Chapter VI: The Land of The Ancient Style


Nomonhan

Northeast China

It's almost half into noon when the B-737 carrying Japan National Sensha-do Team started their approach to official airfield of China Tankequan Association (CTA) or Zhongguo Tankequan Xiehui, an equivalent of Japan Sensha-do Federation. All C-5Ms already there and has disembarked their load safely. Right now, the officials from World Sensha-do Federation are currently checking the tanks if they shall eligible to be played according to World Federation's rules.

Turns out, Instructor Chouno is already there, flying a day earlier via Federation's Learjet 35 to the premises as her duty as Supreme Commander. The girls are very excited seeing her again.

"Where have you been, Instructor Chouno?" asked Saori.

"Doing things, Supreme Commander's duty is more of protocolar. I have to attend technical meeting with Chinese officials yesterday, and make sure that the ground is fair for us to played on." replied Ami Chouno.

"How is it fair if we just see the ground today?" asked Emi.

"Well, it's something called 'home ground advantage' isn't it?" said Ami Chouno.

"So, how's the ground?" asked Miho.

"Seems alright, though I'm not so sure. If China has home ground advantage, they would have known how to make advantage of the terrain that seems innocent to us."

"As we fear, then," said Erika.

"Can't helped it... Oh, by the way, today's judges are from Australia. Ms. Catherine Woods, Ms. Alice Sheffield, and Ms. Chloe McMoran. And speaking of our opponent..."

A beautiful girl, about the same age as Ami Chouno, wearing Chinese military attire, entering the premises. She has a sharp eye, like a hunting eagle that pierce into anyone's hearts dare to stare on it.

"This is Supreme Commander of Chinese National Team, Liu Yiren. She got her sensha-do training in Japan, you know,"

"We called it Tankequan here, Chouno-sama," said Liu Yiren, "so I guess this is your girls? Seems promising, but I won't be lenient despite this is an exhibition match."

"With World Championship very close, I don't expect any less," said Ami Chouno.

"I guess we've seen in the same eye here," said Liu Yiren, "my team will be ready in the minutes, so I guess you must prepare yourself also,"

"Where's your team anyway?" asked Ami Chouno.

"My Field Commander is rather strict about this. She insist only meet her counterpart just before the match. But please don't think about her in the wrong way. She's a nice person outside the game,"

"By the way, who is your Field Commander?" asked Miho.

"Oh, we called her Liang'er," said Liu Yiren.

"It's a pretty name," said Miho.

"A pretty girl also, but when she's in battle, she's anything but pretty," said Liu Yiren.

Miho startled to hear it.

"I think it's almost the time, please tell your girls to get ready, and I'll go get my girls," said Liu Yiren.

"Okay, thank you," said Ami Chouno.

"See you soon, Girls, and by the way, should you have wondered, the choosing of Nomonhan is not due to its history. Nomonhan are one of our best tank training field which close to the coast, so don't worry," Liu Yiren winked.

Liu Yiren then jump to her vehicle and driving away to her team.

"Alright, you girls better be ready," said Ami Chouno.

"What for?" asked Miho.

"Pre-match salute, of course. Protocol in the world match is a little bit different from our local match, so make sure you tuck your uniform well. All of you, come along!"

Everyone then follows Ami Chouno to the spot where the opening salute will be held. Near them, on the runway, 4 surveillance drone of Wing Loong II took off the runway to observe the match. Ami Chouno said that while Japan strictly use WW II-era surveillance plane such as P1Y1 Ginga, World Federation allowed the judge plane to be accompanied by surveillance drone. This would give better coverage as well as helping the judges in making decision. The official plane for judges itself is a B-25 Mitchell. Two judges will be aboard the plane and control the surveillance drone, and one, the head judge, stayed on the ground as a liaison official as well as recap the match.

Head judge from Australia, Ms. Catherine Woods already standing in the salute site while watching her watch and coordinating with the judges in the air for position. Two officials are stand beside her, each bearing national flag of Japan and People's Republic of China. A brass band of CTA also stand by at nearby. The Japanese team arrived first, and Miho, Erika, Shizuka dan Erwin walk forward in the inner row with the rest of the girls forming rows few steps behind them. Chinese team arrived few seconds after.

Chinese team wears their uniform of modified hanfu with mosh-green based and red collar, with short red plaid skirt and Mao-style cap. Six girls rise in the front, and they all wearing jade pendant in their clothes, 5 has tiger shaped, but one taken the shape of coiled dragon. Each of the tiger pendant girl wears twin-tails with ribbon of different color: leaf green, crimson, pink, yellow, and purple. While the one wearing dragon pendant wears light blue ribbon and also carry a swan-feather fan. This must be their Field Commander.

"Commanders, front and center!" Ms. Catherine Woods give command.

Miho and the dragon-pendant girl stepped to the front of the pack, just few feet from each others. The dragon-pendant girl then bows, which Miho awkwardly bows back.

"I am Zhu Liang'er, Field Commander of China National Team," said Liang'er.

"Oh, hello, and my name is..."

"Nishizumi Miho. Your reputation is, can be said, precede you,"

"Oh, yes. I.. I'm pleased to meet you, Liang'er-san,"

"These are, what I called as, my Five Tiger Generals: Yu'er on green, Fei'er on red, Yun'er on pink, Cao'er on yellow, and Zhong'er on purple. Not only the ribbon on their hair, the same ribbon applied on the trim of their tanks also."

"Nice to meet you all!"

Everyone then bowed.

"These are my captains: Itsumi Erika, Tsuruki Shizuka, and Erwin-san. Hopefully we will have a good match," said Miho.

"I'm looking forward to it, but please don't expect me to be lenient. We, Chinese, must entertain our guests well, don't you think so?"

"Eh, yes..."

Miho and Liang'er silent as Ms. Woods as head judge steps forward. The flag bearers then walked to the side of Miho and Liang'er, each of their corresponding flags.

"All rise, let's hear the national anthem of Japan!" said Ms. Woods.

Miho, and all the Japan teams seems amused with all these. The international match was a different level than what they used to be. And when brass band played "Kimi Ga Yo", reality sink in. This is not an ordinary school battle. Now they're representing their country, there's national pride at stake. This made them very solemn as the national anthem played, some even sing along. After that, brass band played national anthem of China, "March of The Volunteer". Unlike the Japan team which still shy in singing, all China team, officials, guards, even spectators rise up and sing it out loud, creating a roaring wall of sound. This gave a little terror in the heart of the Japan sensha-doin, but Miho doesn't seems to be affected.

"Now, let's both teams salute on each other!" said Ms. Woods.

"Let's have a great match today!" all the teams bowed to each other.

"Today is an Exhibition Match between Japan and The People's Republic of China. Match type would be Flag Tank Battle, and match will be begin at noon. Both teams please go your tanks and prepare to move to the assigned starting locations. After both teams arrived at their starting locations, then you must wait for the signal to begin the match. Do you all understand?" said Ms. Woods.

"Yes, we understand!" said both teams.

"Now I want a good, clean, match! Any violation of the rules will be severely punished! Dismissed, and go to your tanks!"

Both teams then dismissed, and quickly ran to get to their tank. Ami Chouno and Liu Yiren goes to the separate VIP place to observe the match using any available cameras, unlike any other spectators which have to rely entirely on the giant screens. Everyone now see both teams has already drove their tanks to their assigned positions. The flag tank of Japan is Tiger I commanded by Erika Itsumi, while flag tank of China is a Type-97 Shinhoto Chi-Ha commanded directly by Liang'er. Everyone in Japan team, especially the company captains study their map carefully since China is in advantage of playing on their own ground.

"Test, Miho, this is Erika," said Erika via radio.

"Yes, Erika-san, loud and clear," said Miho.

"What do you think the battle will be?" asked Erika.

"Very difficult to answer that since we don't know the terrain nor the compositions of their tanks. We just hope to fight as best as we could,"

"I heard that they mixed both western and eastern tanks, but doesn't clear which one with which. However I believe we have a greater chance to win by the sheer power of our tanks,"

"I won't be so sure though, Flag Tank Battle is always a battle I fear the most, since you only need to immobilize enemy's flag tank to win. That would made the battle is up for everyone to grab."

"Don't worry about that, Tiger I won't be so easy to be subdued by some tanks. Whittman has proved it."

"I heard that Chinese Team has T-34/85 and IS-2 in their arsenals, those could beat a Tiger easily," said Erwin.

"Okay, now we have things to worry," said Erika.

"What do you think, Shizuka-san?" asked Miho.

Shizuka silent for a minute.

"I think, 'if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained, you will also suffer a defeat,' that's what I'm thinking."

"The Art of War?" asked Erwin.

"Their commander, Liang'er, though seems bubbly and cheerful girls, she's like a deep ocean that difficult to fathom. Like an iceberg, there's more of her than what we've seen. I don't like her aura, it give me the creeps,"

"So we know ourselves, but not our enemy..." said Erika.

"Then we shall suffer a defeat for every victory we gained. Thus this battle is going to be very very difficult," said Shizuka.

Everyone then silent.

"No matter how difficult it is, we shall fight this battle together," said Miho, "I expect every girl to do his duty. Let each of us do her utmost."

"Understood!" said everyone.

"Erika-san, I'm sorry that I have to burden you by being a flag tank," said Miho.

"Don't worry, you have the right girl for it," said Erika.

"Thank you very much, Erika-san,"

"Beside, who select a Flag Tank Battle on 30 vs 30 anyway?"

Tanks then stopped after reaching the intended starting location. Miho watch closely around and realizing how unfamiliar she is with this terrain and landscape. It's not like Japan don't have this kind of landscape, but in the foreign land, even a similar landscape could feel so unfamiliar.

"Something wrong, Nishizumi-dono?" asked Yukari.

"No, just... It's quite odd, I feel," said Miho.

"Well, we're in the foreign land anyway," said Hana, "even the plants here seems unfamiliar to me, and the flowers, and the scent of the land."

"Hana-san could really sense all that, aren't you?" said Saori.

Emi Nakasuga moved her tank next to Miho's.

"What's the plan?" asked Emi.

"Protect the flag tank at all cost, then we'll decide on strike plans later," replied Miho.

"Consider it done, Heavy Tank Company is up for it," said Emi.

"How about the rest of us?" asked Koume next to Miho's other side.

"Shermans are versatile tank, we should adapt our approach by any situation we might found. Light Tank Company would be our advanced team, move further forward to scout for any opposition, but proceeds carefully when you find one; do not engage unless you have to and watched for any potential ambush. Tank Destroyer Company would be attached to Medium Tank Company for fire support."

"Understood!" said Erwin dan Shizuka.

"What time right now?"

"I think it's about noon," said Emi.

"It will be started, Everyone, so please be prepared."

A giant artillery then firing a round that burst brightly in the air. It's the sign that the match is now begin.

"Everyone, Panzer vor!" said Miho.