Another Worldly Summons

Chapter 94: Aetherial

The commander and the gunner's sight turned into a flash of light and dust as the shockwave from the power of their 75mm cannon came to life.

"Put on some speed!" The tank commander shouted over the radio. The driver and tanks on their wings soon accelerated, attempting to maintain the flanking maneuver. They aimed to outmaneuver, encircle and cut off the escape of two Viracel main battle tanks belonging to Annonrials. These were among the few remaining functional units that hadn't been destroyed by airstrikes and naval bombardments from Gra Valkan offensive operation.

Their shells soon reached the targets, but they all missed. At a range of 1,100 meters and speeds exceeding 30 kilometers per hour, hitting anything was a challenge. Their rudimentary gun stabilizer was of little help; it was only effective on paper and at slow speeds. Over 30 kilometers per hour, it couldn't keep up, as its specifications weren't up to the task of high-speed engagement. Therefore, Gra Valkans could only hope to win by outnumbering and outflanking isolated foes like this or by overwhelming them with air and artillery attacks, wiping out these formations from the planet.

However, as if deeming them more dangerous than the forces primarily from their rear, despite their numerical count of over two dozen tanks, the massive turrets of the Viracel, which for the Gra Valkans were overly massive and imposing - enough to make anyone's sleep comfortably due to their enormous size compared to the Gra Valkans' much smaller turrets - began to swivel. Then, Annonrial's 117mm guns fired as the Gra Valkan's 75mm cannons roared. Two APFSDS rounds and five APCBC-HE-T shells crossed paths, effectively showcasing the meeting of modern and old on the battlefield.

In the exchange, one of the Gra Valkan tanks was obliterated as the APFSDS round struck the ammo compartment, instantly erasing the medium tank off the planet. Simultaneously, one of their APCBC-HE-T rounds hit the Viracel's turret, resulting in the petalling of the barrel and rendering it unusable.

With only one remaining MBT on the Annonrial side, it appears that all hope is lost. The Gra Valkans increase the pressure by continuously firing on their location. The remaining Viracel RAAS unit continues to return fire. They have been pinned down, and the other MBT, incapable of properly fighting back due to the damage to its 117mm barrel, continues to return fire with its smaller and less powerful coaxial autocannons and light guns on its commander's hatch. This provides some degree of ward and deterrence to slow down the advance. Then without any prior warning, dozens of high-speed projectiles streaked from the east of their location, opposite the main Gra Valkan forces. These projectiles, either from Muish or Annonrial forces themselves, are the infamous guided rockets. They slam into the tanks and other armored vehicles, obliterating two of the four remaining Canine medium tanks and practically decimating the chasing Gra Valkan tanks at the rear of the MBTs. This destruction breaks the encirclement of Gra Valkans around the Annonrial formation.

Soon, the screeching sound of transonic-speed, low-altitude flight becomes evident as four Galleria VTOL attack aircraft of the Annonrials sweep through, providing strafing fire support as they aid their brethren in retreat on the ground.

After completing their close air support mission, they promptly withdraw from the battlefield to avoid getting caught by a massive fighter formation that could envelop the entire aerial sector. Staying would be suicide, despite their capability to exceed the speeds of all available aircraft of Gra Valkan and Muish alike. Even the new Slepnier is not an exception; it remains slower in above-sea flight and less maneuverable than the Galleria itself.

But the Annonrials understand well, especially those who have been on the front lines since the 17th fleet of Annonrials set foot on the lands of Leifor. For every one hundred soldiers they throw into battle, the Gra Valkans throw ten times that number. Each loss on their side is irreplaceable, and their reinforcements are not even remotely close. It's been weeks of delays in their arrival, and the reasons for this delay remain unknown. They are desperately needed on the collapsing Annonrial front, where tens of thousands of soldiers are trapped in foreign lands without friends or support, and time is running out.
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Beyond the horizon, the elements of the Gra Valkan Naval Infantry and the Gra Valkan Imperial Air Service formed a massive, imposing formation. This force included dozens of attack aircraft and fighters, mostly updated Antares III models equipped with the Karslein Type 90 bomblet dispenser module on their wings. They utilized the reliable airframes of heavily modified and upgraded Antares aircraft. However, the star of the day was something slightly larger than the Antares III, although typically heavier and marginally larger than its predecessor, the Antares II and the legacy Antares.