Chapter 193 Bicycle Troops Can Be Seen Everywhere

In addition to the three research options of "Paratrooper Type 1", "Fuel Refining Type 1" and "Industrial Prototype", the remaining two research slots of the Yellow River are allocated to "Brand MLE1935 60mm Mortar" and "Discrete Industrial Type 4".

It is a wise choice to continue to choose the mortar, after all, the mobility of the troops must be considered.

If you ask the soldiers on the front line whether Miss 75 is good or not, the answer must be yes. She has a fast firing rate and great power. Such a weapon was unthinkable before.

But the situation of this gun in the army is somewhat embarrassing, mainly because she is too heavy and not very mobile, which is inconsistent with the fighting style of the Eighth Route Army.

Because the horse policy of the Qing Dynasty was problematic, the Han people were prohibited from raising horses, which led to the destruction of the original horse production in the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River and the Jianghuai provinces.

When the war broke out in 37, the national military horse reserve was only 100,000, and the quality was not good. Basically, it was mainly Mongolian horses and Ili horses, and there were no heavy draft horses.

The regimental units of the Eighth Route Army do not have enough horses to drag Miss 75.

Moreover, the road conditions in Shanxi Province are not very good. Even if trucks are produced by decision-making and scientific research slots, they are of limited use before large-scale road construction.

Based on the above reasons, the simplest and most realistic way to improve the firepower of the troops is to equip a large number of mortars.

With an excess number of mortars, plus a small number of barreled guns and air force, the Fourth Master and the Eighth Master can completely suppress the Japanese within a certain distance.

Although the range of the mortar is a bit short, the power is definitely enough if the number is increased.

Small and medium calibers can be carried by people, and large calibers can be pulled by horses. It is the simplest mobile warfare artifact.

In Huang He's plan, he plans to strive to equip each infantry platoon of the main regiment of the Fourth Master and the Eighth Master with 3 50mm mortars before March next year.

This plan is relatively easy. After all, 50 mortars can be regarded as individual weapons, and proficiency can be fed with artillery shells.

After unlocking the 60mm mortar, it will be transferred to the company level. An artillery company must carry at least 6 60mm mortars, and other artillery depends on the future mobility of the troops.

This is also a task for next year, and it is planned to be implemented in the first half of the year.

The 81mm mortar is used as a battalion weapon. This caliber already requires multiple people to serve, and it also requires the skills of the artillery.

120mm can only be the main regiment or brigade level. In this way, a unit organized by an infantry division of the Eighth Route Army will have a large number of mortars of various calibers.

Equipped with some barreled guns and aircraft, such firepower will not suffer a loss when fighting against a Type B division.

"Discrete Industry Type 4: Disguise the factory as other operations to operate, so as to avoid the risk of direct attack"

There is no new bonus in the fourth stage, and the various attributes are still superimposed again.

But the reason for Huang He's choice of this scientific research has changed. It used to reduce the possibility of being discovered and bombed by the Japanese Army Aviation, but now it is entirely to increase the production capacity of the factory within the system.

————

Let's temporarily return to the base in southeastern Shanxi. After sending a telegram at the headquarters, Captain Li returned to the New Second Regiment without stopping.

The first phase of paratrooper selection has ended. As the first special unit of the entire army, he, as the regiment commander, must keep an eye on the progress of the training.

But just as he arrived at the base, a correspondent from the brigade arrived.

Originally, he thought it was his fellow villager who replied to the message, but who knew it was the brigade commander who notified the new second regiment to prepare to receive friendly forces.

Seeing his own regiment commander's gloomy face, Zhao Gang came over curiously to ask about the situation.

"What's wrong? Is it that things aren't going well for Old Huang? Why do you look so bad when the messenger comes?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yunlong handed the paper in his hand to the other party, and then cursed:

"You should know about the 358th Regiment of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army. The regiment commander Chu Yunfei is going to visit our New 2nd Regiment with Chief of Staff Fang Ligong."

"I'm confused. Others are visiting the main regiment of our Eighth Route Army. Why are there people who come to visit the basic regiment? Could it be that Old Li's charm is so great that it can attract men?"

After the Hundred Regiments Campaign, the devils were beaten back to the city by the Eighth Route Army to lick their wounds.

The current situation in Shanxi Province made Yan Laoxi more convinced that his choice was correct. In order to repair the relationship between his side and the Eighth Route Army, he sent his senior commanders to exchange combat experience.

This wave of operations can also spy on the true strength of the other party, and strive to know oneself and the enemy to pave the way for the future.

Obviously, Zhao Gang was used to Li Yunlong's nonsense. He ignored the complaints and began to analyze while touching the stubble on his chin.

"Our regiment was established not long ago and has had little contact with the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army. It is possible that the other party is targeting you personally."

"I read your files before taking office. Cangyunling is not far from the defense zone of the 358th Regiment at that time. Maybe Chu Yunfei observed the battle from a distance and became interested in you."

As soon as the name of Cangyunling was mentioned, the commander Li became excited. It's not that he was dissatisfied with the punishment. He is no longer the rough guy he used to be. He naturally understands discipline.

The main reason is that Lao Li didn't know that there were other people near the battlefield at that time, and the other party's behavior made him very dissatisfied.

"It's true that the friendly army is in trouble and remains unmoved. The situation of the New 1st Regiment was very dangerous at that time. If it weren't for the artillery support of the brigade commander, the number of casualties would definitely be large."

"Taiyuan is gone, and the Shanxi Suiyuan Army is still as cowardly as before. They are fighting secretly. It's disgusting."

As the person who knows Li Yunlong best, Zhao Gang knew at once that the other party must be thinking of the traitor named Zhang. He shook his head helplessly and said:

"Okay, we are not the same as the Shanxi Suiyuan Army. But at this stage, we are still friendly forces. Let's talk about the future after we defeat the devils."

"I will go to the training ground to make arrangements first. The brigade commander explained in the letter that we should keep the airborne troops confidential. Chu Yunfei is a fifth-term student of Huangpu Military Academy. He is likely to be an expert."

————

While Li and Zhao were talking, Chu Yunfei and Fang Ligong, with their guards, gradually approached the defense zone of the New Second Regiment under the escort of the Eighth Route Army soldiers.

"Let's wait here. The next batch of support troops will be here soon. There will be no devils in the area of ​​dozens of miles. It's very safe."

The speaker was a veteran of the 772nd Regiment. He jumped off the horse and did some chest expansion exercises to stretch his muscles.

Fang Ligong nodded and looked at the vaguely visible village in the distance.

"Okay."

Although the Eighth Route Army has become stronger, the troops are still stationed in the mountain village. The whole is almost integrated into the village. As long as the enemy soldiers do not wear military uniforms to train, it is difficult for ordinary people to find them.

This is their last stop. The two of them visited two main regiments, two basic regiments and a local unit along the way.

Since the Shanxi Suiyuan Army came with good intentions on the surface, the deputy commander-in-chief did not let the troops hide, not to mention that the Hundred Regiments Campaign has exposed most of its strength.

After a few days of visits, all the commanders of the Shanxi Suiyuan Army reached a consensus.

They believe that the Eighth Route Army is no weaker than the Shanxi Suiyuan Army or the Central Army in 1937 in terms of infantry equipment, personnel quality, and troop morale. The only shortcoming is the lack of artillery.

Of course, the possibility that the other side has hidden something cannot be ruled out.

Five minutes later, a platoon of soldiers came to meet on bicycles. After all, they are nominally friendly forces. If something happens in their own territory, it will be troublesome.

After handing over to the escort troops of the 772nd Regiment, the soldiers immediately took Chu Yunfei and Fang Ligong to the regiment headquarters.

Looking at the dozens of 28-inch bicycles around him, Fang Ligong's face became more and more ugly. He shook the whip in his hand, came to the position parallel to his own regiment commander, and said in a low voice:

"Commander! This kind of bicycle again. I have carefully observed it these days. Both the model and the style are very unfamiliar. It is definitely produced by the Eighth Route Army itself!"

"Winter clothes are the same. In the past, they could not even guarantee the number of cotton-padded clothes. Now every soldier has new clothes, and the appearance alone can tell that the materials are full."

"The cotton may be obtained from the border. After all, their relationship was not bad before, which can be barely explained. But the bicycle is too much! Did the Eighth Route Army also develop civilian workers?"

Being able to become the chief of staff of the 358th Regiment of the Shanxi-Suiyuan Army, Fang Ligong's vision is certainly not bad. What's more, he is also an outstanding graduate of the Shanxi Military Academy with a very wide range of knowledge.

Originally, everyone just guessed that the Eighth Route Army had improved its light weapons, but what they saw and heard in the past few days almost refreshed their cognition.

While the other side is fighting at a high intensity, it still has spare capacity to produce civilian products.

Once the Eighth Route Army opens the right to purchase these things to local people, it will be difficult for the Shanxi Suiyuan Army to gain the upper hand in influence.

Hearing what his chief of staff said, Chu Yunfei also nodded. After all, this visit is with a mission, and he has been secretly observing all the way.

"Yes, it's really the same as what Commander Yan said. Bicycles are not just civilian products. A soldier, a bicycle, and a mortar must be very powerful."

"And the opponent's weapons and equipment are all new. The 772 regiment that entertained us yesterday, if we fight with them, I may not be confident that I can win!"

As the future main force designated by Yan Laoxi, the number of the 358th regiment has reached 4,000 people and can be reorganized into a division at any time.

In the original formation plan, Chu Yunfei would have an artillery battalion under his command, equipped with all American mountain cannons. However, the current procurement progress is only half completed, after all, transportation is a big problem.

After the fall of Taiyuan, the Shanxi Suiyuan Army lost the arsenal on which it depended for survival, and life was really getting worse day by day.

Even the food and clothing have dropped several levels. How can he not be shocked that the former Eighth Route Army lives so well now?

Fang Ligong knew that his regiment commander was telling the truth. He even borrowed a MAS-36 and fired more than a dozen bullets at the shooting range.

But the silky big bolt and the semi-automatic firing rate that is almost human flesh still make him feel scared.

"Yes, we have dealt with the 772nd Regiment before. A year ago, it was still mainly Japanese weapons, but now the whole regiment has replaced it with brand new French weapons."

What was the configuration of the Eighth Route Army before? The weapons and equipment were scarce and of poor quality. The troops as a whole were mainly backward and inferior firearms, and the per capita ammunition was pitifully small.

The old sleeve and Hanyang-made were rare things, and even this one could not be distributed per person.

Various bullets were mixed together, which could be called an international weapons exhibition. It was definitely a level of logistical trouble.

What is the configuration of the Eighth Route Army now? In just one year, the light weapons have been replaced. The main regiment had a full set of French weapons, including rifles, submachine guns, light and heavy machine guns.

The two basic regiments they visited, the independent regiment had 90% French weapons, and only a small number of new recruits used Japanese weapons.

The most outrageous thing is the so-called local armed forces. Fang Ligong saw several soldiers with his own eyes, who were very disgusted with the Type 38 rifles and Type 99 rifles seized from the Japanese.

They even had a few good Czech light machine guns, which was really rich.

If they hadn't seen a lot of Mauser pistols during the visit, they couldn't find any trace of the Eighth Route Army before.

According to the two's estimation, based on the firepower configuration of most basic regiments. As long as the tactics are appropriate and the command is reasonable, it is completely possible to kill a Japanese brigade.

After all, the level of the enemy's ambush warfare is obvious to all across the country.

Chu Yunfei tightly grasped the whip in his hand, he looked back at the 772 regiment's station, and said solemnly:

"They are all good things, no wonder they can fight back and forth with the devil's first army. And the situation of those troops is much better than we expected."

"Originally, we speculated that the average quality of soldiers would definitely decline after expanding to 105 regiments in a short period of time. Now it seems that after a war, the work of training soldiers has been carried out."

"But it's okay, they are all armed by us Chinese. If more devils die, the people will be less persecuted."

After saying this, Fang Ligong became a little anxious.

As a loyal minister of the Jin faction, he now believes that the Eighth Route Army is more of a future threat than the devils. After all, the strength of that group of people is rapidly expanding, and there is a vague posture of soaring into the sky.

"Ah, it seems that Commander Yan is a little idealistic. It is really difficult to make the Eighth Route Army and the First Army of the Japanese both lose."

"When the Japanese are driven out of the province, I am afraid..."

Chu Yunfei signaled the other party not to continue talking. It is natural to be cautious in other people's territory.

"It is hard to say what will happen in the future. That is the game of the commanders. But we are friendly forces now and have a common enemy. As long as the Japanese are not dead, I feel ashamed of my clothes."

"The Eighth Route Army has changed a lot. It is the Japanese who should be uncomfortable, not us. According to Commander Yan's idea, only by getting rid of the Japanese can we have the possibility of recovering the lost territory."

After more than ten minutes of walking, the group arrived at the headquarters of the New Second Regiment. Staring at the weapons in the hands of the soldiers, Fang Ligong was jealous and his whole body was red.

"Commander, don't forget to test the military factory."

"The previous Eighth Route Army Corps commanders kept their mouths shut. I heard that Li Yunlong is a peasant. Not only is he uneducated and loves to brag, but he also often gets into trouble and gets punished. He is a good breakthrough point."

Chu Yunfei nodded. His idea was similar to that of his own chief of staff.

"Okay, I just hope the other party's political commissar is not too difficult to deal with."

Would you like to guess when I plan to let the bicycle troops appear?