Chương 20: Chapter 20: Fierce Battle
Under the influence of the northern wind, the white smoke that once filled the entire battlefield, mixed with gray-black gunpowder smoke, gradually gathered to the right side of the German position, causing visibility on that side to deteriorate as time passed. Two Tiger tanks and three Panzer IV tanks, coordinating their actions, also disappeared into this fog. From Lynn's vantage point, every shot from the powerful tank guns brought two flashes in the smoke, and the different types of artillery also had distinct sounds, making sound and light the only means for gunners to locate their targets from a distance.
Boom!
A violent explosion sent flames soaring into the sky, dispersing the smoke within several meters. As Lynn discerned the silhouette of the destroyed tank, his heart trembled: it was a long-barreled Panzer IV, the first destroyed German tank he had witnessed firsthand. The shell seemed to have pierced through the side of the turret, leaving the angular turret and hull intact but charred, with the barrel, equipped with a muzzle brake, still pointing forward horizontally at an angle of no more than 30 degrees to the axis of the vehicle.
Thud!
This was the roar of a Tiger tank. Lynn's narrow escape occurred amidst such cannonfire, etching the memory deeply. The hit Soviet tank then exploded violently, generating a high-temperature flame that created a small "eye of the storm" around the tank, though the smoke was not completely dispersed, its outline could still be discerned vaguely.
How Lynn wished it had been a Ferdinand tank destroyer that was knocked out; it would have made the following battle slightly less challenging. However, it was just a T-34, inexpensive and versatile. Compared to the German Tigers and Panthers, it was like a gray wolf in the forest—swift, sharp-toothed, always attacking in packs, winning through collective combat power and the spirit of sacrificing oneself for the greater good.
Thud!
Another roar of a Tiger tank. The mere seconds between cannonfires confirmed to Lynn that both of their Tigers were still in action. Despite their clumsiness, high failure rate, high fuel consumption, and high cost, no one could deny their incomparable strategic significance. They were the pride of the German army, the spiritual backbone of the soldiers on the battlefield, the armored knights that struck fear into the enemy. Their existence had once caused Allied commanders to worry and agonize, while bringing joy and confidence to the German people. Even in the late stages of the war, they continued to play a crucial role on all fronts.
Here, they were the sturdy pillars of the entire German defense line, both in spirit and in tactics.
Less than 500 meters away, the armor-piercing shells fired by the 88mm guns were indeed "swift as lightning." The deafening explosion, while reducing the surrounding smoke, revealed another T-34 in their sights. Even if they only played the role of "hired hands" on this battlefield, their long-barreled guns were still formidable weapons. If they managed to flank the enemy successfully, any type of German tank could suffer a fatal blow, including the Tiger.
Boom!
A resounding cannon shot came from the thickest part of the smoke. Almost simultaneously with a foot touching the ground, the explosion appeared on the right side. As the smoke cleared, Lynn saw the silhouette he least wanted to see: the turret, with its almost circular cross-section, was the most prominent feature distinguishing the Tiger tank from the Panzer III and IV tanks. The massive turret was appropriately placed in the center of the hull, and the long, thick barrel did not give the impression of being top-heavy like the IS-2. Eroded by enemy fire, the tiger-like striped magnetic armor on the left side of the turret showed significant damage. There were no visible penetration holes from armor-piercing shells, no flames from internal explosions, not even the hatches of the driver and the commander were open. Although Lynn held a glimmer of hope, he also knew very well that the Soviet heavy tank's almost insane 122mm cannon was not to be trifled with. To survive a direct hit at such close range, this Tiger would need extraordinary luck to avoid being blown to bits.
Squinting his eyes to focus, but after almost half a minute, whether the Soviet shells exploded nearby or bounced off the armor, the battered Tiger tank remained unmoved, enveloped by wisps of smoke swirling around its body, until the gray-white mixed smoke slowly engulfed it again. This scene reminded Lynn of the moment in the movie when the deceased slowly sank into the water, a poignant feeling lingering in his heart...
The continuous roar of cannons still echoed in his ears. Like humans, different types of cannons at different distances produced different sounds. As time passed, the smoke on the battlefield gradually dissipated, and the tanks on both sides began to resemble various types of rocks in the ocean—white, gray, black. From a distance, it was difficult to discern their actual status, but only when they moved or fired could one be sure they were still in action.
The undamaged Tiger tank was the largest "rock" among them. It moved slowly eastward for a short distance, then suddenly stopped. The massive turret did not turn visibly, but a burst of dazzling flames shot out from the muzzle with a loud "boom." In the direction it pointed, less than 200 meters away, was another large "rock." When it was hit by an armor-piercing shell, Lynn clearly identified its "rhinoceros" shape.
Even a fierce tiger could defeat a charging rhinoceros. Obviously, the law of mutual generation and restraint between them was not absolute.
To avoid enemy attacks and seize the initiative, tanks and assault guns on both sides kept maneuvering and adjusting their positions. Unconsciously, the distance between the two sides' tanks became closer and closer until they could see each other's faces, with the closest being less than a hundred meters apart. Even though bayonets couldn't be fixed on the gun barrels, it was still a "close combat" between armored vehicles. At a distance of only a few tens of meters, any shot from either side, regardless of where it hit, would be a potentially fatal blow.
"Achtung, Feindalarm!" (German: Attention, enemy alert!)
The low voice of the "Butcher" pulled Lynn's attention away from the thrilling armored battle and back to the immediate surroundings. In just a few minutes, the defeated Soviet flanking unit returned, soldiers still wearing their 1940-style helmets and khaki uniforms, their weapons seemingly unchanged, except for an obvious increase in numbers, indicating a shift from ambush to frontal assault. Checking his rifle, Lynn pulled out two more clips of ammunition from his pocket, ready to make use of his marksmanship skills. However, before the Soviet infantry could reach them, muffled "thuds" were heard from the depths of the forest, followed by someone shouting "Vorsicht - Deckung." After spending nearly three days in the frontline trenches, Lynn knew this roughly meant "take cover and hide."
Sure enough, with a short "whoosh," several mortar shells landed around the hill where Lynn and his comrades were positioned, their explosions and impact far less powerful than heavy artillery shells, but still potent enough. Small and large fragments flew in all directions at high speed, knocking down many fresh branches. If these fragments hit a person directly, the consequences would be dire.
Dah...dah dah dah...
As the mortar shells rained down, the long-awaited Soviet heavy machine gun roared to life in the woods. Unlike the German MG34/42 general-purpose machine guns, it had a distinctive sharp sound when firing, owing both to its slightly slower rate of fire and the design of its barrel jacket. Without even looking up, Lynn could tell it was the SG43 "Goryunov" heavy machine gun, equipped with a shield and small wheels, widely supplied to Soviet forces in the later stages of World War II and serving as vital firepower support for the volunteer infantry during the Korean War. Compared to the US M1919, the SG43 didn't have any advantages in terms of firepower and range, but its small steel wheels gave it excellent infantry mobility, and the steel shield provided effective protection for the machine gunner on the battlefield.
For the moment, the enemy's firepower held overwhelming superiority. Lynn crouched low in the foxhole, clutching his Mauser rifle tightly to his chest, fearing that enemy bullets and fragments might damage his trusted tool. As a classic bolt-action rifle, the Mauser 98k was clearly outdated by the later stages of World War II, facing strong suppression at close range from the "**shas" on the Eastern Front and being outmatched by the Allied M1 Garand on the Western Front. However, being outdated didn't mean "useless." Apart from the inherent rate of fire limitation of bolt-action rifles, the Mauser 98k excelled in shooting accuracy, effective range, and reliability. Even in the later stages of the war, German soldiers equipped with this bolt-action rifle inflicted significant casualties on the Allies and, in some combat actions, contained or even defeated opponents armed with more commonly issued semi-automatic rifles and submachine guns.
Weapons and people alike were crucial factors determining the outcome of the war.
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