Chapter Thirty-Nine: Reorganizing the Rainbow First Column, a Complete Refit, and the Birth of the Soviet-Armed Regiment
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Apart from the M1910 Mosin–Nagant rifle, the M1910 Maxim heavy machine gun, the Maxim–Tokarev light machine gun, and the PPD-34 submachine gun, the Long Cliff Arsenal had also learned from military-industrial experts from Bear Country how to produce the F-1 grenade.
The grenade used a cast-iron body, weighed six hundred grams, and contained sixty grams of TNT. Its effective killing radius was approximately fifteen to twenty meters.
Compared with the grenades manufactured in the Border Regions that Li Yunlong had once ridiculed, its power was on an entirely different level.
Of course, apart from these standard light-infantry weapons, mortars were also among the important weapons and equipment that the Long Cliff Arsenal was currently capable of producing.
The 37-millimeter light mortar combined the functions of a field spade and a mortar. It had an overall length of 640 millimeters, a barrel length of 400 millimeters, a total weight of 2.4 kilograms, and an effective range of sixty to two hundred and fifty meters.
There were also 50-millimeter and 80-millimeter mortars, along with other weapons and equipment.
The successful production of these mortars had greatly enhanced the artillery-support capabilities of the Rainbow First Column.
However, the base still lacked the strength to manufacture powerful heavy artillery.
On the one hand, there was a shortage of skilled personnel. On the other, there were limitations in technology and resources.
Most importantly, the Long Cliff Arsenal had only been established a short time ago.
To resolve the problems of ammunition and shells in such a brief period—
To produce firearms, grenades, and mortars—
That was already nothing short of a miracle.
“Commander!”
“The arsenal’s current production capacity is limited, and we still cannot fully meet the army’s needs.”
“According to our present estimates, the firearms, ammunition, mortars, grenades, and shells produced by the arsenal in one month will only be enough to barely equip a single regiment.”
“All the firearms, ammunition, mortars, grenades, and shells produced during this initial period should be sufficient for three regiments at most.”
“However, as the arsenal expands, it will certainly be able to produce more guns and artillery in the future, enough to meet the needs of the base.”
The director responsible for production at the Long Cliff Arsenal was named Li Chenggan, a renowned military-industrial expert and industrialist.
He had once been one of the directors of the Jinling Arsenal and had forged a deep friendship with Su Changqing as early as the Northern Expedition.
During the Battle of Flood City, Su Changqing had even saved Li Chenggan’s life.
Thus, when Su Changqing had used the system’s “Thought Imprint” ability, Li Chenggan had been among the first people he chose to influence.
“Three regiments!”
Although being able to meet the needs of only three regiments was far from enough for Su Changqing, he also understood that such speed was already astonishing.
After a period of recuperation, the Rainbow First Column had long since recovered its strength.
At present, the Eighteenth Rainbow Regiment, the Twenty-Fourth Rainbow Regiment, and the Twenty-Sixth Rainbow Regiment each had approximately 1,800 men.
Together, the three regiments had a total strength of more than 5,400 soldiers.
These were the Rainbow First Column’s openly recognized regular forces, commonly known as its main force.
As for the remaining troops—
Those under the command of Long Wenzhang, Zhang Dabiao, Xing Zhiguo, and the others could only be considered unorganized “militia units.”
They did not yet qualify as main-force troops.
Since the weapons and equipment were sufficient to meet the needs of the three regiments, Su Changqing could now formally reorganize the Rainbow First Column.
“Old Wu!”
“How are things at the clothing factory?”
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Su Changqing suddenly turned to Wu Changtian, the director of the clothing factory.
“Commander, we have produced a batch of new-style uniforms according to your requirements. However, Commander, the design of these uniforms has been altered somewhat.”
“What about headquarters?” Wu Changtian asked, somewhat puzzled.
“Do not worry. I already reported the matter to the commanders at headquarters. They are very satisfied with the design and style of our new uniforms.”
“The commanders at headquarters even hope to promote this uniform throughout the entire army.”
“The uniforms of our Rainbow Army have always been varied and inconsistent, which is detrimental to unity.”
“Headquarters has already given the matter thorough consideration.”
“Moreover, I have promised headquarters that we will supply them with approximately twenty thousand sets of the new uniforms by the end of this year.”
“What?”
As soon as Wu Changtian heard this, his small face immediately turned bitter.
“Commander, twenty thousand sets of new uniforms?”
Su Changqing touched the tip of his nose.
If he wanted to secure the support of headquarters, how could he do so without paying a price?
Those twenty thousand uniforms were the compromise he had reached after a long round of bargaining with the commanders at headquarters.
“Old Wu, I will have to trouble you with this.”
“Do not worry about the money or the raw materials.”
“I will take care of everything.”
“Now that the weapons and uniforms are ready, it is time to reorganize and re-equip the Rainbow First Column’s three main regiments.”
“Lin Yu!”
“Present!”
“Go and invite Regiment Commander Kong and Regiment Commander Ding.”
“Order every soldier of the Eighteenth, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth Rainbow Regiments to assemble immediately.”
“Yes, sir!”
At Su Changqing’s urging, Ding Wei and Kong Jie quickly arrived at the parade ground.
The soldiers of the three main regiments—the Eighteenth, Twenty-Fourth, and Twenty-Sixth Rainbow Regiments—also began streaming into the grounds.
During this period, Su Changqing had put the three main regiments through a hellish training regimen.
The training covered everything from individual combat skills to coordination between squads and companies, and even cooperation among battalions and regiments.
Su Changqing had combined the infantry drill methods of the era with training techniques far beyond the standards of the time.
He had also referred to several training recommendations provided by the system.
Every soldier in the three main regiments had now been assigned a suitable position based on his individual strengths and abilities.
These exercises had not merely improved their physical fitness and combat skills.
They had brought astonishing changes to the Rainbow First Column as a whole.
Even their bearing had changed. From top to bottom, they now looked like an elite force forged from steel.
I wonder whether the Rainbow First Column, as it stands now, could stand toe-to-toe with the German-equipped divisions in Jinling?
Su Changqing wondered silently.
After this round of re-equipment, the combat power of the three main regiments would rise yet again.
At least in terms of light-infantry weapons, they were already no weaker than the German-equipped divisions.
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As for heavy weapons and equipment, given enough time, the Rainbow First Column would possess everything the German-equipped divisions had.
A Rainbow Army force equipped with Soviet weapons.
A Blue Sky Party force armed with German equipment.
Su Changqing did not believe that the army under his command would be inferior to the German-equipped divisions.
“Brothers!”
“Show some dignity, damn it! Wipe away that drool hanging from the corners of your mouths.”
“Do not stare so hard that your eyeballs fall out.”
“You sons of bitches are making us look bad.”
“I refuse to be humiliated!”
The moment Su Changqing finished speaking, the entire assembly burst into laughter.
In the eyes of the Rainbow First Column’s soldiers, Su Changqing was both gentle and strict.
He was unquestionably a good commander.
“Take a good look. These are the weapons and equipment we produced ourselves.”
“These are the new uniforms we made ourselves.”
“All of them belong to you. Do not disappoint me.”
“This is our entire fortune. Just look at Long Wenzhang and the others. The moment they saw this equipment and these new uniforms—”
“They were practically drooling.”
Su Changqing’s words once again sent waves of laughter through the assembly.
Not far away, Long Wenzhang was indeed leading a group of newly recruited soldiers and staring at Su Changqing with undisguised longing.
Their envy was written plainly across their faces.
“Rainbow First Column, attention!”
“Change into your new uniforms immediately!”
“Yes, sir!”
The soldiers of the Rainbow First Column had long been unable to contain their excitement. They had been waiting for Su Changqing to give that very order.
At his command, the entire Rainbow First Column immediately began changing into its new uniforms.
Just as the column was in the midst of changing, a notification from the system suddenly put Su Changqing on alert.
“The Japanese?”
“At the border between the two provinces of Chahar and Hebei?”
“Talented students from the universities of Peiping?”
An unprecedented sharpness flashed through Su Changqing’s eyes.
The Japanese.
Those little eastern devils.
Su Changqing had never expected that his first direct encounter with the Japanese invaders would take place under such circumstances.
…
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