Red Moscow

Seydlitz returned to his army headquarters and immediately ordered his chief of staff: "Chief of staff, inform Dr. Kofes, commander of the 295th Infantry Division, and Major General Sanne, commander of the 100th Jaeger Division, to come to me. "

After the two German division commanders received the call, they guessed that Seydlitz must have an important task to deploy, so they didn't dare to neglect, and immediately drove to the army headquarters at the fastest speed.

Seeing his two subordinates coming down, Seydlitz nodded to them, and then said: "Gentlemen, the reason why I called you here at this time is because I have an important task to entrust to you. Finish."

Kofes and Sanne looked at each other, and then said in unison: "Please give the order, Your Excellency Commander."

"Your Excellency the Commander just called me to his headquarters and ordered our army to take down the Red October Tractor Factory tomorrow." Seydlitz looked at the two and said, "Therefore, I plan to take this arduous task, Give it to your two divisions to complete."

"Your Excellency, Commander, please forgive my presumptuousness. I think it is impossible to take down the Russian Red October factory tomorrow." The first speaker was Major General Sanne. Moon Factory is the 39th Guards Division of the Russians. During the daytime battle, every time we took a position, the Russians would carry out a counter-charge and engage in a tug-of-war with us. Occupying several dilapidated buildings on the edge of the residential area."

"General Sanne!" Seydlitz asked in a stern tone after Sanne finished speaking: "The small troops you sent today have successfully rushed into the factory from the north, why didn't you send troops in time? Reinforcement? They got kicked out of the factory by the Russians."

"Your Excellency, Commander, please listen to my explanation." When Sanne heard Seydlitz mentioning this matter, cold sweat broke out on his forehead. He explained in a panic: "I learned that the detour troops have successfully entered the factory area. I immediately sent a battalion to reinforce it. Unexpectedly, when they passed through the residential area, they were stubbornly blocked by the Russians, and they were unable to move forward for a long time, so that the troops entering the factory area were driven away by the Russians because they were isolated and helpless. come out."

"General Sanne, I now order you to be transferred to the north of the Red October Factory by your troops before dawn." Seydlitz said in an orderly tone: "As soon as our shelling is over, we will send you to the Red October factory immediately." The plant strikes."

After listening to Seydlitz's order, Sanne said hesitantly: "Your Excellency, if our division moves to the north, will the Russian defense force also move north?"

"Don't worry, I will never let this happen." After Seydlitz finished speaking, he turned to Kofes and said, "Dr. The main force was transferred to the west of the Red October factory to cooperate with the 100th Jaeger Division to launch an attack."

Kofes was taken aback when he heard this order, and then cautiously reminded Seydlitz: "Your Excellency, Commander, our division is currently clearing up the Russians who have infiltrated into our army's rear. I'm afraid we won't be able to participate in tomorrow's attack."

"The latest mission of your division is to assist the 100th Jaeger Division in capturing the Russian Red October factory. As for the elimination of the Russians who infiltrated the rear of our army, let them go to hell." Seydlitz finished these few days After saying this, he murmured in a low voice: "Damn it, in order to deal with dozens of Russians, three divisions were mobilized to carry out the suppression. Is this really necessary?"

"Your Excellency, Commander," since the order was issued by his immediate superior, Kofes has no scruples about transferring the troops to the Red October factory overnight, but considering that the guards of the Soviet army are guarding the factory , He said cautiously: "Although we have two divisions, they are both infantry divisions. It may not be easy to break through the defense line of the Russian Guards Division."

"Dr. Kofess, you don't have to worry about this." Seydlitz waved his hand at Kofess, and said disapprovingly: "The commander has transferred General Lensky's 24th Armored Division northward to cooperate with our attack tomorrow. .”

Knowing that the armored division would be able to cooperate with them in tomorrow's attack, both Kofes and Sanne breathed a sigh of relief. For them, as long as there is a sufficient number of tanks, the fortifications of the Soviet army in residential areas will be vulnerable. But when the tank will be put on the battlefield, the two of them have no idea. Sanne asked tentatively: "Your Excellency, Commander, may I ask, when will General Lensky's armored division be able to enter the battlefield?"

"The commander ordered the 24th Armored Division to depart from the current station at ten o'clock tomorrow morning and go north." Seydlitz glanced at the map in front of him while speaking, and then said: "There is only a distance of more than 20 kilometers, before noon It should be possible to arrive. In this way, you can get the cooperation of the armored division in the attack in the afternoon. I hope you can take down the Red October factory before dark."

As soon as Seydlitz finished speaking, Sanne said confidently: "Your Excellency, don't worry, we are the only division that attacked the Red October factory today, and the Russians were beaten to the point of being unable to hold on." .Tomorrow, an armored division and an infantry division will be added, which will surely beat the Russians to pieces, and there should be no problem in capturing the entire factory."

But Kofes was obviously not as optimistic as Sanneh. He reminded Seydlitz: "Your Excellency, the Russians now have a new type of rocket that can be launched in any area. If the armored division is on its way north, Being attacked by this new type of rocket, I am worried that they will suffer huge losses. Once we lose the cover of the armored division, if we want to capture the Red October factory, I am afraid..."

"Dr. Kofess," Seydlitz interrupted before Kofess could finish, "General Lensky is an experienced officer, he will take these issues into consideration. Time It's getting late, you'd better go back and assemble your troops early, so as not to be late for tomorrow's attack."

Seeing that Seydlitz didn't care about the question he raised at all, Kofes couldn't continue talking. He could only sigh softly, raised his hand to salute the other party, and turned around and walked out of Seydlitz's headquarters. .

…………

It was already daylight when Sokov came down from the roof. Taking advantage of the time before the Germans attacked, he called Briski and Cousteau together and began to study how to deploy defenses in the assembly workshop.

According to Sokov's observations, around the assembly workshop building, there are reinforced concrete barriers used to block tank triangles. Behind the barriers are dense two-layer barbed wire fences. The long-term firepower point that Cousteau mentioned was built among these barbed wire fences. The upper part of the building where the firepower point protrudes from the ground is only more than one meter high, and the target is not big. Unless it is directly hit by a heavy artillery shell, it is difficult to destroy.

Sokov told Briski: "Comrade Lieutenant, there are two permanent firepower points around the workshop building. You will set up machine gun positions there later, so that the enemy's infantry cannot approach the factory building."

"Comrade Brigadier," Briski waited for Sokov to finish, and reminded him intentionally, "We don't have anti-tank weapons. What should we do if German tanks charge over us?"

"You don't have to worry about this." Sokov pointed upwards with his hand and said, "As long as the German tanks dare to come over, the girls on the roof will use 37mm anti-aircraft guns to smash them all into scrap iron. .”

Speaking of this, Sokov remembered another important thing, so he turned his head and said to Cousteau: "Comrade workshop director, I would like to ask, if you want to give orders to the antiaircraft artillery battalion on the roof, what method will you use?" ?”

Cousteau didn't know why Sokov suddenly asked about this, and quickly replied, "If there is anything, I will arrange someone to go to the roof to inform Ulanova."

Hearing what Cousteau said, Sokov stared at him with wide eyes in surprise: "Comrade workshop director, what are you talking about, you always send people to the roof to deliver orders?"

"Yes." Cousteau nodded, and asked in a daze, "Is there any question?"

Sokov pointed to the fire ladder on the wall of the factory building, and said dumbfoundedly: "Comrade workshop director, have you ever thought that it will take at least two or three minutes to climb from this fire ladder to the roof with a height of more than 20 meters?" That is to say, if you send someone up to convey the order, it will take at least five or six minutes for the messenger to return..."

"It's more than five or six minutes," Cousteau also realized something was wrong when he heard this: "Including the time to convey the order on the roof, it will take ten minutes."

"On the battlefield, every minute is precious. If the messenger fails to convey the order to Ulanova in time, there may be a situation that delays the fighter plane." Sokov suggested to Cousteau: "The workshop Comrade Director, I hope you can install a telephone line for the antiaircraft artillery battalion on the roof. With this direct line, it will be much easier for you to communicate with the roof.”

"You are right, Comrade Lieutenant Colonel." Regarding Sokov's proposal, Cousteau immediately agreed: "I will immediately contact the factory department and ask them to send someone to install a dedicated telephone line."

Seeing that Cousteau agreed to immediately install a dedicated telephone line for the anti-aircraft artillery battalion on the roof, Sokov nodded slightly, and then said to Briski: "Comrade Captain, once the German army finds that the anti-aircraft artillery on the roof is too much of a threat to them, they will surely Those who shelled or bombed the factory building, if the roof of the factory building collapsed, it is estimated that not many commanders and fighters of the anti-aircraft artillery battalion would survive, and our anti-tank combat strength would be weakened by then. You send people back to Mamayev Post now, take A batch of new rockets are coming, maybe they will be of great use in the future."

"Yes, Comrade Brigadier." Briski quickly stood up and replied loudly, "I'll send people back to Mamayev Post right away to bring the rockets here."

"New rockets?!" Cousteau couldn't help asking curiously when he heard this: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, what are you talking about? I've never heard of it."

The new rocket has just been launched, and it is still a weapon that needs to be kept secret. Therefore, except for the commanders and fighters of the 73rd Infantry Brigade, not many people know about this weapon. Even Chuikov and Krylov only heard of it. Haven't seen the real thing. It is normal for Cousteau, a small workshop director, not to understand a weapon that even the chief of the army group has never seen.

Sokov considered that once the new rockets were shipped here, Cousteau would definitely not be able to hide them if they wanted to use them, so he said generously: "Comrade workshop director, it is a rocket similar to the Katyusha rocket, but It has been modified so that it can be launched from anywhere. When our fighters bring the stuff, you will find out."

After listening to Sokov's brief introduction, Cousteau was still at a loss. He thought that the size of this new type of rocket should be about the same length as the rocket used by the Katyusha rocket launcher, so he offered: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, Do you want me to provide you with a truck for transportation?"

"Do you have trucks here?" When he learned that there were trucks here, Sokov couldn't help feeling ecstatic. He thought he could only rely on the soldiers to carry these rockets back. Now that there are trucks, it can not only save manpower, but also More rockets can be brought over, he hurriedly asked: "How many?"

"There must be more than a dozen." Cousteau explained to Sokov: "Since we are an assembly workshop here, we transport the turrets, barrels, and other parts of the tanks from other workshops by truck. of."

Sokov looked into the factory building, but did not see the shadow of the truck, so he asked curiously: "Comrade workshop director, where do you park the truck? Why didn't I see it?"

Cousteau grinned and replied: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, you don't know something. Since the outbreak of the war, we have started to build underground parking lots here, and trucks are parked in the parking lot. I wonder how many cars you need? "

"One car is enough." After Sokov said this, he told Briski: "Comrade Captain, you immediately send someone to go to the underground parking lot with the workshop director, and drive a truck back to Mamayev Gang. , send a batch of rockets over as soon as possible."

"Comrade Brigadier," Briski asked, "I don't know how many pieces need to be transported?"

"Fifty." Sokov replied without hesitation: "Although the superiors only ordered us to stand here for a day or two, no one knows when the reinforcements from the east bank will arrive. Prepare more rockets. , which is good for our defense."

"Understood, Comrade Brigadier Commander." Briski said, "I will immediately send competent personnel to drive back to Mamayev Post."

"On the way back, ask the driver and the soldiers escorting the car to be vigilant." Although the road from the Red October Factory to Mamayev Hill is still under the control of the Soviet army, out of prudence, Sokov still Staring at Briski: "Not only do we have to avoid the shelling and bombing of the German army, but we also need to prevent being attacked by small groups of enemies on the road."

Regarding the spirit shown by Sokov, Briski said very cooperatively: "Don't worry, Comrade Brigadier Commander, I will tell the soldiers on the mission to let them pull the rockets back here safely."