Arc of Gunfire

Wang Zhong looked at the photo and fell into deep thought.

Pavlov: "You don't want to get on a plane and investigate for yourself right now, do you?"

Wang Zhong: “But now this is the best way to find out the situation of the enemy’s new armored forces as quickly as possible.

"I'm worried about our troops who are about to launch an attack today. Yegorov's First Mobile Army and Janemey Vesiliawiecki's Melania's First Army are both mixed forces, facing There are still ways to counter enemy armored attacks.

"The 8th Guards Tank Corps, which also went on the offensive today, is relatively experienced. After all, it has the title of Guards.

"However, the 55th Tank Corps that will attack today is a new unit that has just come up from behind, and only 15% of its people have experience!

"What if this army encounters an enemy counterattack? The location of the enemy's new unit has been determined..."

Pavlov: "You can't change today's offensive deployment unless you tell the 55th Army not to attack. What are you going to tell the boys of the 55th Army?

"Could it be that 'I have discovered the enemy's armored forces are gathering, and if you can't fight them, you will be sent away.' What a huge blow to morale! You are the star of victory, they worship you and look up to you!"

Wang Zhong: “But they will live!”

"After encountering the enemy's armored forces head-on, many of them will still be alive, and those who survive will become experienced veterans." Pavlov also waved his hand to strengthen his momentum, "And you should have been used to this kind of thing long ago. Didn't you? You were never soft-hearted last winter at Abavahan."

Wang Zhong: "That's because we can't defend Abawahan if we don't do this."

"It's the same now. Someone has to wear down the enemy's armored forces. Is it possible to wait until they run out of motorcycles on the grassland?" Pavlov said decisively.

At this time, Vasily came in with two unfamiliar officers. He obviously heard the argument just now. As soon as he came in, he said loudly: "Maybe there is no need to waste human lives to consume the enemy's armored forces."

Wang Zhong turned back fiercely: "What did you say?"

Vasily took a step aside: "These are the brigade commander Fyodor and the chaplain Zhilin of the 3rd Guards Tank Brigade who have just arrived. Their brigade is all equipped with new tanks, the type of Jarhead that has not yet been named. ”

Wang Zhong was overjoyed: "Another brigade?"

Fyodor saluted Wang Zhong: "Yes, General, the 41 new tanks that have just rolled off the production line have been equipped for our brigade. In addition, I also bring good news. The production of new tanks has increased to two per day, one You can arm a brigade and a half in a month!”

Wang Zhong was very happy: "It's great that you are here. The brigade that participated in the battle before encountered the enemy's No. 6 heavy tank unit head-on and suffered heavy losses. Our maintenance capabilities are not good, especially the ability to repair new tanks. Now that brigade Still in a disabled state.

"But the enemy now has a complete tank division, which may assault us when our offensive begins, and it is expected that the enemy will bypass our vortex troops and directly attack the assaulting armored forces."

Fyodor: "That's great, leave it to us!"

Wang Zhong: "Has your troops finished unloading their trucks?"

"It's done General!"

"Then you return to the army immediately and reinforce the 55th Army. This army has no combat experience, and 80% of the vehicle crews have only 60 hours of driving time."

"They are all new recruits." Brigadier Feodor said with a serious expression, "They will suffer heavy losses when encountering Prosen's armored forces."

Wang Zhong: "So I need you to step up. They are about to launch an attack. If you leave now, you can join them at night."

After speaking, Wang Zhong patted the brigade commander on the shoulder.

"clear!"

After finishing speaking, Feodor was about to turn around, but was stopped by Wang Zhong: "Wait a minute, we have a tradition here that generals who are ordered to go to the front line must eat some hot food before leaving."

"I know, it's a no-brainer! Only a few who are very lucky can survive now!" Fyodor looked eager to try, "They say that surviving means passing the test and becoming your angel!"

Wang Zhongxin thought, "I've had enough. Although it's a world with miracles, didn't I agree that the secularists don't believe in it?" Why is one more superstitious than the other?

Be my angel? My only angel now is Lyudmila!

But seeing Feodor's excitement, Wang Zhong couldn't put down his interest.

Unexpectedly, Fyodor said again: "General Yegorov escaped death many times in Abavahan and has become your angel!"

Wang Zhong couldn't hold it back and said: "He? Angel? No, no, no, he looks like a bear, he doesn't look like an angel."

Pavlov laughed: "He's like a druid in human form."

Fyodor: "That's good too."

Wang Zhongxin said as long as you are happy, he gestured to Vasily: "Take the two of you to dinner."

————

On the same day, at 0600 hours, the third battalion of the 38th Tank Brigade of the 55th Army attacked the starting point.

Lieutenant Alexander Fardin was about to leave the battalion headquarters when he was stopped by the battalion commander.

Battalion Commander: "I heard that you are the only one among this batch of trainees who graduated as a lieutenant? The colonel who selected you is a one-armed man, right? How did you impress him?"

Alexander was very surprised: "How do you know that the one who selected us is a one-armed man?"

"Because he was the old brigade commander of the last army I was in, and he returned to work as a selector after his hand was broken. He was very strict. How did you get him to give you the rank of lieutenant as an exception?"

Lieutenant Alexander: "I fired three shots while driving a tank and hit all three hits, so I was given the lieutenant title."

The battalion commander's eyes widened: "Shooting on the move? There is no such subject, right?"

Both T34 and T34W only have very simple stabilizers, and it is basically impossible to shoot while moving.

Lieutenant Alexander: "The tank we tested is the old T34. I personally served as the gunner and fired. I fired in accordance with the vibration of the muzzle. As long as the timing is right, I can hit it."

"Suka Bulie!" The battalion commander expressed his feelings with these words, "Okay, let the Pulosen people have a taste of your power!"

Lieutenant Alexander: "No, the T34W uses a three-person turret. I can't shoot it myself, so I should still stop shooting."

"Anything is fine." The battalion commander waved his hand, "Go ahead and look forward to your performance."

Lieutenant Alexander saluted, turned and left the battalion headquarters, running towards his tank.

Everyone who just had the meeting has returned to the crew and is explaining the battle plan to the crew members and where to rendezvous after abandoning the car.

Now the Ant Army armored forces will set up vehicle abandonment assembly points, requiring all tankers to find a way to return to the assembly point after abandoning their vehicles, instead of the tankers abandoning their vehicles and becoming infantry to continue to fight against the Prossens of Te Niang.

This is also a change spurred by the military reforms advocated by Rokossov, and the Ant forces have become more focused on technical arms.

Alexander returned to his vehicle crew: "Okay, assemble! Listen carefully, if you abandon the vehicle during the battle, you have to return to Wosonka by yourself. The brigade's containment force will be waiting for you there, and then you will form a group with the others. New crew, keep fighting.

"Understand? No matter who is missing, we have to go to Wosonka!"

"I understand, Lieutenant!" the driver Qiulin said on behalf of everyone.

"Final check! Have you brought the ammunition and fuel? And water. The weather is so hot today. You will definitely sweat a lot in a day of fighting, so you need a lot of water! Don't faint from heatstroke in the tank!" Lieutenant Alexander especially improved volume.

This is taught by the instructors in the tank school.

The gunner picked up the gasoline barrel at his feet: "I got a few barrels like this, rinsed them and filled them with water. Although there is still a smell of oil, just bear with it."

"Very good!" Alexander waved, "Get in the car."

Not long after boarding the bus, flares rose into the sky.

Lieutenant Alexander Fardin picked up the radio receiver: "Tyulin, move forward!"

At the same time as he gave the order, other vehicles were also started. The armored battalion, which had been lined up in battle formation, crossed the straw fence blocking the front and galloped on the fields of Khazalia.

Then, as if they had made an appointment long ago, the IL-2 attack aircraft forming an attack formation flew over the tank brigade.

Someone was saying on the radio: "I heard that this kind of aircraft is now used professionally for this purpose. It was requested by General Rokossov."

"Yes, I've heard that too. Pilots think this kind of aircraft is difficult to use. The cannon has no sights and it's difficult to hit targets on the ground. And because it can't dive at a large angle, the hit rate of rockets and bombs is also poor."

"It's really fake, but it looks very majestic. It's a great morale booster when it passes overhead!"

While the discussion was going on on the radio, a second wave of air units passed over the tanks.

Lieutenant Alexander raised his head and suddenly found a large number of parallel white lines higher in the sky.

Other crews also noticed: "What is that white line at high altitude?"

"Don't you understand? That's a heavy bomber from the Air Force. It seems to be a B25 or B26 supported by the United States! They should be going to bomb Shepetovka."

"Speaking of Shepetovka, I remember where Pietro came from, right?"

Pietro is one of the few commanders in the battalion who has combat experience. It is said that he has been fighting for two years.

"Why doesn't Pietro say anything? Tell us what kind of place Shepetovka is!"

"yes!"

Logically speaking, the battalion commander and the priest should stop such chatter, but now they both have a tacit understanding and remain silent.

Finally, Pietro's voice appeared on the radio: "Shepetovka is... a very beautiful city. It was once very beautiful. There is the largest train dispatching yard in Khazalia, and there is also the first church set up there. The Tractor Factory, and later the Shepetovka Tank Factory, where the T34 was developed..."

Immediately the radio was filled with complaints: "Who told you to say this!"

"That's right! Tell us what we want to hear, such as what's delicious and how about the girl!"

Pietro: "I don't know. Many girls were evacuated when we retreated. When the tanks drove out of the city, I suddenly saw the corpses of many girls lined up neatly on the roadside. Proson air raided the evacuated convoy. The corpses of the girls were They were gathered together and buried on the spot.”

There was radio silence.

Alexander sighed and picked up one of his headphones so he could hear the roar of the engine.