Chapter 1
Prologue: Change Of Plans
Miho Nishizumi and Yukari Akiyama walked towards the Sensha-dō tank garage, where their Panzer IV Ausf. H.
"Morning!", Miho said, waving to Takako "Caesar" Suzuki and Riko "Erwin" Matsumoto, who waved back.
All of the Tankery students of Ooarai were here, Anteater team, Hippo team, Mallard team, Leopon team, Duck team, and Rabbit team. Turtle team was the student council, as they weren't there.
Anteater team was playing their online tank game, Hippo team was talking about some battle, Mallard team was chatting, Leopon team was fixing their Tiger (P), Duck team was playing volleyball, and Rabbit team was sleeping on their M3 Lee. Everyone seemed to be enjoying being back with their tanks.
Yukari squealed as she jumped on the Panzer IV and hugged it. "Oh, it's so good to be back!", she cried.
"I can't wait to do Sensha-dō again.", Miho said. "It was really enjoyable to help Maho win against the university."
"As well as seeing Alice riding in on that teddy bear.", Yukari giggled. She sighed as she lay next to the Panzer's cannon.
"So many Pershings!", Miho said, recalling the memories of the fight that saved Ooarai.
Then Saori Takebe and Hana Isuzu walked in, carrying a familiar black haired girl behind them.
"Hello!", Saori said. Hana smiled, as Mako Reizei snored.
"Oh, it's been so long since I saw this thing. I missed this tank so much!", Hana squealed.
"I know, the stubby little barrel has long since grown into a beautiful and powerful killing machine!", Yukari said.
"It almost looks like a Tiger!", Miho said.
"It's so beautiful. I know we had it like this for a long time, but this is one of the only times I looked at it, just to look at it.", Yukari said.
Mako groaned. "I'm hungry...", she moaned, as the other girls giggled at their driver's behavior.
Then the student council came in. Everyone scrambled to attention as Anzu cleared her throat.
"I'll cut to the chase. Momo-chan has received a letter from the higher ups changing the rules of Sensha-dō.", Anzu said, as the irritated monocle-wearing girl handed a letter to Anzu.
"Boys are now allowed in Ooarai, and Sensha-dō. Thank you.", Anzu said, blankly.
Everyone immediately exploded in disbelief. "WHAT?!", the girls screamed.
"What?! This is unacceptable!", Caesar cried.
"Oh no, we're all gonna be hit by stalkers and perverts!", Azusa said.
"They just changed the rules? Oh dear.", Hoshino said, wiping her forehead.
"This is a rather sudden change.", Erwin said, adjusting her peaked hat.
"Oh, and a new all-boys academy has opened up.", Anzu added. "And here's the thing, no medium tanks. All cavalry tanks."
"Whoa...", Oryou said.
"Maybe an M-22 Locust?", Yukari asked.
"Or a Vickers.", Azusa said.
Anzu cleared her throat again. "And a large group of boys have joined this club, so when they get here next week, so need I remind you, be nice!", she said. "DISMISSED!"
Everyone was silent, as the news slowly sank in.
"Butterfly...", Saki said.
Timeskip: an hour
Duck team sat on their bolted Type 89B.
"Maybe they'll wanna play volleyball?", Taeko asked.
"Maybe...", Shinobu said.
Hippo team stood with their StuG Assault Gun III, yakking about the new arrivals.
Kiyomi "Saemonza" Sugiyama slammed a hand on the StuG. "No, they'll have an interest in the D'Day invasion! Light tanks were some of the main mop up forces of the Allies!", she said.
"Or most likely the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, where Russia used wave after wave of cavalry tanks to wipe out the Japanese armies.", Riko "Erwin" Matsumoto chimed in.
"Or the Battle of Kursk, where thousands of tank participated, light tanks, medium tanks, heavy tanks, and all sorts of other vehicles fighting to win.", Oryou said.
"That's it!", Kiyomi, Takako, and Riko cried.
Mallard team was just sitting on the Char B1, while Anteater team was playing their tank game. Rabbit team sat on their M3 Lee.
"Maybe they're not all perverts?", Ayumi Yamagō asked.
"Yeah, hopefully.", Yuuki Utsugi said.
"I doubt it…", Aya Ōno said.
Azusa Sawa and Karina Sakaguchi just texted on their phones, while Saki Maruyama just looked at butterflies.
Turtle team had left, and Leopon team was fixing Porsche Tiger.
Anglerfish team was sitting on the Panzer IV, Miho, Saori, Hana, and Yukari on the turret. Mako was sleeping on the front of the tank chassis.
"I hope some cute boys come here! I'm so excited!", Saori said.
"I heard that light tanks are the hardest tanks to take out, speed-wise.", Hana said.
"Yeah, I heard that too.", Saori said.
Miho was simply in thought. She was excited to see how boys drive their tanks, but also a little nervous at if they'd affect Ooarai's Sensha-dō class.
"Miho, are you OK?", Saori asked.
"Oh, I'm fine. Just...thinking.", Miho said.
"About what?", Hana asked, as Yukari leaned over.
"I'm nervous. I'm not used to coed schools, and it's kinda scary...", Miho said. "Adding the fact the rules just completely flipped, it might as well be like switching schools…"
"Yeah, the pervs, the stalkers, the creeps, the gropers, the rap-", Mako said, deadpan and sleepy.
"Don't say stuff like that! That stuff doesn't help!", Saori cried.
Miho sighed. "But at the same time, I'm excited. I haven't seen many light tanks. The BT-42 would count more as an assault gun than a light tank, right?"
"Right! The Finnish put a British howitzer on a Russian tank chassis, but I forgot what it was...", Yukari said.
Hana gave a reassuring smile. "Don't worry, I'm sure these boys are friendly and skilled enough if they got enough attention to change the rules of Sensha-dō.", she said.
Miho smiled. "Thank you.", she said. The Panzer IV gunner smiled.
"Come on, let's go take our Anglerfish out for a drive.", Miho said.
The next week, everyone was in line, waiting for the new arrivals to arrive.
"I can't wait to see what light tank they have! Light tanks are so cute, the way they hop around on rough ground.", Yukari said, before squealing in excitement.
"Gee, we like kittens like Yukari likes a Chaffee. It's kinda weird.", Aya said.
"Well, can't blame her. She loves tanks. I'm not surprised if she plays with herself with a tank model.", Noriko said.
Yuuki and Ayumi cringed at the thought of Yukari stuffing a Jaagdtiger barrel between her legs.
Anzu shushed the girls. "Shh! I hear something!", she said.
Down the hill, several T-26, BT-7, and BT-5 tanks shot forward, swerving and drifting.
"Whoa!", Taeko said.
"Russian tanks!", Erwin said.
"That driving skill!", Tsuchiya cried, drooling at one of the BT-5 tanks drifting.
"Amazing! I remember now, the BT-42 was built off the BT-7!", Yukari said.
A BT-7 and a BT-5 clashed into each other, before a BT-5 crashed into the two tanks. Then the rest of the tanks collided and crashed into each other. One BT-7 tank barrel rolled down the hill, stopping meters away from the Ooarai tanks.
Soon, the cavalry charge was a pile of smoking, yet intact wrecks.
Every girl in the mine stared at the klutzy tanks in front of them. "OK...", Momo said. Yuzu scratched the back of her neck.
The BT-5 in front opened its hatch, a DP-28 mounted on it. A boy around the age of 16 or 17 climbed out, obviously dizzy.
"Ow...", he said. He wore a Soviet infantry helmet, the black bowl covering his eyes.
The commanders of the other tanks climbed out, before lining up in front of the girls.
Saori internally squeaked, while Mako was drifting off while standing.
"Hello, Ooarai. My name is Kenn.", the BT-5 commander said. "This is my right hand man, Ano."
Ano, who commanded a BT-7, smiled and waved shyly. He wore a classic Russian Tanker helmet, complete with goggles. His helmet had a blue stripe down the middle, and his goggles were rimmed with a light blue color.
Miho looked around, to see a BT-7 with blue paint on the side of the chassis, as well as a blue design painted on the turret. Instead of a DP-28 on the turret, she was surprised to see a DShK mounted on the tank, the heavy machine gun towering over the tank itself.
"I guess I can assume which tank is his.", Miho thought, looking back at Ano.
"I hope you got our message, of us hoping to join you.", Kenn said.
"Yes, Sensha-dō welcomes you to Ooarai.", Yuzu said, as she bowed to the new students. On instinct, everyone else bowed.
Kenn smiled. "Thank you.", she said.
Anzu popped up from bowing,and smiled. "Say, those are some sweet tanks ya got.", she said.
"Their driving could use some work.", Mako said.
"Mako!", Saori cried.
"Actually, our driving is good. The crashing is just our tactic.", Kenn said.
Mono blinked. "Really?", she said.
"Would you expect the enemy to crash and burn right in front of you?", a T-26 commander asked.
"Well...no.", Erwin said.
"And what better than to pound them with our guns while they're caught off guard?", Kenn asked.
"With the victories we have, we can spare a few dents and scrapes. After all, rush tactics are usually spur of the moment.", another commander said.
Anzu Kadotani stepped up. "Well, then. Let's test those tactics! Mock match, now!", she said.
Everyone was surprised. "Can we...uhh...at least get our tanks ready?", Ano asked.
"Ah, sure.", Yuzu Koyama said.
Momo Kawashima huffed. "You have one hour to do so.", she said, being the impatient student PR council manager she was.
"On it! Come on, boys!", Kenn said. All the tanks backed away from each other, and soon, all the tank operators were out, fixing their vehicles.
The girls watched as the boys took about seven to eight minutes to fix their light tanks.
"Wow...that's less the half of what we'd take to fix our tanks.", Hoshino said.
"Yeah. Light tanks are easy to repair, not to mention the damage was minor.", Yukari said.
How many tanks do you have?", Kenn asked Anzu.
"We got eight tanks.", Anzu said.
"Is that so?", Kenn asked. He looked over at Yuzu and winked. The council vice-president was taken aback, before blushing.
"Ehh, we'll take six. One T-26, two BT-5s, and three BT-7s, deal?", Kenn asked.
The girls gasped at their choice of numbers, especially considering that they're all light tanks.
"You sure?", Anzu asked.
"Don't underestimate us.", Kenn said. "The BT series may have been the 'paper tanks' of the Soviet Union, but they have been very formidable on the front lines. We are warning you."
Miho gulped, knowing to take their warning seriously.
Kenn smiled. His BT-5 pulled up. The BT-5 was painted black, with white flames painted on the hull. It was accompanied by two BT-7s, as well as Ano's BT-7, another BT-5, and the T-26.
"Fair game?", Kenn asked, holding out a hand.
Anzu shook it. "Yes, a fair game.", she said.