Viet-Tri armoured division HQ, Vietnam. 1027hrs.

The T-80 main battle tanks, or MBTs, sat in rows in North Vietnam's main tank depot awaiting orders. The commander, Colonel Yon-Trig Penh, sat in his office smoking a cheap cigar. He was bored. The Chinese attack was probably another exercise. So he was surprised when the "red phone" on his desk rang. Never mind. He pressed the loudspeaker button. "Colonel Penh here." The response came over panicked, quick. "Sir, this is Captain…" the line was interrupted-"…and we are under attack from about 120 Chinese Battlemaster's. My scouts tell me that they have Emperor tanks reinforcing them. We can't hold them alone. Send your tanks. We…" The line was cut off. The Colonel spat out his cigar. "MAJOR!" He roared. His aide, Major Kun, scurried in. "Yes, Colonel?" He whimpered. "I want every crew on this base in their tanks and out on that battlefield. I mean yesterday!" Kun looked terrified. "NOW!" Yelled the Colonel. The weaselling Major ran out, grabbing the mike for the PA system. "All crews to their tanks. I repeat, all crews to their tanks…" The crews ran to their T-80's, awaiting orders when they were inside. "You are all to progress to the north of the city and stop the attack. May the gods be with you!" The Colonel stood by his office window and watched as his tanks rumbled out of the depot, heading to their deaths. Penh stooped down and picked up his cap, put it on, and left his office.

Viet-Tri, Vietnam. 1032hrs.

The Battlemaster's rumbled onto the open plain separating the edge of the jungle and Viet-Tri. The sound of enemy tanks came from the city suburbs. The old T-80's rolled onto the plain to face their enemy. The Vietnamese commander was shocked at the sheer size of the attacking force. "Sweet God-…" He never finished his sentence; a 120mm shell ripped his tank apart. The battle commenced. A Battlemaster fired at a T-80, reducing the tank to a burning fireball. Seconds later the Battlemaster was destroyed by a T-80. The battle was chaos; a numerically and technologically superior enemy was destroying the T-80's. The Emperor tanks, meanwhile, moved up to a ridge nearer the city and started lobbing shells at it. In less than four minutes the Vietnamese were in retreat. The marines moved in behind the tanks, ready for the street fighting that could possibly follow.

The ordeal was not over yet. Three Helix-2 helicopters soared overhead to swoop down on the retreating T-80's like giant killer beetles. The first Helix launched anti-armour missile, destroying a T-80. The other two attacked the anti-air defences around the city, causing havoc in amongst the inexperienced crews. Then, to make things worse, a flight of MiG 31's came down to airstrike the city. The crump of the high explosives and the whump-whump-whump of the clusters was the accompanying sound to the first Chinese tanks and marines to enter city. The city garrison had been demoralised and most surrendered. Those that resisted died in a hail of AK74 bullets. Taken prisoner along with 127 other Vietnamese soldiers was Captain Kai Hiwatari. Some soldiers, however, were ready to flee the Chinese war machine. One of these soldiers was Colonel Yon-Trig Penh of the Viet-Tri Armoured Division.

Viet-Tri armoured division HQ, Vietnam. 1040 hrs.

Colonel Penh ran across his parade ground to his car. The Chinese hadn't reached his position yet; he could still get away. Rounding a corner, he ran straight into his Major, Kun. "Sir, where are you going? Are you trying to escape? I don-…" He was shoved out of the way as the panicked Colonel attempted to escape, running down the stairs. He didn't see his aide draw his 9mm pistol, aiming in the middle of his commanders' back. The Colonel reached his car door-bang. The Colonel felt something enter his back, penetrating deep inside. He clutched the dirty door of the car as he struggled to turn and draw his pistol. He froze, as he saw, no, felt, the gun muzzle aiming at his face. His vision dimming, the Colonel lifted his head.

Cheun Kun had grown up in a fishing village in the deep south of Vietnam. Never, never, had he imagined that he become a second in command in a tank division. As he aimed down at his superior, something stopped him.

"Cheun." The Colonel was saying.

"What?"

"I shall die, of that there is no doubt. But allow me to speak. Do you really think that you can survive the Chinese? They are too big, too well equipped. You shall die. You cannot fight them. You are a coward."

Kun didn't like the c word. "Maybe. But now I have an excuse to escape to Hanoi. You will die a hero."

The next bullet entered the Colonel's head above his left eye, blowing his head apart in a shower of red. Shards of brain fluid splattered the car, mixing with the blood and the dirt.

Kun turned and ran up the stairs to Pehn's office.