Sokov said this because he remembered that during the Battle of Kursk, the Air Force equipped a large number of rockets that could attack ground targets. Although the accuracy was not comparable to that of later air-to-ground missiles, it also caused huge casualties to the German armored forces.
"When are you going to attack the Imperial Master?" Zhukov asked.
"I'm still waiting for the opportunity now."
"Our army and the enemy have become a throng in the entire Kursk region." When Sokov heard Sokov say something, Zhukov said unhappily: "How long do you want to wait?"
"I still have nearly half of my troops not arrived, and General Poluboyarov's tank army is still on the way." Sokov explained to Zhukov: "According to my idea, when the enemy launches an attack first, we rely on the favorable terrain of Shumakovo to consume a large amount of the German vitality. When the enemy begins to retreat, we will launch a comprehensive counterattack. By then, the troops detoured from the flank have entered the attack position. If we attack on both sides, we may wipe out the Imperial Division again."
"Your idea is good." Zhukov continued to ask after praising Sokov: "Do you think the Germans will really attack your defense zone?"
"Comrade Marshal, please look at the map." Sokov pointed to the map in front of him and said to Zhukov: "Although the terrain of Prokholovka is conducive to the German army's large-scale armored forces, it is a little too far from here to Kursk and Moscow. In my judgment, the enemy will definitely try to break through the Shumakovo area we are defending to reduce the time to rush to Kursk."
"Your analysis makes sense," Zhukov said calmly: "But have you considered another possibility that the Germans left some of their troops to restrain you, and then threw their main forces into the Prokhorovka region?"
"Comrade Marshal, the possibility you mentioned is also completely there." Sokov said: "If the German army did not attack Shumakovo within 48 hours, then my troops would take the initiative." In order to let Zhukov understand the reason for his decision, he took the initiative to say, "By then, General Poluboyarov's tank army should have reached the attack position, and our infantry can attack the enemy's entrenchment area under the cover of tanks."
Zhukov knew that although Sokov's troops were huge, they now lacked tanks and cannons, otherwise he would not have asked for air support from him again and again. After staring at the map for a while, he asked back: "Misha, didn't you say that the terrain here is not conducive to the development of large-scale armored troops?"
"Yes, comrade Marshal." Sokov defended: "When the tanks arrive at the designated position, I will order them to cooperate with the infantry's operations in the company. All offensive troops will be equipped with new rockets and rocket launchers, which can effectively improve their ability to attack."
While Sokov and Zhukov were discussing when to attack the Imperial Division, Tansen received a call from Hauser: "Mr. Flag Captain, I order you now to hand over the defense zone to the 230th Infantry Division, and then all your divisions turn to Prokholovka."
"What, hand over the defense zone to the 230th Infantry Division?" Hearing Hauser's order, Tansen couldn't help but get angry. A regiment under his subordinates suffered heavy losses in the night attack of the Soviet army. Before he had time to take revenge, he had to turn to another direction. He was not willing to do so. Therefore, he said righteously: "I'm sorry, Commander, my troops will not leave the existing combat area before destroying the Russians in the Shumakovo area."
"Mr. Flag Captain," Seeing that Tansen was unwilling to obey his orders, Houssel was also angry: "Are you going to disobey your life?"
"Yes, Your Excellency Commander." Tansen said without any concealment: "After a hard battle, the officers and soldiers of our division finally broke through the Russian defense in the Oboyan area. On the way forward, one of the troops suffered huge losses. If we do not retaliate, how can we be worthy of the officers and soldiers who died?"
Perhaps to convince Haussel, Tansen continued after a brief silence: "Our division was rebuilt by the head of state himself. If we suffered losses from the Russians and had not had time to retaliate, we quietly turned to other directions, which would probably bring shame to the head of state."
Haussel did not expect that Tansen would bring Hitler out in order to disobey his order. In this way, when he considered the deployment of the Imperial Division, he had to consider this additional factor. After careful consideration, he said, "Okay, Mr. Flag Captain, then I will give you another 24 hours. If you cannot break through the Russian defense in the Shumakovo area within the specified time, then hand over the defense zone to the 230th Infantry Division and quickly advance to the Prokhorovka area."
Hearing that Hauser no longer insisted on transferring himself to Prokholovka, Tansen showed a sneer on his face. He secretly considered in his heart that even if he wanted to drive towards Prokholovka, he would need to avenge a single arrow before talking.
After Tansen put down the phone, he immediately called his chief of staff to face and asked, "Is there any news coming back to the scouts sent to the Shumakovo area?"
"Yes, Mr. Flag Captain." The Chief of Staff quickly replied: "According to the report of the scouts, the Russian troops stationed in Shumakovo are indeed the 27th Army commanded by Sokov."
"How many troops do they have?" Tansen continued.
"There are probably two infantry divisions, and no artillery and tank troops were found." The reason why the German scouts came to the wrong conclusion was because they thought that the Soviet division-level division-level organization was 8,000, but they were not aware that many Soviet troops were not full at this moment, so they regarded the forces of the four divisions as two divisions.
But Tansen and the Chief of Staff did not know that the information sent back by their scouts had serious deviations, and they were still formulating a subsequent combat plan for the intelligence of only two Soviet divisions in Shumakovo. He slapped the map on the table with his palm and said to the Chief of Staff: "Immediately transfer the remnants of the 4th Armored Regiment, the 2nd Artillery Regiment, the 2nd Motorcycle Battalion and the 3rd Grenadier Regiment to advance towards Shumakovo, and be sure to break through the Russian defense in the shortest time."
"Mr. Flag Captain," After listening to Tansen's offensive plan, the Chief of Staff carefully reminded him: "There are many hills in the Shumakovo area, which is not conducive to the development of the armored forces, and I am worried..."
"Worry, what's there to worry about?" Tansen said disdainfully: "So what if the troops commanded by Sokov? How can they stop our attack without artillery and tanks? Don't forget that a few months ago, the Russians were several times more powerful than our army, but under the command of Marshal Manstein, we successfully defeated the Russians who had the advantage in numbers."
The Chief of Staff from Tansen heard from his tone that he did not take the defenders without artillery and tank troops seriously. He knew that he would continue to persuade him, but the other party could not listen. He could only smile bitterly and agree to issue an order to attack the subordinates.