We promised to develop a game called Candy Crush, what the hell is the Third Reich?

Chapter 142 The Battle for Mamayev Kurgan: A Competition with the 'Earthlings' (6.2k words combined)

Mo Xiaomo was looking at the map.

I found Mamayev Kurgan, which was mentioned in the Polaris website announcement. There are no buildings there, just a small hill.

Below is a small part of the city, and further east is the Volga River.

It's just a hillside.

There seems to be no need for any struggle.

Many new viewers in the live stream didn't quite understand, only some players who knew how to analyze the battle situation understood its importance.

Because of its elevated position, one can look down upon the city, which is divided in half by the Volga River.

If we set up firing positions here, we can not only attack the soldiers crossing the river to provide support, but also launch a high-ground attack on this half of the city.

(The former Mamayev Kurgan, now the site of the Motherland Calling statue, is situated on high ground, overlooking the city and the Volga River. From there, one could clearly observe Soviet soldiers crossing the river and launching artillery fire.)
(P.S.: The importance of a commanding position is clearly understood.)
With Mamayev Kurgan found, everyone was familiar with the Central Station and no longer needed to search.

The location of the "Pavlov Building" mentioned in the Polestar website announcement has never been found.

Mo Xiaomo even checked out the player forums for this reason.

As a result, none of the many players found it, leading to speculation that either the building was never built or it was named after a certain combat hero.

Now that we're at war, the second possibility is obviously more likely.

It might be a building named after a war hero, but it can't be found now; we'll have to wait until November.

After reading the announcement, Mo Xiaomo returned to the game.

At this moment, Stuka's 'death whistle' was still echoing over the factory, and Mo Xiaomo shrank back:

"That scream is a bit scary."

"How was the research conducted?"

I just finished venting.

Suddenly, something smashed through the roof of the workshop, and broken building materials rained down with a loud crash.

thump—

Mo Xiaomo, who was hiding above the mechanical equipment, seemed to be hit by something, which made her feel numb all over.

boom! ! !
The flames instantly engulfed everything around them, and Mo Xiaomo could even hear the sounds of mechanical equipment twisting and deforming. The scene instantly plunged into darkness.

"No way!!!"

Mo Xiaomo was on the verge of tears on the game's main interface:
"Is this even possible?!"

"It's over."

"I'm going to be cannon fodder."

The game is already in August, and the tractor factory will no longer be restarted, as comments flooded the live stream.

[LOL, you're so lucky!]

[They were hiding so well, it's unbelievable that they still got blown up.]

Let's go to Central Station and get our revenge.

[Would you be used as a target at Grand Central Station?]

[If you die a few times, you're bound to get lucky eventually.]

Mo Xiaomo felt utterly hopeless and looked at the "Battle of Stalingrad" button:
"Live stream, attack the station."

"Fight."

I clicked the button.

The screen flashed, and Mo Xiaomo entered the game.

The cacophony of battle sounds filled the air; machine guns and rifles clashed everywhere. Mo Xiaomo couldn't help but click her tongue in amazement.

"They just attacked right away, how aggressive!"

boom!
The screen fell into darkness.

"Ah ah ah ah ah!!!"

"What kind of game is this?!"

"Come again!"

The intensity of the battle at Central Station has not yet reached its peak in October.

However, many players on Earth consider it to be hellishly difficult. If you don't hide at the start, you'll be instantly killed if you show your face. Fortunately, the Antarctic Federation is organizing an official live stream.

They constantly fought with Imperial soldiers for control of the southern part of Central Station.

Watching the Central Station being pulled back and forth, the Blue Star players couldn't help but start supporting the Antarctic Star Federation.

After all, we can't let Earth down. The 'Earthlings' in this game are very powerful, but Earth's troops are not to be underestimated either!

With the live stream of the tour of Central Station.

Gradually, things started to become more organized. First, they hired a host, and then they specifically found different perspectives to broadcast the battle from various locations, allowing them to switch between them at any time.

This avoids gory scenes while allowing for a clear view of the battle.

The back-and-forth battles between Imperial soldiers and Antarctic Federation soldiers, in particular, drew many viewers for hours on end.

In addition, the federal government has been secretly promoting it.

The official live stream on Antarctic Star immediately became incredibly popular.

Players from other federations watched and eagerly awaited the start of their own federation's broadcast, but after seeing the announcement on the Polaris official website, they all understood that it would be at least September. Thus, they were tormented by Central Station.

Blue Star players endured a difficult month in the game.

And in the game, it finally arrived in September.

at this time.

The live streaming platforms and streamers of all the major federations are paying attention to the live stream on the Polaris official website.

The game has been updated, and a special entry button for the Federation army has appeared next to the Battle of Stalingrad.

However, regular players cannot get in.

Only military personnel authorized by the Polestar website can be invited to enter.

Fang Ming, on the other hand, was watching the official live stream on the Polar Star website with his viewers.

I've failed the [Order of Stalingrad] challenge seven times already, and I'm not in the mood to continue for now. I want to see if I can learn anything from the Federation's live stream.

At this moment, in the official Polaris live stream room.

It was divided into seven large screens, and Fang Ming counted them twice, somewhat surprised:
"You didn't miscount, there are seven."

"Aren't we just six federations?"

"What's the extra one for?"

The viewers in the live stream were also a bit confused. Some guessed that it was a skilled streamer, while others guessed that it was a special forces unit, but neither seemed very likely.

At this moment, it was just dawn in the Great Xia Federation, while in other federations it was noon or just dusk. This was the time when the number of awake people on the entire Blue Star was the highest, and also the time when the number of onlookers was the highest.

soon.

Inside the Polestar official website's live stream room, the six large screens at the front lit up one after another, with various comments scrolling by.

[This is our Antarctic Star Federation's force! The first one to light up!!]

【Wait, do they really need to compete for first place in this?】

[Just think about it, those guys from the Antarctic Federation are pretty much the same.]

[Slavic Federation! Slavic Federation!]

[Holy crap? The Golden Moon Federation's eldest prince is leading the team?]

The Golden Moon Federation really knows how to play the game.

[Isn't he the most handsome guy in the entire Xia Federation? Just look at his aura!]

In the six live stream rooms, each one lit up, followed by the ranks of soldiers, all ready to enter the game.

The Golden Moon Federation is the most unsettling of them all.

Because the eldest prince of the Golden Moon Federation, perhaps having mastered enough military strategy, is now personally leading the team, seemingly about to enter the game and command the battle.

Zhao Ming was also watching the live stream, even though he already knew.

However, seeing the eldest prince of the Golden Moon Federation, who should have been dressed in a white robe, now wearing a military uniform and with some disguise on his face, I couldn't help but want to laugh.

As the six screens lit up.

The seven screens in Polaris' official live stream shrunk and then transformed into a commentary hall.

Two hosts, a male and a female, walked up.

In Fang Ming’s live broadcast room.

Fang Ming, who was just about to take a sip of cola:

"puff--"

"What the hell?"

He put down his cola and looked at the two people who had appeared:

"How did these two guys end up being the hosts?"

Fang Ming was quite familiar with the two hosts, the male and female ones.

The woman is Mo Xiaomo.

The guy was his former teammate, whose game name was Tianji. However, because he was handsome, he simply went to become a commentator for FPS games.

Now you've actually come here to host on Polaris?

at this time.

Inside Polaris' official live stream.

Tianji and Mo Xiaomo sat on the commentary platform, one on each side, with seven large screens behind them. They spoke to the camera:
"Hello everyone, I am Tianji."

"Hello everyone, I'm Mo Xiaomo."

"It is an honor to be invited. The two of us will be providing commentary on the Battle of Mamayev Kurgan for the next period of time."

The two introduced themselves in the live stream.

Mo Xiaomo is quite popular, and although Tianji is less popular, he has been a commentator for many years and is still familiar to FPS players, so there is no sense of unfamiliarity.

As the federal troops on the six screens were pulled into the room one after another.

The match is obviously about to begin.

A virtual map also appeared in front of Tianji and Mo Xiaomo.

It's a panoramic view of the entire city of Stalingrad, and it perfectly recreates the current state of the city, even showing the extent of damage to the buildings.

Mo Xiaomo clicked on the [Mamaev Ridge] on the virtual map.

The 3D virtual map zoomed in and appeared before everyone's eyes. Mo Xiaomo looked at Mamayev Kurgan and spoke to Tianji beside her:
"Although I may not be a very professional military expert, I still want to ask."

"How important is this high ground?"

Although Mo Xiaomo already understood, that's how the script is, and she's basically playing the straight man.

Upon hearing Mo Xiaomo's question, Tianji smiled and said:

"It's big."

"how to say?"

"If the empire were to occupy this place, the Soviet Federation might fail."

"If the Soviet Federation were to occupy this place, the Empire might fail."

Mo Xiaomo's eyes widened:

Is it that important?

At this moment, many viewers watching the live stream, even those who only partially understood the content, began to listen attentively.

Tianji raised his hand and zoomed in on the virtual map again.

Furthermore, the solidity has been increased significantly, making it a completely secret model that reverses the orientation of the map.

The perspective in the live stream was positioned directly above Mamayev Kurgan.

Viewers on Earth watching the live stream had a perfect opportunity to overlook the entirety of Stalingrad from this angle.

Tianji explained:
"We all know that the area west of the Volga River is currently occupied by the Empire."

"The reason why the Soviet soldiers in the west were able to resist the constant battles with the Reich was because of the continuous reinforcements from the east bank of the Volga River."

"Currently, there are two locations in Stalingrad that must be captured."

"One is the central station south of Mamayev Kurgan, which is an important transportation hub for maintaining the transport of goods and other items."

"So it's also one of the locations where the fighting was fierce." "I'm sure everyone experienced that firsthand last month."

"And the other one is Mamayev Kurgan."

"Don't be fooled by the small size of this hillside. It is located above the city. Although the altitude of 102 meters is not very high, and an average person can climb it in just a short time."

"but."

"From this vantage point, one can clearly see what lies on the opposite bank of the Volga River."

"If this place is occupied by the empire."

"Then, if the Soviet Union's troops on the other side of the Volga want to cross the river to provide support, the Empire will be able to detect it immediately."

"If we set up an artillery camp here as well."

"Bombarding from a high vantage point can directly block the east bank of the Volga from supporting the west bank. Without support, the soldiers on the west bank will probably be wiped out in a few days."

"At that time, Stalingrad will be completely divided in two."

As Tianji explained, he also clicked on the virtual map, which displayed virtual characters on Mamayev Kurgan, setting up artillery positions and then firing.

As you can see, the virtual cannonballs, due to their elevated position, easily hit the other side of the river.

If this were a seasoned artilleryman, even if it were just one company stationed here, it would have a huge impact on the entire Battle of Stalingrad.

Mo Xiaomo now understood its importance even more, and many netizens watching the live stream on Blue Star also widened their eyes, never expecting that a small hill could be so important.

This small hill can even decide the outcome of a battle, which is much more interesting than any competitive match.

at this time.

As soon as the commentator finished speaking, the various Federation soldier teams in the live stream entered the game.

The image shows the pitch-black Volga River.

Soldiers from all six federations start on ships, each in their own separate instance with identical environmental conditions.

Following the gaze from the ship, on Mamayev Kurgan across the Volga River, the flashes of gunfire and the roar of explosions could still be heard, indicating that a battle for that spot was taking place even at night.

Meanwhile, the soldiers of the six federations were also crossing the river in an orderly manner to the other side to fight for Mamayev Kurgan.

Inside the official live stream room.

Tianji smiled and said:

"You might be wondering, what is this seventh screen?"

"Originally, there were only six federations."

"However, there are only six federations, so it seems impossible to tell which one is stronger. But if there were a control group, it would be much easier."

"So, Mr. Zhao Ming from our Polar Star Company..."

"A special live-streaming room was set up, and inside this live-streaming room..."

As the words fell, the seventh screen lit up.

What came into view were Soviet soldiers crossing the river on a boat.

Tianji smiled and said:

"Yes."

"They are Soviet Federation soldiers from 'Earth' itself."

"In the original 'Earth' World War II history, what would have been the outcome of the Battle of Stalingrad? Was Mamayev Kurgan held? What impact would this war have had on the world?"

"I don't know about these things right now."

"But I believe these NPCs native to 'Earth' will give us the answer."

"Of course."

"Although the native NPCs of 'Earth' will give me the answer."

"But perhaps our 'Blue Star' forces will provide a more perfect answer?"

"Look at this hill that's 102 meters above sea level."

"Let's see how the 'Earth' forces and our 'Blue Star' forces performed."

Mo Xiaomo also smiled and said:

Stay tuned!

After the two finished speaking...

The screen changed to three rows, with three images in each row.

The third row features 'Earth's' live stream in the middle, with Tianji and Mo Xiaomo each occupying one side, forming a 9-square grid of live stream rooms.

At this moment, the scenes in all seven live broadcast rooms are all about the process of crossing the river.

soon.

After crossing the river and getting ashore.

The reactions and strategies varied across the six federations' live streams.

On the Great Xia Federation side.

The live stream wasn't filled with soldiers from the 7th Special Operations Brigade; instead, it featured unfamiliar faces. As soon as the soldiers of the Great Xia Federation landed, they dispersed and disappeared into the darkness.

The picture is still.

For a time, netizens from all the major federations were unable to find the person.

It still automatically locks onto the camera's perspective.

Those watching the live stream then realized that the soldiers of the Great Xia Federation, using camouflage to blend into the darkness, were quickly making their way towards Mamayev Kurgan, where a firefight was taking place in the distance.

The Slavic Federation, on the other hand, is more rugged.

After landing, they marched fully armed towards Mamayev Kurgan without any intention of hiding. However, they had not gone far when they encountered Imperial soldiers and the two sides clashed.

This was the first live stream to start a battle.

The Antarctic Federation quickly assembled the mortar parts they carried after landing, and then the experienced artillerymen and some guards remained in place.

The artillery bombarded Mamayev Kurgan for a while.

They then changed positions under escort, while the others headed towards Mamayev Kurgan.

The tactics employed by the East Asian Federation are similar to those of the Great Xia Federation.

However, their disguise skills were far inferior to those of the Great Xia Federation, and their flaws were easily spotted. Players from the Yadong United Federation were too embarrassed to speak in the live stream.

In the Golden Moon Federation, the eldest prince was deploying his troops.
The Free Cluster Federation chose to flank the Imperial forces from the north and launch a surprise attack from behind.
For a while.

The various live streams left viewers on Blue Star dazzled, yet also filled with an indescribable sense of excitement.

Next came the soldiers from 'Earth' itself.

After landing, they immediately rushed to support Mamayev Kurgan, where the fighting was taking place in the distance.

Compared to the tactics or preparations of the various federations on Earth.

These native soldiers on 'Earth' seem to have no detailed plan; their only objective is the distant Mamayev Kurgan.

This scene made netizens on Earth feel inexplicably uncomfortable.

It's like how we've been waiting for Mamayev Kurgan for so long, and the Federation forces have been working on tactics and deployments.

As it turned out, the 'Earthlings' didn't seem to care about these things and went straight into battle.

Outside the live broadcast room.

With mixed feelings, netizens on Earth watched as the troops from various federations and the Earth's native forces gradually approached Mamayev Kurgan, holding their breath in anticipation.

At this time, they were not only brazenly encountering the enemy, the Slavic Federation.

The other federations took advantage of the cover of night to approach Mamayev Kurgan, with the Great Xia Federation even arriving at the foot of the hill two minutes ahead of the others.

Keep in mind that so many federations landed at the same time.

How come the Great Xia Federation is moving so fast?
This question isn't just on Earth; netizens in other federations have it too. It's a bit outrageous.

Sudden.

The live stream switched to the Antarctic Star Federation.

Just as they were about to reach the foot of Mamayev Kurgan, they ran into a large Imperial force heading to Mamayev Kurgan to provide support.

The image froze for a moment, then...
Bang! Bang! Rat-a-tat-tat-tat—

Intense gunfire erupted, but fortunately, the area below Mamayev Kurgan was a city with many buildings.

If this were a plain, the Antarctic Federation would have suffered considerable losses in the first wave of battle.

No one expected that the live stream last month would be so successful, and that the Antarctic Star Federation, which was currently considered the most promising, would be the first to suffer a major blow.

This is different from the small groups of troops encountered in the Slavic Federation, where they were wiped out and then quickly ran away and hid.

This is the main force; if we don't handle it...

They might not even make it to Mamayev Kurgan and get stuck in the city.

same.

Other federations, such as the East Asian United Federation, also encountered this large imperial force, and even NPCs from 'Earth' itself were also caught in the crossfire.

However, the soldiers in these live stream rooms all hid and avoided the situation.

On the other hand, the Slavic Federation forces were searching the surrounding area because of the previous battles, and soon they also engaged in combat.

Meanwhile, netizens from the Great Xia Federation were somewhat relieved.

Fortunately, the Great Xia Federation acted quickly.

They reached Mamayev Kurgan before the main imperial force arrived.

We had now reached the halfway point of the mountain.

The fighting above was intense, while the soldiers of the Great Xia Federation, taking advantage of the darkness, approached silently without being detected.

The eyes of netizens on Blue Star gradually focused on the Great Xia Federation's live broadcast room.

At this time.

The camera suddenly switched to the 'Earth' live stream.

The Soviet Federation soldiers, who had been well hidden and disguised, had already evaded the Imperial forces and could leave once they were out of sight.

But as they watched the retreating imperial army, these Soviet soldiers picked up their weapons and loaded them.

Fight?!

Why?
Question marks flashed through the minds of netizens on Earth, some of them puzzled by the actions of the Soviet Federation soldiers.

At this point, continuing to hide is probably the best course of action. After all, soldiers from the East Asia United Federation, the Free Star Cluster Federation, and other organizations haven't moved, and many Earth netizens, even if they don't understand, know that continuing to hide is the best option.

This way, we won't expend too much strength attacking Mamayev Kurgan.

On the commentary stage inside the live broadcast room.

Tianji looked at the screen and said:
"Uh, it looks like the native NPCs on 'Earth' are preparing for battle."

Mo Xiaomo was a little confused:
"Isn't this against our interests?"

Wouldn't it be better to conserve resources for attacking Mamayev Kurgan?

Tianji nodded, looked at the screen and pondered for a moment before saying:

"That's what I said."

However, many factors need to be considered.

"From our perspective, the first priority is to preserve our strength based on our own interests."

"But from the perspective of a soldier of the Soviet Federation, perhaps hatred would have motivated them to fight."

"Moreover, judging from the route, this large imperial force is also heading to support Mamayev Kurgan."

"We'll run into each other sooner or later."

"That's why the Soviet soldiers on 'Earth' might have made the decision to fight."

The voice just fell.

Two gunshots rang out simultaneously.

boom!boom!boom!boom!
Chug tug tug——

In the dim light of the night, gunfire suddenly erupted in both live stream rooms, illuminating the broadcasts.

Netizens watching the live stream were momentarily at a loss for what to look at.

Both sides were very intense.

The live streams from 'Earth' and the Great Xia Federation suddenly appeared in front of the other live streams, with their images displayed side by side.

In the 'Earth' livestream room on the left, a Soviet NPC is firing at the Empire's main force from behind, while in the Great Xia livestream room on the right, someone has already reached the flank of the Empire's camp and suddenly charges into the battlefield.

(End of this chapter)