artillery arc

Chapter 418: Friendly Forces in Trouble
When Yegorov saw the first smoke bomb explode, he cursed: "Another smoke bomb! I'm so sick of smoke bombs! Why doesn't the general let them develop something to deal with smoke!"

Brigadier General Eugene also put down his binoculars: "The Prosons were also forced out...Isn't it time to move the tank destroyers?"

Yegorov nodded. "Yes, the vortex is a precious thing. Let the tanks and anti-tank artillery units hold back the enemy before the vortex moves into place. Hmm?"

Brigadier General Eugene was still puzzled: "What's wrong?"

Yegorov did not answer, but raised his telescope and looked southwest.

Brigadier General Eugene also looked in the same direction.

After a few seconds he said, "Is it...the smoke that doesn't cover it?"

Yegorov: "Yes, the vortex is still firing, and there is obviously a gap in vision there. What's going on? The Prosons can't make such a mistake."

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw several smoke bombs falling at the gap, but the smoke balls they produced were too small.

At this time, the air flow on the battlefield was very chaotic due to the exchange of fire, and coupled with the strong wind on the grassland at this season, those small smoke clusters quickly dispersed and were unable to effectively block the view.

Yegorov muttered, "Don't they have enough smoke bombs?"

Brigadier General Eugene: "It is possible. When the transport capacity is insufficient, we will first replenish armor-piercing shells and high-explosive shells. I will do the same."

Yegorov put down the binoculars, turned his head and ordered: "The 225st Guards Mechanized Infantry Destroyer Battalion does not move, and continues to snipe the enemy from the spot. The th Division Destroyer Battalion abandons the original plan and maneuvers to the enemy's flank, bypassing the smoke blocking the view on the north side.

"The 225th Division's Armored Battalion will follow the Annihilation Battalion and act as a defensive force. The 40th Tank Army will not move for the time being."

The operator on the communication vehicle responded loudly and began to use the radio to convey orders, repeating over and over again: "The 1st Mechanized Infantry Annihilation Battalion of the Imperial Guards does not move..."

Yegorov continued to observe the battlefield through the telescope: "Even the smoke on the north side is very thin. The enemy must not have enough smoke bombs. Those small pieces of smoke just now should be fired by the Type 3 tank. This time we are in for a big one!"

Brigadier General Eugene: "Indeed. Without the cover of smoke bombs, our tank destroyers have shown their advantage at long distances. Unfortunately, we can't see the enemy throwing away their weapons from our perspective."

The enemy's smoke could not completely block the view of the two "sniper positions" in the north and south, but it blocked the vision of Yegorov and Eugene.

Therefore, Yegorov could only issue a relatively general encirclement order just now, and the decision on how to encircle the enemy was left to the commanders of the tank battalion and the fighter battalion of the 225th Division.

Yegorov looked for a while, then turned the telescope and looked at the destroyer battalion and tank battalion of the 225th Division.

The tank battalion had just withdrawn from the tank shelter, and the destroyer battalion had already started to maneuver because it was lying directly on the ground without any shelter.

The maneuvering speed of the Vortex was originally faster than that of the T34W, so the Vortex Brigade had already run a long way, trailing thick smoke.

Brigadier General Eugene noticed this and asked, "Should we stop the vortex?"

Yegorov: "No, if the enemy targets the vortex, the tank battalion will hit them from the side, that's it."

Eugene: "It's a pity that we can't see the enemy's movements. How about we move as well?"

Yegorov obviously hesitated, but in the end he shook his head: "No, it's enough that we have only one general who can drive a tank at the front line. If we follow the general's words, the chief of staff will go crazy."

The two division commanders were on the front line commanding the special combat groups to launch ambushes, and the rest of the troops of the two divisions were under the command of the division staff.

The chiefs of staff of the two divisions estimated that the amount of hair on their heads was rapidly approaching that of Pavlov.

About ten minutes later, Yegorov saw the vortex, which was maneuvering on the flank, stop, turn, and start firing.

Although Yegorov himself could not see the results of the shooting, he believed in the members of the Vortex. In order to destroy Plosen's tanks at a distance of 1800 meters, all the members of the group had undergone arduous training.

The sound of the vortex's guns drowned out the sounds of all other artillery fire, demonstrating the suppressive power of caliber.

Yegorov looked at the smoke that blocked his view for the umpteenth time.

At this time, the communicator came forward with a walkie-talkie: "Tank 40th Army calling."

Yegorov took the walkie-talkie: "This is Yegorov, what's the matter?"

Kosikov's voice came through the walkie-talkie, a little distorted: "My tanks have no vision, let us join in and destroy the enemy! Let's rush through the smoke!"

Yegorov: "No! You are a two-man turret. Once you start moving, your battlefield perception ability will be poor. If you get into a melee, the enemy tankers will take advantage!"

Brigadier General Eugene muttered quietly: "Battlefield perception is a word the general likes to use."

Although Yegorov and Eugene were both generals, and Kosikov, who was talking on the radio, was a lieutenant general, it was clear that there was only one person in the First Mobile Group who could be referred to as "general".

Kosikov could not hear Eugene's words, but continued to plead: "The victory is before our eyes, and the soldiers can't wait any longer, Dawasili, let us join the battle!"

Yegorov: "No, the general hopes not only for victory, but also for a good exchange ratio. Do you understand exchange ratio? So..."

"Wait a minute," said Brigadier General Eugene. "I remember the general said when he gave the instructions that we need to attract the enemy's attention so as to cover the Borsk Front - that is, Prince Myshkin's troops! Isn't it better to deploy the 40th Tank Army to create some momentum at this time?"

Yegorov thought about it and nodded: "You are right." Kosikov didn't hear what Eugene said from beginning to end. He was confused at this time: "I am right? Are you saying that the soldiers can't hold back any longer?"

Yegorov: "No, I say you should launch an offensive. Lieutenant General Kosikov, in the name of the command of the ambush battle group, I beg you to launch an offensive operation."

After all, Kosikov was a lieutenant general, and he only accepted the command of Yegorov, a major general, because of Rokossov's great reputation.

That's why Yegorov "begged" instead of commanding.

Kosikov: "No way! As long as we can win, anyone can lead. Didn't General Rokossov command many people with higher ranks than himself during the first stage of the counter-offensive last year? I will join the offensive now."

Yegorov: "Good luck to you!"

The 40th Tank Army is equipped with tanks with obvious defects, so they need good luck.

----

Major General Karl looked at the situation on the battlefield anxiously.

Due to the shortage of smoke bombs, the Ant Army was able to fully utilize the advantage of long-range firepower.

The enemy's new assault gun is so powerful that it can kill anyone it hits, and at the same time it can "directly" eliminate almost all of the Plosson Army's armor-piercing shells.

And the damn thing runs fast and seems to be pretty reliable.

How could there be something so unreasonable?
Major General Karl thought about it and felt that this thing might just be a layer of paper on the side, which was the only way it would make sense.

So as long as you go around to the side, you can easily beat this thing.

The problem is that there is no way around it.

Major General Karl is now very sure that in addition to the assault guns, there are at least one battalion of anti-tank guns and several battalions of T34 tanks in front of him.

Although the long-barreled gun of the Type 34 could easily deal with the T tank, it could not withstand the extremely fierce firepower outside the tank.

Now Carl's headphones were filled with screams and the hysterical roars of the tankers.

While the enemy was encircling, an unknown number of assault guns had occupied the north side of the 14-tank assault front and were "opening the cans" of the 14-tank tanks one by one.

Although the enemies on the south side did not outflank us, they had a clear range of fire and had been firing since the battle began.

Carl estimated that his division had lost more than half of its men. If the enemy continued to deploy armored forces, the situation would be dire.

At this moment, Major General Karl heard the roar of the engine and the clicking of the gearbox gears coming from the front of him.

The enemy has deployed tank troops!
In the blink of an eye, a T34 rushed out from the smoke in front and rushed towards the already incomplete team of 14 armors!
Soon after, more T34s came through the smoke and charged forward like waves of cavalry!
Carl acted decisively, adjusted the radio of the command tank to the frequency of calling other troops, and shouted: "Schultz! Help the brothers! Help the brothers!"

----

Wang Zhong listened to the voice on the radio. Although he didn't understand Prosen language and Vasily, who could translate, was playing in the mud outside, he inexplicably felt that this sentence sounded familiar.

The Proson translator said: "This means: 'Brother, let's go!' The first character is a person's name, Schultz."

Wang Zhong looked at Pavlov: "If I remember correctly, Schultz is the commander of the 16th Armored Grenadier Division?"

"Yes, the enemy was in a hurry and started to ask for help."

Wang Zhong: "What can this Schultz do to immediately help the armored division that is about to be severely damaged by us?"

Pavlov and Popov looked at each other and shook their heads at the same time: "I don't know."

----

"Order the artillery regiment to deploy on the spot and load smoke bombs." Schultz said, "As for the coordinates..."

He looked at the map and finally poked it three times with his whip.

"Let's just hit these three positions. How much we can cover depends on the luck of the 14th gear. We have done our best."

The chief of staff of the 16th Panzergrenadier Division nodded and said, "Yes. As an Panzergrenadier Division, our armored strength is not as good as that of the 14th Panzergrenadier Division. It is a bit difficult for us to engage in a tank battle with the enemy on the grassland."

At this time, the signalman shouted: "General! The commander of the 14th Armored Division shouted that hundreds of tanks are attacking him!"

Schultz frowned. "Hundreds? Impossible. The Air Force's reconnaissance didn't find any clues at all! Yesterday's aerial reconnaissance photos showed that everything was normal! It's impossible not to have photographed so many tanks!"

The Chief of Staff said: "Perhaps... in order to urge us to rescue, he deliberately reported an exaggerated number?"

Schultz pursed his lips, thought for a while and then said, "It is very dangerous to confront the enemy tank group head-on. Order them to stop and set up defenses, and prepare to support the fleeing soldiers of the 14th tank!"

(End of this chapter)