Chapter 3475
Chapter 3475
Chapter 3475
Qian Shaobao originally wanted to follow Gao Qiaonan and stay on the beach to deal with the possible offensive launched by the Dutch. But Gao Qiaonan would never let him take risks, and ordered him to stay on the Weixing without any explanation to participate in the operation of meeting the follow-up troops.
Qian Shaobao was feeling conflicted at this time. On the one hand, he hoped that the Dutch would take the initiative to attack, so that he would have sufficient reason to start a war. But on the other hand, he was worried that the beachhead was short of troops and could not withstand the opponent's offensive. Not only would their morale be lost, but even Takahashi Minami would be in danger.
But military orders are as heavy as mountains, and since Takahashi Minami has already issued the order, he can only follow it.
Qian Shaobao didn't know that Gao Qiaonan didn't dare to adopt such a risky tactic just because he was impulsive. He had a clear understanding of the risks he might face next and was prepared to deal with them.
When leaving Phuket, Qian Tiandun transferred two heavy machine guns in the arsenal to Takahashi Minami, along with 5,000 rounds of special bullets.
This thing has a complicated manufacturing process and high requirements for materials. Even the bullets used need to be manufactured on a separate production line. Therefore, the current cost is extremely high and the production capacity is very limited. It has not been officially equipped in the Hai Han army, and only a small number of elite troops have been qualified to try out this new weapon.
Although the Special Operations Division was Hai Han's ace unit, it only received four heavy machine guns and more than 10,000 rounds of ammunition. As ammunition was precious, even live ammunition training had to be used sparingly, and it was rarely used in actual combat. However, because this mission was somewhat risky, Qian Tiandun specifically asked Gao Qiaonan to bring this treasure with him just to be on the safe side.
The machine gunners who operate the weapons are a brand new branch of the military. Since there is no old precedent for their training content, their training is not conducted in the troops. Instead, they are transferred to Sanya by the Ministry of National Defense to complete their concentrated training courses at the Army Academy.
Takahashi Minami personally went to the Army Academy to watch the live-fire training of machine gunners. He knew very well that this new weapon was extremely powerful and could be called a weapon for reaping the lives of infantrymen. It could be said that it was no longer a weapon of the same era as the muskets currently equipped by various countries.
In a situation like the current one where there is a huge disparity in military strength between the two sides, Takahashi Minami doesn't have to worry about what the other side can do by relying on their superior military strength, as long as he has these two heavy machine guns to hold the line, plus the barbed wire deployed outside the position.
The beachhead was backed by the sea, with flat terrain and no shelter, so there was no need to worry about being surrounded by the enemy. Whether the Dutch wanted to attack this position with infantry or cavalry, they would only be hit by heavy machine gun fire from the front.
Coupled with the four small-caliber field guns that had just been transported ashore and the more than 200 guns of the defenders, the firepower of this small position was probably far beyond the Dutch's imagination.
Takahashi Minami certainly also considered the possibility that the Dutch would use artillery, so he specially left several warships equipped with new naval guns to operate near the coast. Once the other party wanted to set up artillery outside the beachhead, the warships would take the lead in launching an attack from the sea.
The Dutch artillery has a limited range, and they can only form effective firepower if their positions are set up within one mile. This range is already within the firepower coverage of the Hai Han naval guns, so there is no need to worry about being hit by unilateral artillery fire from the other side.
Preparations for the beachhead were proceeding in an orderly manner. The soldiers had even used the scaffolding unloaded from the ship to build a simple lookout tower about three meters high in the position to ensure that the activities of the enemy in the distance could be kept under control.
This simple sentry tower, which can be easily built in various terrain environments, and the accordion-type barbed wire that can be quickly deployed, are both field equipment commonly used by special operations divisions.
It was precisely because of these special equipment that the Special Operations Division was able to complete the deployment of the beachhead in a very short time. Not long after the Dutch general Van Hollen left, the sound of gunfire outside Colombo gradually stopped. It seemed that he was not just making empty threats, but really intended to turn his guns to deal with the Hai Han troops on the beach first.
However, based on the Dutch's past performance on the battlefield, Takahashi Minami was certain that they would need some time to reorganize their team and launch a new combat plan.
Gao Qiaonan looked up at the sky. It was already afternoon, but Ceylon was located in the tropics, so it would probably take another five or six hours before dark. With the Dutch's combat efficiency, it would be good if they could launch an offensive before dark.
To his slight surprise, another group of visitors arrived before the Dutch took action.
The team stopped one mile away from the Hai Han position and revealed their identities. It turned out that they were the defenders from Colombo City. Seeing that the Hai Han army had already set up a beachhead on the coast, they hurried out of the city to make contact.
However, the Dutch had set up a blockade outside the city, so they had to take a big detour and spent several hours to reach the coast less than five miles away from Colombo.
But the sharp-eyed Takahashi Nan soon noticed that the team was quite large in number, with both old and young people, and even women. It was obviously not as simple as going out of the city to make contact, but rather the dignitaries in the city took the opportunity to arrange for their families to escape to the area controlled by the Hai Han army.
Takahashi Minami was not interested in being a babysitter, so she ordered someone to call Conceicao and asked him to check the situation of these people first.
If the Portuguese could not offer appropriate benefits, then Takahashi Minami would certainly have no obligation to provide protection to these refugees.
Gao Qiaonan was not disappointed by Conceicao's ability to get things done, and he quickly came back to explain the situation. The team included the governor of Ceylon and the families of several wealthy businessmen, who were willing to pay a fee of 1,000 silver coins per person in exchange for the protection of the Hai Han army.
In addition, there are more than a dozen armed cavalrymen in this team. In addition to escorting these refugees, their mission will also be to serve as a channel for transmitting information between the defenders in the city and the reinforcements outside the city.
After confirming that the other party was willing to pay the fees, Takahashi Minami ordered people to take in these refugees.
Takahashi Nan did not take the money in vain, as he was taking money to help people get rid of disasters. He did not leave these people on the beachhead to live in fear, but immediately arranged to transport them to the warships by small boats.
Of course, based on this sign, it was not difficult for Takahashi Minami to judge that the situation in the city was already quite critical, so these dignitaries would secretly send their families out.
Fortunately, the Portuguese did not abandon the city, otherwise Colombo would have been taken away by the Dutch, and it would not have been so easy to take it back.
Takahashi Nan summoned the officer in charge and carefully inquired about the current situation of Colombo City. As he expected, the defense system of Colombo City was on the verge of collapse. If the Dutch offensive continued, it would be lost as early as tomorrow.