Across the Soviet Union the Minister of Propaganda Sergei Alenko spoke to the Soviet People, Mikhail watched with a sense of pleasure hearing the reports on their victories "With the failure of their invasion of Moscow and the coming winter the Imperial advance has effectively been halted thanks to the efforts of one of our young and bright commanders Mikhail Aristov. The Rising Sun may be powerful and advanced but the wrath of Father Winter has destroyed their blade. They were still holding out but a war of attrition was the Soviet Union's specialty.
"Throughout the Soviet Republics the Empire is being pushed back with heroic Commanders of the Union like Zhana, Oleg, Moskvin, and Mikhail Aristov leading the charge and winning many victories for the USSR and themselves. While the Allies had won a few victories in Europe they were too broken from the successful liberation by our Red Army of many of their countries to do more than fight off Soviet forces in their own lands."
Mikhail turned off his device to write a mission report. Mikhail heard of a new Allied Commander who defeated Krukov himself in his invasion of Britain and was now on the continent. He was excited to say the least to face off against this new commander.
After a successful battle on the steppes of Mongolia when Mikhail and Oleg led a huge armored force against the lighter and weaker Japanese vehicles he relaxed for the first time in weeks. They were stationed in a small village of their Mongolian Comrades where they taught many of the Red Army soldiers how to ride the steppe ponies while they waited for orders. Mikhail sat in a yurt by himself looking at Dasha through his monitor.
"So Dasha how goes the inner workings of the Party in Moscow?" She rolled her eyes in contempt "The party leaders still do not give you and the other young commander any credit, these are men who fought with Premier Romanov and see you new officers as upstarts even if you are winning the war in the Motherland."
"Well maybe together we will prove them wrong, we have stopped their occupation of Leningrad and halted their invasion before they reached the Party's doorstep you think they would be more grateful." Mikhail did not fight for his motherland for the sake of glory but it does reinvigorate the soldiers knowing they are recognized and appreciated.
Dasha smiled until she heard a ringing sound from one of her consoles "I like that idea. Wait we are getting reports, Tomsk has fallen, the Imperial forces have burned most of the city to the ground and are marching south to your position. I will contact General Krukov."
The screen quickly divided and Krukov looked at her expectantly "General Krukov, we have just received reports that a division of the Empire has attacked Tomsk apparently for retaliation of our victories and are headings towards Commander Aristov and Vodnik."
Krukov nodded and spoke to Mikhail "Commander this is an opportunity. One that the Empire has not often given up to us. There is a small town twenty clicks from your current position, fortify that settlement and break the Empire as they rush towards you. I am sending you forces stationed around Omsk. Once they are destroyed most of the Imperial forces left will be concentrated in the East and the way will be clear for Vladivostok to be reclaimed and Father Winter is coming to crush our enemies."
He ended his message and Dasha spoke again "Commander, Omsk has just reported in, they are giving you command of two tank battalions including seven Apocalypse tanks. Several squads of war bears, a full company of conscripts, several platoons of Flak troopers, and even some Tesla Troopers." Mikhail was surprised he was receiving so many soldiers, in Leningrad he had to make due with Penal troops and city guards. Now he had one of the most well armed forces at his command.
Mikhail walked outside the yurt and gathered his officers "Gentlemen, Ladies there is an Imperial force that burned down Tomsk. We will avenge our fallen comrades." They all agreed and were getting ready to go when a group of Mongolian warriors stopped them. One of the young men named Temujin after the famous war lord was on a motor bike and had a sidecar with a machine gun in it. "Commander we will not allow your forces to go alone I heard the town you are ordered to go to, I know the fastest way there and my cousin is a clerk there, with his support it will be easier to fortify it."
Aristov shook his head "It is not necessary for you to come, you have all fought with us and earned our respect." Temujin revved his engine and spoke over the noise "What would respect be if we prove it only once." Close to thirty other Mongolians some on horses and others in bikes joined their convoy.
They did not stop their advance for respite, the engines of their vehicles roared across the steppes to reach Omsk. They reached Omsk at nightfall. Unlike Moscow or Leningrad it was a smaller city with only one landmark, there was a beautiful cathedral with a golden dome and blue walls in its center. Many in the Union wanted to rid themselves of the monuments of the past before the wars but the many Premiers used them as political motivators with church officials appointed to them. Aristov was a member of the party and technically could not attend but that was the one thing he disobeyed the Union's beliefs.
Members of the forces stationed in Omsk were at the largest road into the city waiting for them in parade formation. Mikhail lifted the hatch of his Hammer tank and saluted the men. Some of the soldiers' eyes widened not realizing it was the hero of Leningrad who would be in command. His tank halted and he stood tall looking at his soldiers and the many citizens who were out cheering for him, he knew that often the celebrations and marches had citizens forced to join in and give false cheers but he hoped these were genuine ones.
"Citizens and Soldiers of Omsk! I am Commander Mikhail Ivanovich Aristov, I am charged by the Premier of the Union to defend this city and I will do so until my last dying breath. I guarantee these brave men and women of the Soviet Republics will stand and fight for you, that is why we are here, and that is what our duty calls us to do."
The gathering crowd cheered and Aristov imagined he just gained a few new recruits as well. He turned to his soldiers with a smile "I give you all three hours to explore the city, enjoy yourselves before this battle begins." His men cheered and parked their tanks and stashing their weapons before heading out into the city.
His officers gathered behind him and they met with those already stationed here. An older barrel chested clean shaven man saluted them, he had many medals and almost as many scars showing he actually earned his merits. "Commander I am Colonel Anton Alenko and I hereby give command of the forces here to you." Aristov nodded with gratitude, "Thank you Colonel now we need to discuss battle plans."
They entered the Military head Quarters where a large map of the surrounding lands was placed on a table. Aristov pointed to several positions "I understand how these Imperials fight, they fight with modern technology but rely on tactics used by the ancient samurai, they see their tanks as new cavalry not as tanks like we do. They initiate a Banzai, which means Victory, charge and will try to flood our positions while their Wave Force Artillery pieces hold us in place. This is like a wave with their lighter vehicles they will try to circle around us and envelop our positons. If they have Mecha Tengus they will have air superiority which is why we need to defend our bullfrogs and anti-aircraft infantry. We cannot allow the charge to be successful, we must dull their blade before it can cut us and break their hammer before it smashes us."
During the dead of night after his soldiers returned he ordered them to place mines, explosives, and homemade bombs through the fields and on the road heading towards Omsk. The other avenues into the city were barricaded by his forces and volunteers from the city willing to work until exhaustion for their city and nation. The Imperial flood would be halted by the walls built around the city.
The most dangerous thing though was the enemy commander, some of the older officers fought like Samurai with suicidal charges while other younger ones perfected mixed warfare.
But their heavy tanks would be ready, into the morning he trained his men in defensive maneuvers and he personally studied the ins and outs of his Apocalypse Tank requisitioned by the forces in Omsk.
He watched the yellow grass of the steppes wave in the wind waiting for them to come. The tsunami tanks were reported to be closing in and with the Hammer tanks and Apocalypse tanks in hiding they will be destroyed. This battle Mikhail sat at the head of one of the large Apocalypse tanks over his comfort zone in a hammer tank. The two large cannons impressed him and he hoped he utilized them well. He had to make due with using Hammer tanks as his heavy armor for so long so when he was given the giants he was not entirely sure what to do with them at first.
One of his tank operators reported "Commander they are five klicks away and closing fast." He looked through his binoculars and saw the rising dust cloud of the Empire's forces. Aristov radioed to his men "Do not fire until the command is given, we must pull them in first."
The first tsunami tanks, mecha tengus, and transports reached the top of the rolling hill. Just estimating Aristov believed that he was outnumbered three to one. The Empire's tanks held their cannons as well waiting to close in before they could fire. They spread with a spearhead of heavier tanks heading down the highway while the rest fanned out to swarm over the city. Their Rocket Angels soared over the mine fields and were closing in on the armor which they were designed to destroy.
"Bullfrogs and Rockets fire at those Flyers." Aristov shouted into his comm unit. Moments later the flak guns and rockets could be heard and tore through the front lines of the Angels. Many fell bleeding and torn apart on the ground but their sisters continued forward and unleashed their rockets against the Soviet armor cutting through and damaging many of the vehicles. Those Regulars stationed near the front lines turned their assault rifles upwards and sprayed bullets into the mechanical angels sending many falling from the skies. Those that survived the onslaught returned to their own closing lines.
"That was an odd move for them to make." Aristov thought to himself, his focus was once again shifted to the road, their armor and infantry was nearing the mark where the explosives would be set. He watched with anticipation until he noticed one of the vanguard infantry raise his hand and stop the line.
The explosives were found out, Aristov returned to his comm link, "V4, fire a rocket at those coordinates." He quickly sent the message and a rocket arched across the sky towards the road. The infantry fled backwards and the armor tried to fall back but the rocket slammed into the middle of their lines and the explosion set off a reaction unleashing the hell fire they had planned.
Almost the entire line was destroyed, but the Empire trained its forces to be fanatical in their duty and those few survivors, infantry with broken parts, or weakened armor marched past the broken and wrecked bodies and vehicles.
The flood that was supporting the spear thrust swarmed over the hill and the first of them touched a mine. The tsunami tank almost flew into the air from the impact and other tanks also were annihilated by the tank mines. They suddenly stopped their advance and men with large weapons that seemed to be out of a Sci-Fi stepped forward and began to shoot the ground setting off many of the miens without harming their own ranks.
"V4 rockets fixate on the frontline infantry. " Dozens of rocket vehicles were revealed and unleashed their payloads blowing the front ranks apart. After the dust settled Aristov saw that most of the mine field was destroyed by the tankbusters and unfortunately the rockets themselves. The enemy seemed to know this and rushed forward without hesitation. The line on the road closed in and began to fire on the town destroying parts of buildings some of which had his soldiers stationed in them. The flood of Imperial tanks encircled the city but paused at the unexpected barricades, out of the windows of buildings his regulars and rocket soldiers unleashed their molotovs and rockets at the stationary targets. Many transports opened and sent out waves of Imperial Soldiers and tankbusters.
Now their defensive hesitation could no longer be afforded as some of the barricades were knocked down by the treads and firepower of the Empire. Aristov radioed to his men "All tanks, charge and meet the enemy, regulars and rockets fight them in the streets. Rockets, continue to fire at the Wave Artillery." The Wave Force Artillery fired into the city halting the counterattack at several points but they could not protect themselves from the heavy and powerful rockets of the Union's forces.
Mikhail's apocalypse tank was the first out of the city, its heavy cannons contiously fired at the Tsunami tanks racking up kills from the lightly armored Imperials. The treads of his tanks tore through the enemy infantry many giving final war cries before their deaths. His Hammer tanks followed soon behind punching a hole in the flood of Imperial Tanks. His sickles slaughtered the modern samurai with their three machine guns never hesitating save to reload.
Aristov heard something land on his tank and saw several Imperial soldiers climbing up. He grabbed his pistol and violently threw open the hatch and sent one soldier sprawling over the side to be crushed under a Hammer tank's treads. He fired his pistol in rapid succession killing three soldiers on the tank. The Sickles leapt from the streets onto the fields and shot at any infantry exiting their transports.
Behind the Imperial lines Aristov saw dozens of motorcycles with mortars placed on them chewing up the fields and firing their mortars at the back lines of the Imperials. Soon followed were vehicles he had not seen before. These heavy armored beast had no cannons but large grinders that were chewing through the light armor and infantry with terrifying speed and ferocity.
Aristove heard many of the soldiers shout Banzai and ignite their swords and they charged headlong into the Soviet lines cutting into the armor and infantry of the Red Army. Aristov responded with his own armor charge with his infantry behind him supporting them and shooting the tankbusters and infantry.
The Soviets cut the flood of Imperial armor from spreading and now they were the ones surrounding their enemies. The vanguard on the road were swept aside by the grinders, Apocalypse tanks, and Hammers while V4 rockets destroyed their back ranks. Mikhail led his forces from the front and destroyed the remnants of their slaughter. One Tsunami tank with a red decorative paint rushed at him. Aristov turned to order his men only to see his gunner killed from a stray piece of shrapnel that cut through their tank. He rushed to the cannons and turned them "Reload!"
His crew responded and he pulled the two triggers firing the twin cannons at the tsunami tank. After the roar of the salvo everything went quiet. Mikhail rested his head for a moment before he heard the cheer of his men and those of the city he just saved. He popped his head out of his tank and saw the field littered with Imperial and Soviet dead. Whiel others cheered he despaired over the loss of so many of his men.
But he had questions that needed answering. While the army was large they did not use common Imperial tactics or even tactics only charging. He leapt off of his tank and to the tsunami tank that tried to ram him. He looked inside and saw a young man, younger than any high ranking officer he had ever seen, trying to breath as blood spilled from his mouth and chest.
"Who are you?"
The officer spat blood at him "Gaijin." His last words were ones of disdain before his head fell forward. Mikhail noticed that his patch indicated him to only be a Captain. Why did they have a captain lead such an offensive?
Mikhail watched the wrecked armor being scrapped by the recently invented Grinders he heard Dasha contact him again "Commander Aristov, General Krukov is contacting us."
General Krukov appeared and look disappointed "I am sorry Commander you have been duped, while I sent you to defend against these forces you have allowed a larger force of the Empire full of heavier vehicles and more veteran soldiers made their way to Vladivostok to reinforce it. It seems these were raw recruits they willingly sacrificed to allow their superior forces to fall back and were led by young inexpericned commanders." Aristov noticed a snese of venom in his voice, "They know that since we are beginning to win the war again we need our fleets to go back on the offensive." Mikhail thought it was interesting that he laid the blame on his subordinate officer not himself but said nothing.
Suddenly the screen cut again and the Premier himself was on visual "Well done commander your victories at Krasna 45 and through the Russian Steppes are being told through the country you are quickly becoming a hero to the People."
Krukov was annoyed that he was so rudely interrupted "Yes Premier these small victories are indeed impressive on his records but as I was saying we need to take back our port." The Premier looked right at Mikhail while speaking to the General "Why not send our young commander he has done wonders for our war effort and morale through the Union."
"Don't be ridiculous Cherdenko, The Empire has their best soldiers in the Motherland defending it, he may have defended well against them but to besiege a city is much different. We need someone with vast battlefield experience not a novice." Mikhail still respected Krukov but being called a novice so often was beginning to infuriate him especially since he has repeatedly disproven that assessment.
"I have full confidence in our commander here will be victorious." He said with a hint of don't question me again. "I do not share your confidence Vladivostok is one of the last cities they hold they will not let it go easily and we cannot lose in an attempt to take it back."
"I appreciate your point of view General but your failure in taking Britain does not justify your statements. This is not your choice to make Comrade General it is mine. Commander Aristov will lead our forces I am granting him more forces from our garrisons in the east."
Krukov quickly severed his communication leaving only the Premier "The General was right about one thing, we need our navy if we are to win this war, destroy all Imperial forces occupying our port."
I know this is a made up battle not part of the game but I thought it was odd that a relatively unknown officer is given such huge responsibilities without any real background and I wanted to write about Soviet tanks destroying a foreign invader like the Battle of Kursk. Also I wanted to use the grinders because I love their design.
