 2 in the north and northwest leading towards Phước Bình, the 271st Regiment blocked Route 309, the 16th Regiment moved from Tây Ninh to the north of Song Be, the 78th Special Forces Battalion gathered near the foot of Ba Ra mountain, while the 2nd and 209th Regiments were placed in reserve.In addition the PAVN 4th Army Corps was strengthened with one artillery company equipped with 130 mm artillery guns, and two armoured companies with 14 T-54 tanks.On December 31, 1974, as Lieutenant General Dư Quốc Đống received President Thiệu's message, the PAVN began their final assault on the district of Phước Long with the 165th Regiment, the 141st Regiment, the 3rd Battalion and several local Viet Cong units leading the attack.