Chapter 181: Using Anti-aircraft Guns To Swat Mosquitoes
Li Yunlong, Ding Wei, and Cheng Xiazi, along with their troops, arrived at the Zhang Family Village Railway Section.
That’s right!
This section of railway at Zhang Family Village has just been repaired, and our Eighth Route Army is here again.
Why not choose another place, but here?
The reason is very simple.
The sentry strongholds we previously removed are still under repair, and because there hasn’t been much time, the repair has just begun.
In other words.
If we snatch rich supplies and provisions from the train and transport them back from here, the safety factor is the highest.
Therefore, the best choice is still here.
The three Hell Cannons were set up in advance, but Li Yunlong, Ding Wei, and Cheng Xiazi did not rush to act.
After all, we can only act when we see the Japanese military train.
Acting in advance would be like beating the grass to startle the snake.
“Heh heh, I wonder what’s on that Japanese military train,” Cheng Xiazi excitedly rubbed his hands. It’s the first time our main regiment, which has a proper establishment, is out on a task, so we can’t mess it up.
“Regiment Commander, based on our assessment, it’s most likely weapons and ammunition and rations and supplies,” someone excitedly said to Cheng Xiazi.
Although our Border Region Arsenal can now manufacture weapons and ammunition,
our 772nd Regiment still can’t get any of it.
There’s no other way, it’s because we haven’t earned enough merit.
So, we mainly have to find ways to get weapons and ammunition from the Japanese.
If we capture just one military train’s worth of weapons and ammunition, even if our 772nd Regiment only gets a third of it, we’ll be stuffed.
With better weapons in hand, our 772nd Regiment will stand taller, and we won’t have to be jealous of Li Yunlong and Ding Wei anymore. We’ll be able to go out and take on tasks ourselves.
“If possible, I still hope the Japanese are transporting military industrial supplies,” Cheng Xiazi said, knowing this wish was probably unrealistic.
Although the Japanese weapons and ammunition are good, the rocket launchers and Hell Cannons manufactured by the Border Region Arsenal are amazing.
Even the grenades and jumping mines are of good quality.
Cheng Xiazi still wants to capture military industrial supplies and exchange them at the Border Region Arsenal for their own domestically produced Hell Cannons and rocket launchers.
“Regiment Commander, it’s okay. Even if it’s not military industrial supplies, as long as it’s weapons and ammunition, once we capture it, the 772nd Regiment’s combat power will increase greatly, and we’ll be able to go after military industrial supplies.”
“Yes, that makes sense,” Cheng Xiazi nodded emphatically.
…
Not far behind Cheng Xiazi was Yan Kai and Chu Yunfei’s Guard Company.
Li Yunlong had arranged for them to stay behind, not to expose them on the battlefield.
After all, Yan Kai was the “God of Wealth” and couldn’t be easily injured.
Yan Kai watched the three Hell Cannons of the Eighth Route Army being set up, his gaze mainly falling on the strange shells of the Eighth Route Army.
Yan Kai had already examined the Hell Cannon that he had previously exchanged from the Eighth Route Army.
This Hell Cannon was completely a welded assembled product, with no technical sophistication whatsoever.
The real technology of this heavy cannon lay in its shells.
These strange shells were unlike conventional artillery shells; they had balance tail wings welded to them, and the projectile body was also made differently from conventional shells.
“Officer, just by looking, we probably can’t figure out the technology of the Eighth Route Army’s Hell Cannon shells, can we? We still need to find a way to disassemble them to see,” Chu Yunfei’s Guard Company Commander said to Yan Kai.
“Of course, the technology is all inside the shells,” Yan Kai nodded and said, “Your Regiment Commander reported that the Hell Cannon is comparable to a heavy cannon, and Officer Yan is very interested. He has given instructions that no matter what method is used, we must figure out the shells of this Hell Cannon. I will examine them first.”
The task Officer Yan gave was not easy.
Yan Kai also had to find a way to understand the technology of the Eighth Route Army’s Hell Cannon shells and the technology of these shoulder-mounted cannons of the Eighth Route Army.
Of course, you have to eat one bite at a time and walk one step at a time. Let’s figure out the Hell Cannon shells in front of us first.
Woo woo!
The sound of the Japanese military train’s whistle could be heard in the distance, interrupting Yan Kai’s thoughts.
Yan Kai looked at the military train with a rather peculiar expression.
The Eighth Route Army now had the ability to casually snatch Japanese military trains, and they were making the Japanese cry out in pain.
Yet Officer Yan, with his 200,000 troops, was hiding in the rear preserving his strength. This… well, never mind, I don’t concern myself with political matters.
Let’s just see what the shells fired by the Eighth Route Army’s Hell Cannons are like.
“Li Yunlong, the Japanese military train is here, can we start working now?” As the Japanese military train approached from afar, Cheng Xiazi was so excited that he almost spat on Li Yunlong’s face.
“I say, Cheng Xiazi, you’re a regiment commander of a main regiment with an establishment in the 386th Brigade. Your psychological quality needs improvement. It’s just snatching a mere Japanese military train, and you’re this happy,” Li Yunlong said with scorn. “Someone who didn’t know the truth would think you were trying to snatch the Emperor’s special train.”
“Heh heh, Li Yunlong, it’s my first major operation, so I’m a bit too excited.” Cheng Xiazi didn’t argue with Li Yunlong’s scorn.
After all, capturing a Japanese train was indeed of great significance to the 772nd Regiment.
“This is nothing compared to the big operations to come,” Li Yunlong said, waving his hand.
“Li Yunlong, what other big operations are there?” Cheng Xiazi asked suspiciously, then added, “Li Yunlong, you’re not planning to stir up trouble again, are you?”
“If you’re scared, you can go back first after snatching the Japanese military train,” Li Yunlong said to Cheng Xiazi, then added, “Since you’re so interested in this military train, I’ll assign you the main attack mission. Do you have any objections?”
“No objections, no objections,” Cheng Xiazi repeatedly nodded, stating righteously, “I’m very brave, not at all timid. Li Yunlong, as I said, as long as there’s enough profit, even if you want to stir up trouble, I’ll accompany you to the very end.”
Cheng Xiazi knew that the main attack would consume ammunition and cause casualties.
However, the 772nd Regiment hadn’t fought a battle in a long time, so this main attack today could be considered a warm-up.
When the Japanese military train reached the appropriate position, Li Yunlong roared, “Now! Hell Cannons, open fire!”
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
The fuses of the three Hell Cannons, standing ready, were lit, and the shells were fired.
Of the three shells, two accurately hit their targets, destroying two recently constructed firepower points.
One shell went wide and missed its target, exploding on open ground.
Cheng Xiazi cursed, “Artilleryman, are you blind? How did you aim?”
“Regiment Commander, it’s the first time we’re using it, we’re not familiar yet,” the artilleryman explained.
“Make sure the second shot is accurate, don’t embarrass me again,” Cheng Xiazi cursed.
“Yes, Regiment Commander.”
…
The Zhang Family Village section of the railway was attacked, and the Japanese stationed there were immediately bewildered:
“Baga! That was an attack from three heavy cannons! Could it be the Eighth Route Army again?”
“My heavens, we just finished repairing this section of the railway, and the Eighth Route Army is attacking again! Won’t this railway line be destroyed by the Eighth Route Army again?”
“Baga! The Eighth Route Army is too rampant, fire at them!”
“Damn Eighth Route Army, fire back!”
“Quickly call for reinforcements, call for reinforcements!”
…
The Japanese light and heavy machine guns immediately spat fire, and dense bullets swept out.
However, under the continuous roar of the three Hell Cannons, these machine gun firepowers quickly fell silent.
The path forward was cleared by the Hell Cannons, and Cheng Xiazi, as if he had drunk honey, ordered the 772nd Regiment to attack immediately.
At the same time, the military train was forced to brake urgently because the railway tracks were destroyed by the Hell Cannons.
The military train was still moving a bit too fast, or rather, the Hell Cannon’s impact point was a bit too close.
The locomotive of the military train drove into a large shell crater on the road and overturned.
Even if they wanted to reverse, it would be impossible.
Seeing Cheng Xiazi’s troops rapidly approaching the forced-stop military train, Li Yunlong and Ding Wei also sent their respective troops forward.
Li Yunlong still said to Ding Wei, “Old Ding, we really need more rocket launchers. Look at these firepower points; they are actually best dealt with by rocket fire. Using the Hell Cannons to bomb them is a waste of ammunition.”
Although the current attack operation was successful,
using the Hell Cannons to bombard these newly established firepower points was like using anti-aircraft artillery to swat a mosquito.
Our Hell Cannon shells are precious and mainly used for breaking through fortifications.
For targets at this tactical level, the best weapon is still a rocket launcher.
“Mainly, the rocket launchers from the arsenal have just begun production, so the quantity is limited,” Ding Wei said, then analyzed, “Even with rocket launchers, those two targets over there still can’t be hit; we need to use the Hell Cannons. However, using the Hell Cannons for those two targets is still a bit of a waste. If it were an infantry gun, it would be just right.”
Hearing Ding Wei mention infantry guns, Li Yunlong said expectantly, “Old Ding, rocket launchers are tactical-level artillery, and Hell Cannons are heavy weapons. We still lack medium artillery fire like infantry guns. Do you think Younger Brother Li will manufacture infantry guns for us next?”
“Didn’t Factory Director Li say that the most difficult part of making cannons is the cannon barrel?” Ding Wei said. “Unless we can get equipment that can manufacture cannon barrels, Factory Director Li probably won’t be able to make them.”
“Old Ding, if you say that, then I’ll have to criticize you,” Li Yunlong said sternly. “That’s Younger Brother Li; maybe he really has a way to produce medium artillery.”
“Let’s hope your criticism is correct, Old Li,” Ding Wei did not argue.
Without the ability to make cannon barrels, you can’t make cannons; this is a hard fact.
But Factory Director Li of the Border Region Arsenal is a top military industry expert, rarely seen in centuries. Perhaps he really has a way.
Although this sounds absurd, is the Hell Cannon absurd? Is the rocket launcher absurd!
They are engaged in absurd creation!
…
Behind them, Yan Kai took out a small notebook and quickly wrote:
When the shells are fired, they bypass the huge chamber pressure, which doesn’t require high demands on the cannon barrel.
When the shell flies, it carries its own propellant, so it doesn’t need huge chamber pressure to be propelled.
The balance tail wings welded to the projectile body control the shell’s trajectory and accuracy in flight.
…
Yan Kai wrote down a few lines, his eyes full of admiration: The Border Region Arsenal has produced a remarkable military industry talent!
If this person could serve in Officer Yan’s arsenal, it would undoubtedly be of extraordinary significance.
Chu Yunfei’s Guard Company Commander said from the side, “Officer, I see you’ve written so much. It seems you’ve directly figured out the technology of the Eighth Route Army’s shells?”
“I’ve only figured out the surface aspects of the Eighth Route Army’s shells; the true core still requires disassembly,” Yan Kai said, shaking his head.
Although he understood the secret of the Eighth Route Army’s shell flight, he couldn’t determine the composition of the propellant or the internal structure, and still relied on disassembly.
