Arc of Gunfire

At 1031 on January 7, 1916, Kirinenko rode up to Hill 361.

This was the core position of the Proson defense, but there was no Proson alive now.

After reaching the hill, his adjutant said: "With this amount of ammunition, I think this hill should be renamed Hill 360 or Hill 359."

Kirinenko: "Isn't this good? One more ton of ammunition, one less liter of blood, a very cost-effective deal."

The adjutant nodded: "Yes, a very cost-effective deal."

At this moment, on the road on the side of Hill 361 - no, Hill 359, tanks and trucks were driving along the road, and both sides of the road were full of fast-moving infantry columns.

And the cavalry galloped directly on the vast snowfield.

Kirinenko picked up the telescope and looked forward: "I didn't see the light of shooting. Did the enemy's infantry division really collapse?"

Adjutant: "Whether it collapses or not has nothing to do with us. Our task is to penetrate... The general's tactics are really strange. Let us penetrate so far into the enemy's territory. There is no such practice in the history of world cavalry combat."

Kirienko: "That's Rokosov. He was promoted from lieutenant colonel to general in more than a year. He is a living legend. I won't be surprised if he has any strange ideas."

Kirienko put down the telescope and sighed: "But I don't have confidence in this tactic myself. I can understand that Rokosov asked the cavalry to cross the glacier before.

"In that case, the troops crossing the river are the enemy's supply troops and rear guard troops. There are not many combat-capable troops. Now we have to penetrate into the enemy's combat-capable troops."

Adjutant: "Relax, the general only asked us to destroy communications, intercept messengers, and eliminate the enemy's supply troops according to the situation. He didn't let us fight to the death with the enemy's combat troops. "

Kirienko: "Indeed, but... never mind, a soldier's duty is to obey orders and do his best to complete the mission. Let's go!"

After saying that, he gently pricked the horse's belly with the spur on his heel, and the horse trotted down the hillside. A large number of followers followed Kirinenko down the mountain and joined the army heading west.

————

Pavlov put down the phone and reported to Wang Zhong: "The enemy's first-line position has been completely lost. Next, it depends on the effect of your new cavalry penetration tactics. "

Wang Zhong: "It will work. "

The cavalry penetration tactics, this is the tactic Wang Zhong came up with after summarizing the experience in November, and to a certain extent, it refers to the large penetration tactics of a certain "strongest light infantry".

However, Wang Zhong did not let the cavalry occupy key nodes to delay the enemy, after all, cavalry is not good at this, so the task he gave the cavalry was to destroy the enemy's communication and disrupt the enemy's rear.

In short, after these hundreds of thousands of cavalry went deep into the enemy's camp, their only task was to keep moving forward, cutting telephone lines, killing messengers, and throwing bombs at supply points.

As long as the enemy can be disrupted, damage can be caused, and the judgment of the enemy's command can be interfered with, it can be considered to have played a role.

To be honest, Wang Zhong does not know how effective this tactic can be.

You have to try it. If it doesn't work, you can find a way to improve it. For example, you can give each member of the Komanda team three horses, let them gallop on the prairie, and dismount to infiltrate and sabotage when they arrive at the place.

Popov: "A year ago, we thought that the cavalry was a backward branch of the army and could not play a big role. Now the number of cavalry is almost back to the level before the war. ”

Wang Zhong: “There are no useless arms, only useless commanders. It was only this summer - last summer in the grasslands of Nanant that I realized the value of cavalry on such vast grasslands.”

Although it has been a week since the New Year, Wang Zhong still forgets from time to time that it is already the New Year.

Vasily: “I don’t know how long it will take the enemy to react this time. We are really attacking Borsk.”

Wang Zhong: “I bet 24 hours.”

————

January 7, Eagle’s Nest, local time 0830.

Plossen Emperor Reinhardt rushed into the war room and looked at the generals who had gathered: “Asshole, why didn’t you wake me up? How long has Rokossov started the operation?”

Marshal Celtic, Chief of the Imperial General Staff: “The time difference is three hours. It’s almost 12 o’clock local time, and the attack has started for five hours.”

Emperor: “What’s the situation? "

Marshal Celt: "It was a mess. Army Group A lost contact with the four miscellaneous divisions deployed on the front line, as well as a series of military stations and supply stations.

"The 11th Army reported that they were harassed by cavalry, and a large number of cavalry bypassed their positions and advanced deep into the front line."

The emperor suddenly looked up: "Cavalry? Are you talking about cavalry?"

"Yes, cavalry." Marshal Celt nodded.

The emperor sneered: "This Shiplin, when I asked him to save the Sixth Army, he said that Rokosov was going to outflank him, and if he didn't retreat, even his group would be surrounded.

"When we retreated afterwards, we found that Rokosov had only sent some cavalry over and pretended to outflank! Now, it's cavalry again! Always cavalry!

"Where are Rokosov's armored forces? Where are the armored forces? Where are those terrible new heavy tanks that scared our soldiers?

"Here!"

The emperor picked up the map stick and slammed it heavily on the city of Yarvik.

"This is the direction of his attack. He is making such a big noise just to confuse us and make us divert the frontal defense troops away! He still can't forget Shepetovka!"

Marshal Celtic looked at Marshal Brian.

Marshal Brian, the commander-in-chief of the army, said: "Your Majesty, even if we do not mobilize troops in the direction of Shepetovka, we should send reinforcements to Borsk, just in case Rokossov has the same idea as General Gorky of the Western Front , Where will we deploy our troops if we penetrate our defense?"

"Then he will attack in two directions at the same time!" His Majesty the Emperor said categorically, "But now he has only attacked Army Group A, assuming a posture of recovering Borsk! So this must be an illusion, the real direction of attack It’s Shepetovka!”

After speaking, the emperor frowned and fell silent, as if he began to feel that it would be bad if Bolsk was captured.

At this time Giles said: "We can ask the navy to move all the warships to the sea near the coastal fortress. With the support of naval guns, Rokosov will not be able to tie the 'pocket' so easily, and we can start mobilizing transport ships first. If it is really surrounded, Army Group A can be withdrawn by sea like the United Kingdom's great retreat."

The emperor was overjoyed: "Okay, this is perfect. We just need to wait for Rokosov to fall into the trap and send off a large number of troops on the grasslands of Nanant!"

————

Prossen Army Group A Headquarters.

General Steiermark held the receiver and waited for the operator to connect the line.

He is no longer in his separate office, but has moved his office to a large, noisy war room.

Before the call was connected, the general's adjutant came over and reported: "The telephone lines with all front-line troops in the direction of the enemy's breakthrough are blocked, but the telephone lines with the 11th Army Headquarters are still in contact."

General Styria made a "Hush now" gesture. Just then the phone was connected. He said loudly: "I am Styria! I want to speak to His Majesty the Emperor!"

Before Schneider said a few words over there, his voice changed (probably because the microphone was robbed).

Emperor Prosen's voice came through the phone line: "Don't panic, I have sent naval troops to give you the details. Even if Rokossov really wants to surround you, you can leave by boat.

"The current judgment of the high command is that Rokossov still plans to attack Shepetovka. Although your side has a strong momentum, it is just a feint attack."

Steiermark: "I have lost contact with many troops!"

"It's the work of Rokossov's cavalry!" the emperor vowed. "This is his usual trick. In fact, the troops are all fine, but they can't be contacted! Don't be frightened by him. Of course, if you really don't worry, If not, you can launch a counterattack. The size of the feint force will not be too large. If you invest your armored divisions, they will soon be able to show their true colors. Moreover, according to general military principles, you should also invest in armored divisions to counterattack during the defense process!"

Steiermark: "Are you the new assault gun that allows me to fight the enemy in the wilderness? That assault gun is called the vortex. Even if our Panzer IV adds a 30mm armor plate, it will still be attacked by it. The main gun penetrated easily!"

"How you dealt with KV last year, just use the same method to deal with the vortex this year! In short, if you hold on firmly, there will be a way!"

After saying this, the emperor hung up the phone.

General Styria slapped the receiver on the landline: "Damn it!"

Adjutant: "The emperor still doesn't believe that we are in the main attack direction?"

"Yes, he insisted that this was a feint attack, but he comforted us by saying that the navy has been dispatched and we have control of the White Sea. Even if the land is surrounded, we can escape by sea."

The adjutant frowned: "But the Navy's White Sea Fleet flagship has been sunk by Allied aircraft. It shouldn't be possible to completely suppress the Ant Navy with just a few heavy cruisers, right?"

General Styria thought for a few seconds and replied: "We don't understand the navy's affairs, so let's leave it alone. Finding a way to allocate the troops we can still command to help the Eleventh Army is the right way, regardless of whether this is You should do this even if you pretend to attack. If you really want to investigate afterward, I will have a clear conscience!"

The chief of staff immediately put down the receiver and stood up: "Please speak."

"The reserve force of the Army Group will move north immediately - no, attack and advance northward and destroy all Ant troops encountered, regardless of whether they are cavalry or armored troops."

The chief of staff looked troubled: "The two armored divisions as reserves, according to the daily report submitted to the headquarters yesterday, the two divisions combined only have 100 tanks in combat readiness."

General Styria: "How come there are so few?"

Chief of Staff: "Because the last time we received reinforcements was in September last year, and the number of supplements was not enough. At that time, these two divisions only had the strength of one armored battalion."

General Styria was silent for a few seconds and made up his mind: "Let them go north!"