Paul immediately conveyed the order, and a regiment of infantry immediately took over the position and quickly strengthened and repaired the fortifications, while tanks and armored vehicles did not participate in the defense of the position.
He concentrated the tanks in his hands and organized an armored reinforcement battalion, which was deployed in the mountains on the left side of the front position, preparing to ambush the flank of the invading Soviet army. The other tanks were arranged in small groups in the depth of the defensive position.
Use it as artillery, while waiting for the opportunity to attack and lead the infantry to launch a counterattack.
The Imperial Division was stationed at night because it was the safest way and allowed for a smooth change of defense.
When the sky gradually became brighter, the fortifications of many positions had not been sufficiently strengthened. However, the scouts had already sent a report to Paul's frontline headquarters, saying that a Soviet tank regiment was moving to the east of the defensive position.
The commander of the Imperial Division's Führer Regiment immediately asked for orders to lead the newly-built armored reinforcement battalion to attack.
But after Paul thought about it, he asked him to continue to lead the Führer Regiment in ambush and wait for orders, and let the front-line infantry use the forts to conduct a round of anti-tank operations in advance.
Although there was no opportunity to bring concrete to build anti-tank conical fortifications, Paul had people temporarily use some soil and coat it with cement to build some fake "anti-tank conical fortifications."
Although these fake anti-tank fortifications had no actual effect, they could serve as a cover-up to slightly confuse the Soviet army and play a role in tactical deception.
Soon, the ground beneath the feet of some soldiers began to tremble slightly. In the distance, dust could be seen filling the sky, and the roar of the Soviet tank phalanx could be heard faintly.
The infantrymen of the German Regiment have mobilized anti-tank guns and Panzerfaust rocket launchers, preparing to block the Soviet tank phalanx.
With those "fake anti-tank fortifications" that act as a cover-up, they will have more time to target Soviet tanks. Even if the fake fortifications only confuse the Soviet tank crews for one more second, it is still a precious second that may determine the outcome.
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The main anti-tank weapon of the Imperial Division is the 37mm PAK35 anti-tank gun, which can fire artillery shells and super-caliber grenades, but has a low rate of fire and a short range, making it difficult to pose a threat to the Soviet KV heavy tanks.
Therefore, leaving some blind spots to consume the time of Soviet tanks at close range is a very important bonus for the 37mm anti-tank gun.
Of course, the Imperial Division is also equipped with a small number of 88mm anti-aircraft guns. It has long been proven feasible to use anti-aircraft anti-aircraft guns for flat-fire anti-tank purposes. The anti-aircraft guns have high muzzle velocity, large caliber, and stronger armor-piercing capabilities. They can completely shoot at a distance of 1,000 meters.
It penetrated the Soviet KV heavy tank.
As the Soviet tank group gradually approached, the leading vehicles had already opened fire on the German defenses on the hillside.
The mud thrown up by the shell explosion buried many German soldiers in the trenches. Fortunately, some fake anti-tank fortifications attracted most of the shelling from Soviet tanks, effectively reducing infantry casualties.
Because the Soviet army concentrated its artillery fire on "pseudo-anti-tank fortifications", less than 30% of the shells fell on the heads of the German regiment infantry.
However, the infantrymen were certainly not satisfied with this result. After all, they were still hit by artillery shells.
"Damn artillery, why don't you fire? Do you want us to wait here to be run over?" A front-line infantryman complained loudly.
"There is no way. The 37mm anti-tank gun has a short range, and the 88mm anti-aircraft guns are too few to be easily exposed." His platoon leader explained beside him: "When the Soviet tanks get closer, the artillery should take action."
In the rear, the artillery company commander Predich was hiding a dozen of his 37mm PAK35 guns on the side of the main position. He knew that he must not fire in a hurry at this time. The range of his guns was too close. If he fired now, he would not be able to fire at all.
Failure to hit the armor of the Soviet tanks will only expose your own position and invite Soviet tank shells to counterattack.
He must be patient and patient until...
"What should we do now?" an artilleryman asked Predich: "It depends on the situation. Those fake anti-tank fortifications we built have been unable to deceive the Soviets for a long time."
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard roars coming from the front line.
"Shoot, for the Führer!"
"Hold them off and hit the infantry behind the tanks!"
More and more infantrymen roared and pulled the triggers in their hands.
However, the damage caused by bullets to tanks was too low. Although they were assigned Panzerfaust anti-tank rocket launchers on a squad basis, if the Soviet tanks did not come close, the Panzerfaust rocket launchers would not be able to hit them at all.
The artilleryman who just asked the question lowered his head and gritted his teeth. The other artillerymen couldn't bear to turn their heads away.
"1000 meters!" the range-finding soldier began to announce the scale.
An artillery lieutenant stepped forward and asked with a face somewhat distorted by pain: "Company commander, can we fire at this distance?"
"The time is not up yet," Predic lowered his head slightly, then raised it: "At this distance, even if we fire, our hit rate is very low, and the rate of fire of the 37mm anti-tank gun is too low.
The effect of the first round of fire is very important."
"800 meters!" the range-finding soldiers continued to report the new scale.
"But as long as we fire artillery, the soldiers fighting on the front line will have more hope, and they will feel a lot more relaxed psychologically!" The platoon leader continued to try to persuade: "It's already 800 meters! And our fake anti-tank fortifications are obviously exposed. Su
Almost all the army’s artillery shells hit the infantry’s heads!”
"No, psychological comfort is not enough, we need the most practical effect!" Predich gritted his teeth and continued to shake his head.
"Shoot, for the Führer!"
"Hold them off and hit the infantry behind the tanks!"
More and more infantrymen roared and pulled the triggers in their hands.
However, the damage caused by bullets to tanks was too low. Although they were assigned Panzerfaust anti-tank rocket launchers on a squad basis, if the Soviet tanks did not come close, the Panzerfaust rocket launchers would not be able to hit them at all.
The artilleryman who just asked the question lowered his head and gritted his teeth. The other artillerymen couldn't bear to turn their heads away.
"1000 meters!" the range-finding soldier began to announce the scale.
An artillery lieutenant stepped forward and asked with a face somewhat distorted by pain: "Company commander, can we fire at this distance?"
"The time is not up yet," Predic lowered his head slightly, then raised it: "At this distance, even if we fire, our hit rate is very low, and the rate of fire of the 37mm anti-tank gun is too low.
The effect of the first round of fire is very important."
"800 meters!" the range-finding soldiers continued to report the new scale.
"But as long as we fire artillery, the soldiers fighting on the front line will have more hope, and they will feel a lot more relaxed psychologically!" The platoon leader continued to try to persuade: "It's already 800 meters! And our fake anti-tank fortifications are obviously exposed. Su
Almost all the army’s artillery shells hit the infantry’s heads!”
"No, psychological comfort is not enough, we need the most practical effect!" Predich gritted his teeth and continued to shake his head.
"Are we going to watch the infantry of the German regiment being sacrificed by Soviet artillery shells? Just do nothing?" Perhaps because he was touched by the front-line infantry, the platoon leader was already a little emotional.
This time, Predich did not answer the platoon leader's words.
He was waiting for a sound.
"600 meters!" the range-finding soldier roared with all his strength.
"Armor-piercing bullets, concentrated fire!" Predich shouted the order without any delay.
"Armor-piercing projectile concentrated fire!"
With a burst of recoil, more than a dozen guns dumped their shells. Two Soviet T-26 tanks were hit immediately and stopped immediately. One of them quickly burst into flames.
Launching is equivalent to finally exposing the location of the artillery position.
The Soviet tanks immediately adjusted their formation and sent several huge KV-1s to pounce on Predich's battlefield. The size of the heavy tank Mammoth Yin covered the other Soviet tanks.
Predich knew that their real challenge was coming.
