roccoschili Chapter 124 Night Vision Tanks' First Battle: A Crushing Strike, One Wave Shatters the Russians
Chapter 124 Night Vision Tanks' First Battle: A Crushing Strike, One Wave Shatters the Russians
Chapter 124 Night Vision Tanks' First Battle: A Crushing Strike, Shattering the Russians in One Wave
Vasily got up from the ground, grabbed his weapon, and ran toward another street not far away. He heard gunshots.
Now he needs to find a company.
The mechanized division dispersed into the city, unaware that the city was teeming with Iranian 5th Division infantry, along with several German volunteer mortar squads and an infantry regiment.
At this moment, Wenzi City was not a sausage that the Slavs could eat at will.
Instead, it was a steel bar that shattered all of his teeth.
Soldiers of Adolf's 1st Mechanized Motorized Rifle Brigade, who had participated in the Balkan and Greek campaigns, were very familiar with urban warfare and dealing with tanks; their combat experience far surpassed that of the Russians.
With their assistance, the Iranian 5th Division easily destroyed the enemy's armored behemoth, and, lacking air superiority, they were also able to take it down.
The Slavs began to falter.
They were divided into pieces and scattered throughout the city by the Iranians.
The walls, rooftops, and windows all became battlegrounds for the Iranians.
The Russians had never experienced such a fancy fighting style before.
They huddled outside the walls of residential houses, some even climbing over the walls, fleeing in all directions, feeling as if there were enemies everywhere.
Vasily reunited with his men, and about a company of soldiers withdrew towards the outskirts of the city.
We arrived at the entrance to the city.
A group of Germans holding M35 pistols were lying on the rooftops of the residential buildings on both sides.
They set up machine guns on the roof.
The window was crowded with people.
Bang bang bang bang bang bang! A firepower far exceeding the Slavs' imagination was unleashed in an instant. Dozens of assault rifles opened fire, along with the flames of heavy machine guns. The street felt as if it were filled with bullets.
Automatic weapons, with their ammunition capacity, can determine victory or defeat, and life or death, in just ten seconds.
The fleeing northern infantrymen were hit head-on by bullets one by one, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
His forward momentum seemed to be blocked by an invisible force.
His chest, eye sockets, neck, lower abdomen, and thighs were riddled with holes, bullets piercing through his body and even hitting his teammates behind him.
Some people's skulls were blown off.
Blood flowed like rivers in the streets, and the sand absorbed the blood plasma, turning into something like cinnabar.
The corpses piled up on the road ahead, even blocking those behind.
In the instant they ran, they stepped on their companion's head, fell to the ground, and their backs were riddled with bullet holes.
Chaos, helplessness, despair.
The air was filled with the scent of death.
"Aaaaaah!"
Many young people huddled in the corner, trembling with fear; the cruelty of war was beyond their imagination.
"Damn it." Vasily took a deep breath, raised his semi-automatic rifle, and aimed at the machine gunner on the rooftop to his left through the sights.
Tap your finger, comment!
The bullet flew out and pierced the German's chest.
His deputy immediately stepped in, but Vasily pulled the trigger again.
boom!
The two fell down.
The German immediately shouted.
"Sniper."
"Suppressive firepower."
Five assault rifles were aimed at Vasily.
The bullets hit the wall, sending waves of sand flying.
Vasily breathed heavily, gripping his rifle tightly, not daring to show his face; the enemy's firepower was too intense.
"Damn it, retreat, this way."
After saying that, he raised his rifle and switched directions with the remaining men.
After three hours of fierce fighting, Vasily led his men on a desperate escape from Wenz.
There was no water or food in the wilderness outside the city.
Many people were injured, their lips were so dry they felt they could drink urine.
Vasily pulled open his uniform, revealing his chest, but dared not take his clothes off.
He knew that taking off his clothes would cause him to dehydrate faster and might even result in sunburn.
They fled across the sand under the scorching sun, their feet aching and burning with intense pain.
In my field of vision, it felt like the air itself was distorting and shaking.
Thump, seven or eight companions fell to the ground.
The harsh environment is quite different from their hometown; they are used to the cold but not to the heat and drought.
Of the more than 1,000 people, only a little over 800 remained after nightfall.
Most of the injured died, and some fell into a coma due to heatstroke.
They were discovered by follow-up troops in the early morning.
Vasily has fainted.
The infantry division commander who arrived later counted the number of soldiers.
The 1st Mechanized Division of the South Caucasus lost all its heavy weapons and artillery, and fewer than ten tanks and armored vehicles escaped.
There are 539 people remaining.
An elite mechanized division was almost wiped out.
"My God." The major general could not believe what he was seeing.
They actually managed to defeat a bunch of straw sandal soldiers like this.
"What exactly happened?"
Vasily, who had just woken up, looked at the general and said, "We were ambushed. Those Iranians were mixed in with the civilians in the houses."
"Didn't you search?"
"We searched, but initially there were only ordinary people in the houses. They must have a lot of cellars."
"Those damn Iranians."
"But that's no excuse for your defeat. You have a lot of tanks and artillery. If they're hiding in civilian houses, just blow them up."
"They laid landmines and had a large number of man-portable anti-tank weapons. We never expected that grenades would attack from all around us, and we had no idea how many people were involved."
The enemy also has mortars and snipers; this is clearly aimed at our mechanized division.
Many tank crews were resting, while others were destroyed in the first moment of the attack. The destroyed tanks blocked the road, and the armored units were crammed together.
The scene was extremely chaotic; oh yes, they also had air support.
"That's impossible. The other side doesn't have that many planes. We deployed 700 aircraft of various types, and we have more fighter jets than the Iranians."
"He, they have Tusca."
"What? Say that again?"
"They have those German planes. I've seen them in photos. I have a good memory. They're German planes."
"German, are you sure? If you're lying, you know the consequences."
The major general grabbed Vasily by the collar.
"I swear, I was a sniper. I killed two white machine gunners, one of whom was blond. Also, their rifles were automatic, not semi-automatic or bolt-action. Iranians don't have weapons like that."
"Damn Germans!"
June 18, 1940.
The intelligence was relayed to Moscow.
The generals at headquarters had grim faces; the thing they least wanted to happen had happened.
"An entire division was completely destroyed, and about 5,000 paratroopers were lost."
How exactly did Novikov command the operation?
"Those responsible must be held accountable."
"The Germans intervened. Those damned bastards tore up the contract and attacked us."
"These bastards, we have to teach them a lesson."
"Yes, launch an attack while cutting off their supply lines."
The bearded man sat in his seat, his gaze sweeping over the group of generals.
His gaze was like a knife, not sharp, but heavy.
Everyone wisely kept quiet.
The bearded man understood that these were just words spoken in anger; the Germans were unprepared, and so were they.
The outcome of the Finnish War made him realize that defeating Germany would not be easy.
The North still needs time.
More tanks, more planes, and even more advanced weapons and artillery!
These all take time.
"Order the 26th Mechanized Corps to depart from Khorasan Province and take Tehran."
The 26th Army, later renamed the 1st Guards Tank Army, had a total of more than 1,000 tanks.
Two tank divisions and one motorized infantry division, totaling 36080 men.
Yes, this force is very powerful on paper.
The number of tanks in a single division far exceeded that of a German armored division.
Only the high command of the 26th Army knew the actual situation.
The commander of the 1st Tank Division under the 26th Army shook his head as he watched the tanks stop by the roadside for repairs after marching less than 30 kilometers.
"We have a large number of tanks, but 80% of them are old T-26s, and we only have less than 60 KV-1s."
The most critical issue is that we are understaffed.
The First Division, which should have had more than 10,000 men, actually only had 8,000.
The entire 26th Army was supposedly 36080 strong, but in reality it only had a little over 27000 men.
However, this is not an isolated case, but a common phenomenon. Most of the 29 newly formed mechanized corps are understaffed, and the impact of the large-scale expansion is a sharp decline in combat effectiveness.
"Report: A large number of tanks in the First Regiment need repair and track replacement, but we don't have enough logistics personnel, so we need to stop for maintenance."
The division commander nodded silently. This was the most critical issue: they had many combat personnel, but very few logistical support personnel.
A German armored division has 17000 men, and its logistics personnel are far more numerous.
"Notify the Second Regiment to advance."
The communications soldier immediately mounted a warhorse and rode towards the Second Tank Regiment.
"It would be great if every regiment had a radio."
The division commander cursed in frustration.
"As you know, only the division headquarters has radios, and the tanks don't have radios either."
Looking at the chief of staff, the division commander nodded helplessly. "The Second Division is being sent to the front lines. Our First Division is the vanguard, and the Second Division is providing support. Their Second Tank Regiment is actually just an anti-tank gun regiment; it doesn't have a single tank."
"
"Commander, are you really that considerate of your colleagues? As the vanguard, our losses will be enormous."
"But we have a large number of tanks, which can quickly tear open gaps in the enemy's defenses. Let the Second Regiment be the vanguard. We lack vehicles, so the motorized infantry regiment will follow."
The chief of staff knew that the division commander's judgment was correct, so he didn't say anything more and slowly walked to the side to look at the map.
The 1st Tank Division's advance was much slower than expected. The Russian 26th Corps, which had not changed its organization and structure, was not only bloated and inefficient, but also lacked effective communication capabilities.
Due to a lack of logistics personnel, maintenance soldiers had to do the work of three people, and they were simply unable to keep up.
Night fell.
In the desert of southern Khorasan Province, a troop marches through the night.
The headlights shone in the night. On a Panzer III tank, the commander silently gazed at the dark desert, where even the chirping of insects could not be heard.
This unit belongs to the Tank Regiment of the 2nd Armored Division of the 12th Group Army.
Germany's armored forces consisted of only one tank regiment. Although they were fewer in number than the Soviets, they had better logistical support, and most of their tanks were currently in good working order.
"Colonel, according to Iranian intelligence, the 1st Tank Division of the 26th Army in the North is less than 23 kilometers away from us."
"Notify all vehicle commanders to maintain radio communication, activate infrared night vision, and initiate image transmission."
"Yes."
"This time, we're going to launch a night raid. The enemy doesn't have night vision. The weather's good tonight, no sandstorms, and visibility is around 600 meters."
The colonel exposed himself, looking at the surrounding night scene. Around him, a large number of tanks marched, raising a light dust in the desert.
"The electrified motorized artillery regiment will provide support by shelling the enemy's infantry regiment while we attack their main tank regiment."
"Yes."
Behind the tank regiment, hundreds of vehicles carried infantry.
Behind the car were a tractor, a self-propelled artillery piece, and a self-propelled rocket launcher.
A German division's vehicles are roughly equivalent to an enemy corps' vehicles, and their mobility currently far surpasses that of the North.
The commander of the 1st Tank Division stood at the entrance of his barracks. "There are so many stars in the desert night sky, and it's very cool at night."
"It's too hot during the day." The chief of staff walked over to the other person with a water bottle. "Want a sip?"
"You brought wine?" The division commander's eyes narrowed with a smile.
"I only brought one pot. I'll have a good drink after we take Tehran."
After saying that, he unscrewed the cap and said, "You can only drink one sip, no more."
"Give it to me."
Eleven kilometers from the 11nd Tank Regiment, the Germans slowed down.
"Turn off all headlights."
"receive."
In the desert, beams of light extinguished in the darkness, and from a distance, only the roar of machinery could be heard.
The commander, driver, and gunner watched the images change through the night vision goggles.
At this point, they are able to pass the ball from one to three, instead of the initial one-to-one pass that only the driver could see.
Under immense pressure from the Army, Speer invested more in research and development.
At this point, the 2nd Armored Division already possessed relatively good night combat capabilities.
"Report on the reconnaissance situation of the armored reconnaissance battalion."
"A Slavic tank regiment was 5 kilometers west of us, with the enemy's division headquarters, an infantry regiment, and another tank regiment behind them."
"They have two tank regiments in one armored division?" the regimental commander asked in surprise.
"Yes."
"No artillery?"
"There are no motorized artillery units."
"Heh." The colonel chuckled, pursing his lips. "Move the reconnaissance and intelligence-generating motorized artillery regiment."
A slight tremor came from the ground.
The sound could be heard from a distance.
The infantry scouts discovered something approaching in the dark desert.
"Judging from the sound, it's a vehicle."
"Yes, let's go take a look."
Several scouts, carrying rifles, bent down and stealthily ran towards the direction of the sound.
Less than ten minutes into the run, a menacing metallic glint appeared in the darkness.
"Damn it, it's the Germans, it's the German tank force."
""
"They didn't turn on the lights."
Seeing the Germans so close, the scouts panicked. They had only one thought: to rush back to their camp immediately.
But as soon as they started running, they were spotted by a Panzer IV tank.
Bang bang bang!
Gunshots rang out in the dark wilderness, and the northern scouts were instantly killed.
Gunshots echoed through the night sky.
"Gunfire! Enemy attack! Enemy attack! All members of the Second Tank Regiment, get in your vehicles. Tanks that are not repaired will be used for artillery support. Prepare to fire flares."
The commander of the Second Tank Regiment was instantly jolted awake.
The German armored tank regiment was rapidly approaching. Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks moved like ghosts in the dark, leaving no trace in the desert except for the clear sound of their engines on the barren landscape.
The infrared night vision equipment at the turret position can clearly see the situation within 600 meters. Although the distance is not very far, it is definitely enough for tank battles.
Even in darkness beyond visual reach, the driver, commander, and gunner can accurately see everything in the darkness through image transmission.
An asymmetrical night battle is about to break out.
Germany, equipped with night vision devices, was the first to discover the well-prepared Slavs.
"Divide into two teams, left and right, and begin the attack."
The regimental commander retreated back into the vehicle and gave the order; the German tanks, equipped with radios, quickly formed an attack formation.
Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang! The flames suddenly shot out from the darkness.
Bang! A shell hit the T-26's gun emplacement from the front.
As the explosion occurred, the T-26 tank began to burn, and the death screams of the tank crew could be heard from inside.
"Damn it, fire flares, we can't see them."
The commander of the 2nd Tank Regiment shouted, but he could only stick his body out of the vehicle because there was no radio and all orders had to be shouted. At this moment, he really wanted to notify the division headquarters, but the radios in the north were only distributed to the division level, so he could not make contact quickly.
Instead of charging head-on, the German tanks used their night vision advantage to maneuver sideways, spread out, and move to the right. The tanks stopped, aimed, fired, and then quickly moved away.
Bang bang bang!
A barrage of shells bombarded the Slavs, some hitting the ground and others flying close to the infantry.
Five T-26 tanks caught fire instantly, and flames engulfed the entire camp.
"Charge forward, we can't see them, charge!"
The regimental commander was issuing orders, but the tanks of the Second Regiment were like ants on a hot pan, in complete chaos, each fighting its own battle.
In contrast, the German tank regiment was like a pack of wolves, with the front drawing enemy fire while another quietly circled around to the enemy's flank and rear, followed by a swift and decisive strike.
Bang bang bang!
With artillery shells raining down from behind, the Slavs were attacked from both sides, and they wandered around aimlessly in the darkness like a swarm of headless flies.
In the darkness, the flames flickered like lasers.
Each time they dodged a bullet, their own tanks caught fire. As the number of tanks around them dwindled, the Slavs grew anxious.
"Commander, it's like they can see us."
"That's impossible."
"But their aim in the dark was incredibly accurate."
"Fire! We fire back!"
The KV-1s in the north launched a counterattack, with several shells hitting the Germans all around, only raising dust. Occasionally, by sheer luck, one or two KV-1s were destroyed, but this was nothing to the 2nd Panzer Division.
They spread out and circled around the Slavs.
The two teams were like two groups of sharks lurking near their prey, constantly gnawing at its body.
The shelling lasted for more than half an hour, and the camp was engulfed in flames.
The ground was covered with burning Soviet tanks.
The Germans won with minimal casualties.
Numerous flashes of light streaked across the sky like shooting stars.
Hundreds of rockets hurtled toward the headquarters of the 1st Division of the 26th Army.
With a loud bang, the motorized infantry regiment under the First Division suffered a blow.
Meanwhile, the German tank regiment in the distance turned its guns and charged forward swiftly, a steel torrent annihilating the vulnerable infantry. Behind them, the motorized infantry regiment cleaned up the mess, while the armored reconnaissance battalion, like a bald eagle, lingered outside the battlefield, waiting for lone prey, with a clear division of labor.
Reinhardt's command abilities have been greatly underestimated.
"Annihilate the Slavs. Their communication was poor, their command was chaotic, and they were unable to fight at night. Victory belongs to the Empire."
They annihilated the 26th Mechanized Corps in one fell swoop.
"Loyalty and honor belong to the Empire."
With a shout, the German 2nd Panzer Division pounced on the enemy like a lion in the night.
At the headquarters of the 1st Tank Division, Commander Alexander was telegraphing the army headquarters, requesting support.
A communications soldier outside helped a soldier covered in blood walk in.
"Commander, it's the Germans, it's the Germans! We've been defeated! The 2nd Tank Regiment has been completely annihilated!"
"What did you say?"
Alexander could not believe what he was hearing.
"Yes, the Germans are like eyes in the dark. We can't beat them at all. We can't see where the enemy is, but they can kill us easily."
"This is impossible." Alexander couldn't accept it.
"Really, Commander, let's retreat. Otherwise, the First Division will face annihilation. They also have mobile artillery as reserves. If our artillery support is not timely, we simply cannot win."
Boom!
Explosions rang out around the division headquarters.
Alexander rushed out of the camp and looked around at the darkness.
Several shells landed precisely on their supply trucks.
"Damn it." Alexander's eyes were bloodshot. The Germans really could see in the dark. He didn't believe it was a coincidence. If it was, "It's terrifying." The 1st Division was powerless to fight at night unless it was during the day.
Alexander's chief of staff rushed over, "Commander, get in the car quickly, we must leave."
Alexander nodded. He needed to inform the army commander that they had to create distance and rethink their approach.
Bang bang bang!
Three shells landed around the car, which was then engulfed in flames.
Alexander's face was filled with despair. Yes, the Germans could fight at night.
"They are a bunch of demons."
Rockets rained down from the sky again, and Alexander closed his eyes.
With a deafening roar, the division headquarters was engulfed in flames.
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