“Yes, we have been suppressed by the Soviet army for a long time. It’s so frustrating. This time we finally have a chance to avenge ourselves! Let those Soviet troops know the strengths of our German army!” The gunner also waved his fist excitedly, with the flame of revenge burning in his eyes.

In the previous battle, they suffered a fierce attack from the Soviet army and suffered heavy losses, which filled their hearts with anger and resentment. This counterattack finally gave them a chance to take revenge.

At this time, the transport planes were still unloading supplies in an orderly manner. Most of these supplies were urgently needed by the front-line troops, among which canned food and cigarettes accounted for a large part. With Speer’s integration of European industrial production capacity, Germany’s war material production capacity has been significantly improved.

The production of supplies such as cigarettes and canned food increased significantly, and the logistical supply situation of the troops on the Eastern Front was greatly improved.

The soldiers’ food supply gradually returned to normal, which not only nourished their bodies, but also boosted the morale of the troops. In this cruel war, sufficient logistical supplies were like a tonic for the soldiers, giving them the courage and strength to continue fighting.

Just as Oster and others were immersed in their anticipation of future battles, a man who looked like an officer walked towards them.

The officer was wearing a neat military uniform, with an exquisite pistol on his waist, and his steps were steady and powerful. He looked them up and down, with a hint of majesty in his eyes, and asked: “Which unit are you from? Why are you here?” His voice was low and loud, as if it had an irresistible power.

Oster quickly stood at attention and saluted with standard and quick movements, and replied: “Reporting to the commander, we are from the 3rd Armored Regiment of the SS Division. We saw the fleet of planes landing and came over to take a look out of curiosity.” There was a hint of nervousness and awe in his tone. Facing this majestic officer, he did not dare to slack off in the slightest.

The officer frowned and said, “This is a military restricted area, not a place you can come casually. But since you are here, I will tell you. These planes and supplies are all prepared for the upcoming large-scale counterattack. The Supreme Command has formulated a detailed combat plan aimed at breaking through the Soviet defense line and regaining the strategic initiative.” His eyes revealed determination and confidence, as if victory in this battle was already in his control.

Hearing the officer’s words, Oster and others’ eyes sparkled with excitement.

They were eager to know more details about the counterattack. Seeing this, the officer continued, “The Air Force will play a vital role in this operation. These fighters will not only carry out fierce bombing on the Soviet front-line positions, but also provide air cover for ground troops. In addition to supplies, the transport planes also brought some new weapons and equipment, which will greatly enhance the combat effectiveness of our troops. These new equipment have undergone rigorous testing and improvements, and have stronger lethality and protection capabilities. I believe they will definitely deal a huge blow to the Soviet army.”

“Sir, what role will our tank unit play in this operation?” Oster couldn’t help but ask. His heart was filled with a desire for battle, and he wanted to know what tasks his tank unit would undertake in this major operation.

The officer smiled and said, “The tank unit is naturally one of the main attacking forces. Your Tiger tanks will serve as the vanguard, breaking through the Soviet defense line and opening a passage for the follow-up troops. With the support of the air force, you will be even more powerful and deal a heavy blow to the Soviet army. The powerful firepower and solid armor of the Tiger tank will become your powerful weapon on the battlefield. You must give full play to the advantages of the Tiger tank, forge ahead bravely, and open up a path for victory.”

After hearing this, Oster and others were filled with fighting spirit. They imagined that on the battlefield, they would drive a Tiger tank, under the cover of the air force, like a sharp blade, fiercely penetrate the Soviet position and completely defeat the enemy.

They seemed to have heard the roar of tanks and seen the enemy retreating under their attacks, and their hearts were filled with pride and expectation.

However, the officer’s expression suddenly became serious: “But you must understand that this battle will be extremely cruel. The Soviet army will not give up easily, and they are constantly strengthening their defenses. Although we have new weapons and equipment and combat plans, victory is not easy to come by. Every soldier must go all out, for the glory of the empire, for victory, at all costs. This battle will determine our fate, and we cannot retreat or hesitate in the slightest.” His eyes revealed firmness and determination, as if conveying to them an unshakable belief.

Oster and the others nodded heavily. They knew the cruelty of war, but at this moment, the blood in their hearts had been ignited, and the desire for victory made them fearless. Their eyes were full of determination and resolution, as if they were swearing to the officers that they would fight bravely on the battlefield and sacrifice their lives for the glory of the empire and for victory.

The officer looked at his watch and said, “Okay, it’s time for you to go back. Go back and tell your comrades to prepare for battle. The war is coming, and we must prove with our actions that the German army is invincible! Let the whole world know our strength and determination!” His voice was full of passion and appeal.

Along the Dnieper River, the Soviet positions were like a steel fortress, ready for battle.

Five thousand artillery pieces were neatly arranged, their muzzles gleaming coldly, like a group of dormant beasts, ready to strike. Five hundred Katyusha rocket launchers were scattered among them, their slender launch tubes like a forest of steel, exuding a chilling atmosphere.

All the firepower was accurately aimed at the German frontline positions, and a thrilling battle was about to break out.

The Soviet artillery commander stood tall on a high command platform, the flag in his hand looking like a burning flame.

His eyes were as sharp as torches, fixed on the German positions in the distance, and he issued an order as loud as a bell: “Fire at a distance of seven thousand meters!” Following the order, he waved the flag in his hand violently, like a bolt of lightning cutting through the sky.

“Boom!” A deafening roar broke the silence of the battlefield. Then, “Swoosh!” Countless rockets with long tails of flames whizzed out from the Katyusha rocket launcher like a group of angry firebirds.

In an instant, dense artillery shells and rockets covered the sky and the sun, like a swarm of locusts, and smashed towards the German defensive positions.

The earth was shaking violently, as if it could not bear the weight, and it groaned in pain. The deafening explosions intertwined together, forming a powerful sound wave that hit everyone’s eardrums.

“It’s the Soviet artillery fire. Hurry, everyone, get into the bunker.” On the German position, the soldiers’ shouts came one after another.

Although the German army was no stranger to Soviet artillery bombardment, artillery attacks of this scale still made them feel tremendous pressure.

However, they still had some confidence in the air-raid shelters they dug, which were carefully designed and reinforced to withstand the bombardment of 152mm howitzers. “Don’t panic, stay calm.” The shouts of the German officers echoed on the battlefield, trying to calm the soldiers.

However, the entire German position was now shrouded in smoke and flames, with shrapnel flying everywhere and deafening explosions everywhere.

Some unlucky air-raid shelters were unfortunately hit by 200mm artillery shells and were instantly blown to pieces. The solid roof of the caves was torn apart like paper, and the soldiers inside were ruthlessly buried under the rubble before they could even utter a scream.

“Damn it, how many artillery pieces did the Soviets assemble this time? At least tens of thousands, right?” A German soldier hiding in the air-raid shelter said in a trembling voice. His face was full of fear, his eyes were wide open, as if he had seen the end of the world.

“Almost, and they have been bombarding for so long, there is no sign of stopping.” The comrade next to him responded, his tone full of helplessness and worry. They knew very well that life was so fragile under such fierce artillery fire.

“Don’t talk nonsense, hide well, don’t get killed, the artillery fire will cover the area for at least an hour this time.” An experienced veteran said in a deep voice. Although his voice was steady, his eyes also revealed a hint of nervousness. He had experienced countless battles on this battlefield and knew the power and cruelty of artillery fire.

“I think it might take more than two hours.” Another soldier whispered, his voice trembling. He held the gun tightly with both hands, as if it was his only support in this hellish battlefield.

“Then is our air-raid shelter strong? I feel like we can’t even hold out for an hour if the bombardment continues like this. We won’t die here today, will we?” A young soldier asked worriedly as more than a dozen people were crowded in the large air-raid shelter. His face was covered in sweat, and his tender face was filled with fear. This was his first time on the battlefield, and facing such horrific artillery fire, the fear in his heart almost overwhelmed him.

“I should have dug a single-person air-raid shelter earlier.” Someone whispered. At this critical moment, everyone’s heart was filled with the desire to survive, and they began to reflect on whether the previous defense measures were perfect enough.

“It shouldn’t collapse. It’s made of concrete, so it shouldn’t collapse that easily.” The veteran consoled everyone, trying to calm them down. In fact, he himself wasn’t completely sure, but in this situation, stabilizing the morale of the troops was crucial. He knew very well that once panic spread, the entire defense line could collapse in an instant.

“That’s good.” Hearing the old soldier’s words, everyone felt a little relieved. In the air-raid shelter, everyone was talking at once, trying to use words to ease the tension in their hearts. Some people even made jokes, although there was a hint of bitterness in their laughter.

“Why didn’t our artillery respond at all? Why didn’t they fight back?” a soldier suddenly asked, his eyes full of confusion. In his opinion, facing such a fierce attack by the Soviet army, his artillery should have taken action.

“Counterattack? Impossible. The division only has one artillery regiment, and the Soviets have at least tens of thousands of artillery pieces. How can we fight back? We will probably be devastated as soon as we open fire.” The veteran explained. He had a clear understanding of the firepower comparison between the two sides. On this battlefield, the gap in strength often determines the direction of the battle.

“Where’s the air force? Why haven’t they shown up yet?” someone else asked, his eyes full of anticipation. In this battlefield full of artillery fire, air force support might be their only hope.

“Who knows? I’m not the commander. Just hide and pray to God that it will end soon.” The old soldier said helplessly. In the face of war, everyone seems so insignificant. They can only passively wait for the judgment of fate.

“Don’t shut up, open your mouths, or you’ll get deafened.” At this time, the veteran saw a new recruit trembling and gritting his teeth, and immediately shouted loudly.

He knew how important it was to have a correct protective posture when under heavy artillery fire. If it was a small-caliber artillery, closing the mouth might not have much effect, but for a heavy artillery like this, the powerful sound waves generated by the explosion were enough to cause serious damage to the human body.

Only by opening your mouth, covering your ears, and allowing the sound to be released through your mouth can you minimize the harm to the human body.

Otherwise, there is an 80% chance that the ear will bleed or even the eardrum will be ruptured, and the person will become deaf. These are the valuable experiences accumulated by veterans in countless battles, which were gained with the blood and lives of their comrades.

“You dare to keep your mouth shut under heavy artillery bombardment? You’re courting death.” The old soldier looked around and shouted angrily to everyone in the air-raid shelter.

In fact, we can’t blame the recruits. During training, everyone kept these key points in mind, but once they were on the real battlefield, facing such terrifying artillery fire, people’s instinctive reaction often made them lose their minds. Being able to not run around was already considered a good psychological quality.

As the saying goes, veterans are afraid of machine guns, and new recruits are afraid of artillery. Especially new recruits who have just entered the battlefield, when they hear the sound of artillery, they are often frightened and at a loss. Although these new recruits did not wet their pants, they were also trembling with fear. Fortunately, the veterans reminded them in time and brought them back to their senses.

“There’s nothing to be afraid of artillery shells. Their landing points are regular. You’ll know it after listening a few times. The explosions of those shells are far away from our air-raid shelter. There’s no need to worry.” The veteran said with a smile, trying to infect the new recruits around him with his calmness.

His smile seemed to have a magical power, which made the tense nerves of the recruits relax a little. They took a deep breath and smiled palely. In this cruel battlefield, a warm smile might be the motivation for them to persevere.

The atmosphere in the headquarters of the German Sixth Army’s 17th Army was as heavy as the sky before a storm. Admiral Kietz frowned and stared at the map in front of him, as if he was trying to find a way out of the situation from the dense lines and marks.

His eyes revealed anxiety and worry, and he said bitterly: “These sons of bitches, their artillery fire is so powerful.” (End of this chapter)