Night is the best cover for covering military operations. In this era when military reconnaissance technology is far from so developed in later generations. Whether it is the attacking party or the defensive party, the best time for them to adjust their deployment is at night. Both sides of the war were busy adjusting their personnel and weapons and replenishing their ammunition and medicine. While listening nervously to the ominous sound of the opposite front line, they speculated in their hearts what kind of terrible scenes they would encounter tomorrow. Sometimes there were rumbling sounds of artillery fire. Such shooting at night was just a harassment. Even though the war has become increasingly cruel and fierce, on this night, both sides stopped most of the firepower of the attack and accumulated energy for the next fierce battle. From a certain perspective, this can be regarded as a rare peaceful night in the Battle of Artuva-Shambani.

But for the Chinese soldiers, these loyal and brave soldiers who went thousands of miles to join the foreign front. This night was a mixture of nervous and exciting psychology. They were finally going to officially enter the battlefield! The subconscious fear of the war, the excitement of proving themselves, the excitement of creating history, and the strange mixed in the hearts of these soldiers. Starting from the afternoon of the previous day, after fighting, the five-kilometer area responsible for the advance army of the Expeditionary Force and the fortified garrison of the fortified town of Shengmeilang, which they were facing. The attack plan was entirely arranged by themselves, which was something He Sui and Li Rui refused to give in. In the end, they decided to use the direct secret service regiment of the Advance Army headquarters (i.e., the Tianzi Division - an infantry battalion, an armored reconnaissance company, and a combat engineering battalion. In the end, they decided to use the direct secret service regiment of the Advance Army headquarters (i.e., the Tianzi Division - an infantry battalion, an armored reconnaissance company, and a combat engineering battalion.

The special detachment formed), as well as the infantry of the "Culun" infantry regiment of the Anmeng Army's First Division, the First Combat Engineer Regiment, formed assault troops. They spread out in the front of the Guangwang, and focused on infiltration and attacks. Their attack front should be the front of the attack of the three regular divisions of the Allied Power. In this broad front, they only used assault troops mixed with infantry engineers, which were less than three regiments. It can be expected that under the power of the enemy's artillery fire, casualties would be greatly reduced. However, the power of their infantry attacks did not appear weak because of the small number of people. These infantry soldiers had trained in infiltration and attacks against strong fortifications in China with combat engineers as the core, and their equipment was also special. After arriving in France, these specially selected assault troops were strengthened in both training and equipment.

Through the ability to obstruct the terrain, use the weapons in your hands - carbines, engineer shovels, grenades, explosive blocks, Lewis machine guns, etc., as well as the tactical movements of small groups of troops, and the tenacious attack spirit. In this era of 1915, there was no doubt that they were one of the most powerful infantry clusters in the world. Especially now they still received such powerful firepower support! They saw the attacks of the Allied British and French infantry. They were too slow, too many people, and they piled too many infantry on the attack line. These are the reasons why the influence of the old combat methods has remained to the present. In the past, they had to prepare enough rifles in the scattered line, but fortunately they overwhelmed the opponent's firepower while shooting each other. But now

The time is not the time to compete for the number of rifles! Under this powerful firepower, only by coordinating tactical actions, as many attack methods as possible for each infantry, and choosing the enemy's weaknesses at any time in the wide front to attack can effectively reduce their losses and increase the possibility of defeating the enemy's defense! For this fortified defense system, in addition to using larger-scale artillery fire to completely smash the enemy, such attack methods can only be adopted! The lucky thing about the Chinese National Defense Forces is that they are a commander with a forward-looking vision, and they do not have much traditional accumulation, and quickly adapted to the military changes on the modern battlefield. The army of other traditional and profound powers is still struggling to explore and transform.

Bai Huo, the company commander of the ninth "Liaohe" Infantry Regiment, was taking his company quickly through the trench more than one person deep, and entering their attack starting position in a tortuous manner. Unlike his brothers wearing French Adrian helmets, he still wore the Anmeng army's leather caps. Although this kind of caps looked a bit out of place on the warm autumn night in northern France. Two badges were on the leather caps to commemorate the victory of the regiment's two foreign battles in Outer Mongolia and Liaohe. Captain Bai Huo was only twenty-three years old this year, and their Bai family was really loyal and wise in the National Defense Forces. Both brothers served in the glorious group of the Anmeng army and sacrificed gloriously. As the third brother of the Bai family, he continued to lead this hero company and maintain the family's

Tradition and honor, this honor established in the New Republic of China, is planned to be passed down from generation to generation. As the main company of the Third Battalion drawn from the regiment, their company was also the striker for the attack this time. The company also had a combat engineer platoon, all veterans who fought the Qingdao Battle. More than 180 men with high-end weapons were full of weapons. They were moving silently and quickly in the night. The forehead under the white fire hat was already covered in sweat, and I don’t know if it was hot or nervous. With the light of a flare fired from the German front, he clearly saw that the trench they were launching was ahead of him! A regiment chief staff member was already waiting there with several soldiers. Seeing Baihuo bringing the brigade into the position, he waved at him excitedly.

"Master Bai San, you arrived too early, one hour in advance! If the German artillery fire was pressed at this hour, will the casualties be considered yours or mine?" The young staff officer and Bai Huo lay on the front of the trench together and whispered to him. The brothers of the Liaohe Company were very experienced. This army that was fighting for nothing in the Liaohe River was originally a re-established team from the main forces. Whether it was experience or fighting will, they were first-class in the entire army. They all leaned against the wall of the trench, drinking water in a restrained manner. Except for the low breathing sound, everything else was rarely heard.

Baihuo snorted: "You coax the ghost! The German artillery has been suppressed so badly recently that he dare not expose his position easily. We will only launch a large-scale artillery attack after attacking them. Arrived an hour early. I will observe the position earlier. What's wrong with it?" He took out the relics of his second brother Baisu, a six-fold Chase telescope, and used the faint light to observe carefully at his attack target. The staff of the regiment headquarters were still voiced and explained: "I have been here for a day during the day. Yesterday morning

The positions they took over were like fleeing hell, and they were really terrible...... Nonsense, have you seen the positions opposite? Today, the Germans were strengthening the positions with artillery fire. There was a trench in front of them, and there was a dissatisfied German infantry battalion guarding them. Overall, they had about seven or eight Maxim, two 60 mm mortars, and the position of a thirty-seven mm trench cannon was difficult to judge now. Their trench is on the front

The town of Saint-Melan! There is a quick road behind it. It is a ruined town that is more than 300 meters away. There is also a reserve trench behind this trench that covers the town... Inside it should be the headquarters of the 59th Bavaria Division in Germany, and an important artillery fire observation command. The Germans' trench system was originally scattered, but millions of British and French shells were smashed down, so their trench was intermittent... But don't be fools, those places that cannot be connected

They all use firepower to control it day and night, and some reserves are also controlled in these directions, and they can counterattack at any time. Bai Sanye, your company is going to deal with the German devils of five or six hundred yuan, and the burden is very heavy! There are brother companies launching surprise support to you in the left and right directions. It depends on your main thing! The regiment headquarters has decided that as long as you tear a hole here, the reserve troops behind will resolutely advance toward this place, take down the town of Saint Melan and destroy the German command system! Show our prestige!"

The staff members are always full of enthusiasm for combat plans, but for a lower-level captain like Baihuo, what he has to face is real sacrifice. A slight but continuous sound came from the trenches around. It was the other attacking troops entering the front line. This trench was stolen from the Germans, and the Germans once fought back to death. While the Allied forces were keeping this place, they strengthened and deepened the trenches as the next step.

The attack was launched. The trenches could find broken weapons, scattered ammunition, broken military uniforms, and dead people's broken limbs. In the telescope eyepiece, the Germans' front line was dark, and the middle area between the two armies, which was more than 300 meters, had been knocked into bullet craters. After an autumn rain, it turned into a mud again, and there were also spots of rotting corpses of soldiers of the two armies walking in the middle. In the night, this was an extremely terrifying existence.

Bai Huo had no fear of all this. He was a standard soldier, professional and calm. Sometimes he did not lack the madness of war. He turned his telescope and asked coldly: "Where is the enemy's obstacle?" The staff officer smiled: "The barbed wire and mines laid out by the Germans last night were mostly swept during the day. Now there are still 75mm gun nails here. As long as there is any movement, you can beat them over. There are not many obstacles, and you can see them yourself. The minefield does not exist, and sporadic mines are inevitable... That's the case... Mr. Bai San, did you also give me a rifle and let me follow me?"

Bai Huo glanced at him and snorted: "It's not comfortable to sit in the regiment headquarters, and I'm fighting with our brothers? You are here to coordinate firepower. Keep your phone! Wherever our assault is not going well, you can shake your phone quickly. The success or failure of the two hundred brothers is in your hands! Our assault is not prepared for artillery fire!" While he was speaking, two 80 mm mortars directly assigned to the mortar platoon belonging to the Liaohe Company also moved over, and the launching positions and ammunition had been prepared here in advance. The platoon leader of the artillery platoon squeezed to the two in sweat: "Company Commander Bai, Staff Duan, we are in place. When will it start?"

The nervousness and excitement gradually enveloped Bai Huo's body and mind, but this feeling made his mind very calm at this time. He glanced at the Swiss watch he bought in France on his wrist.

"One and a half hours left, our first battle in the world is about to begin!"

"There is half an hour left." Li Rui also looked at his watch with a little anxious look. The corners of his mouth were pursed into a hard line. No one was in a clear mind about what his army could do in battle! He Sui disagreed with all his opinions and came up with a very special attack plan. Given that the German troops were weak and strong in fire, he decided to launch an assault with few front-line troops. And he did not prepare for fire! Ensure the maximum suddenness of the battle. The enemy's fortifications were prepared to use explosives to chew open the enemy's fortifications. Once the artillery battle was fought, the infantry exposed to the attack front were still at a disadvantage! As long as he could grab the trenches on the front line, he would continue to launch an attack according to the planned infantry and artillery joint method. If everything went well, the German army's reaction would be half a beat slower, and their defenders would be passive everywhere! And this time he chose several attacks.

Attack the strong points, instead of attacking the whole line. As long as you tear the hole open, you will decisively join the reserve team, forcing the German army to fight with the expeditionary forces with troops rather than firepower, and insist on attacking until the Saint-Melan line is firmly controlled by the Saint-Melan line! The location of this town is important, controlling several roads, and a railway branch line not far away, and at the root of the protruding part of the entire German front. Once this front is torn open, the German army in the entire protruding part will retreat backwards! Although they have fortifications in the rear, the threat of this protruding part to the Marne River was lifted from then on. I have always hoped to occupy Paris on the battlefield and defeat the Western Front and the German General Staff of the National Army would not tolerate this situation, so they insisted on resisting in this protruding part. Even if the scale of the attacks of the Allies exceeded their imagination!

He Sui sat upright on his chair, with his eyes closed. The sand table and map in front of him, as well as the information deployed by the German army, these materials have been read and studied thousands of times and have been deeply imprinted in his mind. Once he closed his eyes, he could see the blood and fire spreading in the night... Yes, the battle is about to begin. But in addition to the meanings that Yuchen repeatedly emphasized, what is the meaning of bringing these good Chinese men into the battlefield? These are the best soldiers in China. They accepted the mission given to them by Yuchen without hesitation. Under this sense of mission, even eager to try the upcoming battle. He Sui did not doubt that they would show the greatest courage and be willing to make the greatest sacrifice. But after such a tragic European war, could Yuchen really get what he wanted? If not, hundreds of thousands of people may sacrifice in the future...

He sat there and suddenly waved his head vigorously. The staff officers and French liaison officers who were working hard all looked at his sudden movements in surprise. He Sui opened his eyes, his eyes had returned to a firm color. In any case, this is the battlefield! He should only want to fight! He looked at Li Rui: "Notify the front line of attack key points, test the communication line with the rear gun group, and the attack cluster begins to prepare. Wait for the order!"

The artillery group in the rear slowly raised its guns, and the artillery that cooperated with the attack operations of the Chinese Expeditionary Force was divided into two levels. The first level was the artillery group that directly supported the infantry attack, which was mainly composed of artillery troops belonging to the Expeditionary Force itself, including three artillery regiments of the division, two artillery regiments of the military, and artillery regiments of each regiment. At several assault points, they were all equipped with wired communication networks. The artillery fire guided the officers directly commanded the artillery support. This is a new war that has been tested in China.

The second level of artillery group is the suppressed artillery group assigned to them by the French headquarters, including twenty-nine heavy artillery companies and fifty-seven field artillery companies. They can also receive enhanced firepower support controlled by the artillery command at any time. They are responsible for long-range shooting, blocking the battlefield, and conducting artillery battles. The joint infantry and artillery plan proposed by the Chinese Expeditionary Force opened the eyes of the French headquarters and the Eleventh Group Army. They did not need artillery fire preparations for assault! And the front-line guide directly commanded and supported firepower!

Boxes of shells have been transported out of the ammunition storage room, and the shells have been wiped clean and loaded with different fuses. In addition to the artillery of the Chinese Expeditionary Force, the French artillery group also prepared a large number of poison gas shells, all of which were quietly ready to go. However, during this offensive, it seemed that they had become supporting roles. Soldiers from different countries on the entire front watched the time flow by minute by minute with different moods, waiting for the attack.

Staff Duan of the regiment headquarters covered the headphones of the phone with his hands and listened to the brief orders issued in the military line. He half turned around and raised his hand to Baihuo. Baihuo took a deep breath, squatted in the trenches and raised his left hand, whispering: "Everyone is there, look at my gestures, prepare!" Liaohe Company and the brothers from the combat engineer platoon stood up, bent down and began to check their equipment. Their military uniforms had already rolled on them.

The steel part of the weapon is the same as the steel helmet. Tonight, the stars are dim, although there are flares rising from time to time. However, with so many craters to cover it, if you advance carefully, you will be sure to achieve the greatest sudden effect! The officers and soldiers checked their equipment, and some of the soil was dry and shed, and then they added another one. The explosive blasting tube was placed in the most convenient position. The grenade was hung on the shoulders, and as long as it was taken down, the fuse could be pulled open.

Seeing that his subordinates were ready, Staff Duan waved his hand hard at Baihuo. I guess He Sui had issued a decisive order at this time: "Start! Carry out infiltration raid first, but it will not turn into a strong raid. All units will implement it according to the original plan!"

Baihuo nodded and looked at his left and right in a low tone: "Brothers, we fight from Shanghai to Europe, and we don't know what failure feels like. Although we are fighting in France now, we are still fighting for our motherland. It's worth it! I won't say more, act immediately. Remember, I will always be in front of you!"

He couldn't say anything anymore, watching these loyal and brave men who shared life and death quietly watching him in the night. Go! Victory or death! He took the lead in pulling out the trenches, and his agile tactical movements did not make any noise. He crawled forward a few steps, holding up the long seedling mirror box in his hand. While looking back at the brothers who went out the trenches and looked at the German positions opposite. Countless figures in the night crawled out quietly, and suddenly fell into the middle of the two armies.

The mud was brought in. But at this time, the mud became the best cover. There were seven or eight attack points on the entire line, each with a reinforcement company carrying enough ammunition and equipment. They were almost squirming forward. The darkest time before dawn covered their figures. Their movements were so slow that even the splashes in the pool did not arouse the sound. The support troops in the trenches held their breath and watched their actions. This was a completely Eastern surprise attack!

There was still no movement on the German front. Occasionally, a flare rose, making the earth pale. The officers and soldiers who were squirming all over the ground lowered their heads deeply and buried their faces in the mud. Perhaps there was a stinking corpse beside them! The officers and soldiers who were crawling forward all their thoughts were thrown away, and only the enemy position in front of them. The people who stayed behind were so nervous that they could not breathe. The opposite side had the advantage of German troops and had powerful firepower over these small troops. Once discovered, they would turn to a strong attack. The cost of casualties was unimaginable! Hundreds of mortars of various calibers in the trenches were ready, and the ammunition hands were holding shells at the cannon void. Everyone's hands were trembling slightly. At such a close distance and such a high firing angle, they could explode on the enemy's position almost immediately as soon as they were fired!
Chapter completed!