"Fire!" Seven kilometers from Irkutsk were the positions of the heavy howitzer battalion of the artillery brigade of the Third Army, which consisted of four companies of 48 155-mm heavy howitzers, divided into four artillery positions, and began a heavy shelling of the positions north of Irkutsk. The shells weighing 50 kilograms were so powerful that each shot would leave a deep crater with a diameter of about 10 meters. Against the fortified positions of the Russian army, this is definitely a powerful weapon of great destruction.

The artillery of the three armies of the Northern Theater launched an extremely heavy artillery bombardment of Irkutsk. The scale of the shelling is even more intense than yesterday's, as if it will not stop until the Russian positions are completely destroyed.

Soon, the artillery of the Russian army also began to counterattack. In the city of Irkutsk, the Russian army has arranged large and small artillery positions. These artillery positions, hidden between buildings or in the woods, can effectively defend themselves before inflicting powerful damage on the enemy.

The artillery of China and Russia launched a fierce artillery battle, and from time to time artillery positions were hit. Although, with some distance between each cannon, there were still cannons that were hit. The barrels of the guns were directly blown into twists, and the artillery was blown to pieces. This is not the heaviest loss, once the shells piled up on the artillery position are hit, resulting in a martyrdom, then it is troublesome after all.

"Two hundred meters to the left! Adjust the shelling position! "At an altitude of about five hundred meters above the heavy howitzer battalion of the artillery brigade of the Third Army, an observation balloon was suspended in mid-air. In the gondola under the balloon, two artillery observers were working, providing the artillery below with the parameters of the shelling. An officer with a telescope was responsible for observing the bullet point, while the other was responsible for using a wireless telegraph to contact the artillery positions below and modify the shelling parameters in a timely manner.

Although the artillery positions of the Russian army are hidden in the urban area, when they open fire, they will still be detected by high-altitude observation balloons. The Chinese artillery was fundamentally contested, and adjustments were made to launch a fierce artillery bombardment of the Russian artillery. This kind of attack is very effective. Even if the artillery of the Russian army is well hidden, it will be difficult to escape.

In China's artillery units, each battalion is equipped with observation balloons, which can effectively provide support for the artillery, which makes the Chinese artillery in an advantageous position in artillery warfare many times. In the face of the strong defensive positions of the Russian army, in order to reduce casualties, Cai Yun ordered all troops to use artillery shells to clear the way for the infantry before the attack. At the same time, for the counterattack of the Russian artillery, the Chinese artillery simply solved the Russian artillery first, and then concentrated on dealing with the Russian positions outside Irkutsk.

I have to say that this strategy has worked very well. When the Chinese artillery put the main force of the attack on the Russian artillery, the losses of the Russian artillery began to increase all of a sudden. Constantly artillery positions were hit, artillery was destroyed, artillery was killed. Even if the artillery positions of the Russian army are very well hidden, they cannot escape the eyes of the sky, which makes the artillery of the Russian army suffer heavy losses. Even if the Russian army deploys thousands of large-caliber artillery pieces in Irkutsk, it can't withstand such endless losses!

"Your Excellency, the Chinese have changed their tactics, they are specifically attacking our artillery, and by now, we have lost hundreds of cannons. If we continue like this, I am afraid that in less than two days, our artillery will be completely lost. At that time, we will only be in a state of passive beating! Lieutenant General Ilya, the commander of the Russian artillery in Irkutsk, said with a bitter face.

"What's going on? Didn't you tell me before the battle began, that the artillery was fully prepared? Grand Duke Nikolai frowned, looking a little displeased.

"Your Excellency, all the Chinese observation balloons have been lifted into the air. Accurate guidance was given to their artillery, and in such a situation, our artillery simply had nowhere to hide! Lieutenant General Ilya explained.

"Is there any way to crack it?" Grand Duke Nikolai asked. If the artillery is destroyed, the defense of Irkutsk will be greatly reduced. Although he does not know whether the Chinese have the strength to blow Irkutsk into ruins. But this is obviously very unfavorable for the Russian army.

"Your Excellency, I heard that the Logistics Department has sent a batch of balloons for reconnaissance, and I hope to equip them with artillery and use them as observation balloons!" Major General Ilya said.

"Okay, you go to the logistics department and ask for it!" Grand Duke Nikolai said. Although hot air balloons have been invented for decades, the Chinese were the first to use hot air balloons on the battlefield and also invented airships capable of bombing missions. The West is relatively far from starting in this regard, and Russia is even more backward. However, the Russian army has also begun to accept this new type of equipment, and when it purchases weapons and equipment from the West, it also purchases a batch by the way

Balloon. Irkutsk, as the most important battlefield of the Russian army now, was naturally assigned a group. It's just that these hot air balloons are now only raised in the city for reconnaissance purposes.

"Yes, Your Excellency! I'll arrange it right away! Lieutenant General Ilya left happily.

"Your Excellency, we have just received news that the Chinese are building a dock in the river bend ten kilometers east of Irkutsk, and it seems that they are preparing to resupply directly in Irkutsk!" Grand Duke Nikolai said anxiously.

"I see! No wonder the Chinese dare to use artillery unscrupulously, it turns out that they have already thought of a solution to the problem of logistical supply. Is there a way to destroy the supply bases of the Chinese? Grand Duke Nikolai asked. After the squadron solves the big problem of logistics and supply, it will be able to blow up Irkutsk into ruins with artillery shells alone, and how will it be fought when the time comes!

"Your Excellency, it's very difficult! The Chinese specially sent an infantry division to guard this base. At the same time, on the Angara River, there are also Chinese patrol boats, which are very well defended, and we have no effective way to destroy this base! Grand Duke Nikolai's adjutant said with some embarrassment. Whether on land or water, the squadron has done a good job of strict protection for this supply base.

"Forget it!" Grand Duke Nikolai said helplessly. The squadron built a supply base under the nose of Irkutsk, but the Russian army did not have the slightest solution.

Hot air balloons are not very high-tech. Lieutenant General Ilya received ten hot air balloons directly from the Logistics Department. Soon, these hot air balloons were raised near the artillery positions of the Russian army. Russian observers are also able to look down from a high altitude, while Russian artillery provides accurate numbers. Since then, the artillery hit rate of the Russian army has increased a lot. The artillery battle between the two sides became more intractable and more tragic!

The news of the use of observation balloons by Russian artillery was immediately reported. In the afternoon of the same day, Wang Yuze learned the news. He immediately summoned the commander of the Air Force, Lieutenant General Long Feiyu.

"General Long, in today's battle in Irkutsk, the Russians used observation balloons to provide guidance to artillery. Although, it didn't cause us much trouble. However, we must also be vigilant. In order to reduce our casualties, the air force is dispatched to kill all the Russian observation balloons! Wang Yuze said.

"Yes, Your Majesty! Then do we send planes over or airships over? If it is an airplane, it will be much faster, and tomorrow it will be able to launch an attack on the observation balloon of the Russians. But the premise is that the army side must first build an airstrip. If it's an airship, it won't be able to fight until the day after tomorrow at the earliest! Lieutenant General Long Feiyu asked. In this war, in addition to the bombing of Vladivostok and the provision of logistical supplies for the army's operations in Burma, the air force could only be a spectator most of the time, which made Admiral Long Feiyu a little itchy.

"Let's airship! Against the observation balloons of the Russians, small airships will do the trick. Airplanes are our secret weapon, and it would be nice to be able to expose them later! Wang Yuze said. Because China used airships in the war and achieved great results, Western countries have increased their research on airships. Wang Yuze is hoping that all countries will pay attention to airships, and then the planes of the Chinese Air Force will be able to achieve miraculous results by surprise. Therefore, it is better to continue to keep the secret weapon of the airplane.

"Yes, Your Majesty! I'll arrange it right away! Lieutenant General Long Feiyu replied.

Soon, ten small airships will take off from Beijing's Nanyuan Air Base, and they will fly directly to the Irkutsk front line to support the army attack and take out the Russian observation balloons.

The battles of June 11 and June 12 have been an artillery battle between China and Russia. It's just that the two sides have wins and losses against each other. Although it was still the Chinese artillery that had the upper hand, the Russian artillery gradually began to decline again. This pleased Grand Duke Nikolai very much, as if he had seen the hope of victory. Grand Duke Nikolai did not expect the Russian army to defeat the squadron, he only hoped to hold out in Irkutsk until the navy defeated the Chinese navy. At that time, the shape of the war can be reversed, and maybe the Russian army will still have a chance to win.

On June 13, the artillery battle between the two sides was still in full swing. Observation balloons from both Chinese and Russian artillery were lifted into the air, ready to provide artillery guidance for their respective artillery. And at this time, ten huge airships approached from the east of Irkutsk to the sky over Irkutsk. Although it is a small airship, the airbag is nearly 100 meters long, and from the ground, it looks like a behemoth!