Alexee and the platoon easily take down the position without injuries or deaths.
"We surrender, we surrender, don't kill us."
Two of the Germans surrendered.
For the prisoners, NKVD soldiers will deal with it.
Alexee's job was another, to decide what to do next.
Looking at the 10 trucks that were remaining here. An idea came to his mind.
"Loot everything here, mortar, ammunition, first aid or whatever, load it on the truck."
"We need 10 guys who know how to drive and send it back to the town for the commander. He might need it."
Of course, the real reason was definitely not because he knew Gromov needed this. But about the retreat that was coming.
He sees the panzer battalion pass by just now as well.
If there is one pass by, then it's going to be the second, the third, the fourth...
"The battle was still going on in the town. If we need to bring it back, we might need to move to the south, then how about this position?"
One of the NKVD soldiers asks madly.
"If we don't bring these supplies back to the town, the battle in the town might be lost. Are you going to be responsible for it as well?"
Alexee ask in return.
To duel with the NKVD, treat them the same way they treat you, is always effective.
"I will take the responsibility if anything happens. Alright? You will be the one who shoots the bullet into my head, execute me, this deserter."
The NKVD soldiers remain silent.
In another ten minutes, everything they can loot has already been loaded on the trucks.
"We will move south first. There is another platoon there. We will take them with us. There is no point in defending the villages here."
He'd save as many as he could.
Anyone with a bit of military sense knew that a large German force was coming, and there was little difference between thirty men and five hundred.
When Alexee decided to transfer everyone outside back to the town.
The battle in Brusiliv has also reached its peak.
Gromov and Bodanov tanks have led to a charge a counterattack on the German position.
"Crush the houses. Go !"
Engine roar, a strong smell of gasoline wafted into his nose.
The tank crushed the wooden houses after a moment of accelerating.
The battle did not go as he had expected.
He hopes to duplicate a similar victory, just like in the villages, but he failed.
The half-tracks' commander did not die, and he organised the rest of the infantry and tanks to form a circular defence line.
"Tring! Tring!"
The phone rang. Gromov picked up.
"What happened?"
"Comrade Commander, the Germans have spotted our tunnel. Now our men can't strike them from it."
"Bylat!"
Gromov hit the wall of the turret.
"Then we storm them with our full force. On land!"
Gromov said with a resolute look in his eyes.
He hung up the phone after finishing speaking.
How many people gonna die for this?
From his view, he can see many have already fallen under the German line that forms with tanks, half-tracks and rifle grenades.
But there is no other choice.
Burning steel, the stench of blood, corpses and severed limbs everywhere.
"Not a step back! Charge at them, you may die, but our brother will live. Retreat, you will die, I will die, all of our brothers will also die."
"Your sacrifices are not only for the party, for the motherland, for our people, but also for the comrades and brothers that you fight along with."
"Charge!"
To raise morale, Kirov walks out of his command post, motivating everyone with his speech through his speaker.
An atmosphere of despair and tragedy filled the various units.
Similarly, also among the German troops.
"Fuck! We lost contact with the mortar team."
The half-track commander, Andrew said madly.
But he does not want to give up, even though there is one point of hope to live.
"This is Captain Andrew, requesting backup and reinforcement. We are surrounded by Soviet troops who outnumber us at least two."
Soon, the radio was replied, by his supervisor, Major Hans.
"Andrew? What happened? Where is Carl? How would you guys get surrounded by the Soviets? We are contacting other Soviet forces as well and are unable to withdraw."
"Carl is dead. We got into their trap. Major, we need reinforcement now."
A moment of silence was kept on the other side. But when it voices out again, it brings them hope.
"We can't help you. But the division's major forces are going to pass by in the next 10 minutes, so you can ask for help from them."
"Roger that."
Andrew's eyes were first filled with hope, but then anger.
When the division forces arrive, things will go in reverse.
They are no longer the ones who get surrounded, but the offence.
Their stalwart defence will blossom at the centre, joining with friendly forces to counter-encircle this Soviet unit.
---
"Left side enemies MG position. Fire!"
Gromov KV again destroyed another enemy MG position.
He switches to his RTS view again, wanting to check for other hidden German anti-tank or MG positions.
But what next shocked him. He feels that his heart is going to explode.
A wave of enemies that is densely than the battalion just now is coming from the west direction.
From the details, he knew these troops were from the 13th Panzer Division, belonging to the same unit as the enemy they were now surrounding.
"2...20 tanks? 4...40 half-tracks?" Gromov looks at the number that is still increasing, not only the vehicles but also the personnel.
Especially, he noticed that Alexee has already withdrawn from the small villages, reducing the range he can see.
When the number finally stopped floating, the only thing on Gromov's mind was running.
It is not 20 tanks, but 200, not 40 half-tracks but 400. Personnel? More than 10,000.
This is a whole Panzer division.
And now, they are advancing from the road and plain. The dust caused by the marching covers the sky.