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Volume 3 Far East Story Chapter 611 (Part 1) Between Virtuality and Reality

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    wAt 16:45 on July 27, 1918, the Soviet Third Army Headquarters in the East of Nizhny Novgorod

    "Karl Ivanovich, the 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division stationed in the town of Kostovo reported that the White Guard forward troops appeared in the southeast. They just ambushed the opponent's Cossack cavalry battalion in front of the position and wiped out a company of the opponent.  This group of enemies retreated very quickly and very cruelly. All the seriously injured people were hacked to death by their own cavalry with swords, and all the lightly wounded people were withdrawn!"

    Merzheninov, Chief of Staff of the Soviet Third Army, put down the phone and spoke solemnly to Commander Berzin, who was smoking a cigarette in front of the combat map and staring at the map.

    "Sergey Alexanderevich, how many troops does the enemy's forward have? What is their number?" Berzin turned around and asked.

    "The flag held by the opponent's cavalry battalion is the 3rd Don Cavalry Division. The 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division has sent scouts to conduct reconnaissance. The size of the enemy's follow-up troops has yet to be confirmed, but the opponent has dispatched armored trains just because  The railway was destroyed by us and the opponent stopped!" Mezheninov replied.

    "Reporting to the commander, there is a call from the headquarters of the 2nd Infantry Division, asking for instructions whether it is necessary to transfer the 4th Brigade of the 2nd Division to reinforce the 3rd Brigade in Kostovo? In addition, the 2nd Division requested a cluster of armored trains to support the 3rd Brigade in Kostovo.  Brigade!" A headquarters operations staff put down the phone in his hand and asked for instructions.

    It turned out that in the Soviet Third Army's eastern defense plan for Nizhny Novgorod, Kostovo served as a bridgehead hanging alone 20 kilometers away from the city of Nizhny Novgorod. Berzin sent troops from the 2nd Infantry Division.  The 3rd Brigade defends, while ten kilometers northwest of Kostowo, the 4th Brigade of the 2nd Infantry Division holds the second line of defense. In the Third Army's defensive operation plan, the outpost bridgehead of Kostovo is mainly used  Delaying and consuming the attacking side's energy and strength is not the battlefield for a decisive battle!

    Of course, the 2nd Ural Infantry Division of Berzin's Third Army is also a brave and capable unit. Now that the position is handed over to them, the division commander Alexander Sergeyevich Brezhnev has no intention of giving up his position easily.  The circular position in Stovo was built quite solidly, and the communication trenches, trenches, trenches and anti-artillery points were arranged in an orderly manner. Brezhnev even arranged the two artillery companies assigned to the 2nd Infantry Division in Stovo.  Located 2 kilometers northwest of the town, it provides fire support for forward positions.

    Not only that, in order to improve the survivability of the artillery, the two artillery companies of the 2nd Division built at least six positions, pre-paved the way for transfer, and were ready to transfer after shooting. In addition, Brezhnev also strengthened the  An anti-aircraft artillery battalion for the 2nd Infantry Division was all handed over to the 3rd Brigade guarding Kostovo. 24 20mm-caliber German anti-aircraft guns were placed flat for use as machine guns, greatly enhancing the defensive firepower of the front line.

    "Tell the 2nd Division that the enemy's situation is unclear now and not to act rashly. The 4th Brigade of the 2nd Division can move forward five kilometers. The focus is to avoid the enemy from interspersing and surrounding Kostovo. The armored train detachment can arrive at Kostovo in 20 minutes.  , Before that, the 3rd Brigade should send out a small group of troops to conduct battlefield reconnaissance as soon as possible, in order to find out the true and false strength of the enemy's invading troops!" Berzin frowned and gave the order.

    "Karl Ivanovich, the 3rd Brigade of the 2nd Ural Infantry Division guarding Kostov only has one brigade. Many of the soldiers are new soldiers who were just added a few days ago. They alone guard Kostov.  Aren't the troops too thin?" Mezheninov, chief of staff of the group army, reminded at the side.

    "Sergey Alexanderevich, I don't think you need to worry. When Chupov's Ural 1st Division defended Chivelisk, the enemy they attacked was three divisions in strength, but they couldn't capture it. Now, Kes  Tovo backed the Nizhny Novgorod defense line.

    And according to the telegram from Shatenko¡¯s cavalry detachment in the afternoon, at least at noon today, the enemy only has no more than three divisions of troops in Reskovo. The opponent still has to leave troops to guard Reskovo, right?  I estimate that even though Kolchak's forwards have arrived in Kostvo, their strength will not exceed two divisions!  It¡¯s not a big problem for the 3rd brigade to hold on!  The key is to figure out the enemy's strength!  "Berzin said confidently.

    "Karl Ivanovich, since the enemy only has no more than 2 divisions, even if they have 3 divisions, why don't we attack from both wings and simply make the opponent's dumplings? That way we can't use Kolchak's main force  Before catching up, will they annihilate the opponent's vanguard and severely dampen the opponent's morale and offensive momentum?" Merzheninov asked in confusion.

    After receiving a telegram from Shatenko's cavalry detachment, Merzheninov had this idea. If Kolchakto was too big, or for some other reason, the White Guards leading the battle only had three divisions, Merzheninov would  Ninov saw no reason to let go of the meat in front of him. The Third Army dispatched its entire army and used seven divisions to attack three of the opponent's divisions. No matter what, they could eat the opponent!

    "Sergey Alexanderevich, I have explained to you this afternoon that the first stage of the defensive operation in Nizhny Novgorod isDelay the enemy's attack, dampen the enemy's energy, and at the same time buy time for the two armies and several armies in the south to rest and replenish. We have to delay time, do you understand?  "Berzin took the trouble to explain again.

    "But, Karl Ivanovich, if we don't eat the meat that the enemy puts to our lips, we won't eat it for nothing. If we kill these three divisions of the opponent, won't we be able to better attack and defeat Kolchak's attempt to attack?"  ?" Merzheninov argued unwillingly.

    "Hey, Comrade Chief of Staff, even you have become so radical. The Third Army just fought a fierce battle in Cheboksary. Speaking of which, we suffered more than one-third of our casualties. The combat effectiveness of the army has been greatly reduced.  Although the personnel and equipment have been replenished, the combat backbone of the battalion, company, squad and platoon that was destroyed in the battle of Cheboksary cannot be cultivated and restored in a day or two!¡±

    "So you said to use seven divisions of the entire group army to surround and destroy the opponent's three divisions. I admit that if the opponent has three divisions, it is possible to achieve this goal. But, how long will it take to destroy these three divisions? Is one hour enough?  Two hours? Or half a day and a night?" Berzin's series of questions made Merzheninov blush.

    The chief of staff of the group army scratched his head and said, "How is it possible in 2 hours? If the troops are mobilized from the existing defense line and rush to the front line of Kostowo, it will take at least more than 2 hours. Railways and trains cannot be used to transport troops. Besides,  After the fight begins, if the opponent attacks the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Kazan Infantry Divisions, their combat effectiveness is comparable to our original main division. If we say that we can surround and annihilate the opponent in two hours, I think  Can¡¯t do it!¡±m
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