Chapter 35: Wooden Board Coordinated Operation

Yangon is Myanmar's only lifeline and China's final gateway for external aid; if it falls, the China‑Myanmar Road will become a dead line and China's entire anti‑war lifeline will be completely severed.

Dai Anlan knows the stakes; he resolutely decides not to follow the main force but to personally lead the 598th Regiment forward, placing himself at the spearhead, so that he can react at the first moment when the situation changes and seize that fleeting chance.

Otherwise, everything would be too late.

Yet Jiang Anguo does not yet know this; he is training soldiers, conducting tank coordinated operations.

He has not taken out the tanks supplied by the system; if he did so now and then entered Myanmar, it would involve a several‑hundred‑kilometre transfer, and the tanks would suffer huge wear.

Later Jiang Anguo learns that the weapons and equipment provided by the system can actually be recalled into the system!

Therefore, the tanks can only be taken out after reaching Myanmar.

A group of soldiers hold wooden sticks, simulating rifles, and in front of them a few soldiers hold wooden boards serving as tanks.

Wooden Board Coordinated Operation.

"Zhang Quan, why are you running so fast? Look, you've run under the tank; do you want to be crushed to death by your own tank?"

"Follow the tank, understand? This is a battlefield; keep your guns trained on both sides of the tank at all times," Jiang Anguo shouted.

He has five Type‑3 tanks; if used for support and attack, these five tanks can cover a company's troops. Jiang Anguo's company is only about 160 men, so it is sufficient.

However, he still feels it's too few; there are too few tanks. A tank costs the same as a 150mm Howitzer, both at 500 points, which isn't very expensive.

Jiang Anguo can also afford the Exchange, but without air cover he does not dare to exchange tanks.

And he knows the rainy season is about to arrive.

The rainy season in Southeast Asia is terrifying, and Yunnan will also enter the rainy season.

The British were convinced that the Japanese would not use tanks to advance through primeval jungle, but who could have imagined that Japanese tanks weigh only a little over three tons and are hardly affected by the jungle.

Of course, the Japanese are not fools; they had long prepared for the Southeast Asian offensive, launching the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 and simultaneously starting the Southeast Asian war. This period is the dry season there, so whether transport vehicles or tanks, the impact is not especially great.

The training ended, and overall Jiang Anguo was not very satisfied; some of the men had seen tanks, while others had not.

Jiang Anguo's entire camp had only one transport vehicle, which was also used in the training, making it more vivid, and all companies took turns using it.

"Today I'll show everyone what a tank is; many have never seen one," Jiang Anguo said, standing on a cement‑built review platform beneath a fir tree.

At that moment the original map was replaced with a picture of a tank.

Now everyone could see the tank more directly; this is what a tank looks like.

"You're certainly curious why we train you like this, with no rifles yet still using tanks. Remember, before entering Myanmar I will issue you rifles, and later there will also be tanks, so you must learn Infantry‑Tank Coordination," Jiang Anguo shouted.

"This is Japan's Type‑94 tank; its armor is very thin, yet we still have no way to deal with it."

"If we want to damage a tank, we need many lives to fill it, so later I will equip everyone with anti‑tank weapons; one shot will disable the tank."

"The Type‑94's armor can be damaged with cluster hand grenades and large‑caliber bullets."

After the Type‑94 introduction, Jiang Anguo also presented the Type‑89 tank, which is a fairly decent tank.

In reality, tanks, like aircraft, have extremely high maintenance costs, and the National Government lacks its own industrial system; therefore even if tanks are purchased, later maintenance equipment and parts must be bought from abroad.

"From now on, I will explain different weapons and equipment and combat details each day. I hope you watch and learn carefully. Everyone will receive a booklet; I know many of you can't write, but that's fine—you can doodle, just don't draw a flower for me."

If Jiang Anguo only conducts drills, it's still insufficient, so training must precede drills. Moreover, he has already had carpenters make some wooden boards to serve as tanks; the German 100,000‑strong Defense Force trained this way.

It's not only the enemy's weapons; we must also understand our own arms, such as the K98k Rifle, MG42, 50mm Mortar, and so on. Every moment before meals, even during meals, is a good teaching time.

Look at these soldiers; even holding rice and meat, they find it unappetizing, eyes unblinking as they stare at the screen on the stage, which shows Japan's Type‑94 tank.

"In the afternoon I'll explain the weapons we'll re‑equip with. You've already handled some during training, but that's only one type," Jiang Anguo shouted.

The daily training uses five rounds per person, and all Company Platoon Commanders carry MP40 weapons and P38 pistols; everyone has seen them but not handled them, as the ammunition count is too low.

Jiang Anguo can currently guarantee that every member of the force can conduct live‑fire training of 150 to 200 rounds before entering Myanmar.

"Everyone, don't just stare while eating; eat and watch. If you master this, you'll have a general's fate," Jiang Anguo said. That was a heap of theory, with zero practical experience.

He can't help it; he has never been on a battlefield. All he knows comes from old books and videos.

He truly wishes that closing his eyes would return him to the original peaceful world—how wonderful that would be.

After Jiang Anguo finished his briefing, he found a spot on the spot; Xiao Si brought the food over, and Jiang Anguo ate the same as the soldiers. Today's meat dish was chicken stir‑fried with edamame, a good source of protein. Of course, everyone's favorite was pork, which was greasy with every bite.

The vegetable dish was lightly stir‑fried radish.

Jiang Anguo also realized he was too hasty, having taken a wrong step by letting soldiers learn tanks before mastering basic knowledge and understanding weapons. Only after grasping the equipment can better training occur; otherwise many have no concept of tanks in their minds.

After today's lesson, everyone now knows a tank is an iron coffin.

Many veterans lamented that Japan's tanks are so fragile; there was essentially no method to deal with them except charging at the tanks with explosive packs.

In practice the effect was poor, because the Japanese also deployed infantry to protect their tanks.

What a pity!

They're truly broke; a few anti‑tank guns could eliminate the Japanese tanks, but they have none.