Chapter 1524 The old godmother and the iron lunch box
Chapter 1524 Lao Gan Ma and the Iron Lunch Box
The combat engineer battalion is the most elite and most powerful heavy infantry unit in the division. The equipment it uses is of course the best in the division's infantry combat order. It is also the only experimental unit in the division and even the entire Red Army.
The troops are being restructured and equipped with new assault rifles.
Strictly speaking, in the battle order of the troops under Stalin's 1st Guards Tank Division, the Combat Engineer Battalion, which was established the latest among the infantry, is the heart and soul of the division commander.
Always use it sparingly on weekdays, not to mention critical moments, even if you really go into battle, you must use it at the decisive moment. Good steel is used on the blade, and being used as cannon fodder or fighting conventional warfare basically has no chance with the combat engineer battalion.
But now, Malashenko started to act just because of a so-called "premonition" in his heart. He wanted to mobilize the infantry aces who were reluctant to use even in the final battle and go out immediately.
All kinds of abnormal and unreasonable things are really difficult for the political commissar comrades to understand. However, it is almost impossible to oppose Malashenko's current situation. Just from Malashenko's expression, we can see that he is
Understand the urgency of time.
Comrade Comrade Political Commissar, who simply thought about the matter from a different angle, did realize that Comrade Commander's trip was not safe, as there were huge dangers along the way as Malashenko said.
In this case, Stalin's 1st Guards Tank Division has now completed its combat mission anyway. In addition, the actual losses of Stalin's 1st Guards Tank Division in the battle of Cherkasy were not large, and they almost had superior strength all the way.
Add advantageous equipment to forcefully crush.
So from the actual situation, the actual conditions do allow Malashenko to do this.
There's just one thing. Malashenko, who usually stays in the tank, this time has to pick up a gun and fight in person.
Compared with the IS4 heavy tanks with strong armor and sharp guns, which have abnormal defenses that can hardly be destroyed by ground fire on the battlefield in 1944, the danger of Malashenko personally fighting is undoubtedly dozens of times higher.
But in a hurry, Malashenko could not wait for the tank to pass by and let Malashenko stay and command. It was even more impossible for someone else to lead the team to the battlefield on his behalf. Comrade political commissar who knew Malashenko's temper well.
You know, this guy is a stubborn donkey who won't be able to pull ten cows back if he sees something happen, so he must quickly think of a safe and secure expedient.
"It's too dangerous for you to go to the battlefield as an infantryman with a gun. I won't allow you to do this. I can let you go, but you have to make some concessions. You have to listen to me on certain issues of principle.
.You are the comrade commander of our division who must receive special protection, not the captain of the death squad who leads the charge!"
"..."
Malashenko did not reply. He just continued to look at Comrade Political Commissar without saying a word, as if he was waiting. Of course, there was no hint of denial on his face.
"As usual, you stay in the tank and command. This is the limit I can make and allow you to lead the team there in person. Of course, it is unrealistic for you to continue to lead the team with your command vehicle. The IS4 is too fast.
It’s slow, it’s the slowest tank among the existing tanks in our division.”
"Let's see, you go to the medium tank battalion and change a vehicle to a new T43 medium tank, a command type. Then you take a battalion of medium tanks with you to ensure your personal safety. Look like this
how?"
Comrade Political Commissar's proposal was to prioritize Malashenko's life safety, but when it came to Malashenko himself, he didn't think so.
"One battalion? No, the huge amount of equipment in the tank will slow down the marching speed. I forgot to tell Varosha just now that I only plan to take away two companies of the combat engineer battalion. If I take more, I won't need so much.
The soldiers also slow down the marching speed. This time, the speed must be fast enough. This is the priority! The consequences of slow movement may be catastrophic!"
The political commissar wanted to protect the personal safety of the division commander, while the division commander was focused on how to complete the task better and faster.
This can be said to be a disagreement, or of course it can be said to be just a matter of different starting points between the division commander and the political commissar.
Fortunately, Malashenko and Political Commissar Petrov are both people who can understand each other, and they will not waste time in pointless bickering about one issue.
In the end, the total strength of this small escort force led by Malashenko was determined to be one tank company plus two infantry companies.
The tanks accompanying the team did not include the big, wide and fat Stalin heavy tanks. They were all the latest T43 medium tanks with better performance than the T34 and the improved T3485.
This new medium-sized tank designed by Morozov can be said to be excellent. It has already proven itself in small tests in actual combat at this stage. It has made an impressive debut and has moderate and reliable armor protection among medium tanks.
and excellent mobility.
Although the new 85mm main gun is not as fierce as the German's 71x caliber 75mm fishing rod, it is much inferior in armor-piercing firepower, but it is basically enough. It can penetrate the turrets of Panther 1 and Panther 2 head-on, causing
A fatal blow.
Taking a company of T43s on an expedition can basically deal with the German tank troops of the same level. If they encounter a slightly weaker German armored force without heavy tanks, they can even crush them.
Sitting on a tank and riding a convertible is the most common operation for soldiers who are accustomed to the tank knight mode. Of course, one company of medium tanks alone cannot pull two companies of combat engineers. Combat engineers with a lot of belongings and equipment are inherently
It takes up more space, and Malashenko doesn't allow too many people to crowd into a tank, which is Indian style. If the battle suddenly starts, it will be too late to run away.
The remaining combat engineer battalion infantrymen are all riding in armored vehicles, yes, armored vehicles.
It's just that this batch of distinctive new armored vehicles received are not Soviet-made weapons and equipment, but American-made equipment.
As the elite heavy tank unit of the Soviet Army, the 1st Stalin Guards Tank Division has never received American-made tanks. British-made tanks were only used during the Stalingrad period, when conditions were the most difficult, and were quickly lost. Now there are more
Of course, good domestically produced equipment cannot use the tattered equipment from the United States and Britain.
But when it comes to armored personnel carriers, Malashenko, who is personally responsible for inspecting and selecting equipment, only has his eye on an American vehicle: the M3A1 half-track armored personnel carrier.
Just by hearing the name, you can tell that this thing is not actually a heavy firepower and heavy armor equipment used for frontal combat, but a light armed troop carrier similar to a battlefield taxi.
In addition to the driver and co-pilot, it can also pull an infantry squad. The car has enough batteries and a complete electrical system to support high-power radio communications. It also has a popular 12.7mm M2 Laoganma heavy machine gun and a
Equipped with a 7.62mm Browning machine gun, it is considered a good self-defense firepower, and the armor protection can also withstand conventional small arms fire.
It is obviously suitable to be attached to the combat engineer battalion as a reconnaissance vehicle and battlefield personnel carrier.