Chapter 295: Huge Disparity

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“Rat-tat! Rat-tat!” The unique sound of a German machine gun rang out, the tracer rounds looking a bit dazzling even in the daytime. The bul

“Rat-tat! Rat-tat!” The unique sound of a German machine gun rang out, the tracer rounds looking a bit dazzling even in the daytime. The bullets flew several hundred meters and struck a patch of bushes in the distance.

Just like a real saw, this MG42, which had been affectionately nicknamed “Akado’s Saw” by the French soldiers, completed a trimming of the bushes with a spray of bullets. The bullets sent the branches of the bushes flying and kicked up a shower of debris.

With a tragic cry, a French soldier was hit in the neck. The French machine gun, which had just been exchanging fire with the German one, was instantly silenced. And at this time, the German army, its pressure suddenly relieved, began a fierce return fire. The G43 semi-automatic rifles and MP-44 assault rifles suppressed the French infantry opposite with their dense firepower. Soon, another French army attack had been repulsed.

“Check your ammunition! Machine gun team, shift your position! Everyone, take cover. The enemy may be about to shell us,” an officer commanded loudly as he changed the magazine on his own MP-44. “Check the wounded! Anyone who needs a medic, shout!”

Looking at a burning French B1 tank not far away, the officer frowned and then said to the radio operator beside him, “Call battalion headquarters. Have them find a way to support us with a few tanks. The French army’s offensive is getting fiercer, and they are also using tanks.”

“Alright, sir,” the radio operator immediately grabbed the handset. “1st Company calling battalion, 1st Company calling battalion. We need reinforcements. We need tank reinforcements.”

After hearing the radio operator’s call, the company commander turned around and began to assign tasks to the several platoon-level officers who had come over. “Reorganize the defensive line here. Dig the trenches a little deeper to prevent the French from shelling. I need to set up a crossfire here, and here, to cover our anti-tank teams’ attack.”

“Company commander, don’t we have reinforcements from the armored units?” a platoon leader asked, puzzled. “To have our anti-tank teams risk their lives like this isn’t worth it.”

“This place is not very suitable for the deployment of armored forces, so the higher-ups won’t be sending too many,” the company commander said, pointing to the surrounding terrain. “There is only one road for a frontal attack, and even including the flat terrain on both sides, there are only a few points. As long as we have two or three tanks, that should be enough to hold this place.”

He looked into the distance. “So we have to be prepared to hold this strategic terrain until the support from above arrives.”

At the German front-line assembly point, the command post of the 1st Grenadier Regiment of the 9th Motorized Infantry Division. In the square of an unknown French small town, several armored cars were parked next to a fountain in the center of the square. And if one looked to the side, four Panther tanks were parked there.

“Second Lieutenant Rein, the situation here is very complicated. Our regiment is responsible for holding a defensive line several kilometers long, and our forces are too dispersed,” the commander of the 1st Grenadier Regiment said, pointing at a map. “I am very happy that the higher-ups have sent you here, but with only four tanks, I cannot guarantee the security of the entire defensive line.”

“Tell me the situation. I was notified when I came that time was tight,” Rein said, looking at the map and then pointing to a black line. “There is a highway here. It’s the widest breakthrough point in this vicinity. If they take the outer defensive positions, they will charge all the way to Stonne.”

“You think the same as I do. But I just received a request for help from the 1st Battalion. They are being attacked by French tanks here,” the regimental commander said, pointing to the location of a small road on the map. “The Frenchman opposite us is a professional. He used one tank to launch an attack in that place. This way, I have no choice but to split my forces to take care of it.”

“Can’t the regiment’s assault guns or the like go over?” Rein asked with a frown. His tank platoon only had four tanks. If they were to be used in a dispersed manner, their strength would be even smaller.

“There’s no way. The other places are also very important. I can’t spare any other units. That’s why I called the division headquarters for reinforcements. I still have a company of infantry in reserve. If needed, I can send them to you.”

“How about this? I’ll detach one tank to reinforce that small road. The other three tanks will be deployed on this main road,” Rein said after a moment’s thought. “This way, it will depend on which road the French choose to attack.”

“A single tank? Will that be very dangerous?” the regimental commander asked, a little incredulous.

“It’s fine. I will carefully select the tank that is sent out,” Rein said. He marked a few positions on his own small map with a pencil, then asked for a few topographical maps of the vicinity, stuffed them all into the leather bag slung at his side, then wiped his nose with his sleeve, and finally smiled. “If there are no other problems, I will go and make the arrangements.”

“No more problems. Good luck to you,” the regimental commander said with a smile, and then saw Rein out of the messy command post.

Returning to the side of his tank, the four commanders were already waiting for him. Marcus, with an expectant look on his face, was the first to ask, “Hey, Rein, what’s the mission?”

Rein walked to the front of the tank, pulled a map from his leather bag, spread it on the sloped armor, and, pointing to two points on it, said, “We are responsible for guarding these two places.”

“Are you kidding? Two places?” Marcus stared at the map for a couple of seconds, then suddenly realized that Rein had not contradicted him. He abruptly looked up and stared at Rein with an incredulous look. “You’re not serious, are you?”

“I plan to have you go to the small road. Tanks 114 and 115 will follow me and set up a defensive position on both sides of this highway,” Rein said, pointing to a place not far away. “I will attract their fire on the highway, and you will set up a trap on the flanks.”

“Wait a minute! Wait a minute, Rein! I want to stay on the main road,” Marcus suddenly objected. “Remember? We have a competition. I have to destroy a lot of tanks to catch up with you guys! So you can’t throw me onto the small road.”

“Marcus, you are more experienced here, and I have to stay behind to command the entire platoon’s battle, so I have no choice but to send you. Understand?” Rein said helplessly.

Marcus thought for a moment, then grinned. “Rein! My next chocolate ration, and the one after that, are all yours! Look, you go to the small road, I’ll stay on the big road. How about it? I can command the defense of the main road too. You know my abilities, right?”

“Alright,” Rein thought for a moment, then nodded. “No pursuit, no recklessness! You must prepare the trap carefully. The core objective is to stabilize the entire defensive line. Understood?”

The temptation of two large boxes of chocolate candy was quite great for Rein. So he put away his map, jumped onto his tank, glanced at the cheering Marcus, and then climbed into his commander’s hatch.

He gave a loud command to Baumann in front to start the engine, while he put on his headset and intercom. The tank trembled once again, the engine let out a roar, and the exhaust pipe spewed black smoke.

Rein adjusted his intercom and then gave the combat order for this time to his crew. “From the highway on the right side of the small town, head south all the way. Turn right at the third intersection. Target, Highway 3. Move out!”

“Rein! The other tanks haven’t started yet… Are we the only ones going?” Andre asked, looking at him with a puzzled expression.

“That’s right! We’re going to the small road! Let’s leave the opportunity on the main road to Marcus and the others. Anyway, I’m not short of a few tank kills,” Rein said with a smile. He then leaned against the hatch and let out a yawn. “I wonder when we’ll get another vacation.”

With a slight sway of the tank, number 113 finally arrived at their defensive line. Several huge craters lay across the middle of the highway. In some of the collapsed houses around, a group of German soldiers were lying on their backs, enjoying the sun. Apart from the slight white smoke still rising from the craters, this place seemed to have nothing to do with war.

“Welcome to the intersection of Highway 3,” a Wehrmacht officer with an MP-44 slung over his shoulder said, walking to the front of Rein’s tank with a smile on his face. “I am in charge of the defense here. Thank you for coming to support us. I didn’t expect them to be able to send you here. With you here, I can rest assured.”

“What’s the situation?” Rein asked casually.

“We have 39 killed in action, and 83 soldiers remaining,” the company commander said, pointing to some of the trenches behind him. “They have launched three attacks. Their firepower is very fierce. The last time, they used a B1 tank.”

“I need a camouflage shelter. Can you lend me some men?” Rein asked, looking at the terrain in the distance.

Because the person who had come was a second lieutenant, and a star tank commander with an Iron Cross, this company commander was very easy to talk to. “No problem. I can lend you 20 soldiers, but there isn’t much time. Based on past experience, in another half an hour, the French will attack again.”

“Then let’s not waste time. Let’s start now!” Rein said, pointing to a collapsed house. “There are two walls there that can be used. Just pile the furniture and stuff outside.”

“A platoon, send out seven men! I need men! Quick! Quick!” the company commander commanded loudly.

Soon, the ruins were cleared out, and Rein’s tank drove off the small highway and slowly into the building that had only two walls left. The barrel of tank 113 extended from the building’s window toward the distance, blending in with the entire collapsed structure. Rein picked up his binoculars, looked at the slope in the distance, and then at the several not-so-wide small roads on the other side. His eyebrows twitched involuntarily.

And just behind the slope that Rein had just scanned with his binoculars, a French B1 tank was slowly advancing. Following behind this French tank was another B1 tank, then a third, a fourth. If someone were to look from the top of the slope, they would see dozens of French tanks, with a dark mass of infantry, advancing on Rein’s defensive position.