Chapter 3566
Chapter 3566
Chapter 3566
After the pre-war preparation meeting, there were only three days left for the Bangui Battalion to rest. As the company commander, Zheng Agui could no longer take a vacation like ordinary soldiers. Due to his duties, he had to start counting the company's combat readiness and urge his squads to enter a combat state.
Considering the limited number of ships available for the next operation, it would be difficult for the troops to obtain a stable supply after landing on the island. In order to avoid affecting the combat operations, Zheng Agui decided to bring as much combat supplies as possible to the island.
The tentative plan of the Bangui Battalion is for each person to carry seven days of rations and combat supplies, but Zheng Agui hopes to increase this base to ten days to ensure that the troops' operations on the island are not affected by logistics.
The quartermaster of the battalion did not approve Zheng Agui's application because it would increase the amount of supplies that the entire Bangui battalion needed to carry when landing on the island by nearly half. This would not only require the recalculation and distribution of various supplies, but also the substantial increase in weight would require the re-allocation of the ships carrying the supplies.
As for giving special treatment to Zheng Agui's company alone, the battalion commander also said frankly that it was even more impossible. If there was inequality within the same battalion, other companies would definitely be dissatisfied.
Zheng Agui had no choice but to find Xiao Zhengyang, hoping that he would support his idea.
"If you want to ask for three more days of supplies, that's fine, but this special treatment can't be given for free. You have to show your achievements when the time comes."
After hearing his intention, Xiao Zhengyang also proposed a condition: "If your company can carry three more days of supplies than others, it means that you will need to return less often for supplies and have a larger range of activities on the island. It should be reasonable to achieve more results than others, right?"
This was obviously a test of Zheng Agui's determination to fight. If he just wanted more supplies to protect his company from starving during the operation, rather than aiming to increase the effective combat time, then such conditions should be enough to dissuade the other side.
However, Zheng Agui had already made up his mind before he came to Xiao Zhengyang. Hearing this, he did not hesitate at all and immediately stated: "I will definitely go all out and not let you down!"
Xiao Zhengyang had fought together with Zheng Agui before, and he knew that he was a real man. Since he agreed to it immediately, there shouldn't be any tricks. If he stopped his men from fighting bravely, it would make him seem a little too cautious as a commander.
Xiao Zhengyang got this assignment in order to prove his ability to his father and the outside world. He hoped that his troops would be as brave as possible so that they could complete the task within the thirty-day deadline he had set.
If Zheng Agui can set an example, it will not be difficult to provide him with three more days of supplies.
So with Xiao Zhengyang's order, Zheng Agui finally got three days' worth of supplies as he wished.
However, his treatment is unique for the time being. Even if others want to follow suit, they cannot replicate his personal relationship with Xiao Zhengyang, and may not have the courage to go to Xiao Zhengyang to negotiate terms.
After receiving the supplies from the quartermaster, Zheng Agui felt much calmer. He now had three days more supplies than other companies, so he was definitely more flexible in taking action.
However, Zheng Agui actually had no idea whether he could achieve more results. The destination was an island of such a large area, and the coverage area of the more than 100 people under his command was extremely limited. If they were assigned to an area without an enemy, they would have no place to use their strength.
The rest time ended quickly, and on the last day, seven people in Zheng Agui's company returned to the team after recovering from their injuries, which was basically consistent with his previous estimate.
Several companies of the Bangui Battalion boarded several troop transport ships and set off from Beimen Port under the escort of six warships. Among the three islands that the Bangui Battalion was responsible for, Zheng Agui's company was finally assigned to Sumba Island, which was the southernmost and closest to Beimen Port.
The good news is that they will arrive at their destination half a day earlier than the other companies. The bad news is that the island is quite large, only slightly smaller than Sumbawa Island, the largest of the three islands. Sumbawa Island will be landed and fought by two companies, so it will be relatively easier for Zheng Agui's company.
"Sumba Island is 450 miles long from east to west and 160 miles wide from north to south. There are at least two large indigenous kingdoms on the island, with an estimated population of over 10,000 people each."
"This island used to be the territory of the Dutch, and was occupied by the Spanish only two years ago. So there are horses and ironware brought by Westerners on the island. It is said that even the indigenous tribes have a group of armed cavalry."
"We don't have exact information about the relationship between the natives and the Spanish, but we must be prepared for them to connect with each other."
"Our battle plan is to first search for ports and coastal settlements along the coastline, confirm the location of the Spaniards and then launch an attack. We will repeat this process until all the Spaniards on the island are wiped out."
Zheng Agui briefly briefed his squad leaders on the way, but the information about the specific situation on the island was extremely limited, so it was difficult to formulate a more detailed combat plan. He could only decide on a general direction first, and then make adjustments based on the actual situation when he arrived.
Four days after setting out from Beimen Port, the troop transport ship carrying Zheng Agui's company arrived at its destination, Sumba Island.
The fleet allocated two warships and a comprehensive supply ship, plus the troop transport ship that Zheng Agui and his men were riding on, as support for them during their combat mission on Sumba Island.
Zheng Agui remembered that Xiao Zhengyang had made a wish during the pre-war preparation meeting that if the Spanish fleet hiding here was discovered, the army and navy would work together to block the enemy.
But the actual situation is that the army and navy forces allocated here are too few and obviously not enough to carry out the combat operations mentioned by Xiao Zhengyang.
But there is no point in complaining now. Before the exact location of the Spanish fleet is discovered, Xiao Zhengyang probably will not concentrate the limited warships he has on hand on Sumba Island to cooperate with Zheng Agui's operations.
As for how to find areas on the island where people might live, Zheng Agui had rich operational experience. He ordered the fleet to approach the coast first and look for places where rivers flow into the sea.
The alluvial plains formed by rivers near the coast are usually more suitable for establishing settlements. Foreign colonists, whether Western colonists or Hai Han itself, will give priority to such areas, and if there are natural harbors, it will be a great bonus.
This is also an experience that Zheng Agui summed up from past island combat operations.
This rule was undoubtedly quite useful, and just over an hour later, the lookout on the mast found the first target. He not only saw farmhouses and farmland on land near the river estuary, but also the cross on top of the church.
Apparently there was a colonial settlement nearby, built by Western immigrants.