ARC II chapter 32

Traf was shocked, when he heard that almost half of the team was now gone and at what cost? A single Panzer IV from their opponents' team. They now also knew that Grid E499 was a trap and that the Dragon team and Москва were on the loose in the forest. It wasn't looking good and their chances to win were lower by each passing second. Looks like I have no chance, but to do that, huh? he thought and sighed.

"Takashi, take us to Grid E350. We'll do the classic ambush there and then move to Grid E404 for another. We'll also have to check for those 2 Panthers that escaped from the trap," he said and soon, the Tiger I lumbered slowly, and as quietly as it was able, towards Grid E350 - some bushes high enough to hide their tank long enough to get 2 shots in, before being spotted.

We might be the flag tank, he thought, but that doesn't mean that we can't cause havoc for the enemy team to turn the tides in our favor.

Erika was openly grinning, when she heard the success of both ambushes, one of which revealed a trap, while the other took down almost half of the opposing team. It was far better than she expected it to be, except for the fact that Jameson's tank wasn't spotted at all.

He might be waiting deeper in the forest, or… she thought and paled as she realized just what might be Jameson's plan to take away her numerical advantage. After all, in her eyes, Jameson was the threat after the last tournament, not Nishizumi.

But then, one of the things she did not expect happened.

Emi was getting overconfident. And how couldn't she, when Oarai was beaten and on the run after the successful ambush that she led? Her trusty Jagdpanther only failed her once - against Oarai in the finals of the classic tournament and now, she was close to getting her revenge on them.

"Follow them into the forest and smoke them out, before they create another trap," she said and turned to her right. There was nothing, but bushes and trees, but she swore that she saw movement in there from the corner of her eye.

She shrugged and tried her best to ignore the feeling of impending doom, but failed. Whatever it was, it wasn't an animal. It could be only one thing -

BANG!

The familiar sound of 88mm KwK 36 L/56 firing came somewhere from the right and her tank stopped dead in its tracks, the white flag popping out soon after, but the Tiger was nowhere to be seen.

And just as she was to shout at the confused crews to move, another one was taken out and the Tiger I of Oarai made itself known by retreating surprisingly fast into the forest, as if it was a ghost.

That confused Emi, due to the fact that a Tiger I would normally continue with the assault, until either no enemy was left standing, or the tank was destroyed.

But then, she remembered that Jameson was the commander of that thing and that he used some… unconventional tactics at times, this being but the latest, and possibly not the last, one.

And when the tanks that weren't taken out, left… She saw that Jameson took out the Jagdtiger as well, while the panicking crew of the Ferdinand/Elefant broke down its tank's transmission in their haste to do whatever they wanted to do.

Fritz couldn't help, but shiver in fear, when he heard what had just happened to the main force. Ambushed by Tiger I, which promptly disappears like a ghost into the forest, after taking out their biggest guns. And then, he reflexively crossed himself, before remembering that it was the work of Jameson and not a demon.

"We should leave this forest and link up with Kommandant Itsumi," Koume suggested over the radio and Fritz quickly agreed, not wanting to spend more time in the forest, where Jameson is on the loose, however, none of them noticed the quite obvious StuG III to their right and a T-34/85, that tailed them, to their left, until it was too late.

Viewing platform for VIP #1

Tsuneo was now openly grinning at the newest turn of events in the match. Itsumi might've gotten better from where she was during the Finals of the Nationals, but I can tell that she is close to losing, he thought after calming down and surveying the situation shown on the big screen.

"This seems to be an even more evenly matched round, than the Semifinals were," Renta commented and Tsuneo nodded along. After all, there still was the chance that Itsumi would be able to shift the fight back in her favor.

But then, he remembered something and leaned closer to his friend, a small smirk playing on his lips.

"How's the VIP team of yours doing?" he whispered into Renta's ear, who shot him an unamused glare in response, as if he was preparing to strangle him for finding out about the secret plan of his.

"I'm only doing them a favor, because of the corrupt ATA official," he stated abd waved his hand in a dismissing motion. But that didn't deter Tsuneo, as he kept grinning and kept on with his way of friendly banter.

Miho sighed in relief, when she heard a confirmation from Boris and Taiga about the KMM ambush team being completely disabled and the main force slowly being taken out in systematic ambushes by Trafalgar and his crew and how most of the Tiger squad will join up with the main force soon.

"Got it. The rest of us will search in the city. Be prepared for anything,"she answered and looked at the Hetzer next to her… only to see Momo studying the map carefully, as if it was a report for the SC to read through.

"Nishizumi, we'll split into 2 groups and enter the city from 2 different directions," she suddenly said through the comms and Miho nodded for herself, knowing that it was a good enough plan for their situation and started dividing the remains of the team.

"Panzer vor!" she finished and the remaining forces of Oarai moved towards their end goal.

Erika was on the verge of cursing, when she received panicked shouts from the main force as it was easily dismantled by Jameson. Just when it looked like I had beaten Oarai, they just had to somehow reverse the situation! she seethed in her mind and glared at the map, before quickly rearranging her guards' positions, unknowingly setting them in a way that would leave them vulnerable for the impending attack.

Which was proven not even 3 minutes later, when both of her guards called that they were taken out… at the same time as the last tank of the main force fell to Jameson's ambush tactics, which she now knew served the purpose of denying her getting reinforcements. Well played, she thought and turned just in time to see the VK 16.02 pass by her position.

"Get us out of here!" she shouted at her driver and the Panzer III sped out of the alley… only to ram into the M24 and get taken out from the side by the Hetzer mere moments later.

A/n:

And thus, ARC II is finished. Sorry for the long wait, but Author's block was a bitch during the past few weeks.

Anyway… see you later at the first Interlude chapter before ARC III!