Within a few days after April 10, the strength of the French Army's 2nd Army was greatly strengthened. The army won the 2nd, 3rd and 4th Armored Divisions and the 3rd Motorized Infantry Divisions from the General Reserve Team, and also obtained the 3rd Light Cavalry Division of the 3rd Army. In addition, the 2nd and 5th Light Cavalry Divisions, which were originally affiliated with the 2nd Army, had several infantry divisions, and the 2nd Army became the main force of the coalition forces on the central front.

Moreover, most of the troops under the 2nd Army are mechanized and motorized units, including 3 spare armored divisions, 1 motorized infantry division and 3 semi-motorized cavalry divisions. These 7 divisions, plus the 1st Armored Division of the 9th Army (currently in Belgium and being transferred to France) and the 1st and 4th Light Cavalry Divisions are all the mobile forces of the coalition forces in France (not counting the newly built mechanized/motorized units after April 10).

If all these 10 divisions are reimbursed in the first phase of the battle, then there is no force that can stop the actions of the 12th German Army (strengthening the 41st Armored Army and 1st Armored Division) and the 1st Armored Army.

This means that at the end of the first phase of the battle, the German Army Group A can complete two roundabout encirclements at the same time, and cooperate with the B Army Group B and C Army Groups to encircle the two strategic main forces of the coalition forces on the defense lines of Belgium and Maginot.

"Marson, I think this is a rare opportunity!" Manstein knocked on the Monte-Diu Heights on the map with a baton. "It is only 15 kilometers away from Sedan, and they are almost delivered to the door. Moreover, the main force of the 16th Army (affiliated to the Army A) has arrived in Velton, Belgium (the southernmost part of Belgium, close to France and southern Luxembourg), and within 2-3 days they can advance to the vicinity of Stene on the river Maas (affiliated to France, 30 kilometers southeast of Sedan). At that time, the flanks of the French Second Army will be threatened by the 16th Army, and the army will be trapped in the encirclement of our 12th and 16th Army, or collapse under the pursuit of the three armored divisions of the 12th Army."

Since dozens of divisions were trapped on the Maginot line and could not get out for a while, the French could make up at most 10 divisions in this counterattack, while the 12th Army and the 16th Army had nearly 40 divisions, so there was no suspense in the outcome.

Marshal Harmanstein nodded, "Just do it like this, make a battle plan immediately. The plan doesn't have to be too detailed. Just have a rough idea, but it must be completed this afternoon."

The encirclement and annihilation of the French Second Army was an opportunity to suddenly appear, so naturally there was no time to make a very careful plan. In fact, in a major battle, there would be many "unplanned" battles to be fought. Sometimes both sides of the war had no plans, and they would be in a mess.

This was the case in the Monte-Diu Heights in the evening of April 15. Manstein was still telling the commander of the Army Group of the Group by phone that General Longdested, General Rondsted, on the front line. Guderian, who was busy organizing troops to march north towards the English Channel. General Klester, who was responsible for commanding the 12th Army to fight south, and his headquarters had just crossed the Maas River and had not completed the handover with Guderian.

The "Great German" flag team of a battalion (tank battalion) of the 10th Armored Division who was deployed in the Monte Diu Heights was not aware that there would be a long and arduous battle to go on. The order they had received before was only to hold on to the Monte Diu Heights until the 17th, and they could leave here and head north in one and a half days.

And their opponent, General Betty Busch, commander of the 3rd French Armored Division and the 3rd Motorized Infantry Division, also did not have a feasible combat plan. He was busy concentrating his troops for most of the day on April 15.

The 3rd Armored Division of the French Army and the 3rd Motorized Infantry Division were dispersed yesterday afternoon and evening to deploy defenses. Now the trenches have not been dug yet and they have to concentrate on the attack. In the process, Henschel HS-1 and Junker Ju87 have been constantly throwing bombs. It was a very busy time.

On the German side, Superman also took a nap! The tank battalion of the 10th Armored Division, which was supposed to defend with the "Great German" flag team, was transferred north by Guderian at 4:30 pm, and the 5th Armored Division who was receiving the defense had not arrived yet.

So there were only 6 No. 3 assault guns of the Great German flag team (designed in the Sugar Bread) and 1 No. 4 tank of the 10th Armored Division were left on the Monte Diu Heights, which was broken in the early morning of the 15th. The tank was repaired in the evening, and all the crew members returned and prepared to drive the tank away after dinner.

At this moment, the artillery bombardment before the French attack began!

...

"Tank! Tank! French tanks are coming!"

Before the roar of the cannon had dissipated, Rudolph Ribbentrop heard his company commander Captain Kruger shouting loudly.

He must have been calling the flag team headquarters to report on the situation on the front line. Rudolph Ribbintrov raised his head from the fox pit and took a look forward. He saw more than a dozen "Hodgkis" H39 light tanks lined up, guiding many French infantry forward slowly.

Fortunately, the No. 711 tank is still there! Rudolph Ribbintrov thought to himself, otherwise these H39s would not be easy to deal with.

When he thought of this, he heard the roar of a motor and the sound of a track crushing the ground. When he turned around, he saw that the No. 4 tank was indeed coming.

"Rudolph, go and help me!" Schwarzenegger's loud voice suddenly remembered, "Go and help them push the cannon, behind the No. 4 tank!"

Rudolph Ribbentrop quickly got up, hugged his waist and ran behind the No. 4 tank. He saw that the tank was dragging a 47mm anti-tank gun. It was the cannon that exploded No. 700 and destroyed No. 711 in the early morning. After it was seized by Schwarzenegger's infantry platoon, it was immediately incorporated into the 14th anti-tank gun. The 47mm anti-tank gun of the Frenchman was better than the 50mm gun of the No. 3 tank. It can penetrate 89mm at a distance of 500 meters and 72mm homogeneous vertical armor at a distance of 1000 meters.

Rudolph Ribbentrop helped a temporary gun team with insufficient manpower (Leader Heinz, a platoon leader of the anti-tank gun company), push the 47mm cannon behind a row of wooden fences. At this time, the 75mm cannon of the No. 4 tank was fired.

First, the machine gun fired simultaneously, and then two "boom" guns, and a h39 tank that rushed in the front was fired into a fireball. At the same time, two 37mm cannons that were ambushed in advance also opened fire, and two h39 were fired. Then the No. 711 tank opened fire again, and another h39 was exploded. Then, the 47mm cannon commanded by Lieutenant Heinz also joined the shelling, and soon a h39 tank was exploded.

"This is not possible at all!" Major General Betty Busch, who was watching the battle in the rear, saw that the four H39s were blown up in a very short time, and immediately shouted. "Let the charb1 heavy tanks go up! Let the heavy tanks go up!"

"Major General, now only 54 charb1 heavy tanks can be activated." Colonel Brocard quickly reminded. "If all these tanks are consumed in the attack on infantry, what should we do if the enemy's armored division comes?"

"Send all the heavy tanks!" Major General Betty Busch shouted, "We must take down the Monte-Diu Heights... Now the whole of France is counting on us, go and mobilize the tanks."

...

"Aiwald, now the Mont Diu Heights is being attacked by the French army." Guderian held the "Stoneney Battle Plan" he had just received, and while flipping through the battle, he discussed the battle situation with Aiwald von Klester, the commander of the 12th Army who had just arrived.

"The Great German Infantry Regiment is guarding there," said Guderian. "I will leave this strengthening regiment (equivalent to the brigade) for you. The 5th Armored Division, the 6th Armored Division of the 41st Armored Army, and the 8th Armored Division have all crossed the Maas River. These three armored divisions are now yours. I will leave 20% of the gasoline to your 12th Army, so that it will be enough to fight until the 16th Army captures Stine."

The Steiner on the banks of the Maas River is about 70 kilometers away from the city of Luxembourg. Because it is an important industrial and mining area (iron mine), it has good road facilities. The city of Luxembourg itself is a railway hub. The German logistics department can transport gasoline to Luxembourg by railway and then transport it to Steiner 70 kilometers away by truck, which is very convenient. So Guderian unceremoniously used 80% of the gasoline to supply his First Armored Army.

General Klester thought for a moment, "The French troops are coming south of the Monte-Diu Heights?"

Guderian smiled humorously: "Yes, we all came to die, which saves us the fuel."

"Okay, I'll give 80% of the oil to the 1st Armor Group military, and I'll leave it to me on the south side!" General Klester was reasonable, thought for a moment, and then accepted Guderian's suggestion.

General Kleist, who came from a famous family, was a senior officer who was very considerate of the overall situation. He knew that in the next few days, Guderian needed gasoline more than him. Because his 12th Army did not need to run two or three hundred kilometers to Dunkirk and Calais.
Chapter completed!