In fact, this is what Shulka meant when he said that tanks should be the main force...
It doesn't sound like there is a big difference between tanks cooperating with infantry or infantry cooperating with tanks. Tanks and infantry are used together, and even the organization does not change much.
But in fact, the difference is still very big in actual combat:
When tanks coordinate with infantry, they attack with infantry as the main body. The infantry charges forward like ants, and the tanks are dispersed among the infantry and follow behind. When they encounter key points that the infantry cannot conquer, the tanks are pulled up.
In this case, equipping tanks with radio equipment seems a bit redundant or even unnecessary.
Because there is no need for coordination between tanks, but more coordination between tanks and infantry.
The Soviet infantry is rarely equipped with radios. For example, only the regiment headquarters of the 333rd Regiment has radios, so it is impossible to achieve radio communication between infantry and tanks on the battlefield.
The Soviet army had their own set of methods, such as using tracer bullets...the machine gun fired a string of bullets to indicate the target for the tank, or using signal flags, or the infantry directly climbed onto the tank to tell the tank soldiers face to face what the target was.
Under this tactic, it is not very meaningful to equip each tank with radio communication equipment, and the organization of its mechanized troops is also of no practical significance, because during wartime they are always dispersed among the infantry for coordinated infantry charges.
But it's different if the infantry fights with tanks.
This requires groups of tanks to form a whole, and they can flexibly assemble, divide, surround, intersperse, etc. on the battlefield.
This obviously requires unified command and dispatch, so each tank must have radio communication equipment that can at least receive commands.
Otherwise, once the tank hatch is closed, the inside and outside are like two separate worlds. You can't hear and can only see a little bit of the situation outside. How to fight is completely dependent on guessing, which is obviously not feasible.
Therefore, the biggest obstacle to Shulka's tank-based tactics actually comes from communication equipment. Without communication equipment, just talking on paper cannot achieve a "blitzkrieg" like the Germans, because the Soviet tanks cannot be integrated together to form a "blitzkrieg".
A force.
This is a thorny problem, because the way to solve this problem is to install a radio communication device on each tank, which is obviously unrealistic for the Soviet army whose communication equipment is extremely weak.
But Shulka has certainly considered this issue.
"Use signal flags!" said Shulka.
"What?" General Kilponos was stunned for a moment, then shook his head and replied: "This is not a good idea, Sergeant!"
"The tank crew's field of vision is very small!" On this issue, Major Gavrilov sided with General Kilponos: "And their vision is more often in the direction of the enemy, and they cannot see the rear.
Signal flags waved by the infantry!”
"They don't need to see it, Comrade Major!" Shulka replied: "We can place two to three infantrymen on the rear armor of each tank. They can not only provide cover and warning for the tank, but also convey orders!
"You mean..." Major Gavrilov said: "Let these infantrymen observe the signal flags in the rear at all times and then tell the tank crew?"
"Yes!" Shulka replied.
"This may be feasible!" Major Gavrilov still shook his head: "We can arrange these infantry, and these infantry can indeed see the signal flag at any time. The problem is that it is difficult for them to convey the order to the enemy in a timely and effective manner during the battle.
Tank crews, unless they keep the hatch open or even poke their heads out..."
Shulka could understand what Major Gavrilov said. As soon as the tank motor starts, there will be a "rumbling" sound, coupled with the sound of gunfire on the battlefield, if the tank hatch is closed, no matter how the infantry outside shouts
I can't even convey the order.
Therefore, the Soviet infantry usually uses the butt of a gun to deliver orders: knock once on the left side of the turret to go left, knock once on the right side to go right, knock twice in a row to stop...
Of course, this can only transmit some simple commands, but it cannot do anything about complex commands, and sometimes there may even be misunderstandings, because bullets and artillery shells often produce sounds similar to the knocking of gun butts when they pass by the tank armor.
Therefore, if you want to convey orders accurately, you have to open the hatch cover or even stick your head out to communicate, which is obviously very dangerous in battle... Tank crew members who stick their heads out will be excellent targets for German snipers.
"No, we don't need to do this!" Shulka said: "We don't need to risk the tank crew!"
Major Gavrilov couldn't help but laugh: "Then, how else can we pass the order in, knowing that it is a tank!"
"We can use the phone, Major!" Shulka replied.
Major Gavrilov did not understand what Shulka meant.
"Telephone?" He looked at Shulka with a puzzled look on his face: "How can we call them..."
"It's very simple!" Shulka replied: "Install a telephone in the tank, install another on the rear armor of the tank, and then use a telephone line to connect the inside and outside..."
General Kilponos and Major Gavrilov could not help but be stunned on the spot.
Then, General Kilponos exclaimed excitedly: "This sounds feasible and the cost is very low. We only need to install a phone instead of a radio for each tank!"
"Yes, General!" Major Gavrilov laughed. He patted Shulka on the shoulder and praised: "Great idea, Shulka! This way we can convey the order to everyone.
tanks, effectively directing them to attack in their respective directions!"
What Major Gavrilov said is a bit exaggerated. After all, signal flags are different from radios. It cannot effectively command every tank. It is more of a company-based command, otherwise there will be people everywhere in the rear.
They are waving signal flags, and no one knows which one is the order given to them.
But even so, this will be much better than the previous mission that relied entirely on guessing the target and relying solely on tracer bullets.
"That's it!" General Kilponos said without hesitation: "I will immediately ask them to install a telephone on every tank..."
"It's best to place the phone lower down!" Shulka said: "In addition, the talking cord should be longer, so that the infantry can transmit orders even if they are not on the rear armor of the tank, that is, following behind it!"
Admiral Kilponos nodded in agreement.
"This is a pioneering work, Comrade Sergeant!" General Kilponos sighed: "I believe this modification will soon become popular throughout the army!"