Girls Und Panzer: Swedish Steel
Chapter 1: The Mighty Eagle
Life is a journey. Where it goes, and what you do with your life is up to you. Me? I am schoolgirl living not far from Stockholm, but my school is different. We are not only taught math, science, and other subjects but there is something else. My name is Andora Magnusson, and welcome to the Gustavus Adolphus School of Armored Combat.
I am the commander of Team Gripen. There three of us in my crew. My gunner is Molly Nilsson, and my driver is Ida Andersson. The funny thing is the three of us are all blond. You are in Sweden, what do you expect? What many do not expect are the tanks we use in competition. A tank the Russian Teams call the 'White Wolf': the EMIL 1951.
This is a heavy tank at 28 tons, and only needs a crew of three to operate her. Shocking, I know. Most heavy tanks have a crew of five or more. Now for a little history. This tank was a part of the 'Kranvagn' program which was a code word for a project to develop a heavy tank to combat the Soviet IS-3 in the very early years of the Cold War.
What some will tell you is that our tank only existed on paper, but that is not true. Our tanks were put in storage by the Swedish Military in case the Soviets tried to invade our country. It never happened, so it was considered that our tanks were to be sold for scrap. With the popularity of armored sporting, our tanks were painstakingly restored.
We train with them in the north of the country. It is fun to train at the target range, but sometimes the trail can throw something into the tracks, "Ouch," I groaned rubbing my head as it hit the roof of the turret. As a tank commander, I am also the loader of the main gun, "Nilsson...see anything?" I asked as she operated the turret periscope.
"Target in range, load her up," said Molly looking out at the steel plate that we use for targets out on the range. I loaded a shell in the breech, and rubbed her tight wavy curls to signal to her that the gun is ready. Nilsson has fluffy, wavy hair in soft, tight curls with blue eyes. She calls it the 'lion mane' and often says she can make Mufasa jealous.
"Shell's in the breech," I stated, checking the sights on the gun, and moving the turret into position while Molly operated the gun.
Most say she is the prettiest girl in school, and I am just a brown-eyed tomboy going with the 'Trinity' look. Her cousin Ida goes for the short, boyish, spiky look and she has grey eyes, "And...fire," I fired the gun and it hit dead center of the steel plate. Our main gun is called an autoloader. That means we operate this 10.5 cm gun like a giant rifle.
We went back inside after training on the range for a few hours for some lunch. It was Kåldolmar with potatoes, gravy, and lingonberry jam. I joined them with a notice at found in the door of my dorm room, "What is that you have there, don't tell me you're on academic probation." Ida asked, I shook my head, and sat with my crew for lunch.
"I am not," I replied, and opened the parcel, "this is for all of us...and it's from the Japan Senshado Federation, it says they are showing interest in our crews and our tanks, and they want us to come to Japan to compete in their tankery competition," I explained to my crew. I scratched my chin in thought, "strange...they can't be sending just us,"
Our team was called to the dean's office, "This is a great honor," said our dean, Adrianna Eriksson. With her brown hair tied back in a neat ponytail and her brown eyes with oval wireframe glasses, you looked like those front desk ladies at an office building, "we have a chance to show Japan what we can do, they have abided by the Renault Rule"
The Renault Rule lets countries use tanks that go beyond the rules of the Japan Senshado Federation. It is Europe's way of branching off from the dominant Japanese teams, "This is the first time we are sending tank crews to Japan." she explained to us, we were all excited by the news, "I wish you good luck, and for you to be on your best behavior,"
"The competition is in three weeks, dress in your best, dismissed," said the dean and went back to her paperwork, "by the way, Magnusson, the Federation requested four teams, there will be two others joining us for the trip, I will look over our scores and statistics to see which teams will be going to Japan with you, I know you will do us all proud,"
"Yes, ma'am," I replied with a salute, and she dismissed me. I went to my dorm and pulled out my M1893 cavalry sword. When you become a commander of a crew, fencing classes are a required course. I had an idea of who I would choose to be with us when we go to compete against the Japanese: Team Draken. They will bring their best, so will we.
The commander of the trio is Olivia Holm. She is a dirty blond with hair as smooth as the inside of a conch shell with a neat ponytail. She has been my friend since we started working with our tanks, "Good to see you, Magnusson, but yeah...I'm in, and working with you will make this all the better, so let's go out there and let's kick ass, Swedish Style,"
(Please rate and review. So watch out Japan, Here come the Swedish!)