Chapter 1012 Father, We Have Tried Our Best

Zhukov and Pavlov's determination soon turned into the roar of more than 3,000 cannons and more than 800 Katyusha rocket launchers. Although the total amount of Soviet artillery on the Soviet-German battlefield was far less than that of the European coalition forces, the Soviet artillery in the triangle between Volokolamsk-Mara River-Solnechnogorsk was several times stronger than that of the German army. When all the gun positions began to fire at the highest speed. The sound of the artillery was completely integrated into a whole, and only the loud noises echoed in the ears of the people on the battlefield. The ground also shook violently, and people near the landing point of the shells could hardly stand.

The German artillery fire was not to be outdone. When the Soviet artillery group on the southern front launched a counterattack, the Fw-189 artillery calibration aircraft in the sky reported their precise location to the hidden German towed howitzer group. Although the 270 SFH18 150mm howitzers belonging to 5 regiments were not considered powerful firepower on the Soviet-German battlefield, under the command of the artillery calibration aircraft, these artillery still played their due power and silenced a Soviet artillery regiment in just a few minutes.

At the same time, more than 200 Do217 medium bombers hovering in the air waiting for the Soviet artillery group to be exposed also seemed to be giant eagles in the sky that had discovered their prey, whistling and dropping tons of bombs and incendiary bombs. Suddenly, several Soviet artillery positions that were firing fiercely turned into a sea of ​​​​violent fire!

However, the German air strikes and artillery counterattacks could not completely suppress the Soviet artillery fire. After all, it was night, and the accuracy of the air strikes and the role of the artillery calibration aircraft were severely discounted.

At 8:35 p.m. on May 6, the artillery group belonging to the Soviet northern assault group suddenly changed its firing method, from the original comprehensive suppression to a slow-moving barrage of shooting concentrated on several key breakthroughs. At the speed of the infantry's advance, it extended forward 200 meters per minute. The explosion points of the artillery fire first exploded in layers in the middle part of the two army fronts about 20 kilometers between Rodsno and Oshekino on the Rama River west of the Rama River. The landing points were so dense that a high wall of flames composed of explosions, shrapnel, smoke and dust was formed. It moved slowly, completely crushed all obstacles, and forcibly opened up a channel for the tank assault group to advance.

The attack of the Soviet Army's northern line group began!

The first to rush out of the trenches were the junior officers and political cadres of the Soviet infantry units. They stood outside the trenches in the face of sporadic counterattacks from the German army. Behind them, flares fired by mortars rose densely into the sky, and then slowly fell, illuminating a large area of ​​land in flames.

"To defend the cause of GCism!"

"To defend the Soviet motherland!"

"Comrades, follow me..."

The Bolshevik officers waved their pistols and shouted: GCist fighters, forward!

At the Rodshino-Osheikino front, less than 20 kilometers away, 20,000 elite infantrymen drawn from 7 Red Army infantry divisions poured out of the trenches. Each of these GCist soldiers carried several heavy RPG-43 anti-tank grenades, and some carried American-aided bazookas or Soviet-imitation "Red Iron Fists". Before the attack, everyone drank a large glass of vodka, so their faces looked ruddy and slightly excited.

The German artillery counterattack was not fierce, and their artillery seemed to be completely suppressed by the Soviet artillery. The Red Army soldiers formed waves of attacking skirmishers, and the shouts of "Ura! Ura!" began to resound on the battlefield!

Soviet tanks also appeared later. They were not guiding the infantry, but "covering" the infantry. At the two main breakthrough points, General Katukov invested hundreds of huge JS-2 tanks and T-34/85 tanks. They followed the brave Red Army infantry, holding up their 122mm and 85mm main guns, and slowly advanced forward.

Behind these tanks, there were many American jeeps carrying mortars. Their mission was to fire flares after the Soviet infantry and the Germans encountered each other to offset the power of "vehicle-mounted radar" or other secret weapons for night combat.

They were greeted only by the not-so-violent German artillery fire and blind machine gun fire - because the smoke from the Soviet artillery fire had not yet dissipated, the visibility on the battlefield was extremely poor, and even with night vision equipment (in fact, the German infantry on the front line did not have it), they could not see the target clearly. However, the German soldiers who had escaped the Soviet artillery fire still used their MG42, Mkb42 and FG42 to fire at the place where the shouts of "Ura! Ura!" were coming from. The Red Army soldiers suffered some casualties, but they did not slow down their pace, and still rushed forward with their heads covered, facing the bullets fired by the Germans.

There was only a very thin trench and many scattered anti-artillery bunkers and foxholes in front of them. The German army had not occupied this area for long and had no time to build solid fortifications. However, they did not put many troops on the front line to be hit by artillery shells, so there were not many casualties, and they were also unable to deal with the attack of a sea of ​​people and tanks.

The German front line at the Rodsno-Osheikino front was quickly broken through. If this breakthrough was reflected in the situation map of the Soviet and German armies, it would be a 20-kilometer-wide thick arrow that broke through the German defense and was attacking Volokolamsk.

But everyone knows that this breakthrough is only temporary, and the German tanks' deadly counterattack will begin soon!

The fate of the Soviet motherland and the cause of communism depends on how this decisive battle between Soviet tanks and German tanks turns out.

Captain Ribbentrop's heavy tank company was very deadly to the Soviets.

The 20 E-50A tanks are like 20 ferocious beasts at this moment, squatting outside the city of Osheijino, on the edge of a forest near the west bank of the Mara River, with their bloody mouths open, facing the approaching people step by step. prey. Moreover, these 20 steel monsters also possess a skill that is almost unparalleled in this era-night vision!

The large infrared searchlights on the four "Owl" night combat illumination vehicles attached to the 2nd Company of the 516th Heavy Tank Battalion where Captain Ribbentrop is located have been turned on, and the infrared rays invisible to the naked eye are sweeping over the flat land 1,500 meters away. land.

However, these four "Owl" night combat lighting vehicles are not specifically used to illuminate 20 E-50A tanks. Because there are still two paratrooper companies with many "Doll" rocket launchers and "Tank Killer" rocket launchers, cooperating with Ribbentrop's tank company.

The paratroopers' battle line was about 1,000 meters in front of Ribbentrop's tanks. Many anti-tank fire bunkers and foxholes were dug. There were also mortar groups under the paratrooper company in the nearby woods. Once the front started, they would It will fire flares or other ammunition.

In addition to these two paratrooper companies that cooperated with Ribbentrop's heavy armor company, there were many battle groups composed of heavy armor companies and paratrooper companies on the west side of Ribbentrop's company, right in Austria. Outside the city of Sheikino, the battle line was opened on the plain west of the Mara River.

"Captain, the Soviets are coming!"

Ribbentrop heard the voice of gunner Mahaus in his ears. There are two FG-1250 night vision binoculars on the E-50A tank, one of which is used by the gunner and the other by the commander (Ribbentrop) use. Hearing what gunner Mahaus said, Ribbentrop quickly put his eyes on the eyepiece of the FG-1250 night vision telescope.

"It's not the Soviets, it's our people." Ribbentrop vaguely saw a few scattered figures running desperately, obviously not the attacking Soviet army. He paused and said, "But the Soviets are coming soon!"

As if to prove his judgment, the cry of "Ula! Ula!" soon came from the darkness.

"Brothers, prepare to fight!" Ribbentrop pressed the throat communicator and conveyed the order to his men. "Remember, our target is the Soviet tank. Fire within 1,500 meters. I wish you good luck. !”

Of course, the E-50A tank will not reveal its position to mere infantry - these tanks are carefully camouflaged, with camouflage nets hanging on the body, making them difficult to spot in the dark.

As for the Soviet infantry, the paratroopers' FG-42s and an assault artillery group in the rear that had just moved to a new position will take care of them.

Not long after Ribbentrop finished speaking, a burst of thunderous artillery fire suddenly passed in front of him about three thousand meters away. Captain Ribbentrop knew that this was the Grizzly assault gun and perhaps the Rhino anti-tank destroyer firing from the rear. Artillery observers operating with the paratroopers at the front must have spotted the approaching Soviet infantry and tanks.

The Soviet army, which was suddenly attacked by artillery, responded quickly. The infantry rushing in front shouted more violently "Ula! Ula!" and accelerated the attack. The mortar teams in the rear responsible for firing illumination bombs also jumped off the American jeeps, opened their 82mm or 120mm mortars, and began to launch illumination bombs into the air.

However, these flares did not fall on the heads of the heavy armored company commanded by Ribbentrop. They only illuminated a large area of ​​empty and desolate land. In at most 20 minutes, a fierce tank night battle will take place on this land - Rudolf von Ribbentrop thought of this, and put his eyes on the eyepiece of the night vision telescope, searching carefully with traces of Soviet tanks.

At 9:27 pm, as the paratroopers in front were retreating steadily, the first huge T-34/85 tank appeared in Ribbentrop's night vision binoculars!