Cannon Fire Arc-Chapter 650 - 92 Advancing Toward the White Sea (Additional 36/81)

Chapter 650: Chapter 92 Advancing Toward the White Sea (Additional 36/81)

On the evening of January 7th, the intelligence summary from the first day of the attack arrived at the Abawahan Front Army Headquarters.

Wang Zhong looked at the map with satisfaction, “Progress is quite good, and the enemy’s defense isn’t as impregnable as we imagined.”

Pavlov: “There are still some tough points to take, but they’ve all been cleared by Ulban assault guns or close-range firing of B4 heavy howitzers. In addition, the troops report that the white phosphorus shells we got from the Federation are very effective. When hitting a bunker, even if the shell lands outside, it can still kill people inside.”

Wang Zhong: “How about the performance of the flamethrower tanks?”

“They’re also very good; these siege weapons have significantly reduced the difficulty of our advance. The only regret,” Pavlov shrugged his shoulders, “is that there are too few Ulbans. Everyone in the forces likes them.”

After all, it’s the Russians, fond of powerful things.

Popov: “The military chaplains have even reported that the mushroom clouds soaring up can inspire morale. As soon as a mushroom cloud rises over one block, the soldiers fighting in the surrounding blocks charge recklessly as if they were on steroids, resulting in many casualties.”

Wang Zhong: “We should issue an order in the name of the Front Army Headquarters to tell everyone to pay attention to their methods during combat and to reduce casualties. Don’t assume that the enemy has turned to rotten mud just because of the rising mushroom cloud.”

Vasily looked up: “I’ve noted that. Is that all? Shall I just send it out like this?”

Wang Zhong looked at Vasily with emotion: “Indeed, your staff training has not been in vain.”

Vasily grinned proudly: “Of course!”

While they were speaking, an Air Force colonel entered the headquarters and went straight to the table where the “three giants” sat, placing an envelope of kraft paper on the table: “Today’s aerial photos have been developed.”

“Good,” said Wang Zhong, while opening the envelope’s string, he asked, “Did the reconnaissance pilots see anything unusual, such as dust clouds raised by the enemy armored troops during maneuvers?”

Most of the troops in Wang Zhong’s hands were still equipped with the T34 dual-person turret type, and even the three-man turret T34Ws were only allocated in small numbers to the tank units with the Guards prefix.

However, according to the latest report from the Ordnance Department, the new T34W production lines were now running, and T34 production could gradually be halted to shift workers and lines to other tasks.

Such as producing Whirlwinds.

In fact, some T34 production lines had already completely stopped, and technological transformation had begun. According to the plan of the Ordnance Department, by February 916, this production line would be able to start producing Whirlwinds, and by the end of 916, it would reach the predicted peak production rate.

The T34 dual-person turret type was about to exit the stage of history, but the troops still had a large number of dual-person turret T34s, and this situation could not be changed overnight.

And these T34s, when facing the Prosen’s Long-barreled Fours, could basically only be harvested by the enemy for combat achievements.

Fortunately, the opposing Prosen troops also lacked handy individual anti-tank weapons. Their magnetic hand grenades were too theoretical, even worse than incendiary bottles, so the dual-turret T34s could still bully the infantry without issue.

So Wang Zhong, like a time-wise Russian commander on Earth, paid special attention to the movements of enemy armored divisions.

He always kept two brigades of Whirlwinds as a general reserve, holding them in hand, ready to be used to “put out fires.”

In response to Wang Zhong’s question, the Air Force officer shook his head: “No, besides the reconnaissance pilots, we also asked the fighter and bomber pilots. In their operational areas, they didn’t see any large-scale dust clouds produced by armored troops on the move.”

Pavlov immediately came to the map, drawing a line with a pencil: “That means there are no Prosen armored troops in action north of this line.”

Vasily: “It must be that our deception operation worked! The enemy believes it’s a feint.”

Popov then asked: “Should we bombard the opposite bank to extend the time the enemy is confused?”

Wang Zhong: “No, looking at our current rate of advance, the enemy’s troop deployment will already be too late. The only variable now is the Prosen navy on the White Sea surface, and the A Army Group itself.

“The A Army Group has not fought a big battle since advancing to the edge of the steppe. They still have some strength. If they break out with all their might, a fierce battle will surely take place on the flat snowfields.”

Wang Zhong also stood up, joining Pavlov by the map, both looking at it together.

Pavlov: “There could be a tank battle, and at that time, we will rely mainly on the Whirlwinds to block the enemy’s armored troops. Fortunately, Whirlwinds are suited for defense and not for offense.”

Wang Zhong: “Once our new heavy tanks start mass production, we can confront the enemy on the open fields. Then, the mortality rate of our tank crews will drop significantly, they will accumulate experience, and grow into elite tank crews.”

“But we still need to avoid the edge of the enemy armor troops for now.” Popov also ran up to the map, and the three men standing in a row gave the impression of two bears flanking a clean-cut scholar.

Wang Zhong wasn’t really short and his shoulders weren’t narrow; it was just that the two bears were exceedingly large, making him look quite slender in comparison.

After discussing the enemy’s movements for a while longer, Popov changed the subject: “Speaking of which, the one defending Bolsk this time is our old acquaintance General Sheeplin again. Last time, he retreated very decisively, saving his own forces from the flank, but he caused great harm to the other troops of the B Army Group.

“Do you think he will fight to the death this time?”

Wang Zhong shrugged his shoulders.

————

Bolsk, Prosen Eleventh Army Group Headquarters, 2200 hours.

General Xiplin was holding the telephone receiver, “How can this possibly be a feint? We have already lost four divisions, and a mass of our troops have been crippled. The enemy’s cavalry are everywhere blowing up phone lines, and the reason we can still communicate is that this line is buried underground, unknown to the enemy cavalry!

“Rocossov deploying cavalry is to throw us into chaos, to disrupt our judgment of the situation! Now the only way I can communicate with the most forward units is via wireless.”

Sometimes the Prosen Army units were equipped with radios, but most of the time, to prevent the most crucial Prosen secret, the Enigma Machine, from falling into the hands of the Allied Forces, most infantry units did not have radios.

To communicate with superiors, units either had to use the telephone, wireless shout-outs, or dispatch messengers.

Xiplin was now faced with the situation where messengers dared not step out, because if they did, they would be ambushed, and the same applied to communications soldiers who went out to check and repair phone lines.

General Xiplin had no choice but to communicate with his subordinates via wireless.

General Xiplin relayed all this to the person on the other end of the line.

The other side fell silent for a few seconds before saying, “I understand the situation you’re facing, General Xiplin, but Prosen soldiers will not falter because of this. General, hold Bolsk!”

General Xiplin sighed, “General Steiermark, there’s no need for formalities. I have no issue holding, but you have to tell me until when. I can’t be expected to hold indefinitely. My troops and I, we need a final deadline, a date by which we will retreat no matter what!”

General Steiermark was silent for a long time, probably calculating.

Finally, the general responded, “I’m asking you to hold until January 15th!”

General Xiplin’s face turned pale, “That’s impossible! My forces are only at sixty percent of full strength, with even fewer tanks. Including replenishments, my army group has fewer than 200 tanks!”

It seemed General Steiermark was not particularly surprised, “I’m sending two Armored Divisions your way. Together, these divisions only have a hundred tanks, including Models Three and Long-barreled Fours.”

General Xiplin held his forehead, “I knew your situation was bad, but not this bad.”

General Steiermark, “Many armored units in the Army Group haven’t received new tanks since September. And among the new tanks supplied, there were 38t tanks used to pad the numbers. I thought those tanks were no longer in production.”

General Xiplin, “Perhaps they are refurbished tanks that were previously destroyed. In any case, I have a rough idea of the situation now. Let’s wish each other luck; we’re both going to need it.”

“Thank you, and the same to you, General Xiplin,” General Steiermark answered.

————

General Steiermark hung up the phone and looked at the Chief of Staff and a group of staff officers, “That call was virtually fruitless; Xiplin also doesn’t know exactly what’s happening. From this perspective, Rocossov’s use of cavalry has already achieved its objective.”

The Chief of Staff said, “Actually, there are some supply station reports saying that cavalry raided through the defensive stands swiftly, throwing something resembling homemade explosives. A lot of supplies have been destroyed.”

The Deputy Officer asked seriously, “So, are we retreating?”

General Steiermark’s face tightened.

That was a tough question to answer.

After a moment he said, “The Emperor believes this is a feint; retreating now would lead to blame once we return. Besides… Rocossov is inscrutable to me; the likelihood of it being a feint, strictly speaking, is still there, and not negligible.”

The officers exchanged glances.

General Steiermark continued, “Furthermore, while we still can, take the opportunity to write a letter to your families via navy post, telling your children that daddy loves them.”

The Chief of Staff said, “Just give up like this? That doesn’t seem right.”

General Steiermark, “Then tell me what else can be done. We can’t retreat, and the front-line units are tied down by the persistent Mountain Corps.

“I have already played the last two cards in my hand; I have no more cards, gentlemen.

“However, you need not be too pessimistic; perhaps the Eleventh Army Group can hold. After all, the Anteans are not skilled at attacking strongholds, and they certainly don’t have many of those new weapons. General Xiplin is also an outstanding officer, having risen from Major General to General in just a few years.”

After a brief pause, General Steiermark continued, “And indeed, we still maintain control over the White Sea. If we’re really encircled, we can escape by sea, though not all of us.”

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