They disapproved of her line up. The finals were the opportunity for the schools to show off their most impressive hardware and Saunders were doing that with six Easy Eights and four Pershings. She was not. She had brought Jagdpanthers because they were far more mobile than Elefants or Jagdtigers; no matter how impressive a Jagdtiger's firepower might be she saw no reason to hamstring the rest of her forces by shackling them to such a ponderous beast. Three Jagdpanthers and two Tiger IIs; that was the limit of her desire to 'show off'.
The rest of her line up was practical; six Panthers, six Panzer IV Hs, two Tigers and a Panzer III for scouting. Sensible. Practical. There was no point bringing bigger, heavier, slower machines against Saunders when their 76 and 90mm guns could penetrate the German tanks and tank destroyers at range anyway. This was a contest between glass cannons; tanks that could kill each other at long range with only the heavy beasts likely to cast off a few hits. Her Panthers were stronger frontally but only so much. What was the point in them bringing a pair of M4s with their 75mm spud guns? Or the M4A3s with their howitzers? But then, why had she had brought Panzer IVs instead of fielding only Panthers? Because it was an unspoken rule in Sensha-do that a team not to simply deploy a single model of all-powerful tank. It was boring. It was unsporting.
Not that Kuromorimine didn't already press close to the line of unsporting with their practice of bringing overwhelming force against minor opponents. An 8.8cm cannon was simply overkill when set against an opponent with just 15mm of armour. Yet, the Tiger remained the traditional flag tank of Kuromorimine.
Here she was, Captain in her Second Year and she was beginning the finals thinking about the grimness of her school's mindset. But things had been so much… Happier… In Junior High. No one had been overwrought by the results of matches between 38(t)s, T-26s, Renault YRs or Crusaders. It had all been about the joy of the sport. Somehow the step from 9th to 10th Grade was from the top of a high and happy hill straight into a dark and humourless gorge.
Like someone had said 'childhood is over, now get to work!'
Someone… She fought hard not to glare in the direction of the stands despite the fact they were well out of sight of her starting position. Even though it was impossible, she could feel the eyes burning on her. It was a cruel part of life that the eyes that burned her with so much 'encouragement' were the same eyes she had to see every time she looked in the mirror. The family eyes. Even little Erika had those eyes.
She was meant to give a speech before this important final match but what could she say that they didn't already know? They wanted to continue the school's winning streak and certainly not be remembered as the team that broke it. They didn't need to hear it from her; they knew it. Their vehicles were all purring for battle. That was all the poetry they needed to hear.
The signal was given, barely audible over the thrum of all the engines and Itsumi Leona had only one thing to say. "Panzer Vor!"
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Yamaguchi Masuyo was confident. Sure; her opponent's tanks were larger, heavier and meaner looking than hers but in regards to firepower they were equals. It had been the subject of furious debate why Kuromorimine had brought nothing bigger than an 88mm gun when they could have brought their brutal 128mm armed tank destroyers. Masuyo was sure it was because their new Captain didn't care for those big, ponderous beasts but the rest of Saunders had decided it was because Kuromorimine was mocking them; why bring their biggest guns when their opponent was 'only' Saunders? Their way of showing they were unconcerned that Saunders had beaten Pravda this year. Pravda with their monstrous heavy tanks and tank destroyers with their powerful guns. Masuyo had to admit, even if that hadn't been Itsumi's intention it had done a wonderful job of unsettling her team. In a match like this, caution was necessary but her commanders were riled up and overly-eager to prove the tired stereotype that American tanks were inferior to German armour was entirely false. That Saunders was definitely not third best.
The arena however was a challenge. A long and cruelly narrow expanse, it was divided by two lengths of woodland with the central part a series of undulating hills dominated by a ridge that was closest to Kuromorimine's starting position. Naturally, Kuromorimine would take that ridge so they could observe and dominate the central position. But they wouldn't be so foolish to think that Saunders would try to attack that position. Which meant that she and Leona would have to try and figure out what the other was thinking. Which flank would they choose to make an attack, or defence? The joy of being a Captain; having to out-guess their opponent.
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Leona sent the Panzer III, ahead. It was highly unlikely that Saunders would take the high ground first but the possibility was there. The Panzer III certainly couldn't have held off an attack but if Saunders knew it was there, they would abandon any attempt to take the ridge rather than risk being exposed in the open. They were all going to the ridge because it was the best place to prepare, and because it was the best position for the Jagdpanthers to take.
She let a smile cross her face, imagining the nightmare of trying to get an Elefant or Jagdtiger up the slope. She would have had to make the decision whether or not to give them an undignified tow. A decision she would have been criticised for either way. No tow would have meant a delay which could have been costly. A tow was saying to the world that those two tank destroyers were too big and heavy to be practical. Criticism, criticism, criticism.
"Kimura, report."
"Area clear." The girl reported crisply. "No sign of enemy activity below."
Leona paused, decided that Kimura would be offended if she had advised her to stay under cover, and gave a different instruction. "Be ready to move out the moment the main force arrives."
"Yes, Captain!"
In her mind's eye, Leona saw Kimura saluting. The girl was practically boiling over with efficiency, determination and pride. So much pride. Almost all the other commanders today were Third Years but Kimura was a Second Year like her. Sure, she was only commanding a Panzer III for scouting but she was still commanding a panzer in a tournament final. Kimura was so immaculately turned out today that Leona suspected she had sewn herself into her jacket for a perfect fit. And she had her suspicions about others too.
Heavy panzers weren't so impressive when they were labouring uphill. Few tanks were. The only impressive part was the noise they made as they fought their way up the slope. Saunders Shermans couldn't make a sound comparable. That was an advantage for them; it was easier for a Sherman to sneak up on a Panther than vice versa.
It took a tedious amount of time to climb the ridge during which all she could do was scowl to look authoritative and pretend she was planning ahead. Manoeuvres took forever whereas combat seemed to only last a few minutes. That was always the case but with light tanks in Junior High, it had been far less boring.
Finally, they crested the ridge. "Kimura-"
"Moving, Captain!"
"You need to know which direction first, Kimura." Leona reminded her patiently.
"Yes… Yes of course, Captain! My apologies!"
"Scout the east side, Kimura." It was fifty-fifty whether Saunders would concentrate their forces on one side or the other.
"Yes, Captain!"
It should have been comedic but a sense of humour was confiscated at the dock at Kuromorimine. If she laughed, she would be asked if she was ill.
The three Jagdpanthers took the centre with their flanks covered by the Tiger IIs so that five 8.8cm guns overlooked the centre; dominating it. Overkill really. Chi-ha-tan might have tried it but no one else would be that foolish. But it was necessary. All part of the show. She could have put the two Tigers there as well so the commentators would have something to say but she didn't feel like advertising her forces. Masuyo would know she had taken the high ground was now doubtless wondering which flank of the battlefield Kuromorimine would be advancing. She would have deployed her own scouts and they would see the array of firepower on the ridge and dutifully report it.
What would Masuyo do then? Hold position, and conceal her smaller tanks in the woods and hope that Kuromorimine would come boldly advancing at her in a Panzerkeil intended to plough through any and all opposition? A Panzerkeil that would be weaker due to the guns left behind to garrison the high ground against a possible flanking manoeuvre. Leona could hardly leave the ridge unguarded; if she ordered an advance north up the east side and Saunders advanced down the west and took the abandoned ridge; she would be a laughing stock. It would have been more straightforward if Saunders had occupied this position; she would have launched her tank destroyers and King Tigers at one end of the ridge and her Panthers supported by the Tigers at the other. Doubtless, Masuyo would have counter-attacked the heavier panzers with her faster Shermans; trying to flank them and using numbers against the divided force. This would have revealed that the Panzer IVs were concealed in the woods behind the heavies; just waiting for the Shermans to break cover from the ridge.
But what would Masuyo do knowing the enemy held this ridge? Wait for the enemy to come to her? It was the only logical thing to do. She didn't have the armour for a frontal assault; not with just four Pershings. She needed Kuromorimine in the open, and she knew that Leona could not just remain on the ridge. Another school could have sat here for days, not giving up the advantage, but not Kuromorimine. Kuromorimine did not wait to be attacked. They were the attackers. She could already hear the grumbles, the dissension, the criticism that they were not already moving.
"Captain, two M4s sighted!" Kimura reported with her crisp enthusiasm.
"Position?" Leona asked and Kimura gave it. "Do you only see the two M4s? You can confirm their ident?"
"Yes, Captain! Two M4s. No other Shermans in sight!"
Leona knew that Saunders had a light tank for scouting but there was no reason they wouldn't also use a pair of M4s for scouting too. After all; one scout couldn't be everywhere. "Report status."
"They're stationary, Captain. They're just waiting."
"Just waiting?"
"Yes, Captain. No indications they're going to move. They have not seen us."
'Or they want you to think that.' Leona thought. Now came the real question, were the two M4s there to be a light screening force to skirmish against the main Kuromorimine attack, to convince her a more significant force lay beyond while in fact they screened nothing and Masuyo launched her real attack from the other direction, the full strength of Saunders thrown against the ridge garrison? Or were they actually screening the real force, intending to bluff her into launching her attack on the other flank with the intention of meeting the Saunders attack in the open? She needed more information. "Maintain position." She ordered Kimura. "Hayashi!"
"Captain!" Hayashi commanded the Tiger that wasn't the flag tank.
"Advance to Kimura's position. Maintain a low profile; they may be trying to lure out a high value panzer. Kimura; keep a sharp eye. If you see anything report it to Hayashi first. Hayashi, if Kimura gives no warning; you have permission to engage at will."
"Yes, Captain." There was a gleeful edge to Hayashi's edge. "It shall be a pleasure."
A Tiger versus two Sherman M4s. Leona could almost hear the squeeing of the German Army fangirls at what would be their dream scenario. It was doubtful that Hayashi could eliminate both M4s. The moment the survivor heard the bellow of an 8.8cm cannon and saw their brother being eliminated, the remaining M4 would flee like a greyhound. But it would put a chill into the other Sherman crews. Tiger Shock; it never went away.
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Hayashi loved her Tiger. True, it was a contentious beast that required careful driving in order to avoid breakdowns and maintenance was legendary for its tedium and the sheer exhaustion of the physical labour required, but if you knew how to drive a Tiger the breakdowns were rare and no Kuromorimine girl balked from a little hard work. Or a lot of hard work if it meant replacing a wheel. But a Tiger was a beautiful tank. Maybe it didn't have the sleek lines and curves of a Panther or Konigstiger but there was something truly beautiful about its simple, squat brutality. It was a box of steel with a mighty cannon; straightforward, efficient, what 'Panzer' conjured in the mind's eye.
And a Tiger commander dreamed of a moment like this. Her opponents were hull down but their turrets were clear and distinct in the morning light. Without her binoculars, they were merely dots to Hayashi's eyes and to the untrained eyes; not even dots. The green turrets merged seamlessly into the landscape in a civilian's eyes. Not to Hayashi. Not to her gunner. Two M4s. Two targets. She scanned the distance, glancing at Kimura's Panzer III hidden in the woods, and Kimura was silent. She saw nothing. She heard nothing. Hayashi could see nothing. In this perfect moment there were only the two M4s in her gunner's sights.
Hayashi did not trust a perfect moment. It was too convenient. She commanded a powerful beast, but Saunders fielded beast slayers today. The M4s were helpless rabbits before a Tiger but there were boxing hares out there. Her 8.8cm cannon was a dreaded sound to a Sherman crew, but Hayashi feared the report of a Firefly's 17-pounder. She feared the crack of a 76mm. While she was practically guaranteed a kill at two kilometres with her 8.8cm, so was the 17-pounder, and the 76mm had such a high probability of killing a Tiger at two kilometres that it was always best to assume that it would rather than trust to luck.
"Captain, I see bait."
"Can you confirm?"
"No, Captain." Hayashi kept the uncertainty out of her voice. "But it's too easy."
"Maintain position."
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Tit for tat. It was a crude tactic but when you were trading a weak M4 for a powerful Tiger; it was an effective tactic. Losing an M4 would not harm Masuyo but losing a Tiger would be a nasty sting for Kuromorimine. Hayashi was right to be cautious though others would criticise her for not being bold. Leona sketched a crude map. Two M4s had pinned down her Panzer III and one Tiger. Five vehicles to hold the ridge. That left her with thirteen, including the flag tank. Thirteen while Masuyo had eighteen tanks unaccounted for. If it was a trap on the eastern flank, there would be two more tanks there to spring it which still meant Masuyo had sixteen remaining. And where were they? Advancing on the western approach? Or waiting at their starting position…
"Yoshida! Inoue!" Two could play that game. "You will scout the western side. Maintain your distance from the forest." It was possible that Saunders had advanced through the woods. "Hano! Ito! Follow them at one kilometre distant."
Four Panzer IVs. Smaller than the Big Cats, just as well armed as a Panther and fast. She could afford to lose them and if they became tangled in an ambush, she could counterattack with the heavies. As they set off, Leona felt that this arena was forcing them to play it like a chess match. No bold advances, no careful defences; instead the two players were moving their pieces, probing for weaknesses, setting traps and waiting for the right moment. If they were fighting in the open, Leona would have just attacked and Masuyo would have defended and the match would have been decided by crew skill, and by capricious luck. Not in this match. This match would be decided by who made a mistake they could not recover from and who could take devastating advantage of that mistake.
How would it look on the big screen? Two of her tanks idle on one side of the arena, four on the move on the other and the remaining fourteen sitting on a hill. It was not the Kuromorimine way. It was her way. They had criticised her every step of the way in this tournament and had only been placated that when the time had come; she had always landed a hammerblow. They might not have liked the manoeuvring and the waiting but they acknowledged that when the time came, Leona didn't go for surgical strike but for a thunderclap. Continuation High would harass and harangue and lure an opponent under the gun of a single concealed tank destroyer. Leona did not. She would jockey for position and then when she was certain of her opponent's position and capabilities; she would unleash the full force of Kuromorimine. If that meant pinning them with an attack by Panzer IVs and Jagdpanzer IVs and then launching the real attack with Panthers and Tigers; so be it. No one could say that she didn't end her match with a roar.
The Lion of Kuromorimine. That was what the school paper had called her. It was charming; flattering. A little obvious perhaps, given her name. But still flattering. Her critics pointed out that lions were ambush hunters. They crept up on their prey and then used greater numbers to bring them down. Critics… That was their interpretation. Leona's interpretation was that lionesses worked together. They got themselves into the optimal position and then when the timing was right; they struck. They launched an attack of sudden and devastating violence which their prey, big or small, could not recover from. And then the lionesses feasted. The lion that ran in the open and boldly and foolishly chased a herd went hungry.
First came the distant thunder of the guns and then Inoue and Yoshida reported they were under attack. They were reported calmly and that they were taking cover. Ito and Hano in turn reported four muzzle flashes. This meant little because it could simply mean only four tanks had opened fire and the rest were waiting. Waiting for her to commit her reserves. It was tempting, so very tempting to unleash them but she still didn't know where the bulk of Saunders was committed.
"Asano! Go! Support them." She commanded. Asano and Go in the two remaining Panzer IVs would provoke a reaction. What the reaction would be… Masuyo was testing her patience. Doubtless she believed she could provoke the Kuromorimine juggernaut into its unstoppable motion if she stung it enough times. Kuromorimine after all did not allow itself to be stung by impudent wasps without inflicting retribution. She gripped her cupola tightly, feeling the criticism of her inaction even if she didn't hear it. It was alright for them with the board showing them every little detail. Had they forgotten what it was like to be here, knowing only what they could see or what others told them they could see? No, she would not let herself be drawn into rash action just because she was expected to take bold action.
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The sound put a chill through Hayashi's bones. She dutifully barked out a warning even though the noise was enough; the noise of the gun and then the crash as the shell hit the Tiger. "Settle!" She commanded and her crew eased themselves. "Fire!"
If the sound of the 17-pounder frightened them, the bellow of their 8.8cm would blight the spirits of every Saunders girl who wasn't in a Pershing today. Hayashi watched the momentary streak of the shell. "Align! Right turn, forty-five degrees!" She saw the M4 erupt in smoke as the shell slammed into its green hide before it could escape while the other M4 disappeared.
"M4, good kill!" Kimura reported. "Firefly sighted!"
"Firefly sighted!" Hayashi had seen the flash. She had eliminated the target available and now her Tiger slewed to one side to present itself as a diamond rather than a square to the enemy gun. It was a crude tactic and rarely effective against powerful guns but it was her best defence. Her gunner was bringing the gun around to face the Firefly; her shoulders taut from the painfully slow rotation. "Steady!" They were all counting the seconds until the enemy fired again, knowing they couldn't beat their reload time. A good Sherman loader could reload in six or seven seconds but it took an extra second for a Tiger gunner simply because the shell was bigger and heavier. "Steady!"
The 17-pounder spoke again and Kimura fired on the M4. Hayashi heard these two noises along with her heartbeat and then a terrible crash filled the Tiger and kept going and going so that the air seemed to crackle with electricity.
"Left wheels; destroyed!" Her driver reported.
"Fire!"
Her gunner had finally brought them the gun to bear. The 8.8cm bellowed again but the Firefly had already vanished in a cloud of smoke. Hayashi had no qualms about doing the same and their launchers popped together to bury them in a halo of white.
"Captain, one M4 eliminated. Enemy Firefly has withdrawn!" Hayashi didn't need to say that it was certainly relocating and would be ready to attack again soon enough. "We're dead in the water."
"Dead?"
"Dead." Hayashi confirmed. If the damage report was accurate, they had lost every wheel on their left side and their mangled ruins could not be removed in the field, let alone all replaced. "We will hold this ground!" She declared and she couldn't keep the wryness out of her tone.
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Leona appreciated the wry tone. Hayashi made it sound like they had given themselves an objective, a purpose, but she also acknowledge the bravado. The Tiger was still dangerous simply by being a Tiger but it was also perilously vulnerable. Its position was made and when the smoke cleared, their only defence would be their eyes. Their eyes and Kimura's crew. Kimura reported she was relocating, and apologised for failing to eliminate the Firefly. As if her Panzer III's 50mm had let them all down.
On her other flank, the six Panzer IVs were continuing to engage four Shermans and Leona guessed that the Firefly commander had lost patience. They had set the bait with the two M4s, they had seen the Tiger move up and then they had watched it sit there. Leona had no doubt that Masuyo had played the game of 'I know that they know that I know' and let the deployment stand simply because it pinned down a Tiger and created confusion. But the Firefly commander had had a Tiger in her sights and hadn't been able to resist. Her gunner had failed with her first shot and then been unlucky with her second; Leona guessed it had been deflected and instead of penetrating had destroyed Hayashi's tracks or wheels. It happened. And so Kuromorimine had first blood. But an M4 eliminated in exchange for a crippled Tiger was no even trade.
"Asano, report!" She chose Asano deliberately because she would have the clearest view of the Panzer IVs and their opponents.
"They've gone to ground, Captain." Asano sounded bored. "They want to draw us in." It was an opinion but a good one.
Leona reviewed her options. She had her reserve of Panthers and her ridge garrison. If the Panzer IVs were facing a lure, they could advance no further against the defensive position without reinforcement. But was it a lure? Or was the full strength of Saunders waiting for her to reinforce her left before advancing on her stricken Tiger and assaulting her right flank?
Damn it, if they wanted it that way…
"Koizumi! Takei! You have the left flank! Advance and destroy all resistance!" It was dramatic but necessary. "The Panzer IVs will support you. I will reinforce if necessary but until then, good hunting!"
"Yes, Captain!"
"Panzer Vor!"
She could hear their joy. They had feared being tied to this ridge for the whole match and instead the two King Tigers were unleashed. Two King Tigers leading a Panzerkeil of Panzer IVs; that would force Masuyo to reveal herself and either attack the King Tigers or launch her attack in the east. Leona knew she would now be outnumbered either way but they were Kuromorimine. There was nothing they could not do. Nothing that could stand in their way. The Big Cats did not shy away from some mangy eagles.
Leona smiled wryly as the thought struck her that American bald eagles were dubbed over with the call of red-tailed hawk in pretty much every bit of media because the bald eagle was in reality a squeaky bird, meanwhile lions were dubbed over with the roars of tigers because lions roaring sounded like engines ticking over. The popular imagery was all nonsense but it was so deeply ingrained that everyone believed it; even her despite knowing the truth.
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A Tiger II or King Tiger or Royal Tiger, was a monster. Almost seventy tons in weight, it combined the sloped armour of a Panther with the firepower of a Tiger to produce a vehicle that was unexpectedly agile, even though the driver had to be wary with that agility lest they break the drive. At nearly three times the weight of a Panzer IV, they made the medium panzers look like puppies yapping at their heels.
They completely ignored the hits they took. They were being hit by M4A4(105) shells which meant nothing to them and the two M4A1(76)s weren't making much of an impression either; not with eight tanks firing on them. Koizumi and Takei knew that they had been rattled the moment their behemoths had appeared because they had fired on them, and kept firing. Now that the Panzer IVs were exposed, the two 76s should have targeting them. They could have wiped them out with ease. Instead they fired on the heavy tanks, and scratched their glacis plates and turrets.
"There's only four." Takei knew that by now any concealed tanks would have opened up on the Panzer IVs; the Easy Eights or Pershings would have made light work of them. "Damn." She sighed. She had really hoped to encounter Saunders main force, and to fight a valiant action against overwhelming numbers before the Captain swept in and annihilated them. Now it seemed the Captain was going to have that story.
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Hayashi felt oddly calm as fourteen tanks erupted before her and her only support was a Panzer III. Amusingly, it became fifteen as a lone Stuart also showed itself. Fifteen tanks, four on the other side of the arena and one still smoking out in front of her. Fifteen, and the Captain had six Panthers and three Jagdpanthers to face them. And herself. Her immobilised Tiger.
She spotted, her gunner fired and her driver aided her loader. Not that there was any spotting to do. The Shermans were coming right at them, determined to close the distance before their opponents could react. They were hammering the lone Tiger, shooting and scooting, and Hayashi mused that if the Firefly had just paused and taken its time; they would have been knocked out already.
"They're moving too fast." Her gunner grumbled and then eliminated an M4A1(76). "Too fast."
"It's a lovely day." Hayashi remarked, observing the two smoking Shermans. "Try to make it a bad day for a Pershing. They did build them to fight Tigers after all."
"Yes, professor."
Hayashi grinned even as one of their smoke launchers was blown away. It really was a lovely day.
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Leona knew that Masuyo had made a mistake. She had revealed all her tanks, leaving nothing in hiding so that Leona knew her complete dispositions now. She thought about the Firefly, wondering if its premature attack had actually been premature, or a bluff. It felt more like impatience, especially as Masuyo was throwing everything against her now. It was bold. It was Saunders; bring overwhelming numbers against your opponent whenever possible. Fourteen against her nine. Ten if she counted Hayashi's Tiger but that was surely doomed. Kimura had already been knocked out; reporting with great sorrow her elimination despite the truly staggering odds the Panzer III had faced.
"I'm sorry, Captain." Hayashi declared to formally make it fourteen against nine. "We disabled a Pershing, but it bit us back."
"No need to apologise, Hayashi. They have two less. Enjoy the rest of the show."
"We shall, Captain. Viel Glück!"
Koizumi and Takei were inevitably going to win their conflict; two King Tigers and six Panzer IVs against four Shermans was hilariously unbalanced. Leona guessed that Masuyo had hoped for more. She would have. Fourteen against nine… It was an advantage but not decisive. Not like the one Koizumi and Takei were enjoying. But all that mattered was that her flag tank was safe while Masuyo's was exposed; she was the flag tank. Masuyo had to get through her to get to her flag tank while Leona had to get to her.
The sudden appearance of three Jagdpanthers and six Panthers provoked an immediate response, just as Leona knew it would. The volley was rushed and her force checked itself, steadied, and then fired. The lurch of her Panther as they set off distracted her and then she saw only one casualty amongst Saunders ranks; an M4A3. Saunders next volley was more effective, and a Jagdpanther went down before the Kuromorimine force went to ground.
Eight against thirteen.
"Hold the line." Leona commanded and her Panther hauled to the left and leapt forward while the rest of Kuromorimine began pounding at Saunders. They were pressing hard; they couldn't get bogged down because then the rest of Kuromorimine would be able to reinforce. They were against the clock. Prudence demanded that Leona draw things out and wait for her reinforcements but prudence… Masuyo expected prudence. "I'm going to ask you all to do something crazy." She declared to her crew.
"So what else is new?"
Leona smiled. Not so long ago they had thought she was crazy with her ideas but now they all trusted her. Trusted her… So long as they kept winning they would keep trusting her insanity. To them it was insanity but to another school; it was just independent thought.
They ran from the fight, looking more like a fleeing rabbit than a Panther. Kuromorimine was known for the rigidity when it came to their tactics but Saunders was no different. Masuyo was pressing forward, hard, using her numbers and keeping the pressure hard. It was a gamble, but Leona highly doubted Masuyo realised she was only facing five Panthers now. What Leona intended was simple, and mad, and if it failed she would be skinned, eviscerated and strung up by her ankles before the school and its alumni beat her with thorny sticks.
Her mother would be the first in line. She would be handing out the sticks…
Leona had them take Saunders' rear left flank because the majority of people were right-handed; they naturally looked to their right. Basic psychology. And no one would expect a Panther to come crashing out of cover and charging straight at the enemy flank. Their 7.5cm cannon thundered and they smashed a Pershing; breaking its tracks with the force of the hit. One down. They didn't know it but they emulated Hayashi's Tiger as they loaded as fast as they could so they could send another shell screaming across the field to pop another Pershing. A Panther was slain by the Firefly and Leona dimly heard Takei reporting they had crushed the opposition on the west side. That wasn't important though. Eight tanks far away mattered naught; the tanks here were important. Saunders knew where she was now and their vehicles were slewing desperately around to face her attack.
Instead of Saunders' emblem, there was an eagle painted on the turret of Masuyo's tank. The flag tank. It made a convenient aiming mark.
(5458)
Author's Notes:
…Soon.