Chapter 229 The End

In any case, the failure of the German tanks has become a foregone conclusion. After losing the command of Major Racker, the only remaining German tanks were leaderless and demoralized and were unable to fight again. Even Bolt, who was highly respected among his colleagues and had outstanding military achievements, was unable to save this doomed defeat.

The rugged and undulating off-road roads provided a natural cover for the evacuation of the German tanks. Malashenko, whose troops had also suffered heavy losses in the battle, had already been exhausted and exhausted. Sweat beads as big as soybeans kept dripping from his forehead as if he had dysentery.

"Comrade commander, the Germans have retreated. Should we continue to pursue them?"

The question from the driver Seryosha echoed in the ears of Malashenko, who was panting. The truth of not pursuing the desperate enemy and the heavy losses of the army, which were almost annihilated, did not leave Malashenko much choice at the moment.

"No, don't bother with the Germans. We have already achieved our predetermined mission goal by pushing their armored forces back. Tell all crews to get off the vehicles immediately to rescue the wounded and prepare to retreat to our starting position. We need to rest."

Just as Malashenko was giving orders to retreat, another heavy tank unit led by Lavrinenko, far to the south of the battlefield, also won the battle with the German armored forces that were directly facing them.

Almost as many enemies as Malashenko were involved in a bitter battle, and Lavrinenko, who fought to the death with a burning heart of faith, fought to the death with the Germans. When there were only three KV1 heavy tanks left in his tank company, he finally forced the Germans, who had collapsed first, to leave behind 33 burning tank wreckages and retreat in a hurry.

In contrast, there were 10 motionless Soviet KV1 heavy tanks and 4 burning T34 tank wreckages.

14 to 33, this is not a perfect victory for the Soviet tank troops, which are equipped with wireless communication stations for inter-vehicle communication like the German armored forces, and have an absolute overwhelming advantage in tank quality.

The equally brave and tenacious German armored soldiers are still brave and fierce and extremely tenacious even when they are inferior in equipment.

The German tanks that make good use of their numerical advantage to continuously outflanking can only destroy a KV1 heavy tank with thick skin and flesh by approaching to the side at close range. There are countless German tanks that fell on the way to the Soviet heavy tanks and were killed by one shot.

The competition with the most elite armored soldiers in the world today almost dragged Lavrinenko, the number one Soviet tank ace in later generations, to death.

The German armored soldiers, who valued honor and were equally brave and tenacious, were at least as imposing as the Soviet Red Army, which was blessed by faith. The top armored warfare tactics and skilled coordination that conquered the whole of Europe were enough to make the Soviet tank soldiers, who had little actual combat experience and were just starting out, look pale in comparison.

Lavrinenko, who had luckily saved his life from the hellish armored stranglehold, was almost exhausted like Malashenko. He was panting heavily, and his transparent clothes were soaked by sweat. Under the high temperature of the diesel engine, Lavrinenko, who was in a trance, almost fainted, as if he was thrown into an oven alive.

The armored forces that set out from the north and south at the same time to encircle the rear of the Soviet counterattack infantry group were all severely damaged and defeated, and Major General Fritz, who had been making his wishful thinking, was pushed into a desperate situation that was beyond redemption in a flash.

More than 20 Soviet main tanks of various types left in the Central Infantry Counterattack Group effectively covered and supported the offensive operations against the German field defense positions.

These German troops who had just been baptized by the Red Navy's naval guns and retreated to the second defense position in a panic did not even stand firm.

After occupying the first position where the Germans voluntarily withdrew, the Soviet offensive group immediately shouted slogans with high morale and continued to pursue the victory, like a fierce battering ram with destructive offensive power, crashing into the German field defense positions.

The German army, which was shaking the muzzle of the 88mm anti-aircraft gun for direct aiming and flat shooting, used all the anti-armor weapons that could be used to frantically block the fire, trying to stop the red torrent that was rushing like a raging flood.

The more than 20 Soviet tanks that Malashenko ordered to be used in a concentrated manner before leaving were condensed into a sharp knife, charging at full speed against the dense anti-armor firepower from the German positions.

The Soviet tank soldiers, who were bloodthirsty, knocked away the burning wreckage of their comrades' tanks, crushed the German machine gun fire points, and fired the German 88 guns closest to them into the sky before they were destroyed.

One after another, Soviet tanks were hit by the fierce flat fire of the 88 guns, and their turrets were blown away like champagne in the violent explosion.

But even so, the remaining Soviet tank soldiers who witnessed their comrades being blown to pieces in the strong explosion still had no intention of retreating. The Soviet tank soldiers who stood firm like a rock in the sea would leave the burning wreckage of the tanks on the German positions on the land of their motherland even if they died.

The sacrifice of the brave Soviet tank soldiers under Malashenko was not meaningless.

The Red Army infantry, who ran forward desperately under the leadership of the political commissar, fell wave after wave under the dense machine gun fire of the German army.

These brave defenders of the motherland had only one goal in mind - to rush to the German positions that had been torn open by their own tank assault team.

The KV1 heavy tank turned the turret and removed the machine gun fire point under the German anti-tank fire attack. After doing all this, an 88mm armor-piercing bullet pierced the upper armor of the vehicle body and the turret was blown away in the strong tank explosion.

The Red Army infantry, stepping on the hot armor fragments of the KV1 heavy tank under their feet, finally shouted passionate slogans and rushed into the German defense position that had been torn open like a torrent.

The battle for the Soviet infantry position that the German army least wanted to fight since the war began was inevitably staged again.

In the telescope held in his hand, he saw that his troops, who had already fought with the Soviet infantry with a numerical advantage, were gradually engulfed by the red torrent. The serious loss of technical weapons, including armored forces and artillery, finally forced Major General Fritz to swallow the bitter fruit of defeat.

"The Russians won this battle. Inform the troops to prepare to cover the retreat in turns."