Ace Troops Episode 26 Recap
> Ace Troops Recap
The Red Arrow Exercise was about to commence. Qin Hanyong had been transferred back to Regiment 700 as its acting colonel, and Li Shaobing had taken on the role of chief of staff. Qin Hanyong welcomed Gu Yiye, acknowledging their first handshake as former and current commanders of the Night Tiger Company, specifically the 28th and 32nd.
Qin Hanyong informed Gu Yiye that his opponent would be Gao Liang, which promised an interesting contest, hinting that Army Commander Zheng Yuan had orchestrated this matchup. Gu Yiye expressed confidence, stating that Gao Liang had just assumed command of the Ninth Company and was still unfamiliar with the situation, considering the Ninth Company to be "bluffing." He assured Qin Hanyong that Regiment 700 was in excellent condition and he would show no mercy.
Qin Hanyong reminded Gu Yiye that the Ninth Company was his old unit, but Gu Yiye insisted he would be ruthless. Qin Hanyong agreed that Gao Liang would likely be equally ruthless but cautioned Gu Yiye not to underestimate the Ninth Company's solid foundation. Li Shaobing then interrupted, mentioning that comrades from the rapid response experiment group of the military artillery would soon arrive to test their research results during the exercise, emphasizing the significance of the drill.
During the preparations, Gu Yiye greeted Commissar Han Chunyu and Section Chief Zhao Hongying. Li Shaobing introduced Colonel Qin Hanyong to Zhao Hongying, who was Qin Hanyong's wife. Li Shaobing quietly explained to Gu Yiye that the couple was having a strained relationship due to work-related separations, advising caution. Han Chunyu then spoke with Gu Yiye, inquiring about Xiu.
Gu Yiye shared that Xiu was doing well, attending evening college, and studying cooking, and Han Chunyu remarked that Gu Yiye's past decisions had inspired many, including her. Gu Yiye, in turn, asked about Han Chunyu and Battalion Commander Xia Lin, learning that Xia Lin, a former division scout model, and Han Chunyu were getting married. Gu Yiye congratulated them and shared his plan to settle his home and bring Xiu to live with him after the exercise.
Han Chunyu also mentioned Jiang Nanzheng's rapid progress in her career, often appearing in military newspapers, making her seem to be moving further and further away from them. Soon after, Xia Lin arrived to pick up Han Chunyu. Gu Yiye jokingly warned Xia Lin that Han Chunyu, being an expert in artillery rapid reaction, could unleash artillery fire if he couldn't keep up, to which Xia Lin retorted that he had an artillery reconnaissance and positioning radar.
As the Red Arrow Exercise began, Regiment 720 successfully captured Highland 501. Song Jianshe was pleased, viewing it as a key strong point that left Regiment 700's defenses wide open. Despite losing one company, he felt Regiment 720 had gained an advantage. Prompted by Xia Lin, Song Jianshe decided to press the advantage with continuous attacks, ordering his artillery positions to move forward and sending the Eighth and Ninth Companies to search ahead.
Meanwhile, at Regiment 700's command center, Li Shaobing explained that the mountainous southern terrain made Regiment 720's infantry-artillery coordinated strike system a significant threat. He argued that attacking north through Greenstone Gorge without artillery support would expose their infantry to Regiment 720's superior firepower, leading to certain defeat. Li Shaobing's strategy was to "do whatever it takes to shoot down the long-range artillery of Regiment 720 by abandoning Highland 501 and opening the defense at Greenstone Gorge.
If they get in, once the artillery positions of Regiment 720 move, we will have a chance to spot it and shoot it down." However, not everyone at Regiment 720 shared Song Jianshe's enthusiasm. When Song Jianshe ordered the main force to attack Highland 502 and aim for Regiment 700's command, Lu Pingfan vehemently disagreed, questioning if Song Jianshe intended to send Regiment 720 to its death.
Lu Pingfan asserted that Highland 501 was a trap set by Regiment 700, not a genuine victory. A scout report confirmed that Regiment 720 had indeed occupied Highland 501 but had not continued its attack. At Army A's directorate, He Zhigeng expressed concern over Qin Hanyong losing Highland 501 so early, but Zheng Yuan dismissed this, implying Qin Hanyong was not foolish.
Lu Pingfan elaborated on the difficulty of moving Regiment 720's heavy 152 Gun-Howitzers in mountainous terrain, especially at dawn, warning that if their artillery was left behind Greenstone Gorge, the risk would multiply, and a stretched battle line without artillery support was untenable. He stated that if both sides lacked their reinforced artillery, Regiment 720 was outmatched by Regiment 700. Song Jianshe, however, accused Lu Pingfan of demoralizing their troops, an sentiment echoed by Xia Lin.
Lu Pingfan stood his ground, emphasizing the importance of self-awareness and knowing one's true strength in combat. He declared that real combat relied on "true grit, not fancy skills or words," and, based on actual training levels, three Regiment 720s might not be able to defeat Regiment 700 in a fair fight. This angered Song Jianshe.
A scout then reported a large enemy transport convoy of over 20 vehicles sighted on No. 4 Highway, estimated to reach Highland 502 within an hour. Xia Lin urged an immediate attack to reach Highland 502 before the convoy.
Despite Lu Pingfan's warnings about potential heavy casualties in a real battle, Song Jianshe, after some deliberation, ordered the main force to advance towards Highland 502 and instructed the 122 Cannon Battalion to move swiftly towards Greenstone Gorge, declaring he would see if three Regiment 720s could defeat Regiment 700.
He then entrusted Lu Pingfan with command of the artillery battalion, demanding that Position 502 be within their artillery fire range within one hour, emphasizing the immense responsibility for over a thousand lives and threatening severe consequences if the artillery was lost. Meanwhile, Qin Hanyong received the report of Regiment 720's large-scale movement towards Highland 501 and felt relieved, confirming his understanding of Song Jianshe's predictable strategy.
He stated that by eliminating Regiment 720's firepower advantage, victory would be theirs, and ordered Gu Yiye to act when ready. At the directorate, some chiefs expressed optimism, citing Regiment 720's strong morale and tactical position, suggesting victory was within reach. However, Zheng Yuan cautioned that high morale, while good, could become "a recipe for failure" if the operational principles were flawed. He elaborated that if Song Jianshe stretched his forces with a deep strike, it would become a weakness.
Qin Hanyong, he deduced, had intentionally abandoned positions to concentrate forces and bite hard into Regiment 720's stretched formation. The true test, Zheng Yuan concluded, would be whose daily training was more thorough. Soon after, a report confirmed Zheng Yuan's predictions: Regiment 720's main force was attacking Highland 502, while Regiment 700 had indeed abandoned all positions to gradually encircle and defeat Regiment 720, whose vanguard was already trapped.
Zheng Yuan noted that this exercise would serve as a crucial test of Regiment 720's resilience and whether their acclaimed models and experience held up in reality. Regiment 720 found itself in a dire situation. Reports poured in that their First Battalion was surrounded by Regiment 700 forces concentrated in the forests around Highland 502, while the Second Battalion was blocked in Greenstone Gorge.
Song Jianshe desperately tried to maintain control, demanding updates on Gao Liang's Ninth Company and Lu Pingfan's artillery, unaware of their whereabouts. He then ordered a retreat to Highland 501 to prevent further losses. As Regiment 700 pursued Song Jianshe's fleeing troops, Song Jianshe vowed never to be captured again. However, a directorate official intervened, halting Regiment 700's pursuit, stating they had entered Regiment 720's artillery range. Regiment 700 soldiers were bewildered, believing Regiment 720's 122 Cannons were still blocked.
The official then revealed that Regiment 720's 122 Cannon Battalion had already deployed and launched simulated blocking fire, effectively separating the two forces. Realizing Lu Pingfan's clever maneuver, Qin Hanyong praised his initiative. A subsequent directorate report confirmed that the Second Battalion of Regiment 720's artillery regiment had indeed deployed in the Sandouping area, using simulated fire to cover Regiment 720's retreat.
Zheng Yuan expressed surprise at how quickly the heavy cannons had crossed Yeya Lake, which lay between No. 7 Highway and Sandouping. An officer explained that a narrow, shallow, and solid-bottomed section of the lake had been quickly reinforced with soil by trucks, allowing the artillery to pass. Zheng Yuan recognized this ingenious move could reverse the tide for Song Jianshe.
After the narrow escape, Song Jianshe reluctantly acknowledged Lu Pingfan's successful tactic but immediately berated him for "wasting" brand-new equipment by taking the artillery through water. He emphasized the fundamental difference between exercises and real combat, pointing out that in a real war, he would have been a gravestone, and the pursuing soldiers would have been dead.
Lu Pingfan retorted that equipment was meant to be used and tested in battle, and joked that Song Jianshe had yet to thank him, and would "die again" if he didn't listen. With the situation evolving, Qin Hanyong ordered Gu Yiye to exploit the morning fog to lead a company through a gap between Highland 3 and Highland 4, with the objective of finding and destroying Regiment 720's artillery positions and command, rendering their cannons useless.
Qin Hanyong also planned a simultaneous frontal attack. However, Gu Yiye countered Qin Hanyong's plan, predicting that Regiment 720 would have a counter-plan and that a deep frontal assault with a full company would be suicidal. Instead, he proposed sending a company as a feint (as Qin Hanyong suggested) but requested permission to lead a small 20-person squad himself for a surprise raid from the rear mountain. Qin Hanyong, Gu Yiye's old company commander, understood his intentions.
Concurrently, at Regiment 720, Song Jianshe and his team were discussing Regiment 700's potential moves. They had already identified Niudu Outpost as a strategic choke point that needed securing. Gao Liang, having observed the situation, argued that Qin Hanyong's plan to destroy their artillery command was too obvious and that Lu Pingfan would certainly have countermeasures.
He even calculated the combined threat of "Qin Dapao's ambition, Li Shaobing's craftiness, and Gu Yiye's raid ability," concluding that "you'll lose if you think you're lucky." Han Chunyu, at the research group, was busy encrypting Regiment 720's artillery data. Gu Yiye, covered in mud, sought her out, technically violating rules.
He reported Regiment 700's recent artillery interception and, based on the terrain and firing direction, deduced that Regiment 720's 122 Cannons were likely positioned on an open ground behind Niudu Outpost. Han Chunyu confirmed his deduction was largely correct, but could not provide confidential data. Song Jianshe, still confident, ordered Gao Liang to lead the Ninth Company to Niudu Outpost within an hour, ensuring no Regiment 700 soldier escaped, and to protect all equipment and personnel.
On the way to Niudu Outpost, Gao Liang's unit encountered a venomous snake. A soldier, Wang Xiaolei, panicked and threw a paper grenade, injuring himself. This incident highlighted the Ninth Company's lack of practical training and inflated self-image. Song Jianshe, seeing Regiment 700 forces penetrating Position 3 and 4, felt confident in turning the tide and ordered Xia Lin to annihilate them. Xia Lin engaged Regiment 700 and reported them cornered. Song Jianshe promised him the highest merit.
However, a report then came in stating that Regiment 700's First Battalion's Second Company had been completely annihilated and had exited the exercise. Xia Lin attributed this "heavy loss" to Gu Yiye's cruel tactic of using them as "cannon fodder," but saw it as a victory. He praised Gu Yiye's strategy as ruthless but effective, worth any price to destroy their artillery command system, and warned Gao Liang to protect the Ninth Company's hard-won merit.
Gao Liang, however, suspected a trap, but his concerns were dismissed by Xia Lin. Risking severe punishment for insubordination, Gao Liang made the difficult decision to "betray" Regiment 720. He ordered He Dazhuang to lead the Third Platoon and follow him. Gao Liang directly confronted Gu Yiye at Regiment 720's artillery position. Gu Yiye acknowledged that without Gao Liang's "betrayal" and decision to lay down arms, Regiment 700 would not have been able to win.
Gao Liang explained that while it was a shameful act, he had to be a "traitor" to Regiment 720 to force a "crushing defeat," believing this was the only way for the exercise to be truly realistic and beneficial for the future of the army. He stated that he was sacrificing for "the thing behind the real exercise." Gu Yiye's soldier called Gao Liang a "tragic hero," to which Gao Liang clarified the immense difficulty of his decision.
He and Gu Yiye then had a private conversation, where Gu Yiye acknowledged there were other ways to bring change. Gao Liang affirmed that he would not be changed by the current reality. Gao Liang then ordered the "Blue Army" (Gu Yiye's forces) to capture the "Red Army's" artillery position within the stipulated time, stating he was doing it to "save his old regiment," Regiment 720. Ultimately, Gu Yiye's small team successfully destroyed Regiment 720's artillery ammunition dump.
Although Regiment 720 had a second command system, Gu Yiye's team destroyed a "stand-in," making the attack valid. Qin Hanyong had initially underestimated Gu Yiye, calling him "nothing but eye candy," but Li Shaobing noted Lu Pingfan's cleverness and Gao Liang's foresight in bringing 100mm mortars, which Regiment 700's attacking troops later encountered. The directorate eventually ordered Gao Liang to cease fire, allowing Gu Yiye's team to complete their objective.
After the exercise, Lu Pingfan confronted Gu Yiye, saying his victory was only due to Gao Liang's "betrayal." Gu Yiye admitted he couldn't have won otherwise. Lu Pingfan defended Gao Liang, stating that his painful act was necessary to awaken Regiment 720 from its complacency, and "using pain to wash away shame is worth it."
Gu Yiye still considered his victory "disgraceful," but Lu Pingfan countered that while Gu Yiye won a "trophy," Regiment 720 had gained something far more valuable. Later, Gao Liang confided in Lu Pingfan, explaining his actions. He felt responsible for saving the Ninth Company and believed a commander should not let soldiers sacrifice themselves for "useless people" or "eye candy." He revealed that the Ninth Company, a full training unit, had never conducted live grenade training.
He had just returned from the hospital, where two of his soldiers were injured (one leg, one hand) by a paper grenade, all due to "cheating" and neglecting realistic training. He asserted that the unit "must fail once, breaking and rebuilding" to focus on solid training. Gao Liang expressed profound sadness over his old unit becoming overconfident and losing its way, apologizing to the "seniors who have passed away." He believed it wasn't too late to change.
Gu Yiye, meanwhile, stated his intention to make the Night Tiger Company even better, challenging Gao Liang to catch up. Lu Pingfan asked Gao Liang about his future plans, calling his path "heroically tragic" and warning it would face many obstacles. Gao Liang, undeterred, stated he was not afraid but respected the challenges, resolving to observe, think, and make changes in his own way—a "premeditated gradual progression" rather than a drastic overthrow like his recent actions.
