Arc of Gunfire

November 11, Lucki town, 71 kilometers from the center of Prosonia.

Filipov stood in the central square of the town, holding a harmonica and playing the melody he had just learned.

Uncle Prosen, who taught him the melody, listened and exclaimed in Antese with a heavy accent: "My son loved this piece of music before he went to the front line. He has been killed in action for three years."

Filipov: "Did he die in Ant?"

"No, he died during the invasion of the Carolingians. Everyone said it was a great victory, and everyone said the price we paid was minimal, but my son can't come back."

The uncle paused and continued: "Later, my wife died in the Allied bombing, and my whole family died in the bombing, which made me start to think about what caused all this.

“I came to the conclusion that the war we waged caused all this, and that this was our retribution. I expressed this idea in a beer hall, and the spies overheard me and sent me to a labor camp.

"If they didn't need soldiers now, I might have worked in a labor camp for the rest of my life."

Filipov: "You don't think it was the Allies that caused all this?"

"I have finished college, don't say such things that insult my IQ."

Filipov laughed.

At this time, a scout rode a BMW motorcycle and rushed up to Filipov. Without saluting, he reported directly: "The enemy armored forces are still seven kilometers away from us!"

Filipov put away his harmonica: "It's finally here, battle alarm."

The person operating the hand-cranked horn left by Proson immediately cranked up the horn, and a sharp siren rang throughout the town.

Filipov continued to ask the scout: "Did you see the accompanying artillery?"

The scout shook his head: "No, I observed for a long time. The enemy got close to 500 meters before running away. I didn't see the heavy accompanying artillery. Instead, I saw a very large tank destroyer, many times larger than the Elephant." "

Filipov: "You... only use one big word to describe the enemy's new equipment?"

The scout shrugged: "Because it's really big. This is the most prominent feature. The other ones... well, I can't really tell."

Filipov: "Okay, I understand. You go to the artillery observation post and prepare to guide the regiment's infantry artillery."

The scout saluted and sped away on his motorcycle.

At this time, the commander of the SU76 parked in the corner of the square stood up in the combat room and asked loudly: "Captain, do you want us to drive to the edge of the village? We have armor-piercing bombs!"

Filipov waved his hand: "Save it, your armor-piercing bullets will only scratch the paint of the enemy's new tank, and prepare for direct fire support."

"What you said is true. We can at least block the enemy's turrets and tracks."

"Leave it to the Divine Arrow!" As Filipov spoke, the jeep drove out from the regiment headquarters.

Just as he was about to get in the car, Uncle Proson, who had just taught him harmonica music, grabbed his arm and said, "Can you stop me?"

Filipov thought that the uncle was worried about his safety, so he comforted him: "Don't worry, even if we retreat, we will take you with us."

Uncle: "No! These common people have surrendered to you. The Asgard Knights and the secret agents of the Imperial Palace will not let them go!"

Filipov: "What? These are all citizens of Prosen!"

"Those mothers who refuse to send their children to the battlefield are also Proson citizens!" the uncle responded.

Filipov was silent for a few seconds before he said firmly: "Don't worry, our magic arrows will kill them all!"

The uncle then let go of his hand: "I believe you. Also, give me a gun. I will fight for my country."

Filipov: "You will have a chance in the future. In the future we will establish a secular Plosin. Then you will have plenty of opportunities to fight for your country."

After speaking, Filipov jumped into the jeep and drove quickly towards the defensive position on the edge of the town.

————

When Filipov arrived at the position, he could already clearly hear the sound of the tank's engine.

He immediately got into the two-story house that served as a defensive support point and went straight to the attic.

In the attic, a battalion commander was observing the enemy with a telescope. When he heard the voice, he turned around and stood at attention, saluting: "Commander! The smoke and dust you saw is not that big. It is estimated that the enemy is an armored division."

Filipov leaned down to the window and raised his binoculars.

There was blowing snow and mud on the horizon. Judging from the width, it was indeed the impact surface of an armored division.

"Are the arrows ready?" Filipov asked.

"Ready. There are a total of 22 launch vehicles. They are all hidden by low walls, toilets and other things on the edge of the town, and the transfer paths are prepared."

Filipov: "Very good, tell them that when the enemy crosses the 2,200-meter mark, they can freely choose the target to launch."

"yes."

The first battalion commander immediately picked up the walkie-talkie.

Filipov continued to observe the enemy, muttering as he looked: "It is said that the enemy has a particularly large tank destroyer. Let me see how big it is - let me go, it is indeed very big."

A rather large figure appeared in the telescope. Although it was still far away, even under the maximum magnification of the telescope, it was only a little bit small. However, comparing the outlines of other tanks, it was obvious that this thing was larger than other tanks.

Filipov: "Don't waste your firepower on such a big destroyer, because you might not be able to penetrate it.

"After destroying the enemy's other tanks and accompanying infantry, we rushed forward to seize that thing!"

"Yes." The battalion commander immediately issued a new order with a walkie-talkie.

At this time, the little soldier in the room asked excitedly: "Can we get a gold star if we capture a new tank?"

Filippov took his eyes away from the eyepiece and glanced at the little soldier: "It shouldn't be possible, because the enemy's new weapons should not pose any threat to us."

The little soldier looked disappointed: "Is that so? When I set out, my mother said that I should work hard to get a gold star and not embarrass her."

Filippov: "The gold star is to honor people who have made outstanding contributions to the country. Don't be discouraged. The first gold star was awarded in peacetime."

As soon as the voice fell, the first wave of arrows began.

22 light spots set off one after another, chasing each other and rushing towards the distant enemy.

Filippov hurriedly observed with a telescope.

The enemy seemed to have no idea what the light spots flying towards them were.

Filippov saw that the enemy's tank commander poked his head out of the turret as usual. In theory, they should have seen these light spots.

"What's going on," he muttered, "Hasn't any of Proson's tank commanders seen the arrows?"

This refers to the arrows guided by the praying hands at the beginning of the war.

At the beginning of the war, facing the arrow volley, Proson's tank commanders would definitely fire smoke bombs to block the line of sight.

But now Proson's armored group is indifferent to the oncoming arrows.

The first arrow hit.

The Proson people are still indifferent.

The arrows hit one after another, and the burning tanks illuminated the snowfield.

The Proson people - start reversing!

Filippov: "What? It's okay not to block the line of sight, but what the hell is reversing? Even if you plan to counterattack, you should rush forward to shorten the distance!"

The distance of the arrow is 2,200 meters, which is beyond the enemy-killing distance of most Proson crews.

At this distance, it is extremely difficult for the Proson veteran crew to find and hit the hidden arrow delivery vehicle.

The correct approach is to spread smoke to close the distance and shoot at close range.

The Prosons adopted a completely wrong response.

A battalion commander reported nervously: "The arrow group said that the enemy retreated out of the maximum range!"

Filippov: "Let them hide and wait, I don't think the Prosons have discovered where we fired the arrows."

Shortly after the order was passed down, the Proson tanks began to move forward again.

They still did not use smoke bombs.

The second wave of arrows was launched.

A correct version of the book in 16-9!

The Prosons opened fire.

Filippov immediately ran to another window to confirm the status of their own arrow launchers.

Then he found that the Prosons seemed to be firing randomly, and many shells were heading for the windows on the second floor, but it was obviously impossible for the arrow launcher to be parked on the second floor.

The second batch of enemy tanks were hit, and more than a dozen wreckages appeared on the snowy field.

At this time, a "big" tank destroyer stopped and fired a shot at the building where Filippov was.

Filippov leaped to the side and threw the unsuspecting soldier to the ground.

However, the imagined tremor did not come. From the explosion, it seemed that the shot hit the floor next to the house.

Was the scale set wrong? Did the distance fall short and the shell landed early?

Filippov looked up with doubts and saw an unknown object smashing through the tiled roof and falling into the attic.

It was his own jeep! This thing was clearly parked in the yard in front of the house, but it was blown up to the attic!

Filippov patted the shoulder of the battalion commander: "Quick! Order the magic arrows to stop the enemy's large destroyer! Don't let him use his firepower at will!"

Battalion commander: "Only the next wave, the third wave of magic arrows has been launched!"

Filippov hurried back to the window and watched a row of light spots rushing towards the enemy.

He roughly counted and it was still 22 rounds.

The enemy's previous wave of firepower was indeed blind.

This time, the Prosons finally remembered to fire smoke bombs, but only a few vehicles fired, and the other vehicles seemed to be planning to destroy Ante's launcher.

Filipov saw that the operator seemed to intend to guide the arrows that lost their target due to the smoke to a new target, but the arrows that had already left the power stage did not have that much kinetic energy.

The third wave of arrows hit the target.

At this time, a signal flare was launched from the Proson side.

The tank group that was still advancing stopped again and began to reverse - no, it began to turn!

Filipov was shocked. The best protection of tanks is usually the front. To ensure that they face the enemy head-on, turning in front of the enemy is equivalent to actively exposing their weaknesses.

"Why did the enemy turn in front of us?" The battalion commander also asked Filipov in confusion.

"I don't know." Filipov shrugged, "Quick, let the artillery cover the enemy and blow up the enemy's accompanying infantry. We will find a way to seize a 'big' tank destroyer!"

As soon as the voice fell, Filipov saw a "big" tank destroyer that was turning stopped.

The huge vehicle body was right in Filippov's field of vision. He found that this thing was even bigger than he had imagined. No wonder the scout mentioned that it was big when he came back.

It was really big.

Filippov looked at the two tank destroyers that suddenly stopped and thought, no way - it won't break down, right?

Just as he was thinking, the Proson people in the car opened the hatch and jumped out, abandoning the car and running away.

Filippov: "What is this thing?"

————

On the east bank of the Oder River, the "Psychological Warfare Command", 85 kilometers from the center of Prosinia.

Vasily picked up the phone: "Psychological Warfare Command, this is Colonel Vasily, go ahead."

Filipov's voice came from the receiver: "Hey, we just blocked the enemy's armored counterattack. Send a repair team here!"

Vassily: "What's the matter, the Arrow carrier is broken? Throw it away, remove the Arrow launcher and guidance device and put it on another car."

"No, no, no, we captured a large tank destroyer, but it broke down, and we can't get it back to town. Send a tractor and repair vehicle here, as well as a technician familiar with Prosin's craft."

"Okay, what did you capture? Did you get its code name from the prisoners?"

" I asked the abandoned wounded soldier, it seems to be called Jagdtiger, the main gun caliber is 127mm! My goodness, the high-explosive shell blew my jeep into the attic. "

Vasily: "Isn't this a bit exaggerated? Okay, I will send you a repair team and a tractor immediately. But... can this thing cross the river now? Can the ice withstand it?"

"I don't think it will, this thing is 80 tons."

Vasily was shocked: "80 tons? What did they stuff to make it so heavy? I don't think our heavy tanks are that heavy."

"I don't know, you send someone quickly, I'm afraid the enemy will send engineers to blow this thing up at night."

"Okay."

Vasily put down the phone and quickly arranged for the field repair team to cross the river.

Just as he arranged everything, Marshal Rokossov entered the room: "You are very busy, busy comrade colonel."

Vasily immediately stood at attention and saluted: "Marshal!"

Marshal Rokossov: "What did you call me to show me?"

"Look at the Rokossov II tank we just modified. We call this type of tank psychological warfare. Do you want to visit it now?"

Marshal Rokossov: "No, tell me what happened just now."

"Oh, Luki was counterattacked by the enemy, but the attack has been repelled. Filippov said that an 8 0 tons tank destroyer, called Jagdtiger, with a main gun caliber of 127 mm! ”

Rokosov was very interested: "Jagdtiger? How did they perform?"

Vassily shrugged: "I don't know. But since Filipov defended it, there shouldn't be much performance."

Marshal Rokosov: "Call Filipov and ask him what he thinks of the enemy's counterattack. This is very important!"

The call was quickly connected. Facing Marshal Rokosov's question, Filipov replied: "The enemy seems to have lost his soul and feels like he is sleepwalking."