Arc of Gunfire

November 3, the junction between the 1st Khazalia Front and the enemy, 0730 hours.

Filipov heard the whistling and lowered his binoculars.

He was used to listening to the sound of artillery preparations at the regimental headquarters, but the new regimental chaplain seemed not used to it yet.

Filipov: "Why, doesn't it feel fresh to stay in the regimental bunker and listen to the sound of artillery?"

"Indeed." The young priest looked a little uncomfortable and kept playing with the Holy Emblem with his left hand. "But I am more worried about whether I can do this job well. Filipov Davalich, I was still here last week. A company of chaplains, this is too much."

Filipov: "Three months ago he was a battalion commander, and last year he was a company commander. This is damn war. You have to get used to it, Priest Davarich."

"I'll try my best." The priest continued to hold up the Holy Emblem with his left hand.

Filipov stopped looking at him. At that moment, the regiment's artillery also opened fire, and the sound of the artillery made everything in the regiment's bunker tremble.

Filipov's regiment reinforced a company of Su-76 self-propelled artillery, and their artillery position was near the regiment's bunker.

Amidst the rumble of artillery, the phone rang. Filipov picked up the receiver: "Regiment Headquarters, please speak."

"Captain, this is the first battalion. The artillery fire is too close to our starting position. What did the artillery do? Blow up the enemy, please blow up the enemy!"

Filipov: "I can only let the regiment's 76th artillery fire the shells back. I can't direct the artillery fire at the division headquarters and the group army. Tell the artillery observers that they can directly contact the superior artillery units. Don't come to me for everything." ”

"Okay, Captain Davarich!"

After saying that, he hung up the phone.

As soon as Filipov put down the receiver, the new regimental priest asked: "Is the artillery fire accurate?"

"Yes, it may be that the wind is stronger than expected today. Artillery observers should respond to the artillery units immediately for these matters."

Priest: "Perhaps this is their first time directing such a large-scale artillery fire and they lack experience."

"It's possible." Filipov sighed.

————

The first battalion commander Prokov got into the artillery observation post and shouted to the observer in front of the artillery mirror: "What are you doing? The group army's artillery fire is about to hit our starting position. Quickly correct their landing point!"

The officer leading the observation post was a lieutenant colonel, older than Major Prokov, so he put on airs and said: "Please don't interfere with our work!"

"Please don't take away our lives!" Prokov retorted, "It will take another two hours to prepare for artillery fire. God knows whether there will be artillery shells falling on our starting position. The enemy has not prepared for counter-artillery fire, and we will be attacked first." Our own people exploded!"

Artillery Lieutenant Colonel: "All shooting parameters are measured in advance and have been tested and verified. It is impossible -"

Prokov grabbed the lieutenant colonel and dragged him to the artillery mirror: "Don't you have eyes? Can't you see where it hits?"

At this time, the observer in charge of the artillery mirror spoke: "It seems to be off, but I-I'm afraid it's my illusion-"

"What?" The lieutenant colonel was shocked. He pushed away the second lieutenant observer and put his eyes on the eyepiece of the artillery scope. "Let me see - Borushkin, you idiot, can this be an illusion? Call me right away. To the Army Artillery Headquarters."

The correspondent who had been waiting by the phone for a long time picked up the phone and reported after a few seconds: "The call is connected."

Lieutenant Colonel: "Fire correction——"

The second lieutenant named Borushkin wanted to hand the tool in his hand to the lieutenant colonel, but was pushed away.

The lieutenant colonel relied entirely on experience and the scale on the artillery mirror to report a series of correction parameters.

Five minutes later, he left the artillery mirror and said to Prokov: "Come and see, Battalion Davalich, now your soldiers will not be shot by their own people."

Prokov came close to the artillery mirror, observed it for a few seconds and said: "Very good, Lieutenant Colonel Davarich, I'm glad that your professional skills are not unfamiliar. I thought that our group of artillery trainees would become artillery soldiers after they transferred to infantry." The level has dropped.”

Lieutenant Colonel: "In fact, it has indeed dropped a lot. The Prossens especially like to attack artillery observation posts. When enemy tanks find the artillery observation posts, they will fire immediately, and their priority is even higher than that of anti-tank guns."

Prokov let go of the artillery mirror and said to the lieutenant colonel: "The good news is that we have recently discovered that there are more and more eggs in the Prosen people. The patrol I personally led last week also captured three A young boy who looks like he is only seventeen years old."

"After three years of fighting, they finally started mobilizing raw melon eggs to go to the battlefield." The lieutenant colonel looked outside the observation post, "I have already sent away so many children."

Prokov was silent. As an infantryman, he sent away more children.

————

At the Prosen Army position, Sergeant Andreas huddled in the anti-gun bunker, smoking silently.

Kosrek is sharing his experience with the new recruits: "The Anters' shelling usually lasts for two hours. After the shelling stops, sometimes they will suddenly fire a burst of short fire, with the purpose of killing us who have already entered the position.

"The short fire may not come, but the enemy's infantry will definitely set off from the starting position after the fire preparation. So we must enter the position, and consider ourselves unlucky if we are covered by the short fire."

Some recruits asked: "Then if we were killed by short bursts of fire, wouldn't the enemy have taken the position?"

"No, the second group of people hiding in the anti-artillery position after the short firing will take over the unlucky ones who died. That's why you are divided into two groups." Kosrek said and looked at the recruits in the second group.

At this time, a shell happened to land near the anti-gun bunker, and a large amount of dust fell from the ceiling and stuck to everyone's helmets.

Recruit A looked up worriedly: "The top of this bunker is made of wood. Will it suddenly collapse?"

Kosrek: "Yes, so I saw that Sergeant Andreas was sitting at the door of the bunker, so that he would not be buried when the bunker collapsed. Then he would be responsible for telling the officer who counted the casualties who was buried here. What kind of unlucky people are there?”

Andreas smiled slightly at the recruits: "If you have a suicide note, give it to me now. I will try to escape to the next line of defense alive, and then help you mail it."

Recruit B asked: “Is it really okay to publicly express defeatism like this?”

"Chain dogs will not come to the front line, so don't worry." Kosrek replied.

"Chain dog?"

Andreas: "That's the Gendarmes. You may find this name offensive now, but it won't be long before you join us in calling them that."

The recruits looked at each other.

Recruit B: "So has it always been like this on the front line? Isn't there anyone who has the confidence to defeat the Ants?"

The only two veterans in the bunker looked at each other and then laughed louder than the explosion of the shells.

After laughing, Andreas said: "Like you, I added that when I arrived at the front line, I took the train for two weeks. I mean, I took the train for two weeks after entering the territory of Ant, and finally walked. It took almost a week to get to the front line.

"How long did it take you to get to the front line? Three days! It took you three days to reach the front line after crossing the border, and you still had to walk! Do you know where the missing distance went?"

"Where did it go?"

Kosrek: "Lost. After Sergeant Andreas arrived at the front line, except for attacking in the first few months, he spent almost all the rest of the time retreating, marching, stopping to take a breath and then continuing to march. .

"That guy named Rokossov has been chasing us two buttocks. We will occasionally stop to resist. To be honest, the two of us are fighting well, and our division is also fighting well, but there will always be a breakthrough somewhere. , and then the endless retreat.

"So you see, it's not that we don't want to win, but we are getting further and further away from victory. And our enemies' faces are always filled with desire for victory."

Andreas: "I think under the current circumstances, we still have the morale to hold on to our position, which is enough to prove that we are the best fighters in the world!"

Kosrek echoed: "Yes, I think so too. Veterans like us will continue to fight and kill the Ant people fiercely. They may be close to winning, but they will never win so easily.

"Maybe one day, when we kill all the Ant people on the battlefield, victory will come, maybe."

Recruit B: "Will you come?"

"Yes." Andreas said, "But before that, I don't know how many recruits like you have to be sent away. You see, I don't even bother to remember your names, so I just call you 'that recruit'," Curly hair, freckled face, after a while it will be time to call you A, B, B, D.”

Recruit A: "I thought those nicknames were just habits on the front line, a ceremony to welcome us into the big family!"

The two veterans laughed again.

Just at this time, another artillery shell fell nearby, and sand fell sparsely from the ceiling, giving people the illusion that their laughter shook the sand down.

At this time, the commander of the heavy weapons company ran over along the trench, stopped at the entrance, and looked at the people in the bunker doubtfully: "What are you laughing at?"

Andreas replied: "Our morale is high, Your Excellency, Company Commander."

They are all smiling so happily. That doesn’t mean their morale is high.

The company commander patted Andreas on the shoulder: "Okay, very good! You two are the most senior non-commissioned officers of the heavy weapons company. I will rely on you later."

Andreas raised his hand and saluted: "Leave it to us, Your Excellency, company commander. But why are you running in the trenches under artillery fire? It's very dangerous."

The company commander looked at Kosrek: "I'm here to find Kosrek."

Kosrek was surprised: "Looking for me? What's wrong?"

Company Commander: "I want you to promise me that I won't die."

Kosrek: "This is God's purview. Do you think I am like God?"

"We are from the same hometown, both from Argonne. And you have lived since Barbarossa until now. If you promise me that I will not die, I will believe it." The company commander stared at Koslake.

Kosrek: "You are actually an Argonne. I thought you were old Junker."

"How is that possible! My ancestors did have a manor, but it was not in East Plosen."

Andreas: "Just promise you, how many times in our lives will we have to do things for you? Like me, a farmer in the mountains, I don't even have many opportunities to salute you in my life!" "

Kosrek: "Okay, I promise you won't die, Your Excellency."

The heavy weapons company commander nodded, turned around and ran along the trench.

Kosrek looked at Andreas: "What is our company commander's name?"

Andreas shrugged: "I don't know, I usually call him company commander."

"Then you're encouraging me again?"

"Don't you think that kid is pitiful? His military trousers are a little too long, so he can only stuff them into his boots. His face is as childish as my nephew's."

Kosrek stopped talking, took out a cigarette from his pocket, lit it with a match, and smoked quietly.

The shells were still falling.

————

After an unknown amount of time, the sound of the artillery gradually subsided, and Kosrek stood up: "Okay, the first group, follow us! The second group, wait. If the Ants fire short shots, you will wait until the sound of the artillery stops before you go to the position!

"You must move quickly, because by then the Ant infantry must have arrived! These crazy guys drink before they attack, and they are not afraid of being accidentally injured by their own artillery fire. "

Andreas had already rushed out of the bunker and ran along the trench.

He quickly arrived at the machine gun position, dug the machine gun and tripod out of the pit next to the position, and set them up.

Koslake arrived at the position a step later, and the two of them completed the inspection of the machine gun with ease.

Their position was a side-shooting position, which could effectively kill the enemy's attacking skirmishers, but once discovered, they would be hit by the enemy first, and it would be easier for the Ant infantry to rush to the melee distance.

Precisely because of the danger and the requirement of superb shooting skills to effectively kill the enemy, two veterans were arranged at this machine gun position.

The new recruits were all at the heavy machine gun position in the front. Those positions only needed to adjust the handwheel of the tripod and constantly move the machine gun left and right. Any monkey could play a role.

After the two veterans were ready, the Ant people's offensive formation appeared. There were no tanks, and the skirmishers looked sparse.

Koslake: "The breakthrough direction is not here."

"Good news, at least we don't have to retreat today. "

At this time, the machine guns in front opened fire.

Koslake was shocked: "Why did they start shooting from such a distance?"

The veterans of Ant did not lie down at all, but just changed from walking to running.

Andreas: "Maybe it was the order from the company commander. I heard that they have a new theory, saying that they should open fire early and use ammunition to exchange for the enemy's physical strength."

"Shit."

The veteran duo did not shoot, waiting for the enemy to get closer.

Finally, the enemy passed the horse carcasses that were used as targets on the battlefield.

Koslake opened fire, and the machine guns covered Ant's attack formation from the side.

The cover found by the Ants could only block the frontal firepower, and Koslake was harvesting their lives like the god of death.

Andreas: "Hit the officer! There is an officer observing, there! "

Although Andreas's statement was not clear, Kosrek still swung the Grim Reaper's scythe at the officer.

The officer was shot and fell, and the remaining Antes began to retreat.

Kosrek stopped shooting immediately. Before he spoke, Andreas began to dismantle the machine gun and prepare to move the position.

————

Prokov was searching for the position of the enemy's side-firing machine gun. Although the enemy stopped firing soon, he still found it.

So he reported a string of coordinates to the messenger: "Quick, tell the mortar platoon to cover this position! "

The messenger turned and ran away, and Prokov continued to observe with a telescope.

The enemy's position was camouflaged so well that it was almost impossible to tell that it was a machine gun position, and the movement of the machine gunners could not be seen. But Prokov had a hunch that they would move.

This side-firing position must be a veteran, and Prokov also arranged his own defense positions in this way.

The veteran would not wait for the mortar to fall.

The first mortar exploded near the side-firing position, far away from the machine gun bunker observed by Prokov, but the accuracy of the mortar was so bad that it could only rely on coverage to ensure a hit.

The shells fell one after another, and the rising smoke and dust obscured Prokov's vision.

At this time, Tanya, a nurse from the battalion medical team, ran to Prokov: "Battalion Commander, I see the wounded is still moving! I ask to move him back!"

"You are crazy, nurse Davarish! Didn't you see that the enemy's side-firing machine gun just knocked them all down? ”

Tania: “But now the mortars are bombarding the enemy's side-firing machine guns, right? I just went over to save people! The enemy can't hit me from the front!”

“No! I don't approve! You are not allowed to go, don't cause trouble for the soldiers!”

Tania bit her lip and turned and ran away.

Prokov: “Nonsense!”

The messenger who ran back saw this scene and said: “She will run there by herself. You may not know, battalion commander, she was very famous in the previous unit.”

Prokov turned his head and looked at the messenger: “You know?”

“Before I was injured, I was in her previous unit and joined our battalion three months earlier than her. She carried me down from the front line. I heard that during the Battle of Abavakhan, she and Marshal Rokossov's orderly guarded the beachhead and attracted a large number of enemy forces.

"Only two nurses survived at that time. She was the third Tanya on that position."

Prokov: "The third one?"

"Yes, it just happened that nurses named Tanya were added to the position one after another, and she was the only one who survived. We all thought she could be the first nurse to get a gold star."

Prokov: "It's too late. Several nurses have received gold stars. We all told you to read the newspaper more."

"Really? That's it."

————

Tania rushed to the front, observed, and confirmed that the battalion mortar was still bombarding the side-fire position, so she was ready to climb out of the trench of the starting position.

But she was held down by someone.

"Nurse Davarisi, we can't let you out!" the lieutenant holding him down shouted, "it's too dangerous!"

Tania looked at the lieutenant's chest and saw that there were fewer medals than her own, so she said, "Comrade lieutenant, I am more familiar with the battlefield than you!"

While speaking, she also deliberately raised her chest to show off the medals on her chest.

The lieutenant was shocked by the medal and hesitated for a moment. At this moment, Tania had already rushed out of the trench.

The lieutenant could only shout: "Covering fire!"

The company's heavy machine guns opened fire immediately, and tracer bullets landed on the edge of the enemy's trench one after another.

Tania ran all the way into the crater, lay down on the edge of the crater and observed it, then jumped up and ran wildly again.

She just "frog-leaped" forward for hundreds of meters, and finally reached the wounded. She lay on her side, opened the medical bag on her waist, and began to bandage the wounded.

At this time, three soldiers from Prosen's side climbed out of the bunker and approached Tania.

At the same time, the enemy's machine gun also opened fire, and bullets crackled on the earthen slope used as a bunker.

Seeing this scene, the lieutenant ran to the machine gun position, took over the machine gun, and tried to stop the enemy with overshooting fire.

However, the Plosans were not afraid at all, and even more people crawled out of the trenches and tried to surround Tania.

The lieutenant dropped the machine gun and drew his pistol: "Comrades, aren't we as brave as the nurses? Ula!"

After that, he was the first to rush out of the trench.

Others in the trenches also shouted "Ula" and rushed out, rushing towards the Prossen position.

————

The commander of the Prosen Heavy Weapons Company heard the sound of the urrah and looked out, and found that the Ants were rushing over like a tide.

"Shoot the Ants!" he shouted.

Heavy: "But our people are on the ray!"

Company Commander: "The bullets will fall, it's beyond shooting!"

Machine Gunner: "How much should the overshooting shooting roller be adjusted?"

"500!"

Soon the machine guns were firing, but the company commander barely saw the Anters fall.

He turned down the magnification of the telescope and realized that all the bullets fired from beyond the scope fell behind the Ant people.

"Roller four hundred! Adjust quickly!"

At this time, the Ant machine gun came over, crackling on the edge of the trench. The company commander felt a punch in the shoulder and fell backwards.

"Company Commander! The company commander is dead!" the machine gunner shouted, "Avenge the company commander!"

The machine gun fired uncontrollably, accompanied by the machine gunner's hysterical shouting.

————

The lieutenant raised his pistol and killed a Prossen at close range, and then rushed behind the slope where Tania was hiding with a sliding shovel.

Other Ant warriors surged across the slope like a tide, stabbing the Prossens who turned to run away with their bayonets one by one.

Then the skirmisher line rushed into the Prossen trenches.

The lieutenant looked at Tania angrily: "If someone died just now, they died for you, comrade nurse!"

Tania: "An attack would have killed people, but now the attack is successful, isn't it?"

As she spoke, she was bandaging the wounded.

The lieutenant looked at the wounded and then at Tania: "Comrade nurse, I hope you will be so brave to save me when I am shot!"

"I will," Tanya replied, "I promise I will!"

The lieutenant held back his words for a few seconds, turned around, followed his men, and rushed into the Prossen trenches.

At this time, the Prossen machine gun deployed about a hundred meters behind the first trench was still firing, and someone seemed to be shouting hysterically.

————

Push the time forward a few minutes.

Kosrek stopped when he heard the sound of urrah and looked towards the Ant camp.

Andreas also poked his head and muttered in confusion: "Charging like this?"

The machine gun on the front fired, and Andreas was surprised to find that one of his men was outside the trench, blocking the machine gun's firing line.

Andreas: "What the hell? What happened on the way to our transfer?"

Kosrek: "The position is about to be lost!"

Andreas: "Let's move to the second position! The traffic trench is nearby."

"No." Kosrek put the machine gun in Andreas's hand, who was carrying ammunition, and turned the submachine gun on his back to the front. "You run back with the machine gun, and I will fulfill my promise." ”

Andreas: "Huh?"

Kosrek was already running wildly along the trench, hunched over, leaving Andreas where he was.

"Damn it." Andreas cursed, threw away the ammunition box, put the machine gun on his shoulder, and ran wildly in the other direction.

————

Kosrek advanced along the trench with a submachine gun. He knew from the sound that the first trench had been lost, and there might still be some infantry resisting in the trench.

The infantry in the screen trenches cannot be counted on to stop the Ants, and the machine gun positions must be moved immediately.

At a distance of more than a hundred meters, the Anters would rush over soon.

Just as he thought this, Kosrek heard the sound and immediately turned his gun, stopping and waiting for the Anters to appear.

The Ants appeared unprepared, and immediately raised their guns when they saw Kosrek, who was waiting for him, but he was still knocked down.

Kosrek continued to move forward, this time he did not run, but was always on guard against the Ants who might rush up.

Now that the position has fallen into a melee, Kosrek must be careful. The veteran Ant just lost his life because of his carelessness.

The good news is that the machine guns are still firing, which means that the Anters have not yet crossed the screen trench to capture the machine gun positions.

But judging from the sound, the machine gunner has lost his mind. If he shoots like this, the barrel will soon turn red and the trajectory of the machine gun will become a mess.

Kosrek didn't know if the company commander was still safe, so he quickened his pace a little.

There was a roar in the Ant language in front of him. Kosrek felt that it was a hand-to-hand fight, so he hurriedly took two steps to turn the corner in front - the trenches dug by experienced troops were all W-shaped.

Sure enough, a Proson was wrestling with an Ant. Kosrek rushed up and hit the back of the Ant's head with the butt of his gun, knocking him to the ground, and then added a short burst of fire.

"Thank you." The rescued corporal forced a smile and stretched out his hand, looking like he wanted Kosrek to pull him.

Kosrek stepped over him and continued to move forward quickly.

After turning another corner, Koslake finally saw the machine gun position. He crossed the screen trench and shouted to the machine gunner: "Where is the company commander?"

"Dead!" The machine gunner was still firing and answered without looking back. His machine gun was already smoking and the barrel looked like it was about to melt.

Koslake: "I asked you where the company commander is!"

"Beside him!"

Koslake then saw the company commander lying in the trench, his entire upper body covered in blood.

He stepped forward, completely ignoring the company commander's injuries, and carried him away.

After walking two steps, he still felt guilty and turned back to shout to the machine gunner: "Retreat quickly! Go to the second line of defense!"

The machine gunner howled.

Koslake shook his head and ran with the company commander on his back.

The sound of a grenade exploding came from behind him, and the machine gun temporarily silenced, but after a few seconds, the hysterical gunshots rang again.

After a few seconds, the machine gun stopped abruptly. It was not known whether it was jammed or the Ants came up to execute the crazy machine gunner.

At this time, Koslake remembered that the machine gunner seemed to be from his platoon.

Was he called pockmarked face?

He ran wildly while recalling.

At this time, the machine guns on the second line of defense sounded, and Andreas should have arrived at the position.

The battle on the position should continue for a while. Koslake did not go to the second line of defense, but ran to the field medical station with ease.

Twenty minutes later, he rushed into the medical station and went straight to the operating table.

The nurse (male) just carried a wounded person off the operating table, and Koslake threw the company commander on the operating table: "Doctor! Look at my company commander!"

The military doctor looked at the blood on the company commander: "There is so much blood, there is definitely no hope, carry him away!"

"You didn't even look at him!" Koslake said.

Military doctor: "Carry them away! There are so many wounded here! And the process is that the first aid station in front will first classify the wounded, then send them here, and then I will classify them according to the severity of the injuries."

Koslake: "The first aid station on the front line is finished. If I don't go back, the position will soon be finished. Maybe I will be finished if I go back, but I promised this child to take good care of him!

"Doctor, are you sure you want to mess with a person who is about to die? He doesn't care anymore!"

The doctor glanced at Koslake, sighed, and reached out to touch the company commander's neck: "He is already-well, he is still alive, but with this amount of bleeding, he should not live for too long. According to the principle of injury classification, this should be treated first.

"Nurse!"

The male nurse immediately responded: "Doctor?"

"Plasma, and a tourniquet, let's see where he is injured."

Koslake breathed a sigh of relief, turned off the safety of the submachine gun, and finally looked at the company commander, turned around and ran to the battlefield.

————

Andreas stood alone at the machine gun position, using precise bursts to eliminate the approaching Ants.

Because the location of the second line of defense was very cleverly chosen, the Ants' artillery observers could not see Andreas, and he had been firing for so long without any shells falling.

If the Ants did not deploy tanks, it would be impossible to take down the second line of defense today.

But tomorrow their artillery observers will be on the first line of defense, and the telephone lines will be pulled, and the situation will be uncertain.

Suddenly, Andreas heard footsteps behind him, so he stopped shooting, turned around, picked up his submachine gun and aimed it at the intersection of the trench leading to the machine gun position.

The machine gun fixed on the tripod could not turn around to fire, and at this time the machine gunner could only rely on his submachine gun.

This is why Andreas insisted on carrying a submachine gun even though the load was already very high.

The next moment, a familiar face appeared in the field of vision, and Kosrek also held a submachine gun. The two were stunned when they met.

"Damn, I thought the Ants had killed you." Koslake said.

Andreas didn't bother to answer and continued to fire the machine gun.

Koslake stepped forward and held up the bullet belt, acting as his assistant shooter.

Finally, the Ants who attacked the second line of defense retreated to the first line of defense.

Andreas stopped shooting, breathed a long sigh of relief, and then looked at Koslake: "Where is the company commander?"

"Leave it to the doctor, damn, you promised to do the job for me!"

"I didn't ask you to fulfill your promise."

Koslake took out a cigarette: "Forget it, the company commander went back to recuperate, and he will probably go home. He should bring good things to my family."

"I hope so." Andreas also took out a cigarette and borrowed a light from Koslake to light it.

The two of them lay next to the machine gun and smoked.