Chapter 101 Bloody Smolensk (Part 2)

In the earlier offensive operations, this small hill marked as Hill 142 on the Soviet strategic map did not receive timely attention from the Soviet side, and only one infantry company and one anti-tank artillery platoon were deployed for defense.

But this small hill, which was not even a strategic location in the eyes of the Soviet army, was a tactical location of great strategic value in the eyes of the German army.

After a short-lived assault and assault that burned flesh and steel, the 29th Motorized Infantry Division of the German Wehrmacht, which played the role of the attacker, successfully captured and occupied Hill 142 with an absolute advantage in force, and completely wiped out an infantry company and an anti-tank artillery platoon of the Soviet army defending this place.

After occupying Hill 142, the 29th Motorized Infantry Division of the German Army, which had been reinforced by a heavy artillery battalion deployed by a superior in the pre-war preparation stage, immediately began to deploy artillery positions on the hill.

With the advantage of altitude brought by Hill 142, the artillery unit of the 29th Motorized Infantry Division of the German Army, which had greatly enhanced its range, was finally able to cover the entire Smolensk city area with artillery fire, providing timely and efficient artillery support to the German troops in the siege operation with almost on-call rapid support via radio communication.

With on-call artillery support and air strikes, the German siege troops had a smooth offensive and overcame all obstacles, while the Soviet troops who tried to rush into the city to support the city defense forces and drive the German troops out of Smolensk were in a different situation.

Whenever the Soviet support forces made some progress and were about to break through, waves of German artillery fire would always accurately fall on the Soviets' heads, causing them to fail.

After realizing that these German artillery fire strikes, which were far enough to cover the entire Smolensk city area, came from the occupied Hill 142. Marshal Timoshenko was so angry that he threw his pencil on the spot. After dismissing and investigating the Soviet division commander in charge of the defense zone of Hill 142, he immediately ordered the Rokossovsky Army Group, which was closest to this place, to smash the German Hill.

In order to recapture this German artillery hill that was a thorn in his side, Rokossovsky, who was responsible for launching a flanking offensive against the flank of the German Army Group, did his best.

Three consecutive division-level charges were blocked by the German artillery lobs (high-angle curved artillery fire, similar to the principle of mortars) and extremely timely air support.

Seeing that the deadline for the military order he gave to Marshal Timoshenko was approaching, Rokossovsky, who gritted his teeth and committed the offensive forces of three infantry divisions at one time, also put the newly formed First Heavy Tank Breakthrough Battalion directly under the command of the Army Group Command into the battle as the last bargaining chip.

There is no doubt that Malashenko is the last trump card played by Rokossovsky at this moment.

Although the First Heavy Tank Breakthrough Battalion galloped across the hilly grassland with a line of battle lines, it had already opened up its horsepower, but in fact it did not reach a high attack speed.

The KV1 heavy tank, which has a maximum road speed of 36 kilometers per hour, is difficult to move once it encounters rugged hilly off-road conditions. Although the transmission system directly taken from the 1920 Red Flag tractor chassis simplifies the production process to a certain extent and shortens the manufacturing time and cost of each KV1 heavy tank.

However, this mechanical transmission system, which was originally designed for civilian tractors, was obviously overwhelmed after being applied to the KV1 heavy tank with a combat weight of 46 tons.

The poor off-road steering and forward speed caused by the broken transmission system made the originally majestic First Heavy Tank Breakthrough Battalion look like a stupid bear trapped in a quagmire. Even a steep slope with an angle of more than ten degrees is enough to prevent the KV1 heavy tank from turning smoothly, which makes Malashenko, who is used to the flexible maneuverability of the T34 tank, feel extremely painful.

"What a fucking hell! With firepower and protection but no maneuverability, this turtle-like speed is fucking disgusting!"

No matter how depressed Malashenko is, the German anti-tank gun crews who have put several T34 tanks, the pioneers of the first heavy tank breakthrough battalion, into the gun scope aiming ring will not pay attention to these.

"800 meters away, T34 tank, aiming completed!"

"Fire!"

Accompanied by the order of the German gunner, several PAK38 50mm anti-tank guns deployed at the forefront of the position immediately shook and burst into hot flames.

Boom-Boom-

The near misses that exploded next to the Soviet T34 tanks that were maneuvering rapidly immediately raised pieces of soft mud wrapped with grass in the deafening explosion. It was actually quite difficult to accurately hit the moving targets of the Soviet T34 tanks, which were known for their high-speed maneuvers.

Even though the T34 tank crews, as pioneers, had tried their best to maneuver in an ever-changing S-shaped attack route to try to create obstacles for the German anti-tank artillery team. However, these German anti-tank artillery teams, which had experienced the German blitzkrieg in Europe and had found their feel and experience in the British and French armored forces, still accurately hit three Soviet T34 tanks after the first round of artillery salvos.

Although these 40-type tungsten core armor-piercing shells fired by the PAK38 50mm anti-tank guns do not have the ability to penetrate the Soviet T34 tank body from the front at a distance of 800 meters.

But I don’t know whether to say that the German army is lucky or the Soviet army is unlucky. In short, one of the three Soviet T34 tanks that were accurately hit by the German anti-tank gun team was paralyzed on the spot after a swivel drift inertia due to the broken track.

The heavy tank group at the rear of the entire first offensive echelon saw such a scene in the center. Malashenko, who was holding the commander’s periscope in front of him, immediately grabbed the communicator at his side and shouted loudly to the entire battalion-level communication channel.

"Vehicle 212, your tracks are broken! Don't stay in the tank anymore, abandon the tank and escape! Hurry!"

On the battlefield of the war, a tank with broken tracks and unable to move is actually no different from a terminally ill patient waiting to die.

After losing its mobility, the tank will undoubtedly become the enemy's next focus of fire. The so-called chivalrous spirit of fair duel has long ceased to exist on the cruel battlefield of World War II. The only rule that is regarded as the truth is "take advantage of your illness to kill you".