Beiyang 1917

()…………Near the three-fork intersection in the Kharkov Forest, the former enemy headquarters of the second detachment on the east road detour

"Reporting to the head of the regiment, Xue Juru, the reconnaissance company of the regiment, called. Five minutes ago, he led the reconnaissance company of the regiment and the 5nd company of the 1st Armored Battalion to occupy the town of Katina and the North Donets River Bridge. Now they are rushing to build defensive positions at both ends of the bridge. ..."

"Reporting to the head of the regiment, the 1st Armored Battalion received a call. 5 minutes ago, the 1st Armored Battalion and 1 Company defeated a cavalry battalion of the 3rd Ukrainian Division. It has been found that the main force of the 3rd Ukrainian Division is about 6000 people located about 5 kilometers south of the forest road. Battalion Commander Tao led the infantry to get out of the vehicle and went to the south. The armored vehicles of the three companies of the 1st Battalion were left on alert beside the forest road, and to the west was the alert position of the Jianchuan Brigade. The 1st Battalion asked the headquarters to reinforce a Ukrainian The artillery company joins the battle! The inscription is Mo Liyuan attached to the battalion!"..

"Tao Dayong is too hasty! He only has about 400 vehicle-mounted infantry in his hands, and he went to chase the main force of 6000 people in a black light. Isn't this playing the piano?" Ren Dao, the chief of staff of the regiment, added fuel to the fire... …

"Darkness has the advantage of darkness. Ukrainians can't figure out our true reality. Tao Dayong's move is better than him guarding the forest road and waiting for rabbits. Well... a 75mm 3th field artillery company was transferred from the Ukrainian Artillery Battalion to the First Battalion ...Call back and ask the first battalion to focus on defending the town of Katina and the North Donets River Bridge. As for the [-]rd Ukrainian Infantry Division in the forest, it is not about how many enemies are wiped out, but about not letting the opponent sleep well... exhausted They!" Lu Huanyan was well aware of the restrictions on the movement of the armored troops in the forest swamp area, so he decided to draw a Ukrainian artillery company to strengthen Tao Dayong's first battalion position, so as to provide an additional means of long-range attack on the Ukrainians in the forest... .

Of course, as the commander-in-chief of the second echelon of the East Road, his forces are also quite cramped. The offensive and defensive focus of the Kharkiv battlefield revolves around the Muto brigade in the southwest and the main force of the German counterattack. Before the situation in the west is clear, Lu Huanyan did not intend to send the exhausted Chief Qi Zhenggang Infantry Regiment and the 13st Infantry Regiment of Colonel Biflov of the 51th Ukrainian Infantry Division into the forest battlefield at night...

…………

中路军前敌总指挥、ri本第三师团师团长大庭中将拨个吕焕炎的兵力为他自己的装甲1团（欠加强给武藤旅团的黎尚装甲第3营）、乌克兰步兵第13师26旅步兵第51团、ri本第3师团菊池旅团的酋崎正刚步兵第18联队，以及沃罗涅ri联邦步兵第14师的两个75mm三八式野炮营，同时把武藤旅团的水野泰辅联队部加中村大队、建川大队和冈本大队也拨给了吕焕炎指挥，总兵力在10000人上下。

In Lu Huanyan's combat plan, the second echelon was divided into three. Liu Yifei led the 2nd Armored Battalion to strengthen an infantry battalion of the 13th Voronieri Infantry Division to form a southern detachment. Reinforce the flank of the main force of the Muto Brigade in the southeast, and contain the 4th and 2nd Ukrainian Infantry Divisions from the forest from the east to the flank of the Muto Brigade. An armored platoon of the 2nd Armored Battalion is re-strengthened to the east gate of Kharkov The Mizuno-Taisuke Regiment outside to help the Nakamura Brigade defend the bridgehead, and if necessary, blow up the Kharkov River East Bridge and cut off the German-Ukrainian Allied Army's counterattack channel from the east gate...

Tao Dayong led the 1st Armored Battalion, the Reconnaissance Company of Xue Juru's Regiment, and the Jianchuan Brigade to form the East Detachment, occupying the town of Katina and the North Donets River Bridge, blocking the passage of Ukrainians going north and crossing the Forest Road, and at the same time ensuring that this The unobstructed forest road will create conditions for the coalition forces to open up the logistics and transportation lines in the North Donets Lake area in the next stage.

吕焕炎的装甲团团部、酋崎正刚步兵第18联队和比尔洛夫上校的步兵第51团（欠一个步兵营）、联邦步兵第14师的2个75mm野炮营则成为中支队或者总预备队，在三岔路口的东南角建立的大本营和后勤基地……只是刚才由于装甲1营在森林东南发现了乌克兰步兵第3师主力的位置，考虑了一下，吕焕炎还是决定从2个炮兵营中抽调一个炮兵连沿着大路向东去增援装甲第1营……这样无论是压制乌克兰步兵第3师主力，还是守卫卡提纳镇和北顿涅茨河大桥，都更多一点回旋余地。

"Regimental Commander... the command given by the general in the court is to defeat or annihilate the 3rd, 2nd and 4th Ukrainian Infantry Divisions. Now that we have discovered the location of the opponent's 3rd Infantry Division, why don't we call Masaki Masaki overnight? The main force of the regiment passed by, together with Colonel Biflov's infantry regiment, there must be a chance to eat up the opponent's 3rd division..." Ren Dao, chief of staff of the regiment, said unwillingly.

"Chief of staff, I am impatient and can't drink hot porridge. The Infantry Regiment of Chief Qizheng has just walked nearly 30 kilometers. Do you think it is appropriate to go for another 20 kilometers to chase the Ukrainian Third Division in forests and swamps? Tao Dayong is now in control The road in the forest, while Xue Juru tied his pockets in the town of Katina and the North Donets River Bridge, and the Ukrainians can't escape..." Lu Huanyan answered with a slight frown, his focus was not on The Kharkov Forest, but the German-Ukrainian coalition forces in the city, and the situation of the main force of the Muto brigade in the south...

The arrogant Muto Nobuyoshi would never take the initiative to ask for tactical guidance, but by default, the Mizuno Taisuke Regiment, Nakamura, Jianchuan and Okamoto's three brigades were temporarily placed under the command of Lu Huanyan, the second echelon of the East Road detour. It is the three well-preserved Xiangshii, Domen and Guzhuang Brigades, as well as Arai Tatsuya's 19th Infantry Regiment, plus the 3rd Armored Battalion and Wu Keren Duli Artillery Commanded by Li Shang, the Chinese Duli Armored First Regiment. camp……

1918年7月31ri22:00，哈尔科夫东南，德乌联军前敌指挥部

"Lieutenant Colonel Werner von Blomberg, head of the 140th Reserve Infantry Regiment, reported that the assault force of a battalion of the 140th Reserve Infantry Regiment under his personal command is ready at the east gate of Kharkov and can be launched at any time. Attack! It only takes half an hour to recapture the bridge over the river outside the east gate of Kharkov!"

"Report... 139 140mm light howitzers from the 24th and 105th Artillery Battalions have deployed positions in the southeast of the Xincheng District and are ready to fire at any time!"

"Report...the armored train detachment 2 commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Karl Rudolf Gerd von Rundstedt has entered the railway line on the south side of the Zhongyang Railway Station in the old city, ready to be used to contain the enemy on the northern line Xing strikes back..."

"Report... the two main battalions of the 140th Infantry Regiment, under the command of Major Fedor von Bock, the chief of staff of the regiment, have entered the concealed starting position southeast of Kharkov's New City, and are on standby to attack!"

"Report...the 141st Regiment under the command of Major Wilhelm von Lieb, the acting head of the 141st Reserve Infantry Regiment, has launched south of the Uda River. Before that, they dispersed the harassment of the Cavalry Reconnaissance Squadron of the Japanese Yonezawa Cavalry Regiment, The 141st Artillery Battalion has successfully launched, waiting for the next order from the headquarters!"