Arc of Gunfire

The 1st Armored Division of Mendel's Ninth Army has just received a batch of long-barreled No. 4 - the official number is No. 4 F2.

When Mendel's counterattack order was received, except for the 25 No. 4 F2 tanks that had just arrived, the division had only 45 tanks in combat readiness, and the others were under routine maintenance.

Because the division commander, Major General Hansen, had just ordered the entire division to clean the tank engine the day before yesterday. This is a very laborious task. The tank engine must be disassembled and dusted carefully. Normal field maintenance only cleans the filter at the engine air inlet. , dust or even sand will still accumulate inside the engine.

The road conditions in Ante are so bad. The tanks will raise a lot of dust wherever they go. If the engine is not disassembled to remove dust, the failure rate will soar. There is no problem with the division commander's order.

It just happened to happen that they ran into the Ant people's counterattack.

Division Commander Hansen made a prompt decision and dispatched the division's motorized reconnaissance battalion as the vanguard. He combined the currently available tanks and an armored grenadier battalion to form a battle group, and immediately set off to attack eastward.

Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen was appointed battle group commander.

————

Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen climbed onto the No. 3 command tank assigned to the battalion headquarters and glanced at the long-barreled No. 4 behind him, ready to go: "I hope these tanks have a lower failure rate."

The failure rate of new equipment that has just been put into the battlefield is always extremely high. It is normal for half of the tanks to be damaged before encountering the enemy.

The technical sergeant of the battlefield emergency repair battalion patted his chest and said, "Don't worry. Even though these tanks may look like they are carrying long tubes, they are actually still No. 4 tanks. The overall weight is just a little bit extra. They will be fine."

Lieutenant Colonel Shrieffen said: "I hope so."

He put on the earphones, picked up the microphone and said to the entire battle group: "Everyone, listen up, the Anters have found a ferry that is not on the map and have penetrated the Dua River. Our task is to push them back into the river. Go feed the fish and cheer me up!

"His Majesty the Emperor has sent us new equipment, a T34 tank that can penetrate the Ant people head-on! Of course, the test results of the people at the Imperial Academy of Sciences are all wrong. Let us see for ourselves how strong this tank is with these eyes. Witness it!

"The order is simple, go eastward and crush all the Ants you encounter!"

After saying that, he put down the microphone. At this time, the loader asked: "Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen, they said that you almost killed that Rokossov. Is it true?"

"Yes, it's Pernier. He made me suffer a lot. If I hadn't been successful and injured in the battle to siege Agsukov, I might still be a major now. But that guy is already Lieutenant General, damn it.”

The No. 4 F2 formation passed by Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen's command vehicle, and the raised smoke covered Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen's face.

The Panzer IV equipped with a long-barreled gun looked much more powerful than the original Panzer IV, which also made Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen feel better.

The Changguan No. 4 has amazing armor-piercing capabilities. With this in Haupenier, it won't be able to defeat the enemy's KV heavy tank.

Recalling Penier, Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen's expression wrinkled. He had too many bad memories of this village.

At this time, the driver reminded: "The tank queue is almost over, should we follow the tail?"

Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen: "Follow me!"

So his No. 3 command tank inserted into the road and followed closely behind the tank column. Behind him is the half-track of the Panzer Grenadier. Compared to the armored soldiers, the grenadiers received less new equipment. Instead, they strengthened the anti-aircraft artillery unit of the tank unit and used new anti-aircraft artillery - in fact, A 37mm anti-aircraft gun was obtained in the compartment of the half-track vehicle.

Shrifen shook his head.

He never thought that the war would last until the second year. In fact, during the time when he was recovering from his injuries, the most common question he was asked on the home front was: Why did we not win? The second most common question was whether we could win next year.

Some girls are more concerned about the return date of their sweetheart.

Shriven couldn't remember how he answered these questions for a while.

Just as he was trying to remember, a report from the reconnaissance battalion that had set out earlier came over the radio: "Hans Hans, an Ant tank was found in the woods to the west of the Alpha location. We are calling Bob for an attack."

Schlieffen immediately took out the map. The location of Alpha was actually the code name of Highland 247, which was agreed upon in advance for the confidentiality of radio communications. Bob's attack is actually a call for artillery attack.

He found it without much effort and muttered: "Have the enemy already penetrated this place? Then why didn't they find our military depot to launch an attack?"

The battle group staff officer said on the radio: "Perhaps the mission they were given was just to occupy the Alpha location. Ant's lower-level commanders lacked initiative, and so did the lower-level soldiers."

The combat group's staff officer was also a veteran who had been working hard on the Eastern Front for almost a year, but he actually used the tone of teaching new recruits a lesson.

Lieutenant Colonel Shrifen: "I know. I have seen Ant soldiers and know their level."

The moment he said this, Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen thought of General Rokossov who was riding a white horse and leading the KV charge.

He has forgotten the specific situation at that time - or in other words, his brain has corrected his memory of the time. Now when Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen talks about that encounter on any occasion, it is like this scene:

Schlifen was sitting in his command tank, fighting an inextricable battle with Ant's T28. At this time, Rokosov rode a white horse, holding a red flag in one hand and a saber in the other, and rushed out of the smoke of the battlefield. Head towards Schlieffen's command tank.

Just when Schlieffen ordered the tank to turn its muzzle, the KV heavy tank burst out of the smoke and charged behind General White Horse.

Schlieffen's gunner and the enemy fired at the same time. As a result, the 37mm cannon of the No. 3 command tank knocked off General White Horse's hat. The KV, due to poor shooting skills, did not hit the command tank's body directly. The shell grazed the base of the turret, causing the seat ring to jam. die.

Then Schlieffen had to give the order to abandon the car, ending this hasty duel.

After General Rokossov became famous, reporters immediately found Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen who was recovering from his injuries.

Schlieffen told this story to reporters without hesitation.

At that time, this story aroused an enthusiastic response. For a time, Schlieffen thought that the Propaganda Minister was trying to portray himself as a war hero on the same level as General Rokossov. Unexpectedly, the Propaganda Minister's propaganda focus had been on the victory of Agsukov.

Thinking of this Shilifen felt very regretful.

"Lieutenant Colonel?" came the battle group staff officer's voice over the radio, "Lieutenant Colonel, are you okay?"

"I'm fine." Lieutenant Colonel Shrifen shook his head to get rid of the distracting thoughts that suddenly occupied his mind. "It's been so long since I've been on a tank assault, I'm a little dizzy."

As soon as he finished speaking, the driver asked in the internal communication: "Do you want me to drive slower?"

"No, that's it." Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen replied, "Let me feel the wind while riding. This wind, this feeling, this is war!"

————

As soon as General Gorky put down the receiver, the chief of staff asked: "What do you think of the results of the counterattack?"

"He is very worried, afraid that we will suffer a loss. Wait a minute, don't call him prince. He is engaged to his childhood sweetheart, and the ceremony is presided over by the patriarch! It is no longer possible for him to become a prince."

The chief of staff shrugged: "Maybe after he takes back Khazalia, he will be named the King of Khazalia."

"This is possible, but don't call him Your Highness. You don't want to affect my friendship with him because of your gaffe, right? Although I think he may not care about this kind of thing, but just because he doesn't care, it doesn't mean We can do it.”

After General Gorky finished speaking, he immediately changed the subject: "How is the floating bridge?"

Chief of Staff: "It has not been completed yet. Our engineering troops are not familiar enough with the equipment of the United States. Those bridge erecting vehicles are all supported by the United States. The troops reported that the equipment is very fragile and half of it broke on the road."

General Gorky said with a straight face: "Is it because the equipment is squeamish or is it that our troops use it too roughly and do not follow the training of others? Rokossov is right. We need to improve the cultural level of the troops. When the battle is over, the participating divisions will begin to rest and recuperate. When the time comes, follow the practices of the First Mobile Army and give them night classes!”

"Yes!" replied the chief of staff.

General Gorky looked at the map: "The pontoon bridge can't be fixed, something is going to happen."

Chief of Staff: "So far, there is no news of the Prosin people's counterattack. Today is about to end. The Prosin Army is not in the habit of attacking in the middle of the night. We still have a chance."

Just as General Gorky was about to answer, the communications staff rushed into the bunker: "The enemy counterattacked. Our army on Highland 247 upstream of Shostka was suddenly attacked by the enemy. The 71st newly formed tank brigade and accompanying infantry were defeated."

General Gorky glanced at the chief of staff.

The chief of staff lowered his head: "I underestimated the enemy."

General Gorky: "Don't underestimate the quality of enemy officers, especially mid-level and senior commanders, Chief of Staff Davalich. Did the 71st Brigade report on the enemy's composition?"

Communications officer: "According to the newly issued identification book, they recognized the logo on the tank, which is the troops of the 1st Armored Division. In addition, the brigade commander Alexander also reported that they found a Panzer IV tank with a long barrel! These tanks can Destroy T34 from a long distance!"

General Gorky was speechless: "Rokossov warned us last year that we should be careful about Chang Guan No. 4, so we must improve our tanks and not lose to the enemy. Some people think that he said this based on political considerations and that we must strengthen them." That committee status!

"Sukabule! Rokossov only focuses on one thing, which is to defeat the Prosens. As his old acquaintance, I can guarantee this!"

Chief of Staff: "Now that the enemy has counterattacked, do we need to activate the plan?"

"Of course. Order the front artillery to cover Highland 247. If you can't blow up the enemy's assault spearhead, just blow up the following troops! Notify the troops standing between the enemy and the ferry that the enemy's elite armored division is counterattacking!"

The chief of staff immediately picked up the phone.

————

Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen heard the roar of shells piercing the sky.

He raised his head: "Damn, it should be the bombing of Highland 247. Compared with last year, the response speed of the Ant people is much faster. And this strategy of immediately covering the newly lost position looks like Rokosov!"

While Lieutenant Colonel Shrifen was recuperating from his injuries, he studied the summary of the personal tactics and habits of Ant's famous generals issued by the command every day.

Rokosov liked this. Although he was famous for personally commanding tank battles, what he was really good at was the use of artillery firepower.

A few seconds after hearing the crackling sound in the air, the follow-up echelons shouted on the radio: "Shellardment! Very fierce bombardment! At least a hundred heavy guns are firing at us! Shelling! Uh-huh!"

A harsh murmur interrupted the conversation.

The battle group staff officer asked on the radio: "Your Excellency, the follow-up echelon was blown up. We..."

Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen: "Continue to execute the order! Pay attention to communication discipline!"

Today's radio communications do not yet have complex encryption and frequency hopping. It is just a matter of default that the enemy is also listening. Therefore, clear place names, our army's combat plans, combat targets, numbers, etc. must not appear in the radio.

After ending the communication, Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen pursed his lips.

The Anters may be better at war than last year, but Proson is stronger!

At this time, the reconnaissance battalion reported: "Hans Hans, at the Beta location, we found that the enemy has entered a state of combat readiness. There are tanks and anti-tank guns. Bob is already on the way."

Lieutenant Colonel Schlieffen: "Very good!"

He switched the frequency and shouted to the troops: "Go forward! The key is speed! Attack the enemy before they can react!"