And yet the enemy has equipped themselves with new armor-piercing shells, in case—
He waved away the worries in his mind. His brother had chosen to forge ahead despite knowing the slim chances of survival. As an elder brother, he could not let his brother be ashad, nor let the tank na personally inscribed by the Marshal be dishonored.
"Advance! We can't penetrate the enemy's new tanks at this distance! Charge through the enemy's artillery fire to a distance that allows us to break through!" Podoliskov yelled into the microphone, only to realize he was still in radio mode and quickly switched back.
But his words had already been heard by the entire heavy breakthrough tank corps, and replies ca flooding through the radio: "Well said, Podoliskov!"
"Deservedly our corps' first Venus awardee!"
"We'll follow you, charge!"
Podoliskov had no ti to be moved as he saw the enemy fire.
A cool sensation hit the back of his head, instinctively feeling that this ti the target was himself.
The next mont, a shell struck, producing a sharp ringing on the tank's frontal armor.
Podoliskov inquired through the intercom, "Who's hurt? Anyone injured? Roll call!"
Driver: "1!"
Gunner: "2!"
Loader: "3!"
Podoliskov breathed a sigh of relief. The enemy's new armor-piercing bullets were no match for the Rocossovsky Type's armor!
He watched the enemy through the periscope, recalling the enemy armor weak points marked in the recognition manual recently distributed by High Command—
Just then, the enemy tanks deployed smoke and began to retreat!
Podoliskov was startled: "The enemy is retreating! Why?"
At that mont, he saw a Prosen Soldier suddenly erge from the front, carrying a Rocket Launcher—not an Ante model, but one Podoliskov had never seen before, a Prosen model!
Podoliskov imdiately operated the anti-aircraft machine gun to fire, and as the enemy was hit, they also launched a rocket. A fiery trail skimd over the top of the turret of the Revenge for the Heroic Brother, the pungent sll of gunpowder flooding Podoliskov's nostrils.
"The enemy has rocket launchers!" Podoliskov scread into the microphone, "Don't let the enemy's rocket operators get close—"
His voice was drowned out by panicked screams: "The enemy has rocket launchers!"
"Semyon's tank is on fire! Semyon!"
"Ah, mama!"
"Infantry, dismount and fight, infantry dismount!"
Podoliskov realized the enemy's plan to lure them into a range suitable for infantry anti-tank warfare, and he cried out, "Ahead is an enemy infantry ambush zone, comrade commander, I believe we should stop advancing—"
Before he finished speaking, the hatch of a reckless Rocossovsky Type burst into flas, the tank operator's screams transmitted over the radio.
Podoliskov: "Reverse! Get away from enemy infantry!"
At this mont, other tanks in the corps also reacted, reversing without waiting for the commander's order.
"Comrade commander!" Podoliskov continued to shout, then suddenly noticed the tactical number on the burning vehicle in front.
It was the commander's tank.
"Sukabule! The corps commander has fallen, Deputy Commander!!"
"He's fallen too, the Priest is commanding the support detachnt, it's you in command now, Podoliskov!"
At this ti, Prosen Infantry groaned as they charged out of their cover, toting rocket launchers.
He was shouting in Prosenese, but Podoliskov faintly heard the na "Rocossovsky."
—Right, I have the Red Flag displayed.
Podoliskov: "Everyone pay attention, I'm flying the Red Flag, the enemy will mistake for Marshal Rocossovsky's command vehicle, I'll draw their siege on , organize defenses around —"
The next mont, a Prosen new tank that had just released smoke charged out, now within 1000 ters!
Podoliskov: "Gunner! Take him out! He's advancing recklessly thinking I'm the Marshal's command vehicle!"
The gunner fired directly, not even waiting for the tank to stop.
The shell accurately struck the enemy's turret front, which was marked as a "weak point" in the High Command's recognition manual.
The next mont, the enemy's colossal tank slowly decelerated, followed by flas erupting from its turret hatch, and the entire vehicle caught fire.
Podoliskov: "Weak point effective, repeat, weak point effective! Form up around , keep distance from the infantry!"
At this ti, the corps Priest spoke: "Podoliskov, the Tan Eleventh Army is retreating, let's also pull back. Now the enemy has effective anti-tank ans, we should wait for the infantry troops to co up before we continue the attack."
Podoliskov gazed at the receding village, and sighed, "Alright."
————
November 3rd, 8 PM, Ronez City, Ante Kazarlia First Front Army Headquarters.
The day's situation had mostly been summarized by this ti, and Pavlov summarized to Wang Zhong: "The increase in enemy troop density has indeed made our advance difficult. In sectors defended by their elite troops, we only managed to penetrate about one kiloter on average."
Wang Zhong: "What about non-elite troops?"
"We achieved breakthroughs in the Moravian positions, but quickly encountered a second line of defense ford by Prosens. The situation in other sectors defended by 'second-class citizens' is similar.
"The enemy has taken advantage of our artillery's lack of motorization. They've organized defensive lines beyond the range of our artillery, using second-class troops and 'second-class citizen' forces to ensure our gunners don't advance carelessly."
Pavlov continued as he handed over the report to Wang Zhong.
"The rest you can read for yourself."
Wang Zhong: "Indeed, the Prosens are not an adversary to be taken lightly. They are exploiting the lack of motorization of our artillery. They use troops with inferior combat effectiveness as a barrier, ensuring our gunners can't follow up rashly, organizing a strong defense outside our artillery range."
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