artillery arc

Chapter 391: Change of General
Pavlov saw Wang Zhong hang up the phone, so he said, "With our troops, it shouldn't be a problem to defeat the division in front of us. But it will be more difficult to defeat Plossen's armored division. The enemy's armored division should be fully equipped. We lost some tanks and destroyers when we tried to defeat the Sede division before."

Wang Zhong: "Should a considerable part of it be repaired?"

Pavlov picked up a form on the table and said, "This is the report from the maintenance department this afternoon - yesterday at five o'clock in the afternoon."

It is now past midnight on the 17th, and the 16th was already yesterday, so Pavlov specifically revised his statement.

Wang Zhong took the form and frowned when he saw the total number: "So many under repair?"

According to the data on the table, 100 jeeps, more than 40 tanks and 13 vortexes are under repair.

Wang Zhong: "Yesterday - the day before yesterday, I don't remember losing that much?"

"Because many tanks were working normally the day before yesterday, but today they had minor faults and needed repairs. Especially the vortex ones, except for the one whose track was broken the day before yesterday, the others had mechanical failures yesterday." Pavlov said.

Wang Zhong: "So, seven or eight Eddy Currents had mechanical failures yesterday? Let me see, there are nine vehicles that had minor repairs in total. Was the track a minor repair?"

"Yes."

Wang Zhong was shocked: "So there are 4 vehicles that need major repairs due to mechanical failures? What are the problems?"

"Most of the time, the filter was not working properly, so the engine sucked in a lot of grass leaves, so the engine needed to be thoroughly cleaned, so a medium repair was reported."

Wang Zhong still looked incredulous. At this time, Vasily said, "I talked to the maintenance personnel and they said that the engines that had problems were replaced before departure. The new batch of engines may have some problems."

"Are you sure?"

Vasily shrugged. "It was only mentioned in casual conversation, but we can look for the records of the engine replacement. A level 6 clerk will not miss such details."

Wang Zhong corrected him: "Call him Colonel Karatayev. Colonel, did you hear that? Then please get the record of the engine replacement."

The old man snorted obviously, then gave some instructions to the clerk beside him, and soon a clerk came over with a report.

Wang Zhong turned to the next page of the armored vehicle combat readiness table in his hand: This page begins with a detailed table, carefully recording the specific tactical number of the vehicle being repaired, the fault location, the time required for maintenance, and other details.

Wang Zhong compared the two tables and immediately came to a conclusion: "Non-combat failures are basically concentrated in vehicles that have had their engines replaced since April this year. There is no doubt that the engine yield has decreased."

Pavlov: "In terms of time, the workers recruited in January this year have just finished their training and started production."

Wang Zhong smacked his lips. To expand production, he would have to use unskilled workers. There was nothing he could do about it.

He remembered that in the history of the Earth, in the second year of the Great Patriotic War, the Russians' military product production also had serious quality problems, which even affected the armor quality of the T34 produced that year.

The poorly armored T34 could even be penetrated from the front by the short 50mm gun of the Panzer III.

Wang Zhong also took some measures to reduce the impact of unskilled workers - it was he who proposed the three-month training period.

I didn't expect that three months of training would still be of no use.

The engines used by the First Mobile Army had so many problems, and the condition of the engines used by other tank units was even more worrying.

Wang Zhong: “It seems that I underestimated the impact of unskilled workers.”

He put down two forms.

“We can only repair it as much as possible.”

Pavlov: "The good news is that the tanks of the First Division of the Melania People's Army are in very good condition, and they did not participate in the battle of Yeisk. Now they are fully equipped and motivated."

Wang Zhong: "Yes, let Melania's People's Army take the lead in the attack. Let them take over the defensive positions of the 225st Mechanized Infantry and 190th Division in the front. After the pincer attack is over and the th Division's retreat is blocked, Melania's Davarish will launch the attack."

"Good." Pavlov nodded. "They will be happy too."

Popov: "But in this case, we will not have the troops to destroy the enemy's armored divisions. We must get support from the 40th Tank Army."

"Let's go through the normal process first and report the combat plan to the Military Command Office. I guess the Military Command Office will agree to put the 40th Army under our command. If the Military Command Office does not do so, I will call His Majesty the Tsar." Wang Zhong said.

Popov nodded: "Then let's do it...Are we really just an army group?"

"Of course, even if we strengthen the 40th Tank Army, we are only a group army. There is still a gap between our group army organization and that of Prosen, let alone a front army." Wang Zhong nodded after he finished speaking, and added, "Yes, it is a group army."

Vasily: "In fact, when we were in Kalanskaya, we commanded troops that far exceeded the command capabilities of the headquarters."

Pavlov sighed as if recalling something painful, "I was really exhausted at that time. The organization was still that of a divisional headquarters, but the things I had to deal with were at the army or even front level. So this time when I set up the army headquarters, I deliberately overstaffed a large number of staff officers and clerks, and the result was exactly as I expected."

Wang Zhong turned his head to look at the staff officers and clerks filling the warehouse and thought, wow, Pavlov, a guy with thick eyebrows and big eyes, you are also playing tricks!

----

Ye Castle, Summer Palace, the headquarters of the Ante Empire.

General Turgenev put down the telegram he had just sent and looked at Defense Minister Marshal Boris: "Rokossov wants the command of the 40th Tank Army. It seems that he is ready to take a bite of the enemy's armored division."

Marshal Boris glanced at the small door leading to the Tsar's office before he said to General Turgenev, "As long as he performs well this time, he should be the commander of the front. It's okay to give him more troops in advance. The question is, will General Andrei accept it?"

Turgenev shook his head: "I definitely won't accept it. In fact, there are quite a few army commanders who support his decision, and many of the army groups that have received the order to retreat have already started action.

"The only army that has not moved at all is the First Mobile Army. The shadow of last year's encirclement by the Prosen is still lingering in the minds of many of our commanders."

Marshal Boris sighed, "Yes, no one wants to be surrounded. Tell these commanders what Rokossov said, and they might even bring up General Skorobo, who was shot dead by Rokossov himself last year."

After these words were spoken, the two high-ranking officials of the command fell silent.

A few seconds later, Turgenev broke the silence: "It is the same summer, and the same steppe. You can't blame the commanders for thinking of running away. We can only use the authority of the High Command to force them to stay where they are, at least until Rokossov completes his offensive and Prince Myshkin retreats to the Caucasus Mountains."

Marshal Boris: "That's the only way. Who signed the order to the Sukhaveli Front?"

"Sign my order." Olga's voice came from the side door.

The two men turned their heads and saw His Majesty the Tsar walking into the room, and they quickly stood up straight.

Olga: "I'm the one who signed the order. If anything goes wrong, I'll be responsible. I'll strike hard at the enemy according to Rokossov's intention and support Prince Myshkin's fight."

Turgenev and Boris looked at each other, and then Marshal Boris, who had a higher military rank, spoke up: "Your Majesty, it's not time yet. And the signatures of one of us is enough to stop the army commanders from retreating. If this order leads to very bad results, we can also resign."

"Oh, I see." Olga nodded, then asked in confusion, "Alyosha - where are those officers trained by Rokossov? Where are they?"

General Turgenev: "As they continue to accumulate experience, most of them have now been promoted to divisional and corps commanders, and only a small number have served as army group commanders.

"Your Majesty, there is one thing you must know. The reason why so many army commanders are in a hurry to retreat this time is that they were greatly affected by last year's failure. It does not mean that they are unqualified as commanders."

Olga was a little surprised: "Really?"

"Yes, even experienced commanders, after the defeat at Agsukov last year, will worry about being the next to be surrounded by the Prosens. This tendency can only be overcome by defeating the Prosens.

"We cannot dismiss these commanders just because they obeyed General Andre's orders. We don't have that many qualified army-level commanders to replace them."

After General Turgenev finished speaking, Olga stared at him for a few seconds and said, "If I didn't know your work very well, I might have suspected that you were a traitor."

General Turgenev spread his hands and said, "Leading an army is not black and white. Of course, General Andrei, who ordered the retreat, can be replaced. He was indeed too conservative and ignored friendly forces, but the generals of his army group only need to issue an order not to retreat."

At this time, General Boris said: "How about we transfer General Gorky, who works closely with Rokossov, to command the Sukhaveli Front?"

General Turgenev thought for a few seconds and said, "How about Ivan Stepanovich, who has served as General Gorky's chief of staff since the St. Andrew Front, be appointed as the commander of the Western Front?"

Marshal Boris: "Ivan Stepanovich? Sure. I've long thought he's a good candidate for chief of staff. Let him have a try."

Olga: "Is it really okay? Move all the capable generals to the Sukhayaveli Front?"

General Turgenev: "In fact, the replacement of high-level military commanders has limited impact on the troops, because the troops are really familiar with their direct leaders, and who issues orders has little impact on the combat style of grassroots troops. After all, not every general likes to show up in front of frontline soldiers as frequently as Rokossov."

Olga nodded: "Okay, let General Gorky cooperate with Rokossov."

(End of this chapter)