SHIELD's new recruits

After passing the defense line, Wesley first ordered ten divisions to set off, but instead of taking over the defense line immediately, they started to build a complete second-line and third-line positions behind the first-line defensive position. Leigh thought that was rubbish.

The American soldiers became groundhogs, and they started digging diligently. The results of all the training were displayed here, and the ten divisions entered the second-line position to rest after completing the defense line.

On the night of September 1917, 9, the follow-up troops quietly entered the first-line positions, replaced the original British and French soldiers, and then began to rebuild the trenches. A large number of logs were sent to the front-line positions, and a large number of soldiers entered the fortifications. The engineers and soldiers kept transporting logs up.

The next morning, the defensive position here was quiet, and the German troops began to constantly observe the situation on the opposite side. There was a lot of movement last night. They thought the enemy was about to attack, but now it was silent, which made them very nervous. The depressed, tense mood has been spreading.

Wesley deployed 12500 divisions and [-] heavy artillery brigades on the Somme defense line. The first line of defense has [-] divisions. Although the US military has a division of only [-] people, it is half less than other countries. There are still many children, but automatic weapons and artillery are all stronger than them, especially in defense.

The problem now is that these soldiers are all new recruits, and Wesley needs to hone them. The bombardment on both sides is the best hone, especially the quality of front-line officers.

He divided all the troops, every ten divisions into one group army, divided into four group armies in total, and he kept ten divisions in his hands as a reserve force, and each group army of the heavy artillery brigade was divided into two, and he left two indivual.

On the front line, Wesley is observing with a telescope. Now he needs to understand the enemy's defense line, but there is nothing new after seeing it. They are all dilapidated trenches from World War I. Many soldiers have stayed here for almost two years. They are physically and mentally exhausted.

Returning to the rear headquarters, Wesley directly ordered to concentrate six heavy artillery brigades to bombard the enemy's first-line positions. The 155mm new howitzer directly bombarded the local positions, while the 120mm new howitzer bombarded the front of the local positions, and the carpet was bombarded to destroy local mine areas.

Wesley's defense area only has a [-]-kilometer line of defense. It's not too much, it's not too much. The six heavy artillery brigades will conduct a week-long shelling, while the remaining four heavy artillery brigades are preparing to defend against the enemy's artillery counterattack. Closer to the hidden front line.

The first artillery of "Tom" fired, and then hundreds of heavy artillery were fired continuously at the farthest distance. Continuous explosions began on the local positions. Wesley used carpet bombardment, which required relatively high artillery shooting. The artillery observers at the position continued to send back data, and the artillerymen began to make adjustments.

The German army was dizzy by the sudden shelling, but they didn't think that the other side would launch an attack. This is the normal state of the defense line, especially this year's spring offensive. The British and French suffered heavy losses. Although the Americans came, will the Americans attack directly? ?

The German artillery began to counterattack, but the effect was not great, but the counterattack was devastating. The 155mm howitzer designed by Wesley had a maximum attack range of 18 kilometers and was deployed at a distance of 16 kilometers from the local position. There were many large-caliber artillery during World War I, but range was a problem.

They could only bombard the first-line positions, and then the four heavy artillery brigades in ambush began to clear them on a fixed-point basis. This caught the Germans by surprise, and the opponent's artillery range was too far.

Wesley observed the effect of the artillery battle and felt very satisfied, "Yes, it will last for a week, let the artillery unit control it by themselves, extend each artillery attack, and at the same time change the troops constantly to feel the effect of the artillery attack, all soldiers in a week You have to get used to the roar of the shelling."

Wesley asked the adjutant to convey the order, and then went back to check the situation of the supplies, because the force is not as large as that in the parallel universe, and now all the transports are guaranteed to be ammunition and supplies, and they are shipped directly from the North Sea, and a large number of destroyers and light cruisers are in service. , so that sea routes are guaranteed.

Listening is very rough now. For warships equipped with sonar, they are like beacons under the sea, especially since the US Navy has sunk more than [-] submarines so far.

All commanders were convened again, and Wesley deployed the battle plan a week later, "The First Army, launch an attack on the morning of September 9, and the heavy artillery brigade will launch the bombardment first, and the First Army will concentrate three divisions in parallel. Launch breakthrough operations at three points, and the follow-up troops will tear holes at the points and expand them.”

"The First Army is responsible for attacking all the way forward. What I want is speed. You must ensure the speed. Keep going forward. Don't stop without orders." The commander of the First Army is an older major general. This place is full of major generals and brigadier generals, not even a lieutenant general, such a strange thing is really rare.

"The task of the Second Army, after the breakthrough of the First Army, you are in charge of their right flank. You must attack like a right flank breakthrough, but not too deep, and let the German army understand that their entire western front has been breached, causing their The rear, or send troops to defend."

"Third Army, follow the First Army. If they don't stop, you can't stop. Once the First Army attacks smoothly and moves forward, then you have to supplement their right-wing defense line. Your two armies can bear the right-wing defense line of [-] kilometers at most. .”

"The Fourth Army is preparing to deploy a line of defense 75 kilometers behind the local position. The engineering brigade assists the heavy artillery brigade to move forward. The divisional artillery should take advantage of the convenience of movement, especially the small-caliber mortars and [-]mm rapid-fire guns on the front line. , using the short-term firepower advantage to keep the enemy unable to counterattack, and can only retreat continuously, using automatic weapons to effectively kill the enemy's vital force."

"The Fifth Army is the central reserve team. It brings two heavy artillery brigades with me and is ready to support operations at any time. The characteristic of this battle is that it is fast. All participating countries have a problem, that is, their equipment is cumbersome. Or the military uniforms are all very bulky, and that's what we avoid when we build our troops."

"Why do we form a new type of army? Our equipment is light and simple, especially the troops below the regiment level, which are light, flexible, and have sufficient firepower. On the battlefield of close combat, we have sufficient advantages. Of course, we also have disadvantages, that is, our soldiers are all They are new recruits, so you have to pay attention to this point, let the soldiers continue to alternate battles, and fully let them feel the war, especially the front-line commanders, once they are emotionally broken, they will be dismissed directly on the spot, and the front line will promote a group of soldiers."

"Do you understand everything?" Wesley glanced around for the last time.

"Yes." War, the stage for soldiers.