The fans in attendance were finally allowed to feel excitement run through them as the match of Chi-Ha-Tan Academy versus Oarai Girls Academy had finally kicked off, with part of the Ooarai scout force being ambushed in a small village by a large force of Chi-Ha-Tan tanks, effectively pinning them in. All around the bleachers, people began to talk animatedly about the tide of battle going Chi-Ha-Tan's way early on, with some now understanding why Chi-Ha-Tans had used such an unusual sort of tactic against Oarai at the start of the match.
If anything it was something Viggen High School was known for with not engaging their foes for long periods of time and allowing them to get complacent, giving them the perfect chance to strike. Though said school found out it wasn't effective all the time and were handled with ease by Viking Fisheries High School in the first round of the tournament who they try this tactic on. Yet here in this match, this tactic was proving its effectiveness, while also playing to Chi-Ha-Tan's new identity of ambushes, annoying fire, and sniping. At the same time, people were beginning to wonder how deadly commander Miho Nishizumi could become, if she was willing to play mind games with her opponents to unsettle them, while also seeming to show her flexibility to use other team tactics to only enhance her own team, instead of sticking to one doctrine to win.
The animated talk in the stands began to shift with the casual viewers to Chi-Ha-Tan's favor. Some predicted that Commander Miho was only getting started and was going to make short work of Oarai, while also dealing the American team a thrashing as well, all with smaller and under gun tanks. While some were proud to see their nations own tanks from the war showing off that they were not rubbish as most experts said they were.
Yet one man sitting in the bleachers with a faint black mustache, short black hair with glasses on was a bit annoyed by all the talk around him about his daughter's team possibly being beaten.
That man was Yukari Akiyama's father, Jungorou Akiyama, who with his arms crossed, spoke out in an aggravated voice, "their talking like everything is already decided, and don't they know how awesome of a commander my daughter is."
Jungorou's wife, Yoshiko Akiyama who like her daughter had curly brown hair, chuckle at her husband, then spoke, "calm down honey, you're going to blow a vein in that head of yours if you keep scowling like that."
"I'm trying dear, but that's my little bear out there and even after all the greatness she's shown in the qualifier and first round, people still doubt her," Jungorou said with an annoyed look.
"I know, I know, yet we're in the same boat. We use to doubt our daughter's fanatical love for tanks, thinking it was not a healthy thing for such a young lady," Yoshiko said with a pleasant smile.
"Exactly, I was her biggest critic, yet because of tanks she has more friends than she can count and I never have to see her put on a smile for me when I ask her if she is alright. She's happy and I want her to stay this happy," Jungorou anxiously said as he watch the screen displaying the Chi-Ha-Tan ambush still going on for the crowd.
Yoshiko just beam with pride at her husband who loved his daughter unconditionally, then took his hand in hers as she spoke. "Daddy just can't help but want his little bear's happiness. You were her biggest critic then, but now you're her biggest fan since she join the tankery team."
The barbershop owner, now crack a smile at his beloved wife who was always his encouraging voice he needed to hear whenever he was down or aggravated, as he spoke now. "It helps to have the world's greatest mama bear at my side."
"Oh you, always a sweet talker even at our age," Yoshiko said with a happy voice, then lean into her husband's side watching the large display, with her belief in her daughter never wavering not even for a moment.
This mama bear was proud of her daughter since the day she brought her into this world, and that pride only grew as time went on. Both she and Jungorou didn't know where she got her love for tanks, since neither of them ever had any interest for them in their lives growing up, yet no matter what Yukari never waver from her own love for them, even as time went on, and she couldn't make friends with other girls who couldn't understand this tank loving fanatic.
Yet if there was a trait of their daughter that had to be admired, it was her persistence. Never stepping away from her love to fit into groups, even if it led to a lonely junior high life and equally lonely year in the first year of high school. Now all that was a thing of the past, as their daughter got a break with the Oarai tankery club being brought back, allowing Yukari to quench her tank-loving need while making friends, and even more surprising was their daughter being made commander of the reform club.
In a short couple of months, their daughter had transformed into a girl who no longer had to worry about loneliness or worry about her social issues. She seem to naturally take to the commander's position which was more than about thinking of tactics and strategies, as people forgot that a commander was a manager of people. They had to look after their entire team, motivate them, and train them. This was a difficult task to accomplish when you had a rainbow of personalities to deal with, yet Yukari seem to find her knack for it, being able to talk to everyone.
Now every time she came home, Yukari would always bring over all of her teammates. They ask for haircuts from her dad who became their personal stylist, and Yukari's mother would help them with meals for their early morning study halls they had to attend before class. The Akiyama's had even thrown house parties after each Oarai victory in the qualifier and first round, making them the liveliest house in the entire Zuikaku school carrier and the trio could never get enough of their home being so warmer now with this team of oddballs.
"Just believe honey, believe our little bear can win," Yoshiko said once more to ease her husband's anxiety, still pressing herself into his side, her own warmth easing her husband.
"I will, because the impossible is always possible with our little bear," Jungorou said with a determined look, as he knew better than anyone of his daughter's resolve now that she found her calling and the place she belong in this team of oddballs.
XxxxxX
"Finally some action," Erika said, leaning forward in her chair to take in all the details of the battle on the satellite T.V. displaying the match for them, under the large open tent they had set up earlier in case of rain.
Maho and Koume just grin sheepishly at their silver hair friend, who had gotten up earlier to pace around the tent, steaming about the inaction still. Yet they both could tell this was because she was worried about Miho losing the match by using such an unorthodox tactic, but now that said tactic was starting to show its effectiveness, was when Erika had sat down and gave the match her full attention without blinking as she didn't want to miss a single detail.
"Why do you think Chi-Ha-Tan didn't just take their scout tanks out?" Koume had to ask.
"You really want to decipher the hieroglyphics that are Miho's tactics," Erika joke.
That made the three girls chuckle, then Maho spoke up when they calm down. "It seems my little sister wanted to play the role of the villainess in this match."
"Huh?" Erika ask with a perplexed look, giving her commander her full attention.
Maho explain. "She wants to spread Oarai out, banking on this American team I believe needing a translator to help relay orders. If their together, it's easier to relay more quickly, yet separated over long distances means they will have gaps in their communication lines. While she is also pulling forces away from the city, by having Oarai have to break the siege around their scouts. Quite devious my little sister is becoming."
"That makes sense, since I'm sure not everyone on the Oarai team can speak English. We've already seen them rely on hand signals to communicate some, but that primitive method has its big drawbacks," Erika added in with an agreeing tone
"Yet hasn't Oarai shown to be a team that thrives in smaller group tactics, if anything keeping them together in a large group might be a bigger achilles heel," Koume said.
That made Maho smile, as she turn to talk to her friend, "studying are we?"
"Oh, yes," Koume said with a blush over her face.
"Good, if you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the results of a hundred battles as a great man once said. Yet you aren't wrong, it might have been better to keep them mass up, but on this battlefield that would have been in the city and from what I've learned about Oarai, is that they thrive in urban combat," Maho said.
"True, though it makes sense for their team. They haven't done Sensha-do in twenty years, so they would have to rely on the unconventional to win," Erika said.
"It's still strange as to why they wanted to revitalize their team once more," Koume said, with a hand on her chin in thought.
It was the question that Koume knew her and a lot of teams around Sensha-do circles were asking. It must have taken a lot of funds to purchase ammo and parts for their tanks, which from what Koume knew of how large a tankery budget needed to be for a team to function properly, which left doubts as to why Oarai would want to spend such an exponential amount now. Koume had to believe they had to be eating into their school budget to make it happen, since they probably didn't have a sponsor helping with the funding like some schools had.
"I'm sure they have their reasons," Maho said casually.
For Maho's part, she was, even more, befuddled as to why Oarai would want to be doing Sensha-do in their last year before their carrier was shut down. It was her digging into the Oarai school, thanks in part to her family's connection to the Sensha-do Federation, that she was able to procure the documents of their impending shutdown of the carrier that was being carried out by MEXT.
It was because of this revelation that Maho had been able to convince Miho to go to Chi-Ha-Tan. Had things worked out differently, Miho would be fighting at Oarai most likely, and by what she has seen of her sister's exemplary skill, would have most likely led them to upset victories as well. Yet in the end, the school would have closed down, leading to Miho most likely having to return to Kuromorimine, and back to a life of misery trying to appease their mother and their family's tankery style.
"Whatever the case may be, Miho has the upper hand now," Erika boasted.
"For now. She has only bent this Oarai team, not broken them. If anything Oarai is a team that is flexible enough to take a beating like this early and still go the distance with their foe, which helps when you have heavy tank destroyers those Americans brought along," Maho commented.
That made Erika growl a bit. "Can't believe the Federation ok this. I'm all for letting Sensha-do spread to the whole world, but this late into the tournament adding this reinforcement perk just so they can bring these foreign tankers in when they already punish Chi-Ha-Tan is too much."
"I can't help but agree, but Sensha-do is changing faster than we ever thought possible. I'm sure the federation would have done this as well even if Chi-Ha-Tan wasn't punished in the end," Maho said, keeping a neutral tone, but internally was bothered by this turn of events for her sister.
"I agree with your statement commander, but this still feels unfair to Miho," Erika said with a disapproving tone.
Koume lean forward to stare at her sub commander from her seat on the other side of Maho, with a smug grin. "Come on Erika, where all that undying faith in our cute and deadly former teammate gone."
"Wha-," Erika try to argue.
"Have you no faith in my cute and deadly sister," Maho said, with a hard look crossing her face, making Erika's face go white with fear of her commander.
"I...no...I meant...you see...," Erika stuttered out.
Again Koume and Maho began to chuckle at the once again beleaguered sub commander, who just didn't know when she was being messed around with. Erika let out an embarrassed chuckle once more, as she had been teased again by her commander.
"I don't think you know how to take a joke," Koume commented.
"Whatever, you try to take the commander's death stare and not get flustered," Erika protested.
"True, thankfully I try to work on it not being so menacing nowadays, but it still has its uses," Maho joked, causing her teammates to chuckle.
As things calm down, Erika look back to the screen, now letting a grimace look cross her face. The reason for the grimace, was that the camera was focused on Tamada leaving her Jumbo Sherman and her platoon behind to go forward to scout with one of her tank commanders. No matter how hard she try, Erika could never come to like the girl, who seem to make it her personal job to annoy Erika every time she met up with Miho.
"Looks like that braided brat is going on a scouting mission," Erika said with a huff of annoyance.
"Well, it be nice to see how she plans to assault the city with the majority of Oarai's tank force going to rescue their allies," Koume commented.
"She'll botch it I bet," Erika said.
"No," Maho said, watching this girl intently. "I think she will show her worth. Or more to the fact she needs to show me she is worthy."
That made Erika raise an eyebrow. "Worthy of what?"
Koume shook her head with an amused smile. "Are you serious Erika? How can you be that dense?"
"Wah, I don't get it," Erika complain.
Maho let a soft chuckle escape her lips. "Don't worry, one day you'll understand my dear sub commander, one day."
XxxxX
The sound of the cannonade from the north was evident over the battlefield. The sounds of Tamada's teammates at work, making sure the first phase of Operation Phantom was running smoothly. Now it was Tamada's turn now to play her part, though not with her tank. Instead with her legs as she and Miyata move forward over the landscape to the city they had allowed Oarai to occupy.
It was still a bold move on Miho's part, to allow them to occupy it when the match started without even a fight. Yet Tamada could see now why she did, and again prove her talent for command. Allowing them to hold onto the city made Oarai then turtle up on the defense thinking Chi-Ha-Tan was going to have to come wrestle it away from them.
In fact, it only help the Chi-Ha-Tan team, since they were allowed the whole northern end of the battlefield to explore freely with no resistance. Like in the last battle, they call in resupply early, not wanting to take a chance on the rain cutting it off, and set up a supply base in the rear of their lines. They then sent out Fukuda to scout the landscape to find advantageous positions for their team, while also sending out Uenishi in the Type 3 Ka-Chi down the rivers to scout as well.
These two first years' excellent scouting works, allow Miho to get a better idea of the terrain of the battlefield that couldn't be truly understood by just reading a map. With her better understanding, Miho had put into effect her Kampfgruppe unit formation, giving Nishi both of the Type 3 Ho-Ni 3's, while also assigning Fukuda's Type 4 Ke-Nu to her. These additional tanks to Nishi's company had been put together to accomplish a task and that task was to stunt Oarai's scout force.
The plan worked like a charm, as Nishi's Kampfgruppe had set themselves up in ambush position near a village Miho predicted Ooarai would send their scout force through, while keeping their guns silent and allowing them to pass by. While they had Fukuda on her own, ambush the Oarai scout force near a farm some ways from the village to make them think she was trying to lead them into an ambush, yet knew they wouldn't fall for such a simple trick. While Miho rode her Tiger 1 and teammates Type 5 Na-To in the open to allow the scout plane to notice them, so to entice Oarai to come after her.
All while this was happening, Tamada and her Tozen Company had been driving in the lowest gear of their tanks along the edge of the western side of the battlefield. If anything she was given the most boring job, since she had to drive slow to keep their engine noise as quiet as possible, something not easy to do with a tank, but they were copying what Saunders M5 Stuarts had done in the last match. Which seems to have paid off, as Tamada had been allowed to approach the large city from the west with no problem.
They had parked their tanks some 3000 meters from the city, while Tamada went forward on foot to a small prop-built chapel located on a small hill slightly overlooking the city, and use the high bell tower to keep eyes on for any enemy movement. They had just recently seen the Oarai team and their American allies send out a rescue party to break their scout team out, meaningless tanks in the city for Tamada to deal with as she search for the flag tank.
Now she was going forward on foot for a scouting mission, since their engines would give them away. Taking Miyata along with her as well. They move quietly over the countryside sometimes taking cover, since they knew the large Senate House in the middle of the city provided excellent lines of sight for a spotter, and they were sure Oarai would keep one up there.
After constant stopping, they finally reach the edge of the city. The buildings themselves were half destroyed, with bricks, glass, and wood lying everywhere. Yet these damaged buildings allow Tamada and Miyata to travel through them, offering them an easy way to cut through the city instead of having to walk down the streets where they might get spotted. Even if Oarai did spot them, they couldn't harm them obviously, the problem would be that they would alert the Oarai team to their flanking movement and the whole operation might go up in smoke, and Tamada couldn't allow that to happen.
After some time, and walking as carefully as they could over the debris, they came out of an alleyway. Tamada raise her hand to stop Miyata, as she peek around the wall to look at both ends of the streets. Making sure no Oarai tank was looking down them, again not wanting to be spotted. Then on her signal, both made a dash across the street to a door of a two-story apartment by the looks of it. Tamada quickly open the door, letting Miyata go in first with her following right behind her.
The interior was like most of the city, wreck with debris everywhere, chairs and tables flip over. Windows smashed out, though they were surprised to find a decent kitchen area on the first floor along with the living room, making them think the Sensha-do maintenance must really pride themselves on their authenticity.
"Miyata, let's take a five-minute break," Tamada said, reaching over to grab a chair to sit it upright, she check it to make sure it was stable, then motioned for her junior to sit.
"You sure? We can keep going," Miyata ask, but took the offered seat gratefully.
"Yea, we need to rest up a bit. We have covered a huge distance in a short amount of time to get this far into the city. And we still need to go further in to get to the center," Tamada said back.
Then the Tozen company commander grab a chair for herself to sit down in. She then unslung the water canteen that was around her tankery jacket to take a much-needed drink. Letting the nice cool liquid inside quench her parch throat. Even though it wasn't hot, having to travel such a distance, coupled with climbing over mounds of brick and stone would make anyone thirsty. Then once she was satisfied, she handed the canteen to her junior.
"Thanks," then Miyata took a drink, then spoke as she handed it back to Tamada. "Seems like everything is going to plan."
"Sure is, we got Oarai right where we want them. Hopefully, we can locate the flag tank on this little incursion of ours," Tamada said back.
Miyata nodded at that. "Do you think are throat microphones can reach our tanks? We're pretty far from our tanks."
"We are using a sort of modern version than the standard ones in World War Two, should just have the range to reach our tank radios when we get back to the edge of the city," Tamada explain.
"I hope so, since we got a long hike back to our tanks when we're done with this scouting mission," Miyata said, frowning at the thought of the long journey back.
"You know it be cool if our sport allow some sort of infantry or foot scouts to be in play for our sport," Tamada said, while leaning back in her seat to get a little more comfortable.
That comment surprised Miyata. "Infantry huh? That would be cool, they would be better at navigating through a city than us. Plus a delicate lady like me shouldn't be traversing over this."
Tamada gave her junior a smirk. "Make a comment like that, and I'll make sure to put your delicate nature through the fitness regime with more intensity."
"Eh! Please don't, I barely survive last time. You're too rough on your juniors," Miyata complain.
"Only way to get the best out of you, meaning I can't be lax with any of you. Not when you have so much potential," Tamada explain with a proud smirk.
"Oh, well I'm glad you have so much faith in me and the rest of us first years potential. Know I'm really grateful to be under your command, I've admired you since I join up," Miyata said happily.
Tamada smirked at her as she spoke. "You admire a hothead like me, maybe you should find a better role model."
"No, I admire that you have no fear. I was always so timid growing up, scared of trying to show any confidence. For that, I got bullied by a bunch of girls who always made me do their bidding, yet I never fought back because I fear showing any backbone," Miyata explain, remembering that darker time in junior high.
"I never knew. When you came to Chi-Ha-Tan, I figure you were just always so gun-ho," Tamada said, now leaning forward in the chair.
"Heh, no I wasn't. Well, I stop being so afraid when you came running up to me that day, begging me to join the tankery club. You had so much passion in your eyes when you talk about Sensha-do, that I wanted to match it. You inspired me to stand up on my own two feet," Miyata said happily back.
That made Tamada smile. "Well, I'm honored to have helped. Were tankery sisters, after all, we look out for each other. Know I always got your back."
"Me too," Miyata said with a fierce look, wanting to match her company commander's fire.
"Good, come on break times over," Tamada said, now rising from her feet. Then she and Miyata left the first story of the apartment, again taking it slow as they made their way through the streets.
The only sound to be heard was still the constant cannonade to the north. Tamada knew that meant Nishi was keeping up her barrage on the trap Oarai team. Yet that wouldn't last forever, as ammo racks would go quicker since they weren't allowed to carry full loads into tankery battles. Carrying at most half the ammo than the prescribed load that manuals said certain tanks could have.
Meaning Tamada needed to hurry up her scout mission, as she and Miyata were making their way through a half-destroyed building. Stopped for a moment while pulling up a more detailed map of the actual city that Kubota had drawn for them in the days before the match. Again it show Kubota's maps skills knew no bounds, as she had rigorously studied the playing field and mapped the streets out for Tamada who was going to be the one assaulting it.
Checking it over, she saw the circle in red marking an observation point in the form of a three-story motel building that would allow them to look in on the city square. After she was sure she was on the right path, the duo move off again to a cross street. Again cutting through the half destroy houses and alleyways. More than once have to navigate over some mounds of debris, which tired them out. Yet their minds muddle the fatigue because of their motivation to complete the mission.
Finally, they found the building that was located at an intersection. It rose high above the shops and two-story apartments all around it, with the city center just 300 meters to the east. The building itself was mostly intact, having suffered only a large hole blown out in the first level where Tamada guess the entrance must have been, and likely caused by a high explosive shell from a match some time ago.
The two enter the motel, and luckily found the stairs intact as well, then they climb up to the third level. When they finally reach it they found a good position from a window facing towards the east. Quickly both took out their binoculars to get an enhanced view of the city center that was dominated by the Senate House.
It was a large square white marble building. Rows of pillars ran all the way around it, with large rows of steps leading up its entrance. It was a three-story structure that rose over the city, and was given a lot of room in the city center plaza with most of the buildings around it no more than 200 meters spacing from it. A small splatter of trees and grassland lay in front of the building, most likely there for the scenery.
"You see any Oarai tanks?" Tamada ask, still scanning left to right.
"Not yet...wait...right 2 o'clock near the middle of the plaza, a bit hidden by the trees," Miyata call out.
Tamada swung her binoculars right in the clock direction, then took in the sight of a large tank. It was the Porsche Tiger, it look like the Tiger 1, but was a much heavier tank with twice the armor of its little sister in 200mm of frontal armor. Arm with the same deadly 88mm gun as the Tiger 1, though Tamada knew it couldn't penetrate her Jumbo's frontal armor, but at the same time her 76mm gun was going to be bouncing off the Porsche Tiger's frontal armor like she was throwing tennis balls at it, so she would have to get at its side armor or rear.
"How did they even get that tank? There were only prototypes ever made of it," Miyata complain.
"If rumors are true, it was just laying around their ship," Tamada said back casually.
"That can't be true," Miyata shot back.
Tamada chuckled then spoke. "You really want to be saying that after Nishi found our Tiger 1 just sitting in the lower hulls of the Akagi."
"That's different," Miyata said.
"Really? Explain how that's different," Tamada said, smirking at her fiery junior.
"It just is alright, call it fate finding it, with also Commander Miho joining our club this year. Yet I don't fear that tank at all, our Type 1 Chi-He's can penetrate it from the back, and your 76mm gun can get it from the side," Miyata said confidently.
"Roger that," Tamada said proudly, seeing her junior have no fear of this tank. Then she scan the center again, this time her eyes move to the left, and just about spotted another Oarai tank, though this one was more in the open.
"Got a Char 1 Bis, left 11 o'clock," she said.
Miyata swung her binoculars to the French tank, which was sitting out in the open near a large fountain with a statue in the middle of it, but no water filling it up. "Got it, pretty impressive French tank. Even has two guns on it."
"True, but remember what Miho said about it. From the previous match with Koala, it seems to have a really bad fire rate that we can take advantage of," Tamada said, still looking at the tank.
Lowering her binoculars, Miyata look to her company commander and spoke. "Yea I remember, the commander said that was a tell tell sign of an under crew tank."
A nod from Tamada follow the response. "Yep, that goes for the Type 3 Chi-Nu as well. Yet will keep in mind for that Char 1. Will try to bait it into a bad shot, and then counter it since it will take maybe thirty to sixty seconds till they fire again, from what Miho told me."
"Roger that," Miyata said, then went back to scanning the city center plaza, then spotted another tank. "Alright got a StuG 3, its looks to be hiding in a half-destroyed building bearing 11 o'clock straight ahead in the eastern side of the city center plaza, I can just make out its gun barrel in the debris."
"Got it," Tamada said, taking in the enhanced sight of the StuG 3, barely visible in its hiding spot in the half destroy apartment. The shadows pretty much masked it entirely but were visible because its barrel was sticking out. It was a mistake from the crew that had more than enough room to pull back further into the darken destroy building, but Tamada chucked it up to them wanting to be able to get out of the ambush position faster in case the building collapsed.
"The StuG 3 has an impressive gun on it, with the StuK40 75mm," Miyata stated.
"Add in its low profile that can take a position anywhere in this city, makes it the most dangerous of these tanks. It will have to be one of our main targets when the assault begins," Tamada added in.
"Right, now if I'm remembering Oarai's tank roster from their last match against Koala, were missing the Hetzer 38. I don't see it at all in the city center plaza," Miyata said, scanning hard left to right to find the missing tank.
Tamada search frantically as well, but found no trace of that tank as well. "Damn, was hoping to find it. It might be taking a position somewhere in the city to ambush us. That would be trouble since it's just as bad as the StuG 3 with its lower and smaller profile, and add in the Pak 39 75mm gun it has for good measure to add to our worries."
"Well we still haven't spotted the flag tank, maybe they made the Hetzer the flag tank?" Miyata ask.
"Maybe, but there's also the chance the StuG 3 is the flag tank, since it's too dark in its hiding position to see if it's carrying a flag. Yet because all other tanks we've spotted up till now are not sporting either flags, our best guess is the StuG 3 must be one of them," Tamada explain.
"Alright, what's the plan then?" Miyata ask.
Tamada brought down her binoculars, then turn to grin at her junior. "Time for a slugfest. Come on we're heading back for our tanks, will wait till we're at the edge of the city to call to my Jumbo, should just about be in range."
The first-year tank commander grins back. "Yes ma'am, I'm ready to hunt."
XxxxX
Flying across the landscape at a high altitude, just under the grey clouds was brown hair and violet eye Captain Aozora Suzume, leader of the Chi-Ha-Tan air force squadron of A6M Zeros. They were colored to match their affiliate school's camouflage scheme in the brown base, splash with yellow and green. The ladies themselves had colored the planes in a show of support for the school they fought for, while they like the camouflage immensely.
While also her and her squad wore the traditional Japanese World War Two flight helmet and goggles, with also the flight suit, gloves, and boots to complete the uniform. Their affiliate school's logo was sewn into the shoulders of their flight suit as well.
The show of support for their school, resonated especially with Kataoka and Nagase of Aozora's squadron who both attended Chi-Ha-Tan Academy back in the day, and now fought extremely hard for the school they love so much. With the rest of the squad including Aozora having come to match that determination, since they too had come to love the academy and their time aboard the Akagi that was never dull, especially with the last little adventure with the Ooarai commander sneaking aboard.
"So the enemy commander really broke into our school?" Kataoka ask over the net.
"That takes some real guts," Tamaki said over the net.
"Heard she gave our captain the slip," Tanaka joke over the net.
That made the rest of the squadron chuckle, while Aozora had to push down her frustration. She still remember that little adventure, not liking how it all went down. She had tried to make a grab for the Oarai girl before she could escape, yet missed and ran into Tamada and went down in a tangle together. Then they both watch Miho go after her, while they try to catch up. Yet even when they did, along with some other girls they scrounge up, they were only in time to watch the Ooarai commander steal away Miho on the horse she had tried to stop the stowaway with.
Searching frantically through the town had been a trial, with locals only giving a vague idea of where they saw the horse ride off too. Luckily Tamada had found the two, though they let the stowaway go. Aozora for her part when she and the rest of the team found the two, hug Miho like no other, fearing she had been kidnap. The brown hair pilot was a little peeve they just let the Oarai girl go, which was matched by the rest of the team, but Miho calm them down by saying there were no rules against spying on the other team and ended the matter.
Though there had been some talk about possibly they themselves trying to sneak into other schools.
"I thought you girls had enough laughs at my expense at the bar over that," Aozora said with an annoyed tone.
"Oh, don't be such a poor sport, you're always showing off your cat-like flexibility and physical prowess. Yet you let a teenage girl make you look like a fool, only right we get some laughs in," Tanaka said back over the net.
That made Aozora growl, but cool herself down. "Well alright, but can we drop it for now. We got a match to focus on."
"Roger!" her pilots said back.
Aozora nodded at that, while looking left to right. Taking in the battlefield they were flying over, they were located near the northern edge of the match field, having just got back into the air after landing to refuel. Though Aozora had kept her planes as close to their airfield as the rules allow during the quiet hours of the battle, as part of Miho's plan since she wasn't going to engage the enemy and let them have the city. While also wanting her planes to refuel quickly when the eventual call would come in for them.
The Chi-Ha-Tan's commander strategy was quite strange, letting the enemy get flustered by inaction as the reason for them to come out of the city to find them. Even Aozora had doubts as to whether that would actually work, but Miho was confident and Aozora had to trust in that confidence, especially when she had come to respect the youngest Nishizumi girl immensely in their short time together. Miho had so far guided this minor team to two victories against better armor foes, and Aozora all the while love being their guardians in the sky, taking boundless pleasure in that role.
Yet that role was changing in this match, as Miho wanted to use them in an offensive role to win the day. The first time they would do that, since in the last two matches they had been deployed in a defensive role of bailing their girls out of trouble. Aozora and her pilots, when they met with Miho to brief them on the strategy, couldn't hold back their excitement at their roles in the battle, while they group hug Miho who was flustered by the sudden mass hug attack, to which the fly girls got a chuckle out of, since Miho always had cute flustered reactions.
Even with their new role in this battle, Aozora had to be cautious. That caution was because they were going up against their role model and commanding officer in Jun Nasik, who was also known by the affectionate nickname Mama Jun. She was the oldest female pilot in the 54th Wing, while she had the absolute respect from the junior pilots who always came to her for advice, including Aozora. Now they were going to go head to head with her in the air, battling with the legendary A6M Zeros for the right to rule the skies. Even now Aozora felt anxiety and excitement altogether about facing this ace pilot.
"You think we're going to get the call soon," Nagase ask, with a frustrated tone over the net.
"We better, but remember to mind yourselves. We're going up against the best of the best in our Mama Jun," Aozora said back.
"Just the thought of her on my six makes me shiver, you know her. Once she's got you in her sights, she becomes lockjaw with you, never letting go till your dead," Kataoka said with trepidation in her voice.
"Why the hell would you word it like that, now I'm shivering and not because it's cold up here," Tanaka said annoy.
"Easy girls," Aozora said sternly over the net to get her pilots under control. "Mama Jun is a great pilot, yet who was the squadron to come out of her training with top marks?"
"Us," Tamaki said.
"That's right, time and time again we went toe to toe with her in our F-35A Fighters. We were always nervous, but we never feared her," Aozora said hoping to bring her girl's spirits up.
"The optimism of youth," Kataoka said in a joking tone over the net.
"Hey! I'm still young and beautiful," Nagase whine over the net, making her fellow pilots chuckle.
Once Aozora calm down, she spoke. "Yes, yes, your sill beautiful, though if I can look like Miss Himi at her age I will be alright with that."
"You're not just saying that because you're digging on her," Tanaka said in sly voice.
"I am not!" Aozora shot back.
"Could of fooled us, you were practically drooling over her during that drinking party at her place," Kataoka added to her friend's misery.
"I was not!" Aozora again defended herself.
"Don't act like you weren't trying to take her to bed, honestly didn't think you swung that way," Nagase added to the playful torment.
"You al-," Aozora try to defend herself, but was cut off.
Suddenly a net call from Air Control came over the net. "Raider 1, this is Air Control, over."
"Raider 1 here, go ahead," Aozora said back over the net, letting go of her irritation at her teammates teasing her.
"Chi 1 is calling in air support over point 0553, over the city center plaza. Three times target, tanks identify as Porsche Tiger hidden under a shade of trees in of the city center plaza, Char 1 Bis north end of the city center plaza in the open, and lastly, a StuG 3 hiding in the eastern side of the center under a destroyed building," Air Control reported.
Aozora while keeping one hand on the stick, use the other to pull a map out of her flight suit pocket. Then lay it on her lap, folded to just show the city on the battle map. With great skill, she took a pen out marking a small circle of where the enemy was, then when she felt satisfied, she put it back in her pocket.
"Roger Air Control, read you five by five, Raider 1 going on station for support," Aozora said, then switch her net to her squadron. "Alright ladies, times come for a strike. I want to climb to our plane's maximum altitude at six thousand meters, V formation on me, heading due south. We're striking the city center around that Senate House, dropping bombs and using our high explosive cannons. I'll relay where our targets our before we dive in."
"Roger!" her squadron reply back over the net.
"Also only want one pass, then on my wing and start scanning for Mama Jun and her girls, Ooarai won't waste time calling them in, just like Miho's plan," Aozora said once more, then push her throttle up as her squadron push through the sky for the city.
They travel for some time before they reach the outskirts of the city, as Aozora dip her left-wing down a bit while flying straight still, so she could get a good look at the city down below using her left hand to hold up some binoculars. The Senate House came into view for her since it was so large it dwarf the other buildings. Scanning hard, Aozora could just make out at least two Ooarai tanks in the city center, but the third that was reported to be hiding under a half-destroyed building was hard for her to spot.
Making a decision to attack, Aozora open her net to her squadron, "alright girls were dive-bombing the city center. Use the 20mm cannons to suppress them first, then let go of both bombs at two thousand meters, then pull out of your dive. Remember the rules, we can't vertical dive, only slope dive at targets. I'll go first for the Porsche Tiger, the rest of you alternate between the Char 1 bis and the previous mention target"
"Roger!" The squadron confirm back.
"Good, break into line formation, I'll go in first, keep at least two hundred meter spacing between runs," Aozora ordered, to which again her squad acknowledges.
As the squad form themselves into a line formation, remember to keep their spacing for the bomb run like they had practiced the weeks prior, Aozora steady herself in the cockpit. Her mind became razor focus on the job she had, not wanting to let her team down. Sure this was nothing but a sport and they were just along for the ride, but there was pride in being part of this new era of Sensha-do taking root. As a female aviator, Aozora might inspire other young girls to join their nation's air force one day, so she had to make sure to wow them with her skills, and to honor her late father who always had nurtured her love for flying.
Feeling ready as they passed their dive zone, Aozora push the sticks to the left and dip the plane into a slope dive. Even in a sloping dive, she felt the blood rush a bit to her head, but her training made this nothing but a brief annoyance. The angle was good for the slope dive, as she was going straight onto the city center. Aozora quickly eyes her aiming reticle as she switch her trigger lever to the 20mm cannons, her target was the Porsche Tiger and she could see its 88mm gun just poking past some trees it was hiding under. The alarms system in the tank must have sounded off finally, as she could see it coming out of its concealment of trees looking to probably break for better cover.
To late girls
The thought ran through Aozora's mind with a wide grin, then shifted the plane a bit right with the foot pedals, making the tail wing shift the plane right. Once her target reticle on the dash was right on the monstrous tank, she pull the trigger. The loud roar of her 20mm cannons was evident, as she watch her tracers splash near the tank and then pull the stick up a little to walk her rounds right into the Porsche Tiger that sparked and pinged with the heavy explosive rounds showering it.
Aozora now had to multi-task, checking her altitude gauge, and seeing she was near 2000 meters, now let go of the side trigger lever. Then reach down to the bomb release lever just below it. Pulling it, she felt the sudden release of the 2 60kg bombs that whine all the way down to its foe, but Aozora had to focus on pulling the plane out of the slope dive. Pulling hard on the control stick upward she felt again the blood rush to her head, but her training made this manageable as she pull the plane to a now flat trajectory, then pull hard right dipping the wing down. She was just in time to see her bombs explode near the tank, but no direct hits, which made her curse as the large clouds of dust shot up into the air.
The rest of the Chi-Ha-Tan air force join in on the party. Each of them coming on their slope dives, letting loose their 20mm explosive cannons, with them alternating between the Porsche Tiger and the Char 1 Bis. Each letting go of their bombs and adding to the misery of the Ooarai girls who are bounce around in their tanks, silently cursing the Chi-Ha-Tan air force for their woes.
Keeping her plane's right-wing still dipped down, and throttle back to get a good look at their deadly work. Aozora's A6M Zero along with her squadron, look over the dust fill city center, their bombs hadn't touched the Senate House at all, while the rest of the open area before it was destroyed by their bomb run. The dust clear enough for Aozora to take in the sight of the Porsche Tiger sitting still, scorch and batter from the gun run, but still functional as it pull forward heading for a half destroy building pulling up mounds of brick and stones into a hole to hide in.
The Char 1 Bis unfortunately was not spared, as Aozora watch it try to roll forward but instead just spun around in place in a seemingly panic state, a tell tell sign that a track was blown off and could not move forward now. It made for a delectable target for Aozora and her planes, but she had to forget that for now as she pull the stick left to level her plane.
"Alright, climb to four thousand meters, then start scanning for Mama Jun and her squad," Aozora said over the net.
"Roger!" Her squad confirm, then as one the squadron pull their sticks while putting their planes in full throttle.
Once they reach the height, they level off, while maneuvering into a loose stagger formation. With Aozora in the lead, while the rest of her pilots form into pairs, space just behind to the left and right. This gave them more maneuver to break and better vision to start scanning in all directions for the enemy planes they knew were coming. They also throttle down their planes heading north now over the city to make it seem like they were coming back for another run.
Then they waited.
Waited.
Waited some more.
And waited longer than they thought they would.
"Where the hell is she?" Aozora grumble in her cockpit.
"Raider 1, this is Air Control, over," A male voice came over the net.
"This is Raider 1, go ahead," Aozora said, feeling anxious that a net call was coming in again from Air control.
"Chi 1 is asking for redirect on air support, to point 0456, enemy air assets are in the AO, how copy?" the man said over the net.
What the hell, this wasn't part of the plan. Oarai was supposed to send their air support at us, so we can tie Mama Jun up. They didn't take the goddamn bait
The horrifying revelation went through Aozora's mind, then growl as she open her net call with Air Control. "Roger Air Control, Raider 1 is redirecting air support to the designated location."
"Roger that, good hunting, over and out," the man said, then cut the net call.
"What's up cap," Tamaki said over the squad net.
Aozora sigh, then spoke. "We been redirected, seems Oarai isn't playing our game. They sent their air support against our ambush force."
"What! Impossible, they were meant to come after us!" Nagase said over the net.
"I know alright, no time to ask questions. We need to support our team, full throttle were going north to save Nishi and her battle group, but keep on alert Mama Jun is in the AO, and she knows were going to be on the way," Aozora ordered.
"Roger!" The squad said back, feeling anxious to go save their tankery sisters before it was too late.
Damn Operation Phantom has hit its first snag
Aozora thought as she push her plane forward off to the north, for the fated duel with her mentor.
XxxxxX
As the Chi-Ha-Tan Airforce flew away, a certain blonde hair girl walk out of her StuG 3's hiding space under a half-destroyed building. She wore a German Field Marshall cap, while wearing the Ooarai blue tankery jacket, white skirt and black boots. She raise her binoculars to the sky watching the Chi-Ha-Tan air force fly north, further and further away, till they were out of sight behind the high two story buildings that surrounded the city center.
Smirking, while feeling satisfied with her work, she turn to see the Char 1 Bis still in a panic doing donuts because its left track was busted. Shaking her head with amusement, the girl touch her throat microphone to open a net call with her teammates in the Char 1.
"Miss Sodoko, the enemy planes are gone, you can stop panicking now," Erwin said with a smirk.
"That's Miss Sono to you!" Midoriko Sono said back over the net.
That made Erwin chuckle, then spoke over the net to her public committee member turn tank commander. "Right, right, sorry. Anyways, Chi-Ha-Tan's air force took the bait and now are scrambling to get back to their team, so start repairing your track."
"Fine, well get on it," Midoriko grumble over the net.
Erwin nodded at that, then open a net call to the Porsche Tigers tank commander. "Miss Nakajima, how's the Super Sonic Prince holding up?"
"Ready to be put through its paces! Those Chi-Ha-Tan fly girls just annoy him at best," Nakajima said back excitedly over the net.
"Good, take your tank and head to the western side of the city. Take position near the cross street near that bakery shop we saw earlier, the enemy will be coming now for us," Erwin order.
"Roger that, were on the move," Nakajima said back over the net, as her tank roll out of its hiding spot in the half-destroyed building. The prototype heavy Tiger tank roll out slowly and then turn west to meet the foe they knew were coming to attack them.
Erwin watch them ride off with a wide smile, feeling happy that this rare never before seen tank, which was never used during World War two was going to show its worth this day against Chi-Ha-Tan. Even Erwin matched Yukari in her fangasm over the rare German tank that could bounce all cannon types with its 200mm frontal armor, even if it was slow, it pack a punch in its 88mm gun and in a hull-down position, it was practically invulnerable.
Now the time came to make a call to another rare tank that was going to see some action today, as Erwin opened a net call to her newest teammate. "Miss Ogin, your time is coming up. The enemy will be coming into the western side of the city. Be ready to hit them if they come down your street."
The irritated voice of Ogin came back over the net. "huh? Who says you can give me orders. A captain of the sea follows her own sails, no one commands her."
Jeez, she has to be the most frustrating girl in our team
Erwin thought, then remember this proud captain's weak spot. "Well remember if you do a good job, Miss Yuzu will let you take her out for dinner."
"Are you serious?! Damn, that's as good as a lost treasure island. Will get the job done, don't worry," Ogin replied happily over the net.
"We'll be counting on you," Erwin said with a shake of the head, then walk back to her StuG 3
XxxxxX
"Hm, I guess you were right dear cousin, I underestimated my niece a bit," Konomi said from her chair next to Shiho, speaking the first words in some time since the match started, as the two sat in the press box observing the match on the screen.
Shiho said nothing back but focus on the screen. If she were honest, she was still perplexed by her youngest daughter's strategy she had employed. If this had been Kuromorimine, Maho would have just stormed the city with her heavy tank force, using their doctrine of always advancing to break the enemy defenses. Yet she could see possible issues with their larger tanks in an enclosed urban fight, which would play to a team like Oarai's strengths.
While Miho's team had lighter tanks that could maneuver, but would have to deal with the heavy tank destroyers Oarai and Wolverton had in their arsenal. Yet enacting such a strategy as playing on the opposing team's nerves by not attacking and letting them have the city was something Shiho hadn't even thought was a plausible strategy. However, Miho was her own commander who fought in her own way that didn't play to any rules of conventional tactics, to which Shiho again had to acknowledge that her youngest really had her own Sensha-do style all of her own now.
"Is she really your daughter?" Konomi spoke again, hoping to incite a reaction out of Shiho.
A reaction from Shiho was what she got, as the head of the Nishizumi family spoke in a low tone. "I don't quite understand your question cousin."
"Sorry, should phrase that better. Is Miho really a Nishizumi?" Konomi said again, with a sly smile.
"If you make baseless claims, learn to mind your tongue around me before speaking or I'll mind it for you," Shiho snap at her.
That made Konomi chuckle, then spoke. "It's just an innocent question. I mean you did force her out of your home, makes me wonder if there is more to this than your letting on."
"She left of her own free will," was all Shiho said.
"Really now? Not because you chastise the poor girl about not letting her teammates drown in the river, so her flag tank was secure and keeping Kuromorimine's prestigious streak intact," Konomi said in a hard voice.
Damn you Chiyo, you had to go and tell her too
Shiho thought, then compose herself as best she could to speak. "Those words were taken out of context. I merely reminded my daughter that she need-."
"Oh, don't give me that bullshit," Konomi now snap at her cousin.
Now Shiho's full attention was on her cousin, with a menacing look at her. "Excuse me."
"Even with everything that happen to me, all the cruelty I suffer trying to survive the streets after that duel, I really thought I understood the monstrosity of our family. Yet when I heard from Chiyo that you chastise your own daughter for saving people's lives over a match, was when I understood our family was far too gone," Konomi said with venom dripping from her voice.
"You don't understand anything," Shiho said back, equally with venom.
"I don't understand? I understand better than anyone. I should have won that duel, then I could have brought our family name respect instead of fear," Konomi said, letting out her deepest wish to her cousin.
"You have no idea of what running our family means. You would have changed nothing, your mother would have done what mine did and beat you until you understand your duty to the family," Shiho shot back.
Konomi made to argue, then it hit her. Shiho was right, her mother would have just done that as well. It reminded Konomi of how two face her mother was, having been a loving and instructive woman growing up, but never raising her hand to her. It was when Konomi lost that duel, did the true colors come out, beating her for such a humiliating showing in the duel, then tossing her out while the rest of the family did nothing in the end for her.
Everyone but her brother Jotaro, who stole money from their family and came to find her. Jotaro found her in an alleyway, took her to a hotel to clean up, and comforted his little sister, apologizing for not having the courage to stand up to their mother. He gave her money to leave Japan and stay with a distant relative in America who took Konomi in and from there, the bruise and batter girl join the American army as a mechanic for tanks and the rest was history.
"You may be right, but I would have fought back," Konomi said, though her voice was not convincing.
Shiho scowled at her, talking in a threatening tone. "You don't understand anything cousin. Even now you're just a naive girl, even though you suffer such horrors, had you won, our situation might be reversed. I would be here taking you and whatever daughters you had down for vengeance."
Konomi clench her fist in her lap, feeling somehow Shiho was right, but wanted to keep fighting back as she spoke. "Maybe not, maybe you would have settled down. Had children that love you unconditionally, a husband who works hard, and have a warm home to treasure every day. Something I thought I would have had in the end."
"What do you mean?" Shiho ask.
"I can no longer have children," was all Konomi said in a low voice.
That made Shiho go wide eye, as she spoke. "How?"
"An impulsive decision before I left Japan. My mother wanted me to come back to the family, to at least be useful and marry into a well-off family, so I decided to get rid of the one thing that would give her any satisfaction," Konomi said back.
"You sterilize yourself?" Shiho ask once more in a whisper of disbelief.
"Yes, again an impulsive decision. If I'm being honest, I got a lot of satisfaction when I told my mother before I left Japan for good, her horrified face was all I could hope for. Yet as I settle into American life, I realize what a foolish mistake that was, since I couldn't really settle down properly knowing I could never have a family of my own," Konomi said.
"That's insane, how could you do that to yourself?" Shiho said aghast.
"You think I wanted to, you're part of the reason it happen," Konomi growled at her.
"Don't put that on me, I did my duty to my family," Shiho argue back, hating herself for it all the while.
"What about me? Weren't we family, don't you remember what I told you that day before the duel," Konomi shot back.
Hi, my name is Konomi, I've always looked up to you cousin, I hope we become closer, win or lose this match
Those were the words Shiho remember that day. Those words haunted her in her dreams, for days, months, and years that pass. All she could see was that smiling face, so genuine, so unlike any of the other cousins, Shiho had to duel with before who all scowled at her presence. Yet Konomi was the one and only one to smile, it was that smile that haunted Shiho the most for all these years.
That smile that was turned to sadness and fear of Shiho, after she handle Konomi effortlessly and with more malice than Shiho needed to at the time. It was all on the orders of Nayoko to destroy her without mercy, and Shiho, like the dutiful little daughter she was, did her mother's bidding without question. Yet questions began to sprout in Shiho's mind after that match, and what she thought was the first crack in her emotionless armor that eventually allow her to break away from the true Nishizumi style for her love for Tsuneo.
"We...we....we...we were a product of our time," Shiho said, the last embers of her defiance burning to blunt her cousin's attempts to prove she was wrong.
"Just a product? What were we prize horses to prance around until we got injured and then cast off? Do you even know where our former cousins are now? I'll tell you, they were all forced into marriages with well-off families or just marry to a regular man, never again to pick up Sensha-do, I know because I've been visiting them," Konomi said angrily.
"I know that, they all broke ties with our family because Panzer Kettō was banned," Shiho said in a defeated tone.
"Yes, they could no longer challenge you for the right to head the family, yet you know what's the worse part about it," Konomi said, wanting to make her cousin see her folly.
"What?"
Konomi chuckled sadly, then spoke. "Most if not all of them are happier right now, than the two of us. They have families with girls and boys who love their them, ironic isn't it, all this horror of the Panzer Kettō. Yet now they're in a happier spot than they originally were. They could care less about Sensha-do, all they live for is their own families now, while I'm the one still holding onto grudges."
"Why are you bringing this up to me?" Shiho had to ask, not understanding where her cousin was going with all this.
"I'm letting you know, because when you fall, I plan to bring all of them back. To make our family whole again, and you will be outcast, to live in shame as we did," Konomi said resolutely.
Shiho was baffle at how determined her cousin was, but she would not waver. "Say what you will. They all knew what was at stake in those duels. I won't let you take what I've built, even if it was over the broken girls I left behind."
"We shall see cousin, we shall see," Konomi said, as the two women went back to watching the screen, each hoping for their own daughters to win the day.
While slowly the tension between new and old ideals were beginning to boil over, with only needing a spark to start the firestorm.
XxxxxX
"I thought there be an air battle," Tamada said to herself standing tall in her commanders cupola staring at the sky above her, as her M4A3E2 Jumbo color with the Chi-Ha-Tan camouflage scheme push forward into the western part of the city.
It reminded Tamada of the qualifier match with Maple, though then she commanded a Type 97 Shinhoto. Though this city was at least more intact than that one in the qualifier, with two-story apartments and stores lining each side of the road. Yet these buildings were battered to pieces from previous battles over the years, with mounds of bricks and stones everywhere. The constant sound of glass and bricks crushing under Tamada's platoon's tank tracks seem to be endless.
Tamada brought her eyes down to stare straight ahead, they were some 900 meters from the city center. They had used the explosions and confusion of their air forces airstrike to mask the sounds of their tanks to push hard into the city without being spotted. Now Tozen Company, or more like a platoon since they were down to four tanks, now would assault the city center to take down the operator tank out and hopefully find the flag tank.
However, something was wrong. Tamada knew their air raid was supposed to fluster Oarai into calling in their own air support to duel with Chi-Ha-Tan's air force over the city, yet there was nothing like that happening now. Only the sounds of their own engines could be heard as they push further into the city, which was making Tamada anxious since she knew her enemy had to know they were coming, as their engine's noise seem to echo across the city.
"Company commander, why do you think our air support flew off?" Miyata spoke over the net, who was driving her Type 1 Chi-He behind the Jumbo.
"Heck if I know, but that means we need to be on our toes. Oarai must know were in the city now, I want security on the column, double-check alleyways and the first level of buildings for hidden tanks," Tamada order over the net.
"Roger! Her platoon said back.
Tamada nodded at that, then open a net call to her crew. "Maemi, keep our tank at marching speed."
"Roger," Maemi said, as she kept a good handle on the driving sticks.
"Everyone else, I want you to make use of the extra periscopes, scan in all directions and make call-outs when needed," Tamada said over the crew net.
"Roger!" The rest of the crew confirm back.
Tozen platoon continue its slow movement, doing their best to drive slower to keep their engine noise to a minimum. A bit harder for the Jumbo's Ford GAA V8 engine that was trying to keep this heavy tank moving forward. Though from what Tamada had learned, the Jumbo only lost minor speed compared to regular M4 variants, so she plan to make use of it, if the action needed movement to win the fight.
The street they were traveling down, was soon coming up to a bend in the street. Tamada immediately reach into her tankery jacket, to pull out a secondary map that was more detailed with the city design. Again this was a boon from Kubota, who had been studying like crazy in the couple of days leading up to the match, after Miho came to her to study the map of the battlefield, since she was the topography expert in their group.
Quickly finding the street they were traveling down, Tamada move her hand up to trace the road to the bend that turn off going straight northward some 200 meters to a cross street. From this cross street, they could turn back east heading for the city center, but the problem lie in that the cross street was wide enough for an ambush from multiple directions, including the use of hunkering down in buildings with wide fields of fire.
Yet the Sherman Jumbo was made for this kind of fighting, making Tamada glad that her team had accepted this gift from Saunders. Though there was still some bitterness towards them from some of the girls of the 2nd year group, they at least had gotten along during the elementary spring camp that both teams help with as their form of punishment for the discourtesy after the match.
As they near the bend, Tamada help direct her driver. "Maemi, hard left 9 o'clock, keep our speed."
"Got it," Maemi said back over the crew net as she work the sticks.
The Sherman Jumbo turn left with the bend, then rode down a straight rode once more, going steady over the cement road, crushing any debris on the road under its tracks. The Type 1 Chi-He's did the same, keeping their wide spacing between each other, knowing the enemy had their artillery and all it took was one good call for them to get pin in by it. Not to mention the buildings that surrounded the column on both sides of the road, which were begging to fall over on them if such a thing happen, because of the intense shockwaves from the artillery.
Finally reaching the cross street, now Tamada directed her tank to make a right turn. Coming in slowly to the four-way intersection, which was surrounded by two-story buildings. A mix of apartments, various shops, and a hotel. Tamada scan all the buildings with a precise eye, looking for cannon barrels possibly sticking out of the shadows looking to ambush her column, yet again all was fine.
That didn't last long.
As the Chi-Ha-Tan Jumbo Sherman began to finally head eastward once more, down another long street, a cannon thundered a shell at Tamada's tank from down the road. The shell struck the front of the tank, bouncing up off the slope thick armor, sparking with the ricochet and adding a piercing ringing in the air from the bounce. It gave the Jumbo crew a good shake, but made them resolute to throw back some anger at their foe.
Still standing tall in her commanders cupola, doing her best to shake off the ringing in her ears, Tamada brought her binoculars up from her neck, to take in a enhanced view down the street. She didn't get long to try and identify as another tracer shell came down the street striking her tank in the mantlet, sending another ringing in her ears and sparks in the air as the tracer bounce up an over the tank, luckily its angle sent it over the Chi-He's behind her.
"Miss Tamada, take cover!" Miyata said over the net, from aboard her Type 1 Chi-He behind her leader's tank.
"I'm fine," Tamada said back over the net to calm her junior, then focus her binoculars down the street once more, looking for the foe. She soon spotted the enemy tank, some ways down the street. Only its gun was poking over a large mound of debris from a destroyed apartment building to the side of the road.
Is that a Type 4 Chi-To?
The thought ran through Tamada's mind as she took in the sight of the tank's turret, which seem like the same as their team's Type 4 Chi-To, but a little wider than the former. It had the same-looking Type 5 75mm gun, yet Tamada knew that there was no way that gun could fire a second shot in such a rapid fashion, at most ten seconds at the fastest for a reload in a Chi-To.
The strange Japanese tank fire once more, bouncing again off the front plate of the Jumbo, follow by another rapid shot with no more than a three-second delay. Making Tamada growl, as the constant shaking and ringing were playing on her nerves, as again she was shocked by the fire rate of the enemy tank, making her grip her binoculars so tight her knuckles turn white.
"What the hell is up with that tank?!" Tamada said aloud.
"No...no way Oarai could get a tank like that...it was said to never be completed," Kana, Tamada's bow gunner said over the crew net in a horrifying voice as she look through her periscope at the tank.
"What's up Kana? You know what tank that is?" Tamada ask from her commanders cupola.
"Its...its...it's a Type 5 Chi-Ri," the bow gunner said in a flummox voice.
"What!" The rest of the crew said as one.
"It was said to never be completed!" Chisato, the gunner said from her seat.
"How did Oarai get it!?" Mikik, the loader said from her seat.
Tamada knew she had to get her crew under control, even if she was just as flabbergasted as them over this whole thing. "Alright girls that's enough! Get focus, doesn't matter how they got it, because we're going to show them the might of Chi-Ha-Tan!"
"Roger!" her crew said back.
"Tozen Company stay behind me! I'll deal with this tank," Tamada order to her company.
"Roger!" Her tank commanders said back.
Now Tamada open a net call to her crew. "Mikik, load AP!"
"Loaded!" she said back.
"Chisato, I'll guide you onto target for this one, traverse left," Tamada said over the crew net. The Jumbo's turret rotated left with the power traverse, Tamada leaning down in the cupola and eyeing her 76mm gun, till it finally line up with the hull down tank. "On! Fire!"
"On the way!" Chisato yell back, while stepping on the firing pedal, to thunder out the furious shell from the 76mm gun.
The tracer flew down the street in the blink of an eye, but the angle was too low. As the shell found its way into the Type 5 Chi-Ri's cover of bricks, wood, and stone. Even with the high velocity of the shell, it simply smash into the debris and at most just annoying the foe as it cause parts of the debris cover to be thrown into the face of the impressive Japanese tank, with a small bit of dust rising up too.
"Damn to low! Chisato u-," Tamada try to say, but was cut off as another tracer shell came flying at them from another tank. Producing another bounce and high ringing sound echoing across the dead city.
"We got another tank, down the road, maybe 600 meters 12 o'clock!" Kana said from her bow gunner's chair, again making use of her periscope to locate another tank.
Tamada turn her binoculars down the road to where her bow gunner directed her to. She took in the enhanced sight of a StuG 3 coming down the road. It made the reddish-brown eye girl curse at first, then made her grin, as she could identify the black flag on the tank, which was a mark of the enemy team's operator tank. Taking it out would mean the end of their perks, so now Tamada needed to change her priorities now.
Just as Oarai wanted.
"Load AP! Chisato, traverse right, lock 12, and fire at the StuG 3," Tamada order over her crew net.
"Loaded!" Mikik said.
"Tamada! That Chi-Ri is angling its gu-," Maemi, the Jumbo driver began to say, also making use of her periscope to help her tank commadner.
"Let it bounce rounds all it want's, we take the operator tank out it means the end of Oarai's perks," Tamada said, focusing her binoculars on the StuG 3, who for some reason was coming on slowly towards them down the street, practically setting its self-up to be taken down, which made Tamada curious why it was so out in the open.
"No, the Chi-Ri isn't aiming at us!" Maemi said frantically.
Turning back with her binoculars to take in the sight of the Chi-Ri, Tamada could see why her driver was in such a panic state. The Ooarai tank gun wasn't aiming at them now, but was aiming high. Judging quickly what its angle was, Tamada turn to see it was aiming at the apartment building right next to her.
"Damn!" Tamada said, then quickly closed her hatch, while relaying orders down to her whole company, "all tanks reverse hard!"
Maemi, along with her other fellow drivers, quickly shifted their tanks into reverse and press hard on the gas pedals. Just as they were doing this the Type 5 Chi-Ri, let loose another shell, though this one was a high explosive round that smack into a building right next to the Chi-Ha-Tan column, with the shell cap exploding on impact. A shockwave from the blast caused the bomb out building to lose its integrity and begin to crumble down, just missing the retreating platoon, but that was just what the Ooarai team needed them to do.
The debris from the collapsed building came down like a flood, with its bricks, glass, and wood making an uneven mound covering part of the street. While causing dust to rise up from the devious move, as the Chi-Ha-Tan tanks continue to reverse back, they weren't allowed to stop the retreat as now the StuG 3 added its high explosive shells to its teammate's Type 5 Chi-Ri's fire. Aiming at the top of buildings, so their shells could explode and cause a constant torrent of debris to rain down on their foe on either side of the street.
"What the heck are they up to?! Trying to bury us in rubble to defeat us!" Mikik said from her loader chair, doing her best to hold on, as the constant sound of stones and bricks pelted against their tanks upper armor, sounding like a storm of hail to her.
"They got to do better than that!" Kana said, gripping her 1919 Browning machine gun, ready to deliver some payback.
"Maemi, keep reversing," Tamada order over the net, the open a net call to her platoon. "Tozen Company, regroup in the street intersection!"
"Rog-," Her company try to confirm back.
They were interrupted by the dreaded alarm, which all Sensha-do teams were beginning to despise.
Incoming artillery, please close all hatches.
Tozen platoon was given some payback by Oarai in kind for what they did to their scouts earlier, as shells from the sky came down like a torrent of rain, that devastated Tozen company like no other.
XxxxxX
"This is Erwin here," The StuG 3 tank commander call over the net.
"Yukari here, what've you got for me?" The Oarai commander said, touching her throat microphone.
"Plan work like a charm, Chi-Ha-Tan got a nasty surprise in Shark team. As you said, that Type 5 Chi-Ri's auto drum loader is unbelievable, fire off three shells in under twenty seconds from that powerful Type 5 gun it has," Erwin said excitedly over the net.
That made Yukari smile, since she knew the fire rate of the tank would do well in the urban setting, especially in a nice hull-down position. Though it took some convincing from Yuzu to get Ogin to listen to commands properly. Even after days of training, Ogin was a wildcard, liking to play to her own rules, not working well in groups. Yet by herself, she show she can operate quite effectively in a lone wolf sort of role, which help when you had a fast-firing tank like hers, coupled with a secondary 37mm tank gun as well.
Leaving her alone to face the oncoming Chi-Ha-Tan team first prove to be the right move, as Yukari had predicted Miho would send her team's Jumbo Sherman into the city first. Though she had been lucky to guess the western side would be their place of attack because of the more open plains on that side of the battlefield. The eastern side, was more forested with rivers running all through it which would slow down any flanking movement. Making the western side the ideal place to attack.
"Did the artillery have the effect we wanted?" Yukari ask over the net.
"More or less, we landed it right behind them before they got back into the street intersection, with most of the buildings on either side of the road collapsing. The dust is still high in the air, so don't have a solid visual right now," Erwin said back over the net.
"Alright, leave Shark team in their hull-down position, move Leopon team to support them instead now. Erwin have your tank move back a bit and support Shark and Lepon team, have Mallard team take Leopon's original position as a secondary defense in case any remants of the Chi-Ha-Tan team tries to make thier way to the city center," Yukari order over the net.
"You got it, commander, over and out," Erwin said, then cut the net call.
Yukari then let an exasperated breath out, as her counterattack plan was working out. Their air force was at the moment giving the Chi-Ha-Tan ambushers just as much trouble as they had given their own scouting force. While the Chi-Ha-Tan air force was now moving away from the city to support their own team now, now all they had to do was drive the ambush force off now, with the help of the American team.
At the moment, the Wolverton's M4 Sherman, M36B2, and M4A3E8 were not with her, as they had turn off at a fork in the road earlier, as Yukari was sending them north east to flank around to pinch in the Chi-Ha-Tan snipers in the east. Making use of their tanks better mobility to navigate the forested area in the east, which was proving to be the right call, as Fukushu had been updating her on their progress that was well ahead of schedule.
While Yukari's Panzer 4, along with A43 Black Prince and Type 3 Chi-Nu move north west to flank around, looking to knock the enemy tanks off the small hill there firing down at the village Azusa and her scout for were trapped in. Though the Oarai air force was breaking up the enemy ambush, for the most part, they were not attacking with all of their planes, since they were on high alert to intercept the Chi-Ha-Tan air force and not be caught out like Saunders was by them in the last match.
"The Type 5 Chi-Ri is so awesome Miss Yukari, it even gave a Jumbo Sherman a hard time, that makes me happy," Kisa, the blonde hair and brownish eye cheerful loader said, leaning outside her hatch against the side armor skirts surrounding the Panzer 4's turret.
"Yes, our commander has quite the keen mind. You're even giving a Nishizumi trouble," Hana said in her usual soft and pleasant voice, while also leaning outside her hatch against the armor skirt.
Yukari nodded to their praise, then spoke. "Well nothing is decided yet. Miss Nishizumi is someone we can't relax at all against."
"Yea, all this stress she is causing me, is making me sleepy," Mako said, with her head pop out of her drivers hatch as she drive the tank forward along the dirt road, at the rear of the column.
"How can someone that cute be in this sport?" Saori said with a pout, with her head pop out over the bow gunner area. "I bet there is a horde of guys asking her out just because she gets so much screen time as their commander, it's not fair."
That made the Panzer 4 crew chuckle at their boyfriend needy radio operator, then Hana spoke up. "Well maybe after this match, we can be friends with her. Then you can use some of her popularity for your love life my dear Saori."
"Wah, I don't need help with my love life. My beauty is just kept hidden away in this tank, if I was the commander I have boys asking me out from all over Japan," Saori fought back.
"If you were the commander, we never would have made it out of even the tank garage," Mako said in her monotone voice, but it was an obvious friendly jab at her friend.
"Oh, is that what they call a burn?" Hana said, with a teasing smile.
"Mako!" Saori once again pouted. "I'm going to tell your grandma you were late to all of the morning study halls last week."
That made the sleepy girl alert, with a flustered look crossing her face at the thought of her angry grandma, Hisako Reizei, her only remaining family member, whose anger was enough to make her get up early.
"Please don't, she is really scary to deal with when her blood is up," Mako said dejectedly.
"It just shows how much she cares for you," Hana said in an encouraging tone.
Kisa join in now. "Yea, I can tell too. She even thanked me and Miss Yukari once for looking out for you."
"You're my junior though," Mako complain.
"Yea, and if you keep skipping classes to sleep, you might be our junior when me, Yukari, and Hana are third years, and your held back," Saori complain.
Then it was the usual back and forth between the ginger hair girl and her sleepy childhood friend, Hana would join in to make her usual amusing and deadly sharp comment. All the while Yukari look on with a smile, as this was a crew that had a tightknit bond that came with doing Sensha-do and only enhance it over time.
Kisa turn to look at her best friend with a warm smile. "You think Miss Nishizumi will fall back now that her opening attack didn't work?"
"Maybe, but she has to have had a backup plan or worse she will just adjust her strategy on the fly," Yukari said back with an equal smile, feeling excited that the match was finally underway.
"Why worse if she adlibs her strategy?" Kisa ask with a sidelong glance.
"Because that's when she is never more dangerous," Yukari said, as her Panzer 4 at the rear of the line of her marching column press on, readying to be put into the fight and see how great the Tigress Corps really was.