Red Moscow

After the German artillery regiment received the shells, it continued to bombard the Soviet positions. The Soviet commanders and fighters in the position, at the beginning of the bombardment, retreated to the anti-slope position along the traffic trench like the last time.

Standing on a hill, Tansen held up his binoculars and looked at the Soviet positions that had been blown into a sea of ​​flames. He turned to a staff officer standing beside him and said, "Lieutenant, do you think that under such heavy shelling, the soldiers on the positions Will the Russians survive?"

"If it is the solid defense fortifications of the Russians, our shelling on such a scale may only destroy some of their fortifications, but it is difficult to cause them too many casualties." The staff officer replied: "But the Russians now only have simple field operations." Fortifications, under such heavy shelling, I am afraid that not many people will survive."

After hearing this, Tansen snorted heavily, and then said coldly: "Our shelling last time was as violent as it is now. But when our offensive started, the Russians who should have been wiped out by the shelling, but It came out of nowhere and caused huge casualties to our attacking troops."

The staff officer stared at the hills shrouded in flames and gunpowder smoke in the distance, frowned and thought for a while, and said to Tansen: "Mr. Banner Captain, when our army is bombarded by the Russians, we will withdraw our troops from the front line to the second line. Do you think the Russians do the same?"

The staff officer's statement immediately aroused Tansen's vigilance. He thought that after the last shelling, the troops launched an attack before the smoke on the hill cleared. If the Russians had indeed withdrawn to the second line, they simply would not have had enough time to move into defensive positions.

Tansen shook his head and said, "It's impossible. If the Russians really moved to the second-line position, when our army launched an attack, they would not have enough time to return to the position."

Seeing that Tansen denied his guess, the staff officer continued: "Could it be that there are hidden fortifications in places we can't see? Every time we start shelling, the Russians hide in those fortifications. Wait for the shelling After that, they quickly moved into defensive positions."

"Well, there is such a possibility." Tansen recalled that Sokov's troops were known for being good at defense. There were so many troops attacking Mamayev Post, but no one had ever successfully occupied it. If they still rely on fortifications for defense this time, it will become extremely difficult for them to continue to move forward.

At this moment, Tansen began to regret secretly in his heart. If he had followed Hausser's order earlier and handed over the combat area here to the 230th Infantry Division, and followed the main force to advance to Prokhorovka, he might have broken through the Russians. line of defense. But it was too late to regret it now, and he made a promise to Hausser that Shumakovo must be captured, no matter how difficult the next battle was, he could only bite the bullet and fight on.

After the hour-long shelling ended, it took a full ten minutes for the gunpowder smoke that shrouded the hills to gradually thin out. Through the binoculars, Tansen saw that the above fortifications were basically destroyed in the shelling, so he ordered the troops that had already been ready to go, and launched an attack towards the hills controlled by the Soviet army.

But the result was the same as last time. The charge launched by the German army was repulsed by the Soviet army that suddenly appeared.

Zhukov, who was staying in the headquarters, learned that the two attacks of the German army were repulsed by the defenders standing on the front line, so he asked Sokov: "Misha, the enemy's attacks have been repelled twice by you. I want to ask you, when do you plan to attack the enemy?"

"Comrade Marshal," Sokov replied with a smile: "My roundabout troops have just entered the designated position, and the commanders and fighters have already become exhausted after a long march. It’s not too late to launch an attack from the rear.”

"Then how long do you plan to let the troops rest?" Zhukov has been staying in the headquarters, and he is very clear about the series of orders issued by Sokov. But so far, Sokov's orders are all instructing how to defend, and there is no order related to offense.

"I plan to wait until it is almost dark before ordering the troops to attack." Seeing Zhukov waiting for him to attack the Imperial Division, Sokov explained to him: "The battle will not last long, and it will be dark. Our planes, tanks and artillery are useless, but we are equipped with weapons that give us an advantage in close combat with the enemy."

Seeing that the enemy's two attacks were repelled, Zhukov originally wanted Sokov to launch a comprehensive counterattack. But listening to what he said, I think what he said makes sense. When attacking during the day, the most worrying thing is to be bombed by enemy planes. In the past, many attacks that had the advantage in the past were because the air supremacy on the battlefield was in the hands of the Germans. After a lot of indiscriminate bombing, the Soviet attack collapsed. . If you attack near dark, not only will the enemy not be able to dispatch the air force to support the ground troops, but even the ground troops will become exhausted due to the long-term battle. Choosing this time to attack will achieve the greatest results.

After a while of silence, Zhukov asked, "Which army do you plan to order to launch a counterattack?"

Sokov pointed to a location on the map and said to Zhukov: "Comrade Marshal, one of my infantry brigades and two marine brigades have arrived at this location. When it is getting dark, they will be the first to face the enemy from the front. The enemy is attacking."

"Three brigade-level units," Zhukov said thoughtfully after seeing the troop numbers marked on the map, "if there is no unified command, then after the battle starts, I'm afraid there will be chaos. Each, it is difficult to form an effective cooperation, and maybe they will be defeated by the Germans one by one."

"Don't worry, Comrade Marshal." Regarding Zhukov's worries, Sokov said with a smile: "After the counter-offensive begins, please stay at the headquarters with my military commissar, General Lunev, and I will personally command the three brigades. Launch an attack on the enemy."

After listening to Sokov's arrangement, Zhukov shook his head, and said a little dumbfounded: "Misha, are you the marshal or am I the marshal? A major general actually commanded a marshal. I'm afraid it won't be known if it is said. Someone believe it."

"Comrade Marshal." Seeing that Zhukov seemed reluctant to stay here to help him grasp the overall situation, Sokov hurriedly said with a smile: "My chief of staff and several other troops are still marching on the road. If he is here, we will Surely it won't bother you..."

"Okay, okay, don't talk about it." Zhukov waved his hand and interrupted Sokov before he finished speaking, "It seems that you have already planned to let me command the troops for you. Well, until your chief of staff arrives, I will temporarily help coordinate and command the troops."

Seeing that Zhukov agreed to his proposal, Sokov was immediately overjoyed. He quickly raised his hand to salute Zhukov, and said respectfully: "Thank you, Comrade Marshal. Please rest assured that after tomorrow morning, the empire rebuilt by the Germans The teacher will cease to exist."