Tankery isn't just for girls we the proud members of the General Rommel High school for boys aboard the USS Batalia . I am Mathew Turner a member of the tank crew here on board. I am in charge of planing attacks, giving orders and so on and so forth. The heavy hitter of our group and my personal tank is a Tiger mk I , me and the crew dubbed it the Green Reaper and we add black tally marks for every eliminated tank. The number is now at ninety nine and looking for the one hundredth kill. The rest of my battalion consists of several others. Our scout is a T7 car, it may not have fire power but it is fast so we named it Watcher. Our ambusher is a modified Stug their tank has the most kills so we named it Viper. Our multi tool is a T-34 that always is at my side so we call it Ol'Faithful. Our last tank on the line is a Bt-7 which is our nurse station or mess area depending on the situation they have the stuff that gets us out of our problems. But due to fighting in Russia in the bloody winter we all have axes and a flamethrower to start a fire to warm up.
Most of us wear the uniform of the army our tanks are from. But not to make anyone angery we changed the uniforms a small bit. Like for the German army we kept the grey spotted uniform but instead of the swastica we changed it out to a Jolly Rodger with crosshairs in front of it. We also liked the eleventh panzer devision emblem. So we adopted it and changed it into our own logo. The logo we have is a skeleton riding a tank aiming a rifle forward. But this sport isn't without it's mistakes that's why I am missing an eye. A HEAT shell shot through our tank. But before it could break and hit my gunner I shoved him down but it still broke through the hull and a piece of the metal shot into my eye. But now I can use scopes easier and my buddy didn't get hit. So win win.
We have herd of a really talented school called Ōaragi Hi that has one of the most talented girls you could ever see so my friend being the student council prez was able to get us a match. But bad part being it will be at that shitty land of freezing winters Russia. But thank God we got our new winter jackets, flamethrower tanks and white paint for days. So you can say we are set. Right now we are about three days out but being the captain of this group we spent our time doing exercises to prep for the night. We are planning on calling a cease fire after sundown. Then we will eat dinner and set fires so we don't freeze. On top of this we are training in firing our main gun and our agility which isn't an option for the Green Reaper and Viper so ya but we are also painting our winter camo but avoiding touching our logos or symbols. Which now is not as hard as it sounds.
We are also loading up on Smoke, AP, APCR ,HE, and HEAT shells for the fight but we are using the HEAT and HE for last resort. Those are my personal orders. We also have a game going between the tanks. For every tank we finish we tally and at the end we check who has the most kills and we pitch in some money to buy that tank a new cannon or tracks ect. The one thing that is a definite advantage for us is that we all know German and we always use it in battles and English we use only to confuse the enemy who we get the drop on. It works a lot of the time.
We finally get off this blasted ship about five hours till showtime and the weather is fuck shit. Snow is coming down and it's freezing but from a distance you can't see anything of our tanks. So we have that working for us. The second we get our armor off the ship the second carrier docks and the girls are here and they are fine. But we made a pact before we got off the ship. The pact being that we won't act like hound dogs till the battle is done.
The lead tank is down and the crowd got insane as the crew makes an appearance. It also looks like there is a fish of some kind on the turret. Adjusting the blue bandana I have around my left eye so they can't see the scar as much I start marching over. But just as I get over to the Panzer mk4 that is the lead tank closed it's hatches and the engine roared to life. But before it could speed away I hoped on and climbed over the roof to the viewing port and looked in. I smiled and waved but the tank skidded to a halt sending me flying through the air. I groaned as I picked myself up and the hatches squeaked open and footsteps trampled over. As I look around I could see the crew of the lead tank. I shake my head to rid of the dizzy feeling and stand. As I position my officer's cap I notice that my bandana isn't on that and the horrified stares of the tank crews gathered around me brought the realization that my scar was indeed visible. I take my cap off put it over my eye and look around a red headed girl was holding the blue cloth between her hands. I smile and take it off her slipping it around my eye and putting the cap back on a nod a thanks and say my first words.
"Thank you kindly miss."
"Your very much welcome sir. And may I ask how you got that scar?" She said back
"HEAT shell busted and I got a piece of shrapnel in my eye." Was my answer. "Anyway on the behalf of the crews under my command I wish to say nice to meet you in person." Was the words I almost shouted as being a fan of their huge achievements but I kept my voice level and bowed before them like and actor to the audience after the performance.
I straighten back up with a smile most of them had their mouths open and were blushing. I notice a girl standing a few feet away from me her appearance shouted at me that she was in charge of the tank crews gathered.
"You in charge?" I question.
"Yes I am and I'm guessing you are Mathew Turner commander of the tank crews at Rommel's school for boys?" She asked raising an eyebrow.
"Yup I'm that famous because of my injury huh?" I asked chuckling.
"Ya you have got an reputation from that but I know you because you personally sought this match between us." She said giving me a giggle.
"Now who could have leaked that information? My buddy said he only told your prez." I said scratching my chin as I notice a smaller girl looking around nervously.
I smile and motion for one minute. I march over to her and kneel in front of her. I also notice she is the same girl that picked up my eyepatch.
"Let me guess you are the student council prez for the Ōaragi High school?" I said she gulped nervously but I still smile.
"Yes and you are the general responsible for shooting down ninety nine tanks by yourself in your Tiger mk1. Your also close friends with your student council prez making you one of the most popular kids in your school." She said slightly aggressive.
"Guilty as charged. But those titles are overrated in my opinion so I am called Matt by my friends and I would like you to address me the same if you would." I said smiling. But she just stares right at me frightened.
"What?" I ask. She points at my head I place a hand to my forehead and find it covered in blood as I lower it.
"That's it aw come on it's just a scratch I'll get patched up before our match." I say sighing.
"But your bleeding bad you need a nurse now!" The caption shouts.
"It's not nearly as bad as when I got this there was blood on the latch of the door! So please don't worry about it." I say waving a dismissive hand in the air.
"Oh ya your eye how did you not die from blood loss?" Another girl asked this time she was a raven haired girl. But she was really drowsy.
There were several mumbles of "that's a touchy subject." And "he's going to be sooo mad at her." But she looked like she hadn't a care in the world.
"That is a really funny one. My buddy Brayden had to struggle me to stop the blood till the medic was able to preform his job and stop the bleeding." I said laughing at the memory. Most of the girls looked at me as if I had gone insane.
"How can you be so calm about this and be able to get back into that tank you were in?!" Was the response from the captain.
But before I could answer the Tiger that the girls had. Had rotated its turret while we were talking and fired off a round. It nearly defended me but the girls jumped like a rubber ball off con create and my buddies popped their heads out off the hatches.
"Yo Romeo you done with talking to the Juliets yet we have ta move if we going to get to the field before dark." Was Brayden's response as he rested his head on his head with a very smug grin on his face.
"Ya okay. By the way can you radio chief and tell him I flew from a tank like a superman and got a nice cut. And keep the frequency when you leave." I said the second part I said in German.
"Yes sir." Was his response as he ducked back down into the tank to relay orders.
"Well it's been fun but I've got to go see you after the shooting!" I said as Watcher sped down the street.
Grinding to a halt five feet in front of me with sparks flying in my face but I still held my ground. Some girl took one short look at Watcher and shouted every bit of information about it. I looked over to her and motioned her to come here. She looked around to see everyone backing away from her. She pointed a questioning finger to herself and I nodded. I pounded on the latch just above the driver and he popped out.
"Jason I want you to let the lady here drive me back if you would ever so kindly hop out and join me on the roof." Was my commands that made him smile wide.
He promptly hopped out while turning off the engine. "Hey girly you know how drive the Watcher?" A nod "do you want to drive?" Was he second question followed by rapid nods. "Then by the power invested in me by Matt here I bestow upon you the right to drive us back to base!" By the looks of the girl she was about to hyperventilate but she managed to get ahold of herself and hopped in.
she slid in quick and easy stated the engine and waited for the signal to move out. I knocked on the roof twice and we started moving. By the time we got back the rest of the boys were playing cards or eating a snack. When they saw me and Jason riding the tank they were seriously confused. The Watcher slammed on the breaks and I went flying once again.
Picking myself up once again to find my eyepatch gone, cap on the ground in front of me and blood coming from scratched on my brow. The girl in the driver seat poked her head out and the guys are mostly shocked. She just looked to were I was in pain. I groaned picked up my cap dusted it off put it on. Then I looked to my hands in the right my eyepatch was caught. I undid the knot and re tied it as tight as I could. After getting patched back up we got in the usual huddle. With me in the center. I started shouting over the roaring engines of the tanks behind us.
"We are fighters! We fight! To the last tank to the last drop of petroleum to the last bullet! We fight! We fight! We fight!" I started then the boys joined.
"We fight!" I shouted
"We fight!" They shouted back cutting through the late afternoon silence.
"We fight! Mount up boys we have a win to snatch!" I shouted.
"Ooh rah!" They shout back shaking the cold away.
We all got to our respective vehicles and i along with the girl that I had brought here hoped into my tank the green reaper. The engines revved and the reaper moved to the battle field. We got there about twenty minutes after the girls who were chatting quite excitedly to each other. I got out and me and the commanders of the other tanks marched to the watcher the crew of the watcher hopped out and we took up positions on the tank. Me and the girl sat once more on the roof we slowed down when we met the other leaders in a group. We stopped and got out I lowered the girl down by the waist and walked forward the boys following. We lined up and the girls lined up opposite. They looked professional now. We said our good lucks bowed and left we got to the starting point five minutes later. Then I gave my first orders.
"Skirmish formation fire at will."
The intercom went live with a cores of "Sir yes sir."
Then we saw the starting flare and we were off.