The Rise of the Third Reich

"Tiger tank! Tiger tank! I was discovered by them... Oh my god, I'm done, ah..."

A scream came from the American headphones worn by Captain Samokin. It was the voice of a tank commander named Utkin under his command. He was driving a T-34/76. It was impossible. Against the tiger pose. However, the result of the T-34/85 replaced by Samokin being targeted by Tiger tanks was the same - they all became glorious revolutionary martyrs!

Communication with the Utkin crew was immediately interrupted. It seemed that those four people had become martyrs. However, Captain Samokin had no intention of rushing out to avenge his comrades, because the only result of rushing out from behind the hidden mound was to be shattered by the Tiger's 88mm cannon... There is no doubt that, Anyway, Captain Samokin has never heard of anyone escaping from the muzzle of a Tiger tank since the Soviet-German war broke out. In fact, it is impossible, because many of the current German Tiger tanks use tungsten alloy hard-core armor-piercing bullets. (Pzgr.40 type shells) can be used. They can stably penetrate the 138mm homogeneous steel plate with an inclination of 30 degrees at a distance of 1,000 meters, and the hit accuracy is extremely high. Even at a distance of 1,500 meters, this artillery shell can penetrate a 123mm homogeneous steel plate with an inclination of 30 degrees.

In other words, it is now impossible for all Soviet tanks and tank destroyers to face the Tiger without the cover of fortifications.

Moreover, the Tiger tank never goes out alone. There is always No. 4 on the side and a "Rhinoceros" on the back - which is equipped with an 88mm gun with a diameter of 71 times. If a tungsten alloy hard-core armor-piercing bullet is used, it can reach a distance of 2,000 meters. It can instantly kill all Soviet tanks!

However, the Soviet tank troops now have no way to deal with the German tank clusters. Their method is to ambush and use black artillery. Sometimes the T-34/76 was used as a decoy to lure German tanks, creating conditions for the ambush T-35/57, KV-85, SU-85 or anti-tank guns to attack.

So Samokin is just waiting quietly for the German tank/infantry groups under the flares and moonlight to approach step by step - they have just broken through the first line of defense composed of T-34/76 tanks, and now they are the most proud of it. when!

At this time, Captain Samokin kicked the driver Shevchenko on the shoulder with his boot - this was at high speed. He kept the vehicle started and was ready to transfer at any time.

Because Captain Samokin had found the target of the attack, a Tiger tank that was slowly approaching.

"Armor-piercing bullet!" He gave the order to the loader. A 57mm armor-piercing bullet was quickly pushed into the gun barrel, and then he pressed the firing button without hesitation!

boom!

A ball of fireworks suddenly rose from the front of the Tiger tank Samokin had selected.

One hit!

"Quick, quick, quick! Start!" He didn't even look to see if the hit Tiger tank was finished. He just yelled and kicked the driver Shevchenko twice on the shoulder.

Immediately, a harsh noise was heard, and the vehicle shook violently and rolled backwards. After retreating a few dozen meters, he made another U-turn, and then started running at full speed towards the next ambush position.

This is instant separation, and aerial tactics are applied to tank combat on the ground!

However, this tactic was a bit reluctant for the Soviet Red Army tank troops that lacked high-precision artillery and high-quality armor-piercing ammunition. If it were the Germans who fought like this, the effect would definitely be much better...

Sergeant Major Kensper, the German ace tank commander, had stars in his eyes and a ringing in his ears. His tank had just been hit by a 57mm shell! Fortunately, the shell hit the gun mantlet and failed to penetrate, but it still shocked Kenspel and the gunner Max.

Kenspel came to his senses and knew that he had been beaten, so he quickly looked for the target through the commander's peripheral vision mirror, and soon saw a huge black shadow about 4,500 meters away.

"Stop!" He gave the order through the phone in the car, "At 10 o'clock, that black figure, kill it!"

"Tap-tat-tat..." First, the coaxial machine gun fired a string of tracer bullets, hitting the black shadow in front, and then there was a loud "boom", which meant that the black shadow of the Soviet tank was turned into a ball of flames.

It was the T-34/57 tank that the Soviet tank ace Captain Samokin was riding in that was hit!

…

"What the hell!"

Standing on the roof of the teaching building of the Red Star Primary School in the collective farm No. 13, General Lu Jin, commander of the 5th Tank Army, cursed bitterly because he found that his carefully arranged defense line was not as strong as he had imagined and was beaten by the Germans. The human tank group easily penetrated the first line of defense.

"Comrade Commander..." Major General Dubkov, chief of staff of the 5th Tank Army, also climbed onto the roof. He was not here to watch the battle, but to convey the order from the front army headquarters to Lukin. "The front army ordered us to hold on to Klimovich for at least 10 days in order to cooperate with the main offensive in the direction of Gomel."

"10 days..." Lu Jin took a breath. He originally thought that the 5th Tank Army could last for more than 15 days, but the battle from this afternoon to now made him feel a little worried.

Moreover, he now also doubts whether the 1st Tank Army and the 2nd Tank Army can successfully take Gomel?

"We can still hold on for 10 days," Lu Jin regained his concentration. "The key is No. 13 Collective Farm and the nearby forest... What is the name of the forest?"

"It's called June 1st Forest." Major General Dubkov answered.

This name was changed in June 1942 to commemorate the outbreak of the Great Patriotic War - at that time it was to commemorate the outbreak of the world revolution...

"Farm No. 13 and June 1st Forest are the key to the defensive battle," Lukin said, "Our tank army still can't resist on the plains, but we can definitely hold on with the forest and farms...Hasn't Katyn Forest been defended for a long time?"

"You're right, then let the troops deploy in the farms and forests."

Lukin nodded, "But we have to take down Collective Farm No. 13 first... Take it down completely!"

Major General Dubkov turned his head and looked in the direction of the farm headquarters. The sound of gunfire and explosions still came from there, indicating that the fierce battle was still going on.

The Ukrainian traitors guarding there are really stubborn! Admiral Lukin shook his head and said, "We must take it down tonight!" He thought for a moment and said, "Oh, right... I have an idea. Let the SU-122 assault gun be equipped with a bucket as a bulldozer and cover up all the windows in the basement of the headquarters building. In this way, we should be able to take down the building quickly.

In addition, report to the superiors that it has been confirmed that the German armored group that appeared in the Klimovichi area has at least several armored divisions!"

...

"Comrade General Secretary, according to the report of Admiral Lukin, commander of the 5th Tank Army, we can basically confirm that the German armored group in the Klimovichi area is large in scale, with at least several armored divisions."

When Pavlov reported this "good news" to Stalin, his expression was very solemn.

"Comrade Pavlov, is there any bad news?" Stalin looked at Pavlov and asked.

"Yes," Pavlov nodded his big bald head, "The Air Force also discovered that a large-scale, at least army-level cluster of German armored forces had left Oryosha and was moving along the highway to Roslavl... It is estimated that they want to outflank the 5th Tank Army.

In addition, the situation in Smolensk is also extremely serious. The Katyn Forest will fall as early as tomorrow morning, and the city of Smolensk has been surrounded on three sides."

"Surrounded on three sides? Why not on four sides?" Stalin was a little surprised.

"Maybe the Germans are unwilling to attack Smolensk, so they left a retreat channel for our people." Chief of the General Staff Shaposhnikov said.

"No retreat!" Stalin said firmly, "Now is a critical moment, the Red Army must not retreat a step!

Not only Smolensk must not be abandoned, but even Klimovich's 5th Tank Army must hold on to the end!"

Pavlov frowned deeply. He and Shaposhnikov's private calculation was actually to wait for changes. Smolensk was a discarded pawn, and the joint battle could also be abandoned when the situation was unfavorable. Only Leningrad, Moscow and the Kharkov-Donetsk industrial zone must be defended.

Seeing Pavlov frown, Stalin suddenly emphasized his tone and said: "I know that this decision will cause the sacrifice of many Red Army soldiers, and may even cause the destruction of the 5th Tank Army and some other main forces of the Red Army with a glorious history. But in order to win the final victory of the Great Patriotic War, such a price is worth it and necessary. In order to win the crucial battle at the junction and to reverse the unfavorable situation on the Soviet-German battlefield, the Supreme Command should issue the most severe order!"

Hearing this, Pavlov and Shaposhnikov looked at each other. Neither of them dared to tell Stalin about their plans, nor did they dare to persuade him again. They had to take out notebooks and pens to start recording.

Stalin said: "From now on, all officers, soldiers, and political officers must be given an iron discipline: without the order of the superior, they must not retreat even a step. No matter he is a company commander, battalion commander, regiment commander, division commander, or political commissar, as long as he retreats without the order of the superior commander, he is a traitor and will be treated as a traitor to the motherland. At the same time, all troops surrounded by the enemy must maintain high morale and firm beliefs. They are absolutely not allowed to surrender to the enemy, but must fight to the end without hesitation, protect their equipment with their lives, strike the enemy from the enemy's rear, and eliminate the Nazi running dogs. If they do not do so, but shamefully surrender to the enemy, then not only will they be regarded as traitors to the motherland, but their families will be deprived of all state rights and assistance they enjoy!"