Chapter 323: Gao Cheng Has Gotten Cocky?
The mine-laying vehicle was preparing to seal the entrance, never imagining that an attack helicopter would come over, so it hadn’t made much preparation.
Sun Dongping hadn’t considered, when formulating the plan, that Chen Jun would act so cautiously and carefully.
A unit routed by the Red Army Unit, with the Red Army sending nearly one company to pursue was one thing, but to follow up with an attack helicopter was another.
Keep in mind that this place was already close to the Blue Army Rear, where they could encounter Blue Army anti-air defense forces at any time.
Attack helicopters were precious to both sides, and for the Red Army to send an attack helicopter for pursuit truly required a certain amount of courage and courage.
And the Red Army attack helicopter had already received Chen Jun’s instructions on the way over.
Once it spotted any abnormal Blue Army Unit that intended to make unfavorable moves against the Red Army Unit, it could strike without needing to report.
So when the attack helicopter spotted the mine-laying vehicle and confirmed it wasn’t a Red Army pursuit unit, it immediately launched an attack.
“Whoooosh…”
A series of rockets launched.
The two mine-laying vehicles that hadn’t yet realized they were locked on erupted in white smoke almost simultaneously, and the Blue Army soldiers who rushed out in embarrassment from the vehicles also had white smoke rising from their heads, indicating they were killed in action.
“What’s going on? Why did the smoke grenade trigger?”
“Damn it, we just got out and we’re gone? Must be a malfunction.”
“No, listen, the radio has a notification from the directing staff—we got hit by rockets?”
“That sound… helicopter, it’s a helicopter.”
“Everyone look over there, it’s a Red Army helicopter—we got hit by a Red Army helicopter.”
“Has the Red Army gone mad? An attack helicopter daring to come here—this is our rear, and they aren’t afraid at all?”
…
The Blue Army from the mine-laying vehicle chattered away, discussing intensely.
The group went from initial confusion and questioning, to discovering various clues and details in the middle, and finally realized what had happened.
But by the time they spotted the Red Army helicopter, there was no opportunity to regret.
With the Blue Army mine-laying vehicle taken out by the helicopter, there was no way to seal the opening anymore, which was equivalent to prematurely announcing the failure of the Blue Army’s pocket formation.
Due to the incident happening too suddenly, the mine-laying vehicle hadn’t been able to transmit the news back in time.
This caused the Blue Army lure the enemy troops in the front to have no idea what had happened behind them, and they continued with the latter part of the plan as usual.
Once all the tanks left the exit, they immediately began sealing the exit according to the plan.
But after waiting for a long time, no Red Army pursuers arrived.
“Where are the Red Army people? By the timing, they should have arrived here.”
The Blue Army blocking the road were all puzzled, and for a moment didn’t know where the problem was. The Blue Army company commander urgently sent a radio message to the battalion headquarters to inquire.
The Blue Army Battalion Headquarters was also completely baffled at this moment and could only temporarily figure out a way to investigate.
But just as the Blue Army Battalion Headquarters began investigating, the Blue Army troops guarding the exit suffered an artillery strike and were instantly covered by fierce firepower.
Even if the Blue Army tank soldiers had excellent quality and made the optimal actions at the fastest speed.
Under the Red Army’s precise and sudden artillery coverage, most of the people and tanks were still lost, with only one tank luckily escaping.
Meanwhile, the Red Army that would originally have been blocked here had long received Chen Jun’s order to return.
The attack helicopter that came to provide support and cover observed the Blue Army troops’ actions at the exit from a distance, reported the intelligence back to the battalion headquarters, and then returned.
Only the Blue Army lure the enemy troops guarding the exit foolishly waited there, becoming live targets.
With Chen Jun’s order transmitted to the heavy artillery company, the heavy artillery company, which had already advanced to the frontline rear, adjusted its firing data and delivered a grand gift to the Blue Army.
“What? Only one tank crew escaped?”
Sun Dongping in the battalion headquarters was furious upon hearing the battle report, his face red as a pig’s liver, slamming the table so hard his palm went numb.
He had thought his plan was flawless and would inevitably deal a heavy blow to the Red Army.
Unexpectedly, the result was far from his vision. Not only did the Blue Army fail to deliver a heavy blow to the Red Army, but the Blue Army was instead severely taught a lesson by the Red Army.
Just half a tank company used as temptation turned into bait and was almost completely wiped out.
They failed to steal the chicken and ended up losing the rice!
Facing such a humiliating heavy blow, let alone someone like Sun Dongping who cared about face, even someone with the best mentality would probably break.
However, this wasn’t even the most painful part. What made Sun Dongping most uncomfortable was the subsequent defense.
After fighting for an afternoon plus half an evening, the Blue Army had already lost nearly one armored company, half an armored infantry company, and part of the artillery.
Now losing another half tank company to the Red Army, the Blue Army’s remaining tanks were only one and a half companies.
Plus half an armored infantry company, the Blue Army frontline combat unit, all tallied up, only had two companies left, and defending three positions was already somewhat strained.
In contrast, the Red Army as the attacking side should normally have greater losses than the Blue Army.
But now the Red Army’s remaining troops outnumbered the Blue Army’s, with two tank companies left with four platoons, and two infantry companies still at 90%.
The Red Army still had three companies in total, a full company more troops than the Blue Army.
How to defend three positions with inferior troops became Sun Dongping’s most urgent trouble at the moment. If not resolved well, they would lose badly.
The Blue Army hadn’t tasted defeat yet, and the glory of consecutive victories already shone throughout the army.
Claiming to be the Red Army’s whetstone yet losing to the Red Army—this result was unacceptable not only to Sun Dongping but also to the First Blue Army Brigade.
Especially for Sun Dongping.
He was already driven out from the Steel Seventh Battalion. If he lost this battle to his old unit, it would completely seal his value in this wave of informatization reform.
The best outcome would be his abilities questioned, and his status greatly reduced in the First Blue Army Brigade from then on.
The worst would be packing up and leaving again.
Sun Dongping knew these two outcomes himself, but he couldn’t accept either one—his proud heart couldn’t accept it.
To change his tragic ending, Sun Dongping’s eyes turned bloodshot.
He was preparing to go extreme!
By gambling with the most extreme tactics, if successful, he Sun Dongping would become the well-deserved number one in the entire army; if failed, he would accept his fate completely.
…
The Blue Army side had entered a life-and-death atmosphere, preparing for a final desperate struggle, with the entire battalion under immense pressure.
The Red Army side was jubilant from top to bottom, having built up confidence.
It could be said their morale was sky-high!
Especially Chen Jun’s earlier turn the enemy’s plan to one’s own advantage, and it was the second time using turn the enemy’s plan to one’s own advantage. Without needing ultimate moves, using the same tactics twice made the Blue Army discard helmets and armor, greatly boosting the Red Army’s morale.
Chen Jun decided to launch the final all-out attack while the Red Army’s morale was high and the Blue Army’s was low.
Now the Blue Army’s second defense line had completely collapsed, with all troops retreating to the highlands behind, for the final decisive battle on the subsequent defense line.
The Blue Army’s one main and two auxiliary three positions formed an inverted triangular shape.
The two auxiliary positions were placed one left and one right in front, like the two prongs of open pliers, guarding the main position placed in the center rear.
With the Red Army’s morale now like a rainbow, they definitely wanted to win, and their target had locked onto the Blue Army’s main position.
To maximize the probability of winning this confrontation, Chen Jun didn’t decide the all-out attack strategy on his own but organized a battalion headquarters meeting.
After a discussion where everyone voiced their opinions, a preliminary conclusion was quickly reached.
To take the main position, there were four routes to take.
The first route was to attack from Hill Number Five on the left, using it as a springboard after capture, ignoring Hill Number Six beside it and just sending two platoons to watch, directly attacking the main position behind.
The second route was similar to the first, the difference being using Hill Number Six as the attack point.
The third route was the safest.
First take both front highlands, then mass troops to charge the main position.
The fourth route was the most violent.
That was to completely ignore the two highlands and rapidly pass between them, directly taking the Blue Army main position.
The fifth route was to go around from the side, circling to the rear of the Blue Army main position to launch the attack.
These five routes were completely different, with very obvious pros and cons.
The first and second routes had the same playing style, differing only in the attack point.
The advantage was steadiness without losing sharpness, ensuring both attack speed and rhythm as well as a certain safety, a relatively secure way to victory.
The disadvantage was being too mediocre, not quite matching the Red Army’s current rainbow-like morale.
The third route was an upgrade of the first two.
The advantage was that barring natural disasters or man-made calamities, this playing style was sure not to lose, with a guaranteed draw at worst and 70% probability of victory.
The disadvantage was the rhythm was way too slow, not matching the characteristics of combined arms tactics.
At the same time, combat loss would be greater, and the data wouldn’t look good.
The fourth route’s playing style was the most aggressive, with the advantage that if the plan succeeded, the data would look great, becoming a classic case and a model of blitzkrieg.
Because only a break the cauldrons and sink the boats lightning strike, charging straight to the main position in one go, could secure victory in the confrontation.
If the Blue Army on the two side highlands reacted, or before the Blue Army from the side highlands could reinforce, if the Red Army couldn’t reach the main position to plant the flag.
Then the Red Army troops sandwiched on three sides would fall into extreme passivity.
A great situation could be subverted.
The gambling risk was huge.
Finally, the fifth route’s flanking attack could avoid the Blue Army’s two front highlands, directly facing the Blue Army main position without fighting all the way, ensuring even smaller combat loss.
And it could catch the Blue Army off guard, winning with an even smaller cost.
The disadvantage was needing to completely avoid Blue Army reconnaissance; otherwise, if discovered by Blue Army reconnaissance and prepared in advance, it would be very unfavorable to the Red Army.
Whether intercepting the supply line in the middle or moving troops to reinforce the main position, it would trouble the Red Army a lot.
With the ideas organized clearly, the next step was the decision.
The five attack routes could be categorized into conservatives and radicals.
Man Guangzhi and several staff officers had smaller ambitions, not as bold as Chen Jun and Gao Cheng. Facing the powerful Blue Army, they all thought to seek stability first.
At most, steady with a bit of aggressiveness.
Favoring taking one side highland first, then attacking the main position.
Gao Cheng, having let Chen Jun command until now, with various exercises and competitions without a single defeat, had long unconditionally believed in Chen Jun’s strength.
Plus, in this exercise up to now, the Red Army had been very smooth overall and held the advantage.
This gave Gao Cheng sufficient reason to believe that this exercise would also be won by Chen Jun leading the team, with the Blue Army’s failure already set in stone.
So Gao Cheng was a bit carried away!
He wasn’t just seeking victory now but pursuing a higher realm, to win more spectacularly, more awesomely.
To win in the most awesome way, Gao Cheng naturally strongly supported charging straight through the middle.
Gao Cheng even boldly declared: “The Blue Army is now hanging by a thread; for our Red Army to take them down is just a matter of minutes.
No need to be so timid. I suggest going straight to the main position.
I believe that by the time we rush to the main position and plant the red flag on their position, the Blue Army probably still won’t have reacted.”
The Blue Army, victorious over thirty times, had become a soft persimmon casually pinched in Gao Cheng’s mouth.
If the troops who had lost to the Blue Army earlier—and been crushed by them—heard this, they would probably feel so bad they’d spit up blood on the spot.
Chen Jun wanted to support Gao Cheng’s playing style; he also wanted to win in the most flashy way.
This confrontation was watched by the entire army. Winning the Blue Army in the most flashy way would be like showing off big time in front of the whole army.
At the same time, it could attract high-level attention, tilting more resources to the Steel Seventh Battalion.
This would be a huge boost with no harm for future development into a combined arms division or brigade, paving part of the road in advance.
But inner craving clashed with rational thinking in Chen Jun.
Based on Chen Jun’s understanding of Sun Dongping, this extremely arrogant and conceited guy would absolutely not easily accept defeat.
Chen Jun was 100% certain that in the final battle, Sun Dongping would still play tricks.
Even if he couldn’t guess what.
But Chen Jun was sure there would be.
Under the premise of not knowing what tricks Sun Dongping would play, and that Sun Dongping actually had a few real tricks up his sleeve that were truly vicious when used.
Chen Jun didn’t want the tactics to be too aggressive.
Because the more extreme the aggressive tactics, the lower the fault tolerance.
Chen Jun didn’t want to, at this critical moment, risk it for prettier data and end up flipped by Sun Dongping in a comeback.
Of course.
Chen Jun also didn’t want to use too conservative a playing style, steadily seeking only victory.
As combined arms unit born from the demands of the informatization era focusing on change, it must win in a novel way.
Your tactics don’t have to be aggressive and adventurous, but they must have enough uniqueness.
At least look like a combined arms unit!
So while everyone was passionately discussing which route to choose, Chen Jun took the time to organize his thoughts and came up with a new play.
This was Chen Jun fusing these five styles, extracting and blending all their essences together.
Then, between aggressive and conservative, he chose the adult choice: both styles at once, designing a very complex brand new playing style.
