Soon after that a German artillery barrage and aerial bombardment started. The Syrians fired a heavy artillery barrage. The Soviet attack was supported by a heavy artillery barrage, air bombardments and armoured forces. Their targets had been largely obscured by thick smoke from the Allied artillery barrage. The artillery barrage to the west had suddenly stopped. The attack began with a concentrated artillery barrage at 17&colon;00. Thousands more died under the continuous PAVN artillery barrage. The offensive began with an artillery barrage shortly before dawn on 16 December. On 27 September the attack resumed with an artillery barrage. Coffey dove away amid a barrage of gunfire from the posse. Finally, the Prussians attack, beginning with a remorseless six-hour artillery barrage. The constant barrage of attacks and the increase of expansion caused casualties. Around 300 guns from multiple nations participated in the artillery barrage. At around 08&colon;00, a Soviet artillery barrage began. The nearby supported "Augusta"s barrage, dodging near misses from enemy guns.