Chapter 5. Germanic Hospitality
May is approaching fast, as the temperature starts to go up gradually over the days. It isn't terrible hot, but the freezing cold of the winter's month is slowly subsiding with the scenery on the mountains becoming less monotone with the blooming of the local flowers.
Down at the vehicle's practice, sounds of war machines' engines and cannons still emanate throughout the area as always. The air constantly expands by the autocannons and cannons alike. One of them belong to a certain glass cannon that is the BTR-82A. It takes great strides completing the driving course, though it struggles in some off-road part. Still, it is not a big problem for the speedy carrier.
Finally arriving at the firing position for the vehicles, the BTR finally stops as its commander pops out of the cupola. Usually, the girl would use the binoculars to spot targets, but as of recently, she has abandoned it entirely, probably to challenge herself in a way, or maybe it's Rudolfo's advice.
"Load AP." Mariya ordered. "To the right, BTR!" The BTR's 2A72 autocannon turns to the corpse of a Stryker.
"Identified!" Kyoko called out as she gets the gun on target and let the autocannon roars. A large burst of rounds hit the target, thumping the air around the Stryker.
"Ceasefire! New target, jeep! 30 degrees to your left!" As the BTR's cannon turn to the metal sheet that resembles a HMMVW. "Gun that thing down as quickly as possible, since its .50 cal can pierce through our armor if given enough time."
"Copy that!" Kyoko turns the autocannon and engage the target with great accuracy again before the metal sheet folds down.
"Ceasefire! Ringo, move us up to the next target. Enemy BMP spotted alongside truck. I need you to close the distance so that they can't use the ATGM. Kyoko, turn on the stabilizer. We are going to engage while we are moving."
"Loud and clear!" Ringo, from driver seat, obliged down to the words that the vehicle's commander asked for. This, however, is a relatively new tactic that only Mariya's squad used. The other BTRs and BMPs still stop and fire as usual to the Cold War doctrine, though they seem to also marvel at the synchronization that between the driver and the gunner that the BTR-82A is able to achieve whenever it's its turn.
"Copy. Turning on stabilization." Kyoko also nodded to herself as she flicks on a switch.
"Good. Traverse the turret 10 degrees to the right. Driver, keep the speed. I believe our hitting while speeding tactic will work with Kyoko's recent improvement in firing moving targets."
"Guys, please don't put so much faith in me. I'm not that good at gunning."
"Stop being so modest, Kyoko! I swear, sometimes I really get annoyed at you turning down all the praises at everything opportunity possible. What is wrong with you anyway?" Ringo shouted from the driver seat.
"I just don't want to get ahead of myself! And if I get overconfident for a second, I might jinx us!" Kyoko grinded her teeth a little bit with annoyance. "At least I don't boast about underage driving!"
"Come on, it was supervised! Also, I don't do it every goddamn day! It was just to help out on the apple farm!" Ringo snapped back. "Do you want me to stuff you more of that SPAM meat you supposedly hated?"
"Until hell free-"
"Ladies, stop your bickering!" Mariya shouted loudly, her voice now steeled like a mean general. It definitely helps shutting down the entire back and forth. "BMP up ahead!"
"I heard!" Kyoko looked through the sight again, seeing the foretold vehicle. It is the corpse of a M2 Bradley. "Target identified! Engaging!" She lets the autocannon roars again.
"Ringo! Do it as we have practiced!"
"Alright! Here goes!" Ringo starts to lightly brake the vehicle before turning the steering wheel, driving around the Bradley in a near-perfect circle. The circle is wide enough for Kyoko's autocannon rounds not to be min-armed.
"Kyoko, how is it down there?"
"My rounds are still hitting good. A little bumpy, but I think I can do it with the stabilizer on."
"Good. Make sure not to overheat the cannon. The Bradley is very tough as a BMP, so our goal will be to immobilize it for our heavy mechanized forces to clean up." Mariya, after 4 or so bursts of autocannon fire, directs the crew's attention towards the metal sheet to the north of the M2 Bradley. "Okay, ceasefire! I think we should have got all of the BMP's tracks. Move on to the truck behind it. Kyoko, traverse your turret to the truck! Ringo, start driving to the south! Make sure not to go in the ATGM's effective range!"
"Understood!" Ringo resets the steering wheel back to its original position and drives the BTR away from the Bradley. Kyoko also pulls the trigger and starts pummeling round after round on the metal sheet until it folds down too.
"Hah, there we go." Mariya makes a sigh of relief before sitting down in her commander position. "Welp, good job out there, ladies. Seems like we are improving more and more. Also, I'm quite surprised you two are able to get the hang of my BTR tactic that fast. It has been like… 5 days ago, yes?"
"Hehe, that's courtesy of my experience driving heavy duty vehicles." Ringo wiped her nose.
"Oh, it's nothing really. I supposed manning an autocannon is easier than manning a tank's turret. At least I got multiple chances to hit and adjust on the fly too." Kyoko snickers from her seat.
"Not with the way you are using it. I mean… who turns off the gun's stabilizer like you anyway!? I've seen all the other girls using their BTR-82As and their BMP-3Ms, and their gunners all leave the stabilization on." Mariya called out as Ringo drives the BTR back to the garage after the practice session.
"Don't want to be reliant on it to hit targets. Like, imagine if we sustain damage to the stabilizer, forcing us to use the turret unassisted, or maybe the gyroscope on it just break due to overuse." Kyoko then shakes her head. "I don't know, maybe I just simply do not trust it in doing anything other than executing our speedy tactic like before." Right as Kyoko was done, the BTR finally arrived at the garage and the crew dismounted from the vehicle.
"...Well, do what you think will help us. Your gunnery skill is already quite impressive anyway." Mariya said, stepping out of the vehicle through the side doors.
"Yeah…" Then Kyoko switches the topic. "I wonder where is Araki right now?"
"Igor, you mean." Mariya corrected.
"Right Igor… He doesn't like me to say the name outside of matches, so I forgot that he has a nickname now, sometimes."
"True… I always thought of him as not the type to enjoy hierarchies, especially in casual situations where it is not as important."
"Maybe he doesn't want anyone to think that they will get special treatment if they got his respect too."
"Perhaps… Anyway, what did you ask?"
"Just about where he is."
"Definitely not at the commander post during late afternoon, I guaranteed. I always see him in the practice ground, either in the firing range, at the killhouse or at the vehicle course observing."
"You reckon he's planning on making sweeping changes?"
"For now at least? Maybe not, I can still see him getting acclimated to the situation here in Krasnaya Zvezda. Maybe figure out our tactics, what weakness we have, the solution to it… It's a process."
"Huh… Why are you talking like you've been through this? You sound like an experienced officer or something."
"You can say it runs in the family." Mariya shrugged.
"Hey ladies, wanna get some ice cream? I heard some of the engineers here today made some and brought it here." Ringo interjects, bringing 3 ice cream cones.
"Ooh, ice cream!" Kyoko balled her eyes at the sight. "But… isn't it 12 degrees outside?"
"Who cares? It tastes good, and fresh too!" Ringo licks the ice cream again, closing her eyes to enjoy the taste. "Ah… I can taste some chocolate in there."
"Mind giving me some?" Mariya asked, to which Ringo answered by simply giving out the cones. Mariya takes the cone with care and licks it. All of a sudden, this ice cream reminds her of something. Her face becomes frozen, as she is trapped in her thought. 'Plombir' is all she said before she went radio silent.
Seeing the sudden change of expression, Kyoko quick grabs the other cone.
"Hey, watch it! Don't just suddenly do it like that! You might drop it on the ground!" Ringo complained.
"Sorry." Kyoko rolled her eyes and said, then licked it also. The taste is… very milky, and fresh. "My… This is so good. They make it fresh or something?"
"That's what they told. Splash of whole milk in a bowl, stack that bowl on another bowl full of ice and water, then just whisk it until it becomes a cream. I also heard some of them tried doing it during the winter with… great successes, my Kami…" Ringo shook her head at the mere thought of the engineers, male and female, making ice cream in the dead set of Aomori's winter.
"Yeah… Anyway, let's go visit Araki, yeah? I want to check up him. It has been a while I've got to talk to him, after all." Kyoko suggested.
"True. But we gotta wake our BTR commander up first." Ringo said, flashing a look at Mariya who is still frozen in place.
"So, we are looking forward to kicking off the season with a practice match, lieutenant Margelov?" Araki mentioned, his eyes still looking through the 1P78 scope on the AK-74M as he welcomed a conversation instigated by the ex-captain of Krasnaya Zvezda, standing right beside him for accuracy evaluation.
"Yes. Not just us, but everyone in the Hohei-do League participates in these preseason practice matches too. It's a good way to assert our own performance, the opposing school's tactics and doctrines. Plus, it's just a fun time, no stress environment where you, captain Igor, can test-" Alexander agreed and continued until Araki stopped him mid-sentence.
"Don't call me Igor, please. I don't hate it, but I don't want to appear alienating."
"Sorry… captain Yamamoto. Just not really used to your style of commanding, since we really have never seen who is so… involved with the process."
"If you want to change anything, you have to. If not, it's just going to end up as a disaster. Still, I don't think much has been revealed during my time observing the people around here." Araki then shoot a 2 round burst, hitting both on the 100m target.
"Yes, that is very much true." Alexander nodded, spotting the rounds that Araki shot to ring true. "Nice aim, by the way."
"Thanks." Araki then switches target, shooting and talking at the same time. "But from what I know, it is not the individual that I have to worry about, but rather coordination. I've watched clips of matches that has the school playing in it. Some were great, some were… straight up terrible, and anything not of those too are in the middle. Of all the different variants of what happened throughout Krasnaya Zvezda's time in Hohei-do, I can spot a key weakness that has never been rectify before." Araki then fires the AK in single shot multiple times."
"Hit." Alexander called, seeing the metal sheets folding down. "And that is?"
"We, like the Russians that have trained us, has… a very top-loaded chain of command, where the commander does most of the battle planning with other officers simply obliging with the plan or maybe suggesting here and there. Of course, when it works, it works terrifically. But I think you know the fault in this already, right lieutenant Margelov?" Araki paused, making shots on the shooting with the AK.
"No plan ever survives first contact. Yes, I am aware, but then we rely on the commander." Alexander argued, but paused as Araki hit the targets again. "Hey, good shot there."
"Took me a while, but I think I'm starting to like the AK-74M. Soft shooting, easy to handle, easy to clean and reliable even in the worst of conditions. No wonder people like using this rifle whe-"
"Captain Yamamoto." Alexander notified Araki of his tangent.
"Ah… Извини (Sorry). I just… get too excited sometimes. Anyway, back to the topic we were discussing…" Araki takes a breather before he continues. "While what you said is definitely a solution, it's merely just band-aid. You can't always rely on the commander to make all the decision, as you can't always contact him. Plus, the stress that the commander is always under means you can't simply expect his call to always be the correct one."
"Well then… Why don't you make any move just yet, captain?"
"It's because… during my time at the killhouse, I can see that all of them are very competent at decision makings and acting accordingly to a plan. The problem here is that I think they can't adapt quickly to changes on the battlefield. Simply just reeducating them on tactics won't do, because I am certain that all of them are able to respond to a predesignated situation will full intel in mind. And I don't think I or anyone are able to teach to a fulfilling capacity. That can only be learned through trial and error, or at least, that is what I thinking from all those times formulating strategies for the Defusal games I played when I was younger."
"By account of sergeant Onoda, you are a frequent visitor of the shoothouse in the center of Aomori, correct?"
"You gotcha. Oh and, another thing… I think my status as a first-year might limit my ability to make much progress on 'changing the club' as you say." Araki makes a 2 round burst on the 200m targets again, this time in a crouching position. "Yes, I can simply brute force with my own power as a commander, but… I don't think it's going to make any long lasting changes. If I want to bring the school to its formal glory again at least, I need to win the hearts and minds of the people."
"Ah, well you already won mine, captain."
"Yes, lieutenant. But I think you are aware of the opposition that you have, yes?"
"We are… sorting it out, at least. Sergeant Onoda, especially, is very vocal of eliminating the disparity we have."
"Good, at least I know I don't have to step in for that, too. Changing the club's command structure is already tiresome enough, so I don't want to deal with the internal issue too. But remember not to make any hasty move, lieutenant."
"Так точно. (Yes, sir.)" Alexander nodded.
"Ah, finally found you, Araki." A female voice was heard. Araki turns to the source to see his BTR-82A crew walking towards.
"Ah, hello there. You guys did great during your practice run, by the way. I especially did not think you would be able to pull off evasive maneuver while laying accurate fire on the M2 Bradley's corpse." Araki acknowledged.
"Heh, it's all in a day's work." Ringo gave a big thumbs-up and smile, being proud of her handiwork on the steering wheel.
"Ah, it's nothing. Autocannons are easier to work with than tank cannons, after all." Kyoko waved away any praise, as per usual.
"You really want to eat SPAM sushi, huh?"
"No, I don't! SPAM is disgusting."
"Yes you do!"
"No, I don't!"
"It tastes super good!"
"But I don't want to have high blood pressure!"
"Well, you can pair it with rice!"
"It's disgusting regardless!"
"Have you ever tried cooking it!?"
"So that I increase my chance of getting acne in the future!? Heck no!"
The two continues to bicker as Mariya awkward turns to the new commander of Krasnaya Zvezda and giggles. "Sorry for the commotion, captain, but I have tried to simmer them down. Most of the time though, it just doesn't work for long."
"I know, I know." Araki rolled his eyes, then snickers. "Plus, I really enjoy it."
"So… do you want me to tell you about the details of the upcoming match or not, captain I- Yamamoto?"
"Go on."
The second in command clears his throat out before reading the data on the paper. "Okay then… Our opponent will be Otto von Krieger Co-ed College, and we will be playing in Aso-Kuju National Park, Kumamoto Prefecture, which is one of the many official Hohei-do battlegrounds recognized across Japan. Kumamoto Prefecture is also the home of said school."
The mere mention of the school immediately stops Kyoko from engaging with Ringo on their daily bicker about SPAM. "Wh-What!? I-Isn't that the Nishizumi sponsored school?"
"A-Ah, Hikaru did mention about it a while ago!" Ringo also paused herself to process the information. "Said it was like… that the they are the same exact Nishizumi that dominated Sensha-do for 9 years straight before, right Kyoko?"
"Y-Yeah, you're dead on with that one!" Kyoko nodded aggressively, her adrenaline still not wearing off.
"I am surprised that they participate in Hohei-do too. I know they are a very reputable family in Sensha-do, but… it would be a pleasure to fight against them, regardless." Mariya puts her hand on her chest, dreaming at the opportunity to fight against the legendary family in her own game.
"Ah… Well, you guys are all first-years, so I don't necessarily blame you for not knowing. They are also a household name in Hohei-do, with their style being the exact same to their Sensha-do counterpart, as they say. Relentless in the offensive, that is what they are known for." Alexander said.
"So, who's their commander then, lieutenant? I kept hearing about Nishizumi this, Nishizumi that, and everyone is making a super big deal about it. I don't get why, to be frank with all of you." Araki looked at everyone, then shrugged.
"What? You don't know about the Imperial Army's legendary tanker that is Nishizumi Kojiro? He's like… super duper duper popular, especially with the film that is 'Biography of Tank Commander Nishizumi'." Kyoko went on a tangent.
"And what? Is it because I happen to share the surname of the guy who commanded the attack on Pearl Harbor that I have to know everything related to World War Two? Please Kyoko, you know I am more into things that happen after it." Araki squinted at the BTR gunner.
"Yeah, yeah, I know already." Kyoko waved her hand off, her face being stinky. An awkward silent suddenly coats the group.
"So…" Alexander broke. "About Otto von Krieger's commander… Her name is Nishizumi Nanako, with her second in command being her brother Nishizumi Ryunosuke and her upperclassman Akaboshi Hanzo. Nanako is responsible as both commander and heavy mechanized platoon, Ryunosuke is leader of the motorized platoon and Hanzo – light mechanized platoon."
"Okay so, that's the commander… Wait, a she?" Araki's eyes widen.
"I'm certain you didn't mishear, Araki." Mariya interjects, to which Araki replies. "I know but… a she?"
"Peculiar, indeed. Even more peculiar is that Otto von Krieger is… the only school in the League to have their commanders to always be female. I don't know why, but it is true." Alexander shrugged.
"Well… that's quite something." Araki mused over the interesting fact she just learned.
"You haven't even scratched the bottom of the barrel in terms of wackiness, captain." Alexander simply shook his head repeatedly and clicked his tongue.
"Sure thing, lieutenant. Sure thing…" Araki rolled his eyes. "Like there is anything that is even weirder…"
Seeing that the commander is not convinced, Alexander decides to drop the mysterious act. "You haven't heard that the Australian-themed school literally has a kangaroo as their commander?"
That instantly catches everyone attention.
"You what, lieutenant?"
"Excuse me, what?"
"Lieutenant Margelov… You're kidding, right?"
"…Heh?"
"Anyway… proceed with that all you want. Captain, do you have any plans for the match?"
"Ah, well…" Araki paused, still getting the shocking news. "Uhm…"
"Hey! You got any ideas about our future match, new captain?" Mariya, having done processing the ridiculous fact, waved her hand to snap Araki off, which she succeeded.
Shaking his head rapidly to get his mind back from the shock, Araki talks over the match and conditions. "So… given that Kumamoto is in the southern part of the country, we should expect a great increase in temperature. It isn't the desert though, so I don't think we need to take any special precautions. But since the battle takes place in huge, wide plains with some large batches of vegetation here and there, the armored force would be of great priority, while the infantry element primarily acts as reconnaissance. Basic stuff, really. One more question though, lieutenant, what kind of game mode will we being playing in these kinds of practice matches?"
"Ah… For these matches, we don't have follow the official game modes sponsored by the JHF. Rather, we treat these matches like Sensha-do's annihilation matches, though the player count is the same as the Sabotage game mode."
"So… 100v100, with some armored vehicles allowed?" Kyoko cut in.
"Yes."
"Is that it?" The commander of the BTR-82A asked.
"Yeah… You guys can go for now. We will tell this to everyone later." Araki waved the crew off.
"Alright… We'll be heading to the killhouse, так?" Mariya gestured with her head movement.
"Alright. Keep up the good work, okay?" Araki saluted in a somewhat informal manner to Mariya.
"Okay!" And the crew finally moved away from the high ranking officers. Araki has something private to say, however.
"So, lieutenant, can you keep this just between us? I… have something to say."
"What is it, captain?"
"I'm just thinking… Maybe I shouldn't try to convince everyone to follow my club reform just yet. I wanted to do what they always do first."
"Why? Isn't this a good opportunity to prove yourself as a commander, captain?"
"That is a sound argument but… I've thinking that if I let them do what they always did before and follow the usual tactics we have, perhaps… we can lose?"
"Lose the practice match?"
"It's a gamble, yes, but I am willing to bet that if we lose the practice match, the lower brasses would very much more willing to listen to what I have in store. And… maybe it's just a hunch but…"
"Captain… That's quite devious, you know?" Alexander turns at him with a smug face.
"Ah, no." Araki waved both of his hand in panic and laughed awkwardly. "Don't think I wish us to fail or anything. I'm just… considering my options. Please, I don't really view lowly of my comrades, not at all!"
"Hah… Gotcha!" Alexander suddenly broke a smile. "You really are soo honest and straightforward that I can play you around like a fiddle."
"Y-You…" Araki then sighs and curses. "Иди нахуй, блядь! (Fuck off, you shit!)" He then immediately takes a deep breath and moves on, keeping up a professional posture. "Anyhow… I wish us to garner key results on the practice match, regardless of the outcome. You will be handling the motorized platoon, lieutenant?"
"Да. Так... Удачной охоты, капитан! (Yes. So… Good hunting, captain!)" Alexander saluted informally.
"Ты тоже, лейтенант! (You too, lieutenant!)" Araki saluted back, breaking off from the second in command to join up with his squadmates.
Moving way down southwest to the subtropical island that is Kyushu, the temperature has already gotten above 10 degrees, and the multitudes of flowers already began their reproduction processes. Pollens fly across the air, through the city buildings and into some unfortunate one's nose, giving them a hell of a sneezing fit. The seagulls are taking a head start in the area, flying around looking for some fishes in the city. The broadleaves are blooming with a dominating green across the mountains, the countryside and the cities. It can be for certain that the biome here is dramatically livelier than that of Aomori.
Kumamoto rapidly approaches in the distance, posing its beauty as a seaside city. An odd mix with modern architecture and oriental shrines spread throughout the bustling urban area. Yet, just like Aomori, it too is also the receiver of the ever present, distant sound of cracks and thumps in the air to the eastern part of the town. A Germanic style building rises above the surrounding structure, its symbol consisting of an iron cross drawn in shades of blue, with a Gefechtshelm M92 helmet placed on top of the cross in an untidy manner and an accompanying G36 being put diagonally on the left of the cross. As the bird soar the skies above, the ground below is filled with pockets of people dressed in the modern Bundeswehr uniform being fully armed, GTK Boxers and Marders, though a singular Puma stands out from the crowd of IFVs as it is constantly tested with tons of anti-tank munitions and autocannon fire to its front armor. Of course, the Puma sooner or later has its white flag popped the right side of its turret, but it has sustained a considerable amount of focus fire for quite some time before the behemoth finally surrendered.
"Huh… That's quite a tank for a Schützenpanzer right there." A male officer commented, pen and note already in hand. "Definitely way better at sustaining damage than our GTKs and our Marders."
"See, I told you we should have taken the deal from the Bundeswehr to test this thing out for the tournament. And it still has a fairly high power to weight ratio, too." Another man told, his grin formed on his face. "I can see us making great progress in this year's tournament."
"Yeah… We can definitely make more uses of our signature style of advance." The other man nodded.
"Still, being able to dodge incoming fire swiftly and skillfully is a necessity to ensure the successes of applying the Nishizumi style to Hohei-do, lieutenant Akaboshi." A female officer suddenly emerged from the back of the duo, cutting between them.
"Ah, sharp as always, captain Nishizumi. Expected from a person who is of the lineage of a legendary family though." Lieutenant Akaboshi complimented.
However, the girl denies the kind words with a stern expression, her hands tied behind her back. "Thank you for the pleasantries, but that's not what I am here for. I am sure both of you are aware of the opponent that we have to face in the upcoming match, yes?"
"Jawohl, sister. That news is already known to everyone. But, there is something you must be aware." He turns to the commander.
"And that is?" The girl expresses some interests with the new information.
"Krasnaya Zvezda has changed their commander this year. Igor, I heard. A first-year but with great potential. The brasses there are all looking forward to changes, or at least not to repeat the horrific record that they have last year, the Aufklärung said."
"Alright… You do understand what that means for us, brother?"
"We welcome then with great hospitality, yes yes. It's basically tradition at this point."
"And it is a tradition for a reason, Ryunosuke." The female officer smiles at him. "For almost 2 decades now, our side of the family has resided and supported Hohei-do ever since its infancy. It is a way for us to give back to this… Kami given opportunity to honor our warrior's bloodline. My grandmother, my mother, and to an extend I, feel like we can't repay the debt we have owed this sport for."
"Yes I know, but… Mom said she wanted to join up with the Nishizumis, yes?"
"She... didn't feel it was the time, necessarily. This is merely just a calm before the storm, she said."
"And she has been maintaining that kind of thought ever long after the outlaw of Panzer Ketto by the Sensha-do Federation. Is it really that necessarily to take that much precaution for the matter? Wouldn't the Sensha-do family welcome us back anyway, Nanako? Plus, they would have the advantage of being able to expand to this fresh ground that is Hohei-do. I mean, our relationship with the main family has been strained for decade already. Why not put an end to that?"
"Brother… I thought you were supposed to be the more responsible one here. You're older than me, after all. You should understand why we haven't bothered rejoining the Nishizumi family, right?"
"Captain Nishizumi has a point, lieutenant." Lieutenant Akaboshi added.
"Hanzo, come on! Not you too! I mean... perhaps we can help change the Nishizumi? If the many years before are to go by, we have proven that we don't have to be so cold, distant and… inhuman to honor our traditions as Nishizumis. We always advance and attack, holding ourselves close to our enemies, regardless of the losses we have sustained. That's how we Otto von Krieger students have rolled since the beginning of Hohei-do. And yet… we still laugh, we still act like humans, with emotions, irrational thoughts, regrets, dreams and… You see what I am seeing, sister? We can save them, Nanako!"
Nanako shakes her head, disagreeing with what he said. "That… Okay, here's the thing. I used to ask mother these questions too, and this is what she said: Kami helps those who help themselves."
"And? What does that have to do with the topic at hand?" Ryunosuke argued.
Even with fierce opposition from her older brother, Nanako sternly and calmly elaborates. "It means we can't simply enforce the change we wanted to see. I think mother wanted us to wait until the Nishizumi family actively expressed interest in changing their ways. That… is when we start to peak our heads."
"Given the fame that the Nishizumi family possesses, both in Sensha-do and Hohei-do, I guess that event could likely coincide with the merge of the two combat sport too." Hanzo gave his own on the matter, exciting the Nishizumi siblings.
"We would get tanks working alongside infantry… Heck yes!" Ryunosuke, being the more emotionally driven of the two, jumps up in the air to great heights. "Like… imagine us working alongside Kuromorimine, coordinating attacks, defenses, making maneuvers and calling out important targets in a battle. Ooh, I would dream for that to happen, sister!"
"Yes, brother. It would be a beautiful scene to behold." Nanako has a considerably more subdued reaction, but even she can't contain her exciting, as her lips curl up. "Ah, speaking of that, I heard Sensha-do this year are incorporating other elements of warfare too. Artillery and aircrafts, to be specific."
"R-Repeat that, will you?" Ryunosuke looked at his sister in shock.
"She said Sensha-do would be adding artillery and air support this year. Oh, is this official information, by the way?" Hanzo takes his attention away from the training ground ahead of him.
"Not public, but I am certain. If it's from mother, I am certain it is correct."
"I can believe in her. She has proved to be very thorough and rigorous in her intel gathering, after all."
"Sucks that I can't do what mother does. Spy work is way too much for my innocent soul." The female officer suddenly pouted.
"Come on Nanako, mom already said you don't have to follow her footstep. She already has a disciple of her own in Aufklärung anyway." The male pats her shoulder.
"But… I want to be like mother in the future. She's just… so talented, and yet… she so kind!" The commander said in a whining voice.
"Lieutenant Nishizumi has a point, commander. Also, you already possessed those traits you wanted to have."
"But I want to be better! And I know I can, I just know!" Nanako whined.
"And yet I thought you were supposed to be mature one, sister." Ryunosuke remarked with a snarky tone.
"Brother!" The female officer started to fume, which prompted Hanzo to step in.
"Come on, captain. Let's get back to the matter at hand. I'm sure you know better than to bicker now, uh huh?" To which Nanako immediately got back to her sense, though her cheeks are still puffed up.
"Heh, you're really way better at this than I am."
"Don't mentioned it, lieutenant Nishizumi. I just want to keep our focus on the matter."
"Well, there are perks for being such a protective brother…" Ryunosuke noted, but suddenly Hanzo became a little bitter from the comment.
"Ah, yeah…"
Instantly realizing his mistake, Ryunosuke proceed with an apology. "A-Ah, right… Sorry to mention that."
"No, no, it's fine. People make mistake, and I get that you don't mean anything negative about it." Hanzo shook his head, tilting it slight downward.
"Regardless… How do you want us to proceed with the match, sister?" Ryunosuke redirects the group's attention.
"Ah… Just proceed as normal. We'll be probing to see if there are any new tactics they employ, but I think Krasnaya's commander is still acclimating with the team. Regardless of the results though, we must remember to be hospitable to them, okay? We have been doing this to our opponents for years, and I don't want us to stop doing it anytime soon. Is that clear?" Nanako returned to her previous stern expression.
"Jawohl, kristalklar. (Yes ma'am, crystal clear.)" The two lieutenant saluted, to which the captain saluted back.
"Rührt euch! (At ease!)" The captain shouted back, and they all stopped before spreading out around the training ground again.
The trip from Aomori to Kumamoto can be best described as a very long haul from one point to another. Even with train lines reserved for the JSF and JHF respectively to move machineries and equipment all over the country to minimize waiting time, the procedure of taking down these heavy cargos from the trains are very time consuming, for carelessness is not allowed when handling these behemoths. Even a wrong move doing these jobs can cause great loss of life if not supervised. And that is not mentioning that they themselves have to ride these trains, since the Shinkansen isn't designed for transporting things like tanks, IFVs, APCs, trucks and jeeps in large capacity. And thus, here Araki is, staring blankly through the train window, even there isn't much to see as the sky is pitch black.
"Captain, you managed to get any sleep?" A second in command of his asked, rubbing his eyes, his face a little wet from the washing up on the train.
"Slept ever since we transferred from Tokyo. Apparently I just… happened to wake up minutes ago. Can't really force myself to sleep longer than 6 hours without feeling awful the next day, lieutenant Suzuki." Araki answered, his eyes still plastered to the stars above.
"Yeah. Managed to have some shut eye too." The lieutenant followed the commander's gaze. "The stars here are bright; don't you think?"
"Yeah." Araki responded absent-mindedly. "I still remember us making transfer in Tokyo. Everything there was just… too overwhelming for me."
"Tokyo is the most bustling city in the entirety of Japan, yes. And you never strike me as the city type."
"I like it more in Aomori, though this area around here is pleasant, too." Then the captain suddenly spotted some sprinkles in the distance, partially illuminating the beach. "Ah, seems like we're almost there. Lieutenant, what time is it now?"
Lieutenant Suzuki checks his cellphone. "Right now… It's… 03:30, sir."
"20 minutes before arrival…" Araki mused over the fact for a second. "I'll go wake lieutenant Margelov first, you start calling everyone up, will you? We will need to start going off the train and retrieve our vehicles in the back."
"Так точно. (Yes sir.)" The lieutenant nodded, but a figure suddenly creeps out from the shadow, touching Araki's shoulder with a boo.
Araki, frightened to the core, perks up freezing and yelps loudly, to which the figure takes great joy in the small tomfoolery, given his jolly giggle.
"Already done that, captain." Alexander grins. "Looks like you are easy to scare, too."
"Alexander!" Araki shouted, though the scream is stifled as not to disturb anyone on the train. "Not funny! None of your shenanigans you do is funny at all, lieutenant!"
"Come on, at least that should awake everyone." Lieutenant Margelov stills bears an aggravating grin.
"He has a point, captain I-" Lieutenant Suzuki added.
"Don't call me Igor!"
"Alright, alright. I won't."
Araki then rolls his eyes, trying to look over the situation rationally. "I swear, upperclassmen like you two are just unbearable, sometimes."
And just like Alexander predicted, lights started to go out, the train becoming livelier and livelier as minutes pass by. Sounds of people just waking up and walking out rumble throughout the train.
"Hey, what happened!?"
"I heard a scream! Is everybody okay!?"
"I hope we didn't just get ourselves into a murder mystery here!"
"Stop with the jinx, idiot!"
"It's like 3:00 AM in the morning! Whatever the living hell was that!?"
"Who the hell wake us up in the middle of the night!? We were having our beauty sleep!"
A girl immediately emerges from the crowd. "Hey, did anything happen- Oh, it's you." The girl – Kyoko – shoots a stink eye at the commander. "What are you men up to, in the middle of the night?"
Araki, even with the BTR-82A gunner's eyes staring straight through his soul, casually elaborates. "Someone just decided to indulge themselves in some… child's play." As the commander shoots back a stare to the Russian second in command.
The guy simply laughs it off, however. "Извини, коммандир. (Sorry, commander.) I just thought of it as an efficient way to wake all up. We are almost at our destination, after all."
"And you think creeping up to me like you are going to shank me is of any good!?" Araki spoke with great volume, to which everyone suddenly stopped as they process the given information.
"Wait… That was the commander's!?"
"Man… I thought a girl was getting harassed or something!"
"Almost sounded like a murder happened."
"Man, the commander really screamed like a kid lost his toy there."
And everyone started to humor, slowly evolving from small giggles, then big giggles, then big gags. A hot, painful feeling emerges from Araki's chest. He wants to scream; he has to scream. Araki is pissed. But with a strong inhale and exhale through the nose, Araki spoke in dejection. "You're never going to let me live this down, aren't you?"
"Yeah." Kyoko responded, covering her mouth as she loudly giggles.
Araki can only shake his head in defeat, as his comrades surround him. And yet, a stifled laugh can also be heard from him.
The time is 04:30. The heaviest loads that are 2 BMP-3Ms and 1 BTR-82A have finally finished the procedures for unloading are retrieved back to the area around the station by the girls. The personnel checks are also done, everyone having changed from their school uniforms to their respective combat uniforms and strapped to the teeth with combat gear, their AK-74Ms either hanging on the back to the side of the rucksack or loosely held in the hand. The sky is pitch black, but something can be seen towering over the city, taking the shape of a great ship.
"Распутскать! (Dismiss!)" Krasnaya Zvezda's commander shouted loudly, and soon after the large group of soldiers disbanded to their respective units. Araki does the same, moving towards the BTR-82A and mounting himself up the vehicle troop desant style along the rest of the mechanized squad he leads.
"Araki, are you ready?" Mariya spoke from inside the BTR.
"Yeah I'm- Wait." Something suddenly dawns onto the commander. He brings his hand up to the earpiece placed in the left ear. "All units, hold your horses."
The roar of engines around Kumamoto station are loud, but the vehicles either remain idle or move up a bit from the initial position before pressing the brake.
"Hey commander, what's the issue? Why are we stopping?" Lieutenant Margelov asked in the channel.
"Yeah. What's with the energy you had earlier? Something happened?" Lieutenant Suzuki shared the same sentiment.
"Ah… Does anyone here know where to go from here on out? Also you can call me Igor now." Araki responded.
"Oh, don't tell me…" Araki can feel the facepalm lieutenant Margelov did on the other side.
"You didn't bother with the map I gave you, didn't you?" The other lieutenant added.
"Yes, I did! I can basically remember the entire layout of the park now!" Araki argued on the line.
"But you didn't bother to check the route to Aso-Kuju, did you?" Lieutenant Margelov guessed.
"Ah, uh… Well… Yeah." Araki admitted in defeat.
"Great." Lieutenant Suzuki condescendingly remarked. "We are dropped at the station, not knowing our way around this new city we just stepped foot into. And the sun hasn't even risen yet! How are we supposed to navigate? Just blindly driving around the city, disturbing the peace, Igor!?"
"Maybe we can ask the locals around?" Araki made a suggestion.
"Who the hell can we ask when the shops aren't even opened yet?" Lieutenant Suzuki countered.
"Perhaps an angel will ascend from the sky and hand us directions or something." Alexander comically spoke and snickered on the comms.
"Like that's ever going to hap-" Lieutenant Suzuki was about to snap back before he spotted a convoy of vehicle driving down the street. "Hey commander, you seeing what I am seeing?"
Araki looks straight ahead of him, spotting a convoy of military vehicles, their headlights being turned on as they drive along the calm, lone street. Driving closer and closer to him, he spots a large amount of personnel, also geared up to the teeth like his men, their rifle also hanging behind the back or loosely held with two arms. In the front of the pack, 3 armored vehicles roll up to Krasnaya Zvezda, though one of them has a turret offset to the left compared to the center point of the hull, with a girl fitted with the German combat uniform sitting on the empty space left by the small turret, though she looks to carry considerably less weight compared to her peers.
"These are Marders – contemporary BMPs of the Bundeswehr, I heard. I do not recognize the BMP leading the convoy though." Alexander spoke through the radio.
"Must be something new the Germans are cooking again. I mean, experimental projects aren't something odd to come across in Hohei-do, да?" Lieutenant Suzuki added.
"Fair enough." Alexander shrugged from the other side, the sound of the engine rumbling in the truck he is sitting on can be heard.
The leading BTR-82A has its turret turned to the girl, as one of the crew inside started to bawl. "Aah, it's one of the Nishizumi in the flesh, I can't believe I'm seeing it right now. She's look so beautiful... Well, I mean, her look is definitely different from the other Nishizumi sisters. They both have shorter hair, while the girl is just… she looks like a very traditionally beautiful Japanese woman. Agh, I only wish to be that kind of woman."
"Kyoko, please stop your ramblings, Kyoko, or I will stuff you SPAM until you pleaded me 5 times."
"If it's to witness such sight like this, I can bear any torture. I will do anything, and I mean anything to see her in real life."
"Uh…" Ringo tried to think of another way to persuade Kyoko from her fangirling all over, but Mariya puts her hand up as a stop sign from the commander.
"Ringo, she's already long gone. Let her have her time." Mariya spoke, to which Ringo couldn't argue with. The commander of the BTR then opens up the BTR-82A's hatch to see the meeting between the two commanders.
The boy and girl look at each other, as if they are sizing up their opponents from appearance. Araki's look is no different from an average infantryman, though he has a pistol holster on his thighs, and is completely lock and loaded, top to bottom. The commander of Otto von Krieger – the school that they will be playing against today – contrast that vibe entirely. She only wears the uniform and the helmet, with no backpack worn in the back. On the spot that a pistol should be is instead replaced by an MP7, probably newest generation given the attachment that was put on there. Given the amount of equipment she carries on her, she is likely also a vehicle crew, perhaps even the commander of said vehicle she dismounted from.
The two commanders look into each other's eyes, though given Araki's superior height, the German commander has to tilt her head up a bit. Then, the opposing commander reaches her hand out and smiles at him. "Welcome to Kumamoto city, Igor. It's a pleasure to meet you."
Araki was taken aback a little by the polite gesture, likely because she already knew about his name, or at least his nickname, but he immediately took the hand and shook it. "M-Me too. You are Nishizumi Nanako, if I'm not wrong…"
"Of Otto von Krieger Co-ed College, yes. I suppose you are the commander of Krasnaya Zvezda High School, then?"
"Correct."
"You have just arrived here, haven't you? Judging by your expression, you're looking for Aso-Kuju National Park, yes?"
"Y-Yeah. H-How did you kno- Oh, right. Your school is playing against ours today."
"Indeed."
The couple stops speaking, letting the silence of the early morning envelops the atmosphere. Tensions started to generate, as seconds go by. It's getting harder to speak up, but Araki manages to break the quietness. "So… do you know the route to the organized arena that we will be playing? We… are kind of lost at the moment."
"Sure thing. Actually, it's the road to our school, too. We just come from there to welcome you guys here."
"That's… very nice of you."
"It's nothing. We at Otto von Krieger always treat our guests to the city with great respects and hospitality."
"Regardless, it's a very lovely welcome from you, miss Nishizumi."
The girl's cheek suddenly become a bit more pink after Araki's kind word, though she maintains her stern expression. Even then, she suddenly refuses eye contact, which Araki initially finds it weird, before thinking about it for second and also feeling a bit embarrassed.
The couple stands there for quite some time before Otto von Krieger's commander received something from her earpiece, which wakes her up from the daze. Araki also has the same reaction, shaking his head and gets back up to the BTR-82A.
Nanako also does the same, and orders on the radio as she gestures with her left hand. "Schützenpanzer, vor!"
The IFV in front starts making a U-turn, to which those behind the leader did the same. Once the convoy has finished rotating, they start driving off from Krasnaya.
"Come on, let's get going already, Igor!" Lieutenant Suzuki told on the comms, prompting Araki to say something similar, also.
"Солдаты, в путь!"
That was all they need to start stepping their feet onto the gas pedal, closely tailing Otto von Krieger's convoy to the National Park.
As the convoy drive towards the eastern outskirt of the city, the sun's light starts to rear its head from beyond the hilltops, though the darn ball hasn't fully shown itself yet. The sky's color goes from pure black to something more resembles purple, as the blue catches up soon after. The city is still in deep sleep, but they convoy has already encountered some lights from small food stalls replacing the road lights that are turned off completely as day breaks. The convoy got some food from the 7/11 that happens to be right on the road they are driving on, and loaded up on food, both to eat for breakfast and for lunch. The food and snacks are stashed alongside the munitions on the trucks, as they have the largest ferrying capacity.
Nonetheless, the convoy finally stops at Shin-Aso-ohashi Bridge, where the JHF referees are waiting. They don't seem to be waiting for too long, though some people are already tapping their feet. Once some exchanges here and there were made, the two schools then do their usual greetings and handshakes, as part of tradition to begin a Hohei-do match, a custom that is taken from Sensha-do. The personnel start lining up themselves and their vehicles, as the command elements step out of the crowd to introduce themselves properly. The hosting team always starts this part first, in this regard.
"My name is Nishizumi Nanako, first year. Commander and platoon leader of the heavy mechanized unit for Otto von Krieger Co-ed College." The German team commander initiates, just like how a Nishizumi is expected to be. Her posture displays confidence, her back straightens up and her head held high.
"I'm Nishizumi Ryunosuke, second year. Platoon leader of the motorized infantry unit for Otto von Krieger." Her brother continues.
"And I'm Akaboshi Hanzo, second year. Platoon leader of the light mechanized unit, though for today I will be acting as assisting platoon leader for mister Nishizumi here." And Hanzo ended Otto von Krieger's introduction ceremony.
Now, it's Krasnaya Zvezda's turn.
"I am Yamamoto Araki, first year, callsign Igor. Commander and leader of the light mechanized platoon, though I guess in this match it would be more like a detachment." Araki added, huffing at the extra information.
"The name's Alexander Margelov, second year. Leader of the motorized platoon." Alexander keeps it short.
"And my name is Suzuki Sentoku, third year. Leader of the heavy mechanized platoon." Lieutenant Suzuki also followed with the same brevity.
The two sides bow to each other. "Let us have a good game!" They all say, before disbanding and heading to their designated starting position.
By 06:00, the participants have finally finished their set up on the northwestern and southeastern side of the national park. As the flare flutters on the now bright blue sky of Kumamoto, both side know it is time to get going with the match.
Привет малушка, моя родная
Му как дела?
Наверно к дому зима дорожки все замела
А звезды падают на Кумамотом в лучах зари
Ты только маме, что я в Кюсю не говори
А звезды падают на Кумамотом в лучах зари
Ты только маме, что я в Кюсю не говори
Сейчас воскресенье и-
"Hikaru, can you at least sing something less demoralizing, please? For Kami's sake, you can legit choose something better than that depressing sad sack of a song you just sang." Araki complained from inside the vehicle as Ringo drive the squad to Shiroyama scenic overlook. Currently, the BTR-82A has separated itself away from the other vehicles to act as armored scout unit, while the motorized platoon, as ordered, started storming the town to take key positions. One of the BMP-3Ms are told to tag along those in the town to provide the town, whereas the other BMP-3M is now en route to the previous location that they meet the referees at. A drone flies high above the sky, giving the judges and the audience at Kumamoto a bird's eye view of the situation.
"Sorry, but I've been practicing that song on the guitar for quite some time now. I just... wanted to do something like this. A very lovely experience, I can say." Hikaru scratched the back of his head.
"But…" Araki sighs. "Whatever, next time, pick something like… I don't know, Slaviankia Farewell or something. That's way more uplifting."
Suddenly a transmission come from lieutenant Margelov. "Igor, it's Margelov from Aso right now. Requesting assistance, we got heavy fighting here, multiple contacts. Our force is-" A thump sounded through the comms. "Блядь, they really want this town, don't they? Alright, we'll get back at them back twice as hard! Boris squad, keep those Nemchura's head down. Anton squad, I need you to keep holding onto the eastern part of Aso until further orders. Ah… Sorry for the disturbance, but you can see really need help right now. Margelov, out."
Araki was about call for Sentoku when he also reported in. "Suzuki reporting. The BMP-3M in town is currently engaging enemy infantry now. If there's any friendly fire, immediately report to us. The BMP-3M to the southwestern side currently can't provide support right now. The infantry squad we have just spotted enemy BMP heading to Aso, too. Given their weak ability to fight in urban environment, it is crucial that we intercept this. We'll leave it to you to provide support, Igor. Suzuki, out."
"Welp, we got a job to do now. Ringo, you mind bringing us back to Aso?" Araki knocks on the driver position of the BTR-82A.
"Loud and clear. Tighten your seatbelts, guys. It's going to be a bumpy ride." Ringo warns everyone, as the BTR suddenly revs harder and runs faster than usual.
"Alright, alright. Come to mama…" The BMP-3M gunner mumbles to herself, as she slowly brings her sight onto the German IFV, the 100m barrel fired ATGM already prepared to fire. A kill is almost guaranteed, given that the vehicle is already carefully laid down in a hull down position, near the road's ravine. The IFV casually strolls toward Krasnaya's armored unit, looking as if unaware of the danger it might face.
However, that cannot be further from the truth. The German IFV's turret suddenly turns toward the BMP-3M and opens up with a burst of autocannon fire, blinding the gunner from taking a clear shot at it.
"Shit. Can't see anything." She cursed to herself
"Just fire, I got visual here." The commander of the BMP-3M said. "Tilt your turret a little to the left. Driver, once the ATGM hits, we're out of here, you copy?"
"Yes madam." The driver responded, cracking her knuckles and placing it onto the vehicle's driving sticks.
The BMP-3M fires its Basnya ATGM at the IFV, hitting it square on the front. "That should shock them." The commander muttered, looking through the camera as the driver gets the BMP-3 over the ravine. But, something is wrong as the smoke dissipate. There it is, the German IFV still standing tall, its white flag not being popped up at all. It just sits there, menacingly, its offset turret staring straight into the BMP-3M crew's souls. Another munition cuts through the air, hitting the side of the IFV. And yet, it doesn't cause any form of visible damage on the German behemoth.
"We just used the RPG-26. Just hit the target but uh… How it is now?" The infantry squad leader asked.
"Not seeing any visible damage yet. The tracks are still intact and the turret is still working with the power traverse." The BMP-3M commander answered. "Gunner, pummel it with some autocannon AP to pierce it, before hitting them with another ATGM."
"Already on it." The BMP-3M let out a deafening sound of continuous fire onto the IFV, though the IFV stood tall, its turret still looking back at it like it isn't in danger of being eliminated.
Suddenly, an ATGM fires from the German vehicle, as its autocannon roars, blinding the periscope again. This time, it aims, and succeeds in damaging the gunner's optic.
"Shit, optic's broken. Can't see anything now."
A loud shock emanates throughout the BMP-3M's cabin, the ATGM hitting square in its front armor.
"Just keep driving. We need to retreat back to the north to regroup with the others. Gunner, keep firing. Driver, reverse us out of here."
"Solid!" The duo replied, keeping up the pressure on the German IFV.
All of a sudden, the hull shakes with great intensity again, before the electronics in the vehicle shut down.
"Fuck, I can't use the camera anymore."
"My gun's not firing either."
"Is the stick shift not working or something?"
A sound of a flag being popped from the BMP-3M can be heard from inside the vehicle, as the screen reported that the damage the vehicle sustained is too much to be operable.
"Fuck, we're gone." The commander realized.
"Shit, our BMP is gone. Dead on the water!" One of the infantryman shouted on the squad comms.
"Wh-What about enemy BMP?" The squad leader called back
"S-Still standing, sir." The infantryman answered back, his voice expressing nervousness.
"…We're fucked, aren't we?" The squad leader stated simply.
Moving back to Aso, fighting has been very fierce between the Russians and the Germans, as they engage in brutal close quarter combat. Araki can already hear heavy gunfire from the eastern side of the town as the BTR-82A slowly approaches. The infantry squad dismounted from the BTR, as they slowly clear out the buildings.
"No wonder Margelov asked for help." Araki noted as he saw the plethora of bodies of both Krasnaya and Otto laid across streets and in houses, their backpacks shooting out white flags with a black skull painted on it. The BTR rumbles, as if to mourn their men falling down while the JHF's medical teams roll out to retrieve the participants and relocate them back to a temporary medical facility in the area.
Bring his hand to the earpiece, Araki called. "Igor here, Igor here. We have arrived at Aso. Looks like the squad holding the east is gone now."
Thankfully, coming from the other side of the line is lieutenant Margelov. "Margelov here. Yes, you are correct. Thankfully, during the engagement we have managed to eliminate one of their BMPs, though we suffer greater losses overall. Still, the BMP-3M manages to survive the encounter, so we still possess great firepower. The town is secured on the north side, but we still have no information on hostile whereabouts currently."
"Good, Margelov! How about the BMP-3M on the bridge, Suzuki?"
"I-It's gone, sir. The infantry unit that was attached to the BMP said that they lost the vehicle right as they were about to retreat back to Aso. They said to regroup at the north side – where we are right now. But… I heard some gunfire in the distance and… judging by some of our units currently embed on the west, there are no reports of friendly retreating element."
"Shit… Alright, Margelov. Thin your forces out a bit and take key positions around the area. Hold your fire, as I'll be going there. Keep your eyes peeled for any movement, however. Suzuki, reinforce elements on the west. I reckon their heavy mechanized force is going to approach from the western roads."
"Так точно, прием." The officers said from the comms, before going dark.
As Moteru peeks around the street, a bunch of lead suddenly comes his way, to which he quickly takes cover. "Enemy MG, south! At post office, 2nd floor!"
The BTR-82A immediately moves up and opens fire at the location. The German gunner on that floor immediately hunkers down to hide away from the cannon fire.
"Kyoko, keep the pressure up! Don't let them peek!" Mariya ordered.
"Already on it!"
"Wait, saw enemy vehicle to the west, sir!" Kanata shouted.
"BTR, pull back. Don't expose yourself to enemy anti-tank!"
"Got it!" Mariya responded on the earpiece.
"Mikhail, keep up the pressure on the post office."
"Already done." Mikhail screamed as he puts leads onto the window on the building.
"Squad leader, reporting enemy movement at west. They got infantry accompanying enemy BMP." Rudolfo talked as he looked through the scope, holding his finger off the trigger. "Order to engage, sir?"
"Engage when they are distracted, over." Araki ordered.
As Mikhail continues doing his job as an automatic rifleman, a bullet suddenly whizzes through the air, and before the gunner knows it, he is knocked out, stone cold on the floor, his backpack popping off a white flag with a cross.
"Ah, gunner's down." Andrey calls out, pulling the boy's body away from the window before proceeding with the usage of the epipen. Mikhail's eyes immediately open up, grasping at every breath he has. He looks around, confused as to what just happened before a sharp pain emanates from his temple.
"Ah, another headshot, again?" Mikhail cracks up. "Maybe I got a bounty on my head or something."
"That's what happens when you're a gunner, Mikhail." Andrey snaps back.
"Sure, yeah…" Mikhail simply shrugs as he is getting checked. Once that is done with, he picks up his gun and checks the ammo in the magazine before reloading.
"Alright. BTR, engage enemy BMP now. They should be coming right around the corner." Araki ordered to the vehicle squad. "Hikaru, you ready?"
"I'm ready." Hikaru's voice came off oddly calm, as he shoulders the anti-tank platform in a crouching position. "Will fire when the BTR opens up."
"Good, good. And…" Araki counts some seconds before he speaks again. "Now!"
Rudolfo starts the engagement in favor of the Russian by shooting down one of the German automatic rifleman, bringing the marching squad to a state of shock before they, too, start returning fire at the suspected direction. It was fierce enough to get Rudolfo hunker down. As their medic starts tending to the wounded, Mikhail lets the RPK-74M roar, pinning all the man down to a hole. The German Marder returns some fire with its autocannon, shocking up the entire neighborhood. Unfortunately, as soon as the Marder starts firing on the infantry, the BTR-82A rolls up and rains down hell on the German IFV. The BTR keeps pushing closer and closer until the Marder cannot use the ATGM in its effective range, forcing an autocannon on autocannon fight. Still, the BTR's armor is way lighter than the Marder, so even with the jump on the IFV, it would still be a close match in favor of the Germans. That should be what happened, until the RPG-26 has its munition escape the tube, hitting the turret and disabling it, completely steering the fight into the BTR's favor. The BTR just keeps on firing until a white flag pops out of the Marder's hull.
Kanata fires frag and smoke grenades to enemy soldiers, preparing to push alongside Moteru and Kisaragi who is still staying silent, waiting for a signal. Kanata slaps Moteru's back as he shouts. "Come on, get going!"
"Okay, okay!" Moteru quickly followed, raising the AK-74M up.
Even with the sound of chaos enveloping the atmosphere, Kisaragi can hear out the call to push up, and thus, he switches the AK's lever from safe to single and throws a frag grenade out to suspected enemy's position before also moving in.
The assault element pushes up, eliminating the rest of the stragglers, some were busying reviving their teammates, others were simply trying to do their best in a combat position. And just like that, two of the enemy's mechanized element has been wiped off the battlefield. The team that attacked Araki's squad was also confirmed to be repositioning by Rudolfo, and perhaps assaulting them back, but given this swift victory in this engagement, they would likely be able to hold off the other squad too.
"Woohoo! We did it." Kanata puts his fist up to the air to celebrate. Everyone seems to share the same positive sentiment, ready to face whatever comes to them.
That is what they thought until the last IFV arrives to the position, its turret already locking on targets and firing, taking out the BTR-82A with its white flag popped via a clean ATGM shot and bursts of AP rounds from the autocannon, before turning onto those on the road and wiping Kanata, Kisaragi and Moteru off the face of the earth with HE rounds. They lie lifeless on the ground, their backpacks pop out white flags with the same black cross.
"Fuck, another on-" Rudolfo was about called out before he was knocked to sleep by the cannon also.
"Preparing RPG-26!" Hikaru called out, picking up another RPG-26 laid on the floor earlier by the riflemen. He fires it and manages to immobilize the IFV. However, just as unfortunate as the other guys, he too was knocked out cold by the IFV's cannon.
It is now that the infantry inside the German IFV start to dismount and moves to clear the house that Araki, Mikhail and Andrey are in. It would be a matter of time before they too would be eliminated.
Suddenly, coming from squad comm, Ichiro reports with a snarky voice. "Hey, got the mines down on the BMP, by the way. Try to ho-" He almost got to the important part before some Germans decided to untimely shut him up with 5.56mm. The German, who is actually a combat engineer, comes to deestroy the mines that is placed behind the IFV.
While that is happening, the IFV keeps the heat up, firing all the HE round it has onto the small residential building. Araki can feel that the shaking is starting to get to him, as he feels his hand suddenly develops temporary Parkinson's. On the outside, Otto von Krieger's member start to ease up and talk about the battlefield situation.
"Hey, we're coming to clear this house."
"Hold your horses. How's the hostile element north of Aso?"
"Looks like we got that handled. The entire Krasnayas motorized platoon is eliminated, thanks to our platoon leaders working together."
"Huh, good… Let's get this over with, then. Come with me."
Otto's students begin the process of breaching inside the house, carefully clearing every room with the tools they have at their disposal. As the footsteps come closer and closer to the room, Arak raises his gun up, holding out for a long gone hope that they have a chance to come back from this. Or even if he is wiped here, he'll at least pull someone along. His two Russian squadmates also thinks the same, and they even go so far as to recite something in Russian together again and again. It's probably some Orthodox prayers.
Sadly, reality doesn't always align with imagination, and right when the door is breached with bullets, grenade after grenade after grenade after grenade is thrown into the room, completely decking both of the Russians. Araki was lucky, hiding behind a table that somehow blocks all the fragmentations.
"Scheiße, out of frags."
"We got to breach in regardless. Come on men, line up."
Seconds pass by, though it feels like centuries, before the door is kicked down. Araki has his gun up and successfully eliminates the first entry. But, what needs to happen happened, and Araki got filled with lead, dropping down into unconsciousness.
A flare is fired amongst the bright blue sky of Kumamoto, notifying the end of the Hohei-do match. The time is 15:26, and Otto von Krieger Co-ed College has seized a hard fought, yet resounding victory against Krasnaya Zvezda High School.