Steel Soviet Union

Compared with Buckman's narrow escape from death, the German anti-tank gun team that used the cover of a small store to deploy the PAK38 50mm anti-tank gun in the backyard of the store was obviously not so lucky. .

After turning the engine output to the maximum, the two wide tracks of the KV1 heavy tank were grinding forward at full speed like a meat grinder.

All the broken bricks and tiles and obstacles along the road could not stop this 47-ton steel behemoth. It crushed all the KV1 heavy tanks that dared to use it as a vehicle and crashed into the small shop without any suspense. In the backyard, the wide vehicle body, which had no intention of stopping, instantly hit the German anti-tank gun like a battering ram.

The petite PAK38 50mm anti-tank gun can withstand the torment of a steel behemoth like the KV1.

Even though the entire gun mount assembled with a welded structure completely fell apart under the violent impact of the KV1 heavy tank, the KV1 heavy tank rolled over the anti-tank gun parts but still showed no intention of stopping and continued to move forward. The tracks in the middle immediately involved several German anti-tank gun crews who were unable to dodge behind the gun mantlet.

The screams and howls, which were even more pitiful than when pigs were slaughtered during the New Year, only lasted for more than a moment. The physical pain soon turned into the fact of death for several German soldiers, leaving behind a pile of human tissue and mottled meat. The tracks of KV1 were stained with traces of blood that continued to seep into the ground.

After destroying the German anti-tank gun group in the most direct and passionate way, the KV1 heavy tank immediately began to reverse gear and drive away at full speed.

Malashenko, who witnessed this scene in his commander's periscope, raised the corners of his mouth. In his eyes, the fighting style of such a passionate Soviet man was quite consistent with Lavrinenko's character. The Soviet Army's number one tank ace bravely entered the battle.

"Well done, Lavery. Those Hans were crushed into Mussolini's butts by you! To deal with these unscrupulous guys, you have to use such a special method to make them fearful, all the time!"

Facing Malashenko's verbal praise that filled the entire battalion communication channel, Lavrinenko, who was immersed in the pleasure of crushing the enemy, also smiled happily.

"Now, let us face those Nazi invaders! Comrade Battalion Commander."

This was the starting point for a fierce and brutal street fight.

After receiving personal orders from the commander of the German 2nd Armored Group, General Guderian, the SS Imperial Division support troops and the main force of the Grossdeutschland Infantry Regiment fought in the buildings on both sides of the street, facing the Soviet army's crazy attack and counterattack. let.

In a criss-cross fire network, the German MG34 machine gun teams deployed in basement windows on both sides of the street and in the commanding heights of small buildings would always wait until the Soviet infantry got close enough, and then suddenly fire from the dark. Inflict maximum damage to the Soviet army.

Since the beginning of Operation Barbarossa, the German troops, which have fought against the Soviet front-line troops many times, have almost figured out the specific combat methods and weaknesses of the Soviet infantry-tank coordination tactics.

The KV1 heavy tank is cumbersome and slow in street battles due to its limited field of vision and the transmission system that does not support in-situ steering of the vehicle body. Its heavy 7-ton turret causes the steering gear to be overwhelmed, slow in speed, and takes a long time to respond to fire. In the current close firefight, it can be said that he was completely exposed and was seen by the German army.

The German MG34 machine gun team that suddenly opened fire from secret and unexpected positions would never stay in the same bunker for more than 30 seconds.

The Soviet infantry and tank coordination forces, which lacked an effective communication method such as walkie-talkies, could only rely on the extremely passive method of roaring and "beating to find the enemy" to deal with the secret attacks of the German machine gun teams.

When the KV1 heavy tank, whose turret speed seemed relatively slow and cumbersome in close-range firefights such as street fighting, aimed its black muzzle at the building where the German machine gun team was hiding.

The German machine gun teams, which moved from place to place without sticking to their positions and waiting for death, had basically moved their positions in time. When dealing with brick-concrete town houses, they used 76mm high-explosive grenades, which had very limited power and damage range. , it is difficult to injure the German machine gun team that has already gone downstairs and left for the next shooting position under such circumstances.

The German machine gun teams, which were scurrying around like groundhogs and were unable to catch and exterminate them all, certainly caused huge casualties to the Soviet siege troops.

But compared to the losses of the infantry, the German anti-tank gun teams hiding in houses, at intersections, and even in the wreckage of vehicles were truly ubiquitous and the greatest threat.

Thanks to the complex terrain and the layout of urban streets, it was completely impossible to predict where the German anti-tank artillery team was hiding. The Soviet infantry and tank coordination columns, as the offensive side, had no choice but to bite the bullet and keep pushing forward.

The German anti-tank artillery teams, which used ambush tactics to hide in shadows, buildings and wreckage bunkers, would often only wait until they reached a shooting distance and angle that they believed they were absolutely sure of before suddenly opening fire and attacking.

The proudly thick frontal armor of the KV1 heavy tank is often of little use in this situation. Knowing that the small water pipe anti-tank gun in its own hands is difficult to penetrate the KV1 heavy tank from the front, the German anti-tank gun team has almost no choice. With one exception, they all chose the weak car body and side parts of the turret to ambush and fire.

No matter how powerful a heavy tank is, it definitely has its Achilles heel but is not invincible. The KV1 heavy tanks, which were surrounded by hidden arrows, repeatedly opened fire and attacked the weak armored parts on the sides, one after another. The ground was destroyed and casualties increased suddenly.

The extremely cunning German army would often covertly deploy the precious and only 88 guns in their hands at key crossroads and T-junctions on both sides of the road corners to provide cross anti-tank fire coverage.

Once the leading heavy tank of the Soviet army intends to show its head through the intersection, the 88 gun, which has already pointed its black muzzle at the intersection, and is just waiting for the Soviet tank to appear, will immediately open fire.

As soon as the KV1 heavy tank poked its head out of the road and drove to the center of the intersection, it would directly penetrate the tank's side armor without any suspense and be destroyed.

The burning remains of the 47-ton tank often lie in the middle of the road, delaying the continued advancement of the Soviet follow-up troops.

The German soldiers who turned almost every building and small building on the street into a battle fortress were always firing from a condescending manner with various small weapons in hand.

The Soviet infantry and tank coordination units, unable to move forward or retreat, would often turn into rats in a bellows, being attacked from both sides and being attacked from both sides.

A year later, according to the original historical trajectory, the brutal street fighting that will take place in Stalingrad has already been staged in advance. The Soviet and German armies, with the positions of the offensive and defensive sides swapped, are still as unyielding and fighting as hard as they were a year later. The cruel modern The street fighting in the war city has begun to take shape and is becoming more and more ferocious.