Chapter 420 Reverse Slope

The reason why the reverse slope fortification is called reverse slope fortification is because it is built on a reverse slope.

Fortifications are generally built from a high position, so that the field of vision and firing range are wider and more firepower can be exerted.

But reverse slope fortifications are built at a low place.

Of course, it still has many disadvantages of being at a low place, such as a narrow field of vision and a short distance for throwing grenades.

In fact, many of these disadvantages can be solved through fortifications and coordination. If the field of vision is not wide, you can work together with friendly forces and keep in touch; if the grenade cannot be thrown far, it can be solved by trenches with one side high and the other side low... The fortification itself is located on the slope with a certain slope. If the two sides of the trench are built with the upper side high and the lower side low, it will be difficult for the enemy's grenades to be thrown into the trench, because the higher side will actually make the trench a blind spot for throwing, and the grenade will either be blocked outside or roll over the trench to the other side.

The point is that the reverse slope tactics will make a large number of enemy heavy equipment unable to play a role.

For example, the US tanks that have already reached the top of the opposite highland can suppress the top position of Enna Highland with firepower, but their machine guns cannot penetrate the mountain, so they lose the threat to the reverse slope position of Enna Highland.

In short, the reverse slope fortification is to sacrifice part of the geographical advantage to weaken the enemy's modern equipment.

Of course, this is also the tactic used by the volunteers in the Korean War... The equipment gap between the Volunteer Army and the US Army is too big, and the aircraft, artillery, and tanks are not in the same weight class at all.

In this case, the Volunteer Army can only choose to build fortifications on the reverse slope... It is basically meaningless to build fortifications on the positive slope, because the US military can use powerful firepower to blow up the fortifications built on the positive slope, and it is just a matter of how many shells are consumed for the US military.

However, if the fortifications are built on the reverse slope, first of all, the artillery and tanks are basically unable to play a role, and the US soldiers can only use people to attack the top and reverse slope positions held by the Volunteer Army, which is precisely the shortcoming of the US military.

Just like now, the German army also has no air superiority.

Without air superiority, it is impossible to suppress the enemy in artillery battles, because once the artillery positions are exposed, they will be ruthlessly bombed by enemy fighters. Similarly, the armored divisions cannot play a role during the day, so they can only choose this tactic similar to the Volunteer Army against the US Army.

However, although it is "only", in fact, the US Army is pressed on the top of the mountain and cannot show up, and they don't know how to attack.

The German soldiers were prepared in the reverse slope fortifications, with rifles on the fortifications aimed at the top of the mountain. The American soldiers showed up and shot one, and then showed up and shot another... The American soldiers who attacked the top of the mountain were suppressed and could not move forward half a step, and a large number of US soldiers were blocked on the positive slope and could not move forward.

"Damn it!" Major General Allen shouted at Major Jones, the commander of the US Army who was attacking the high ground: "You have already occupied the high ground, what else can stop you?"

"The enemy has established several lines of defense below, General!" Major Jones answered loudly in the sound of gunfire: "Their shooting is very accurate, we have suffered heavy casualties, and we don't even know where they are!"

"Go down!" Major General Allen ordered: "You are on high ground, organize your firepower for cover, use bayonets, grenades... No matter what, break through their defense line, do you hear me clearly?!"

"Yes, General!" Major Jones replied.

Then he raised his head and shouted: "Mortar, machine gun... Get ready for cover!"

Jones arranged the mortar position on the positive slope... The mortar trajectory is curved, and it can cross the top of the mountain to hit one side, so there is no need to place it on the top of the mountain where the space is small and it will be targeted by the enemy.

However, in this process, the mortar needs to test fire on the enemy's defense line under the guidance of the artillery observer.

This process was not easy, because the two artillery observers were shot in the head by bullets from the opposite side just a few seconds after they stuck their heads out.

It was not until Major Jones used firepower to cover the observers that the test firing was barely completed.

Then, Major Jones spent another ten minutes arranging the machine gun positions to ensure that they could suppress the enemy's firepower well and would not be blocked by the charging people.

After completing these preparations, Major Jones ordered loudly: "Put on the bayonet, prepare the grenades, listen to my orders, throw the grenades with all your strength, and then stand up and charge after they explode, understand?"

"Yes, sir!"

There was a reason why Major Jones had to explain so much in detail. Although the 1st Infantry Division was well-trained, it was still the first time to go to the battlefield. Many soldiers completely forgot the skills learned in the training ground when they were nervous. Many people couldn't wait to charge as soon as the grenades were thrown, and the result was that they fell under their own grenades.

However, what Major Jones didn't know was that their danger was not this at all.

"Are you ready?" Major Jones asked.

"Yes, sir!"

"Mortar!" Major Jones raised his hand to the mortar company, and as he lowered it, he shouted, "Fire!"

"Boom boom" After a burst of artillery fire, dozens of mortars of different calibers fired a row of shells at the other side of the hilltop.

Then, under the command of Major Jones, several more rounds were fired...

Similar to the German army, each platoon was equipped with a 50MM mortar. Each platoon of the US army was equipped with a Type 2, imitating the French Brand 60MM mortar). In addition, each company had a machine gun platoon equipped with two mortars, and there were machine gun companies under the battalion, so a battalion was equipped with about 40 mortars.

Of course, Major Jones couldn't gather them all together. Some of the troops were even scattered at the foot of the mountain and couldn't come up. But the power of the more than 20 mortars organized to bombard the other side should not be underestimated.

During the bombing, the machine gunner in charge of covering took this opportunity to set up the machine gun, and regardless of whether the target was found, he fired rows of bullets into the smoke.

"Grenade!" Major Jones shouted.

The American soldiers pulled the safety pins of the grenades they had already grabbed, and then threw them one after another to the other side.

"Boom boom!" There was another chaotic sound.

Major Jones did not hesitate, and the next second he shouted to the soldiers lying on the ground: "Charge, men, kill them all!"

The American soldiers shouted, and groups of them climbed out of hiding and rushed towards the German soldiers' defense line with bayonets.

Patton, who was watching all this at the foot of the mountain, couldn't help but praise: "Yes, this is my First Infantry Division!"