Arc of Gunfire

Chapter 584 Heading towards the White Sea (Update 36/81)

On the evening of January 7, intelligence on the first day's attack was gathered at the Abawahan Front Army Headquarters.

Wang Zhong looked at the mass protruding to the west on the map with satisfaction: "The progress is very good. The enemy's defense is not as impregnable as we imagined."

Pavlov: "There are still some difficult strongholds, but they have been destroyed by Urban assault guns or B4 heavy howitzers firing at close range. In addition, the troops reported that the white phosphorus bombs obtained from the United States are very effective. If you go to the bunker and shoot it, you can kill the people inside even if it hits the outside of the bunker.”

Wang Zhong: "How effective is the fire-breathing tank?"

"It's also very good. These attack weapons greatly reduce the difficulty of our advance. The only regret is," Pavlov shrugged, "there are too few Urban. This thing is welcomed by all the troops."

After all, he is a maozi and likes strong things.

Popov: "The priests accompanying the army even reported that the rising mushroom clouds can boost morale. As long as a mushroom cloud rises in one block, the soldiers fighting in the surrounding blocks will charge recklessly like chicken blood, resulting in many casualties."

Wang Zhong: "In the name of the front army headquarters, an order should be issued telling everyone to pay attention to methods during the battle to reduce casualties. Don't take it for granted that the enemy has rotted into the soil when you see the rising mushroom cloud."

Vasily raised his head: "I've written it down, is that all? Just send it out like this?"

Wang Zhong looked at Vasily with emotion: "Okay, I learned the staff major in vain."

Vasily's lips turned up proudly: "Of course!"

Just as he was talking, an Air Force colonel entered the headquarters, went straight to the table where the "Big Three" were, and put the brown paper envelope in his hand on the table: "Today's aerial photos were developed."

"Okay." Wang Zhong asked as he unwrapped the thread on the envelope, "Did the reconnaissance aircraft pilot see anything unusual? For example, the smoke and dust raised when the enemy armored forces maneuvered?"

Most of the troops in Wang Zhong's hands are still equipped with the T34 two-man turret type. Even the three-man turret T34W is only available in tank units with the Guards prefix.

However, according to the latest report from the Ordnance Bureau, the newly put into production T34W production line is already in operation, and the production of T34 can be gradually stopped, and the workers and production lines can be moved to other tasks.

Such as producing vortex.

In fact, the T34 production line has been completely shut down and technical transformation has begun. According to the Ordnance Bureau's plan, this production line will be able to start producing eddy currents by February 1916, and will reach the predicted peak production speed at the end of 916.

The T34 two-man turret type is about to retire from the stage of history, but the army still has a large number of two-man turret type T34, and this situation cannot be changed for a while.

And these T34s, when faced with Prosen's long-barreled No. 4, can basically only be used as a result of the enemy's victory.

Fortunately, the Prussian army on the opposite side also lacks individual anti-tank weapons. Their magnetic grenades are too abstract and not even as useful as Molotov cocktails, so the two-man turret T34 can bully the infantry.

Therefore, Wang Zhong, like Commander Mao Zi who knows current affairs on earth, pays special attention to the movements of the enemy's armored divisions.

He has always regarded the vortex of the two brigades as a general reserve, holding it in his hand and ready to use it to "put out fires" at any time.

In response to Wang Zhong's question, the air force colonel shook his head: "No, in addition to reconnaissance aircraft pilots, we also asked fighter and bomber pilots. They have not seen dust generated by the movement of large-scale armored forces in the combat airspace."

Pavlov immediately came to the map and drew a line on the map with a pencil: "This means that north of this line, there are no Ploson armored units in action."

Vasily: "Our deception must have worked! The enemy thought it was a feint attack."

Popov asked: "Do you want to fire cannons to hit the other side? This can prolong the confusion time of the enemy."

Wang Zhong: "No, looking at our current advancement speed, it is already too late for the enemy to mobilize troops. The only variables now are the Prosen Navy on the White Sea and Army Group A itself.

"Army Group A has not fought any major battles since it advanced to the edge of the grassland. They still have some strength. If they go all out to break out, there will definitely be a fierce battle on a flat snowfield."

Wang Zhong also stood up, stood next to Pavlov, and looked at the map together.

Pavlov: "There may be a tank battle, and then the vortex will be mainly relied on to block the enemy's armored forces. Fortunately, the vortex is good at defense and not good at offense."

Wang Zhong: "When our new heavy tanks start mass production, we will be able to fight the enemy in the wilderness. By then, the death rate of our tank crews will be greatly reduced. They can accumulate experience and grow into elite tank crews."

"But now we have to avoid the edge of the enemy's armored forces." Popov also ran to the map. The three of them standing in a row gave the impression of two bears holding a fair-skinned scholar.

In fact, Wang Zhong is not short and his shoulders are not narrow either. Mainly because the two bears are too unusual and make him look slimmer.

The three of them discussed the enemy's actions for a while, and Popov changed the topic: "Speaking of which, the person guarding Borsk this time is our old acquaintance General Shiplin. He ran very decisively last time. From a side perspective, he saved his own troops, but other troops of Army Group B were severely harmed by him.

"Do you think he will fight to the death this time?"

Wang Zhong shrugged.

————

Borsk, Plossen 11th Army Headquarters, 2200 hours.

General Shiplin held the telephone receiver: "How can this be a feint? We have already lost four divisions, and a large number of troops have been crippled. The enemy's cavalry is blowing up telephone lines everywhere. We can talk now because this line is buried underground and the enemy cavalry doesn't know!

"Rokossov deployed cavalry just to disrupt us and interfere with our judgment of the current situation! Now I and the front-line regiments can only communicate by radio! ”

Sometimes, the Plossen regiments were equipped with radios, but most of the time, in order to prevent the Enigma machine, the most important secret of Plossen, from being obtained by the Allies, most infantry regiments did not have radios.

The regiment had to contact its superiors by phone, radio, or messenger.

The situation Shiplin was facing now was that the messenger dared not go out, otherwise he would be killed. Similarly, the signalman who came out to check the lines and repair the telephone did not dare to go out.

Shiplin could only communicate with his subordinates through the radio.

General Shiplin told all this to the person on the other end of the receiver.

There was silence for a few seconds, and then he said, "I understand the situation you are facing, General Shiplin, but the Plossen soldiers will not be shaken by such things. General, hold on to Borsk!"

General Shiplin sighed, "General Steiermark, there is no need to speak in official language. It's okay for you to let me hold on, but you have to tell me when to hold on. You can't just tell me 'hold on as long as you can'? I and my troops need a deadline, and we will retreat no matter what when the deadline comes! "

Steiermark was silent for a long time, probably calculating.

Finally, the general responded: "I ask you to hold on until January 15th!"

General Shiplin looked pale: "This is impossible! I only have 60% of the full strength, and the number of tanks is even less. Including the supplementary tanks, my army has less than 200 tanks!"

Steiermark did not seem particularly surprised: "I will send you two armored divisions. These two divisions have only 100 tanks in total, including the No. 3 and the long-tube No. 4."

General Shiplin held his forehead: "I know your situation is not good, but I didn't expect it to be so bad."

General Steiermark: "There are many armored units in the army group. The last time they received new tanks was in September. As a result, there were 38t tanks used to make up the number of new tanks. I thought this type of tank had not been produced for a long time."

General Shiplin: "Maybe the destroyed tanks were returned to the factory for repair. In short, I roughly understand the situation. Wish us both good luck. We both need good luck next. "

"Thank you, and I wish you good luck, General Shiplin." General Steiermark replied.

————

Steiermark put down the phone and looked at the chief of staff and a group of staff: "This call can be said to have gained nothing. Shiplin doesn't know what happened. From this point of view, Rokossov's purpose of using cavalry has been achieved."

Chief of Staff: "In fact, there are also reports from some supply stations that the cavalry quickly got into the defense circle from the firepower of the supply station's sentry tower, and then threw things like homemade explosives. A lot of supplies have been blown up."

The adjutant asked seriously: "So, are we going to retreat?"

Steiermark's face tightened.

This question is too difficult to answer.

After a moment, he said: "The emperor believes that this is a feint. Even if we retreat now, we will be blamed. And... Rokossov is a person who makes me puzzled. The possibility of a feint attack is still there, strictly speaking, and it is not low. "

The officers looked at each other.

General Steiermark: "Also, while the navy can still help us send letters, write some letters to your family quickly, tell your children that dad loves them."

Chief of Staff: "Just give up like that? Not good, right?"

Styermark: "Then tell me what else we can do. We can't retreat, and the front-line troops are being held back by the mountain front that is attacking desperately.

"I have played the last two cards in my hand. I have no cards in my hand, gentlemen.

"But you don't have to be too pessimistic. Maybe the 11th Army can hold on. After all, the Ants are not good at attacking, and their new weapons are definitely not in large quantities. General Shiplin is also an outstanding general. He was promoted from major general to general in a few years. "

After a brief pause, Steiermark continued: "Moreover, we do still have control of the White Sea. If we are really surrounded, we can leave by sea, but not all of them can leave."