Steel Soviet Union

The German plane flew away, leaving behind corpses and burning steel wreckage on the ground. The smell of death and blood was everywhere here in unlimited supply.

Malashenko and Lavrinenko staggered out of the shell-proof hole while holding on to the earthen wall. Their relatively new clothes, which were relatively new to them, now looked like natives all over their bodies, including their noses and mouths. His chest, ears, and eyes were full of dust. The first thing Malashenko did when he emerged from the shell-proof hole was to sneeze loudly.

Ah sneeze! ! !

"What a bunch of German sons of bitches! Bah! A bunch of cowards who just call a plane if they can't fight!"

Malashenko rubbed his nose and said nothing, as if he was turning a deaf ear to Lavrinenko's complaints next to him. His eyes were only focused on the scorched earth in front of him that had just been attacked by an air raid.

"Okay, stop scolding, it's useless. Do you still expect the German planes to come to the ground to play charge with you?"

Before Malashenko could finish his words, Commissar Petrov, who had not been seen before, ran over from a distance with his big hat on his head. The words had already followed him before he could reach him.

"Malashenko, Lavry, how are you? Are you injured!?"

Comrade Comrade Political Commissar trotted up to him. Lavrinenko, who was picking his nose to dig out soil and wanted to ventilate his nose and eyes, waved his hands, changed his expression and started joking.

"There are no parts missing, everything is in good condition! The German bombs were thrown everywhere, but they couldn't hit the Soviet hero's head, so I just got some light."

Perhaps influenced by Malashenko's optimism, in short, I don't know when, Iushkin and Lavrinenko, the two people who were closest to Malashenko, gradually became close to the brigade commander. The funny person is in charge.

When Lavrinenko was away, Iushkin was responsible for telling a couple of Malashenko-flavored slangs that were in line with the times. On the contrary, when Iushkin happened to be absent, Lavrinenko would take over this responsibility and take the initiative to speak.

Is it useful to say a few sarcastic words out of nowhere? Of course it works.

For example, everyone including Malashenko, Commissar Petrov, and Kulbalov behind him, after seeing Lavrinenko's slightly funny actions and hearing the same words, they all said in unison He showed a knowing smile.

Even in times of crisis, optimism is always one of the essential ingredients for victory.

"What about the casualties of the troops? Are there any approximate statistics?"

Hearing Malashenko's question, Commissar Petrov's expression changed to one of talking about business, and he spoke immediately.

"Almost all the combat staff and communications staff at the brigade headquarters have been sent out, leaving only the minimum number of people in necessary positions. The statistics should be available soon."

"But judging from what I saw along the way just now, you'd better be mentally prepared early. Some soldiers said that there was something wrong with some of the German Stukas. They installed them under the wings. Well, I don't know what to say. Whether it’s suitable or not, but the original words are “two cannons”, you can try and analyze the possibilities yourself.”

"The Third Tank Battalion was the main target of the German air raids. When I came here just now, I saw several tanks on the roadside with very terrible bullet holes. They were all pointing upwards or vertically. This is not the effect of aerial bomb fragmentation, it can only be an armor-piercing kinetic energy weapon."

"Fortunately, no one was in the tank at the time, and all the tank crews got out of the vehicle to avoid the air attack. So if these tanks that were penetrated by armor did not have any major mechanical damage, they should be able to continue to fight soon. However, there are also some tanks that are They were completely destroyed by aerial bombs. The number was relatively small, and the impact on us should be within an acceptable range."

"A Stuka with two cannons?"

Before Political Commissar Petrov finished speaking, Lavrinenko, who was really surprised, started laughing.

"Don't be ridiculous, Comrade Political Commissar, how could there be a cannon on the plane? I bet our soldiers must have made a mistake. The most they can do is bring a machine cannon. Don't Germans always like to do this kind of thing?"

Not only Lavrinenko thought so, but Kulbalov on the side also looked in agreement.

It has indeed happened in the past that some soldiers regarded the German BF109 as a fighter jet with a cannon. When the two seemingly large 20mm cannon pods under the wings opened fire, tracer bullets flew everywhere. It is indeed a bit bluffing.

Of course, Lavrinenko believed that this time it was because the soldiers were dazzled or did not understand the German aircraft at all, so they made the illusion of "a Stuka with two cannons".

But in stark contrast to this, Malashenko's indifferent expression was on the side as he took out a cigarette and lighter from his pocket.

"There's no need to doubt it. It's true. I saw it with my own eyes when I ran towards the bomb shelter."

"The Germans added two 37mm anti-tank gun pods under the wings of the Stuka, which can fire simultaneously from the sky to hit tanks on the ground. The price is that this modified Stuka cannot carry aerial bombs. Just now There were such modified Stukas in the air raid group. This time it was not the soldiers who were dazzled but the Germans were really crazy.”

Mount two 37mm anti-tank guns on the Stuka? This is probably fine. Since it was Comrade Brigade Commander who said it, there must be nothing impossible about it. Comrade Brigade Commander never lies.

Lavrinenko, who has long been accustomed to driving tanks on the ground, has always subconsciously believed that something with a caliber of 37 mm cannot be mounted on an aircraft. For every 10 mm increase in caliber, the weight, volume and recoil will increase exponentially. The increasing number of large-caliber weapons is not just a dozen or twenty millimeters of machine cannon. If you really want to put this thing on an airplane, it will fall apart after just one shot?

Lavrinenko couldn't figure out why, and Kulbalov on the side had almost the same mentality.

Commissar Petrov, who was walking with him, noticed Malashenko's expression. The frown that had been frowning since the beginning has not relaxed until now.

"According to the battle plan we just discussed, we should reorganize the troops immediately and start taking action. If the third tank battalion suffers too many casualties, we will transfer troops from the second battalion to make up for it. The defense in the west will be left to you, Lavery, remember to keep your guard up at all times. Contact and communicate.”

"As soon as the air raid here ends, the Germans' ground offensive will start soon as expected. Act quickly! We have been caught off guard by the sky, and we must not suffer any more losses on the ground!"