There is good news and bad news for Leclerc.

The good news is that Tsaritsyn is located downstream of the Volga River, and the water here is not that fast.

The bad news is, the river is very wide!

But even if the river is wide, pontoons must be built.

In order to attract the attention of the Ming army to Tsaritsyn, Napoleon had already paid a price of 20,000 men.

This is not counting the Italians who lost thousands of people!

Napoleon had long known that if he could not penetrate to the east bank of the Volga River and completely surround Tsaritsyn, the battle against Tsaritsyn would be another meat grinder battle.

That kind of battle was fought by the French army. After a large number of lives were lost on both sides of the war, both sides were losers.

Therefore, Napoleon secretly formulated such a plan and ordered Leclerc, his most promising star in the French army, to command the battlefield.

The Russians had long implemented a policy of fortification and clearing the country. All ships on the Volga River were centralized and guarded, and no one was allowed to go down the river.

Moreover, the Russians also destroyed all the bridges.

Moreover, several bridges were filled with explosives. As long as the French army attacked the bridges, they would be blown up immediately.

Leclerc ordered his men to cut down many trees and secretly build many rafts.

This led to tonight's raid!

These rafts are also used as materials for building bridges.

Thousands of engineers transferred from Norway began to build the pontoon bridge.

No matter what, the pontoon bridge must be repaired before dawn to allow more French troops to cross the Volga River!

The Russian army's reaction was surprisingly slow, and it was not until the sky became slightly brighter that it launched a small-scale counterattack.

The French army easily defeated the Russian attack and occupied a small high ground on the east bank of the Volga River.

This was a good observation post, and the communications troops immediately pulled the field phone here so that they could call for artillery support from the rear at any time.

After all this delay, Leclerc heard the rumble of the airship.

Thank God, these gentlemen are finally here.

The airship not only carried supplies, but also howitzers, which the French army needed most now.

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Li Xiao didn't sleep well last night because he had dreams of war all night long.

One moment I dreamed of fighting with the Tatars of Houjin, and the other moment I dreamed of fighting with the Japanese.

After a while, the opponent turned into a dark Indian again.

It wasn't until the opponent was replaced by a blond guy that Li Xiao woke up.

After washing, I had breakfast. Breakfast was very simple. A boiled egg, warm rice porridge and steamed buns.

A few pickles and a small plate of ham.

As long as you are not in a front-line trench, this is a standard breakfast for the Ming army.

From Li Xiao to an ordinary soldier, there is no difference.

"Commander, the latest battle report." When Li Xiao walked into the command post, Shi Dewei happened to be walking out with the battle report.

After seeing Li Xiao, he directly put the battle report into Li Xiao's hand.

"What's so urgent?" Li Xiao found that Shi Dewei, who had always been steady, had a very anxious expression on his face.

"The French have crossed the Volga River at the bend of the Samara River and are now reinforcing their positions.

The Russian army organized an attack at five o'clock in the morning, but failed to repel the French army.

I estimate that the French army is building a pontoon bridge there now."

"Samara Bend?" Li Xiao narrowed his eyes.

The water flow in the Samara Bend is not very fast, and the Volga River turns a big bend here.

As long as the French army gathers a force here, it can insert directly behind Tsaritsyn and encircle Tsaritsyn.

At this time, the main force of the Ming army was on the west bank of the Volga River. On the east bank, in addition to the troops who had withdrawn to rest and recuperate, there were more various baggage.

If the French army were to attack Huanglong directly, the consequences would be disastrous.

Li Xiao looked at the map, his brows twisted into the character "Sichuan".

But as he looked at it, Li Xiao's brows immediately widened.

"Where is Mr. Man?" Li Xiao looked at Shi Dewei and asked.

"We are still two or three days away from Tsaritsyn. Do you mean to let Mr. Man deal with them?"

Shi Dewei immediately understood what Li Xiao meant.

Now on the east bank of the Volga River, the only troops that can be used are Man Ye's 1st Cavalry Division.

“Svet Loyal!

As long as we are stuck here, the French army cannot continue to wreak havoc on the east bank. When Man Ye's 1st Cavalry Division arrives, we can drive them down the Volga River."

Li Xiao noticed that although the water flow in the Samara Bay was slow, the river channel was very wide.

It will definitely take time to build a pontoon bridge in a place like this.

More importantly, how many people and materials can pass through the pontoon bridge every day? Although the French army's move seems clever, the delayed supplies will make their adventure meaningless.

"Tell Kutuzov to blow up all the bridges on the Volga. Don't leave any of them behind!"

Li Xiao knew that some bridges were not easy to build and the Russians were reluctant to blow them up.

They only installed explosives on the bridge piers and would blow up the bridge when the French approached.

Now he can't care about so much. Li Xiao doesn't have much confidence in the Russians' combat effectiveness.

There is only one bridge across the Volga River now, and that is the bridge leading to Tsaritsyn City.

"promise!"

"Also, order the Stuka to take off. Go and see what happened in the Samara Bend!

If possible, let them bomb it."

Li Xiao knew that with the current accuracy of bomb delivery, the chance of blowing up the pontoon bridge was very low.

However, a blind cat can still run into a dead mouse. Why don't you allow me to be unlucky?

"No!" Stewie also woke up from the initial panic.

Although the Russian army's combat effectiveness is low, the Samara Bend is more than 100 kilometers away from Tsaritsyn.

No matter how disabled the Russian army was, it was impossible for the French army to attack Tsaritsyn within two days.

And the commander is right, how much traffic can a floating bridge carry every day?

The French don't have tractors, let alone cars.

What about their logistical supplies? They all rely on airships?

Stewie felt that more planes should be sent to patrol the Samara River bend. If they see a French airship, I'll beat them down.

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When Napoleon received the battle report, it was earlier than Li Xiao.

At this time, he was pacing excitedly inside the command post, as long as the pontoon bridge in the Samara Bend was erected.

The French army will be able to attack the Ming army from the flank!

A journey of more than 100 kilometers would take at most three days to attack the rear of Tsaritsyn.

"Folian, order the troops to step up the attack. If you want to hold the Ming army firmly, they must not be allowed to retreat to the rear.

If we kill one more Ming man here, there will be one less Ming man in Tsaritsyn."

Napoleon's triangular eyes revealed a fierce light!

In order to cover the operations in the Samara Bend, he filled the frontal positions with more than 18,000 people.

Leclerc's success came at such a heavy price.

He doesn't have so many requirements for Leclerc's actions.

Just go back to the rear of Tsaritsyn and cut off the connection between Tsaritsyn and the east bank of the Volga River.

As long as Tsaritsyn loses supplies, it will be very easy to be captured.

Napoleon has keenly discovered that the current combat style of war has undergone great changes.

Whoever has sufficient logistical supplies will win the final victory.

Just like an army like the Ming Army, if soldiers from both sides use the same weapons and equipment.

Whether it is physical strength or combat skills, the Ming army has no advantage.
To be continued...