Tiger from the North

Chapter 1

Rain and snow poured through the dense foliage of the pine trees. Even though he had a leather glove on, the daggers of the frost still sliced through. He clenched his teeth as the snow drifted unto his binoculars. Laying motionless in the cold, not a sound could be heard except the cries of the owls and the pitter patter of the rain on steel. Then, he felt the gentle shaking of the ground and the sound of engines and tracks breaking through mud. Out of the mist, he had spotted a tank column of five T34s. The hatched closed with a click as he silently went back into the tank.

"Gustav, 12 'o' clock. 800 meters, First tank on the left, Load AP," William, the commander of the tank said in a calm voice.

Adjusting the turret slowly, Gustav quickly accounted for the wind and distance.

"Identified"

"Fire!"

"On the way!"

The silence was broken, gone into the flames, as a high velocity shell bolted through the 8.8cm barrel, tearing its way through the wind and landing on the exposed side of the unfortunate enemy tank leading the column with a loud boom. The crash of steel caused several birds resting on the trees to immediately fly away into the gloomy, dark sky. A white flag quickly popped up on the hull of the destroyed tank.

Quickly taking charge, the second tank in the column ordered the remaining tanks not to stop and counter barrage but instead to charge blindly towards the forest. As the T34s got closer, they saw the shape slowly taking form in the trees. A Tiger I, coated in white and blue camouflage and covered in the branches of bushes and the surrounding pine trees. Its muzzle still smoking from the last shot.

Through his binoculars, William saw the enemy tanks descending from the open fields into the forest. He was in cover while they were there in the open, sitting like ducks. Chuckling to himself, he thought 'bring it on'

"Up!" Erik, the loader shouted, the need for silence was over.

"Fire!"

"On the way!"

Another shell teared past and landed on the turret of the T34 guarding the flank. Another white flag.

"Back up." William said,

"Right." Edvin, the driver replied,

The white tank traversed backwards, stumbling on the small hills and crushing through the bushes along the way. William bit his lip as he saw the the enemy tanks sprinting forwards at full speed. But he was not scared, he had a disciplined and veteran crew, they could take those Russian tanks head on. Their speed could be an issue but once they reach the forest their mobile maneuvers would be rendered useless. He looked through the binoculars and made some rough estimations in his head.

Three clear shots rang past him, one landing on the side of the tank and the other on the back. Remarkably, two of the T34s both hit their targets while moving. But their shots were useless, mere glancing hits of the Tiger's side and front. After looking through the snow-covered binoculars, William he decided the further most left one would take the next hit.

"Stop the tank!" Will shouted, "Gustav, AP rounds, left T34"

The tank grounded suddenly to a stop. The large turret of the Tiger began turning, spelling out certain doom for the tank in its path.

"On the way!" Gustav replied

A shell tore past the trees straight into the turret. Another explosion and a white flag. However, the remaining two T34 still charged on, determined to destroy the Tiger.

"If we can get around the flanks of the Tiger, we can land a shot into its engine in the rear!" Dmitri, the commander of the leading T34 cried, "Charge! For the Tsar!"