1890 King of Southeast Asia

Time passed by bit by bit, and one after another, the 9th Battalion of the 3rd Regiment, the baggage battalion, the engineering battalion, the artillery battalion (the brigade artillery battalion, consisting of six large-caliber muzzle-loading guns and three 120 British breech-loading guns.), the artillery command, the recruit battalion, and the leaders of the training team arrived one after another.

At eleven o'clock, Liu Yiming was staring at the Java map in a daze. This was left by the previous owner here, Major Henry. Staring at the cities and strongholds on it, Liu Yiming gradually calmed down.

He took the map out of the door, and together with the staff at all levels, more than 50 people squeezed into the small command center, looking at Liu Yiming quietly.

"Move to the hall, go to the hall for a meeting." Liu Yiming looked at the situation and directly changed the meeting place to the hall.

"Today, I called you all here to arrange tasks and let everyone discuss how to complete the tasks." In the hall, Liu Yiming hung the map in the most conspicuous position.

"It's been another month since the September campaign to recapture Surabaya. Surabaya is generally calm. After resting for so long, it's time for everyone to move."

Below, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment, because before they had waited for the Dutch to arrive before going out, this time...

"The goal of this mission is to recapture Java Island, Liu Yiming said, pointing to Java on the map."

The officers began to wonder, with different expressions, some showing surprise, some showing excitement, some frowning, but no one spoke.

"Okay, the overall goal of the campaign has been announced. If you have any questions, raise your hands now." Liu Yiming said.

"Yang Tao, you speak!" Second Regiment Commander Yang Tao stood up.

"Commander, I want to ask about the launch time and intelligence."

"As for the time, it is tentatively scheduled for the end of October. Each department has more than half a month to prepare. As for intelligence, let me talk about the overall intelligence."

"In recent years, the Dutch manpower has been insufficient. The entire colonial army has been maintained between 25,000 and 30,000 people, of which about 13,000 are deployed in Java, and the rest are scattered in Sumatra, Borneo, Sulawesi, Spice Islands, etc."

"Among them, of the 13,000 people in Java, about 8,000 are concentrated in Batavia, and the others are distributed in cities such as Semarang, Bandung, and Yogyakarta."

"In addition, there are more than 500,000 Dutch civilians in Batavia, which can pull out more than 10,000 militias."

"In addition, these are the intelligence of various cities obtained by integrating information from all parties. Let me share them. Because there are no professionals, the intelligence is only for reference." Liu Yiming took out a stack of thin booklets. He knew the importance of intelligence work, but few of his men could even make maps. Collecting intelligence in a targeted manner? It is very difficult.

"Report!" The first commander Wang Yang stood up.

"Speak!"

"Please arrange the task!"

Liu Yiming looked at Wang Yang and then at the others.

"I have two plans now."

"First, the troops will attack along the northern coastline and successively seize important cities, such as Semarang, to ensure smooth logistics."

"Second, a leap attack. Sixty kilometers east of Batavia, there is a coastal market town where mainly Chinese people live. There is a small port. The army will cooperate with the engineers to build a temporary dock in a short time, block the news, and then the army will assemble here."

"The advantage of the first plan is stability, but it gives the Dutch a lot of reaction time. If they fight under Batavia, it is likely to be a head-on decisive battle, and it may not be 7,000 to 8,000, but 5,000 or even less to more than 10,000! In addition, it is difficult to maintain stability with hundreds of kilometers of supply lines."

"The advantage of the second plan is fast, but once it succeeds, Batavia will be taken in seconds, and we can calmly clean up Java Island, but once it is in a stalemate, it is likely to be surrounded and eaten."

Liu Yiming finished speaking and waited quietly for the officers' reactions.

"Let's discuss it. We have always come up with ideas through discussion."

Buzz buzz buzz, as soon as this sentence came out, the entire conference hall turned into a vegetable market, with people arguing, calculating, and gesturing on the map, all kinds of different.

The sound of debate never stopped. Liu Yiming touched his belly and looked at the time. It was almost one o'clock. He asked someone to cook and send it over.

The meal was delivered. Liu Yiming ate while listening to the messy suggestions. Others took their meals, took a bite and debated for a few sentences. It was not until four o'clock that the discussion gradually subsided.

"Report!" It was still Wang Yang.

"Speak."

"I'm not sure which plan to adopt, but I've calculated it several times. No matter what method we use, we have to expand the army. If we don't have enough troops, once we set off, there will be nothing left in Sishui except the coastal defense force!"

"I have considered this matter. The police and militia (those who received guns before were tried as militia and participated in regular training) will form a reserve regiment to be responsible for the defense of Sishui. Recruit workers to form logistics troops. Most of the original logistics troops will be converted into combat troops on the spot. At the same time, change the artillery organization. One regiment is equipped with a three-inch artillery platoon, two three-inch guns, and the battalion is equipped with a mortar company, six mortars, and the company is equipped with three mortars. It will not be issued to the platoon."

"The remaining artillery will form an artillery regiment to carry out long-range fire suppression."

"In this way, the artillery regiment can use a small number of technical arms to exert its superior firepower, and the artillery assigned to the infantry can directly support the infantry attack."

"Report!" Wang Xu, the battalion commander of the first battalion of the third regiment, stood up.

"Speak!"

"I just heard about the adaptation and I thought of a way. I have to speak it out!"

"Speak, just say whatever you want to say."

"Plan 1 and Plan 2 can be used together!" Wang Xu said.

"Go on!"

Wang Xu signaled that he would use the map.

"Come on!" Liu Yiming made way.

"According to plan 2, we will advance along the northern coastline and catch him off guard. Within half a month, it will be no problem to capture all the cities along the way. We have an absolute advantage in firepower, manpower and intelligence!" Wang Xu said.

"Just after the reorganization, I was thinking, why can't we deploy one or two battalions, cooperate with the engineers and artillery, form a separate combat unit, equipped with more mortars, and lurk in this small market town called Dahukou?"

"Store enough supplies in the small market town in advance, and then the main force will quickly advance to a hundred kilometers away from Batavia as planned. Near this point, there should be woods around, and there is only one road in the east-west direction."

"Lure the Batavia defenders to fight a decisive battle at this location. Once the Batavia defenders reach this location, the troops lurking in Dahukou will attack from the front and back and defeat the enemy with superior firepower. There is the sea to the north and the jungle to the south. They can't run away. Even if they can't, this force will not be wasted. Just set up a supply camp in advance."

After Wang Xu finished speaking, he looked at Liu Yiming.

"It's a good idea, improve it." Liu Yiming encouraged.

"Then there is a new plan."

"Sanduo, tell me about our specific equipment." Liu Yiming said to the logistics chief.

"Yes, we can currently use 120 Type 90 82mm mortars, 24 British three-inch sampan guns, 17 German small steel cannons, two British 37mm guns, six 80-pound muzzle-loading coastal guns, and three 120mm guns for attack. If the coastal artillery is not moved, this is all our artillery strength."

"The rifles are mainly Martini Henry, more than 6,000, and there are nearly 800 Mauser 1871 rifles. There are also about 500 miscellaneous guns. The data is inaccurate and may be damaged and repaired at any time."

This is what can be used for attack. The navy has not yet formed combat effectiveness, so I will not discuss it.

"In addition, new rocket launchers will be added to the equipment in the future, and the production of mortars will be resumed. In terms of firepower, it is not difficult to defeat the Dutch colonial army in the field." Liu Yiming said.

"Okay, reorganize the organization. A special detachment will be formed with a battalion, an engineering company, and a mortar battalion to carry out the hidden mission." Liu Yiming paused.

"Wang Xu will be the commander. Each regiment will reorganize. One company will be left in the first battalion of the third regiment. Wang Xu will take the others away. One main company will be drawn from the first and second regiments to supplement the special detachment."

"After the reorganization, 40 mortars will be concentrated on the special detachment. In addition, a company will be drawn from the direct engineering battalion. The total is." Liu Yiming wrote and drew on the notebook.

"The total is more than a thousand people. Wang Xu, you are promoted!" Liu Yiming said with a smile.

"Others should not be discouraged. After the battle, the troops will be expanded."

"Then, the tentative plan is out. After the special detachment is replenished, it will immediately set out to seize Dahukou, set up a camp, store supplies, and lie in ambush. On the mission date, the main force of the brigade will launch an attack to the west, 100 kilometers away from Batavia, a place where there is no village in front and no shop behind, to attack the Dutch from the front and back. If the Dutch do not come out, use Dahukou as a supply point, and go straight to Batavia after repair!"

"The specific plan and alternative plans will be left by the staff of each regiment and Wang Xu. Specifically, do the departments have different opinions on the reorganization plan?" Liu Yiming raised his head and asked.

"No!" The people below looked at each other and said collectively.

"Okay, the deputies of each department will immediately command the reorganization, and then integrate the team, don't let down the chain!" Liu Yiming said.

"In addition, Secretary Zhang, notify the arsenal to produce ammunition and mortars with all their strength. I will go to the Government Affairs Office to submit a military mobilization plan."

"You discuss the plan here."

After saying that, Liu Yiming left and walked towards the Government Affairs Office. At this time, it was already five o'clock. The sky was already a little dark near the equator.

At five o'clock, Chen Jiangtao should have gone off work, but although the construction has entered the state, the government affairs are a new trick every day, and Chen Jiangtao's brain can't keep up with the progress of people's troubles.

Knock, knock, knock.

"Come in!"

"Mayor, Commander Liu is looking for you in the lounge!" said the mayor's secretary.

"Oh? Please come in!"

"Uncle Chen, we have made a plan, take a look." Liu Yiming said to Chen Jiangtao with a smile.

? ? ? Chen Jiangtao was a little uneasy. "It must be bad news"