Really tempted to post a brief thing on how to employ a machine-gun "the soviet way". Just in case.

Lots of sciences and maths went into their instructions... they even show their work...
-They were big fans of enfilading-fire via positioning heavy weapons along the flanks, firing inwards; shifting fire outwards like a fan as friendlies advanced (in defense, from out to in as the enemy closes distance).

Anyways, [url=http://z4.invisionfree.com/NSDraftroom/index.php?showtopic=10550]more shovels to the shovel-gods.[/url] Ghe probably had plenty of time to learn how to throw one...
(In WW2, apparently there was a 2% chance that any given Russian [that would survive the war] was going to beat a German senseless with a pioneer's shovel [BSL-110])