Katyusha looked on as she was going to enjoy what she had in store. Smiling to herself, they were getting themselves set up on the field.
"Well we know what we're going to drive in on Kuromorimine but one last obstacle remains before we truly enter the ship itself." Nonna began as she knew that they needed to overcome one last obstacle before they could rip the heart out of the beast.
"What's that?" Katyusha asked Nonna if she wanted to figure out what exactly was going to be in their way. Nonna decided to think for a moment before she came to a conclusion.
"There is a series of small hills along the frontier that we're going to be pushing on through. We believe that Kuromorimine will be dug in and it will be an annihilation match for this and the next match." Nonna told Katyusha about the obstacle that they will need to cross in order to arrive at the heart of Kuromorimine.
"With the flanks secured, we can begin our final push onward, not even a series of small hills will slow me down." Katyusha told Nonna as there will be nothing stopping her. Nonna knew Katyusha was being overconfident but she was right. If Kuromorimine did put up resistance, it would be futile, they had barely any heavy tanks left in operation and they were mostly composed of light and medium tanks.
"All we might be attacking in the fog so we're going to have to try to break through with more novel things." Katyusha told the group as she was beginning to think on how they could forge their way through the fog. After thinking for a bit, Katyusha got an idea. "I know! Let's use a bunch of search lights to try to blind Kuromorimine and we can use the silhouettes to find out where they are and take them out." Katyusha knew this plan would be flawless if it worked.
"Well you better tell Commissar Nakhimov about the search-lights you have planned because the fog bank is going to roll in." Nonna told Katyusha that she better consult the commissar about her plan.
"Oh right, I'll be back!" Katyusha shouted as she ran off to fetch the commissar for her plan. Nonna watched as she had doubts about this plan actually working.
An hour later, the searchlights were moved by the fog bank as they were turned on, they were going to be the eyes for Pravda to find the enemy. Katyusha turned as she began giving out orders.
"Nina, send out a couple of M4 Shermans into the fog to see what they could find. If we can find where Kuromorimine had stationed their tanks, we can send the coordinates back for the ISU-152's." Katyusha gave the order as she wanted to see if this plan was going to work. Two M4 Shermans were sent into the fog bank as they were going to try finding where the tanks were in the fog.
"Already sent, now let's listen to them to make sure they give the coordinates back." Nina told Katyusha that all they needed to do was wait. Katyusha nodded as they began to listen to the radio.
Olivia's tank was concealed in the fog as she was waiting around on one of the smaller hill tops. She spotted something illuminated in the fog tanks to the headlights..
"Hey I'm picking up something in the fog." Olivia began as she was observing with what was going on ahead of her,
"Roger, take out one and report back to me some distance away from the hills in the camp. We'll plan the defenses there." Maho gave the order to take out one of the scout tanks and then report back to the camp. Olivia began looking out through the fog as she spotted what seemed to be the illuminated tank. Looking on ahead, she nodded as she was ready to give the go ahead.
"Fire." Olivia ordered her gunner. The gunner nodded and pulled the trigger. The cannon roared as a shot flew down range. The shot struck the illuminated tank as the Sherman came to a halt. A white flag popped out as she was ready to order the rest of her tanks in her group.
"Okay, let's relocate." Olivia called out to the rest of her group as she began pulling her Tiger 1 back. The rest of the tanks did the same as the remaining tanks began pulling back as they were going to lure the enemy in but she didn't know if this would be leading them into an ambush.
The remaining Sherman tank had reached the front lines as the crew had retrieved the crew of the knocked out tank and was hastily discussing what happened to Katyusha. Katyusha was listening to this with Nonna.
"Lady Katyusha, the plan didn't work, one of the scout tanks was knocked out due to the light being reflected off of it illuminating them instead of the foe making them easy to spot." Nonna told Katyusha what had happened during the failed mission.
"I thought that plan was going to be flawless?" Katyusha whined as this little experiment was unsuccessful. Nina was keeping an eye out as Katyusha and Nonna continued to bicker among themselves. She had good news.
"Hey, you two, the fog is beginning to lift, we can start the assault." Nina told Katyusha and Nonna. They turned their heads as she was right. Just in time too.
"Awesome. Nakhimov, shut off the searchlights commissar. We're going on the offensive." Katyusha told the group as she was ready to bring the fight to the enemy but Nonna seemed less concerned about that.
"Katyusha, they're gone." Nonna told Katyusha as the forces on the small hills had vanished. Katyusha didn't believe this at first as Nakhimov was shutting off the search lights. Katyusha grabbed the binoculars and began to scan the horizon.
"They just disappeared like magic!" Katyusha shouted with disbelief. There was nothing, not a single enemy tank in sight. Now Katyusha was weighing her options. She didn't want to wait but instead pursue her enemy down and take them out.
"Well you said moments ago you were ready to go on an offensive, want to follow up on that? We have the Third Shock Army at our disposal." Nonna told Katyusha that they were ready to go ahead and chase their foes down. Katyusha thought about this for a moment as she began to think.
"Yeah that's a good idea now that I think of it. I'm ordering all the tanks on our team to get ready to move." Katyusha responded as she decided to go ahead and grab the radio. "All tanks, Kuromorimine, have completely deserted and it's up to us to find our enemy and hunt it down." Katyusha has given the order to mobilize everyone. Pomorie heard the message as she began to think.
"Well Katyusha is giving the go ahead to chase Kuromorimine down. We should do it." Pomorie gave the news as they were all ready to move. The Vickers was the first to start as the fifteen or so tanks began to move on out to find Kuromorimine and pursue them. A yip and cheering combination from the Yogurt Academy students was heard as the group began to move. Little did they know, Maho was setting up a trap for all of them.
Maho was busy getting the camp into action as Olivia was pulling up with her Tiger 1. She stopped as she hopped on out to speak with Maho.
"Well we eliminated one Sherman as we found it easily in the fog and we decided to relocate in case the fog lifted and we got blinded by the searchlights. We're just going to let them come in before we rush our tanks forward to trap them. I think when Pravda reaches the farm just before the camp, we should put five Tiger 2's in there just before our camp so when they get to the camp, we should have enough time to evacuate and pull back to the train station." Olivia told Maho about the plan.
"It's a plan, I don't know if it's a good plan but at this point, I'm willing to take anything." Maho replied as she and Olivia were going to watch over the camp with Ooarai and Blue Division, they were going to act as an emergency force in case the Tiger 2's were taken out.
"Okay send a force to intercept them and take them out. We'll stay here and prepare to fall back." Olivia replied as the tanks that were sent to intercept the team weren't going to go out very far.
Pomorie and the others continued down the road as they were just about coming up to an intersection of the road and so far no enemies were in sight. Pomorie was getting impatient.
"Christ, if this is one of Kaya-san's bait and lure tactics, I feel like they aren't going to surprise me as she is pulling everyone back, she's running out of ground that she can retreat on." Pomorie sighed as she wasn't going to take this lightly.
"Well we're at a road junction, surely something's bound to…" Shiroka told Pomorie before she paused as she heard the familiar roar of tanks approaching them. "They're here." She responded. A group of Panzer 1's and 2's approached as they began firing their guns at the group. The medium tanks and tank destroyers decided to form a ring around the light tanks as they needed to guard them.
"Take cover!" Malko shouted as her tank fired, taking out a Panzer 1 in the process. Help needed to come in a few or they'll be completely surrounded. This first engagement had begun.
Brook meanwhile was leading her Third Shock Army across the hills as they were going to take on Kuromorimine as she was talking to herself.
"The Red Army's advance into Germany is swift and brutal. In mere months we have reached Seelow Heights, the last line of defense before the German Capitol. We outnumber the Germans Ten to One, wave upon wave of our infantry are unleashed upon them to clear the way for our armor." Brook began as the students screamed their Ura cry. "Once we have control of Seelow, we will begin the march to Berlin. There we will ensure that every sacrifice is repaid in blood." Brook finished off as she saw that Pomorie and her friends were in trouble, and might as well help them out.
Pomorie and her friends were still battling it out with the students against Kuromorimine as Panzer 1's and 2's pelt the heavier tanks with their ammunition. Pomorie knew she didn't have the means to fight back even to harass them. Suddenly a shot rang out as several tanks and SPG's came rolling over the hills. Brook raised her Papasha and began spraying away at the students. Within a minute, ten tanks lay knocked out. Brook looked on at the group as she wanted to see the group.
"Pomorie, I thought you were gone. It's lucky we found your group, any losses?" Brook asked Pomorie if they had lost any tanks in their group.
"We're completely fine." Pomorie replied as they knew they were going to keep pushing forward.
"Good, we've got orders from Katyusha to take the camp that is located just past the farm, we think Maho is staging her tanks there so we might as well try catching her before she could evacuate as that is where a majority of the tanks are located." Brook gave out the orders to where all the tanks were going to be located.
"Well what are we waiting for, let's go if we don't want Kuromorimine to set up their defenses and dig themselves in." Pomorie replied as the two groups of tanks began on their journey to hunt their foes down and eliminate them. Light tanks retreated as the rumbling of their enemies were here. "They're retreating! We must shoot them!" Pomorie shouted. Brook knew she needed Pomorie to stand down.
"No, let them go, I'm not going to waste any ammunition hunting them." Brook replied. Nina's group had appeared as she was controlling her group with her ISU-152.
"We got news that tanks are held up at the river. Panzer 4's got us pinned!" Nina told Brook that her group needed support.
"Get the ISU-152's in action, we're going to rush them!" Brook told Nina to use the heavy artillery to clear the way so they could continue the drive on through. The tanks began rolling on ahead as the massive SPG's began to line up to take on the tanks fighting at the river. Descending down a small hill to reinforce the group.
"Fire!" Ticha shouted as her Panther fired a shot. One of the Panzer 4's had been taken out as more tanks began their assault. Brook decided to try to encourage the situation to get the students to fight harder.
"Hunt them down like the rats they are. Drive them back!" Brook shouted as she let out a burst from her Papasha-41. More shells rained down as the ISU-152's were shooting off individually
"In the river!" Pomorie called out as she was helping direct fire. Malko fired her gun taking out a Panzer 3 trying to reinforce the river's defenses. The second Panzer 3 roared into the scene, as it fired at the T-34/76 but to no effect. The tank didn't like getting hit so it fired back as the shot landed on the front armor of the Panzer 3. Malko followed that up with another shot as that tank was taken out. The river's defenses had collapsed as Pomorie and the group began to move up. Nina appeared as she was ready to keep pushing on through to wipe Kuromorimine out.
"After Katyushagrad, I know to trust your instincts Nina. Left or right? You lead the way." Brook gave Nina the choice of which direction they should head, most of Yogurt Academy went left as they were going to drive Kuromorimine from the forest. Brook, Pomorie and Nina went right as they were going to try flanking their way around.
A Panzer 2 rushed in but it was instantly fired upon and taken out. The tank flipped on its side as two T-34/85's emerged from the forest. Two more Panzer 2's retreating from the field were met with Varna opening fire from the machine gun in the hull. Brook fired at one of the Panzer 2's scoring a lucky hit as that tank was taken out. Nina gave the go-ahead to fire at the remaining Panzer 2 and Panzer 1 that joined it. The gunner agreed as the massive shell was lobbed at the two tanks, taking both of them out instantly, the tanks began moving their way up the path as the Nashorn fired, the shot fortunately missed but the crew knew they needed to take it out fast before more of their tanks went down. A Jagdpanther went up to join its friend as another Panzer 3 went down.
"I got this." Brook responded as she fired at the turret. The shot went straight long into the tank as it was quickly immobilized and finished off from one of approaching T-34/85's. The Nashorn fired as it took out one of the T-34/85's as the three tanks were coming up onto the road. The other T-34/85 fired as it took out the Nashorn. The Jagdpanther didn't like this one bit as it focused on the remaining tank of the group. It fired, taking out the other T-34/85. Nina's ISU-152 turned as it fired on the Jagdpanther, taking that monster out of the fight. "Drive them into the forest! Their burning school will be the last thing they see!" Brook shouted as the three tanks went left and cruised along the road heading out and along the path to the forest. They stopped as they spotted a Jagdtiger firing away at the crowd below. Yogurt Academy's remaining tanks had decided to take shelter as Brook began shouting: "Nina, take out the Jagdtiger, let that beast burn in its post." She decided to escort Pomorie away as they were going to flank around to see if they could nail it in the side armor.
"Got ya." Nina called out as another ISU-152 joined her ranks. They both began to bombard the Jagdtiger as the two tanks moved around to the flank. The remaining Yogurt academy tanks were keeping it distracted so help could arrive to take that monster out. "These trenches will be their graves!" Nina shouted out with glee as more Pravda tanks came by as the Jagdtiger was finally taken out of action the remaining Yogurt academy tanks moved up as Ticha began giving the information.
"We lost our T-34/76 and the Jagdpanzer 4." Ticha told Pomorie that they had taken some losses but they needed to make good. Brook nodded as she motioned the tanks forward for the push onward. Brook was periodically firing her Papasha-41 at the Kuromorimine students as they tried to flee from the wrecks. She looked at Pomorie as she gave her the order.
"Pomorie, lead the charge!" Brook shouted as the Yogurt Academy tanks decided to charge on forth to the farm. They were getting close to their objective. However this wasn't going to be what they were going to encounter. They were heading straight for a trap. Four T-34/85's appeared as they were going to bulldoze their way through the camp. Pomorie was leading her group as they were going to try capturing the farm and taking out the defenses there. Suddenly, a shot rang out as one of the T-34/85's was knocked out as Pomorie began looking around to find out who did that. Koprinka decided to raise the alarm.
"King tiger ahead!" Koprinka shouted. Pomorie knew that her small gun would be useless to a Tiger 2. Another T-34/85 was knocked out of action as Nina's ISU-152 appeared on the horizon.
"We need to take them out, there's two together in this area." Nina told Pomorie about what they were going to be facing. Pomorie knew she had nothing to take them out herself.
"We don't stand much of a chance against one let alone four." Pomorie told Nina as the tanks were gathering around in large numbers, they didn't know what their plan was. Nina began to think for a moment as she had an idea.
"Get the ISU-152's to do the job." Nina told her as the two ISU-152's lined up. The first one fired its shot as Nina decided to record the progress. The first shell left a giant splatter on the hull of the tank as Nina prepared the next shot. She fired this time going for the turret and superstructure. This was successful as the Tiger 2 received another giant paint splatter as a white flag popped out indicating it was knocked out.
"That's one." Shiroka told the group as another Tiger 2 made its entrance, albeit a lot closer this time. The first ISU-152 fired as it left its giant mark on this Tiger 2, it was so strong that the suspension was damaged by the shot alone. Nina's ISU-152 finished reloading as she then fired her shot, finishing this Tiger 2 off.
"Another one knocked out, two more remain." Beli cheered as they were going to keep piling on through to break the remaining Tiger tanks.
"Everyone follows me." Pomorie called out over the radio. The tanks began to follow the small vickers as Pomorie had the perfect position to fire onto the next Tiger 2. Nonna's group began to appear at the farm as she began looking around.
"Three T-34's down but two king tigers are gone. Pomorie is definitely going to break on through." Nonna told the others as she observed the group making their way to a stone wall. A Panzer 1 decided to make its appearance but Pomorie had a quick way of silenting it. She fired the first shot into its side armor and then Malko fired her StuG 3 shot, finishing this tankette off. Now they were in close range to the third Tiger 2. The first ISU-152 fired as the shot left a giant splatter on the rear of the Tiger 2.
"It's backing up." Nina told her crew to hold their fire for a moment but then the tank stopped suddenly. "Now." Her ISU-152 fired next as it laid the finishing blow to the Tiger 2.
"That's three, one more remains." Kamchia commented as the ISU-152's took the lead and broke down the stone wall. Brook's T-34/85 went around to flank as Nina was to get behind them. The first ISU-152 fired as it struck the engine of the Tiger 2. Nina's tank went forth as her friend was reloading. Firing another shot, the shell tore into the rear of the last Tiger 2.
"Okay that's the last of them." Brook told the group as they were all gone. Nonna nodded with approval.
"Good work you three, we've broken through and we'll be able to link up with Alina and assault the camp, we'll be able to meet up with Katyusha and the other groups to find a way to finish everyone else off." Nonna complimented them.
"Nina I see time has not weakened your aim, everyone could learn much from you." Brook told her as she was impressed. She then turned to two T-34/85 commanders as she was ready to continue on with this hunt. "Break open the door! The cowards may hide in shadows, but we will find them." Suddenly the door exploded open as Erika's Tiger 2 came barreling onto the scene, this caught Brook completely off guard as it eliminated one of the T-34/85's. "CHYORT! Another tank! Nina take it down!" Brook shouted for the ISU-152 to destroy Erika's tank and take her out before she could do any more damage. Two Panzer 2's and a Panzer 1 appeared as they were following behind Erika's tank. Pomorie fired onto one of the Panzer 2's as that tank has been immobilized, Ticha then fired on the same tank Pomorie had targeted and took it out. The two ISU-152's fired as their combined power from their shots completely covered Erika's tank with paint. A white flag popped up as the tanks following behind her were completely decimated. The girls looked around as Brook's T-34 was the first to enter the barn. Nonna saw how much different Brook was acting compared to the beginning of the year when she still felt scared.
"Brook you seem to relish in the slaughter." Nonna began as the tanks maneuvered their way through the small barn. Brook got out of her tank as she noticed a lock on the door.
"I've seen matches get lost in the hands of this vermin. They deserve everything they get and more." Brook aimed her Papasha-41 at the lock as she began to spray it away with paintballs, the lock broke loose as Brook went up to the door and kicked it open. She motioned her tank forward out of the barn as she walked out as Alina's group was ready to travel up the road ahead. Brook climbed back into her tank as Nonna, Nina and Pomorie exited the barn followed by everyone else. "Nina tells your ISU-152's to take on five more shells, you deserve the rest. Pomorie and your group, you're coming with me." Pomorie attempted to enter the road as Alina began to speak to her.
"Are you blind? There is no space." Alina told Pomorie to wait as she moved out of the way. The vickers then joined with them on the road ahead. Nina and her ISU-152 partner were taking on more ammunition to continue the match. She looked above her as two IL-2 Sturmovik planes circled overhead as they were judging the students from above. They continued to head down the road as Nina was keeping her eyes open for any sign of danger. She noticed something obstructing the path as it was on the main road. She decided to call out to Brook.
"The path is blocked, the tanks cannot move up." Nonna told Brook that there was no way they could move, a couple of Panther tanks fired their shots taking out a friendly IS-2 tank from the side as Brook knew they needed to clear the camp.
"Then we'll have to find a way around it then." Brook smiled as she knew that she wasn't going to let this slow her down. All tanks prepared to face down the Panthers and whatever else was inside the camp. They had caught Kuromorimine in the middle of their evacuation. "This is it, charge!" Brook shouted as one of the tanks blew a hole in the defensive line that was keeping them out. They began to pour on in as more holes were blown up. Nonna's IS-2 fired, taking out one of the Panthers. She noticed something as she got out and grabbed it, it felt heavy but she knew she could give it for Pomorie to use as the tanks opened fire on their captors.
"Pomorie, Mg42, use this." Nonna told her as she tossed the machine gun to her. Pomorie caught it as she unfolded the bipod. She then began firing away at the towers containing the tanks defending the area.
"Bring down those tanks, use all the Armor Piercing shells at your disposal. When we clear this compound, we can revel in great victory." Brook commanded to have the tanks in the area brought down. Pomorie fired the Mg42 again but her body vibrated due to the machine gun's insane rate of fire. She was having a hard time controlling it. "Find some ammunition, blow up those tanks!" Brook shouted as Pomorie continued vibrating at the Mg42's recoil, she needed something that didn't kick as hard.
Pomorie ducked back into her tank as she spotted a Panzer 1 firing away at them. She responded with a shot to the front of the armor as the tank took the brunt of the shot and a white flag popped up. She turned the tank to the left, spotting a Panzer three as it had taken two shots. Nodding with a smile, she decided to finish that tank off as she fired at the turret, it worked as the Panzer 3 was finished off. Rila loaded another shell in as Pomorie placed her head out.
"Nonna, Mg-42 makes me vibrate, what gun do you have that I can have an easier time controlling?" Pomorie asked Nonna as she tossed her the Mg42 that was now empty of its ammunition. Nonna began to look around, She spotted something as her tank drove over the embankment where one of the knocked out tanks was. She got out as she began looking around to see what she could find. She spotted a smg with about four spare magazines. She checked the magazine inside as it was thankfully full. She rushed out and hopped back into her IS-2 as she noticed Pomorie's Vickers pull up next to her.
"Here Mp-40, hope this suits your needs better." Nonna told her as she tossed her the smg. "It's loaded but take the spare magazines. Nonna handed them to her as Pomorie ducked her head back down into the turret and spotted a Panzer 35T. She fired at its thin front armor as that light tank was taken out. Brook noticed this and called out for the others to raise their morale to keep going.
"Tovarisch, follow Pomorie's example!" Brook shouted as Pomorie got her head out again. Using the Mp-40 that she had been handed, She aimed down and began peppering away at the defenses like it was going to do anything as most of the tanks defending this area were Blue Division students covering the rear. Pomorie continued to spray at the students firing off single shots to see how fast she would be able to empty this magazine and for her, she was comfortable with this smg's slow firing speed and easy to control recoil. She pulled the empty magazine out and reloaded as Nonna spotted something while she continued to deal with the heavier tanks as well as help Pomorie out.
"StuG 3 approaching!" Pomorie called out as if this tank destroyer struck her tank, she would be out. Brook decided to leave that job up to Nonna.
"Nonna, blow it to pieces before it takes position." Brook commanded as Nonna nodded. Once the StuG 3 stopped, she fired as the one shot was enough to take it out. Pomorie tapped fire at the students trying to get out of their tank destroyer as a white flag popped out. The group moved further in camp as the students from their knocked out tanks continued to flee as the group fired on them with their paintball guns.
"They're pulling back!" Nina shouted across the radio as she had just arrived at the field.
"It doesn't matter where their tanks get eliminated, hunt them down! No mercy was shown to my friends when they first came visiting our school. No mercy will be shown here. An eye for an eye!" Brook called out to eliminate every last one of them. The tanks continued their headlong retreat as Brook laughed at the remaining tanks trying to flee the camp. "The cowards desert their posts, they have nowhere left to run. Ha! They scatter like cockroaches in the light. Brook called out as they now needed to squash the cockroaches but they were going to make their getaway as the last two Kuromorimine tanks pulled out of the camp without getting fired on. They made it to the end as Nina's and Alina's ISU-152's pulled up alongside. They managed to clear out the camp with minimal losses.
"We did it, the camp is ours." Pomorie called out with glee as she enjoyed the fact that this field was now theirs.
"Good job. I'll tell Katyusha about this." Nonna decided to grab the radio and she wanted to speak to Katyusha about this. "Katyusha, this Nonna, we just cleared Kuromorimine's camp. I understand. Okay I'll see you in a few." Nonna replied as she hung up. "Katyusha is on her way with the other schools as they just finished taking Kuromorimine out in the respective sectors." Brook nodded as her T-34/85 went to the front of the crowd as she was ready to begin speaking.
"From this moment on, every step we take brings us closer to Berlin, closer to victory, closer to revenge. URA!" Brook called out to a crowd of cheering students. They had just captured the camp but this match was halfway over.
[A/N]: I'm splitting this up into two chapters as the characters have reached the halfway point. The next chapter will be the continuation of this match but with new objectives laid out for them. With many tanks on both sides taken out more so for Kuromorimine, with them having been caught in the middle of the evacuation, many of their tanks had been lost and it's not even over for them. See you later. Goodbye.