readsfreenovel Chapter 204 Hard Fight
Chapter 204 Hard Fight
In Feng Huamin's opinion, if the two artillery regiments attacked for ten minutes each, even if the Nanshan Army could react, they could only counterattack one artillery position at most.
Seeing Feng Huamin was so persistent, the adjutant had no choice but to go and convey the order.
At 2:30 p.m., the artillery regiments of the 13th and 15th Armies launched artillery attacks on the Yanqiu position from two directions.
Fang Guoxuan received the news as soon as the bombardment occurred.
"Send an order to the artillery regiment immediately, quickly calculate the enemy's artillery positions, and launch a counterattack."
Three minutes later, a combat staff officer reported: "Division Commander, the enemy's artillery positions have been measured. The enemy has deployed two artillery positions to launch artillery attacks on our troops."
"Quite cunning." Fang Guoxuan was surprised that the Northern Army also began to grow and changed many of its tactics against the Nanshan Army.
"But cunning is no match for strength."
After a small sigh, Fang Guoxuan immediately ordered: "Order the artillery regiments of the first and second divisions to launch artillery attacks on these two positions respectively."
"Yes, commander." The staff officer immediately went to convey the order.
The artillery had already prepared for the attack. After receiving the coordinates, they immediately adjusted the artillery parameters. Two minutes later, they launched an artillery attack on two artillery positions of the Northern Army.
Under the bombardment of 155 and 203 caliber howitzers and cannons, two artillery positions of the Northern Army were severely damaged. Not only did the artillery suffer heavy losses, but the 105 caliber field guns were also completely destroyed.
After the Northern Army was bombarded, they tried desperately to save the lighter mountain artillery, and only then did some 105 caliber and 75 caliber mountain artillery survive.
Upon receiving the news that the artillery position was under attack, Feng Huamin looked incredulous and couldn't help muttering, "How is this possible? How could the Nanshan Army react so quickly?"
As the artillery withdrew, the Fifth and Sixth Divisions of the Northern Army and the Thirteenth Army launched an attack on Yeonqiu.
Because of the recent artillery bombardment, coupled with the rotation of attacks by the 13th Army and the 5th and 6th Divisions, the 1st Division's frontal positions felt considerable pressure.
In the rear command center, Fang Weian, Fang Weiguo and Fang Weijia gathered together.
"If the enemy continues to attack at this desperate rate, I'm afraid Yanqiu won't be able to hold out for long." Fang Weijia said solemnly.
Although the front of the position cannot accommodate too many Northern Army attacks, the Northern Army can be rotated continuously. After repeated consumption, the Nanshan Army will also be exhausted and suffer a lot of losses.
Fang Weiguo said coldly: "If these northern troops want to break through the position, they will have to step over my dead body."
Fang Weiguo was the most courageous in fighting, and his command and wisdom were also the highest.
After hearing what he said, Fang Weian and Fang Weijia were also infected, which made them more determined to hold on.
Compared to the huge pressure felt head-on, defending on the left and right wings was much easier.
There were only 20,000 Northern troops on each of the left and right wings, and under the defense of 10,000 Nanshan troops, the Northern Army was unable to gain any advantage.
The troops were withdrawn in the evening. Although the front battlefield was shaky, it still blocked the attack of the Northern Army.
At the Northern Army Headquarters, Feng Huamin was looking at the map in deep thought. After two days of all-out attack, he was not only frustrated, but also felt a sense of crisis.
Now, except for the 15th Army, all the troops under his command have been sent out.
At this critical moment, if the Nanshan Army received reinforcements, the Northern Army would be in danger.
"The Nanshan Army's Yanqiu defense line is already crumbling, and the capture of Yanqiu is just around the corner. Commander, there is no need to worry." Seeing Feng Huamin looking worried, the adjutant consoled him.
Glancing at his adjutant, Feng Huamin sighed, "Our army has already used all its strength, but the results are not ideal."
"Even if we take over Yanqiu and bring our troops to the gates of Yanping, I don't know how long it will take and how many troops will be deployed."
In Feng Huamin's opinion, if this war of attrition continued, not to mention how much the Northern Army would suffer, it would take a lot of time to capture Nanshan Province.
"If we had known that the Nanshan Army was so powerful, we should have destroyed it long ago."
In just three or four years, the combat power and number of the Nanshan Army were no weaker than those of Xu Weigong and Lin Zongde in the south.
The adjutant couldn't help but chuckle and said, "They are just warlords living in a remote corner. The northern government is now developing vigorously. Sooner or later, it will wipe out these warlords and the new southern army."
Even though the Nanshan Army showed impressive combat effectiveness, the adjutant still did not take Fang Jian and the Nanshan Army seriously.
The entire new country has twenty-nine provinces, and Nanshan only occupies one of them. How can it confront the northern government?
Hearing what his adjutant said, Feng Huamin sighed and said nothing else.
At the headquarters of the First Division of Yanping, Chief of Staff Xing hurried in: "Commander, good news, good news."
"Have the reinforcements arrived?" Fang Guoxuan looked up and asked.
The chief of staff paused and asked in surprise, "Division Commander, have you received the news?"
Fang Guoxuan shook his head slightly: "Which unit has arrived?"
"The Fourth Division has arrived at Changhuan City and will reach Yanping County tomorrow," said the chief of staff.
Then he looked at Fang Guoxuan in confusion: "Commander, how do you know that reinforcements are coming?"
Fang Guoxuan smiled and said, "Now that our army is on the defensive, there will naturally be no good news. The only good news is reinforcements, or the Southern Army's surprise attack on the Northern Army's Sanjiang Province."
"Why wouldn't it be the Southern Army that launched a surprise attack on Sanjiang Province?" the chief of staff laughed.
Fang Guoxuan shook his head slightly: "The Northern Army has just started a war with us. Attacking Sanjiang Province at this time will only attract the Northern Army's attention and will not benefit the Southern Army in any way."
"Even if the Confederate Army wants to take action, they will wait until the Union Army is almost exhausted in Nanshan, or until we are wiped out before they take action."
Logically speaking, Nanshan Province and the Southern New Army were allies, but their attack on Nanchuan displeased the South.
Chang Yunxian once sent a telegram to demand accountability, and the two sides had a very unpleasant argument.
During this Northern Army attack, Francis asked for help from the South, but the Southern New Army did not respond, and the two sides had already broken up.
Fang Guoxuan then asked, "The Eighth, Ninth, and Tenth Divisions, where are they now?"
"We just received a telegram saying that they have entered Nanshan and should be able to reach Changhuan tomorrow night." Upon hearing Fang Guoxuan's question, the staff officer slapped his head and took out several telegrams and said.
After receiving the telegram and reading it, Fang Guoxuan was overjoyed: "Great! If all divisions can reach Yanping tomorrow night, we can counterattack the day after tomorrow."
Feng Huamin’s main force in Yanping has 120,000 troops, but they have suffered a lot of losses in recent days, so there should be around 100,000 left.
The four divisions that came to support, plus the three divisions from Yanping, totaled 140,000 people.
With 140,000 troops against 100,000, the Nanshan Army still had a huge advantage. And the most important point was that the Northern Army in Yanping was relatively scattered, giving the Nanshan Army the opportunity to defeat them one by one.
The chief of staff was not as optimistic as Fang Guoxuan. He frowned and said, "Division Commander, the main force of the Northern Army has been attacking fiercely for two days. Will they have other arrangements tomorrow?"
"Moreover, the Yenqiu position is already in danger, and the three regiments have lost more than 2,000 men."
Fang Guoxuan also considered this issue: "It won't be a problem to hold on for another day tomorrow. As for the Yanqiu position, we can send the 104th Regiment there as well."
He felt that even if the Northern Army reorganized its troops in one day, it would not have much impact.