BXBX NOVEL Chapter 245: trouble
There was no problem with the original discussion. As planned, the 316th Division guarded the front line, and the 4th Tank Brigade was deployed on the 2nd line. The Germans would counterattack wherever the 4th Tank Brigade broke through...that is, use the 4th Tank Brigade The brigade's powerful combat power even surpassed that of the German armored divisions to beat the enemy back and fill the gap.
But while they were discussing further details, the Germans launched an attack.
Then, as Shulka thought, they suddenly found that this tactic would not work, because the weather became better and the visibility became higher, and German fighter planes could block the way forward for Soviet tanks.
"We only have 51 tanks now!" Colonel Zakhakovic said: "Although it has excellent performance and is capable of repelling enemy armored forces, it still cannot withstand the attacks of enemy fighters and bombers!"
After a pause, Colonel Zahakavic added: "There is also enemy artillery that is also a threat to us!"
"What's the situation with our artillery units?" Rokossovsky turned his attention to Panfilov.
"Our artillery is seriously insufficient!" Panfilov replied like a few treasures: "17 76mm cannons, 9 45mm cannons, 5 122mm howitzers, 12 82mm mortars...the total is only 43, and there are more Including 30 anti-tank guns of different calibers captured from the Germans, a total of 73 guns. Our army should have 144 guns!"
Rokossovsky nodded, sighed and said: "A considerable part of the artillery of the 316th Division has been used to ration the counterattack force!"
Therefore, the counter-offensive is not only a strategic mistake, but also caused difficulties for the defensive troops tactically, such as the defensive weapon "Katyusha" rocket launcher, and other types of artillery... In fact, they are all defended from the second line of defense drawn from the army.
In the silence, Major Gavrilov made a comment: "May I let someone come to our meeting?"
"Who?" Panfilov was puzzled for a while.
"'Breakout hero'?" Rokossovsky guessed the answer.
"Yes!" said Major Gavrilov. "He's not just a 'breakout hero'... I don't know how to describe him, there are many questions for us that seem to have no answers, but he always makes it easy solved!"
"Yeah?"
"Yes!" Major Gavrilov replied with some distress: "I'm used to meetings with him, and I can even say that I don't think I can think anymore, as if thinking is his problem..."
The officers in the headquarters all laughed.
"Then!" Rokossovsky said, "Let us meet this 'breakout hero'!"
Of course Shulka didn’t know this. Before that, he thought it was just Major Gavrilov who asked him to do something. How could he have thought that this was a defense strategy for the entire Volokolamsk! "
"We are in trouble!" Rokossovsky threw out the question like a challenge: "I think you know what trouble is, Comrade Shulka!"
Rokossovsky thought he was extremely smart, and he didn't even obey Zhukov's command on the battlefield... He and Zhukov were classmates, so he was a little unwilling to be under him.
Therefore, Rokossovsky did not believe that Shulka was as godlike as Major Gavrilov said, and at this time it was a bit of a challenge or it could be said that it was difficult for Shulka's psychology.
Shulka saw something in Rokossovsky's eyes.
From the point of view of officialdom, Shulka should pretend not to know and show weakness in front of Rokossovsky... and even beat around the bush to make his idea belong to Rokossovsky, so that He is comfortable and then Shulka will be successful.
But now is war time.
Many things in wartime are much simpler than in peacetime, all it needs is talented people and methods to defeat the enemy...
Even Rokossovsky himself, who had many mistresses in the army because of his good looks, was snitched on.
I didn't expect the superiors to not care about this at all... If you can defeat the enemy on the battlefield, what are a few more lovers? !
So Shulka replied directly: "Yes, Comrade Rokossovsky! Our trouble is with the German planes!"
The officers laughed knowingly.
"Yes, Comrade Shulka!" Rokossovsky asked: "What can you do?"
"The best way is to seize air supremacy with the enemy!" Shulka said: "I mean, if we have enough strength, at least at a certain moment when our tanks attack The air supremacy over the Skies provides cover for our tanks!"
Rokossovsky shook his head and replied: "No, we cannot seize air supremacy with the enemy!"
This is normal. In the early days of the war, if the Soviet army had any serious equipment that was weaker than the German army, it would be fighter planes... At this time, the Soviet army was even equipped with a large number of biplanes, so it was destroyed by the German army as soon as the war started. In addition to being caught off guard and being clumsy in command, another important reason is that the fighter jets are almost an era behind.
Even Shulka believes that the reason why the fighter planes lag behind is the most important.
Being caught off guard and clumsy command is just an external cause. No matter how clumsy the command is without preparation, there will always be a few batches of planes that can take off. If these planes can fight the Germans, it will buy more time for other fighter planes, so batch after batch The plane can take off against the enemy.
The problem is that even if a few batches of planes can take off, they will be shot down by the German army within a few rounds, so the German fighter planes are like entering a no-man's land, blocking and killing gods and Buddhas all the way, destroying most of the Soviet Air Force.
Objectively speaking, even if the Soviet army is prepared, the annihilated Soviet air force will not be of much use... unless it is in some special terrains, such as the Caucasus, where there are mountains everywhere, and the speed is relatively slow. Su-type fighters can play a role.
"If we can't seize air supremacy!" Shulka said: "Then at least we are better than the enemy in artillery..."
"Our artillery is weaker than the enemy!" Rokossovsky interrupted Shulka.
"And much weaker!" Panfilov added: "In fact, apart from anti-tank guns, our artillery is almost worthless in front of the enemy!"
What Panfilov did not say was that the reason why there was no shortage of anti-tank guns was because the 316th Division took advantage of the victory and seized a batch of German anti-tank guns after the Fourth Tank Brigade won the battle.
So, this battle is really troublesome!
(end of this chapter)