Early the next morning, both sides of the streets in Otac were lined with Soviet commanders and fighters. The residents of the city were a little surprised and wondered what the Soviet army was going to do and why they were guarding some important streets. Could it be that
Is there any big shot coming?
At the headquarters at this moment, Sokov and others were ready to welcome the condolences group. Considering that the old man was the protagonist of today's meeting, he specially invited the old man to the headquarters in person.
"Comrade Commander," the old man asked with concern: "Have you made arrangements nearby?"
"Yes," Sokov nodded and said: "We have deployed snipers at many commanding heights in the city, and Lyudmila and Vasily also chose the sniper locations they thought were suitable.
"
"Where do you think the German snipers will choose their sniper positions?"
Facing the old man's question, Sokov was silent for a long time, and then said: "If it is an ordinary sniper, after the sniper position is exposed, he will never appear there again. This is a problem that both the enemy and us can think of.
, so when searching, that exposed location will be ignored. And if I were an ace sniper, in order to complete the mission, I might take the risk and sneak back to that location."
After listening to Sokov's analysis, a smile appeared on the old man's face: "Comrade Commander, your analysis is very correct. If it is an ordinary sniper, he will definitely abandon the exposed sniper location. But an excellent sniper,
We will take advantage of everyone’s misunderstandings and try to find ways to use this location again.”
Samyko, who was standing next to him, heard this and quickly suggested to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the location you mentioned was indeed ignored by us. Can you please send someone to notify Lyudmila and Vasily and let them lurk?"
Near that sniper point, come and stop the German army’s ace sniper.”
"No." Sokov and the old man said in unison: "We can't send people to monitor him."
Samyko looked at Sokov, then at the old man, and asked in confusion: "Why?"
"Those who can become ace snipers have better observation and sensitivity than ordinary people. If you arrange an ambush prematurely, it will be easily detected by him." Sokov explained: "In order to avoid being detected by the other party.
, I asked Lyudmila and Vasily to stay away from this area as much as possible."
"Comrade Commander, if the ace sniper is still lurking in the attic and kills the condolences members while they are getting out of the car, wouldn't he be able to achieve his goal?"
"Don't worry, I won't let him succeed." Sokov gritted his teeth and said, "Today we will have a complete end."
After saying this, Sokov suddenly remembered the telegram sent by Ponejelin, saying that he planned to launch an attack in Romania, and asked Sameko: "Is there any latest news about the battle group?"
"Not yet." Sameko replied: "According to General Ponejelin's intention, he mobilized his troops in a big way during the day just to attract the attention of the Romanian army in the city. If the other party does not want to fight, he will send men to fight with them.
Negotiate; if no negotiators are sent, it proves that the other party wants to fight us."
"This is a good method." Trofimenko nodded and said, "Whether you are a friend or an enemy, you will find out in one try."
"Yes, if the Ponejelin battle group remains stationary after entering Romania, the Romanian army will always adopt a wait-and-see attitude because it cannot figure out the details of our army." Sokov said: "If we fight with them
Let us fight a battle and let them see the true strength of our army, and then they will know how to make choices."
"How many days do you think General Ponedelin's troops can capture those two cities?" Trofimenko asked.
"It's hard to say," Samyko said: "According to General Ponejelin, in order to avoid accidentally injuring civilians in the city, they will try not to use heavy weapons in this attack on the city."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, please tell General Ponedelin." Sokov agreed with Ponedelin's point of not harming civilians, but in the siege battle, blindly not using heavy weapons, that is
It's too old-fashioned. If you encounter an enemy's strong fortress and don't destroy it with heavy weapons, how about risking the lives of the commanders and soldiers? Therefore, he told Sameko: "In battle, you should decide whether to use heavy weapons according to the specific situation.
, don’t let our soldiers sacrifice their lives in vain.”
"Comrade Commander, if heavy weapons are used, the civilians in the city may be injured." Samyko reminded Sokov in a low voice.
"Comrade Chief of Staff, I think Comrade Commander is right." The old man unexpectedly expressed support for Sokov's statement: "I have been on the battlefield. Naturally, I know very well that facing the enemy's solid defenses, if we don't use them,
Destroying it with heavy weapons but blindly taking human lives to replace it is a sign of irresponsibility for many commanders and combatants."
"Comrade Chief of Staff," Trofimenko saw that Sokov and the old man were in agreement, so he said to Samyko: "You have been a commander for a long time. Don't you know that the orders from your superiors are used?"
Is it about execution, not discussion? Just convey the commander's order to General Ponejelin, and you don't have to worry about the rest."
"Okay, Comrade Deputy Commander." Seeing that Trofimenko said the same thing, Samyko could only choose to obey. He immediately turned around and walked to the communication area, found a radio operator, and asked him to give Sokov's order.
It was sent to Ponejelin in the form of a telegram, allowing the other party to decide whether to use heavy weapons based on the situation on the battlefield.
At nine o'clock, Koshkin walked in from the outside and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the convoy of the condolences group has arrived. It is still five to six hundred meters away from the headquarters. It will take another three to five minutes at most.
You can reach it.”
"Old man," Sokov said to the old man with a smile: "There are many of your old friends in the condolences group. Let's go out to greet them together."
Seeing that Sokov only invited the old man to go out to greet him, Trofimenko couldn't help but be a little anxious: "Comrade Commander, where is the rest of me?"
"Comrade Deputy Commander," Sokov said to Trofimenko with a smile: "I think you should stay at the headquarters with the two comrades chiefs of staff. We are just going out to pick up people and will be back soon."
Samyko knew that Sokov's life might be in danger when he went out to greet the members of the condolence group this time, so he hurriedly reminded him: "Comrade Commander, it's too dangerous outside. It's better for me to greet the comrades of the condolence group."
"No." Unexpectedly, Sokov said resolutely: "I am the commander. If a condolence group from Moscow is here, I should definitely be the one to greet them."
"But there may be ace snipers of the German army outside." Samyko reminded Sokov: "As soon as you go out, won't you become the opponent's target? I have no right to let you take risks. Otherwise, I am still representing
Are you going to greet the condolences group?"
"Don't worry, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov was quite touched by Samek's concern. However, he had made complete preparations and didn't have to worry about the German ace sniper, so he politely declined.
Sameko's kindness: "The old man and I will be back soon, nothing will happen to us."
When Sokov and the old man walked outside, the old man said worriedly: "Comrade Commander, it's really dangerous outside. Why don't you stay in the corridor, and I'll go to the door to greet the members of the condolences group. By the way,
Look at all the old friends who came here specifically to visit me."
"It's not necessary." Sokov said confidently: "I have made thorough preparations. Don't worry, old man."
The old man followed Sokov to the gate of the headquarters with anxiety.
The sentry outside the door saw Sokov coming out and quickly raised his hand in a gun salute.
When the two of them stood at the door, waiting for the approaching convoy, the old man couldn't help but glance at the attic with the corner of his eye. He didn't dare to look directly, for fear of being discovered by the snipers hiding there, so he had no choice but to steal.
The way he glanced. This sight immediately startled him. The window that was originally closed was actually opened through a gap. It was obvious that someone was hiding inside.
"Comrade Commander," the old man hurriedly approached Sokov and whispered in an anxious tone: "There is someone in the attic. I suspect it is the ace sniper we are looking for. Go back to the corridor quickly. If you wait for the sniper to shoot,
, I wanted to leave but it was too late."
The motorcade stopped outside the headquarters, and Sokov and the old man walked down the steps to greet them.
A major general came out of the first jeep. Sokov recognized this person as Marshal Konev's adjutant and quickly went up to him to shake hands: "Hello, comrade adjutant. I really didn't expect that this time the condolences delegation came.
It’s you who leads the way.”
"Hello, General Sokov!" the adjutant said politely: "Originally Comrade Marshal wanted to come in person, but the situation on the battlefield changed and he had to stay and deal with it, so he changed his mind temporarily."
Knowing that Konev had something to do and couldn't come, Sokov secretly said OK in his heart. It would be best if Konev didn't come. If he came, if something happened, he couldn't bear the responsibility.
.
"Comrade Adjutant, although Comrade Marshal can't come, as his representative, don't you do the same?" Sokov saw many people getting out of the jeep behind him, and asked the Adjutant tentatively: "These are all
Members of the condolences group?”
"Yes, Comrade General." The adjutant nodded and said: "There are 21 people in total, including social activists, scholars and writers, as well as chemists, physicists, mathematicians, astronomers, biologists, philosophers,
Economists, meteorologists, so many top experts in the field, almost everyone said they knew Mr. Morozov, and some even worked with him."
"Hey, there are quite a few experts." Sokov said jokingly to the adjutant: "If something happens to your convoy on the road, it will cause huge losses to all walks of life in our country."
"That's not true," the adjutant said with a complaining tone: "This is the first time I have received a condolence group with so many experts. What's even more surprising is that there are so many experts and scholars, and everyone knows the old man, so let him
I’m a little puzzled.”
Although Sokov knew the reason, he did not tell the adjutant. Instead, he said with a smile: "Comrade adjutant, you will take the old man with you when you leave later. If you are interested, you can ask the old man on the way.
, I believe he will be interested in telling you his story."
After the people from the condolence group came over, they immediately surrounded the old man. They were all asking for help, which made the old man a little tired to deal with it.
"Comrade Adjutant," although Sokov had already made careful arrangements, he was always wary that if anything went wrong, not only would he not be able to lure out the German ace sniper, he might even lose his life.
Therefore, he took the initiative to invite the adjutant to his headquarters: "This is not the place to talk. Let's chat in my headquarters."
Just when Sokov, his adjutant, the old man, and a group of people from the condolence group were stepping up the steps to enter the building, the scream of a cannonball piercing the air suddenly came from the air. Just when everyone was confused,
The shell had hit a house several hundred meters away. Amidst the huge explosion, the upper half of the house was shrouded in smoke.
Seeing the building hit by the shell in the distance, the adjutant and the people in the condolences group were dumbfounded. The old man approached Sokov and asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, is this the preparation you have made?"
"Old man, you are right." Sokov nodded and said with a smile: "This is the deployment I made."
"Oh my God," the old man exclaimed in a low voice, "How did you come up with such a wonderful idea?"
When Sokov saw the adjutant and the members of the consolation group, who were still staring at the attic shrouded in smoke and did not notice where he was, he leaned close to the old man and whispered: "Since the one who wants to deal with me is the German ace sniper, then we often use
The method is useless. Not to mention ordinary snipers, even Lyudmila and Vasily, ambushing within 300 meters of the attic, may be detected by German snipers. So I chose long-range artillery attack
, a German sniper can observe targets 300 meters or 500 meters away, but can he still observe targets 800 meters or 1,000 meters away?"
"It can't be observed." The old man replied without thinking: "If a normal sniper rifle wants to hit such a distant target, the hit rate is pitifully low."
"Old man, you are right." Sokov nodded again and said: "But if it is bombarded with artillery, that is another matter. I personally greeted General Tsarev yesterday and asked him to transfer a batch
Artillerymen with high technical and tactical skills. After locking the position of the German snipers, they directly call the artillery for long-range artillery strikes.
I think the German sniper must have observed the surrounding environment before carrying out the mission, and only entered the attic after confirming that there was no danger. What he never dreamed of was that I would actually arrange for artillery to be deployed thousands of meters away.
locked his position from a distance."
"Comrade Commander, I have another question." The old man frowned and asked: "How do the artillerymen who are a thousand meters away know when to fire?"
"I sent Lyudmila to the artillery unit and asked her to stay with the artillery observers." Sokov explained to the old man: "The order I gave her was that when the German snipers tried to carry out a sniper mission,
Then decisively opened fire on the attic."
"Oh, so that's what happened. I understand." The old man gave Sokov a thumbs up: "Comrade Commander, this move of yours is really great. You actually killed the German ace sniper easily.