The 21st Panzer Division rested for two full days on the state farm.

In fact, it cannot be said that it is a break, because they are going to build a line of defense here, facing the line of defense of Stalingrad in the south.

This was not a difficult task on the state farms, as the soil in the area was still very suitable for the construction of defensive lines, and it was also very suitable for the mobility of armored troops, flat and dry, and with the exception of a few criss-crossing ditches for irrigation, which were almost free to tanks.

Of course, because they did not want to spoil vegetables and wheat, the Germans did not let the tanks do this.

Even Paulus sent an infantry regiment to the state farm to harvest wheat...... This is understandable, from the German side, wheat at the front line is not just a matter of wheat, the Germans need to transport wheat from Kharkov and even further Berlin to the front, and transporting a bag of wheat requires an average of the same weight or even more of gasoline.

In this respect, this wheat is wheat and gasoline, and this is not counting how much ammunition can be transported by the saved capacity, so the value is completely different.

Truckloads of supplies and ammunition were brought up from the 6th Army, artillery, tanks, and even the intermediate power ammunition of the 1st Infantry Regiment were replenished, and perhaps it would take another day for the troops to have some ammunition reserves before launching a formal attack on Stalingrad...... Ammunition reserves are a must, as once a battle begins, ammo often wears out much faster than it can be replenished. Therefore, in order to avoid the discontinuity of the attack due to the exhaustion of ammunition and the enemy has time to breathe, a base ammunition reserve is generally required before the attack.

However, what everyone did not expect was that the Soviet army was the first to move ahead of the German army.

At half past five o'clock in the morning of that day, when the soldiers had just come out of their tents and gathered in front of the ditch on the farm to wash, suddenly there was a roar of artillery in the distance, and at the same time, dozens of Soviet-style fighters were hovering in the air, and from time to time they were carrying out dive bombing towards the ground.

"Reynolds direction!" Dominic said.

"Major!" Colonel Slain waved his hand at Qin Chuan, and Qin Chuan realized that an emergency meeting was going to be held.

The meeting was held in the headquarters of General Stryker, who pointed to the map and said to the officers gathered around the map: "We have just received news that the Stalingrad Front of the Soviet Union has launched an attack along the Volga River with the strength of two divisions, and at the same time, the South-Eastern Front and the 62nd Army at Stalingrad have also launched an offensive with them, and our troops in the area of Yertsovka and Reynolds are attacked on three sides!" ”

This was an inevitable problem for the German units stationed along the Volhui, which were in their own position surrounded by Soviet troops on three sides...... This is also one of the costs of encircling Stalingrad.

"It's obvious!" General Stryk said: "The Soviets wanted to restore contact with Stalingrad, and they even used the Air Force!" ”

Such a situation was rare, and the reason was, as previously stated, that there was a significant gap between the strength of the Soviet Air Force and the Luftwaffe.

"We should go and reinforce Reynolds!" Colonel Albridge said: "They are only a dozen kilometers away from us! ”

"I think my superiors will do the same!" General Stryk replied: "Because we are the only armored division nearby!" But...... They will probably send us to reinforce Yertsovka instead of Reynolds, because in that direction there are two divisions of the Soviets, supposedly with many tanks! ”

So the situation became clear, and Yeltsovka was the place where reinforcements from the 21st Panzer Division were really needed, twenty kilometers from the state farms.

But Qin Chuan was silent, and after a long while, Qin Chuan said: "General, I don't think we should reinforce Yertovka!" ”

"Why?" General Stryk asked, confused.

"I don't think Yeltsovka was the main target of the Soviets!" Qin Chuan said: "They seem to be deliberately transferring us there!" ”

"You mean ......"

"Yertovka we used to be!" Qin Chuan said: "There are many canyons crisscrossed there, as well as dry small riverbeds and ravines, such a terrain is not suitable for mechanized troops such as tanks, why did the Soviets choose to break through here?" ”

"Maybe they're trying to strike from three sides!" Colonel Slein said: "You must know that the Soviets still have gunboats and fishing boats, and once they annihilate the 297th Infantry Division of our army stationed there, then their Southeastern Front can be continuously transported from the other side of the Volga River to cooperate with the Stalingrad Front to launch a counteroffensive against our army." Just like our cooperation with the 6th Army! ”

Colonel Slein had a point, because the Germans attacked the port of Karachi using this method, with the 21st Panzer Division attacking from the shore and the 6th Army forcing its way across the river.

"Perhaps!" Qin Chuan replied: "But the Soviets have used planes in this direction, and there are quite a few of them...... This seems to tell us that this is where their attack is focused. This may not explain anything, but, as mentioned before, the terrain around Yertsovka is not suitable for the movement of mechanized troops, and did the Soviets not think that they would be vulnerable to a counterattack by our troops when they landed from here? ”

Hearing this, several officers couldn't help but be stunned.

Qin Chuan was right, the terrain in Yeltsovka was complex and difficult to maneuver, while the terrain around Reynok was flat, which made the German Panzer very suitable for launching a counterattack against Reynolds from the flanks, while the Soviet tanks in Yertsovka were even unable to move an inch and could only respond to the battle with turtle speed and scattered formations.

"Major, are you saying that the Soviets deliberately moved us in the direction of Yeltsovka?" Major General Stryk asked.

"Yes, General!" Qin Chuan replied.

"Major!" Colonel Albridge smiled and said: "You think the Soviets are too smart, if they were Americans, British, then maybe they would use such deception, but the Soviets ......"

The officers also nodded in agreement, and the Soviet officers were not to mention cheating, they had always been played around by German officers.

But...... Because of this, the Soviets could easily fool the Germans once they used a little means.

General Stryk asked again: "Major, if the goal of the Soviets was not Yeltsovka, what do you think it would be?" ”

"Kotloban!" Qin Chuan pointed to the map and said, "That's the midpoint of our defensive line, and then go south along the road until the state farm is flat...... This will not only suit the breakthrough of armored forces, but will also encircle us all east of Korteluban! ”