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〃They must have had nearly a Regiment facing us。〃 Alekseyev shrugged。 〃We can't make that kind of mistake very often and expect to succeed。 We advanced four kilometers in two hours； but the cost was murderous。 And those bastards in the Air Force！ I'll have something to say to our Frontal Aviation generals when we get back！〃
〃That makes you troop XO；〃 the lieutenant said。 It turned out there were five surviving tanks。 One had both radios broken。 〃You did good； real good。〃
〃How'd the Germans make out？〃 Mackall asked his new boss。
〃Fifty…percent losses； and Ivan kicked us back four klicks。 We can't expect to survive much more of this。 We may have some reinforcements in an hour。 I think I convinced Regiment that Ivan really wants this place。 We'll be getting help。 Same for the Germans。 They promised another battalion by nightfall； maybe a second one by dawn。 Take your track down for refuel and reload。 Our friends may be back soon。〃
〃That's one little and two big attacks for this village。 They ain't got it yet； sir。 〃
〃One other thing。 I talked to Regiment about you。 The colonel says you're an officer now。〃
Mackall's tank spent ten minutes getting to the rearm point。 Fueling took ten minutes while the exhausted crewmen loaded a new collection of shells。 The sergeant was surprised that he had to head back to the front five rounds short。
〃You've been hit； Pasha。〃 The younger man shook his head。
〃I scratched my hand getting out of the helicopter。 I'll let it bleed awhile to punish myself for clumsiness。〃 Alekseyev sat opposite his mander and downed a full liter canteen of water。 He was embarrassed by his slight wound and decided to lie about it。
〃The attack？〃
〃Opposition was ferocious。 We'd been told to expect two infantry battalions； plus tanks。 I estimate the actual enemy strength as a damaged regiment； and they had well…prepared positions。 Even so； we almost broke through。 The colonel in mand had a good plan； and his men pushed as hard as anyone could expect。 We forced them back to within sight of the objective。 I want to release a regiment of tanks from the OMG to the next attack。〃
〃We are not permitted to do this。〃
〃What？〃 Alekseyev was stunned。
〃The Operational Maneuver Groups are to remain intact until the breakthrough is achieved。 Orders from Moscow。〃
〃One more regiment will do it。 The objective is in sight！ We've chewed up one motor rifle division to get this far； and lost half the strength of another。 We can win this battle and get the first major rupture in NATO lines…but we have to act now！〃
〃You're certain？〃
〃Yes； but we must move fast。 The Germans must realize how close this battle has bee。 They'll try to reinforce also。 The lead regiment from 30th Guards Tank Division is one hour from the front。 If we can get them moving within thirty minutes； they'll be part of the next attack。 In fact； we should move the whole division up。 This opportunity will not last long。〃
〃Very well。 I'll call STAVKA for permission。〃
Alekseyev leaned back and closed his eyes。 The Soviet mand structure： to deviate from the Plan； even a Theater mander had to get permission！ It took over an hour while the staff geniuses in Moscow examined the maps。 The lead regiment of 30th Guards was released and ordered to join the motor…rifle division in the next attack。 But they were late； and the attack was delayed ninety minutes。
Second Lieutenant Terry Mackall…he still wore his stripes and was too tired to care about his change in rank…wondered how seriously mand was taking this little tank battle。 Two battalions of German regulars arrived in tracked vehicles； relieving the exhausted Landwehr men； who moved back to prepare defensive positions in and around the village to their rear。 A pany of Leopard tanks and two platoons of M…1s reinforced the position； with a German colonel in overall mand 。 He arrived by helicopter and surveyed all the defensive positions。 A tough…looking little bastard； Mackall thought； with some bandages on his face and a tight unsmiling mouth。 Mackall remembered that if Ivan broke through here； he just might be able to flank the German and British forces that had stopped the Russians' deepest penetration at the suburbs of Hannover。 That made the battle important to the Germans。
The German Leopards took the frontal positions； relieving the Americans。 It was a full troop now； back to fourteen vehicles。 The troop mander split the force into two parts； with Mackall manding the southern group。 They found the last line of dug shelters； just southeast of the village。 Mackall arrayed his newly assigned mand with care； checking each position on foot and conferring with each tank mander。 The Germans were thorough enough。 Any position that did not already have natural shrubbery in place had had it transplanted in。 Nearly all of the civilians who lived here had been evacuated； but a handful of people were unwilling to desert the homes they'd built。 One of them brought some of the tankers hot food。 Mackall's crew didn't have time to eat it。 The gunner repaired two loose connectors and reset the balky fire…control puter。 The loader and driver worked on a loose tread。 Artillery was falling around them before they finished。
Alekseyev wanted to be there。 He had a telephone link with the division； and listened in on the division mand circuit。 The colonel…Alekseyev wanted to make him a general if the attack succeeded…plained that they had been forced to wait too long。 He'd asked for and gotten a reconnaissance mission over enemy lines。 One of the aircraft had vanished。 The other's pilot reported movement； but could not provide a strength estimate； so busy had he been dodging surface…to…air missiles。 The colonel feared there had been an increase in enemy strength； but without hard evidence could not justify either a further delay or further reinforcements。
Mackall also watched from a distance。 The last row of hills was a mile away； across what had been a farm but was now covered mostly with small trees； as though the soil had been exhausted。 His forces were organized in two three…tank platoons。 As mander； his job was to lie back and direct them by radio。
Twenty minutes after the radio reported a strong Russian advance； he began to see movement。 German personnel carriers began streaming down the hill； toward the village。 Some Soviet helicopters appeared to the north； but this time a Roland battery hidden in the village engaged them； exploding three before they retreated out of sight。 Next came the German Leopard tanks。 Mackall counted and came up three short。 NATO artillery pounded the hilltops； and Soviet guns dropped shells in the fields around the American tanks。 Then the Russians appeared。
〃Buffalo； all units hold fire。 Repeat； everyone hold fire；〃 the troop mander said over the radio。
Mackall saw that the retreating Germans were passing through the village。 So； that's what that little Kraut bastard has planned； he thought。 Beautiful 。 。 。
〃We have them on the run！'' the colonel told Alekseyev over the mand circuit。 On the map table in front of the General； counters were moved and plotting officers made marks with grease pencils。 They penciled in a red gap in the German lines。
The leading Soviet tanks were now five hundred meters from the village； racing down the two…kilometer gap between B…Troop's tanks。 The German colonel gave his order to the American troop mander。
〃Buffalo； this is Six…take 'em！〃 Twelve tanks fired at once and hit nine targets。
〃Woody； look for antennas；〃 Mackall ordered his gunner。 He used his viewing prisms to keep an eye on his subordinates as the gunner traversed right and searched the rear Soviet ranks。
〃There's one！ Load a HEAT round！ Target tank。 Range twenty…six hundred…〃 The tank lurched sideways。 The gunner watched the tracer on the shell arc through the air on its two…mile path 。 。 。 〃Hit！〃
The second volley from the M…1s killed eight tanks； then others began to explode from antitank missiles launched out of the village。 The Russians had defiladed tanks on their flanks； and in front of them was a village bristling with antitank missiles： the German colonel had set a moving ambush； and the pursuing Russians had fallen into it。 Already the Leopards were sweeping around left and right from behind the village to catch the Russians in the open。 The air…control officer brought his fighter…bombers in on the Soviet artillery positions yet again。 Soviet fighters engaged them； but while doing that they could not interfere with the land battle； and now a squadron of German Gazelle missile…armed choppers added their fire into the killing ground。 The Soviet tanks fired off smoke and desperately tried to engage their enemies； but the Americans were dug in deep； and the German missileers in the village skillfully changed firing points after every shot。
Mackall shifted one platoon right and the other left。 His own gunner located and killed a second mand tank； then the Germans enveloped the Russian formation from north and south。 Still outnumbered； the Germans nevertheless caught the Russians off balance； raking the tank column with their big 120mm gun tubes。 The Soviet mander ordered his helicopters back in to blast open an escape route。 They surprised and killed three German tanks before missiles began t