Chapter 311: Zhu Rihe Blue Force Wreaking Havoc Everywhere
The “refinement” work deep into Steel Seventh Battalion’s grassroots level took nearly a month in total, resolving dozens of large and small problems.
A perfect wrap-up!
Although Chen Jun’s refinement work has ended, Steel Seventh Battalion’s improvement work has only just begun, and training has seen visibly faster progress with each company implementing Chen Jun’s series of new plans.
Steel Seventh Battalion’s intensive training has thus entered white heat, starting the final stage sprint.
At the same time.
Across the entire army, besides Steel Seventh Battalion, the only other place also developing combined arms units—Zhurihhe Tactical Base—has seen equally extraordinary changes.
With the vast resources support of national strength, and drawing on the experience gained from the pioneer Steel Seventh Battalion.
As the latecomer, Zhurihhe Tactical Base, based on the reinforced armored division originally stationed there, has launched an even higher-level combined arms brigade build-up.
The armored division has been reorganized into a combined arms brigade, becoming the “home army” of the combined arms tactics base.
One of the first batch of division-to-brigade reform units.
But it belongs to a highly confidential unit, never publicly announced from start to finish, with its designation unknown to anyone, though its code name is quite domineering.
It calls itself externally the First Blue Army Brigade.
Daring to call itself first shows its confidence and goal.
Chen Jun, as the pioneer of combined arms units across the entire army, has only reached the combined arms battalion stage so far; naturally, Zhurihhe’s combined arms brigade won’t form so easily.
So Zhurihhe has also learned from Chen Jun, deciding to start from combined arms battalion first.
And it’s building a heavy combined arms battalion!
With a full four tank companies!
Once the first heavy combined arms battalion being built fully matures, it can then quickly expand into a stronger heavy combined arms brigade based on it.
Nearly two years since the plan came out, its development speed is much faster than Steel Seventh Battalion’s.
After all, with national strength, it has whatever it wants.
It would be strange if it didn’t grow fast!
During Steel Seventh Battalion’s latter half of intensive training period, the heavy combined arms battalion under Zhurihhe Combined Arms Brigade completed its reorganization training ahead of schedule.
To test and inspect the heavy combined arms battalion, and further strengthen its combat effectiveness.
Backed by the national tycoon’s habits, the heavy combined arms battalion didn’t need internal deduction training like Steel Seventh Battalion; it directly launched large-scale training through exercises.
Having all seven war zones dispatch battalion-level units to Zhurihhe Base for confrontation with it.
Under the orders from ZY Military W, plus genuinely wanting to test the heavy combined arms battalion’s mettle, each war zone sent out their strongest teams.
In less than a week, over a dozen strong combat battalions arrived one after another by train straight to Zhurihhe.
Having the major military regions dispatch their strongest troops to cooperate with their own newly formed unit for training is equivalent to using the seven military regions as sparring partners.
This approach is truly bold!
If Steel Seventh Battalion had such treatment, the intensive training probably wouldn’t need a year; at most half a year to reach the strongest state.
Having a group of top experts to spar with is completely different from swinging a knife at wooden stakes at home.
The units rushing from various military regions to Zhurihhe covered tank battalions, armored infantry battalions, reconnaissance battalions, and all sorts of troops.
Clearly aiming to find various experts to help the heavy combined arms battalion form quickly.
Engaging with all sorts of opponents would accumulate rich combat experience, refine its own technology, and achieve a leap in combat effectiveness.
The combat battalions from each participating unit are all outstanding performers in their military regions.
Very strong, all very arrogant.
They won’t easily admit defeat.
So every participating unit brings strong competitiveness; they confidently believe they can easily take down the newly formed combined arms battalion.
Performing well in front of Mid Y leaders is definitely a huge profit no matter what.
And Zhurihhe side is equally full of morale.
From the brigade commander overseeing the overall situation down to every soldier at the grassroots, they all have ample confidence to face the entire army’s challenges.
Just like their external code name, they are bound to become the entire army’s number one Blue Army Combined Arms Brigade.
Both the “defenders” and “challengers” are full of confidence, making such a big scene; Steel Seventh Battalion, also a combined arms unit, has received quite a bit of news.
“The north is moving pretty fast; they actually started exercises before us, and it’s an entire army challenge—just don’t know how ready they are.”
While Chen Jun secretly teased, he also felt more pressure in his heart.
Peers are enemies.
The same in the troops.
If the momentum of combined arms unit construction is overtaken by Zhurihhe side, it means Zhurihhe’s combined arms unit construction is more advanced.
Superiors’ weight and focus will inevitably shift entirely to Zhurihhe Tactical Base.
Chen Jun’s combined arms unit construction work drops from entire army pioneer to second tier, with inevitably much reduced resources.
This would form a huge obstacle for Chen Jun who wants to build Steel Seventh Division.
This is something Chen Jun doesn’t want to see.
So during the period awaiting the northern confrontation results, Chen Jun increasingly values Steel Seventh Battalion’s training, appearing more frequently on the training ground.
Personally supervising and guiding each company’s training, striving to maximize combat effectiveness.
Soon.
First Battalion under the First Combined Arms Brigade, representing Zhurihhe Base’s Blue Army highest combat power, began the first confrontation exercise with the Red Army.
Since this exercise is confidential, none of both sides’ data was published.
Who are the Red and Blue sides’ commanders? Unknown.
How many troops did Red and Blue sides invest? Unknown.
Red and Blue sides’ tactical play? Unknown.
…
All details of this exercise are highly confidential and not published; no matter how strong internal connections, can’t probe a bit.
Even the participating Red Army units are required not to reveal a bit.
Not even their own troops.
The only released news is that the outcome of the first confrontation is Red Army’s crushing defeat; as attacking troops, they were actually annihilated by Blue Army.
And excluding preparation time upfront, actual combat time was less than four hours.
On a battlefield over a thousand square kilometers, even both sides sprinting toward the center at max speed would take over two hours to cover.
As attackers annihilated in four hours is truly unbelievable.
Blue Army as defenders if stationary, Red Army from their position to Blue Army’s front would take at least over three hours.
A full Red Army battalion’s troops gone in half an hour?
This is too outrageous!
Even hundreds of pigs couldn’t be killed in half an hour.
Yet precisely because it’s incomprehensible—how Red Army lost, why so badly—highlights Blue Army’s combat effectiveness strength.
The mysterious unknown beyond common sense is what most makes people wary.
Entire army up and down can’t figure the reason; many used connections to find the Red Army’s then-command battalion commander, wanting to know exactly how they lost.
The Red Army Battalion Commander, still bound by confidentiality, didn’t specify losing on what tactic.
Just stated he lost convinced, his own strength indeed inferior to Blue Army Battalion Commander; Blue Army Battalion Commander’s unfathomable tactics truly far beyond him, not on the same level.
Even giving him two or three more chances, the outcome would likely still be crushing defeat.
Red Army Battalion Commander’s words spread, causing another sensation.
Blue Army Battalion Commander not only wins confrontations but convinces Red Army Battalion Commander, proving he has real kung fu; the remaining troops are even more wary.
The future fame as entire army’s whetstone begins to emerge from this moment.
Of course.
Nothing is absolute.
Amid overall deterrence by Blue Army, some still feel something fishy, believing Blue Army definitely played tricks.
After all, Zhurihhe Base is their home turf; playing tricks is too easy.
Such skeptical voices, though few, weren’t drowned out.
“Unfathomable tactics? And Zhurihhe—these two points too special; could it be him? If really, then interesting.”
Chen Jun suddenly thought of an acquaintance, lips curling up involuntarily.
“Back then bragging about slapping my face, proving who’s strongest; if loses to me again… just thinking is fun, haha.”
Though still some uncertainty, as long as it’s him in Chen Jun’s mind, for some reason, he suddenly anticipates challenging at Zhurihhe.
Unfortunately.
Chen Jun has no way to go now; Steel Seventh Battalion’s intensive training is far from ending.
First Blue Army Brigade’s first confrontation big win can be said to have instantly built fame, known to everyone across the entire army.
The originally teased “first” now has more persuasiveness.
Under this entire army’s heightened attention, Zhurihhe Base’s second confrontation exercise unfolded amid full army anticipation.
This time a bit more info revealed; military report mentioned the second Red Army unit is reinforced tank battalion.
With a full five tank companies scale, nearly fifty main battle tanks forming steel torrent, absolutely terrifying power.
Especially Zhurihhe Training Base composed of desert, grassland, mountainous terrain, trenches, etc.
But mainly desert and grassland terrain, where tank charges suit best, maximizing main battle tank advantages.
Facing such armored torrent charge, outsiders can’t imagine how Blue Army holds.
Even Gao Cheng, observing this confrontation, put himself in Blue Army’s shoes, pondered half a day without finding perfect counter-strategy.
Man Guangzhi frowned in deep thought, seeming to have ideas but not mature enough.
Only Chen Jun smiled, without commenting.
Chen Jun definitely has counter-strategies; his brain holds eight hundred if not a thousand tactical plays—no troops are an issue.
But he’s curious how Blue Army Combined Arms Battalion Unit breaks the situation.
Amid outsiders’ various guesses and anticipation, Zhurihhe Base’s second Red-Blue confrontation exercise ended in less than one daytime.
Various battle details still confidential; only final result published.
Still Blue Army win!
And big win!
This Red Army also attacking troops, where tanks’ advantages play best, yet no better than first Red Army.
Battle lasted just over eight hours; Red Army defeated due to over 40% losses.
From published info, enough to analyze Red Army lasting extra hours purely because tanks tough and durable.
Blue Army needed more time to destroy tanks, so dragged a few more hours.
But merely eight hours battle losing over thirty main battle tanks—this battle record still shocks outsiders.
You know.
Nationwide equipped Type 96 main battle tanks total under two thousand.
A mere battalion-level small battlefield swallowing thirty Type 96 main battle tanks in eight hours; scaling this loss proportionally.
Equals a division-level battlefield losing several hundred main battle tanks in eight hours.
Nation’s Type 96s depleted in under two days.
This isn’t about exaggeration; it’s reached eerie levels.
Zhurihhe’s Blue Army Combined Arms Battalion Unit—what eerie establishment allows wrecking a reinforced tank battalion in hours.
Outsiders all can’t figure it.
Really can’t think even breaking heads.
Original skepticism on First Blue Army Brigade’s strength also completely dissipated with this second big win.
Zhurihhe Combined Arms Tactics Base’s fame also resounds entire army with this second battle.
Making everyone realize this new base far from simple as imagined; harbors great terror they can’t comprehend.
“Eight hours to end battle? Is this heavy tank battalion so eerie?”
Gao Cheng, upon learning result, even as first combined arms battalion commander, was dumbfounded.
Blue Army won too fast, completely beyond his imagination.
And Man Guangzhi’s brows furrowed deeper.
Only Chen Jun’s smile thicker than before; not scared, but increasingly anticipating clash.
Too weak opponents win in minutes—no challenge for Chen Jun.
Not even interested.
Only sufficiently strong opponents slightly interest Chen Jun, qualify as opponents.
Zhurihhe Base through two confrontation exercises thoroughly establishes his fame army-wide.
This is just performance start.
Next is real big show.
With first and second both big wins, the dozen or so Red Army units heading for exercises all shed contempt.
Everyone geared up seriously, deciding to bring signature skills.
Bound to have exhilarating battle with strong opponent at Zhurihhe Tactical Base; even if not win, fight with military prestige.
Winning better.
Other Red Army units all lose, only own wins—represents entire army strongest, enough to make whole battalion famous army-wide.
Just this fluke craving makes remaining dozen battalions’ morale exceptionally high.
Like ignited dry grass, raising soaring flames, turning Zhurihhe this land into entire army’s honor battleground.
