war! war!

On January 7, 1940, the first weekend of the new year, German Army Group A sent an infantry division's vanguard under the cover of the Air Force to cross the Belgian-Dutch border and stationed in the A Belgian division on the frontier launched a tentative attack.

This tentative attack marked the end of a brief period of peace in Europe and the return of war.

Facing the German invaders who set foot on their homeland, the Belgian troops did not show any mercy. They fought tenaciously despite the loss of air supremacy, and defended their positions stubbornly until the two nearby French divisions arrived.

As the Allies sent more troops to the area to strengthen the defense, Rundstedt also increased his own bet, placing one of his only four armored divisions on the table. At the same time, the SS. The most elite SS1 "Leon Andres Guards" Panzergrenadier Division was also ordered to attack.

At this point, an area of ​​only 5 kilometers long and 40 kilometers wide has assembled nearly 100,000 troops from both sides, which represents the end of the probing phase and the outbreak of a formal war!

Wittmann sat on the fort of the Tiger Tank, chewing a piece of chocolate while watching the fire in the distance, wondering what he was thinking.

"Wittmann! Wittmann!" A call came from the earphones.

"I'm here, Major Westhagen." Wittmann swallowed the chocolate and replied.

"Are you busy now?" Westhagen asked in a hurried tone.

"There's something." Compared to Westhagen's anxiety, Wittmann seemed unhurried, "I'm busy eating my chocolate."

"Oh! Stop kidding, I have something to tell you." Wittman clearly heard someone's forehead on the other side of the headset.

"What's the matter?" Wittmann sat up straight and asked with anticipation, "Has the Frenchman's tank unit appeared?"

"No. The Frenchman's tank doesn't know where to hide for tea."

"Then what do you call me?" Hearing that the mission was not to fight the French tanks, Wittmann resumed his previous lazy sitting posture.

"About 6 kilometers from here, an infantry company of the Wehrmacht encountered some trouble, and we need our help to solve it."

"Trouble? What trouble?"

"They encountered a forest on the way to attack. Originally, they planned to enter the forest for a picnic, but unfortunately, there are obviously not only deer and rabbits in that forest." Westhagen said helplessly, "According to the situation they described. Look, there are at least 23 75mm cannons and an equal number of 47mm short-barreled guns in the woods."

"Well." Wittman nodded, "46 artillery pieces... I sympathize with that infantry company."

"They don't just need your sympathy." Westhagen said solemnly, "I want you to lead the four platoons to give them some support, not to mention letting you take down that artillery position, at least our brother's seat belts. return."

"Why should I go to this kind of thing?" Wittman was a little reluctant. "What about the Air Force? What about the Army Aviation? Wouldn't it be more appropriate to let their attack planes go?"

"It's not like you don't know how intense the fighting on the front line is, the guys in the Air Force and Army Aviation are about to break their wings." Westhagen urged, "Okay, if you want to go, you can go, this is an order! "

"Yes, Mr. Major." Hearing Westhagen's resolute tone, Wittmann nodded helplessly, "Give me their specific location and I'll set off immediately."

"Come over to me for the specific location!"

After a while, Wittmann returned to the fourth row with a map.

"Fourth platoon guys, start your tanks, check the fuel and ammunition, and bring more high-explosive bombs! It's our turn!" Wittmann greeted the surroundings as he stepped onto his tank.

After hearing Wittmann's words, the other crew members put down what they were doing, stepped onto their chariots in three steps and two steps, and started launching the tens of tons of behemoths.

"Boom boom boom!" With the roar, the four giant beasts woke up from the silence. The other non-combatants around were not idle either. They gathered around, took armor-piercing bullets from the crew, and handed the high-explosive bullets with red tips to the crew, for the upcoming battlefield. Brothers to do a little bit of effort.

With the help of so many people, the pre-war preparations were quickly completed. The four giant beasts swayed out of the camp one after another, spewing black smoke and rushed towards the target.

At the same time, it was 6 kilometers away from the 101 Heavy Tank Destroyer Battalion.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!" The high-explosive grenades fell one after another into the wheat field in front of the woods, constantly lifting up chunks of dirt and arms and legs.

"Damn it!" Acting Captain Eric was hiding in a bomb crater, shouting frantically while holding the steel helmet on his head. Beside him was a corpse without legs—he just died not long ago company commander.

"Nick! Nick!" he called out to the messenger.

"I'm here! The company commander!" The communicator Nick's ears were very sensitive, and he immediately recognized the voice of the acting company commander amid the rumbling artillery fire.

Soon, Nick rolled into the crater with the radio on his back.

"Get me the regiment! Ask why the support hasn't arrived yet!" Eric shouted loudly, "Damn it! I've been bombed for half an hour! If the support doesn't come, I'm afraid this wheat field won't be used next year. Farming!"

"Maybe there's no need to fertilize anymore." Nick made a cold joke while operating the radio skillfully, "Our brother's corpse guarantees that this wheat field will have a good harvest for several consecutive years... Through the commander..."

With that said, Nick handed the microphone to Eric.

"Hello?! Hello! Here is the 17th regiment finger! Which unit are you from?" The voice of the regimental staff officer was heard on the radio.

"Sir! I'm from the first battalion and the third company! I want to ask how long it will take for our support to arrive?" Eric shouted, "We are in a hurry, because if the support does not come, the third company will have to ripe!"

"The third company... oh, the third company!" The regiment staff remembered the situation of the third company, "Your support is already on the way! The SS has dispatched four tanks, which will soon arrive at you. s position!"

"What? Only four tanks?!" Eric was stunned, "Sir! You may have underestimated the situation on our side... This... four tanks may not last even a minute here... "

"Don't worry!" The regimental staff officer over there quickly replied, "The skins of those four tanks are quite thick, don't worry! By the way, what about your company commander? Why are you contacting me?"

"Uh..." Eric glanced at the company commander, who was only half left, "He's a little incomplete..."

"Then you are the acting company commander? What's your name?"

"Eric! Sir! My name is Eric."

"Okay, Captain Eric, I want you to hold on! Do you understand? Hold on until reinforcements arrive! Then cooperate with the SS tanks to take down the French artillery position!"

"Understood! Sir!"