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The strength and composition of the assault team
Nature of the actions of the assault team in urban combat determines its nature. urban combat – melee battles; City attack, assault fortified houses, buildings and other facilities, transformed into the enemy strong points and centers of resistance. Consequently, punches assault teams should be short, actions – rapid and audacious.
When these requirements prevent the use of large units, and leave the arena smaller groups infantry, individual guns and tanks.
Terms of action assault groups in different periods of urban warfare are different. If the opponent has just burst into the city and seized some of his, naturally, that he has not yet managed to strengthen the building, organize a solid defense. In such circumstances, can act in small groups on their own and, moreover,, having no organic connection with his unit. When the enemy is in two or three months, and his defense has provided a major engineering structures, a well-designed system of fire, the chances of success of independent action in small groups reduced, and it appears only as a strong spearhead squad. In this situation the group performs only part of the plan.
As we shall see below, success storming Stalingrad "House of the railway" decided to group three attackers, by 6-8 people each. But interact with them 82 fighter's various military specialties. In this way, absolutely obvious, that force, the composition and nature of the action is determined assault team environment conditions. In some cases,, when the group will act independently, its number may be small and more homogeneous composition; at other times she is forced to interact with other departments, performing part of the overall combat mission.
For the assault of an object part of the army storming isolated (the attackers) groups, Group consolidation and reserve. Designed to perform a single task, These three combat team and we were one – assault group of urban combat.
The strength and composition of each group depended on the object of her actions. Commander defined them in preparation for the assault on the basis of intelligence information about the nature of the object and the size of the garrison. At the same time, reflects the specificity of action of each group. These features are highly principled; not clear about their, impossible to understand the tactics of the battle for the fortified building.
The basis of the entire assault team up the attacking group, numbering of 6-8 people each. They were the first fast break into the house, bunkers and independently are fighting inside the object. Each group has its own particular problem. Arming these groups – lung: machine, grenade, knife, shovel (The latter is sometimes used as an ax). groups managed by one commander. To this end, it has alarm and flares, sometimes the phone.
Group consolidation is usually divided into several lots,, who burst into the house at the same time from different directions, after attacking groups (as soon as the commander will give a signal "burst"). Penetrating into the building and capturing the gun emplacements, they immediately create their own, system of fire towards the enemy and stop all attempts to come to the aid of the attacked garrison. Armed groups consolidate – heavy: heavy machine guns and hand, PT guns, mortars, PT guns, crowbars, picks, explosive. Each team will certainly include sappers, snipers, as well as soldiers of other specialties, which can effectively attack the enemy.
consolidation group subordinated to the commander of the assault team. The reserve is used to replenish and strengthen the attacking groups, to eliminate a possible counter-attacks from the flanks, and (in a pinch) as a blocking group. From the reserve can be quickly formed and put into a new fight, additional attack group. Since the assault group Guards Senior Lieutenant Sedelnikova was built, mastered the great, well-fortified building, the so-called "L-shaped house", is a powerful resistance assembly. Hence the enemy controlled in the critical area of the Volga, looking at a considerable depth approach to it.
Practice convinced us, that complete assault groups must be from the same unit. Of any regular groups in the company can not be considered. To be able to storm owe each platoon, each branch, every soldier.
Time and suddenness – osnova manjovra
Time and suddenness – the two most important factor of the successful maneuver assault team. We will show it on examples. "House of the railway" was attacked in 10 am. To throw the commander of the attacking group has 3 minutes. It was a time, remaining after the last shot of the cannon and machine guns, the last line of the enemy firing points until the possible revival of the OT. The soldiers broke into the house even before, the enemy recovered from the devastating effects of fire. Across 30 minutes fell all the pockets of resistance of the reference point, first prisoner was taken, and a garrison, It consisted of two companies of infantry and heavy weapons company, completely destroyed. This is the significance of the time factor.
Night fighters Guard First Lieutenant Sedelnikova attacked the "L-shaped house" without fire impact. One after another, storming the group broke into the house through the windows, on the move tossing back grenades. The enemy did not fire a single shot. for 20 attackers minutes passed third of a six-storey building, takes two quarters. This is the meaning of the surprise factor.
each commander, which is tasked to storm the stronghold of the enemy or the center of resistance, must, first of all, to win the time factor and the element of surprise. In close combat,, and even more so in the city, it is always crucial.
Indispensable weapon fighters, going to storm, – grenade. It often determines the distance storm. The closer to the starting position to the enemy to attack, all the better. If from this point of view to consider the actions of the assault groups of parts of the 62nd Army, it becomes clear, that their success is largely based on a hidden rapprochement with the enemy. Comrade division. Sedelnikova was defense in 180 m of "D-oboaznogo home", and the attack of the building group started with a starting position in the 30 m. The desire for such a distance for the assault was our tactical rule.
experience teaches: moving closer to the enemy trenches; move on all fours, Use a funnel and debris; Roy trenches at night, on the day of their concealer; accumulated to throw an attack secretly, without noise: Machine take on the neck, Occupy 10-12 Garnet, then time and surprise will be on your side.
Let the commander will be heroic assault group, but if the attack is not prepared, wait in vain for a successful outcome. Sturm must be prepared carefully, all its parts must be calculated accurately. The basis of preparation are two elements: study of the object and the development of the assault plan.
A study of target commander need answers to the following questions: building type, wall thicknesses, overlap, the presence of a basement, where the inputs and outputs, the nature of the fortifications, place hidden embrasures, places obstacles and types of, Do you have a strong point garrison opportunity secretly (trenches) communicate with their divisions. Having such data, commander soon will reveal the location of the enemy firing points, their field of fire and the dead space. Picture of the object of attack will still be incomplete, and the way, planned to approach him, unfounded, if you do not take into account the behavior of the intelligence (life) the enemy garrison and fire: the impact of neighboring buildings. completeness of data will, of course, impact on timing, most favorable for storm.
commander Elin, preparing to storm the "House of the railway", I had all of the data. This allowed him to develop a detailed plan of action and to deceive the Nazis. Showing the attack from the south, he suppressed the fire most of the assets of Germans, and the main blow was struck from east. assault object Careful study has enabled Guard lieutenant Sedelnnkovu strike in that part of the "L-shaped house", where the flanking enemy fire could not harm, because in the way of approach it had dead space.
assault plan is developed based on a comprehensive study of the object. It also allows the commander to determine the strength of, the composition and the order of battle of attacking groups, consolidation groups, rate reserve, Group tasks by stages of battle, degree of support from the depth of attack firepower, communications and signals.
