Chapter 839: Returning with a Feather (Part 1)

  Chapter 839 Returning in defeat (Part 1)

After the infantry battalion was changed to artillery and assigned to Savage's command, Sokov did not leave immediately. He asked Briski to transfer the fifth company to help move the artillery and shells, and studied with Savage how to arrange artillery positions. question.

  According to Savage's idea, since there are so many artillery, it is completely possible to establish an artillery position and use fierce artillery fire to destroy the attacking enemy.

But Savage's idea was opposed by Sokov: "No, Comrade Major. There are so many artillery pieces, it must not be used in a concentrated manner." After he finished speaking, seeing Savage's blank expression, he asked him He explained, "Comrade Major, I admit that the concentration of so many artillery can indeed exert the greatest power to destroy the enemy attacking the factory area. But have you ever thought about it, if the enemy finds that there is a large-scale artillery position here, I will definitely call the Air Force..." At this point, Sokov instinctively looked up into the sky, and found that the sky was still snowing, and the enemy's plane was obviously unable to take off, so he changed his words, "The enemy called artillery, and we will attack you. Firepower suppression, how long do you think the artillery positions can survive under the artillery fire from both sides?"

Hearing Sokov's question, Savage thought for a while, and said: "If the soldiers who use these artillery are all the well-trained artillerymen under me, we can use the artillery fire to attack the enemy's artillery positions. Countermeasures. But now the artillery is basically infantry, and it is simply impossible to suppress the enemy's artillery fire..."

   Seeing that Savage looked down on his infantry, Briski felt very uncomfortable, so he wanted to refute, but he opened his mouth, but didn't say anything, because he knew that what the other party said was the truth. Artillery is not like infantry. After enlisting in the army, you only need to say a few words about how to use the weapon, and everyone will be able to shoot. Artillery is a professional arm and requires a relatively long training process.

"Colonel Sokov," Savage saw that Sokov had said the key to the problem, guessing that the other party must have some countermeasures in mind, so he asked modestly: "Do you have any good ways to make better use of these Artillery?"

"Break up the artillery and disperse it in different positions." Sokov said with a normal expression: "In this way, even if the enemy finds our artillery position, it will take a lot of effort to destroy you. "

"After separating the artillery, how should I direct it?" Savage said with some embarrassment: "You have also seen that there is gunpowder smoke everywhere in the factory area. I can't confirm the position of each artillery, and I can see the signal flag in time. signal."

"Why use signal flags, Comrade Major?" Sokov looked at Savage and asked rather puzzled: "Don't you need to connect telephone wires to every artillery position, and order which position to fire, hit one Just a phone call."

Seeing that Savage was still in a daze, Sokov could only sigh secretly in his heart, and patiently explained to him: "Comrade Major, you divide the artillery into five to six artillery positions, and some of them are responsible for dealing with the enemy. infantry, and some are responsible for dealing with enemy tanks. Each artillery position has its own area of ​​responsibility. To attack the enemy in which area, you only need to call the commander of the artillery position and order him to fire. How about it, do you understand what I mean?"

  After Sokov’s explanation, Savage finally understood what was going on. Although the plan proposed by the other party is completely different from the tactics he used in the past, it sounds obviously more reasonable. Hearing Sokov ask himself, he quickly straightened his body and replied: "Understood, Comrade Colonel, I will immediately spread the artillery to several positions as you said."

Although Savage said that he understood, Sokov was still worried. He watched with his own eyes that he and Briski divided the artillery into five positions, secured the telephone lines, and made a good camouflage. Samoilov and the others returned to Lyudnikov's headquarters.

  Here he saw Belkin chatting with Lyudnikov. After he nodded at Belkin, he said to Lyudnikov: "Comrade Colonel, I moved 38 76mm cannons from the warehouse and handed them over to Major Savage under your command. There are not enough troops, and I have equipped him with an infantry battalion."

After listening to Sokov, Lyudnikov had a surprised expression on his face. He took a step forward, held Sokov's hand, and said excitedly: "Colonel Sokov, thank you so much. With so many artillery pieces, we will be more confident in defending the factory."

"What, 38 artillery pieces were moved out of the warehouse?" Belkin asked in surprise when he heard the conversation between the two: "Colonel Lyudnikov, since there are so many artillery pieces in the factory warehouse Why don't you arm yourself, so that at least when resisting the enemy's attack, you can reduce a lot of unnecessary casualties?"

Lyudnikov sighed and said: "I heard that when there were artillery in the warehouse, I once provided the artillery to the director of the barricade factory, but he said that it was a custom-made product of the National Defense Committee, and there was no order from the superior. Don't use it either."

"It's nonsense, it's nonsense." Belkin was trembling with anger when he heard Lyudnikov say this, and said repeatedly: "So many weapons and equipment are stored in the warehouse, and they are not handed over to the defenders in the factory. Using it is a criminal act. I think it should be reported to the superior and the factory manager should be dismissed."

"Colonel Lyudnikov," Sukov recalled what he had just learned from Sergeant Gusin, and felt very uncomfortable. He asked Lyudnikov with a straight face: "Do you know that the attack from the enemy Since the beginning of the city, the weapons and equipment in the warehouse have been placed there. Except for checking it every three days, no one has considered whether these artillery should be used to arm the defenders in the factory. If the factory falls, the artillery in the warehouse It will all fall into the hands of the enemy. At that time, the enemy can use our artillery against us."

When Sokov said this, he was a little emotional. He remembered that in a Soviet novel, he saw two squads of Soviet troops stationed in a remote station. Their task was to take care of the warehouse. As for what was in the warehouse stuff, they don't know anything. Until one day, their immediate superior ordered the warehouse to be opened, only to find that there were rusty spikes piled up inside. Sergeant Guxin's troops have been guarding outside the warehouse for more than two months, but they have never seen anyone bring anything out of it. I am afraid that the leaders of the factory have long forgotten that there are still a large number of artillery stored here. People who came to check, It's just a formality according to the regulations.

Lyudnikov blushed after hearing what Sokov said, and said with some embarrassment: "Colonel Sokov, this is indeed my fault. I will report this matter to the headquarters immediately and ask my superiors to correct me. But our current priority is to prevent the enemy from occupying the barricade factory."

"Comrade Commissar," Sokov said to Belkin, "I assigned the Second Battalion to Colonel Lyudnikov's Artillery Regiment temporarily, and now you have only one Battalion under your command. Is defense enough?"

  (end of this chapter)