Shulka's guess was not wrong, even Shulka himself participated in the next attack... The 1st Guards Tank Brigade was not very strong and was divided into three sides, so of course the 1st Tank Battalion and the 1st Infantry Battalion had to go up.
It’s not just about going up, it’s also the main direction of attack.
The 1st Tank Battalion launched the attack from the east of Chamkoy.
The reason why we chose this side is because this area originally needed to be cleared and occupied.
To the north and east of Chamkoy are Lake Sivash.
This Sivash Lake is somewhat special. It is separated from the Sea of Azov by a thin and long sandbar called Arabat Cape. Its narrowest point is only 270 meters, but it is 110 kilometers long.
This gives Sivash Lake some characteristics: high salt content, thick silt, shallow water...the deepest is only 3 meters.
During the Soviet Civil War, the army commanded by Frunze was forced to cross from here to the Crimea, annihilating the White Army and ending the civil war. This operation, Operation Pilikop, was recorded in the annals of history.
Today, part of the ammunition and supplies used by the 1st Guards Tank Brigade to attack Zhankoy came from the direction of Lake Sivash... Supplies can be sent directly to Zhankoy from Demlyukski via the Sea of Azov.
Even after the Soviet army reoccupied the Kerch Peninsula, the nearest port was only a dozen kilometers away from Chamkoy.
Of course, the Soviet army had not yet fully controlled the Kerch Peninsula at this time, so supplies mainly came from Demlyukski.
Therefore, attacking from the east is actually opening up a supply route for itself. This is an advantage of the Soviet army's sea control. Of course, the 1st Guards Tank Brigade must be good at taking advantage of it.
Sponneck didn't seem to have thought of this, or even if he had thought of it, there was nothing he could do... He only had four "Tiger" tanks in his hands.
These four tanks can only work if they are concentrated in one direction. Otherwise, one or two tanks in each direction will be unable to stop the swarms of tanks coming.
Therefore, Sponeneck was not wrong on this issue. He could only use one kind of disguise, that is, pretending to deploy the "Tiger" in the hope of deceiving the enemy.
If Manstein had personally directed this battle, he would certainly not have been stupid enough to think that the enemy had been fooled, because Manstein knew that his opponent was a "breakout hero."
It's a pity that Manstein is not here. At this time, he is coordinating several supporting troops to rush to Zhankoy. On the other hand, he is commanding the troops to attack Sevastopol... If Sevastopol can be captured quickly
, then the German army will be able to solve the problem of being faced with enemies on both sides.
Regarding the details of Zhankoi's tactics, Manstein did not know anything about them and did not ask anything about them.
But he still communicated with Sponeneck.
"How's the situation, Lieutenant General Sponneck?" Manstein asked on the phone.
"It's not too bad, General!" Sponeneck replied: "We successfully blocked the enemy's attack and destroyed more than a dozen of their tanks... Those tanks worked. They had absolute control over the enemy's T34.
Advantages, but unfortunately the quantity is insufficient. I hope they can send a few more!"
"There are only so many, Lieutenant General!" Manstein replied: "Even if there are, there will be no time to deliver them!"
"Yes, General!"
"What you have to do is to defend until dawn! From now on..." Manstein looked at his pocket watch and said: "There are still 5 hours left. Is there any problem?"
"No problem, General!" Sponeneck replied.
"Our reinforcements will arrive by then, and at the same time our fighters will provide you with full cover!"
"Yes, General!"
"You have to be careful!" Manstein finally confessed: "You are facing the 1st Guards Tank Brigade, and your opponent may be a 'breakout hero'!"
"Yes, General!"
The communication between the two parties is nothing more than that.
Sponecker did not report specific tactical issues to Manstein because he believed that this was not something an 11th Army commander like Manstein needed to know.
On the other hand, Sponneck did not take the "breakout hero" that Manstein reminded him to heart.
He even thought Manstein was making a joke.
Five hours, Lieutenant General Sponneck believes he can do it.
However, at this moment, the roar and explosion of artillery shells rang out from the east.
As soon as he heard the sound of the artillery fire, General Sponneck's expression changed. Then the adjutant reported to Sponneck: "General, they are attacking from the east!"
"Is it their main force?" Spanek asked.
"Colonel Eric thinks so!" the adjutant replied: "Because they have many tanks, at least fifty!"
The Soviet tank brigade only had more than a hundred tanks, and fifty of them were invested in one attack. That was obviously the main force.
"Immediately move the Tigers to the east for reinforcements!" Sponneck ordered.
"Yes, General!"
"Move the Tiger to the east!"
"Move the Tiger to the east!"
…
But now it's too late for talent.
The Soviet tanks rumbled past the anti-tank trenches built by the Germans.
The anti-tank trenches in this area are shallower and narrower than in other directions. This may be because this area is more humid near the lake and freezes harder at low temperatures, making construction more difficult.
This allowed the tank to roll over those anti-tank trenches effortlessly, then stop and fire a bunch of bullets and a shell into the darkness ahead... This is exactly when the tank passed through the anti-tank trenches.
standard procedure.
Its main purpose is to wait for the infantry to follow behind.
Tanks can easily cross the anti-tank trench, but the infantry in the rear need to jump off the anti-tank trench and then climb up from the anti-tank trench.
This sounds easy to say, but anti-tank trenches are often two or three meters deep. In fact, anti-tank trenches with a depth of two meters are unqualified, and these anti-tank trenches are full of ice and snow, so it is very difficult to climb up.
Of course it also takes time.
If the infantry fails to keep up, the tanks advancing in the dark will almost die.
The method for Shulka and others to cross the anti-tank trench was to arrange for two soldiers in each shift to put away their guns and squat down to do lifts. One by one, the soldiers came over and stepped on their knees and shoulders, and then climbed up to a height of more than two meters.
Anti-tank trench.
Otherwise, it would be difficult to quickly cross the smooth anti-tank trench walls and the soldiers wearing heavy cotton-padded clothes and all their equipment.
Then, the tank continues to move forward after receiving information that the soldiers have followed... This information can be transmitted through the "tank phone".
Several of these tanks were destroyed by the Germans.
Spanek positioned anti-tank guns in other directions.
But at this time Shurka was relieved, because they were not destroyed by tanks. Under the light of the flares, one could clearly see that they were anti-tank gun positions.
Anti-tank gun positions can be suppressed and destroyed with mortars.