USSR 1941

"The situation is serious!" Katukov said at the temporary headquarters: "We have just received news that the Germans have sent reinforcements from Europe and Africa. The first batch of troops may arrive at the front in a few days! Our superiors have asked us to Take Tver within tomorrow!"

There was silence in the headquarters.

Although it is only a matter of time before Tver is taken, everyone knows that it is almost impossible to take Tver quickly under the hysteresis tactics of the German army.

"We need time, Comrade Katukov!" said Lieutenant Colonel Zakhakavich.

"The problem is that we don't have time!" Katukov replied: "If German reinforcements arrive and consolidate the defense line, Moscow will always be under their guns, which is very bad for us!"

It is true that Moscow needs a buffer zone.

Otherwise, if the German defense line is only 100 kilometers away from Moscow, when the temperature rises next spring, the German army will hit Moscow in one or two days with a counterattack, which is obviously unbearable for the Soviet army.

Worse still... If the German army gets reinforcements and morale rises and launches a fierce attack on Moscow again, I am afraid that the situation on the battlefield will change.

At this time, the Soviet and German armies are actually very dangerous.

On the surface, it seems that the Soviet army is temporarily dominant, but this is a counterattack launched by the Soviet army after saving for a certain period of time. If the counterattack fails to achieve results, morale will soon be hit, and there will be backlash, that is, the greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. However, because the German army has reinforcements, the situation may indeed be reversed under the ebb and flow.

Shulka knew that it was only a little short, like two people who were evenly matched on a seesaw, and only one feather floated down to decide the outcome.

But it was just a little bit short, and the Soviet army was unable to exert its strength because of the lack of follow-up.

Shulka looked at the map and knew that this feather was most likely Tver.

"Maybe!" Shulka said after thinking about it: "We don't need to occupy Tver!"

"What do you mean?" Katukov asked.

"Our purpose is to repel the Germans, not to occupy Tver!" Shulka said.

"Is there a difference?" Katukov asked suspiciously.

The other officers in the headquarters were puzzled. To occupy Tver, the Germans must be repelled, and Tver can be occupied by repelling the Germans. This seems to be "no difference" as Katukov said.

But this is not the case.

"The difference is that we don't need to fight like we are now!" Shulka said: "We can turn our targets to the enemy north of Moscow, where the Germans' 4th Tank Army and 3rd Panzer Group!"

"You mean... we outflank them?" Katukov shook his head and said, "No, Captain, first of all we only have one brigade, and this tank and force are not worth a lot to the enemy's tank army and armor group. Mention. Secondly, the 'Matilda' tank is too slow, it is not suitable for piercing and outflanking at all!"

What Katukov said was right, driving the "Matilda" tank through it can only be said to be brains flooded, and the war may be over by the time the tank is driven.

But that's not what Shulka was talking about, of course.

"No, Colonel!" Shulka replied: "Tver is important because it is a transportation hub, and most of the supplies of the northern German army are transported north from here, so... why don't we cut off their communication lines ? It doesn’t take long, it only takes a day, or even a few hours, and the German army in the north may collapse because of this!”

The northern German army was dealing with the counterattack of the Kalinin Front Army, so what Shulka said was correct. Just a little threat on the supply line may cause the entire northern German army to lose its will to resist, which will lead to the collapse of the entire defense line.

"You're right, Captain!" Katukov said. "That's why we want to occupy Tver!"

"We don't have to occupy Tver!" Shulka pointed to the map and said: "Tver has three rivers converging here, and the Tver River flows from north to south. What will happen if we attack along the river? "

The officers in the headquarters couldn't help being stunned.

After a while, Lieutenant Colonel Gavrilov said: "Yes, why didn't we think of this? There can be no buildings in the river, and it is very smooth! The enemy's transportation line will definitely pass through the river!"

"But the Germans may deploy firepower on both sides of the river!" Lieutenant Colonel Zahakavic said: "They will form a two-sided attack on our interspersed troops!"

"We don't need to worry too much about the enemy's double attack!" Katukov said: "Because we have'Matilda'!"

Nothing can penetrate the thickened armor of the 'Matilda', if anything it is the German 88 anti-aircraft gun.

However, at this time, the Soviet artillery and air force have the upper hand again. Under their cover, it is feasible for the tank troops to boldly penetrate the enemy's depth... This is actually the usual German "blitzkrieg" style of play, using the defense and firepower of tanks Interspersed with maneuvering against important enemy targets.

"Where is the German transportation line?" Katukov asked the staff behind him.

"I don't know, Comrade Colonel!" the staff officer replied blankly.

The task of the 1st Guards Tank Brigade was to occupy Tver, so its internal transportation to the German 4th Tank Army was not so important.

"Then why are you still standing there?" Katukov said angrily, "Go and find out immediately!"

"Yes, Comrade Colonel!" replied the staff officer.

But there was no sound after a long time, and Katukov couldn't help calling out: "Taras..."

"I need time, Comrade Colonel!" Talas replied: "I will send someone to interrogate the prisoners, and I plan to send some people to reconnaissance!"

"You idiot!" Katukov roared to the staff officer, "Contact the Air Force, they will have the information you need!"

The staff officer was taken aback for a moment, and then immediately ran to the phone.

Katukov shook his head helplessly, and said, "We haven't coordinated with the Air Force for too long!"

Yes, it has been so long since I have not cooperated with the Air Force that the staff habitually does not consider the Air Force.

Then the information was quickly passed to the headquarters.

"Just as we expected!" Katukov said, holding the telegram in one hand and pointing at the map with the other: "Their transportation line is on the Tver River. After the river was frozen, they built a railway to connect the two banks. Two roads!"

This happened after the 1st Guards Tank Brigade blew up the Tver Bridge. The German army first used pontoon bridges to transport them, and then built a temporary railway after the river froze.

"What we have to do!" said Katukov, "is to cut through them and hold them for a while!"