Barcelona, the largest city in eastern Spain. After the start of the war, all the people here have left here, and the whole of Barcelona has become a sea of soldiers. The army here, in addition to the white-skinned Spanish Army, is more of the yellow-skinned Chinese Army. The 15th and 16th armies of the Imperial Army, plus four Spanish infantry corps, totaling half a million men, were engaged in a large-scale decisive battle against the French Army around Barcelona.

Although, the French Army has 800,000 troops, which is 300,000 more than the Chinese and Western coalition forces. However, the situation of the war was just the opposite, it was not the French Army that suppressed the Chinese and Western coalition forces, but the Chinese and Western coalition forces that pressed the French Army.

In the headquarters, Lieutenant General Ma Xiangming, commander of the 15th Group Army of the Imperial Army, Lieutenant General Qiu Zhisheng, commander of the 16th Group Army of the Imperial Army, and Lieutenant General Alex of the Spanish Army, were discussing the next operational deployment.

"I think we should focus on the north, along the coast all the way to the west, and as long as we can take Figueres, it means closing the retreat of the French army to mainland France. In this case, it would be a fatal blow to the French army on the Eastern Front. When the time comes, their morale will also be greatly affected. If we want to encircle and annihilate these enemies, we will be more certain! Lieutenant General Ma Xiangming said.

"The French, however, had two infantry corps in Figueres, nearly 100,000 men. What's more, if Figueras is attacked, the French can quickly send troops south from the country, and at that time, our army will be flanked by the French. "Lieutenant General Alex was a little worried. After all. The French Army also deployed a number of troops in Perpignan, a city in southern France, north of Figueras. It can be seen that the French attach great importance to this retreat. The French also knew what would happen if the back road was cut off.

"Figueres we have to take it. Having conquered Figueres, we were able to cut off the French retreat. If only we move fast enough. The French didn't have time to react! Lieutenant General Qiu Zhisheng also said.

"However, Barcelona is hundreds of kilometers away from Figueres, and there are heavy French troops along the way, so it is not so easy for us to conquer Figueres." Lieutenant General Alex frowned. Although, the Chinese and Western coalition forces have already gained an advantage on the battlefield. However, if you want to capture Figueres quickly, it is almost impossible. After all. The French Army on the Eastern Front had 300,000 more troops than the Central and Western Coalition Army, and almost all of these 300,000 troops were deployed north of Barcelona to the Figueres line.

"This problem is actually very easy to solve. Although the land route is difficult, the sea route is different. The distance of hundreds of kilometers from the sea is only a few hours! Lieutenant General Qiu Zhisheng said with a smile.

"By sea! My God! That's a very good idea. I think this time the French are going to be out of luck! Lieutenant General Alex immediately laughed. It was indeed not easy to attack Figueres by land, and it would be blocked by the French. If the situation is not good. It is also possible that the French will retreat early, which will not be in the interests of the Chinese and Western forces. However, if attacked from the sea. The French have no choice. After all, the entire Mediterranean Sea is already under the control of the Chinese Navy and the Spanish Navy. The Chinese Navy's strong transportation capacity can easily transport troops to Figueres.

"I've already consulted General Liu. Our plan was also approved with a bang. The 16th Army could go by sea. Direct attack on Figueres. After the capture of Figueres, the 16th Army held the passage to the Pyrenees. When the time comes. If the French want to break through our defenses, it is almost impossible. Lieutenant General Qiu Zhisheng said. With the strength of the 16th Army of the Imperial Army, if it were on the defensive, the French Army would probably be able to break through the defense line of the Imperial Army with more than three times the strength of the Phantom. What's more, the eastern part of the Pyrenees, where the terrain is easy to defend and difficult to attack, is more suitable for the Imperial Army.

"Alright, let's go according to this plan!" The commander of the 15th Army, Lieutenant General Ma Xiangming, nodded.

On the night of March 22, 1855, a large convoy of transports of the Imperial Navy arrived in Barcelona. All 180,000 men of the 16th Army of the Imperial Army boarded the convoy and sailed north under the escort of more than a dozen warships.

In order to assist the army in this plan, the 1st Fleet of the Imperial Navy specially transferred 3 'Western Han class' battleships from the front line to clear the obstacles for the 16th Army to land. In addition, the 7th Brigade of the Imperial Marine Corps will also be responsible for landing operations. After all, the 16th Army also belongs to the subsequent formation of the Imperial Army, and its combat power is not as strong as the Imperial Elite Army, let alone landing operations. Therefore, it would be better for a professional Marine Corps to be responsible for the landing operation.

The reason why it was sent away at night was to avoid the sight of the French and to ensure the suddenness of the raid. Only then, alas, can make the French defenseless. After all, the French army numbered 100,000 in Figueres alone, 50,000 in Perpignan in the north, and even more in the south. If the French were given time to react, it would have been very difficult for the Imperial Army to cut off the retreat of the French Army.

On the morning of March 23, 1855, the Convoy of the Imperial Navy had arrived off the coast of Figueres. It was only 6 a.m. and it was just getting light.

Three 'Western Han class' battleships of the Imperial Navy, protected by more than a dozen cruisers and destroyers, appeared less than five kilometers off the coast of Figueres. At this moment, the French troops stationed in Figueres were still largely asleep, unaware of the impending threat.

"Boom! Rumble! Rumble! "At 6:15 a.m., three battleships and more than a dozen cruisers and destroyers of the Imperial Navy began a heavy shelling of the coast of Figueres. Because of the loss of sea supremacy in the Mediterranean, the French army deliberately deployed its barracks inland far from the coast. Of course, this saved the French Army from heavy shelling by the Imperial Navy, but it also deprived the French Army of the opportunity to block the Imperial Marines and the Imperial Army on the beach.

After all, it would take a lot of time for the French to learn that the Imperial Army was going to launch a landing operation before mobilizing troops into the defensive line, and it would have allowed the Imperial Marines to establish a solid beachhead and even take the port.

Figueres had a small harbor that the Imperial Navy had deliberately avoided during the bombardment.

By the time the artillery bombardment of the Imperial Navy began, the soldiers of the 7th Brigade of the Imperial Marine Corps had already set off from the transport ship in small boats. More than 6,000 people, in hundreds of small boats, rushed to the shore.

The landing operation of the 7th Brigade of the Imperial Marine Corps met with little decent resistance. This was mainly due to the fact that the artillery bombardment of the Imperial Navy had begun to extend to the shore, and the reinforcements sent by the French Army were heavily shelled by the Imperial Navy and could not stop the landing of the Imperial Marines in time.

By the time the French* troops arrived, the 7th Brigade of the Imperial Marines had taken control of the harbor and had formed a defensive line outside the harbor. Although the 7th Brigade of the Imperial Marine Corps had only more than 6,000 men, the strength was scarce. However, with the support of naval guns, it was almost impossible for the French to break through the lines of the 7th Brigade of the Imperial Marine Corps. At the same time, the transport ships of the Imperial Navy also sailed directly to the port, and the soldiers of the 16th Army of the Imperial Army on board could directly disembark and fight.

"Boom! Rumble! Rumble! ”

Dense shells exploded in front of the line of the 7th Brigade of the Imperial Marine Corps, and these shells were all shells of powerful naval guns. The spotter provided accurate targets for the battleships moored in the sea, so that the Imperial Navy warships could accurately drop shells on the heads of the French. Often, after a large-caliber shell explodes, it can leave a blank in the ranks of the French attack. The French, who were within the radius of destruction, paid extremely heavy prices, often losing heavy losses before they could touch the edge of the line of defense of the 7th Brigade of the Imperial Marine Corps.

In the face of the sudden attack of the Imperial army from the sea, the French army stationed in Figueres was almost unprepared, so that it was caught off guard by the Imperial Army. In a hurry, he sent his troops to counterattack, preparing to drive the landed Chinese* troops into the sea, but they were hit by heavy fire from the Imperial Marines and the Imperial Navy, and suffered heavy losses.

This was despite the fact that the French army had deployed a full 100,000 men in Figueres. However, in the face of the blow of the imperial army, it is almost impossible for these 100,000 people to hold Figueres.

With the continuous landing of troops of the 16th Army of the Imperial Army, a large-scale offensive against the French army began. In the face of the attack of the 16th Army of the Imperial Army, the French army could not resist and was defeated one after another.

Lieutenant General Edmond, the commander of the French forces stationed in Figueres, had no choice but to ask Baraj. The Count of Dillier called for help, asking for more reinforcements. However, it was also not so easy for the French army to reach Figueres, and it took enough time to do so. And now Lieutenant General Edmund could not give the French army so much time.

After a day of fierce fighting, the Imperial Army's 16th Army captured Figueres and sent troops to hold the important passages to the north and south. The retreat from the northeastern part of the Kingdom of Spain to France was completely cut off by the Imperial Army! (To be continued......)

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