After dawn, Sokov received a call from Rokosovsky: "Misha, I heard that you led your troops to attack an enemy's transfer station in the early morning and seized a lot of supplies. Is it true?"

Hearing Rokosovsky's question, Sokov's heart suddenly became alert, and the image of a brigade commander wearing round-frame glasses immediately appeared in his mind. The other party also said with a smile: "Li Yunlong, congratulations on your wealth!"

He couldn't help but tremble, thinking that Rokosovsky called him, he wanted to hand over the spoils, right? So he pretended to be pitiful and said, "Comrade Commander, after this period of battle, my troops have consumed almost all weapons, ammunition and supplies. Considering that the headquarters cannot replenish us for the time being, I have no choice but to go to the Germans to get some supplies..."

"Okay, Misha, don't say it." Rokosovsky heard Sokov's implication and quickly gave him a reassurance: "How many weapons, ammunition and materials can be seized is your ability. I won't let you hand over it, so don't worry."

Hearing Rokosovsky's reply, Sokov's heart felt much more at ease. After he let out a long sigh, he asked tentatively: "Comrade Commander, call me, is there anything important?"

"The superiors have issued us a counterattack order." Rokosovsky said with some headaches: "But even if I don't tell me about the situation of the army, you may know a little and are unable to launch a full-scale counterattack. I called you just to ask, how is the situation in the German-occupied area you are going?"

"Comrade Commander, the enemy's troops in the area where I entered are very weak. Apart from encountering a patrol on the way, I never encountered any other enemies." After briefly introducing the situation, Sokov asked tentatively: "Are you planning to launch a counterattack in this area?"

"So have you found a defensive position of the Germans along the way?" Rokosovsky was worried that he had not made it clear enough, and he emphasized specifically: "For example, artillery positions, tanks, and armored vehicles gathering?"

"No, Comrade Commander." Sokov replied simply: "No enemy's defensive positions were found along the way."

After answering the question, Sokov paused for a moment and asked carefully: "Comrade Commander, are you really planning to launch a counterattack in this area?"

Unexpectedly, Rokosovsky's answer was far beyond Sokov's expectations: "Since the enemy has not established any defense in the direction of your brigade, it is meaningless to launch a counterattack in that area."

Just when Sokov was wondering why Rokosovsky said this, he continued: "We will fight back against the enemy, not only to regain the lost land, but more importantly to eliminate the enemy's living forces. If there is no enemy in your area, what is the point of our counterattack? Regaining a piece of deserted land, we must also send troops to station, and the enemy has not suffered any losses. There is no need to carry out such a counterattack."

When Sokov learned that he was not in his area to fight back, he breathed a sigh of relief, so he didn't have to worry that his troops would be consumed in meaningless counterattacks. Out of curiosity, he asked: "So, are you planning to fight back in other areas?"

"Misha, this is not your concern." Rokosovsky suddenly raised his voice and said, "What you need to care about is how to block the German attack."

When Sokov put down the phone, Belkin came over and asked, "Comrade Brigade Commander, what did the commander say on the phone?"

“He said the army’s troops will launch a counterattack in the near future.”

"What, launch a counterattack?" Hearing Sokov say this, Belkin and Karsokov can't help but look at each other, and both saw shock in each other's eyes. Belkin said excitedly: "I don't know how the other troops are. But with the existing strength of our brigade, there is no problem with the defense. But if it is used for attack, comrade comrade, please be honest, which is equivalent to letting our commanders and soldiers die."

If it were other commanders, when they heard Belkin's remarks, they would definitely scold him, saying that he was frightened by the enemy's temporary strength and panic, and they would make such a defeatist argument without any choice. Those with a bad temper might send him directly to the military court.

But Sokov just glanced at him and said lightly: "Comrade Commander has already expressed his opinion that he will not choose the counterattack location in our direction, so don't worry."

Karsokov asked in confusion: "In the area where our brigade's defense is, except for the enemy in front of the fourth battalion's positions, there is no enemy defense line at all. If you launch a counterattack, it is easy to achieve results."

"Comrade Chief of Staff, your idea is wrong." Sokov shook his head and said, "There is indeed no place in the direction of our brigade's defense. If we launch a counterattack here, we might be able to advance twenty or thirty kilometers in one day. The results are good, but because the enemy in this area is weak, the counterattack cannot cause them great losses, so the purpose of eliminating the enemy is simply not achieved. Moreover, after the troops occupy these areas, they still need to divide their troops to defend, which will further weaken the strength of our army. Once the German army concentrates its forces to launch a counterattack, the counterattack troops will be trapped in a siege and be eaten by the enemy."

Belkin and Karsokov thought for a while and nodded in agreement: "That's right, the superiors are preparing to launch a counterattack, not only to regain the lost positions, but also to annihilate as much of the enemy's living forces as possible. There are not many enemies on the front of our brigade defense zone, and it is indeed not very meaningful to launch a counterattack here."

After several people discussed the counterattack for a while, Sokov suddenly realized that it was too quiet outside, so he said to Karsokov: "Comrade Chief of Staff, call the Fourth Battalion and ask them how it is going there?"

Everyone knew in their hearts that the German army paid such a great price in front of the Fourth Battalion's position yesterday, so they would definitely not give up and would launch an attack again. But it has been so long today, but the enemy has not moved at all, which is too abnormal.

Therefore, after hearing Sokov's orders, Karsokov immediately grabbed the telephone and called Major Vasia, the commander of the Fourth Battalion.

"Major Vasia? I'm Karsokov." After the phone was connected, Karsokov asked: "How is the situation there? Is there any movement for the Germans?"

"No, Comrade Chief of Staff." Vasia replied, "Nothing is happening at all, I wonder if they will continue to attack today."

Seeing that Karsokov had already spoken with Vasia, Sokov hurriedly walked over to take the microphone and put it in his ear and said, "Major Vasia, I am Sokov."

"Hello, comrade comrade commander."

"Major Vasia, listen." Sokov said sternly to the microphone: "The Germans paid such a great price in front of your camp yesterday. According to my estimate, they will definitely launch an attack today, so you must not take it lightly."

"Don't worry, comrade brigade commander." Vasia assured Sokov: "We are always vigilant and will never allow the enemy to easily break into our positions."

When Sokov was about to put down the phone, he suddenly remembered something: "By the way, Major Vasia, are there any destroyed German tank wreckage in front of your position?"

Although Vasia did not understand the purpose of Sokov's question, he replied truthfully: "Yes, the wreckage of tanks and armored vehicles that were destroyed yesterday remained in front of our battalion's position, and the enemy had no time to clean up."

"Since the enemy's tanks and armored vehicles are still there, that's fine." Sokov ordered the other party: "Major Vasia, immediately send a few soldiers to hide under the German tank wreckage and serve as observation posts to monitor the enemy's movements."

"Let the soldiers hide under the tank wreckage and act as observation posts to monitor the enemy?" Vasya was puzzled by Sokov's arrangement.

Sokov heard the other party's confusion from Vasia's tone and explained to him: "Yesterday, before the enemy launched a ground attack on the positions of your battalion, it was shelling and bombing. The soldiers who left you on the positions as observation posts were very casualties, right? Let them hide under the wreckage of the tank in front of the positions, so that they can avoid being bombarded and bombed by the enemy, and when they see the enemy launch an attack, they can also send you a combat alarm in time."

After Sokov's explanation, Vasia immediately understood his intention: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I understand what you mean. I immediately arranged for people to hide under the wreckage of the tank to monitor the enemy's movements as observation posts. By the way, in addition to observation posts, I also planned to establish two machine gun positions. After the attacking enemy approached, I could also use machine guns to strafuse them and shoot them alone."

Sokov was very pleased to see that Vasia could learn from others and apply it to others. He smiled and said, "Major Vasia, we have just obtained a batch of German equipment, including more than 20 mg34 general-purpose machine guns. I will send you some later."

When Vasia was very happy to learn that Sokov was going to send him a few mg34 general-purpose machine guns. He also emphasized specifically: "Comrade Brigade Commander, although the German machine guns are powerful, they consume too much ammunition. I wonder if we can equip us with more ammunition?"

"No problem." Sokov said carelessly: "I will equip you with 2,500 bullets per machine gun, which should be enough."

Vasia obviously knew that the German MG34 machine gun was equipped with 2,500 rounds, so she did not object to Sokov's arrangement. On the contrary, she assured Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, with these machine guns, we will be more sure of blocking the enemy."

After Sokov finished his call with Vasia, he contacted Captain Ivan Popov, the quarantine officer: "Captain Ivan, I am Sokov. I now order you to send someone to send six mg34 machine guns to the fourth battalion, and at the same time, equip each machine gun with 2,500 rounds."

As a prestigious quartermaster, Ivan Popov did not raise any objection after receiving Sokov's order, but replied readily: "Okay, comrade brigade commander, I personally bring people to the Fourth Battalion."

"The action is quicker, and the battles on the Fourth Battalion may start at any time."

Apart from the vague sound of gunfire from the direction of friendly positions throughout the morning, there was no movement on the infantry brigade's positions.

Just when Sokov thought the enemy might have a day off today, the shelling of the fourth camp positions began.

Hearing the sound of cannons coming from the direction of the Fourth Battalion, Sokov hurriedly grabbed the microphone and contacted Vasia. He couldn't wait to ask: "Vasia, the enemy has bombarded your battalion again. Have I asked you to arrange the observation post?"

"All have been arranged, comrade brigade commander." Vasia replied loudly: "In addition to arranging three groups of observation posts under the wreckage of the tank, I also established two machine gun positions, which can take the lead in attacking the enemy when the enemy launches ground attack..."

Unexpectedly, before Vasia finished speaking, the phone stopped.

Sokov heard nothing in the microphone and immediately realized that the telephone line had been blown up again.

He remembered that Vasia said that two machine gun positions were established under the tank wreckage, but before the other party could say the following words, the phone was interrupted. At this moment, he wanted to figure out whether the machine gun positions under the tank wreckage were using Soviet turntable machine guns or German mg34 universal machine guns.

Since the telephone line was blown off and could not be repaired in a short period of time, Sokov could only ask the quarantine officer to learn about the situation: "Comrade Captain, I am Sokov. I asked you to send the mg3 universal machine gun to the Fourth Battalion. Have you sent it to them?"

"It has been sent over, comrade comrade brigade commander. I personally brought the people to him. I was worried that there were not enough bullets, so I gave 500 more bullets per machine gun." After answering Sokov's question, the quarantine officer asked respectfully: "What instructions do you have?"

"No more," Sokov said: "You're doing a good job."

As soon as the German bombardment of the fourth battalion was over, Karsokov asked Sokov for instructions: "Comrade Brigade Commander, the enemy's shelling of the fourth battalion has stopped. Will we send a communications soldier to repair the route so that we can restore our contact with the fourth battalion as soon as possible?"

Although Sokov knew that after the enemy's shelling was over, in order to understand the current situation of the Fourth Battalion as soon as possible, Sokov nodded and agreed to Karsokov's proposal: "Arranging a communications force immediately to inspect the telephone lines connecting the Fourth Battalion. However, we must tell them that the enemy may bomb the positions of the Fourth Battalion at any time, and they should pay more attention to safety when repairing the telephone lines."

The communications soldiers who were inspecting the route were sent out shortly after the enemy bombarded the fourth battalion.

Hearing the violent explosions from outside, Sokov couldn't help frowning. He noticed that the enemy's bombing was more fierce than yesterday. Although the Fourth Battalion's position was repaired last night, it was still not as good as before. If the bombing was so fierce, the casualties of the troops would probably be small.

But since the Fourth Battalion is not in contact for the time being, Sokov could only say to Belkin: "Comrade Deputy Brigade Commander, please rush to the reserve position behind the Fourth Battalion. After the enemy's bombing is over, we will immediately replenish the reserve personnel into the Fourth Battalion."
Chapter completed!