tc.redstormrising-第86节

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turret's　rear　wall。　Already　the　closed　tank　hull　stank　of　the　ammonia…based　propellant。
〃Hit！　Nice　shot；　Woody！〃
The　shell　hit　the　Russian　between　the　last　pair　of　road　wheels　and　wrecked　the　tank's　diesel　engine。　In　a　moment　the　crew　began　to　bail　out；　〃escaping〃　into　an　environment　alive　with　shell　fragments。
Mackall　ordered　his　driver　to　move　again。　By　the　time　they　were　in　their　next　firing　position；　the　Russians　were　less　than　five　hundred　meters　away。　They　fired　two　more　shots；　killing　an　infantry　carrier　and　knocking　the　tread　off　a　tank。
〃Buffalo；　this　is　Six；　begin　moving　to　Bravo　Line…execute。〃
As　platoon　leader；　Mackall　was　the　last　to　leave。　He　saw　both　of　his　panion　tanks　rolling　down　the　open　reverse　slope　of　the　hill。　The　infantry　was　moving　also；　into　their　armored　carriers；　or　just　running。　〃Friendly〃　artillery　blanketed　the　ridgeline　with　high　explosives　and　smoke　to　mask　their　withdrawal。　On　mand；　the　tank　leaped　forward；　accelerating　to　thirty　miles　per　hour　and　racing　to　the　next　defense　line　before　the　Russians　could　occupy　the　ridge　they　were　leaving　behind。　Artillery　fire　was　all　over　them；　exploding　a　pair　of　German　personnel　carriers。
〃Zulu；　Zulu；　Zulu！〃

〃Get　me　a　vehicle！〃　Alekseyev　ordered。
〃I　cannot　permit　this。　I　cannot　let　a　general…〃
〃Get　me　a　damned　vehicle！　I　must　observe　this；〃　Alekseyev　repeated。
A　minute　later；　he　and　Sergetov　joined　the　colonel　in　a　BMP　armored　mand　vehicle　that　raced　to　the　position　the　NATO　troops　had　just　vacated。　They　found　a　hole　that　had　sheltered　two　men…until　a　rocket　had　landed　a　meter　away。
〃My　God；　we've　lost　twenty　tanks　here！〃　Sergetov　said；　looking　back。
〃Down！〃　The　colonel　pushed　both　men　into　the　bloody　hole。　A　storm　of　NATO　shells　landed　on　the　ridge。

〃There's　a　Gatling　gun！''　the　gunner　said。　A　Russian　antiaircraft　gun　carrier　came　over　the　ridge。　A　moment　later　a　HEAT　round　exploded　it　like　a　plastic　toy。　His　next　target　was　a　Russian　tank　ing　down　the　hill　they'd　just　left。
〃Heads　up；　friendly　air　ing　in！〃　Mackall　cringed；　hoping　the　pilot　could　tell　the　sheep　from　the　goats。

Alekseyev　watched　the　twin…engine　fighter　swoop　straight　down　the　valley。　Its　nose　disappeared　in　a　mass　of　flame　as　the　pilot　fired　his　antitank　cannon。　Four　tanks　exploded　before　his　eyes　as　the　Thunderbolt　appeared　to　stagger　in　midair；　then　turned　west；　a　missile　chasing　after　him。　The　SA…7　fell　short。
〃Me　Devil's　Cross？〃　he　asked。　The　colonel　nodded　in　reply；　and　Alekseyev　realized　where　the　name　had　e　from。　From　an　angle；　the　American　fighter　did　look　like　the　stylized　Russian　Orthodox　crucifix。
〃I　just　called　up　the　reserve　regiment。　We　may　have　them　on　the　run；〃　the　colonel　said。
This；　Sergetov　thought　incredulously　to　himself；　is　a　successful　attack？

Mackall　watched　a　pair　of　antitank　missiles　reach　out　into　the　Russian　lines。　One　miss；　one　kill。　More　smoke　came　in　from　both　sides　as　the　NATO　troops　fell　back　another　five　hundred　meters。　The　village　they　were　defending　was　now　in　sight。　The　sergeant　had　counted　a　total　of　five　kills　to　his　tank。　He　hadn't　been　hit　yet；　but　that　wouldn't　last。　The　friendly　artillery　was　really　in　the　fight　now。　The　Russian　infantry　was　down　to　half　the　strength　he'd　first　seen；　and　their　tracked　vehicles　were　laying　back；　trying　to　engage　the　NATO　positions　with　their　own　missiles。　Things　looked　to　be　going　reasonably　well　when　the　third　regiment　appeared。
Fifty　tanks　came　over　the　hill　in　front　of　him。　An　A…10　swept　across　the　line　and　killed　a　pair；　then　was　blotted　out　of　the　sky　by　a　SAM。　The　burning　wreckage　fell　three　hundred　yards　in　front　of　him。
〃Target　tank；　one　o'clock。　Shoot！〃　The　Abrams　rocked　backward　with　yet　another　shot。　〃Hit。〃
〃Warning；　warning；〃　called　the　troop　mander。　〃Enemy　choppers　approaching　from　the　north。〃
Ten　Mi…24　Hinds　arrived　late；　but　they　made　up　for　it　by　killing　a　pair　of　tanks　in　less　than　a　minute。　German　Phantom　jets　then　appeared；　engaging；　them　with　air…to…air　missiles　and　cannon　in　a　wild　melee　that　suddenly　included　surface…to…air　missiles　also。　The　sky　was　crisscrossed　with　smoke　trails；　and　suddenly　there　were　no　aircraft　in　view。

〃It's　bogging　down；〃　Alekseyev　said。　He'd　just　learned　one　important　lesson：　attack　helicopters　cannot　hope　to　survive　in　the　face　of　enemy　fighters。　Just　when　he　thought　the　Mi…24s　would　make　a　decisive　difference；　they'd　been　forced　away　by　the　appearance　of　the　German　fighters。　Artillery　support　was　slacking　off。　The　NATO　gunners　were　counterbatterying　the　Soviet　guns　expertly；　helped　by　ground…attack　fighters。　He　had　to　get　more　front…line　air　support。
〃The　hell　it　is！〃　the　colonel　answered。　He　radioed　new　orders　to　the　battalions　on　his　left　flank。

〃Looks　like　a　mand　vehicle　at　ten　o'clock；　on　the　ridgeline；　can　you　reach　it？〃
〃Long　shot；　I…〃
Whang！　A　shot　glanced　off　the　turret's　face。
〃Tank；　three　o'clock；　close　in…〃
The　gunner　turned　his　yoke　controls　and　nothing　happened。　Immediately　he　reached　for　the　manual　traverse。　Mackall　engaged　the　target　with　his　machine　gun；　bouncing　bullets　off　the　advancing　T…80　that　had　e　out　of　nowhere。　The　gunner　cranked　frantically　at　the　handle　as　another　round　crashed　into　their　armor。　The　driver　aided　him；　turning　the　vehicle　and　praying　that　they　could　return　the　fire。
The　puter　was　out；　damaged　by　the　shock　of　the　first　hit。　The　T…80　was　less　than　a　thousand　meters　away　when　the　gunner　settled　on　it。　He　fired　a　HEAT　round；　and　it　missed。　The　loader　slammed　another　home　in　the　breech。　The　gunner　worked　his　controls　and　fired　again。　Hit。
〃There's　more　behind　that　one；〃　the　gunner　warned。
〃Buffalo　Six；　this　is　three…one；　bad　guys　ing　in　from　our　flank。　We　need　help　here；〃　Mackall　called；　then　to　the　driver：　〃Left　track　and　back　up　fast！〃
The　driver　needed　no　encouragement。　He　cringed；　looking　out　his　tiny　viewing　prisms；　and　rocked　the　throttle　handle　all　the　way　back。　The　tank　raced　backward　and　left　as　the　gunner　tried　to　lock　onto　another　target…but　the　automatic　stabilization　was　also　out。　They　had　to　sit　still　to　fire　accurately；　and　it　was　death　to　sit　still。
Another　Thunderbolt　came　in　low；　dropping　cluster　munitions　on　the　Russian　formation。　Two　more　Soviet　tanks　were　stopped；　but　the　fighter　went　away　trailing　smoke。　Artillery　fire　joined　in　to　stop　the　Soviet　maneuver。
〃For　Christ's　sake；　stop　so　I　can　shoot　one　of　the　fuckers！〃　the　gunner　screamed。　The　tank　stopped　at　once。　He　fired；　hitting　a　T…72　on　the　tread。　〃Reload！〃
A　second　tank　joined　Mackall's；　a　hundred　meters　to　his　left。　It　was　intact　and　fired　off　three　quick　rounds　for　two　hits。　Then　a　Soviet　helicopter　reappeared　and　exploded　the　troop　mander's　tank　with　a　missile。　A　shoulder…fired　Stinger　missile　then　killed　the　chopper　as　the　German　infantry　redeployed。　Mackall　watched　a　pair　of　HOT　antitank　missiles　go　left　and　right　of　his　turret；　reaching　for　the　advancing　Soviets。　Both　hit。
〃Antenna　tank；　dead　ahead。〃
〃I　see　him。　Sabot！〃　the　gunner　cranked　the　turret　back　to　the　right。　He　elevated　his　gun　to　battle　sights　and　fired。

〃Captain　Alexandrov！〃　the　division　mander　shouted　into　his　microphone。　The　battalion　mander's　transmission　had　stopped　in　midword。　The　colonel　was　using　his　radio　too　much。　Ten　miles　away；　a　German　battery　of　155mm　mobile　guns　tracked　in　on　the　radio　signals　and　fired　twenty　quick　rounds。
Alekseyev　heard　the　ining　and　jumped　into　a　German…dug　foxhole；　dragging　Sergetov　with　him。　Five　seconds　later　the　area　was　blanketed　by　smoke　and　noise。
The　General　stuck　his　head　up　to　see　the　colonel　still　standing；　still　giving　radio　orders。　Behind　him　the　mand　vehicle　was　burning；　the　radios　with　it。　Five　men　were　dead；　another　half…dozen　screaming　with　the　pain　of　their　injuries。　Alekseyev　looked　with　annoyance　at　a　bloody　streak　on　the　back　of　his　hand。

Mackall　killed　one　more　tank；　but　it　was　the　Germans　who　stopped　the　attack；　using　the　last　of　their　HOT　missiles　to　do　so。　The　remaining　Russian　mander　lost　his　nerve　when　half　the　tanks　in　the　battalion　were　hit。　The　survivors　turned　on　their　smoke　generators　and　retreated　back　around　the　hill　to　the　south。　Artillery　chased　after　them。　The　land　battle　was　over　for　the　moment。
〃Mackall；　what's　happening　down　your　way？''　the　troop　executive　officer　inquired。
〃Where's　Six？〃
〃To　your　left。〃　Mackall　looked　and　saw　the　troop　mander's　burning　tank。　So　that's　who　it　was
〃Just　us；　sir。　What's　left？〃
〃I　count　four。〃
My　God；　the　sergeant　thought。

〃Get　me　a　Regiment　from　the　tank　division　and　I　can　do　it。　They　have　nothing　left！〃　the　colonel　insisted。　His　face　was　bloody　from　a　superficial　wound。
〃I　will　do　this。　How　soon　can　you　continue　the　attack？〃　Alekseyev　asked。
〃Two　hours。　I　need　that　long　to　regroup　my　forces。〃
〃Very　well。　I　must　return　to　headquarters。　The　enemy　opposition　was　tougher　than　you　expected；　rade　Colonel。　Otherwise　your　forces　performed　well。　Tell　your　intelligence　section　to　work　harder。　Gather　up　your　prisoners　and　interrogate　them　rigorously！''　Alekseyev　moved　off　with　Sergetov　in　his　wake。
〃Worse　than　I　expected；〃　the　captain　observed　once　they　were　inside　their　vehicle。
〃They　must　have　had　nearly　a　Regiment　facing　us。〃　Alekseyev　shrugged。　〃We　can't　make　that　kind　of　mistake　very　often　and　expect　to　succeed。　We　advanced