Chapter 321: Blue Force Suffers Heavy Blow
The Blue Army dispatched the Mobile Defense Detachment to harass, and no matter from which aspect analyzed, it appeared merely to support and cover the rear of frontline troops.
There were no flaws at all!
And to further strengthen the harassment intensity, coordinating with the Mobile Defense Detachment’s covering action, the Blue Army dispatched two attack helicopters again.
And to protect the attack helicopters from being shot down, the Blue Army’s Heavy Artillery Company displayed powerful firepower for the first time.
Not only striking the Red Army’s attacking force, but also carpet-bombing areas where the Red Army’s anti-aircraft unit might be located.
Forcibly suppressing the Red Army’s anti-air firepower, ensuring the safety of their own attack helicopters.
Under this series of branch of service coordination tactics, the Blue Army main force on the rear side of the Blue Army’s First Defense Line was not chased and beaten all the way by the Red Army, and safely withdrew to the Second Defense Line.
And the Mobile Defense Detachment that served as the covering mission at this time also began withdrawing toward the Second Defense Line.
The Red Army’s pursuit action was disrupted, missing the opportunity to beat the Blue Army’s drowning dog, allowing the Blue Army half a tank company to return to the second defense line.
No one took this opportunity to eliminate them, and it would be even more difficult to take them out next.
Gao Cheng was truly furious!
“Chase, chase them for me. This Blue Army unit is like a loach, slippery and running everywhere. If I don’t eliminate this unit, I won’t be able to eat or sleep in peace. We must chase them up and take it out.
Pass my order: Infantry Third Company pursues at full speed, Heavy Artillery conducts long-range cover, and must intercept it before the Blue Army’s Second Defense Line.
Armored Company One charges at the fastest speed, clamping it front and rear with Third Company to swallow it up.”
Gao Cheng did not want to be harassed and nauseated by the Blue Army’s mobile detachment during subsequent attacks, deciding to take advantage of them being isolated and permanently eliminate the threat in one fell swoop.
Chen Jun felt something was off.
According to this frontline combat situation, the Blue Army Mobile Defense Detachment could have left long ago and did not need to stay until now, falling behind as an isolated force.
Moreover, the Blue Army Mobile Defense Detachment consisted of light armored vehicles, with very fast maneuver speed on the grassland.
If they really wanted to quickly disengage from combat, they could soon shake off the Red Army and would not end up like now, appearing as if bitten and unable to shake free.
Something unusual must have a demon.
However, the Blue Army had only this isolated unit, which posed no threat to the Blue Army main force at all. What was their intention in deliberately stringing along the Red Army main force?
Chen Jun could not think of it for the time being!
Plus, Gao Cheng’s order was very reasonable: using the infantry company’s armored vehicles’ faster maneuver speed to chase up and hold or even intercept the Blue Army Mobile Defense Detachment.
Coupled with long-range heavy artillery support strikes, forcing the Blue Army Mobile Defense Detachment to evade marching.
Unable to march in a straight line, their speed would drop.
The Red Army’s tanks could then catch up to them. As long as the tank company could catch up to the Blue Army’s Mobile Defense Detachment, frontal combat would inevitably devour it.
The main battle tank company’s frontal assault combat capability was absolutely the strongest king in ground combat.
The Blue Army mobile detachment could not win!
So Chen Jun did not say much at this time, nor did he stop the higher-ups from issuing this series of orders, deciding to wait and see the situation before speaking.
Gao Cheng was after all the Battalion Commander of Steel Seventh Battalion, and Chen Jun still had to give him some authority and face.
If Gao Cheng rarely took the initiative to issue an order, and it was the first formal order since the start of combat, but Chen Jun immediately vetoed it.
Even if Gao Cheng would not hold a grudge against Chen Jun because of this, it would be unfavorable to the entire battalion’s development.
As a veteran soldier of several generations, Chen Jun had a mature concept on how to maintain good interpersonal relationships within the troops.
It was impossible for him to rely on being the highest commander and completely disregard this Battalion Commander Gao Cheng.
Arrogant troops will surely be defeated, and reckless ones will surely die.
This was not nonsense!
The Red Army companies fighting on the frontline were also annoyed by this Blue Army Mobile Defense Detachment that always hovered nearby yet they could do nothing about it.
Now receiving Gao Cheng’s order, they were like they had been injected with excitement agent one by one.
Infantry Third Company had all infantry fighting vehicles at full throttle, spewing thick black smoke from behind with rumbling roars, charging toward the fleeing Blue Army mobile defense detachment like hungry wolves.
Huang Yang, who was in the same vein as Gao Cheng, also issued a death order to claim this merit.
He ordered all tanks under his command to turn direction, lock onto the Blue Army mobile defense detachment for rapid pursuit, regardless of any cost, chasing at the fastest speed.
The Heavy Artillery Company received the coordinates transmitted from the frontline and began putting pressure on the Blue Army mobile defense detachment.
“Bang bang bang…”
One artillery shell after another pierced the air.
The Directing Staff with the informatized exercise system immediately converted the relevant analysis data into damage, transmitting it almost in real-time to the Blue Army mobile defense detachment.
The mobile defense detachment, realizing they were under Red Army artillery strike, had no choice but to conduct tactical evasion.
Changing from a straight line to irregular S-shaped movement.
The longer route for evading artillery shells gave the Armored Infantry Third Company’s infantry fighting vehicles many opportunities, constantly closing the distance between them.
However.
After all, both sides were heavy armored vehicles, with top speeds of only forty or fifty kilometers per hour even at full throttle; catching up was not that simple.
Moreover, the Blue Army was deliberately doing something and did not push to maximum speed.
Instead, they maintained a distance that was just about to be caught but always just a little short, teasing the pursuing Red Army into itching frustration.
In this chase and escape, more than ten minutes quickly passed.
At this moment.
Chen Jun, organizing the intelligence transmitted from the frontline, suddenly discovered a shocking secret regarding the Blue Army mobile defense detachment’s withdrawal route.
That was, the direction the Blue Army mobile defense detachment was moving was actually the minefield discovered by the Vanguard Squad last night.
At that time, everyone at Battalion Headquarters was still curious why the Blue Army had laid such a large minefield on a path obviously not for attack.
The Red Army would not even pass through there when attacking; laying a minefield would be purely wasted effort?
No one had figured out why the Blue Army did it then, but now Chen Jun, combining it with the mobile defense detachment’s withdrawal route, had a huge suspicion leap to mind.
“Could it be that the Blue Army had premeditated this: waiting for the Red Army to break through the First Defense Line, then pretend to be defeated and withdraw, luring our armored forces into the minefield to swallow an entire armored company of ours in one go?”
Thoughts flashed rapidly in Chen Jun’s mind; the more he thought, the more likely it seemed.
The Red Army originally had only two armored companies; if one got trapped in the Blue Army minefield, gnawing down the Blue Army main position would be as difficult as finding a needle in a haystack.
One had to know the Blue Army had three armored companies, plus a complete armored infantry company.
They also held the absolute advantage of the defender.
With only one armored company and two infantry companies left for the Red Army, plus a bunch of logistics troops, there was no possibility of winning on paper.
“This Sun Dongping is still the same, likes to use such dirty tricks; one minefield to pit my tank company—such big ambition, only he dares to think it.”
Chen Jun had basically confirmed the Blue Army’s trick. Seeing the pursuing troops less than one kilometer from the minefield, he immediately told Gao Cheng and others about it.
The people at Battalion Headquarters, learning of the Blue Army’s intentions, were all scared into a cold sweat by the Blue Army’s vicious plot.
The first thought was to quickly stop the pursuit!
If they fell for the Blue Army’s plan, the tank company in the rear could still be preserved since it was farther back, but Armored Infantry Third Company would likely be done for.
A bunch of armored vehicles trapped in the Blue Army position would become live targets for the artillery.
They would be annihilated in minutes.
“Stopping the pursuit is certain; we can’t stupidly rush up, but we can’t just let the Blue Army play us for fools. The Blue Army comes and goes as they please—is there such a good thing in the world?”
Chen Jun’s mouth curved up high, carrying a chilling killing intent.
When it came to playing dirty tricks, Chen Jun was an expert.
Sun Dongping was just a little brother in front of Chen Jun.
Since the Blue Army dared to use the mobile defense detachment as bait to try to swallow a Red Army company, Chen Jun must send them a grand gift to take back.
“Pass my order…”
Chen Jun was determined to harshly teach the Blue Army mobile defense detachment a lesson but issued only three orders.
The first order was for the pursuing troops to continue maintaining the pursuit momentum, stopping pursuit and holding position on the spot after hearing explosions ahead.
“Explosions ahead?”
The pursuing Red Army troops could not understand what Chen Jun was playing at.
The second order was to the Vanguard Squad’s observation point: immediately feedback the situation to Battalion Headquarters when the Blue Army troops entered the minefield and prepared to cross it.
The third order went to the Heavy Artillery Company.
Ordering the Heavy Artillery Company to load all artillery and stand ready, aiming at the coordinate point given by Chen Jun—that is, the precise location of the minefield—awaiting Chen Jun’s follow-up orders.
After Chen Jun’s three orders were issued, most of the Red Army battalion began operating around them.
A few minutes later.
The Blue Army mobile defense detachment had no idea their scheme had been seen through by Chen Jun in advance; instead, they had entered Chen Jun’s scheme.
They followed Sun Dongping’s pre-deployed plan, with the entire detachment orderly entering the minefield.
Because the minefield deployment was very regular, a safe passage had been pre-reserved in advance; even though only over two meters wide, it was enough for the Blue Army convoy to pass safely.
But the Red Army did not know the safe passage location and would inevitably get trapped in the minefield upon pursuit.
The plan was indeed seamless.
Unfortunately, it had a premise of not being discovered. They had deployed the minefield here in advance; once discovered, the plan would fall apart directly.
Originally, even if the plan fell apart, it would not cause any loss to the Blue Army.
At most, just missing an opportunity.
However, now not only had Chen Jun seen through the scheme, but he also fully utilized his demonic intelligence to turn the enemy’s plan to one’s own advantage on this basis.
Since you want to avoid the landmines and run past, I’ll actively help you out.
Just as the mobile defense detachment fully entered the minefield, the Vanguard Squad’s first group transmitted the situation here back according to Chen Jun’s order.
Upon learning the mobile defense detachment had entered, Chen Jun immediately sent a brief order to the Heavy Artillery Company—
“Fire!”
“Boom boom boom…”
The Heavy Artillery Company’s cannons roared together, shells whistling straight into the sky.
The mobile defense detachment immediately suffered disaster; a large number of simulated landmines in the minefield were triggered, spewing rolling white smoke, and vehicles in the area were also triggered to emit smoke.
“What? The mobile defense detachment, while passing through the minefield, suddenly suffered a fierce Red Army artillery strike, with a large number of landmines exploded and triggered, causing heavy losses to the detachment? Almost losing half their troops inside??”
Sun Dongping, receiving the notification from the Directing Staff, felt his blood rush to his head and his mind buzz with explosion.
Both anxious and angry and unable to accept it.
He nearly smashed the table in front of him.
The elaborate setup after great effort failed to cause huge losses to the Red Army; instead, he lost half a company of troops.
Such a huge gap between vision and reality was unacceptable to anyone.
In contrast to Sun Dongping’s side where he was livid, looking worse than having eaten a pound of shit, the Red Army side was happier than the New Year.
“This damn Blue Army actually set a trap, waiting for us to plunge headlong in. Good thing the Deputy Battalion Commander is awesome and saw through their trajectory; otherwise, if we chased up, we’d all be done for inside.”
The Armored Infantry Third Company Company Commander, seeing white smoke soaring ahead, felt excitement mixed with lingering fear.
“Old Chen, it has to be you. This turn the enemy’s plan to one’s own advantage is simply too brilliant—swallowing half a Blue Army company in one bite. That Sun guy’s face must be green with anger, haha.”
Gao Cheng was not one to restrain himself; having gained the advantage, he immediately boasted, his laughter echoing through the entire Battalion Headquarters.
Earlier, the entire battalion pressed forward and fought half a day without taking out a single Blue Army company, but Chen Jun took out half a Blue Army company with just a few words.
Such divine operation and battlefield control was truly unmatched by anyone present.
It left everyone convinced!
The diligent and studious Man Guangzhi classmate immediately pulled out his exclusive little notebook, scribbling furiously to record Chen Jun’s divine operation in detail.
From this two-centimeter-thick notebook, now more than half filled.
It could be seen how much precious knowledge and experience Man Guangzhi had learned in Steel Seventh Battalion, and how huge the boost to his personal growth.
With the “turn the enemy’s plan to one’s own advantage” a great success, representing the Blue Army’s First Defense Line was hereby officially declared fully lost.
The battle entered the Second Stage!
“All units attention, this is Chen Jun. I announce that Wolf Two Operation now officially begins.” Chen Jun issued new combat orders to the entire battalion.
“Wolf Two Operation” was also a code name, representing a complete set of combat plan.
Specifically for after taking the Blue Army’s First Defense Line, before attacking the Blue Army’s Second Defense Line, the series of deployments and arrangements the Red Army needed to make.
Including but not limited to:
Engineer Platoon fully entering the frontline to comprehensively search between the First and Second Defense Lines, finding and clearing all minefields.
For minefields where time did not allow clearance, mark them around and fence them off.
When subsequent Red Army troops attacked, seeing the marks they could evade in advance, avoiding entering the minefields and thus no danger.
Supply Platoon needed to come up for support, replenishing ammunition and fuel for the attacking companies.
Ensuring sufficient endurance to engage in the upcoming attack on the Southern Army’s Second Defense Line and the general assault on the Blue Army main position.
Also including Battalion Headquarters summarizing the early battles, adjusting subsequent combat deployments, and so on.
This series, just standing there explaining to each different company, would take at least ten minutes, condensed into the six words “Wolf Two Operation.”
The advantage of military code names in combat was vividly demonstrated at this moment.
