As early as the German convoy began to enter Factory No. 4, Brisky discovered it. He held up a telescope and observed for a while, then called Major Savage, the artillery regiment commander, and said to him: "Comrade Major, look, the Germans have reinforced the Factory No. 4. Can you bombard them with a few shots?"
Savage pondered for a moment about Brisky's proposal, then shook his head and said, "No, Comrade Captain, the few artillery positions we have now cannot shell this German convoy."
Perhaps because he was worried that Brisky would misunderstand his answer, he explained in detail without waiting for Brisky to speak: "Comrade Captain, Factory No. 4 is 2,300 meters away from us, and there are a large number of ruins in front of the factory, which has affected our shooting circle and cannot shoot the enemy."
"Comrade Major, you don't have to say it, I understand." Brisky interrupted Savage's words and said with a wry smile: "Just just now, the infantry was attacking the factory and was discovered by the enemy inside. When the fire broke out, we were too far away and there were a large number of ruins blocking the artillery's sight. In order to prevent our own people from accidentally hurting us, we did not dare to fire in the direction of the factory No. 4?"
In order to alleviate the embarrassing situation, Brisky promptly changed the topic: "Comrade Major, you have been in the barricade factory for a long time. Can the Germans often see reinforcements at night?"
"No, the Germans have never reinforced at night before." Savage shook his head and replied: "After all, they have air supremacy over the city, and there are much more tanks and cannons than us. Even if we find their reinforcements, they are powerless to them, so the enemy chooses reinforcements during the day."
"What, the enemy has never reinforced at night before?" After hearing Savage's words, Brisky immediately realized the seriousness of the problem. "It is necessary to report this matter to the division commander immediately."
A few minutes later, Brisky, who returned to the regiment command post, called the division headquarters and reported to Sokov about what he had discovered. He finally said: "Comrade Commander, I just asked Major Savage, and he said that the enemy's previous reinforcements were carried out during the day. It was the first time that the reinforcements at night."
"Captain Belkin has reported to me about the enemy's reinforcements." Sokov had been waiting for Belkin's reconnaissance information. At this moment, he received a call from Brisky. When he heard the other party mentioned the German reinforcements, he asked tentatively: "Can you figure out the enemy's number?"
"Sorry, comrade of the division commander, although we can see the enemy, because the distance is too far, we cannot figure out the enemy's number." Brisky replied awkwardly when he heard Sokov's question: "I'm afraid that we can only rely on the comrades of the first battalion to figure out the number of this reinforcement enemy."
Before the call was over, Sokov suddenly remembered something and asked quickly: "Captain Brisky, I just heard the report of Captain Berkin. The troops that sneaked into the No. 4 factory were also discovered by the enemy. After a fire exchange, less than half of the soldiers escaped. I want to ask you, why didn't you use artillery fire to support them at that time?"
Hearing Sokov's question, Brisky's face showed a bitter expression. He turned his head and looked at Savage standing beside him, and replied in a difficult tone: "Comrade Commander, it's not that we are not willing to save us, but that Factory No. 4 is too far away from our artillery position, and there are a large number of ruins in the middle, which affects the sight of artillery observers, making it impossible for them to accurately calculate the bounce point. If we fired rashly at that time, maybe the enemy would not be able to attack, and the shells would fall on our own heads."
"I understand." Sokov said casually, and before he could speak again, he hung up the phone.
Seeing Sokov put down the phone, the opposite side asked curiously: "Col. Sokov, the troops attacking the No. 4 factory were discovered by the enemy and exchanged fire. Have your subordinates said why did they not fire the gun to support it?"
"The artillery position is too far from Factory No. 4, and there are a large number of ruins in the middle." Sokov pointed to the map on the table and sighed to explain to Lyudnikov: "If they fire rashly, they may hit their own people."
After figuring out the reason why artillery soldiers could not fire, Lyudnikov began to think about the enemy who reinforced the No. 4 Factory: "Col. Sokov, my troops have been stationed here for so long and have never seen the German reinforcements at night. Tell me, what is the reason why the enemy suddenly increased troops to the No. 4 Factory so abnormally?"
"We used artillery fire to repel the enemy's attack, and they would definitely not give up. I guess they must be planning a large-scale attack." Sokov analyzed to Lyudnikov based on the information he had: "I guess the enemy will increase troops tonight to prepare for a large-scale attack tomorrow during the day."
"Not to do it." Lyudnikov expressed doubts about Sokov's statement: "From the situation below, the enemy who reinforces the No. 4 factory will not exceed one battalion. Although we do not know the number of this unit for the time being, with just their few people, I think it is impossible to break through our last line of defense."
"You are right. It is impossible for the enemy to break through our defense line with hundreds of people." Sokov agreed with Lyudnikov's statement and reminded him: "But the enemy is cunning. They may have studied the location of our army's artillery positions and confirmed that it would be difficult for our artillery fire to hit them, so they would be so blatant. But in other directions? Perhaps there are still many enemies who are quietly sneaking into other positions, but we have not found their whereabouts for the time being."
After listening to Sokov's words, Lyudnikov stared at the map and studied it for a long time before he raised his head and said to Sokov: "Col. Sokov, you are just a guess. I don't think that under the current circumstances, the Germans can have more troops to deploy in the factory quietly."
"Comrade Colonel, don't take it lightly." Seeing that Lyudnikov had signs of underestimating the enemy, Sokov reminded him again: "I suggest that you send reconnaissance personnel immediately to conduct reconnaissance on the German defense zone in the factory, and thoroughly find out whether the enemy has other reinforcements in other directions."
Lyudnikov was unwilling to believe that the enemy would increase troops on a large scale at night without exposing his target. However, seeing Sokov speak so seriously, he nodded and said a little reluctantly: "I will send a scout immediately to the German defensive area in the factory to conduct reconnaissance."
Just as the scouts sent by Lyudnikov left the defense line and headed towards the enemy-controlled area, Paulkosky returned to the regiment command post and reported to Belkin's mission in dejectedly.
After hearing this, Belkin immediately realized the seriousness of the problem and said to Paulkosky: "Comrade Captain, please come with me to the division headquarters immediately and repeat what you just said to the division commander."
Paulkosky followed Belkin to the division headquarters not far away. When he saw Sokov sitting in the room, he hurriedly stepped forward and saluted. Before he could speak, Sokov, who was sitting at the table, asked first: "Captain, if I remember correctly, you should be Captain Paulkosky, the first company commander!"
"Yes, comrade of the division." Seeing that Sokov recognized him, Paulkosky suppressed the excitement in his heart and tried his best to answer in a steady tone: "I am Paulkosky."
Sokov asked Belkin and Paulkosky to sit down and asked, "Captain, can you tell me why your whereabouts are exposed?"
Paulkosky, who had just sat down, immediately stood up from his seat, straightened his body and replied: "Report to the division commander, we originally wanted to touch the No. 6 factory along the sewer and teach the enemy a lesson. Unexpectedly, the combat team sent by him accidentally stepped on a landmine when approaching the factory, which exposed the target... If there was no sudden artillery fire support, more people would not be able to come back."
"Landmines, the enemy buried mines outside the factory?" Lyudnikov couldn't help but interrupt and asked, "Captain, I remember that there is a trench about one hundred meters away from Factory No. 6. Is there no Germans in the trench?"
"No, comrade Colonel." Although Paulkosky had never seen Lyudnikov before, when he saw the person who was asking was a colonel, he guessed the other party's identity and quickly replied respectfully: "There is no enemy in the trench outside, and they are all hiding in the factory to keep the fire warm."
"It is indeed a headache for us to lay mines around the factory." Lyudnikov looked at Sokov and asked, "Col. Sokov, do you have any solution?"
Sokov did not speak, but picked up the cigarette box on the table, took out a cigarette from it, lit it in his mouth, and after taking two sips, he turned his head and asked Belkin who had not spoken: "Comrade Political Commissar, are there any engineers in your regiment's direct troops?"
"Engineering?" Belkin was stunned when he heard this question, then nodded and replied: "Some of Lieutenant Vasia's engineer platoons, there are more than 20 people, all of them have rich combat experience. Misha, are you planning to hand over what combat mission to them?"
"Comrade Political Commissar," Sokov said to Belkin directly: "You call Lieutenant Vasia immediately and let him come to me. I have important tasks to hand them over."
More than ten minutes later, Vasia, who received the notice, rushed over. After saluting Sokov, he asked casually: "Comrade Commander, do you have any important tasks to come here?"
"Lt. Vasia, tell me, how many people are there in your engineer platoon?"
"27 people, comrades in the division."
"Are they all experienced engineers?"
"Yes."
Sokov continued, "Can you clear mines at night?"
"Night mine clearance?!" Hearing Sokov say this, Vasia asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, are you planning to let us open up a path for the sneak attack troops in the minefield?"
"It is not about opening a passage, but about transferring the mines." Sokov said with a smile: "I want you to transfer the mines from the place where the enemy is buried to the passage where the enemy usually walks."
"Use mines to block the enemy?" Vasia's eyes lit up when she heard Sokov say this. He immediately recalled the battle examples that had happened before and asked quickly: "Is it like when landmines were used to trap the enemy in front of our positions a few months ago?"
"Yes, it's similar to that time." Sokov smiled knowingly when he remembered that he used landmines to block the enemy's retreat a few months ago and wiped out the past of the invading enemy. "After you raise the landmines, bury them on the enemy's must-pass path every day, and blow them up and overturn them alone."
When Sokov was assembling a mission to Vasya, Lyudnikov, who was sitting opposite him, widened his eyes in surprise. He did not expect that the war could be fought like this. This means that every time the engineers who performed the mission went out to perform the mission, except for the tools and self-defense weapons, they did not have to carry a bunch of mines at all. They just need to dig out the mines that were originally buried underground and buried in a new position to block the enemy.
After Belkin and the others left, Lyudnikov asked Sokov curiously: "Col. Sokov, is the method you mentioned really effective?"
"Of course it works, comrade Colonel." Sokov was able to propose such a method, so he replied confidently: "The enemy would never dream of the landmines they used to guard against our army, which they usually traveled."
"Using landmines against the enemy is a common tactic used by the guerrillas." Lyudnikov said thoughtfully: "Even if you change the mines to blow up the enemy, how much damage can it cause to the enemy?"
"Comrade Colonel, we transfer mines to their locations and do not expect that they can really kill many enemies." Sokov explained to Lyudnikov: "As long as the enemy is bombed in different places, they will be afraid and do not know where we have buried mines. Under the current circumstances, it is unrealistic to send a large number of engineers to clear mines. Therefore, for safety reasons, they can only narrow their range of activities. In this way, they can reduce the pressure you are under. After waiting for another ten days, we will have enough strength to deal with them..."
Sokov was happy for a moment and even said the counterattack inadvertently. Although he discovered this mistake and stopped in time, it had already aroused the curiosity of Lyudnikov: "Col. Sokov, do you have any insider information? Do you know when our army will launch a counterattack?"
Lyudnikov's question also made the correspondents sitting in the corner prick up their ears, wanting to hear if they would really launch a big counterattack. Sokov's eyes turned and he immediately came up with a good reason: "Comrade Colonel, you really like to joke. You don't know what counterattack plan you have. How could I know?"
"But you said just now that in a dozen days..."
"Oh, that's the case." Sokov pretended to be enlightened and said: "Isn't the transportation on the river recently interrupted because there are too many ice floes on the water? In another week, the river surface will freeze. At that time, the supply and troops on the east bank will be able to enter the city continuously through the ice surface. At that time, we will have enough troops and supplies to launch a counterattack against the enemy."
Chapter completed!