Dominate the Country

The Sharp Knife Battalion of the Second Military Region [Brigade] in Ladakh has been in the war for two days. The number of officers and soldiers in the battalion has been reduced by 20%. This is a number that is enough to collapse the Ladakh army. There are only 461 soldiers left in the battalion. Combatants can still fight. But the Gurkha mercenaries endured it silently without saying a word, without panic or shouting. The Gurkha soldiers of the Sharp Knife Battalion are still as firm as iron in their fighting will, and the huge casualties do not seem to affect their high morale at all.

Although the battalion officer of the Sharp Knife Battalion, Colonel Nipal Bahadur, is a commander who can’t even read a military map, the deputy commander, Colonel Ram, prefers to lead an elite team in night raids. He is more suitable to be a A brave and fearless platoon leader; Yadav is a staff officer who can't even arrange artillery firepower points, but he is also brave. In terms of hand-to-hand combat, there is no one in the entire Sharp Knife Battalion who can defeat him. His machete has killed at least thirty people; Deputy Staff Officer Prachanda Deuba is the smartest in the entire Sharp Knife Battalion. A smart guy, but he's also a sharpshooter who's always on target!

Then, anyone can see the problem with Sharp Knife Camp. The military quality of the entire officer class is seriously low, and this sharp knife battalion can only be a 'sword' held by the top brass. All they have is the courage of ordinary men!

And the Marathas opposite them, these Maratha soldiers wearing cloth hats also have a certain degree of patriotic passion, although some of them believe in Sikhism, Ludhiana and Jalandhar are in East Punjab , many people here believe in Sikhism. But these Sikh soldiers are still working for the Maratha princes of different faiths. This phenomenon is very common in India, especially after the Tianfang religion was introduced to India.

Regardless of the unpopularity of the Maratha Maharaja's rule in Punjab, Sikhs, Ladakhs, Gorkhas and other countries have been regarded as invaders by millions of Indians. As the masterminds behind the scenes, the image of the Chinese is even worse. It has been blackened. Therefore, the Maratha soldiers have a certain degree of active resistance, but Asan is Asan. The Maratha army of 200,000 to 300,000 in the original time and space was easily defeated by the 50,000 British and Indian troops. In a sense, Their fighting prowess has been proven. Ah San is also Ah San!

"Major, the enemy will launch a larger-scale attack soon." George Blair said directly to the battalion commander Kumar without any greetings. The enemy must launch an offensive with such a large-scale rocket bombing. "In terms of ammunition, we We have just received supplies, but there is a serious shortage of personnel. "The third battalion came with 500 people. The Maratha team was organized according to the British military system, and there were over a thousand people in each battalion. The British only adopted the divisional combat organization in 1807. The infantry division has a full strength of 15,000 men, but in practice it rarely reaches this size. Each division has 2-3 brigades, and each brigade has 2-3 regiments. Most divisions will be assigned some cavalry and artillery. A combat division is commanded by a general and has its own staff.

Each regiment (also called "half brigade") has a number of between 2,000 and 4,000 people. It has three battalions, one of which is a reserve battalion, as well as a medical team and a transportation team. Some regiments will be assigned an artillery unit. A company, consisting of four or six small-caliber hexagonal guns, is usually headed by a colonel.

The battalion is the most basic tactical unit of the British. It is commanded by a major officer and has a number ranging from 600 to 1,500. Each battalion has one grenadier company (80-120 people) and two jagger companies (120-150 people), which are the main battle units of the battalion. Next came the logistics wing and two reserve wings. The Marathas learned every detail of the British organization. The third battalion killed 500 people, which was two main battle companies and a logistics regiment.

"So, we need support!" Blair said seriously. It was as if the two main battle companies of the third battalion had suffered more than half their casualties.

"Mr. Lieutenant, this is not what a British Empire officer should say." The regiment leader Jasudaban rejected him with a serious expression, and his tone was unprecedentedly harsh. You must know that Jasudaban had been to the UK before. He does not have ordinary respect for the British, but is even more in awe. But now, no matter how much he respects the British, he cannot condone Blair's confusion of military morale. The third battalion had just entered the battlefield, and their casualties were less than two platoons. "Reinforcements are for those in need. You are cowardly, Lieutenant. Your actions are very irrational."

Jasudaban believed that his first and second battalions had enough connections in the regiment headquarters. If he sent troops to support the third battalion, then the first and second battalions would also ask him for reinforcements. And these reserves are the final back-up of Jashudaban. Every officer knows the importance of reserves.

"Yes, Major, I also think that such words are not very appropriate to say at this time. But I must report the current bad estimate to you." George Blair is not a very stubborn person, but he is a fearful person. Even though he is dead, he still insists on his opinion. "I think the enemy forces our unit is facing are strengthening, and the defensive position of the third battalion will be the enemy's key attack target. There must be a certain reserve force, at least to give us an additional company of troops. "The casualties of the third battalion were less than fifty, which was far from the point of calling for rescue troops. But Blair was already frightened by the scout's report. The scouts of the third battalion reported to him two hours ago that there was a change in the opposite position, and this change lasted for two hours without stopping.

"Mr. George Blair, the Third Battalion does not need reinforcements, and there are no reinforcements. What you should do now is to return to your post." Jashudaban even looked at Britain with a high regard, and at this time he also spoke harshly.

The captain next to him, whose head was wrapped in gauze, also said with contempt: "There is no need for cowards on the battlefield. If you are timid, you can leave our team." In the eyes of the newly injured captain, this military adviser was purely afraid die! He had already seen the fear in Blair's eyes. Why the third battalion was to be attacked as the main force and there were not enough troops were all excuses.

So he wanted to expose Blair's disguise. He had just been injured, which further highlighted his bravery. Moreover, not all Marathas are inclined to cooperate with the British. They already know the news about the merger of Britain and France. Some people are already instigating the powerful princes to cooperate with the French.

Under the gaze of this captain, George Blair felt as if all his clothes were suddenly stripped off, and all the secrets about his naked body were exposed to the public. The shame in his heart turned into a huge one in an instant. Angry, he seemed to have been greatly insulted, his face turned red: "You are insulting the brave British Army, you are insulting the great England. Captain, the soldiers of the British Empire are always willing to sacrifice themselves for their motherland. In Europe and America, countless blood and sacrifices have already proved our bravery. If you are a European, what you said is slander. , I will challenge you to a duel. Only one of us can walk out of the duel alive. This is an insult that can only be washed away by blood."

“You should be grateful that you are a Maratha.”

"Therefore, I must tell you that soldiers of the British Empire are not afraid of sacrifice, but the life of every soldier of the British Empire is priceless and cannot be sacrificed blindly. I believe this can also be applied to the Maratha army. ”

"Any blind sacrifice is foolish and not brave!"

Blair is indeed a top student who graduated from Eton College, and his mouth is indeed very talkative. Black can also be said to be white.

After Jashudaban heard what the translator said, he immediately looked at Blair differently. Regardless of whether this guy's judgment was correct or not, he had a good heart. "Lieutenant Blair, you are a true soldier. I apologize to you on Jaitley's behalf."

The entire Maratha soldiers in the regiment headquarters glanced at Blair. Only the captain, the Jaitley with gauze on his head, dared to swear to Brahma that this smooth-talking British man was definitely scared. But Jaitley is not an idiot who doesn't know anything and is full of muscles. Coming from a Brahmin family, he is very discerning. He knows that at this time, he and Blair will not get any benefits, because he has no evidence, so he slopes down. Get off the donkey. But he firmly believed that the coward in front of him would eventually reveal his true colors.

Jasudaban's mood was very high. He was deeply inspired by Blair's words.

As a person who had deep contact with the British, he knew very well what kind of army the British Empire was. In terms of courage, he believed that the Maratha army could not compare with those British. So essentially he looked down upon advisers like Blair who came from the British army. Jasudaban, who only knew a little about the situation in the UK, had no idea that it was very easy for a nobleman like Blair to get a low-level officer in the British army. It only cost 100 pounds or more. Can’t be used up.

So what George Blair told was a lie, an excuse to cover up his cowardice. Jashudaban believed it and was deeply inspired by his words. Therefore, ignorance is not terrible. What is terrible is a person whose bottle is less than half full.

Even gods can’t save people who have developed imaginations and like to make up their minds.

Jashudaban called everyone at the regiment headquarters together and gave an impromptu speech: "Brothers, today is the first day of our regiment on the battlefield, and it may also be the last day of our regiment on this battlefield. The next attack by the Ladakhi and Sikhs will definitely be more fierce. They may crush our entire regiment into powder in the next attack, but we must still stand firmly here and cannot retreat. It's okay to be timid.

Even if we die, our bodies and souls must guard this place.

Because this is our land, the land where our nation has survived for generations, and it is our dignity and power. We can't back down!

Now I want to tell you that from now on, everyone in the regiment must be prepared. All of us must be ready to go to the battlefield at any time. I will lead you to fight with the soldiers on the front line to resist the enemy's aggression. Drain the last drop of your own blood.

All of us, whether it is the regiment headquarters or the soldiers on the front line, all of us must be prepared to sacrifice. We have reinforcements, but we must forget about reinforcements. The only thing we can rely on on the battlefield is our own strength.

Let us muster the courage to win, hold the belief that we must die, and fight bravely. For the Marathas, for our home! "

"For Maratha, for our home!" The entire regiment responded neatly and loudly after a brief silence, regardless of whether it was sincere or not.

And there seems to be some divine will in the dark. As soon as Jashudaban's spirit-enhancing Dafa was put into practice, hundreds of rockets flew out from the opposite position.

"Boom, boom, boom..." The sound of shelling also became closer again, which was a precursor to the upcoming new round of attack by the Ladakh-Sikh coalition.

At the observation post of the regiment, the Maratha soldiers could clearly see black smoke rising from the open space in the middle of the battlefield. That was the remnant of the rocket explosion just now. Those rockets were not regular rockets, but smoke bombs.

Ten minutes later, the bombardment extended deep into the Maratha position, and then the assault troops were dispatched, and each blasting group carried explosive packs filled with gunpowder and rushed towards Ludhiana's defensive position.

The existence of fortresses and bunkers made the attack very difficult, and the power of artillery fire was also weakened to the extreme. Therefore, whether it was Chen Han's National Defense Force or the Ladakh army encountered this situation, they could only have lives and explosive packs!

"Pah pah pah..., bang bang bang..."

The Marathas in the fort trenches fought back with all their might, with muskets, rockets, rocket shells and shotguns, and in the fireworks, the rain of bullets came in their faces.

"Boom! Boom!"

The rockets roared violently, and one after another fell to the ground with a whistling sound. The explosion was deafening, and shrapnel flew everywhere. People kept falling in the fire net formed by the rain of bullets and shrapnel. Some people died on the spot, and other dying people let out miserable howls, hitting everyone's nerves.

No matter how strong-willed a person is, it is impossible to have high morale in the face of pure slaughter and repeated "group annihilation". If it is a large-scale attack.

Therefore, the Ladakh people sent small troops. When the thick smoke enveloped the entire battlefield, the Ladakh people's killer Gurkha mercenaries-the sharp knife battalion, were dispatched.

The military adviser sent by Chen Han immediately ordered the artillery unit to bombard the opposite side with all its strength, regardless of whether the 60mm hexagonal gun could cause real damage to the opposite side's fortifications.

This is a systematized routine. First, firepower strikes, then smoke bombs, then suicide squads, and then real weapons.

This "routine" has spread all over the world, but as long as it is applied flexibly, it can still work.

No one cares whether the "routine" is old-fashioned or not, their first concern is always whether it is useful. And the fact proves that this routine is very useful.

Blair is the victim of this routine, but he is really limited in ability, and can only watch the third battalion collapse rapidly in front of him, like a collapsed snow mountain, irreversible.

Then, after the poor Blair was hit by a stray bullet on his buttocks, he lay on the ground and became a prisoner of the Ladakh people.

Blair should be thankful that the Gurkha mercenaries are not as terrible and barbaric as the Europeans advertised, they take prisoners. The Gurkha mercenaries who do not take prisoners on the battlefield only exist in the mouths of Europeans.