Chapter 112
On the way back to the base, Wang Zhong kept frowning, thinking about where to get anti-tank guns.
The infantry division didn't have anti-tank guns, and if they wanted to engage in close-range meat grinder battles using terrain, well, the Prossenian infantry weren't weak either.
Back in Loktov, Wang Zhong had already been forced into a most dangerous position by the enemy infantry's assault. Considering the quality of the infantry under his command now, he didn't dare engage in close-range meat grinders with the Prossenians again.
Wang Zhong didn't realize it himself, but this was actually a form of experience accumulation. Although he was an outsider, after so many battles, he was gradually coming to understand the enemy and forming "muscle memory."
Wang Zhong continued to frown and calculate:
To defeat the enemy on the open plains, aside from relying on tank emplacements and the accompanying tank ambush tactics, the most important thing was anti-tank guns.
This was a mutually countering cycle: machine gun firepoints could suppress infantry on open ground, tanks firing directly could suppress those firepoints, hidden anti-tank guns and tanks could destroy enemy tanks.
And finally, artillery could suppress everything on the ground*unless fortifications were built like the tunnels of Triangle Hill, enemy heavy artillery would definitely cause casualties.
One also had to consider ways to counter enemy heavy artillery. Maybe balloons? Could they still find hot air balloons for observation nowadays?
Without observation, if just firing blindly, it was really uncertain where the enemy artillery was placed. After all, howitzers didn't have the same terrain requirements as direct-fire cannons.
How could they find the enemy artillery positions? Rely on infiltration squads?
But the other side was the Prossenian army, not India. How could it be that easy to sneak up and find their positions?
Moreover, the enemy was extremely brutal, so disguising for reconnaissance definitely wouldn't work. Once they got close to the artillery positions, the enemy would surely open fire immediately.
So what should be done?
Lyudmila had been watching Wang Zhong from the side the whole time, looking worried about him but not daring to interrupt his thoughts.
Finally, they arrived at the estate's gate. The guards stationed at the entrance immediately opened the iron gate upon seeing Wang Zhong's vehicle**since yesterday, the gatekeeping duty had been handed over to Wang Zhong's unit.
After driving into the estate, Grigori glanced back and then, on his own initiative, drove toward the military barracks in the corner of the estate.
But he had barely driven far when Lyudmila broke the silence and forcefully poked Wang Zhong's shoulder: "Alyosha! Look over there!"
Wang Zhong was forcibly yanked out of his thoughts, his expression somewhat blank, and he mechanically followed the direction of Lyudmila's pointing finger.
He saw a row of brand-new T34 tanks parked on the lawn.
Those definitely weren't the same tanks Wang Zhong had originally, because even if the originals were repainted, they couldn't hide the battlefield scars**the scratches from armor-piercing rounds were very obvious.
These T34s not only had fresh paint, but their surfaces were also quite smooth, and there were no traces of unburned diesel residue at the exhaust ports.
New T34s!
Wang Zhong raised his line of sight and saw that the T34s were arranged in three rows, eight tanks per row, making a total of 24!
All the tanks' main guns were adjusted to the same angle, like heads held high as a parade formation passed the reviewing stand.
"Where did these tanks come from?" Wang Zhong asked in confusion.
Lyudmila said, "Did you forget yesterday Dad... Uncle Konstantin said he'd give your unit some?"
Wang Zhong said, "He said he'd write some letters, and it would take three to five days to get results, right?"
"Maybe the process went exceptionally smoothly?"
Wang Zhong thought for a moment and patted Grigori on the shoulder: "To the main building! I want to see the old man!"
He couldn't call him Dad, but calling him the old man was still acceptable!
Grigori drifted the car with a spin and stomped the accelerator, speeding toward the main building.
****
When Wang Zhong burst into the study, the retired General Rokosov was on the phone and made a "shh" gesture.
Duke Rokosov (General): "Thanks, old buddy! Very good, very good! All top-notch tanks! Ahahaha, he's just lucky, that's all! What skills does he have, dead last in class! He even wet his pants on the battlefield!"
Even though he was saying "dead last" and "wet his pants," why did it sound completely different coming from the old man?
It sounded more like humblebragging.
Just as Wang Zhong thought that, the old man burst into laughter again: "He really did wet them, even Lyuda admitted it!"
Wang Zhong turned to look at his fiancée.
Lyusha stuck out her tongue and whispered: "He asked while I was making breakfast, I couldn't lie, right?"
Damn it, I should've shot Sergei in the ruins of the church and stripped off his pants.
That way no one would've brought it up, and Lyudmila definitely wouldn't have said anything on her own.
The old man laughed heartily for a while before finally hanging up the phone.
Then he put away his smile and looked at Wang Zhong: "Did you see what's on the lawn? It's a pity that T34s are in such short supply now. Because of your battle achievements, everyone knows how useful these things are.
"And they seem to think your victories are all thanks to the T34s, not your own skill. I feel like I won't be able to get you two battalions as promised, so make do with these six platoons."
Just as Wang Zhong was about to speak, the old man added: "And about you saying the parade-type was better, I passed that on to my old buddy, but he laughed at me hard*said I was an infantry general who didn't understand tanks. Said you were also an infantry general, and also didn't understand tanks.
"All the other armored units who've used them say they're great!"
Wang Zhong furrowed his brow.
Actually, the T34's advantage was mainly in '41. After the Third Reich started equipping long-barreled 50mm guns on their Type 3s in '42, the T34's blind-spot flaw was infinitely magnified*a single Type 3 could wipe out an entire T34 platoon without them even spotting the enemy.
Never mind, it's not like he expected the factories to change the design immediately.
Wang Zhong: "Then how about installing radios?"
The old man shook his head: "Our radio production numbers are too low. We have to prioritize supplying the air force's fighter jets. This comes from experience in the Castilian Civil War*without radios to share information, we'd be at a disadvantage in air combat."
Wang Zhong: "Fighter jets need radios to share information, but tanks don't? Tanks fighting on complex battlefields need radios even more!"
Duke Rokosov just looked at Wang Zhong with calm, fatherly eyes: "Alright, let's just do what's within our responsibilities. Your infantry division already has armored strength far beyond average. Do you know, some even want to take that armor away from your unit, since it's an infantry division after all."
Wang Zhong nodded. Being reinforced with 24 T34s was indeed good news*he couldn't be too greedy.
"Then give me a regiment of anti-tank guns! Preferably all 76mm ZIS-3 anti-tank guns."
Duke Rokosov frowned: "Don't you already have armored strength to handle anti-tank tasks? T34s even!"
Wang Zhong: "It's not the same. Anti-tank guns can be camouflaged and hidden, launching surprise attacks on enemies. And if we use machine guns to force enemy tank commanders back into their turrets, the high concealment of anti-tank guns becomes especially effective. They might even perform better than tanks."
The truth was, the old German tankers had always considered Soviet anti-tank guns to be a bigger threat than tanks**mainly because the tanks were too blind.
But anti-tank guns equipped with observers weren't blind, and they were hard to detect. Even the Germans' heavy armor feared them.
Duke Rokosov nodded: "Is this insight from actual combat? It should be taken seriously. But 76 guns are in high demand*I'll see if I can get you some 45mm ones instead. After all, the ammo trucks and pack horses can also use 76s, and gunners only need a bit of training to adapt to the new guns.
"That way, in the future, you can try applying for supplementary 76s separately, gradually transitioning your artillery unit to be mainly 76 guns."
Wang Zhong had a feeling that the old man probably used to come up with quite a few schemes to boost his own strength too.
Suddenly, an idea struck Wang Zhong: why not ask the old man about the problem that had been troubling him earlier?
So he said: "I want to ask, based on your experience, how do you deal with enemy heavy artillery?"
Duke Rokosov raised an eyebrow: "Heavy artillery, huh? Depends on the situation. If both sides have established solid trench lines, with trenches everywhere, then send planes to scout the enemy artillery positions and bombard them with our own artillery.
"Back then, the areas with the densest anti-air fire were the artillery positions on both sides. Even at the risk of disrupting shell trajectories, we had to deploy barrage balloons around our artillery to interfere with enemy aircraft reconnaissance.
"Sometimes, when we saw enemy planes approaching, we'd also release smoke at several different locations to confuse the enemy."
Wang Zhong: "Use planes for recon, huh..."
If he had planes under his command, he could use the radios on those planes to establish communication and locate the enemy artillery positions! That was indeed a solution.
Too bad to command the air force, he'd have to be a General commanding a Front.
Wang Zhong: "Anything besides planes?"
Duke Rokosov: "If trench lines haven't been solidified yet, you can use cavalry."
"Cavalry?"
"Yes, cavalry is great. Saddles can carry extra rations and ammo, letting cavalry operate for seven days without resupply. As for the horses*yes, warhorse feed is expensive, with carrots and whatnot*but horses eat grass by nature!
"When the men sleep, the horses eat grass on their own. True, after a week of fighting, the horses usually lose a lot of weight, and their endurance and top speed suffer, but not enough to affect light trotting.
"Look, cavalry units can roam enemy territory for a week without resupply, and they're mobile too*aren't they the ideal troops to ambush enemy artillery positions?"
That actually made a lot of sense!
Wang Zhong stroked his chin in contemplation.
Duke Rokosov said, "Alright, when the boat reaches the bridge it will straighten itself out. Stop frowning. Go meet your new armored unit, boost morale, and maybe hold a combat experience-sharing session or something.
"This unit I got for you is brand new, completely inexperienced. Since the enemy hasn't attacked yet, you have to train them well!"
"Understood? More sweat during training means less blood in battle!"
Wang Zhong nodded: "Got it!"
"That's how you respond to your superior?" the old man barked.
Wang Zhong snapped to attention and saluted: "Yes! Brigadier General, sir!"
"That's more like it, now go, go!" The old man waved his hand as if shooing a fly.
(End of Chapter)