Arc of Gunfire

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

Brigadier General Eugene also put down his telescope: "The Prossens were also forced out... It's time to move the destroyers, right?"

Yegorov nodded: "Yes, the vortex is a precious thing. Before the vortex is in place, let the tank troops and anti-tank gun troops hold the enemy back - huh?"

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

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

Brigadier General Eugene looked in the same direction.

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

Yegorov: "Yes, the vortex is still shooting, and there is obviously a vision gap there. What's going on? There is no way the Prosins can make such a mistake."

As soon as he finished speaking, he saw several smoke bombs landing at the gap, but the smoke balls that exploded were too small.

At this time, due to the exchange of fire on the battlefield, the air flow was very disordered. Coupled with the wind in the grassland this season, those small smoke masses quickly dispersed, unable to effectively block the field of vision.

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 bombs and high-explosive bombs. I will do the same."

Yegorov put down the telescope, turned around and ordered: "The Guards' annihilation battalion did not move and continued to snipe the enemy in place. The 225th Division annihilation battalion gave up its original plan and maneuvered towards the enemy's flank to avoid the smoke blocking the view on the north side. .

"The 225th Division Armored Battalion follows the annihilator battalion and acts as a defensive force. The 40th Tank Army is temporarily stationary."

The correspondent on the communication vehicle responded loudly and began to transmit the order via radio, repeating repeatedly: "The Guards will annihilate the battalion with one machine step and not move..."

Yegorov continued to observe the battlefield with his telescope: "Even the smoke on the north side is very thin. The enemy definitely does not have enough smoke bombs. Those small pieces of smoke just now should be shot by the No. 3 tank. Now we are going to eat It’s a big wave!”

Brigadier General Eugene: "Indeed. Without the cover of smoke bombs, our destroyers have full advantage in long distances. Unfortunately, our perspective cannot see the enemy abandoning their armor."

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

So Yegorov could only give a relatively general outflank order just now. It was left to the battalion commanders of the 225th Division's tank battalion and annihilator battalion to decide how to outflank.

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

The tank battalion had just exited the tank bunker, and the annihilator battalion had already begun to maneuver because it was lying directly on the ground without a bunker.

Originally, the Eddy Current's maneuvering speed was faster than that of the T34W, so the Eddy Current brigade had already traveled a long way dragging the thick smoke.

Brigadier General Eugene noticed this: "Should we stop the vortex?"

Yegorov: "No, if the enemy targets the vortex, they will be hit on the side by the tank battalion, that's it."

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

Yegorov obviously hesitated, but in the end he shook his head: "No, it is enough that our boss is the general who can drive tanks on the front line. If we want to imitate the general, the chief of staff will go crazy."

Both division commanders commanded special battle groups on the front line to fight ambushes, and the other units of the two divisions were left to the division staff to command.

The chiefs of staff of the two divisions estimate that the number of hairs on their heads is rapidly approaching that of Pavlov.

After another ten minutes or so, Yegorov saw the flanking maneuvering vortex stop, turn, and start firing.

Although Yegorov himself could not see the results of the shooting, he believed in the group of members of the Vortex. In order to destroy Prosen's tanks at a distance of 1,800 meters, all member groups conducted arduous training.

The sound of the vortex's cannons overwhelmed the firing sounds of all other artillery, demonstrating the suppressive power of the caliber.

Yegorov didn't know how many times he looked at the smoke blocking his sight.

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

Yegorov took the walkie-talkie: "I'm Yegorov, what's wrong?"

Kosikov's voice came from the walkie-talkie, a little out of shape: "My tank troops have no vision, let us also join in annihilating the enemy! Let us rush through the smoke!"

Yegorov: "No! You are a two-man turret. Once you start moving and your battlefield awareness is poor, you will be taken advantage of by the enemy tankers when you enter the melee!"

Brigadier General Eugene muttered in a low voice: "Battlefield awareness is a word that generals like to use."

Although Yegorov and Eugene are both generals, and Korsikov who is talking on the radio is still a lieutenant general, it is obvious that only one person in the First Mobile Group can be referred to by the word "general".

Kosykov could not hear Eugene's words, but continued to plead: "The victory is right in front of us, the soldiers can't hold it anymore, Davasili, let us join the battle!"

Yegorov: "No, the general hopes not only to win the battle, but also to have an excellent exchange ratio. Do you understand the exchange ratio! So..."

"Wait a minute," said Brigadier General Eugene, "I remember when the general conveyed the instructions, he said that we need to attract the enemy's attention now to cover the Borsk Front - that is, Prince Myshkin's troops! Isn't it better to use 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, and was confused at this time: "Am I right? Are you saying that the soldiers can't hold back?"

Yegorov: "No, I say you should go on the offensive. Lieutenant General Kosikov, in the name of the ambush battle group commander, I beg you to go on the offensive."

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

So Yegorov "begged" instead of ordering.

Kosikov: "No way! As long as we can win, anyone can command. Didn't General Rokosov command many people with higher ranks than himself in the first stage of the counterattack last year? I will join the attack now."

Egorov: "Good luck to you!"

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

————

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

Because of the lack of smoke bombs, the Ante Army was able to fully utilize the advantages of long-range firepower.

The enemy's new assault guns are too powerful. Whoever hits them will die. At the same time, they "face" almost all the armor-piercing shells of the Proson Army.

And this damn thing runs very fast, and it looks reliable.

How can there be such an unreasonable thing?

Major General Karl thought about it and felt that this thing might be a layer of paper on the side, and only in this way would it be reasonable.

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

The problem is that you can't go around at all.

Major General Karl was now certain that in addition to the assault guns, there were 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 No. 4 could easily deal with the T34 tanks, it could not withstand the extremely fierce firepower outside the tanks.

Karl's headset was now filled with screams and the hysterical roars of the tankmen.

The enemy was outflanking, and an unknown number of assault guns had occupied the north side of the 14 tanks' frontal assault, and were "opening cans" for the 14 tanks one by one.

Although the enemy on the south side did not outflank, they had a clear range of fire and had been firing since the start of the war.

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

At this time, Major General Karl heard the roar of the engine and the click of the gearbox gears from the front of him.

The enemy deployed tank troops!

In a flash, a T34 rushed out of the smoke in front and rushed towards the already incomplete team of the 14 tanks!

Then more T34s came through the smoke, like a group of cavalrymen!

Karl made a prompt decision, adjusted the radio of the command tank to the frequency of calling other troops, and shouted: "Schultz! Pull a brother! Pull a brother!"

————

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 felt that this sentence was very familiar.

The Proson translator said: "This sentence means: 'Brother, let's go!' The name in front is Schultz."

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

"Yes, the enemy was anxious and began to ask for help."

Wang Zhong: "What can this Schultz do to immediately help the armored division that is about to be hit hard 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, "The coordinates..."

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

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

The Chief of Staff of the 16th Armored Grenadier Division nodded: "Yes. As an Armored Grenadier Division, our armored strength is not as good as that of the 14th Armored Division. It is still 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 were attacking him!"

Schultz frowned: "Hundreds? Impossible, the Air Force's reconnaissance didn't see any clues at all! Everything was normal in yesterday's aerial reconnaissance photos! It is impossible not to take pictures of so many tanks!"

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

Schultz pursed his lips, thought for a while and said: "It is very dangerous to confront the enemy tank cluster head-on. Order to stop and set up defenses on the spot and prepare to receive the fleeing soldiers of the 14th Armored Division!"