"How long is it?"

Lifting the hatch and standing at the position of the 12.7mm machine gun on the top of the turret, the colonel of the tank regiment, Li Mo, asked his subordinates inside the tank.

Not so long ago, hundreds of bombers from the Air Force were dispatched to intensively bomb the German Army Group South, which was advancing towards Moscow. Although the bombing did not cause much damage to the Germans due to the height problem, it undoubtedly played a role in delaying the speed.

It was at this time that while the air force was delaying the German army as much as possible, the army that had been assembled in South Russia also crossed the Sino-Russian border at the invitation of Stalin―――――― of course, the Russians did not recognize this border a year ago, but now...

After the sack of the Germans, the Russians no longer have the capital to quarrel with China...

Ever since the formation of the Nationalist government and the seizure of vast tracts of land from the Russians, the border conflict between China and Russia has never stopped. Although large-scale wars did not occur as Britain and the United States expected, border clashes of more than 1,000 people occurred almost every year, and even several times in rare cases.

Therefore, in South Russia, Central Asia, and Outer Mongolia, the Nationalist government has a very strong military presence.

Especially in the South Russian region...

For the Russians, Outer Mongolia is also forgotten, after all, it was taken back from the Chinese.

As for Kazakhstan and other Central Asian regions, although they are very important, Russia is not inseparable from them.

However, South Russia...

There are a considerable number of Russians living there, and it has been part of Russia for hundreds of years. Especially in the Caucasus, there is a Baku oil field...

For the Russians, South Russia is undoubtedly an extremely important region.

And because of this. The Russians have been hatching plans to retake South Russia―――――― provided that this does not lead to a siege by the surrounding 'imperialist powers'.

Fortunately, countries such as Britain, France, the United States, and Germany do not like Russia, but also look at China. So the Russians don't have to worry about this happening, for the countries mentioned above. Whether the Chinese are unlucky or the Russians are unlucky, it is a thing to be happy about.

It's just that in World War I, Russia's losses were too great, so although the Russians wanted to regain the lost territory, they could only lick their wounds there silently. Waiting for the right time.

However, after decades of waiting, this time has never come.

The Russians can only watch there, watching this opponent of China grow stronger day by day ...

Although by the end of the 20s, Russia was no longer an opponent of China. However, due to strong pressure from the Russians, China still deployed a considerable amount of troops in South Russia.

And after the mobilization, the strength of the Caucasian Military District reached the level of almost one million.

Although it is impossible to send all the troops out due to the need for troops to remain in many areas. But even so, after Cai arrived in the Caucasus, there were still hundreds of thousands of troops that could be used.

And since the Wehrmacht has almost always reached the level of mechanization and motorization, there is absolutely no doubt about the mobility of these forces. Even, Cai Ye can dispatch tens of thousands of airborne troops, but it is the same as He Zhuguo. Unless necessary, Cai Ye is not inclined to use the Airborne Forces, after all, if the Airborne Forces are used, some unknowns are too great.

If you don't pay attention, or even if fate plays a little joke, tens of thousands of airborne troops will probably be wiped out because of this...

――――――――――――――――――――…,

"Commander. It shouldn't be far off..."

After Li Mo asked aloud, one of his subordinates replied in the tank.

Li Mo nodded.

"Give the order to go down and get everyone ready for battle."

"Yes!!"

After hearing the answer of his subordinates. Li Mo patted the turret of the tank.

For the two ZT-41 tanks he was riding, Li Moke had absolute confidence.

"The 105mm gun, the Tiger that penetrates the Germans will definitely not have a problem ..."

Although he was at war with the Germans, Li Mo, who had always accepted the friendship between China and Germany in the past, felt a little awkward. But looking at the more than 100 iron horses around him, Li Mo still thought confidently.

On the other hand. The German army, which had received the information, was also ready to fight.

Army Group South was originally formed to attack Poland. The enemy forces responsible for cutting off the Polish corridor had a strength of 630,000 men. He was then sent to fight on the Eastern Front, where he was responsible for the capture of Soviet Ukraine, especially Rostov-on-Don, Kharkov and Kiev. After the defeat of Army Group Center in the Battle of Moscow, Army Group South was responsible for the task of the main offensive and was divided into two armies A and German B. After the Battle of Stalingrad and the Battle of Kusk, it suffered heavy losses and retreated all the way, after which it was reorganized into Army Group South Ukraine.

However, the current Southern Group Army undoubtedly has extremely strong strength.

Therefore, although Li Mo was proud, he did not dare to underestimate the enemy too much.

Li Mo knew very well how powerful those exchange officers from Germany were back then.

It was at this time that the German line of defense appeared in front of Li Mo's eyes.

"Sir, it's time !!"

"Well, I saw that too..."

Listening to the words of his subordinates, Li Mo also nodded.

Li Mo did not order his subordinates to rush to the front, but returned to the turret of the tank first, closing the hatch cover by the way.

Although there was still a considerable distance from the German lines, who would dare to say that there would not be a shell that would land right next to it, and then the splash of shrapnel would cut the upper body out of the turret in two?

And the truth seems to be exactly as Li Mo thought, not long after he closed the hatch, a shell had already landed around the tank.

"Bang !!"

It seemed that something had hit the barrel of the tank, and Li Mo thought that it was probably shrapnel that flew after the shell exploded. Because there is still some distance from the German defense line, although the Germans' 88 guns are powerful, it is impossible to fire at such a distance.

Li Mo thought for a moment. Turning to the messenger on the side.

"Tell the infantry behind you that they're catching up when we're almost done!"

"Yes!!"

Li Mo's army is not only tanks, but has always been mechanized.

Not only did it have a considerable number of tanks, but behind the tank regiment there were several regiments of mechanized infantry. These infantrymen were riding armored transports and infantry fighting vehicles, and they were closely following Li Mo's tank regiment, and when Li Mo rushed up, they would rush up together, and then come out of the transports and disperse to occupy the ground army positions.

In fact, there are now several units like Li Mo's. Scattered attacks on the German lines.

"Bang !!"

After traveling a distance of several thousand meters, Li Mo felt that the front armor of the tank was hit by something, and this time Li Mo understood that this must be the anti-tank weapon of the Germans.

"How much distance is left?"

"About 3,000 meters, right?"

After the observer looked at it, he said with some uncertainty.

"3000 meters..."

Li Mo muttered.

According to the internal data of the Wehrmacht, the 88-mm gun was undoubtedly an anti-aircraft gun with extremely high performance and also a multi-purpose. …,

Historically, the Army of the Republic of China ordered 20 88mm anti-aircraft guns from Germany in 1937, together with complete observation and communication equipment. Before the outbreak of the Battle of Songhu in the same year, all of them arrived at Jiangyin Fortress and Wuhan Fortress, and 4 gates were deployed in each fortress, for a total of 16 gates in 4 places. These 16 guns successfully suppressed the fire of the Japanese warships during the Battle of Nanjing, preventing the Japanese ships from attempting to use the waters near Nanjing. It's a pity that at the time of retreat, he was ordered to destroy himself. did not move with the troops.

It can be seen from this that the 88-mm gun can not only be used as anti-aircraft guns and anti-tank guns, but also as coastal defense guns, of course, this is also related to the small displacement of the Japanese warships entering the waters near Nanjing, which belong to light warships.

If it was a battleship coming in. Not to mention 88 guns, even if it is 180 guns, it is estimated that it is useless.

In addition, the 88mm guns (8.8 cm SK/C35) used by the German Navy on submarines during the same period were often mistaken for the naval version of the 88 mm anti-aircraft guns because of the same caliber, but the 88 mm guns mounted on the decks of these U-submarines used completely different ammunition. With a maximum elevation angle of only 30 degrees, it is not capable of air defense, and is only used to attack surface ships or land targets. Similarly, the Königsberg-class light cruisers, German-class armored ships, and other small ships used 88 mm caliber anti-aircraft guns, including 8.8 cm SK/C30/31/32, SK/L45, etc., all of which have a completely different design from the Army's Flak18/36/37 series.

On the other hand. According to the internal belonging of the Wehrmacht, 88 guns were at a range of 2000 meters. can threaten the survival of the ZT-40 and ZT-41 tanks.

The survivability of the ZT-40, a 45-ton medium tank, is particularly worrisome, compared to the ZT-41, the situation is much better. Even at a distance of 2,000 meters, if you are lucky, even if you are hit, you may not necessarily be penetrated.

On the contrary, it is ZT-40, as long as it hits, it is estimated that it will be ...

"Anyway, keep rushing!"

For people, 3000 meters, that is, 3 kilometers, is undoubtedly a long distance, but for tanks, 3000 meters is not very far.

Not to mention that their task was to seize the positions of the Germans?

Of course, because the performance of tanks in this period was not very stable, such actions as returning fire on the march were still more difficult for the current tanks――――――, so most of the return fire failed to hit the target.

At this time, Li Mo's troops had entered a dangerous distance of 2,000 meters.

"I didn't expect the Chinese's tanks to be really hard!"

Looking at a hit ZT-41 tank, an anti-aircraft gunner spoke.

Just now, after a ZT-41 was in the effective range of the 88-mm gun, the anti-aircraft gunner, along with his companions, aimed the muzzle at the tank and hit him accurately.

However, when the shell hit the turret of the tank, the shell unexpectedly bounced off.

"I heard that this is a tank secretly designed by the Chinese, and it is a matter of course that it is so hard."

By the time he said this, the loader had already reloaded the shells with the others.

After making sure that the reloading was complete, the gunner again aimed the muzzle at the ZT-41 tank that had just been ...

As a member of Army Group South, as part of Operation Barbarossa, almost all of these anti-aircraft gunners had destroyed dozens of Russian tanks. If you find one inside that has only destroyed a dozen cars, it is estimated that the person will be embarrassed to look up.

Therefore, although the shell just now was bounced off, the anti-aircraft gunner did not panic much, and just re-aimed the muzzle of the gun at the tank just now!

"Boom !!"

The shell hit the target accurately, perhaps because this time the tank was much longer than it had just advanced, and this time the shell finally penetrated the target.

Looking at the wrecked tank, the gunner did not celebrate like a recruit, but aimed his guns at the next target. …,

The result was somewhat unexpected, although the target tank was actually about the same distance as just now, and this time it seemed that it did hit the target, or even penetrated the target, but the shell did not seem to ......... Belch......... It doesn't seem to have exploded? Rather, it was embedded in the frontal armor of the turret!

"This..."

This time the gunner was a little surprised, after all, the probability of such a thing happening is too small.

That is, the gunner's astonishment, and the tank again went a long way ...

――――――――――――――――――――

Although they have all been honed on the battlefield, after all, not every gunner has the same good skills as the gunner just now. After all, it is a target a thousand meters away, and it is still more troublesome to aim at it, not to mention that these targets are still mobile targets that are moving at a speed of tens of kilometers?

Moreover, even after entering this distance of 2000 meters, not every target will be penetrated by 88 guns.

On the other hand, after a considerable part of the tanks entered the distance of 2,000 meters, Li Mo also gave the order.

"Let the camp of Lan Lin!"

"Yes!"

Lan Lin is the battalion commander of the ZT-40 medium tank battalion of Li Mo's regiment, and he has dozens of ZT-40 tanks under his command. Due to the offensive just now, Li Mo was worried that if the ZT-40 moved at high speed, he would throw off his ZT-41, and therefore had to face the enemy's fire alone...

Therefore, until they reached this distance of 2,000 meters, Li Mo ordered them to maintain a speed with his ZT-41.

But now, apparently, there is no need...

Now Li Mo needs them to attack the enemy's defense line as soon as possible...