readsfreenovel Chapter 225 The First Battle
Chapter 225 The First Battle
Chang Yunxian said coldly: "These Nanshan soldiers are so confident that they can keep the source of information?"
"Although I don't know how many troops the Nanshan Army has, based on their several battles, I'm afraid they only have about 200,000. I'd like to see how 200,000 people can encircle and annihilate us."
Chang Yunxian appeared very confident, but he was also full of worries. Since three years ago, he had never given up collecting intelligence on Nanshan and Fang Jianan.
The Nanshan Army rose to prominence and fought numerous battles, big and small, sometimes defeating the larger force with the smaller one, sometimes using the strong to bully the weak. In general, they had one thing in common: as long as they had an advantage, they would launch an encirclement and annihilation campaign.
At this time, Chang Yunxian was not sure whether the Nanshan Army was deliberately setting up a false formation or whether they really had the confidence to defeat their 400,000 people.
Xu Weigong was confused by Chang Yunxian's words. What did he mean by encirclement and annihilation? Wasn't the Nanshan Army retreating? How could they be encircled and annihilated?
Although he was puzzled, Xu Weigong did not ask. Chang Yunxian looked straight at Wu Peisheng, waiting for his opinion.
"Yes, the Nanshan Army must be weaker than ours, otherwise they would not be retreating step by step." After all, Wu Peisheng agreed with Chang Yunxian's guess about the Nanshan Army's strength.
"Since they have deployed heavy troops in Xuan County and Pan County, Xinyuan City must be weak. If we attack Xinyuan with all our strength, I don't believe we can't break it."
Chang Yunxian also nodded and said: "Although the source of the information is a turtle shell, I don't believe that continuous bombardment will not break it."
Both the Northern Army and the Southern Army were equipped with a lot of cannons. With hundreds of cannons firing at the same time, Chang Yunxian didn't believe that Xinyuan could become an iron wall.
"Commander Chang, how do you arrange the source of the attack?" Wu Peisheng asked with a light cough.
The decision to attack has to be made, but how to attack and who to lead also have to be considered, otherwise the small group will easily break up. Wu Peisheng had already prepared for the breakup.
Chang Yunxian pondered for a moment and then said, "Commander Wu, we will each send out 50,000 troops to form the vanguard to attack Xinyuan."
"The remaining main forces of the northern and southern armies should be stationed in the rear on both sides to guard against the garrisons of Xuan County and Pan County. What do you think?"
"Okay." After thinking for a moment, Wu Peisheng agreed to the arrangement.
In the end, the Northern Army dispatched the Seventh Army, the Tenth Division, and the 45th Division, a total of people, and the Southern Army dispatched the st Army and the th Division, also a total of people.
The front army was commanded personally by Chang Yunxian and Wu Peisheng.
The remaining 160,000 troops of the Northern Army were temporarily commanded by You Guangwei, while the remaining troops of Chang Yunxian were commanded by Chen Xiuqing.
It is said to be divided into three routes, but in fact it is equivalent to four routes. The remaining troops of Xu Weigong and Chang Yunxian in the south, although stationed in the same place, the camps are clearly divided.
On October 10, a 16-man frontline force composed of the Northern and Southern armies launched a fierce attack on the frontier positions in Xinyuan.
两军集中57口径火炮240门，75口径火炮80门，105口径火炮40门。早上七点，360门火炮便对着信源前沿阵地一阵狂轰乱炸。
Even though the Nanshan Army had made sufficient anti-artillery preparations, the Second Division still suffered considerable losses.
After the artillery attack between the northern and southern armies began, Li Zhongwu, who was in the rear position, immediately ordered: "Quickly pass on my order, let our artillery calculate the parameters and bombard the enemy's artillery positions."
"At the same time, send a telegram to Division Commander Fang and Division Commander Cai, requesting their artillery support."
"Yes, commander." The messenger immediately went down to convey Li Zhongwu's order.
Before receiving the telegram, Fang Guoxuan and Cai Tingwu had already asked the artillery to calculate various parameters and prepare for firing.
After calculating all the elements, the three artillery positions of the Nanshan Army launched a counterattack against the artillery positions of the Northern and Southern Armies.
The artillery of the Nanshan Army was no match for that of the Northern Army. Each division had only 155 205-caliber and 10-caliber artillery pieces each.
分别是：155口径榴弹炮5门，155口径加农炮5门，203口径榴弹炮5门，203口径加农炮5门。
This does not include the 75 caliber and 105 caliber guns.
Under the bombardment of nearly two hundred 155 and 203 caliber heavy artillery, the defeat of the artillery positions of the Northern and Southern armies can be imagined.
Chang Yunxian and Wu Peisheng were observing the tragic situation on the opposite position with joy when an officer came up to them and reported.
"Commander, Commander Wu, our artillery positions are under attack from enemy artillery."
Chang Yunxian's expression changed: "Quick, move the artillery position."
The Nanshan Army's heavy artillery bombarded the artillery positions of the Northern and Southern Armies, while the remaining 75 and 105 caliber artillery fired at the vanguards of the Northern and Southern Armies.
As soon as Chang Yunxian gave the order, artillery shells fell like rain on the front positions of the Northern and Southern armies.
"Be careful, Commander."
The guards of Chang Yunxian and Wu Peisheng stepped forward and took the two men into the anti-artillery cave.
"The Nanshan Army is well-equipped with artillery. No wonder every encirclement and annihilation battle goes so smoothly." Chang Yunxian said coldly.
Wu Peisheng was puzzled and asked, "Nanshan is inland. Aren't their artillery imported from abroad via the East China Sea?"
Except for the Northern Government, which had its own military factories, the weapons of other warlords were purchased from foreign powers or smuggled in.
Of course, there are also some warlords who will trade with the Northern government, and the Northern government will also provide weapons to the warlords they support.
Even the military factories of the Southern New Army could only produce rifles, and artillery could only be imported from abroad.
Chang Yunxian smiled bitterly and said, "Since three years ago, I have strictly checked the weapons flowing out of the East China Sea, and I have not found any cannons transported to Nanshan."
After He Jingyuan reported it, Chang Yunxian paid great attention to the source of Nanshan's weapons and investigated for a long time without any results.
Wu Peisheng: "Could it be shipped from Guangnan or Nanhai to the mainland?"
The two could only look at each other and smile bitterly.
Chang Yunxian secretly decided that he would buy more advanced cannons from the great powers and build a heavy artillery unit. This would give him more advantages in dealing with the northern government.
The Nanshan Army's bombardment lasted for half an hour before it ended. Both the Northern and Southern armies lost a lot of soldiers in the bombardment.
Because it came so suddenly, many people were hit by the shells before they could react, including many officers.
Seeing the tragic situation in the camp, Chang Yunxian felt very aggrieved: "Quick, collect the wounded immediately and arrange for them to rebuild the defense positions and anti-artillery holes in the camp."
"Commander Chang, will we continue the attack today?" Wu Peisheng asked.
Chang Yunxian snorted coldly and said, "Gather the troops. Our two armies will each send out a division to attack the first line of defense of the Nanshan Army."
"it is good."
Wu Peisheng was surprised. He thought that Chang Yun would wait until tomorrow to attack after being bombarded today. After all, after being bombarded today, the morale of both armies was low, and attacking was meaningless.
The Northern Army dispatched the 45th Division, and the Southern Army dispatched the 45th Division. The th Division was Lin Zongde's unit and was assigned to Xu Weigong.
Chang Yunxian didn't feel sorry at all for wasting the strength of the 45th Division.
The reason why he agreed so readily to Wu Peisheng's attack on Xinyuan was to consume the troops that Lin Zongde had surrendered to him.
Although the senior officers of these troops were won over, they were not the direct subordinates after all, so they were not so reliable to use.