Chapter 424 Arrival

The explosions of artillery shells flying everywhere at the forefront of the exchange of fire were so loud that even the Soviet commander in the front-line command post in the rear could smell the thick smell of gunpowder.

Holding the binoculars in his hands, he focused on his troops who had just retreated like a tide. The Soviet division commander, who had been repelled by the Germans in the eighth counterattack, had already exhausted his initial temper.

The hurried footsteps that suddenly sounded at the entrance of the field command post behind him immediately attracted the attention of the Soviet division commander. Before the person spoke, the Soviet division commander immediately took the lead and spoke first.

"What are the casualties of the troops? Can we launch the ninth counterattack?"

Faced with the questions raised by his partner, the divisional political commissar who had just withdrawn from the front line of personally supervising the battle seemed annoyed.

"More than half of our troops have been killed or wounded, not just in the counterattack just now, but also in our entire division. Only half of our troops can still pick up their guns and continue to attack, and this is still counting the comrades in the field hospital who are slightly injured and bandaged. If the slightly injured are not counted, it will be even worse than this."

Faced with the bad answer given by the political commissar, the Soviet division commander, who had expected such a result, did not say much and remained silent.

In total, the Soviet troops who launched a counterattack against the German 4th Armored Division, the enemy in front of them, have failed for two consecutive days.

The 4th Armored Division, which was almost on call for air support, held the front line tightly and refused to give up. The German troops, with flexible and changeable tactics, even launched a counterattack after resisting the first wave of Soviet counterattacks, hitting the superior force of the armored forces from one point to penetrate and cut off the Soviet infantry cluster that launched the attack.

The Soviet infantry, who only carried light weapons and had no anti-armor power and no tanks to help them, suffered heavy casualties. The tracks of the German tanks that rushed into the Soviet infantry group like a tiger attacking a flock of sheep were covered with human body fragments and blood. The Soviet commanders who saw all this but could do nothing only hated why their side had no tanks to help.

Planes bombed in the sky, tanks and guns were fired on the ground, and even the third-rate artillery of the Germans would pop out from time to time to fire a few rounds of artillery shells to disgust the Soviet infantry attack group.

The artillery positions were suppressed by the German Air Force and the Soviet counterattack forces, who did not dare to easily expose their targets, were helpless for a while. A fully equipped infantry division would be beaten to lose its combat effectiveness in less than a day if it was put into this position meat grinder. The situation of another Soviet infantry division that replaced the friendly forces that launched the counterattack yesterday and arrived at the attack position was almost the same.

It was only a morning of fighting. At noon, the eighth attack was launched and the German Fourth Armored Division was repelled again. More than half of the casualties were already there. Seeing that his troops were about to follow the footsteps of his colleagues yesterday, the Soviet division commander could not help but sigh helplessly.

"Sometimes I really can't understand why the front headquarters issued such an order. Yesterday, a division was just defeated and retreated, and today another division of troops was deployed. You know, our Western Front has a huge organization of dozens of divisions. Why can't we draw a few more divisions at a time to open up the land connection of Tula City? The sky is full of those German planes, and our fighter planes have not appeared once since the counterattack this morning!"

Hearing the complex sighs from the division commander, the deputy division commander who was also watching the whole battle stepped forward and spoke slowly.

"Some things cannot be changed by our subjective ideas, comrade division commander. I heard that the Germans mobilized four corps-level battle groups to launch a general attack on Moscow, with at least fifty fully equipped infantry and armored divisions, and important technical equipment including tanks, artillery and aircraft are also concentrated with the greatest strength and much more than us."

"In this case, the combat troops in other directions on the front line must also be fighting under great pressure, and the problems are even more serious than what we are facing. Commander Zhukov's command order will definitely consider the overall situation. I think the strength of a division is probably the maximum that can be used in the direction of Tula's counterattack."

The deputy division commander's opening words that told the truth won the unanimous presumption in the hearts of everyone present and silence. After opening their mouths and complaining, the Soviet commanders and fighters still have to face the battlefield situation that is gradually falling into a stalemate. How to break the battlefield stalemate and tear open the front defense line of the German Fourth Armored Division is still the top problem in front of them.

"Perhaps we should send a telegram to the front headquarters. Didn't they say before that there would be an elite tank unit to assist us in the attack?"

If it weren't for a communications staff suddenly mentioning it, the division commander would have almost forgotten about it. He suddenly came to his senses and remembered the tank support unit that had been promised by the front headquarters.

The Soviet division commander was excited and was about to give an order immediately, asking the communications staff to quickly send a telegram to inquire about the specific location and arrival of the support tank unit. However, a hurried and hurried footsteps once again broke the silence of the command post.

"Report to the division commander, comrade, a friendly tank unit has just arrived outside the division's base. The number is the 1st Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment of the Guards. The lieutenant colonel who claims to be Malashenko wants to see you right now."

The 1st Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment of the Guards?

Hearing this well-known name that has been heard in Moscow recently, the Soviet division commander was stunned for a moment. He never expected that such a heroic tank unit would come to support him. The political commissar who reacted first quickly stretched out his right arm to indicate and order.

"Quick! Ask Comrade Malashenko to come to the command post immediately! As fast as possible!"

"Wait!"

The division commander, who was called back to his senses by the words of his partner, the political commissar, immediately raised his right hand to indicate a pause. He always felt that it was inappropriate to let a messenger come forward. Malashenko, who could decide the final outcome of this battle, should be greeted by someone with the corresponding status to express his attitude.

"Comrade Political Commissar, please go with me immediately. We must not let the tank hero comrade have any misunderstandings about our attitude."

After hearing this, he immediately realized that his hasty order just now was indeed inappropriate. The political commissar, with a turn of his eyes, responded without thinking.

"I thought it was a bit too simple. I agree with your suggestion! Let's set off now, comrade division commander!"