Chapter 1524 Lao Gan Ma and the Iron Lunch Box

The Combat Engineer Battalion is the most elite and combat-capable heavy infantry unit in the division. The equipment it uses is naturally the best in the infantry combat sequence of the division. It is also the only unit in the division and even the entire Red Army that is experimentally equipped with new assault rifles.

Strictly speaking, in the combat sequence of the troops under the Stalin Guards 1st Tank Division, the Combat Engineer Battalion, which was established the latest among the infantry, is the favorite of the division commander.

It is always used sparingly on weekdays and used at critical moments. Even if it is really put into battle, it must be used at the decisive moment. Good steel is used on the blade. Being cannon fodder or fighting conventional wars is basically out of the reach of the Combat Engineer Battalion.

But now, Malashenko has started to act just because of a so-called "premonition" in his heart, and he wants to mobilize the infantry trump cards that he is reluctant to use even in the final battle to go out immediately.

The various abnormalities and irrationalities were really incomprehensible to the political commissar, but it was almost impossible for him to object to Malashenko's current situation. From Malashenko's expression alone, we can see the urgency of time in his understanding.

The political commissar, who simply changed his perspective to consider the matter, did think that the commander's trip was not safe, as Malashenko said there were huge dangers along the way.

In this case, the Stalin Guards 1st Tank Division has now completed its combat mission anyway, and the actual losses of the Stalin Guards 1st Tank Division in the Cherkasy battle were not great. It was almost a forced crushing of superior forces and superior equipment all the way.

So from the actual situation, the actual conditions do allow Malashenko to do this.

There is only one thing, Malashenko, who usually stays in the tank, has to pick up a gun and fight in person this time.

Compared with the IS4 heavy tank with strong armor and powerful guns, which had a perverted level of defense that was almost indestructible by ground firepower on the battlefield in 1944, the danger of Malashenko personally going into battle was undoubtedly dozens of times greater.

But in order to rush for time, Malashenko could not stay in the tank honestly. It was even more impossible to let Malashenko stay to command and let others lead the team to the battlefield. Comrade Political Commissar, who was familiar with Malashenko's temper, knew that this kid was a stubborn donkey who could not be pulled back by ten cows after he made up his mind to do something. He had to think of a safe and reliable expedient plan quickly.

"It's too dangerous for you to go to the battlefield as an infantry with a gun. I won't allow you to do this. I can let you go, but you have to make some concessions. You have to listen to me on certain principled issues. You are the commander of our division who must be protected, not the captain of the death squad who leads the charge!"

""

Malashenko did not reply, but just continued to look at Comrade Political Commissar without saying a word, as if waiting, of course, there was no rejection or denial in his expression.

"As usual, you stay in the tank to command. This is the limit of my concession and allow you to lead the team in person. Of course, it is unrealistic for you to continue to lead the team with your command vehicle. The speed of IS4 is too slow. It is the slowest model among the existing tanks in our division."

"How about this, you go to the medium tank battalion to change a vehicle, and change it to a new T43 medium tank, a command type. Then take a battalion of medium tanks to ensure your personal safety. What do you think?"

The political commissar proposed to give priority to the safety of Malashenko's life, but Malashenko himself did not think so.

"A battalion? No, a lot of equipment in jars and cans will slow down the marching speed. I forgot to tell Varosha just now that I only plan to take two companies of the combat engineer battalion. Taking more soldiers will not be enough and will slow down the marching speed. This time, the speed must be fast enough. This is the priority! The consequences of slow action may be catastrophic!"

The political commissar protected the personal safety of the division commander, while the division commander was thinking about how to complete the task better and faster.

This can be said to be a disagreement, of course, it can also be said that the division commander and the political commissar are just different starting points.

Fortunately, Malashenko and Political Commissar Petrov are both people who can understand each other, so they don't argue with each other on a problem, meaninglessly wasting time.

In the end, the total strength of the small escort unit led by Malashenko was set at one tank company plus two infantry companies.

The tanks accompanying the team did not have the big and fat Stalin heavy tanks, but were all the latest T43 medium tanks with better performance than T34 and the improved T3485.

This new medium tank from Morozov is excellent. It has proved itself in the actual combat it has experienced at this stage and has shown its prowess. It has moderate armor protection that is reliable among medium tanks and excellent mobility.

Although the new 85mm main gun is not as fierce as the German 71-caliber 75mm fishing rod, and its armor-piercing firepower is much inferior, it is basically enough to penetrate the turrets of the Panther 1 and Panther 2 head-on and cause a fatal blow.

Bringing a company of T43 to the battle, it can basically deal with the German tank troops of the same level. If it encounters a slightly weaker German armored troops without heavy tanks, it can even crush them.

Sitting on a tank and riding in an open car is the most common operation for soldiers who are used to the tank knight mode. Of course, this company of medium tanks alone cannot pull all the combat engineers of two companies. Combat engineers with a lot of belongings and equipment take up more space. Besides, Malashenko does not allow too many people to squeeze into a tank and play Indian characteristics. If the battle suddenly starts, they will not even have time to run.

The remaining infantrymen of the combat engineer battalion are all riding in armored vehicles. Yes, armored vehicles.

However, this batch of relatively distinctive new armored vehicles received are not Soviet weapons and equipment, but American equipment.

As the elite heavy tank unit of the Soviet Army, the Stalin Guards 1st Tank Division has never received American tanks. British tanks were only used during the most difficult conditions in Stalingrad and were quickly lost. Now that there are better domestic equipment, they naturally don’t need the rags of the United States and Britain.

However, in the field of troop transport armored vehicles, Malashenko, who was personally responsible for the inspection and selection of equipment, only took a fancy to an American car: the M3A1 half-track armored personnel carrier.

Just by listening to the name, you can tell that this thing is not a heavy firepower and heavy armor equipment used for direct combat, but a light armed troop carrier similar to a battlefield taxi.

In addition to the driver and co-driver, it can also pull an infantry squad. There are enough batteries and a complete electrical system on the vehicle to support high-power radio communications. There is also a popular 7mm M2 Lao Gan Ma heavy machine gun and a 62mm Browning machine gun. It is already a good self-defense firepower, and the armor protection can also withstand conventional light weapons shooting.

It is obviously the most suitable to be used as a reconnaissance vehicle and battlefield troop carrier for the combat engineer battalion.