Chapter 93: The Battle of Tamagawa

  After the destruction of the fort on the island, the fleet at sea immediately targeted the state of Sakai and the Ofuto battery. The tactics were the same as before: the destroyers used gas shells to harass, while the main fleet destroyed them with heavy artillery. Just as they began to bombard, the Eight-Nation Alliance's main force also launched an attack on the Japanese army's heavily fortified Tamagawa defense line.

  Under the cover of the rear heavy artillery group, a team of German soldiers marched in neat columns, led by an officer with white gloves, following behind the flag bearer, marching to the slow beat of the drum. The Yi Army and Yang's army on both sides were loosely formed, looking like a group of migrant workers going to work.

  Song Qing, who was deeply ashamed, was still trying his best to get his troops out of the German army's level, but it was clear that no matter how they walked, the Yi army wrapped in big scarves would inevitably have a rustic and awkward feeling. As for Yang Jiajun's army, they had already lost their formation, with 4,000 soldiers scattered over an area larger than the 10,000-strong German army, each holding rifles without bayonets, wandering around like a flock of sheep in the dry and yellow fields of early spring, in small clusters. This sight made Waldersee frown, but since they were not his soldiers, he didn't need to bother with them.

  Although he was very dissatisfied with the infantry of Yang's army, he highly praised their artillery. It is clear that the quality of this army's artillery was in no way inferior to that of the German army, especially the role played by the Bofors-made 75mm recoilless guns in their hands even surpassed his more than 70 field guns.

  The latest model of this large-caliber gun was also introduced to Germany, but Krupp has not yet completed the imitation, and only ten experimental models have been produced. It will take at least next year for it to officially enter the German army. However, these Yang family troops' artillerymen are obviously very familiar with its use. Shell after shell is almost continuously loaded into the barrel, the cartridge case exits at a speed comparable to that of a rifle, and the muzzle flame shoots out incessantly in the brief recoil of the barrel.

  "Our artillerymen use imported Bofors guns, with the fastest firing rate reaching up to 25 rounds per minute. According to them, the highest record has reached 30 rounds, which is twice the designed speed." A staff officer next to him said in a low voice.

  "What's with their mortars?" Waldsee nodded slightly and turned his gaze back to the mortars, saying uncertainly. The Germans had copied and imported 82mm mortars from Bofors, which all had a range of over two kilometers, but Yang Feng's mortars were deployed on the same line as the German field artillery, firing at the same target.

  "That's except for a few designated troops in China and their own, not exported to anyone else, said to use an expensive alloy steel, with a range of over four kilometers, and lighter in weight." the staff officer said.

  Waldsee nodded, just about to speak when he saw a string of explosions rising from the attacking troops in front, and the Japanese artillery counterattack began. Although the number of guns of the Imperial Guard Division was far less than that of the Allied Forces, it still had enough counterattacking power. In the explosion of shell after shell of 70-caliber shells, the soldiers of the Allied Forces began to fall in batches.

  At this time, the gap in formation was immediately revealed, despite withstanding almost half of the artillery fire. However, the casualties of Yang's troops advancing in a scattered formation were far fewer than those of the German army, and even most shells could hardly cause losses. In contrast, the neatly lined-up German troops were blown up by a single shell, and a group of people were blown away.

  "Ma de, those little Japanese have set their sights on us, order the artillery to move faster. If we let them keep bombing like this, how many more of our people will die?" Li Yuncong roared in anger, The Japanese and Yang Feng had a deep blood feud, now that they had such an opportunity for revenge, they couldn't afford to miss it, even if they didn't fight the Germans, they had to take them down first.

  The orderly beside him immediately waved a flag signal to the artillery observer hiding in the distance, and then the observer with binoculars searched for the position of the Japanese artillery, quickly reporting the coordinates with flag signals. The thirty-six 75mm cannons on the artillery position immediately adjusted their muzzles, followed by one trial shot, the artillery observer observed the landing point and reported new coordinates, the muzzle was adjusted again, all the big guns roared simultaneously, just two rounds of salvo. The Japanese artillery fell silent, this scene left Waldersee stunned.

  "How did they do that?" exclaimed the old soldier who had participated in the Franco-Prussian War, while the staff officer next to him was also stunned. At this time, the artillery were still playing with direct sighting, where did Yang Feng get those high-end goods? His observer had a gun sight and a rangefinder fully equipped.

  "After the battle is over, this question must be clarified." Waldsee said with a serious expression.

  After the Japanese artillery was resolved, the attacking troops who were originally subjected to shelling quickly arrived at the south bank of the Tama River. It is now the dry season, and this small river has a water depth similar to that of the Katsura River. However, unexpectedly, the Yang family soldiers who arrived first did not rush to charge, but instead lay one by one on the river embankment, waiting for the machine gunners and artillerymen behind them.

  The German commander, who was originally preparing to charge, hastily asked for instructions from the rear with a flag signal, and after receiving orders from Waldersee, immediately stopped advancing and curiously watched as the Yang soldiers set up row upon row of Maxim machine guns on the river embankment.

  Yang Feng's four thousand soldiers had at least two hundred machine guns, which were densely lined up on the river embankment. Seeing them set up their machine guns, Song Qing, who had just learned from the Germans and was bombed to death by the Japanese army over a hundred people, also learned from them and set up his machine guns in the same way. The Germans originally didn't have this habit, but now they followed suit and learned from them too.

  However, the Yang family army set up not only machine guns but also 60mm mortars. These small cannons scattered among the infantry platoons were filled with toxic gas shells. As soon as they saw the skull and crossbones on the boxes, the soldiers hastily put on their gas masks, and some even wore gloves.

  This scene stunned the Germans, and it was only then that Waldersee realized that these people had a perfect offensive tactic, rather than the mob he thought they were.

  Those mercenaries didn't care about others' thoughts, their infantry tactics were taught by Yang Feng himself, completely incompatible with the German and Diligent Armies. Of course, there was no need to care about how they played. After all preparations were completed, the mortars started firing poison gas shells, one after another, whistling as they exploded on the Japanese positions, quickly covering the front line of the Yang Family Army with toxic fog. Immediately afterwards, the machine guns on the riverbank began spraying bullets towards the opposite bank. At this moment, the sudden sound of a charge horn sounded, and four thousand infantrymen wearing gas masks charged into the river, shouting and killing. Only then did the German and Diligent Armies suddenly realize what was happening and hastily followed up with their own charges on their respective fronts.

  The Japanese army's machine gun fire immediately erupted, and although they had no gas masks, the Japanese gradually understood how to deal with toxic gases after being poisoned many times. Wet towels were still somewhat useful, mainly due to the experience passed down from the Fourth Division in Pingxingguan. Therefore, despite the dense fog of poison, the Japanese elite troops, each with a wet towel tied around their nose, persisted in firing at the invaders from their respective positions. However, under the intense suppression of machine gun bullets on the opposite shore, their counterattack was extremely difficult, and many were shot down as soon as they exposed themselves.

  "Fire, tear the enemy's body with your bullets, burn their souls with your anger. Behind you is Tokyo, behind you is the Emperor, behind you are your loved ones. There is no retreat, brave warriors, fight! Let the invaders tremble at your battle cry."

  Behind the front line, Prince Komatsu-no-Miya waved his military sword and shouted hysterically, of course, he was shielded from the hail of bullets, shells and poisonous gas that the brave soldiers were barely withstanding, but this did not affect their courage to fight a decisive battle against the enemy.

  In fact, the soldiers of the Imperial Guard were well aware of what was behind them. Despite the shells bursting above their heads, despite the blood and limbs of their comrades falling around them, despite the hail of bullets whizzing past their ears, despite being gassed to the point where they could barely keep their eyes open, the brave warriors of His Majesty still kept firing at the invaders without a moment's pause.

  However, their bravery did not cause much harm to their most hated enemy. The machine gun fire on the opposite bank was too dense, and the Japanese army struggling in the toxic fog could not even lift their heads. Even if they could lift their heads, their eyes were streaming with tears from the smoke and couldn't aim. Fortunately, it was the Imperial Guard Division; if it had been anyone else, they would have run away by now.

  But the German army, which was also charging forward at the same time, encountered a completely different situation. Although they also had machine guns to suppress, with more than 40 machine guns, the density was not enough to cover more than 10,000 people. Fortunately, the brave army, which had an excess of machine guns, pulled them through, otherwise the German army would have suffered heavy losses.

  Looking at the crowded German soldiers on the empty riverbed, being shot down in batches by the Japanese army's gunfire from across the bank, Waldsee expressionlessly said to his staff officer: "Take note, scattered warfare, poison gas, large numbers of machine guns - this is the future of war."

  Just as the staff officer was hastily taking notes, the Yang family army on the right wing had already charged onto the Japanese army's position. Some people began to take out the pliers they had prepared early and cut off the barbed wire in front of them, while others took out hand grenades and threw them one after another into the Japanese trenches. However, at this time, they encountered some unexpected casualties, and the landmines laid by the Japanese army in the barbed wire array began to be triggered.

  "Damn it, why didn't the intelligence report mention landmines? Those devils are unreliable!" Li Yuncong cursed, but he was actually wronging the Tokyo spies, as the Japanese army hadn't laid many mines to begin with, and these spies had simply been ignored.

  "Furthermore, there are large numbers of mines in the barbed wire entanglements, and infantry must be equipped with hand grenades." said Waldsee.