UGB #260 - A smart move
#260 - A smart move
This roar, like a command, ordered all companies of the tank battalion to cease pursuing the Japanese artillery and immediately turn, accelerating towards the direction from which the Japanese tanks appeared!
At the same distance, the T34 was thick-skinned and tough; even a dozen or so hits from 57mm guns wouldn't cause much trouble. However, a direct hit from the T34's 76mm tank shell meant instant scrap metal for the enemy.
This tank battle was a one-sided hunt for the T34. Whether it was the Japanese medium or light tanks, none could withstand a single blow; one shot was a guaranteed kill.
Therefore, even if the members of the tank battalion had limited combat experience and a low hit rate, it wasn't a major issue. Even with a hit rate of only 20-30%, they still had an overwhelming offensive advantage against the Japanese!
As for the M3 tanks, after the added armor modifications, the Japanese medium and light tanks couldn't crack their defenses head-on.
So, as long as the M3 tanks were interspersed among the T34s, preventing the Japanese tanks from seizing opportunities for side attacks, the M3 tanks wouldn't have any weaknesses!
The 76mm tank gun, identical to the T34, was equally lethal to any Japanese tank it hit.
Therefore, the tank battalion's current tactic was to position the T34 tanks on the outer edges of the formation. Two T34s, along with four M3 tanks, formed a line and charged forward. Although the enemy had a company composed of ten medium tanks and two light tanks, doubling their numbers, these two tank platoons of the tank battalion were fearless!
When the distance between the two sides closed to 500 meters, the tank battalion began firing. At this range, the 76mm tank gun already had the ability to destroy a medium tank with a single shot. Although the tank battalion's formation was thinned by half, they didn't feel pressured.
Although the tank battalion opened fire first, the distance was long, and the accuracy was somewhat lacking. Out of six shots, only one hit the target, causing a Japanese medium tank to explode and emit smoke.
"Stop and aim!" Seeing the accuracy of aiming while moving was a bit concerning, the battalion commander directly ordered the tank battalion to stop. Immediately, the tank battalion came to a halt, and the gunners, sweating profusely, adjusted the position of the gun barrels, aiming at the moving Japanese tanks. "Fire!"
The gunner then began to re-aim at the charging Japanese tanks, and facing the Japanese tank targeted in the sights, continued to fire without hesitation!
This time, the Japanese tanks had approached within 300 meters. At such a close range, five out of six shells directly hit their targets!
Boom, boom, boom! A series of armor-piercing shells directly penetrated the interior of the Japanese tanks and detonated the shells inside the tanks! This time, the Japanese tanks suffered secondary explosions one after another!
The remaining Japanese tank drivers, as if driven mad, were still charging forward, roaring and flooring the accelerator!
They were preparing for a close-quarters face-to-face gunfight with the tank battalion!
"M3, retreat!" Seeing that the Japanese were somewhat crazy, the battalion commander ordered the M3 tanks to start reversing. Only the front of the current M3 had simple composite armor installed; the other parts couldn't withstand a direct hit from a Japanese 57mm gun!
The four M3 tanks immediately demonstrated their agile and mobile characteristics. Although reversing was slower than moving forward, they still greatly increased the distance from the rapidly approaching Japanese tanks.
The remaining two T34s, however, remained in place, firing at the approaching Japanese tanks from a distance of only about 100 meters, directly blowing off their turrets!
Faced with the last remaining Japanese tank, the four M3 tanks launched a round of concentrated fire!
Unsurprisingly, three shells landed on this single Japanese tank!
Boom, boom, boom! After a series of explosions, a company of Japanese tanks vanished into thin air!
For this tank formation of the tank battalion, it only took more than ten minutes to slaughter this company of Japanese medium tanks!
Such powerful combat efficiency depended on that powerful 76mm tank gun. In the Northeast Asian theater, the current 76mm tank main gun was the absolute king. The Japanese simply didn't have many ways to counter the 76mm tank main gun.
Adhering to the principle that firepower is king, the 76mm main gun that Ren Zhong chose for the tanks was basically an invincible problem for the Japanese at this time!
On the dozens of kilometers of the front line, the Japanese charging vanguard and artillery positions were shattered by the tank battalion, and most of the artillery was destroyed.
What was even more unacceptable to the Japanese was that the three tank regiments of the tank division that had been dispatched were almost completely destroyed by the enemy in a frontal attack without causing much of a ripple!
This was the most devastating loss since the formation of the tank division!
This time, it was still a head-on decisive battle fought with a numerical advantage.
However, when facing the Eighth Route Army tanks, which were at a clear numerical disadvantage, the Japanese small tanks, which obviously had an armor disadvantage, were like an insurmountable mountain against the T34/M3!
After the baptism of this battle, the Japanese finally understood this time that, in terms of tanks, the empire's pride was now completely outdated. Faced with the very powerful tanks produced by the Eighth Route Army, it was completely impossible for the Japanese to rely on past experience to win.
The current tank division was completely waiting to be beaten into dog shit by the Eighth Route Army's tank battalion, without any chance of winning.
With a 50mm layer of simple composite armor attached to the front, the frontal protection capabilities of these two types of tanks of the Eighth Route Army almost reached the effect of 100mm equivalent armor. With such tough frontal armor, how could the Japanese 57mm guns compete?
With this thickness of armor, let alone 500 meters, 300 meters, even if you get within 200 meters, it would probably be difficult to penetrate the armor.
This was a true copper wall and iron barrier!
Borrowing the concept of composite armor from the main world, after making small-scale modifications and upgrades to the T34 and M3, focusing on enhancing frontal armor protection, the frontal protection of the tanks modified by Ren Zhong had reached a very perverted level.
Chen Brigade Headquarters.
"Li Yunlong and the others crippled the Japanese four artillery positions and a tank division!" The chief of staff happily read the battle report.
"Now the front line is requesting a round of artillery counterattacks followed by a charge, cooperating with the tank battalion to wipe out the Japanese encircled by the tank battalion and the forward positions in one fell swoop!"
With a good real-time communication system, the brigade commander now understood the entire battlefield situation on the dozens of square kilometers of positions very clearly.
In this way, even if the troops in hand were clearly fewer than the opponent, the brigade commander could form an advantage in troops and firepower in local battles through flexible and mobile deployment, quickly encircling and annihilating the Japanese after separating them!
The relocated 107 rockets once again unleashed their power, launching a new round of saturation strikes against the Japanese charging positions. When the artillery fire re-washed the Japanese, the cowardly puppet troops had long since scattered. As for the few remaining Japanese, it was like a nightmare. They were beaten twice in one day!
After the artillery fire subsided, on the position, the Willis Jeep machine gun company, hidden behind the scenes, proudly advanced! Dense heavy firepower fell on the uneven Japanese ranks, and the Japanese fell one after another like wheat being harvested!
In fact, according to this mobile fire vehicle created by Ren Zhong, its lethality was considerable. Against infantry, it was like an invincible existence.
The carriages around the machine guns were all made of 5mm thin steel plates, but they basically blocked the shooting of rifles and light machine gun bullets.
This level of armor was precisely the most basic guarantee for charging into battle on the battlefield.
Just when the Japanese thought this was the difficulty of hell, the tanks once again killed from behind the Japanese, re-crushing them a second time from the place they had just broken through!
Compared to the Jeep, which had to observe the Japanese defense strength and avoid Type 92 infantry guns, heavy machine guns, and other heavy firepower.
But the tanks were simply reckless, rushing in unscrupulously to grab heads.
Honestly, in this era, the Japanese really didn't have many things that threatened tank production.
Compared to heavy tanks like the T34, what strategy and tactics are we talking about? It's better to rely on thick skin and directly push hard. For most Japanese infantry, it's useless to fill it with their lives, letting the Japanese experience what it's like to live in despair!
Following the Jeep firepower to clear the way, was the Eighth Route Army's support fresh troops, the hidden main regiment rushed out at this moment, like water washed away the Japanese defense line, this round of counter-attack, the original was bombed by shells frightened, ten do not save five of the Japanese, in this wave of charge completely lost the organized resistance.
In the Jeep heavy machine guns, tanks and infantry sweeping, one-sided loss of resistance.
After most of the day's battle, the Japanese four infantry divisions and one tank division's attack was completely disintegrated!
Thousands of Japanese died on the front line, and more Japanese were scurrying around like frightened wasps.
For tanks and Jeep firepower vehicles, the current situation was their best moment to hunt!
Like driving pigs, the Japanese were gradually consumed!
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