Lieutenant Colonel Papuchinko walked out of the duty room and prepared to return to the troops to assign tasks to the soldiers. At the door, he almost collided with a lieutenant wearing a tank soldier uniform.
Seeing that he almost ran into a lieutenant colonel, the lieutenant of the tank soldier quickly stopped and prepared to apologize to him. As soon as he looked up, he recognized the lieutenant colonel standing in front of him. It was Lieutenant Colonel Papuchinko, the commander of the 122nd Guards Regiment. He quickly raised his hand and saluted, and then asked respectfully: "Comrade Commander, is Colonel Sokov in there?"
Before Papuchinko could answer, Sokov, who was sitting in the room, heard the voice outside the door. He stopped talking to Peter and Zinchenko, tilted his head and looked out the door, and asked curiously: "Who is outside the door?"
"It's me, comrade Colonel." Hearing Sokov's questioning in the room, the tank soldier lieutenant nodded apologetically at Papchinko, walked around him and walked into the door, raised his hand to salute Sokov, who was sitting in the room, and then said: "Comrade Colonel, literal lieutenant Agafen of the tank soldier, reports to you, I'll be waiting for your order, please instruct!"
"So it's Lieutenant Agafon." Although Sokov knew that the tank team led by Agafon had retreated to the factory after suffering losses, he came here because there was too much trouble and actually forgot about it. If Agafon hadn't appeared, he wouldn't know when he would have thought of this inconspicuous tank team. He stood up and walked to Agafon, held the other party's hand, and smiled and said, "In today's battle, the tank team you commanded performed so well. I will call Colonel Bere and ask for credit for you."
When Agafon heard Sokov say this, he seemed a little embarrassed: "Comrade Colonel, you have over the award. We can achieve such results entirely because our T-34 tank is more advanced than the German tanks No. 3 and No. 4."
"Comrade Lieutenant," Sokov asked tentatively, "how many people are there in your men?"
Agafon knew the reason why Sokov asked, and quickly explained to him: "Although we were destroyed three tanks, only two were sacrificed and three were injured. As long as we were replenished with new tanks, our tank team could guarantee that there were at least five tanks and could be in combat."
Sokov pulled Agafon to Peter and said, "Comrade Director, the tank team commanded by Lieutenant Agafon, performed very well in today's battle, causing the enemy to lose a lot of tanks. However, after the battle, they also paid a considerable price. Now there are only three tanks left. Can you please add some more?"
"Col. Sokov," Peter said embarrassedly in response to Sokov's request: "I hand over all the tanks produced today to you. For this matter, Commander Trekov also complained to me for a long time, saying that these tanks should be sent to the barricade factory or the Derzhinsky workers to play a greater role."
Hearing Peter's swearing himself like this, Sokov felt that it would be a fantasy to get a new tank from him if there was nothing that could impress him. So he turned to Agafon and said, "Comrade Lieutenant, report the results of your tank team in the workers' new village to the factory director."
Seeing that Sokov asked him to report the results of the battle to Director Peter, Agafen said proudly: "Comrade Director, in today's battle, we destroyed 17 German tanks and assault guns, and we only lost three of them."
Peter was originally absent-minded, but after listening to Agafon's report, he couldn't help but feel shocked and his pupils shrank violently. He asked in surprise: "Comrade Lieutenant, what did you just say? You destroyed 17 tanks and assault guns. Did I hear that right?"
"Master Peter, you heard it right." Agafen said in a positive tone: "The tank team I led eliminated a total of 17 German tanks and assault guns in the workers' new village."
"Oh my God!" Peter said in surprise after confirming the news: "This is simply incredible. You know, even if a tank battalion and the German armored troops fight, it is an amazing result to destroy such tanks. And the tank team you lead has only six tanks, but has killed so many tanks from the enemy."
Sokov noticed that he was a little moved from Peter's words and quickly struck while the iron was hot, "Comrade Director, Lieutenant Agafeng's tank team, had only six tanks, and achieved such great results. If he commanded not six, but sixteen, twenty-six, what kind of results could he achieve? Maybe the German armored troops who attacked the Workers' New Village head-on would be beaten to completely lose their combat effectiveness."
After Sokov finished speaking, Peter smiled bitterly and said, "Col. Sokov, do you think I don't want to give Lieutenant Agafeng a few more tanks? There is really no. All the inventory is handed over to Colonel Bere and other tank troops. I really can't replenish tanks for the tank team."
Peter's words made Sokov's heart chill for a long time. He knew that there was probably no adulterated component in what Peter said at this time. Agafon's tank team was too weak. Even if the performance of the tank was far superior to that of the German tanks, it could not withstand the number of enemy tanks. If it continued to fight, it would sooner or later be annihilated by the enemy.
Seeing Sokov's face in a dilemma, Zinchenko, who was sitting next to him, coughed heavily, and then said, "Comrade Director, although we cannot provide Colonel Sokov and others with new tanks, aren't there still many old tanks?"
"Old tank?" Sokov heard Zinchenko say this, as if he grabbed a life-saving straw. He quickly grabbed his arm and asked excitedly: "Comrade Deputy Director, what's going on with the old tank you mentioned?"
"Old tanks refer to tanks that have been destroyed or broken on the battlefield." Zinchenko explained to Sokov: "We sent maintenance workers to drag these tanks back with tractors, and after a simple repair, they were handed over to the troops for use."
Zinchenko let Sokov see a glimmer of light, and he hurriedly said to Peter: "Comrade Director, since you cannot provide us with new tanks, then give us all the tanks that have been repaired. I think that if Lieutenant Agafeng's tank team has more tanks, they will definitely beat the enemy in a mess."
"But, our old tanks are also very limited." Peter said with some embarrassment: "The tanks pulled from the battlefield will be immediately replenished to the troops once they are repaired, and there are only four or five left in the factory."
"Are there any repaired German tanks?" Sokov felt that the number of four or five tanks was too small, and then asked: "If our T-34 is not enough, we can use German tanks to eliminate the enemy."
"We never repair the German tanks." Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, Zinchenko explained to him: "Their tanks have too many impurities in the steel. After being dragged back from the battlefield, they usually go back directly."
Sokov was speechless for a moment. He always thought that the German tanks were of high quality. Unexpectedly, the leaders of the factory could not see the German tanks clearly. They also believed that there were many impurities in their steel and there was no meaning of repair. Since the German tanks could not be counted on, he hoped that Peter only had four or five tanks: "Master Peter, since you still have four or five tanks in your hand, why not give them all to me. I plan to strengthen the strength of the tank team, so that even if the German army launches tank attacks, we have enough armor to fight a tank battle with them."
Peter thought about Sokov's request for a long time, but was unable to make a decision. Seeing Peter's embarrassing expression, Zinchenko suggested to him: "Comrade Director, since the old tanks that the colonel needs to be repaired, it is better to hand them over to him. If the superior asks, we will say that these tanks are still under maintenance and cannot be put into battle for the time being. Maybe in a few days, we can get more tanks on the battlefield..."
"The deputy director is right." Seeing that Zinchenko was helping him, Sokov naturally would not look at him. He quickly echoed: "If it was a new tank, the daily production line was the output of the superiors. But if it was a tank wreckage dragged back from the battlefield, when could it be repaired? It's not your word?"
"Okay!" Peter finally nodded and agreed to Sokov's request after weighing the strong relationship: "Col. Sokov, since you said that, I will hand over the remaining five old tanks to you. I hope the tank team can achieve more brilliant results in the next battle."
While Peter was calling, Agafon approached Sokov and asked in a low voice: "Comrade Colonel, I heard that after dark, we will fight back against the workers' village. Is this true?"
"It's true." Sokov knew the reason why the other party asked, so he explained to him: "But we are sneak attacks, not force attacks, so the tank team does not need to participate in tonight's night attack."
"Comrade Colonel," Agafon felt a little disappointed when he saw Sokov not preparing to let him participate in the operation. "If we don't let our tank team participate tonight's night attack, I'm worried that the soldiers will be emotional."
"I think you are the one who is emotional." Sokov mercilessly exposed the other party's lies: "It is only one or two kilometers from the factory to the Workers' New Village. Comrade Lieutenant, think carefully. When the night is late, several tanks suddenly start. Will the enemy be heard by the enemy staying in the Workers' New Village? If our intentions are discovered too early, they will have enough time to consolidate their defenses and increase the casualties of our army during the attack."
After Sokov's explanation, Agafon discovered that the tank was activated in the middle of the night. The movement was indeed a bit loud. It was entirely possible to wake the enemy from his sleep. At that time, the sneak attack would turn into a strong attack, and the casualties of the troops might rise in geometric numbers. Thinking of this, he replied awkwardly: "Sorry, comrade Colonel, I am too impatient and not considering the problem carefully."
"Okay, OK," Sokov waved his hand at him, and then asked, "If Director Peter adds five more tanks to you, will you have enough tanks?"
After thinking for a while, Agafon slowly shook his head and said, "Not enough, comrade Colonel. Five tanks require 20 tank soldiers, and now I only have 7 spare tank soldiers in my hands, and there are still 13 more."
"Col. Sokov," Zinchenko heard from the conversation between the two that Sokov had a serious shortage of tank soldiers, so he took the initiative to propose: "Do you think this is OK? The five tanks we have added to you have their own drivers. In this way, the number of tank soldiers you need is only 8. I want to pick out a few tank soldiers from the Guards regiment, and there should be no big problem."
"Comrade Deputy Director, you make sense." Sokov felt that under the current circumstances, to use all the tanks, several tank soldiers must be drawn from the Guards regiment. "I will find a way to get the tank soldiers needed." Speaking of this, Sokov turned his head to Samoilov, who was standing at the foot of the wall, and said, "Comrade Lieutenant, go to Lieutenant Colonel Papuchinko immediately, and say it was my order. I immediately ask in the regiment who had been a tank soldier before so that they could all be added to the tank team."
After putting down the phone, Peter looked up at Sokov and said, "Col. Sokov, I have greeted the repair workshop below. They will drive all five tanks that have been repaired in an hour. How about it, do you have enough people in your hands?"
"Comrade Director," Sokov replied with a wry smile: "You don't have to worry about the tank soldiers, I will find a way to solve it."
…………
At one o'clock in the morning, Papchinko came to Sokov and made his own suggestions to him: "Comrade Commander, the time is almost over. Please allow me to lead the troops into the sewer!"
Sokov raised his hand and looked at the time, frowned slightly: "Comrade Lieutenant Colonel, there is still an hour before the attack. You will enter the sewer at this time. Are you too anxious?"
"Comrade Commander, you don't know anything." Papuchinko explained to Sokov: "Since we blocked the three roads in the sewer, the troops could only rely on the remaining two roads to pass through, so our travel speed would be greatly reduced. Although the factory entrance is only one or two kilometers away from the Workers' New Village, I estimate that it will take at least forty minutes before the troops can all reach below the Workers' New Village."
Peter wanted to retake the workers' new village early, so he naturally had to agree with Papchinko: "Comrade Colonel, Lieutenant Colonel Papchinko is right, letting the troops set off earlier will prevent our attack from being so hasty."
Chapter completed!