Operation Tannenberg, Part 1, August 22nd-23rd 1944
Near Wileika, 1. Panzerdivision, Leopard II tank of Feldwebel Kurt Knsipel, 21:54
Knispel (K): Alright, folks, we got orders. We´re to attack Ivan from here and then try to capture Baryssau this night.
Rudi: That are 80 km. In one night? Are they crazy?
Mehmet: Well, we´ve got night vision goggles, they don't. Once we´re past their lines, there shouldn't be any organised resistance anymore. Ivan´s defence positions are here, here and here. We can push right pass them and leave them for the Grennis*.
Wilhelm: Mehmet, why do you have a Swabian accent?
M: Because I´m from Stuttgart…or, rather a village nearby. Why do you wanna know?
W: Well, your name isn't all that Swabian. Laughs
M: Yeah, you´re right.
All laugh
K: Alright, we´ll see how much we achieve tomorrow, probably not as much as these eggheads want. These beasts are outstanding, but I still have some doubts.
Half an hour later the engines roared to life and another half an hour later – after a short but effective bombardment of artillery and planes – the attack commenced.
K: I´m really glad we have these night vision goggles, otherwise we wouldn't see anything in this darkness. There, one o´clock, the Soviet first line. Gunner, target Pak, distance 3.600 meters. Load HEAT.
W: HEAT.
It was a full hit. The other tanks of their formation joined the attack as well, targeting several Soviet positions. Even though the German tanks were still too far away for the Soviets to recognise them, they still fired blindly in the dark. As they expected the German tanks to be nearer than they actually were, the Soviets didn't manage to hit anything. Meanwhile, the German MBTs fired multiple times into the Soviet lines, thus creating even more havoc. Then finally, the Soviets artillery fired star shells; however, their light did also illuminate their positions. Mortar positions were attacked by the German tanks while the bigger guns fell victim to German planes.
The advantage lied on the Germans' side, but that should not last. Soviet fire became more accurate, even managing to hit Knispel´s tank.
K: Fuck That was a full hit! Everyone alright?
Everyone acknowledged. A second shell barely missed them.
M: And I thought someone was knocking on the tank.
All loughed.
K: The gun is over there! Gunner target Pak, 800 meters, 11 o´clock.
W: HEAT away.
Knispel saw yet another Pak explode. They were aiming at a tank when it was destroyed by one of their fellow tanks. Finally, they were at the Soviet lines and even though Knispel used the coaxial MG he tried to drive the enemy away instead of killing them. He wanted to give them a chance to surrender and survive, something that could not be said of everyone in the German tank command.
Soon, they were past the enemy lines and crossed into a small forest where they used the cover it provided them to rearm from their own small storage as 15 shells were spent rather fast. Behind the forest was a vast area of fields, long since abandoned by its owners who had fled with the war machinery on their heels. Knispel could make out several enemy tanks nearing.
K: Mehmet, full speed ahead. Willi, target T-34. 12 o´clock, 2.600 meters. Use HEAT. Fire at will at other targets.
The T-34 exploded as did other Soviet tanks. It was a massacre, with the Leopard 2 MTBs attacking with full speed and firing without stopping. What was designed as Soviet counter attack soon came to a standstill. Of the T-34s only eight managed to escape.
W: Kurt, we´re down to seven rounds, we need to rearm. I reckon the others have to as well.
K: Yeah, We…fuck! Soviet IS-2 tanks, two o´clock. We need to keep these bastards at bay until we get relieved. Rudi, load APFSDS, Willi, target the IS-2, 12 o´clock, range 4.000 meters.
R: APFSDS ready.
W: APFSDS on its way.
The DM63 was a kinetic projectile meaning it contained no explosives. The core consisting of tungsten carbide would penetrate the enemy armour and then copy the effect of a pump gun within the tank. The IS-2 targeted by Knispel´s crew stopped dead in its tracks after being hit. The next tank just behind was hit by the same dart and lost its turret. The infantry following the tanks was soon decimated by splinters and HEAT shells as well as even they were able to severely damage an IS-2 on distances of up to 2.500 meters. Seeing the carnage the Germans wrought upon them, the Soviets soon retreated, unopposed by the Germans who had no ammunition left to pursuit them.
A few minutes later they were relieved by a fresh unit of tanks which gave Knispel and his crew the opportunity to drive to the next provisional supply depot to rearm and to survey any damage the Soviets may have inflicted upon them. But despite several dents in the metal, Knispel could not see any damages that would have prevented them from continuing their mission, so soon after he gave the order to continue.
They made their way back to the front on which they came across several scattered Soviet units, many of which had lost any will to fight and just surrendered to the Germans. They also came across several Soviet tents, supply depots and even a full tank repair facility. While many of the former were destroyed, some of the supply depots and the tank repair facility could be captured intact, as well as several T-34 and IS-2 tanks.
After finally reaching the front again, Knispel could see his unit completely surprising the Soviet units in the hinterland. He didn't know that the enemy communication lines had been hit by bombs as well as being disrupted by electronic counter measures, resulting in chaos amongst the Soviet troops.
An hour before dawn they finally reached their objective, Baryssau. The other prong did arrive only little later. Surprised and attacked from both sides the few defenders were taken down quickly, but still the fighting lasted until noon when the last defenders surrendered. They even managed to capture a train full of intact Soviet tanks.
They had accomplished his mission and maybe, he thought, they would be ordered to either fight the pocket or to attack further. Instead they got the order to stay in the vicinity in high alert. He and his crew would use the time to rest.
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Manstein's plan to close the ring around Minsk and thus trap two enemy fronts in a two pronged attack had suceeded. And although Schukow had expected such an attack, he had not expected the results. 30.000 of his men were either captured or dead, as well as hundreds of tanks and thousands of guns. His rear, which he had given his reserves for exactly such a case, had been destroyed. This meant facing the danger of being annihilated by the Germans. However, he also had a plan B, as the Third Belorussian Front had not yet fired a single shot. To receive help for them he needed to make contact with Tschernjakowski's 3rd Belorussian front
Whether the plan would succeed he had to see.