Four Hundred and Thirty Seven Road

Several repeated attacks caused the British defenders to lose a large number of mobile troops. The armored force accumulated by Montgomery's painstaking efforts also became the target of the German tank soldiers to refresh their record in several counterattacks.

The German Leopard tanks and Tiger tanks have too many advantages when facing the American M3 tanks. These advantages are so great that they are enough to complete the reversal even in a disadvantaged situation. Moreover, in terms of the actual combat level of the armored forces of the two countries, the German armored forces are definitely superior to the British army.

In another time and space, some ace units of the German armored forces often had unfathomable records. There was even a terrible statistic that an armored battalion destroyed an armored army of the opponent within two years. It also created one after another "Mitchell Wittmann" myths, and dazzlingly produced excellent tank commanders such as Wittmann and Karius.

Many people don't believe these achievements, and think that it is a god-making movement of the German armored forces, which is deliberately boasted by the Nazis. In fact, the German statistics are relatively rigorous to a certain extent, and most of those ace tank players are genuine "ruthless characters".

The reason why these aces with an astonishing record and perverted record can be born is actually directly related to the German army's troop formation and combat style. If we want to understand, we must start from the industrial production in Germany.

As we all know, Germany's industrial production capacity was known for its inefficiency and chaos during World War II. German tanks were also criticized by many people for their weight and many faults. Therefore, the German armored forces have always been the favorites of the German army since their birth. . So how big is this sweet pastry?

When the German army launched a full-scale war against France, the country had 3,466 tanks, and 2,691 participated in the war; when the Barbarossa plan was implemented against the Soviet Union, more than 3,400 tanks were used. In 1941, the total number of German armored forces was 22 divisions. When they were defeated in 1945 The number of the armored divisions it once owned was 30 divisions.

There are only 30 divisions in total. If you count the number of divisions that are not enough, it is estimated that there were only 20 armored divisions in the German army at its peak, and there were only 15 divisions that could fight on the front line at the same time. This number is the same as at the peak Is it a bit small for the German army with a total strength of more than 5 million troops?

Therefore, the armored units of the German army were used intensively as fists, playing an overwhelming assault and deep penetration role in key attack directions. This method of warfare was later known as the "blitzkrieg".

This style of play was indeed extremely fierce in the early days of the war, destroying the trench warfare system left over from the First World War in one fell swoop, but this method of concentrating tanks was actually an "expediency" at the expense of the combat capabilities of other infantry units. When it comes to "plan", it is actually a helpless move because the production capacity cannot meet the requirements of the frontline troops.

In offensive operations, the German infantry, which is large in scale but backward in combat effectiveness, was initially overshadowed by the halo of the armored forces.

Later, due to the lack of support from the armored forces, it retreated steadily under the counterattack of the Soviet armored forces. In fact, it is the most realistic embodiment of this combat thinking. In the defense, the German infantry can only find a way to build a defense system by themselves, and those expensive tanks are pinched by the corps or group army or even the group commanders of the group army as the last straw.

So what are these expensive tank units used for in the German defense system? The answer is that they are used as firefighting teams in the field. They are placed on the second line of defense in depth, where they will go to where there is a danger, and are responsible for driving back the enemy armored forces that have broken through the first line. Under the guidance of this tactical thinking, one after another the names of the German armored units that we are all familiar with have been remembered: 502 Battalion, SS instructor...

Therefore, these German tank units that have achieved amazing results actually have the right time, place and people and these combat advantages to a large extent, so they can achieve enviable battle results on the battlefield.

Specifically, the enemies they face often have the following problems:

First, these enemy troops have just broken through the German infantry defense line and have been fighting continuously for a long time, such as the British troops that Wittmann collided with in Pokaki Village, such as the surprise attack by Karius in the village of Marinava Soviet troops, all battles that took place in this situation.

Second, after the continuous fierce fighting of the German infantry, these troops basically ran out of ammunition and fuel, and were behind the German defense line. This kind of situation is that after winning the German armored forces, they can’t catch up, and if they lose, they can’t retreat. In addition, most of the tank commanders and fighters in the three countries of the United Kingdom, the United States and the Soviet Union have fighting qualities that have been honed by Germany for two or three years. If there is a gap, it is not surprising that the German tank troops achieved amazing results.

Third, although the battle process of the German armored forces is varied, and several famous battles were completed under partial offensive operations, such as Wittmann’s Battle of Pokaki Village, but generally speaking, the German armored forces in the later period They are all engaged in defensive support operations, so after careful selection and construction of defensive positions and even trap pockets, it is not surprising that German tanks can fight more with less and produce a large number of tank aces.

Having said so much, I just want everyone not to be surprised. The 501 Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion, which was also used by the commander of Army Group A, Lundstedt, as a field fire brigade, is also Mitchell, who is also fighting against the British counterattack forces everywhere in the UK. Wittmann, why can he paint on the barrel of his artillery representing the terrible record of 101 tanks.

This Tiger tank, painted as No. 007, became the well-deserved first person in the German armored forces, and became the first "King of Tanks" in the entire army to destroy more than 100 tanks of the opponent. The Iron Reaper of the "Tiger of England".

It's not that Wittmann was super lucky, because Rennes was able to destroy 22 French tanks in one battle in the battle of the mouth, which is actually another kind of "luck". Which of those aces who can destroy a dozen or even dozens of enemy tanks does not have their own luck?

In fact, Wittmann's ability to destroy so many British tanks is directly related to the counterattack of the British armored forces regardless of cost after Montgomery stepped down. As the 501st heavy tank destroyer battalion, it was often sent to dangerous areas to counterattack British armored forces, which directly caused a terrifying increase in the total number of tanks destroyed by Wittmann.

Now, the "Tiger of England" is behind a pile of bushes, quietly pointing the powerful 88mm cannon at the end of a road. Wittmann leaned against the top of the captain's hatch, staring into the distance through the binoculars.

"Ah... the time is up." The gunner sighed boredly with an unlit cigarette in his mouth, as if he was nostalgic for the good old days when the opponent rushed up to give the head.

It was this sighing man who, in a battle on the plains two days ago, shot 6 out of 10 shots at a distance of 1,300 meters with an astonishing hit accuracy. In World War I, he destroyed 13 of the opponent's charging tanks, leaving the last British armored force With his tail between his legs, he exited the battlefield disheveledly, and sent this No. 007 Tiger to the altar with over a hundred records.

"Instead of you, the attack has been frustrated for several days, and you are still here?" Not far behind Wittmann is the British city of Cambridge, which has just been occupied by Germany. Lundstedt has a premonition that the British will fight back regardless of the cost. To regain this strategic location, the 501st Battalion was placed in an ambush near the front line in advance, waiting for the British to throw themselves into the trap.

However, the two-hour wait did not wait for the British to counterattack. It seems that the losses of the previous few days have drained the blood of the British armored forces.

Wittmann has been promoted to lieutenant of the German Armored Forces, and the Knight's Iron Cross on his collar is also decorated with exquisite leaves. This medal, which is one of the few in the entire German army, was hung by Rundstedt himself It was on his neck, which made Wittmann very proud. He has now become the number one German tank commander in all respects.

"Be content! At least we still have wars to fight. Rennes and Karjus are really doing nothing now. They can only drink coffee and read newspapers in Poland, bring new recruits to mess around, and then look at our record and laugh and cry." Witt Man said proudly.

"Karius will definitely regret not coming to England." The gunner chuckled: "But that Ren, I guess I just smiled when I saw your record."

"Don't tell me, you really can only smile." Wittman said helplessly: "That kid is young and older than me. He is really an interesting and pitiful child...you can call him a child There is something wrong, I think this guy's hostility is quite scary."

This road is the only way for the British army to counterattack, and on both sides of the road, the German army has ambushed more than a dozen tanks, and the battle did not happen in the end, because the expected British army counterattack never came. Terman was ordered to leave that afternoon. The road that should have been full of death was still extremely quiet, as if nothing had happened.

And at the same time on the same day, several British transport ships that unloaded food and weapons in the port were ordered to start loading a batch of unique cargo. This is the 3rd Infantry Division, the main force of the British Army, which was originally deployed in Dover. Most of this force is composed of veterans, and its combat effectiveness ranks first among the remaining British troops. They are now ordered to board a ship to Canada, paving the way for the British royal family to retreat to Canada, and also preparing for the bloody battle between the British Empire and Germany to the end.