In this burning inferno
Know that nothing remains
As our forces advance on the beach.
The IMAF force was split into army groups. To his surprise, Gustav was appointed general of one of them.
"Why are you so amazed?" asked Gertrud. "You are suitable for this position."
"Oh. I'm not that good in Sensha-Do." replied Gustav.
"Don't be so humble. You are ay talented." said Colin, Gustav's English friend. "For example: last year you were able to break out of the trap we set up with our Comets and Caernarvons, and in the end you even defeated us, remember? Despite of your very disadvantageous situation. A person who is capable to do things like this IS a good leader. Honestly, it's calming for me to know that you will command us."
"I can only be happy if you trust me this much. I hope I really deserve it." said Gustav.
"Trust us, you do."
The briefings were held for the officers. The landing was planned for 7th August. (It was another strange flick from fate. The invasion was meant to begin on the first anniversary of Landsknecht's breakaway from the JSF.)
The forces will step on Japanese soil at five different places. The landing zone of Gustav's army group was north from Murakami. They will charge the inland from there.
By this time the final preparations were about to end. The divisions gathered together on the shore and the transport vessels have arrived too. But there was a problem. The weather was deteriorating. Dark clouds covered the sky, the wind was howling, the color of the sea changed from blue to grey and the waves grew bigger and bigger. They couldn't launch the attack under these circumstances. They had to wait.
On 5th August the situation remained the same during the afternoon. The water was still too wild. Yet, the students made themselves ready for the next day. The tanks were waiting on the landing ships and their crews were ready to go at morning.
Most of them were sleeping during the night so they couldn't hear that shortly after midnight the storm died down and the Sea of Japan got much friendlier.
On 6th, just after sunset the generals alerted their troops. Everyone dressed up quickly and rushed to the ports. Soon after this everyone was onboard and they set sail into combat. Operation Archangel has begun. If everything goes according to the plan, they'll reach Japan at dawn. The longest way was waiting for those who will land in northern Kyushu. On the other hand Alexandr and his group faced the shortest journey as they were assigned to Hokkaido.
Gustav was sitting atop of his Königstiger on the rocking vessel. The leadership wanted the students to have enough calories for what was waiting for them, but they also wanted to avoid sea sickness so the boys and girls got simple chocolate bars. Gustav unwrapped one of them and took a bite while looking at the thinning clouds. They had luck now. Hopefully it will continue like this.
Then he looked at his map. At their zone they expected to encounter this Oarai Girls High School, Yogurt Academy, Anzio High School and Viking Marine High School. It was also listed, what kind of tanks they had. Most of them were not too dangerous for them. But the advantage of knowing the terrain was on their side.
"Hm. This will turn out interestingly."
Then suddenly a radio message arrived. Change of plans. They will land in… Niigata?
Alexandr's POV
The fleet was anchoring off the western shore of Hokkaido, ready to move at dawn and land at Mashike. At least this was the original version. Now they got news. The Confederacy of Independent High Schools terminated the armistice with the JSF and its schools offered their seaports to the IMAF.
Wow. This was not foreseen at all. But it's a good thing after all. It will make things easier. The ships with the tanks sailed to Sapporo where they were greeted warmly by Tsar Peter Boys' High School.
"General Fuse Chikara." saluted Ivan. "Welcome to Japan!"
"Thank you General. I'm Alexandr Orlov, leader of this army group. As I heard, you'd like to join us as an ally, am I right?"
"As you said Orlov-san. We wish to be a free association and we'd like to become one on your side."
"In this case, feel free to come with us to the battlefield." said Alexandr.
"Our tanks are waiting for my order to cut Maple High School's way to the southern peninsula, and Odin High School and Mannerheim High School are in standby as well."
"Great. Then please give your command to your troops. Move to the west with the two other schools. We will engage Maple."
"Understood Orlov-san. Good luck." saluted Ivan again and went to lead his friends to the southern ness.
Tokyo, JSF HQ
The telephone rang in the meeting room. One of the secretaries picked it up. "Yes? … Thank you." she said to the handset then turned to the rest of the directorate. "The scouts of Maple High School report: approximately 200 Russian tanks are heading for Muroran."
"Tell them to hold their ground. We will send help as soon as we can." ordered Tsuji, but everyone else in the room knew that this was impossible.
Shiho was unusually quiet. She was more worried about her daughters than ever before. She would have preferred to get them out from there.
Muroran, Maple High School
"The enemy will be here within two hours commander." said Amber. "What are your orders?"
Trout looked at her team. The looked at her with desperate eyes, pale faces. They were scared to the core. She took their chances into account. But it was clear: they could not win in any way. If they fight back, the team of the Canadian styled school will be lying in ruins before the end of the day. Finally, Trout made a hard decision.
"Send this message to the outposts: do not resist the intervention troops. Rendezvous with us at Sobetsu."
"And then?"
"Then we defy our original opponent for one last time. We will surrender to the Russians instead of them."
"Surrender?"
"These girls have suffered enough Amber-san. They fought through the war from the very first battle at Nakajima Island then experienced the air raids. They deserve peace. That's the best we can do for our school."
"If you say so commander." sighed Amber. "I go and inform everyone."
"Merci beacoup."
A few minutes after that the team started their tanks and headed for the meeting point near Lake Toya. Once they were all together they drove to Kimobetsu and waited for the students from overseas to arrive. Trout ordered them to turn their turrets around, so they will not look threatening. Soon they could hear the roar of engines and the first T-34s appeared on the road.
"Easy everyone. I will talk to them." said Trout to her fellows and walked toward Alexandr's army group with a white piece of fabric in her hand. Once she got close she raised it into the air and waved it.
"All units stop!" ordered Alexandr then he climbed out of his T-34/85 and went to meet the girl with the red beret on her head. When they met in the middle they saluted each other. "Good morning. May I ask your name?" asked Alexandr in english.
"I'm Trout, the Sensha-Do commander of Maple High School."
"Would you like to negotiate?"
"Not just negotiate but also lay down weapons."
This surprised Alexandr. "Really?"
"We have had enough of this pointless madness. We want our old life back. Would you accept our surrender… Can I ask YOUR name?"
"Alexandr Orlov."
"Orlov-san. Would you?"
"With pleasure."
"Thank you very much." bowed Trout gratefully. She was so relieved.
"Of course I have to confiscate all your tanks."
"I didn't expect anything else."
"We will give them back naturally when this is over."
"I hope it happens soon."
"Now please order your teammates to leave their vehicles."
The students of Maple lined up in a straight line. At least they didn't want to give up their dignity. They were looking at their tanks with sad looks.
"You may all return home!" shouted Alexandr to them. "I can promise that when you sit in a tank again, it will be a normal match like in the old days!"
After that the T-34s, JS-2s and other tanks drove inside Muroran and occupied Maple's training field and Sensha-Do related facilities.
Tokyo, JSF HQ
The directorate was scared to death. To think that one of their schools gave up so easily… The IMAF took Hokkaido without a single shot and now they will surely prepare for an invasion against northern Honshu.
"If I get those traitors I will not have mercy on them!" raged Tsuji. "Cowards!"
Kiyoshi's POV
"I'm really sorry I have to send you into battle Commanding General." sounded Kyousuke's voice from the radio.
"Never mind it President. This is now the beginning of the end." replied Kiyoshi. "I have to go now to greet the arrivals." He went to the harbor and watched the arriving landing crafts.
"Oh, look commander! There are germans among them." said Aoto.
A Königstiger drove down from one of the vessels and stopped before them.
"Wilkommen in Niigata!" greeted them Kiyoshi.
"Wer ist der Kommandant hier? (Who is the commander here?)" asked Gustav and climbed down from his tank.
"Er steht vor dir. (He stands in front of you.) Hasegawa Kiyoshi." said Landsknecht's commander and shook hands with the other boy.
"Gustav Giertler. Ich hätte es nie gedacht dass wir einfach an einem Pier ankommen und in Japan spazieren werden. (I've never thought that we will simply arrive to a pier and walk into Japan.)"
"Bitte sehr. Komm mit mir! (Your very welcome. Come with me.) Mmm… Do you mind if I switch language? I'm still practicing german and I'm afraid that I can't give informations properly."
"As you wish. Many of my other friends wouldn't understand it either." replied Gustav. "This was really way easier than I thought it will be General."
"Don't worry, we will have enough excitement."
These two landings along with the one at Fukuoka, at Diamondback High School's home city were peaceful indeed. Two of the army groups were not this lucky.
Albert's POV
Albert was leading the Australian, Spanish, French and Argentine teams toward the western shore of the Noto Peninsula. When they rolled down to the sand nobody was shooting at them. Strange. According to the map Jatkosota High School's home city is nearby. Then where are they? (He didn't know that Mika and her friends were still spending their "vacation" in the depths of the forests.)
They met no resistance for kilometers. But then around Mt. Daimon they encountered Bonple High School, Blue Division High School and Gregor High school and their students gave them gunfire as a welcoming gift.
"Firework in our honor!" shouted Albert. "All tanks, return fire! Tank destroyers! Find cover, line up before us open bombardment on the mountainside! We assist you from the flanks!
And so the first real battle of the invasion has begun. The IMAF planned to reach Tsuruga, Bonple's city on the first day but they've stuck.
Good thing was however that later in the day Bannockburn Boys High School has come to their aid and laid siege upon the mountain as well. Their Bishop artilleries were a big advantage.
Bonple, Blue Division and Gregor gave up this position and went to Mt. Ogasa and Mt. Oizuru which were more defendable.
"I'm sorry you have to toil with heights Enderson-san." radioed Wallace. "I know that bush fights are more compatible with you."
"Oh, never mind it. Have you never heard what Erwin Rommel said once? "Give me two Australian divisions and I'll conquer the world." We can handle it. Of course you're your and our friends' assistance."
"I sure like your optimism. Then give them hell!"
"Like you said!"
Jacques' POV
Jacques Chevalier's battalions assaulted Koala Forest Academy, BC Freedom Academy and Waffle Academy at Tottori, landing on either side of the local river. It wasn't an easy task at all because of the terrain. On the eastern side they had to cross a sandy field and dunes without any cover, and on the western side they had to scrape through narrow entrances between steep, rocky cliffs and low hills, and Lake Koyama stood in their way too.
The biggest problem was of course the intensive counterattack of the JSF schools. The advance was slower than Jacques expected. They had to get inside the city quickly or they will lose too many tanks and maybe the disabled vehicles on the beach will block the way of the new arrivals. He landed with his ARL 44 east from the river and the tank's inside was constantly echoing because of the incoming shells. He never experienced so heavy fire before.
"General! Resistance has weakened at that crossroad!" came a report from a Brazilian Sherman tank that got close to the end of the field.
"Break through there Domingos! Get down from the beach!" ordered Jacques.
"Affirmative!"
A platoon charged through a group of trees and with a fifteen minutes long fight they cleared the crossroad from the tanks of Waffle Academy.
"You are good to go everyone! Onward!"
Fearing of being attacked from behind the Japanese girls' schools drew back and lined up again in the suburbs.
The IMAF wanted to take Tottori on the first day like Tsuruga but by the evening it was only a half success.
But at dawn of the next day came the help in the shape of Uluru Academy, Szent István High School and Conquistador High School. The JSF girls now had to fight on two fronts. A day later they had to evacuate the western half of the city and concentrate their forces in the city center. The most important for them was to keep the corridor to the southeast open, to flee to the fort (which was however damaged by the air attacks) if necessary.
But it was evident that they didn't have any chance against the joint IMAF and confederate armies.
After two days the attackers had their beach head in Tottori Prefecture.
Maho's POV
South from the city of Kurume Maho watched with her binoculars as seemingly hundreds of Spanish and Canadian tanks were approaching their defense lines in Kyushu, joined by the teams of Diamondback, Seinarukaze and Sherlock Holmes.
Maho felt something new. She felt totally hopeless and lost. But what could Kuromorimine and Saunders do? They fought back to defend Kumamoto and Nagasaki.
"Taichō. Could you say something calming please?" asked Erika via radio.
"We have a bit of technical superiority because of our Tigers. Try to rely on it."
"Yes… Yes taichō." said Erika, but her voice was full of doubt and fright.
Maho really tried to keep the team's moral but her soul knew that if they do not manage to push the enemy back to the sea (what was very unlikely), they can start counting down.
Gustav's POV
Gustav and the others were about to leave Niigata when they got news that Viggen High School has asked to fight with them against the JSF. Moreover Semla herself came to negotiate.
"Are you certain about this?" asked Gustav.
"Our sport association and its leaders betrayed us Giertler-san. We want to fight for the JSF by fighting against it. We want to give it back its former dignity and probity. We wish to fight by your side. And Count High School asked me to tell you that they have the same intention."
"Hasegawa?" asked Gustav Kiyoshi.
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend. Alright Semla-san, you may come with us."
"Arigato." bowed Viggen's commander. "Can I tell Marina-san that you accept them too?"
"Yes. Tell her to start operations west from Fukushima. That area is forested; they can use their tactics well there."
"Understood General." bowed Semla again and left.
"We shall go as well Giertler-kun, don't you think?"
"Los gehts!"
Marina's POV
The team of Count High School rolled out of the garage. To their surprise, as they were heading out of Soma they saw all the other students of Count lined up on the street waving goodbye to them with molinos saying: "Drum bun", which in Romanian means "bon voyage".
"Get them girls!"
"Good luck!"
Marina smiled. With these friends behind them they can only win.
Aomori
"Katyusha. The IMAF landed at Cape Tappi and Tsar Peter, Mannerheim and Odin at Cape Shiriya. We are threatened to be surrounded. What do you want to do?" asked Nonna.
"Tell the outposts to slow them down until we evacuate the city." said the short girl with a neutral tone.
"Are we leaving this place?"
"We have to if we want to fight on. Give the orders."
"Yes Katyusha."
Pravda moved out of Aomori. They tried to stop the enemy near the local airport, but soon they were forced to retreat. The girls in green couldn't hold back their tears as they were driving between the trees. Their home fell to the hands of the enemy for the second time.
Klara was not among them. She was sitting curled up on her turret with a depressed look on her face. Then she started to sing quietly.
"Around us, it is calm,
Twilight has fallen upon the earth,
The hills of Manchuria are smothered in darkness,
The dark cloud conceals the East."
People were saying for a reason that she had a beautiful voice. The others listened to her for a while then one by one they tuned up too.
"Viennese Waltz will not be played,
By the regimental band in the park,
Both the trumpeter and the young horner,
Are to rest on the hills."
They were singing the sad song of the Russo-Japanese war of 1905.
"O bojakh I tovarischakk pavshih,
Val's Manchurskij v serdtsakh zvuchit."
(The song's title is: On the hills of Manchuria.)
Hey folks! I hope you enjoyed the chapter! It was eventful, wasn't it?
As for the german lines, sorry if I made any mistake. I actually speak german (and I have german relatives too), but unluckily I can't use it so often than english in everyday life. (You could probably notice that english is not my native language either…) Feel free to correct me if necessary.
Stay tuned as always!
Panzer vor!