Hans looks at the tower that has been suppressed, and the north and south crop fields, and understands something.
"Send one half-track vehicle to the north and one to the south. The Russian might want to flank us."
Even in his heart, he thinks that this russian unit will not be smart enough to think of such tactics, he still gives out his order to prevent it from happening.
On the other hand, after seeing the smoke had expanded enough to cover the battlefield and checking through his RTS view to ensure that the high viewpoint had been suppressed, Gromov swung his hand forward as a signal for attack.
He ordered that any voice should be avoided when moving to the crop field. This might be a little difficult if the troops were filled with regular conscripts of soldiers, but fortunately, everyone here was accustomed to being an officer.
He didn't know if it helped, but he did it anyway
The moment he entered the smoke, the pungent smell made him cough involuntarily.
"For god sake, the smoke."
He is the one who broke his first order. Luckily, there is still some range from the enemies.
He covered his nose and mouth, enduring the discomfort, and continued to move.
As he advanced, he constantly switched to the RTS view to see if the enemy commander made any moves.
When he saw the moves of the two half-tracks, he knew that he fuck up.
He makes a mistake, which is assuming that the enemy commander will simply be tricked by him and will not make any moves, but when it does, he cannot inform the other troops about the changes.
After all, there is some difference between real life and the game. But he quickly came out with a way.
"Alexee, inform 1st platoon of the changes of order. Ask them to tell 3rd platoon to move to the west and launch their attack from there. And they hold at the north until further informed. You will be there to coordinate the attack."
"Affirmative."
According to the original plan, after finishing throwing the smoke grenade, the 1st platoon will also move to the north and assist the 3rd platoon's assault.
But they have limited time, as the smoke will only stay for 1 to 2 minutes.
As they are getting closer to the village, Gromov becomes nervous. They are not moving fast, especially when Elena's leg is wounded; he has to support her. Fortunately, the German did not spot them; they had entered the crop field.
Just as they entered, a barrage of gunfire erupted.
The 3rd platoon has been spotted? This was his first reaction. He swapped the view and breathed a sigh of relief.
It was the German fire on the 1st platoon. As the smoke was getting closer, the German commander ordered to fire at the smoke, and hoped that the dense bullets would kill someone.
Gromov can only hope that the 1st platoon can leave without any casualties before the smoke dissipates.
"I will get myself a good position. Do you see the tree over there? I will be providing support from there." Elena pointed in a direction.
Gromov looks at her in surprise.
"Oh, you can shoot now?"
"Only in the squat position, I only need a hand to hold and fire the weapon. Not like in crawl, I will need both to stabilise myself."
Gromov looks at the tree, it is just a small tree that is slightly higher than the crops, and able to provide some view for it. He nodded his head. He does not have much time left.
After entering the field, the three squads in the platoon separated tacitly.
When they launch the attack, they will first start attacking from the southwest direction, then southeast, and lastly from the due south, which is also where Gromov and the 3rd platoon commander will be.
By the time that everyone is in position, Gromov can see that the smoke is almost dissipated. The Germans will know they are here after that.
Gromov changed his view again. The 2nd platoon has also reached its position in the northeast direction.
He takes a deep breath. It is either they win or he dies.
"Bang !" The machine gunner of the half-track fell.
As gunfire rang out, the attack began.
"URAAAAA!"
2 squads from the 3rd platoon, and the whole 2nd platoon charge at the enemies from 3 directions at the same time.
The distance between the field and the first house is short. Despite there being some casualties during the charging, they still managed to enter the first house.
The bursting fire from the PPsH managed to suppress and kill many unaware enemies.
"Bang!" Another shot from Elena, the machine gunner in front of Gromov, dies.
Gromov takes the opportunity.
"It's our turn, URA!"
Following with soldiers, Gromov also got out of the field.
"Destroy the half-track, don't let it get back to their men." Same time he gives the order, his PPSH bursts into fire another rifleman near a window.
He has his own target as well. He wants to get that MG and support the 1st platoon to launch the attack from the north.
Even without the order, Petrov knows what to do.
He fires at the half-track that was reversing. Unfortunately, it does little damage. It was HE ammunition. He did not expect his first target would be an armoured vehicle.
"HEAT!"
Sidorov immediately takes a HEAT ammo from his back and gives it to him.
Another shot, the vehicle has been destroyed.
Gromov has got his MG, and he found out something wrong again.
"MG42? This is not supposed to be here at this time. Fuck this, too many surprises today."
He mounted the MG on another window facing north and started shooting at the half-track MG gunner.
The half-track that was halfway of u-turning exposed the whole upper body of the machine gunner in front of Gromov. He die.
Gromov sighs. He solved the biggest threat for the 1st platoon now, and hopes they have their initiative to know when to attack. Too many mistakes he has made.
After that, the south side of the village was occupied by them, and at the same time southwest was facing fierce counterattack from the enemies. However, the west side of the village has also been almost taken down by the 2nd platoon.
Since the 2nd platoon had entered the first house, they were separated into two groups, one moved south to regroup with the 3rd platoon and eliminate the German squad that guarded here, while the other moved east to continue the advance.
The German squad in the west never expected they would be attacked before their friendly. They only reacted when the 2nd platoon had taken down the first house and started charging at them.
When the machine gunner decided to change his position, the rifleman who guarded the window to him was killed. Without any way, he could only mount his MG on a table that remained in the house.
He points his gun at the door, and he swears that every single Red Army soldier who comes in will be shot.
As he expected, the door opened, but what entered first was not the Red Army, but two grenades.
"Grenades!" He lowered his head.
Boom!
Despite the ringing in his ears and the dizziness from the explosion, he continued to aim his gun at the doorway.
But again, another two grenades were thrown, and this time, it was thrown higher, and they were not lucky enough to hide from them.
Following the grenades were two bursting PPSH that rose behind the wall.
Together with his deputy machine gunner, the bullet that was shot into their body is equivalent to the weight of their medal.
The 2nd platoon takes down this house and a machine gun group, with zero casualties.
Urban warfare, or even close-quarters battle, is still a new thing for many soldiers and officers.
Close-quarter battle, also known as CQB, has no tactics on the battlefield. Even using grenades to clean a room will be the last choice. The best way will always be to ask the air force or artillery to wipe out the whole building.
It only takes a few minutes for the 2nd platoon to take down the western part of the village, without giving enough time for the Germans to react.
When they found out, they were surrounded by Gromov's company.
At the moment, the 1st company also launch their assault.
Within minutes, they capture that half-track without damaging it.
"Panzer, turn back. You two, lead your squad and follow me to kill all of them." Lieutenant Hans ordered with his madness.
Gromov spotted the incoming tank.
"Petrov, ready to ambush that tank."
Petrov replies to him with action.
The Panzer II starts to suppress and shoot every house where the Red Army was located with its 2cm autocannon.
Every soldier who gets their shell gets torn into pieces, without having the chance to scream.
While the armoured car where Hans was followed.
Suddenly, a rocket flew from the side and hit the panzer.
"What the fuck is that ?"
Hans immediately turned his machine gun that was mounted on the armoured car and fired on the location where the rocket was shot.
However, the sound of 'pili pala' can be heard. It was the ignition and explosion of the panzer ammunition. The panzer pressure and burning fire then pushed up the hatch cover.
"Nice one, Petrov! Now take down the armoured car as well."
Gromov was still basking in the excitement of destroying the tank until the bad news came to his ears.
"Petrov is dead. I'm taking over now." Sidorov shouted.
Gromov, stunned for a moment, turned his head through the window and saw that Petrov had been covered in blood and had been pulled back by Sidorov.
Despite witnessing numerous deaths, this was the first time Gromov had a special feeling about war. Someone who still talks to you for the last minutes will just randomly die in the next second.
Yet, this is not the time for him to feel sad.
"Stop the vehicle. Infantry, clear the sides."
"Report to the battalion commander, we are surrounded by Soviet units, they are not many, but their commander are smart and cunning."
"If we are not reporting half an hour later, assume we have all been eliminated. Prepare themselves."
Hans told his radio operator.
After the initial chaos caused by the sudden attack from three directions, he calmed down and realised something.
The Soviet intention to flank them is supposed to be what he should predict, but because of underestimating the enemy, it gives them the chance to succeed.
He still sends half-tracks there, even with that weapon that destroyed the panzer. They should not be breaking down the line that fast and easily.
Matching the sequence of the gunshot direction, he estimates that the Soviet commander can find out his weak point... by just conducting a hopeless suicide attack on the plain?
This was a well-planned and organised assault.
Regardless of how it is said, the enemy commander is dangerous.
"Finally, some worthy opponent, let's see who will die here today."
"Infantry forward!"
The 2 squad of infantry that have formed the assault formation on both sides of his vehicle launch their counterattack.
Gromov also gets the chance to see how a standard German squad fights.
The MG team was first set up to suppress. Riflemen advanced in bounds while the MG provided cover. They used fencing between houses for concealment and moved in short rushes.
He changes his view, observes, the tide of battle, which had initially been in their favour, began to turn around.
The German soldiers are well-coordinated with each other, and even the Red Army soldiers get the chance to suppress or shoot down the rifleman when they move in short rushes, they will then be quickly suppressed by the MG.
Within this short moment, the other rifleman will continue their manoeuvre, get close and clean the room with their grenade.
Nothing different from what the Gromov troops did just now.