Red Moscow

The German army came faster than Sokov imagined. Thirty-six hours after Kursk was liberated, a vanguard of German troops appeared east of the city.

This German unit was the 297th Infantry Division of Paulus' 6th Army, commanded by Major General von Drebel. The division was originally advancing towards the Don River. After Paulus learned that Kursk had fallen, he was afraid that his transportation line would be cut off, so he ordered Drebel to lead his troops to turn around and recapture the city.

When Drebel received Paulus's order, the troops were marching towards the Don River, and it would take at least two days to gather the troops. But Paulus strictly ordered him to attack Kursk from the east in the early morning of the next day. Derebel, helpless, could only send the 523rd Infantry Regiment at the back, equipped them with artillery and tanks, and rushed to Kursk first.

The scouts deployed in the east immediately reported to the battalion headquarters after discovering the enemy approaching Kursk. When Andre learned that an enemy had been found near the city, he didn't dare to neglect, and quickly reported to Sokov.

Knowing that there were traces of the German army in the east of the city, Sokov's heartbeat suddenly accelerated. He didn't expect the enemy to come so fast, so he quickly asked into the microphone: "Captain Andrei, have you figured out how many troops the enemy has?" ?”

"According to the scout's report, the enemy probably has the strength of a regiment, and there are also a large number of tanks and artillery." Andrei said loudly on the phone: "Comrade Brigadier, I am laying out defenses, and I hope you can provide us with Artillery and tank support."

"Defend your position, and I will provide you with artillery support." After finishing the call with Andrei, Sokov picked up another phone and said into the microphone: "Let Porochenko and Andrey Alitai, come to my command post."

After a few minutes, the two company commanders came to the command post. Sokov walked up to them and asked: "Companions, the vanguard of the German army has arrived in the east of the city and may attack us at any time. I would like to ask, can you provide artillery support for the third battalion?" "

As soon as Sokov finished speaking, the two company commanders replied in unison: "No problem."

"Is it really okay?" Seeing that the two agreed so readily, Sokov couldn't help asking with some doubts.

The tank company commander Ali Tai stepped forward quickly and replied loudly: "Report, comrade brigade commander, since the tanks seized in the warehouse are all T-34 tanks of our army, so the soldiers can operate them skillfully."

"The situation of our artillery is similar." As soon as Alitai finished speaking, Porochenko continued: "The artillery piled up in the warehouse should have been captured by the German army, and they are all standard artillery of our army."

When he learned that the tanks and artillery in the warehouse were all standard weapons seized by the German army from the Soviet army, Sokov felt more at ease. Even though the tank company and the artillery company were formed just yesterday, the soldiers in the company They are still able to skillfully use the tanks and artillery they are equipped with.

"We only know that the incoming enemy has an infantry regiment, plus a large number of tanks and artillery." Sokov said to the two company commanders: "In order to avoid exposing the strength of our army, we do not intend to prematurely destroy the tanks and artillery." Put into battle. Wait until the enemy's vital strength is consumed in the attack, and then use tanks and artillery to beat the enemy to pieces."

When the German army was still five or six kilometers away from Kursk, the vanguard found that there were a large number of Soviet troops deployed in the field fortifications ahead, and quickly reported to Colonel Weber, the head of the regiment: "Mr. Large numbers of Russians are stationed."

After listening to the report of his subordinates, Weber ordered his chief of staff: "Chief of staff, contact the artillery battalion and let them bombard the Russian fortifications with artillery. After the shelling is over, send out the 1st, 2nd, and 13th companies. Attack the Russian positions."

"Do you need to send the 14th company?" the chief of staff asked cautiously.

"No need," Weber said indifferently. "According to the information we have, the Russians who attacked Kursk were only a few hundred people, and they didn't have any heavy weapons, let alone tanks. The 14th Company stayed where it was. Stand by until the Russian tanks show up before sending them into battle."

When the German army began to shell the third battalion, on a hill far away from the city, five reconnaissance company soldiers were lurking, and they were carefully observing the assembled German army. Among these scouts, except for one who is a veteran, the rest are all inexperienced recruits. Therefore, while observing the enemy's movements with binoculars, the veterans kept imparting experience to the recruits: "...the German infantry regiment has three Each infantry battalion has three infantry companies and a machine gun company under its jurisdiction. The machine gun company is usually equipped with a mortar platoon. The company number of the infantry regiment is from the 1st company to the 12th company. In addition, there are A 13th company of short-range close support artillery drawn by horses, and an anti-tank company with 12 37mm anti-tank guns, numbered 14th company..."

The position of the third battalion was shrouded in gunfire and smoke. Since there were many new soldiers on the position, they had never been bombarded by the enemy. At this moment, when I saw dazzling fireballs and billowing black smoke rising from all over the position, I couldn't help but feel a little confused. Regardless of the hoarse shouts of commanders at all levels behind them, they ran around like headless flies until they were hit by German artillery shells and were blown to pieces; or they were hit by flying shrapnel and screamed Fell in a pool of blood.

After the shelling lasted for half an hour, it finally stopped. Andre immediately contacted the company commanders by phone and asked them to report the losses. Before each company could report the loss situation, Andre saw a dozen German tanks lined up in an offensive formation from the lookout of the observation post, heading towards his position in a mighty manner. Behind the tanks were groups of murderous German infantry.

Seeing this situation, Andre ignored the statistics of the loss of the troops, and quickly ordered the company commanders: "Immediately prepare for battle, and open fire as soon as the enemy comes into range."

Then he called Sokov's headquarters. As soon as he heard Sokov's voice, he said excitedly: "Comrade Brigadier, the enemy has just shelled our battalion for half an hour, causing us great losses. Now the German tanks and infantry It has come up, I request the brigade headquarters to provide artillery support, provide artillery support!"

"When the time is right, I will provide you with artillery support." Sokov said to Andrei in a stern tone: "Your task now is to hold your position at all costs. Understand? "

"Understood." Andre heard Sokov's off-screen voice. At least in the current situation, it is impossible to provide them with any support. They can only rely on themselves. Andre could only say helplessly: "We will resolutely hold our ground."