It's better to conquer them than to command the steel torrent

Chapter 144 | Four Groups, One Team Tactics

"Finally some good news, there's hope."

Shang Ke tossed the pencil onto the table and reached for the kettle.

Several pieces of news arrived in quick succession, some good and some bad.

The first piece of good news is that Bohemia is quite reasonable and understands the principle of mutual dependence; only by working together through thick and thin can they overcome the difficulties. Therefore, they are considering sending reinforcements.

The second piece of good news is that Mariana's side has also taken action under the dual urging of the Grand Union and the United States, and the possibility of sending troops to support her cannot be ruled out.

As for the bad news, there was so much that it was hard to know where to begin.

Stepping out of the teaching building's basement, Shang Ke, his hair disheveled, leaned against a sandbag bunker and lit a cigarette for himself.

Actually, he dislikes smoking. He used to only smoke occasionally when he felt like it, but now that he's in a relationship, there's really no more convenient way to relieve stress.

Why did I have to be so stupid as to stay?
Still too young.

If I had known, I would have followed the group leader's advice and evacuated with the overseas Chinese.

If I had returned to China back then, I would probably be able to see Jian Keqiu now.
After wallowing in self-pity for a while, Shang Ke threw the burnt-out cigarette butt on the ground, stomped it out, and then sighed softly when no one was looking.

"Let's finish what we started." With that, he turned and walked back to the basement.

But when will the Battle of Budapest finally end?

The tug-of-war continues...

Due to Shang's swift and decisive counterattack, Ivan Ross's army's deep assault on the northern city ended in a crushing defeat at Heroes' Square.

However, in the southern and eastern districts, the assault group achieved its objective, successfully storming the front lines of Sofia Hospital and the Royal Museum, and establishing a foothold.

It can be said that Tukhachevsky's high-risk, high-return approach was quite effective.

On November 13, after a day and a night of rest, the 144th Infantry Division of Imperial Russia brought in its last two fully equipped battalions and launched another attack on Heroes' Square.

On November 14, the 240th Volksmuseum Brigade of Imperial Russia was also ordered to support the offensive.

Heroes' Square, a landmark built in the late 19th century to commemorate the millennium of the Hunnic Empire, features a 30-meter-high monument at its center, topped with the Archangel Gabriel and adorned with bronze statues of the seven leaders of the Alpad dynasty on horseback.

This square symbolizes the national spirit and historical heritage of the Kingdom of Hurghazi.

The area was defended by the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 11th Infantry Regiment of the 4th Infantry Division of the Hungarian Army, with an additional infantry artillery battery, three Bofors 75mm anti-aircraft guns, and several Turan I medium tanks.

The ferocity of the battle for Heroes' Square was unimaginable; it seemed as if the two armies were competing to test the will of their respective nations.

81毫米迫击炮、37毫米反坦克炮、65毫米步兵炮、76.2毫米野战炮、120毫米迫击炮、122毫米榴弹炮、152毫米榴弹炮……几乎所有口径的现役火炮都被两军用于轰击彼此。

Submachine guns, light machine guns, and heavy machine guns fired, spraying out wave after wave of dense bullets.

The grenades fired from large-caliber artillery crashed down with a piercing shriek, exploding violently, and the plumes of smoke that rose into the air were often as high as a dozen stories.

Nearly twenty Imperial Russian tank wrecks were burning fiercely at the three intersections, thick black smoke rising into the sky and coalescing into the clouds. The streets around the square were ravaged, riddled with potholes, littered with brick fragments and cement blocks, and lay the bodies of hundreds of Imperial Russian soldiers in various poses.

Not only here, but the battles that broke out around Heroes' Square were actually at the division level, and the battles in the nearby streets and intersections were just as bloody.

Ivanros's army attempted infiltration, trying almost any passable route—through alleyways, sewers, rooftops, and so on.

The Hunnic army fought to the death, and skirmishes of varying sizes broke out everywhere.

Each close-quarters patrol would be accompanied by two or three volunteer civilians or police officers. Although Budapest had been severely damaged by days of bombing, the people who had lived there for years were still not afraid of getting lost.

In the narrow streets and alleyways, the Hungarian soldiers, familiar with the terrain, were like fish in water, always able to appear in places the enemy did not expect.

To improve combat efficiency, female soldiers are frequently seen. In close combat patrols of several dozen people, there are usually five or six female sergeants, mainly responsible for mental perception and concealment, as well as bringing out the powerful combat effectiveness of the fourth type of soldier in close combat.

The close-combat patrols, equipped with numerous submachine guns, automatic rifles, shotguns, and grenades, attacked like ghosts, inflicting heavy losses on Ivanros's army through ambushes and surprise attacks.

Hungarian close-combat patrols are often divided into four groups, operating according to a modified version of the "four fast and one slow" principle devised by Mr. Shang based on local conditions: the demolition group draws the enemy's attention, two assault groups attack the enemy's flanks from other directions, and the last support group acts as a reserve force to adapt to changing circumstances.

Faced with the fierce barrage of Danuvia submachine guns and Browning automatic rifles, the Imperial Russian soldiers armed with Mosin-Nagant rifles were at a loss, and often several of them were taken down in a single encounter.

Even if they find cover and hide, they will be bombarded with grenades that emit blue smoke within half a minute, and in the end they are often blown to pieces!
The Hungarian soldiers used the strongholds in each block and the positions defended by the main force as 'defense towers', while close combat patrols used them as fulcrums to launch attacks from all directions, skillfully and flexibly striking the invading enemy.

In areas frequented by snipers, Ivan Ross's army suffered heavy casualties among its junior officers, many of whom had to change into the uniforms of ordinary soldiers to save their lives.

The brutal tug-of-war continued day and night...

A crescent moon rose into the starry sky, and the temperature at midnight in late autumn was already a bit chilly.

In the devastated Košice district, ravaged by artillery fire, Imperial Russian soldiers huddled among the ruins to sleep.

The fighting from all directions never stopped; the booming explosions and crackling gunfire were incessant, making it impossible for those unaccustomed to the battlefield environment to fall asleep.

The sentries were extremely vigilant, because in this dangerous place, a moment of carelessness could cost them their lives.

The female soldiers with telepathic abilities endured the most hardship, taking turns on duty to guard against nighttime surprise attacks by the Hunnic army.

Warrant Officer Safina yawned, leaning against a makeshift shelter made of sandbags and tattered furniture, her short-barreled Mosingana carbine lying beside her.

Tracers streaked across the southern sky, followed by a flash of white light. She knew it wasn't sunrise, but just flares.

At that moment, she sensed something was amiss; it seemed as if an enemy was nearby.

Warrant Officer Safina snapped to attention and focused intently on her surroundings.

"Hmm? Strange..." she muttered to herself. Although something was amiss, she couldn't sense any clear enemies.

She woke up another girl in advance, and the two of them worked together to 'probe' the vicinity, but still couldn't determine what was wrong.

"Where are the Huns?" Safina asked hesitantly, her voice trembling with anxiety. "Should we wake the captain? My gut tells me there's danger."

(End of this chapter)