Chapter 150: The Fatal Flaws Of Combined-arms Units!
The Blue Army reconnaissance team was captured too suddenly, with no time to report to battalion headquarters via walkie-talkie.
The Blue Army Battalion Commander didn’t know the reconnaissance team was gone and was still waiting eagerly at battalion headquarters for results, without sending any new reconnaissance teams afterward.
During the Red Army’s artillery strike at dusk, the referee ruled that another 20 percent of personnel were killed in action.
That left four squads plus battalion headquarters short of 9 people.
It was almost like losing an entire squad.
From the remaining one platoon’s 30 combat personnel, eight more warriors were sent out on reconnaissance missions, and after accounting for sentries, there were hardly any left on the position.
Combat personnel were already critically short, so the Battalion Commander couldn’t send anyone else out for reconnaissance.
Otherwise, they wouldn’t even withstand one round of Red Army attack.
It was precisely because of insufficient alert outpost personnel that Shi Jin and his group of seven approached very easily, completely undetected by anyone in the Blue Army.
In the blink of an eye, two hours passed.
The Blue Army Battalion Commander didn’t wait for the reconnaissance team to return, nor was there any news, as if they had vanished into thin air, without any sign or trace.
The Battalion Commander’s anticipation was replaced by disappointment; he could guess the reason even with his toes.
High probability they were caught by the Red Army!
Nearly one squad’s worth of troops sent for reconnaissance, and not even a hair was found, with all the personnel gone—it was truly losing both wife and troops.
The Battalion Commander’s already dark face grew even darker.
Fortunately, good news came soon: the Second Company Commander brought the other two platoons, arriving after rushing along the way, finally making the Second Company complete.
Plus, the First Company’s guard squad arrived just a few minutes late.
Suddenly, they gained the combat power of seven squads!
Even though the Third Platoon had already suffered heavy losses, the injection of fresh blood could help them recover.
With the Second Company’s Third Platoon’s surviving one squad, plus the Second Company’s First Platoon and Second Platoon, as well as the First Company’s surviving two squads and battalion headquarters personnel.
Blue Army troop strength reached full establishment company level, already possessing the strength for a head-on clash with the Red Army.
The Battalion Commander’s originally foul mood finally eased.
However, with all dispatched scouts knocked out, the Blue Army knew absolutely nothing about the current situation of the Red Army Steel Seventh Company.
Without any enemy intelligence, it was equivalent to having no attack capability.
The Blue Army could do very little and remained extremely passive.
They could only hold the current intersection position, doing everything possible to prepare defenses, then think of other methods to “turn defeat into victory.”
Though this “turn defeat into victory” sounded highly sarcastic for the Blue Army.
A whole battalion forced into this state by one company.
In the entire history of the Division Direct Reconnaissance Battalion, it was truly unprecedented.
But to preserve the reconnaissance battalion’s last bit of face, to save the Battalion Commander’s “official hat,” they had no choice but to—and must—make a final stand.
“No matter what, no matter the cost, we must find a way, exhaust every method, to figure out the Red Army’s situation; otherwise, we can only take hits passively, with no hope of turning the tables.”
The Battalion Commander solemnly pointed out at the combat meeting and proposed his idea: “Midnight is the most lax time; we’ll send two more reconnaissance teams then.
To prevent Red Army nighttime sneak attacks, each squad and platoon must strengthen vigilance, absolutely not giving the Red Army any opportunity.
Second Company Commander, I need you to select your company’s most professional personnel, formulate an action plan, and ensure this reconnaissance mission doesn’t fail.”
With the Battalion Commander putting it this way, the Second Company Commander saw no need to offer further suggestions.
He simply and decisively agreed: “Good, I’ll go make preparations right now.”
The Battalion Commander planned to first hold a defense wave, hold this position and wear down the Steel Seventh Company over time, then send scouts at night to clarify the Steel Seventh Company’s situation.
This combat plan was indeed sound, at least a very good response deployment in traditional conventional tactics.
Unfortunately.
Chen Jun never played by the rules; the combined arms Steel Seventh Company he reorganized, their combat methods were never conventional.
The Blue Army Battalion Commander wanted to stall the Red Army here, but Chen Jun had no intention of playing a war of attrition with them.
Tonight was the final battle!!
The vanguard reconnaissance squad lurking in the enemy rear personally witnessed the Blue Army support troops arrive and collected all related information.
Including the arriving Second Company’s two platoons, their vehicle camouflage concealment positions, personnel deployment arrangements, and so on.
All seen through completely.
With detailed Blue Army information, the Steel Seventh Company was equivalent to having dispelled the fog of war, seeing the Blue Army’s underwear with a god’s-eye view.
And this was the powerful role of a top reconnaissance unit on the battlefield.
The Steel Seventh Company had gathered all information and awaited company-versus-company frontal combat; it was time to showcase the Steel Seventh Company’s hard power.
Time reached 8:15 p.m.
This was a time worth recording.
The Red Army company headquarters formed by Chen Jun and Gao Cheng, stationed in a temporary command post built with camouflage cloth, formally launched frontal combat against the Blue Army.
First to move was the tactical sniper squad, maximizing their advantage.
The sniper squad’s four sniper teams went all out, simultaneously launching “venomous snake” attacks from three directions, taking out all Blue Army sentries from the shadows.
“Pa pa pa pa…”
The Type 85 precision shooting rifle fired nonstop, the gunshots carrying far across the vast plateau.
In less than two minutes, the Blue Army’s frontline sentries were cleared, puffs of white smoke rising from the position.
The Red Army snipers’ marksmanship was simply too accurate, ridiculously so even at night.
The remaining Blue Army on the position were all stunned, unable to believe the opponents were from grassroots units with individual soldier qualities even fiercer than theirs.
Fearing the Red Army snipers’ godlike marksmanship, the Blue Army hid in the position, not daring to show their heads again.
Especially those who liked smoking—seeing someone get hit just for sneaking a smoke in cover, their nicotine cravings were scared away.
Intimidation-style smoking cessation method…
Worth promoting!
The Blue Army Battalion Commander heard report after report: one moment the Third Squad’s sentry was sniped, the next the Sixth Squad’s sentry was gone.
His face, which had just improved a bit, turned even darker than before.
The Second Company Commander saw the Battalion Commander’s face turn ashen and didn’t dare speak up to provoke him, just sitting silently without daring to fart.
Meanwhile, the division leaders in the combat command center, seeing the Steel Seventh Company’s attack method, started another round of discussion.
“The Red Army first clears the outer sentries, plus wiping out the Blue Army’s dispatched recon teams earlier, equivalent to completely blinding the Blue Army’s eyes—Blue Army’s in trouble now.”
“Why doesn’t the Blue Army counterattack? Just letting the Red Army pick them off?”
“How to counterattack? Easier said than done—not even one scout can get out, don’t even know where the enemy is; forcing a counterattack is suicide?”
“The Red Army’s suppressive power is indeed strong; Blue Army has no defense capability, completely suppressed unilaterally.”
…
The division leaders discussed enthusiastically, but it wasn’t the command center’s focus.
The current focus was on the Division Commander.
Having only skimmed the combined arms theory, the ideas and tactics on synthesis written by Chen Jun truly shocked him.
He immediately called in Regiment Commander Wang to discuss the theory content together.
Though the confrontation command center was full of colonels, few truly understood combined arms combat and reorganization; now only Regiment Commander Wang could discuss it somewhat.
Though both only grasped the basics, it gave them a common topic.
As the Division Commander discussed the parts he didn’t understand with Regiment Commander Wang, getting answers that way.
Regiment Commander Wang had more contact with Chen Jun and longer time studying the theory, so he understood more than the Division Commander.
The Division Commander gained deeper insight into combined arms theory, greater appreciation for its author Chen Jun, and increasing anticipation for the Steel Seventh Company.
And right at that moment.
The Steel Seventh Company formally launched its attack, the first wave destroying the enemy’s sentries.
Having read the combined arms theory from start to finish and preliminarily understanding combined arms tactics, the Division Commander and Regiment Commander Wang both understood Chen Jun’s intention.
Just like some staff officers blindly guessing right by luck.
Chen Jun’s first wave attack on sentries was mainly to blind the Blue Army, secondarily to strike Blue Army morale psychologically.
Army morale is very important in war; only by crushing enemy morale first can offense go better.
Seeing the Steel Seventh Company’s rhythmic attack, a reconnaissance unit fighting with more tactical flair than an assault company, it immediately heightened the Division Commander’s curiosity and anticipation.
Could a reconnaissance company under combined arms tactics really improve that much?
Not only becoming a perfect reconnaissance force, mastering the essence and unique style of guerrilla flanking tactics needed by scouts.
But also enabling a primarily reconnaissance-focused unit to possess an assault company’s powerful frontal attack capability.
Able to be soft or hard, handling both.
Was it really that magical!
…
The Division Commander’s interest was fully piqued; the Chief of Staff and other division leaders completely focused on the Steel Seventh Company.
This was the effect Chen Jun aimed for.
Only under the spotlight of all eyes could the Steel Seventh Company’s powerful assault capability conquer all spectators.
As the Company Commander personally directing, once combat began, attacks came like waves, one after another until victory.
The tactical sniper team fulfilled its role, suppressing the enemy into shelters unable to emerge, thoroughly blinding the Blue Army.
Next up was the firepower platoon!
With the mortar position unexposed, they could boldly bombard freely, maximizing lethality.
With the vanguard reconnaissance squad lurking in the enemy rear precisely pinpointing enemy armored units.
The firepower platoon’s mortars hit like aimbot shells, every round precisely striking targets, Blue Army combat vehicles successively emitting white smoke.
No matter how well the Blue Army protected their combat vehicles, how thoroughly covered with camouflage cloth and tree branches.
It was all useless!
After all, from the Blue Army’s arrival until now, they had always been under the vanguard reconnaissance squad’s watch; the camouflage work was for nothing.
Watching Blue Army combat vehicles get wrecked one by one, with no way to respond.
The Blue Army Battalion Commander was furious.
Rage attacking the heart, blood rushing to the head, nearly passing out from high intracranial pressure.
The Second Company Commander was trying to save the combat vehicles, personally going to the position to direct Blue Army warriors to hurriedly relocate the remaining ones.
But this was only treating the symptoms, not the root.
The Blue Army, having lost external reconnaissance and counterattack capability, was equivalent to losing air superiority in war—not a single airplane could take off.
With the vanguard reconnaissance squad watching outside, relocating combat vehicles anywhere was useless.
As soon as the vanguard reconnaissance squad reported positions, the freshly moved combat vehicles would soon emit white smoke.
The Blue Army Second Company Commander finally reacted, realizing his side was completely pinned, all activities under the Blue Army’s watch—no, under their watch.
Wanting to counter and change the situation.
But after racking his brains for a while, he could only end with a sigh.
Because there was simply no way to counter.
The sighted artillery strike lasted half an hour; the final result was all Blue Army combat vehicles scrapped, turning the Blue Army armored reconnaissance battalion into a mountain reconnaissance battalion.
“Powerful artillery strike capability—this is something only an artillery company has, yet appearing in a reconnaissance company; the Blue Army Reconnaissance Battalion can only take hits, not unjust at all.”
The Division Commander saw the Blue Army armored units all scrapped, yet unable to counter in any way.
If it were a few hours ago, he would have been astonished, even shocked, thinking it completely impossible, fully joining the shocked party.
But now, preliminarily understanding combined arms combat, the Division Commander’s comprehension had significantly improved.
“Combined arms emphasizes multi-arm coordination, equivalent to integrating multiple branches; having an artillery company in it isn’t strange, haha.” Regiment Commander Wang laughed.
“An artillery company in a company…”
The Division Commander still found it odd upon hearing this, sighing: “This combined arms force’s strange establishment looks very unconventional at first glance, not matching war needs.
But applying combined arms tactics, the result is completely different—simply a stroke of genius.
However…”
The Division Commander paused midway, sharply changing topic.
“Though the combined arms Steel Seventh Company has massively boosted firepower, like a compressed reinforced battalion integrating anti-aircraft company, artillery company, anti-tank company, reconnaissance company, and support company, achieving greater tactical value with fewer troops.
But a company’s troop strength is limited after all; tactical units occupy massive troops, leaving the Steel Seventh Company with almost no infantry units.
Assault operations require seizing positions; without infantry charging into battle, it’s no good.
I’m very curious now: since the Steel Seventh Company aims to annihilate the Blue Army Reconnaissance Battalion, it definitely needs to assault the position—how exactly will it solve this problem.”
Combined arms units, let alone combined arms companies, even the most common 21st-century combined arms brigades, have this issue.
And not just lacking infantry charges; most critically, once personnel casualties occur, supplementation is very difficult.
Because combined arms forces have overly specialized divisions, each combined unit relatively independent.
Take a combined arms brigade as example.
If the artillery battalion suffers heavy cannon crew losses needing replacement, the same brigade has no other artillery battalion, and impossible to transfer from armored battalion or army aviation battalion.
Specialties completely mismatch; transfers couldn’t even be used.
Unlike ordinary battalion-level units, where companies under them can interchange since specialties match without affecting combat effectiveness.
Combined units are more independently composed, inevitably with poorer compatibility.
Even mature 21st-century combined arms brigades can’t fundamentally resolve it; the main compensation is just attaching a replacement unit in the rear.
Combined arms brigades attach a replacement battalion, combined arms battalions attach a replacement company.
Equivalent to attaching a blood bag in the rear, replenishing blood anytime as needed to compensate for combined arms forces’ ongoing troop shortage issue.
