tc.redstormrising-第77部分

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r　emotions　oscillating　between　terror　and　rage　at　what　was　happening　to　them　and　their　country…and　their　homes！

〃Good　fire　plan；　rade　Colonel；〃　Alekseyev　said　quietly。　A　screaming　sound　passed　overhead。　〃There　is　your　air　support。〃
Four　Russian　ground…attack　fighters　wheeled　overhead　to　trace　parallel　to　the　ridgeline　and　dropped　their　loads　of　napalm。　As　they　turned　back　toward　Russian　fines；　one　exploded　in　midair。
〃What　was　that？〃
〃Probably　a　Roland；〃　the　colonel　answered。　〃Their　version　of　our　SA…8　rocket。　Here　we　go。　One　minute。〃
Five　kilometers　behind　the　mand　bunker；　two　batteries　of　mobile　rocket　launchers　ripple…fired　their　weapons　in　a　continuous　sheet　of　flame。　Half　were　high…explosive　warheads；　the　other　half　smoke。

Thirty　rockets　landed　in　Mackall's　sector　and　thirty　in　the　valley　before　him。　The　impact　of　the　explosives　shook　his　tank　violently；　and　he　could　hear　the　pings　of　fragments　bouncing　off　his　armor。　But　it　was　the　smoke　that　frightened　him。　That　meant　Ivan　was　ing。　From　thirty　separate　points；　gray…white　smoke　billowed　into　the　air；　forming　an　instant　manmade　cloud　that　enveloped　all　the　ground　in　view。　Mackall　and　his　gunner　activated　their　thermal…imaging　sights。
〃Buffalo；　this　is　Six；〃　the　troop　mander　called　in　over　the　mand　circuit。　〃Check　in。〃
Mackall　listened　in　closely。　All　eleven　vehicles　were　intact；　protected　by　their　deep　holes。　Again　he　blessed　the　engineers…and　the　German　farmers…who　had　dug　the　shelters。　No　further　orders　were　passed。　None　were　needed。
〃Enemy　in　view；〃　the　gunner　reported。
The　thermal　sight　measured　differences　in　temperature　and　could　penetrate　most　of　the　mile　of　smoke　cover。　And　the　wind　was　on　their　side。　A　ten…mile…per…hour　breeze　was　driving　the　cloud　back　east。　Sergeant　First　Class　Terry　Mackall　took　a　deep　breath　and　went　to　work。
〃Target　tank；　ten　o'clock。　Sabot！　Shoot！〃
The　gunner　trained　left　and　centered　the　sight　reticle　on　the　nearest　Soviet　battle　tank。　His　thumbs　depressed　the　laser　button；　and　a　thin　beam　of　light　bounced　off　the　target。　The　range　display　came　up　in　his　sight：　1310　meters。　The　fire…control　puter　plotted　target　distance　and　speed；　elevating　the　main　gun。　The　puter　measured　wind　speed　and　direction；　air　density　and　humidity；　the　temperature　of　the　air；　and　the　tank's　own　shells；　and　all　the　gunner　had　to　do　was　place　the　target　in　the　center　of　his　sights。　The　whole　operation　took　less　than　two　seconds；　and　the　gunner's　fingers　jammed　home　on　the　triggers。
A　forty…foot　muzzle　blast　annihilated　the　shrubs　planted　two　years　earlier　by　some　German　Boy　Scouts。　The　tank's　105mm　gun　jerked　back　in　recoil；　ejecting　the　spent　aluminum　case。　The　shell　came　apart　in　the　air；　the　sabot　failing　free　of　the　projectile；　a　40mm　dart　made　of　tungsten　and　uranium　that　lanced　through　the　air　at　almost　a　mile　a　second。
The　projectile　struck　the　target　one　second　later　at　the　base　of　the　gun　turret。　Inside；　a　Russian　gunner　was　just　picking　up　a　round　for　his　own　cannon　when　the　uranium　core　of　the　shot　burned　through　the　protective　steel。　The　Russian　tank　exploded；　its　turret　flying　thirty　feet　into　the　air。
〃Hit！〃　Mackall　said。　〃Target　tank；　twelve　o'clock。　Sabot！　Shoot！〃
The　Russian　and　American　tanks　fired　at　the　same　instant；　but　the　Russian　shot　went　high；　missing　the　defiladed　M…1　by　nearly　a　meter。　The　Russian　was　less　lucky。
〃Time　to　leave；〃　Mackall　announced。　〃Straight　back！　Heading　for　alternate　one。〃
The　driver　already　had　reverse　engaged；　and　twisted　hard　on　his　throttle　control。　The　tank　surged　backward；　then　spun　right　and　headed　fifty　yards　to　another　prepared　position。

〃Damned　smoke！〃　Sergetov　swore。　The　wind　blew　it　back　in　their　faces；　and　they　couldn't　tell　what　was　going　on。　The　battle　was　now　in　the　hands　of　captains；　lieutenants；　and　sergeants。　All　they　could　see　was　the　orange　fireballs　of　exploding　vehicles；　and　there　was　no　way　to　know　whose　they　were。　The　colonel　in　mand　had　his　radio　headset　on　and　was　barking　orders　to　his　subunit　manders。

Mackall　was　in　his　fast　alternate　position　in　less　than　a　minute。　This　one　had　been　dug　parallel　to　the　ridgeline；　and　his　massive　turret　trained　to　the　left。　He　could　see　the　infantry　now；　dismounted　and　running　ahead　of　their　assault　carriers。　Allied　artillery；　both　German　and　American；　ripped　through　their　ranks；　but　not　quickly　enough　。
〃Target…tank　with　an　antenna；　just　ing　out　of　the　treeline。〃
〃Got　'em！〃　the　gunner　answered。　He　saw　a　Russian　T…80　main　battle　tank　with　a　large　radio　antenna　projecting　from　the　turret。　That　would　be　a　pany　mander…maybe　a　battalion　mander。　He　fired。
The　Russian　tank　wheeled　just　as　the　shot　left　the　muzzle。　Mackall　watched　the　tracer　barely　miss　his　engine　partment。
〃Gimme　a　HEAT　round！''　the　gunner　shouted　over　the　inter。
〃Ready！〃
〃Turn　back；　you　mother…〃
The　Russian　tank　was　driven　by　an　experienced　sergeant　who　zigzagged　his　way　across　the　valley　floor。　He　jinked　every　five　seconds；　and　now　brought　his　tank　left　again…
The　gunner　squeezed　off　his　round。　The　tank　jumped　at　the　recoil　and　the　spent　round　clanged　off　the　turret's　rear　wall。　Already　the　closed　tank　hull　stank　of　the　ammonia…based　propellant。
〃Hit！　Nice　shot；　Woody！〃
The　shell　hit　the　Russian　between　the　last　pair　of　road　wheels　and　wrecked　the　tank's　diesel　engine。　In　a　moment　the　crew　began　to　bail　out；　〃escaping〃　into　an　environment　alive　with　shell　fragments。
Mackall　ordered　his　driver　to　move　again。　By　the　time　they　were　in　their　next　firing　position；　the　Russians　were　less　than　five　hundred　meters　away。　They　fired　two　more　shots；　killing　an　infantry　carrier　and　knocking　the　tread　off　a　tank。
〃Buffalo；　this　is　Six；　begin　moving　to　Bravo　Line…execute。〃
As　platoon　leader；　Mackall　was　the　last　to　leave。　He　saw　both　of　his　panion　tanks　rolling　down　the　open　reverse　slope　of　the　hill。　The　infantry　was　moving　also；　into　their　armored　carriers；　or　just　running。　〃Friendly〃　artillery　blanketed　the　ridgeline　with　high　explosives　and　smoke　to　mask　their　withdrawal。　On　mand；　the　tank　leaped　forward；　accelerating　to　thirty　miles　per　hour　and　racing　to　the　next　defense　line　before　the　Russians　could　occupy　the　ridge　they　were　leaving　behind。　Artillery　fire　was　all　over　them；　exploding　a　pair　of　German　personnel　carriers。
〃Zulu；　Zulu；　Zulu！〃

〃Get　me　a　vehicle！〃　Alekseyev　ordered。
〃I　cannot　permit　this。　I　cannot　let　a　general…〃
〃Get　me　a　damned　vehicle！　I　must　observe　this；〃　Alekseyev　repeated。
A　minute　later；　he　and　Sergetov　joined　the　colonel　in　a　BMP　armored　mand　vehicle　that　raced　to　the　position　the　NATO　troops　had　just　vacated。　They　found　a　hole　that　had　sheltered　two　men…until　a　rocket　had　landed　a　meter　away。
〃My　God；　we've　lost　twenty　tanks　here！〃　Sergetov　said；　looking　back。
〃Down！〃　The　colonel　pushed　both　men　into　the　bloody　hole。　A　storm　of　NATO　shells　landed　on　the　ridge。

〃There's　a　Gatling　gun！''　the　gunner　said。　A　Russian　antiaircraft　gun　carrier　came　over　the　ridge。　A　moment　later　a　HEAT　round　exploded　it　like　a　plastic　toy。　His　next　target　was　a　Russian　tank　ing　down　the　hill　they'd　just　left。
〃Heads　up；　friendly　air　ing　in！〃　Mackall　cringed；　hoping　the　pilot　could　tell　the　sheep　from　the　goats。

Alekseyev　watched　the　twin…engine　fighter　swoop　straight　down　the　valley。　Its　nose　disappeared　in　a　mass　of　flame　as　the　pilot　fired　his　antitank　cannon。　Four　tanks　exploded　before　his　eyes　as　the　Thunderbolt　appeared　to　stagger　in　midair；　then　turned　west；　a　missile　chasing　after　him。　The　SA…7　fell　short。
〃Me　Devil's　Cross？〃　he　asked。　The　colonel　nodded　in　reply；　and　Alekseyev　realized　where　the　name　had　e　from。　From　an　angle；　the　American　fighter　did　look　like　the　stylized　Russian　Orthodox　crucifix。
〃I　just　called　up　the　reserve　regiment。　We　may　have　them　on　the　run；〃　the　colonel　said。
This；　Sergetov　thought　incredulously　to　himself；　is　a　successful　attack？

Mackall　watched　a　pair　of　antitank　missiles　reach　out　into　the　Russian　lines。　One　miss；　one　kill。　More　smoke　came　in　from　both　sides　as　the　NATO　troops　fell　back　another　five　hundred　meters。　The　village　they　were　defending　was　now　in　sight。　The　sergeant　had　counted　a　total　of　five　kills　to　his　tank。　He　hadn't　been　hit　yet；　but　that　wouldn't　last。　The　friendly　artillery　was　really　in　the　fight　now。　The　Russian　infantry　was　down　to　half　the　strength　he'd　first　seen；　and　their　tracked　vehicles　were　laying　back；　trying　to　engage　the　NATO　positions　with　their　own　missiles。　Things　looked　to　be　going　reasonably　well　when　the　third　regiment　appeared。
Fifty　tanks　came　over　the　hill　in　front　of　him。　An　A…10　swept　across　the　line　and　killed　a　pair；　then　was　blotted　out　of　the　sky　by　a　SAM。　The　burning　wreckage　fell　three　hundred　yards　in　front　of　him。
〃Target　tank；　one　o'clock。　Shoot！〃　The　Abrams　rocked　backward　with　yet　another　shot。　〃Hit。〃
〃Warning；　warning；〃　called　the　troop　mander。　〃Enemy　choppers　approaching　from　the　north。〃
Ten　Mi…24　Hinds　arrived　late；　but　they　made　up　for　it　by　killing　a　pair　of　tanks　in　less　than　a　minute。　German　Phantom　jets　then　appeared；　engaging；　them　with　air…to…air　missiles　and　cannon　in　a　wild　melee　that　suddenly　included　surface…to…air　missiles　also。　The　sky　was　crisscrossed　with　smoke　trails；　and　suddenly　there　were　no　aircraft　in　view。

〃It's　bogging　down；〃　Alekseyev　said。　He'd　just　learned　one　important　lesson：　attack　helicopters　cannot　hope　to　survive　in　the　face　of　enemy　fighters。　Just　when　he　thought　the　Mi…24s　would　make　a　decisive　difference；　they'd　been　forced　away　by　the　appearance　of　the　German　fighters。　Artillery　support　was　slacking　off。　The　NATO　gunners　were　counterbatterying　the　Soviet　guns　expertly；　helped　by　ground…attack　fighters。　He　had　to　get　more　front…line　air　support。
〃The　hell　it　is！〃　the　colonel　answered。　He　radioed　new　orders　to　the　battalions　on　his　left　flank。

〃Looks　like　a　mand　vehicle　at　ten　o'clock；　on　the　ridgeline；　can　you　reach　it？〃
〃Long　shot；　I…〃
Whang！　A　shot　glanced　off　the　turret's　face。
〃Tank；　three　o'clock；　close　in…〃
The　gunner　turned　his　yoke　controls　and　nothing　happened。　Immediately　he　reached　for　the　manual　traverse。　Mackall　engaged　the　target　with　his　machine　gun；　bouncing　bullets　off　the　advancing　T…80　that　had　e　out　of　nowhere。　The　gunner　cranked　frantically　at　the　handle　as　another　round　crashed　into　their　armo