Girls Und Panzer: Euro League
Chapter 14: The Warrior's Code Part 2 (Oarai High School and Kuromorimine vs. The Franco-German Schools)
The final match has begun with Commander Wolfe attacking all the Maus's weak points, and immobilizing it. They went into the valley, and attacked Kuromorimine from the rear. As the tank destroyers fired their shots into the Maus, they went with our newly-formed plan to snuff out the trap up on the hills, but something did not sit well with me.
Like charging cavalry flanking unsuspecting infantry, the tanks of Kuromorimine did not have enough time to react and those the Germans plowed through them. With Commandant Rousseau, Peneaux and Braun advancing up the with me, we were met by resistance in the form of an M3 Lee, a Type 89 Otsu, and a Hetzer tank hunter.
Commandant Rousseau hit the underbelly of the Lee tank while I handled the Type 89, and Peneaux disposed of the Hetzer. On the German side, I watched as the two King Tigers, two Panthers, and the Tiger drew a line in the sand and started hitting back at Commander Wolfe's three Indien-Panzers, and Commandant Joffre's ELC-AMX Bis.
"I don't like this," radioed Commander Braun,
"I agree, something is not right," replied Bernadette from her AMX-50 Foch.
Our fears were realized when a 8.8cm high-velocity shell hit the tracks and damaged the road wheels of her Jagermeister Panther, "God Almighty!" Elsa blasted as her tank destroyer was immobilized, "our tracks have been damaged and I cannot move, we are out of the match!" she radioed to me and my teammates. it was now up to us.
"You helped take down a Maus, you deserve credit," I radioed back, and saw a StuG III, a Chi-Nu Kai, and a Tiger P attacking our position on the hills. Commandant Peneaux swung the 'Elephant Gun' around as to not expose her weak side and rear armor, "Let's get them, Peneaux, we fight!" I radioed to Team Ste. Martha as we fought back.
A 7.5cm shell bounced off the 180mm frontal armor of her tank hunter, "Oh no, you did NOT just shoot that at me!" Commandant Peneaux blasted, and hit back hitting the Chi-Nu Kai in the turret. I tapped Gabby on the back to signal for more speed as we charged the bright red StuG III and the Tiger P. We can move faster than their turrets.
A 9.0cm shell from Commandant Rousseau's tank took out the StuG III hitting the lower plate while we dealt with the Tiger P, "Filion, we need help!" radioed Aurora
"We are coming for you, what is happening in the valley?" asked Cherie from her tank's radio,
"Kuromorimine is circling us in, and we are running out of ammunition, Spear and Ehrenreich are out of the match, Commandant Joffre is out to, please we need help!" Commander Wolfe said in distress. Each of our tanks had around a quarter of our magazine left for this. We rushed in as fast we could to aid our teammates in the valley.
From four hundred yards away, we started hitting back and advanced on their flanks. a 12cm shell hit the rear of one of the two King Tiger tanks while Commandant Rousseau and I teamed up with two 9.0cm shells into the rear and the tracks of the second King Tiger, "Hard left!" I ordered to Gabby as we narrowly evaded a 7.5cm shell.
We shot back, and hit the Panther in the gun pivot, and Cherie put in a second shell to immobilize the Panther's turret. Commandant Peneaux finished off the other Panther with one shot from her 12.0cm gun, "I am down to my last shell, I will make this one count," radioed Commander Wolfe, and with that shell she took out the mighty Tiger.
A white flag came out of the turret hatch of the Tiger tank, and a flare signaled the end of the match, "We won! We won!" Gabrielle cheered,
We got out of our tank, and cheered. I hugged Gabrielle, lifting her up and spinning her around in my arms. The teams of Oarai and Kuromorimine came out of their tanks, and approached us. They bowed for a good match, and we bowed back. We saluted them, and shook their hands, "You are all very skilled in tankery," said Miho kindly to us.
"You ladies almost had us in the end," said Aurora with a chuckle, and Miho giggled back. What a sweetheart she is. Her older sister seems to be the opposite, but I have never seen a more calculating commander or anyone with such a passion for the sport as Maho Nishizumi. Claramond and I went up to her to congradulate her for the match.
"That was a good match, you came at just the right time to save your teammate," said Maho, the commander of Kuromorimine reminds me of Commander Wolfe. At least Commander Wolfe can smile, "is your for our teams to come to Europe still open?" she asked, we looked at each other and nodded a single agreeing nod, and turned to her.
"Of course," Claramond replied in agreement, "we will show you a good time in Germany," she promised to her,
"The same goes for us in France," I stated as we bowed to her, and joined in the celebration with our teams. This was the first time that European Teams have competed in Japan, and it was also our first International Title. We had received two trophies for our triumph. The German trophy is now in Munich, and the French trophy is in Boulogne.
In Miho and her teammates, we found new friends. We had earned the respect of the Japanese teams, one battle at a time. It goes to show that it is not the tank or the gun that determines the outcome of a match, but the skill of the crew. The competition was over now, and our teams had time to rest. As promised, I took Gabrielle to the beach.
Our teams went their separate ways. Some went to go back to visit their family, and others were enjoying what Japan had to offer for vacation. It warms my heart that this was all over now just as the sun warmed my skin, "Hey you, come and catch me!" Gabrielle cheered splashing about in the water in a blue bikini, while I wore a white bikini.
"Oh I am coming to get you!" I laughed, and run into the water to join her.
We splashed around, and dived under the waves. The beaches in Japan are so beautiful, just like the ones in Marseilles when they are not crowded in the summer with tourists. I caught Gabby and hugged from behind, "Got you," I smirked, she turned around and kissed me on the lips as a reward of sorts. We went back to shore soon after.
My phone buzzed as I got a message from our dean, "Hmmm...it looks like our dean wants us to train the new recruits when we get back from vacation," I said, looking over at Gabrielle whom seemed to have gotten the same message. I smiled at the thought of trying out something new. Claramond and her crews were getting new tanks as well.
The Leclerc Girls Academy received AMX AC Mle. 48 tank destroyers to go with the AMX 50 Foch, "With the Russians steamrolling everyone they face, I am not surprised we are getting upgrades as well," Gabrielle said summarizing the new email. When we get back to the school, like it will be business as usual with our light tank with a big heart.
"Looks like we are getting some new students," I replied looking at my phone, "I heard the Germans are sticking to the Indien-Panzer, good for them,"
"This will be great, the ELC-AMX is a good platform to learn from in armored sporting," Gabrielle said, I always love her confidence. We are now going from tank crew to teachers for the school's newcomers. We are not used to this kind of thing, but I think our experience in Japan can help us as mentors. This will be new for me and Gabrielle.
When we came back to France, we were heroes among the student body. Now we have a new tank to work with, and new challenges to overcome. We introduced ourselves to the new recruits to this school of armored sporting. After salutes and handshakes with the newest tank crew member, I nodded in approval, "Now then, let us go to work,"