Chapter 555 The tiger dies

The initial Tiger tank driven by the Wittmann crew is an exploratory configuration version of the S mine launcher. One S mine launcher is installed on each of the four corners of the vehicle body and one side of the middle. There are a total of 5 doors ready to go, and the prefabricated load is 92 mm full-caliber anti-infantry anti-personnel grenades can be fired at any time.

This 92mm full-caliber anti-infantry grenade, which uses parabolic ballistics and chemical energy to kill, has a maximum range of 400 meters and can effectively suppress and kill enemy infantry within the effective range.

The prefabricated 92mm anti-personnel anti-personnel grenade warhead is loaded with steel balls and chemical charges, and uses a delayed firing fuze. It can explode over the heads of enemy infantry to form a killing barrage mixed with fragments, steel balls and explosion impact flames to cover an annular area, effectively Suppress and kill unprotected soft targets to block enemy infantry trying to approach the tank.

In general, the S mine launcher is a relatively successful anti-infantry weapon for tanks.

After being successfully tested on the initial Tiger tank, the S mine launcher was quickly expanded to become standard equipment for all tanks of the German armored forces.

Tigers, Panthers, King Tigers, Jags, and even Rats are all equipped with S mine launchers.

The difference is that the S mine launcher of the later German tanks was changed from the external setting of the tank to the concealed setting inside the combat room. It can be safely operated by the crew in the combat room to launch at different angles instead of firing at a fixed angle remotely from outside the vehicle, which improves the weapon's effectiveness. Human-machine efficiency and practical flexibility.

At the same time, the S mine launcher can also serve as a smoke grenade launcher due to its large diameter of 92 mm. It is equipped with an exclusive 92 mm full-caliber projectile smoke can, which can provide German armored forces with more diverse tactics on the battlefield. choose.

The Soviet infantry, who had not yet seen the power of the new toy German tanks, slowly moved closer, raising their cluster grenades and RPG-40 anti-tank grenades in an attempt to kill these three huge German tanks.

But what I didn't expect was that the inconspicuous little cans placed on these huge steel monsters suddenly made a muffled sound, and the small black shadows that were difficult to detect with the naked eye exploded in the sky above the head before the human brain could react. .

Scattered projectile fragments and hundreds of steel balls formed a circular killing area and instantly mopped up the Soviet infantry. The Soviet infantry, who could hear the screams and screams, had no idea what fancy new weapons the Germans had come up with. They surrounded and suppressed three soldiers. The tiger's battle was on the verge of paralysis and stagnated.

Taking advantage of the time when the Soviet infantry had not recovered from being beaten and suffered heavy casualties, the gunner Klink, who worked hard, finally pointed the main gun driven by the hydraulic steering machine in the target direction.

"Good high-explosive bombs!"

"Fire!"

boom--

The Tiger tank, specially designed to fight Soviet tanks, is also equipped with 88mm full-caliber personnel anti-personnel grenades. The explosion with the equivalent of 700 grams of TNT is equivalent to the power of 7 German standard M24 long-handled grenades. This is very difficult for unprotected infantry. It is undoubtedly a devastating power.

The Soviet infantry, which suffered sudden changes and suffered another disaster, suffered extremely heavy casualties.

The barrage of MG34 machine guns whizzing by almost against the scalp was so hot that it could almost burn the head. The feeling of being so close to death made the Soviet infantrymen so pressed that they could not even lift their heads. They pushed open the turret hatch above their heads. Wittmann was manning the MG34 machine gun on the ring machine gun rack and splashing water on the Soviet infantry.

"Klink, continue the high-explosive bombs! Destroy these Russian infantry!"

After being caught off guard by S mines and repeated fire suppression by machine gun barrages, the Soviet infantry surrounded by a semi-arc offensive had suffered more than half of their casualties so far.

The Soviet infantry, which lacked effective anti-tank firepower, had only light weapons to rely on, and at best, some human-thrown anti-tank grenades.

Not to mention whether this level of firepower could destroy the thick-skinned Tiger tanks, the severely short-handed and limited attack range even prevented the Soviet infantry from approaching.

Three huge Tiger tanks spread out a circular defense surface to protect the paralyzed Tiger tank in the middle. Three SS armored soldiers who escaped in time and did not suffer any damage dragged two seriously injured comrades and took advantage of the Soviet army. The infantrymen were suppressed by fire and could not even lift their heads for a short time before they hurriedly got into the Tiger tanks of their comrades.

If the war continues to develop at this momentum, it is only a matter of time before Wittmann and his party deal with the remaining Soviet infantry in front of them.

But as the saying goes, things are unpredictable, and the scene that Wittmann didn't expect the most happened suddenly and without warning.

Three Ilyushin-2 attack aircraft flying in from nowhere were loaded with armor-piercing rockets and fired a salvo. Wittmann, who raised his head when he heard the roar of the propeller engine, didn't even have time to be surprised. , immediately put down the MG34 general machine gun in his hand and retracted inside the turret to seek cover.

The rockets that exploded like thunder around the three Tiger tanks released astonishing destructive power.

Because of the high incidence angle of the air attack, most of these rockets that swooped down from the sky hit the Tiger tank's body and turret dome.

Although there were some deviations in accuracy and accuracy, they could not withstand the volley of firepower that was compensated by their large numbers. When the Il-2 attack planes, which came and went quickly, finished their dive and began to raise their altitude, Wittmann, who felt his head was blown and was a little dizzy, then saw something shaking in front of his eyes. past.

"Damn it! Something flew in!"

With the loud scream of the gunner Klink, he looked down and saw a smoking Russian lemon grenade spinning and dangling under his feet.

There was no time to be surprised at how those Russians threw the grenade so accurately along the roof of the commander's command tower that he had no time to close, just like playing basketball.

Wittmann grabbed the grenade at his feet and threw it as quickly as possible along the open commander's command tower. The grenade exploded in less than a second as soon as it was released, almost missing Wittmann's entire right hand. Blow them all up.

Holding his right hand that was scratched by shrapnel and dripping with blood, Wittmann could vaguely hear the distant sound of the three Il-2 attack planes circling, and finally gave the order he was most reluctant to say.

"Retreat, all crews retreat immediately!"

The three Tiger tanks that were attacked by three Il-2s were wiped out on the spot. Fortunately, the heavily damaged Tiger tank only had the turret steering gear jammed and one was smashed. The outer road wheels, although the turret cannot rotate, can still maneuver and retreat.

No matter how unwilling Wittmann was, this short armored ambush battle, which lasted only fifteen minutes, ended with a tactical victory of 2:18 for the German army to retreat, which was not too satisfactory. .