tc.redstormrising-第133部分

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Andreyev　stepped　outside　to　watch　in　ghastly　fascination。　He　could　hear　the　sound　of　ripping　linen　that　announced　the　passage　of　the　monstrous　projectiles；　and　turned　to　look　at　the　battery。　Trucks　were　puffing　up　to　the　guns　as　the　crews　fired　off　their　last　rounds　and　began　frantic　preparations　for　relocating　their　guns。　The　battery　had　six　152mm　pieces　and　many　trucks　for　the　crews　and　ammunition。　A　curtain　of　dirt　and　rock　appeared；　followed　by　three　secondary　explosions；　then　four　more　salvos　as　New　Jersey　joined　her　older　sister　in　the　bombardment。
〃What's　that？〃　A　lieutenant　pointed　to　a　dot　in　the　sky。
The　artillery　mander　tore　his　eyes　away　from　what　had　been　a　third　of　his　heavy　guns　and　identified　the　remotely　piloted　vehicle。　〃I　can　have　it　shot　down。〃
〃No！〃　Andreyev　shouted。　〃You　want　to　tell　them　where　our　last　SAM　launchers　are？〃　The　General　had　faced　mortar　and　rocket　fire　in　Afghanistan。　This　was　his　first　experience　on　the　receiving　end　of　heavy　guns。
〃My　other　batteries　are　all　camouflaged。〃
〃I　want　at　least　three　new　alternate　positions　prepared　for　every　gun　you　have；　fully　camouflaged；　all　of　them。〃　The　General　went　back　inside　the　building。　He　felt　confident　that　the　Americans　would　not　shell　the　city　of　Keflavik；　at　least　not　soon。　The　map　room　contained　wall…sized　charts　of　the　western　Icelandic　coast。　Already　his　intelligence　staff　was　placing　flags　to　denote　the　position　of　suspected　American　units。
〃What　do　we　have　on　the　Hvita？〃　he　asked　his　operations　chief。
〃One　battalion。　Ten　BMD　infantry　carriers；　the　rest　of　the　transport　is　trucks　and　mandeered　vehicles。　They　have　mortars；　antitank　missiles；　and　handheld　SAMs。　They　are　deployed　to　cover　the　highway　bridge　above　Bogarnes。〃
〃The　Americans　are　already　looking　down　at　them　from　this　hill。　What　sort　of　aircraft　have　we　seen？〃
〃The　Americans　have　several　carriers　within　striking　distance　of　us。　Twenty…four　fighters　and　thirty…four　attack　aircraft　per　carrier。　If　they　also　landed　a　full　division　of　Marines；　we　are　facing　a　significant　number　of　helicopters；　plus　fixed…wing　Harriers。　These　can　operate　off　their　amphibious　aviation　ships　or　from　land　bases　set　up　for　the　purpose…with　the　right　materials　it　can　be　done　in　four　to　six　hours。　A　Marine　division　is　about　double　our　strength　in　men；　one　heavy　battalion　of　tanks；　stronger　in　artillery；　but　not　so　many　mortars。　It's　their　mobility　that　worries　me。　They　can　dance　all　around　us；　using　helicopters　and　landing　craft　to　place　troops　anywhere　they　choose…〃
〃Just　as　we　did　when　we　landed。　Yes；〃　the　General　agreed　soberly。　〃How　good　are　they？〃
〃The　American　Marines　regard　themselves　as　elite　troops；　just　as　we　do。　Some　of　their　senior　officers　and　NCOs　doubtless　have　bat　experience；　but　few　pany　officers　and　squad　sergeants　will　have　seen　any　real　action。〃
〃How　bad　is　it？〃　A　new　man　came　into　the　room。　It　was　the　KGB　station　chief。
〃You　chekista　bastard！　You　told　me　the　Marine　division　was　going　to　Europe！　They're　killing　my　men　while　we　speak。〃　The　distant　thunder　of　heavy　guns　punctuated　Andreyev's　words。　The　battleships　were　shifting　fire　to　a　supply　dump。　Fortunately　not　much　was　left　there。
〃rade　General；　I…〃
〃Get　out　of　here！　I　have　work　to　do。〃　Andreyev　was　already　wondering　if　his　mission　might　be　hopeless；　but　he　was　a　general　of　paratroops　and　not　accustomed　to　failure。　He　had　ten　attack　helicopters；　all　dispersed　and　hidden　after　the　attack　on　the　Keflavik　airfield。　〃What's　our　chance　of　getting　someone　in　to　look　at　this　harbor？〃
〃We　are　under　continuous　surveillance　from　the　American　radar　aircraft。　Our　helicopter　would　have　to　fly　over　enemy　positions　to　get　there。　The　Americans　have　their　own　armed　helicopters　and　jet　fighters…it's　a　suicide　mission；　and　it　would　take　a　miracle　for　our　men　to　get　close　enough　to　see　anything；　much　less　live　long　enough　to　tell　us　something　useful。〃
〃Then　see　if　you　can　get　us　a　reconnaissance　aircraft　from　the　mainland　or　satellite　support。　I　must　know　what　we're　pitted　against。　If　we　can　smash　their　invasion　beach；　we　stand　a　good　chance　of　defeating　the　troops　they　have　on　the　ground；　and　to　hell　with　their　naval　aircraft！〃
It　was　plicated　to　do；　but　a　Flash　information　request　from　the　mander　Northern　Fleet　cut　through　most　of　the　bureaucracy。　One　of　the　two　real…time…capable　Soviet　reconnaissance　satellites　burned　a　quarter　of　its　maneuvering　fuel　to　alter　its　orbit　and　came　low　over　Iceland　two　hours　later。　Minutes　later；　the　last　Soviet　RORSAT　was　launched　south　from　the　Baikonor　Kosmodrome；　and　its　first　revolution　took　it　within　radar　range　of　Iceland。　Four　hours　after　Andreyev's　message；　the　Russians　had　a　clear　picture　of　what　was　arrayed　at　Iceland。

BRUSSELS；　BELGIUM
〃Are　they　ready？〃　SACEUR　asked。
〃Another　twelve　hours　would　be　better；　but　they're　ready。〃　The　operations　officer　checked　his　watch。　〃They　go　off　on　the　hour。　Ten　minutes。〃　The　hours　spent　getting　the　new　division　in　place　had　been　used　profitably。　Several　additional　brigades　had　been　assembled　into　a　pair　of　new　polyglot　divisions。　The　front　had　been　almost　entirely　stripped　of　reserves　to　do　it；　while　a　hastily　thought…out　cover　and　deception　plan　had　radio　units　all　over　the　front；　broadcasting　radio　messages　to　simulate　the　presence　of　the　relocated　formations。　NATO　had　deliberately　limited　its　own　〃maskirovka〃　until　now；　allowing　SACEUR　to　bet　all　of　Western　Europe　on　a　pair　of　fives。

HUNZEN；　FEDERAL　REPUBLIC　OF　GERMANY
It　was　a　stimulating　exercise。　Alekseyev　had　to　move　his　A　exploitation　forces　forward　while　a　battered　B　motor…rifle　division　bled　to　force　a　crossing　of　the　Weser。　All　the　while　the　General　waited　nervously　for　news　from　his　shaky　right　flank。　There　was　none。　CINC…West　was　as　good　as　his　word；　and　launched　a　covering　attack　against　Hamburg　to　draw　off　NATO　forces　from　the　latest　Soviet　breakthrough。
That　was　no　easy　maneuver。　Antiaircraft　missile　and　gun　units　had　been　drawn　from　other　sectors。　When　NATO　appreciated　what　was　in　the　offing；　they　would　break　every　effort　to　prevent　a　Soviet　advance　on　the　Ruhr。　Resistance　so　far　had　been　light。　Perhaps　they　didn't　understand　what　was　happening；　or　perhaps；　Alekseyev　thought；　they　really　were　at　the　end　of　their　personnel　and　logistical　string。
The　first　A　unit　was　120th　Motor…Rifle；　the　famous　Rogachev　Guards；　whose　leading　elements　were　just　now　crossing　at　R乭le；　and　right　behind　was　8th　Guards　Tank。　Two　more　tank　divisions　were　bunched　on　the　roads　to　R乭le；　while　an　engineer　regiment　labored　to　erect　seven　bridges。　Intelligence　estimated　two；　perhaps　three；　NATO　regiments　ing　to　meet　them。　Not　enough；　Alekseyev　thought。　Not　this　time。　Even　their　air　power　was　depleted。　His　frontal　aviation　groups　reported　minor　opposition　only　around　R乭le。　Perhaps　my　superior　was　right　after　all
〃Heavy　enemy　air　activity　at　Salzhemmendorf；〃　an　Air　Force　munications　officer　reported。
That's　where　40th　Tanks　is；　Alekseyev　thought。　The　B　unit　had　been　badly　chewed　up　by　the　German　spoiling　attack
〃Fortieth　Tanks　reports　a　major　enemy　attack　under　way　on　its　front。〃
〃What　do　they　mean　by　'major'？〃
〃The　report　es　from　the　alternate　mand　post。　I　can't　reach　the　divisional　HQ。　The　assistant　mander　reports　American　and　German　tanks　advancing　in　brigade　force。〃
Brigade　force？　Another　spoiling　attack？
〃Enemy　attack　in　progress　at　Dunsen。〃
〃Dunsen？　That's　close　to　Gronau。　How　the　hell　did　they　get　there？〃　Alekseyev　shouted。　〃Confirm　that　report！　Is　it　an　air　or　ground　attack？〃
〃Hundred　twentieth　Motor…Rifle　has　a　full　regiment　across　the　Weser。　They　are　advancing　on　Br〃keln。　Eighth　Tanks；　leading　elements　have　the　Weser　in　sight。　SAM　units　are　setting　up　to　cover　the　crossing　point。〃
It　was　like　having　people　read　different　parts　of　the　paper　to　him　simultaneously；　Alekseyev　thought。　General　Beregovoy　was　at　the　front；　coordinating　traffic　control　and　setting　final　assignments　for　the　post…crossing　maneuver。　Pasha　knew　that　was　his　proper　place；　but；　as　before；　he　was　annoyed　to　be　far　from　the　real　action；　giving　orders　like　a　Party　boss　instead　of　a　fighting　mander。　The　artillery　from　all　the　advancing　divisions　was　well　forward　to　protect　the　crossing　against　counterattack。
My　rear　areas　are　awfully　weak　。　。　。
〃rade　General；　the　attack　at　Dunsen　is　posed　of　enemy　tank　and　motorized　troops　with　heavy　tactical　air　support。　The　regimental　mander　at　Dunsen　estimates　brigade　strength。〃
A　brigade　at　Dunsen；　and　a　brigade　at　Salzhemmendorf？
Those　are　B　unit　manders。　Out　of　practice；　inexperienced。　If　they　were　really　effective　officers；　they'd　be　in　A　units；　not　shepherding　out…of…shape　reservists。
〃Enemy　ground　units　at　Bremke；　strength　unknown。〃
That's　only　fifteen　kilometers　from　here！　Alekseyev　reached　for　some　maps。　It　was　cramped　in　the　mand　vehicle；　so　he　went　outside　and　spread　them　on　the；　ground　with　his　intelligence　officer　beside　him。
〃What　the　hell's　going　on　here？〃　His　hand　moved　across　the　map。　〃That's　an　attack　on　a　twenty…kilometer　front。〃
〃The　new　enemy　division　is　not　supposed　to　be　in　place　yet；　and　Theater　Intelligence　says　it　will　be　broken　up　for　spot…reinforcement　use　all　over　the　northern　front　area。〃
〃Headquarters　at　F〃lziehausen　reported　a　heavy　air　attack　and　went　off　the　air！〃
As　if　to　emphasize　this　latest　report；　there　was　a　massive　explosion　to　the　north　in　the　direction　of　Bremke；　where　24th　Tanks　had　its　main　fuel　and　ordnance　dump。　Suddenly　aircraft　began　to　appear　low　on　the　horizon。　The　mobile　mand　post　was　in　woods　overlooking　the　small　town　of　Hunzen。　The　town　was　largely　deserted；　and　the　unit's　radio　transmitters　were　there。　NATO　aircraft　had　so　far　shown　a　reluctance　to　damage　civilian　buildings　unless　they　had　to
Not　today。　Four　tactical　fighters　leveled　the　center　of　the　town；　where　the　transmitters　were；　with　high…explosive　bombs。
〃Get　Alternate　One　going　immediately；〃　Alekseyev　ordered。
More　aircraft　swept　overhead；　heading　southwest　toward　Highway　240；　where　Alekseyev's　A　units　were　moving　toward　R乭le。　The　General　found　a　working　radio　and　called　CINC…West　at　Stand。
〃We　have　a　major　enemy　attack　ing　southeast　from　Springe。　I　would　estimate　at　least　two…division　strength。〃
〃Impossible；　Pasha…they　don't　have　two　reserve　divisions！〃
〃I　have　reports　o