Chapter IV: Breaking Their Lines
"Courage, above all things, is the first quality of a warrior."
-Carl von Clausewitz
Maho Nishizumi
Kuromorimine Girls' High School
Abashiri, Okhotsk Subprefecture, Hokkaido
14 November 2025
1632 hours
Maho sighed and leaned back in her chair, taking a break from her preparations for the upcoming practice tournament between Pravda and Kuromorimine. She'd already decided on a flag tank and some supporting vehicles, but there were still seven spots that were open. And those seven spots were being difficult to fill, given the fact that a large portion of the Black Forest Peak panzerdivison was going through a major maintenance phase.
As she spun around lazily in her seat, a knock on the door caused the young woman to jump slightly. She stood and walked over to the door, opening it to see Erika and Nicole standing patiently in the hallway. "Come in."
The two sub-commanders of Kuromorimine followed Maho back into her room, claiming seats as the Nishizumi heir grabbed some food and a bottle of water before returning to her desk. "Thanks for coming. Do you want anything?"
Both Erika and Nicole shook their heads, grabbing a couple of folders each. "What is it you needed help on?" Erika asked as she flipped through a few papers.
"I'm trying to figure out the lineup we should take to the match." Maho replied. She was currently looking at a list of the Panthers, three of which were currently having engine troubles and wouldn't be available anyways.
"Have you thought about the Maus?" Erika said. "That or some of the Jagdtigers?
"Too heavy." Maho stated as she looked through some of the tanks of the Second Panzertruppe. "Remember, last time, the Ferdinands and Jagdtigers kept getting bogged down, and it was hard enough to tow those out. If the Maus gets stuck…" She let the sentence hang in the air, emphasizing the point. Indeed, if the Maus were to get stuck in deep snow, it might take days before they found a way to get the 188-ton monster free. And the logistics to even get it up to the practice grounds in this weather would hardly be worth it.
"What about some of the IV/70s?" Nicole questioned as she flipped through the corresponding files. "We should be able to put the winter tracks on in a few days, and they're more than mobile enough to keep up with the main force in the snow ."
Maho looked at the two folders the girl offered before nodding in agreement. "It'll do; Erika, mark 332 and 335 for deployment on Monday." Erika replied in the affirmative, taking the folders and writing the two serial numbers down on the board Maho had been using to draft her lineup.
"We can use some of my panzers too." Nicole offered, picking up a new stack. "You can't ever doubt a battlegroup of Fours in a supporting role." Her platinum-haired counterpart looked doubtful enough about the idea, but Maho nodded. "Go ahead then; pick four of your best and mark them out."
There was silence for quite some time as the three girls sorted through various papers, overlooking each tank's condition, comparing the crews' training scores, and making sure that Kuromorimine would be able to defeat Pravda swiftly and completely, as per the Nishizumi style. More than once, a discrepancy would be found and the three would have to reshuffle the lineup, doing their best to prepare for what they expected Pravda to deploy.
Finally, the three top students of Kuromorimine set down their folders, having completed their task. Looking at the clock, Maho realised that it was getting to be fairly late...almost three hours had passed while the trio was occupied on getting things set up. Even still, Maho had to get the lineup written down and sent to her mother for approval. For now, though, she was done.
"That was fun." Erika said as she ran a hand through her hair. She opened the water she had taken from Maho's fridge earlier, downing the rest of the bottle's contents before tossing it to the recycling. Nicole looked over the top of the pillow her face was buried in, eyebrow raised as she looked at Erika with a face that said 'That's fun to you?' Maho smiled faintly at her friend's silent response as the sound of footsteps passed outside, going down the hall into whatever apartment the owner lived in.
"So…" Nicole started, sitting up straight again. "Have you been up there yet to survey?"
"Not yet." Maho replied. "I intended to today, but the Tiger decided to blow a fuse and supply didn't have the part." She reclined the chair back a little, taking a deep breath before continuing. "We got it today and replaced it, so I'll be taking it up there tomorrow."
The other two nodded in understanding, both standing as Erika's watch alarm started beeping. "I have to go for dinner." the silver-haired girl said. "My father wants me back in ten minutes." Maho nodded as her sub-commander quickly left, grabbing her things and ducking out the door without any more conversation. The silence hung in the air for a few more seconds before Nicole picked up her things as well. "Do you want any help up there on Sunday?"
"No, I'll have Yukiko, Hisayo, and the rest." Maho replied, rotating her chair to face her friend. "Despite what my mother thinks, I can't pilot a tank by myself." Nicole grinned, nodding her head.
"Alright then." The blonde took a few steps towards the door, then stopped as she opened it and looked back at her commander. "Hey, Maho?"
"Mmm?"
"Try not to dwell too much on the past while we're here, okay? It wouldn't be healthy."
With that, Nicole turned and disappeared into the hall, the door shutting gently behind her. Maho sighed, looking at her board. Of course, her friends could read her like an open book. She twirled around in her chair a few more times, thinking about what Nicole had said, before shutting her eyes. A small nap before talking with her mother would be good.
LTGEN. Omar Bradley
Commander, U.S. First Army
West of the Elbe River, Tangermünde, Germany
27 April 1945
0831 hours
General Bradley watched as a German kubelwagen, followed closely by a halftrack, came down the road towards the position where he and his men were. The American had been intrigued by General Wenck's request, and had agreed to speak to his counterpart. At the prodding of his advisors and aide, he'd dictated the terms of the meeting, moving it to another location of his own choosing.
In the immediate vicinity, two rifle squads were patiently waiting behind some sandbags. However, two more squads filled the buildings around the intersection of the small town, and a Sherman Jumbo was hidden just around the corner if the German general had laid any plans out.
After some time, the two German vehicles came to a halt on the other side of the intersection. The riflemen around him muttered as they got into a proper firing position, rifles clicking and blowback mechanisms sliding into position as the men steadied their weapons. From the halftrack, a single squad of infantry disembarked, their weapons in hand but not held threateningly. Once the German soldiers had found their positions, the German general climbed out of his vehicle and walked towards Bradley, another officer behind him. "General Wenck?"
"Yes sir." the man said, taking Bradley slightly aback. For such a young person, the general had attained quite a high rank. He gave the German officer a once-over, then continued. "What is it you wanted to ask of me, General?"
"Mr. Bradley…" Wenck began, relaxing and putting his hands to his sides. "What I am about to tell you may seem strange, but I need you to hear me out."
Bradley nodded, making a 'go on' gesture, curious to hear what his counterpart had to say. For the next few minutes, the two generals spoke, Wenck relaying his plan to Bradley as the latter listened, intrigued, and occasionally interrupting with a question or two. All the while, the American general maintained a careful eye on Wenck, trying to detect any hint of treachery.
Once Wenck had ended, Bradley thought for a moment. It was quite a bit to take in, and what the German had mentioned as his plan was, to all intents, an act of desperation. He thought carefully before making his next statement. "So, you want me to help you in this evacuation effort? Protect the refugees and fleeing troops as they escape Berlin?"
"Not directly, no." Wenck replied. "If the Soviets learn that the Allies were helping us in any way, even for a humanitarian effort, this war could, likely will go on for another six years...and to be honest, I cannot think of many that would advocate for such a thing." 'No, not many would.' "But, if you could meet them at the bridge, accept the soldiers' surrender and provide them and the refugees with aid, myself and Germany would be in your debt. My men fully understand what the end result for them is; you need not worry about treachery here."
General Bradley nodded slowly, taking that in. The German general was right; if American forces were discovered east of the Elbe River, which was the boundary line the top brass had decided on with the Soviets, then there was no telling what might happen. "Alright, General Wenck. I'll see what I can do. Whoever makes it to American lines will be treated with all respect due to them."
"Thank you very much, General Bradley."
The two commanders exchanged a few more words before shaking hands. Immediately, the German general turned and headed back to his vehicle, prompting his escort to load up. Bradley watched as the small column turned around, heading back into the German capital. After they disappeared from view, he followed suit, mounting up and thinking as his aide drove him back towards the command post.
The next few days would be very interesting.
Hauptmann Gerhard Köln
German 12th Army, XX Corps
2nd Inf. Bat., 3rd Inf. Reg.
41.47 kilometres from the River Elbe
Brandenburg, Berlin Outskirts, Germany
27 April 1945
0922 hours
Gerhard looked around warily as Fourth Platoon crept through the quiet streets. Behind him, Gunther and Hans were tracing his footsteps, letting the younger ones bring up the rear. Somewhere behind them, hidden away from view, Leopold and two other marksmen were watching their progress through rifle scopes, the feeling of being watched over somehow both comforting and unsettling. The rain had stopped for now, allowing the German troops to hear just that bit better, and making the streets a little less muddy.
Feeling a hand on his shoulder, Gerhard paused and turned to see Hans pointing at a building. Following his finger, the hauptmann saw a young boy's face poking out of curtains behind a shattered window. Moments later, he was joined by someone Gerhard assumed to be the boy's mother, who quickly pulled the boy away and drew the curtains shut.
"Ella!" Gerhard whispered forcefully. The girl nodded and went into the building, Bernard standing outside waiting. After a few minutes, Ella and the two civilians came outside. The two looked at the spread out troops before them momentarily, then turned, leaving the way Fourth Platoon had come, the woman carrying only a small handbag and the boy a ragged stuffed animal. Gerhard watched them, then turned to Ella as she came back. "They didn't take anything with them?"
"She said that they didn't need much." the young girl replied, shifting the weight of her rifle. "They have everything they need." Gerhard nodded, then motioned for her to get back in line. She did so promptly, and he motioned for the group to move up together. Continuing up to the next street, Gerhard suddenly waved his hand, grinding the platoon to another halt. The other squad leaders came up and Gerhard put his finger over his mouth, keeping them from making any noise. Listening carefully, their eyes widened in recognition as they picked up the sound of Russian voices around the corner.
"Get them ready." Gerhard said. "Once we start this, we won't get a break until the Soviet lines are broken." The other officers nodded and dispersed, relaying the statement to their squads. The muted sound of bolts clicking shut and magazines slipping in and out of automatic weapons filled the air briefly as the platoon of German troops checked their ammo levels. Once everyone was ready, Gerhard motioned for Fourth Platoon to begin the fight.
Alva Weber
Brandenburg, Berlin Outskirts, Germany
27 April 1945
0938 hours
Alva sighed as she sat at the table, already finished with her meager meal. Her younger brother picked at his plate next to him, working on the stale bread Alva had scavenged from some soldiers' corpses. At the other end of the table, her mother was knitting a blanket, having forgone her portion in order to allow her children to eat. "Mama, what are we going to do?"
The older woman paused in her work, looking up with weary eyes at her daughter. The stress of the past many weeks was blatant, showing the hardship that the small family had gone through. "We just have to wait, Alva. It won't be long before it's over."
The teenager just watched as her mother returned to her project, trying to keep her hands and mind busy and not on the looming war right outside. Her brother, having finished his meal, silently retreated into his room after depositing his plate in the sink. Alva followed suit, though instead went to the radio and turned it on, scanning the waves for any news. There was little more than propaganda and empty channels, but occasionally there'd be some information hidden in the exaggerated fantasies the propaganda office produced these days.
'Pop-pop-pop-pop!'
"Was zum...?" Alva muttered, going to the window. As far as she knew, the Soviets had taken over this part of the city completely, and combat was non-existent here. After all, why would the army come back to Berlin when they were already in the relative safety of the far outskirts?
Suddenly, a burst of machine gun fire sounded from down the street, followed by a stream of smaller weapons firing. Alva listened, shocked, as the sounds of heavy fighting began to pick up once more. A few moments later, her mother joined her by the window, listening. The fighting was growing closer, close enough to where the pair could make out the yelling of both Russian and German soldiers as they gave commands. "Mama, do you think…"
The question faltered as Red Army troops suddenly appeared around the corner, running from whatever had engaged them. Right behind them, the forms of Wehrmacht troops appeared, firing their weapons at the retreating enemy troops. For the first time in a long time, Alva saw a smile, however small, cross her mother's face.
"They came back."
Hauptmann Gerhard Köln
German 12th Army, XX Corps
2nd Inf. Bat., 3rd Inf. Reg.
42 kilometres from the River Elbe
Brandenburg, Berlin Outskirts, Germany
27 April 1945
0941 hours
"Move up!"
Hans and Ella darted across the street as Gunther, Amelia, Gerhard, and Nikolas laid down covering fire, suppressing the DShK machine gun that was tearing apart their cover. As the gunner popped his head back up to continue firing, a sudden shot came in from above, followed by another, killing the Soviet soldier as he tried to continue his efforts.
Gerhard ducked down into cover, reloading his magazine as he looked up at where he thought the snipers were hidden, flashing a thumbs-up. Looking over the top of the pile of rubble he and Gunther were sheltering behind, the hauptmann saw that the Soviets were beginning to break, retreating further down the road. "Seventh squad, Third squad, advance! Fifth and Sixth, cover!"
"Jawohl!"
Looking to Gunther, the two men shared a look and nodded, taking the cue from each other. As one, they broke cover, moving up at the head of their push as the other squads kept the Soviet troops' heads down. Gerhard saw a multitude of faces poke out from windows and in between curtains, cheers and shouts of encouragement being heard before the civilians disappeared into the safety of their homes again.
"Look out!"
Gerhard and Gunther dove into cover as a squad of Soviet troops suddenly made their presence known, cutting down two of his own before the others got into cover. The two crouched low as bullets sprayed their cover, the enemy not deterred by the relatively inaccurate covering fire from down the street.
"Well, this is familiar."
Gunther flashed an unamused look of annoyance at his squad leader's quip as they both prepped grenades. Taking a look and diving back down, the two chucked their 'presents' over to the Soviets, who shouted in alarm right before the two charges exploded.
"Angriff!"
The two squads charged forward, sweeping the street clear as the two senior troops of 7th Squad closed in on the rubble their recent oppressors were behind, ensuring the group would no longer be bothering them by putting a few bursts into their foes. After doing so, Gerhard wiped his face and looked down the street, where the last few troops of the Soviet patrols in this sector were retreating to their lines. The hauptmann whistled for a radio, and a younger soldier jogged up, turning around to allow Gerhard access to the radio on his back.
"Headquarters, Fourth Platoon: we have cleared Rathenower-Landstraße of enemy troops and are currently securing the surrounding area. We will move on to secure the Kleingartensparte at Point 13 when complete. Once complete, will report and request resupply."
"Understood. Good luck, Köln."
Gerhard confirmed and returned the headset to its position on the radio pack. If their luck held out, the breakthrough would go well the way; despite the original expectations, it seemed the Soviets were not expecting an attack from outside their encirclement, and certainly not from the west. A little more pressure, and their lines would collapse, opening up the escape route. The hauptmann looked to both Gerhard and Hans, who, tired as they looked, nodded in response to his silent question.
"Fourth Platoon! Let's keep moving! Für das Vaterlande!"
The soldiers of Fourth Platoon rallied to the old battle cry and advanced behind their captain, moving to take the Soviet troops head on. Behind them, the citizens of Berlin cheered their troops on as they left, pushing further into the besieged city.
Review Notes
Two larger chapters rewritten in a single night. Sounds good, but I'm also quite tired. Probably take a break tomorrow night and let the creation juices replenish. But it won't be long before I start working on an entirely new chapter, I think!