Chapter 51: Sandbox Simulation, Fishing for a Big Catch in Yuancheng-Atravessando o Rio Xiang: Sou um soldado do Exército Vermelho, mas não sei fazer nada(Eu amo batatas.)

Night had long since fallen over Wuqi Town in northern Shaanxi, save for the courtyard housing the headquarters of the Independent Regiment at the western end of the town, which still emitted a dim yet resilient glow. Inside the cave dwelling, the air was heavy with tobacco smoke and deep contemplation. A massive military map covered almost the entire table, clearly outlining mountains, rivers, towns, and strategic thoroughfares, with countless arrows, circles, and symbols marked in red and blue pencils, resembling an unfinished masterpiece of a campaign.

Wang Lin stood at the head of the map table. His posture was upright, his gaze piercing, and his finger firmly pointed at a location named "Yucheng Town" on the map. Surrounding him were Political Commissar Wang Guangdao, Logistics Battalion Commander Lin Huowang, and battalion-level commanders urgently recalled from their respective defense sectors: 1st Battalion Commander Chen Ahai, 2nd Battalion Commander Huang Musheng, 3rd Battalion Commander Zhou Zhiming, 4th Battalion Commander Li Long, Reconnaissance Company Commander Zhang Hongtu, Artillery Company Commander Liu Gensheng, and Cavalry Company Commander Shamaerge among other core commanders. This was not a routine intelligence briefing, but a strategic and tactical seminar that would determine the fate of the base area.

Wang Lin gently tapped the map with his pencil, breaking the silence in the cave. His voice was steady and clear, instantly capturing everyone's attention:

"Comrades, the posture Ma Hongbi has adopted along the border is clear to all of us. The enemy is sharpening their knives, attempting a two-pronged advance from east and west to compress or even destroy the Wuqi base area we have built with such hardship. To passively take a beating is not the style of our Independent Regiment! Dragging the flames of war to our doorsteps and causing terror to our fellow villagers is even less what the Red Army should do!"

His gaze swept over every firm and familiar face, and his tone suddenly rose: "Therefore, in today's meeting, we are not discussing how to defend, but solely how to attack! How to lure the enemy out of his fortified strongholds, and how to set a pocket array along the route he considers a sure victory—one he will never be able to crawl out of once he steps inside! Today, we are holding a Zhuge Liang brainstorming session. Let your thoughts run free and speak boldly. Right here on this sand table, we are going to topple Ma Hongbin, this local emperor of eastern Gansu, first!"

He paused, throwing out the core agenda: "Everyone tell me, if we want to mobilize Ma Hongbin, what does he desire most? And what bait can we use to make him feel that the risks are controllable and the benefits are immense, forcing him to come—or even making him impatient to come?"

Li Long, with the most impatient temperament, spoke up immediately, his voice booming: "That old codger Ma Hongbin suffered a loss last time and lost face in front of the Chiang clique. What he wants most right now is to take revenge on us and score a major victory to win back his face!"

Political Commissar Wang Guangdao nodded slightly, adding: "Yet we must also consider that Ma Hongbin is naturally suspicious. While eager for merit, he also fears our army's combat strength. Therefore, for this bait, being 'fat' alone is not enough; it must also 'look real.' We must allow him to 'confirm' through his own channels that this is a genuine, once-in-a-lifetime opportunity rather than a trap. We must fully exploit his psychology of being both arrogant and suspicious."

Wang Lin nodded approvingly, his pencil landing precisely on Yucheng Town: "The analyses by the Commissar and Old Li are both very reasonable. So, let us assume we set this bait right here—Yucheng. Look, everyone, its position is relatively prominent compared to our core area in Wuqi, yet it is not too far from the enemy main forces in Huanxian and Qingyang. This place is not under our army's control; it is an outlying forward post of our base area. In Ma Hongbin's eyes, if our 'main force' gathers here, it becomes an isolated 'enclave' hanging outside, making it an extremely easy target to be cut off and encircled."

He glanced around the group, continuing to guide them: "If our 'main force' not only appears here, but instead of nervously building fortifications, is carrying out a large-scale, roaring 'land reform movement,' holding mass rallies, distributing property, and appearing completely immersed in mass work while 'slackening precautions' against external military threats—distinguished commanders, please put yourselves in Ma Hongbin's shoes and think: what kind of message would this convey to him?"

3rd Battalion Commander Zhou Zhiming stroked his chin and mused: "This would lead him to several conclusions: First, after successive victories, our army might have developed complacency; second, our army prioritizes political work, and military readiness is temporarily lax; third, our army might be eager to consolidate newly occupied areas, resulting in dispersed forces. Regardless of which it is, in his view, this is a massive strategic opportunity. A 'main force' detached from a solid base area, caught in movement and a non-combat-ready state, is an extremely alluring prey."

"It is not enough just for us to see and deduce this," Reconnaissance Company Commander Zhang Hongtu added calmly, his thinking always carrying the meticulousness typical of an intelligence officer. "There must be a source of information he deeply trusts to 'see it for himself' and proactively report to him. For instance, a local gentry figure with standing and close ties to him or his subordinates who, due to our 'negligence,' 'luckily' escapes during a 'struggle meeting' we hold. The tearful complaints and intelligence provided by this person will be far more persuasive than any false intelligence we intentionally leak."

"Brilliant!" A flash of brilliance crossed Wang Lin's eyes. "Displaying form externally, followed by 'verification' internally—a two-pronged approach. We won't have to worry about him not taking the bait! Now, the next question: Who will play this counterfeit 'main force' that is convincing enough to pass for the real thing? What scale is needed, and how can we play the part convincingly?"

All gazes naturally turned to Logistics Battalion Commander Lin Huowang. Lin Huowang possessed a calm disposition and meticulous thoughts, managing logistics in an orderly fashion. He was precisely the ideal candidate to execute a mission requiring extreme patience and attention to detail.

Feeling the gazes upon him, Lin Huowang did not answer immediately. Instead, he pondered for a moment before looking up and speaking steadily: "Commander, Political Commissar, comrades. To convincingly play the main force, a small scale is definitely out of the question. Ma Hongbin's scouts are not blind; a sparsely populated area with crude equipment cannot be disguised. I suggest that all nine hundred and fifty men of our logistics battalion serve as the backbone and command core, and we urgently draw one thousand politically reliable, physically healthy backbone members who have received basic military drill training from the local militia of various districts and counties. All of them will be issued our stockpiled uniforms and uniform equipment. At least from a distance, the military appearance must be neat."

He paused, continuing to refine the details: "As for equipment, we will select those heavy machine guns and mortars in good condition from our reserves and the temporarily idle stocks of various battalions, pulling out twenty or thirty of them, deploying them dispersedly around the periphery of the camp, and occasionally firing a round or two to boost the momentum. When encamped, more tents must be pitched, cooking smoke must be thicker, and radio signals must be simulated frequently. During the day, work teams must make a great fanfare of going to the countryside, propagating, holding meetings, and registering names, thoroughly building up the momentum that the 'Red Army main force is here making revolution.' In short, through every detail, we must make the enemy believe this is where the Independent Regiment's command organ and at least three or four infantry battalions of the main force are located!"

"Good! Extremely thorough consideration!" Wang Lin struck his palm gently with his fist. "Comrade Huowang, this mission of 'staging an empty city ruse' is arduous and crucial. I am entrusting it entirely to you! Your task is not only to put on a full show, but also to ensure that this special 'force' can withdraw from the battlefield in an orderly and safe manner at any time after completing the bait mission, avoiding unnecessary losses."

He then turned his gaze to everyone, his tone growing heavier: "Alright, now let us assume the bait has been meticulously set, and Ma Hongbin has indeed taken the hook. Then, based on your understanding of the enemy situation in eastern Gansu, the terrain, and Ma Hongbin's troop deployment habits, how will he dispatch his troops? Will he simply send a single column of forces straight charging toward Yucheng?"

2nd Battalion Commander Huang Musheng had long been in charge of western defense and was most familiar with the enemy forces from the Huanxian direction. Staring at the map, his finger tracing from Huanxian to Yucheng, he slowly shook his head and analyzed: "Given Ma Hongbin's caution and suspicion, coupled with his advantage in troop numbers, he will never put all his eggs in one basket. The most likely and most threatening tactic is to split his forces into two routes for a pincer attack."

His finger firmly pointed at Huanxian: "Route One, utilizing his infantry main force—the two main regiments of Ma Yulin's 103rd Brigade numbering 3,000 men, supplemented by some local security regiments, totaling about 5,000 troops—will set out from Huanxian and Quzi Town in the west, pressing frontally toward Yucheng. This batch of enemies acts as the main offensive fist, tasked with a frontal decisive battle against our 'main force,' attempting to crush us in one fell swoop or at least firmly pin us down."

Next, his finger traced a huge arc from the Qingyang direction, circuitously pointing northeast of Yucheng Town: "Route Two, utilizing his most elite rapid mobile force—namely, Ye Chengzhang's 105th Cavalry Brigade combined with Ma Peiqing's cavalry regiment, totaling about 3,000 cavalry—will set out from Qingcheng in the east. The mission of this cavalry group is to leverage its speed advantage to conduct a long-range battlefield outflanking maneuver, attempting to wedge itself into the transportation hubs east or northeast of Yucheng, completely cutting off the retreat route of our 'main force' back to the Wuqi core area, and completing an encirclement."

Huang Musheng concluded: "In this way, advancing from east and west with infantry and cavalry coordination, he will consider himself to have secured the advantage—able to advance and capable of retreating, making it foolproof. This matches his consistent operational mentality of 'seeking stability while coveting merit.'"

"Extremely precise judgment! This is precisely the offensive route I hope he adopts!" Wang Lin nodded heavily, using a blue pencil to clearly mark the two offensive routes mentioned by Huang Musheng on the map, bringing a massive pincer offensive vividly to life. "Then, the next question—the most core and crucial tactical question: If the enemy really approaches divided into two columns, where should our real main force be deployed? Which column of the enemy should our fist strike first?"

The cave dwelling fell quiet instantly, save for the crackling of the oil lamps and the heavy breathing of the people. All commanders stared intently at the two blue arrows on the map, their brows furrowed, their brains operating at high speed to deduce every possible outcome.

"Strike the western infantry first!" Li Long broke the silence first, waving his fist. "Infantry is slow and relatively poorly equipped. Relying on terrain makes them easy to encircle! We will concentrate three battalions, plus Gensheng's artillery, and pounce on them with lightning speed to crush and devour Ma Yulin's 5,000 men first! As long as we wipe out this main force of his, Ye Chengzhang's remaining cavalry will stand isolated and helpless, either rolling away or coming over to court death!"

"No." Wang Lin slowly shook his head, his tone resolute. "Old Li, your tactic can win, but it cannot achieve maximum strategic value. Think about it: if we strike the western infantry first, once the battle begins, even if an encirclement is formed, Ye Chengzhang's eastern cavalry brigade are no fools. They have four legs and extremely high mobility. When they discover the western column is under attack, what will they do? Will they immediately rush over to rescue regardless of the cost, or, seeing the situation turning south, turn their horses around and flee? If it's the former, we will face the risk of a two-pronged attack; although we are not afraid, casualties and variables will increase. If it's the latter, how can our two-legged infantry catch up with four-legged cavalry? Once this elite cavalry escapes, even if we rout Ma Yulin, we will have only broken one of Ma Hongbin's legs. He will go back to lick his wounds, and relying on cavalry mobility and harassment, he will still be a grave threat. We will fail to achieve the strategic objective of settling eastern Gansu in one battle!"

He picked up the red pencil and drew a huge, sharp cross over the blue arc representing the outflanking route of the eastern cavalry on the map.

"Therefore, my opinion is: we must prioritize striking—and completely annihilate—Ye Chengzhang's eastern cavalry group!"

Wang Lin's tone was ironclad, filled with unquestionable power: "There are three reasons: First, cavalry possesses strong mobility and impact force, posing the greatest threat to our defense lines and logistics lines. They are the enemy's 'eyes' and 'sharp knife,' and this most poisonous thorn must be removed first! Second, once the cavalry is eliminated, the western infantry group under Ma Yulin becomes a true isolated force, losing its battlefield perception, rapid reinforcement, and the greatest capital for escape, leaving them with no choice but to sit trapped and await destruction. Third, cavalry is the apple of Ma Hongbin's eye, his foundational capital and core combat strength. Thoroughly annihilating this cavalry will not only maximize the weakening of his military power, but more importantly, deal a devastating blow to his psychology, fundamentally crushing his wild ambitions and capability to march eastward to invade our Soviet area! This will buy us at least a year or more of stable development time!"

"The Commander is right!" Cavalry Company Commander Shamaerge chimed in excitedly, having the deepest understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of cavalry. "We must chop off his horse's legs first! Without cavalry, Ma Hongbin is like a tiger without teeth or a wild ox with broken horns! No matter how many infantry remain, they are merely crops waiting for us to harvest!"

Wang Lin's analysis won the agreement of the overwhelming majority of commanders. With the mindset clarified, the subsequent discussion became more concrete and enthusiastic.

Wang Lin guided the issue deeper once more: "So, how exactly shall we fight? Where should the main force ambush site be selected? What conditions must be met? How will various units coordinate and cooperate? And after annihilating the cavalry, how do we expand the victory and deal with the western infantry group?"

A fierce, high-level tactical brainstorming session unfolded inside the cave dwelling.

Artillery Company Commander Liu Gensheng stared at the terrain between Qingyang and Huachi on the map, saying in a deep voice: "The selection of the ambush site is crucial. It must facilitate our army's concealed concentration and the unleashing of firepower, while maximally restricting the enemy cavalry's mobility space. Valleys, river bends, or perilous passes along the mandatory route are best. I need to lead the observation platoon to secretly survey in advance, determine several preset positions, and accurately calculate the firing data for all artillery pieces to ensure the opening artillery surprise assault can cover the key parts of the enemy marching column, disrupting their formation and destroying their command system."

Reconnaissance Company Commander Zhang Hongtu immediately followed up: "Commander, I will personally lead the most elite squad to conduct fine-grained reconnaissance and screening of all possible paths between Qingyang and Yucheng. We will focus on investigating terrain, road conditions, vegetation cover, and water sources to identify two to three ideal ambush zones, evaluating the enemy's likely reconnaissance habits and marching routes. I guarantee we will select the best slaughterhouse for the main force."

The various battalion commanders began discussing the configuration and tactics of the three main battalions:

"The ambush ring must be set as a pocket array; the 2nd and 3rd Battalions will be responsible for pinching both ends and tightly fastening the pocket!"

"The 4th Battalion and my artillery company will be responsible for the frontal fierce assault, just like a heavy hammer cracking a walnut!"

"The machine guns of each battalion must be deployed on commanding heights to form a cross-fire network, hitting the personnel first—these horses are treasures!"

"The assault squads must be ready; once the artillery fire extends, they must charge down immediately to divide and encircle, denying them the chance to reorganize!"

"The wounded rescue points and prisoner collection points must be selected in advance..."

Li Long said: "After wiping out the cavalry, don't clean up the battlefield; replenish basic ammunition and then the main force will immediately swing west on a forced march! Run for your lives! Outflank Ma Yulin's rear! Don't let him crawl back! Leave the eastern battlefield to Huowang's logistics battalion and the militia to clean up and wrap up; we need to go west to eat that bigger chunk of meat and knock out both of his front teeth in one breath!"

Wang Lin listened attentively to each subordinate's speech, adding markings on the map from time to time or posing critical questions to guide everyone's thinking. A macro-concept was gradually fleshed out through the collision of collective wisdom, becoming clear in outline, rich in detail, and interlocked ring by ring.

Finally, synthesizing everyone's opinions, he drew an extremely grandiose interlocking encirclement on the map with a red pencil, and then made a summary deployment:

"Very well! Based everyone's opinions, our basic operational concept is thus established!" Wang Lin's voice was steady and powerful, carrying a resolution akin to burning bridges:

"Phase One: Display Form at Yucheng. Comrade Lin Huowang will uniformly command all of the logistics battalion and one thousand militia members, meticulously designing and making a great fanfare, ensuring they lure the enemy's main force to attack.

Phase Two: Impede Infantry, Annihilate Cavalry. The Shamaerge Cavalry Company and a detachment of the Zhang Hongtu Reconnaissance Company, supplemented by a small infantry force, will be responsible for harassing and delaying the advance speed of Ma Yulin's western infantry group, buying precious time for the main force to annihilate the cavalry. The main force—namely the 2nd Battalion (Huang Musheng), 3rd Battalion (Zhou Zhiming), and 4th Battalion (Li Long), supplemented by the entirety of the Liu Gensheng Artillery Company—will secretly and pre-emptively ambush in the selected zone. Concentrating all firepower and exerting maximum suddenness, the objective is to completely annihilate the main force of Ye Chengzhang's cavalry brigade within the shortest possible time! The key to this battle lies in concealment, suddenness, and ferocity!

Phase Three: Advance Westward and Encircle. Once the eastern theater cavalry annihilation battle is basically concluded, the main force will spare no effort, overcome fatigue, execute a forced march with the strongest willpower, and push westward with all strength! Rendezvousing with the early delaying force, they will implement a resolute counter-encirclement against Ma Yulin's western infantry group, striving for a complete annihilation, or at the very least delivering a crippling strike!"

"As for the northern front," he turned to 1st Battalion Commander Chen Ahai, his gaze stern, "Ahai, your mission is equally arduous. Your 1st Battalion must nail itself like a spike to the northern front, extensively carrying out guerrilla activities, making a show of force, and resolutely curbing any possible southward attempt by Ma Hongkui's forces from Ningxia, guaranteeing the absolute safety of our main force's flank and rear."

Wang Lin put down his pencil, his gaze like lightning, sweeping across every battle-eager commander: "This is currently merely a campaign concept proposed based on current intelligence and terrain. Yet it points out our direction. Next, all units must immediately unfold highly targeted reconnaissance, training, and detailed contingency plans based on this concept. The reconnaissance company must produce the most detailed terrain and intelligence reports; the artillery must complete precise calculations; each battalion must study ambush tactics and infantry-artillery-cavalry coordination; Huowang, you must meticulously plan the feint and evacuation routes. We must factor in every possible unexpected eventuality and prepare countermeasures. Through thorough preparation, we will turn this 'talk on paper' into an inescapable net from which the enemy cannot escape on the future battlefield!"

"Comrades!" Wang Lin's voice suddenly rose. "If this battle succeeds, it will lay a solid foundation for our Wuqi base area in one stroke, completely shattering Ma Hongbin's arrogant momentum, alleviating the flank pressure on the Party Central Committee and the main Red Army. The significance is extremely profound! Do we have the confidence to turn this concept into a brilliant reality?"

"Yes! Guarantee completion of the mission!" All commanders shouted in unison, their passionate voices almost lifting the roof of the cave. The fire of longing for victory burned in everyone's eyes.

As the meeting concluded, the commanders, harboring clear hypothetical targets and heavy responsibilities, departed hurriedly, merging into the night of northern Shaanxi. They would translate the arrows and resolve on the map into intense pre-battle preparations.

An extremely detailed urgent telegram, jointly signed by Wang Lin and Wang Guangdao, titled "Operational Concept and Contingency Plan for Luring and Annihilating the Main Force of Ma Hongbin in Eastern Gansu," was placed before the operational meeting of the Northwest Revolutionary Military Commission (Central).

The cave dwelling was hazy with smoke and solemn in atmosphere. Leaders including the Commander-in-Chief circulated the telegram, and staff officers marked the corresponding postures on the map based on the telegram's content.

After a long silence, the Chief said: "This Wang Lin has quite a lot of nerve. And his appetite isn't small either. Wanting to wipe out one cavalry brigade plus one infantry brigade of Ma Hongbin's—this will be a major, fierce battle."

Carefully examining the various links of "displaying form," "luring the enemy," "striking cavalry," and "encircling infantry" in the plan, he mused: "The plan is very bold, but also quite meticulous. It fully utilizes the enemy's psychology and terrain conditions. If successful, the situation in eastern Gansu will take on a completely new look. Yet risks exist concurrently; the key lies in the troops' execution capacity and battlefield adaptability. After half a year of rest and expansion, the Independent Regiment's combat effectiveness has indeed greatly improved, but this campaign has extremely high demands and a very low fault tolerance rate."

Pointing at the ambush zone on the map: "The terrain chosen is good. The key is confidentiality and suddenness. Once leaked, everything is lost. The troops' concealed mobility and pre-battle preparations must be carried out without a single flaw."

The Commander-in-Chief, with his straightforward disposition, said: "I see this plan as feasible! That fellow Wang Lin emerged from a hail of bullets; since he dares to propose this plan, he must have a fair degree of certainty in his heart. The troops are howling for blood and need a major victory to further coalesce morale and consolidate the base area. I agree to approve this operational concept and let the Independent Regiment handle it with a free hand! On our side, we will notify neighboring friendly forces to make preparations for coordination just in case."

After in-depth discussion and weighing of pros and cons, a consensus was finally reached.

Soon, a reply telegram from the Northwest Military Commission was delivered to the headquarters of the Independent Regiment in Wuqi Town.

Wang Lin and Wang Guangdao stood solemnly beside the radio as the telegraph operator worked frantically. When the telegram was finally fully translated, the two of them breathed sighs of relief almost simultaneously, followed instantly by a surge of excitement and an even more resolute expression on their faces.

The telegram's content was concise and powerful:

"Wang Lin, Wang Guangdao: Telegram received. The operational concept submitted by your unit has been studied and is deemed basically feasible. Approved in principle. It is hoped your unit will deploy meticulously, prepare fully, act resolutely, and seize the fleeting combat opportunity. Strive for sure victory to settle the eastern Gansu situation in one stroke. This campaign is of monumental significance; act with utmost caution and decisive execution. Northwest Revolutionary Military Commission."

Wang Lin gripped the telegram tightly and looked at Wang Guangdao: "Commissar, the Central Committee has approved! Now, the pressure and responsibility rest entirely on our shoulders!"

Wang Guangdao nodded heavily: "Indeed. Next, we must meticulously turn the plan on paper into victory on the battlefield! Let's go off separately to implement it. Not a single link can afford a mistake!"