When the commander of the Mongolian army, Tataro Gansu, heard this, his brows furrowed deeper and deeper.

Since the outbreak of the Sino-Japanese War in 1937.

The firepower of the Japanese army is to comprehensively suppress the Chinese army, and the weapons and equipment and logistics supplies of both sides are not at the same level.

Even the national army on the frontal battlefield was no match for the Japanese army, let alone the Eighth Route Army in the ravine.

The Mongolian garrison also often fought against the Eighth Route Army.

Although the Eighth Route Army repeatedly succeeded in road and railway attacks, it never dared to confront the main force of the Mongolian army.

Although the Eighth Route Army fought against the Mongolian army was numerous, it was poorly equipped and lacked ammunition.

The Eighth Route Army in Shanxi, northwest of Shanxi Province, with the same strength, had five times the firepower of the Locust Army.

Can you believe this?

Of course, faith is affirmative, but it is somewhat unbelievable.

After a pause, Kuroda continued: "A few months ago, the Eighth Route Army ambushed the 1st Division on the road, using more than 1,000 artillery pieces and a tank wing. ”

"The more than 20,000 main forces of the 1st Division were surrounded by the Eighth Route Army for several hours, except for more than 5,000 people who escaped, all the remaining jade was shattered."

"Moreover, the five-fold firepower is only a few months ago, and now the firepower of the Eighth Route Army in the northwest of Shanxi Province is mostly stronger."

Gansu Shigetaro nodded, and his tone was solemn: "Yesterday, the North China Front Army Headquarters sent a telegram, which said that the main force of the Eighth Route Army attacking Datong was suspected to have heavy artillery fire from an artillery division. ”

"Just one round of artillery bombardment shattered more than 1,000 locust soldiers in a brigade."

"This shows how strong the firepower of this Eighth Route Army is."

Although the commander of the North China Front, Okamura Ninji, ordered the troops stationed in Mongolia to go to Datong as soon as possible to relieve the siege of the 1st Division.

But Ganji Shigetaro is not a fool, compared to the First Army of the Japanese Army, the strength of the army stationed in Mongolia is not much.

He didn't have any capital in his hand, and if he used up all the money in his hand because of the reinforcement of the First Army, then he would be very uncomfortable.

"Heavy artillery fire of an artillery division?"

Kuroda's eyes widened suddenly, and his breath was short.

Two months ago, the artillery firepower of the Eighth Route Army in the northwest of Shanxi Province was not so strong.

Now only two months have passed, and the Eighth Route Army actually has the heavy artillery firepower of an artillery division.

According to the establishment of the Japanese army, a heavy artillery division is at least two heavy artillery brigades, and one heavy artillery brigade has jurisdiction over two heavy artillery wings.

1 heavy artillery wing is armed with artillery of at least 20 150-mm cannons, 10 240-mm heavy howitzers.

In this way, 1 heavy artillery division regiment is at least 120 cannons of 150 mm caliber or more.

And this is at least, according to the richness of the Eighth Route Army, and the firepower of a large group of locust troops killed by a round of artillery bombardment, the artillery of the Eighth Route Army is afraid that it exceeds 200 heavy artillery.

Seeing that Kuroda Shigetoku was a little stunned, Lieutenant General Nishihara Kazuse, the commander of the 3rd Tank Division, who had not spoken, spoke.

"Your Excellency Commander, I don't think it's very likely that the Eighth Route Army will have a heavy artillery division."

"Oh?" Gansu Jutaro's expression moved, "Why did Nishihara-kun say this?" ”

Lieutenant General Nishihara Ichice said in a deep voice: "If the Eighth Route Army really has a heavy artillery division, let alone the First Army stationed in Shanxi, even the North China Front Army will have to temporarily avoid the front. ”

"In the entire Imperial Japanese Army, there are only 6 heavy artillery brigades in total, and there are only 3 artillery divisions according to the establishment."

"I guess that the Eighth Route Army attacking Datong must have 150mm heavy artillery, but the number will not be too much, at most one heavy artillery wing."

Major General Tsuneoka Kanji, commander of the 2nd Independent Mixed Brigade, said: "Your Excellency, Lieutenant General, then the 1st Division reports to the North China Front Headquarters that the Eighth Route Army has a heavy artillery division, how can this be explained?" ”

"That's easy to explain." Nishihara Kazuce said expressionlessly, "It is likely that the 1st Division was afraid of being wiped out by the Eighth Route Army, and deliberately exaggerated the heavy artillery firepower of the Eighth Route Army, so as to ask the North China Front Command for tactical guidance. ”

Tataro nodded: "What Nishihara-kun said seems to have some truth. ”

After a pause, Ganji Jutaro asked, "Nishihara-kun, can your 3rd Tank Division destroy the heavy tanks of the Eighth Route Army?" ”

Now.

The artillery unit in the hands of Shigetaro of Gansu included 36 field guns, howitzers and cannons of the 26th Wing of the Ariyama Artillery and the 3rd Tank Division.

and an artillery brigade of the 2nd Mixed Brigade.

In addition, the 1st Division also has a heavy artillery wing, and in terms of artillery firepower, the main force of the Mongolian Army and the 1st Division combined, are still a cut short of the Eighth Route Army.

However, the real trump card in the hands of Tataro is the 3rd Tank Division.

The 3rd Tank Division is under the 5th Tank Brigade and the 6th Tank Brigade.

The 5th Tank Brigade is under the jurisdiction of the 8th Tank Wing and the 12th Tank Wing.

The 6th Tank Brigade is under the jurisdiction of the 13th Tank Wing and the 17th Tank Wing.

Among them, the 13th Tank Wing was completely annihilated by the new regiment once, and the 17th Tank Wing was also severely damaged by the new regiment once.

When the 3rd Tank Division was formed, the 13th Tank Wing and the 17th Tank Wing were also rebuilt.

In addition, the 3rd Tank Division also has a mechanized artillery wing, a mechanized infantry wing, a rapid-fire artillery team, a search team, an air defense team, an engineer team, a maintenance team, and a baggage team.

The total strength is 14,000.

Each tank wing is equipped with 14 light tanks, 57 medium tanks, about 300 tanks, and most of them are medium tanks.

In addition, almost 100 armored vehicles are equipped.

It looks like it's very combative, but it's actually very combative.

Of course, only on the Chinese battlefield.

The 3rd Tank Division was mainly stationed in the Soviet-Mongolian border area and was used to defend Soviet troops in the Far East.

However, this time the First Army stationed in Shanxi was mortally threatened, so Okamura Ninji ordered the 3rd Chariot Division to be transferred to reinforce the First Army.

At present, there are only three tank divisions in the entire Japanese army.

In November 1941, the Japanese Army Observation Group went to Germany for an investigation, and the team included many Japanese military celebrities such as Yamashita Fumi.

After witnessing the power of the "blitzkrieg" of the German armored forces, these Japanese officers were shocked.

Immediately after returning home, it was proposed to concentrate on the use of tanks in order to give full play to their characteristics of rapid mobility and strong assault power.

In addition, the Eighth Route Army used heavy tanks on the battlefield, and the Japanese army formed the 1st Tank Division, the 2nd Tank Division and the 3rd Tank Division overnight.

Nishihara Kaisei said in a solemn tone: "My 17th Tank Wing has fought with the tank units of the new 1st Regiment of the Eighth Route Army, and the main guns of our Type 97 medium tanks cannot destroy the armor of the heavy tanks of the Eighth Route Army. ”

At the beginning of the Xinzhou Campaign, the heavy tanks of the Eighth Route Army directly damaged the 17th Wing of the combat vehicle in one face.

If it weren't for the timely opening of the 108th Artillery Wing in the rear, the 17th Tank Wing would have been completely wiped out.

Tataro frowned: "Can't even the turret be penetrated?" ”

"Yes!" Nishihara Yice's tone was helpless, "The armor of the tank of the Eighth Route Army is very thick, and the main gun of our tank cannot even penetrate the turret armor of the tank of the Eighth Route Army, according to the analysis of the tank soldiers of the 17th Wing of the tank after the war, the main battle tank of the Eighth Route Army has an armor thickness of up to 100 mm, but the main gun armor-piercing shell of the Eighth Route Tank can destroy the tank of the Locust Army from any position." ”

In general, the turret is flanked by the weaker armor of the tank.

Tank engagements generally involve movement to the flank, penetrating the turret of the tank from the side, and then the metal turbulence from the explosion of the shells inflicts casualties on the enemy tank crews inside the tank.

Ganji Jutaro's face sank slightly.

Armor thickness 100 mm?

The Type 97 tank's 47 mm gun could only penetrate 50 mm thick steel armor with armor-piercing shells.

The Leopard tanks equipped by the new regiment and the headquarters of the Eighth Route Army have been optimized not only in terms of power system, but also in terms of armor, and their defensive capabilities are very strong.

Even on the sides of the upper turret, the armor was 60 mm thick.

If you can't wear it, you can't wear it at all.

"As far as I know." Nishihara Kazuce added, "The Eighth Route Army is also equipped with a large number of weapons called anti-tank rocket launchers, which can easily destroy the tanks of the Locust Army. ”

"But ......"

Nishihara Kazuce's words changed:

"Our troops are equipped with Type 4 anti-tank piercing mines, although this kind of piercing mines are not very many, but they can penetrate 150 mm of armor and definitely destroy the heavy tanks of the Eighth Route Army."

Tataro's eyes lit up slightly.

The Ordnance Department of the Japanese Army gave 100 piercing mines to the First Army, and then also to the 3rd Tank Division 100 piercing mines, and then an additional 200 piercing mines.

After all, the 3rd Tank Division was mainly defended against the steel torrent of the Soviet army.

The Battle of Nomenkan, the torrent of steel of the Soviet army, taught the Japanese army a lesson.

However, Shigetaro did not attach much importance to this weapon, after all, the Soviet Union and Japan signed a non-aggression pact.

Nishihara Kazusei paid some attention, after all, this was one of the few anti-tank weapons of the Japanese army.

As a result, Nishihara Kazuse formed an anti-tank brigade with more than 600 troops, and every two soldiers carried a spine mine.

In addition to the stabbing mines, the soldiers of the anti-tank brigade carried Molotov cocktails.

At the beginning of the Battle of Nomenkan, the Japanese army used Molotov cocktails to attack Soviet tanks, and achieved certain results.

These soldiers were fanatical and adoring for the locust, and their minds were full of bushido spirit, and they were able to serve the Japanese Empire and the locust anytime and anywhere.

Nishihara Kazuse has even thought about tactics: "According to intelligence, there are not many heavy tanks in the Eighth Route Army!" My anti-tank brigade hid behind the tanks, approached the heavy tanks of the Eighth Route Army, and then destroyed the tanks of the Eighth Route Army with spine mines. ”

The commander of the 26th Division, Shigetoku Kuroda, asked a question: "Nishihara-kun, the main battle tank of the Eighth Route Army, destroyed your tank a few hundred meters away, how did your anti-tank brigade approach the tanks of the Eighth Route Army?" ”

"It's simple." Nishihara Kazuce smiled slightly, "Use smoke bombs to cover the vision of the Eighth Route Army, and the anti-tank brigade uses spine mines and Molotov cocktails to close to destroying the tanks of the Eighth Route Army." ”

"As long as the tanks of the Eighth Route Army can be destroyed, our 3rd Tank Division will launch an armored cluster attack on the positions of the Eighth Route Army."

After a pause, Nishihara's tone was confident: "The Eighth Route Army will be defeated, and the Locust Army will win!" ”

(End of chapter)