USSR 1941

  Chapter 622 Anti-Siege

   "Amphibious landing ship?" Batrakov asked: "You mean... using an amphibious landing ship to cross the river?"

   "Why not?" Shulka replied while pointing to the map and said: "There are few buildings on both sides of the Tsaritsa River and a wide view, which makes crossing the river very difficult!"

  Major General Batrakov nodded in agreement.

  This is one of the reasons why neither the enemy nor the enemy considered crossing the river, and it is also the reason why the railway bridge is so important...Because of the wide field of view, any movement of the enemy on the opposite bank cannot escape the eyes of the other side.

  So, if you want to carry out conventional river crossing operations, let alone moving boats, buoys, etc. to the river, they have already been blocked by enemy artillery fire and machine guns on the shore.

   Then board the boat, rush across, and finally land.

   All of these were done in a hail of bullets. It is hard to imagine that such an attack can be successful today with good firepower.

   "That's why I object, Comrade Shulka!" Batrakov said.

"But if we have an amphibious landing craft, that's a different story!" Shulka said. …You know, general, amphibious landing craft. If nothing else, our commandos will cross the Tsaritsa River in 15 minutes before the Germans even react!"

   Shulka added: "Of course, I said evening!"

  The reaction speed of the Germans is not as clumsy as the Soviet army. 15 minutes is enough for them to organize a defense or counterattack... The defense and counterattack here does not mean that the German army has enough troops.

  Shuerka believed that the German army did not think that the Soviet army was capable of crossing the river at all... The Soviet army had been beaten to the point of being powerless at this time, and it was difficult to counterattack, let alone cross the river.

  In addition, the German army will reinforce the north bank through the railway bridge, so the defense of the south bank must be very weak.

  Shuerka believes that the possible defense of the German army was organized by the German artillery.

   After all, the German army on the south bank of the Tsaritsa River is mostly artillery. They only need to turn their artillery fire to blow up a wall of fire on the river, and the commandos will also suffer heavy losses.

  This is not difficult if it is daytime, but at night, and the German artillery is still under the restraint of the Soviet army, it is unlikely that a tight defense can be organized in 15 minutes.

   Once the commando landed on the south bank, the German artillery fire also lost its effect.

  Batrakov thought about it for a while, then nodded, and said, "This is indeed a solution!"

   "So, you agree?"

   "As you said, do we have other options?" Batrakov replied: "We will only die if we continue like this. Although this plan is dangerous, it may be our only chance!"

  The fact is indeed the case, so Batrakov has to agree, even if a dead horse is a living horse doctor, he has to support it.

   "However..." Batrakov added: "If we plan to do this, we should move faster, otherwise the enemy's train will cross the bridge..."

   Shulka knew what Batrakov meant.

  The purpose of bombing the bridge is to prevent the enemy reinforcements and supplies from crossing the river. If the supplies and reinforcements cross the river, then bombing the bridge will not make much sense.

  But Shulka didn't think so.

   "No, Comrade General!" Shulka said: "I think we should wait for the enemy train to cross the river before launching a surprise attack!"

   "What?" Batrakov couldn't help being stunned when he heard the words: "You are crazy, Shulka, the troops and supplies brought by the train may cause us a lot of trouble!"

   "That depends on where we choose to land!" Shulka replied.

"What position?"

   "I think the granary will do, Comrade General!"

Major General Batlakov could not close his mouth when he heard the words. At the same time, he also knew why Shulka let the enemy's train cross the river... The granary is upstream of the railway bridge. If you start from the granary and cross Tsaritsa The river, and then detour to the railway bridge to blow it up, which means that the two retreat routes of the German army will be cut off, so it is the German army that is surrounded.

  Major General Batrakov asked hesitantly, "Is this... going to be a problem?"

   "What else could go wrong?" Shulka laughed: "The worst thing is that the No. 2 train station falls into the enemy's hands!"

  Batrakov nodded, the worst is just like this now.

   With Batrakov's consent, the plan was quickly implemented.

   The first is to suspend the counterattack plan on the railway bridge.

  Of course, on the surface, the Soviet army still had to do enough work, that is, continue to launch a feint attack on the railway bridge... This is essential, otherwise the German army will become suspicious and even launch an attack in advance.

   Followed by reinforcements.

   "We still need at least one division of troops!" Shulka pointed to the map and said, "Ensure the safety of our army's flanks, otherwise even if the German army is surrounded by us, it is possible for our army to collapse from both inside and outside!"

   "No problem!" Batrakov readily agreed: "The 129th Infantry Division is on its way to reinforcements. In fact, their vanguard troops have already rushed to our army's flanks and built a defensive line..."

   "No no!" Shulka said: "Don't build a defensive line, I mean we don't need an obvious defensive line. We should use the building as a base to disperse our forces, and consciously let in a few troops when the Germans attack!"

   "Why?" Batrakov was a little puzzled.

"A clear line of defense is easy for the German artillery and air force to use!" Shulka replied: "I mean, their artillery and air force knew where to shoot and drop bombs, even at night. But if we The building is a stronghold and a few troops are intentionally put in, so that the enemy's defense line will be staggered in an irregular shape, which will cause great trouble to the enemy's artillery and air force!"

  Batrakov couldn't help but "Oh" when he heard the words, and then nodded.

  He had a bit of embarrassment on his face, as if he realized that what he had done before was always wrong. But now it only takes a little skill to change this situation of being bombarded by the enemy indiscriminately.

   Or not "change", but at least improve.

   "In addition!" Shulka said: "I hope that the 129th Infantry Division can deploy a large number of mines and barbed wire, that is, to consume the enemy's ammunition and block the enemy's attack, rather than charge or seize positions!"

   "That's right!" Batrakov nodded.

  Batrakov also understands why. If the commando can cut off the two supply lines of the German army at the same time and surround the German army, then time is on the side of the Soviet army.

  (end of this chapter)