Isakov nodded. Varakin drove the truck off the side of the road, and across the field toward the artillery battery. They headed toward the side of the German position. The M109 artillery vehicles were to the left and the German trucks to the right. When they were about thirty-five meters from the nearest vehicle, Varakin stopped. A German soldier, apparently an officer, began walking toward them. Varakin carefully got out of the cab, keeping the door open to hide his uniform. The troops jumped out of the rear, and the grenadiers deployed quickly. Isakov shouted to them to fire. The rockets hissed off in an ear-piercing roar, accompanied by the clatter of AK-74 assault rifles. The troops were bunched up at first, but when Varakin shouted "Urra!" and began running forward, they followed.
The Germans were in complete confusion. The rockets had hit three of the artillery vehicles. A great deal of ammunition and propellant were lying about, and it began to ignite. A second salvo of rockets hit the M577 command post and one of the trucks. Few of the artillerymen had their rifles at hand, and they were cut down by the charging Soviet troops. Two Bundeswehr soldiers near the truck did have their assault rifles and fired at the Soviets. Two spetsnaz were hit, but in turn they drew fire from a Soviet grenadier with a BG-15 grenade launcher. Varakin had spotted the two Germans and hit one with rifle fire. He then hurled a grenade, starting a fire in the trucks and wounding the other German soldier. Isakov tossed a grenade into the undamaged M109. There was a muffled blast, and the vehicle began to burn. He directed his squad away from the burning vehicles toward the trucks. By now some of the unarmed German soldiers were fleeing across the field, and a small group of German soldiers managed to escape in a jeep. There was a flurry of raised arms as the surviving artillerymen surrendered. Of the sixty German troops, about twenty-five were wounded or killed, ten or twelve escaped, and the rest surrendered. Surprise had worked in the Soviets' favor.
Isakov ordered the squad to remain near the station during the upcoming air assault. They managed to salvage one truck from the German vehicles. The prisoners were herded into one of the nearby station buildings and frisked down. Varakin remained with this group, while Isakov drove back to the main platoon positions at Michaelsbuch. The two wounded Soviet paratroopers stayed behind. One had been hit in the arm and was in considerable pain. The other soldier had been hit in the chest and was in shock. Varakin and one other soldier attempted to administer aid as best they could.
Isakov arrived in Michaelsbuch as the first signs of the air assault began. A flight of Mi-24 Gorbach attack helicopters flew overhead, attacking the traffic along Route 8 and the A92 autobahn. They were low to the ground and firing rockets. It was comforting to see the big attack helicopters. Their size and high speed made them seem omnipotent. Isakov went over to the church and climbed into the belfry to get a good view of the action. The Mi-17 transport helicopters were approaching the landing zone (LZ). He could see the first helicopters land, and several of his own men run out to give them directions.
The force setting down in LZ Afrika was the 1st Company of the 123 d Air Assault Battalion.
The air assault troops were well trained like his own men, and began to deploy rapidly. The Mi-17s seemed to be on the ground for only a few seconds before they were fully unloaded and off in the air again. Isakov climbed down from the belfry to greet the new arrivals. The officers from the l/123d Air Assault Battalion were easy to pick out. A cluster of radiomen followed in their footsteps, with the whip antennas of their radios all too obvious. It was a good thing no enemy snipers were in the area.
The company commander, Capt. Vasily Bondarchuk, told Isakov that his company had been put, temporarily at least, under his command. Isakov led him to the Michaelsbuch church, where he had reestablished his command post. Using the maps, he explained his deployment. Bondarchuk told him to reassemble his platoon; it was too widely scattered to be useful in the upcoming fight. The 123 d Air Assault would take over their positions in Stephans-posching. Bondarchuk indicated that the battalion commander expected the main attack to come in this sector from the southeast. Once his men reassembled, Bondarchuk wanted Isakov to position his platoon in the small hamlet of Hettenkofen, which was on the outskirts of Michaelsbuch. After asking about his antitank equipment, Bondarchuk reminded Isakov how important antitank defense would be in the forthcoming fight.
Isakov radioed to his squads, and by 1800, they had all reported to Hettenkofen, which was not so much a village as a collection of houses and other buildings along a secondary road. The houses would offer a certain measure of protection against enemy tanks, but not much. Basically, the idea was to hold the river perimeter until the main Soviet forces arrived on the northern bank. Then, a bridging operation would link up and seize the main A92 autobahn intersections. The main Soviet force was expected to arrive the next morning and begin bridging operations. Until then, Isakov's platoon would have to hold the easternmost edge of the bridgehead.
Isakov had the soldiers plant antitank mines along Route 11 to deny the road to enemy tanks. Some more were laid in front of their positions, but there were not enough to make effective barriers. The three Metis anti-tank guided missile teams were evenly spaced along the 500 meters of the perimeter. All troops were issued RPG-22s. There were about 30 RPG-22s left, enough for one man each, plus a half dozen extra. There was little point in trying to set up ambushes, since the terrain was too flat and exposed to permit it.
As night settled in, the fire over the river grew more intense. The night sky was illuminated by artillery flares and explosions, which was some comfort, since it was evidence of the approaching Soviet forces. Isakov was very pleased by the performance of his men against the German artillery position. But fighting tanks would be harder. The Germans obviously were preparing something. There was activity in the neighboring hamlet of Rettenbach and Mainkofen, and tanks were operating in the area, judging from the high-pitched metallic squeal of their tracks.
In the adjacent village the enemy was preparing a counterattack. The Germans were following an absolute rule learned at officer school. Soviet bridgeheads must be smashed as soon as they are formed. The one lesson learned five decades before during the war on the Eastern Front was that Soviet bridgeheads had to be rooted out, not just isolated. Reconnaissance had indicated that the Soviet airmobile force was located between Deggendorf and Strasskirchen. It would be light on armor, if it had any at all. And it would probably be light on antitank weapons. The Germans decided to hit it with a night tank attack supported by infantry. Artillery would be a dicey proposition due to the proximity of the German forces. Several scattered tank companies were rounded up, along with some mechanized infantry originally slated for the front against the main Soviet attack.
The German attack force began moving at about 2200. The night was nearly pitch black, owing to the clear skies and lack of moonlight. This was a serious problem for Isakov's ATGM teams. Their launchers had passive night sights, but a little moonlight or starlight was needed to make them work properly. There was damn little tonight. Flare pistols could provide some light, and Bondarchuk promised to get a little illumination from the battalion's mortars. There was considerable tank noise coming from the autobahn. About 2215, the attack began.
German tanks spilled off the autobahn in a wave aimed at cutting through Michaelsbuch and pushing to Stephans-posching. A similar attack was launched from the other side out of Strasskirchen toward Irlbach. The attack in this sector consisted of about two companies of tanks, numbering twenty-six in all, supported by thirty-four troop carriers and sundry other armored vehicles. There were three companies of infantry, although not enough vehicles to carry them all. The tanks were a mixed bag of twelve Leopard 2s, and various models of Leopard Is culled from stragglers or units that had gotten separated from their original units. The plan was to envelop the area in smoke, with the Leopard 2s sitting back and using their thermal imaging sights to pick out targets. The smoke should blind the enemy gunners, giving the other tanks and infantry time to close rapidly on the Soviet positions. No one looked forward to street fighting at night, but neither town was very large.