The Rise of the Third Reich

"Stick to the end and don't take a step back!?"

At this time, the commander of the 4th Army, Korobkov, the political commissar Teretin, and the commander of the 1st Tank Army, Voloch, were all dumbfounded.

The 1st Tank Corps was almost paralyzed on the road by German planes and had no time to deploy. How could it withstand the attack of the German armored group? And is it necessary for the 1st Tank Corps to be buried here?

It was just a German division-level armored group. It didn't even attack the 28th Infantry Corps retreating to Wowomin. This was obviously a short assault. The 1st Tank Corps should avoid its sharp edge and drive the vehicles blocked on the road into the wheat fields on both sides of the road and conduct cross-country marches to escape. Because the German Type 4 H tanks also have "Tiger" and "Leopard" tanks. Their firepower and armor can definitely destroy the Soviet T-34 and KV-1 tanks, but their maneuverability is a bit weak. . Highway maneuvers generally last for more than thirty or forty kilometers (the Black Panther runs slightly faster), and cross-country maneuvers generally last for more than ten kilometers. Chasing the KV-1 is a bit strenuous, but chasing the T-34 is out of the question.

Therefore, as long as the 1st Tank Corps leaves some rear troops and drags down the German armored group, it can basically withdraw the main force. Perhaps the loss of equipment will be a bit large, but most of the personnel should be able to save. This is the 1st Tank Army. You can tell by the number that it is an old unit. Those experienced officers and soldiers are the sparks of the world revolution. As long as the people are still there, with more tanks, vehicles, and artillery, they can go to the battlefield again to liberate all mankind. .

But now the order of General Pavlov, commander of the front army, is indeed to stick to the end!

This means that the 1st Tank Army must face the German armored group in chaos!

Is General Pavlov confused? How could such an order be issued?

Major General Voloch, commander of the 1st Tank Army, suddenly thought of something and stamped his feet: "Comrade Korobkov, you just told the Western Front Command that there were three German armored divisions... This is a lie about the military situation! Commander of the Western Front The Ministry made a wrong decision based on wrong military information! Our 1st Tank Corps was destroyed by you!"

Upon being reminded by Voloch, Major General Korobkov's face turned extremely pale. He reported the enemy's situation more seriously just to reduce his "crime of defeat", but he did not expect that Pavlov, an honest man, was deceived. Thinking that there was really a German armored corps-level cluster that was going to outflank the Soviet right wing, they were prepared to sacrifice the 1st Tank Army to buy time to adjust their deployment and avoid the annihilation of the 9th Army and the 37th Army.

"Execute the order!" Major General Korobkov gritted his teeth, "Execute the order of the front army headquarters! For the victory of the communist cause, the 1st Tank Army must stick to the end!"

Under normal circumstances, the battlefield is not transparent, and the number of enemies is often just a number in the mouth of frontline commanders - exaggerating the number of enemies to reduce the sin of defeat is an unspoken rule in the army.

Since General Pavlov believed that three German armored divisions defeated the 4th Army, it was also a way out for Korobkov!

If the 1st Tank Corps can block the impact of the German armored group - which is possible, the Germans' short assault has already won a great victory, and there is no need to risk a decisive battle with a Soviet tank corps - then Korobko The husband can claim that his army group blocked 3 German armored divisions!

Of course, the organization will conduct an investigation after the incident, but the question of how many enemies there is is not a matter of conscience?

As long as they can hold on, from General Pavlov to an ordinary soldier of the 1st Tank Army, who doesn't want to win a key blocking battle?

"Execute the order! The 1st Tank Army immediately deployed, preparing to block the German armored group!" Major General Korobkov was like a gambler who lost his eyes. He gritted his teeth and issued the order, and at the same time he also bet the last chip in his hand. table.

"What? A military-level armored cluster... is being deployed?"

When General Steiner, the commander of the 5th SS "Wiking" Division, received the news from the Air Force, the armored group he commanded was fighting with the Soviet 28th Infantry Corps and the 16th Mechanized Corps around the town of Wovomin. Troops fighting.

The main force of the 28th Soviet Infantry Corps retreated into the town of Wovomin. Steinnaten did not take action to attack the fortress. He only let 2 Panzergrenadier regiments and 2 assault artillery battalions guard it, and at the same time used the artillery group assigned to him ( towed howitzer) opened fire. However, there are still many battalion-level and company-level clusters of the 28th Infantry Corps and the 16th Mechanized Corps scattered around Wowoming, which are putting up tenacious resistance - these troops were scattered by Steiner's armored cluster and spontaneously gathered to fight. Fighting!

If it were the armies of Britain, France or even the United States, they would have to retreat and flee for their lives. However, the Soviet Red Army's fighting will is much stronger. There are still many officers and soldiers gathered into battalion and company-level clusters, relying on the not-so-favorable terrain, using weapons such as anti-tank guns and anti-tank grenades to carry out desperate resistance. Although it did not cause much damage to the German army, it delayed their actions.

If the Soviet First Tank Corps ran away now, Steiner's armored group could only watch helplessly.

The chief of staff of the "Viking" division immediately suggested: "General, this is a rare opportunity. That army-level group was just bombed by our Hs-129 and Ju87, and the lost vehicles were discharged on the road for at least 10 kilometers. Their vehicle integrity rate is estimated to have dropped below 50%.”

"Yes, this is indeed an opportunity!" Steiner squinted his eyes and glanced at the town of Wovomin, which was being bombarded not far away. A large centaur of the Soviet infantry army was crowded there now, but they couldn't be allowed to do so. His own armored group rushed out during the battle with the Soviet tank army.

"Order the rocket launcher cluster to repeatedly bombard Wowomin." Steiner began to give the order, "The SS 'Wallonia' brigade stayed around Wowomin, responsible for guarding and suppressing the Soviet troops outside Wowomin, the 50th Division The divisional assault gun battalion of the 62nd Division also remained to cooperate with the SS 'Wallonia' Brigade."

The 28th Infantry Army of the Soviet Army could not be stopped by a SS "Walloon" brigade of four to five thousand men and more than 30 No. 3 assault guns from two assault gun battalions, but three rocket launcher regiments (smoke) The volley of 162 rocket launchers of the Launcher Regiment was too loud, so the Soviet commanders would definitely think that they were the targets of the German army's main attack, and would only strengthen defense at all costs, and would not risk their lives to launch a counterattack.

There is no need to deceive these Soviet Red Army for too long. Half a day is enough for the "Steiner Armored Group" to deal with the 1st Soviet Tank Army.

After arranging the suppression of the Soviet infantry around Wovomin, Steiner ordered all tank battalions, assault gun battalions and panzer grenadier regiments now under his command to assemble. However, due to time constraints, Steiner did not wait for all the vehicles that could be driven to arrive. After gathering enough 200 tanks/assault guns/self-propelled artillery (including 56 No. 4 tanks, 48 ​​No. 3 assault guns, and Tiger After receiving 40 tanks, 38 Panther tanks, and 18 Wasp self-propelled guns), they immediately formed an attack formation and rolled over the Soviet 1st Tank Corps in a mighty manner.

"What? What? The Germans have a large 50-ton tank? It also has an 88mm main gun and sloped armor!?"

Just when the German armored group rushed over, Major General Voloch, commander of the Soviet 1st Tank Corps, met several officers of the 1st Tank Brigade who had escaped from the front line and listened to their report on the encounter with German Tiger tanks. .

"Comrade Commander, our T-34 and KV-1 are no match for these German tanks. Even if the T-34 rushes within 500 meters of their flanks, it will not be able to penetrate their armor..."

Not even 500 meters from the flank? How thick should this armor be?

Voloch thought desperately: "What should I use to deal with this kind of German tanks? There is absolutely no way! Is the glorious 1st Tank Army going to be destroyed in my hands? Now I will become a sinner of the world revolution. "

"boom……"

A deafening loud noise interrupted Woloch's thoughts, and then he heard someone shouting: "Shelter! Hurry and take cover!"

The 105mm-caliber grenades fell very sparsely and exploded among a large number of tracked or wheeled vehicles spread out randomly in the Polish farmland, stirring up clusters of smoke columns.

This is a battalion-level artillery group firing. It must be the German self-propelled artillery battalion! Major General Voloch immediately made a judgment. If it is a towed howitzer group or a rocket launcher group, it cannot only have this firepower density.

This shows that what fired was a self-propelled artillery accompanying the actions of the German armored forces! The German armored group is nearby!

Major General Voloch looked around in confusion, and all he saw was a chaotic scene.

The Germans came too fast, and their planes continued to attack from the air, which caused great difficulties to the actions of the 1st Tank Army, so that only a small part of it has been deployed so far.

But even if the 1st Tank Army is fully deployed, what tanks can be used to deal with the 50-ton German heavy tanks? It might be possible to use the ZIS-2 57mm anti-tank gun. But there are too few such artillery pieces, and the 1st Tank Corps does not have them!

Just when Major General Woloch didn't know how to deal with the German Tiger tanks, his chief of staff suddenly shouted: "Comrade Commander, the security force reported that a German division was found about 5,000 meters to the west of us. There are about 200-300 tanks and assault guns, and a dozen self-propelled guns are firing! Comrade Commander, they are coming soon! What should we do?"