Steel Soviet Union

The mid-level defense line, which had been subjected to heavy shelling and sieved by 18 gas tanks once, seemed like it could no longer survive.

It's not that the Germans will attack this area in retaliation or that there are any remaining enemy troops or something like that, but it's just that Malashenko, who has a large force and needs to immediately consider the next wave of attacks, launches an attack higher on the Zelo Highlands. In other words, how to find a suitable troop gathering place is the top priority right now.

And the German position that was so riddled with holes that even the Germans didn't even recognize their mother was obviously not suitable. The huge crater after the 18 gas canisters fell was enough to prevent the attacking troops from effectively gathering and forming their formations. , Malashenko must choose another place.

"What are you going to do next? Gather immediately? Or wait and see?"

On the German position that had just been taken and was still smoking, Malashenko, who was stepping on a piece of scorched earth, was discussing countermeasures with Lavrinenko, who had just arrived. Wanting to know what to do next, Lavrinenko asked Malashenko the question without much thought, and Malashenko responded with the same unthinking answer.

"It's now half past eleven, not even twelve o'clock. In just one morning, we paraded down the second line of defense halfway up the slope and cleared the position. The attack progressed very quickly, even It can be said that it was unexpected, but this is not the reason for us to stop. There is still a lot of time to use in the afternoon, so we have to take action and cannot just sit here.

After hearing this, Lavrinenko nodded, and the soldiers who were cleaning the battlefield and counting the spoils in the floating soil passed by him one by one. Being familiar with Malashenko's character, he could probably guess that it would be like this. Answer the result.

"Then how do you plan to fight? Charge directly? Or use some other method?"

Malashenko, who had a cigarette in his mouth, turned his head slightly to glance at Lavrinenko, and then blurted out a chuckle shaking off the ashes.

"Ask me everything? Don't you have any idea? Tell me and let me listen for reference."

"You are the division commander and I am the deputy division commander. I follow your orders. You tell me yours first. If I have anything to add, I will tell you later."

Lavrinenko’s meaning was very clear: You, Malashenko, are the one causing trouble, and I am just the deputy. If I don’t listen to you, who else can I listen to? It's natural for you to say it, but for me to say it alone is to overshadow the matter.

Malashenko, who understood what he meant, immediately flicked the cigarette butt in his hand away and stopped talking about meaningless literature with Lavrinenko. He then began to hold down the map in his hand solemnly and spread out the side armor of the car he was sitting in. The board began to illustrate with pictures.

"The Germans on the waist of Banpo have been taken down, but this is not over yet. There are still many, or more, as we go up."

"Aerial reconnaissance showed that the Germans did not set up a defense line at the edge of the highland peak. The German outermost defense line on the top was set up from a depth of about one kilometer. There is no way to directly judge the enemy's intentions, but according to the confessions given by the prisoners There is a minefield in the kilometer from the top of the high ground to the outermost German defense line. For many days, German engineers have been busy in this area almost every day. It is impossible to dig potatoes. "

Assuming that Malashenko's analysis is true, the current situation is that the Germans are trying to use the minefields laid on the edge to delay the impact of the Red Army armored forces, plus the troop assembly area after the peak of the highland. Only about a kilometer.

Therefore, either you can attack the German position in one go and tear apart the defense, or you can retreat from the top of the mountain to the middle of the slope to reorganize your attack, which means everything is back to the starting point. The Germans can also take advantage of the short period of time when the Red Army retreats from the direct sight of fire to reorganize their defenses and prepare for the next wave of charges. I have to say that your wishful thinking of the Germans really worked.

All in all, it is obvious that there is no chance of staying on the high ground for a long time. Unless a decisive breakthrough and victory are achieved, the Germans at the top of the high ground do not seem to intend to leave any chance for the Red Army to gain a foothold.

The only solution is to break through the German defense line at once and advance in depth.

But it is not easy to cross the minefield quickly and do this. Even if the leader comes to do this job, he must be fully prepared.

"It looks like we need to call for artillery support? We should use artillery shells to clear the German minefields and open up an attack channel for us. The rest will be much easier to handle."

Lavrinenko's proposal was quickly recognized by Malashenko, but the corresponding problems also came at the same time.

"That's the method, but there are problems."

"We cannot confirm the effect of the shelling, and if the first round of artillery fire is used to hit the minefield, it will inevitably affect the effect of the subsequent shelling to kill the enemy's living targets. Even if the shelling extends deep into the enemy, the Germans will be prepared when the time comes. You will definitely be able to hide better and suffer fewer casualties.”

"We can only choose one of the two options, artillery fire to clear minefields and maximize damage to enemy forces. At present, choosing the former is the most beneficial to us and what we need most. Our problem is not how to Defeating the enemy head-on lies in how to quickly send more troops up and into the face of the Germans instead of getting stuck in a traffic jam in the minefield. "

"So be prepared. I will call for artillery support to clear the minefield for us, but don't expect that the artillery fire extending in depth will help us kill many Germans. There is no one to help us with this job, we have to do it ourselves It’s time to take action and let the leader disembowel him. It’s unreasonable that he hasn’t started killing people until now.”

Parade style to occupy the position where almost all the enemies are dead, and easily win an effortless victory.

Other Red Army commanders may like this feeling, this kind of victory. There are always people who will be ecstatic about the good things that are easily available, but this kind of people does not include Malashenko.

Just as Lavrinenko, who is familiar with his old classmates and comrades-in-arms, commented on Malashenko: He has always liked challenges, especially now that the leader's strength has returned to 100% "true and unparalleled" status.

"Very good, I can already smell the blood of the Germans. But, can't you call in those super bombers just now? Let them drop some giant bombs, and maybe the Germans can be wiped out. My minefield has been raised along with the edge positions, just like the situation under our feet."

Lavrinenko clucked his lips up and down. It was quite easy to say it, but all he got was a roll of his eyes from Malashenko.

"That thing is not an Il-2. You can't just call it. It's a strategic aviation force, not a tactical aviation force that is everywhere on frontline field airports."

"Besides, I wasn't the one who called for that wave just now. As a major general, I don't have the ability of a marshal. If you have the ability, just call the front army headquarters. Maybe you can actually call them."