To boost morale, Pavelkin kept shouting on the walkie-talkie: "Keep formation and keep calm! Comrade Stalin is paying attention to us, the Soviet people are watching us, they will give us courage, once you see the enemy... don't be ruthless, think about everything these invaders have done on our land, we have enough reason to wipe them out..."

In fact, there is another reason why Pavelkin kept shouting like this, that is, venting his inner fear.

This is actually not surprising, nor is it embarrassing, because as long as it is an individual, there is enough reason to be afraid in this situation... The sky is whistling through enemy fighters and bombers, whether it is machine guns or bombs falling from the sky. These things coming from the top can easily penetrate the armor of the tank and then smash the people inside into a bloody and bloody way.

However, Major General Pavelkin cannot be afraid, not only because he is a Soviet soldier, but also because he is a major general and a role model for obtaining the Order of Defense of Moscow. He cannot show any timidity before his subordinates.

The Germans' defense line was getting closer and closer. Through the tank observation hole, Major General Pavelkin could even see the Germans running in the trenches.

Pavelkin couldn't help but give another order: "Slow down the speed at a distance of three hundred meters and wait for the infantry to catch up!"

This order is of course correct, because the tanks require infantry cover, especially the Germans have a 160-meter-range bazooka.

However, at this moment, the speed of the tank suddenly slowed down.

"What's going on?" asked Major General Pavelkin: "I'm not talking about now!"

"I don't know, Comrade Pavelkin!" The driver replied: "I didn't slow down, but I don't know why the tank slowed down! It was like... being tripped by something!"

"You fool!" Pavelkin cursed loudly: "What can I trip the tank? Speed ​​me up!"

"I have accelerated!" the driver replied innocently.

At this time, a report from his subordinates suddenly came from the walkie-talkie: "On the left, enemy tank!"

"On the right, enemy tank!"

"Comrade Pavelkin, we are surrounded!"

...

Pavelkin was shocked when he heard this. He no longer cared about the danger. He opened the hatch and poked his head and raised his telescope to observe. Sure enough, he saw enemy tanks appearing one kilometer away on both sides of the tank.

"The enemy is still far from us!" Pavelkin shouted: "Start up, we can break through the defense line before them, and then we can enter Stalingrad..."

Pavelkin's plan was correct, because the main purpose of their battle was to get in touch with Stalingrad.

Now in this situation where the German army is ambushed, it is obviously unlikely to divide the German army into two, and it is impossible to retreat... Not to mention whether he can retreat, Order No. 227 does not allow him to do so.

So rushing towards Stalingrad is the best choice. After all, this is not considered an escape, and it can even be described as a heroic breakthrough to reinforce Stalingrad through the enemy's defense line.

However, his hope was soon lost because the tank motor roared but the speed was still not fast. It was not until a tank stopped and the tank crew jumped out of the car to check that it was discovered that the wheat fields were full of water.

Obviously, these waters are tricks made by the Germans.

I have to say that this trick is very clever, because the first half of the wheat field was not soaked in water, so the Soviet army did not notice anything unusual. Although the second half was soaked in water, it was also impossible to see that it was covered with wheat straw.

If the infantry followed closely behind the tank, the infantry might be able to discover that the tank tracks would bring splashes of water. The problem is that the tank was driven by the fighter plane and speeded up...

What's more serious is that only middle and senior officers of the Soviet tank troops have walkie-phones for two-way communication, while ordinary tanks only have one antenna, which means they only allow passive reception of information and cannot send information.

Therefore, even if some tanks find problems and are even trapped in the paddy fields, they cannot warn other tanks. They can only watch those tanks continue to move into the paddy fields.

Until Pavelkin's tank was trapped in the paddy field and could not move.

After discovering the reason, Pavelkin couldn't help but be shocked and immediately ordered: "All tanks will be divided into two teams to fight on the spot!"

It should be said that the orders issued by Pavelkin are suitable.

Because in this situation where you are trapped in paddy fields, the best way is to turn the direction and fight left and right, so you can use the front armor of the T34 to carry it with the enemy tank troops for a while.

But it was too late to realize this at this time.

The water in the wheat field is water in the irrigation ditch, and has been soaked in the wheat field for several hours.

The mud in wheat fields has a characteristic, that is, it will be very dry and hard when there is no water. Once soaked in water, it will soon become wet and soft and sticky.

Of course, because they haven't been soaked in the water for long, they won't be so soft that they will immediately trap the tank.

But if the tank is steering, it will be different... The tank steering is to fix the tracks on one side and the tracks rotate, so a spiral will form on the side where the tracks are fixed and dig deep down.

So, it would be fine if the tanks did not turn, but as soon as they turned, they would fall into place and unable to move.

What's worse is that the Soviet drivers were eager to escape, so they would naturally activate the tracks on both sides. The side where they were trapped in would sink deeper and deeper, and the entire center of gravity tilted to one side, and the tank body was also tilted to one side.

The result of this is that... the Soviet tanks' tank guns were unable to target the target at all, and they could only watch the German tanks gradually approaching from the left and right wings.

The 21st Armored Division approached from both wings.

The 21st Armored Division did not go to rescue Yerzovka at all, but instead left the state-owned farm and hid it shortly after leaving.

Needless to say, the method of hiding is to dig a pit that can be penetrated by a tank, and then cover it with branches and other things on it.

As for the tanks that reinforced Yerzovka, they were tanks of the German Infantry Division and the Motorized Infantry Division in the Kotluban area, as well as tanks placed in Kotluban for repair due to failure... There were only more than 30 vehicles together, but they still scared the Soviets.

Looking at the Soviet tanks tilted in front of the telescope, who were trapped in the paddy fields and unable to move, General Streck ordered with great enthusiasm: "Gentlemen, the rich season is here, who says that only wheat and vegetables are grown on the farm?"
Chapter completed!