According to Sokov's idea, when the German army attacked the next day, they would let them taste the power of the new rockets. Unexpectedly, the German army's attack the next day was not as fierce as the previous two days. The scale of the offensive changed from battalion to company-level. Rather than trying to seize the Mamayev mount, it would be more appropriate to say that it was a more appropriate worker.
"What? The enemy has reduced the scale of the attack?" When Sidolin heard the report of the Second Battalion Commander Vasily, he thought the other party had made a mistake and asked specifically: "Comrade Captain, are you sure that the troops that the enemy attacked you are only in the company level?" After getting the confirmation from the other party, he breathed a sigh of relief, "Okay, I understand. I will report the situation on your position to the brigade commander. If there is any change in the battlefield situation, you must report to me immediately."
After Sidolin put down the phone, he reported to Sokov, who was half lying on the camp bed and chatting with Yakov, saying: "Comrade Brigade Commander and the Second Battalion Commander reported that the German army that launched an attack on the Nangang position was only in the size of one company," he said.
"What, the enemy launching the attack is only one company?" Sokov was stunned when he heard the news. He thought to himself: "What's going on? Why did the German army send only one company to attack? Is there any conspiracy, or is their offensive power exhausted?"
Seeing Sokov not speaking for a long time, Cidolin interrupted and said, "Comrade Brigade Commander, I think the German army suddenly reduced the scale of its offensive today, probably because they had consumed too much of their living power in the battle two days ago, so they could not draw more troops to maintain the intensity of their previous offensive."
"This is impossible, Comrade Chief of Staff." Before Sokov could reply, Yakov said first: "Just like this little Mamayev hill, how many enemies can you destroy?"
As for Yakov's doubts, Cidorin smiled faintly, and then replied in a calm tone: "Major Yakov, you may not know that at least more than six thousand Germans were killed in front of our positions this week."
"What, the enemies who died in front of your positions have exceeded 6,000?" Yakov turned his head and looked at Sokov in surprise and asked, "Misha, have you really wiped out so many enemies?"
"Since this data is told by the Chief of Staff," Sokov glanced at Cidolin standing next to him and replied with a smile: "Then it must be true."
"My God, it's incredible." Although Sokov has confirmed that what Cidolin said is true, Yakov still said half-believingly: "There are six thousand enemies to be wiped out, and the wounded are equivalent to saying that your brigade has almost lost its combat power to defend against the frontal enemies."
"I think I can say that." Sokov never asked about specific data, but he knew very well that since he had arranged defenses in Mamayev's base in advance, the German army would have to pay several times more than in history if they wanted to seize this place. Therefore, for Yakov's question, he said with certainty: "The German army reduced the scale of the offensive today, and I guess it has to do with their great casualties."
As the few people were talking, the phone ringing on the table rang. Sidolin walked over and picked up the microphone, put it in his ear and said, "I am Chief of Staff Cidolin, where are you?... It's you, Comrade Commander, Hello!... Do you have any instructions?" After hearing this for a while, he covered the microphone with his hands and whispered to Sokov, "Comrade Brigade Commander, the commander is asking if the enemy's attack scale has been reduced compared to yesterday?"
When Sokov heard Cidolin say this, he guessed that the scale of the attack that Cuikov had encountered must have been reduced, so he replied in a low voice: "Chief of Staff, report the situation here to the commander truthfully."
After obtaining Sokov's permission, Sidolin removed his hand covering the microphone and continued, "Comrade Commander, the situation here is the same. The scale of the German offensive changed from the battalion level to the company level... What? What do we think about this?... When you called us, we were discussing this issue. It felt that it might be that after the continuous high-intensity attack, the German army had almost consumed its vitality, so it was unable to launch a larger-scale attack."
When Sokov heard this, he couldn't help but whisper to Yakov: "Yakov, it's a pity that the live forces of the army were exhausted in the counterattack a few days ago. Otherwise, I could take advantage of this favorable opportunity to launch a counterattack against the German army, and I believe that I will definitely achieve good results."
"While delivering equipment, I saw a lot of troops heading south towards the Volga River, which should be the reserve teams that the base camp supplies you." Yakov said: "When these troops arrive, you will have enough strength to defeat those enemies rushing into the city."
Seeing Yakov so confident, Sokov shook his head with a wry smile and said, "Yakov, you are so optimistic about the situation. Even if there are reserve teams coming continuously, due to various objective conditions, we are still at a disadvantage compared to the German army in terms of military strength and technical equipment. To completely defeat the enemy, it will take at least one or two months to accumulate strength and stockpile more technical equipment and supplies."
After Sokov reminded me, Yakov immediately thought that when he led his troops to cross the river, the water columns soared into the sky by artillery shells. If it was like this, crossing the river during the day would not only be bombarded by artillery soldiers, but also by aircraft, and ships transporting soldiers and supplies would inevitably suffer huge losses.
"Misha, you make sense. The enemy's artillery and air force are desperately blocking the Volga River." Yakov said with a serious expression: "Even if a large number of troops gathered on the east coast and stockpiled up enough materials to support the counterattack, it will be difficult to transport them to the city smoothly in the enemy's artillery and bombardment."
"Yakov, don't worry about this." Sokov waited for Yakov to say this and immediately continued: "Wait for two months, it will be winter, and the water of the Volga River will have frozen long ago. At that time, we can transport various sources of material resources continuously. As long as we can accumulate enough strength in the city, the end of the Germans will come."
"Comrade Brigade Commander." After calling Sidolin, he watched Sokov talking to Yakov, and asked carefully: "The German army is launching an attack on the second battalion position. Do you think you can use the new rocket launcher of No. 107 mm?"
"No, it cannot be used for the time being." Thinking that the German army is now just a company-level attack, using such rockets to deal with them is like a tomahawk cruise missile worth more than 700,000 US dollars to hit a tent in the desert, Sokov firmly ordered Cydolin: "Comrade Chief of Staff, tell the Second Battalion Commander and the Fourth Battalion Commander that without my order, no one is allowed to use this new rocket at will."
Sokov took advantage of the time when Sidolin called the battalion commanders and asked Yakov secretly: "Yakov, give me a letter of approval. When will we get the next batch of rockets?"
"The capacity is insufficient at present," Yakov replied awkwardly when he heard Sokov's question: "At the earliest, you will have to wait until late October before you can provide you with the same number of rockets."
"Late October?" Sokov couldn't help frowning after hearing what Yakov said: "So, don't we have to wait for a month?" Before Yakov answered, he continued to say to himself, "Yakov, you also know that each launcher is equipped with only two rockets. If you shoot all the rockets you bring and you can't get supplies for a long time, then these launchers are equivalent to a pile of scrap iron."
"Don't worry, Misha." Seeing Sokov's expression of displeasure appeared on his face, Yakov quickly expressed his opinion: "After I go back, I will immediately make a request to Comrade Ustinov to ask him to issue a new production plan to the factory that produces rockets, and make sure you have enough rockets."
"When will it be delivered?" Sokov didn't see that the rocket was transported to Mamayev's hill, but Sokov knew very well. In order to prevent outages from stock, he began to use his friendship with Yakov to bargain with the other party: "Yakov, you always have to give me a clear answer? One month is too long, and we will definitely not be able to wait for that long."
"Twenty-five days." Yakov replied: "After I go back, I ask Comrade Ustinov to send me to the factory to supervise the work. I think within twenty-five days, the rockets you need should be able to produce."
Sokov heard that he had to wait twenty-five days to produce a sufficient number of rockets, and his heart couldn't help but feel cold. He thought in his mind: It takes twenty-five days to produce, and then transport it on the road for ten days. In this way, it takes at least forty days before his troops can be replenished.
Thinking of this, he shook his head and said, "No, Yakov, it's too long. I think the longest cannot exceed twenty days." Seeing Yakov open his mouth, as if he wanted to say something, he quickly added, "I need to remind you that the time I am talking about refers to the time when a new batch of rockets is transported to Mamayev Hill."
"This is impossible." Yakov immediately jumped from the edge of the bed when he heard this. He raised his voice and said to Sokov: "Even if we work overtime to produce, it is already the limit to completing the length of nearly a hundred rockets in twenty-five days. If we want to be faster, I'm sorry, we can't do it."
"Yakov," Sokov quickly reached out and grabbed Yakov's hand, patted his other hand gently twice on the back of his hand, and said in a flattering tone: "In order to better attack the invaders, I think it is necessary for us to have enough rockets so that we can teach the enemy a lesson."
"Okay, Misha." Seeing Sokov begging himself, Yakov could not hide his face, so he could only say with a tough bullet: "I will give you a deadline, twenty-two days, including the production and transportation of rockets. How about it? This is the fastest way I can guarantee you for the sake of our friendship."
Sokov stared at Yakov for a while, thinking that this time should be Yakov's bottom line. If he wanted to be quicker, he would definitely not be able to do so. He nodded and said, "Okay, then we'll decide. In twenty-two days, I hope to see a new batch of rockets appearing in the underground garage of Mamayev hill."
After discussing the production of the rocket, Yakov remembered another important thing and continued: "By the way, Misha, I almost forgot about something."
"What's the matter?" Sokov was happy after receiving Yakov's verbal promise, so he said carelessly: "Let me tell me, if I can solve it, I will definitely help you with it."
"That's right. When I was talking to Comrade Ustinov last night, I reported to him in detail the two new weapons you proposed."
When he learned that Yakov had reported to Ustinov the two new weapons he had proposed, Sokov was eager to know what the other party was doing and asked quickly: "Yakov, don't know how the People's Committee members responded."
"Comrade Ustinov said that he would argue with relevant personnel from the military industry department." Yakov said with some embarrassment: "He asked me to ask you about the Bazooka again."
Sokov thought Yakov would ask about napalm bombs, but he was asking the bazooka. He asked in surprise: "Do you have any questions about the People's Committee?"
"Comrade Ustinov believes that the rocket's straight aim range is 100 meters and the effective range is 150 meters, which is a bit too close. This will pose a threat to the life safety of our anti-tank hands." Yakov said dryly: "He wants to ask, is there any way to increase the effective range of the rocket?"
"Yes." As soon as Yakov finished speaking, Sokov's answer blurted out: "If the comrade in charge of military industry can reduce the volume of our newly developed 107mm rocket and then launch it with a rocket launcher, then the range can be effectively increased."
Yakov originally just asked Sokov with a try-and-see attitude, but he didn't expect any ideal answer from him. Who knew that Sokov was so confident that he could not help but ask in surprise: "If our military personnel could really reduce the size of the 107mm rocket for individual anti-tank use, how much do you think the range can be increased?"
"The range of the 107mm rocket launcher should be seven or eight kilometers, right?" Sokov couldn't remember the preparation data of the 107mm rocket launcher, so he could only say vaguely: "Emproved rocket launcher can still reach a range of seven or eight hundred meters or even one thousand meters, even."
Chapter completed!