Chapter 43: The Final Battle Begins
It was noon by the time Oarai reached the preparation lot for the final match. The sun shone directly above them, but the temperature was cool, the humidity was low, and the weather was dry. It was the perfect conditions for a battle. During their previous matches, Oarai's section of the spectator stands wasn't very full. Only family members and the occasional Sensha-do fan showed up back then. But that was not the case for the finals.
Stand after stand was filled with excited citizens who numbered in the thousands and even more were watching on their televisions. Some people had to sit on empty hillsides to watch. Hibiki and Hada were among them, but nobody really minded sitting on the ground. After all, it was the finals! Being able to witness it in person was worth it. Coincidentally, Yoshiko and Jungorou were sitting next to them. "So do you have someone on the team?" Yoshiko asked.
Hibiki nodded. "Yes, my son Masuda, he's the driver for the Gun Carrier Mk. 1," she answered.
"That's wonderful! My daughter, Yukari, is a loader on the Panzer IV. She was so excited when Oarai restarted their team. She absolutely adores tanks and Sensha-do," Yoshiko conversed.
"Masuda was is part of the automotive club, so that's how he got into Sensha-do," Hibiki replied.
"Really? I guess that makes sense. It is an automotive-style sport," Yoshiko said.
Away from them, at Kuromormine's section of the spectators, Shiho stood above one of the stands in a press box. Beside her was Chief Director Shichiro Kodama. "Quite the crowd we have today, hm?" he said.
"Yes," Shiho replied coldly, "let's get to the point, why have you asked to spectate the event with me over being with the officials?"
"I believe Ami can handle things," Shichiro replied, "if I may be so bold, may I ask, will you… how shall I say this… bury the hatchet with Miho if she wins today? Would that not restore her 'Nishizumi honor' in your view?"
Shiho stared out the window at the crowd below. "I have no comment on that matter," she answered.
"Come on Shiho, there's no need to be so hostile to her over losing-"
"You don't understand," Shiho interrupted.
"Understand what?" Shichiro pressed.
Shiho groaned and put her hands in her face, a surprising sign of weakness in the stoic woman. "It never was about honor…" she whispered. She rose again. "I don't want to speak of this any further."
The members of Anglerfish Team looked back at their tank in the small garages of the prep lot. Each tank had a garage for them with a few tools and such inside just in case there were any troubles on the way there. "Everything looks good, right?" Miho asked.
"The gun is ready," Hana replied.
"All our ammo is loaded up!" Yukari answered excitedly with a salute.
"It's full of fuel and well maintained. It should be good enough," Mako added.
"Our signals are clear and everyone has called in," Saori finished.
Miho smiled. "Thank you, good work," she complimented.
The team heard graceful footsteps behind them and turned around. Just as they did, Darjeeling, Orange Pekoe, and Assam had arrived. "Good day," Darjeeling greeted.
"Oh, good day Darjeeling!" Miho replied cheerfully, "it's been a while."
"It has. I would have never expected Oarai to make it to the finals," Darjeeling said.
"The odds were quite low. No team has ever made it to the finals in their first attempt before," Assam commented.
"We just worked hard and came together as a team when it mattered most," Miho replied.
"Indeed, Oarai has made a great and noble effort to make it this far. We'll be cheering you on today," Darjeeling said.
A jeep rocketed past the garage, sending a cloud of dust up in the air behind it and a gust of wind that battered the girls. "Hey, Darjeeling, Miho!" Kay called out as she jumped down from the jeep as it slid to a stop.
"Must you really make so much ruckus when you arrive Kay?" Darjeeling asked, patting down her uniform and fixing her hair.
"Don't be such a stick in the mud!" Kay jabbed playfully. "How's it going, Miho?" she asked.
Miho giggled at Kay's antics. "I'm good, Kay," she replied.
"Good to hear!" Kay exclaimed, "we're here to cheer you on! Kuromormine doesn't have a chance against you, not with our Saunders girls on your team!"
"Thanks for being here Kay," Miho thanked. "Eagle Team has been incredibly helpful and friendly. It's been a pleasure to have them."
Another pair of former opponents joined the growing group. "Captain Nishizumi, good luck in the match today," Nishi said as she approached with Tamada eagerly following her.
"Thank you, Nishi," Miho replied, feeling a bit bashful with so many people approaching her.
Another pair of vehicles parked nearby the garage. One was a large truck, the Soviet Zis-6 with the Pravda emblem on the doors. The other was the Italian AS42 without any armament. Nonna and Katyusha got out of the Zis-6 and approached the garage after Katyusha got on Nonna's shoulders first. Anchovy dramatically jumped out of the AS42 by hopping over the doors and leaving them closed.
"Mihosha!" Katyusha called out with a friendly wave.
"Katyusha, Nonna, it's good to see you here too," Miho greeted.
"I did say we'd come to cheer you on in the finals," Katyusha replied, "but I did also promise that we'd beat you next time, so be on the lookout!"
Darjeeling giggled. "Even on friendly visits, you can't help but make threats," she noted.
"That's so Russian…" Kay added.
"Silence, or you'll be defeated next!" Katyusha scolded.
"Hey, don't forget about me!" Anchovy shouted, breaking the mold, "I came here too you know. And we'll beat all of you for sure!"
"Anchovy, I'm glad to see you too," Miho said, interrupting the exchange of threats.
Anchovy turned to her excitedly. "Of course, Anzio would never miss an opportunity such as this! We've even brought our mobile kitchen to celebrate your upcoming victory!" she exclaimed.
Miho giggled. "We still have to win you know, but I appreciate the support."
Anchovy shrugged. "Well, pasta is good comfort food too, so if you lose we can still cheer you back up!"
"I'm not sure that's the right attitude…" Saori commented, "those carbs will go straight to your waist."
"Well, we appreciate your support, Anchovy," Miho thanked.
After that, everyone left to find a spot to watch the match or to check up on their transfers on Oarai's team. "Wow, I didn't expect everyone we've faced this year to be here to cheer us on!" Yukari exclaimed.
"I think it shows how far good sportsmanship can go," Hana added, "we've shown nothing but respect, despite our occasional conflicts, to our opponents and they are willing to pay it back."
"I think you're right Hana," Miho agreed, "but it certainly helps that everyone else is so friendly as well."
"Of course, respect is a two-way street, just like love!" Saori added.
Mako groaned and shook her head. "Not everything relates to love Saori," she huffed. "But yeah… I agree…" she relented.
Miho smiled and put her hand on the front of the Panzerbefehlswagen VI Ausf. H's hull. "Since we have their support, let's give everyone our best!" she exclaimed.
Hana, Mako, Yukari, and Saori joined her and put their hands over hers. "Let's give everyone our best!" Anglerfish Team shouted together.
On a wide-open field, far from their tanks, the members of Kuromormine and Oarai's Sensha-do teams faced each other once again for the first time in 20 years. To say the tensions were high would be an understatement. The co-ed and cooperative style of Oarai contrasted with the regimented female-only style of Kuromormine. Black and red conflicted with blue and white, garrison caps faced steel helmets, and diversity faced order.
In the center were two sisters apart, but near to each other. Miho's eyes met Maho's, but the two did not exchange any words. I'm sorry Miho, but I can't let you win. The Nishizumi Style must be upheld and boys cannot continue in Sensha-do, Maho thought silently.
We have to win. For Oarai, for my teammates, for Ross and Natalie… Miho thought as well.
Erika glared at William who stood next to Miho with Momo on the other side. "You don't belong here. Boys don't belong in Sensha-do. You're lucky you've made it this far without getting anyone killed," she stated coldly.
"Individual mistakes and actions do not dictate the behavior of an entire group," William countered calmly.
Erika grit her teeth in frustration. "Whatever, let's start the match," she spat.
Ami Chono nodded. "Are both sides ready to commence?" she asked. Miho and Maho nodded silently in response. "Very well," Ami continued, "congratulations on making it to the finals of the 63rd National High School Sensha-do Tournament. Both teams please bow."
"Let's have a good match!" both teams shouted while bowing.
"Alright everyone, return to your vehicles and advance to the starting point," Ami directed.
But before they completely separated Erika had one last thing to say, "Don't get all cocky just because you managed to make it this far by chance. Just wait and see, we'll destroy your heresy."
Miho didn't stop to look at her, not giving her the satisfaction or time of day. William on the hand had something to add. "The only thing being destroyed today is the poor drivetrains of your oversized fat cats," he jabbed. He didn't turn to see it, but he could feel Erika's face reddening with anger and smirked to himself.
"Don't let her get to you like that," Miho warned.
"Don't worry… I'm just handing back what's being dealt," Willaim replied with a satisfied smile.
Miho sighed. Momo looked at her with a bit of sympathy. "I hear you captain, he's irritating to deal with," she said.
"Oh come on! I'm just holding my ground!" William protested.
Ross watched the television anxiously beside Natalie. The match had yet to begin and the only thing being shown was commentary and commercials. "Man, all these guys are saying is how unlikely it is for Oarai to win. Have they actually studied the teams or are they just getting paid by Kuromormine to say that to boost their ego?" he complained.
Pastor Barnes chuckled. He sat on the other side of Natalie's bed. "Maybe they are," he replied nonchalantly.
"It sucks, I wish I could be out there right now…" Ross mumbled.
"But Natalie needs you here right now," Pastor Barnes said.
"You're right… I know I made the right decision being here, but it still sucks," Ross replied with a sigh.
"I know, but I'm sure they'll be fine without you," Pastor Barnes assured.
A soft knock on the door took their attention away from the television. Chi looked up from her computer and looked at Ross as if silently asking if he wanted her to let the visitor in. Ross nodded. She left her workstation and opened the door.
"Hi, is this Natalie's room?" a middle age woman with short blonde hair asked. Next to her was a man around the same age with darker blonde hair that was almost brown.
"Yes, may I ask who you are?" Chi asked.
Ross's eyes widened as he saw the two. "You can let them in Chi," he said. He got up and walked over. "They're Lisette's parents," he explained.
Chi stepped back and let them into the room. Lisette's mother quickly hugged Ross warmly. "It's been so long Ross…" she said.
Ross smiled and returned the hug. "Yeah, it has," he simply replied.
"Halley, Wilson, it's good to see you made it!" Pastor Barnes greeted.
"I wish we could have got here sooner… I'd hate to be stuck at work if…" Wilson trailed off.
"I understand. Thankfully you don't need to worry anymore. Come in, have a seat, and watch the finals with us," Pastor Barnes invited.
Halley and Ross separated. "First, how is Natalie? Lisette filled us in, but I want to hear it from you," Halley asked.
"She's better than how she was a few weeks ago, but she's still in a medical coma. The doctors are doing another round of tests tonight to determine if they can take her out of the coma. They can only do that if the infection has been cured," Ross explained, "but there's also the chance that she might not come out of it immediately."
Halley went over and stroked her granddaughter's hair gently. "It's horrible that something like this happened to you sweetie…" she whispered sadly.
Wilson went over and put his arm over his wife's shoulder comfortingly. "It's going to be alright. She's strong… just like her parents."
Oarai tensely waited in a long line for the signal to begin the match to be fired. They occupied a small field east of Mt. Aso. While she waited in her commander's cupola, Miho looked at the tanks around her and reflected on the journey the team had taken up to this crucial moment.
To her left was Leopard Team. The Type 100 had been commanded by Ross for the previous four matches and was one of the three tanks to transfer from Schwarzadler. The formidable medium tank was a solid design, although under-armored compared to its firepower. Now it was being commanded by Lisette in Ross's absence. Lisette noticed Miho looked at her and gave her a reassuring thumbs up. "You're not feeling weak or anything, Lisette?" Miho asked over the radio.
"I haven't felt like this in a long time Miho," Lisette admitted, "I forgot how great it felt to be in the commander's position… nothing could knock me down. I'll give you everything I have!"
"Please, just be careful," Miho warned, "but I am glad you're happy to be in the commander's position.
Next to Leopard Team was Atrox Team. The Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. H2 reminded her a lot of her old Tiger tank that she commanded last year. Even if it had the different Panther turret, it still had the same boxy armor of the Tiger. Its commander, William, had done so much to help keep the team in shape in her absence. Not to mention the previous work his team had contributed in the months they've spent at Oarai.
Then there was Hyena Team. If anyone could rival her out-of-the-box thinking, Joseph could do it. After all, what madman would think to use trained carrier pigeons for reconnaissance? All three pigeons, Kleinetaube, Mittleretaube, and Großetaube were aboard the T1E1. The American heavy tank that replaced their stricken Elefant tank destroyer was a beast with thick armor and two guns, a powerful 90mm and a solid 37mm mounted next to it.
Miho's eyes fell on the new and improved Turtle Team with the Stormartillerievagn M/43. They had a rough start. I wish they didn't feel the need to force me on the team and use my friends against me… but I can understand why they were so desperate, Miho thought. Without her as the captain, who knows if Oarai would have come so far? But still, the student council did a lot of the work forming the team, especially Yuzu. She felt incredibly grateful for their work.
The next three tanks, Rabbit Team, Hippo Team, and Duck Team were among the original team that went to battle together in their first match against St. Gloriana. The M3 Grant, the StuG III, and PT-1A don't look as strong as some of the other heavy or advanced tanks, but she knew they could punch well above their weight. With the team's help, Azusa and her team were one of the fastest-growing teams. She might make a good captain someday, Miho pondered. Of course, Erwin might challenge her for that position just based on her tank knowledge alone. Noriko had a strong spirit as well. Any of them would be wonderful captains themselves and are great tank commanders.
It felt like ages ago when Miho first met the feuding rocketry club. Mongrel and Medaka Team were the first tanks to be added to the team after it was properly established. Nothing screamed, "superior firepower" like the massive rocket racks of the T34E2. Of course, the KV-1K had several kills of its own. She wouldn't want to be the tanks on the opposing side of their rockets.
Nothing encapsulates Oarai's eccentricity like Eagle Team, which is ironic, because they were the first trophy tank to be added. But they were right at home in Oarai as well. Their singing and carefree nature were only rivaled by their desire to fight. Their T22E1 was a great medium tank, with agility and a high fire rate. They were perfect for the guerrilla operations that they planned for this battle.
To her right, the pair of Meadowlark Team and Wildcat Team were wildcards of their own. A flying tank and siege artillery may stretch the traditional definition of a tank, but they had proved their worth and Miho knew they would be important assets in the battle to come.
Pheasant Team was their second trophy tank, this time from their battle with Chi-Ha-Tan. They weren't very powerful, the Type 95 Ha-Go was too limited by its design to directly face many of their opponents. But Fukuda was one of their most spirited commanders, despite her fear of direct combat. When they left to return to Chi-Ha-Tan, the team would definitely miss them, but they will definitely improve Chi-Ha-Tan's team with lessons learned from Oarai.
Regrettably, Baiji Team and the Sensha-do team were not on good terms for a while after they first met. But they reconciled and the swim team and the LVT-(A)24 were certainly another unique addition to the team. Maybe they'll be able to do some amphibious operations today. We haven't had the chance to use that ability yet.
After she left Kurmormine, Miho thought she'd never have the chance to fight alongside Koume again. Unlike a lot of Kuromormine's Sensha-do team, she and Koume were alike in not fitting into the rigid atmosphere. They felt stifled and out of place. While the accident last year forced Miho out permanently, Koume would return to Kuromormine after this battle. I wish you the best… Miho thought. Of course, Carpaccio was a valued member of the team as well. They were a great team together.
Mallard, Luca, Anteater, and Leopon Team were very promising. For them, this would be their first or second battle. Their tanks, the Char B1 Bis, MTLS-1GI4, Type 3 Chi-Nu Kai, and Panzerbefehlswagen VI (P) were all unique in their own ways but were still capable fighting machines. If we win today, I know they'll have a great career on the team.
Chamois Team, the T-IV-100 from Pravda High School was the last tank on the right flank. Again, the tank reminded her of her own Tiger that she left behind at Kuromormine, but its 100mm gun definitely packed more of a punch than the already powerful 88mm Kwk 36 of the regular Tiger I. Katrina had a longstanding rivalry with the former members of Schwarzadler High School, but it seems like both sides wanted to move on. I'm glad they don't hate each other like they used to. Plus Katrina seems like a genuinely nice girl, and that tank is pretty powerful. Good thing they're on our side now, Miho thought amusingly.
She stopped looking over the team's tank and looked down at her tank. The Panzerbefehlswagen VI Ausf. H that was once derelict and forgotten was a revitalized fighting machine that would be their flag tank for this important match. But more importantly, it was crewed by girls who had an incredibly close bond. What did these girls have that brought them close together? They came from completely different walks of life and had different interests. Hana was an elegant refined lady from a respected flower arrangement family. Saori was a hopeless romantic. Yukari was a shy, anxious tank enthusiast who didn't have friends before she joined the team. Mako was a sleepy genius who was always late to school. And Miho… she only came to Oarai looking for a regular, boring high school life away from Sensha-do after she had been disgraced from her family. What brought them together? Was it chance? Was it fate? It didn't matter, because they formed a close-knit team that would lead Oarai's Sensha-do team and they needed that team if they wanted to win and preserve their school.
The loud explosion of anti-aircraft shells fired into the sky shattered Miho's thoughts. Everyone sprang into battle mode and focused entirely on the task ahead of them now. "Battle begin!" Ami declared over the radio.
"Panzer vor!" Miho declared, "Operation Lure Em' In commence!"
The team surged forward. All 21 tanks came alive and filled the surrounding area with the roar of powerful engines, feats of engineering fueled by decades of progress. The sheer power of the war machines was only rivaled by their determination to win. Meadowlark Team sped ahead of everyone. "See you all at the victory ceremony!" Melitta declared as the tank soared into the air.
In front of the team was Mt. Aso, with a minor hill to its north that was their target. "Guerrilla Team, break away and follow Meadowlark Team, Tannenburg Team, advance to your pre-designated ambush zone, Artillery Team, fall back, but follow the Main Team by roughly four kilometers," Miho ordered.
Medaka, Wildcat, and Baiji team slowed down and let the rest of the team pull ahead. Meanwhile, Atrox, Leopard, Hyena, Mongrel, and Chamois Team turned left onto a path to the team's left and headed further north. Ahead of the Main Team, Eagle, Turtle, Duck, and Pheasant Team raced forward in a spread-out cluster with Meadowlark Team in the sky further ahead. "Good luck everyone!" Miho called out over the radio.
Melitta smirked as the M1932 raced through the air. "Happy hunting!" she replied.
From his position, Manfred scanned the landscape. They started in a forested area, where a manmade field cut through the trees. The field led to their hill target, roughly ten or so kilometers ahead. Around the forest was a large grassland and in the far distance was a large river and a city on the other side. In the backdrop of all this was Mt. Aso, the largest active volcano in Japan, and it was quite the sight. As he continued to scan the landscape through his periscopes he noticed a disturbance in the tall grass of the fields beyond the forest. "I think I see something in the fields at roughly two o'clock," he said over the vehicle's intercom.
"Should we descend a little and take a look?" Melitta asked. She slightly adjusted the flying tank so that it was flying a little more to the right.
"We should, it could lead us to a forward element of Kuromormine," Manfred suggested.
"Or the entire team. Remember how Miho said they always stayed together in formation," Melitta replied.
"Regardless, let's take a look-" he started before he was cut off. A flurry of streaks shot up from the forest below. It flew through the air so quickly Meadowlark Team couldn't react. Luckily, it flew past them. "Contact!" he exclaimed.
"Meadowlark Team, reporting contact!" Melitta radioed in. She yanked at the control levers to cause the flying tank to dive moderately toward the ground.
As they descended, Manfred was able to identify a tank directly ahead of them. Its smoking twin barrels glared at him. "That's a freaking Kugelblitz!" he shouted in panic.
"Alright, finally someone who can fire back at us!" Melitta shouted back. She slammed the throttle forward and the propellor roared as it picked up speed. "Get the 75mm ready, let's take it out!" she shouted.
Manfred grabbed a shell from a rack beside him and loaded his short barrel gun. The hull roof armor should be thin enough, he thought. However, the duel guns of the Kugelblitz were reloaded and were ready to fire on the flying tank again. Before it began firing though, four Panther tanks nearby had their commanders outside the hatches with MG34s mounted on their cupolas. The light machine guns came to life, spitting out a storm of bullets into the sky.
"Hoo boy!" Melitta exclaimed as the flurry of bullets scraped against their armor as they flew above the treetops, "give 'em hell Manfred!"
The 75mm fired, shaking the flying tank. The shell shakily flew towards the Kugelblitz and hit the ground nearby with an explosion. The flying tank then zoomed over the Kugelblitz, briefly relieving them of its danger. Melitta began turning the flying tank around with a heavily banked turn.
At the spectator stands, the fans were wowed by the aerial performance. Hada smiled at his seat on the hillside as he watched his former tank soar through the air, dodging bullets and 30mm rounds. "That's awesome," he simply said.
The M1932 faced its ground adversary again and began closing the distance. "I'm going to use a rocket or two on it!" Melitta shouted. The tank closed in on the open space in the forest the Kugelblitz occupied. The Panthers were on the outer edges of the clearing but ran out of bullets in their current belts to fire on the M1932 as it dipped right as the treeline ended. "Firing!" Melitta shouted. She slammed her finger on the left trigger and fired a single rocket from one of the bazookas. She then yanked the levers back to lift the tank out of the clearing. The rocket flew under them and blasted the left track of the Kugelblitz, immobilizing it, but not knocking it out.
As it soared back over Kugelblitz and then the treeline, Melitta swung the M1932 back around to face the clearing. The Panther commanders had reloaded their MGs again right as they faced each other once more. This time, the bullets focused on the wings and rocket launchers. As they peppered tiny holes into the steel, Melitta made a quick decision. "We're pulling out!" she shouted and swung the tank back around.
However, the ball turret of the Kugelblitz had spun around to face the flying tank once more. As the M1932 turned, it exposed its underbelly to the antiaircraft tank. The duel 30mms fired again, sending a flurry of rounds towards the M1932. The flurry sheered a piece of the bottom right-wing clean off, causing the lift to become unbalanced. The flying tank spun right as the left-wing overpowered the right wing. Melitta grit her teeth with determination. She wouldn't be taken down by something like this! She swung the levers again to adjust the control surfaces to pull the right wing up. Momentarily, the tank began to lose altitude before it righted itself a nice distance away from the Kugelblitz and Kuromormine. "Woohoo!" Melitta cheered as the tank flew normally again.
"Oh dear God, you're going to get us killed…" Manfred bemoaned.
A flash of light caught Miho's eye briefly before a large explosion racked her formation of tanks. She looked right quickly and saw a massive collection of tank barrels pointing directly at them through the forest. "Contact, right, four o'clock!" she shouted over the radio, "fire smoke shells to obscure them! We can't face them head-on right now!"
Immediately, the main group's turrets began turning as Kuromormine's massive guns began firing at them. They were only a few hundred meters away, and the sound was tremendous. "Leopon, Anteater, block their sight of the flag tank!" Miho ordered.
"You got it!" Nakajima replied.
"W-we'll do our best," Nekonya added. The Type 3 Chi-Nu Kai and Porsche Tiger positioned themselves to shield Miho from incoming fire.
"Should I radio in artillery fire, Miho?" Saori asked.
"That would be a good idea!" Miho replied before Oarai's open guns deafened any communication. A wall of smoke burst out over the forest area between Oarai giving them some much-needed cover. They must have rushed through the forest to intercept us… Maho's intuition is still spot on… Miho thought. "Fire a five plus two barrage!" Miho commanded, "make it spread out!"
"Five rockets, coming up!" Canaveral replied eagerly. Kennedy was already at work inputting the coordinates with her gun controls.
In the Gun Carrier Mk. 1, the gun crew was already loading a shell into the massive gun breech. As the powder charge slid into place, Isao aimed the gun into the sky according to their calculations. "Gun ready!" Seiji called out.
"Send 'em to Hell!" Victoria demanded.
The 8-inch howitzer let out a powerful roar that trembled the ground around them. Then the rockets from Medaka Team ignited, sending a cloud of smoke from each rocket pod as they ignited one-by-one in quick succession. In the gun carrier, Kyo yanked open the gun breech before it had even a moment to cool down. The spent powder casing fell onto the loading tray with a clang. It was so hot that it was still smoking. Seiji jammed another shell into the blazing cannon and Kyo followed by shoving the powder charge in behind it. They were moving so fast that they didn't even bother using the loading tray. "Gun ready!" Seiji called out again while tossing the spent powder casing aside.
Isao wasted no time and tugged at the firing cord. Again, the howitzer roared and shook the battlefield with its fierce might and power.
The area around Kuromormine's tanks erupted into a powerful, fiery explosion that pushed away the smoke from Oarai's smoke shells. Black smoke replaced the white smoke as explosions blazed around Kurmormine's tanks.
Erika held her arms in front of her face to block the blast of wind caused by the artillery strike. She grit her teeth and pushed her from her face as the strike faded. As the smoke cleared, she was relieved to see that the Jagdpanzer IV/70 (V)s and the pair of Panthers that made up the frontline of their current formation were scorched, but not severely damaged by the explosion. "What cowards, hiding behind long-range weapons. Sturmpanzers, destroy them!" she demanded.
At the outer flanks of the rear group that was only a few hundred meters deeper in the forest than the frontline, four unique assault guns in two pairs drove ahead of the two Tiger IIs that protected the flank of the flag tank, the Tiger 1 Ausf. E. In front of this formation were two Jagdtigers, one of the most powerful tank destroyers of the Second World War. "Don't chase them in too deep," Maho warned stoically from her position in the cupola of the Tiger I.
The formation, now led by the Sturmpanzer 43s, nicknamed Brummbär, emerged from the forest. Already a fair distance ahead of them, Oarai raced to their objective. "They are just in range, Vice-Captain Itsumi, shall we bombard them?" one of the Brummbär's commanders asked.
"Do it," Erika stated.
The four Brummbärs stopped and aimed their short 150mm guns toward Oarai's formation. The guns pointed into the sky at a much shallower angle than the Gun Carrier Mk. 1 would, and fired. Although they were a smaller caliber, the four guns were multitudes louder than the single howitzer. The shells flew into the sky lazily and arced between the two tank formations. They raced towards Oarai and exploded in another magnificent eruption of fire and smoke.
Erika glared through her binoculars awaiting the results of the strike. Unfortunately for her, the Panzer IV and most of its escorts raced further toward their hilltop objective.
All of them except one. The Chi-Nu Kai slowed to a stop as one of its treads shredded to pieces of track links. "We've been immobilized!" Momoga, the driver of the tank cried out.
"No way!" Nekonya exclaimed.
"Maybe we can still take one of them out before they take us out!" Piyotan suggested hurriedly. She began slowly rotating the turret. "Momoga, turn the hull around if you still can!"
"Anteater, are you okay?!" Miho asked. She shot out of her commander's hatch to assess the damage as the distance grew between them and Anteater Team. "Wait! We can't leave them behind!" she called out.
"No, don't stop! Kuromomrine will destroy us if we do!" Azusa argued back over the radio.
"L-leave us, we'll buy you some time!" Nekonya shakily radioed in.
The Chi-Nu Kai rotated slowly to face Kuromorimine as they took aim. "Only one tank?" Erika asked irately, "fine, one of you take it out."
Piyotan stared down her gun sights and aimed the powerful Type 5 gun at the first tank she saw, a Panther near the center of the frontline. After Nekonya hastily rammed a shell into the gun, she pulled the trigger. The cannon fired just as the other Panther fired its own gun. The shells raced to their targets and impacted the front armor of both tanks, knocking them out.
Miho gripped her cupola angrily. It felt horrible, leaving a stricken comrade behind. "At least we got one of them," Nekonya reported as her tank settled from the impact, "good luck with the rest of the match!"
It didn't ease Miho's frustration as she shrunk back into the turret. "I should have known they'd bring something like a Brummbär…" she muttered angrily as the team put distance between themselves and Anteater.
"Miho…" Hana said gently, "don't worry about it, they'll be fine."
"It's not that… I just… I don't want tanks getting left behind," Miho replied sadly.
"Some tanks are going to get knocked out. That's just the nature of Sensha-do," Yukari added.
"I know that, but maybe we could have done something else-"
"You can't change the past, only the present," Mako stated, "let's keep going forward so their sacrifice isn't in vain."
Miho sighed and pulled herself together. "You're right, sorry," she replied. She looked out of her periscope and saw that they were not beginning to ascend up the hill. She turned to look behind them and saw Kuromomine entering their range. "Alright, phase one of Operation: Lure 'Em In is complete, begin phase two, Operation Smokey smokes!" she called out.
William overheard the radio transmission as his group rounded the back of the hill. "How does she even come up with such… unique? Yeah, unique, names?" he wondered to himself.
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Up Next on Girls und Panzer: Tank Aces
Chapter 44: Legacy of Tannenburg!