The situation became increasingly delicate. In the macroscopic area, the German army ordered the 715th Division and the 722nd Division to send troops. Both armies sent two main regiments southward.
Because the 715th Division had been at war with the Soviet army for a long time, they also gained a certain degree of initiative on the battlefield, and at least they moved much faster than the 722nd Division.
As Hoffmann's regiment advanced through the forest, they left a battalion behind to help Koch's air force, the surviving airport guards and workers return to the nearest military camp. In this way, Hoffmann's strength was reduced.
However, the German troops that did not capture Balzen in the previous battle were patrols temporarily changed by the logistics force. They have been active in the forest. There are at least a thousand or more of these troops who still retain combat effectiveness, and their equipment level is average.
, the combat effectiveness is also average.
At least that's a thousand people! They were ordered to move east immediately and compete with Hoffman's troops. It is foreseeable that the total strength of this infantry regiment will reach five infantry battalions, which is already a strengthened regiment!
But does Hoffman really think that this unit has strong combat effectiveness? No! He is very aware of the situation of his own people. "They are either new recruits or logistics soldiers. The troop configuration is also smaller than that of a regular infantry battalion. Only veterans are the most capable."
Fighting power!"
It was such a unit. He was ordered to lead his troops to advance south along the line of the Dnieper River. Once he discovered the Soviet guerrillas, he would immediately capture them like a tiger pouncing on them. If this was the best, he also knew that the enemy was specialized in fighting in the forest.
, they run very fast. If there is a battle in the future, they may not be able to annihilate them in one fell swoop, but they may be beaten to escape, which will require friendly troops to intercept them.
Therefore, Hoffman's old friend Freud also sent troops!
This infantry regiment did not have many troops, and half of them were new recruits. Due to the convenient transportation, some newly formed troops were quickly added to the 715th Division to make up for the lost troops. There were also some injured who had recovered from the battle at the end of 1941.
The soldiers have returned.
Even so, the combat effectiveness of this infantry regiment is not as good as before.
Floyd is still relatively confident in his heart. He has at least 2,000 people. Including the troops of his comrades, only half of the 715th Division was dispatched to participate in this operation. If the 722nd Division is added, the total strength is close to 10,000.
If there are so many people and you can't kill a thousand enemies, you might as well just drink bullets and commit suicide!
That's not all. Working with Floyd were Nicklaus' armored forces.
Almost all the people in this tent were placed on the front line of the road for defense. The enemy's impact was very strong, so they simply engaged in hand-to-hand combat.
Nicklaus reported to the superior: "The Soviets lost about 400 people, and I also lost some tanks and more than 100 people. Our enemy may only have a few hundred people left."
He didn't think it was honorable for the group army to go to war, with four regiments going south to eliminate a team of several hundred people. But after all, Schulz had obtained the latest intelligence, the German army had completed the investigation, and the Gomel Underground Municipal Committee was among these people.
middle.
Schulz directly ordered him: "You must lead your armored forces, mobilize all tanks, assault guns and armored vehicles, assemble the existing infantry on hand, form a reinforced battalion, move towards Homnich and enter the ruins of the city.
Then immediately turn around and head east. You must organize a defense line there. You must cooperate with the troops to annihilate the fleeing enemies, and you must also defend against possible counterattacks from the swamps."
This order simply suited Niklaus's taste. It seemed to him that his people were going to engage in a field battle, which was much more comfortable than engaging in small-scale combat in the forest.
He immediately began to gather his team, and the entire group distributed along the road line immediately assembled. The entire battalion's current combat effectiveness seemed to be very strong, and he established a temporary assembly area in a forest clearing as quickly as possible.
Ten Panzer III tanks, ten Panzerkampfwagen tanks, and twenty half-track armored vehicles. This kind of troop deployment is nothing on the front line. To encircle and suppress the guerrillas, the firepower is somewhat excessive!
In addition to armored vehicles, Niklaus is also responsible for commanding infantry.
During the encounter, two groups were wiped out, but most of the other groups were unharmed. Together, they brought the total force commanded by Niklaus to as high as a thousand people, and his battalion had become
A reinforced battalion combining infantry and tanks.
What greatly increased Nicklaus' confidence was that these infantrymen did not rely on just two legs. More than twenty jeeps and trucks also rushed from the military camp. Some of these vehicles originally belonged to him. As for the trucks, these
There are also many oil barrels pulled on it. This is a logistics oil truck for the armored forces.
This armored unit can be said to be the strongest combat capability of the 715th Division, especially the five trucks that came. In addition to each of them pulling three tons of fuel, they also pulled ammunition, and behind the trucks they even pulled a 75mm artillery piece.
Most of the infantry are still equipped with bolt-action Mauser K98s. Because they have to engage in long-term field battles, each soldier carries a thick blanket. The iron buckets originally used to hold gas masks are meaningless (the guerrillas do not have them).
chemical weapons) and were replaced by more rations and ammunition.
The luggage was heavy, but the soldiers were not afraid. They were completely motorized and became the leaders of the 715th Division.
Nicklaus was very confident as he reviewed the newly assembled troops.
The tanks and assault guns are particularly conspicuous, and their huge size makes people feel safe. Even if the enemy may have some advanced anti-tank weapons, Niklaus has always had a headache. In this operation, his men also
Equipped with the same RPG, besides, once there is no cover of the forest, how effective will the enemy's RPG be?
Based on his experience, RPG must be used at close range. The guerrillas were not prepared for this, unless the enemies from the south came to kill them. If so, then use artillery fire to prove who is the king of war!
Nicklaus stood on a tank and gave his final lecture with a magnifying horn.
"Brothers! The only purpose of our gathering this time is to participate in the annihilation of the remnants of the Soviet Gomel Municipal Committee and to completely annihilate Tchaikov's gangsters who have been causing harm to this place for a long time. The enemy will flee the woods, and we are in the woods.
Establish a defense line in the open space and cooperate with our comrades from the two regiments to annihilate them all. These enemies are our record. We must act quickly to deal with them before the 722nd Division!"
The vast majority of soldiers have always been wary of the guerrillas in the south, and it all stemmed from the failure of the Battle of Homnich. This time, ten thousand versus eight hundred, this war concept makes everyone feel reassured. No matter how powerful the enemy is,
How? In terms of military strength and firepower, the German army has a tenfold advantage!
The soldiers were all confident, and their faces were filled with the desire to kill the enemy and achieve meritorious service.
Time could no longer be delayed, Niklaus gave the order. The soldiers immediately got into their positions, some got on jeeps, some climbed into trucks, half-track armored vehicles, and some soldiers were even imitating the Soviets, using hemp ropes.
Tie yourself to a Panzer III tank or assault gun.
In short, no one moves forward on two legs.
Nicklaus got on the jeep. He straightened his military cap and pointed forward with his right hand. The whole army erupted with a huge mechanical roar, and the mechanized troops with claws and teeth began to move towards the ruins of Homnich. (To be completed.)