Arc of Gunfire

Lieutenant Ilyich heard someone shouting on the radio: "The general is drawing firepower for us! Rush up and kill the enemy's new tanks!"

This sentence seemed to ignite everyone's fighting spirit, and Lieutenant Ilyich felt that the tank under his buttocks was charging harder.

The infantrymen sitting behind the turret could not hear the sound on the radio, but they could see that the tank with the red flag was being surrounded.

"Quick!" The sergeant of the "Armored Cavalry" leading Ilyich's car patted him on the shoulder anxiously, "Quick! When we get close, we can use the rocket launcher to open cans for the enemy!"

Ilyich ordered into the microphone: "Charge towards the enemy. Our main gun cannot penetrate the armor of the enemy's new tank at this distance! Come closer and attack! While the general is helping us attract the enemy's attention!"

Infantry sergeant: "We can also use a rocket launcher when we get close. Our rocket launcher is said to be able to penetrate 80 to 100 mm thick armor. As long as it can hit, it will definitely penetrate!"

Ilyich: "The infantry brothers also want to help, so just rush to within 100 meters of the enemy's new tanks! While they are besieging the general now!"

Lieutenant Ilyich had completely forgotten that he had just suspected that it might not be the general himself, and his tone became urgent.

The driver replied: "This is already the maximum speed. If you want to go faster, you have to look at the ground conditions. You can go faster if you enter easy-to-walk ground! This has nothing to do with me!"

Lieutenant Ilyich gritted his teeth, looked ahead and kept muttering: "Quick, quick!"

From time to time, he glanced at the besieged heavy tank. The enemy was closing the distance, trying to penetrate its solid armor with close-range shots.

The heavy tank had stopped. It seemed that the tracks were interrupted, but the turret was still rotating slowly and was not stuck.

It fired, and almost as soon as the muzzle flashed, an enemy's new tank turned into a torch, and the rising fireball could even shine with the sun in the sky.

On the turret of the heavy tank, someone was operating an anti-aircraft machine gun, and bullets kept hitting the approaching Prosen tank.

Could it be General Rokossov himself?

Lieutenant Ilyich was worried. If the general himself was killed here, what would happen to the war? What will happen to Ant who has lost his winning star?

No, Lieutenant Ilyich suddenly remembered that the company's chaplain had told him that the contents of the pamphlet issued by the general said that Prosin's defeat and Ant's victory were things that were not dependent on human will.

Therefore, Ant should be able to win without General Rokossov.

but--

Lieutenant Ilyich did not want things to develop that way. With General Rokossov alive, things should become simpler.

We must rush forward and kill these bastards who are besieging the general!

He held the microphone tightly and said to the driver: "If we still can't penetrate the enemy, you can hit it and let the infantry use rocket launchers at zero range!"

The gunner continued: "It's not just the barrel! Did you forget that I brought a bottle of vodka? I've already stuffed the cloth. All I need to do is light the fire and it's a Molotov cocktail! As long as you get close enough, isn't it easy to fight a tank?" !”

Mechatronics: "I also have an incendiary grenade!"

Driver: "Stop arguing! I really can't go any faster! It's already in the highest gear! I can't get up! Why don't we just pray that the ground under the tracks turns into a road!"

The tank crews were arguing when the infantry sergeant patted Ilyich on the shoulder: "Stay steady! I'm going to launch a rocket!"

"Ah? Isn't it too far?" Before Lieutenant Ilyich finished speaking, the sergeant launched.

The pungent smell of gunpowder made Ilyich frown. He hurriedly followed the direction of the rocket, only to see the moment when it finally hit - it actually hit!

Sergeant: "Sukabule, hit!"

Ilyich turned to look at him in shock, wanting to tell him not to waste his precious rocket launcher.

"The enemy has jumped out of the vehicle!" The gunner's voice drew Ilyich's attention back to the target, and sure enough, he saw the Prosen tanker jumping out of the tank.

Ilyich hurriedly operated the anti-aircraft machine gun to shoot at the enemy. At the same time, the gunner's complaints came from the earphone: "Sukabule, why don't you issue us artillery shells with this kind of warhead! I can hit the target at a distance of 1,500 meters." Enemy tanks! Isn’t this more reliable than a rocket that can only hit a hundred meters?”

Because the T34W is a rifled gun, the penetration depth when firing a shaped charge warhead is very metaphysical and depends entirely on the appearance.

But no one on Ilyich's crew knew about it at this time.

Lieutenant Ilyich shouted: "Don't complain, the turret turned 15 degrees to the left, I saw an enemy tank in the distance facing us sideways!"

The target discovered by Lieutenant Ilyich was at the far end of the enemy's entire formation. It was trying to cover the lying red flag heavy tank from the other side, so its vulnerable side was exposed.

Lieutenant Ilyich: "Didn't you say it's stable within 1,500 meters? Make good on your boast!"

Gunner: "I've got my sights set! Prepare for an emergency stop!"

Ilyich: "Seven seconds emergency stop, stop!"

The tank braked, and the sergeant standing on the radiator grille was directly slapped on the top of the turret by inertia: "Suka Bulie! Say hello first!"

The infantrymen on the grille were also thrown around, and some fell down.

The tank's main gun rocked up and down like it was on a boat. It finally stabilized and the gunner opened fire.

The armor-piercing projectile flew through most of the enemy's formation and hit the side of the enemy tank at the far end.

The enemy stopped, but no one jumped.

Ilyich made a prompt decision: "One more shot! Don't rush to start it yet, the infantry brothers who were thrown down will have to climb up again! One more shot!"

Loader: "Armor-piercing bullet, okay!"

The gunner opened fire immediately, correcting his aim this time. In Ilyich's telescope, the shell hit the side of the turret, clearly penetrating.

Ilyich immediately took out his notebook and wrote: "The side of the enemy's new tank turret can be stably penetrated at a distance of 600 meters."

While writing, he shouted on the radio: "I have just determined that the side of the enemy's new tank turret can be penetrated by our main gun at a distance of 600 meters! Anyone who is alive must remember to report to the army headquarters!"

This is a valuable summary of experience, which may save the lives of countless tankers in the future.

There was an immediate response on the radio: "Six hundred meters, remember!"

"I just penetrated one too, at a distance of two hundred meters!"

"Don't be so pessimistic, the enemy is almost dead! We are going to win!"

————

The commander of the 52nd Armored Battalion of Prossen put down his binoculars and then tore off his Iron Cross.

The battalion commander whose entire armored battalion has been wiped out is not qualified to wear this Iron Cross.

He picked up the microphone: "Tank, move forward!"

"Battal Commander, all the new tanks are almost lost, and it's useless for us to go up with one of our command tanks!" the driver said.

At the same time, the deputy battalion commander also ran over from the radio car: "Battal Commander! We should retreat! There are tankers who have escaped, and we should take them back. These are valuable talents of the empire! There is no point in your martyrdom for the country now!"

The battalion commander looked at the battlefield full of smoke and fire, looked at the new tanks burning on the battlefield, sighed deeply, and closed his eyes.

After a few seconds, he said: "You're right, retreat."

————

At 1830 hours on July 4, the headquarters of Army Group Plossen South.

Marshal Gron got on the armored command vehicle and was about to go to the new location of the headquarters. Suddenly he heard the sound of tank engines and gearbox noises coming from outside.

He frowned and asked the adjutant: "Isn't it the last time to transfer the tank units attached to the headquarters?"

In the headquarters security force, there is a small armored platoon with several old-model Panzer IV tanks.

The adjutant replied: "I don't know. Can I go out and take a look?"

Before Marshal Gron could answer, the noisy gearbox noise disappeared, the engine roar also weakened a lot, and it was obvious that the tank had stopped.

Marshal Gron glanced at the adjutant. At this time, his orderly carried a plate full of food and got on the armored command vehicle: "Marshal, your dinner has arrived at the new place. You may not be able to make such a sumptuous dinner for a while."

"Put it on the table." The marshal said and put the burning cigar on the edge of the ashtray, preparing to cut off the end of the cigar to put out the fire and smoke it after dinner.

But before he could pick up the scissors for cutting cigars, he heard the guard outside the house shout: "You can't get in the car without permission! Wait a minute!"

With the guards shouting, Schmidt, commander of the 19th Armored Division of the Third Armored Corps, broke into the command vehicle.

The marshal was very calm: "What's wrong, Major General?"

"Reporting to your Excellency, Marshal, one of my divisions is completely destroyed."

Marshal Gron was not particularly surprised. He looked at Schmidt, the commander of the 19th Armored Division. It seemed that he had personally driven a tank on the front line and fought side by side with his soldiers until the end.

The marshal looked at him repeatedly, then lowered his gaze.

The division commander continued: "But I will not forget my bounden duty, Marshal."

After speaking, he saluted Marshal Gron, turned around and left the armored command vehicle.

Marshal Gron turned around, picked up the cigar on the ashtray that he had not had time to put out, and took a long puff with a solemn expression.

As soon as he exhaled a puff of smoke, the sound of a pistol was heard outside.

The marshal turned around sharply: "What's going on?"

The adjutant immediately came to the door of the armored command vehicle, held the door frame and looked outside, and then replied: "General Schmidt committed suicide."

Marshal Gron quickly went to the window and looked out, and saw General Schmidt lying in front of his tank, surrounded by headquarters personnel who were watching.

Marshal Gron: "It makes no sense."

He took a cigar and walked around the command vehicle a few times, sighing: "Now that things have happened, what else can we say to the soldiers? The only thing we can do is persevere, the only thing we can do is persevere."

Adjutant: "I'll draft the order right away."

The marshal nodded.

Then he looked at the sumptuous meal on the table and let out a long sigh: "Take this away, I can't eat it now."

Orderly: "You'd better eat a little. You haven't eaten much today."

"How can I eat it? Rokossov has almost exhausted our armored forces! Take it away!" Marshal Gron said angrily.