tc.redstormrising-第78部分

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ut　of　nowhere。　The　gunner　cranked　frantically　at　the　handle　as　another　round　crashed　into　their　armor。　The　driver　aided　him；　turning　the　vehicle　and　praying　that　they　could　return　the　fire。
The　puter　was　out；　damaged　by　the　shock　of　the　first　hit。　The　T…80　was　less　than　a　thousand　meters　away　when　the　gunner　settled　on　it。　He　fired　a　HEAT　round；　and　it　missed。　The　loader　slammed　another　home　in　the　breech。　The　gunner　worked　his　controls　and　fired　again。　Hit。
〃There's　more　behind　that　one；〃　the　gunner　warned。
〃Buffalo　Six；　this　is　three…one；　bad　guys　ing　in　from　our　flank。　We　need　help　here；〃　Mackall　called；　then　to　the　driver：　〃Left　track　and　back　up　fast！〃
The　driver　needed　no　encouragement。　He　cringed；　looking　out　his　tiny　viewing　prisms；　and　rocked　the　throttle　handle　all　the　way　back。　The　tank　raced　backward　and　left　as　the　gunner　tried　to　lock　onto　another　target…but　the　automatic　stabilization　was　also　out。　They　had　to　sit　still　to　fire　accurately；　and　it　was　death　to　sit　still。
Another　Thunderbolt　came　in　low；　dropping　cluster　munitions　on　the　Russian　formation。　Two　more　Soviet　tanks　were　stopped；　but　the　fighter　went　away　trailing　smoke。　Artillery　fire　joined　in　to　stop　the　Soviet　maneuver。
〃For　Christ's　sake；　stop　so　I　can　shoot　one　of　the　fuckers！〃　the　gunner　screamed。　The　tank　stopped　at　once。　He　fired；　hitting　a　T…72　on　the　tread。　〃Reload！〃
A　second　tank　joined　Mackall's；　a　hundred　meters　to　his　left。　It　was　intact　and　fired　off　three　quick　rounds　for　two　hits。　Then　a　Soviet　helicopter　reappeared　and　exploded　the　troop　mander's　tank　with　a　missile。　A　shoulder…fired　Stinger　missile　then　killed　the　chopper　as　the　German　infantry　redeployed。　Mackall　watched　a　pair　of　HOT　antitank　missiles　go　left　and　right　of　his　turret；　reaching　for　the　advancing　Soviets。　Both　hit。
〃Antenna　tank；　dead　ahead。〃
〃I　see　him。　Sabot！〃　the　gunner　cranked　the　turret　back　to　the　right。　He　elevated　his　gun　to　battle　sights　and　fired。

〃Captain　Alexandrov！〃　the　division　mander　shouted　into　his　microphone。　The　battalion　mander's　transmission　had　stopped　in　midword。　The　colonel　was　using　his　radio　too　much。　Ten　miles　away；　a　German　battery　of　155mm　mobile　guns　tracked　in　on　the　radio　signals　and　fired　twenty　quick　rounds。
Alekseyev　heard　the　ining　and　jumped　into　a　German…dug　foxhole；　dragging　Sergetov　with　him。　Five　seconds　later　the　area　was　blanketed　by　smoke　and　noise。
The　General　stuck　his　head　up　to　see　the　colonel　still　standing；　still　giving　radio　orders。　Behind　him　the　mand　vehicle　was　burning；　the　radios　with　it。　Five　men　were　dead；　another　half…dozen　screaming　with　the　pain　of　their　injuries。　Alekseyev　looked　with　annoyance　at　a　bloody　streak　on　the　back　of　his　hand。

Mackall　killed　one　more　tank；　but　it　was　the　Germans　who　stopped　the　attack；　using　the　last　of　their　HOT　missiles　to　do　so。　The　remaining　Russian　mander　lost　his　nerve　when　half　the　tanks　in　the　battalion　were　hit。　The　survivors　turned　on　their　smoke　generators　and　retreated　back　around　the　hill　to　the　south。　Artillery　chased　after　them。　The　land　battle　was　over　for　the　moment。
〃Mackall；　what's　happening　down　your　way？''　the　troop　executive　officer　inquired。
〃Where's　Six？〃
〃To　your　left。〃　Mackall　looked　and　saw　the　troop　mander's　burning　tank。　So　that's　who　it　was
〃Just　us；　sir。　What's　left？〃
〃I　count　four。〃
My　God；　the　sergeant　thought。

〃Get　me　a　Regiment　from　the　tank　division　and　I　can　do　it。　They　have　nothing　left！〃　the　colonel　insisted。　His　face　was　bloody　from　a　superficial　wound。
〃I　will　do　this。　How　soon　can　you　continue　the　attack？〃　Alekseyev　asked。
〃Two　hours。　I　need　that　long　to　regroup　my　forces。〃
〃Very　well。　I　must　return　to　headquarters。　The　enemy　opposition　was　tougher　than　you　expected；　rade　Colonel。　Otherwise　your　forces　performed　well。　Tell　your　intelligence　section　to　work　harder。　Gather　up　your　prisoners　and　interrogate　them　rigorously！''　Alekseyev　moved　off　with　Sergetov　in　his　wake。
〃Worse　than　I　expected；〃　the　captain　observed　once　they　were　inside　their　vehicle。
〃They　must　have　had　nearly　a　Regiment　facing　us。〃　Alekseyev　shrugged。　〃We　can't　make　that　kind　of　mistake　very　often　and　expect　to　succeed。　We　advanced　four　kilometers　in　two　hours；　but　the　cost　was　murderous。　And　those　bastards　in　the　Air　Force！　I'll　have　something　to　say　to　our　Frontal　Aviation　generals　when　we　get　back！〃

〃That　makes　you　troop　XO；〃　the　lieutenant　said。　It　turned　out　there　were　five　surviving　tanks。　One　had　both　radios　broken。　〃You　did　good；　real　good。〃
〃How'd　the　Germans　make　out？〃　Mackall　asked　his　new　boss。
〃Fifty…percent　losses；　and　Ivan　kicked　us　back　four　klicks。　We　can't　expect　to　survive　much　more　of　this。　We　may　have　some　reinforcements　in　an　hour。　I　think　I　convinced　Regiment　that　Ivan　really　wants　this　place。　We'll　be　getting　help。　Same　for　the　Germans。　They　promised　another　battalion　by　nightfall；　maybe　a　second　one　by　dawn。　Take　your　track　down　for　refuel　and　reload。　Our　friends　may　be　back　soon。〃
〃That's　one　little　and　two　big　attacks　for　this　village。　They　ain't　got　it　yet；　sir。　〃
〃One　other　thing。　I　talked　to　Regiment　about　you。　The　colonel　says　you're　an　officer　now。〃
Mackall's　tank　spent　ten　minutes　getting　to　the　rearm　point。　Fueling　took　ten　minutes　while　the　exhausted　crewmen　loaded　a　new　collection　of　shells。　The　sergeant　was　surprised　that　he　had　to　head　back　to　the　front　five　rounds　short。

〃You've　been　hit；　Pasha。〃　The　younger　man　shook　his　head。
〃I　scratched　my　hand　getting　out　of　the　helicopter。　I'll　let　it　bleed　awhile　to　punish　myself　for　clumsiness。〃　Alekseyev　sat　opposite　his　mander　and　downed　a　full　liter　canteen　of　water。　He　was　embarrassed　by　his　slight　wound　and　decided　to　lie　about　it。
〃The　attack？〃
〃Opposition　was　ferocious。　We'd　been　told　to　expect　two　infantry　battalions；　plus　tanks。　I　estimate　the　actual　enemy　strength　as　a　damaged　regiment；　and　they　had　well…prepared　positions。　Even　so；　we　almost　broke　through。　The　colonel　in　mand　had　a　good　plan；　and　his　men　pushed　as　hard　as　anyone　could　expect。　We　forced　them　back　to　within　sight　of　the　objective。　I　want　to　release　a　regiment　of　tanks　from　the　OMG　to　the　next　attack。〃
〃We　are　not　permitted　to　do　this。〃
〃What？〃　Alekseyev　was　stunned。
〃The　Operational　Maneuver　Groups　are　to　remain　intact　until　the　breakthrough　is　achieved。　Orders　from　Moscow。〃
〃One　more　regiment　will　do　it。　The　objective　is　in　sight！　We've　chewed　up　one　motor　rifle　division　to　get　this　far；　and　lost　half　the　strength　of　another。　We　can　win　this　battle　and　get　the　first　major　rupture　in　NATO　lines…but　we　have　to　act　now！〃
〃You're　certain？〃
〃Yes；　but　we　must　move　fast。　The　Germans　must　realize　how　close　this　battle　has　bee。　They'll　try　to　reinforce　also。　The　lead　regiment　from　30th　Guards　Tank　Division　is　one　hour　from　the　front。　If　we　can　get　them　moving　within　thirty　minutes；　they'll　be　part　of　the　next　attack。　In　fact；　we　should　move　the　whole　division　up。　This　opportunity　will　not　last　long。〃
〃Very　well。　I'll　call　STAVKA　for　permission。〃
Alekseyev　leaned　back　and　closed　his　eyes。　The　Soviet　mand　structure：　to　deviate　from　the　Plan；　even　a　Theater　mander　had　to　get　permission！　It　took　over　an　hour　while　the　staff　geniuses　in　Moscow　examined　the　maps。　The　lead　regiment　of　30th　Guards　was　released　and　ordered　to　join　the　motor…rifle　division　in　the　next　attack。　But　they　were　late；　and　the　attack　was　delayed　ninety　minutes。

Second　Lieutenant　Terry　Mackall…he　still　wore　his　stripes　and　was　too　tired　to　care　about　his　change　in　rank…wondered　how　seriously　mand　was　taking　this　little　tank　battle。　Two　battalions　of　German　regulars　arrived　in　tracked　vehicles；　relieving　the　exhausted　Landwehr　men；　who　moved　back　to　prepare　defensive　positions　in　and　around　the　village　to　their　rear。　A　pany　of　Leopard　tanks　and　two　platoons　of　M…1s　reinforced　the　position；　with　a　German　colonel　in　overall　mand　。　He　arrived　by　helicopter　and　surveyed　all　the　defensive　positions。　A　tough…looking　little　bastard；　Mackall　thought；　with　some　bandages　on　his　face　and　a　tight　unsmiling　mouth。　Mackall　remembered　that　if　Ivan　broke　through　here；　he　just　might　be　able　to　flank　the　German　and　British　forces　that　had　stopped　the　Russians'　deepest　penetration　at　the　suburbs　of　Hannover。　That　made　the　battle　important　to　the　Germans。
The　German　Leopards　took　the　frontal　positions；　relieving　the　Americans。　It　was　a　full　troop　now；　back　to　fourteen　vehicles。　The　troop　mander　split　the　force　into　two　parts；　with　Mackall　manding　the　southern　group。　They　found　the　last　line　of　dug　shelters；　just　southeast　of　the　village。　Mackall　arrayed　his　newly　assigned　mand　with　care；　checking　each　position　on　foot　and　conferring　with　each　tank　mander。　The　Germans　were　thorough　enough。　Any　position　that　did　not　already　have　natural　shrubbery　in　place　had　had　it　transplanted　in。　Nearly　all　of　the　civilians　who　lived　here　had　been　evacuated；　but　a　handful　of　people　were　unwilling　to　desert　the　homes　they'd　built。　One　of　them　brought　some　of　the　tankers　hot　food。　Mackall's　crew　didn't　have　time　to　eat　it。　The　gunner　repaired　two　loose　connectors　and　reset　the　balky　fire…control　puter。　The　loader　and　driver　worked　on　a　loose　tread。　Artillery　was　falling　around　them　before　they　finished。

Alekseyev　wanted　to　be　there。　He　had　a　telephone　link　with　the　division；　and　listened　in　on　the　division　mand　circuit。　The　colonel…Alekseyev　wanted　to　make　him　a　general　if　the　attack　succeeded…plained　that　they　had　been　forced　to　wait　too　long。　He'd　asked　for　and　gotten　a　reconnaissance　mission　over　enemy　lines。　One　of　the　aircraft　had　vanished。　The　other's　pilot　reported　movement；　but　could　not　provide　a　strength　estimate；　so　busy　had　he　been　dodging　surface…to…air　missiles。　The　colonel　feared　there　had　been　an　increase　in　enemy　strength；　but　without　hard　evidence　could　not　justify　either　a　further　delay　or　further　reinforcements。

Mackall　also　watched　from　a　distance。　The　last　row　of　hills　was　a　mile　away；　across　what　had　been　a　farm　but　was　now　covered　mostly　with　small　trees；　as　though　the　soil　had　been　exhausted。　His　forces　were　organized　in　two　three…tank　platoons。　As　mander；　his　job　was　to　lie　back　and　direct　them　by　radio。
Twenty　minutes　after　the　radio　reported　a　strong　Russian　advance；　he　began　to　see　movement。　German　personnel　carriers　beg