Don region — 30 kilometers southwest of StalingradJanuary 27, 1943
The sun barely broke through the low clouds and icy mist. The terrain was rolling, covered in dirty snow and the marks of recent battles. In the distance, only smoke columns were visible… and the distant echo of artillery.
Falk raised his binoculars from the Tiger's hatch. Around him, the rest of the platoon advanced in dispersed formation: Konrad's Panther up front, the Panzer IVs covering the flanks.
—"They're close," murmured Helmut.
—"Too quiet for them to be far," added Ernst, adjusting the radio.
Lukas, at the controls, spoke without turning:
—"How far from the edge of the encirclement?"
—"Twenty-eight kilometers… if no one stops us."
Just then, something whistled through the air.
BOOM!
An explosion kicked up dirt and snow just meters from the Panther. Konrad responded instantly, rotating his turret and firing toward the hills to the east.
—"Ambush!" Falk shouted. "Deploy and return fire! Now!"
The Tiger roared. Its cannon slowly lined up with a flash among the trees. A second later, Falk ordered:
—"Fire!"
The shell obliterated a half-buried anti-tank gun position. Debris and bodies flew into the air.
The Panzer IVs fanned out and opened fire in sequence. The snow turned black. Tracer rounds cut the air like orange needles.
—"More contacts to the northeast!" Ernst warned. "Soviet infantry with anti-tank rifles!"
—"Lukas, advance twenty meters and hold! Helmut, reload! Konrad, left side!"
Gears growled as the Tiger rotated like a living fortress. Falk remained upright in the hatch, exposed, never losing sight of the fight.
—"Keep the pressure on! We can't get stuck here!"
The Panther took out a T-34 trying to flank. One of the Panzer IVs was hit on the side, but kept firing.
After nearly twenty minutes, the gunfire died down.
All that remained was steam, scorched snow… and the rough hum of the still-running engine.
Falk climbed back down inside the Tiger, breathing hard.
—"Everyone in one piece?"
—"Banged up, but rolling," Lukas replied.
—"Good," said Falk. "Then we keep moving. Because that… was just the welcome."
—
And so the real race began. With fire. Even before they saw the horizon of Stalingrad.