Apart from it, Gromov also ordered Bodanov to prepare a few covers for both KV.
Exposing only the turret, while the rest would be under cover.
The preparations continued until sunrise. The battle was going to begin.
0700
Gromov had spotted the vanguard of the enemy.
Still, a reconnaissance platoon.
And about 2 kilometres behind them was a whole armoured battalion, plus an infantry battalion as support.
Dense enemies were approaching them at high speed.
From his RTS cheat, it simply summarised the number of enemies.
Around 90 various tanks, with about 800 infantry in trucks and 50 half-tracks.
Gromov gritted his teeth.
What the fuck.
How was he supposed to defend against them?
Their tanks were more than his battalion's RPG ammo.
"We can't stop them. We need reinforcement."
"Or at least inform our friendlies about their assault."
In a second, Gromov made his decision.
He quickly ran to the radio, but he was stunned immediately.
As the commander of a battalion, he didn't even know who he should contact.
"Let me handle it. You go and command our troops."
Kirov came and told him.
"Brusiliv to headquarters. Penal Battalion in contact."
"Enemy high-speed units are approaching rapidly. I repeat, enemy high-speed units approaching rapidly."
"Request immediate reinforcement and fire support."
Kirov kept calling to the rear.
Gromov gave the radio to him, and there was nothing else he thought he could do.
What should have been done was either already done or there was no time to do it.
He had no reserve units, no second line. Every unit was already in position to fight till the end.
The only place he could go was to return to his KV.
When Gromov got into the turret, he suddenly realised one thing.
How should he communicate with the mortar team?
The telephone came to his mind.
Something called the Tank Infantry Phone (TIP).
"Get me a telephone and install it behind the tank."
"I need someone to stay with it and wait for my order."
"Do the same thing to Bodanov's tank."
He shouted.
Soon, the phone was installed.
It was not complicated, one inside and one outside.
After doing all this, Gromov switched to his RTS view again.
On the other side, one Panzer IV with an antenna stopped, and a major raised his binoculars, observing Brusiliv.
He was the one who got attacked by Gromov's men in Zhytomyr yesterday, Major Hans.
Hans lowered his binoculars and got back into the turret.
He pressed the headset button on his neck and ordered,
"There is a small town to our southeast. Carl, take down the town. It should not take you much time."
"The battalion will move first. Do it fast and catch up with us before lunch."
After finishing speaking, the tank engine roared and rejoined the column.
With only a cold reply from Carl.
"Roger that."
20 tanks, 10 half-tracks, and 10 trucks left the column and moved toward Brusiliv.
While the others just bypassed them.
Gromov saw this from his view.
Cold sweat broke out on his back.
Did that mean they were about to be surrounded by the enemy again?
He did not think the friendlies behind them could have stopped the offence of an armoured battalion.
Even if it was not a complete one.
But that was still too far to think of.
The main problem now was the enemies coming to them.
10 trucks gathered at two of the small villages that Gromov decided to give up earlier.
One after another, Wehrmacht infantry jumped down from the trucks.
Together with them were three 5 cm leGrW 36 mortars.
Not only that, but there was also something different about the infantry weapons in the half-tracks.
Taking a closer look, they were rifle grenade launchers.
The enemies this time were stronger than those he had met before.
Was this the real power of the Greater Reich?
200 infantry formed a skirmish line, following behind the 20 tanks and 10 half-tracks, launching the assault.
Siu!
Siu!
Siu!
Shells from the mortars started to explode around Brusiliv.
"Formation!"
On the radio, Carl's order was heard by every tank commander.
Across the open field, the armoured battalion began to move with practised precision.
Panzer III and Panzer IV tanks spread into a shallow wedge, steel hulls advancing at a steady pace, intervals carefully maintained to avoid artillery fire.
Half-tracks carrying infantry followed behind, keeping close to the tanks' flanks.
They ignore all those small villages around Brusiliv and only send a squad of infantry to occupy them.
Just as the tanks remained at a distance of 300 meters from the first house of Brusiliv, they stopped.
And started shelling everywhere they thought the Soviets might appear.
Infantry bypassed them and started to charge into Brusiliv, while the half-tracks followed.
Gromov clenched his fists.
There was nothing he could do to their tanks at this distance. It was out of range for the RPG.
The only way to destroy them at this distance was either through an anti-tank cannon or another tank.
As the quote said, the best weapon against a tank is always another tank.
However, Gromov had deployed both KV in the middle of the city.
With built cover and houses, he could avoid a direct fight with German tanks.
Just then, he spotted the infantry commander from his RTS view. Their names were just more red than the others.
"Call the mortar team, prepare to fire."
After finishing speaking, Gromov suddenly realised that the mortar team had no idea where the German commander was.
"Fine, I'll do it myself."
Gromov got out of the turret and got back to the church, observing the explosion effects.
Siu!
Siu!
Two shells exploded among the German infantry.
And neither of them hit anyone.
He calls to the mortar position.
"Adjust fifty meters left!"
Gromov ordered calmly.
"Fire for effect."
Another two shells have been launched and exploded. This time it is better, at least it hits someone, but it is still far from the commander.
Gromov continues to provide the amended coordination.
When the mortar was bombarding the German infantry, the German infantry was also in contact with the sharpshooters who had been selected.