Steel Soviet Union

The battle situation at Mamayev Hill was so bad that Chuikov, who was originally determined to regain control of the hill, couldn't help but stand at the foot of the hill, looking up at the top of the hill with a telescope in hand, and began to ask himself in a muffled voice.

"How much human blood does this damn mountain need to drink before it's full?"

From the time he was driven off the hill by the Germans, Chuikov, who had been tasked by the Front Army Headquarters to fight desperately to regain control of Mamayev Hill no matter what, had never stopped organizing counterattacks.

The 13th Guards Infantry Division, which was almost wiped out, was just the tip of the iceberg in this brutal battle. Chuikov, who was already stretched thin with available troops, put almost all the troops he could mobilize into this battle.

From a dismantled infantry company to an entire infantry battalion, Chuikov had already taken out the last chips in his pocket and threw them all on the gambling table, unwilling to let the Germans laugh at the gambling table. to the end.

But even so, the blood-soaked battle at Mamayev Ridge remained stalemate.

The battle went from the initial regiment-level charge to the current platoon and squad unit attack. Even though the firepower of the German army on the top of the mountain was constantly weakening and decreasing in direct proportion, no matter how hard the Red Army soldiers who fought successively fought hard. It was a matter of life and death that he could not break through the last hundred meters.

The German army gathered together almost all the submachine guns that had been removed from the corpses of their fallen comrades and even Soviet soldiers. The loaded magazines and drums were placed in piles at their feet.

The last 100 meters of charging distance was like an insurmountable death trench for the Red Army soldiers. The firepower of submachine guns and automatic weapons in this last distance was so intense that the Germans resisted desperately and fell down 100 meters in front of the position. There are at least a thousand Red Army soldiers on the mountainside within the distance!

The unobstructed bottom-up attack brought huge casualties. Chuikov, who had suffered unbearable losses to his troops, finally gritted his teeth and ordered to suspend the attack. He had to use a sharper prisoner of war to cut through the German army in one fell swoop. This airtight automatic fire defense line.

"Tanks, we need a sufficient number of tanks to break the deadlock and win, but where can I get these tanks that are enough to affect the situation of the battle?"

Chuikov, who kept pacing in his command room, simulated many different ideas and tactical possibilities in his mind, but most of them were eventually rejected by Chuikov one by one. The ultimate direction of the answer lies in no other direction. Given the choice, it finally fell to Malashenko's Guards First Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment.

"The 1st Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment is the only hope. Malashenko cannot be allowed to continue to be dragged in the train station. He has to prove himself where he is needed more."

After making up his mind, Chuikov briefly discussed with the chief of staff and finalized the details. He immediately sent the quickly drafted telegram and flew directly to Malashenko's regiment headquarters. Only then did Malashenko receive Peter's request. The scene with a strange expression after Political Commissar Rove handed over the telegram.

"Damn it, I'm going to Mamayev Kurgan before the train station is over. Just after putting it in the oil, you take it out and put it in the pot to stew over high heat before it's fully fried. You don't do that in a war. Damn it. What a stinker!”

With the title of Guard on his head, he enjoys the honor of a hero and priority supply rights. Since ancient times, there has been no free meal in the world. Malashenko must pay the due price and responsibility for everything he has obtained. This is unquestionable determination. Order.

Malashenko raised his hand and rubbed his nose and handed the telegram back to Commissar Petrov. Malashenko, who had long been accustomed to all kinds of bad news that came one after another, did not complain too much. Knowing that complaining is completely useless, only executing the command is the best solution.

"How's it going? What specific plans do you have? When should we set off?"

Political Commissar Petrov has the right to know the contents of the telegram. In fact, Commissar Petrov who personally sent the telegram to Malashenko knew about this order earlier than Malashenko. What Commissar Petrov is now concerned about is How does Malashenko plan to implement this order.

"Didn't it say in the telegram? We have to rush to the army headquarters to report before tonight. In the afternoon, an infantry unit will come to defend us. All we have to do is to hold on until then and hand over the position completely. Then we’ll set off immediately.”

To be honest, even Malashenko himself felt that staying in the train station was not a good thing.

The terrain here is narrow and complex and full of craters and building ruins blown up by the Germans. The infantry is suitable for using these battlefield terrains to fight, but for Malashenko's First Guards Heavy Tank Breakthrough Regiment, it is completely different. Got the taste.

Heavy tanks that cannot maneuver can only roam in a small area or even transform into fixed turrets. The T34, which was originally good at maneuvering, is also in a bad situation. Various bomb craters and ruins have turned these high-speed medium tanks that were originally moving like rabbits into A living iron bastard nestled in a corner, stretching back and forth in such a squirming way that even Malashenko couldn't bear to look at it.

If it's just defense, the situation is relatively good. At least being able to park steadily and then fire first while waiting for work is a big advantage. In contrast, Malashenko simply feels that the Germans opposite are the most miserable.

Not to mention suffering from terrain restrictions and troubles like themselves, the most serious problem faced by the German armored forces is undoubtedly the embarrassment of being unable to exert their numerical advantage.

The German armored forces, which are far more powerful than Malashenko, invest more troops, but it is just like a tactic of refueling. The attack front with a wider palm cannot place too many tanks or assault guns. Those German troops that have been destroyed The wreckage of the tank seriously hindered the German charge from the rear.

All in all, the complex and bad terrain is one of the important reasons why the German army has suffered repeated defeats and Malashenko has been able to hold on until now and the losses are not unacceptable.

In Malashenko's opinion, there is not much difference between the two battlefields: the railway station and Mamayev Kurgan. They are both places where a dog's brains can be beaten out by a meat grinder. If there is a difference, it is probably It's just the difference between jumping from a frying pan to a stew pot.

However, the terrain of Mamayev Ridge is definitely more conducive to tank troops than the railway station. This is not only a foreseeable fact, but also the only thing that can barely make Malashenko feel lucky.

"Hey, tool people are just tool people. Get used to it. I've never fought a good battle with smooth wind and water. It's just a fucking bad battle with these mud puddles and piles of dead people! Damn it!"