The decisive battle against the Third Reich

But Stalin's order is this, whether it can be defended is another matter.

The difficulty of this was only known to Vatutin. The Voronezh Front indeed had many more tanks than the German army, with a total of more than 1,700 tanks.

However, the Voronezh Front defends a defense line of more than 200 kilometers south of the Kursk salient. Once more than a thousand tanks move toward this defense line, there are not many at each location. Only those that can be used as mobile troops 5th Guards Tank Corps.

Originally, there would be no problem with this arrangement, because the 5th Guards Tank Corps is an elite force and has more than 400 tanks. These tanks are no longer more numerous than either of the two German armies that broke into the defense line. With less resources, his performance and strength are even better. Vatujing is not only confident about this battle, but he is also 70-80% sure.

But who would have thought that this was not the case... The elite tank army in Vatutin's hands was severely weakened in just one battle and lost more than 300 tanks. Only the 22nd Guards Tank Brigade survived because it did not rush up from the rear. .

"Defend? How to defend!" Vatutin paced anxiously in front of his desk. He also knew the importance of the third line of defense. It was the last support of the Soviet army. If the Germans were allowed to break through, the German armored forces would It would break into the rear of the Soviet army, with disastrous consequences.

"Comrade Vatutin!" Lieutenant General Kazakov suggested: "Can we... build fortifications for tanks to delay the German actions like we did in the direction of Tomarovka?"

Vatutin stopped, then nodded and said: "Order the troops immediately to build fortifications and defenses on the spot!"

The German 21st Armored Division advanced along the road. Perhaps because of the shock of the German army's new weapons, the Soviet army's high ground or supporting points along the road were not able to block the German army's ten-minute attack...

The German army only needed to drive up the tank and fire a few shots at the Soviet army, killing a few people, and then charge up and beat the Soviet army to the ground.

To be precise, before the German army could reach the high ground, the Soviet army escaped from the other side.

There were bullet boxes and artillery shell boxes everywhere on the position, as well as supplies, helmets, and unmovable Makimis, Goryunovs, anti-tank guns, etc. scattered all over the ground.

This made the German army a little bit incredible because the firepower and ammunition were enough to block the German army under the high ground for several hours, unable to move.

"This reminds me of when we first attacked the Soviet Union!" Dominic said: "This is what the Soviet army looked like at that time!"

Dominic participated in Project Barbarossa. At that time, the Soviet army was a ragtag group and was easily defeated.

"So you're lucky, sergeant!" The baker tossed a helmet aside, then picked up a pack of cigarettes from underneath, looked at it, and stuffed it into his pocket.

"We are very lucky now, aren't we?" As Dominic said these words, he glanced at the pile of firearms and ammunition dropped by the Soviets.

If it were in the past, German soldiers would see these as if they were treasures, because they would pick out Bobosha submachine guns or rotary machine guns and their ammunition and carry them with them.

But now... STG44's equipment has completely lost their appetite for these weapons.

"This is only temporary, Dominic!" the baker replied: "It would be a good thing if it could continue like this, but they are just scared by ME63!"

"Yes, ME63!" Werner said: "You must not have noticed the expressions on their faces when they saw that the rockets could turn... as if they had seen a ghost!"

"I saw it!" Jacop said: "I captured several prisoners, and they asked one thing from the beginning to the end, 'God, how did you do it?'!"

"How did you answer them?"

"I told them!" Jakop replied, "We beat them out with baseball bats!"

The soldiers couldn't help laughing.

"Gather!" Eberhard's call and whistle came from not far away: "Keep moving forward, we must reach the Soviets' third line of defense before dark!"

The soldiers immediately packed up their equipment and some useful things they had just picked out and walked quickly in the direction of Eberhard.

In fact, there was no need to get dark at all. The 21st Armored Division arrived at the Soviet third line of defense around three o'clock in the afternoon.

General Strike immediately ordered an attack on the Soviet third line of defense, because he believed that this would catch the Soviet army by surprise.

But this time it doesn’t seem to be so easy to deal with...

The Soviet army deployed what General Walter called fire pockets on the defense line.

Both charges launched were beaten back.

"We lost three No. 4s and five No. 3s!" General Strike said: "They used the same tactics they used against the SS to deal with us!"

Colonel Olbridge explained: "Their tactic is to bury the tanks in the soil and only expose the turrets, so that it is impossible or difficult for us to target and penetrate them!"

"But we can get close to them!" Colonel Slain said: "As long as we are close enough, we can still destroy them!"

"That's right!" Colonel Olbridge said: "But they have anti-tank guns on both wings. These anti-tank guns are carefully camouflaged, so it is difficult for us to detect their existence. And they will always hide. No artillery fire until our tanks advance here..."

As he spoke, Colonel Olbridge pushed the two tank models forward, and then continued: "At this time, our side armor was facing the anti-tank guns, and they did not take action...until our tanks were destroyed, we even I don’t even know where their anti-tank guns are!”

"They call this a 'fire pocket'!" General Strike said: "The 2nd SS Panzer Corps suffered heavy casualties under this kind of 'fire pocket', because even the 'Tiger' tanks had no side armor. Resisting the close fire of anti-tank guns! They lost five Tigers because of this, and they were blocked in front of the third line of defense and did not dare to attack easily! "

"Then..." Colonel Slaine asked again: "Why don't we avoid their frontal attacks and attack their anti-tank guns on the flanks!"

"Because they have flanks, Colonel!" Colonel Olbridge then placed several anti-tank gun models on the table and said, "Their entire defense line is arranged like this, no matter where we attack any point , will expose the flanks of the tanks to their anti-tank guns!"

This is indeed a difficult tactic to deal with. The key point is that the anti-tank gunners deployed in front of the position have better psychological quality, because they always face the Germans from the side.