Invasion of Pravda
The Beginning
No one expects things to happen as they do, after all that's what makes life interesting right?
"Katyusha, fall back now!"
"If I fall back how could I ever be a good commander? I won't leave them like last time!"
"This is different, please it's no longer safe here, you MUST leave Pravda!"
But… then again, stories like this only happen in fiction, right? How could something like this ever be real?
"Katyusha-sama! Please leave us, we can't hold them off for much- EIYAAAAH!"
"ALINA! NINA!"
"Katyusha stay behind me. Klara, u tebya yest' yeshche vystrelov ostalos'1?"
"Prostite, Nonna, u menya nichego ne ostalos'2."
Yet, it all seemed too real to be a dream, the fear in their eyes, the stench of death permeating the air and worst of all, the moans. Those horrifying gut-wrenching moans.
"Nonna na levom flange, Ostorozhno!3"
"Crap! They got my arm, Katyusha barricade yourself in the Bridge. Klara and I will make a last stand here."
"But…"
"GO NOW!"
A shove and a lock of the door and Katyusha is separated with the person she cared the most for in her life. Now she stands frozen in complete terror as sounds of Nonna and Klara's last stand reverberate around the bridge.
She sinks to the floor covering her ears attempting to block the cries of both her comrades as they fall just like so many before them.
Minutes passed, could they have left already? *THUMP*No, no, no, No, NO! A new horror unfolds as they now try and break through the door. But what terrifies her the most is not the scratching of fingers on the door, or the groans of the door as it tries in vain to hold against the weight of everything pushing against it on other side.
Instead it is a voice, a voice that just minutes before were telling her to lock herself in this room. However, it is no longer a voice she can recognise as her closest confidant and friend, "Kaaaaaatyushaaaaa, why do you hide? Soon, oh so very soon, you will join us and we can be together again."
This couldn't be her, the person that she rode on the shoulders of, the person who sang to her lullabies as she slept, the person who gave her life for her, is now amongst the ones who are trying so eagerly to get into the room she shut herself in. Why did god play such a cruel twist of fate?
The door begins to buckle under the assault, splinters break off in every direction. She whimpers; with no hope of escape anywhere curling into a ball in defeat. The last thought that fills her mind as the door finally shatters and they come rushing in: Someone, please… save us.
Oarai School Carrier
"Alright everyone fall in, we are starting practice soon!" Nishizumi Miho called out to the rest of the team. "HAI!" was the reply
As per usual, the teams of Oarai lined up and awaited their commander's orders.
"Alright, as the 64th Senshado national tournament is coming up soon, we will need to devise new strategies to face the counters from the other schools. We can't expect our tactics to work all the time. The ceremonial match against St Gloriana and Pravda made that clear." Kawashima Momo explained.
"So, today we will explore new ways to work together and the possible counters to strategies our opponents to come up with. Nishizumi-san."
"Hai! Everyone will be split into 3 groups: Leopon, Shark and Duck as team 1. Rabbit, Anteater and Turtle as Team 2 and Anglerfish, Hippo and Mallard as team 3. The first tank named of each team shall be the commanders."
"This shall be an elimination match and we want to see if each of you can react in unexpected situations and think of backup plans. If there are no questions, everyone to your tanks and designated starting areas," finished Miho.
"OSSSSSUUUU!"
"Miporin, are you really sure about this? I mean not everyone is as skilled as you are at figuring out what to do in difficult situations," questioned Saori with a rather worried look on her face.
"I'm pretty sure anyone can be better than you though considering your track record," mumbled the rather sleepy driver.
"Oiiiiii Mako-san! How unfair, besides I figured out that being a radio operator is far better at getting a boyfriend than being a commander. After all, skills like being aware of everything that's going on, how could any guy not find it attractive?"
"Even though till now, not a single guy has confessed to you at all?" chimed Hana
Frustrated at being proven wrong once more, Saori decides to sulk in her corner rather than retort. Miho watching the entire scene unfold just laughs sheepishly.
"Ehehe well I chose this because I wanted the teams to be able to think for themselves in case I couldn't advise them in time. I can't always be there to tell them what they need to do so I think this is a nice opportunity to nurture that skill for them."
"Ah ha! Nishizumi-dono, you always come up with the greatest ideas, I'm sure like this we can definitely be ready for the next tournament under your guidance!" exclaimed the ever-enthusiastic loader with a hairstyle that rivals her personality.
"You give me too much credit Yukari-san. But yes, I hope this practice match will let us be readier for what the other schools will throw at us next year. Is everyone in position?" asked Miho
"Team 1 is prepped and ready, Nishizumi-san!" radioed Nakajima Satoko
"Team 2 is uh, as ready as we can be, Nishizumi-san." answered Sawa Azusa
"Alright with all teams ready, good luck and Panzer Vor!"
*Team 1*
"Neh Nakajima-san! How should we go about this?" questioned Isobe Noriko
"Well, considering we have the most firepower with our Tiger (P) and rather fast tanks with the Type 89 and ours it'd be best to fight on wide open terrain than get stuck fighting in close quarters. So, we should try finding a large field." Replied the commander
Slightly confused, Ogin spoke up "Eh then what about us? We aren't exactly the fastest land ship on the team. Wouldn't it be better to stick to close encounters?"
"She has a point, but I feel it would be best to utilise our mobility and firepower so perhaps we deploy at an open field near a forest for cover, that way if they try and flank us Shark team can cover us."
"Alright that's fine with us Leopon. Hopefully Miho-san is ready for what this team can do, we'll show her team 1 is no slouch! We have GUTS!" cheered Duck team
"Sigh, these land lubbers are strange indeed" remarked Flint
*Team 2*
"Ah, no that's not right. Urgh, how should I do this?" pondered Azusa
"It's fine Azu-chan! You are like Nishizumi-san after all, you'll know what to do!"
"Thanks for your encouragement Ayumi, although I still don't think I can be just like our commander just yet haha."
"Orders, commander-nya?"
"Alright, Nekota, Anzu-senpai, our team is a rather mixed one with neither the best fire power or stealth, so we'll work closely in tandem with Turtle team's spotting. Each time you see an opportunity, radio it to us and we will sneak up on them in a triple pincer attack and slink away as fast as possible. This would prevent them on getting an accurate bead on us and hopefully allow us to win this battle."
"Ah understood Azusa, but remember not to try too hard when coming up with plans eh?" smirked the former Student Council President
"You should be trying harder taicho!" exclaimed a rather exasperated Koyama Yuzu
*Team 3*
"Ok team 3 here's the plan, we'll use Hippo team as our secret weapon. Meanwhile Mallard team and us will scout and attempt to lure the enemy teams over to this ambush location at the bottom of Hill C5."
"Alright time to improve our camouflage skills, we'll make this a wonderful ambush. Just like Michael Wittman at the Battle of Villers-Bocage," said Erwin.
"Or the surprise attacks at the Battle of Teutoburg forest," chimed Caesar
"The Nagaoka ambush at the Battle of Hatchōoki," added Oryou
"Nobunaga's triumphant ambush of Imagawa's camp at the Battle of Okehazama," finished Saemonza
"SOREDA!"
"Understood Nishizumi taicho! We shall do our best as the Public Moral's committee. They won't beat our team. Also, Mako-san you better not be dozing off in this match if not I will whip you up into shape!" Declared Midoriko Sono
"Yeah yeah Sodoko, I'll make sure to be alert in this… Zzzzzzzzz" as a fake snore can be heard on the radio
"MAKO-SAN!" huffed Sodoko
"Thanks everyone, alright let's put our plan to action. Panzer Vor!"
Oarai Senshado training grounds: Plains
*Team 2*
"Anzu-senpai, did you spot anything yet? It's been ten minutes and no one has even heard a shot being fired."
"Nothing yet, seems like they might be relying on Ambush tactics, hopefully we will spot them before they can ambu- shit!"
Managing to order Yuzu to reverse immediately, a shot bounced off the Hetzer at just the right angle without knocking them out. Glancing back with her binoculars, Anzu managed to get a glimpse of their attacker.
"It's Leopon Team! This is bad, they can outrange us with that 88mm gun. We also can't penetrate their armour at this range. What should we do commander?"
As soon as the question was asked, Team 2 came under intense fire from both Shark team and Leopon.
"Their tanks are located at that ridgeline, roughly 1000 metres away. We are at a disadvantage; Turtle team try and slink back and flank around them. Watch out for Duck team. Anteater, we shall provide covering fire to allow them to slink away." Commanded Azusa
"Roger that, returning fire!" said Piyotan
The Type 3 Chi-Nu and the M3 Lee began their supressing fire launching both 75mm and 37mm shells at the ridge line attempting to both kick up dust and force the Tiger (P) and the Mark IV back.
Meanwhile Turtle team could avoid detection using the low terrain and profile of the Hetzer allowing them to begin their flanking manoeuvre. However unbeknownst to them, they were being watched from just beyond the treeline where a tiny Type 89 was relaying all their movements back to their team.
*Team 1*
Hoshino growled in frustration: She was so close to taking Turtle team out, if only she had fired a second sooner. Now they had to fire at team 2's entrenched position and while they continuously tried obscuring their vision.
"Sorry Nakajima, I should have done better to take them out."
"No worries Hoshino, you did your best. Besides they aren't going anywhere and we have them pinned down."
"Hey Commander! We have spotted Turtle team retreating from the ridgeline and seem to be heading around us" radioed the Duck team
They must be trying a flanking tactic to get around and ambush us. Well they won't make it far anyways thought Nakajima.
"Duck team, trail behind them and keep us posted on their movements, engage only when you see an opportunity. Shark team, we might have company soon so keep your heads up. We'll soon move in and strike team 2 at closer range once Turtle team is taken care of." Said Nakajima
Despite having thought through her plan, there was still a lingering question in the back of her mind, where was Miho?
*Team 3*
"You heard that too Nishizumi-dono? Seems like the other teams have gotten into a skirmish as well."
"I think that's the case too. Mako-san, quickly drive us up that nearby hill. We might be able to get a clear view of the situation from there"
With a sound of approval, the Pz IV H lurched forwards and began climbing the hill.
Climbing out of the commander's hatch, Miho could clearly see the two teams engaging in a long-range duel across their ridgelines and a tiny shape of the Hetzer flanking through a partially forested area.
Miho pondered: where could the Type 89 be? They aren't employing the same tactics as Turtle team. Maybe we can use this chance to sneak up on Leopon, this could be a great advantage for us if we can knock them out.
"Hana-san how close do you need to be to hit Leopon team?"
"Well I should be able to penetrate their side armour from at least 1000 metres away. But I would prefer getting closer than 500 so that if they angle their armour, we wouldn't suffer any ricochets."
"Understood, Yukari-san be ready to reload as fast as possible, although we have a faster reload than the Tiger, we can't be sure we will penetrate their armour on the first shot. Saori-san contact both Hippo and Mallard teams and tell them to move towards point 7B, and set up a new Ambush point there"
"HAI!" came the reply from the crew.
The real battle is just beginning, smiled Miho.
As each team launched their plan of attack, a Morse code message is sent to Oarai's bridge intel group. They decipher it but its meaning makes no sense to them, words like 'swarm' and 'hopeless' repeat themselves over and over like a broken record player.
Confused as to what it could mean, they search for the message origin and finally get a clear answer: Viking Fisheries High School
Translations
1: Do you have any rounds left?
2: Sorry Nonna, I have nothing left
3: Nonna, your left flank, watch out!
Hey guys, this is my first time writing a story in a long time so forgive me if it looks really bad. I also know that this isn't the first kind of story on this site but I do have a different vision for how this will end so I hope you'll enjoy what I have to offer. See you in the next chapter.