Tiegenhoff offensive III: Mounting pressure
Soldiers of the Empire, Noble Letzenbourgers, I speak to you for the first time since the Federation invasion, in a solemn hour for the life of our countries, of our empire, and, above all, of the cause of freedom. A tremendous battle is raging across the East. As you know, the Federation, by a remarkable combination of artillery, aircraft, heavily armoured tanks, and overwhelming numbers have broken through our defences and pushed deep into our precious Vaterland.
We must not allow ourselves to be intimidated by the presence of these communists. For although the first blow was mighty, I have seen in the faces of our soldiers that the spirit of the Reich remains firm and the valiant efforts of the combined forces of the Empire, Letzenbourg and its volunteers have fought back and halted them on all fronts. Meanwhile, resistance has remained so strong within the fair city of Tiegenhoff, that the enemy has been forced to turn inwards for their own defence rather than leave themselves in such a dangerous position.
It would be foolish to disguise the gravity of the hour as the enemy masses before us. But it would be still more foolish to lose heart and courage or to suppose that our expertly-trained, well-equipped armies can be overcome so easily, despite the enemy numbers. We may look with confidence to the stabilization of the Eastern Front, for it means there is still hope that the siege will be broken. Indeed, there is good evidence to show that a good deal of the enemy has been already thrown into the battle against us; and we know that heavy losses have been inflicted upon them. Our comrades in arms have done their part in stopping their advance, so now it falls to us in the city to do our part too.
No officer or man, no brigade or division, which grapples at close quarters with the enemy can fail to make a worthy contribution to the outcome of this campaign. We must resist their attacks behind concrete lines and natural obstacles, deny them every street and counter any gains with a furious and unrelenting counterassault. This spirit must not only animate our commanders but must inspire every fighting man for us to overcome the coming trial.
Though we may pray that our enemy sees sense and makes peace, should they choose to attack, the only mercy we can grant is that given by the Lord.
Now that stability has been attained on the Eastern Front, we can expect help to arrive soon so that the bulk of that hideous apparatus of aggression which gashed into the Heimat can be driven back from whence it came. However, until then it is imperative that we fight with all our might to defend this city. I am sure I speak for all when I say we are ready to face it, to endure it, and to retaliate against it to any extent that the laws of war permit.
There will be many men and many women back home who, when they hear of our ordeals and sacrifices, will feel comfort, and even pride, that we are doing all we can to secure the safety and freedom of their homes and are drawing away the onslaught they would otherwise have to bear.
For now, our task is only to win this battle — but we will go on to win the war. After this battle in Tiegenhoff is done, there will be a reckoning for those who dare invade our peaceful soil. It will be a great struggle, but we shall not hesitate to take every step, even the most drastic, to call forth from our people the last ounce and the last inch of effort of which they are capable to drive the invader from our doorstep. For nothing compares to the struggle for life and honour, for right and freedom, to which we have vowed ourselves.
I have received word from my people in Letzenbourg, and in particular, from my indomitable Prime Minister Bech, they have made the most sacred pledges that whatever happens, Letzenbourg will fight with its ally to the end, be it bitter or glorious. We may be small compared to our Germanian brothers, but we know what it is like to have one's homeland snatched away by an oppressor, and I vow we will not let it happen to another.
Now I must see to my own duties, but I would leave you all with words once used by the great crusaders who settled this land centuries ago:
Arm yourselves, and be ye men of valour, and be in readiness for the conflict; for it is better for us to perish in battle than to look upon the outrage of our nation and our altars. As the will of God is in Heaven, even so let it be.
Speech given to the Defenders of Tiegenhoff by Prince Wilhelm von Hozollern, originally broadcast in Tiegenhoff May 4th Unified Year 1925. Later rebroadcasted across the Eastern Front May 6th Unified Year 1925.
40 Years after the Great War
Londinium
The stirring speech you just heard was broadcast to both the Imperial defenders in Tiegenhoff and the soldiers across the entire eastern front on the eve of the Russy Assault on the city. Although it should be pointed out that skirmishes had already been reported for some time before this.
With such a rousing speech it is hardly surprising that the soldiers who heard it were emboldened and inspired to do what they could to defend themselves. Indeed, we have several interviews with veterans who served in the campaign that will be broadcast later in the program.
However, what many of our viewers may find interesting is that this recording actually appears to be the voice of the young prince. Perhaps even more surpassing is that we can confirm the young prince did actually visit the city at the time, despite the danger and the recent tragedies amongst the Imperial Royal Family.
Some have pointed to this fact and claimed it is proof that the young prince was none other than the infamous Saint of Letzenbourg, however, nothing could be further from the truth. Historians have long known the young royal was whisked away from the city before the main federation assault. Indeed we have a copy of the captain's log from the SS Tannenfels, along with a copy of the orders authorising his evacuation proving he was on board. Although it seems he did sustain some minor injuries during his visit.
However, although the young prince's connection to the Saint has been once again disproven, the exploits of the mage that had taken up the moniker during the siege are no less exciting. As are those of the infamous Devil of the Rhine, as you will see tonight's program. Andrew WTN Special correspondent.
OFFICE OF LIEUTENANT GENERAL VIKTOR VON SHOLTZ
TO: CAPTAIN IGNACY BOREK, MERCHANT SHIP, SS TANNENFELS
By the order of His Imperial Majesty's government, and at the behest of the Army General Staff, you are requested and required to cede both ship and crew of the vessel SS Tannenfels over to the command of the 8th Army under command of Lieutenant General von Sholtz.
At this time you are ordered to hold at the port in Tiegenhoff and prepare for the evacuation of notable personnel should the city come under attack. It is imperative these persons are escorted safely back to friendly territory.
Under no circumstances is the Tannanfels to leave without Prince Wilhelm von Hozollern of Letzenbourg. Failure to carry out these orders will result in court-martial, of which the maximum penalty is execution.
Glory be to the Vaterland
Gen. V von Sholtz
-Found amongst the files of SS Tanennfels
May 6th Unified Year 1925 11:00
Regional Command Centre of Colonel Ernst Vogel, Rear Imperial Defence lines, Elbing, Maseria, 50km south-west of Tiegenhoff
"Quite the speech, the propaganda people must love that kid." Major Drachmann, observed as Vogel leaned across his desk to turn off the wireless. The man had a point, whoever the prince's speech writer was deserved a medal for how much patriotic bullshit he could cram into one broadcast. And using the boy as a mouthpiece was audacious to the point of being ridiculous. It was a wonder that any right-thinking person could swallow such crap.
Somehow it seemed to work though, particularly for the Letzenbourgers. Every time some new exaggerated story about the exploits of the Saint or White Silver made its way to the front, the men seemed to perk up a little bit. Although the cynical colonel couldn't understand why himself, he could appreciate the positive effect the boy's words had on his men's morale. By God they certainly needed it.
"Honestly, I'm surprised they let someone so young on the battlefield, I wouldn't want my son going to war." The major continued, earning him a withering look from his commander. Vogel had been a soldier for a very long time, and served in countless border conflicts, skirmishes and volunteer operations during his career. One thing he'd learned early on was that the propaganda people were unashamed liars that would say anything if they thought it would help the war effort.
"I didn't take you for the sort to fall for cheap tricks like this Herman." The colonel replied shaking his head. As if the military would really have kids running around in a war zone. The story of the little girl White Silver earning the silver wings was fantastical enough, but adding a prince to the mix was beyond the pale. He'd never understood why anyone could believe such nonsense. He very much doubted that either had seen a battle in anything other than his picture books.
"Well, there are plenty of people that claim to have seen him fighting, at least from a distance. Not to mention a few officers who claim to have met them up close." His deputy replied defensively. "And most of the people that served on the Rhine say they heard the Saint asking the Republicans to make peace over the battlefield. You can't say it's just a fabrication."
"We also had stories of angels descending on the Rhine and soldiers being saved by the ghosts of their dead colleagues. War does strange things to a man, makes em' see things that aren't there." Vogel replied waving a hand dismissively, but his deputy still seemed doubtful. "Don't get me wrong, I'm certain the propaganda people use him for their purposes, but I guarantee he doesn't see front-line service. It's just a rehash of those stories about the Letzenbourg mascots. The propaganda people love using stories like that. When I was a lieutenant they tried to improve morale in the hospitals with a story about a lady in white that came to see the injured troops, they even hired an actress to play the part. This is no different, smoke and mirrors for the sake of the men's resolve."
"Well, the boys in Tiegenhoff certainly need all the resolve they can get. I wouldn't want to be in their shoes right now." The major replied, changing the subject rather than opting to argue with him on the point. Vogel supposed some people were too fond of such fanciful stories to let them go. Maybe the propaganda people were right and it was important to have stories and symbols of hope for folks to cling to. If so, he must have been a strange anomaly amongst the rest of them; he was too much of a pessimist to entertain such rubbish.
Regardless the man made a good point. He may have been able to argue with his deputy's view on propaganda but he couldn't argue with his assessment of the battle. Things didn't look good in Tiegenhoff right now. Surrounded, cut off from supplies and facing a vastly numerically superior force. Even one of those was bad news for a defender, but all three sounded like a nightmare. Add the rumours that the air fleet was struggling to intercept the close air support aircraft and bombers in the area and it painted a bleak picture for the defenders. The only good news was that it had taken some of the pressure off the rest of the eastern front.
"Well, you heard the words of your great war hero. We did what we could, it's up to them to do their part now." Vogel replied with a sarcastic shrug, ignoring the disapproving frown from the major. Apparently, he didn't approve of his gallows humour. "It's not as if we're in any shape to help, all we can do is try to reorganise our defences and hope they don't die for nothing."
He knew he was being blunt, perhaps even a little cruelly dismissive of the fate of the Tiegenhoff defenders, but after so many years as a soldier, he considered it part of his nature to be candid when things looked bad. He considered it disrespectful to the poor bastards that got the short end of the stick to beat around the bush. He may have been willing to be diplomatic so that Frantz and his Letzenbourg rabble could settle in, but he wasn't about to sugarcoat the truth for proper soldiers.
"Speaking of which, we should consider merging some of the companies to keep up operational strength." Drachmann advised wearily. "We've taken far too many casualties recently."
Vogel nodded with a sigh before he and his deputy went to work discussing how best to reorganise their remaining personnel. In theory, the job shouldn't be especially difficult, he trusted both his deputy and his junior officers to be able to integrate any new platoon members once he and Drachmann had switched their members to maintain combat effectiveness. The difficult part was the paperwork.
The Imperial military had a fixation on documentation that bordered on obsessive. It seemed as though the Imperial bureaucracy required a signature from anyone who touched each and every bullet delivered to a regiment. One from the quartermaster, the commanding officer, the soldier; the only person who didn't sign was the invader that got hit with the damn thing. And personnel requests were even worse, they considered something filled out in triplicate as lacking in detail and redundancy.
He could only assume the Empire had a second army of bureaucrats working behind the scenes to file it all. If only they'd give them all a rifle. Maybe it would even the odds a little; at least in numbers.
It didn't take long before he started feeling demoralised about all the desk work that they'd been lumped with, even if it was better than the attritional fighting they'd been suffering along the front lately. He wondered if this was what it was like for the higher-ups back home. He'd heard that General Zettour often managed to get what he wanted without all the paperwork and bureaucracy that the rest of them had to put up with but as a result, his staff had to fudge a lot of the documents.
Lucky bastard, he thought to himself as he felt his wrist beginning to ache. If only I could get away with that too.
His envious musings about his superior were quickly forgotten however as a young officer, not bothering to knock, burst through his door and snapped him from his thoughts.
"Sir! It's the Letzenbourgers!"
"What now? Did they get into another brawl?" Vogel answered with a heavy sigh. How he wished he could just send the whole mob home.
"N..No sir!" The officer stammered, his eyes wide with panic. "They're trying to break through to relieve Tiegenhoff!"
Vogel was on his feet and halfway towards the command centre in milliseconds as blind rage at the resident thorn in his side's insubordination drove him forward furiously. He knew he shouldn't have trusted them, he knew they weren't up to the task and now if they weren't careful they could collapse their freshly stabilised defences.
"Frantz you buffoon! What the hell have you done?!" He bellowed unable to control his temper as he rushed towards the map table. What he saw, however, was much worse than he could have imagined.
"It's not just Frantz's men sir! All the letzenbourg units attached to the eastern forces are attacking! They're leaving gaping holes in our lines!" The duty officer replied, the fear in his voice echoing his own. With so many gaps appearing it was impossible that the Federation wouldn't try to take advantage of the chaos. Worse still, the advancing Letzenbourgers were leaving themselves completely exposed, they'd be killed to a man! It could only lead to the complete collapse of the entire eastern front!
"Damnit! We have no choice advance with them!" He hissed to himself through clenched teeth, grabbing his hat and pistol as he made for the door. "Major Drachmann, contact the General and tell him we're moving to support the Letzenbourg assault. I suggest he does the same."
"What about you sir? Where are you going?"
"I'm leading my men on a suicidal crusade." He replied bitterly as he strode out the door towards the front before quietly adding. "As the will of God is in Heaven, even so let it be."
May 6th Unified Year 1925 18:40
Federation 7th Army Group field hospital, near Insterburg, 30Km east of Tiegenhoff
Mary flinched as the screams echoed around the camp, resisting the urge to cover her ears and squeeze her eyes shut to hide from anguished cries. Hour by hour it seemed to get worse as more and more wounded arrived from the front, the overworked orderlies now seeming to produce a constant stream of injured men and women from the constant flow of horse-drawn ambulances; each crying out in pain.
It had been a terrifying sight to behold when she'd first seen them being brought in and as more followed Mary felt as though something was chipping away at her very soul. It was even worse when she saw the ones that had been covered up and were being quietly carried away. She knew they would not live to fight another day. The whole thing made her feel sick with guilt and she felt a dull ache in her chest when she thought about how their injuries might have been prevented. Deep down she was certain that she could have something to stop all this.
She balled her fist in frustration, she felt so helpless! The battalion had not yet been given orders from the Russy command and Colonel Drake did not seem in any rush to join the fight without them. She'd begged him for permission to go out and support the Russy attack but he'd flat-out denied it, telling her that without orders from the Federation command, it wasn't their business! It's like he didn't even care about how many people were getting hurt! How many people were dying needlessly?
The whole thing had left her feeling angry, anxious and listless, unable to stand still as she listened to the distant sounds of battle. She couldn't bear sitting around doing nothing. Fortunately, Damian had felt the same and had thought of a way to distract themselves from the bitter frustration of waiting.
At his suggestion, they volunteered to help at the field hospital. They weren't at risk of being imminently deployed after all, and she reasoned that if she couldn't help prevent the Russy soldiers from being injured, she could at least see to it their injuries were treated as quickly as possible. She'd practically jumped at the opportunity to feel as though she were making a difference, even if it was only in a very small way. It was much better than waiting for Commander Drake to authorise action against the Imperials.
Still, she'd been worried about getting in trouble and had wanted to ask Lieutenant Tanechka for permission to be sure it was ok. Unfortunately, she'd been in a meeting with Colonel Drake and the Federation commanders all day, so she'd been forced to go without it. She'd felt a little guilty about that, but she was sure the older girl would understand. Liliya was always saying they were all brothers and sisters in arms no matter their differing ideologies. Mary was certain she'd be pleased that she and Damian were assisting her fallen countrymen and by the time they'd arrived at the field hospital, she'd all but forgotten her fears of getting in trouble and felt excited to finally be able to help out.
However, she hadn't been ready to see how brutal the aftermath of battle could be. She'd seen men and women screaming in pain as blood escaped their wounds. Soldiers weeping for their mothers as they cradled a stump where their arms or legs had once been. Worst of all she'd seen people turn increasingly more pale and pallid as the life gradually drained out of them, fear staining their features as they saw the end approaching. She couldn't believe that people… no the Imperials could be so cruel. They truly must have been enthralled by the devil.
She'd been determined to do whatever she could to help but instead of the gratitude she'd expected, she'd increasingly been made to feel as though she were just getting in the way.
It wasn't as though the Russy medical staff were rude or unkind to her, but they looked at her with a strange mix of suspicion and discomfort. Every time she'd done anything to try to help, even something simple like carrying the wounded from the ambulances or bringing fresh bandages, she'd been politely and firmly told her help wasn't necessary. Leaving her efforts to feel all the more fruitless.
The injured soldiers themselves hadn't been much better. They'd been happy to see a friendly face at first, even someone like her who could barely string two words of rus together. But they soon fell quiet when they saw her uniform, even those who were racked with pain became tight-lipped and began outright ignoring her once they realised she was one of the international volunteers. Before long she'd been pushed to the sidelines and left as nothing more than an awkward spectator to the horrid stream of injuries that made their way back from the front.
The feeling of helplessness grew ever stronger as she watched the next batch of wounded being carried into the now overcrowded field hospital.
It isn't supposed to be like this! She thought, fighting the need to cry as the feelings of uselessness and frustration bubbled over into anger. She'd joined the volunteers to prevent more people from getting hurt, not to stand by and watch as it happened. They were supposed to be fighting the Empire so that more people didn't end up feeling the way she had when her father had been taken away from her. She'd joined so that she wouldn't feel so useless again!
So why is nothing any different? She thought feeling tears begin to form at the corners of her eyes once more as a vision of her father flashed in her mind. Papa, I wish you were here with me.
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes as did her best to control her emotions. She was supposed to be a soldier, she couldn't let herself be seen crying like a little kid. After a few moments, she opened her eyes again, free of the tears but still feeling the bitter ache in her chest as she saw another ambulance arrive.
I can't stay here anymore. She told herself as she tore her gaze away from the incoming wounded. I should find Damian and head back to camp.
With a sigh, she turned away and began her search of the crowded field hospital for the little mage. It was both strange and a little upsetting how both staff and patient seemed to purposely ignore her as she made her way past. None of them would talk to her directly, most shrugging or pretending not to understand as she tried to use her limited rus to ask about her friend. Some of the orderlies blanked her completely, continuing their own conversation when she approached them. It made her feel like a ghost.
Fortunately, it didn't take too long to find her pious friend and when she finally found where he had sequestered himself, she kicked herself for not realising where he was sooner.
He was in one of the quieter parts of the field hospital, although the quiet was not because it was any less crowded than the rest of the hospital tents. If anything, there may have been more patients here than anywhere else yet there were few doctors or orderlies around here; they knew their time was better spent elsewhere. Although she'd had trouble getting any information from the federation medical staff, it hadn't taken her long to figure out what the purpose of this place was and although she was ashamed to admit it, she had been silently avoiding it.
It was the place they put the patients they could do nothing for. A place for them to die.
She felt a strange mix of emotions as she realised what Damian was doing here. She watched silently as he carefully grasped the hand of one of the dying men and quietly murmured a soothing prayer to him. She felt proud of the kind little mage, as well as a little ashamed of herself for not coming here sooner and following his lead. These people needed help too, and although they likely wouldn't survive, they didn't deserve to die alone. Unlike the others, they wouldn't care who they were or what country they were from. They simply wanted someone to be with them at the end.
I wonder if anyone was there for Papa.
She shook the intrusive thought from her head, fearful that she might start crying again if she followed it and instead continued to watch as Damien carefully moved between the makeshift cots offering a quiet prayer and a moment of comfort to each of the occupants. Part of her wanted to join him but somehow it felt as though she would be intruding on something important.
She thought back to her own injuries in Moscau and how the vision of Damian visiting her had chased the pain away from her. Although it had proven to be nothing more than a dream, at the time it had given her a sense of calm that she desperately needed after that monster had struck her with her father's gun. Even now she could feel the anger and sorrow bubbling in her chest as she thought of the evil girl holding her father's gun but the prayers of her friend seemed to keep it at bay and gave her a sliver of comfort.
It was a feeling she didn't want to take away from the fallen soldiers; to even contemplate doing so seemed like sacrilege. However, it seemed that not everyone shared that view.
"Ah so here you both are." The heavily accented voice of her friend Lieutenant Tanechka called as she entered the tent behind them, her voice cutting through the near silence of the peaceful tent. "I'd wondered where you'd gotten to."
"Liliya!" Mary squeaked, turning towards her friend in wide-eyed surprise before she remembered where she was and lowered her voice. "I thought you were in a meeting, translating for Colonel Drake."
"We're all done for the day." The political officer explained with a friendly smile, "I heard you'd come to visit the field hospital, so I thought I'd check on you."
Mary felt a stab of embarrassment as the woman held her gaze. She still felt a little guilty about not asking her for permission to come here, especially as their reception had been less than welcoming. But at least Liliya didn't seem mad.
Sensing her discomfort, the political officer's smile widened for a moment before her eyes caught sight of the little mage behind them and frowned slightly.
"Sergeant Willibrord, may I ask what you are doing to that man?"
Perhaps it had been Mary's imagination, but the lieutenant's words seemed to betray a slightly accusatory tone, as though she believed she had caught the pair doing something they shouldn't have. However, as always Damian remained calm in the face of any criticism or judgment sent his way. Sometimes Mary wondered if he were even capable of getting angry.
"I'm giving a few moments of prayer for these poor souls. They deserve the opportunity to feel His comforting grace before they pass over to Him." The boy eventually whispered quietly, although not before finishing his prayer.
"We have been very accommodating of your beliefs sergeant. I would appreciate it if you would offer us the same courtesy." The political officer replied, her frown darkening as Damian rose to his feet, his face not betraying even an ounce of discomfort at the woman's disapproving tone. "These soldiers are heroes of the Federation, they do not follow your faith."
"Their lips may lack prayer but they have faith in their hearts sister Tanechka. And even those that falter deserve a chance to open themselves to it." Damian replied calmly, fixing her with a strange look. "I pray one day you will too."
Despite the outward calm of the pair, Mary felt the tension building between the two and was compelled to step between her two friends. Despite never being actually hostile towards one another, the pair had never seemed to get on. Then again, when it came to Damien, few people did; he had a strange way of making people uncomfortable without meaning to. Still, she didn't want this situation to bubble over into a full-blown argument.
"Please, this isn't the place for this, let's go outside." She interjected, gesturing to the injured soldiers and ushering them towards the exit. "I'm sorry Liliya, we were tired of waiting around and wanted to do something to help out. I'm sure Damian didn't mean to do anything to upset anyone."
The woman's frown softened as Mary tried to explain why they had left the camp, eventually morphing back into a smile as her previous grievance with the little mage was forgotten. Meanwhile, Damian remained silent and as impassive as ever, seemingly unperturbed by Mary's words as they stepped out into the overcast evening.
"Then you'll be pleased to hear you're being deployed tomorrow for the final push." The lieutenant grinned cheerfully. "Colonel Drake was concerned you were all still too inexperienced but it was decided you and your comrades would strike at some of the key locations in the city while the ground forces capture the city. We're looking forward to seeing you all in action."
Mary felt her heart leap as it filled with a mixture of relief and excitement at the news. They would finally be able to do something that helped their ally! She would finally get to feel useful and stop the Imperials from hurting anyone else. She would face the Imperials and…
She stopped in her tracks for a moment as the face of the Devil girl appeared in her mind. The one that had taken her father from her, the one that had robbed her family of happiness.
Her hands balled into fists reflexively as she felt her anger rising inside her and for a moment the world seemed to fall away around her. There was nothing but her and the monster, the girl wearing a mocking grin as she plunged her father's gun into Mary's stomach. The very weapon she had gifted her father to protect himself and now the very weapon she used to kill and destroy with.
I will stop you! I will make you pay for what you've done! I'll–
Suddenly the anger fell away as she felt a soft tug on her sleeve. She looked down and saw Damian staring at her with undisguised concern for a moment before his frown softened slightly.
"Whatever happens tomorrow will be God's will." The boy said quietly and with such conviction, it was impossible to argue with. She let out a sigh as she forced the rest of her anger down and rejoined her friends as they headed back towards the camp.
"You should head back and get some rest, Colonel Drake will be giving a briefing soon." The political officer continued, seemingly unaware of what had just passed between Mary and Damian, before turning to leave. "I have a few more duties to attend to here first but I'll meet you later."
Mary watched as her friend headed back into one of the tents, feeling a tumultuous mix of emotions inside her. It felt as though everything from nervousness to joy but throughout all of it was an undercurrent of grim determination. She would stop the Devil from hurting anyone else, she was certain of it.
She turned to Damian wondering if he felt the same but the only thing she could discern from his face was worry as he wore a deep frown once again.
"What is it?" She asked, concerned for her friend. It was unusual for him to show anything other than a serene calm on his face and she'd never seen him worried for himself. It made her feel uneasy to see him like this.
The boy remained silent for a while, staring up at the ever-darkening sky above.
"We're going to be tested." He said eventually, "All of us."
May 6th Unified Year 1925 19:00
Skies above Tiegenhoff Dockyards, Tiegenhoff
"Second platoon, cover the infantry withdrawal." Tanya ordered with a frustrated grimace. It had been a long time since she'd needed to deploy her troops by the platoon, and she didn't much like diluting the fighting strength of the troops that were supposed to be keeping her alive. Especially since she'd already had to split the battalion up to cover General von Sholtz's defence efforts. However, with such limited personnel, and so much work to do, she didn't have much choice. "The rest of you with me!"
She dived, trusting her subordinates to follow as she squeezed the trigger of her submachine gun, letting out a volley of fire as she strafed the Russy soldiers attempting to overrun the Imperial positions. Things had been getting increasingly desperate across the city and the enemy numbers were finally starting to take their toll on von Sholtz's troops, forcing them to concede ground and fall back further towards the centre of the city.
However, as their only source of outside supply, it was imperative that the docks remain under Imperial control, and the only way that would be possible was if the ground troops could set up a new line of defence. A task easier said than done.
The Russy may not have been inventive with their tactics but they hit like a sledgehammer and they knew how to keep the pressure on. Hour by hour they were receiving worrying reports of casualties that were unsustainable and could only lead to a complete operational collapse if they continued. Even Tanya's mages had not made it through unscathed, with several injuries and fatalities reported across the battalion. She wasn't looking forward to the paperwork she'd have to fill out and send to the families when this was all over.
She saw a slew of men fall to the combined weight of fire from her and her company as she pulled up and banked around for another pass. Dozens more were left dead or injured as she fired again into the communists' mass charge. However, the enemy continued to surge forward and into the previously Imperial defensive positions, heedless of their losses. There seemed to be no end of them and for every man killed it seemed as though two more appeared to take his place.
Damnit! Do soldiers grow on trees in the Federation? She cursed inwardly as she ordered her men to switch to artillery formula. It was risky to use explosives so close to friendly lines, but she needed to buy some more time while the infantry regrouped.
Her assault was not something the enemy could ignore however and a flurry of fire from the Federation forces began to fill the air, lighting up her shield. Usually, she and her men would have nothing to fear from simple small-arms fire, however, the sheer volume was a threat in and of itself. Each strike was gradually weakening their barriers, grinding them down in the same crude and barbaric way the enemy used against the Empire at large. It was only a matter of time before they broke through.
As members of a terrorist organisation had once said in her old world: they only had to get lucky once.
Another burst of fire from her weapon would quickly blunt this threat however, at least temporarily, and men were either incinerated by the flames or sent flying by the explosions she unleashed upon the trench. However again the Federation was already preparing an answer to her counterassault and a much more vicious wave of fire erupted from deeper within the Federation lines. There was little time to react and to her side, one of her Rhine veterans, Corporal Scheffer, let out a screech of pain as he took a hit; his shield collapsing almost instantly under the weight of fire.
Crap! They've finally brought up their AA guns! She cursed again, lamenting that even communists could learn their lessons given enough experience, as she returned fire and summoned a communication spell.
"What's the status of the withdrawal to the tertiary lines?" She barked irritably. Weathering small arms fire was one thing but she wasn't about to act as target practice for the Federation anti-aircraft units, unlike the ones in Moscau, these one's seemed to know how to aim.
"We need more time to regroup!" The voice of one of the infantry's junior officers replied, in a panic-ridden tone. "There's too many of them, we won't have enou−."
"Lieutenant Serabryakov! Go help get these idiots back in order." She snapped, not allowing the man to finish. It worried her that she'd been answered by such a junior member of the infantry column; by rights, their commander should have been the one to do it. The only explanation was that there had been a breakdown in the chain of command; something that could threaten their entire defence strategy. The infantry already looked as though they were in danger of breaking and it would turn into a disaster if the withdrawal turned into a rout.
She wasn't exactly thrilled about losing her adjutant and flight partner in the middle of a battle, but her loyal assistant was the only one aside from herself that she trusted to get the job done. Although still only a junior officer herself, she was a decent organiser and, for reasons Tanya hadn't quite figured out, was a calming influence on the men. Besides the faster order was restored the faster Tanya could get herself out of the line of fire.
"I suppose I have no choice but to deal with these guys myself." She added with a scowl, feeling more and more annoyed about the intolerable situation she'd once again been thrust into. "Give me covering fire!"
Honestly, this is too much to ask of someone who isn't getting overtime pay.
Tanya abruptly changed direction and quickly began gaining altitude. Although these gunners were clearly of superior skill to the ones that had been guarding the Federation capital, they were still communists and unlikely to be especially skilled as soldiers. That meant it would take them a moment to readjust their fire to her new elevation and it would give her a little more time to sow some chaos in their ranks.
A glance down told her the locations of the AA guns as she slipped a fresh magazine into her machine gun. For what she had planned, she would need the extra ammunition, although part of her lamented the waste considering the limited supplies within the city. Still, she was more than willing to trade a few rounds of ammunition for her personal safety.
She came to a halt in the air and took aim at the first of the enemy positions, anti-air fire still filling the sky below her. She forced mana into her weapon until she began feeling the metal begin to heat up as the magical radiation built up around the barrel. She could hear the whirring in the computation jewel on her chest as she compiled the final calculations for the formula and she found herself instinctively holding her breath as the mana built inside it.
It was fortunate she was using the Type 97; a normal orb would have overheated by now and although the Type 95 could handle loads such as this much more effectively, she wasn't willing to risk the mental degradation; it would have her speaking in tongues. Fortunately, she was well acquainted with the limits of the mad doctor's second attempt at an orb and she was willing to push it to them if it would help put an end to this assault.
She braced herself as she squeezed the trigger unleashing a full volley of artillery spells from her machine gun to tear through the first enemy position. She grunted with effort as she used another formula to enhance her strength to suppress the recoil and swept her fire across the field to the next batch of anti-aircraft guns and now panicked infantry before repeating the motion again and again as she switched to the next target.
Explosion after explosion ripped through the enemy ranks, as she continued to rake the enemy positions, causing the AA guns to fall silent one by one. What few survivors remained, scrambled for cover in what remained of the once Imperial positions, desperate to escape the onslaught but Tanya was in no mood to be merciful.
Finally, her magazine began to empty and she forced one last surge of mana through her weapon and brought her weapon around to the centre of the enemy advance. She raised an arm to shield her eyes from the flash of the final blast while doing her best to ignore the almost burning warmth from the orb on her chest as whirred back to normal operation. Fortunately, she would not need to put more strain on the device as the final blast was enough to trigger the enemy retreat, the Federation interlopers scurrying off towards more friendly lines as the guns of those who remained fell silent.
She let out a sigh of relief as she watched the enemy retreat. Usually, she would be tempted to order her troops to follow and allow themselves to pick up a few easy kills, but she could feel fatigue beginning to creep up on her and she felt a little winded after unleashing so much mana at once. She could hardly go running after the enemy when she'd so recently reprimanded one of her subordinates for doing the same thing. Besides, it wasn't as though they weren't going to have any other opportunities to do so later.
"Sevebryakov, report" She called raising a hand to her neck as she summoned a communication spell.
"I've found the Major in charge, he'd suffered a blow to the head but he's up and about again and he's just about managed to get things back under control down here." Her adjutant replied causing Tanya to smile slightly as another wave of relief washed over her; it had been the right choice to trust Visha to deal with the situation on the ground. Between them, they'd managed to salvage the best outcome possible from this mess.
The senior officer's injuries must have led to the breakdown in the chain of command, with the eastern army full of less experienced officers, it was hardly surprising the younger ones had started to panic when things went south. It was a shame the Empire hadn't spent more time rotating troops from this area to the north or the Rhine. They would have been much better prepared to deal with the unexpected if they'd seen either of those muddy hellholes first-hand.
Still, now that order had been re-established, and the enemy had been driven back, she could afford to leave things here to the ground troops; if she was lucky, she might even get a few moments to enjoy a coffee. Even so, things still looked a little precarious here. It might be best to have Major Hofen send some of his mages to keep an eye on things, just in case.
"Good work, have the rest of the company stand down for now. But stay alert, there are still enemies around." She returned, before sending a quick request for relief from her contemporary in von Sholtz's forces.
"In the meantime, I could do with a few minutes to myself." She added to herself feeling a twinge of tiredness hit her muscles as she floated gently upwards, further into the sky. Still, she wasn't about to let this moment of respite go to waste, now was the ideal moment to reassess the tactical situation.
It never ceased to amaze Tanya quite how easily a mage could find peace on a battlefield, even if it was only for a few precious moments as they hovered above it. Considering that the curse of magical aptitude all but guaranteed a person a dangerous assignment during wartime, and thus lowered one's survival probability significantly, it was surprising enough that she was able to experience a moment of peace at all. Particularly when she had to contend with the foul machinations of Being X as he attempted to sabotage her quest for a peaceful life, not to mention a certain prince who seemed to have a talent for doing the same.
Yet as she hovered high amongst the clouds and surveyed the battle far below, she couldn't help but enjoy this rare benefit of magecraft. At times like this, the sliver of calm helped her get a grip on the situation and allowed her to gain a better perspective of the battlefield. Considering her career as an aerial mage had been fraught with almost nothing but danger thus far, it was pleasant to have a few moments to take stock of her situation. It even went some way towards chasing the aches from her battered and bruised body.
It's strange that so many mages make poor staff officers she mused as she gazed down at the city below. From her vantage point, she could see the entire battle developing underneath her, giving her an unparalleled understanding of the battlefield. It was almost like playing one of those real-time strategy games she'd seen in her previous life, something the Salaryman had never really paid much attention to at the time. Still, compared to the maps and reports the commanders on the ground had to work with, she had a far greater understanding of the current tactical situation than anyone else could hope for. It was difficult to understand that so many others with magical talent struggled to get to grips with the strategic and tactical picture when they could see the world like this.
Despite that, or perhaps because of it, she found herself distracted by the spectacle of the unfolding combat across the city below. She couldn't help feeling a little depressed as she watched the two masses of human potential crashing into each other. Even the communists likely had some useful human resources needlessly being fed into the grinder down there. Not to mention the mind-boggling sum of matériel and financial capital that was being spent to achieve the death count. She could only imagine what the long-term economic damage might be.
This was why she hated war, ultimately there was no long-term profit in it for an organisation. Even within the military, it served simply to rob the future of useful members of society.
Perhaps Ernest Hemingway had been right when he called war a crime, by almost any measure it was one country stealing the future from another, usually while mortgaging their own. It was right and proper to defend oneself of course, but ultimately, neither side would really profit from all this violence, unless it led to the complete collapse of the Russy's communist regime of course. Then they would at least get to replace their system with something a little more akin to freedom.
To call war an exercise in futility was an understatement, yet here they were knee deep in blood and iron once again. It was the sort of foolish and irrational behaviour she could expect from the communists, but it depressed her that the Empire had once again been dragged further down this path. Especially when the chances of the Allied Kingdom and Free Francois coming to terms had been becoming tantalisingly close with all their losses in the south. The Imperials were a rational-minded people after all, with a solid understanding of an individual's usefulness as well as a firm grasp of free market principles. Having to have to defend against these Federation brutes and the other nations was akin to her old self fighting off a group of muggers in the street.
If only there was the international equivalent of the police she thought with a wry smile on her lips; she almost sounded like a child wishing for foolish things like that. She knew all too well there was no higher authority to appeal to, just a cruel devil that masqueraded as a deity. The Empire had no choice but to expend its precious national resources defending against a glorified purse snatcher.
She frowned before shaking the thoughts from her head, reminding herself of her duty and mentally reprimanding herself for allowing herself to become engrossed in this pointless philosophical train of thought. She'd come up here to get a better look at the tactical situation below, not to waste time within her own head. She couldn't allow herself to get preoccupied with such things in a situation like this, her very life might depend on it!
Although it was true that, for the moment at least, she was relatively safe at this altitude, that didn't mean she could afford to allow herself to get distracted. The air fleet was only just holding off the enemy air raids and it would only take one to get through for her to be chewed up by the cannons of an opportunistic fighter as she was busy comparing the belligerent nations to common thugs, even if the analogy was accurate. Not to mention the possibility the enemy might manage to salvage some of their ground-based anti-air positions.
She reached for her binoculars and summoned a small amount of mana to listen in on the nearby communications as she surveyed the battle below. A wall of sound and static washed over her, causing her to wince as she took a moment to tune her mana signal to coincide with the proper radio frequency. Although it could be distracting, she preferred the extra noise to not knowing what was going on.
Immediately she began hearing desperate reports to General von Sholtz's command from the air fleet. It seemed the sheer number of Russy planes had begun to take its toll and more and more enemy fighters and close air support aircraft had begun to slip through the net. What was worse however was the reports of Imperial air losses, although pilots were easier to replace than mages, they still required a great deal of training before they were considered airworthy. The loss of any pilot was an almost criminal waste as far as the military's resources were concerned.
It seemed her airborne sanctuary would not remain safe for much longer; with Federation AA now starting to cover low altitudes and their aircraft breaking through at height it seemed the skies were going to become increasingly unpleasant. She would have to make the most of it while she could. In the meantime, she'd also have to keep an eye out for any enemy aircraft that made it through.
"As if I don't have enough to worry about." She murmured as she swept her gaze over the battlefield and focused on the sector she was perhaps most concerned about.
She hadn't been happy about having to deploy Wilhelm to the southwestern approach to the city, at least not while he was behaving like an idiot. If either Eastern command sent a relief effort, or General von Sholtz decided to attempt a breakout, it would become the most vital position within the city. Even so, it wasn't so important that it needed Wilhelm to trade his health for it; she was nominally still responsible for his wellbeing after all. She could just imagine that reckless idiot dying from an overdose to try and prove a point. Just thinking about it made her angrier than she preferred to admit.
Unfortunately, everyone else had already been committed and she didn't dare give up the tactical flexibility she had as a mobile reserve. So, she'd had no choice but to let him go.
Fortunately, though, he seemed to be behaving himself for the most part. His area still had fewer enemy troops massing around it than the rest of the city, although from the sheer numbers she observed that wasn't really saying much. And she could see Wilhelm and his company launching hit-and-run attacks on them as the Federation redeployed units to the area. As long as the little idiot didn't overextend himself or use up all his supplies again, he seemed like he was in a reasonably good position. Still, she'd need to keep an eye on him just in case.
Her eyes lingered on the distant little captain for a few moments more before she turned her attention back towards the docks. The lines still looked a mess but she could see her ground-based colleagues industriously going to work to reorganise themselves. Once Major Hofen's troops relieved them, they should be able to hold out without too many problems, for the moment at least. Assuming Hofen's mages were up to the task that is. Although his men were professional enough, they weren't her veterans, and she just couldn't bring herself to trust their abilities as she did her loyal band of warmongers.
Suddenly her mind registered a new burst of radio chatter from both Wiess' and Neumann's companies, quickly catching her attention as she turned to survey the southern sectors of the city. Both had reported fresh assaults not so long ago and although she trusted the abilities of her veterans it was only prudent to check in on their progress.
Her frown deepened as she peered through her binoculars. Both positions were holding, but things were beginning to look a little shaky. Her mages seemed to be putting up a decent defence but there was only so much a single company could do and, much like at her own position, the infantry they'd been sent to support was reaching breaking point; and a cursory glance told her that more enemy troops were inbound. It seemed as though her brief moment of peace was well and truly over.
She began summoning another communication spell to order her company to go and reinforce their comrades, however, another burst of static caught her attention first.
"04 to 02, come in." The voice of Lieutenant Grantz hissed through the static. "We're coming under heavy attack from the northeast and the enemy are bringing armour. Request reinforcements."
Shit! It seems we're going to be especially busy today thought to herself glumly as she peered over towards Grantz's position. At least Grantz is mature enough to ask for help when it's required.
Tanya clicked her tongue with frustration as she saw the force her subordinate had warned of. Unlike the assault Wilhelm had barely weathered, the Federation had brought a mix of heavy and medium tanks with them this time. Although it wasn't impossible for mages to damage these behemoths it would be much tougher than taking out their more lightly armoured cousins.
Worse still, it seemed someone in the Federation army had grown a brain cell and had started using the armour and artillery in support of their infantry assault, rather than haphazardly sending them all in as they had in the past. It was hardly impressive by Imperial standards, but it still an added layer of danger and inconvenience she would have to contend with. Communists weren't supposed to be competent.
"Acknowledged 04, we're on our way. 02 and 03 it looks like you'll have to cope without us for a while, try to leave some commies for us." She replied curtly before switching frequencies and lowering her altitude. "Lieutenant Serabyakov, break time is over. Have the company form up on me, anyone who slips out of formation will get to test the effectiveness of the cannons on those Russy tanks."
She accelerated forward with a grimace on her face, trusting Visha and the rest of her company would fall in behind her. She'd trained them too well for them to fail to catch up with her. However, she soon found herself biting back a curse as she approached Grantz's embattled sector as the air once again filled with flak and machine gun fire. Evidently, the enemy officer in charge of this sector had also used the armour to move up more anti-air defence to shield them from Tanya's mages. It was hardly any wonder Grantz was having such a difficult time.
Since when we're communists allowed to use their initiative? She grumbled, feeling the warmth of mana radiation emanating from her computation orb as she shored up her barrier, before ordering her company to dive and open fire on the enemy formation. Just as she'd avoided their fire by gaining altitude before, she could do the same by closing in on them now; although this time it would be a riskier exercise. If the enemy officer in charge of this assault continued to show such signs of competence, they might be able to adapt to such a change in tactics.
If I find him and see an opening, I'll be sure to take him out as soon as possible she thought with a wry smile. She might even be doing the communists a favour, such free thinking was against their creed after all.
She squeezed the trigger of her submachine gun, unleashing a burst of fire that split into explosion formulas as they struck the ground. Her company quickly followed suit creating a wall of flame separating the advancing enemies from the desperate defenders. The assaulting infantry quickly halted in their tracks, those not engulfed by the flames quickly turned tail and began looking for cover, no longer trusting their tanks to provide safety for their advance. The armour itself was undeterred by the fire, however, and aside from a few loosened tracks, continued to advance towards the defensive line.
"Grantz, let the infantry deal with the stragglers. Support our attack on the armour." She ordered as they came about to deliver another volley, wincing occasionally as stray fire from the enemy below glanced her shield. "Everyone! Switch to armour-piercing formula!"
As one, and without her prompting, her company fired again, this time targeting the tanks that were still barrelling towards the defensive lines set up in the city suburbs. The leading four vehicles were struck and three of them erupted as their ammunition cooked off and left them as nothing more than smouldering husks of steel. A second volley followed as Grantz's company fell in behind hers and added their fire to hers and two more were incapacitated.
The advance faltered slightly, crews stunned by the sudden appearance of Tanya's mages, however, it was not yet enough to break them and the Federation retaliated with another vicious burst of anti-air fire. A yell from behind her told her that yet another one of her veterans had fallen victim to the communists' overwhelming firepower, although a glance back at the victim told her that the man at least had a chance to survive this encounter as Grantz ordered one of his soldiers to escort the wounded man back to friendly territory.
Tanya swore under her breath, five tanks was by no means a decent trade for one of her precious human resources. Neither was it acceptable for the damnable communists to get one over on her, she needed to even the score.
"Prepare to come around for another attack!" she ordered with a growl as she fired into the anti-air positions, hoping to keep some of the fire off of them while her troops went to work, but the reports she heard back from them made her heart sink.
"Our ammunition is running low, commander." Grantz reported uncertainly, no doubt mindful of the reprimand she'd given Wilhelm the day before. "Should we break off for resupply?"
"We're not looking much better ma'am." Added Visha echoing the newer officer's sentiment, "We didn't have much time to restock after the last engagement. I don't think we'll have enough to deal with this on her own."
Damnit! Tanya hissed internally, clicking her tongue with annoyance; Visha had enough experience by now that Tanya knew she could trust her adjutant's assessment was correct. Besides which, it wasn't the best time to dilute their firepower again right now anyway.
Although they'd had some success against the Federation armour so far, they had yet to sow enough confusion to halt their advance. Worse still, the enemy casualties seemed to be mostly amongst the medium tanks, only two of the heavier vehicles had been taken out with the others that were his seeming almost completely unscathed in the face of her mages. They would need to concentrate their fire to eliminate them effectively, something that would be infinitely more difficult if she sent too many of her mages away at the same time.
What are my alternatives? She pondered, sparing a glance down at the armour trundling along towards the defence line as she did her best to avoid the anti-air fire. A close assault? No, I'm not suicidally stupid like Wilhelm. The Type 95? No, it isn't worth the mental degradation unless there is absolutely no other choice. Perhaps discretion is the better part of valour in this situation. After all, no one can expect us to do our job without the tools we need.
"Fall back for resupply." She ordered banking around to lead them back towards friendly lines; she couldn't be expected to take down an entire tank column on her own. Still, she had to be sure that she couldn't be accused of negligence or dereliction of duty, so she quickly summoned another communication spell to contact the local command post. "Hotel four, this is Pixie one. We need to withdraw for resupply, enemy armour still incoming. Requesting all available anti-armour guns and artillery to be put at the disposal of the northeastern sector commander. We'll be back as soon as we can."
Not that I plan on rushing back, of course, she thought as a wry smile formed at the edge of her mouth. The entire point of anti-tank guns was to take out armour, why should she rush back to do the work of another? Besides, there were plenty of other jobs she and her mages were required to do across the battlefield, not least the need to support her other companies. Why should she put herself at additional risk when the infantry had better tools for the job?
"Negative Pixie one." The operator's voice returned, causing Tanya to blink in surprise. What did they mean negative? Was command simply leaving this position out to dry? And if they were, would they try to pin the blame on her? "Most of the heavier anti-armour canons have been lost during the air raids and the man-portable anti-tank weapons struggle against the Federation's heavy armour. Please do all you can to halt the enemy, we'll attempt to supply you in the field."
Halt the enemy armour? With dwindling mana and almost no ammunition? She screamed internally, struggling not to let out a screech of anguish at the unfairness of it all. Perhaps they assumed that since Wilhelm had been able to resist the smaller armoured force with so few supplies, she would be able to do the same with the more heavily armoured variants. Either that or they were simply desperate. Regardless, they had extremely overestimated what an aerial mage was capable of.
Still, an order is an order. She thought to herself searching for something she could use to help improve her situation. Fortunately, she didn't have to look too far to find something.
"Acknowledged, Hotel 4. Permission to take temporary command of the flak batteries for the defence." She replied feeling a smile begin tugging at her lips. She'd been wanting to try this trick out since she'd met General von Romel but had never had the opportunity. It was a trick that had worked for his alternate counterpart after all.
"The AA guns? You can use what you need to repel the enemy armour but−."
"Thank you Hotel." Tanya interrupted turning back to her troops flashing them a confident grin that she only half felt. "Looks like we'll have to wait for resupply but don't worry, I have a little surprise planned for our guests. Everyone, share what ammunition you have left and await my signal. I expect to see an entire armoured battalion taken for our losses today. Grantz, Serabryakov! I'll leave it to you."
She quickly descended towards the anti-air batteries below, its crews eschewing the use of their 8.8cm flak cannons in favour of digging into their positions and preparing for the worst. It was of course the completely wrong call in this situation, but perhaps not unsurprising given the inexperience of the eastern troops. Not to mention that despite the hasty re-education of this world's military in the face of the fighting on the Rhine, they had yet to fully learn all the harsh lessons that warfare had taught humanity in her old world.
It was fortunate she was here so that they didn't need to learn the hard way.
"Who's in charge here?" She called as she landed gently on the ground, immediately striding purposefully towards the nearest soldier.
"I am!" An officer replied quickly, a captain judging from the insignia on his epaulettes, eyeing her suspiciously for a moment. It was likely he'd never seen an aerial mage before. "If you're here to offer mage support, they need you up ahead, the enemy armour is closing on us."
Good, he seems to already have a handle on the situation. That should speed things up a little.
"I'm Major Tanya Degurechaff, command has allowed me to temporarily take control of your battery. I need your men back at their guns now!" She ordered forcefully. Under normal circumstances she would have preferred to be a little more diplomatic with the man, no one likes when some stranger claiming to be your boss wanders in and starts barking orders after all.
"A Major?" The captain blinked in astonishment, doubtlessly as surprised and insulted as she would have been if a superior had so unreasonably stripped her of command without so much as a moment of consultation. In truth she felt a little guilty treating him this way, however, he rallied quickly to the news and made the precise objection she had expected. "For what reason? There's no aerial threat at the moment. We need to prepare for–."
"That's an order captain!" She replied raising her weapon at him, it was unfortunate she didn't have time to argue with him in this case. He was just doing his job after all. "Do I need to remind you what happens to soldiers who don't follow orders during wartime?"
The captain scowled at her before quickly ordering his men back to their positions at the flak cannons. She would have to apologise to him later, perhaps give him some of the alcohol that seemed to find its way into the battalion treasury. It wouldn't do to make enemies within her own organisation after all.
"Get the barrels pointed downwards! Aim at the leading armoured units." She continued pointing towards the enemy as it began smashing through the buildings on the outskirts. They were less than a kilometre away now and firing into the city indiscriminately; it was fortunate they hadn't been targeted yet.
"You want to use these against tanks? They're designed to bring down high-altitude bombers?" The irritated officer replied, not bothering to hide his disapproval. "Are you trying to get us all killed?"
"Captain, a mage's shield is comparable to a lightly armoured tank. A shot from an 8.8cm Flak cannon can easily rip through it and the mage casting it at 6000 feet. What do you think it'll do to these guys at such close range?" She explained fixing the captain with a glare that offered no room for argument. Fortunately, he was quick on the uptake, even if he still seemed a little dubious about the whole thing.
"All units! Fire at will!"
With her final order, both the cannons on the ground and her mages in the sky opened fire on their armoured targets. This time, even the most heavily armoured vehicles fell under the withering amount of fire, the flak guns tearing open the armour and her mages incinerating anything left inside it and Tanya allowed herself a satisfied grin.
The barrage was brutally effective and before long the entire column was nothing more than a collection of shrapnel and broken wrecks amongst the rubble of the city; there was barely even anything left to take as a trophy. By the looks of things, she might have even managed to take down slightly more than the battalion's worth of armour she had hoped for. A happy bonus for when it came to calculating their achievements later, not to mention some payback for the losses they'd taken so far during the battle.
She became aware of the battery captain staring at her in surprise, obviously shocked by how effective his anti-air guns were against armour. Perhaps he would learn to be a little freer thinking about these sorts of things in future. She only hoped that the rest of the eastern forces weren't so rigid in their thinking. Not everyone would have the opportunity to gain the experience that he had.
"My apologies for my rude behaviour Captain, this was a little trick I'd picked up from General von Romel in the south and I didn't have time to explain it if it were to be effective." She half lied, reasoning it better to credit the general for the off-manual use of the guns rather than expose herself to possible reprimand. It had originally been the general's otherworldly counterpart that had used the tactic after all. Besides, even if he were credited with its use, it didn't detract from her achievements today, so she could think of it as a win-win.
"I see." The captain said eventually, "A novel idea, I hadn't even considered using them this way."
"Completely understandable Captain. It says in the manual only to use them against air units after all." She replied, doing her best to smooth over their earlier misunderstanding now that the immediate danger was over. "However, given the situation, it might be better to use them as you see fit in future."
"I'd love to." The captain let out a hearty laugh, causing Tanya to step away in surprise. "But you just used up the last of our ammunition."
Author's notes
Hello everyone and as always thank you for reading thank you for reading.
Sorry it has been quite a while since I last updated, there are several reasons for this including a trip to Germany, breaking both my PC and phone and completely rewriting a section but regardless I apologise for keeping you waiting.
I'm going to be honest here, I may have borrowed Wilhelm's speech from a certain well-known British prime minister. I am not much of a speech writer and I wanted there to be something somewhat stirring and I thought it more or less fit. The rest of it is all me though I promise; I try to keep the plagiarising to the minimum.
Things are finally coming to a head in Tiegenhoff and I'm happy to say the board is now all set! So hopefully you'll find the next few chapters exciting, I'm certainly enjoying writing them. Part of me wanted to get right to it in his chapter but there were a few things I needed to finish setting up first. Also, I wanted to have Tanya kick some ass.
Hopefully, I should be back to regular updates again so you shouldn't wait too long before the next one. Again, thank you for the reviews, favourites and follows. And I hope you are still enjoying the story.
Xanen