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>>297966

Yes, of course, it's Commander now, Commander Penelope Renlo. Acting Commander suits you better, in all honesty – it feels less like you're wearing a pair of dead man's boots. This hulking beast that you call a tank – the Vinland, an old Gigant class command vehicle – should not, by any right, be yours to command. Mere days ago, you were an apprentice, a trainee under the watchful gaze of the beast's true master, Commander Marcel.

Dead now, killed in the aftermath of the ambush that claimed so many lives. Not just military lives, but close to Astoria's entire royal family. Nearly a crippling blow for your nation, for the national spirit and battlefield morale. It may yet prove to be a disaster that your war-torn country can't pull itself back from – you're still a long way from home, and you're alone out here.

Stay calm. Stay focussed on the mission, and everything will work out. Marcel was fond of saying that, the old bastard.

The mission, then. For the sake of leadership and morale, you must get Princess Astrid, sole surviving member of the royal family, back home. It's not going to be easy – travelling west, you'll need to cross hard terrain and dodge enemy patrols. One of which, it seems, is close by.

Two light tanks. Rabbit was right about one thing – the Vinland should have the upper hand in this fight. Still, perhaps even this small skirmish is better avoided...

“Boss, if you're looking for somewhere to lie low, act all sneaky like...” Rabbit pauses, papers rustling as she consults her maps, “Might be, there's an old farming village close by. Ruins now, obviously, but we might be able to hide out. Just, you know, so you know your options.”

Run, fight, or hide. Not a whole lot of choice there. What about supplies, you ask, should you be worried about the Vinland running dry?

“Not yet, boss,” Rabbit replies promptly, “We've got twelve shots left in our main gun, then we're down to harsh language and machine-gun fire. Fuel... that's a bit harder to say. I wager we've got enough for five short hops, and then we'll need to salvage some more. No damage yet, so we're all good on that front. So, uh, is that all you wanted to know?”

That's enough chatter for now, you agree, you've reached your decision.

>We're fighting. Hit them hard and fast
>Get us out of here – we'll outrun them
>Take us to this village. We'll hide out and let them pass us by

>>297967
>We're fighting. Hit them hard and fast

>>297967
>Take us to this village. We'll hide out and let them pass us by

>>297967
>>Take us to this village. We'll hide out and let them pass us by

>>297967
Sup Moloch? Trying /qst/ I see. This going to be a series or a one shot?

>>297967
>>Take us to this village.
Then
>>Ambush them if they follow.

>>297967
12 shots huh. Probably not worth it taking down some light tanks. Besides if our objective is to get the hell out of dodge we should maintain stealth as much as possible. If they find out where we are we risk getting encircled by a competent commander.

>Take us to this village. We'll hide out and let them pass us by

Also how's it going Moloch?

>>297973

>This is probably going to be spread across two sessions, today and tomorrow. It's not going to be a long thing, certainly.

>>297975

>I'm strangely nervous about this, and I'm not sure why. Looking forwards to trying out some new ideas, though!

>>297979
You're probably nervous from both new board, and for having to deal with armchair tank commanders.

>>297967
>Take us to this village. We'll hide out and let them pass us by
The only way well make it through this is by picking our battles carefully, when we have the luxury.

>>297979
Don't worry Moloch, we won't laugh at you if the quest crashes and burns.

I'll use your ashes to power my own quest, muahaha.

>>297984

>Well, I'll be happy for it to go to some use, at least!

>>297981

>That might be the case. Regardless, I hope I can provide an entertaining experience for everyone!

>Ah, and I should have said. I'll be closing the first vote now. Looks like we're going to lie low for a little bit. Writing the next post now!

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You'll head to this old village and lie low for a bit, you tell the Vinland's crew. When the enemies have passed you by – presuming you're lucky enough for them to overlook your hiding place - you'll head out and start moving west. With only twelve shots left in the magazine, you can't afford to waste them on light tanks. Not when you don't know what could be lying around the next corner, at least. Despite the peace treaty – although that particular farce might as well be tatters now – this is still a battlefield, and enemy territory.

For now, you've got the luxury of avoiding open confrontation – you might as well take this opportunity while you can. The next fight might not be so easily avoided.

As the Vinland starts to grind into motion, you open the top hatch and allow yourself a breath of fresh air. Although you're not going to complain about having more than ten centimetres of sloped armour between you and the harsh world outside, you could certainly name a few problems. The smell, for one thing – the Vinland is packed full, and the heat from the engine is nearly choking. It's much nicer to ride up top, with the wind plucking at your uniform and tugging at your cap, even if it does present the risk of being shot at.

After an hour, with Alice – nervous, and sour with the scent of sweat - practically sitting in your lap, that particular idea doesn't sound so bad.

Moving slowly, to keep from casting up too much dust, the Vinland heads forth, moving roughly north-west. Soon, you see the first blocky building rising up before you. A barn, it looks like, more than big enough to house the Vinland, and intact enough to hide the tank from view. A passing glimpse through the worn and pitted structure could easily mistake the tank for a more conventional piece of machinery – an unusually large tractor, say. Dotted around the perimeter are smaller buildings, cottages and outhouses.

Obviously, you won't be hiding out in any of those.

With the evening air growing cool around you, the Vinland grinds closer to its destination.

[1/2]

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>>297996

Without the Vinland's engine rumbling away in the background, the air feels very still indeed. The barn you've taken shelter in is old and desolate, but still secure. They build things tough out here, on the frontier. Not tough enough to survive the rigours of war, though.

War. It was supposed to be over – finished. Peace had finally been declared between Astoria and Baeguul, and all that had been left to do was to sign the treaties. That's what had brought the royal family to the capital city of their old enemies, and the spiteful trap that had been waiting. Only a miraculous escape attempt, thrown together at the last minute, had ensured your survival. Too few people made it out, and now a new war is looming.

“You look unsettled,” the voice – gracious and calm, as only a royal voice can be – comes from behind you, waking you from your dark thoughts, “But I rather suspect that nobody could blame you, under the circumstances.” Princess Astrid Astoria, now heir to the throne, regards you with cool, dark eyes. As her hip sits a ceremonial sword – thrust into her hands by her dying father. She wears it well, with a quiet dignity.

A shame then, that dignity doesn't mean much out here on the battlefield. Back home, with her regal voice carried upon the airwaves, she would be a powerful figurehead, something to rally the weary troops. Out here, she's just another civilian – albeit one whose life vastly exceeds yours in value.

“You're doing well,” she adds plainly, falling silent not long after. It's a considered silence, as if she's waiting for you to say something to her.

Well, you are in charge after all. It's your duty to dish out reassuring words in times such as these. What would Marcel say at a time like this?

>I'll get you home, princess, even if it costs me my life
>Don't worry, princess. We're going to kill every target between here and safety. I'll do it myself, if I have to
>Just keep your head down and let me do my job... your Majesty.
>Other

>>297997
>I'll get you home, princess, even if it costs me my life

Judging by the map it looks like we are going to go through more than a few chokepoints.

>>297997
>I'll get you home, princess, even if it costs me my life

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You'll get her home, you promise the princess, even if it costs you your life. It's what you signed up for, after all, when you took the king's coin and joined the military. You dare say that every man and woman under your command – not a huge number, admittedly – would say the same thing.

“I am humbled by your devotion,” Astrid whispers in response, and for a moment, you see her for what she really is – a scared girl, barely out of her teenage years and burdened by the great weight of recent tragedy. You only see if for a flash, and then it's gone again, a calm mask of regal poise descending like the visor of an old helmet. At a time like this, she cannot allow herself to show even that little hint of emotion – she must be the standard that all others aspire to. You know that, you really do... but still, she's young. Maybe too young.

“Thank you, commander,” the princess adds, after a moment, “I'll see to it that you and your crew are suitably rewarded upon our safe return. It's the least I can do, after all.”

That's fine, you reply awkwardly, you're not doing this for medals or promotions. You're doing this because...

“Boss, commander, we've got a problem!” Rabbit hisses, scurrying close. In the dark, her eyes look very wide and bright, lit from within by a sudden fear, “I was outside, see, keeping watch when I saw something. Hard to tell in this light, but it looked like dust. You know, tanks moving about, like.”

The same tanks from before, you deduce, so get to the point.

“Right, see, it looks like they've split up. One of them turned back, heading away from us I wager. The other, though, well he's heading in our direction. Thing is, I don't reckon we can slip outta here without getting his attention,” Rabbit pauses, taking off her cap to run a hand through her long – far longer than regulations demand – hair, “We're gonna have to deal with them, one way or another. I mean, that's not a problem right – one light tank, I mean?”

In terms of sheer firepower, it's easily outmatched. Still, you've got a good hiding place here, and you might yet be able to avoid a fight. Gather everyone round, you order Rabbit, and you'll brief them on the new plan.

[1/2]

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>>298018

The silence of the night is soon broken by the roar of an approaching engine, higher and rougher than that of the Vinland. It snarls like an unchained beast, and that feral growl only grows louder as the light tank draws closer. Within the Vinland's armoured belly, you press your fingers to your temples and wait. If they're just passing through, you'll still have a chance to escape without firing a shot. If not... at least you're only fighting one of them.

“They're stopping, boss,” Rabbit murmurs, her face pressed to one of the Vinland's vision slits, “Why are they stopping?”

“Not just stopping, they're getting out,” Alice, her voice shrill with barely controlled fear, adds, “Oh god, oh shit, they're going to search the place. Building by building, room by room... there's no way we can hide from them!”

“Or we blow up their tank while they're dismounted,” Druer, unshaken as ever, suggests, “They can't exactly fight back like this. Or... wait a moment.” He falls silent, his voice replaced by the sound of clattering metal. When he emerges from the bowels of the machine, he's holding up a short, potent looking carbine. “We take the soldiers out. Saves ammo for the main gun that way, and it gets them off our back.”

An interesting idea. Who here, you ask the crew, has experience with close combat?

Druer and Karloff – his mute, sullen loader – both raise their hands. After a painfully reluctant pause, so too does Alice. You've fought up close before, so that makes four of you. The enemy tank held six, if you're not mistaken, but you'll have the drop on them.

You're in a tight spot here.

>Lie low and hope they leave without checking the barn
>Destroy their tank and make a run for it
>Take the soldiers out in close combat
>Other

>>298019
>>Take the soldiers out in close combat

>>298019
Can we siphon fuel from the enemy tank if we leave it intact?

>>298019
>Take the soldiers out in close combat
Hope we can loot ammo and fuel, food and water too

>>298023

>We can! In general, we'll be able to salvage fuel from any intact vehicles we come across. Ammo isn't going to be as easily found, but it's still possible to uncover some.

>>298019
If ALL of them got out
>Try to commandeer the light tank's machine gun.
>Set a signal, say 4 bursts, so the enemy won't know that we'll stop firing for fear of friendly fire, then have the close combatants engage.

>>298019
>Take the soldiers out in close combat
Ok. I think our first priority is to sneak up on the enemy tank and take it's machine gun as well as killing anyone inside before they radio.

>>298019
>>Take the soldiers out in close combat

>>298026
pull the tank on reverse, have the guys turning back to take shots at the tank, shoot them in the back and finish the job with their own machine gun when they turn around to face our guys

>I'll call the vote here. Time for some close combat, and "borrowing" some enemy equipment!

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>>298035
Might as well start looking for one of these...you know, for when we'll need it

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>>298044
Yeah it might be good to have one of those on hand.

>>298046
as long as we don't have to kill our subordinates, I think we're in the clear.

>>298035
enemy country backstabs royal family, princess escapes in tank, steals tanks left and right, returns home with a tank battalion, wins war, invites enemy royal family to sign a peace treaty, guess what...

>>298057
We don't have the manpower to crew more than our tank. We can steal what isn't nailed down though.

Okay, you tell the gathered crew, here's what you're going to do. While the targets are busy searching through the buildings, you want someone to commandeer the light machine-gun on their tank. That should give you the advantage in a firefight. Everyone else should focus on taking the enemies out before they can radio for help, or make any kind of contact with their friends. It's time to hit them hard and fast.

“Perfect,” Druer murmurs, his dark eyes drifting shut as he considers the plan, “I knew you'd make the right decision, commander. Let me handle their heavy equipment – I'm the best shot you've got.”

You're not so sure that accuracy is going to be an issue – you've seen the kind of firepower that those machine-guns can throw out – but you don't argue the point. Accepting his proposal, you look across the others as Karloff hands out carbines. Any questions, you ask, anything at all?

“This is a bad idea,” Alice whines, “We're in trouble, this is going to be a disaster, I know it...”

That's not a question, you snap at her, so straighten up and stow the complaints. You've all got a job to do, you add as you take a rifle of your own, and the sooner you get it done the better. Now, move out!

It's no heroic charge – rather, you creep out of the barn like looters, like grain thieves fearing the noose. Sticking low, and to the pools of dark, inky shadow, you shy away from the gleam of the heavy, shining moon. Full tonight, you note, and staring down like the eye of some great goddess. Is that a good omen, or a bad one? You've heard people say both.

Not that it matters. You don't believe in omens or portents – you'll survive through your own wits, not by the whims of fickle destiny.

[1/3]

>>298067
>like grain thieves
For this we better be given a peerage as reward.

>>298067

“In there,” Alice hisses, pointing to the largest cottage, “They went in there, I saw them. All six. Look, can't we just... go? We've got a head start, we don't need to-”

Stow it, you repeat, enough with the complaints already.

As Alice falls into a sullen silence, Druer strays ahead and starts to clamber up onto the enemy tank. Moving with the kind of grace you'd never expect from such a large man, he eases himself into the turret, vanishing from sight as he drops down into the bowels of the light tank. A moment later, he reappears, giving you a thumbs up. Empty – all clear here. Nodding for him to proceed, he sits behind the mounted machine-gun and takes a moment to look it over. Then, he... strokes it slightly.

Druer, it should be said, always disturbed you a little.

Slowly unfolding the stock on your carbine, you give Druer a second nod, pointing towards the target building and preparing yourself for what comes next. Without even so much as a warning shot, Druer turns the machine-gun on the old cottage and opens fire, playing the thundering stream of bullets back and forth. Punching clean through the worn, dusty stone, the unrelenting gunfire drowns out whatever other sound might seek to rise up into the night air. If the soldiers inside get a chance to cry out, you don't hear them.

Perhaps that's for the best.

Druer hoses the cottage down for a lot longer than he needs to, emptying almost the entire belt of ammunition into the structure. Really, you should discipline him for such a waste of resources, but what the hell – it's not your ammo he's burning through, and the Vinland has plenty of its own. When he finally eases off the trigger, your ears are ringing, even with the heavy-duty earplugs you wore.

“All clear,” he announces, before pausing, “...I love this job.”

And that's why you've always been a little bit afraid of Druer. Swallowing back a wave of revulsion, you wave for everyone else to move in and sweep the building. Flattening yourself up against the outer wall – it's so ruined by gunfire that it feels like it could collapse at any minute – you nod for Karloff to move in. Swift and silent, he rounds the doorway and presses in, the rifle ready and pressed against his shoulder. A second passes, and you follow him inside.

In such a cramped place as this, the stench of blood is almost unbearable. All six of the soldiers are dead, many of them chopped apart by gunfire and scattered like abandoned toys. None of them would have had the chance to cry out in pain or fear, you suspect, much less radio for help and backup. For now, you'll remain undetected.

Outside, you hear Alice throwing up loudly, losing her most recent meal.

[2/3]

>>298076
Wait until we get to the actual battle to ask for the reward.
>>298080
Nevermind, this wasn't a battle. It was a carnage.

>>298084
>peacewasneveranoption.jpg

>>298080

“Looks like we've got enough fuel to fill our tank,” Rabbit says as you're returning to the Vinland, “Ammo... that's no good. Look at this shit, what is that – seventy millimetres? Pathetic, they might as well throw pebbles. Still, it'll make for a nice bomb if we choose to scuttle the tank.”

No point in leaving it for them to recover, you agree, and the explosion might draw attention away from you. What else can she tell you?

“Well, they had some extra rations and clean water that I, uh, borrowed. I don't much like the taste of Baeguul food, but beggars can't be choosers, right?” a small laugh, “We're not exactly going to eat like kings, see, but we're not gonna go hungry either. By my guess, we've got enough food to make it home. Clean water might be a problem though – that's something to keep an eye on, like. Nah, see, I'm worried about our next leg of the journey.” Rabbit unfolds her map and spreads it out across the Vinland's sloped front, waving for you to look closely.

From here, you deduce, you've got a choice of routes. Both of them leading through some pretty hostile terrain, if you're reading this right.

“Got it, boss,” Rabbit nods, “This northern path here, that's gonna take us to Karkash. Ruins now, but I hear it was a pretty big city in the day. Urban combat, see? I don't fancy it much.”

And south, you ask, that looks like a... swamp?

“Right, yeah, that,” Rabbit grimaces, “There's a path, so we CAN go through it. Just, I wager they'll have the path rigged with all kinds of traps. Mines maybe, or improvised explosives. Not like we can go off-road either, not with a heavy thing like the Vinland.”

As Rabbit falls silent, you give the map another look over. Neither route sounds particularly easy, and both have their fair share of dangers. It's just a matter of picking your poison.

>We'll go north, through the Karkash ruins
>We'll head south, through this swamp

>>298090
>We'll go north, through the Karkash ruins
Tanks and swamps? No thanks.

>>298090
>We'll go north, through the Karkash ruins
I know the south won't be as populated but if we fuck up with a trap and lose our treads that's it.

>>298090
>>We'll go north, through the Karkash ruins

>>298090
>We'll go north, through the Karkash ruins

>>298090
>>We'll go north, through the Karkash ruins
Agree with other Anons, swamps are our tank's death.

>>298080
>Swallowing back a wave of revulsion
We love it too though...
>scuttle the tank
Can we prepare the enemy tank to explode when they examine it? *evil laugh*

>>298107
>We love it too though...
We obviously don't.

>>298090
>We'll head south, through this swamp
I'd really rather not deal with urban warfare with no infantry support.

>I think I'll close the vote here. We've picked our poison, and we'll be heading north. Writing the next post now!

>>298090
good, little evidence of large tank goodness. We probably don't have time to cover up the tank tracks, though.
>We'll go north, through the Karkash ruins

uh, do we have radios of our own? is there anything we could do with the enemies radios, such as set up a broadcasting decoy or use a Astorian only frequency to see if anyone friendly besides us is around?

>>298130
That's not a bad idea. Also having a radio on their frequency can keep us in tune with their communications and possible troop movements.

>>298130
>>298133

>We have radios of our own, but they're mostly a short range affair. If we get close to any friendly forces, though, we'll be able to get in contact with them. The enemy radio presents an interesting possibility - I'll add this into the next post before we leave.

>>298137
Sweet, thanks Moloch, also this is like the only one of your quests i've caught live, the rest I either archive binged was too far behind in to really participate. Liking the concept and tone so far!

>>298141

>I'm glad you're enjoying things, I'm certainly having a lot of fun with this as well!

One of the first lessons you ever learned, as a cadet, comes back to you now as you look at Rabbit's map. It was a simple lesson, one that was hammered into your mind by repetition and emphasis. Keep solid ground beneath your treads, the lesson said, or risk losing them. A tank with no treads is nothing more than a bunker – vulnerable to just about everything on the battlefield. In a battle, loss of mobility is a crippling injury to take. Here, though, when you've got to keep moving on no matter what? Unacceptable, simply unacceptable.

North, you tell Rabbit, you'll head north. No matter how bad these city ruins might be, the swamps would be worse.

“Heh, yeah, I know what you mean,” Rabbit nods, “I'll pass the orders along and make sure everyone is ready to move. I don't reckon they'll complain – the sooner we're on the move again the better, like. Say, uh, you see Alice? She's kinda... freaked out by the whole thing. You reckon she'll be able to do her duties?”

She'll be fine, you assure Rabbit, she's got to be. Out of all of you, she's the best driver the Vinland has got – you can't afford her having a meltdown in the middle of your mission.

“Just something to keep an eye on, like,” Rabbit shrugs, “Oh, hey, right, there was something I wanted to ask you about. I noticed the enemy radio, when I was going through their tank. Radios, you know, they're kinda my thing. So, I figured I'd ask you about it – gotta follow the chain of command, right?”

Get to the point, you sigh, what can she do with their radio?

“Well, I might be able to cannibalise it, take it apart and build us something to access their coded channels. Gets us an idea of their movements, like,” Rabbit waves her hands in a gesture that tells you exactly nothing, “Or, like, I could set it to broadcast a beacon. Any of their guys that come close would hear it, and I wager they'd come running. Rig their tank to blow when they start poking around, and we've got ourselves a trap. Course, we could just blow their tank here and now. Bit of a waste though, like.”

That might be true. No point leaving a useful tool slip through your fingers, if you can help it.

>Use the captured radio to break into the enemy transmissions
>Set up a trap with their radio and some improvised explosives
>Scuttle the tank now and leave as soon as possible

>>298160
>Use the captured radio to break into the enemy transmissions
We get a lot more value out of this option. Be sure to scuttle the tank too so they don't realize they have a missing radio.

>>298160
>Use the captured radio to break into the enemy transmissions

>>298160
>Use the captured radio to break into the enemy transmissions

>>298160
>>Use the captured radio to break into the enemy transmissions
Information is power!

>>298160
>>Use the captured radio to break into the enemy transmissions
>>rig the tank
if we messup and they come running, at least they'll be a trap that they might investigate to buy time for us.

>>298160
>>Use the captured radio to break into the enemy transmissions
Information is power

>Calling the vote here and now. Looks like we'll be making ourselves a new radio! Writing the next post now, in either case.

She's really sure she can break into the enemy transmissions with this captured radio?

“I reckon I can,” Rabbit nods, “I mean, it won't win us the war or nothing – they swap out their codes pretty often, from what I hear – but it should give us a bit of insight into their movements. If they're talking close to us, I reckon we'll be able to pick them up. Now, warning you here and now, it's not gonna be a perfect system – if there's interference in the area, something might slip through our net, like – but hey, better than nothing, right?”

Then do it, you order, and do it quickly. Meanwhile, you want that tank rigged to blow – no sense in wasting a perfectly good trap.

“Right boss, you got it,” Rabbit grins, “You're, uh, really working me hard today, aren't you?”

All you expect of her, you tell the young soldier, is for her to do her duty. Nothing more, and nothing less. If your positions were reversed, and she was in command, you'd expect her to do the same thing.

“Alright, alright,” Rabbit waves her hands in the air again, “I'm working, no need to crack open that book of motivational speeches or nothing!”

One of these days, you think to yourself, you're going to have to hammer some discipline into that girl. For now, though, you'll allow her her eccentricities.

-

“Proper job!” the young engineer announces proudly as she rushes back. In her hand sits a tangled mess of wires and unnameable circuits, and a belt of metal cylinders is slung over one shoulder, “And hey, I gave the tank a second sweep while I was there – found these things! Smoke bombs, I wager. They should fit in the Vinland's launchers just fine, and we were clean out of them. Good work, right?”

Good work indeed, you reply as you take the smoke cannisters from her. Three of them, just the thing to help you out of a tight spot. Passing them to Karloff – he accepts them with a nod, but nothing more than that – you call for everyone to mount up. Time to go see the big city, you tell your crew, and you don't want to hear anyone complaining about it.

The rumble of the Vinland's engine shatters the peace, and then you're off – moving forwards once more.

[1/2]

>>298226

Karkash was a beautiful city once, that much is clear. Tall towers of concrete and glass, the rising sun would have been caught and reflected by countless polished mirrors, split into a myriad of tiny firestorms. Now, the towers lie dead and hollow, their glassy eyes shattered and blown out by gunfire. Some of the buildings themselves are completely gutted, multiple floors visible through shorn away walls. It seems incredible that people might have lived here once, lived lives untouched by conflict or strife.

Well, that's all in the past now, and the city is just another battlefield – one that you'd really rather not face alone. You'd feel more comfortable riding at the head of an armoured convoy, one supported by as many infantry teams as you could scrape together. Then, at least, you might feel ready to capture the place.

But you're not here to capture it. All you need to do is work your way through, past fallen rubble and whatever blockades might remain from the past fighting. Not to mention any remnants, you think bitterly, left behind as stalwart sentinels. Guarding a pile of rubble seems absurd, futile, and exactly the kind of madness that the Baeguul troops might indulge in. You'll have to keep an eye out, and an ear to the radio.

>Remaining fuel: 4/5
>Remaining ammunition: 12/15
>Remaining smoke cannisters: 3

As you move into the city, you hear a blurt of static coming from the radio. Then, as a few seconds pass, it resolves into a message. Not words spilled from any human lips, but an automated distress call, one looping over and over. One of your own, crying out for rescue. You listen to that plaintive message a few more times before calling out to Rabbit. What's she got, you ask, any enemy chatter in the area?

“Uh, I got... something,” she replies, “A ghost signal. Too weak to be an enemy tank. Might be infantry, mind. I'll let you know when – if - I get something more solid, like.”

Keep moving forwards, you order Alice as you consider Rabbit's warning, but take it slow. The rescue beacon gets louder as the Vinland grinds through the narrow streets, but you try to ignore it, focussing on the terrain around you instead. Turning in these tight streets would be impossible, and you'd be easy prey to any ambushing infantry. Just a small team, armed with heavy weaponry, would be enough...

And then, as if by magic, the streets open out again. Ahead of you lies another Gigant tank – one of yours. Crippled and broken down, it lies in the middle of an empty square. Surrounding it, towers rise up to pierce the sky.

This... looks suspicious.

“Commander, we can't just leave them out there!” Alice complains, “What if we weren't the only ones who made it out?”

>It's too much of a risk. Turn back, we'll find another route through
>Alright, we'll move in – slowly and carefully
>We'll launch smoke and investigate on foot
>Other

>>298255
>>We'll launch smoke and investigate on foot
maybe we can get some ammo for our tank, and we can break down their radio so the enemy cannot tap into our network.

>>298255
>>We'll launch smoke and investigate on foot

>>298255
>Other
Dismount and search the surrounding buildings for ambushes.
Alice sticks with the Vinland in case she needs to drive it out of danger/to our rescue.

>>298255
>We'll launch smoke and investigate on foot
I want our main gun manned and pointed at those towers just in case. I don't like them.

>>298255
>We'll launch smoke and investigate on foot

>I'll close the vote here. Looks like we'll be heading in on foot. Writing the next post now!

Prepare to launch smoke, you order, you'll use the cover to head in on foot and investigate things. If nothing else, you need to take out that radio so the enemies can't use it against you. It would be a bitter irony for them to use the same trick you just pulled.

“So, uh, who's going in?” Alice asks tentatively, “I mean, I'm just saying... I need to stay here with the tank, right? I mean, you might need me to move quickly, that's all.”

Alice and Druer stay here, you explain. Alice, because you might need a quick exit. Druer, on the other hand, you want him ready to pound those towers into dust if something tries to shoot at you. Everyone else, you'll be heading to investigate that grounded tank. Understood?

“Got it, boss,” Rabbit nods. Karloff mirrors that nod, punching a clenched fist to his heart. That's... more enthusiasm than you've ever got out of him before. He must be really fired up about this.

Stay in radio contact, you continue as you slap a magazine into your carbine and chamber a round, and be ready to move fast if everything goes to hell. Now, you finish, everyone take their places. This could be a rescue mission, or a salvage op. You want to be ready for anything.

-

The smoke cannister launches with a hollow thump, closely followed by the guttural hiss of escaping smoke. With the carbine clutched in your tight grip, you count to three – you count slowly, not trusting this to the feverish rhythm of your heart – before hauling yourself up and out of the Vinland's top hatch. The thick smoke, it grows thicker with each passing moment, stings your eyes a little as you run into it, but you push that small disruption from your mind. Crouched low, you charge forwards and into the cover of the broken tank. Up close, you can see the shattered skirt, and the blasted tread beneath.

Mobility kill. Whoever was driving this thing, they would have been a sitting duck. Fearing the worst, you pound a fist on the hull and wait for a response.

None comes.

[1/2]

>>298383

Grimacing, you check on Rabbit and Karloff – both have joined you, taking cover behind the stranded tank – before climbing up onto it. If not for the smoke, you'd be a wonderful target, marked out for all to see. As it is, you'd be a vague and blurred shape at most. Still, surrounded by buildings like these – a sniper's paradise – even that feels like too much exposure. Eager to be out of the line of fire, you haul open the top hatch and drop down into the tank.

Empty. No sign of any crew, save for some discarded equipment. A cap that had been carelessly thrown aside and trampled on, a harness that had been crudely cut through, a discarded carbine – one surrounded by empty shell casings.

Well, you can figure out what happened here. You can practically imagine it – Baeguul troops descending upon an immobile tank, dragging the crew out to... what? Your enemies have never been too specific about taking prisoners, and those they do capture rarely find freedom again. In all likelihood, the crew were executed on the spot. Frankly, you're surprised they didn't just throw a grenade into the stranded tank and be done with it, there and then.

“Shit. Looks bloody grim in here,” Rabbit mutters as she joins you inside the tank, “I gave the outsides a look over. If they've rigged a bomb, they've not put it anywhere I can see it. Course, they'd likely use the magazine – that's what I'd do, I mean.” Shuffling about the cramped tank, Rabbit pulls open the metal bin and peers inside.

Well, you've not dead yet, so they didn't rig that to blow. Small blessings, and all that.

“Hey, cool, looks like we've got enough here to fill out our own magazine,” Rabbit tells you with a nervous grin, “You know, if you fancy hauling some heavy-ass shells back.”

Later, you mutter as you find the radio set. If the enemy troops got any use out of it, they didn't leave any sign. It's not broken open or torn apart, as if someone had used it for spare parts, and there are no other signs of tampering. It's almost pristine, in fact – which makes it more of a shame when you pull it from its housing and crush it underfoot. Another sacrifice made in this long war. As you finish grinding the pieces beneath your heel, Rabbit passes a pair of heavy shells, one after the other, to Karloff. He bears the burden, of course, without complain.

“Smoke's clearing,” Rabbit tells you, her voice growing nervous again, “Time to leave.”

Time to leave, you agree.

[2/3]

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>>298434
Say a quick prayer to the old girl; else she'll keep screaming for blood.

>>298434

The first shot rings out as you're rising up and out of the stranded, deserted tank. Of course, it takes you a moment to realise that it was a shot – it happens so quickly. As you emerge into the thinning smoke, a great plume of sparks flares into life beside you, paired with the ringing sound of metal striking metal. It's only after a second that the gunshot rolls out over the empty square. Rabbit cries out in terror, nearly dropping the shell she cradles in her arms as she drops behind the tank. You join her, scanning the surrounding towers with wide eyes.

It had to come from one of them. You just need to-

The second shot punches clean through the entire tank, drilling a neat hole in the concrete between you and Rabbit. If it could blast through that much armour, the abandoned tank might as well be useless – good for nothing except hiding you from direct sight.

You want cannon fire on that building, you bark into your radio, on whatever building that shot came from.

“I don't have a bead on the sniper,” Druer tells you calmly, his voice flattened by the poor quality radio, “He must be ahead of you though. You'll be right in his line of sight if you come back to the Vinland. I wouldn't recommend it.”

“We can't stay here, either!” Rabbit wails, “You saw what that monster did to our cover! Hell, it'll do the same thing to the Vinland if we bring it in here.”

Stay calm, you tell everyone, the first thing to do is to get into some more solid cover – one of the neighbouring buildings would be good enough. Then, when you don't have to worry about having a sniper putting a hole in you, you can draw up a proper plan. Everyone ready to move?

“No,” Rabbit complains, “But I sure as shit don't want to hang around here much longer.”

Good enough. Rising to your feet, you pull her up as well. Getting on the radio, you order Druer to open up with the machine-gun. It doesn't matter if he doesn't hit anything, just as long as he keeps that sniper's head down.

“Acknowledged,” he replies, “Move quickly, commander.”

You don't dignify that with a response. Instead, you just grab Rabbit and call out to Karloff, pointing to the closest building. As the Vinland's machine-gun opens up, you charge across the open ground towards your destination. Several more of those high-velocity rounds tear up the ground beneath your feet but none make contact, and – before you've quite realised it – you've made it to shelter.

“This sucks,” Rabbit whines, gingerly placing the recovered shell on the ground. Karloff unloads his burden as well, setting them down like a mother handling her infant children. “I'm supposed to be part of a tank crew,” she continues, “Not an urban bloody guerrilla!”

This is fine, you insist, this is perfectly fine. You just need to take a few moments to think.

You need a plan.

-END OF PART 1-

>I'd like to thank everyone who participated today! I'm going to take a break here, but I'll pick things up again tomorrow. Until then, I'll lurk in case anyone has any questions or comments.
>Thanks again for reading along!

>>298478
Couldn't the tank just move up and blast the sniper tower? If the machine gun has an angle on it it shouldn't be too hard to give the cannon one.

I wouldn't mind using a shell to take out a sniper.

>>298487
And yeah thanks for running. Same time tomorrow?

>>298490
>>298492

That's possible, once we get a bead on exactly where the sniper has made his nest. When Druer hosed the place down with machine-gun fire, he pretty much shot at anything he could see. Still, with a little scouting, a shell would certainly get that sniper out of his hole!

And, yes, same time tomorrow!

>>298478
Sounds a lot like the sniper was hearding us into this specific direction..Thanks for the thread, hope you'll like the new place.

>>298498
How is the princess coping? She just lost her entire family less than a day ago right?

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>>298508
Depends if there's fighting

>>298508

Honestly? She's not coping that well. Still, her position prevents her from showing too much grief - she can't allow herself to show weakness. Perhaps that's why she spends so much time secluded in the deepest, darkest part of the Vinland.

>>298501

I'm actually quite happy with /qst/ so far. I feel a little less rushed, which is a nice advantage. The higher character limit is helpful as well, I think.

>>298517
You know after this finishes you might need to start throwing up suptg links to your previous works since they are starting to accumulate. Or a pastebin link with the suptg links.

For any of the new blood you might get that might be interested you know?

>>298529
And when I say that I mean putting it next to the Twitter and Ask in the OP.

>>298529
>>298532

That's certainly something worth considering, now I think about it. Not something that occurred to me before now though - I don't expect it would be too much work to throw together a pastebin of links.

Yes, I think I'll do that in fact. Thanks for the suggestion!

>>298517
Does Astoria even know about the loss of the royal family yet?

>>298545

Not yet. Looks like we'll be the bearer of bad news!

>>298550
There an Air Force in this universe? Helicopters could be the bane of our existence.

>>298554

Fortunately for us, we won't need to worry about planes or helicopters. Mechanized warfare is strictly limited to tanks and naval vessels, with the latter unlikely to have much influence on things.

>>298565
So is that chokepoint between the countries and man-made bridge or natural land?

>>298577

It's a natural land bridge, but it's been littered with a lot of fortifications over the years. I'd say it's about as much concrete as it is earth and dirt by this point. At the moment, though, it's neutral ground - nobody has a solid hold on it.

>>298589
And I assume those fortifications are manned. And we gotta breakthrough it from behind.

Hopefully at that range we can contact allies and have them cover us.

>>298589
It's hard to imagine anything getting done with that one chokepoint. Have there been any naval invasions to try and flank it?

>>298589
Hey Moloch, I have some questions!
1)What can our guns go through and what would theoretically stop them?
2)How sturdy is our tank? How much punishment can it take before going down?
3)What can we go over without getting stuck?
4)How experienced is our crew in handling that particular model?
5)Is the crew enough to maneuver the tank, or are there some fonctionalities we haven't access to?

I expect we know the answer to at least some of these questions since we are in the army...

>>298599

Well, that's getting ahead of things a little. Better if things come as a surprise, I think!

>>298622

There is a naval crossing up on the northern side of things, and there have been attempts to flank in the past. Small ones usually, more based around commando raids than full-scale invasions. A large part of this is just down to tradition - people unwilling to adjust their tactics to the modern age.

>>298644

1) The Vinland mounts a pretty large cannon, so we can punch through more or less all enemy armour we could come across. With their heaviest tanks, though, we'd need a good clean hit to penetrate.
2) Again, the Vinland has pretty heavy armour. We could likely shrug off a few hits from the more common enemy tanks. Specialised anti-armour weapons are still a danger, though
3) Due to our weight, we're better off sticking to solid ground. Sinking in wet terrain is a real risk
4) The crew aren't veterans, but they've all trained in the Gigant class. They know their way around the controls and whatnot
5) We have enough crew members, so we've got access to all our functions.

I hope that answers everything!
I hope I didn't make too many embarrassing errors!

>>298671
Any part of the tank a novice like the Princess can crew? Not in a 'pull your own weight' way but to give her something to do and think about instead of being cooped up in the corner in mourning.

>>298696

Working with maps might be an option, helping to plan out a route ahead. Normally, that would be Rabbit's job - along with manning the radios - but the job could be divided between the two of them. Other than that, I'm not sure what Astrid might be able to do - making the tea, perhaps?

>>298722
Either could work. It's about keeping busy you know?

>>298722
At this point, I think it's mostly giving her something to do/taking her mind off the recent tragedy.

Thanks for running this quest!
I like the idea to limit the scope of the story.

>>298731
>>298735

Oh, I can certainly understand that. It can't be much fun, sitting around doing nothing all the time. Even some small task would be enough. Still, in a highly tuned piece of military technology, there's only so much a novice can be trusted with!

>>298757

Thanks for taking part! I always planned this to be a pretty short run, so having an end goal in sight helps a lot with that.

>>298763
Yes, of course. That said, it doesn't have to be restricted to the tank. Maybe you could ask her to take care of cooking or something like that. Or give her a weapon so that she has something other than her saber to protect herself.

>>298775
>>298763
How long is the trip to the border by the way? Is over the course of the night or a few days kinda thing?

>>298792

At it's most direct route, it would take a few days - longer, if you include stopping for rest, repairs or to lie low. It's not a tremendously long trip.

>>298775

I think she'd make a fine cook - a shame, then, that she's only got military rations to deal with!

>>298478
Why can't we just trace the shot back via the hole through the tank? Something that can penetrate a heavy tank like the Gigant would be large enough to be a hell to conceal, what with their size and all that. Besides, firing large guns aren't exactly subtle.

>>298832
Cause you can't really go CSI and trace bullet trajectory when you under sniper fire. You have to keep your head down. Besides we already moved to the building.

Now we just need some bait, maybe the helmet trick, and someone hidden looking out to see where the shot comes from.

>>298832
>>298842

It will be possible to trace the shot to a more precise building, and then guide the Vinland's cannon fire to it. It's going to be one of the potential plans when I pick things up tomorrow. I just wanted to stop things when I did because I was feeling a little tired. It seemed like a reasonable place to stop.

>>298807
Ah yes. Man, i'd forgotten that.
But the point about arming her still stands.

Huh. Tank Princess quest.

Now there's a tank.

And there's a princess.

But is there really a tank princess?

Astrid is the Astorian princess.

So maybe Penelope . . . is the tank princess.

Really makes you think, huh?

>>301133
Maybe it's talking about the future. Maybe after her experiences here Astrid goes on create and lead armored divisions herself.

>>301150
Or maybe Penelope becomes a princess?

Or maybe Penelope WAS the princess the whole time.

OoooOOOOooOO

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This is no big deal. You've been in worse situations than this.

Well, okay, that isn't strictly true. Perhaps the one time you've been in a tighter stop than this – a rather bleak encounter with overwhelming enemy numbers – Commander Marcel had been there to make the decisions. Even with the odds stacked against him, he had guided you to victory. If he was here now, you think to yourself, he would do the same again. He's not here though, you add harshly, he's dead and buried – wishing and whining won't do you any good at all.

Commander Marcel wouldn't waste his time with complaints or pleas. He'd knuckle down and get the job done. Now, you're going to do the same.

As you start sketching out a rough map of your location, you order Rabbit and Karloff to check the building you've taken shelter in. There could be something you could use here, and you don't want to overlook it. Alone, you draw out a crude overview of the square you've been caught in, marking out the building you're in with an X, and the possible sniper nests with question marks. The Vinland and its nameless, ruined counterpart are marked as dark blocks – only a little more blocky than the actual vehicles themselves.

“Commander, I've taken the Vinland back a little,” Alice explains over the radio, “We should be reasonably safe now. You know, relatively safe.”

No, you reply calmly, she's safe. You're still in the line of fire.

“Uh, yeah, about that...” Alice pauses, “I think I know what he's shooting at you with. We started work on something similar, but it never got out of the prototype stage. Kinda like a huge rifle, it shot high-velocity shells perfectly capable of piercing... well, damn near anything. Only, you needed to be a damn good shot to actually take out a tank – a hit to the magazine, or the fuel tanks, or... or the driver.” Another pause, you can practically hear her shuddering at that possibility, “Point is, we might be able to tank a few hits from him. You know, if we're lucky...”

Relying on luck, you tell her, is a fool's hope. What else can she do for you?

“Commander, if I may?” Druer interrupts, “I think I can get a shot on them, if you can pinpoint their location. You'd need someone to act as bait though, drawing out their fire. Dangerous work, that. Then again, I've got another idea that might work.”

Okay, you reply as Rabbit and Karloff return, you're listening.

>>301215

“An infantry attack,” the stoic gunner waits a second, as if he expects you to dismiss his idea straight away, “You move forwards on foot, checking the buildings one by one. It won't be quick, but you could smoke this guy out. Saves us having to move the Vinland into his line of fire, and we'd save a little ammo as well.”

Heading in on foot could work – you've got suitable weaponry, and the advantage of speed. Any kind of rifle capable of punching through the hide of a Gigant class tank would need to be big, too big to easily relocate. Unless he chooses to abandon his gun, this sniper is a sitting duck. As ideas go, it's not a terrible one.

“Plus, you might be able to capture that weapon of his,” Druer adds, “You've seen what that thing can do – I'd kill to get my hands on it. I dare say the top brass back home wouldn't mind taking a look as well. Something to consider, commander.”

As Druer breaks his radio connection, you look back to the crude map and consider your options. First things first, you want to know exactly what you've got at your disposal. Anything in the building, you ask Rabbit and Karloff, anything you might be able to use?

“Nothing, this place is a dud,” Rabbit shakes her head, “This level might have been a parking garage once, and the stairs up are rubble. I thought maybe we could climb up, get a vantage point, but it's no good. We're in cover here, but that's about all I can say.”

It could be, you tell them slowly, that you're going to need someone to act as bait. Someone to run out and draw the sniper's eye, so that Druer can get a good idea of where to shoot. Would either of them care to volunteer?

A short pause, and the Karloff raises his hand. Then, nodding towards your pen and paper, he makes a vague gesture, miming the act of writing. You pass the pen and paper over, and the mute loader scrawls out a single word - “Expendable”.

...At least you've got a volunteer.

>Send Karloff out to draw the sniper fire so that Druer can get a shot
>Move forwards on foot and sweep the buildings yourself
>Have the Vinland pick you up and get you out of here
>Other

>>301217
Think he'd fall for the good old helmet on a rifle trick?

>>301215
Can't we use the smoke as cover to move the Vinland over to our building? Maybe fire a shell at one of the buildings in passing to keep the sniper from taking a shot?

>>301223

>That would be possible, yes. The smoke would let the Vinland advance in relative safety, so we could get regroup.

>>301222

>It's possible, but it might only work once.

>>301222
>>301226
Let's go with this, then!

>>301222
hopefully there's a stick, because this superweapon sounds big enough to ruin the rifle's barrel.

>>301226
>It's possible, but it might only work once.

OK then timing is everything. Have one person, as hidden as possible, watch the buildings for the muzzle flash. Then have them call out which building it is and have the tank move up ASAP to put a shell into it.

>>301229
Maybe there is some rebar in the rubble.

It's true that war demands sacrifice – but it doesn't always have to be a human life you throw away. You thank Karloff for volunteering, but then you add that his daring offer won't be necessary. Instead, you reach out and pull the helmet from his head, revealing the shaven dome of his scalp. He pulls away quickly, raising his hands to cover his head, but not quite quick enough to hide the long, snaking scar that creases his scalp. As you look away awkwardly, he pulls a woollen hat from some belt pouch and tugs it down low, hiding that old wound from view.

Rabbit, you order hastily, you need her to get you some kind of stick. Rebar would do the job – there should have been plenty in the ruins she mentioned.

“Yeah... yeah!” she nods eagerly, “I saw some, sticking right up like spears. I thought to myself, better watch out or I'd need a tetanus shot, like. It's dangerous stuff, you know? One time-”

Hurry up and fetch some, you interrupt, you don't need her life story.

“Uh, right, right,” another nod, this one more hesitant, “I'll just... get right on that, boss. Commander. Right...”

Sighing, you watch as she scurries away, then you touch a finger to your radio. Druer, you call, is he there?

“Ready and waiting for orders,” his prompt reply comes, “We're loaded and ready to fire, as soon as you can mark us a target. Any updates on that?”

You're working on it now. As Rabbit returns with a long, rusted piece of rebar, you set Karloff's helmet on top, giving the entire affair an experimental wiggle. It wouldn't fool anyone this close up, but a distant sniper might well take the bait... once. If this doesn't do the trick, you'll have to return to your original idea of live bait. Everyone keep their eyes on the towers, you announce as you creep closer to the edge of the building, and the hollow windows that gape like yawning mouths. Keep an eye out for any muzzle flash, anything that might pinpoint the sniper's nest.

“Got it, boss,” Rabbit assures you, hiding herself as best as possible without losing all sight of the buildings, “You, uh, you think this is gonna work?”

One way to find out. As the words leave your lips, you lower the helmet just enough for it to peek out of the window. Come on, you whisper, take the damn bait...

[1/2]

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>>301263

Once again, you only hear the shot a fraction of a second after it's terrible force snatches the helmet – and the rebar pole – out of your hands. In the brief moment you still see it, you notice the helmet flying away in pieces, in shattered, twisted shrapnel. Gasping out in pain – the rebar nearly tears open your palms as it is ripped away from you – you throw yourself down flat, fearing a second shot.

“I got him!” Rabbit cries out, “I got the bastard! Middle right, you see him? The middle right building, right below the top floor.”

Hear that, you ask Druer over the radio, did he get all that?

“Middle right,” Druer repeats, “Just below the top floor. Just give me two seconds...”

Two seconds, you start to repeat, you don't have-

Then, with a concussive blast that shakes you down to the very bones, the Vinland's main cannon lets loose a single shot. Risking a look up, you manage to see the moment the shell strikes – blasting out the top floor of the marked tower and shattering the few windows that had somehow survived this long. Judging by the blast, the entire floor would have become a deathtrap, leaving nowhere for a sniper to hide. You don't see any sign of the enemy soldier, not a body or anything.

But then, you wouldn't. Not after that blast.

-

After stripping the stranded tank for anything you could take – enough fuel to top off your tank, and enough shells to fill your magazine – you hold a brief, impromptu funeral for it, and its departed crew. Even knowing that every minute counts, you couldn't let yourself move on without saying a short prayer. Even in war, you've got to maintain some standards. Rabbit remains within the Vinland, glued to her improvised radio.

“So, I got bad news, and I've got worse news,” she tells you grimly as you're mounting up, “Which do you want first?”

The bad news, you decide, although it hardly seems to make that much of a difference.

“Looks like our sniper buddy might have got a signal out before we got him,” Rabbit begins, “A couple of enemy tanks have split off from their posts at the border, and they're headed our way. I don't think we're gonna be able to shake these guys, boss. We've got options, mind, but you'd better hear the other news first.”

Fine, you press, the worse news. What could be worse than this?

“Uh, we might be looking at a full on attack soon. According to the signals I've been catching, the Baeguul forces are marching west. They ain't chasing us, boss, they're moving to invade,” Rabbit pauses, “Maybe we should, uh... get moving? While we've got a head start, like.”

Start the engines, you order Alice, this mission just got a lot more important... and dangerous.

[2/3]

>>301286

She said you had options, you ask Rabbit as the Vinland grinds into motion, options for taking on the waiting tanks. What were they?

“See, by my calculations, we'll hit them head on not too long after we leave the Karkash ruins behind. We'd be fighting on an open field, like,” Rabbit pauses, “Simple, and we wouldn't need to worry about picking our way through the roads. Still, they'd have the same advantage, and I think there's two of them. Standard tactics, right, moving in pairs like that.”

That's the usual approach. Tanks typically operate in pairs, adapting their tactics as the situation develops. Without the element of surprise to even things out, you'd be at risk of them flanking you, catching you in a pincer.

“That's where the city ruins might come to our advantage, like,” Rabbit points out, “If we wait, we've got time to find a good place to ambush them. Bit of a risk, mind – fighting in a city ain't easy – but if we play it smart, we could tilt the odds in our favour. If we wait here, I'll do a little scouting and see if there's a good place to hit them from. What do you say, boss?”

>We'll meet them on open ground. This city is their territory
>We'll wait and hit them from ambush

>>301298
>We'll meet them on open ground. This city is their territory
We need to get closer to allied forces.

>>301298
>We'll meet them on open ground. This city is their territory
On second thought, yeah we need to keep moving. Time for an old fashioned tank battle.

>>301298
>We'll meet them on open ground. This city is their territory
Find a hill to use as cover. The ability to crest above the hill to take a shot and go back down to reload/cover is a godsend in open combat.

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If it wasn't for the threat of an enemy army breathing down your neck, you'd be willing to take the time to set up an ambush. Unfortunately for you, you don't have that luxury right now – you need to get to friendly territory as quickly as you can. If that means challenging the enemy on open ground, so be it. At least it'll be a fair fight, without all the risks of fighting within an enemy city. All crew, you announce over the radio, prepare to move into combat.

“Understood, commander,” Alice, quivering behind the Vinland's controls, replies quietly, “I'll... I'll do my duty.”

“Main gun loaded and ready,” Druer adds, his voice perfectly at ease. He's in his element now, like a great predatory reptile prowling towards the watering hole.

“I'll keep an ear to the ground, see what they're talking about,” Rabbit assures you, “Right now, we're looking at two tanks... uh, a lighter one, and a medium class. Better watch that one, boss – it's gun could give us something to worry about. His little friend though, he's just a scout, a distraction and nothing more.”

Terrain, you ask, anything you can use to your advantage? Hills, or other obstructions?

“Looks like it's mostly flat ground,” Rabbit shuffles her maps about, scrawling a shaky circle on one of them and passing it up to you, “That's about when we'll meet them, at our current speeds. We could hang back and use the mountains to hide, pounding them from a distance. If they charge us, though, we'll be cornered – nowhere to run but back into the city.”

“And they know we're here,” Alice yelps, “There's no way of shaking them loose.”

Stay calm, you remind her firmly, and you're all going to get through this. Panic, and she'll get everyone killed.

“Real reassuring there, boss,” Rabbit mutters.

You decide to ignore that comment.

-

Leaving the city behind feels like shaking off a ragged cloak, one stiff with dried on filth and grime. Even the ashen, dead grass that crumples beneath the Vinland's treads – killed off by some vile chemical weapon, or so the stories say – comes as a welcome change to the endless grey concrete. It is, at the very least, a different kind of desolation.

And there, ahead of you – two enemy tanks, one roaming slightly ahead to scout the terrain ahead. Too far to hit them with a shell, but close enough to study their formation. Looks like they're moving as a single unit.

“Orders, commander?” Alice asks, a trace of resolve finally hardening her voice.

>Take us closer, we'll get the first shot off
>Take us into cover, we'll let them expose themselves
>Other

>>301350
>Take us closer, we'll get the first shot off
Drive me closer, I want to hit them with my sword!
Nah seriously, we need to strike fast and put the pressure on them. Otherwise, they're just gonna flank and kill us.

>>301350
>Take us closer, we'll get the first shot off
Initiative ho! After the first few shots then we can start moving for cover if we need it.

>>301350
>Take us closer, we'll get the first shot off
Maybe we'll surprise them if we open up aggressively?

>>301350
>Strafe around, get as clear an angle as possible on the medium, bypassing the light tank.
if we can take out the medium one, we have a lot more options on whether to take our time on the light tank, or just make a run for it because its piddly guns can't hurt us.

>>301350
>>Take us closer, we'll get the first shot off
Hard and fast. If we take one out in the initial fight the playing field tips in our favor. Vinland seems like a strong tank.

>>301350
>Take us closer, we'll get the first shot off

Get closer, you order Alice, you want to get the first shot off. With your heavier gun, you should have the advantage in range. Staying back here, you'll only let yourself get surrounded by them, flanked and picked apart by their lighter weaponry. Hit them hard now, and you could scatter them, cutting off their attack before it's even begun.

“Understood, commander,” Alice tightens her grip on the steering bar, and coaxes a little extra speed out of the Vinland's engines. As the pair of enemy tanks draws steadily closer, you drop back into the Vinland's armoured belly, closing the top hatch tightly behind you.

“Looks like their scout is accelerating as well,” Druer murmurs, “Oh, eager to die, are we?”

“We'll be within our maximum range in three... two... one...” Rabbit counts down slowly, before pausing completely, “We're in range now, boss. Still a bit of a stretch, but we're certainly close enough. The medium tank... he's hanging back for now. You scared or something, friend? C'mon, we just want to say hello...”

“I can make this shot,” Druer insists, “Piece of cake. Just give the order, commander.”

A second passes, in which you seem to take in an absurd amount of information. Everything from the rust-red paint that the Baeguul armour is coated with to the sour tang of sweat – you couldn't guess whose – that fills the Vinland. You study everything, analyse it, and push it aside as a distraction, one you definitely don't need at a time like this.

Take the shot, you order.

>Please roll a 1D100, aiming to roll over 50/70/90. I'll take the highest of the first three results!

Rolled 23 (1d100)

>>301380

Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>301380

Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>301380

>>301380
Sublime strike!

Wait shit...

Rolled 52 (1d100)

With a great hollow boom, the Vinland's main gun sounds. The report doesn't echo quite so much here, without the cage of looming towers and ruined buildings, but it still seems to shake the ground beneath your treads. Pressing your eyes to the periscope, you watch the shell arcing towards its target, a shooting star that lives for only a fleeting moment. The light tank shudders, jerking as the driver desperately tries to change direction, but his efforts achieve little. Before the enemy can do anything more than hesitate, the shell strikes home.

Not a direct hit, you notice, but plenty close enough. Through the plume of dirt, dust and smoke cast up by the shell's impact, you see metal flying free – twisted shrapnel that was once, perhaps, a piece of tread.

“Mobility kill,” Druer reports, his voice flat, “Looks like the crew is getting out, making a run for it.” He pauses, and the clatter of the machine-gun fills the air like a hellish sewing machine. “Taken care of,” the gunner adds a second later.

“Uh, Druer?” Rabbit asks, “I think that might have been a war crime.”

“So arrest me,” he retorts, the challenge in his voice almost daring you – daring any of you – to try and take him up on the idea.

Ladies please, you cut in, there's still one of them left. Leave the bickering until later.

“Right, uh, right,” Rabbit pauses, “Medium tank, heading closer. I reckon... shit, he's in range! Incoming enemy fire!”

“Loaded and ready to fire again,” Druer snaps, “Taking the shot!”

Take him out, you shout, everyone else – brace yourselves!

>Please roll 1D100, aiming to beat 60/80/100. Again, I'll take the highest of the first three results.
>I'll roll 1D100 for the enemy attack, also aiming to beat 60/80/100

Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>301423

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>301423

Rolled 53 (1d100)

>>301423
can't participate much today, off to work after this roll.

Rolled 76 (1d100)

>>301423

>>301431
Nice

Perhaps an impartial observer could say which one of you fired first, such is the tiny difference between the shots, but you can hardly call you or any member of your crew “impartial”. No matter though – the minute details are irrelevant in the face of the results. History won't care to remember which one of you pulled the trigger first, only the outcome will go down in the record books. The winner lives on, the loser is forgotten.

For what it's worth, though, you'd say that Druer shot first. A matter of pride, perhaps.

With the two thunderous reports overlapping, almost competing with each other, you have to judge the result by eye. Another great blast of soil is cast up, this time in front of you, robbing you of what little sight you had left. When the dust settles, though, you have all the time in the world to study the results. The enemy tank lies as a burning husk, thick clouds of oily black smoke rising up to darken the skies above. The Vinland, by contrast, is thankfully unharmed – covered with scattered dirt, yes, but that's far from a mortal wound.

At the sight of the shattered enemy tank before you, your crew raise their voices in a ragged cheer. Even Alice pumps her fist, allowing a thin, whooping cry. Druer is silent, but that silence carries a deeper satisfaction than any cheer of laugh you've heard in a long time.

Settle down, you tell the crew as you slouch back in your seat, you want a full report as soon as possible.

[1/2]

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>>301490

>Remaining fuel: 5/5
>Remaining ammunition: 13/15
>Remaining smoke cannisters: 2

“Fuel is good – almost full, and I reckon we can siphon a bit off that light tank to top us up. Ammo, eh, pretty good - thirteen shots left. Lucky us, huh?” Rabbit pauses, as if waiting for you all to laugh, “No damage sustained. Radio... I didn't catch them sending out a signal. I guess we hit them fast enough that they were too busy to think about phoning home.”

And the advancing army?

“Taking their own sweet time,” Rabbit continues, “We'll have a while yet before we need to worry about them. Still nothing on our radio though – no sign of any nearby friendlies. I guess they really pushed us back hard...”

“We won't see anyone until we get over the border,” Alice adds, in a stiff, irritated voice, “We're still obeying the terms of that stupid peace treaty, after all.”

Crossing the border... that's going to require crossing the land bridge, and punching through whatever enemy forces are lingering there. At least you've taken some out already – two less tanks to fight when the time comes.

“Commander, if I may?” Astrid begins, emerging from the depths of the Vinland like a spectre rising from a deep lake, “There may be an alternative route. However, it would take significantly longer, and it may put a strain on your... our fuel reserves.”

Right now you'll take whatever you can get, you reply, what is this alternative?

“An old naval crossing on the northern coast,” Astrid picks her words carefully, “I've seen old photographs of it, from a time when our nations were willing to trade and cooperate. They used broad, flat vessels to cross the waters, suitable for bearing great burdens – burdens such as a tank. It would let us bypass the contested land bridge.”

“We'd be running from a fight,” Druer growls, “I don't like it, commander What if we get all that way, only to find nothing but old wrecks?”

“We'd lose a lot of our lead, as well,” Rabbit points out, “Still, if it avoids a pitched battle...”

>We'll head for the land bridge, even if it means fighting. (Use 1 unit of fuel)
>We'll head north, to this naval port. (Use 2 units of fuel)

>>301499
>We'll head for the land bridge, even if it means fighting. (Use 1 unit of fuel)
It may be more dangerous but we have to think of the big picture. The sooner we get back to our lines the sooner we can have Astoria prepare for the invasion. We might be able to get into contact with our forces on the other side of the landbridge as well when we get close enough, have them help us get across.

>>301499
>We'll head north, to this naval port. (Use 2 units of fuel)

>>301499
>We'll head for the land bridge, even if it means fighting. (Use 1 unit of fuel)
No guarantee we get a ship and we need to warn people ASAP.

>>301499
>>We'll head for the land bridge, even if it means fighting. (Use 1 unit of fuel)
Tough call, but speed is of the essence. We still have two smoke canisters. We should approach the land bridge as stealthly as possible.

>>301499
>We'll head north, to this naval port. (Use 2 units of fuel)
halfway between the port and the landbridge, the gap looks a narrow. Maybe if the port is a bust we can use the salvage to bridge the gap there.

and/or setup a ramp for tank airtime.

>>298255
I'm just reading this now and I figured I'd mention this before finishing. I am enjoying the writing but Rabbit's verbal tick bothers me. I have no problem with girls that, like, say um and, um, say like and junk; but typically they go in the middle of a sentence. Like they need a second to think of their next word, putting it at the end just seems like a very japanese thing to do, ya'know desu nya?

Otherwise this is great can't wait for more.

>>301499
Moloch would it be possible to use the enemy radio to misdirect the garrison at the landbridge?

For instance we could tell them that Vinland has been spotted going north to the port and are requesting some of the garrison to pursue. If it works it'll weaken the landbridge forces making it easier to punch through.

>>301499
>>We'll head north, to this naval port. (Use 2 units of fuel)

>>301532
we might have issues with not having military codes.

And you know, wrong/awful accent giving us away.

>>301499
>We'll head for the land bridge, even if it means fighting. (Use 1 unit of fuel)

>>301532

>Unfortunately, Rabbit's device is rather improvised, and it can only receive signals - it can't send them on the enemy channels. Plus, we'd have the issue with communication as >>301537 says. Good idea, though! Something to keep in mind if we capture any other enemy equipment

>And I forgot to say, I'm closing the vote now. Looks like heading for the land bridge won this one. Writing the next post now!

>>301548
>>301537
Well we could pretend that we are dying, being killed by the Vinland, if we get the equipment.

>"Under fire from Astoria tank at [location]! We've lost our treads and need support! Incoming, brace yourse-"

Then break the radio. Short and sweet so the accent thing might not come up and the desperation to forget about military codes and what not.

It's a tough call, but you're going to have to take the pragmatic choice. That means not using time and fuel on a trip up north that might not bear fruit. Although avoiding a larger battle is a noble goal, you need more than some old photographs to make your mind up. You're heading for the land bridge, you announce, hopefully you can link up with some friendly troops when you arrive.

“Hopefully there's gonna be some friendly troops still alive when we get there,” Rabbit mutters darkly, “If the Baeguul forces have already pushed ahead, like, then we might be riding into a full battle.”

“Then we ride into battle,” Druer shrugs, his broad shoulders moving like a collapsing mountain, “And the sooner we arrive, the sooner we can assist our allies.”

“Very well, commander,” Astrid accepts your decision with a graceful nod, “The final decision, of course, lies with you. I merely thought to raise the suggestion.”

And you appreciate it, you point out, but you don't have the luxury of a long detour right now. Really, you don't even have the luxury of sitting around discussing things – not while the enemy armies are advancing with every passing moment. Mount up, you order the crew, and get ready to move.

The border is close now, and with it comes the promise of safety, of comfort and relief. You just hope that isn't a false promise. If there's no safety to be found on your side of the border, could there be any safety left to find?

-

As the Vinland grinds over grassland – healthy grass for a change, recovering from the poison rained down upon it – you open the top hatch and allow yourself a breath of fresh air. Closing your eyes, you try to imagine yourself riding in an open-topped car, the kind of luxury vehicle that you've only been able to dream of. It's no good, the roar of the engine and the shuddering treads make such a fantasy impossible. Still, it made for a pleasant few moments.

“Boss, I got news for you,” Rabbit announces, her voice cracking through your headphones.

Bad news, you reply, right?

“Uh, well...” she pauses, “Yeah.”

Of course.

[1/2]

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>>301580

Fine, you sigh without opening your eyes, you're listening.

“Okay, so, the enemy army, right?” Rabbit clears her throat, “I've been hearing a lot of coded chatter, and it seems like they're under the command of General Rikken.”

Rikken, you murmur, the name sounds familiar...

“General “Ripper” Rikken,” Alice breaks in, her voice brittle with hate, “He's the best armoured commander that the Baeguul forces have. It was his division that sacked the city of Ciaran. It was a total rout, and he wiped out nearly the entire civilian population. The man is a butcher. Commander, if he's been put in charge of the attack, Baeguul isn't holding anything back – we've got to get the princess back to the capital!”

“Uh, yeah,” Rabbit hesitates as Alice breaks the connection, “What she said. Boss, this might be kinda sensitive ground, but Alice... her family came from Ciaran, you know? Old wounds there, I wager.”

You'll keep that in mind, you reply in a level voice. With a little luck, you won't need to come face to face with this butcher, Rikken. You'll be back in the capital before he's even crossed the border.

“Shit, the border!” there is a muted thud as Rabbit slaps her forehead, “I meant to say, like. That wasn't the only signal I picked up – I got some chatter about a temporary artillery base the Baeguul forces are setting up this side of the border. Up on the hills, looking out over the land bridge. The way I see it, we capture that base...”

You'll be able to shell their own forces, you finish for her. Sounds like a plan – so where is this base?

“Marking it on the map now,” Rabbit declares, scrawling a note on her increasingly cluttered map, “Problem is, they've got the high ground. I don't reckon we'll be able to sneak up on them, and it sounds like they've got their own defences. You wanna hit them, or should we just try and slip past?”

>We'll hit them – we're taking that battery for ourselves
>We can't get bogged down in a fight. Move on

>>301623
>>We'll hit them – we're taking that battery for ourselves

>>301623
>We'll hit them – we're taking that battery for ourselves
I think this is worth the risk. We've made good time too, one tank is way faster than an entire mobilization of an invasion force. Let's do it.

>>301623
>We'll hit them - we're taking that battery for ourselves.

>>301623
>We'll hit them – we're taking that battery for ourselves
We can sabotage them after we are done too.

You're hitting them, you decide, hard and fast. You'll take that battery for yourself, and then you'll their own guns against them. A few volleys to soften the Baeguul forces up, and then you'll rig them to blow.

“Got it, boss, I like the sound of that,” Rabbit chuckles, the sound reduced to a fuzz of radio static by the flickering link.

“I feel the need to agree,” Druer puts in, “I don't have much experience with field artillery, but I'm certainly eager to learn. Looking down upon a field of enemies, with countless pounds of high explosives at your side... that must be how God feels.”

“Druer...” Rabbit says, the laugh dying in her throat, “You're a scary son of a bitch, you know that?”

Enough chatter, you tell them both, save it for when they're off-duty.

“And when is that gonna be?” the young navigator whines, “I just want to get some sleep...”

“Sleep when you're dead, little bunny,” Druer rumbles, and you realise that he was actually laughing for a moment.

“No, it's cool,” a small squeak of fear from Rabbit, “I feel so much more awake now.”

One of these days, you think to yourself, these apes will listen when you tell them to shut up.

-

The light is starting to fail when the Vinland grinds closer to the Baeguul artillery base, shadows stretching out like witch's fingers, long and skeletal. The trees here – sparse and dead, but still enough to offer cover to a potential attack – don't do anything to dispel the impression. If anything, their gnarled trunks and twisted branches only add to the surreal atmosphere. In the distance, you can hear the rumble of engines and the steady thump of cannon fire. The attack, it seems, has begun.

“I've been listening in to their chatter up here,” Rabbit tells you and the rest of the crew, “It looks like they've got mostly infantry up there, with a single light tank to provide support. There might be heavy weapons among the foot soldiers – I overheard a few complaining about carrying heavy shit around. Could just be artillery shells, mind. Soon as we take the Vinland up there, though, we're gonna draw every eye in town.”

The distraction could be useful, you point out. Two teams – Alice and Druer manning the Vinland, you and the others heading in on foot to handle the infantry.

“Could work,” Druer muses, “You'll be taking a risk though, going in on foot. At least I'll have a layer of steel between me and and the enemies.”

>True. We'll all stick to the Vinland
>We're splitting up. I'm prepared to take a risk
>We're splitting up, but I want you to launch smoke as soon as we begin the attack
>Other

>>301731
>>We're splitting up, but I want you to launch smoke as soon as we begin the attack
This seems smoke canister worthy. We'll have one more for the landbridge fight. Have Vinland initiate and draw the enemies eyes while the infantry flank. Grenades first if we have them.

>>301731
>>We're splitting up, but I want you to launch smoke as soon as we begin the attack
Do we have any grenades? They would be very useful here.

>>301731
>We're splitting up, but i want you to launch smoke as soon as we begin the attack

>>301731
>We're splitting up, but I want you to launch smoke as soon as we begin the attack

>>301753

>Ah, yes, I meant to detail the infantry equipment we have. Every soldier has an automatic carbine, and there are enough grenades for everyone to take one.

>>301764
Good. Fragging an entrenched position is our best option, specially if the Vinland can pin them down with machine gun and cannon fire.

You're going to split up and take them on two fronts, you explain, but you're going in under the cover of smoke. There are still two cannisters left, correct?

“That's right,” Druer nods slowly, “If we hit their tank with the smoke, it should cover most of the hill. Combine that with the trees, and you should be able to approach undetected. Doubly so, with the Vinland drawing their fire.”

Then that's what you're going to do, you decide, everyone get ready to move. Check your equipment – you're going in hard, carbines and grenades. No point giving these bastards the chance to rally and recover, if you can help it.

“This is gonna suck,” Rabbit murmurs as she delves into the Vinland's guts, emerging a moment later with an armful of guns. As she passes them out, along with spare magazines, Karloff retrieves your limited supply of grenades. Enough for one each, although Druer and Alice won't need theirs. A few spares can't hurt - well, they won't hurt you, at least.

As the sky darkens more and more, you remind everyone of the specifics on the plan one last time, and then you split up. Dry, brittle bushes rustle around you as you enter the blasted, withered forest, while the Vinland begins its slow – but unstoppable – advance. Nodding to your pair of companions, you set off towards the artillery emplacement.

-

From your hidden position, you get a rare opportunity to see your enemies up close and personal. Their uniforms are a little different to yours – the same rust-red as their armour, compared with your pale grey – but otherwise, there are precious few differences between them. Even the snatches of conversation you overhear sound familiar – complaining about officers, about hard work, about missing the girls back home. Nothing you've not heard a dozen times before back in your own barracks.

Then the curtain of smoke – thick, choking and bilious – descends, and all idle chatter is snuffed out. In its place come cries of panic, shouted orders, and the first crackle of gunfire.

Time to move.

[1/2]

>>301830

The Vinland's harsh, growling engine soon drowns out the panicked voices, the tank drawing up to the encampment. As expected, every eye turns to it, all attention immediately stolen by the dramatic new arrival. As the Vinland's machine-gun opens up, rattling like an industrial terror, you hear a second engine sound. The enemy light tank crawls forwards, slowed down to a limping pace by the chaos unfolding around it. The turret swivels to and fro, but it's main gun remains silent. Instead, the top hatch flies open and a figure – his face hidden by a gas mask – appears, groping for the light machine-gun atop it.

Waving for Rabbit and Karloff to cover you, you rush forwards in a low crouch, bushes clawing and clutching at your uniform as you leave the woodland cover behind. Taking aim at that human silhouette crowning the light tank, you fire off a burst from your carbine. Although the smoke robs you of the visceral details, you nevertheless see the enemy commander twitch and stiffen, shuddering and slumping down across the machine-gun.

Moving with purpose now, the turret rotates towards you. Gritting your teeth, you let the carbine drop from your hands and run forwards, abandoning all trace of subtlety as you pull a grenade from your belt. With the top hatch still open, you've got a hell of an opportunity here – you just need to take it.

Cold metal rushes to meet you as you throw yourself at the tank, using any handhold you can to scrabble up the side. Pulling the pin from the grenade, you drop it down into the open hatch, slamming the doors shut as you break off, fleeing from the tank. The explosion, when it comes, is muffled and indistinct, nearly lost in the ebb and flow of the battle.

And then, quite suddenly, the skirmish is over. When the last coiling tendrils of smoke drift away, you find yourself standing in a silent, still portrait, a picture of raw violence and savagery.

They would have done the same to you.

-

“Look at this shit!” Alice snaps, waving a neurotic hand at the front of the Vinland, at the countless small dents decorating it, “They scratched the paintwork!”

“No damage worth reporting,” Druer – more of a professional – informs you calmly, “Excellent attack, commander, the encampment is ours. How do you want us to proceed?”

Holding up a hand – hold that thought – you take your binoculars and look out over the land bridge. The Baeguul forces are stronger, outnumbering your allies, but they haven't broken through yet. By your count, you can see seven tanks on their side – two medium and five. Already, one of the medium tanks is starting to withdraw, taking a pair of light tanks with it. The artillery stands ready for use.

“Boss?” Rabbit presses, “I reckon they're coming to see what the noise was. Might be, we should hurry.”

>Right. Rig these pieces to blow, and let's get out of here
>Get these guns operational, let's take some of the heat off our allies
>Other

>>301913
>>Get these guns operational, let's take some of the heat off our allies

>>301913
>Get these guns operational, let's take some of the heat off our allies
Let's get some volleys out and get the hell out of dodge.

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>>301913
>>Get these guns operational, let's take some of the heat off our allies
Remove Baeguul

>>301913
>Get these guns operational, let's take some of the heat off our allies
Expose the magazine of the artillery battery. When we leave Vinland can take a parting shot and blow the place sky high.

Get these guns operational, you snap, it's time to take some of that heat off your allies down there.

“Understood, commander,” Druer barks, snapping an eager salute as he rushes over to check the closest howitzer. “I see... looks like a seventy-five millimetre gun. Good for those light tanks down there, but I can't guarantee a kill on the heavier units. With multiple shots, though...”

“Great, good, now can we get on with this?” Rabbit asks, as Karloff begins pushing another of the artillery pieces into position, “I don't know how many shots we'll get off before they start shooting back. Sooner we start bombing those Baeguul shits, the better.”

That, at least, you can agree with. Sighting with the binoculars, you suggest a few minor adjustments, and then you swipe your hand through the air, as if it was a sabre. With dull thumps – loud enough to shake the bones in your body – the howitzers fire, their deadly payload tumbling down on the confused – no, panicking – enemy forces. Armour is rent, blasted apart and split open as the artillery shells fall, thick cloud of dust obscuring the worst of the damage. When those churning, boiling clouds have cleared, you see the carnage left behind.

Two of the light tanks are ruined, scattered apart like broken toys, and the remaining medium tank is crippled. The third light tank is almost intact – as if by some miracle – but the treads on one side have sheared off, leaving it just as crippled as its larger companion.

Looking down upon the scene through your binoculars, you turn you attention to the second detachment, the group that had split off to investigate your attack. At the sound of their own artillery, they hesitate. They falter, and then they retreat – heading back in the direction of their homeland like beaten curs.

“Shit, they're moving too fast to get a good shot,” Rabbit swears, fumbling with the unfamiliar artillery. Even Druer doesn't look confident of hitting them, obsessing over tiny adjustments in range and elevation. “Man,” the young navigation whines, “They're gonna get away...”

>Let them run, we need to keep moving west
>Mount up, we've going after them

>>302022
>Let them run, we need to keep moving west
>spike the guns and let's move.

>>302022
>>Let them run, we need to keep moving west
Maybe snoop around for some info on troops movement?

>>302022
>Let them run, we need to keep moving west
Blow up the guns if we can.

>>302022
>Let them run, we need to keep moving west
Let's get this princess home.

Let them run, you decide with a dismissive snort, you've got better things to do. You need to keep moving west, for one thing, to get the princess back to her palace. Until she's safe, you can't afford to indulge in petty vengeance. Before you mount up, though, you need to deal with this battery. Rigging it to blow should be your final goal, but it might also be worth searching the encampment for any documents or orders left behind. Anything that might give an insight into the next few days. You give your orders, and your crew leap to obey.

As they busy themselves with searching the encampment, you watch the retreating tanks through your binoculars, watching until they are nothing more than clouds of dust in the distance.

-

“Found something, boss,” Rabbit says, flapping a document folder in the air as she draws near, “Confidential orders, looks like, I figured you'd want to give them a look.”

She figured correctly. Taking the folder, you skim through the contents, picking out any details that seem particularly important. For the most part, there's nothing here you don't already know – Baeguul hoped to decapitate Astoria with the death of the royal family, following it up with an immediate land assault. Apparently, the entire plan was the work of this General Rikken – exactly the kind of bloody strategy you'd expect from him. You do learn something new, though. General Rikken plans to lead the assault himself – his is to be the first tank to roll into Astoria's capital city.

Arrogant bastard.

“Something wrong, boss?” Rabbit asks, noticing the dark shadow that passes across your face, “You, uh, you look kinda mad, if you don't mind me saying.”

It's nothing, you reply, nothing important. Now get these guns rigged to blow, and you can all get out of here. It's about time you crossed back to your side of the border.

“Got it,” another short pause, and a crooked grin spreads across Rabbit's face, “Might be, we'll have some fireworks to celebrate, right?”

Fireworks, you repeat with a weary smile, sounds good.

-END OF PART 2-

>I think I'll end things here for tonight, and we'll finish things off tomorrow! I'll stick around for a while, though, in case anyone had any questions or comments.
>Thanks to everyone who took part today!

>>302142
Thanks for running Moloch. See you tomorrow.

We have a visual on allied troops right? Did we push the battle in their favor? Can we get radio contact with them at this distance?

>>302157

We tilted the battle in their favor, yes - the surviving enemies were pretty quick to surrender, considering their tanks were crippled. Also, we'll be able to get into radio contact from here, and meet up with some allies.
Tomorrow, I'll probably jump ahead a little to crossing the border. Things should be a little safer from here on out, after all!

>>302173
>Things should be a little safer from here on out, after all!

Why do I not trust this? Also can we get a jeep a for the Princess to get her to capitol double time? It'd be faster than our tank and unless our border has already been breached she'll be safer moving farther away from battle than with us.

>>302173
Is Penelope going to be some behind enemy lines tank commando squad leader after this?

>>302192

Well, I'll admit - we're not perfectly safe, not yet at least!
As for the issue of getting Astrid to the capital faster, I do have some plans for that. We'll be heading to another city first, one that's closer than the capital, and then she can travel the rest of the way in safety and comfort.

>>302194

Well, she's certainly got the experience for it!

>>302258
So wait. Rikken is committing a lot of forces to this push but is counting on the morale loss from the death of the royal family to finally breakthrough where before it had always been a stalemate right?

But the Astorian army doesn't know about the Royal Family's death. Was Rikken going to announce it as he attacked or something?

>>302414

He was going to announce things during his attack, yes. I like to think that the Baeguul forces would have announced the attack a lot sooner if it had been a complete success - knowing that Astrid survived might have given the people of Astoria some hope!
Of course, that raises the issue of why he didn't just lie and say they were all dead. Maybe Rikken is an honest man?

>>302450
Did we see the rest of her family die or get confirmation? Because others might have gotten away.


Only way I could see him not lying was If there were too many lose ends for it to be believed.

>>302450
I wonder if he is smart enough to know when to fold.

Like if Astrid makes it across and gives one inspiring speech morale is more or less restored. And from there you have an aware of your attack, pissed off enemy force that are going to by bomb the shit out of that landbridge the moment you attack.

Let's hope he doesn't think about that, cause if it fucks up bad for him we might be able to counterattack and win this war.

>>302481

The rest of Astrid's family are confirmed dead - there were enough witnesses. As for not lying, I think it's a matter of pride - Rikken took Astrid's survival personally, so he's trying to correct that mistake. He won't lie to cover up his mistakes, he's stubborn like that.

>>302493

Smart enough to know when to fold? Probably not - Rikken hasn't tasted serious defeat yet. He'd probably take a speech like that as a challenge, one he'd be all too happy to respond to.
On the other hand, that could goad him into making a fatal mistake!

>>302522
If we crossed now like I think we are doing how much time would we have before Rikken gets to the landbridge crossing?

>>302543

I'd tentatively put that at a full day for the bulk of his forces, less for his forward scouts - light vehicles, as opposed to tanks. We've still got a good head start on him, fortunately.

>>302564
Enough time to get Astrid safe, have her speak to her people, and entrench yeah?

Probably not enough time to do anything fancy like doing a northern river crossing to flank.

Though we probably need all hands on deck at the landbridge to hold this off huh?

>>302610

I'd say there's enough time for that. I expect there will be a lot of people wanting to talk with Penelope and the Vinland's crew as well - they need to be debriefed. Other than that, the time would be best served preparing a defence, either at the land bridge or further into Astoria territory.

>>302664
Is the Astorian army relatively a full strength? We didn't lose too much in the Royal Family assassination right?

>>302719

It's... about as full strength as an army can be, after a fairly grinding war of attrition. For what it's worth, though, we didn't lose too many troops in the assassination attempt.
Also, the Baeguul army is in a pretty bad shape as well, by this point. This attack is a pretty big risk for them, but it might just turn the tide in their favor - unless we've got something to say about it!

>>302747
Is that something surprise heavy tank in the butt?

You take a long moment to study the faces of the men – Baeguul prisoners, one and all – kneeling before the shattered remains of their crippled tanks. Their heads are bowed, their hands are bound, and their postures share one single, dominant feeling – the crushing misery of defeat. They're a mixed lot otherwise, both youths and venerable elders among their number. Not so different from the Astoria soldiers watching over them, in fact.

A moment longer, and you turn away from them, returning your eyes to the nearby Vinland. Savouring the rare moment of rest, your crew are sitting atop the hulking vehicle, talking amongst themselves and generally just relaxing. You know, in your heart of hearts, that you cannot afford this kind of delay. Princess Astrid needs to reach the capital as soon as possible, and General Rikken's army draws closer with each passing moment. Yet, you can't bring yourself to crush their moment of rest.

Perhaps it's because of Princess Astrid herself, sitting with them and sharing whatever jokes they pass amongst themselves. For the first time since you met her, she looks... happy.

Turning away from the pleasant scene, you allow the sound of raised voices to draw your attention. Over the border, in Astoria territory, two officers are arguing, both taking turns to stab at a map with pointed fingers. When you join them, they both stop their argument to glare at you, as if you were an invading enemy, rather than much needed reinforcements. Evenly meeting their stares, you introduce yourself.

“Commander Renlo, is it?” one of the officers asks, “I'm Arno Berger, commander of the infantry garrison here. It was you who took control of that artillery battery, wasn't it? You saved a lot of lives today, commander.”

“Acting Commander Renlo, I believe,” the other officer – a taller man, with the sharp face of a hawk – interrupts, “Yes, I thought I recognised you. I am Julian Bonheur, commander of the eighth armoured division. From this point on, Acting Commander, you're now under my authority. Is that understood?”

You understand perfectly, you reply coolly, but you cannot surrender your crew or your vehicle to him. Put simply, you've got a more important mission – you need to take Princess Astrid back to the capital, and you cannot allow them to delay your progress.

Needless to say, Commander Bonheur does not take rejection well.

[1/2]

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>>305385

“I could have you charged with dereliction of duty, Acting Commander. You could be stripped of your rank... what meagre rank you have,” Bonheur practically spits the words out, “This act of hostility must be answered with blood – for that, I need every man and every machine that I can scrape together. No matter what this so-called “mission” is, your duty is to obey my orders!”

“You said you had Princess Astrid with you,” Berger asks quietly, ignoring Bonheur's blustering, “Please explain – the princess should be in Baeguul's capital, as I understand it, putting her name to the peace treaty.”

The peace treaty, you reply with a grimace, was a farce. Worse than a farce, it had been a deathtrap – an ambush that only a few of you managed to escape from. As it stands, Astrid is the sole surviving member of the royal family, and that – you bitterly emphasis the word – is why your mission is so important. If they don't believe you, you finish as you drop the enemy documents down in from of them, then maybe they'll believe these.

With the furtive air of schoolboys studying a dirty magazine, Berger and Bonheur crowd around the documents, reading them in grim silence. When he is finished, Bonheur looks up at you with grudging respect – a welcome change from his previous hostility. “Perhaps you have earned a degree of... autonomy,” he begins, picking his words with care, “Nevertheless, if an attack is coming, we'll need every piece of armour we can to throw them back. The princess is in good hands – I can call for faster, more appropriate transport to see her back to the capital. The Vinland, however, will need to remain here, to assist with the defence.”

“As I've said,” Berger snaps, “The land bridge is lost – we simply cannot hold it against a full scale attack. We need to fall back to Lunaria and dig in there. It's the closest city, and their defences are far more capable than ours.”

“Lunaria is the last line of defence before the capital,” Bonheur argues, “If it falls, there will be nothing standing between the capital and the advancing Baeguul army.”

What about this, you ask as you tap a finger against the map, these ruins here?

“The Ciaran ruins,” Bonheur muses, “We couldn't fortify them, but the city itself... we could draw the Baeguul forces into an ambush. It would, at least, grant us another line of defence. You'd be taking a great risk, however.”

“So, Commander Renlo,” Berger asks, “What's your take on this?”

>We hold the line here. They won't take the land bridge
>We should fall back to Lunaria, and defend the city
>Lure them into the Ciaran ruins, and we can ambush them

>>305387
All of them.

Put as much firepower on them as you can while they are going through the chokepoint of the land bridge. Artillery, Heavy Tanks, you name it. Mine the shit out of our side of the landbridge. Their own wrecked tanks will serve as roadblocks they'll have to deal with.

Meanwhile set up ambush areas within the Ciaran ruins. When they start to breakthrough the landbridge order a retreat that goes through Ciaran. They'll be looking to crush a 'routed' enemy and run into our ambushes. This is where our anti-tank infantry should be.

If they still have fight left in them we fall back to Lunaria and make a final stand.

>>305399
>>305387
I'll second this. We are going to need to throw everything we have at this an exploit our home turf advantage. The trick is to maintain morale and make sure we have organized retreats and not actual routs.

>>305387
nothing wrong with >>305399
put all our long range firepower in the ruins, because they won't be useful once they're beating down on our front gates anyway. All the better to serve to split their attention if we want to launch a flank counteroffensive from Lunaria.

Why choose one or the other, you ask the pair, why not meet the enemy every step of the way? The land bridge forms a natural choke point – you can build a barricade out of their ruined tanks and slow them down that way. When it looks like they're going to break through, you can launch a fighting retreat through Ciaran. There should be plenty of places to prepare an ambush – infantry would work best in the tight streets, armed with heavy weaponry.

“And if we can't stop them at Ciaran, we'll still have the chance to fall back to Lunaria,” Berger thinks aloud, “It could work, yes. Even with all our tricks, though, I don't think we'll be able to do much more than slow them down here.”

“Baeguul military doctrine calls for wave attacks, each one stronger and slower than the preceding attack,” Bonheur taps the map with a reedy finger, “Their first strike will consist of their light tanks and mounted infantry. If we can blunt that first attack here, it'll give us enough time to prepare a firm defence in Ciaran. Their second wave will be brutal – heavy tanks and mobile artillery. I suspect General Rikken will lead the second attack himself.”

“Respectfully speaking, we won't stand a chance,” Berger shakes his head, “But, with the city ruins to break up their advance, I think we could really do this. I won't pretend that it'll be easy, but we've got a fighting chance of it. So, commander, what do you think?”

It could work, you agree with a nod, but the princess needs to get to safety. Until she's out of the firing line, you can't devote your crew to the defence.

“I'll radio it in,” Berger tells you, “We'll need reinforcements waiting for us in Ciaran anyway, so they should be able to spare a few trucks to take Princess Astrid back to Lunaria. From there, she can reach the capital by rail – safe as houses.”

“Are we all in agreement, then?” Bonheur asks, looking between you and Berger, “We'll stop the first wave here, and then retreat back to Ciaran to meet their heavy armour.”

>Agreed. Good hunting gentlemen
>Allow me to make a suggestion... (Write in)
>Other

>>305442
>Agreed. Good hunting gentlemen

>>305442
Tell them about the super rifles. Cover is more so that they don't know our exact positions than for actual protection. Smoke will be very helpful.

>>305442
>Agreed. Good hunting gentlemen
>Allow me to make a suggestion... (Write in)
Sticky bombs for infantry that they can place on tanks treads while hiding in the city. Mobility killed tanks are easy pickings.

(If you've seen Saving Private Ryan you know what I mean)

>>305442
Moloch do we any Naval vessels with any firepower in the water?

>>305465

>Unfortunately not. Both navies have been pretty much devastated, so they won't be worthy much at this point.

>>305477
Mmm maybe we can have a small, crack team of light tanks, during the attack on Ciara, wrap around the enemy formation and assassinate the mobile artillery. They are usually in the back and with Rikken's attention on Ciaran they might be less defended against a hit and run attack.

There are a few things to consider, you tell the officers. First of all, the enemies have potent anti-armour weapons. Cover, even thick vehicle armour, won't be worth much against them – concealment and manoeuvrability will be more effective against them. Next, the ambushing infantry forces should carry adhesive explosives, if possible.

“Sticky bombs?” Berger raises an eyebrow, “Oh, I see. We could use the alleyways and side streets to get close to their armour, and then we might be able to bust open their treads. An immobile tank...”

Is a dead tank, you finish, exactly your point.

“Right, I'll see to it that my men are carrying explosives,” Berger nods, “I'll be overseeing the ambush forces in Ciaran – I was always more of an infantry kind of man. I'll leave the tank stuff to you two.”

Then that's settled, you finish with a grim smile, good hunting everyone.

-

A few hours pass as Berger radios in the various requests and orders, hours that crawl past with something akin to actual, physical pain. The thought of being caught unprepared, of falling prey to Rikken's advance forces, never leaves you. Even when several trucks arrive – drab things, barely held together with oil and crude welding – and bring fresh reinforcements, you can't quite relax. As you're watching the sappers dig, burying landmines in the Baeguul dirt, Princess Astrid appears by your side.

“I read once that landmines, buried more than twenty years ago, are still being unearthed today,” she says delicately, watching the men go about their labours, “Often, the only indication that a field was once littered with them is when a farmer is killed. I wonder... how many of these mines will still be around in the years ahead?”

This is war, you reply, you can't afford to let sentiment stay your hand. In the face of the coming attack, you'll need every advantage you can get. If that means planting a few landmines, then so be it.

“I know,” the princess shakes her head slightly, a sad smile touching her lips, “This war is far older than I am – I've accepted it as a part of reality. That does not mean, however, that I care for it.”

No, you agree, that much is true.

“Regardless, that wasn't what I came to talk to you about,” Astrid's voice lifts a little, as she adopts a suitably optimistic tone, “I believe this is where we part ways. I'll be returning to Lunaria when the trucks depart. I just wanted to thank you, for everything you've done and every risk that you've taken. You've done your country a great service, commander.”

Just doing your job, you reply with a modest smile, like any other soldier.

Smiling at that – a genuine smile, once more – Astrid offers you her hand to shake. As you take it, a bright flash strikes you, white light punching at your unprepared eyes.

[1/2]

>>305522

A camera, that's all it is. A bulky, boxy camera – the kind suitable to survive any rough treatment – clasped in Druer's meaty fists. It takes you a moment to put the pieces together. A picture of you and Astrid shaking hands... good fuel for the propaganda machine.

“That's one for the history books!” Rabbit cries gleefully, waving at you with excitement, “C'mon, c'mon, how long does that thing take to develop, I wanna see it!”

“It'll take as long as it takes,” Druer replies calmly, the boxy camera spitting out a thin slip of glossy paper. He takes it, waving it in the air for a moment before handing it to Rabbit. As she examines the picture, her wide eyes grow forlorn, then utterly despondent.

“You chopped their bloody heads off!” she wails, waving the terrible photograph at Druer, “I thought you were supposed to be good at aiming!”

“It's a little different from a tank cannon,” he argues, giving Rabbit a rare scowl, “I just need a little practice, that's all. Commander, your Highness, would care to do that again?”

Astrid looks over to you, giving you a baffled smile before shrugging slightly. “As they said,” she offers, “One for the history books.”

-

One photograph turns into many, with Druer using most of his roll of film to produce, perhaps, a dozen usable pictures. When Astrid finally makes her excuses and hurries away to the waiting trucks, it is with a broad smile on her face – a smile that suggests hope for the future, for a better future.

A shame, then, that you're going to have to buy that future with blood. It's not long after the trucks depart that you hear the first rumble of Baeguul engines, growing louder and closer with each passing moment. When you see the dust cloud of approaching vehicles, you drop down into the Vinland's armoured belly, settling down into the commander's seat.

It's starting to suit you, this seat – or perhaps it would be better to say that you're growing to suit it, rather than the other way around.

“Commander Renlo,” Bonheur's cold voice reaches you through the radio link, “Watch and learn – the Fortuna will show you how real tank commanders do battle. How many scalps do you think you'll take by the time the day is done?”

As many as you need to, you reply, you won't risk your crew for needless glory.

“Good answer,” his voice carries that same note of grudging respect as before, “We'll make something of you yet, Renlo.”

Before you can think of a suitable response – one that won't have you hauled up on an insubordination charge – Druer announces the arrival of the enemy forces.

“Light vehicles, moving this way at speed. We've got the range advantage” he pauses, making a tiny adjustment to the Vinland's sights, “They'll enter the killzone in three... two... one...”

Fire, you order, fire at will.

>Please roll 1D100, aiming to beat 60/80. I'll take the highest of the first three results!

Rolled 62 (1d100)

>>305602

Rolled 50 (1d100)

>>305602

Rolled 94 (1d100)

>>305602
Boom

Rolled 89 (1d100)

>>305602

Rolled 21 (1d100)

>>305602
Boom

>>305615
Fuckin nice

>>305602
You've scared me with that first post Moloch. The versions of what happened that I've thought up were one more ridiculous than the other.

>>305615
"Boom," indeed.

>>305627
>Someone punched him in the back of the neck, nothin personal
>Thunder struck them at that moment, magically bonding them into a single being because fuck you this is a railroad
>Astridisatraitor.jpg

>>305669
My most ridiculous version was "sudden bodyswap"

>>305669
That's an... interesting way to speculate. I was thinking more of a nuke or large explosion.

Pressing your eyes to the periscope, you watch as the Baeguul armour draws closer. It's hard to count at this distance – the dust they churn up hides some from view, and their formation is as fluid as running water. Still, you can see enough to know that you're outnumbered – but not outgunned. Light tanks and troop carriers, there isn't much among them that poses any real threat to the Vinland's armour, not with a single shot, at least. With sheer weight of fire working in their advantage, however, you can't let yourself be complacent.

“Target sighted,” Druer says quietly, “Taking the shot.”

“No way, man!” Rabbit protests, “At this range? C'mon, you're just gonna waste our ammo!”

“Taking the shot,” the stoic gunner repeats, as if Rabbit's outburst had gone completely unheard. Perhaps as some small concession to the range between you and the approaching enemies, he waits for the length of a single heartbeat before pressing the trigger. The Vinland shudders as he fires the main gun, and you watch the shell blazing out towards the target.

“It's not gonna hit,” Rabbit complains, “It's not even gonna be close. Good job Druer, wasting one of our-”

The light tank, the subject of Druer's ire, explodes into a bright fireball, besmirching the sky with thick, cloying smoke. It's a complete kill, one that causes the nearby vehicles to scatter. As the formation dissolves, the rest of your allied tanks begin to fire. More explosions ripple up and down the length of the Baeguul ranks, crippling and killing more of their vehicles. Yet, even as your forces pound them, they start to fire back, raining light shells down upon your lines. Nearly lost in the crack of cannon fire, you hear another sound – the rough cough of mortars.

“They're launching smoke,” Druer reports, “Wait...”

“That's not smoke!” Alice screams, “That's gas, they're trying to gas us!”

“All armour, seal your units,” Bonheur orders, his voice cold and precise, “All infantry, fall back to the designated rally point.”

They heard the man, you call out to your crew, get those vents sealed up and keep firing. Through the thick clouds of gas – a sickly brown colour, as if the air was tainted by dirt and filth – you see a brief blast.

“They've hit the minefield,” Druer reports, “I think I have a shot. Commander, permission to fire?”

>Remaining ammunition: 12/15

>Take the shot
>Save your ammo, we're getting out of here

>>305688
>Take the shot
No need to retreat yet. Armor needs to cover the infantry's retreat anyways. Do as much damage as possible.

>>305688
>>Take the shot

>>305688
>Take the shot

>>305688
No shooting at invisible targets. Change position to enfilade fire at the enemy's flank once they clear the gas cloud. Make sure there's a good line of retreat from there.

>>305688
>Take the shot
we have ammo to spare. Shoot one wherever we didn't set a mine, then go.

Rolled 17 (1d100)

Take the shot, you order, you need to buy the infantry some time to retreat.

“Understood commander,” Druer replies, grunting slightly as he tries to sight through the thick smog. As he makes another series of minute adjustments, the Vinland is rocked by a series of impacts – near misses, and even a few glancing hits. Throwing his hands up in disgust, Druer pulls his face away from the scope. “It's no good, commander, I can't get a clear shot. Get us out of this gas, and let me do my damn job!”

Alice, you order, take us out of this cloud. You want to see what they're up to.

“On the move now, commander,” the driver yelps, her hands dancing across the controls with desperate skill. The Vinland lurches into motion, pulling back and swinging around. With the engine roaring in your ears, the vehicle grinds out to the edge of the gas cloud where the air is clearer – clear enough to get eyes on the other side of the border. Draped in thick cloaks and gas masks, the Baeguul infantry are moving forwards slowly, digging in the ground to unearth and disarm the mines. Behind them, their engines rumbling, their armour waits to move forwards.

“I see you,” Druer murmurs, as the Vinland's turret swivels around to face one of their light tanks.

“And they see us!” Rabbit cries, “Incoming enemy fire!”

Take the shot, you repeat to Druer, take them out!

>Please roll 1D100, aiming to beat 60/80. I'll take the highest of the first three results!
>I'll roll 1D100 for the incoming fire, aiming to beat 60/80/100

Rolled 77 (1d100)

>>305736
If we can use the machine gun to take out the dudes disarming the mines. It'll buy us a lot of time.

Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>305736
Machinegun the sappers

Rolled 65 (1d100)

>>305736

The blast of the incoming shell is close, but it does little more than rocking the Vinland slightly and showering it with a hail of dirt.

“Hah, eat shit!” Rabbit yells, once she realises that she's alive and well, “Go to hell, Baeguul dogs!”

“Clean miss,” Druer reports, a slight trace of smug satisfaction creeping into his voice, “Taking the shot now.” As Druer presses the trigger once more, his target lurches backwards slightly, bucking like a panicked animal. What was almost a perfect hit is reduced to a glancing blow, albeit one that mangles the turret. “Still moving,” he adds, disappointed now, “But he won't be shooting at anyone for a while.”

Ignore him then, you order, and focus on those sappers. The longer they take to clear the mines, the better.

“Got it, commander,” a faint trace of amusement enters Druer's voice as he switches over to the co-axial machine-gun, “One war crime, coming right up.”

“You needn't sound so happy about it,” Rabbit grumbles, turning away from her scope as Druer starts to trace lines of machine-gun fire up and down the line of sappers. Abandoning their efforts, the lightly armoured soldiers break and run, scurrying for their stricken tank and the cover it offers.

“Commander Renlo,” Bonheur asks, his voice broken up by patches of static, “I'm seeing signs of withdrawal. They seem to be drawing back for now. What about you, what can you see?”

Wait a moment,you mutter as you press your eyes to the periscope, checking their positions now. As you watch, you see the truth of Bonheur's words. One by one, the Baeguul vehicles are pulling back, breaking away and retreating out of your killzone. Soon, the only remaining forces are those who don't have the luxury of escape – those with shattered treads, broken engines or other, equally crippling wounds.

Easily taken care of – an immobile tank is a dead tank, after all.

[1/2]

>>305833

“You fought well,” Bonheur admits as he joins you, his tank – the Fortuna – idling in the background, “A shame, then, that we'll have to abandon this position regardless.”

“We're running?” Rabbit asks, before you can answer, “But we pushed them back! They didn't even break through the minefield!”

“Have you ever seen what a Baeguul heavy tank does to a simple minefield?” Bonheur asks, giving Rabbit a look of utter contempt, “Have you, child?”

“I have,” Alice announces suddenly, “They move like ploughs, tearing up the ground ahead of them. Those mines won't make a damn bit of difference, against their heavy armour. Those wrecks, on the other hand, they'll need to be moved. We've bought ourselves some time, just like we planned.”

“Ciaran will be the field upon which we break them,” Bonheur swears, “And then we'll retake every inch of ground that we give up. That, I can promise.”

As the nobleman's promise rings in your ears, you look out at the border. A maze of shattered vehicles and torn ground, it would be a formidable barrier for anything to pass. You've done all you can here – the rest of this will be finished in Ciaran.

It seems fitting, somehow, to meet Rikken's army in the ruins of the city he killed. It will be the perfect place for him to pay for his crimes.

-

“There it is, huh?” Alice says as she drives you towards the ruined city, her voice thin and faint in the private, secure channel, “Home. Not any more, I mean. I was born in Ciaran, you know? Ah, you probably do – Rabbit can't keep her mouth shut, not even about stuff like this.”

You're going to need her at her best, you remind the skittish driver, you can't afford any last minute breakdowns.

“I'm fine, commander. I'm doing okay,” she assures you, “It's funny, I really don't mind the idea of dying here. It's... okay.”
That might be the case, you reply, but you don't particularly want to die here. You're going to fight with every breath in your body – and you expect the same thing from her.

“O-of course,” Alice is quick to reply, “I'm not saying... Anyway, commander, I can help you here, I can give you some information about the city layout. It's got some pretty tight spots, so you'd best be on your guard.”

You'll keep that in mind, you nod to yourself as you consider her words, but you want a supply check for now.

“Right!” Rabbit calls, “We're good on fuel, and pretty good on ammo. Only one can of smoke left though – better save it for an emergency, I reckon.”

>Remaining fuel: 3/5
>Remaining ammunition: 11/15
>Remaining smoke cannisters: 1

Alright, you reply as the ruins of Ciaran loom up before you, time to see what you've got to work with.

[2/3]

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>>305874

Berger has taken over an old hotel for his headquarters, but he looks ill at ease here, surrounded by the faded ghosts of luxury and excess. The four of you – Berger, Bonheur, Alice and yourself – sit on plush couches, looking down at a table that would have once gleamed with polish. Rather than a lacy cloth, a worn map adorns that antique table, a map that Berger stabs at with his finger. He is as unshaven as a sleepless drunk, but his eyes are bright and alert.

“We're here,” he begins, pointing to the hotel, “If the Baeguul forces break through this line, we're as good as done for. I've set up recoilless rifles on the upper floors, so we've still got some teeth, but we can't throw back a full assault. I've also set up a team of snipers here...” he points out a high tower, one that you can see out the closest window. “If you get the enemy around within their killzone, they'll be able to hit the weak top armour. Something to keep in mind, if you've got someone on your tail.”

“This barricade,” Bonheur taps a scrawled red line on the map, “How sturdy is it?”

“It's enough to take the momentum out of a full, frontal assault,” Berger answers, “But it won't stand up to sustained fire. At best, it'll give us a chance to flank them while they're busy blowing it apart.”

Good enough, you decide, that's all you need.

“Commander, if I may?” Alice speaks up, “I think I can offer some advice. Rikken, he commands a unique tank – the Graad. It's a monster, the sort of thing that makes the Vinland look like a light tank. We won't stand a chance in a face to face fight with it. However, it won't be able to move down our left flank – the streets are too narrow. It'll either come straight down the middle, or it'll flank right around the barricade.”

What's the terrain like on the right flank, you ask, is it as empty as it looks?

“That was once a shopping street,” Alice offers, “Uh, I mean, yes, it's really that empty. Nothing but flat, open ground. We've got plenty of room to manoeuvre, but there's very little cover. Speaking plainly? It'll be a slaughterhouse.”

What about infantry, you ask Berger, are they prepared?

“We're ready,” he answers confidently, “We can move through the alleyways – these narrows paths here, see? We can strike wherever we're needed.”

“Commander Renlo,” Bonheur asks, “Where do you want to deploy?”

>Position one, guarding the left flank
>Position two, on the right flank
>Position three, ready to strike as they enter the city

>>305968
>Position three, ready to strike as they enter the city

>>305968
>Position three, ready to strike as they enter the city
We can do some damage, get them pissed off at us, retreat into the sniper killzone and let the left flank take over.

Then we can move to the right flank to shore it up if it needs extra defense.

>>305968
>>Position one, guarding the left flank

>>305968
>Position three, ready to strike as they enter the city

The Graad can't move to attack without showing either flank or rear to that position.
We would do well to wait before we strike, or else we'll be swamped in lighter tanks. Maybe prepare a camouflaged position in the building at the end of the street.

>>305968
Do we have any artillery? Mobile or otherwise? If we do it might be prudent to get that right flank zero'd in for strikes.

>>306009

>Ah, yes, we have some fairly light artillery pieces based out of the hotel strongpoint. They can hit anywhere within the map. I'll expand on this a little in the next IC post.

>Also, closing the vote now - looks like we're deploying pretty far out!

Here, you decide as you tap the map with your finger, position three. You'll be ready to strike them as soon as they enter the city, and the Graad can't follow you down the narrower streets. The rest of them, you can lure into the sniper's killzone. Once the left flank is taken care of, you can focus on the right side.

“Very well, the Fortuna will deploy on the right flank,” Bonheur decides, “A suitable field of battle, for a commander such as I.”

“Understood, sir,” Berger glances across at you, offering a hint of a weary smile, “The right flank is idea ground for shelling, and it's well within the range of our mortars. I would advise against pressing too far ahead, Commander Bonheur – a friendly fire incident could prove to be our undoing.”

This artillery, you ask Berger, what's it capable of?

“I wouldn't rely on it,” he warns you, “Even hitting their thin top armour, we'll struggle to take out their heavy tanks. We can slow them down though, and their lighter vehicles are valid targets. We've got a few smoke rounds as well, if you need us to cover your retreat – just give the order.”

“And where exactly will you be, during all of this?” Bonheur asks, giving Berger a cold smile, “Not sitting comfortably here, I hope?”

“I'll be out there with the rest of my boys and girls,” Berger replies, steel in his voice, “Watching your flanks and picking off isolated targets. Remember that, both of you, before you go off chasing glory.”

You won't forget, you promise, you won't leave him or his men in a tight spot.

“Good to hear it,” he smiles a little at you, “Ladies and gentlemen... good hunting.”

-

It might only be early evening, but the sky is already pitch black, vast and churning clouds threatening rain with every minute they loom above. The Vinland is in position, near the edge of the city. Just around the corner, a great wide plaza yawns wide and desolate. Soon enough, you expect, it'll be thick with tanks and infantry. A few moments more, and it'll be littered with ruins. At least, that's what you hope.

“Commander Renlo, do you read me?” Bonheur's voice just barely pierces the static, “This storm could knock out our radios. Prepare for disrupted communication, and adapt your plans accordingly.”

Message received, you reply, how are the reinforcements doing?

“Taking positions in the forests outside,” Bonheur answers after a long moment, “When the Baeguul forces move in, our men will close the noose. Rikken wants to be the first one into the city, but that will just make it easier to isolate him. With the bulk of his forces occupied outside, we can focus on the Graad itself.”

Good, you reply as the the first raindrops fall like bullets onto the Vinland. Bonheur, you ask, can he hear you?

No reply. Nothing but static.

[1/2]

>>306082
Well I guess the silver lining is that the enemy will be having disrupted communications too which helps us on our own home turf.

>>306082

“Is that an earthquake?” Rabbit whispers, finally breaking the silence that has fallen over your crew, “You're hearing that, right boss?”

You don't hear it – you feel it. The ground is rumbling, as sure as if there really was an earthquake, but you know the real cause. It can only be the advancing Baeguul armour, led by the behemoth that is the Graad. You only catch a glimpse of it before it slips out of view again, and that glance was enough to send a thrill of cold fear running down your spine. It's like nothing you've ever seen before – like a fortress that had shaken off its foundations and started to move.

“Two guns...” Druer murmurs, “One turret, and a second gun fixed in the hull. If we hit that thing from the front, it'll be shooting back twice as hard.”

“Two guns? That's gotta be cheating or something...” Rabbit complains, “I mean-” But she doesn't finish that sentence, pressing her headphones to her ear and listening carefully. “Boss,” when she next speaks up, her voice is taut, “I'm picking up some chatter, they must have some pretty fucking powerful radios to break through this storm. It's not perfect, mind – I'm hearing a lot of repeats and mistaken orders. Chances are, they're about as confused as we are.”

So what are they saying, you ask her, are they planning something?

“Let's see...” a pause, “They got a bunch of heavy tanks moving down the right flank. Our right, their left. Heading right towards the Fortuna, in other words. Makes sense, right? I mean, they need the open ground. The Graad itself... it's just sitting there, in the plaza. We poke our heads out, I bet we could see it.”

And it might be able to see you. Before you say anything else, though, a booming voice pierces the evening air.

-

“Men and women of Astoria,” a sly, arrogant voice calls out, “Know that today is the day that you die, as your royalty has been put to the slaughter. Perhaps, there will be one survivor among you all as well, one lone soldier living on borrowed time. Break and run, Astorian beasts, if you wish to be that sole survivor. Otherwise... you will not see another day. Consider your options, dogs.”

“Arrogant bastard,” Druer mutters, “Commander, we should give him something to think about – a shot to his rear armour would be a good start. If he follows us, we'll drag him right into the sniper's killzone.”

“Assuming we survive that long...” Rabbit mutters.

>Alice, take us in. Druer, put a shot up his backside
>Take us to the right flank, Bonheur might need our help
>Other