"Rat-tat-tat!"
On the German positions, a squad machine gun was unleashing a relentless barrage, rapidly exhausting its thirty-round magazine. The gunner skillfully replaced the magazine and resumed firing, as numerous corpses of Russian soldiers accumulated before their line.
The infantry squad defended a trench extending over ten meters, and this machine gun was their most formidable weapon.
"Prepare the grenade launcher; a Russian heavy machine gun is advancing at two o'clock. Neutralize it," commanded the squad leader.
The grenadier promptly adjusted the firing angle and commenced his assault.
"Boom! Boom!"
Two grenades were launched in quick succession, obliterating the advancing Russian machine gun and its operator.
"Bang!" A crisp shot rang out as a low-ranking Russian officer fell to the ground, screaming. This was the work of the German snipers, who meticulously targeted valuable adversaries such as Russian officers and machine gunners.
"Bang! Bang! Bang!" Semi-automatic rifles continued to fire, eliminating Russian combatants.
The coordination of various weapons within the infantry squad fortified their section of the line, rendering it almost impenetrable; the Russians could not advance within fifty meters of their defenses, let alone breach the German line.
After significant reorganization and equipment upgrades, the combat effectiveness of the German forces had notably increased. It was a delusion for the Russians to believe they could contend with the Germans. With the Russians now on the offensive and the Germans in a defensive posture, the latter could fully leverage their firepower.
The German defenses could be described as impregnable. For the Russians to breach them seemed nearly impossible unless they unleashed heavy artillery to demolish the German positions. Only then could they hope to counter the overwhelming firepower of the Germans. Otherwise, they would only expend lives in vain.
Of course, sacrificing lives was a common tactic for the Russians. Historically, it had proven effective; however, when confronted with the fully armed Germans, such strategies became futile. The lives of their soldiers only served to deplete German ammunition reserves, a grim trade-off indeed.
"Damn it! Don't these Russians fear death? After we've killed so many, they still keep advancing!" exclaimed a young German soldier, his hands numb from the rifle's recoil.
"The lives of Russians are hardly valued. Their commanders regard them as expendable," the squad leader explained casually.
Under the ferocious Russian onslaught, the Germans had no choice but to unleash their full firepower, leading their soldiers from initial shock to utter numbness. Faced with the Russians' tightly packed formations, they merely needed to pull the trigger mindlessly; the bullets would find their marks.
In the face of staggering losses, the Russian advance had to be temporarily halted. Within half an hour, a significant portion of the attacking force had been decimated, and the remaining troops, terrified, were forced to retreat.
Despite their bravery, witnessing their comrades fall around them in horrific ways would instill fear in anyone. In such dire circumstances, their only option was to flee.
"Bastards! This isn't warfare; it's a massacre! The Germans are using their superior weaponry to slaughter our brave soldiers!" lamented General Lietski of the Russian 9th Army Group, watching the scene unfold in despair.
The other Russian commanders remained silent. Indeed, the disparity in firepower between the Russians and Germans was immense, resulting in their forces being entirely subdued on the battlefield. The attacking units were slaughtered under the advantageous fire of the Germans.
"Does anyone have any suggestions?" General Lietski asked.
"General, unless our artillery can surpass the Germans and bombard their defenses, we have little hope," one commander proposed.
"Impossible! The Germans possess far superior artillery capabilities, including heavy guns. We are primarily equipped with field artillery," the artillery commander shook his head.
"If only we had German tanks, we could breach their lines," another commander mused quietly. It was rumored that the defeat of the 2nd Guard Army Group was primarily due to the Germans' tanks, which had easily penetrated their defenses. If the 9th Army Group had tanks, breaching the German lines would surely be a trivial task.
"Stop with the useless talk. Setting aside our lack of tanks, even if we had them, who knows if the Germans have weapons to counter them? Let's not forget, the Germans are far ahead in weapons development," General Lietski replied.
Instantly, the Russian commanders fell silent. Indeed, the Russians found themselves helpless against the German tanks. However, that did not mean the Germans were without countermeasures!
"General, it seems we have only two options: either continue the attack without regard for casualties in an effort to breach the German defenses, or we retreat."
"Retreat?" General Lietski frowned. For him, this option was a last resort; he would avoid it unless absolutely necessary.
"Order the troops to continue the attack. No matter the cost, we must breach the German defenses," General Lietski commanded.
"Yes, General," all the Russian commanders responded.
An hour later, the Russians launched another offensive. Countless soldiers, driven like cattle by their officers, surged toward the German line.
In their attempts to penetrate the German defenses, the Russians assaulted relentlessly. Countless soldiers advanced like a gray tide against the German fortifications. Yet, the German defenses stood resolute, akin to cliffs against the sea, unmoved despite the relentless onslaught.
The Russian attacks persisted until sunset, but aside from exhausting vast quantities of German ammunition, they achieved nothing. The battlefield was littered with the bodies of Russian soldiers.