Hey guys! It's me, back with another chapter of this story. I'm moving back to uni soon, so I don't have a lot of time on my hands, what with packing and whatnot, so this chapter may be a little later than usual. This chapter actually marks the tenth chapter in this fic, something I never expected to reach. It also marks the beginning of this term's tankery tournament (finally), and so without further ado, let us proceed.
Friday, 24th January – Carrier Dauntless – 1700hrs
"This concludes our practice for the day, cadets," John announced to his students, as usual assembled in precise ranks on the parade ground.
The week's practice had gone like clockwork for the Wellesley team, primarily composed of simple drills for the crews to hone their skills. On occasion the senior team had turned up to offer advice and the odd competitive practice, although more along the lines of shooting contests instead of all-out battle. Some teams, Hart saw, had accomplished a constant level of proficiency which they now strove to maintain, whilst others had worked to catch up to their compatriots. The number of crashes from Russell team was down 50% compared to the previous week, and Hobart team had actually had so little maintenance to do that they could leave on time for once. Really the only things to mar a thus-far successful week had been Wavell team throwing a tread during Wednesday's session, and the fact that Pearce had been even more reticent to hold discussion than usual. Placing these points to the back of his mind, Hart chose to make his announcement to his cadets.
"On Monday the tournament for this term kicks off in earnest. Oarai, the last term's champions, are facing a combined force of two schools, Bonple and Waffle. I will be going to watch this match personally and there is space for me to be accompanied by five others. Firstly, are there any captains that wish to go?" he asked.
Turning expectantly to the students stood in line with him, he saw that almost all of the captains had raised their hands. Only Elliot, Hobart team's captain, had elected not to put himself forward, most likely so he could continue maintenance on the team's machines. Of course, Hart had also been informed by Pearce that Elliot was also working on some battlefield accoutrements to help the team in specific combat situations, and presumably needed more time to work on them.
With Elliot staying behind that left eight captains who wished to go and watch the first match. Hart would have to choose. Obviously it would be wise to take the team captain, so Pearce was a forgone conclusion, leaving four places. Russell team could use more practice, so perhaps Stephen should stay to gain the maximum benefit from training. Seeing no other way to choose between those remaining, Hart decided to choose randomly.
"Of you who have raised your hands, the following will be accompanying me to the first match: Samuel Pearce, Katherine Armstrong, Anna Rowley, Liam Andrews and Simon Williams. The remainder of you captains will help oversee training on the Monday, assisted by Major Thomas, who has kindly offered to step in while I'm gone," Hart announced.
"Aww, I was looking forward to a day off," Chris griped under his breath, eliciting a raised eyebrow from Pearce, who was stood next to him.
"Sometimes I question if you have the ability to work at all, Mr Taylor," remarked Pearce, who ahd heard the muffled statement.
"By your standards, very few people work at all," Chris shot back.
On Hart's other side, Liam and Simon were also conversing with each other quietly.
"Somehow I reckon Angie's gonna be quite irritated with us for taking her place on this field trip," Simon muttered to Liam.
"Nah, with any luck she'll just get angry with the captain instead."
"Heh. You reckon it'll be a good match?"
"It depends on which side displays the most arte et marte (skill and valour), if Livy is to be believed," the brown-haired lad drawled back to his comrade
"You know I hate it when you quote Latin at me, dude. It makes as much sense as feudalism does to you," Simon replied.
The mutterings amongst the captains subsided as Hart cleared his throat, evidently wishing to speak again.
"Now that the observation group is settled, I wish to remind everyone that we will be having short practice sessions tomorrow and Sunday as well, as our first match is the following Monday after this one. So, we'll meet here at 1000hrs tomorrow morning, and finish at 1600hrs."
A few groans could be heard from certain members of the crowd, who obviously thought that their weekends would be nice and quiet.
"Dismissed!"
The assembled students disbanded, each heading for their own objective, be it their dorm, a canteen, or another extra-curricular activity. For once, rather than returning to the vehicle sheds, Elliot strolled alongside Pearce, both heading towards their college dorms, situated as they were adjacent to each other.
"Have you made much progress on the applique armour?" Pearce asked.
"I have found that it is within league rules to do so, and the clasps I'm going to fix to them allow them be jettisoned when they're ruined so we can get a bit of manoeuvrability back."
"Superb. Since you seem to be finished then, why did you not want to come and watch the match?"
Elliot rubbed his chin as if deep in thought, before giving a nonchalant shrug.
"Well, I guess I just wasn't interested. It seems like this match might be a stomping, if both teams' records are any indication, and I want to see some real competition. I mean, I doubt you are expecting much different, right? Why are you going?"
"I'm always interested in watching battles play out, but I'm also intrigued by the Oarai team," the diminutive captain replied.
"How so?" the engineer questioned.
"They have a fairly average line-up of tanks if last term's matches were any indication, but they seem to possess a great deal of drive, enthusiasm and grit to get so far. I want to analyse it."
"I hope you get something useful out of this trip then Sam."
Having reached the point at which their paths would diverge, they said courteous farewells to each other and departed for their own individual dorms. Pearce slowly made his way back to his lodgings, far from the usual noise of the academy. Removing his coat and boots and relaxing into his desk chair, he took another look at the photo on the shelf.
"I hope I do too, Elliot."
Monday, 27th January – Shiranuka, Hokkaido – 1000hrs
Looking up at the carrier as their tanks were unloaded from the massive vessel, the Oarai girls sheltered from a chill wind. The day looked to be fairly pleasant, but speedy and constant gusts of wind dropped the ambient temperature by several degrees, leaving the schoolgirls somewhat cold.
"It feels almost as cold as when we fought Pravda," Saori stated, rubbing her hands together and blowing on them.
"I don't think it's quite that cold Saori," Hana replied.
"We should also be glad it isn't raining," Miho pointed out, gesturing at the relatively clear sky, "We could have had some issues with mud later today if it had been raining a lot, and since we have the heavier tanks, it could have been bad for us."
Leopon team shared looks between themselves at Miho's comment. The Porsche Tiger would certainly have struggled in muddy conditions with its drive system, even with the efforts of the automotive club keeping it going.
"Has everyone remembered which tank pair they are assigned to?" Momo asked the group.
"We're with Turtle team!" Karina declared for the Rabbits.
"Leopon's rolling with the Chi-Nu," Nakajima said in her usual lackadaisical tone.
"The Sturmgeschutz is with the Type 89," Erwin reported.
"Which leaves Sodoko with us," Mako said, ignoring the offended look from the Ethics Committee leader.
A low grumble from the edge of the docks indicated that the loading equipment was being moved away, a sure sign that Oarai's tanks were unloaded and ready to go. The girls clambered aboard, starting the engines up and slamming the hatches shut, letting the heat of the engines slowly warm up the crew compartment, whilst the sturdy hulls of their vehicles shielded them from the biting wind. The loud grumble of the engines' starting settled into the familiar resonant hum of idling tanks, allowing Miho to tap into the radio net and contact her compatriots.
"Firstly, we need to move to the rendezvous point for the two teams, roughly three miles outside of the town, before retiring to our deployment locations. Everybody ready?"
"Leopon team ready."
"Assault III is prepared."
"Mallard is ready."
"Hetzer ready."
"Chi-Nu readied up."
"Volleyball club ready!"
"Rabbit team ready!"
"Panzer IV prepared for your orders Miss Nishizumi."
"Let's move out then," Miho ordered, as Mako neatly pivoted the Panzer towards the correct route away from the docks, trailed by the team's other vehicles, who formed a column behind their leader.
Almost as an afterthought, Miho decided to contact the Hetzer of Turtle team, the flag tank for the upcoming match.
"I'm sure you already know this President Kadotani, but the rear armour of the Hetzer is surprisingly thin. Whilst many of their tanks still only carry MGs, it is worth noting that you should always maintain facing towards the enemy. Rabbit team, since you are the partner for Turtle team, you will have to help cover them should they be outflanked."
"We understand," Momo confirmed.
"We'll cover the Student Council," Azusa replied.
"Another thing I would like to suggest is that we let Azusa take command in this match so she can get some experience. I mean we're all leaving at the end of the academic year, and we need someone to replace us as commander," Miho stated.
Ignoring Momo's shout of "What!?", Anzu responded in a far calmer tone than her subordinate.
"Sure! Let her give it a try. Just make sure she knows that we can help her if she gets stuck."
A short drive through the quiet streets of Shiranuka brought the Oarai girls to the meeting point for the teams. It appeared that their opponents were already there, as evidenced by the ten vehicles lined up behind their captains. The tanks themselves were somewhat uninspiring, hammering home to Oarai the sheer imbalance of power within the Tankery tournament. Kuromorimine could have fielded very few of their vast array of vehicles against either of these teams in the past and most likely fought a close match, as their heavies would simply shrug off rounds from their opponents' tanks. Also, unlike some of the bigger teams, who changed their composition every match to counter attempts at planning, Bonple and Waffle both maintained the exact same composition of tanks as the previous term, suggesting that they simply couldn't. From what Miho knew of them as schools, this was most certainly the case, as neither were particularly wealthy institutions, and so they simply couldn't afford new vehicles.
Stood at the front of the formation were two girls that Miho recognised from the files Yukari had provided. One was a tall blonde girl with an impassive expression, and the other, an average-sized brown-haired girl with a cheery smile. The latter was Sabine Aarden, captain of Waffle's tankery team, whilst the former was Celina Gorski, the leader of Bonple's team. The contrast between the two of them was further heightened by the differences in uniform. Celina was wearing a dark green/grey uniform jacket and pants, with her long hair flowing down over the shoulders, whilst Sabine was in a relatively light blue jacket and a white skirt, her short brown hair framing her face neatly.
The Oarai girls halted their iron steeds across from their opposite numbers, with Anzu and Miho leaving the comforting warmth of their tanks to meet their opponents. Miho rubbed her hands together for warmth as the pair paced towards Celina and Sabine. While they walked, Miho spotted the flag for the opposing team, firmly affixed to their Sherman, which was logical given its toughness compared to the rest of their tanks.
"Hey there!" Anzu hollered cheerfully at the two captains, with Sabine giving a friendly wave back to the council president.
Meeting in the centre of the field, next to the judges for the match, Miho shook hands with the two captains.
"It is nice to meet you, Miho Nishizumi," Celina said, her voice measured and polite, "I am Celina, the overall commander for this team today. I am from Bonple High School."
"It is nice to meet you too, Celina," Miho replied, before shaking hands with Sabine.
"I'm Sabine, and I lead Waffle team in the tournament, but I'm not the one in charge today."
"Can I ask why?" Miho queried.
"We decided fairly and in an unbiased manner that I should lead," Celina stated.
"How?"
"Rock, paper, scissors," Sabine said, pouting as she did so.
To Celina's credit, she kept a remarkably straight face as her erstwhile partner described their selection method.
"All joking aside of course, we would like to congratulate you in person for beating Kuromorimine and the others last term. We thought it showed that it doesn't matter how much money you have, because as long as you work hard enough you can win."
"Yeah! Tankery is a sport, and as long as you put effort in and enjoy yourself, it shouldn't matter how you do," Sabine chipped in.
Miho wasn't sure whether to blush at the compliment, act modestly, or do her usual emotional outburst. She settled for all three.
"Thank you very much! But I'm not sure I deserve much credit for our win. My team did all the hard work for the wins we got."
Both of the captains looked at Miho quizzically. Anzu rolled her eyes at Miho's excessive modesty.
Choosing to interrupt the conversation, one of the judges coughed to get their attention.
"If you are all ready, return to your vehicles and move to your starting locations so we can start the match."
The two pairs split away from each other after bowing to one another, walking back to their rank of tanks.
"She doesn't seem like much," Celina observed to her comrade.
"Well neither did Katyusha, and we both know how our matches against her have gone since."
(On a nearby ridge)
Wellesley's chosen group had established position on a ridge slightly away from the main stands. Hart had driven one of the academy's Kangaroo carriers from the docks, and had parked it just behind where they were sat, reclining on chairs which they had brought along.
Observing the pre-match greeting, Hart surveyed the rosters of vehicles that both teams had assembled.
"Well guys, what do you think of the two teams based on line-up?"
"It's probably going to feel like the Horns of Hattin for Bonple and Waffle, with them taking the part of the crusaders," Simon replied.
"I concur," said Pearce, "A group of pre-war tankettes and tanks, bolstered by a single Sherman, cannot hope to take down a team whose elements include a Panzer Mark IV, a Porsche Tiger, and a Hetzer. Even if Oarai had had only one hour total training before this point, their tanks are so far superior to their opponents' that the result is a foregone conclusion."
"Indeed," Anna added, "Were this tankery unlimited, as they practice in America, perhaps Bonple and Waffle could have upgraded their tanks to mount superb armament, but in this tournament they are sadly far outmatched, as they are bound to use technology from the period."
"Ditto," stated Liam, his nose already in a book.
"Surely Kuromorimine also felt the same way when they faced Oarai in the finals of last term's tournament, and did they not fall to an inferior opponent?" Hart asked.
"Oh undoubtedly," Pearce responded, "But that was also a judgement based on the line-up of their tanks and Oarai's relatively unknown status, leavened with arrogance. However, one must also factor in other strategic exigencies such as terrain, command, and veterancy of the crews before coming to conclusions. In this instance, practically all of those points are in Oarai's favour."
"Hence making the result a foregone conclusion," Katherine concluded.
"But we should not necessarily count Bonple and Waffle out just yet," Liam cautioned, "As Ovid says, Ut desint vires, tamen est laudanda voluntas (Although the power is lacking, the will is commendable)"
At least half of the group looked at the brown-haired literature lover uncomprehendingly, until Hart decided to translate it for them.
"See!" Simon exclaimed, "It's not just me who can't understand you speaking Latin!"
(Back at the Front)
Oarai's deployment was to the relative south-west of the battlefield's centre, on a slight rise in the ground. A few folds in the ground helped conceal the deployment of their opponents, positioned to the north-east, and so prevent any early engagement before both teams could fully prepare. Oarai's tanks were in their usual wide single rank for the start of the battle, whilst Bonple and Waffle's tanks were clearly delineated from each other, the Polish and Belgian tanks obviously separated. Celina and Sabine had positioned their vehicles adjacent to each other so that they could talk, Sabine in her Sherman, and Sabine in the 10TP.
"Let's get through these matches together, and then we can worry about beating each other," Celina said to her counterpart.
"Of course. Its best that teams like ours stand together, or we'll just fall on our own."
"Remember, we only need their Hetzer. If their flag tank was the Porsche it would be almost impossible to win, but the Hetzer is still a tough prospect. Lure them in and split their tanks apart, and then we can pounce on the little tank."
"Got it!"
Both commanders slammed their tank hatches shut and prepared for the coming battle.
On Oarai's side of the field, all of the crews were preparing themselves for combat, much the same as their counterparts. The Rabbits checked the functionality of all three of the tank's guns, Leopon team checked over their temperamental mount one more time, Anteater team put their handhelds into the stowage bins, and Mallard team checked their uniform to make sure it was up to code. Anzu cracked open her last dried sweet potato before the match, Momo adjusted her monocle and the Ducks finished warming up. Hippo team smoothed out their outfits, Erwin adjusting her hat.
"This is clearly going to be like the battle of Bovianum."
"Definitely more like Konodai."
"I think it will be more like Gazala."
"That's it!"
In the Panzer, Anglerfish team finished their preparations too. For the most part, this consisted of Mako having a coffee, Saori setting the radio network perfectly, Yukari arranging the ammo bin correctly and Hana adjusting her sights. Miho took a sip from a bottle of water and then replaced that in stowage. She turned to Azusa, who was sat up in the turret cupola of her M3 Lee, and addressed the first year captain.
"Azusa, since most of us are leaving at the end of this year, we're going to need a new captain at the start of the new academic year," Miho began, noting the look of surprise as Azusa followed the statement to its natural conclusion.
"Y-you want me to be the captain?" Azusa choked out.
"You are the only first year team after all, and you showed a lot of talent in last term's tournament," Miho said earnestly.
"But Miss Nishizumi, why say this now?" the fresher asked.
"I would like to give you the reins in this match," Miho said, and carried on as Azusa was about to protest, "Don't worry, this match will be good practice for you, and if you're struggling you can always pass command back to someone. Once we get underway I'll announce it to the other teams."
Mulling over it for a few seconds, Azusa gave a relatively timid nod to Miho.
"I'll do it!"
Miho gave Azusa a warm smile, whilst the Rabbit team girls chuckled inside their tank.
"We told her she was like Miss Nishizumi, and now she's proved us right!" Ayumi giggled.
The Rabbit team captain ignored the mirth occurring inside her vehicle to listen to Miho as she spoke to her again.
"Do you know what formation you would like to adopt in this match?" Miho asked.
"Well, you advised all the teams on the vulnerabilities of our tank destroyers, namely their flanks and rear, so I would place both Turtle and Hippo teams at the front and centre to maximise their protection. Then perhaps our heavy tanks to their sides, with the remainder of our force trailing."
Miho followed Azusa's plan carefully, coming up with her own suggestions as she did so.
"Might I suggest that the formation is somewhat staggered? A single line is fairly inflexible, so by creating some depth we allow manoeuvre, and it helps us against being flanked. Also, while keeping our tanks together gives us the most firepower, it does make us vulnerable to ambushes. So maybe put some scouts out to sweep the area?"
"Are both teams ready?" An adult voice crackled over the radio.
"We are prepared," Celina's crisp tone replied.
"Affirmative. Oarai is ready," Miho confirmed.
"Match Start," the announcer declared decisively.
Miho pressed the comlink around her neck.
"Panzer vor!"
The thunderous rumble of tank engines filled the air once more, as Oarai moved out, belching fumes from their exhausts. Due to the open nature of the battlefield, the team was heading straight for their opponents, hoping for a confrontation in the traditional style. Oarai's front line consisted of Anglerfish, Hippo, Turtle and Leopon teams, whilst behind them in a slightly staggered line were Rabbit, Anteater, Mallard and Duck teams. With their heaviest armour and guns to the front, it was clear that Oarai knew what superiority they had over their opponents, and that they would try to use it. However, Miho was certain that the opposition would not stand and fight, and was well prepared for a more sporadic and open fight. Bonple and Waffle had been doing tankery for a long time after all, and even though they were almost never successful, it did not mean they were foolish.
"All teams, for the purposes of this match, I would like Azusa to take overall command," Miho messaged everyone.
Surprisingly, there were no raised objections, which Azusa had been bracing herself for.
"Roger that!" Duck team replied, swiftly followed by their teammates.
Azusa smiled as her team affirmed their support for her, complying with Miho's orders. She stood up in the turret of the blocky M3.
"We'll continue as we were for the time being. Panzer Vor!"
Seeing that she had neither scouts in the van nor on the flanks, Azusa had the Anglerfish and Anteater teams play these roles, positioning them to the front-right and front-left of the team respectively, several hundred metres out from the main Oarai formation. The two tanks, both capable of decent pace and with good firepower, swept the landscape for threats against the main unit, keeping their eyes peeled for enemy activity. Hana's eye was glued to her gun sight as her turret tracked across the landscape, adding her keen vision to the hunt for Bonple and Waffle. Duck team were deployed to the rear as a lookout, meant to scamper back to the line if any threats came from behind. Oarai's remaining tanks now formed something akin to a pentagon, the two turretless vehicles at the front, Leopon and Mallard to the sides and behind them, and Rabbit team at the centre-back of the formation.
Oarai's AFVs ate up the distance towards their opponents at a steady pace, rolling across the undulating ground with ease. The ground was firm and rolling, but not steep, allowing the tanks to simply cruise across the field. Even though the team was cruising, this did not mean they were not vigilant. The rear rank of the formation had their weapons pointed behind them and to the sides, sweeping the landscape for signs of the enemy. All of the commanders stared through their vision blocks, keeping Yuuki, and thus Azusa, updated on any activity, although barring a few flickers, there was no solid contact. Observing the formation from a way off, Miho smiled. Oarai had come a long way since the team that had de-camouflaged their tanks before fighting St Gloriana.
Fifteen minutes had elapsed since the start of the match, and there had thus been no contact with the enemy. Oarai was soon to arrive in view of their opponents' starting positions, but it seemed highly unlikely that their enemy was just politely waiting there for them. Miho began to reach for her throat mic, but was interrupted by the report of gunfire. The enemy had moved.
Gazing to her left, where the sound had come from, Miho spotted the distinctive twin-turret arrangement of a Polish 7TP, the dual machine guns rattling out a challenge to Oarai's tanks. Concealed slightly behind the crest of a rise in the ground, the 7TP unleashed a fusillade into the flank of the Panzer IV. Oarai's tanks came to a halt, while Miho observed and reported in their challenger, careful not to stick her head out of the turret lest she catch a stray round.
"Team, Anglerfish team will engage the 7TP, be prepared for any further enemy activity in this area. It will probably run away when Anglerfish get into range, so be cautious in any pursuit you do, because it could be an ambush," Azusa broadcast.
Oarai's formation spread out and took up defensive stances, now on alert for any further attacks. The staccato rattle of the 7TP died away as the Mark IV approached, as the Bonple crew turned their tank away from the enemy advance with great haste, fleeing in the face of approaching enemy armour.
"Hana, commence firing on the 7TP. All teams, their tanks are for the most part fairly small. If it's not a clear shot, I don't think you should take it, so we can conserve ammunition," Miho advised her teammates.
A thunderous roar indicated to Miho that Hana had finished targeting the 7TP and fired. The shell flashed past the left flank of the Polish tank, burying itself in the dirt to create a small crater. The clatter of the receiver for the 75mm betrayed Yukari reloading the cannon once more, in a much practiced routine. None of the initial volley of shots from Hana found their mark however, as the rolling motion of the tanks drastically reduced their accuracy when trading shots.
Over the din of the crossfire, another report added to the symphony of battle, this time another tank gun. Rolling out from some dead ground on the rear-right of Oarai's formation was one of the Waffle team AMC 35s, its 47mm gun pointed firmly at Duck team, who wisely began moving to the main Oarai formation to shelter behind thicker armour. The Belgian tank's 47mm gun was more than capable of cracking open the Type 89's armour and so Noriko ordered her tank to begin weaving, whilst the Rabbit team pivoted to get their 76mm gun into position to return fire.
"Commander, we're being targeted! Enemy to the rear!" Noriko hurriedly reported to Azusa.
"Draw them back to the main formation as you retreat. If we can get some clean shots on them, they'll be out in no time."
As desultory fire continued to be exchanged between the two teams, Celina, sat in her command vehicle, thought through the situation. It seemed Oarai was maintaining superb discipline within their team, something which prevented Bonple and Waffle exploiting the better manoeuvrability of their smaller vehicles to draw Oarai's team off piecemeal, but Oarai were sacrificing mobility and striking power to retain that cohesion. It seemed that the chances of successfully beating Oarai were damnably low, as the tactical situation became more evident, but these two schools would be damned before they went down without a fight. If they could take to the field against King Tigers in their pre-war tanks they sure as hell wouldn't flee from a mishmash of lighter vehicles.
"Break contact. We're going to have to offer this particular horse a juicier apple," she ordered.
"What do we do then?" Sabine asked.
"Well, it depends on how much you like being bait."
Back on the field, Miho's pursuit of the 7TP had tapered off as they hit the border of one of the few stands of trees in the area. The 7TP sped off into the woods whilst Anglerfish team drew back to their own forces, wary of being trapped in the dense foliage by superior enemy forces. Instead, the girls rallied their tanks on a high point under Azusa's orders, hoping to gain a field of vision over the undulating terrain.
"That was the first time I've seen a 7TP operated so close! It was so cool!" Yukari exclaimed, following it with a definitely fangirlish squeal.
Miho, now clear of any rapid-fire health hazards, popped the turret hatch open and retrieved her binoculars from within the tank. Following her example, her fellow tank commanders began to survey the surrounding terrain, keen to spot any sign of their opponents. As open as the terrain was, the many folds in the ground helped conceal the great steel hulls of the war machines, friend and foe alike. Azusa was at a loss for ideas barring continuing the sweep. She didn't want to ask Miho for advice because then she would just be relying on her commander rather than getting any experience. Her thoughts were interrupted by Noriko's voice on the radio net
"Commander! We've spotted the enemy flag tank! Due North-North-East."
"Are you sure it's their flag tank?"
"Definitely. We'd know a Sherman silhouette anywhere," the Duck team captain confirmed, remembering her close call with Alisa and her flag tank.
Miho swivelled round in her turret, pointing her binoculars in the direction the Ducks had indicated, and sure enough, sat on a high point, was their flag tank, as bold as brass. Saori had just finished relaying the communications to her colleagues, resisting the habit to turn to Miho for further instructions when Mako spoke.
"They must think us fairly slow if they reckon this trap would work," she commented.
"That depends on our commander," Hana replied.
Seeing the Sherman herself, Azusa decided to take the obvious bait. No team would wilfully expose their flag tank to combat without a plan in mind.
"All teams, we're taking this bait. Advance, the same pattern we were using before."
(On the ridge)
"I must say, I'm quite impressed by the ability of Bonple and Waffle to evade their opponents," Simon stated, "It's like a chevauchee in the Hundred Years War. They evade actual combat with the superior foe, and hope to probe their weaknesses."
"Sun Tzu did say in the Art of War, if the enemy is in superior strength, evade him," Liam replied.
"I think their greatest strength is that they are easily underestimated," Katherine added, "Since they rarely reach past the early stages of the tourney they may be mistaken for weak, but their experience is just as great as that of the bigger teams. Bonple and Waffle know their tanks and have good strategies, it's just that their lack of resources make such hard to implement."
"It is often the cornered foe that fights hardest," Liam replied.
Whilst the Wellesley students were intrigued and entertained by the happening on the field, it seemed that this match was only entertaining the most hardcore of fans, as some of the spectators appeared downright bored by Bonple/Waffle's evasive tactics. Hart even spotted one leaving and sighed.
(Back in the battle)
Having outlined her plan of engagement, Azusa led Oarai back into the fray, setting their tanks back into motion across the field. Leopon had taken the short break that their observation had provided to fix a fault in the left drive sprocket, which on the Tiger was at the back, another of the Porsche prototype's quirks.
"This battle is shaping up to be like one of Caractacus's campaigns," Caesar said from her position in the StuG, "No actual fighting, and lots of pursuit."
Erwin spared her a glance to the side, spotting her clearly unimpressed look.
"As evasive as Lettow-Vorbeck and his askaris?" she proposed.
"As untraceable as the shinobi," both Saemonza and Oryou agreed.
Similar sentiments as to their opponents' reticence to engage were being shared in the other vehicles of Oarai's force.
"If I wanted to play hide and seek I would have stayed at school!" Aya complained, desperately seeking a target for the M3's turret.
Sadly for the Oarai girls, no amount of complaining could force their opponents to reveal themselves, but glimpses of turrets in the distance told the Oarai team all they needed to know. The opposition was shadowing them.
As Oarai closed in on the position the enemy flag tank had been occupying, it became painfully obvious that the Sherman had abandoned its former station. However, as they reached the foot of the slope leading up to the ridge, a grumble of engines from the opposite side of the hill betrayed the enemy's presence. Roaring over the crest of the ridge were the two TKS tankettes and the T-15 Vickers, machine guns blazing as they headed straight for the gaps in Oarai's line.
"Somebody's been watching our matches," Mako commented sardonically, remembering Miho's order to mix in with Saunders' tanks.
The arrival of enemy tanks into Oarai's formation was certainly a cause for concern. The incessant machine gun fire bouncing off the hulls of the school's tanks made it dangerous for the commanders to stick their heads out of the cupolas of their mounts, limiting their view. Also, the preponderance of long-barrelled weapons in Oarai's team made it difficult for them to target the enemy, due to their close proximity, making friendly fire a real threat. The one saving grace, Miho thought, watching Bonple's manoeuvre from her position on the flank, was that the enemy was equally at risk of friendly fire, as their own tanks were weaving between those of Oarai as they steadily ascended the slope.
Several loud gun reports from their right flank put paid to the idea that the enemy would hold their fire however. Rolling back into play to threaten Oarai's right was the AMC 35, supported by its two brethren, unleashing a volley of fire from their guns. The Porsche and the Chi-nu, occupying the rightmost positions in Oarai's formation, the latter retreating back to the main group, responded in kind, their powerful guns ploughing divots into the ground near the Renaults. Deciding to ignore the threat from the enemy's tankettes for the time being, Azusa decided to form up her forces now that their opponents had played their hand.
"Form up on the ridge and turn to face outwards from our formation's centre. That should cover our weaker points and give us the vision advantage over our opponents."
Oarai continued to ascend the hill, and no sooner had the Panzer IV reached the main force on the crest of the ridge, the tell-tale flash of a tank's muzzle heralded the smack of a round into the tank's front plate, only to bounce harmlessly off. This time it was the Bofors gun from the single turret 7TP, flanked by its counterpart, which unleashed a hail of machine gun munitions at the Panzer. Anglerfish returned fire, as did Turtle team adjacent to them, silencing the twin turret 7TP after a couple of volleys, finally claiming the first kill of the match for Oarai.
Now that it had become clear that their gambit had failed, the tankettes, who to this point had been running amok amongst Oarai's lines, shooting much but accomplishing nothing, decided to retreat, falling back away from their opponents. The danger of this withdrawal from close contact was well illustrated however, as the T-15 was picked off, neat as you please, by Mallard team, Sodoko looking supremely happy with her marksmanship.
With two tanks down and Oarai's position on the high ground established, the Renaults and the 7TP looked set to follow suit as well and flee, but this time Oarai would not be denied.
"Commander, can we pursue the enemy?" Noriko requested.
"Yes. We'll follow the Renaults, since they have the most firepower of all the tanks we're fighting currently. If we can take them down this match becomes almost a foregone conclusion."
"Got it!"
"Understood," Sodoko responded.
As the Renaults pivoted on their axis and fled, so Oarai gave their pursuit. Once again, the motion of the vehicles severely impinged upon their accuracy due to the lack of gyro stabilisers, meaning that the two teams could not effectively target one another. Nor could Oarai easily close the gap on their opponents, as their more nimble vehicles were held back by the more lumbering vehicles such as the B1.
"Mallard team, Anteater team, Leopon team, maintain your course behind us. The other teams are going to pursue and hopefully catch these three enemy tanks. You follow as fast as you can. Duck and Rabbit team are going to cover the Turtles while Anglerfish and Hippo engage," Azusa ordered.
Shifting their formation, the lighter tanks of Oarai's line raced ahead, keen to catch the AMCs fleeing before them. Shots flew back and forth between the two parties, with some fire from the Waffle crews ricocheting from the front plates of their opponents' armour. However, as the exchange continued, Oarai's marksmanship found its range, with Hana crippling one of the Renaults with precise fire that left the little tank a smoking heap, its surrender flag clearly in view. The crew popped the hatches for some fresh air as Oarai's tanks thundered past, laying down a barrage as they went. As the distance between Oarai's first and second groups grew, even the lumbering bulk of the Tiger was lost to Miho's sight.
"Was it wise to split our forces?" Momo asked over the radio.
"I thought if we left our heavier vehicles in a party to catch up with us when we engage, we can chase down the enemy easier, and then when our reinforcements arrive, we can beat them easier," Azusa replied, "We still aren't short on firepower here."
"I see."
"While we suffer the concomitant loss of firepower that splitting our force brings, we still have more than enough firepower between the five of our tanks, as do the others," Caesar summarised.
"Indeed, Miss Caesar, it is the epitome of divide and conquer!" Yukari shouted.
The intrepid team forged ahead, pursuing their enemy with great determination. As the chase kept going, without result for the Oarai markswomen, who by this point were conserving ammunition and firing sparingly, the AMCs began to follow a dirt track, kicking up dust in their wakes. As they kept rolling, a shot from the Ducks clipped the leftmost Renault's turret, spinning the turret. From the jittery movements the crews could perceive following the hit, it seemed as if the Ducks had knocked out the turret traverse, preventing their foes from returning fire.
"It's our five original tanks once again," Hana noted.
"Except we have a Hetzer rather than a 38t and we're far better equipped," Mako pointed out
Back with the other teams, they continued to follow their compatriots doggedly, Yuuki's radioed instructions keeping them on course, although it was obvious the Rabbit team communicator was struggling with her newfound responsibilities in the command tank. However, to spice up their relatively peaceful drive, the two TKS tankettes form before had returned, weaving between the three lumbering tanks. Their 20mm autocannons maintained a consistent barrage on the three tanks, whilst their manoeuvring began to impede the progress of Leopon and their compatriots. Eventually, Sodoko, growing slowly tired of this irritation, had Gomoyo man the hull-mounted 75mm gun.
"Wait for them to try and weave in front of us again, Gomoyo, and then hit them," she instructed, as Pazomi slid a round into the receiver.
"Understood."
"Wait for it, wait for it, now!" Sodoko shouted.
The hull mount roared into life, striking the TKS just as it passed Mallard team to try and strafe the Anteater girls. The little tankette ground straight to a halt, smouldering from the direct hit, before the little white flag popped from the turret. The other TKS, now wary of suffering it's comrades fate, was more circumspect with engaging the three Oarai tanks, and defiantly fired a few more volleys at the Porsche Tiger before fleeing once more, evading a barrage of fire from Mallard, Anteater and Leopon teams until it was out of effective range, before continuing to shadow the Oarai tanks once more.
The three tanks continued rolling on their way, Sodoko reporting the situation to Azusa as they continued. Azusa pondered this, thinking over why the enemy's tankettes would skirmish with their other force. However, as she did so, a muttered 'shit' from the Tiger ghosted over the radio.
"Nakajima, is there something the matter?" Yuuki asked the Leopon commander.
"Yeah. That tankettes glanced a couple of shots off the left sprocket, the one we fixed earlier, and now it's malfunctioning again. Is it possible for us to halt so we can have a look at it again? Otherwise we might suffer a breakdown as we roll."
"I understand. Leopon team, you can stop and make repairs on your tank. Anteater and Mallard teams, cover the Tiger until its running again," Azusa ordered.
"Got it."
The two smaller tanks drew protectively in around the Tiger, watching the terrain for the enemy. Sodoko spotted the TKS, sat just outside of range, undoubtedly reporting the status of the Tiger to Celina and Sabine, whilst Suzuki, Tsuchiya, Hoshino and Nakajima bailed out of the stricken Tiger to begin repairs.
"I always hate taking drive system damage when we're online," Nekota said to her crewmates.
"It always happens a disproportionate amount compared to any other damage, which just irritates the player," Piyotan agreed.
"I mean, the only thing worse is when people somehow hit the engine with shots from the front," Momoga added, her gaze focused on the vision block in front of her.
"Agreed," the other two said simultaneously.
Oarai's pursuit group maintained their course, set on forcing a conclusion to this match in the near future. As their quarry fled before them to the extremities of the battlefield, Miho spotted where the Renaults were leading them. A fork in the road, with one of the paths obscured by the terrain, and a small stand of trees occupied the terrain immediately ahead. The AMCs headed down the more open path, beckoning the Oarai tanks to follow.
"Be careful with that blind corner," Miho cautioned her teammates, "There could be enemy tanks concealed round there, much as with the copse of trees."
"I understand," Azusa acknowledged, "Advance with caution and cover Turtle team as much as possible."
Closing up slightly around the diminutive Hetzer, the girls pressed forward. As Miho predicted, as soon as they took the exposed fork in the road, they were fired upon from the left, more concealed path, and the copse that covered it. Finally choosing to engage personally, the tanks of both Sabine and Celina grumbled towards them, flanked by the 7TP that Oarai had engaged earlier. Sat in up in her turret, and wearing a frown that marred her features, Celina ordered her remaining forces into the assault. The AMCs rallied round to beset Oarai from the other side, effectively confronting them with a fight on two sides.
"Make sure you face the enemy you take on," Azusa commanded, "Anglerfish and Duck team, take on the two AMCs to our rear. Rabbit and Hippo will cover the Hetzer whilst we take out the opposition flag tank."
"This feels like the siege of Alesia," Caesar commented, "We the besiegers, are beset both by the besieged and their relief force."
"For once your example has us on the winning side," Oryou remarked dryly.
Oarai's tanks pivoted quickly on the spot to take up practically back-to-back positions, with the little Hetzer protectively sheltered by its comrades' larger hulls. Seeking targets, the tank gunners swung their heavy weapons into position, while their crewmates slammed home rounds into the breech. Powerful volleys rolled back and forth between the two teams.
In the Panzer IV, Hana laid the gun at the fully functional AMC, whilst Yukari dutifully placed a round into the gun receiver. A second later, Hana depressed the trigger, unleashing several pounds of 75mm AP lethality at the little Renault in front of their tank. Designed to take on far tougher chunks of steel than the little AMC, the 75mm round ploughed through the front plate of the tank like it was paper, immediately eliciting its surrender. The graceful girl gunner took a split second to celebrate another precision kill before retargeting her next foe, the stricken sibling of her last kill.
A far more ferocious firefight was developing on the other side of the Oarai formation. Both the 7TP and 10TP were flinging rounds into the densely packed Oarai tanks, the close proximity of the girls' tanks making aiming far easier on the gunners. However, much as with the earlier conflicts, Bonple and Waffle simply did not possess the requisite punch to their guns to inflict serious damage to their opponents. Several rounds simply bounced off the unyielding steel of the StuG, or slid off the sloped front plate of the Hetzer, or collided with the Rabbits' M3 with a resounding clang.
Fortunately for the smaller schools, they still had one weapon with sufficient firepower to dent even Oarai's tanks. Their M4, its sloped armour already bearing the signs of a couple of impacts, levelled its howitzer at the cluster of the enemy tanks.
"They're so close together we can't miss!" Sabine giggled, "Aim for the Hetzer, but don't worry if you hit one of the other tanks. Just hit 'em, and hard!"
Her dutiful team did just that, hammering the high-calibre round straight into the Hippo team, shaking the crew with its concussive force. Luckily for the reki-jo, the first round did not penetrate the tank's armour, although it shredded the right track and left the tankers a little shaken. Unfortunately for the StuG, the Sherman did not waste its second round, and punched it straight home, leaving the German tank destroyer out of the race.
"Rome is fallen," Caesar murmured.
The Hetzer, aiming between the gap in the wall the StuG and Chi-Nu had created in front of them, returned fire at their erstwhile adversaries. Grinning fiercely, Anzu aimed for the 10TP, placing her gun sights squarely on the Polish tank. Celina, staring at the battle through her sights, spotted the familiar drainpipe-like weapon of the Hetzer between the Lee and the StuG.
"Shit."
The familiar thunderclap of the high-velocity gun rang out, spitting several pounds of metallic pain at the Polish team leader. Smacking into the front glacis plate with a rending shriek, Celina sighed as the ubiquitous flag popped from the top hatch.
At the same time, the last AMC was turned into a wreck by the Ducks, who put the new Czech gun of their faithful mount to use, powering a 37mm round through the armour of the Belgian light tank.
"That serve was far more powerful than the old gun," Sasaki said.
"Better thank the automotive club," Noriko replied.
This left three tanks for Bonple and Waffle, of which one was too far away to offer any support. Grinding round on the spot and moving to support their colleagues, Duck and Anglerfish teams lent their firepower to the fusillade of firepower being unleashed at the Bonple and Waffle pair.
"Take the Sherman and we win," Miho reminded everyone.
With that, a cavalcade of firepower blazed out from the Oarai line, blitzing the area around the M4. While the M4 fired back, its slow reload time on its howitzer made return fire essentially academic by this point. Similarly, the 7TP could offer no response to the Oarai barrage. Several rounds struck the M4 almost simultaneously, the last ones offered by the M3's dual guns as a final injury.
"We did it!" Yuuki cheered, as a thoroughly worn out Karina reclined in her seat.
"I don't see what's so difficult about this command business," Aya said jokingly.
Any further discussion in the M3 was drowned out by the loud sound of the announcers.
"Match finished. Oarai Girls High School takes the match."
Chapter end.
There you are! My latest offering to the fanfic altar. This chapter was the most difficult to write thus far, as I tried to make the match interesting, without actually making Bonple and Waffle the greatest strategists in the series. I wanted to put in competition without too much challenge to Oarai, and I hope I have achieved this.
Anyway, I'm back at uni now, so expect slower updates to be forthcoming. Also, big shoutouts to LW Kilroy, my youtube buddy, who has drawn some epic artwork for GUP, and entertained me with epic AMVs.
'Til next time!