"Mr. Commander, please listen to my explanation!" Heim heard the anger brought by Paulus's voice and hurriedly explained: "According to the report of Colonel Oberon, the leader of the 204th Armored Regiment, in order to better conceal our tanks and prevent them from becoming targets of Russian aircraft, these tanks are usually parked in dug pits and covered with straw.

Unexpectedly, when they started these tanks, they found that a large number of mice were building nests in straw. When they were drilling into the tank for food, they bit off the rubber insulation layer of the wires, causing the tank to have electrical failures, resulting in ignitors, turrets and main guns to be useless.

What is even more troublesome is that the tank lacks anti-slip tracks for winter, and the road on which it depends is ice. Many tanks are moving, sliding from one side of the road to the other side, and even a tank overturns..."

"Enough, stop talking." Paulus interrupted his words in anger without waiting for the other party to finish speaking: "In addition to the 22nd Armored Division, your army also has a Romanian 1st Armored Division. How are they doing? Can they be dispatched immediately?"

Heim was not only the commander of the 48th Armored Army, but also Ha was also the commander of the 22nd Armored Division. He heard from Paulus that the place was planning to replace his troops with the Romanian Armored Division, which he did not want to see.

After hesitating for a moment, he spoke: "Hisser Commander, the Romanian 1st Armored Division, although there are 108 tanks, only ten No. 3 tanks. The rest are the captured Czech 38-T tanks, which are far inferior to the Russian T-34 in terms of armor and firepower. Even if the division is transferred to a new defensive zone, it will not be of much effect."

"What are you going to do?" Paulus asked.

"I think we should wait until the 204th Armored Regiment arrives at the designated position and mix the tanks that can still be used with armored vehicles, motorcycles and motors to form a battle group." Heim said without hesitation: "It's called the 'Oberon Battle Group'."

"Well, General Heim, I agree with your plan to form an Oberon battle group in the new combat area." Paulus said helplessly: "I wish you good luck!"

As soon as Paulus put down the phone, he saw Schmidt hurriedly pushing the door and walking in. He couldn't help but ask curiously: "Chief of Staff, are you so anxious? What's wrong?"

Schmidt quickly walked to Paulus and said anxiously: "Hisser Commander, I have just received a report of a lurking whistle deployed on the shore. The Russians' traffic lines on the Volga River have been restored."

"What, the traffic lines on the Volga River have been restored?" Paulus's face showed an incredible expression: "How did they do it?"

"It is said that several small gunboats forced the ice on the river surface and opened up a waterway." Schmidt reported: "But the small gunboats are not icebreakers after all. The waterways they opened were very narrow and can only be passed by two or three transport ships."

"Get in touch with the Air Force immediately." Paulus absolutely cannot easily restore the Soviet transportation line. As soon as Schmidt finished speaking, he immediately ordered him: "Let the Air Force dispatch planes, and must destroy the Russian transportation line and cut off their contact with the other side."

"We can't dispatch the air force." Schmidt pointed his hand into the air and said embarrassedly: "It's snowing outside, and the Air Force planes cannot take off to fight..."

Before he could finish his words, the phone ringing on the table suddenly remembered. Paulus walked over and picked up the phone, and said to the microphone: "I am Paulus!"

The phone call was from the commander of the 51st Army, Kurtzbach, who reported to Paulus in a panic: "His Excellency Commander, according to the report of the frontier forces, a large number of Russian transport planes flew over from the east bank of the Volga River and were airdropping the defenders in the factory area!"

"What, the Russians are airdropping?!" Paulus looked out the window. The snow outside was falling rapidly, and snowflakes like broken floes were falling from the air. He said in surprise: "Are the Russians crazy? With such heavy snow, they actually dispatched transport planes to airdrop the defenders in the factory?"

"Yes, Commander." Kurtzbach said helplessly: "I also think the Russians are crazy. I guess in such weather, there are probably few transport planes participating in airdrops that can land safely."

"General Kurtzbach, we must not allow the Russians to get airdrops, so that they can hold on in the city for a longer time." Paulus said gritted his teeth: "Immediately use air defense firepower to knock down the Russians' planes. Also, order the frontier forces to attack and snatch the airdrop materials, and absolutely do not let them fall into the hands of the Russians."

"I understand, Commander." Kurtzbach quickly replied: "I will execute your order immediately and shoot down all the Russian transport planes that are being airdropped."

Schmidt also heard the conversation between Paulus and Kurtzbach. After Paulus put down the phone, he said with a bitter face: "Commander, the Russians are so crazy. In such bad weather, they dare to send transport planes to airdrop the defenders in the city."

Paulus nodded and said, "I only realized today that the Russians are all madmen. We have been fighting against a group of madmen. It would be strange if we can win."

Regarding why the Soviet army dispatched transport planes to airdrop the defenders in the factory on snowy days, Schmidt asked in confusion: "Commander, I don't understand what would the Russians do to airdrop in such bad weather? Aren't they afraid of losing all the transport planes?"

"Chief of Staff, have you forgotten that the air supremacy over Stalingrad has always been in our hands." Hearing Schmidt's question, Paulus said somewhat proudly: "The Russians have no choice but to choose this kind of weather that our air force cannot dispatch to airdrop the defenders in the city. But I will not let them do what they want. I have ordered Kurtzbach to use anti-aircraft artillery fire to shoot down these transport planes. As for the materials that have been dropped, our soldiers will also snatch them from the Russians."

…………

Sokov returned to the barricade factory and asked Lyudnikov about the situation in the factory. Knowing that the enemy had no movement, he found a place to sleep peacefully.

Just as he was sleeping soundly, he was awakened by Samoilov. He opened his eyes, stared at Samoilov in front of him, and asked impatiently: "Comrade Lieutenant, what happened?"

"Comrade Commander," said Samoilov with some excitement: "Col. Lyudnikov just now received a call from the headquarters, saying that soon our transport planes would go to the factory for airdropping, and ordered us to pay attention to collecting airdrop materials."

"Airdrop?!" Sokov turned his head and looked out from the gap on the wall. Seeing that it was snowing outside, he couldn't help but say in surprise: "My God, are the person who gave the order crazy? He actually made our transport planes move in such bad weather. Are you not worried about the plane crash?"

Sokov was sleeping with his clothes. When he learned that an airplane was coming to airdrop, he quickly turned over and got out of bed, put on his boots and headed towards the Lyudnikov command.

Seeing Sokov's appearance, a smile appeared on his face: "Col. Sokov, you are here. I believe Lieutenant Samoilov has told you that our air force will soon make airdrops over the factory area, and the superiors ordered us to pay attention to collecting airdrop materials. As long as we have enough ammunition and supplies, we can stick to the day when the enemy is eliminated."

Sokov disagrees with the fact that airdrops are made on heavy snowy days. In such bad weather, the pilots cannot see the target on the ground clearly, so they can only airdrop according to their approximate locations. Nowadays, most of the areas in the factory are under the control of the Germans, and most of the materials thrown will probably fall into the hands of the Germans.

It was precisely based on this concern that after Lyudnikov finished speaking, he said with a stern face: "Comrade Colonel, you have been in the barricade factory for longer than me and are more familiar with the terrain in the factory. Now most of the factory areas are occupied by the enemy. Our air force is airdropping without seeing the target clearly. How much material do you think can be placed into the area we control?"

Sokov's words woke up to Lyudnikov, and the smile on his face gradually disappeared. After a moment, he said with a serious expression: "This situation should be reported to his superiors immediately and let them stop airdrops..."

Hearing Lyudnikov say this, Sokov shook his head and said with a wry smile: "It's too late, comrade Colonel. Haven't you heard the roar of the engine in the air? At most, in a few minutes, the plane will fly over the barricade factory. Even if you call the commander now, he can't get the plane back."

Lyudnikov put down his microphone and asked anxiously: "Col. Sokov, what should we do? Are we really watching the enemy take away all our airdrops?"

"How can the enemy snatch our airdrop materials?" Sokov said toughly: "We should immediately stop the troops and go to the factory to compete with the enemy for supplies."

"I will call the leaders of each regiment immediately." Lyudnikov picked up the phone again and prepared to call his subordinates: "Let them be prepared to grab supplies."

This time, Sokov did not stop Lyudnikov from calling, but reminded him: "Comrade Colonel, although I do not have the right to give orders to your troops, I still recommend that you let snipers and mortars follow these groups to reduce casualties in the fighters when carrying supplies."

"Col. Sokov, you're right." Lyudnikov nodded and said, "You will explain your meaning to the soldiers below."

A few minutes later, a team of Soviet transport planes appeared above the barricade factory. Because they could not see the ground target clearly, the planes gradually lowered their altitude, but they were attacked by fire from the ground anti-aircraft machine guns. A plane was unfortunately shot, dragged its long smoke tail and fell head-on, falling into a ruined wall. After a dazzling flame light rose, another earth-shaking explosion sounded, and the crew members and the supplies on the plane turned into ashes in the flames.

Seeing that his comrades' plane was shot down, the remaining planes could only raise the height to avoid the air defense firepower on the ground. The pilots knew that they had arrived above the barricade factory. Although they did not know the specific location of the friendly forces, they still opened the cabin door and started airdropping. They hoped that some of the dropped materials could reach the friendly forces, and they would have completed the task.

Seeing white parachutes blooming in the air, whether they were Soviet commanders and soldiers or German officers and soldiers, they all rushed towards the direction where the parachutes landed, trying to move the airdrop materials away before the other party.

A small Soviet army team first found several parachutes. Just as they started to carry supplies, dense gunfire sounded in the ruins not far away. It turned out that a group of German soldiers who had just arrived were shooting at them. Several unprepared soldiers were immediately shot down, and the blood stained the snow. The remaining soldiers hurriedly lay down on the ground and shot at the enemy.

The battle here was just the beginning. A few minutes later, gunfire and explosions rang out in all directions, all of which were exchanges of fire between Soviet commanders and German officers and soldiers in order to compete for airdrop supplies.

Although when Lyudnikov assigned missions to the commanders of each regiment, he told them to send snipers and mortars to pass through, the troops of these regiments were originally limited, so they could find snipers and mortars, so they did not gain any advantage in the battle against the Germans for supplies.

When Lyudnikov learned that his troops had a fire with the German troops who came to snatch the materials while collecting airdrop materials, causing considerable casualties, he was so anxious that he stamped his feet. However, he also knew that this situation was inevitable. After all, he now had limited troops and shortage of snipers and mortars. Therefore, he could only say to Sokov with shameless face: "Col. Sokov, you have also heard that my troops were attacked by the Germans in the process of snatching airdrop materials. The officers and soldiers suffered heavy casualties. I wonder if you can send someone to support me?"

"Don't worry, comrade Colonel, you and I are friendly forces. If you are in trouble, I will definitely send someone to support you." Sokov said, and picked up the phone in front of him that could directly contact Belkin, and said to the microphone: "Captain Belkin, have you heard the gunshots in the factory?... Hearing, then I will order you now to send snipers and mortars to those areas where you are competing for supplies to support the comrades of the 138th Division."

When answering the phone, Belkin heard that Sokov did not call himself "political commissar" as usual, but instead called himself the regiment commander in an official accent. He realized the seriousness of the problem and quickly replied: "I understand, comrade of the division commander, I will immediately send someone to support the comrades of the 138th Division."

After saying this, he paused for a moment and added: "But the number of snipers and mortars in my hand is limited, so I am afraid that I cannot support so many combat locations at the same time. I can only separate the snipers and mortars and let them rush to different locations to support..."

Sokov discovered that Belkin was so long-winded. Before he could finish his words, he interrupted him: "Okay, my political commissar, hurry up and send someone out. It will be too late."
Chapter completed!