Chapter 1411： armored confrontation

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The fierce gunfire continued, but the hearts of the generals of the island country army kept sinking. Although they invested heavily, the officers and soldiers were also very brave and launched a fierce attack. But now it seems that their attack is like sending them to death. I don’t know how many brave Japanese army officers and soldiers died under the fierce German artillery fire!

"Baga! Damn the Germans. After the capture of Brunei, I must kill all those Germans!" Lieutenant General Masahiro Honma said viciously. The heavy loss of the troops has almost made him lose his mind.

Lieutenant General Tanaka Shizuo did not speak. He always thought that this attack might not be so smooth. Judging from the current situation, all this seems to be a conspiracy.

"Your Excellency, Commander, the 2nd Tank Division, 1st Infantry Division and 10th Division have all arrived at the predetermined area and have begun to build a defense line." Lieutenant General Masami Maeda, chief of staff of the 14th Front Army, reported.

Lieutenant General Masahiro Honma nodded, and his heart was finally relieved.

The 1st Division and the 10th Division are both standing divisions, with two infantry brigades and four infantry regiments under their jurisdiction, with a total strength of more than 25,000 troops. The 2nd Tank Division is also one of the few tank divisions in the Japanese army, equipped with more than 300 tanks. However, the tanks currently equipped by the Japanese army are almost useless in the face of the German tiger and leopard tanks that are rampant in the world.

As far as the tanks currently equipped by the Guide Rod Army are concerned, they are mainly Type 95 light tanks, Type 8*9 Type B medium tanks and Type 97 medium tanks. Of the more than 300 tanks in the 2nd Tank Division, more than 200 are Type 95 light tanks, and the remaining 100 are Type 97 medium tanks.

It's just that the tank division of the Japanese army is different from that of Germany. The total combat weight of the Type 95 light tank is only 7.4 tons, and the armor is 6-12mm thick. It is equipped with a 37mm tank gun and two 7.7mm machine guns. For such a tank, the armored defense strength is not even comparable to the armored vehicles of the German army. At most, it can bully the infantry of weak countries who lack anti-tank forces. If you face the German infantry, it will not have much effect at all. Bazookas, large-caliber sniper rifles, and even large-caliber heavy machine guns can penetrate its armor. At least, the 6 mm armor on the sides and rear is easily penetrated.

The Type 97 medium tank has a total combat weight of only 15 tons and is equipped with a 57mm tank gun and two 7.7mm machine guns. Armor thickness is 8-33 mm. This kind of armor defense is comparable to, or even slightly inferior to, the light tanks used by the German army in the early days. It is completely different from the Tiger and Leopard tanks currently used by the German Army Armored Forces.

"Tanaka-kun, we have deployed two standing divisions and a tank division. Even if the main force of the Germans really kills a carbine, we can resist it." Lieutenant General Masahiro Honma said.

Lieutenant General Tanaka Shizuki nodded, but he didn't know what was going on in his heart.

The battle was still going on fiercely, and the German army firmly resisted the attack of the island country army through fierce shelling. Although the island army's attack was very violent, after being weakened by the fierce German artillery fire, there was not much power left. For the German defense line, it cannot cause too much pressure. Instead, it was hit by the powerful firepower of the German army and suffered heavy losses.

"Islanders are really not afraid of death! However, the more I like this, the more I like it. If all the islanders are so easy to kill, it would be great! We can easily defeat the islanders." Lieutenant General William Adam said with a smile.

Major General Erwin Willow was a little speechless. The German 23rd Army has already caused very large losses to the Japanese army in this battle. If the plan this time can be successful again, then their results will rise further. Even if they are evacuated from Borneo, they will never be treated badly in the country. Even Lieutenant General William Adam's promotion will be a certainty.

If one can be promoted to admiral during the war, then, when the war is over, promotion to marshal does not seem to be an unattainable dream.

Time passed little by little, and the German Army's 23rd Armored Division, 221st Mechanized Infantry Division and 222nd Mechanized Infantry Division were already approaching Brunei.

It's just that the scouts who went out discovered the defense line built by the island country army. So instead of attacking immediately, they waited for dawn. At the same time, contact the Army Command.

After learning that the 23rd Armored Division, the 221st Mechanized Infantry Division and the 222nd Mechanized Infantry Division had arrived, Lieutenant General William Adam was completely relieved. He got the 23rd Armored Division, 221st Mechanized Infantry Division, and 222nd Mechanized Infantry Division to launch counterattacks on time. As for the defense line built by the islanders, they didn't take it seriously at all. After all, can the Japanese defense line withstand the German armored forces? That is obviously unlikely.

It was more than six o'clock in the morning, and the sky was already bright. The German 23rd Panzer Division, 221st Mechanized Rifle Division and 222nd Mechanized Rifle Division were all ready to attack.

"Armored soldiers, attack! Tear open the defense line of the islanders and kill them all!" Major General Paul, the commander of the German 23rd Armored Division, gave the order to attack.

"Boom!"

The tanks and armored vehicles were launched, a total of more than 500 tanks and a large number of armored vehicles, centered on the 23rd Armored Division, with two mechanized infantry divisions on the flanks, attacking the defense line of the island country army.

A large number of tanks and armored vehicles formed a torrent of steel and rushed towards the defense line of the island country army.

"Report, Your Excellency, Division Chief, the Germans have launched an attack. They have a lot of tanks!" A staff officer reported to Lieutenant General Yoshiharu Iwamaka, head of the 2nd Division of the Japanese Army Tank Division, with a look of horror.

"What? The Germans are really coming. Order all tanks and prepare to counterattack the Germans! Anti-tank artillery units, enter the position!" Lieutenant General Iwamaka Yoshiharu ordered.

At the same time, the 1st Division and 10th Division of the Japanese Army also hurriedly entered a fighting state.

Facing the attack of the German armored forces, the 2nd Army Tank Division of the Japanese Army did not blindly defend. Instead, they took the initiative to break out of their positions in an attempt to defeat the German 23rd Armored Division.

This was a surprise for the German 23rd Armored Division. When other armored units were able to wipe out the Russian armored units on the Russian battlefield, they could only bully the infantry, which made them feel very tired. Now, the armored troops of the island country army actually went to battle, which undoubtedly gave them an excellent opportunity!

"Attack! Let the islanders see who is the real armored force!"

A large-scale tank battle broke out.