Struggle: The Path to Power - Владимир Андерсон

The plagues know this, and that's why you can't act that way.

We'll be wherever they come. We'll attack them here. It'll be a counterattack. The theory is we need at least two times the numerical superiority. We're outnumbered three to one. But they're not expecting us there, and that's a chance.

This is the 13th paragraph of the chapter "Fullness and Emptiness" in Sun Tzu's book "The Art of War": The form of the army is like water — avoiding height and striving downward; the form of the army — avoiding fullness and hitting emptiness. Water establishes its flow depending on the place; the army establishes its victory depending on the enemy."

"Fullness" in this paragraph is a concentration of enemy forces. "Void" is a gap in the organization of actions.

A counterattack from the eastern flank of the chums is not a concentration attack, it is a gap attack. A gap is not the absence of enemy troops in any of his areas, but the weakness of that area (often expressed in the absence of troops). This is the ability to see the strengths and weaknesses of the enemy.

*** 07:25

— Snowbird, this is Sinitta. The enemy has halted movement to the east.

— Counterattack at 8 o'clock from the 2nd bush. The 6th bush is to act only at 6 o'clock and to the west.

— Yes, Snowbird.

— Over and out… Stork, this is Snowbird. Over.

— Stork on the line.

— Continue firing on the previously indicated square. Give two volleys.

— Yes, Snowbird.

— The end, the connections.

*** 07:31

— Bullfinch, Bullfinch, it's a tit. 7 o'clock. Three tanks. 230.

— Type of tanks. Supply.

— No sign of them yet. No KAZs at all.

— Recognize the urgency. *** 07:27

A volley rang out. It was so loud that even in the basement, dust spattered from the ceiling.

— Tit, this is Bullfinch. Situation report.

Silence and the prolonged hissing of the walkie-talkie.

— Tit, this is Bullfinch. Over.

— It's Sinitta. KAZ is only on one. Т-95.

— Use ATGMs. On T-95 not further than 40 meters.

— Yes, Snowbird.

— Over and out.

Zhivenko felt slightly lost: either stunned by the volley or frightened. His voice hardly answered "yes" to the given order.

I wanted to wish him luck, but that would rather confuse him more. He'd think the major was also hooked on the idea of such a tank. Т-95. Where did that come from? There were only-there were 50 of them… In the human war, most of them were destroyed (as well as everything else). What was left to the plagues? Two or three tanks? And one of them is here!

Of course he will pass through the minefield. He was created so that such obstacles would not hinder him then, and there is no need to talk about how he will pass such an obstacle now — we use what we have.

And then… From the mine strip to our position is 100 meters. Until it gets to 40 meters, it's useless to shoot at it, although even then there's no guarantee that KAZ won't have time to destroy the missile… And if it doesn't get to 40 meters at all? He'll stand at 50 meters and start shooting. It's not like there are fools inside it. They wouldn't put fools in it. And they want to live, too. And they've learned how they can be destroyed, too.

And we still have the rest of the battalion on the line of contact. How will it operate now? — Stork, this is Bullfinch. Over.

— Stork on the line.

— Fire on the previously indicated square. Fire 3 volleys.

— Yes, Snowbird.

— Over and out.

Then the previously silent walkie-talkie started talking.

— Hello. Hello. Bullfinch. This is Lark (Ranierov). Our help is required?

A free Cossack! As if he can't participate?! Like he can leave?! Or is he bored? — Are you under attack?

— Uh, no.

— Do you see the enemy?

— Uh, no.

— So what are you reporting?!

— I was wondering…

— Are you drunk in there?! What the hell are you doing on the phone for no reason? Didn't you find a job?

— No. I wanted to help.

— Wait for orders and report any changes. Execute!

— Yes, Bullfinch. Over and out.

Oh, man! He was the first one to end the connection. When we get out of there, he'll get a reprimand. And we should take away his platoon command. It's too fat for him. *** 07:34

This is no longer the Major's basement. It's a battlefield. A T-95 stopped 57 meters from the defense line. The other two are hit, but it's still standing.

Shot at seven seconds. Then again. And again. The battalion of chums is defeated. But the fortifications are being demolished more and more at every 7-second interval. Time passes in intervals, not seconds.

Somebody couldn't resist and fired a missile, it didn't make it. Can't hit it. Desperation.

The field. Tank. A SWAT team five meters away. A hand and a bunch of grenades. Throw! And the tank is gone.

So did the SWAT guy.

*** 07:42

— Bullfinch, Bullfinch! Over. This is Tit.

— Bullfinch on the line.

— Bullfinch, fangs destroyed! The square is clear!

— And the tank?

— Tank too. Snowbird, the quad is clear!

— 300 to the 3rd bush. Over… Stork, this is Snowbird, over.

— Stork on the line.

— Cease firing the pishals.

— Aye, cease fire.

— Over and out.

Bolotnikov wanted so much to ask about the way the tank had been hit: little wonder what it could mean, but Zhivenko was so emotionally aroused that there could be no intelligible answer any time soon.

Another thing was more important now: how well the fortifications had been preserved. And this could only be seen for yourself.

As he came up from the dungeon, the major immediately stepped on someone's boot. Apparently, while the wounded man was being carried across the room, the boot had fallen off his foot. It wasn't bloody, but it was