Arc of Gunfire

Wang Zhong was dancing wildly with joy when he suddenly noticed something: "Wait a minute! Why do I only see the ammunition truck and not the tow truck?"

The B4 howitzer looks like a self-propelled artillery, but it actually has no power.

Obviously it uses a tractor as its chassis, but it cannot move by itself and needs another tractor to pull it.

This thing on Earth had a self-powered model, but found that it was too heavy and couldn't be supported by the tractor's two small tracks, and would sink on many surfaces, so I finally gave up.

Isn't this world different?

It is true that in this time and space, the tracks of these heavy artillery are longer than those of tractor chassis on Earth.

So Wang Zhong asked tentatively: "This cannon...is it to be pulled by an ammunition truck? Can't it be pulled?"

Popov once again cast a contemptuous look: "Alexey Konstantinovich, what are you doing during the military parade?"

Wang Zhong shrugged and answered openly: "Look at the beauty's breasts. What's wrong?"

"Pfft." Vasily, who was working as a guard with Grigory, laughed, and then was glared at by Popov. He immediately stood up and looked straight ahead.

Popov withdrew his gaze and said to Wang Zhong: "These things are for military parades. They drag the muzzles backwards, which is not good-looking, so they have their own power."

Wang Zhong was shocked: "How much does it weigh with the power?"

"Twenty or thirty tons. I'm a clergyman. Ask the artilleryman for details. It's not light anyway."

Wang Zhong: "So how fast can it go?"

If this thing can run at 30 kilometers per hour on the road, it might be better than its cousin on Earth.

There is a reason why the Earth's B4 howitzer was given a seemingly bluffing name by German soldiers. In fact, the 203 mm large-caliber artillery equipment on the Eastern Front is quite common, and the German army also has it. I haven't seen Mao Zi give it the nickname "XXX Hammer".

Mainly, the German army used its 21CM howitzer as a howitzer, bombing enemies more than ten kilometers away. The people who were bombed could not see the fired cannon at all.

But Maozi is not like that. Although the B4 heavy howitzer is a howitzer with a direct fire range of up to 17 kilometers, Maozi likes to push this thing 500 meters in front of the De Lao bunker and fire.

They even pushed this thing into the city for street fighting.

De Lao could clearly see this thing slowly driving up and aiming at him.

That was too terrifying. One shot would not kill him, but he would also be crippled. Over time, the nickname "Steel Hammer" came into being.

Later, this thing became too famous, and then it was slow to get in place. Often, everyone in the bunker would run away once it was in place.

If this thing could reach a highway speed of 30 kilometers, the people in the bunker probably wouldn't have time to escape. After all, the damage range of this thing is really large.

Popov shrugged: "Don't count on it. When this thing walks on its own, the speed is the same as the goose-step speed during the military parade. The walking part is specially designed for the military parade."

Wang Zhong was greatly shocked. He had never thought of tinkering with this thing specifically for the military parade.

He sighed and asked, "Can this thing be towed by a car and maneuver quickly?"

Popov: "I'm just a bishop. You can consider asking the soldiers of the Ceremonial Artillery Regiment."

By this time the train had come to a complete stop, and the ceremonial artillery regiment got off the train and lined up on the platform.

Wang Zhong's first impression of this group of honor guards was that there were a bunch of Nutcracker toy tin soldiers.

The clothes worn by the honor guard made people feel that the times were out of order. People wearing these clothes should go to sparring with Napoleon and should not appear on such a modern battlefield.

Wang Zhong asked Popov: "Can I order them to change their military uniforms?"

"As long as you can get so many military uniforms, that's fine."

"Well, that's it," Wang Zhong smiled, "I believe Pavlov can definitely get it!"

At this time, Wang Zhong noticed that several railway workers in the southwest crossed the railway nervously and began to operate the switch located in the middle of the side-by-side tracks.

In his impression, ever since he brought his troops to Loktov, he hadn't seen the switchman move the switch. In fact, the rails between the two platforms are rarely used and should be used to miss trains during busy times.

However, the locomotive losses on the railways close to the battlefield are so great that they have never been able to operate at full capacity and there is no need for additional off-track tracks.

Wang Zhong watched the workers and watched them raise the green light after completing the switch operation.

Soon, a train blew its whistle and slowly slid into the station.

This train did not have a track repair vehicle or an air-raid carriage. The whole train was hung with various carriages in a mess. Tank cars, ordinary passenger carriages and freight carriages were all hung together, and no attention was paid to the order. It gave people the impression that they were in a hurry. Hang up at any time and leave as soon as possible.

Wang Zhong muttered: "Why do I think this car looks like the product of 'hurry up and send one more train before the encirclement is closed'?"

Popov: "Same feeling."

The car stopped slowly. Before it stopped, the driver opened the boiler's air release brake. White steam immediately spread from the front of the car, engulfing the wheels at the front.

A driver jumped out of the car and shouted: "The front cylinder of the car is leaked. This front end of the car can't run fast! We need to replace the front end!"

Wang Zhong did not pay too much attention to the driver's words, but stared at the passengers of this train.

civilian.

And most of them were women and children, and many little faces were pressed against the glass of the car, looking out.

There was no smile on any face.

Railway workers pulled pipes to add water to the trains and provided water from window to window. Countless hands were sticking out of the window with various kettles, vying for water for the boiler.

Wang Zhong saw a little girl touching the kettle and drinking heavily, as if she hadn't drank water for a long time.

"This is to get as many women and children out as possible before they are surrounded." He murmured softly.

Popov: "Hold on for half a month...it seems we can't hold on anymore."

Wang Zhong suddenly became excited: "This is not the time to sigh! If we can't hold it there, we have to take action!"

He lay on the railing of the overpass and shouted to the honor guard below: "I am Brigadier General Rokossov. Stop lining up. Quickly unload the artillery and drive it to the No. 3 yard over there! Then go to the air defense camp next to it to get it. Camouflage cloth. I want you to turn the No. 3 yard into an artillery firing position before this afternoon!"

The major of the honor guard saluted: "General, as you command!"

Popov looked at Wang Zhong in surprise: "How do you know that the No. 3 yard is suitable for artillery positions?"

"I went to check."

It's just a bird's eye view.

Wang Zhong: "Next to it is the anti-aircraft artillery battalion that protects the station. It also has certain defense capabilities against enemy air attacks. If it is well disguised, it can survive for a long time. It's not important. Follow me to the station headquarters!"

"Under the current situation, the ammunition supplies and weapons and equipment sent to Bogdanovka will definitely not be delivered. We must requisition them immediately!"

Wang Zhong said as he walked back along the half-walked overpass, and the others immediately followed.

After leaving the train station, Wang Zhong sat directly next to Gregory and urged: "Go to the military station headquarters!"

As soon as Popov got into the car, Grigory started the engine.

Vasily originally wanted to get in the car, but he hesitated and turned around and ran towards the station.

————

At the military station headquarters, as soon as the jeep arrived, Wang Zhong strode inside and met the head of the Loktov garrison head-on.

Wang Zhong stopped him: "Where are you going in such a hurry, Alexander Alexandrovich?"

The group leader was stunned when he heard his name, because this was the first time Wang Zhong spoke to him, and his voice was unfamiliar. He raised his head and saw the general and the cloak of the Guards. He immediately stood at attention and saluted: "Your Excellency!"

Wang Zhong raised his hand casually and repeated the question: "Where are you going in such a hurry, Alexander Alexandrovich?"

"The depot headquarters requires our regiment to build fortifications outside the city."

Wang Zhong: "Have you never built it before?"

"We dug, but not enough." The regiment leader looked depressed. "Our main focus is on building cement bunkers. Now we are asked to dig anti-tank trenches. How can we dig out the shield that shields the entire southwest of the city in one day?" Anti-tank trench?"

Wang Zhong: "You can mobilize the civilians in the city to dig."

Alexander: "Three labor camps have been organized in the city, but they have all been sent to repair the railway. Now there are only women in the city."

“It is better for women to hold up half the sky and let them dig than to fail to complete the task.”

As he said this, Wang Zhong patted Alexander on the shoulder.

The latter nodded and strode away.

Popov asked: "Know him?"

"No, I just wrote down his name by the way. After all, he is the leader of the local garrison."

Wang Zhong continued to walk into the headquarters, and when he entered the map room, he saw a busy scene.

The commander of the military station was holding the phone and shouting: "What? What? How many more trains are there?"

It seemed that he was on the phone with the station.

Wang Zhong walked to the map and looked at the latest situation updated on it - at least this morning, Bogdanovka on the map had not been surrounded, and the enemy's pincer offensive seemed to be still some distance away before it could be closed.

Popov also came over to look at the map with him, his expression serious.

The commander of the military station finally finished talking on the phone and muttered, "Everything is really not going well." Then he raised his head and looked at Wang Zhong: "Good afternoon, General."

In fact, it's still a while before noon.

Loktov Military Station is relatively large, so the commander of the military station here is also a brigadier general. In this kind of workplace, officers of the same rank can save time by not saluting.

Wang Zhong: "Bogdanovka is about to be surrounded now. I guess the supplies that need to be sent there can't be sent there now. I think the Prosin people's next target is Loktov, and I need to requisition them immediately." These weapons and ammunition are prepared for defensive operations."

The commander of the military station asked: "Do you have any orders?"

Wang Zhong: "The enemy is coming! Are we not going to release weapons and ammunition now so that the enemy can seize them and use them against us?"

"I have not received any notification that the enemy is coming." said the commander of the military station. "Bogdanovka is working hard to relieve the siege."

Wang Zhong: "What can we use to break the siege?"

"The 23rd Tank Corps is attacking." The depot commander replied, "This is a newly invested unit."

Wang Zhong: "I didn't see them passing by us?"

"They didn't go by rail, and tank units could maneuver through most of the country roads."

Wang Zhong: "Then most of the tanks will be broken down due to mechanical failures on the road! And the enemy also has an air force. The tanks that are not broken will be destroyed by the enemy's air force!"

"I don't know about that. In short, these weapons and ammunition will be transported upwards after the siege of Bogdanovka is lifted. No one can mobilize them without orders." The commander of the military station said firmly.

Wang Zhong cursed, and at that moment a staff officer rushed in and shouted: "Oh no, Commander, look outside!"

The two "commanders" in the room looked out the window pointed by the staff officer.

Several large trucks drove into the yard of the headquarters. Soldiers wearing Guards capes and holding brand-new Tokarev semi-automatic rifles jumped out of the trucks and lined up in the yard.

The flag of the 31st Guards Infantry Regiment fluttered in the wind in the yard.

The commander of the military station turned to glare at Wang Zhong: "General Rokossov, what are you doing?"

Wang Zhong is also one of the tallest men, but he didn't give the order to mobilize the troops?

Then he saw Vasily in the queue.

understood.

However, in this situation, we might be able to use this to put pressure on the commander of the depot.

Wang Zhong looked at the commander of the military station: "I have fought with the Prosens and defeated them! No one knows them better than me! My intuition tells me that Loktov will be attacked soon!

"You think so too, right? Otherwise you wouldn't have let the garrison dig anti-tank trenches!"

The commander of the military station pursed his lips and did not refute.

Wang Zhong: "Similarly, you also know that the supplies to Bogdanovka cannot be delivered! They may never use these supplies!"

Commander of the military station: "Even so, I can't give you anything without an order!"

Wang Zhong wanted to punch this bureaucratic bastard, but he immediately thought of an idea.

"I can issue you an IOU!" Wang Zhong paused. Seeing that the commander of the military station had no intention of letting go, he added, "In the name of the Crown Prince!"

The commander of the military station blinked and nodded: "Okay, you write an IOU, and then you can take whatever you want. I see you have already driven the car, so I can't stop you."