Chapter 86: The Terror of Belgorod
Guerilla campaigns were ultimately one of the most difficult types of warfare for one to emerge victorious in. That is, of course, assuming you were the one fighting against the guerillas. Hiding among the civilian population, and attacking when you were nearly forgotten, murdering in the name of your cause before retreating back to the shadows like a rat?
It was a cowardly but effective means of warfare. And unfortunately for Bruno, this was how the Red Army had chosen to fight in its last death throes. Because of this, Bruno found himself operating as a commander from afar, rather than in the field, as he preferred.
Because, frankly, there was no battlefield for him to step foot upon. The streets of Moscow, Saint Petersburg, Tsaritsyn, et cetera were the battlefields. Merely stepping out your door exposed you to unknown dangers lurking in the shadows.
But there were some officers leading the efforts to kick down doors and drag out the Bolsheviks from their homes. And these men were Heinrich, and Erich. Two of Bruno's oldest friends, and brothers in arms.
Though Majors now, they led entire battalions of soldiers through the streets of the cities which fell under their authority. And currently, Erich was in the streets of a Russian city called Belgorod, walking alongside his soldiers with his luger in hand.
He and the men of the Iron Division, along with the Russian soldiers, police, and loyalist militias they worked alongside had received actionable intelligence from a potential informant on the whereabouts of a Guerilla cell, as they made preparations to bomb the local Iron Division garrison and their headquarters.
No doubt they were in the midst of preparing for the operation, and because of it, these men knew they would be walking into a building with explosive compounds inside of it. Even so, they did not fear what needed to be done, rather accepting their role.
Curiously enough, the man at the lead of the fireteam which was stacking up outside the surrounded Guerilla compound was wielding a shotgun. Which Bruno had acquired from Browning Arms, which was an American Arms corporation owned and named after John Moses Browning. This was one of many of the American companies that Bruno had invested in after receiving the small fortune that his family gave him in exchange for his weapons designs.
As a partial owner of the corporation, or at least having enough shares to influence the company. Bruno was able to outfit the Iron Division with Auto 5 shotguns, which were specially made for military and law enforcement applications after his suggestions were made in this regard.
The auto-5 in use by the breacher was of the "Riot" variety, as was seen in use during the Rhodesian Bush War of Bruno's past life by the Rhodesian Security Forces. This version in particular had a factory extended magazine tube, and a handguard giving it a unique and striking appearance.
Once the Breacher was lined up with the door, Erich nodded his head at him from among his other troops who were securing the perimeter, giving the man the signal to proceed.
*Bang*