Red Moscow

  Chapter 563 Urgent Battle (Part 1)

  Yakov's words finally made Sokov understand why the SS that Koyda mentioned is completely different from the SS that he knows. But think about it, if you were on the battlefield and saw some of the charging German officers and soldiers holding a Czech-style light machine gun, it would feel a little bit out of harmony.

In order to prevent Keida from unnecessary underestimating the enemy based on wrong information, Sokov said with a straight face: "Colonel Keida, the SS in the early days of the war may really have the equipment as you said. They are very mediocre in combat effectiveness. But the situation has changed now. Not only have their equipment been greatly improved, but their combat effectiveness has also made great progress. Not to mention that your mixed regiment only has more than 400 people, even if you put all the people in the assembly workshop In addition to the troops, if we have more than a thousand people against the same number of SS troops, I am afraid that we will not have much confidence in winning."

When Yakov first mentioned the SS, Koida didn’t pay attention to it, but when he heard Sokov say the same, the expression on his face became serious: “Comrade Brigadier, what you said is true Is it? The German SS is really so powerful?"

   "That's right." Sokov nodded, and at the same time muttered to himself: Could it be that Colonel Keda came from an alien? He actually thinks that the SS troops are vulnerable. Could it be that the division under his command was almost wiped out in such a short period of time, which may have something to do with his rigid thinking: "I don't know the early party What is the combat effectiveness of the Guards, but Comrade Colonel, I can tell you now that our full-staffed Guards division may not be able to beat a regiment of them..."

   Just halfway through Sokov's words, Yakov, who was sitting next to him, suddenly coughed violently as if he had acute tuberculosis. Sokov instinctively turned his head to look at Yakov, saw him winking at him desperately, and realized that he might have said something wrong, so he changed the subject in time: "Comrade Colonel, you go back to the army first, and wait until there is something wrong." During the combat mission, I will send someone to notify you."

After Koida and Mashkov left, Yakov immediately said to Sokov with a straight face: "Misha, what's wrong with you, how can you say that our division can't defeat the enemy's regiment? To put it lightly , This is to increase the ambition of others and destroy one's own prestige, which will affect the morale of the troops; to be more serious, this is completely a defeatist argument."

  Yakov's words made Sokov break out in a cold sweat. He was only talking about his mouth just now, but he ignored that in this era, some words can't be said casually, otherwise it may bring himself a fatal disaster. He raised his hand to wipe his sweat, and said with some embarrassment: "I just said that casually, there shouldn't be any problem."

"Comrade Brigadier, if you're just an ordinary commander, it's probably okay to say these words." Bely continued: "But you have a special status now. Once someone reports your words to the higher-ups, you will cause trouble." unnecessary trouble."

Thinking that the words have already been spoken, it will be too late even if you want to take them back. If someone really wants to secretly report to the superior, there is no way to do it. Sokov resumed the topic that was just interrupted: "If the superior orders us to report to the enemy Attack, can that ball tank go into battle?"

   Regarding Sokov's question, Yakov and Bely looked at each other, and they both saw worry in each other's eyes. Bely hesitated for a moment, and said with some embarrassment: "According to the reaction of the tank crew operating the ball tank, there is no problem with driving this kind of tank on flat ground. If it is going to be in an area full of bomb craters, it is not clear whether it can drive normally. Know."

"Also," Yakov added: "The field of view of this tank is too narrow, and it can only see the enemy coming from the front. If the enemy comes from the side and behind, it can only be passively attacked. Therefore, even if We dispatched ball tanks during the battle, and we also needed to dispatch additional tanks for cover."

After seeing the wonderful design of the ball tank, Sokov thought that this kind of tank could show its power on the battlefield. Now when he heard Yakov and the others say that they cannot fight alone, they must cooperate with other tanks. Feeling disappointed, I didn't expect that the tank I had high hopes for was actually a tasteless one.

  But considering that I got this tank prototype after going through all kinds of twists and turns, I am still a little unwilling to put it in the underground tank depot for use. Therefore, after some consideration, Sokov said to Bely: "Comrade Colonel, although the ball tank is still a prototype that has not passed the battlefield test, we should still try it to see how it performs on the battlefield. If it can really replace the T-34, it can also make the superiors make up their minds and put this tank into the army as soon as possible."

Seeing Sokov's confidence, Bely smiled wryly, and said, "Okay, Comrade Brigadier, since you are so confident, I will immediately arrange to find two skilled crews to cooperate with the ball tanks. .”

  ...

  Sokov and the others had just finished their lunch at the command post when they received a call from Chuikov. Chuikov asked on the phone: "Lieutenant Colonel Sokov, how is the situation there?"

"Everything is calm." Sokov replied casually: "It may be the attack of the friendly army, which has attracted the attention of the Germans. Therefore, the soldiers can only listen to the sound of guns and guns between the friendly army and the enemy, and feel the pain in their hearts." Do it in a hurry."

"Sokov, according to General Guriyev's report, the German army launched a surprise attack on the flank of their attacking troops. Since he didn't have many defensive troops left behind, the defense line has become precarious." Cuikov anxiously said on the phone Said: "You immediately dispatch a unit to support the 39th Guards Division and prevent their positions from being breached."

   Hearing what Chuikov said, Sokov immediately realized the danger faced by the 39th Guards Division. If the German army attacking their flanks really broke through their defense line, then they might fall into the enemy's encirclement. Thinking of this, Sokov immediately replied without hesitation: "Understood, Comrade Commander, I will immediately organize a force to reinforce the 39th Guards Division."

   "Wait a minute." Just after Sokov was about to put down the phone, he heard Chuikov say again: "You still need to leave enough garrison troops in the assembly workshop, and you must ensure that they can block attacks from any direction."

  After Sokov put down the phone, his mind began to spin at high speed, thinking about which troops to bring to reinforce and whose troops to keep for defense. He quickly made a decision, went to the door, called a soldier, and told him, "Go and call Colonel Keida, who is in a mixed regiment, and tell him that I have something important to see him."

  (end of this chapter)