Chapter 182: Anti-aircraft Guns Laid Flat
“Baka yaro!”
Seeing several grenades miss in a row, Minamimura Masasuke became anxious.
He also realized that the weapons in the hands of these infantry alone could not break through the Chinese army’s fire net, so he ordered the signalman to send flag signals to the rear, requesting fire support.
Two minutes later, more than ten Type 94 mountain guns rapidly fired at 12 rounds per minute, covering the forward Chinese army positions.
“Boom boom boom…”
One 75mm high-explosive shell after another blasted the area hundreds of meters in front of the third company into flying stones and debris, with shockwaves swirling mud, sand, and splintered wood through the valley.
Five minutes later, the artillery fire began to extend backward, precisely cutting off the reinforcement channels of the second-line troops.
Seeing the timing was ripe, Minamimura Masasuke drew his command sword and shouted loudly: “Totsugeki…”
“Charge…”
Accompanying his order, more than a hundred Japanese soldiers shouldered their Type 38 rifles and leaped out of cover in the instant the artillery fire extended.
One yellowish-brown figure after another low-crawled forward across the scorched earth, stepping over craters still emitting smoke.
Moreover, these Japanese soldiers did not advance blindly, but every hundred meters they advanced, they signaled with whistles, and the light and heavy machine guns in the rear immediately provided covering fire upon receiving the signal.
When the charging soldiers broke through that position line, the Type 92 heavy machine gun team originally responsible for covering fire from behind immediately ceased shooting and began carrying their tripods and machine guns to the edge of a crater to quickly set up positions.
Under the busy work of more than ten soldiers, a temporary machine gun position was quickly built, and with a command, 7.7mm bullets began sweeping toward the defenders’ positions like pouring water.
In the command post more than two hundred meters from the top of the valley, Su Yaoyang poked his head out and silently observed.
Although the Shanxi militia had the advantage of terrain and weapons, they were still fighting very hard.
“Our soldiers are still too lacking in training and combat experience!” He couldn’t help but let out a soft sigh.
Although the current Shanxi militia had multiplied in numbers several times to over 17,000, the proportion of new recruits was too high, which was why they were fighting so hard.
The operations staff officer beside him said worriedly: “Commander, the Japanese offensive is very fierce. If we don’t do something, our first line of defense is probably going to fall?”
“I know.” After Su Yaoyang finished speaking, he turned his head and asked: “Has our artillery regiment moved their positions?”
“They have already moved.” The staff officer replied: “But setting up positions still takes time. Regiment Commander Zhang Zhihao said it will take another half hour.”
“Half an hour… will our positions still be here in another half hour?” Su Yaoyang angrily cursed.
Just now, a Japanese reconnaissance plane suddenly flew over the artillery regiment’s airspace, circled the artillery positions twice amid the anti-aircraft fire net before leaving, scaring Zhang Zhihao into immediately ordering a position transfer.
Although they had a great victory against Japanese aircraft this morning, no one could guarantee whether the Japanese would send more planes, so for safety, transferring positions was the most reliable option.
This transfer of the artillery regiment was no small matter; without artillery support, the defenders of Wild Wolf Valley suddenly felt the pressure double, and under the support of the Japanese artillery battalion, they began to intensify their attack on Wild Wolf Valley, beating the defenders miserably.
Suddenly, a communications staff officer ran out from inside and shouted loudly: “Commander, Chief of Staff Wu（ First Regiment Staff Officer） called, the Japanese offensive is too fierce, requesting artillery support!”
“Support… what the hell do I have to support with… the artillery regiment still needs half an hour to set up positions!” Su Yaoyang cursed furiously, “Go tell Wu Changqing, no artillery support, I only have those 20mm anti-aircraft guns left on hand now. Do you want to use those anti-aircraft guns for… huh… what did I just say?”
“Commander, you said anti-aircraft guns.”
“Right… anti-aircraft guns… how did I forget about those things?” Su Yaoyang slapped his forehead, “Go… quickly get all those Oerlikon… no… the ox-horn guns out, lay the gun barrels flat, and hit them hard for me!”
Yes, in his desperation, Su Yaoyang suddenly thought of something.
In the military enthusiast circles of later generations, there was a saying: anti-aircraft guns laid flat lead to military tribunals.
Meaning that once anti-aircraft guns are laid flat, their terrifying power would shock everyone.
At this time, people’s understanding of anti-aircraft guns was still quite simple, thinking they were only for shooting down planes, and no one had ever thought of using them against infantry.
But could anti-aircraft guns really only be used for air defense?
Later generations had already proven that anti-aircraft guns could also be used against infantry, and the effect was equally outstanding.
And he had just brought over a hundred Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns to Wild Wolf Valley last night. After fighting a battle with the Japanese bomber group this morning, they had been idle, which was such a waste.
Waste is not a good thing; this had to change.
“Staff Officer Hao, pass my order: lay all the anti-aircraft gun barrels flat, aim at the little devils, and hit them hard!”
“Ah…”
The communications staff officer didn’t react for a moment and was stunned for a while.
“What are you standing there for? Didn’t you hear me?”
Su Yaoyang frowned, “Commander, do you mean to have the anti-aircraft units lay the anti-aircraft guns flat and then shoot at infantry?”
“Nonsense, are your ears stuffed with donkey hair? Do I need to repeat it?”
“Ah… oh oh… okay… I’ll go convey your order right away!”
After being harshly scolded, the communications staff officer hurriedly dashed away.
Soon, all the anti-aircraft gunners received Su Yaoyang’s order, and soon one Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun after another was pushed into position, and the gunners began bustling again.
“Depress the muzzle three marks! Load armor-piercing incendiary rounds!”
Old Cao’s roar clearly reached the gunners’ ears.
His bronze-colored arms tensed with muscle, hands began turning the handles of the Oerlikon anti-aircraft gun, and the gearbox emitted a harsh “clack” sound.
The bowl-thick gun barrel slowly tilted down, the mechanical sight’s crosshairs locked dead on the wriggling yellowish-brown formation below the mountain, the elevation scale notch precisely locked in the “-15°” limit slot… this was the maximum depression angle Swiss precision mechanics could provide for ground slaughter.
“Remove safety! Insert fuze!” Loader Old Wang hoarsely shouted as he slammed the heavy 60-round magazine into the feed port.
The U-shaped notch on the brass cartridge base locked into the autoloader hooks, the pointed conical warhead of the 20×110mm round gleaming coldly.
He yanked the right-side loader handle hard until “clack” it locked, the buzz of the compressed firing pin spring in the breech tightening the air abruptly.
“Ready… fire!”
Old Cao’s hand fiercely pulled the trigger.
Amid the violent shake of the gun body, the muzzle spat a three-meter-long bluish flame spear, the recoil stroke compressed the gun carriage’s two hydraulic recoil cylinders to the bottom then snapped back, the autoloader violently cycling at four rounds per second…
