Operation Vampyr by David Bishop

Author:David Bishop
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Science Fiction
Publisher: Abaddon Books

The battle was fast and furious. Two more Rumanian T-34s joined their compatriots to act as a crude spearhead while Ralf led a wedge of Panzers round to attack the enemy position from one side and Erfurth drove in from the opposite direction. The Stukas had disabled half a dozen Russian tanks and armoured vehicles, but several more remained mobile. Ralf studied the Soviet positions and strength from the vision ports in his cupola.

"Seems our Rumanian allies have an advantage over the Reds," he noted. "The captured Soviet tanks are better than anything the Russians have at their disposal." An enemy artillery shell landed a few metres behind the Panzer, showering the German vehicle with soil and shrapnel. "That was close."

"Too close," Willy agreed. "Time we gave them a taste of our German steel." He traversed the turret sideways and took aim at the cluster of Russian anti-tank guns. "Ready to fire."

"Fire!" Ralf roared and was rewarded by the sight of enemy casualties screaming and dying. "And again!" Another blast from the main gun and another direct hit on the Russian positions. "Good shooting. Gunther, take us closer."

"Already rolling in," the driver responded, his hands deftly manipulating the Panzer's controls to swivel the tank to its right.

Ralf kept his gaze fixed on the enemy positions, watching as all three T-34s barrelled towards the Russians. "Looks like the Rumanians are taking the direct approach." The first T-34 drove directly over the top of the first Soviet artillery crew, crushing the anti-tank gun beneath its tracks. "God in heaven," Ralf gasped. "That would be suicidal in any other vehicle." Another T-34 thundered into the Soviet positions, smashing through the remains of a burning tank. The third tank reared up as it drove over another artillery gun, squashing the crew beneath as the tank slammed down atop them.

Ralf's gaze slid sideways to the inferior Russian tanks under attack. The main gun of one was dropping to zero elevation, so its long barrel was parallel to the ground. The first T-34 was almost upon them, but still the crew did not fire. "Scheisse, why are they waiting?" Ralf wondered.

"They're either brave or stupid," Gunther replied. He was also watching the drama unfold in front of them. "The Russians must know what it takes to stop one of their own T-34s."

"It'll be on top of them any second," Ralf said.

Finally, when the barrel of the T-34 was almost touching that of the anti-tank gun, the Russian tank fired. At point blank range, they could hardly miss such a large target, but the effects were no less spectacular as a result. The shell slammed into the narrow gap between the T-34's turret and hull. The turret exploded into the air, somersaulting across the sky, accompanied by a blizzard of metal and black smoke. The Rumanian tank died screaming, but as it did another cry shrieked throughout the air, an inhuman wailing that chilled the Panzer crew to the bone. When the clouds of smoke cleared, the unearthly cry was suddenly cut short with a final, fatal shriek of protest.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.