Cannon Fire Arc

Cursing or not, the current situation still needs to be addressed.

After giving it some thought, Wang Zhong said to Pavlov, "How about delaying the original attack plan by a day or so? Use this day to scout the enemy's situation, to confirm the coordinates of important targets and the like."

Pavlov nodded, "I also think that's the right move. Our ammunition supply plan was only 60 percent complete as of today, having an extra day to stockpile shells would benefit our defense later on."

Wang Zhong looked towards Popov.

Popov frowned, "We've been a step ahead of the enemy this whole time. Won't we lose our advantage if we suddenly delay the attack? Our battle plan was to launch the attack tomorrow (the 20th). If we delay by another day..."

Wang Zhong, "The enemy hasn't pulled back their forces yet. I estimate they will act today, and the cavalry troops should have a report by tonight. I don't think the enemy will complete their tactical intentions today."

Pavlov, "After they pull back, the enemy will likely also need to replenish ammunition and fuel, as well as repair their vehicles."

Wang Zhong repeated, "As well as repair their vehicles."

Popov looked at the two of them, "Alright then, I've voiced my concerns. Vasily, make sure you note this down, I do not agree with the decision to delay."

Vasily, "Ah? Isn't it the responsibility of the staff to take notes?"

A staff officer behind Pavlov was shocked, "Was I supposed to take that down just now?"

Pavlov, "Make a note of it, to be included in the summary of this campaign afterward."

Wang Zhong, "So now it's two against one, the attack is postponed until the 21st...morning?"

Pavlov looked up at the sky, "If it's July 21st, we're close to the summer solstice, the daylight is very long. We can launch the attack at noon and still have plenty of daylight."

In this era, everyone's ability to fight at night was poor, so military operations had to consider daylight hours.

Wang Zhong, "Then we set the attack for noon on the 21st."

He turned to Kexikoff, "Your troops should be ready for the full attack by the morning of the 21st, then gather the company and platoon commanders, and I will explain to them the complete battle plan."

Kexikoff asked in surprise, "Can't this just be passed down through the ranks?"

"Here, it will be conveyed by me personally," Wang Zhong said.

Kexikoff smiled, "That's great, everyone wants to see you with their own eyes. On our way here, we encountered many vehicles transporting prisoners, and Yarvik sees captives and captured equipment brought back every day. Whenever they see these, they say, 'It must be Rokossovsky, he's won another victory'!"

Wang Zhong said sternly, "Don't talk about such useless things, do your job. I've already given you a day's time, make sure the attack is well-organized!"
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Kexikoff saluted, "You can count on me."

He lowered his hand and was about to leave when Pavlov called out to him, "Wait a minute. Although more than half of the heavy tank brigade is out of action, the number of remaining tanks still exceeds the optimal number determined by General Rokossovsky, so they still need to be divided."

"I think we can base it on the original plan and incorporate the remaining tanks into two regiments—one regiment will still be under your command, and the other will be directly subordinated to the Corps Command. What do you think?"

Kexikoff turned his head to glance at Balev, who nodded, "I'll arrange it, they will be divided immediately upon arrival tomorrow."

Kexikoff, "My staff agrees. The Chief of General Staff is with the brigade behind us, and they should arrive today. And the heavy tank brigade, I've asked them to stop and repair the vehicles?"

Pavlov, "That's fine, we will also dispatch the Army Group maintenance forces to help rescue the heavy tanks."

Kexikoff saluted again, turned to leave, and then Popov said, "The soldiers must be hungry after marching all night. Let's eat first."

Popov turned his head to the messenger beside him and said, "Tell the cooking team to boil some potato dumplings, let the soldiers eat them while they're hot."

Upon hearing the words 'potato dumplings,' Wang Zhong furrowed his brows; he had been eating nothing but these for the past few days, and it was practically a sacrilege to dumplings.

What was worse, he had gradually begun to adapt to eating them with sour cream.

When he had the chance, he would find a skilled Ceres chef to correct the taste buds that had gone astray.

While Wang Zhong was thinking this, Kexikoff finally led the staff officers away.

Pavlov: "Now, we just have to see what the situation is like for Prosen. Hopefully, they're in as tough a spot as we anticipated."

————

"Potatoes and cucumbers again!" General Boke looked at his breakfast, voicing his displeasure, "Isn't there anything else? Did Duke Meyer eat it all up?"

The orderly, holding a tray with both hands, said cautiously, "Our food supplies are critically low because logistics have been focusing mainly on fuel and ammunition. Plus, the enemy cavalry harassment..."

"Enough, I get it." General Boke put down his fork and picked up a potato with his hands, biting into it. While chewing, he asked the Chief of General Staff, "How is the contraction of the Armored Division going?"

The Chief of General Staff replied, "Today, the 14th Armored will reach the supply position, while the rest of the Armored Divisions and the Armored Grenadier Divisions will start moving today. We expect to finish replenishing all troops by the 21st... However, the 190th Division has already been eaten away, so the significance of any relief attempt has already dissipated."

General Boke: "No, you don't understand. Rokossovsky won't be satisfied with just consuming one of our Infantry Divisions, alongside crippling an Armored Division. He's certainly going to do something. If, as previously conceived, we let the armored units wait on the plains for the enemy cavalry horses to grow thin, then Rokossovsky might start coveting our armored forces."

The General stuffed the rest of the potato into his mouth and freed his hand to make a gesture: "Encirclement, annihilation, understand? That's why we need to pull back. On one hand, it will alleviate our supply situation, and on the other, it will prevent Rokossovsky from breaking us one by one."

With his right hand clenched into a fist, he demonstrated to the Chief of Staff: "With a closed fist, Rokossovsky can't exert any force!"

The Chief of General Staff nodded: "Understood."

At that moment, the communications officer entered General Boke's tent and saluted: "General! A telegram from High Command."

"Bring it here." The General gestured.

The communications officer stepped forward and handed the telegram to the General.

The General picked up his coffee, read the telegram while sipping, and then sprayed the coffee out.

The orderly immediately stepped forward to help clean up, but the General waved him away, scolding, "Don't come over here! I'm reading a telegram!"

Then, he confirmed the text on the telegram repeatedly, looking up at the communications officer: "Is there no mistake in the translation?"

"None, I'm sure of it."

Chief of General Staff: "What's the matter?"

The General handed the telegram to him and said, "They are urging us to restart the offensive, saying we've been dragging our feet here for too long."

The Chief of General Staff took the telegram and glanced at it, clicking his tongue: "The wording is quite stern, but the signature is that of Chief of General Staff Kyle."

The General stood up: "This must represent the Emperor's intentions."

He went over to the map, sighed, and said, "Send a reply, tell High Command that our supplies are severely delayed, we need time to reorganize, we will resume the offensive on the 22nd. The 22nd!"

He picked up a map stick and pounded fervently on Yeisk on the map.