Red Moscow

Taking the position on the right bank of the Transnistrian River, Sokov reported to Konev by phone.

After hearing this, Konev was taken aback for a moment, and then asked back in surprise: "Comrade Sokov, have you really taken down the position on the other side?"

"Yes, Comrade Marshal." Sukov heard the doubts in Konev's words, and quickly replied in an affirmative tone: "It was really taken down, and a landing site was established on the right bank. I plan to use the landing site as the future starting point of the attack."

"Good job, Comrade Sokov." Konev affirmed Sokov's achievements: "Your group army took the lead in breaking through the German defense on the Transnistria, which is a great achievement. You immediately Arrange manpower and report the orders of the commanders who led the troops to break through the river defenses, and I will personally award them honors."

"The commanders who led the team to break through the German defense line include Colonel Papchenko, commander of the 122nd Guards Regiment, and Colonel Burgos, director of the armored forces of the Army Group..."

"Wait a minute," Konev, who was recording the names of the criminals, stopped Sukov immediately when he heard this, "Why did the chief of the armored forces lead the charge himself?"

"Because the tank brigade participating in the battle has just been transferred and has not had time to familiarize itself with the terrain." Sokov explained: "That's why Burgos personally led the troops to launch the attack."

"Comrade Sokov, forget it this time. Next time, Colonel Burgos will not be allowed to lead the charge anyway. Understand?" Konev urged on the phone: "You know, as the director of the armored forces, he Most of the combat posts are in the command headquarters, rather than charging on the battlefield like an ordinary tank soldier."

Sokov understood what Konev meant. If an army commander of Burgos' level unfortunately died in battle, it would have a negative impact on the morale and morale of the troops, especially the armored troops. He hurriedly said: "Understood, Comrade Marshal, I will explain to him, and he will not be allowed to go to the battlefield easily."

That's what he said, but Sokov knew very well in his heart that who knows what Burgos will go to the battlefield again, driving a tank himself to compete with the German tanks. Among the tank soldiers he knew, Rebarco, as a tank general, often participated in battles, not to mention an ordinary colonel in Burgos.

"Comrade Marshal." Sokov didn't want to dwell on this issue, and changed the topic in time: "I want to ask, when will our army group resume its offensive?"

"Comrade Sokov, don't worry. When it's time for you to attack, you will naturally be allowed to attack." Konev may be worried that Sokov is emotional, and he explained to him specifically: "Your army group has advanced too far. There is a distance of about 30 to 50 roads between the two friendly forces on the left and right. If you continue to move forward, and the friendly forces on the left and right flanks cannot follow up in time, you, who are alone in the depths, are very likely to fall into the encirclement of the Germans."

For Konev's statement, Sokov very much agrees. According to the observations of the past two days, the friendly forces on the left and right flanks are advancing too slowly. If he really advances lightly and falls into the siege of the Germans, I'm afraid they won't be able to come to rescue him in time. Therefore, the safest way is to move forward step by step, and try not to be too far away from the friendly forces.

"Comrade Marshal, I would like to ask how the left and right wings are progressing?"

"Not ideal, very unideal." Unexpectedly, Konev said without hesitation: "The 27th Army on your right wing carried out a forced crossing yesterday evening, trying to cross the Dniester River, but was repelled by the powerful German firepower. .And the 52nd Army on the right has just reached the Transnistria, and it is too late to prepare for crossing."

Konev's words made Sokov's heart cold. According to the advancing speed of the friendly forces, his troops need to hold on to the right bank landing field for at least three to five days to disperse the Germans on the Transnistria. The defensive force ensures that friendly forces can successfully cross the river.

"Comrade Marshal, their advancing speed is really too slow." Sokov complained feebly, "If their movements can be quicker, maybe we can achieve greater results."

"Comrade Sokov," Konev said suddenly after listening to Sokov, "I have an idea that needs your cooperation."

"How to cooperate?"

"The 27th Army is now blocked by the Germans on the left bank of the Transnistria," Konev said on the phone. The German flank attacked and smashed the enemy's defenses on the Transnistria."

"Well, yes." Sokov very much agrees with Konev's idea: "From the current situation, the German army's defense in our area is the weakest. By using the friendly forces on the landing ground, we can go around to Behind the German river defense positions, they were caught off guard."

"Since you have no objection, then I will immediately call General Trofimenko and ask him to mobilize the elite of the 27th Army to cross the river from the area under your control and attack the rear of the Germans." Konev said on the phone Admonishment: "You must do a good job in responding, and there must be no misunderstanding."

"Don't worry, Comrade Marshal." Sokov said confidently: "As soon as friendly troops enter our defense zone, there will be people along the way to meet them. I don't think there will be such low-level mistakes as misunderstandings."

As soon as Sokov put down the phone, he immediately called Smirnov in front of him and said to him: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I just discussed with Comrade Marshal, let the troops of the 27th Army borrow from us, Cross the Transnistria and attack from the rear of the German river positions."

"Okay, I'll call right away and notify the troops in the defense zone, so that they are ready to respond to friendly forces." After Smirnov finished speaking, he picked up the phone and called the troops deployed on the right wing of the defense zone, asking them to pay attention The movement of the 27th Army is ready to respond to friendly forces at any time.

Before finishing the phone call here, Koshkin walked in quickly from the outside and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, Colonel Yakov has arrived!"

"Ah, Yasha is here!" Sokov couldn't help being overjoyed when he learned that Yakov had arrived, which meant that the weapons and ammunition urgently needed by the troops had been delivered: "Where is he?"

"I saw him just walk into the building and he should be there soon."

As soon as Koshkin finished speaking, Yakov's voice came from the door: "Misha, I'm here! How are you doing recently?"

"I am fine, and you?"

"I am fine too!"

The two shook hands first, followed by a hug.

After parting, Sokov asked with concern: "Yasha, is the hovercraft unit here?"

Unexpectedly, Yakov shook his head and said, "No, the hovercraft team is still on the way, and I'm afraid it will take two days to get here. I was worried that you were in a hurry, so I drove here in advance."

Smirnov, who had just finished the call, happened to hear Yakov's words behind him, and asked nervously, "Colonel Yakov, why do you have to wait for two days?"

"Hey, there is no way." Yakov said rather helplessly: "It may be that the hovercraft is used too frequently. During the transportation of materials this time, failures occurred repeatedly, which caused our trip to be delayed."

"So, maybe this is the last time to transport supplies to us." Smirnov heard Yakov say this, and asked tentatively: "Am I guessing right?"

"That's right, Comrade Chief of Staff." Yakov explained to Smirnov: "The frequency of these hovercraft is too high, which affects its lifespan. I estimate that after this transportation is over, many hovercraft will be destroyed." declared obsolete."

"Yasha, if the hovercraft can no longer transport supplies for us, we can only find a way to replace it with other means of transportation."

Yakov looked at Sokov and asked curiously: "Misha, what kind of transportation do you think can replace the hovercraft currently in use?"

"How about the Kirov airship?" Sokov asked cautiously: "Although the flying speed is a bit slower, its payload is okay. We can definitely consider using it to replace the hovercraft."

"Kirov airship?!" After repeating the word, Yakov turned his head and asked Smirnov who was standing aside: "Comrade Chief of Staff, have you heard of such a thing?"

"No." Smirnov shook his head and said, "I've never heard of it."

"Yeah, I haven't heard of it either." Yakov looked at Sokov with a strange expression and asked, "Misha, where did you hear about this thing? Anyway, I don't know about it, and It’s the first time I’ve heard of it today.”

This time it was Sokov's turn to be dumbfounded. In the Red Alert game he had played before, the Kirov airship was a powerful air force unit of the Soviet army. It could attack ground targets by intensively dropping large bombs and completely destroy buildings in the entire area. objects and combat units.

"What, you haven't heard of it?" Sokov asked in shock, "Aren't you kidding me?"

"Misha, how can I joke with you about this kind of thing?" Yakov asked cautiously: "What kind of Kirov airship are you talking about? Can you draw a picture for me?"

"Yes!" Sokov picked up the pen and paper, and began to draw a picture of the Kirov airship according to his memory. Yakov and Smirnov tilted their heads and stood aside curiously.

A few minutes later, Sokov drew the picture of the Kirov airship, drew a sickle and ax logo on the body of the boat, and then pushed the paper in front of Yakov: "Yasha, this is the Kirov airship." , you should have seen it, right?"

Yakov picked up the picture drawn by Sokov, looked at it carefully for a long time, and then said: "If I remember correctly, this thing is very similar to the German Zeppelin airship."

"Yes, I also think this thing is very similar to the German Zeppelin." After Smirnov echoed, he asked Sokov curiously: "Comrade Commander, why do you think the German airship is ours?" What about your own?"

The reaction of the two made Sokov realize that he might have made a low-level mistake, and actually took the combat units that appeared in the computer game as real things. However, out of caution, he still asked tentatively: "Is there really no Kirov airship in our army?"

"Really not." Yakov and Smirnov answered in unison this time.

"That may be my mistake." Sokov said, took the paper back from Yakov, and tore it to shreds.

"Misha," Yakov said to Sokov, "During World War I, the Germans dispatched Zeppelins to bomb London and caused considerable damage to London. Although the British dispatched fighter planes to intercept them, the Since the firepower of the aircraft equipment at that time was too weak, at best it could only punch a few holes in the fuselage of the airship, but could not cause substantial damage to it.

Nowadays, as the aircraft equipped by various countries are becoming more and more advanced, and the weapons they carry are becoming more and more powerful, airships, which are bulky and slow to fly, will become the best targets for fighter jets if they appear in the air again. . Therefore, the Germans did not use this air combat unit on the battlefield anymore. "

"Comrade Commander," Smirnov said to Sokov after listening to Yakov's words, "Colonel Yakov is right, don't say that our army doesn't have such things now, even if we do, we can do it." It cannot be used on the battlefield. This air unit is large in size and slow in movement, and it is undoubtedly the best target for enemy aircraft to attack."

"Yasha," the hovercraft can't be used, and the Kirov airship is also non-existent. Sokov can't help worrying about the next transportation: "Do you have any good ways to ensure that the transportation of materials for our army is not interrupted?" ?”

"It's not easy." Yakov scratched the back of his head and said with a look of embarrassment: "Normal transportation is nothing more than through railways, roads and air. If the hovercraft really can't be used, I really don't want to What to use instead."

"Comrade Commander, I think this issue should be reported to Marshal Konev immediately." Smirnov reminded Sokov: "You must know that our army group is now the farthest from the logistics supply station. Once weapons and ammunition appear Insufficient supplies and military supplies may affect our next combat operations.”

Sokov agrees with Smirnov's statement. In the Battle of Kharkov at the beginning of last year, the Soviet army had an absolute advantage in terms of strength and equipment. The ammunition and materials of the front troops were exhausted, but the rear could not be replenished in time, which led to the disastrous defeat of Kharkov and turned the German army that was on the verge of extinction.

"Comrade Chief of Staff, this is how I think about it. It is necessary for us to build several warehouses near the front to store the weapons, ammunition and supplies brought in from the rear, so that the troops can be replenished in time. Sokov said to Smirnov: "Without further delay, you should arrange for the establishment of this supply warehouse as soon as possible. Before the start of the new offensive operation, there must be enough weapons, equipment and supplies in the warehouse."

"No problem, I will immediately report this matter to the Minister of Logistics." Smirnov said to Sokov: "He is a professional and knows where to build a logistics warehouse. It is the most suitable place."

"Also," Sukov recalled something as important as repairing the warehouse, and added: "The logistics warehouse must be protected by effective troops, so as not to be destroyed by the Germans, causing us heavy losses and affecting us. to the next combat operation. Do you understand?"

"Understood, Comrade Commander." Smirnov said vowedly: "I will definitely arrange the security force so that the warehouse will not make any mistakes."