by heavy machine gun fire, while the Beiyang Army had 25 Makqin heavy machine guns on each flank, and in the face of absolute superior firepower, the Russian troops on both flanks were forced to retreat after holding out for less than 3 minutes.

The Beiyang Army accelerated the speed of the attack, starting from the two flanks, gradually forcing the Russian army to retreat, forcing the Russian army to assemble in the center, and the intention to encircle and annihilate the main force of the Russian army was already very obvious.

"Send out cavalry to attack the enemy's flanks at once!"

Zasulich said worriedly: "The fire of the Makqin heavy machine gun is too fierce, and the cavalry target is too big, that is a live target!" ”

"We have to stall for time, and we have to hold off before our cavalry regiment arrives!" We've got to hold them back, that's our only chance! ”

Valentin was already very anxious, and said in a cut voice: "But when will the Cossack cavalry regiment arrive?" According to the current situation, my army may not last more than an hour! ”

Stessel said lightly: "We still have five thousand reserves in the city, immediately order them to fight, I only need two hours!" ”

Although Stessel's face was calm, he was already extremely nervous. He did everything he could, but he didn't take into account the huge lethality of the Makqin heavy machine gun, and now he could only hope that the cavalry regiment would arrive as soon as possible, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.

Zasulic said: "No number of people can fill the mouth of the Maxim heavy machine gun, you can only add fuel to the tactics, in exchange for greater losses." I suggest that the whole army should immediately return to the city, and although the city is ruined, the ruins can be used as a support to hold out until our cavalry arrives. ”

Stessel said angrily: "Do you want me to be a shrunken turtle like you?" That is absolutely impossible, I cannot be defeated in the hands of the lowly yellow race, it will be a shame for my family, that is absolutely unforgivable! ”

Zasuric suddenly stopped talking, and Valentin only sighed, and no longer objected, and went straight to the city to make arrangements.

At 10:14, a Russian cavalry unit was killed from the rear of each of the two flanks of the Russian army, and went straight to the heavy machine gun companies placed on the two flanks of the Beiyang Army.

The two cavalry regiments that had been guarding on both flanks of the first town of the Beiyang Army finally had a place to use at this moment, and immediately rushed towards the Russian cavalry.

The 2nd Division of the Amur District of the Russian Army is equipped with a cavalry regiment, but the defense of Aihui does not need cavalry, only one cavalry battalion is retained, and the other two cavalry battalions are converted into infantry and joined the reserve.

At this moment, the Russian cavalry battalion that rushed out was only more than 500 people, and after being divided into two teams, there were only more than 250 people in each team. However, they will face the 1st Cavalry Regiment of the First Town and the 2nd Cavalry Regiment of the 2nd Town.

The cavalry establishment of the Beiyang Army is smaller than that of the Russian cavalry, and the cavalry regiment is only equivalent to two cavalry battalions of the Russian army. The cavalry of the Beiyang Army was four times that of the Russian cavalry, and the two sides rushed back and forth on the open ground on both flanks of the battlefield, and after only two rounds, the Russian cavalry was completely charged, leaving only a dozen war horses alone on the place of engagement.

At 10:14, all 40 artillery pieces of the artillery position on the right flank of the Russian army were destroyed, and most of the artillery casualties were lost. At the same time, on the artillery position of the left flank of the Russian army, which was in a sea of fire, accompanied by a huge explosion, the ammunition depot on the position was detonated, so that the Russian artillery had no shells to fight, and withdrew from the battle sequence after 3 minutes.

At 10:20, after all the artillery on the left and right flanks of the Beiyang Army readjusted their firing at Zhu Yuan, the impact point was set in the rear of the Russian array and Aihui City, and then a heavy artillery attack was carried out.

Suddenly, there was a violent explosion on the positions of the Russian army. The Russian army, which had already suffered heavy casualties under the superior heavy machine gun fire of the Beiyang Army, was subjected to heavy artillery shelling at this moment, and suddenly lost its battle formation and began to disperse.

However, the Beiyang Army did not abide by the regulations of the gentlemen's war, and also attacked the military band of the Russian army, with the result that the Russian military band without force quickly fled to death, causing the Russian army to lose the command of military music and drums, and the various phalanxes were suddenly unable to coordinate their defense with each other, accelerating the rout.

At about half past 10 o'clock, most of the Russian troops were already dead and wounded. Although more than 5,000 reserves in the city joined the battle as a new force, the Russian army had no artillery support, and in the face of the attack of the Beiyang Army's superior firepower, nearly 3,000 people were killed and wounded in less than half an hour.

The first town of the Beiyang Army surrounded the Russian army, and it was a foregone conclusion that the Russian army on the high ground would be completely annihilated.

Under the fierce bombardment of artillery fire, the high ground was suddenly plunged into a sea of fire. No sooner had the defensive formation been organized than it was destroyed by the violent explosion of artillery shells. However, the Russian army has no intention of surrendering, compared to the surrender of nearly 20,000 Russian troops at once in the Songhua River, the Russian army here has no intention of surrendering at this time.

Boom Boom!

There was another round of heavy shelling, and the Russian heights suddenly burst into flames and thick smoke billowed from the heights.

At 11:05, the Russian army on the high ground was dead and wounded, and the Beiyang Army launched its fourth charge, finally rushing to the high ground, ending the lives of the last 300 Russian soldiers in a white-knuckle battle.

After the battle, the entire high ground was covered with mountains of corpses and rivers of blood.

At the same time that the first town attacked the highland and the Russian army was besieged, the second brigade of the second town of the Beiyang Army Reserve received Wang Shizhen's order to take the opportunity to attack Aihui City.

There are still more than 1,000 defenders in Aihui City, and at this moment, Stessel has transferred most of the troops in the east, west, and north directions to the southern city for defense.

At 11:15, just when the Beiyang Army eliminated the main force of the Russian army outside Aihui City and was preparing to attack the last 1,000 or so Russian troops in Aihui City with all its might, bursts of gunfire and shouts of killing suddenly came from the rear of the Beiyang Army camp.

It turned out that the Russian Cossack cavalry regiment, which Stexel had been waiting for, finally arrived.

The Cossack cavalry regiment is different from the Russian cavalry regiment, and a Cossack cavalry regiment has a strength of up to 20,000 troops, which is a powerful cavalry team.

The Cossack cavalry regiment suddenly appeared in the rear of the Beiyang Army, which surprised Wang Shizhen and others. The speed of the Cossack cavalry regiment was very fast, and they were killed in front of the main camp in less than five minutes after Wang Shizhen received the report.

The large battalion of the Beiyang Army has three defensive positions, because the main force is in the north, and the reserve is also transferred by Wang Shizhen to attack Aihui City, the defensive strength in the south of the battalion is only one company, and there are no heavy weapons. When the Cossack cavalry arrived, they lost two positions in a row almost without time to react.

Wang Shizhen was afraid that the main force would be impacted, and immediately ordered two cavalry regiments to block the Cossack cavalry regiment with all their might, Jiang Guidi saw that his battalion was attacked, and there were still four or five thousand people trampled by the Russian army's iron hooves, and the knives were slaughtered, and immediately led the cavalry regiment to turn around to meet the enemy.

At the same time, Wang Shizhen also ordered the first town of the Beiyang Army to quickly retreat and return to the position to prevent being attacked by the Russian cavalry.

(To be continued)