As for the reinforcement of the Kozvo village on the flank, that was just an order from the superiors.
If the 4th Tank Brigade moves according to plan, first attacks Kozvo and then advances in depth, I am afraid that the German army will be well prepared and the difficulty will increase exponentially.
Shulka was right. The German troops in Mabeno Village were completely unprepared.
For a distance of three kilometers, the T34 travels at a speed of 45 kilometers per hour. If it goes at full speed, it only takes 4 minutes.
In fact, the Fourth Tank Brigade took 15 minutes because they encountered a group of tanks rushing to the front line for reinforcements on the road... There were 9 German tanks in this group. They advanced in a marching formation along the road, and then the two armies
After rounding a hill, we suddenly met on a narrow road.
The T34 tank stopped immediately and then shot at the target. The German army did the same.
The distance between the enemy and us was less than 100 meters, and each other could even clearly see the commander of the vehicle who stuck his head out to direct the battle.
So both sides made the first hit.
It's a pity that the Germans drove the "Penzer IV" tank in front... The "Penzer IV" tank usually walked in front when it was marching at a high speed.
The problem is that its short-barreled gun is difficult to penetrate the T34 armor even within 100 meters.
This is the situation now. The T34 was unscathed, while the German Panzer IV tank was penetrated and paralyzed in place... When it was penetrated by an armor-piercing projectile, it was more often just an extra hole in the armor. The tank was paralyzed and could not continue to fight, unless it was
It penetrated the engine or detonated the shell, otherwise there was no big movement.
Then the T34 seized a favorable geographical location. Three T34s spread out and aimed their guns at the turning point of the road. As soon as the German tanks appeared, they were destroyed with a "bomb".
The battle soon turned into a pursuit...the German tanks fled, and the T34 chased them all the way. When they reached the village of Mabeno, there were only two German tanks left.
The village of Mabeno was quickly occupied by Soviet troops.
The German army had a heavy artillery battalion in the village of Mabeno, which was the same heavy artillery battalion that bombed the 44th Cavalry Division, losing most of its armor and casualties.
The German 210mm heavy artillery has a range of 11 kilometers. It should not be deployed only about five kilometers away from the front line. But if the German army wants to shell the Soviet defense line in depth and provide artillery support to the German armored forces that are penetrating forward and advancing,
The six kilometers of redundancy is still necessary.
This also shows the eagerness of the German army to attack Moscow, and they even considered moving forward.
What they didn't expect was that the cannons would be scrapped before that moment.
The tanks rushed into the artillery position, rolling over and bumping into each other, like wild boars covering good cabbage on the ground. There were staggering cannons everywhere, and ammunition-carrying cars were also blown up one by one on the way to escape.
When the news reached the headquarters of Army Group Center, von Bock couldn't help but be shocked.
Although he knew that the 10th Armored Division could not stop the Soviet attack, especially if the enemy included the 4th Tank Brigade. But he also did not expect that the 10th Armored Division would collapse so quickly. The whole process took only five hours.
The division lost three occupied villages and even one section was surrounded.
"We lost a total of 54 tanks, 25 anti-tank guns, 8 tractors, 26 mortars, 16 heavy guns, 13 permanent launch points, and 21 machine gun launch points!" the adjutant reported in detail:
"The human losses were also very heavy. There were more than a thousand casualties in the direction of Skilmanovo alone, and the division headquarters was destroyed..."
Von Bock couldn't help but frown when he heard these numbers. Although this was his intention, that is, to find out the location of the 4th Tank Brigade and to lure the enemy deeper into it, the price was so high that it developed like this.
The speed was completely beyond his expectation.
After looking at the map, von Bock ordered: "Order the 2nd, 5th, and 11th Armored Divisions to assemble in the direction of Volokolamsk, as well as the 35th Infantry Division and the 106th Infantry Division... In addition, order
The Air Force is ready to provide air cover for our troops!"
"Yes, Your Excellency Marshal!"
Three armored divisions, with a total of more than 400 tanks, encircled Volokolamsk from three directions. The 2nd Armored Division also threatened the rear of the Soviet army in an attempt to cut off its retreat. Coupled with its air superiority,
Von Bock believed that the Russians, the Fourth Tank Brigade, could be included in the network.
The Soviet army on the other side did not know all this. The soldiers were all cheering for their victory. Only Shulka sat on the tank armor holding his gun and smoking alone.
"This is what you said, the victory that will be achieved at the beginning?" The instructor jumped on the tank and sat next to Shulka.
"Yes!" Shulka replied, then handed the cigarette to the instructor.
The instructor took the cigarette, held it in his mouth, and handed it back to Shulka.
"So, what you're saying is that we will fail next?"
"Maybe!" Shulka looked at the cheering soldiers and said, "I think it depends on when the Germans decide to counterattack!"
"I want to know if you haven't considered the 'Katyusha'!" the instructor said: "With it, coupled with the Fourth Tank Brigade, we may indeed have the strength to counterattack!"
"This has nothing to do with 'Katyusha', comrade instructor!" Shulka said: "If the high command just quits when it feels good and is content to capture and control Volokolamsk, then the situation may not get worse.
.But obviously, their purpose is not just this, right?"
The instructor nodded silently.
But the instructor didn't say much, because there were some things he just needed to know and then execute, and other things were beyond his control.
Sure enough, in the subsequent meeting, Katukov said worriedly: "Our superiors ordered us to attack north along the highway to recapture Tver and restore the smooth flow of the railway line between Leningrad and Moscow!"
To be honest, this does have certain strategic significance.
The German offensive on Leningrad has slowed down, and even the troops originally used to attack Leningrad have been diverted to Moscow.
The German troops turned to Moscow, but the Soviet army's transportation was cut off due to the occupation of Tver, which prevented Leningrad's troops and equipment from being transferred to Moscow, especially in Leningrad, which consisted of a Kirov Factory and a Red October Factory.
Production base, they can produce T34 tanks.
"Our counterattack in the direction of Serpukhov..." Major Gavrilov asked.
Katukov shook his head and replied: "They have failed!"
"In other words, we are counterattacking from only one direction?" Major Gavrilov asked again.
"Yes!"
"It's easy to be surrounded by the enemy!" Major Gavrilov said: "In fact, we are going deep alone!"
"I know!" Colonel Katukov replied helplessly: "But this is an order from the superior!"