Steel Soviet Union

The Mosin-Nagant rifle that they had fought with on the battlefield fell next to the body of its owner, and no one paid attention to it anymore. The glinting bayonet blade was still stained with the mottled blood of the invaders, and the steel tracks rolled in along with the trembling of the earth. But it only took the blink of an eye to crush it completely.

"At three o'clock, Ivan's machine gun team, main gun preparation, high-explosive bomb loading."

"Good high-explosive bombs!"

"Aimed!"

"Fire!"

boom--

The 75mm Type 34 high-explosive grenade spiraled out of the barrel rifling with muzzle fire. It showed no mercy. The high-explosive grenade had almost no trajectory at a firing distance of less than 200 meters, and it hit accurately immediately. The Soviet machine gun team in the commander's mouth exploded instantly.

The TNT charge of up to 680 grams of warhead warhead is simply not something that flesh and blood can withstand. The Soviet main shooter who is responsible for controlling the DP28 light machine gun and the ammunition hand beside him were violently attacked before they even had a chance to react. The explosion shock wave and fragments instantly tore apart and ceased to exist.

"The machine gun team has been dealt with, keep moving forward! Follow the tanks! Fire!"

The German infantry who followed closely behind their own tanks and used infantry-tank coordination tactics methodically pressed forward little by little toward the Soviet position. The German Type IV C tank, which was moving forward at a constant speed in forward gear, covered the infantry. And because the speed of the vehicle is low, the vibration of the vehicle body is small, which can basically ensure the accuracy of firing of the main gun under slow movement.

They were pinned down in the trenches by the German tank's main gun coaxial machine gun and the hull's heading machine gun. Any Soviet machine gun team that dared to show up and fire would incur a 75-shot attack without even having a chance to fire all the bullet discs. Millimeter high-explosive shells were a mess, and the bulky Kolyunov and Deshika heavy machine guns had already been scrapped by all German tanks and were completely lost.

Although the 21st Infantry Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs Border Guard fought desperately and refused to retreat, it was obviously unable to withstand the German offensive force advantage supported by armored forces with its mere flesh and blood and vastly different defensive forces.

After the weak infantry anti-tank artillery firepower was exhausted, it seemed that it was only a matter of time before the precarious position was penetrated by the German army.

The continuous siege on land for many days and the protracted and continuous bombing by the Luftwaffe had already stretched the Soviet artillery in the direction of Leningrad.

There was no way to replenish the artillery that was consumed in the battle. Even the large-caliber heavy artillery shells used in daily firing came from the inventory reserves and fired one less round. The Soviet artillery, which has always pursued the supremacy of firepower density and pursued artillery doctrine, was in the embarrassing situation of being suppressed by German artillery fire in the direction of Leningrad for the first time since the war began.

Holding a telescope in his forward observation command post, he watched the German small-caliber 75mm infantry cannon and mortar shells continuously falling and exploding on his own defensive positions, coupled with the continuous pressure and attack by the German armored forces. .

Colonel Donskoy, commander of the 21st Border Defense Division of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, felt like he was out of breath. He threw the telescope out of his hand and was instantly out of breath.

"If we continue like this, we will be crushed to death by those Germans sooner or later! Inform the division's artillery regiment to fire immediately and launch intercepting barrages to force their tanks back!"

Compared to Colonel Donskoy, who was furious and panting like an old cow, the political commissar on the side was obviously more calm than the military chief.

"I just went to see Gaskov's artillery regiment. Their current ammunition reserve is only enough to cover the salvo fire for no more than ten minutes. After that, they can only pick up the bayonet on their rifles and go to the front line to assist in the defense. "

"Military matters should be decided by you, the military director. I just want to remind you that we must be cautious about the situation we are facing now."

"Make a decision, Comrade Commander."

After hesitating repeatedly under the persuasion of his political commissar and gradually calming down his breathing, Colonel Donskoy finally made the right decision under the guidance of reason.

"In five minutes, call Gaskov and ask his artillery regiment to fire a barrage salvo for five minutes at a position three hundred meters from the forward position and then cease fire immediately. Unauthorized firing is strictly prohibited without my order! Every artillery shell must be fired Save planning, things are different now.”

After listening to the order given by his partner, he immediately turned around and walked to the phone next to the table to pick up the microphone. The political commissar, who knew how dangerous the 300-meter barrage volley distance from the forward position was for his own side, had no idea. In other words, even if he was accidentally injured by his own artillery fire, it would still be better than having the Germans rush up and occupy the position.

Just one minute after the phone call, the roar of heavy artillery came one after another, and instantly exploded less than 300 meters away from the Soviet forward defense position.

The firepower of the division's 152nd and 122nd heavy artillery was indeed extraordinary. The Soviet field artillery unit, which fired salvos on the scale of an organic divisional artillery regiment, inflicted great damage on the German troops who were about to break through the position.

Several German tanks that were instantly shrouded in heavy artillery barrages were hit by large-caliber grenades with parabolic trajectories on the fragile domes. Like champagne that had been opened, the tanks instantly exploded and burst out with a fiery and dazzling explosion. Death flames.

The German offensive force, which was directly wiped out by a wave of Soviet heavy artillery barrages, folded in nearly a full battalion of infantry and a dozen tanks in just five minutes.

According to past situations, the German army will definitely retreat tactically and reorganize its offensive forces after suffering such serious losses. However, the German army, which is already within easy reach of victory, is obviously unwilling to end this wave of offensive in such an anticlimactic manner.

After another wave of new attacking troops integrated the remaining troops of the first wave that were temporarily suppressed by Soviet artillery, they immediately rushed forward again with a more powerful infantry and tank coordinated offensive.

Colonel Donskoy gritted his teeth in anger when he saw through the telescope that his expected tactical goal had not been achieved. But at this moment, the roar of a train coming from the rear of the German starting position interrupted Donskoy. Colonel Coy's brain suddenly rang.

"No, it's the German artillery's retaliation! Why is it so fast!?"

Based on the direction and trajectory of the incoming artillery fire, the German artillery accurately calculated the direction and approximate location of the Soviet artillery position. It didn't take long for the German artillery to complete their adjustments and launch a retaliatory artillery battle toward the Soviet artillery position.

He had long realized that his opponent's situation was not as good as that of the previous German artillery, and he finally regained his face during the siege of Leningrad.

The Soviet field artillery unit, whose ammunition supply and artillery quantity were much lower than before, could no longer grind the German artillery to the ground as before. The German artillerymen, who had always been like their younger brothers in front of the Soviet artillery, finally felt proud and proud, and even dared to engage in artillery battles.