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/qst/ - Quests


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Sodrakron was not the capital of Vynmark, but it was inarguably a more splendorous crown jewel upon the sovereignty. The Marcraesk river sent goods south on barges, and from the sea, the treasures of the world, including illicit goods that were specially licensed from the free ports of the Southern Cities of Sosaldt, came through, then north to the continent, or out once more through the harbors after the foreign or criminal taint had been supposedly washed away. It was home to many a wealthy entrepreneur, whom operated their own governance without much care by the Landgrafs, the nobility whom ruled the nation of Vynmark, Nauk in spite of the Republican tendencies of their northern brethren.

It was by far the wealthiest city in these times, when the other southern ports either belonged to xenophobic Twaryi or were not nearly as close to the sea routes to the east and southeast. When the southern maelstrom let up, Zeeland’s trade would flood north once more, but for now, Sodrakron commanded what trade sailed the southern seas, and guaranteed that the Southern Cities of Sosaldt continued to have their great markets, protecting both trades with Vynmark’s Grand Fleet, which now rested gallantly in its own special harbor. They were a motley mix of old ships and newer ships, some of them quite fresh constructions from Naukland’s naval shipyards, but even the elder hulls had been lovingly refitted- or repurposed into fearsome coastal battlecraft. From the Horizon Suites, one could see it in the distance. These luxury condos hosted a particularly wealthy Caelussian entrepreneur, one Pavel Comnirisov, whom had journeyed to the continent and used his eastern connections to found a business empire. He had been in the trust of the Landgrafs for years- after all, Caelus was ever too distant to be overly concerned with, and Twaryi was but a band of barking dogs until their recent shocking rise in fortunes.

One of those fortunate yappy dogs was a guest of the capitalist, today, though he disguised himself well both in dress and voice, he was a military man of Twaryi from the hairs of his scalp to the soles of his feet.

“Colonel Suvarin,” Comnirisov sat slowly across from his guest in a plush armchair across from the brazier, close to the top of the Horizon Suites, on a corner where one could face both inland and out to the ocean. “I would have expected somebody else, more appreciative of the comforts of luxury. What brings you out to a place so wary of our people as of late?” He took a contemplative sip of fine old world extra-old aged eau de vie, called Comniak, where his father hailed from. A fun thing to mock Emreans with, but a fine display of what he was to his guest, as well. “Unless you are here for some fun?”
>>
Suvarin’s icy blue stare did not falter, nor did its coy leer across from him. “No,” he said in unaccented New Nauk, “You have received our messages. We hardly need to pretend that you need to be told everything once again.”

“I thought it would be a nice setting to do that,” Comnirisov gestured to the warm glow of the firepit, the snow wafting through their air in thick clumps all about, “Theatrical, dramatic, a grand view of all we will stand victorious over. But I see you’re as no-nonsense as I’ve heard. Andrej would have indulged.”

“That Captain indulged in far too much, and now he is a prisoner of the heretic as much as he was a prisoner to his whimsy,” Suvarin said with a voice heavy in disdain, “You are certain there is no one listening? The operations have been extremely careful to preserve secrecy.”

“They tried to bug the room,” Comnirisov said smugly, “I allowed them a different space with the cooperation of my mistress and a few trusted conspirators. Any spies will hear what I wish them to, and none of anything between us. Come now, Colonel, did you think I would have embedded myself so deeply in this continent if I lacked some basic competence?”

The Twaryian officer did not lower his guard, but let the matter lay. “The Free Ports will do their best to disrupt our efforts the moment we make our move. There is suspicion that they have preemptively prepared. You know of this?”

“Of course I do. They’ve most certainly prepared, and they’re going to do what they can, but even though the manipulations of the Southron City States can terribly damage the nations of this continent,” the merchant illustratively took a small handful of snow and tossed it into the firepit, which crackled and sputtered but blazed no less brightly and hot, “You may not have a Wossehn, but the Southerner's best efforts cannot hope to subvert Caelus. Lean upon them. Even if I were to tell you some of their plans action- which, in keeping trust with them, I will not, trust that you would not be able to foil all of the infiltrations. So, allow the Old World to bear the weight of the damages, yes?”

“…Hmph.” Suvarin would have much rather not merely allowed that, but he’d been informed of trying to debate Comnirisov on this subject. He’d merely look a fool in the end. Best to keep to matters he was well apprised and informed upon. “There is, then, the subject of Vynmark’s Grand Fleet. In the state our navy is in, even with the donations of the Old World, we would be hard pressed to gain victory, let alone one decisive enough to enforce a blockade afterwards. Naukland has warned the Caelussian Federation against direct naval intervention. As it stands, Caelus is barely permitted to respond to piracy and Ellowian raiders. The operation to damage the fleet’s heavier ships in port- you have it all in place?”
>>
A long drink of Comniak, and a deep sigh. “Of course, dear Colonel. If you believe that Naukland will tolerate a blockade for overlong, though, you will be grievously mistaken. They may hide behind their mountains, but they have no hesitance to embark upon a voyage over the seas. If Vynmark’s Grand Fleet makes your commanders nervous, Naukland’s retaliatory naval expedition will thrash you so terribly that there will no longer be a Twaryian navy. Caelus will not commit either, knowing this- they will be no shield against a sea power whom are fully capable of bludgeoning them into a stupor whilst their roads into the continent are still so rough, and their sea lanes rather limited should Naukland combine their naval forces with that of their southern acquaintance.”

“High Command will not wish to hear that.”

“Your generals,” Comnirisov said smugly, “For all their attempts at appearing austere, have a tightness in the pants for a grand and glorious victory on all fronts, and I cannot blame them, after their great victory in Ellowie was followed by bitter insurgency the likes of which they were accustomed to being the perpetrators of, historically. Trust me, Colonel, one victory does not an Empire make.”

“The Generals do lack your attention to the affairs of the west,” Suvarin gave a backhanded admission.

If Comnirisov was offended, he only showed it in a smile. “Vynmark cannot win a war against Twaryi without Ellowie, and Naukland hesitates to venture beyond their mountains and step out of their ships unless they believe it absolutely critical. Tell your generals this, Colonel, as I already have tried to. You will find this country cooperative as long as they are allowed some measure of freedom, unlike your hideous egotistical blunder in Ellowie. Tell them to cool their heads in the snow and remember to put on their trousers and boots before walking into the nettles. If I don’t like the reply, then I will force my hand. Is that understood?”

Suvarin bit his lip and suppressed a bark into a growl. “You are but an upstart merchant…”

“An extremely successful one.”

“The High Command will disapprove of your disrespect.”

“On the contrary,” Comnirisov said with a slow, creeping, wide smile, “I expect them to thank me personally after their victory parade, and I expect them to be much more welcoming of my hospitality than cold, harsh snowman Suvarin. Take care, now. I understand you have much to arrange in not much time…”

-----
>>
Geroldt Von Tracht stirred an Old Fashioned he had made in a glass for himself, and settled down at his office desk in his home, a place with no windows and one door, a fan, and full-to-the-brim filing cabinets made of dark mahogany, themselves fitted with intricate locks. In here, it could be the morning, or the dead of night, and one would not know- all there was in here, was his Mystery. One he pored over for years, and could not find the center of- not until his son had brought back a message from Geroldt’s brother Heller, a package he had lost hope upon ever receiving. Since then, there had been much to try and uncover- enough that he needed the buoyance of that glass of whiskey clear as the crystal glass, and bitters and sugar, and a single cherry. A low piano and brass played on a record in the same room, for similar reinforcement.

He didn’t know how long he worked, but eventually, when the glass was near finished, the door’s handle turned, and his wife appeared. She was in her sleepwear, a long, light, close-clinging slip dress- almost twenty five years, they’d been married. At a young age, but from Geroldt’s view, Eda had only grown lovelier since the day he had made her his woman without a mote of shame.

“Dear,” she said as she sidled by the desk, trailing a finger across it. She picked the cherry from his glass and put it in her mouth, before going to his side and sitting in his lap, putting her arms around Gerold’s neck, “Won’t you come to bed early tonight?”

Geroldt brushed Eda’s hair from her face and kissed her for a brief moment, then another. They traded the cherry one way, then the other. “We’ve a guest, my flower.”

“She’s gone out fishing again, she will not be back for some time,” Eda leaned in and kissed Geroldt again, though she had swallowed the berry now, the taste was still on her lips. “She’s gotten me nostalgic. I’ve not grown too old yet. Do you want to try to give our Richter a brother?”

“Oh, my rose,” Geroldt said as he hugged his wife closely, “You know Richter wouldn’t be able to stand that.”

“But he will be leaving the house soon,” Eda said, accepting the close embrace eagerly.

“We spent years, dearest, when we were both young. I do not want to hurt you again, forcing you to grow my family. Not again.”

“You have never hurt me,” Eda whispered, “Not ever.” She looked back to the desk, the papers, and frowned as she skimmed through it. “…This again, is it? Will it bring you any happiness to expose the answer? This is so far above us. I will not pry, but I have enough a brain to know that much.”

“My family helped to bring this Archduchy into being,” Geroldt said, “I have some obligation to its continuance, in spite of its many flaws. To try and guide it by my principles, where I can.”
>>
“I married too wonderful a man,” Eda said quietly near Geroldt’s ear, “This country has disowned my blood. It has made me selfish, and I want you more than it could you. Put away your work for just a little while, will you? The Archduchy is strong enough to stand long enough for us to have our times together. Our brave, strong son fights for it all he can.” She stroked Geroldt’s hair, rested her forehead against his and brushed her nose against her husband’s, “He may be but a boy still, but he is a strong boy. You tell me to have faith in his strength- let yourself rest a while. He can bear such a weight upon his shoulders, can he not?”

Gerold sighed deeply. “I would hope to resolve a matter as this so that the next generation need not bear it upon their shoulders.”

“Richter is our baby. But he is a man, now. I of all people wouldn’t want to admit it, but…” Eda gave her own small exhalation, “Your blood is strong, dear. He can take a small burden. Come rest. You make me weary by laboring so, when I can do so little for it.”

Geroldt stared into his wife’s amber eyes, to the Mystery, then back to his wife. He might have considered the Mystery, but Eda was ever too beautiful to not smile at whenever he looked at her. Strong as she might claim he was, he was not nearly strong enough to refuse her.

-----
February 19, 1933
Northern Sosaldt


Once again, the Silver Lances were on the move proper. Or, at least, you, Richter Von Tracht, were, along with another member of your platoon, Stevan Von Rotehof, known as Little Von Rotehof. The two senior members of your platoon had been left behind, not by choice, but by command- Lieutenant Colonel Von Silbertau, your company commander, was relaying a command from Colonel Jagdmeister, battalion commander, to scrape up what he could of his combat-capable units and reform them forward. The delays were causing the Netillians to slip between the fingers of the alliance of Republics you fought for, all over the front, and a gamble was being made that despite the reduction in strength from splitting off from your units, you could try and regain the mad pace earlier with a small amount of effort, but the unit had to advance for such a small effort to even matter.

None of you were happy about having to leave behind half the platoon, but some consolation was had in that this was likely to be temporary. So long as you and Little Von Rotehof didn’t perish in the new fighting to come.
>>
At least the rendezvous at the battalion headquarters being moved up would let you send your mail straightaway- you had plenty of letters to have sped back home, as well as an odd exception within the country itself. Would a letter to your old comrade Hiedler find its way to him? You didn’t know much about the infrastructure of Mittelsosalia or how much things might have changed, but couriers always claimed substantial reliability. The ones to your fiancée and to your family (and Hilda) would be in good hands for certain.

Maddalyn would be receiving a portrait of you, as well. Von Rotehof was modest- he said the sketch wasn’t that special when he gave it to you, but you thought it was on par with better street artists, the only thing separating any of them from a lord’s collection merely being time investment and oil paint. Your fiancée would be pleased- even if you sent in the letter as well a mention of your dream-episode. A response to that might not be short in coming, if it was something she felt she couldn’t address anywhere but in person.

There was also, though the question of her personal projects- very carefully worded. Not much more than an insistence, that she could trust you. The shade of Viska in your dream claimed she did not trust you- the advice of a ghost of the past was a strange thing to take, but if it was from within your head the whole time…maybe she was right in that you were fooling yourself about this. Nevertheless, that would have to be resolved when you returned home.

Much like Hilda, if only to give her some support. Your mother’s comments about her were reassuring, at least. If she could indeed cook, then that would make any search for a husband much easier. By your reckoning. Vehrlors thought it was essential that a woman could cook, and Stevan did not. Differing perspectives from differing classes. Would you have preferred a woman who did her own cooking? Maybe. Yet a territorial lord’s daughter did not do her own cooking. Not unless, you thought, it was a personal hobby, a pursuance of an art, and Maddalyn’s interests were…decidedly elsewhere than that.

If Hilda needed buoyance, though, your fiancée did even more so. You managed to avoid any blatant threats of untoward lewd acts, thankfully, but did constantly wonder if you were piling it all on too thick at the end. Nonsense. She was your lovely wife, she had a peerless posterior, and you wanted badly to see her again after all of this.
>>
However long there was left of the campaign. Were the worst days behind you? The infamous Crown-Taker Stalker was still at large, and you were not even in Netilland yet. Would the war continue even there? Elder Von Rotehof believed so- he had endured the Vitelian Campaign with the Paellans, then the campaign against Kallec with the same allies, as had Elder Von Rotehof, and probably Van Halm, as well, though with the lastmost you were unsure of his seniority compared to the other two. Elder Von Rotehof had said that if this campaign was anything like that series of events, not only were you nowhere near done, but the worst was yet to come. Though, by his measure, the Revolutionaries in Vitelia rated well below the Netillians, and the Kalleans were not too far above the Netillians when factoring in materiel that the Netillians had to compare against Kallean ferocity.

Frankly, you just hoped that the Defense Party and the Netillian militarists gave up as soon as you crossed the border, and things didn’t turn out like the Elder Von Rotehof’s most dire predictions, where the only one of you that would be around by the end of this would be whoever was luckiest.

Because you certainly did not feel lucky any more.

All that had been yesterday, as reaching the company rendezvous was only the first part of reorganization. There was plenty of hurrying up merely to wait, but that did at least mean that you heard of plenty from the battalion, and those that had coalesced around it, which included Republic troops of a type you hadn’t seen in a long time- the (supposed) elite that formed the Republic Mechanized Regiment, though their heavy usage in the campaign had depleted them badly. Colonel Jagdmeister was apparently teaming up with the Republic commander (not Hiedler, apparently- perhaps he had advanced higher, or was elsewhere) to bring both units’ numbers back to a strength where they could participate in the coming operation in a direct role- the operation to encircle and besiege the Northern Sosaldtian city of Sundersschirm.
>>
The details of that operation were not being passed about, even though all knew it was the last substantial obstacle before approaching the Netillian border- you’d gone quite a distance since the start of all this, even if it was far from your longest trek. What was readily apparent was how much everybody had been battered up to this point. The Republic Mechanized Regiment could not properly be called such with what it had been reduced to. It had been a valuable unit, and fought in as many places as could be demanded of them, mostly against formations with superior armor and weapons, and paying the price for such- what remained were stony troopers crewing beaten vehicles (nearly all of which were not their original equipment) who spoke little with anybody, but least of all with the new recruits given to them as replacements, or new mercenaries hired on that very well could have formerly worked for the northerners (a nice deal had been offered, apparently, for anybody who wanted to turn their coat after the last battle, and many had taken up the offer). They all found more camaraderie with the Silver Lances than with one another. None had a good idea of how much of the regiment was left, but the impression was that even the depleted Reserve Battalion exceeded the Mechanized Regiment in number of personnel and amount of equipment.

Most were assigned their position. However, you had gained some notoriety in the battalion now, as Von Silbertau had apparently spread word of your exploits for him to others in higher command. Thus, you and Little Von Rotehof were given some flexibility and freedom in where you might be assigned…

>Forming another platoon with other Silver Lances was your best option and first choice. They might not be your true platoon, but other Strossvalders could be trusted well.
>Some platoons had to combine with Republic armor. Some still had to be requisitioned, but you had no problem with that. In a way, working with Republic troops was more your thing now anyways.
>The Mechanized Infantry had requested dedicated armor support- an easy task for a reduced armor platoon. Much was demanded of these troops, but relatively little of you, besides backing them up.
>Other? (Nothing too out there. Be realistic, you’re respected, not spoiler)

Anything else you're curious of can be included. You'll be here a little bit before you get kicked back into the fire.

Pastebin for past threads- https://pastebin.com/UagT0hnh
Twitter for announcements and shitposts is @scheissfunker

I'm going to be trying to do two updates a day at least. My work schedule has increased my hours, and even though it's only an hour more per day, that is less time still. I'll have to try and compensate by being faster, really.
>>
>>4926337
>The Mechanized Infantry had requested dedicated armor support- an easy task for a reduced armor platoon. Much was demanded of these troops, but relatively little of you, besides backing them up.
According to German armor doctrine this is basically the best thing you can do with an understrength armor platoon.

I can't believe Richter gets the lewd letter thing from his mother. Not that I would suspect his father, I just didn't think it came from anywhere in particular.
>>
>>4926337
>The Mechanized Infantry had requested dedicated armor support- an easy task for a reduced armor platoon. Much was demanded of these troops, but relatively little of you, besides backing them up.
>>
>>4926337
>>Forming another platoon with other Silver Lances was your best option and first choice. They might not be your true platoon, but other Strossvalders could be trusted well.
>>
>>4926337
>>Some platoons had to combine with Republic armor. Some still had to be requisitioned, but you had no problem with that. In a way, working with Republic troops was more your thing now anyways.
Sorry Republic tanks, you get to share the field with Sosaldt's most eligible tank destroyer target.

These new mercs might be interesting, we could bother them to see if they know anything about what the coming fights could look like, enemy strength and makeup, defensive positions and ambush points to look out for and the like. Might want to see if any have some blackflower to barter, some of our candied portions to trade for more of the rawer stuff. Quantity is all that's needed to keep away our special friend, hopefully.
>>
>>4926337
>The Mechanized Infantry had requested dedicated armor support- an easy task for a reduced armor platoon. Much was demanded of these troops, but relatively little of you, besides backing them up.

What an opportunity for networking!
>>
>>4926337
>The Mechanized Infantry had requested dedicated armor support- an easy task for a reduced armor platoon. Much was demanded of these troops, but relatively little of you, besides backing them up.

The legends of the Kommandant ring true amongst the Republic. At least until they can see how he shoots.
>>
>>4926337
>The Mechanized Infantry had requested dedicated armor support- an easy task for a reduced armor platoon. Much was demanded of these troops, but relatively little of you, besides backing them up.

Combined arms ftw, Richter definitely knows how useful it is from Ellowie
>>
>>4926337
>Some platoons had to combine with Republic armor. Some still had to be requisitioned, but you had no problem with that. In a way, working with Republic troops was more your thing now anyways.
>>
>>4926353
>>4926364
>>4926402
>>4926411
>>4926463
Cozy up with the truckers.

>>4926372
Familiar company.

>>4926379
>>4926467
Get in with the secondhand scrap.

Writing!

>>4926353
Mrs. Von Tracht-Blutenstein (Names are not often referred to in compound but they are often such legally in the case of nobility, especially when one family is superior in holdings) is not a particularly lewd woman. One might say instead that she is particularly so with a man whose idea of a response to a refused marriage proposal was to bend her over a bed (still in maidservant's dress) and have his way with her and then claim to the courts that it was a rape (it was not) to make prestige no matter of the course.

>>4926379
>Quantity is all that's needed to keep away our special friend, hopefully.
Quantity hasn't really been a problem in the past, from Richter's experience. The difference here was that he was crashing after running on pervitin. Not that speculative preventative measures are not an option.
>>
>>4926630
Mama Von Tract just knows what her man's wants.
Simple as.
>>
>>4926630
>Mrs. Von Tracht-Blutenstein (Names are not often referred to in compound but they are often such legally in the case of nobility, especially when one family is superior in holdings) is not a particularly lewd woman. One might say instead that she is particularly so with a man whose idea of a response to a refused marriage proposal was to bend her over a bed (still in maidservant's dress) and have his way with her and then claim to the courts that it was a rape (it was not) to make prestige no matter of the course.
I really can't believe he got it from his father then.
>>
>>4926630
So Papa Von Tracht has a criminal record for rape?
>>
the virgin richter: "Nooo please don't court martial me for desertion, *fingers fall off* I'll become a spook and I'll do whatever you want, just let me keep my reputation!"
The Chad Geroldt: "Yes my Lord, you may tell the courts I have raped a maid and I intend to continue raping until my demands are met."
>>
>>4927150
An absolute legend.
>>
-----
The South Assembly Railyard- only thirty kilometers north of the border of Sosaldt, this installation is the logistical heart of anything coming or going south, as well as east and west, but the railyard has found greatest significance with the operations to its south, as supplies and materiel and men went through it to the conflict down in Sosaldt, but more recently, as much was set to return through it…in rather short time.

It would be an important objective for any enemy to the south, but they were still relatively far. It had come under air attack by Ellowian aircraft, true enough, but attacks had not been concentrated enough to severely damage the railyard. About the only people vigilant around it were the (now numerous) anti-aircraft crews, who complained of how their air force was allowing the enemy aircraft of a nation that was supposed to be defeated fly about and bomb them.

None were vigilant of an off-schedule locomotive, a relatively small train, with but three freight cars behind it. Who was going to question it in these times? The administrations were hopelessly tangled all over. Perhaps a Kommissariat Officer needed something delivered quickly and permissions would be cleared retroactively, as they sometimes were.

Ignorant of this train too was an armored patrol car, railway wheels replacing its normal tires. The car had been one of a team newly assigned to head south and patrol the railways going into Sosaldt, to prevent potential disruption by enemy raiders. This one had broken down, but the patches to the damage were made, and it hurried to catch up to its brethren…only to break down once more in front of the northern gates of the South Assembly Railyard. Frustrated attempts to fix it again were finally given up, and another railcar was brought up to tow it in, where it would not obstruct the rails anymore. At the very least, no trains were scheduled to come soon, all thought as the car was towed inside just past the gates.

Then the unscheduled train began to approach at high speed- and it was not slowing down.

The armored car and its tow were both knocked away and wrecked, with the effect of derailing the rogue train, as well, and with a hideous wrenching of steel and screeching, mechanical parts flying all about, the train slid to a stop on its side, just within the station.

A minute passed, then two, and while inspectors surveyed the damage, and the concerning fact that nobody was coming from the derailed train, the train and all three of its freight cars disappeared in a flash of flame, a deafening crack and roar, a plume of smoke and debris that was thrown up as though a volcano had been birthed on the spot- a colossal explosion that turned the northern section of the railyard into little more than a smoking crater.
>>
Two kilometers distant, upon a small slope, a team of plainly clothed surveyors watched through spyglasses. Among them, a woman who was unusually tall made a click of her tongue and a growl through her teeth.

“Damn it all to hell,” she swore, “The train was supposed to reach further than that. There was not supposed to be any obstructions.” She flashed a glare at one of the other men.

“That car was late,” one of the men said defensively, “Extremely late. It might have been stuck even longer than it was late. We were just unlucky.”

“Look at the damage still,” another man pointed out, “The way north will be worthless for weeks, at least.”

“It isn’t enough,” the woman closed her spyglass again, “It had to blow up in the center to completely disable the railyard. They can send traffic west and east. There will be a disruption, but not nearly the one I hoped for. Damn it.”

“Orders, Major,” one of her men prompted. “They’ll be in plenty of shock. The TGS teams can attempt to place demolition charges to increase the damage.”

“No,” the woman shook her head and put on dark sunglasses, “Too risky. We’re done here. We’ll have our headquarters transmit this and then proceed with complete extraction. We’ve done all we can.”

The group, none in the land aware of just who and what they were, piled into a pair of automobiles and drove away in different directions.
-----
>>
Little Von Rotehof and you were the same rank, but you had more experience, and, what mattered, the actual prestige. He wasn’t fond of the idea that you were in command, per se (and depending on assignments you might not have been) but you did have all of the influence in regards to where you would be placed.

After review of your options, you chose to join up with an interesting prospect- one of the Mechanized Regiment’s infantry formations had requested armor support. A company, though it had been reduced to two platoons of forty eight after reorganization, with more sections as supporting elements. The Mechanized Regiment was no equivalent of a Netillian formation of the same name, though- it was a eclectic mix of infantry mounted upon trucks and various armored vehicles much like the Battalion you had organized when you were the Kommandant, and the demi-company you volunteered to work alongside was such mounted infantry very similar to the Silver Lances panzergrenadier, though near certainly less well equipped, despite having preferential materiel allocation in their role as the Republic’s premier units.

What was most different about them at a glance was not armament or uniform, but that they possessed steel helmets painted in splotches of light and dark brown, with shapes near assuredly adopted from mining helmets (Sosaldt, rich in natural resources, had no shortage of mines) with wide front brims, where most Republic troops had field caps or the wide brimmed campaign hats rather than helmets. Many of them recognizably carried Netillian weapons, though the valuable munitions caster was unfortunately not to be found, not for lack of favor but for lack of its distinctive ammunition to use after their acquisition.

Among their equipment had been whatever towed guns could be provided, both in the form of anti-tank guns and light artillery, but most of those had been lost or replaced in fighting, and ammunition stocks for them all had run low. Their need for armored support was clear- the Republic’s war industry was inexperienced with providing everything needed, and if this unit was to have a role in making an offensive push, they would need more than they had left. The particular demi-company you were placed into had a few mortars as support, and an appropriated trio of 2.5 centimeter anti-tank guns, wholly inadequate against the frontal armor of more common Netillian tanks, though they were extremely portable, had a low silhouette, and could be readily underestimated. What they sorely lacked the most was heavy direct-fire support, something you and Stevan’s m/32s would have to provide, as well as presumably actual anti-tank capability.
>>
“You know,” Little Von Rotehof said skeptically as you both surveyed the demi-company from a respectful distance, “I think those are the dirtiest panzergrenadier I’ve ever seen.” A queer statement considering both of you were caked enough in dust and grime to be as reddish-brown with Sosaldtian dust as they were, though today had started out with a sprinkling of snow. “I hope we inspire confidence, because they don’t of me.”
They were a nostalgic sight. Evolutions of the men you had led both outside and into Todesfelsen. How many of them were people who might be seeing you once more, you wondered?

The night came with the waiting, and water was brought forward for cleaning both men and vehicles. A short time after the sun rose on the next day, no longer was anybody the dirtiest anything in this camp, but you noticed plenty of dour looks that no water or soap was able to wash away, snowflakes floating through the air, sparkling in the light of dawn, and melting into the ground as they landed in the dust. Von Rotehof commented on the beauty of it, but few seemed to be appreciative of the scene.

In that morning, assignments finally went through, as did orders. Everybody was to be acquainted with one another and moving by noon at the absolute latest as the last reinforcement came around, and combat was to begin anew by that night if not sooner in the new operations to secure positions around the city-state of Sundersschirm, including villages, a few townships, and most importantly, a pair of airfields and roads that might threaten to keep a meager supply stream into the city. Far too little to sustain a population, but the Netillian aircraft remaining there also impeded close air support.

You learned your demi-company was assigned to capture one of the townships on the perimeter of the city, and secure it in order to provide a potential supply base to an artillery position able to shell the city’s defenders. Not as vital an operation as capturing the airfield, but it did have a dirt road that went to the airfield, and thus was a potential route of supply to said airfield as well, even if the assault upon it was supposed to take place simultaneously to your own maneuvers.

An odd old man happened upon you as you reviewed your orders, leaning against your tank. He had the look of a mountain man, though not the hair- unless green turned grey the same as any other hair.

“Excuse me, young man,” he said to you in an apologetic tone, “I am looking for my granddaughter, and…” he paused as he squinted at your mask, “The Republic men told me to ask one of you. Can you help me? She is thirteen years old, and has long blonde hair, her name is Patrizia…”
>>
Your crew gathered about hearing about this, and you looked to them all. They shrugged. “I am sorry,” you said to the old man, “We haven’t seen anybody like that.” Vagrants and strays were not uncommon both in places on the front, and all over behind it, mixes of aspiring camp followers, scrapper and looters, and refugees alike. You’d seen a few, but the flow had slowed recently as the movement of units had stagnated.

“Can you help me find her?” The elder man pressed.

“No,” Schafer said for you in a gruff response, “We aren’t constables. Find them, or volunteers. We’re heading to the front line in a few hours. We don’t have time to help you.”

“But-“

“Our superiors are that way,” Schafer pointed into the Battalion HQ’s tents, “look there.” The old man was happy to follow the route of foisted responsibility, and left you all alone.

“Poor fellow,” Hausen said, “This isn’t a good territory for a lost child.”

“Sahleng es dey don’ trae to rob us,” Jorgen said snarkily, taking a hatchet from his coat and twirling it once in his hand. Hausen and Schafer both gave him a confused glance.

Another visitor had ambled up as the distraction of the old man passed, though.

“This fuckin’ thing,” a low drawl said from around the tank, as a man in a Republic uniform paced around it. He paced around your m/32, his eyes on it the whole time, paying no attention to you or your crew. “Never thought I’d see this thing again.”

“Hello?” you addressed the man, who only looked at you once addressed. “Who are you?”

“You’re the Kommandant, huh,” the man said, though he had less reverence. A scar lay right above his right eye and went to the side of his head- he had black hair and amber eyes, and he seemed only somewhat older than you, but more notably, the cap on his head was a familiar pattern of black with white trim, with a silver skull set in its center. “…Huh. Not really ready for this, honestly. You don’t happen to remember me from anywhere, do you? I'm the leader of the demi-company, but, before that.”

…No. You didn’t. But there was one trait you could discern in particular…

>A glint in the eye and a sharpness of his squint. A marksman, surely.
>A smell of grease and kerosene. A familiar wrinkling in his clothes, and a jumpsuit under his uniform jacket. A tanker, perhaps?
>Other?
>>
>>4927343
>A smell of grease and kerosene. A familiar wrinkling in his clothes, and a jumpsuit under his uniform jacket. A tanker, perhaps?
>>
>>4927343
>>A glint in the eye and a sharpness of his squint. A marksman, surely.
Glad to meet you Drachen 2, hope we didn't give you that scar.
>"Sahleng es dey don’ trae to rob us,"
Brutal.
>>
>>4927343
Are we choosing who he was before this?
>A glint in the eye and a sharpness of his squint. A marksman, surely.

My guesses being he was either the sniper who actually shot us before Maddy magicked away the damage or the Deaths Head officer we captured at the stronghold and 'convinced' with a possible commission/pardon to tell us about Todesfelsen.
>>
>>4927343
>>A smell of grease and kerosene. A familiar wrinkling in his clothes, and a jumpsuit under his uniform jacket. A tanker, perhaps?
>>
>>4927343
>A smell of grease and kerosene. A familiar wrinkling in his clothes, and a jumpsuit under his uniform jacket. A tanker, perhaps?

Also nice to see that girl's family made it
>>
>>4927781
Did I miss a reference here?
>>
>>4927783
The girl that Anya stumbled across last thread, that's her grandfather.
>>
Didn't have the moment to answer this earlier-
>>4927036
>So Papa Von Tracht has a criminal record for rape?
As far as reputation may go? Yes. As far as actual legal definition goes? Well, the exact charge he plead for was not rape (punishment for a rapist being to marry his victim would be quite strange), but for Coerced Sexual Congress, which has the small difference of being a crime of honor and thus something to be repaid with future commitment rather than, say, prison time. It isn't something that comes up often in its own right- more frequently as something to wave away a more severe sentence.
It's easier for the rumormongers to say rape, though, as many don't particularly care about the difference in means of coercion.

>>4927346
>>4927778
>>4927781
This guy looks greasy and he dresses like a slob.

>>4927396
>>4927694
Hey, did you shoot me?

Writing. Later today than desired, but I felt pretty groggy most of the day.
>>
“I recognize your uniform pieces.” Republic troops often kept keepsakes or markers identifying their origins. It had not even been a year since the Republic’s founding, after all. “The Death Heads. You’re also…” you looked up and down the man. There were familiar wrinkles and wear in his clothes, a single piece boiler suit beneath his uniform jacket, stains of oil, the faint scent of kerosene and lubricant, and ones distinct from those sticking to you. “Are you a tanker, maybe?”

“Yeah. Yeah…” the man sighed, and leaned on your tank sideways. “You probably don’t remember me, hell, I hardly remember you, if it weren’t for all the talk and all.”

“I hope I didn’t give you that scar,” you said apologetically, even though any fight between the two of you was long over.

“Don’t worry about it,” the man said with a shrug, “The story got me laid once, and now it’s only the first time I’ve been knocked out of a tank. As long as you aren’t going to shoot me I don’t really care.”

“Eykommandaer,” Jorgen snickered, “Gimme aecaeht.”

“No.” You said immediately, practically expecting that comment. “Where, though..? The dust storm?”

“Nah, nah, I was in Trench Face’s toon. In Lark.”

“Who?” You wrinkled your nose.

“You know. Blonde shrew with a nasty face and a worse attitude.”

“Oh.” Trench Face was a nasty name for her. “You mean Anya. You were there?”

“Mmyeah. When Cranick went down, Man, if only…” he thought about adding on to that, but he squinted at you and decided you didn’t want a story, “Anyhow. Trench Face-“

“Anya.”

“Whatever. She wants to get out for a bit while the city’s sure to go to hell and come back when everybody’s figured out what’s what. Me, I just wanted to see her sister. Mmm. She’s got everything her older sis don’t. No attitude, a nice face, and big round milk jugs. Instead of seein’ her, you and your boys roll up and blow us away. Maybe we had it easy. Heard shit went so south that it went into the Maelstrom and beyond. Didn’t see Todesfelsen again for a few weeks after, and by then, my girlfriend left me.” He sighed, “You got somethin’ with One-Day? Only person I see stick up for her were Cranick, her sis, and herself.”
>>
“One-Day?” You prompted. That name required an explanation.

“Oh. Well, see, I mean…well, better than Trench Face, yeah? So. I dated her once.”

What?” You couldn’t even imagine it.

“Jeez, calm down,” the man said defensively, “It was only for a day, and I got ditched like everybody else. That’s why they called her One-Day. You go for her thinkin’ ugly girls are easy, she makes you pay for food then leaves. Never so much as held anybody’s hand. Got plenty of guys that way, and any of ‘em who tried to sneak in a touch got a trip to the clinic for it. It was a game, sometimes. Get a new guy in, have ‘em take on One-Day, and laugh at him when he gets back. Was fun until somebody told her what was going on. What’s the deal, though? I didn’t think you knew each other.”

She didn’t like any of them? How picky. Then again, the phrasing of, ugly girls are easy, was probably indicated something she was well aware of, and didn’t like at all. That, and from what you remembered, she hadn’t particularly wanted to be where you’d found her…there was a readiness to simply leave, even if there was a lingering sense of responsibility for her command, such as it was then.

“Anya Nowicki is my…Retinue,” you said, for some reason, but he seemed to understand what that actually was, so you didn’t hang on it. “Anyways. We have other business.”

“Oh, Judge Above drop me right into Hell,” the man slapped his head with the back of his hand, straightened, and saluted slowly but steady. “I’ve been rambling. Corporal Barret Planckner, Kalderhaus Grenzwacht. Lieutenant, acting commander of the 2nd Mechanized Company.”

He had a name and rank from before- perhaps he didn’t go by an alias anymore. Further, though, there was an indication that he was a deserter. How were you supposed to react to that? Were you supposed to?

You chose not to, not right away, at least, as you returned the salute. “Lieutenant Richter Von Tracht. Second Platoon, Fourth Company, of the Reserve Panzer Battalion of the Silver Lances.” Only your present title would do right now- after all, this man had your assistance, not the other way around, and he seemed like he wouldn’t be as impressed by your prior record here. At least, not the way that would be beneficial.
>>
“Right. So, the men are already prepared to move. We came in the way we are now, but the problem’s going to be, even though we have our maps and our objective, we don’t have much intelligence about the area. We’ll have more time to go over it later once we’re actually at the place, but, we’ll definitely need to scout the objective out before tomorrow, then we can even think of making a go at it.” He rolled his head around and cracked his neck. “Ah, not that that’s much you have to care about. Once we know what’s there, it’ll be easy to tell you what to shoot. You can take on those Netillian tanks, right?”

Not all of them, necessarily. The majority were inferior to the m/32B, even if the NfK-7t performed comparatively to the baseline m/32 in regards to weapons and protection. “My own vehicle and that of my second,” you gestured over some way to Von Rotehof’s tank, “are capable of engaging most Netillian materiel we’ve encountered.” With some notable exceptions, however, “We can handle anything that you would expect armor to.”

“Not ours,” Planckner said lowly, “This shouldn’t be too hard anyways, long as we don’t just plow in like a shagherd in a porcelain shop. Sundersschirm and the Twice Damned have had plenty a’ time to get ready, and even though they didn’t mine things up before ‘cause of the traffic, they might have now. Your guys want to hurry, I hear, but we don’t have something that’s that important anyways. We’re waiting until tomorrow so that the sheepdogs’ planes can get coordinated and set up for a big strike. I sure as hell don’t want to be doing this when the Nets can sling their own planes at us. I had enough of that shit back in the Cauldron.”

You’d thankfully avoided serious grief from above that had managed to make too terrible of strikes, and you couldn’t say you wanted even that repeated if you could help it.

“So I came here to see who I was working with. Either me or one of my toon bosses’ll be saying what needs to be done. We’re lucky enough to have the means to talk to you. Radios, you know. You people aren’t driving around shit box guntracks, to say the least, so if you want to ask me anything that you haven’t been told already, go ahead, though,” He rolled slightly to the side and leaned on his back on your tank, “Don’t ask me inventory shit, I’m not the quartermaster. We’ve got bullets and bread, gas and guns. Enough for what we’re being told to do, and I’ll say right off we’re the best in brown on the front. So. Yeah.”

>Ask about anything from Planckner?
>Do anything else at camp before you head off north? (You don’t need to be reminded to eat or care for your hygiene)
>>
>>4929252
I cant remember if Strossvald had smoke shells, but if they do, maybe see if we can scrounge some up.

Also while they might not have maps of the area handy, see if our command does and try to familiarize ourselves with the town layout.

When the fuck was this new catchpa added
>>
>>4929252
>Ask about anything from Planckner?
How is the morale and cohesiveness of the Republic troops holding up as a unified national army? He mentioned they don't feel the same pressure we do to advance quickly, but is that because not all of the troops agree with the importance of the conflict? Will they continue fighting for the Republic all the way into Nettiland?
>>
>>4929445
>>4929261
I'll support these, it's important to know how far they're willing to go, and Judge Above I wish Strossvald took to smoke beyond candles at this point.
>>
>>4929445
+1
Also ask a question about their fighting style and engagement strategies.
>>
>>4929445
Supporting
>>
>>4929252
>Ask about anything from Planckner?
Ask if he knows or could speak about the Von Kalderhauses possible involvement in the current conflict. We've heard their name from some vagabonds, did his time with them give him any indication they may be giving us any support? Also ask if he has had to fight any of the crack Netillian infantry. If we come up on any of those guys its going to be a real pain and they shouldn't be underestimated at all.
>>
Back from work. Today was real busy.

>>4929261
>>4929560
Map and cigars.

>>4929445
>>4929560
>>4929610
>>4929704
Ask about this army- their resolve, their drive. How they fight and why.

>>4929787
Ask about Kalderhaus, and how they might be involved. Also his take on the enemy.

Writing.
>>
I cut my writing time too close, and posting everything will take more time than I've left. So an update won't come til late. Sorry guys.

On a side note though, it took a while since I've already been running into writer's block. It might help if I write an aside. Not a long one, or an extended side perspective, but a different view. If there's anything you'd like to see, go ahead and say.
As well as drawings, of course.
>>
>>4931400
Its all good boss. Noone would hold it against you if you needed to take the summer off to reset.
>>
>>4931400
I think it might be nice to see what our weapon development is like, there's certainly been a lot of feedback, and it must have been sent back.

Might be a cool interlude
>>
>>4931400
>It might help if I write an aside. Not a long one, or an extended side perspective, but a different view.
Aw sweet, Flottepanzer Quest is coming.
>>
>>4931488
This, I want to see what new toys the Army is coming up with
>>
>>4931400
I think it would be a nice change of pace to see a naval cannon that's actually attached to a naval craft. Round out the represented service branches with the navy or coastguard. Or Space Force
>>
There was something you wanted to know from experienced (relatively) Republic leadership- it hadn’t been a concern yet, but it was apparent that the Army of the Republic of Mittelsosalia was not a match by itself for other armies, not yet. Most of the front, you knew, was actually being fought by the Ellowian Army, but the Silver Lances had been divided between the Republics’ shares. The exact amount of Mittelsosalian troops was unclear- you couldn’t have presumed there were that many of them. Wild as it had been, Sosaldt had not been known for a dense population save in various city states, and even those tended to be smaller than cities elsewhere, from what you’d heard, and that was without going into materiel woes.

“How do you feel about the Army of the Republic? Of Mittelsosalia,” you started. It was descended from your command as Kommandant- it wasn’t an inquiry motivated solely by the present situation. “Do you feel, I suppose, unified? Does this war feel important enough for what all of you have to do? When we get to Netilland, would you still want to be fighting?”

“…Ah, that’s a long one, and not what I was expecting…you want me to ramble, huh?” Planckner drew a deep breath, “Hoo. Well. I mean,” He gestured to the remains of his Death Heads garb on him, “Everybody remembers how things were before, what we were doing and did. Thing is…things’re better. A lot of the training of new people into what’d be the army that Mittelsosalia has now? Securing all the land in it. Making sure everybody answers to the Minister of the People and the Assemblies. Before, it was…well, y’know how it was. Now there’s Republic Army outposts all over, but they’re mostly the old militias, working together instead of against each other. It’s not perfect, but things are a lot quieter, a whole lot safer, and there’s safe enough travel for there to be people from other countries comin’ through. I don’t know what Wossehn’s been feeding the Assemblies and the Ministers, besides himself, he’s the Minister of Economy, but nobody has to be in some sort of gang or inn to make cash anymore. Everybody’s richer, overnight. Not that the sheepdogs’ve been helping with that, they came in and we had to tighten our belts again, but…” Plackner shook his head, “They owe us, big time. Point is, things didn’t go to shit. So everybody’s sure this will go good. Won’t it? So many of the Northern Lords got their pants beat off them. They have to join up with the Republic one way or another. Then they’ll see how it’s better. I don’t even care that the Assemblies aren’t full since we haven’t had a proper election yet. As long as the Ministers still have the say-so, things should keep going fine.”

That didn’t sound like a democracy, a republic, to you, but the times were extreme.
>>
“Maybe we didn’t feel so sure about how important this was starting out, but the Minister of the Army…a guy from across the ocean east, he led some rebellion of a part of Caelus against the rest of the Federation and fled here after he lost. He talked about how Mittelsosalia had to prove that it could fight in order to stand as an equal. If we can’t show we can fight, we’ll just have everything taken away from us. See, I was just doing the only job I knew after losing my girl and thinking I got another only to see I got a One Night to go with my One Day record, but I gave a shit after. If we fuck this up, we’re messing things up for everybody after, you know. And everything that’s before. Dunno if everybody thinks the same way, but I think a lot of people do. This is so everything can be better, not so somebody else can get their country back.”

“Maybe more hope th’n you ought’a have,” Schafer said gruffly, from the turret where you didn’t think he was listening. He still didn’t seem to be.

“They’re what a lot of people got.”

Schafer made a dismissive grunt.

“Anyways. I know we look tired and beat. It’s not ‘cause we don’t want to fight anymore. I mean, it is, but…we want to win.” Planckner seemed rather proud of that last presumption. Maybe he believed that his victories thus far, brutal as they were, meant that such a win surely awaited at the end of it all, as a just destiny.

“So you see yourself stopping at the Netillian border?” you asked.

Planckner blinked at you. “If we don’t beat the Netillians bad enough, they’ll just come right back.”

“Yes. Yes they will.” A fair point that gave you a strange amount of dread. “You mentioned the Ministers of Economy and the Army, what about the Minister of the People?”

“Cyclops? I used to think she was just some power hungry warlord hiding what she wanted. Guys get retarded because they want to stick their dicks in girls, they don’t end up thinking about how they can be just as cold and greedy as any man, worse sometimes. She’d be far from the only woman who’s grabbed power around these parts. Then she dove into that last big battle, and I hear we ended up winning because she used herself as bait. Got wounded too, but she’s recovering.”

That small sequence of words made your blood pool in your feet before trying to fuzz out through your head. A steadying hand went to the tank. “…So she’s alright?”
>>
“They kept the news low for a while. I get it. If the Minister of the People got killed, well, things would be a real mess right now. Maybe it was a little reckless of her, but it convinced me she believes in this. In us.” He tapped his cap, “I wear this because I like it, but I dunno how much I like of it anymore besides how it looks.”

Reckless, brave Signy. The distractions of the front had kept you from knowing what might have happened to her, besides an assumption, a self-assurance, that she’d be alright, perhaps only to keep yourself from fretting. Yet, if she had been wounded, then she had come altogether too close to death…

“Allow me a moment,” you said. You had turned your back as Planckner had been talking, and then leaned forward onto the tank, resting your head on its hull.



“Sorry,” you said as you pushed yourself back up, “I felt lightheaded. Maybe I need water.”

“Keep hydrated even when it’s cold,” Schafer said unnecessarily. “Especially in front of the people you’re supposed t’ inspire.”

Yes, yes, you thought, you weren’t the most impressive figure right now. If you had your mask and prosthetic taken away, and your uniform, maybe you’d look rather pathetic, but for now, you were a Silver Lance. “You mentioned that you fought the Netillian Elite?” You got back on track, “I want to know how you managed.”

“Well. We didn’t,” Planckner said readily, an admission with no shame, “Frankly we got our asses kicked up and down the hills, but they couldn’t rout us, and they couldn’t destroy us. We outlasted them. They didn’t know the ground as well as we did, and they liked to overcompensate with their firepower. Once we figured out they blew off a lot of steam at once, we’d only fight them a little at a time. It was rough, but when they started losing energy, we’d hit them back. That tended to work good…on the defense. When we had to attack them, they pulled out every trick they had. They underestimated us when they had us on the back foot, but they used our tactics against us just as well, and they could do them even better ‘cause they’ve got all sorts of fancy toys. Their elites adapt quick. It’s hard for them to straight up lose more than once. I’d be happy never fightin’ them again, honestly. They’re constantly moving, and they’re hard to pin down. The only thing I can say works well is if you can trick them well enough that you’re making a big attack that you make them move because you want them to, not because they’re bobbing and weaving around you like a boxer.”

That sounded about right- your experience with them had them being so squirrely that you practically felt forced to set half the field aflame to deprive them of their maneuvers.
>>
“Thankfully, we shouldn’t have to fight them anymore,” Plancker said with a sigh of relief. An assumption you didn’t so readily share- you were ready for them to appear again, however inexplicably. “They were the first people who got the hell out when the Netillians started sprinting north again. Their normal guys are pretty tough too, but they’re not as clean and coordinated. You can catch them. They don’t learn as quick, they’re not so fast to see you’ve got a weakness so that you have to keep changing up what you’re doing. They die when they’re shot. I’ve heard plenty about the Twice Damned being tough too, but there’s no way they’re stronger than those guys in the dish helmets and armor and fast firing rifles.” Netillian Mechanized guards- they had newer helmets, newer uniforms with camouflage, many advantages. “They’re probably just on the level of those normal Nets. Which is to say, when we hit them hard, they’ll swing back real damn hard, but we’ll have time to react and prepare. Maybe even hit them where they aren’t ready. They like to throw everything into a critical point as hard as they can, the Nets. If they can. That was most of the Mechanized Regiment’s battles. Having to hit those critical points head on. It wasn’t so long ago that we didn’t have any tanks left at all.”

“You’ve been through quite a lot,” you felt the need to say. Yes, he’d said as much, but how much Plancker had been through had been abstract until he detailed how the enemy moved, how they attacked.

Planckner smiled weakly. “Like I said. We’re the toughest around in brown.” It was believable. Even if they were likely still second to Silver Lance Panzergrenadier.

“I’ve yet to see contention.” You said, “You said you were of Von Kalderhaus’s territories? Do you know if they’re involved with this?”

Planckner’s smile vanished. “I dunno, Lieutenant. I dipped out…about two years ago or so. I don’t know what they might be doing, just that we’re pretty far from the Cauldron for them to care. Why would you think they have something to do with this?”

“I heard tell of their name’s involvement from some vagabonds.” Really, it was a mote of curiosity concerning one of its scions- one you’d recently met, as a completely different person from the one you were now. Territorial Lords were forbidden from sending out support from their local concerns or Archducal obligations- only the Silver Lances, technically swords for hire, officially ventured out. For the Von Kalderhauses to directly intervene would be seen as being as much as Strossvald directly intervening as a nation, unless such actions were rebuked harshly by the Archduke and the Capital.
>>
“That’d make no damn sense at all,” Planckner shook his head, “Sounds like bullshit, honestly. They’re good folks, for high nobles. Knew one called Vars that was about as good as I’ve seen, both in a fight and in how he acted.”

…Was that so? What might have changed, you wondered, but not too much. Planckner probably couldn’t tell you much, and inquiring about Vars Von Kalderhaus for seemingly no reason went a little beyond idle chatter. “That’s about all I had to ask,” you said, “Was there anything else you wanted from us?”

“Nah. Besides, to be ready to go when it’s time, but I don’t think that’s needed, huh?”

With that, Planckner and you exchanged salutes again, and he let you be. There were a few more things you tried to do in camp- hoping against hope, you searched for smoke munitions that might be shot from your cannon. A lack of memory indicated it was a possibility, yes? Alas, no. Mortars had smoke, artillery fired smoke, even some new eight centimeter howitzer armed vehicles, but your own direct fire cannon lacked such a munition (to be quite fair, your own gun was so unique it shared ammunition with the anti-tank cannons, not other tanks). The people asked even gave you a strange look- though you insisted that a direct fire smoke munition would be very useful, no? Maybe you just wanted a munitions caster, really. You remembered the Netillian armored cars from when you played the part of Sleepwalker- it had multiple direct fire smoke tubes. If only you could scrounge up enough munitions casters…or perhaps run it by enough people. You certainly brought up a vague “hearing of it” enough.

Area maps were readily available, but they lacked much of the smaller details you hoped for. Things you hoped would be filled out by Planckner’s planned reconnaissance mission. It was better than nothing, of course, but the reconstructions of high altitude aerial photographs only suggested so much when it came to fighting in those blurry shapes in close quarters.

It came time to leave, and with little ceremony, the entire camp uprooted itself in a cloud of frosty dust and went off in all different directions- it was awful, initially, but the kickup became tolerable once the groups divided up more. Clouds both on your level and above hid any planes- but you heard them droning nevertheless. At least you could count on a swarm of friendly ones the next day…
>>
As the sky darkened and camp was made again, much closer to the front lines, where the sounds of meager battle were audible, and sentries advised to be much more alert- and numerous. You and Von Rotehof made your camp in the midst of the demi-company you were to support, burrows dug under the tanks and lean-tos of oilcloth and poles made against the tanks as makeshift tents. They might keep out most of the snow falling, as the ground grew cold enough to not melt them upon touchdown. As you took out a piece of blackflower confection (Kissing Candy, as it was called), Hausen took notice.

“Been meaning to ask,” he said, “Lieutenant, why’ve you got Discounts up your sleeve? Where’d you get them? Pretty hard to use them here, especially if you’re only set to use ‘em on your wife.”

“Er,” you didn’t put away the Blackflower. “It helps me relax.” They did have a mild relaxing effect, of course, but the truth was rather…complicated.

“Cigarettes are a lot cheaper. Or liquor.” He was far from incorrect. Blackflower was a regulated substance, but also, one difficult to properly prevent from being made. Blackflower defied attempts to cultivate it or grow it domestically- it only sprouted in seemingly random places, not even necessarily in the wild, and that made it both hard to find and thus expensive, but also remarkably easy to discover by mere chance.
“I don’t smoke, and I don’t want to become an alcoholic. Blackflower does not have a debilitating effect upon health or mind.”

Hausen sensed a secret, and narrowed his eyes. “You know why they’re called discounts, yeah? Go to a lady of the night with a controlled dose, so they know it won’t just put them to sleep, and they’ll see a real good time. They’ll do it for free, even. Those are expensive enough that it’s not worth using on some street trollop, though.”

“I will tragically be unable to utilize this information,” you said dully.

“We can share these things with one another, you know.”

“I know,” you said, “It’s not anything you might think, it’s…very strange. I have bad dreams without it. It’s nothing…sexy.”

“Save one for your sweetheart. She’ll thank you.”

“Hmm.”

“Anyways. You didn’t say back then. You like the grass long or cut?”

“What?”

“Down below, on girls.”

“…” you delayed on that as you put away the bag of candies and rolled over. You’d thought to negotiate for blackflower of a cheaper sort, but more of it, but that seemed unlikely, with no apparent uses.

>Tell your other crewmen a more detailed truth of your Blackflower habit?
Also-
>Your gardening preferences. “I’m not answering that” or the like is acceptable.
>>
>>4931791
>Nope, bad dreams and that's that.
>The best grass is the one growing on a woman you love.
>>
>>4931791
>Nope.Without it I get nightmares, with it I don't
>Cut
>>
>>4931791
>Tell them about the demiphantom.
>Shaven
>>
>>4931791
>Tell him a ghost story about the Demiphantom and use that as you explanation.
>Bush
>>
>>4931791
First
>A more detailed truth but not necessarily the whole truth. A wizard did it
Second, a compromise
>"A garden without greenery is no garden at all, yes? However, how might one tend said garden without the necessity of some orderly path cleared about the place?"
>>
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1.72 MB PNG
>>4931791
>Keep it vague, bad sleep and such.
>Bush
>>
>>4931791
>Nightmares. Voices in the dark, Phantoms from the deep. Poltergiests and spirits.
>Shaven
>>
>>4931791
>Keep it vague, bad sleep and such.
>Trimmed
>>
>>4931791
>It helps keep a dreamless sleep, devoid of dead men and monsters.
>Stick me in a turret and call me a Bushmaster.
>>
>>4932313
Seconding
>>
Rolled 1 (1d3)

>>4931824
>>4931827
>>4932197
>>4932266
>>4932313
>>4932381
>>4932375
Be vague. The whole truth is unnecessary as it is troublesome.

>>4931842
>>4931880
>>4931973
Rumors of sorcery.

The other...was more contentious than I would have thought.

>>4931824
The estate matters more than the foliage.

>>4931827
>>4931842
>>4932266
A pebble from the bottom of a stream.

>>4931880
>>4932197
>>4932375
As wooly as a sheep.

>>4931973
>>4932313
>>4932381
Cut into shape as a hedge in a garden.

We can knit these together. Sort of. Though for fun, we'll see what a roll gives from the first through last trio for a slight inclination whether realized or not. Though the slight inclinations will always be chaos as they sway with the vote.

Writing.

>>4931488
Weapons development at home.

>>4931651
Soggy men in the water.

>>4931485
>if you needed to take the summer off to reset.
I'd prefer not to take quite that long a period unless it's to set up another side quest. Which I'm intending to do once you actually go back home and marry your fiancee. Or perhaps, if.
>>
“…” You had to think about it, for some reason. Maddalyn was…smooth down there, whenever you’d spent time with her thighs on your shoulders. It was how she was, and you liked it, but would you mind different? You had heard tell of the “fiery flower” that was the gift of red haired women, and the thought of what was atop her head sprouting between her legs wasn’t unpleasant at all. Though, if you had to pick one…you couldn’t. What mattered was her, not the length of hair.
“I’d say that the best grass grows on the woman you love.”

“Cop out,” Hausen said dully, “Boring. Pick one.”

“I can’t,” you said back, equally flat, “She’d look good with anything.”

“You do know how she keeps herself, right?”

“Yes.”

“And?”

“I’m not saying.”

“Bald is better,” Hausen stated when you didn’t budge, “Everything’s in proper view, and it means you don’t get hair stuck in your teeth. You do go down, yeah?”

“That is a private matter.”

“C’mon, Lieutenant. We’re both men, we’re out in the middle of an icy dust bin getting blown up and shot. I’m not asking you to map her out. I can give you some advice.”

“I don’t need advice,” you said roughly. “She knows best and I do what I tell her.” Yet you couldn’t help but be intrigued- after all, the depth of your wisdom on the matter was nothing to boast about.

“That’s good. Communication is good. But you want to surprise her sometimes, right? If you just do what she says, she’ll just tell you how she does things when her hands are below the sheets, which she sounds like she does plenty of, if she knows well enough to tell. Look over here.” Hausen made a lewd shape with his hands in the dim red electric lamplight, “You know all the bits here, yeah?”

“I can’t believe this conversation is continuing.”

“I’m helping you out, Lieutenant. You’re helping out your sweetheart. Bite the bullet, and let’s talk pussy. Now, it might not hit you naturally, but if you move things like this, like this…”
>>
You didn’t come out of this lecture with appreciation for the uninvited enlightenment, but…well, you’d find out when you got back home. If you didn’t forget this, which you were hoping you’d do until your radioman handed you a little sucker.

“Practice makes perfect. This is bigger than what’s being worked with, but the important thing is to get the tongue movement down.”

“No thank you,” you evaded in a masterful fashion, “I already have candy. It’s for sleep. Truly.” It was, even if the deeper truth was more uncomfortable. “My dreams conjure up dark things. I’d rather not see them, and blackflower keeps my sleep peaceful and devoid of dead men and monsters.”

“They’ll bother you less if you talk about them outside your dreams, you know.”

“I understand,” you said, “But maybe later.” You put a candy in your mouth. “For now, I’ll have my quiet dark.”

-----

In Strosstadt, a quiet meeting took place in the office of the Minister of Defense of the Archduchy, Keidel Von Stropfe. Though to be true, it was less a meeting and more an audience to him reviewing and signing pages, which rested in a great stack in an attendant’s hands.

“These evaluations and proposals are to be viewed and approved by the Archduke himself, my lord Von Stropfe…” the attendant said nervously, “Should he not be…well. Convinced to cease socializing with that young woman with him?”

“They are for the Archduke to pass his judgment upon,” Von Stropfe agreed tiredly, “But Siegfried has decided to place such duties upon myself instead whilst he entertains the Von Blum.” A young woman barely over eighteen years of age. He hoped he would not do anything foolish. “I am well apprised of these proposals. We will go through them nevertheless. At the very least, that will make these decisions quick.”
>>
Firstly, were matters of the infantry. For some time, it was known that the Grossreich of Czeiss equipped their troops with automatic loading rifles, in numbers to replace their old weapons near entirely in many units. Candidates for a similar replacement had been laid out- Von Stropfe denied them nevertheless. The territories could arm their elite how they wished, but replacement of all infantry rifles would be a massive project, with partial measures sure to show little for the logistical complication. Obligating all the territories to rearm according to Capital standards, for such an expense as this, would not go well at all. The Von Muse machine gun was serviceable- the only proposal was to issue alternative parts to improve its durability, as had been seeing some success abroad. Similarly, an increase in production of the Von Muse submachineguns, to start replacing the rather old models still in service. The new guns were not more powerful, but they were far less archaically designed than the Old Messer and more reliable than the Esterfabrik knockoffs somehow still in armories. Less exciting minutiae such as communications equipment were approved- the Battle Line was made far stronger by improvements to its rear line structure and nerve system than by individual weapons, even if their expense was significant.

Interesting weapons had been encountered in Sosaldt by the Silver Lances, and examples had been sent back with advise to reverse engineer them, both devices called Munitions Casters, and another bizarre electronic device retrieved under dubious circumstances. Such things were still quite secret projects- Von Stropfe nevertheless used the Archduke’s approval in absentia to look deeper into them. Especially the odd device- there were flaws in the Archduchy’s armed forces that might necessitate an advantage like it might give, even if the Munitions Casters might be more cheaply imitated through proliferation of simpler light mortars, though maybe improved through study of the Netillian device.

Artillery was still sufficient. As the backbone of the Battle Line, an effort had been made years back to utilize various methods to give the Archduchy’s howitzers a range advantage, even if slight, over the most common enemies. A new proposal to further extend range using larger and longer bores with incrementally sized projectiles (differences of rather few millimeters made quite a difference) were thus not signed off upon. There was already argument between theorists and the troops who had to handle the guns that they ill needed the guns to be even larger, and potentially difficult to handle, without suitable expansive mechanization. An expense such that it was not even brought up now.
>>
On the subject of mechanization, however- the Armored Corps. Panzer theorists had grim projections based off of the performance of their equipment in recent wars. Though the m/28 and m/32 had been performing well for themselves, the former was obsolete, and the latter seeming to have reached its best potential earlier than expected. The m/32 could bear the burden of the five centimeter gun, which improved its effectiveness to be able to pierce the armor of most foes’ armored vehicles, but its own armor did not protect it against guns of similar caliber to its own at combat ranges, and the weight of extra armor was detrimental to performance. The Von Blum territory had produced their own variant, whose record in the Valsten conflict recently had been remarkable, but they had not elected to share it with the rest of the Archduchy, nor what they had learned about its weight tolerances and engine issues, which were only now being addressed in the wider Armored Corps. Proposals were multifaceted- hull conversions of the m/28 and m/32 both to accommodate larger guns and armor in self-propelled gun variants, adaptations of the m/28-31 turret to improve the smaller, older tanks’ lifespans, but the most radical proposals involved simply accelerating native engineering projects in order to replace the Naukland designs once and for all.

One such project was the Roland II Tank, which Von Stropfe himself oversaw. Procurement of equipment for a branch such as the armored forces had been problematic, since a native design, though Strossvald’s industry could produce it, was feared to carry the risk of competition and rivalry between the territories. Yet, in secret, a Capital design had been in development anyways, anticipating further centralization measures where the Territorial Lords would grumble less at not having their own special models or being made to use another Lord’s creation. Named for the first Archduke, it was a larger vehicle than the m/32, better armored, as maneuverable, and much better armed, as direct-fire experience from the Silver Lances had prompted the remark of putting a high-velocity eight centimeter cannon upon a proper tank. The vehicle had been in development for almost two years, now, and though it would likely not be ready for proper production for another year still…it was the Minister of Defense’s favorite child. It was given priority over proposals for new medium tank development. The m/32 would do for some time, he thought, but the principle of the Battle Line favored stronger tanks, able to efficiently devastate their opponents, rather than a vast swarm of armor that the rest of the line could not keep up with anyways.
>>
Then, the air forces. What a mess that the Minister did not want to deal with whatsoever. The Bomber Corps was well organized and equipped, but the fighters were a motley mess of different designs piloted by hotshots who didn’t fit in with authority. In Valsten, the initial momentum of the preemptive offensive managed to throw the Valstener air force off balance, but signs from then as well as observations of the renewed conflict between Ellowie’s expatriates and Netilland showed how inferior the Archduchy’s air power truly was. Yet any change would be excruciating- the fighter corps had not gone through the extensive standardization and chain of command centralization that the armies had gone through, and their present authorities would loath to be “shackled” in such a way now.
Yet there was no choice. Anti-aircraft ground weapons surrendered the initiative and no matter how effective they were, they were observed to be weapons of attrition rather than instruments of decisive victory. Something would have to be done, but it was a political and logistical tangle such that it couldn’t be resolved here. All Von Stropfe could do was arrange an assembly for discussion of the problem, and discretely purchase newer models of fighter craft as preparation for less complicated times.

All in all, it had taken the rest of the evening to go over everything before Von Stropfe dismissed the aide with everything signed off on, or not. Yet, as the young man saluted and left the office, the Minister of Defense couldn’t help but think of how much easier this was, while the Archduke was distracted with drowning his misery in vices…

…He also thought then, of how many others had come to the same realization.

-----
>>
You had hoped your dreams would indeed be dark. Yet, when you found yourself asleep, you also found yourself aware. In the comfortable void of rest, but ahead, you saw…what must have been doors. A familiar door was one- a steel vault door, the entry to the laboratory in the Blumlands- you strayed towards it, and it cleaved itself in twain, and spun slowly out into two other doors.
This was certainly a dream, you thought, as both open doors came closer, slowly. Yet, they would pass by if you did not move. Perhaps that would be preferable- to close your eyes again, and refuse this new dream, but you somehow knew the names of these doors, if not where they led.

To the left was the Door of the World’s Memories. Beyond it, was the past. To the right was the Door of Ghosts. There, in the mists of the forgotten, were the souls of those passed. Neither were precise- their paths meandered and wandered, but they beckoned gently- a voice of a familiar multitude from each. Would these not be more restful than mere darkness, the numerous questioned in silence, or would you be stubborn still? You could deafen and blind yourself, if you liked, but the hand reached out, patiently, and would wait for you to take hold nevertheless, if only you wished to.

>Go to the Door of the World’s Memories
>Go to the Door of Ghosts
>Turn your back. The dark is what you desire.
>Other?
>>
>>4932610
>Other?
Open both doors and see what comes out of each?


>imitated through proliferation of simpler light mortars
Cant wait for Infantry Mortars to be a squad level asset
>>
>>4932610
>Go to the Door of the World’s Memories

>Military developments
Well, modernisation seems to be coming along, even if it's pretty mixed (no semi-autos, boo).
The Roland II looks really interesting; wonder if the von Blums are doing anything of their own (something to explore if/when we get back?)
Also Matilda with the Archduke is...concerning. I guess losing both his sons under incredibly suspicious circumstances just broke the man.
>>
>>4932631
>Open both doors and see what comes out of each?
They are both already open. You may only pass through one.
>>
>>4932610
>>Go to the Door of the World’s Memories
>>
>>4932692
Well in that case,
>Turn your back. The dark is what you desire.

Better to confront the Demiphantom now then wait till its to late
>>
>>4932610
>>Go to the Door of the World’s Memories
>>
>>4932610
>Go to the Door of the World’s Memories
>>
>>4932610
>>Go to the Door of Ghosts
>>
>>4932610
>Go to the Door of the World’s Memories

I am disappointed the Battle Line continues but not surprised. Thank christ we'll get some kind of infantry launcher/mortar out of this.
I am hesitant to think the radar we plundered will help much if Archduchy fighter air doctrine is just Aces doing Ace things instead of team coordination.

If Matilda carries a bastard...is that what's going to cause it all to touch off?
>>
>>4932610
>Go to the Door of the World’s Memories
>>
>>4932610
>Go to the Door of the World’s Memories
Semi-auto rifles are a huge paradigm shift. You're making a mistake, Von Stropfe.
>>
I don't know if anyone mentioned this OP, but the consistent quality of the writing and scheduling makes me truly believe you will see this quest through. And by golly I love every moment of it.
>>
>>4932689
>>4932694
>>4932698
>>4932700
>>4932944
>>4933035
>>4933146
Stand from atop the summit of present, and look back upon the mists of the past.

>>4932695
Turn about and face the night once more. It is a familiar and comfortable embrace.

>>4932885
Look back on those who have passed, yet remain still.

So we'll need a few things before we progress to writing. I will need 3 sets of 1dX, where the X is any number, up to three thousand, and a location. Then after those, I need a 1d3 to pick from one of them. The X rolled is going to be the number of years you'll peek back- keep in mind that the recorded history of Vinstraga cuts off at roughly two thousand or so years, with the calendar year being based upon the supposed landing date of the Nauk, or, depending on who you ask, the founding of the Cathedra on the new continent.

You're going to be off target unless you get very lucky. Don't worry too much about it. I know a lot of people aren't going to have a firm idea of the historical timeline of things, but Richter had half his knowledge fly off anyways. If it's something you think you really ought to know nevertheless though, like relatively common knowledge rather than a guess, I can inform you of the rough date.

>>4932944
There is indeed only so much one can do when the organization and state in general are resistant to change when it comes to centralization and standardization- though things are certainly better than they used to be, Strossvald has generally shifted in its economic institutions far before military or governmental ones, so it has managed to grow and gain wealth rather well in spite of appearances, though it does vary on the territory. Personal property rights were principle among the changes made by the rebellion led by the first Archduke Strossvald in order to get the popular support needed to take back the land.
>bastard
Bastards are forbidden from inheriting, generally, especially if there are other heirs or pretenders, and the Archduke has been known for licentiousness. Though really, any aspiring court socialite knows how to avoid such a controversy unless they'd like one...

>>4932689
The question of succession is extremely controversial now- and the Archduke's options are limited on top of his grief. He might want to chase away his misery- as far as many might be concerned, all young noblewomen are cut from similar cloth of cunning, but Mathilda Von Blum does have a particular history, doesn't she?


>>4933165
I appreciate it, though the scheduling might be...well, it was better in the past. I'm glad you're enjoying it.
>>
Rolled 1189 (1d3000)

>>4933291
Strossvald, and let the dice decide.
>>
>>4933291
How long ago was the first Archduke (and our ancestor's) time?
>>
Rolled 793 (1d2581)

>>4933291
>>
Rolled 26 (1d33)

>>4933291
Aiming for the Emrean War
>>
Rolled 3 (1d3)

>>4933291
>>
>>4933313
I ended up passing out before I saw this and could answer this, but, the The Duke's Revolt, before anybody knew it would result in an Archduchy, was taking place in 1837. Helman (who would be dubed Von Tracht) was in his forties then, and a rather full family to ride along with his mercenary band.
It's an important enough event to be elucidated upon at some point. Enough that I may be planning an aside for something involving blackpowder and bayonet, if it isn't just something brief, depending.

>>4933307
>>4933333
Big rollers. Nice quints. Looking real far back.

>>4933336
>>4933358
Though it seems it's modern history time.

Writing.
>>
To the left you went- with a vague idea of where it went. An uncertain desire. A place you hadn’t been, but you knew of. Your feet carried you through, and forth, and where there was nothing, you felt somebody else take your place, as the mists coalesced into a reality.

It was 1907, in the Republic of Emre, in its cool midlands, away from the front to the south and the Reich holdouts and their navy’s raids in the north, from the large island, Geant Solitaire- twenty six years ago, before you were even born. Two years from the beginning of the Emrean War, though for the first seven months, from August of 1905 it was countryman against countryman in the north in a continuance from minor insurgency and resistance months even before the Rebel took to the field as a significant force. Now, however, the Emreans stood together, as the protectorate and the former authorities under the Reich found themselves disillusioned with their Imperial masters, and inspired by the stubbornness of the Revolutionaries, and joined forces with their former enemies. Through March of 1906 to now, early in 1907, The Grossreich of Czeiss had been foiled in putting down this rebellion, much to their puzzlement and frustration. Half a year of fighting one another had given the Emreans harsh lessons in modern warfare, lessons the Reich should have been aware of, but had to learn for themselves over the past year as they struggled to break the deadlock of trenches and subjugate the north once more, when the sheer mass of manpower and materiel failed to work. Now, even the once chaotic mess of Protectorate and Reich troops had become stern and blooded- no longer did they haphazardly smash themselves against prepared defenses in vain attempts to force their way through with will alone.

The Emreans were not particularly more united, however. There were two armies, two nations, in technicality, working as one. The former Emrean Protectorate administration and were the most unified, the most experienced in handling domestic affairs, and their forces made up roughly two fifths of the cause, calling themselves the Garde Nationale. The majority of fighters and a goodly share of Emre was of the Revolution, who followed the principles of Anton Ange, though the division between belief in the message of independence and nationalism, and the cause of Utopia, further divided the Revolutionaries. As the beginning of the war had set the Protectorate and the Revolutionaries against one another, the alliance was a begrudging one for many in the beginning, but now the Emreans had been battling the Reich for longer than one another.
>>
Far off in town, the lamp posts glowed, unafraid of airships for now, and far away from the front, where no blasts of artillery echoed. The only sounds were of revelry. The night air was chilly- your grey-blue longcoat was comfortingly warm, a new uniform piece to replace the old colors of the Protectorate, and the weight of your rifle slung over your back was reassuring. The Revolutionaries were innovators in the extreme, sometimes for political reasons, and their image of “Rafael the Rebel” was such that they preferred to make their own guns anew rather than arm themselves from Reich stock, if they could. Something the Garde Nationale had no qualms with. Yet, you’d chosen a newer model of rifle, anyways. Was it not better that way?

“Hey, Martin,” a voice said in Emrean. For some reason, you could understand it. You knew the meaning, though not the words. “Quit standing about with your cock in your hand, you fat duck. We need to check if anybody’s out there still screwing around.”

He was a quiet type. You might have responded, but this Martin was not you. Martin was in training, and many of his mates had gone to town and back to have fun. Martin did not know the muck of mud, the stink of chemicals, the stench of old and new death mixing in miasma. He was from Lunaire, the capital of the Protectorate and the Capital of Emre now, and had only been conscripted a few months ago, as the new Republic of Emre was forced to recognize that a war against the Reich would require more than volunteers to defend it, even if Emre was a territory so prosperous and populated that they were stronger than several other pieces of the Reich put together.

Martin was proud and vain, very much an Emrean stereotype. Yet, his mind was also yours, though you did not sink completely into his being. Why would he not be proud? He was not a Utopian, but he considered himself Revolutionary nevertheless, as the former Protectorate forces all claimed when they switched sides. Emrean culture was the greatest in the world, his home of Lunaire was a beating heart of art and culture and invention, where man had (supposedly) first taken flight in powered craft but fourteen years ago. Many had thought the Reich might be an insurmountable opponent, but they had failed to crush Emre for a year, now, and that was after the country had battered itself badly in a war against its own people.

He did not know there would be three more years and eight months until armistice. Much could happen in that amount of time.

You went with the Emreans and dragged out your comrades from brothels, from bars, and picked them off the streets where some stumbled about. You were all to be deployed to the front in a few days. Maybe you should have gone out tonight…it wasn’t like the Lieutenant or the Sergeant liked you much anyways. They held you in contempt, while the tavernkeepers and girls loved you and all like you, heroes, ready to go forth and defeat the Kaiser and his dogs…
>>
You blinked, shook your head, but Martin’s didn’t move, until he left you behind, and you felt as though you were floating in but air, recollecting who you were, quickly. Yet, with things from Martin’s knowledge sticking about. You still knew no Emrean, of course, but the awareness of his history, this situation…there were things maybe you hadn’t even known before, and certainly things you were reminded of. Yet, was this also but your imagination? It felt quite real, though the experience was brief…

”Do you like to see this? To experience it? It is offered unto you…”

“Who..?” You breathed, and whirled about, but the voice came from nowhere. “How?”

”In time…we will be one. This and more, are offered unto you…You have lost much. Much may be given, as a gift unto you…lost memories, lost friends, time and soul, gifts…”

The voice of a multitude. You recognized it now- it was…the Demiphantom. It was much more articulate than you remembered…but, for that, it was not so overpowering. The world around you began to fade- if you closed your eyes, as it were, you felt that you could simply will it all away. There was no power over you.

Yet…

>Reject this offering. Sever yourself from this unwanted entangling. Maybe it will return, but you do not wish to hear these voices, no matter their gifts.
>Accept this. Could you deny that you might need something like this? Maybe there would be more…
>Speak to the voices. Even as you thought to reject them. They spoke, now they will listen…(Ask what?)
>Other?
>>
>>4933699
>Speak to the voices. Even as you thought to reject them. They spoke, now they will listen…
>Why? Will I not lose myself in a past that is not mine?
>>
>>4933699
>Accept this. Could you deny that you might need something like this? Maybe there would be more…
>>
>>4933699
>Speak to the voices. Even as you thought to reject them. They spoke, now they will listen…(Ask what?)

And what of the other multitude that are clearly one with you? Do they speak alone or are they subservient to your will?

Tell it that it doesn't matter what the Demiphantom wants, a being more powerful will soon come to take it away from us and there will never be a joining.
>>
>>4933699
>Reject this offering. Sever yourself from this unwanted entangling. Maybe it will return, but you do not wish to hear these voices, no matter their gifts.
>>
>>4933699
>>Accept this. Could you deny that you might need something like this? Maybe there would be more…
>>
>>4933699
>>Reject this offering. Sever yourself from this unwanted entangling. Maybe it will return, but you do not wish to hear these voices, no matter their gifts.
aaaaah, I want the lore, really I do, but I think Richter functions just fine as he is with only one amalgamated group of idiots living in his head. No more room in here for Emreans or demons.
>>
>>4933699
>Reject this offering. Sever yourself from this unwanted entangling. Maybe it will return, but you do not wish to hear these voices, no matter their gifts.
No contracts with demons, even if the gift is pretty cool
>>
>>4933699
>Reject this offering. Sever yourself from this unwanted entangling. Maybe it will return, but you do not wish to hear these voices, no matter their gifts.
>>
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>>4933734
>>4933904
What if I lose myself? What are all of you? Are they alone or many?
Also fuk ur becoming one.

>>4933781
>>4934040
A tempting offer. One you might just take, for its potential...

>>4933922
>>4934142
>>4934166
>>4934197
No thanks, "Bro."

Calling vote here before I go to work today. In the meantime, this is a relatively older drawing of Anya's sister in her (non-nurse) wear. Reminder that I do take requests if desired, even if the deliveries are not timely.
>>
>>4934263
If we get another Anya outfit, I would like to put forward the suggestion of an office lady outfit. Frankly given her penchant for paperwork I'm surprised I haven't seen her like that already.
>>
>>4934263
More tonk drawings if you can. Maybe the Roland II prototype or some Reich design
>>
>>4934263
Draw a man
>>
>>4934263
>Reminder that I do take requests if desired
You've done it now. I think bringing to life Little Von Rotehof's watercolour of the Lances in the dustbowl would make a nice OP image.
>>4934671
inb4 featherless biped
>>
>>4935033
Uwaaa, debating the greeks is too easy~
>>
Alright, an unannounced day off later, I think I'm rejuvenated some. Update on the way.

>>4934392
Is it surprising that this has been asked for in the past? It really isn't, is it. Though, this would be an in-universe uniform. And not some forgotten quick sketch, I suppose.
>Frankly given her penchant for paperwork I'm surprised I haven't seen her like that already.
Mostly because, despite her talent for it, she (at least claims that she) hates being locked in an office doing files and reports rather than being in the field. One might say she's very good at it just so she can escape the office work more quickly.

>>4934566
The Roland II is a secret! Though there are Reich tanks I have but haven't depicted.
Honestly there's quite a bit that I've either had or have had in extended preparation that just doesn't have an excuse to get depicted. Probably something I'll amend at some point, even if it's just in the style of those illustrations in books where it's a bunch of different soldiers with little descriptive blurbs attached.

>>4934671
You must be specific! Though the idea I had described earlier might do for this...

>>4935033
>I think bringing to life Little Von Rotehof's watercolour of the Lances in the dustbowl would make a nice OP image.
Oh dear. While this would be fun, admittedly, when I think of art in-setting, I think of it being done by people more talented than I am, so reproducing it would probably not be a fair measure of what it's actually supposed to look like. It is doable still, I suppose.
>>
>>4936858
>Honestly there's quite a bit that I've either had or have had in extended preparation that just doesn't have an excuse to get depicted. Probably something I'll amend at some point, even if it's just in the style of those illustrations in books where it's a bunch of different soldiers with little descriptive blurbs attached.

Richter flipping through some IO tank identification guide to regain his knowledge seems like a good excuse
>>
The offer was a tempting one. What a resource this could be- what a spring of knowledge, of the sort you’d so regrettably lost. From the perspective and mind of the people in the time, even- you could know things that were but speculated. Yet. This “offering” was held out by a monstrosity and an abomination. What could it be but a temptation tailored for what you desired? There was no way you could make a deal with this horror.

“Why would I accept this gift?” You spoke to nothing, “Will I not lose myself in these pasts not mine?”

”Your being has flesh…These memories have not a drop of blood…you cannot be lost in a place not yours.” The voice had no emotion to it, no impatience. It was a recitation.

“How can I trust you?” You challenged next, “You speak with many voices, but can they speak alone? Or are they subservient to you, whatever you are?”

”We are a Well of Souls. We are many as one, as the Great Etz Hekal, the Tree of Life. I am one, as one day, we shall be.”

The Great Etz Hekal? you wanted to ask, but there were sources of knowledge besides this demon’s temptation. “Well,” you turned your back, though the voice came from everywhere, and closed your eyes. It was dark, as sleep should be. “It doesn’t matter what you want. Somebody stronger than you will come to take you away. There will never be a joining. Begone.”

Closing your eyes must have closed your ears, as well, at least to the Demiphantom. You heard nothing. No protests, no pleas, no bizarre predictions. What a kind gift of it, to banish itself without a fuss, you thought with a relieved slip into unconsciousness once more.

-----
>>
The surface of the pond was still, glass, the faint morning stars shining in its surface, save for when a breeze rippled it all away. A float upon a line swayed with the wind when it came- and up the line, a figure sat motionless on the bank of the cold water, a shawl over her shoulders, a hood that would normally be over her head, pulled back. She liked to feel the cool air upon her face, to hear the night as clear as a glass bell’s tone. She had fished in the past, along a river, and she had found the hobby again, after she’d established herself well enough in her new (hopefully temporary) home.

One wasn’t supposed to fish at it, but she threw her catches back when she came here, anyways. The fish were not the reward- that was the calm, the quiet, the contemplation and focus. Sometimes, while waiting for a tug on the line or the bob of the floater, she’d lose herself in peaceful blankness, and idle thought.

She laid a hand across her stomach, tried to reassure the new life growing within. A name hadn’t been thought of yet. When the woman had considered the question in the past, years before she was actually with child, she had assumed that she would simply name the child after her father or mother. Or what the father might want.

Yet. She couldn’t think of that last option. That brought to mind thoughts of…him.

He had been kind to her, in the end, hadn’t he?

No. She couldn’t spare a single thought. She could only forget. Else she might think of how else her life might have gone, if she hadn’t obsessed over but a single person. A look in the water- her ugly face stared back. It was so easy to forget what something looked like when you never saw it, wasn’t it? It was easy to think one’s feelings were beautiful and pure, until one considered what another person might think of them…it was easy to fall into a comfortable lie, where the object of affection felt exactly the same way in return, or perhaps, that they would merely given time.

“Hey,” a voice said, of a boy, “You’re the scary lady, aren’t you?”

The “scary lady” had heard him coming. She hadn’t cared, she didn’t feel threatened. There were no enemies here. “Yeah.” She said flatly.

“Sorry, I wasn’t trying to be mean.”

“I’m scary looking. It’s not mean. It’s the truth.” A cold eye crept to the boy- probably thirteen or so, a cute one with dark curly locks. “Do you think I’m scary.”

“Well…” the boy hesitated, “What are you doing here so late? The signs say no fishing.”

“I’m not stealing any fish.”

“I don’t think the constables will believe you saying that if they come around.”

“They won’t catch me. I’m not taking anything. What’s the harm.” A pause, as a breeze blew through. “What time is it, boy. You should be asleep. What are you doing here.”

“I…came to see the scary lady.”
>>
“…” She was used to it. There just wasn’t anything to say. “Well. You saw her.”

“Some of the other boys think you’re a ghost. You only show up late at night and stay here for hours.”

“Maybe I am a ghost.”

“Others think you’re a witch who catches children up past their bedtime. Some kids snuck out here, then they started seeing you.”

The scary lady was losing interest. “What do you think I am.”

“Why do you keep rubbing your belly? Are you hungry?”

Yes, and now I’m going to eat you. “Yes. I’m pregnant, I’m always hungry.” There was no reason to share that, but she wanted to, nevertheless. It was reflexive, whenever she was introduced to men, to say at some point. Something she thought needed to be known, as much as the scarring and discoloration on her face and body. They needed to know the whole truth of her- though those she was staying with had convinced her to say she was a widow. A small lie for the sake of her son or daughter.

“You are?” The boy was befuddled and leaned in to look at her stomach, “Can a ghost get pregnant?”

The scary lady made an annoyed glance at the boy. “I don’t know. A witch can’t get pregnant. They can only bear the children of devils. That’s how I heard, anyways.”

“I guess you’re just a lady, then.”

“Yeah. Now quiet. You’ll scare the fish.”

She didn’t expect the boy to sit with her, but he did. Until it became uncomfortable.

“I have to go,” the scary lady said, reeling in her line, “Go to bed, kid.” She left him, and though he tried to follow, there was no way he could pursue somebody who had experienced what the woman had been through.

-----

It was dark when you woke up- a look at your watch after a fumbling flick of a red lamp to shine a tiny glow told you it’d be an hour before you were required to wake. It wasn’t worth trying to sleep again- you felt rested enough, anyways.

“Caedn’t slaep, bahss?” Jorgen said as you crept out of the lean-to and watched the dark horizon. Your loader was sitting on the front of the hull.

“I slept fine enough,” you said, “What about you?”

“Ahh,” Jorgen shook his head, “Draemed ahf mae waefe.”

“I don’t need the details,” you quickly said.

“Nae, nah,” Jorgen said sharply, “Naetlehk dat. Saeer faece an’ I caen’t slaep. Messer taemuch.”

“…You don’t act like you miss her, with how you are around women,” you observed.

“I claesemy aeys, an’ they caen try to beaer,” Jorgen said wistfully, “Caen’t saettle, caese naenarr gaednuff. Gaenfer ever.”
>>
Then go back, you might want to say, but the circumstances behind Jorgen’s self-imposed exile were more complicated than that- a mistake with identical twins, involving the bizarre Yaegir courtship rituals of…it was almost ritualized rape when described by the mere actions taken, but no Yaegir, man or woman, would see it that way. Regardless, many Yaegir never returned to their forest home, and somehow, you guessed your loader would not be different in that.

…The story of a spouse and her twin set you ill at east, considering your own fiancée and her younger sister. Even more so now that the difference between them you had assumed was actually a false one.

“You want coffee?” You asked Jorgen.

“Yeh. Yae?”

“No.”

“Yaes yedae.”

There was no arguing against it. Like medicine, your crew said, right up to the time where Malachi and Jorgen had betrayed you by holding you down and pinching your nose while dumping lukewarm coffee into your mouth. Negotiations had taken place merely to avert a repeat of that, rather than the vain hope that you’d never have to touch that burnt bean water again. At the very least, the foul tar-like substance was a reminder of where you were now. Away from the ghosts, away from the devils. Even if you were in a war zone, there was an odd pleasantness to merely having your feet firmly in what you knew was true. There were no strange mysteries here, nothing beyond your eyes, ears, and fingers. A simple and easy purpose. A lovely future to look forward to, once you were beyond these trials, and with a peerless piece of equipment and a skilled crew to see you through, even if you could not hope to match any of them, you were the commander keeping man and machine in unity.

With the dim prelude to sunrise, came Planckner, as well as a couple other Republic officers as grizzled as he was. His platoon commanders- he’d want you and Little Von Rotehof as well, you could already tell. Your fellow platoon member was roused readily enough, and all of you had convened at Planckner’s truck before the sun peeked up in dawn- a vehicle so beaten up it was like it had been fished up from the bottom of a river after rolling down a hill, but it still moved, so it must have worked significantly better than it looked.

“Second toon’s scouting parties came back with these reports,” Planckner said, pointing at markings on a map, “They ran into resistance. The enemy wants to know about us coming up as much as we do about them, and they’ve been harassing the line ahead of us more. This stuff didn’t come easy. We’re lucky we only had some guys hurt gathering it, and they all came back in one piece, at least.”
>>
The Second Platoon commander, a Lieutenant Ulfey, a spikey haired man whose nose looked like it had been flattened out and yanked back out of his head the wrong way, pointed to a particular place- the northern part of the spread out township. “They couldn’t get far enough to see what was here with much precision. The scouting party got flushed out and had to pull back. Something big enough to be trouble.” His finger went to several places on the map, a blown up aerial photograph of the town, reproduced in print. “There are machine gun nests here, here, and here. No cannon that could be identified, unless they’re tiny. Those little two and a half centimeter ones could be hidden in a building easy enough, if they wanted, but they didn’t have their own positions. I’d count on at least two of them, and they’ll be mobile as can be, even if nobody special’s on them. There’s probably thirty or so enemies around here, from what we could see of their support trail. This town’s not that important, the coke furnaces and water pumps aren’t worth enough for them to make an effort to keep it in particular, and neither the Twice Damned or the Netillians would stack more in this place if they could help it. We’ve just got more than then, simple as.”

“There shouldn’t be many locals around,” Lieutenant Erykia of First platoon said, a deeply sun-darkened fellow with an equal shadow on his chin and cheeks as on his head, “If there are, it’s their own fault. The Republic dropped papers all over a couple days ago saying we were coming. Anybody that isn’t us and is armed ought to be considered a threat. Local militia doesn’t always dress special. Better to shoot first and ask questions later here.” Dressing special referred to having a uniform at all. The Twice-Damned had one, of course- maroon and black, usually with some symbology of a flame within flames upon them, two surrounding one.

“The odds aren’t in their favor at all,” Little Von Rotehof commented, “If we show with what we have, maybe they’d be convinced to retreat or surrender? Our objective is to command the ground, not to destroy the enemy, if this is to be a siege, yes? With the Ellowian Air Force at our back, the defenders here couldn’t realistically hope to fend us off.”

“They’ll probably try to delay us, yeah,” Planckner agreed, “But there’s no better way to delay than to throw off an attack. That’s why I’m concerned about whatever that thing was in the back part of town that the scouts couldn’t get a good eye on. Ulfey, you say one of the squads thought it might be a vehicle?”

“Yeah,” the strange nosed man nodded firmly, “It chased them some, too quick for it to be a stationary piece.”

“Only one?” Planckner pressed.

“Most likely.” Ulfey wasn’t sure enough to make it a definite.
>>
“Good thing you have a pair of Silver Lances to deal with whatever it is then,” Von Rotehof said confidently, “We’ve beaten Netillian steel in the past. What could one piece of it do to threaten us?”

“Don’t think it’s Netillian, actually,” Planckner said, “I’ve heard they’re either pushing all of their best stuff north, or moving it to defend the airfields. This must be something that belongs to the Twice Damned. Or a local, I suppose. It could be anything. Though, if it’s the Twice Damned, if what they did down south was any clue, they’re keeping their best either saved up, or putting it all where it matters most. If this is a single vehicle and it sticks around…”
“They must have a motivated individual in command of it?” you offered a conclusion.

“Déjà vu, sure,” Planckner shrugged, ”The Twice Damned are rich enough that nothing would be a surprise, though, and some of their guys range out far enough that they’ll know of things from anywhere. Nothing’ll be a surprise.”

“Then maybe it won’t be anything special, either,” Von Rotehof said optimistically.

“No matter what it is, this is the plan,” Planckner put a couple of marked paper tokens on the map, and drew on it with a felt pen. “All the ground before this is flat and even, so we’re getting smoke laid down for our initial approach from some howitzers, and a bomber flight will drop some hell all over it too. We’ll get a foothold in the south end of town, and from here, I want the tanks to provide support where they can, with second platoon supporting as well from that position, while first platoon moves forward to the north end. We’ll be able to set up our anti-tank guns once the tanks are in place long enough, and then, they can move to support where needed, and our mortars will be able to reach all over from that position as well."
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Planckner straightened up again and put his hands confidently behind his back. "We’ll have to be fast and forceful, but taking this position quickly will mean we’ll have won before the enemy knows it. So to do that, before the smoke comes down, the howitzers will hit the south end of town, and right as the smoke spreads, everything we have will converge on the south end, establish a crossfire, and move in as soon as we can. Simple and easy. The biggest risk will be if that unknown factor is right in our faces from the start, but this should happen fast enough that it won’t matter that they know where we’re going to attack. We’ll be there before they can react. We’ll still have to deal with whatever the scouts spotted and didn’t identify, but we’ll be able to do it from a strong point instead of being trapped in the open. Any questions? Suggested changes? Announcements to claim I'm retarded? I know this isn’t tactical genius here, but it’s too straightforward to fail as long as we don’t trip over our bootlaces and choke to death on the dirt.”

>Any questions or concerns?
>Any particularly large buildings will be two or three stories- they’ll have a different shade on top to denote this. Fortifications are invariably machine gun nests or at least decent earthworks- though they can certainly hold something larger.
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>>4937409
Any reports of mines? Otherwise it sounds good, the major risk is whatever that unknown vehicle is but we'll deal with it as it happens.
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>>4937409
>Any questions or concerns?
Just to confirm they saw a mix of Twice Damned and Nets right? Not just Damned?

Do the howitzers mean our mortars or is this a separate unit we have access to?
If they are separate what will the howitzers do after the initial smoke bombardment? Can we call down some support during the battle?

I'd almost want to coordinate with the bombers and have them drop their payload a little after the smoke went out, might force the enemy to duck and make them scramble back from cover when we poke our heads through the smoke.

If these were dive bombers it'd be fun for them to buzz the enemy after the first payload and make them duck for a fake second strike.
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>>4937434
>Any reports of mines?
No. While they'd be quite nice to lay back in the midst of a retreat, the Twice-Damned and their home of Sundersschirm are very much against laying traps in their lands, as they normally make a lot of their prosperity off of free trade and travel through very much mine and brigand free territory. The Netillians would probably try and leave behind mines regardless, but this area is not a critical one stuffed with them.
Does this mean there are no mines anywhere? Not necessarily, but not being prepared to do so on top of not really having the time to set up extensive minefields means that one can gamble safely, especially when scouts have surveyed the terrain and approaches already.

>>4937499
>Just to confirm they saw a mix of Twice Damned and Nets right? Not just Damned?
Uncomfirmed. There's much in the way of stray Netillian troops who failed to keep up with the general withdrawal or who got delayed in one way or another, and they'd try to make a stand at the first friendly place they could find if need be.

>Do the howitzers mean our mortars or is this a separate unit we have access to?
Your mortars are mortars. The howitzers are from regimental support- specifically the Republic Mechanized's support. Basically, they're over your head. If things last long enough, they might have more shells called down, but artillery is presently in high demand and short supply for your section of the front in particular.

While there is high demand for air strikes as well, some coordination is possible as any place with air to ground strikes is going to have an Ellowian ground coordinator along, sticking out like a sore thumb.
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>>4937409
>Any questions or concerns?
How do we feel about slinging Bertholite around in here? The Twice Born might be a tougher breed of Sosaldt strongmen, but I doubt they are kitted out for chemical warfare. I don't want to be slinging chemical weapons around our own troops though if it's liable to spread around and affect them, seems best to bring it up now as a possibility. Also does someone want to man the mounted mg? Could be fun up there.
>A witch can’t get pregnant. They can only bear the children of devils.
I'm sure this is just crazy superstition, and is not at all relevant to the possible effects of real magic on children.
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>>4937409
>Any questions or concerns?
Is the Netillian air force likely to contest at all or too busy elsewhere
>>
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Sorry for the two day delay, people, I intended to get rolling today but apparently my body felt the need to sleep through my allotted day free time. I'll get things going when I get back from work today.

I offer tribute in the form of not actually secret stuff that I intend to post in a lump sum someday. This one is canon though.
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>>4939872
Cute!
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>>4939872
As the risk of sounding like an idiot, who is that supposed to be
>>
“I hear we’ll have a bomber attack,” you said, “Though I’m concerned about any Netillian strikes. Is the Netillian Air Force expected to be in strength today?” It hadn’t been lately. You’d have thought they’d be supporting the general withdrawal, but no, you hadn’t suffered a direct strike in days. You quite liked things that way.

“Yeah…” Planckner grit his teeth, “What’s being attacked as part of this offensive are their southern most airfields that they have left. I’ve been told to expect the worst. That they’ll fight harder here than anywhere else, but that’s the Ellowians’ problem, and probably more the guys attacking the strips than us. Though I wouldn’t get hopeful.”

That wasn’t the news you wanted to hear, but it was better to anticipate it than have it be a surprise. “Is it possible for us to have our support linger some and keep the enemy’s heads down as we advance?”

“I’ll have to ask our greyshirt guy,” Planckner said, referring to the dull hue of Ellowian uniforms- undoubtedly referring to an air-ground coordinator team, equipped with heavy radio equipment and antennae. You’d seen a few traveling with company commanders in order to direct ground strikes. “I’ve heard they’ve deployed a few of those weird devices that mess with radio comms, though, and if that happens, our air support might not be as receptive as we like.”

At least that wouldn’t affect your short range communications. One couldn’t be nearby, or else you were certain this town would be more heavily defended than it was. “Von Rotehof and I have access to Bertholite munitions. How do you feel about any of that being used?”

“Poorly,” Erykia said gruffly.

“We don’t have many gas masks to go around,” Planckner said, nodding, “But secondly, we don’t know how many people are still around who don’t want a fight.”

“That’s a secondary matter?” Von Rotehof asked indignantly.

“Yeah,” Planckner said with no hesitation, “We’re going to be shelling the place, bombing it, shooting it up then blowing it up. A corpse is a corpse. We gas our own people, then we can’t keep fighting, but if some unfortunate others find themselves in the way, we can’t do much about that. We’ll try our best, but we already told them to leave, yeah?”

Von Rotehof frowned, but refrained from further objection. It wasn’t an idea that appealed to you either, but the way Planckner put it, it wasn’t that he didn’t care so much as he accepted a negative inevitability. It told you something, though- you ought to be careful if you could.
>>
“We also have a machine gun on my tank,” you said, “A pintle mount, able to be manned from the back of the hull. Would anybody want to volunteer?”

“If anybody feels like it. Not from the start, though.” In short, first come, first serve, but it wasn’t to be expected from the start. “That all?” Planckner asked, “Alright then. We’re getting ready to go, then. We’ll have last call on the radio, then we’re moving up and past the front. Have all of your men ready for a fight. Who knows if we’ll get hit back after we take this, or what we didn’t find yet. Dismissed.”

-----

”Thunderbolt Squadron, this is Storm Lord. All flight leaders, report.”

“Storm Lord, this is Shrike Leader.”

“Fury Leader, checking in. What do you see, Storm Lord?”

”Unknown. Their Disruption is deployed to hide their deployments, far back enough to evade our elimination strikes. You will just have to deal with them as they come. Keep a close watch on the ground attackers, our ground troops will carry this day.”

“Are they capable of it, Storm Lord? It’s Chocolate Soldiers down there. Our people should be making this attack.”

”We have our orders, Shrike Leader.”

“Then they’ll need our help that much more. Come on, Shrike Leader. We’re doing this for everybody who isn’t with us now, downed or just stuck on the ground.”

-----

There was only a little waiting at the frontlines, you and Von Rotehof as well as the Republic troops you were with waiting in a defilade, behind a line of foxholes dug by other Republic infantrymen. A pair of Ellowian fighter flights soared overhead, recognizable but by the direction of their flight, in echelon formation- below them, there were stouter looking aircraft, and you could see the shapes of the ordinance they were burdened by.
“Right on time,” Planckner said, “Listen. Our guns are opening up. Let’s move.”

Indeed, to the rear, there was the sound of multiple heavy cannon booming- you knew their shells were already well on their way by the time of the firing reached you. Ahead, there was the explosions of their targets suddenly feeling the wrath of the Alliance of Republics, soon to be followed by smoke shells that would conceal your approach. Though…
>>
“Seems like the Netties aren’t letting this go easy for us,” Schafer said from his place on the side of the turret, watching the skies. He pointed, and you looked- opposition to your own aerial allies, approaching in the distance, with identical lower support. The pintle mounted machine gun could elevate a decent way up- it could theoretically be used as an anti-aircraft weapon, but seeing what was coming from a distance made it feel remarkably puny.

“Do you think you might be able to shoot them from the sky with the cannon?” you asked, idly wondering if a Hellfire shell would down planes…and if it might wake up something from the sky, somehow.

“Nah,” Schafer said, sliding back into the turret, “This gun don’t go up and down as far as the normal ones. Too bulky. They’d need t’ be flying right at us, and that ain’t happenin’. Not ‘less we pitch it up.”

Shooting down a plane would have been a reassuring achievement, but you let the fantasy go, and tried to remember evasive drill for being bombed. Hopefully, the Ellowian planes drawing ahead would be able to fend off the enemy before you got to the field of battle.

“Driver,” you said into the throat microphone as the turret doors shut, “Take us forward. Just to the flank of the infantry transports.” Planckner didn’t want you acting as a shield, but as fire support- freeing up his people to move on their own and also keeping your field of fire clear. With how much hell was going forward and with the smoke on the way, you certainly hoped that the enemy wouldn’t be making that decision a poor one.

The earth shook gently as you and Planckner’s demi company sped forward, the last artillery shells coming down and aircraft ahead dropping their bombs, which blew up columns of dust and smoke beneath- just before Netillian aircraft swooped down after them, and shot down one of the allied attack craft in a chattering of heavy machine gun fire before screaming over you low enough to force you to duck back into your tank- and stay. Right after it, an Ellowian fighter screamed after, and you heard the chase continuing off to your flank, until a rattling of gunfire and a popping sound came from overhead. A plane went down and crashed with a wrenching screech and the rushing wind of a fiery explosion only a hundred meters or so to your right- rather close to Von Rotehof.

“Judge Above!” he swore over the radio.

“Are you alright, Four-Three?” you asked.

“Yeah, Four-Five, I’m fine. I really hope nothing else falls from the sky before we get to that town.” You shared such a sentiment. Schafer had said that planes flying into your face would be an impossibility, but you weren’t so sure, now…
>>
The town itself wasn’t visible behind the screen of smoke ahead- it was already mixing with black, burning smoke, forming a grey, familiar whorl. A strange imitation of the place of your dreams. As you looked forward though…billowing through the smoke, came the shape of an oncoming plane.

“Gunner?” You said warily. “There’s a plane coming for us-“

“No, not happening,” Schafer cut you off, “We need more elevation.”

“There’s a rise ahead of us, a small one,” Hausen warned.

There was little time to decide on what to do- you could see the shape of the bombs, small yet plenty big enough to be a danger, underneath the Netillian plane heading in your direction, and were sure that it hadn’t released them solely because it couldn’t be sure where you were quite yet.

>Drive up to the rise- try and make the unlikely shot.
>Perform evasive maneuvers. Those bombs would be coming down and you didn’t want to be anywhere near them when they did.
>Utilize the pintle machine gun as best as it can be used. Maybe the plane could be warded off for a moment long enough for your air support to deal with it.
>Other?

>>4940479
Richter and his mother and father, a rather long period of time ago. It's understandable not to recognize them- Richter has not been depicted as a (physical) baby.
>>
>>4940997
>Utilize the pintle machine gun as best as it can be used. Maybe the plane could be warded off for a moment long enough for your air support to deal with it.
>>
>>4940997
>Drive up to the rise- try and make the unlikely shot.
To hell with it. Let's try and make this our Kommandant 2.0 moment.
>>
>>4940997
>>Perform evasive maneuvers. Those bombs would be coming down and you didn’t want to be anywhere near them when they did.
>>
>>4940997
>>Drive up to the rise- try and make the unlikely shot.
>>Utilize the pintle machine gun as best as it can be used. Maybe the plane could be warded off for a moment long enough for your air support to deal with it.

Can we do both?
>>
>>4941142
>Can we do both?
You can.
Though being outside is a precarious place for being bombed, after all.
>>
>>4940997
>Perform evasive maneuvers. Those bombs would be coming down and you didn’t want to be anywhere near them when they did.
>>
>>4940997
>Utilize the pintle machine gun as best as it can be used. Maybe the plane could be warded off for a moment long enough for your air support to deal with it.
>>
>>4940997
>Drive up to the rise- try and make the unlikely shot.
Stay in the tank tho. We may have God Armor but Richter doesn't.
>>
>>4940997
>>Drive up to the rise- try and make the unlikely shot.
>>
>>4940997
>Utilize the pintle machine gun as best as it can be used. Maybe the plane could be warded off for a moment long enough for your air support to deal with it.
We're not Carius and we don't have an 88mm gun.

Imagine being the Russian pilot who got shredded by an 88mm HE shell overpenetrating his cockpit.
>>
>>4940997
>Perform evasive maneuvers. Those bombs would be coming down and you didn’t want to be anywhere near them when they did.
>>Utilize the pintle machine gun as best as it can be used. Maybe the plane could be warded off for a moment long enough for your air support to deal with it.
>>
>>4940997
>Drive up to the rise- try and make the unlikely shot.
The legend of the Kommandant continues.
>>
>>4940997
>>Drive up to the rise- try and make the unlikely shot.
Cant wait to blow the instant reload ability
>>
>>4941015
>>4941327
>>4941450
Pintle Gun, deploy!

>>4941058
>>4941228
Dodge Bomb

>>4941529
Combine evasive maneuvers with machine gun.

>>4941025
>>4941406
>>4941411
>>4941564
>>4941582
Death or glory! Probably death. For somebody, at least.

>>4941142
Go all in on Death!

And so the time comes. Will you make a shot that a better tank ace's gunner managed with a far better tank, against a target that was making the same course over a period of days? Well, time to find out.

Writing.

>>4941450
>Imagine being the Russian pilot who got shredded by an 88mm HE shell overpenetrating his cockpit.
Few have ever been more, as it is said, blown the fuck out.
>>


A sudden madness overtook you. An intoxicating and glorious madness, driven by naught, but that to make evasive maneuvers might only save yourself. Or it might have simply been an insanity of wishing to destroy an impossible opponent- one who thought themselves above you and invincible to you. They would be shown who had tamed these wastes.

“Driver, forward to that rise! Elevate the tank’s front, we’re going to shoot down that plane! Fire at will!”

“What in th’ FUCK!?” Schafer shouted in despondence, but Malachi was already obeying, and in the moments following, a shell clanked into the breach of the cannon, and Schafer had no choice but to begin making adjustments on the cannon. You heard him mumbling something like, Of all the fuckin’ nobles…

You tried to adjust yourself to peer up at your target properly, as it cleared away from the smoke all around, and it continued straight on, towards you- as you ran up on the rise and stopped, the pilot must have accepted your duel, as it tilted slightly, to head right for you.

A moment of strange silence, as the cannon tracked towards the plane, and Schafer waited but only a moment, whispering something, then the clack of the cannon’s trigger being pulled…

>Roll up to 3 sets of 1d100, the best of winning. The DC to roll under is 15. Your crews’ skills are still active in this.
>>
Rolled 50 (1d100)

>>4941591
>>
Rolled 8 (1d100)

>>4941591
Witness!
>>
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>>4941593
WITNESS!
>>
Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>4941593
Witnessed.
>>
>>4941594
Ignore the shirt please.
This is how I view Richters face after the plane has been shot.
>>
Maybe we should paint a small plane sign on the side of our m/32 after this.
>>
>>4941601
Shouldn't we also add our tank kills then?
It may be better to paint every campaign or our number of tanks is gonna become our camouflage.
>>
>>4941604
I mean shooting down a plane with the main gun is special, other tanks are kinda our bread and butter.
>>
>>4941601
Don't do it, you'll temp anons to go shooting every random thing they see, like giant crabs and coastal defence boats, hoping for a kill. The poor m/32 will end up covered in indecipherable hieroglyphs by the time it's retired.
>>
>>4941637
Fair point. Should totally recommend Schafer for a medal or something though.
>>
>>4941638
Command will probably have to invent a new medal for this kind of shot, but I second this idea.
>>
>>4941591
Schafer deserves all the goddamn accolades for this one. Can one become knighted for dueling a plane?
>>
Now wouldn't it be funny if Jorgen's funk from this morning hasn't worn off and he loaded up the wrong shell there haha...
>>
>8- Success

”…Storm Lord, you aren’t going to fucking believe this.”

”What’s wrong, Fury Leader?”

“Some joker on the ground in a blue tank stole my kill.”


-----

You didn’t see the hit, though you dearly wished you did. The tank knocked back, rocking itself off the small rise, and from above there was a distant sound of popping metal, and as the dust fell about from the cannon blast, you saw the tail of the enemy plane rip away like it had been grabbed from behind by the Judge himself, and it tumbled forward, down, and crashed into the ground only a few dozen meters in front of you. You barely closed your hatch over you as crashing metal rang out all around from outside, and the wreck bounced up and over, then behind you, where one of the scattered bombs blew up and shook the inside of the tank badly, but it didn’t damage you.

Schafer let his hands fall away from the gun’s controls and he leaned back in his seat, breathing shallowly.

“Fuck you, Lieutenant,” he wheezed, “That was…I shouldn’ ‘ave hit that…”

“I knew you could,” you said, but when your madness faded you were just as deeply shocked at yourself as you were at your gunner for accomplishing your impossible task. Yet, you were blessed enough that it had worked. You flicked from your intercom to the company network- and it was an absolute mess. Nobody could believe what had happened- they had seen the plane bearing down, and assumed at least one bomb would strike true on a vulnerable truck as it moved forward, or a tank, or close enough to badly damage either, to say nothing of the plane’s guns. Yet, it had been swatted out of the sky by one of its targets.

“Oi!” Planckner shut everybody up, “We’ve still got a battle to fight, all clear on comms!”

He was right. Despite how harrowing that encounter had been, nobody had made it into town yet, and as aircraft continued to chase one another above, you had to close that distance before all your cover went away. The tank was ordered forward once more, to catch up with the trucks that had pulled ahead. The enemy might not have even noticed what you’d done- even if the immediate threat was over, there was plenty of fight left to be had.
>>
Von Rotehof fired the first shot once the distance began to close, at the hazy blocky shape of what was likely a fortification already damaged by a bomb. Something small returned fire, but small 2.5 centimeter guns were of no use against the frontal armor of even a basic m/32, and whether or not Von Rotehof actually struck the gun or its crew, a second shot silenced it, the Republic trucks finishing their movement, second platoon’s frontline infantrymen disembarking before the town to try and cover the rest of first platoon’s advance as the demi-company’s supporting elements remained cautiously back for the initial maneuver. They’d have a place to go soon- so long as the shock of the attack managed to capture this segment of the town.

By the time you moved into position, however, the Republic troops were having no trouble moving in, and there was little in the way of direct gunfire. The rush must have had its intended effect.

“They’re drawing back,” Lieutenant Erykia said, “They’ll give us ground, but we’re waiting for everybody to come up. If I were them the first thing I’d do is set up a trap to catch us overeager.”

“They certainly can’t be feeling too eager themselves right now,” Von Rotehof responded confidently.
>>
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You and your tank partner were not disturbed by any enemy machinations as you drove up into the southerly section of town, though you spaced yourselves out to properly support your charges as aerial duels continued above, though the presence of fighters had driven away ground attack craft on each side- from what you could intuit of those retreating. A fighter could still very well be deadly with its numerous machine guns, so you didn’t let yourself go too far out of your tank, in case the Ellowians let another Netillian pilot slip down to you again. At least you all had proper cover now. Cover shared with enemies who had slipped off to uncertain places.

“Second platoon, keep our hold and see how far you can press up. First platoon, with me,” Planckner said, “Tanks, I won’t tell you what to do, but keep close to the men if you don’t want any nasty surprises. Me and the platoon leaders can relay what we want with our telephones to our trucks. You ought to know whatever we know.”

Your place close to the top of this small hill was a commanding one- but it didn’t offer you a particularly good view of the rest of the town- it was too brief a change in elevation to put you well over the tops of the buildings ahead, short as most were. You had a good view- but not terribly great shots. Not that you could see much at the present time.

>Stay up on the elevation. You were more help up here, and so long as you weren’t afraid of collateral damage, you could shoot at plenty. Or, rather, through plenty.
>Move west to a more open firing position. It was more vulnerable, but your arc of support would be wider.
>Join the press north and try to go to the north east part of town. That approach to the north west seemed more secure.
>Other?
Also, while Von Rotehof isn’t technically your command, you can still ask him to do things, and he won’t give any back talk unless it’s legitimately insane. You are the guy whose tank just shot down a plane, and all.
>>
>>4942661
>Join the press north and try to go to the north east part of town. That approach to the north west seemed more secure.

Stick with 2nd Platoon on the eastern edge, even with infantry support I'd rather not get too deep into town
>>
Sorry again for the delay- I wanted this up yesterday, but I had to leave just before I had everything ready.

>>4941604
Kills don't tend to be marked much- Richter's got plenty under his belt at this point, after all, but if one wanted to there's different stripe and color configurations on the tank barrel. The Silver Lances in particular, as not-technically national armed forces, are allowed flexibility in appearance, to a degree.

>>4941851
>Can one become knighted for dueling a plane?
Richter's family was ennobled for battlefield glory, indeed, but individual achievements don't draw as much attention as more broad scale favors and alliances, or particular attention on a popular level. Maybe if your gunner shoots down enough planes to be an ace.
>>
>>4942661
>Stay up on the elevation. You were more help up here, and so long as you weren’t afraid of collateral damage, you could shoot at plenty. Or, rather, through plenty.
The northeast approach has avoided the worst of the shelling and it's relatively open while retaining many nice spots from which to set up a crossfire. If I were going to hide my anti-tank assets, I'd put some of them there. Whatever armour avoids them and goes straight for the center of town is vulnerable to starting a knife fight with infantry.
I say we wait up on the hill until our infantry and mortars ferret their way through a little further and flush out whatever nasties are waiting for us, rather than bumping into them ourselves.
>>
>>4942661
>Stay up on the elevation. You were more help up here, and so long as you weren’t afraid of collateral damage, you could shoot at plenty. Or, rather, through plenty.
>>
>>4942661
>Stay up on the elevation. You were more help up here, and so long as you weren’t afraid of collateral damage, you could shoot at plenty. Or, rather, through plenty.
>>
>>4942661

>Stay up on the elevation. You were more help up here, and so long as you weren’t afraid of collateral damage, you could shoot at plenty. Or, rather, through plenty.
>>4942667
Does Schafer get some kind of small buff or feat for nailing that shot or was it just a really lucky shot?
>Kills don't tend to be marked much- Richter's got plenty under his belt at this point, after all, but if one wanted to there's different stripe and color configurations on the tank barrel. The Silver Lances in particular, as not-technically national armed forces, are allowed flexibility in appearance, to a degree.
A stripe for every campaign on the side of the turret and a plane painted on the other side of the turret.
Just brainstorming here so we don't really have to do this.

>Question
Do tank aces get medals or can't Richter get his medals because of some bs that we are not aware of?
>>
>>4942661
>>Stay up on the elevation. You were more help up here, and so long as you weren’t afraid of collateral damage, you could shoot at plenty. Or, rather, through plenty.
>>
>>4942661
>>Join the press north and try to go to the north east part of town. That approach to the north west seemed more secure.
>>
>>4942661
>>>Stay up on the elevation. You were more help up here, and so long as you weren’t afraid of collateral damage, you could shoot at plenty. Or, rather, through plenty.

>>4942667
but if one wanted to there's different stripe and color configurations on the tank barrel.

We already have the Von Blum seal making us stick out as a target. I'd rather not have anything more identifiable desu
>>
>>4942666
>>4943211
Join a north effort.

>>4942677
>>4942693
>>4942695
>>4942732
>>4942755
>>4943248
Be King of This Particular Hill.

Update will come when I get back from work and hopefully not the morning after.

>>4942732
>Does Schafer get some kind of small buff or feat for nailing that shot or was it just a really lucky shot?
Him being able to hit it at all is an indication of his skill. It was a combination of that and sheer luck. No, he didn't "level up" from it, though. He already instant-precision-hits anything in short range. This was, in a way, out of his particular wheel house. Asking a quick draw duelist to make a sniper shot.

>Do tank aces get medals or can't Richter get his medals because of some bs that we are not aware of?
The amount of young nobility in the tank corps does mean medals for individual achievement are something very much desired and passed out, but officially, Richter hasn't actually been in combat alongside the Archduchy's army besides in what he managed in a couple of days down south, and even then, IO operations don't apply until their documents are unsealed (lol) and disobeying superiors and country in pursuit of personal glory is a big no no. Here, finally, you can start getting decorations and official recognition. Probably.
>>
>>4943336
>Update will come when I get back from work and hopefully not the morning after. It turns out I am not the kind of writer energized by a drink after work. Or maybe I have to stick to Old Fashioneds and anything else doesn't cultivate the proper energy.
It will come the morning after.
But hey, this is my day off and probably nothing is happening today, so maybe we can have this fight done at a reasonable speed now!
>>
Given the choice of how to support your allies, you chose the easiest, yet what seemed the most effective thing- to remain in place, on your elevated position. You let yourself turn out, but only the smallest bit- everything before you could house a sharpshooter, and you’d been shot enough in your lifetime to not care for another hole getting blown in you. Yet, wariness overcame you eventually, and you ducked back down and peered through the cupola vision blocks instead of spending too long scanning the surroundings with binoculars.

“Do you see anything?” you asked Schafer, who could view the surroundings with impunity from inside the tank with the gun scope’s magnification and the gunner periscope. “The tank that’s supposed to be around here?”

“Negative,” Schafer said. You could see he was still sweating from earlier- he’d taken off both his cap, and his bandanna. Baldy was an accurate term you could see, now. “Lookin’ for steam. If somethin’ has its engine on, with this chill, any exhaust is gonna cloud up fierce even if it don’t move.”

“You don’t see that, though?”

“Nope. You, Hausen?”

“Mm-mm.”
>>
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Crackling broke out to the north, and there was immediately a radio inquiry.

“Four-Five,” the Republic officers referred to you, conveniently, by what you already referred to each other by. “We have enemies north at-“ More shooting broke out. “More of ‘em. On the water tower, and the three story north of the damaged one already north of you. We could use some support. The guys on the tower have a good angle on our approach.”

“On our way,” you said, then, into the intercom, “Mal, take us forward some. We need to expand our field of fire so we can fire upon the north water towers.” You didn’t want to move too much- and also didn’t want to sacrifice your view, in case the other tank came around.

Back on the company network, you heard the end of a transmission. “-Bunker northeast. Can either of you take care of that?”

“I’m on it,” Von Rotehof volunteered quickly, “If we hurt them enough, their tank has no choice but to face us. Four-Five, do you want to make a bet that I’ll get it? I can’t let you have all the victories to claim.”

“Make your bet, Four-Three,” you said, not particularly thinking about those particular stakes, “We’ll see how it goes.”

“You just shot down a plane, Four Five. This’ll be cake.”

Maybe you should let that confidence infect you, just a little. Still, you switched to the intercom. “…Driver, halt,” you said as the turret would have been well able to turn and hit the water tower- rather squat, but still about twice as high as many of the run down brick cottages. “Gunner, to our direct north, there’s an enemy machine gun team on that right water storage.”

“Hold on,” Schafer said, “Might be best to keep the gun trained up north-east. Let the bow gun handle the north. Not like anybody up there needs the cannon.”

>Disagree. Train the cannon north, and keep your frontal armor facing the direction of a likely enemy. No need to potentially expose a flank, even if it’s a shallow angle.
>Have Hausen take the job, then. Keep your turret watching for the opposition that is the greatest risk to you.
>Other?
>>
>>4944187
>Have Hausen take the job, then. Keep your turret watching for the opposition that is the greatest risk to you.
>>
>>4944187
>Have Hausen take the job, then. Keep your turret watching for the opposition that is the greatest risk to you.
No sense in destroying the townsfolk's water supply if we absolutely don't have to.
>>
>>4944187
>>Have Hausen take the job, then. Keep your turret watching for the opposition that is the greatest risk to you.
Hopefully there isn't anything here that can take advantage.
>>
>>4944199
>>4944242
>>4944348
Keep an eye for vehicles bearing cannons- you love and hate them.
Writing.
>>
Rolled 12 (1d100)

“Alright then,” you nodded to Schafer, “Belay that, Mal. Take us up beyond. Give Hausen an angle to shoot with the bow gun. Our turret’s going to remain covering the north east.” The 13mm gun was no small weapon, but the cannon might have destroyed the water tower utterly- something you did not feel necessary, considering people had to continue to live in this town after the fires of war died down.

A grunt of confirmation, and the tank began to move again, and no sooner did it stop than Hausen let fly with the bow gun’s thudding report began to rake over the top of the water storage tower- you couldn’t see if you’d destroyed the shooters atop it, but their firing certainly stopped quickly. They’d be wise to keep their heads down, if they weren’t down permanently now.

“Appreciated.” Eyrkia said sharply, “Keep it up, Four-Five, we’re shifting over. Infiltrating that storage yard over the wall looks bad, we’ll be going through the front entrance once the mortars bring down some smoke cover for our approach. First half of first platoon’s busy having a long range firefight, but Four-Three’s looking to bring that to a close quick.”

Ulfey of Second Platoon gave an update next. “These people in the house are holding fast. We need a bit longer to shoot them out and clear the place.” It was impossible to know if an enemy was destroyed in an urban environment unless you went and checked afterwards- dangerous work. It was only luck that the enemy did not have the numbers to force you to clear every building deliberately and destructively- and only because a few did not take long to investigate with glances in holes or windows, shattered by bomb and artillery blasts.

>Rolling for enemy attack on friendlies- any not engaged by a tank have a chance of scoring hits- DC 40 roll under
>>
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“Lieutenant,” Schafer said suddenly, “I see somethin’.”

“The vehicle?” you asked with anticipation, straightening in your seat, tempted to look over the top yourself…only a bit. You looked over just a bit.

“Steam. Rising up near th’ warehouse- somethin’s coming t’ life. Don’t have a shot at it- we’d be wasting ammo trying to shoot through all th’ shit in th’ way for all th’ places it could be.”

“Keep an eye on-“ you ducked as the scream of an airplane zoomed right over your head, followed quickly by another one- a glance could not tell you who was chasing whom, only that the aerial battle was clearly continuing. “I’ll report it.” A flick to the company channel. “My gunner’s spotted signs of the vehicle 2nd platoon was engaged by last night. Exhaust clouds from behind the warehouse. Does anybody have better sight on that?”

“Negative, Four-Five,” Von Rotehof said, “I’d have to move closer, around all these buildings. I can do it once I finish these guys shooting at our people…”

>Advise against that. He has a good covering position- both of you do. Remain in place.
>If he wants to, you’re all for it. He was a Silver Lance in an m/32- surely he could defeat an enemy vehicle one on one?
>Tell Von Rotehof to stay where he is- you’ll advance. You have the tougher vehicle, after all, and can approach from a safer route. (Which?)
>Other?
>>
>>4944454
>>Advise against that. He has a good covering position- both of you do. Remain in place.
>>
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>>4944454
>>Tell Von Rotehof to stay where he is- you’ll advance. You have the tougher vehicle, after all, and can approach from a safer route. (Which?)
Don't know if its a safer route, but if we swing around and hit the enemies in the building with the cannon and machine guns, I'm willing to bet we can move up and keep an overwatch position on this hill in moderate safety.
>>
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>>4944454
>Advise against that. He has a good covering position- both of you do. Remain in place.
Continue advancing as we are for half a tile, then turn northeastward into the space beside the large L shaped building second platoon are occupying and shell the next large building across.
>>4944476
I've got concerns about those 8 eastmost buildings considering how much empty space there is between them as us. That seem like a nice spot to set up something that will catch a tank out in the open, like mines or concealed AT guns. I'd hold off on moving out beyond the cover of the large buildings until second platoon are freed up again.
>>
>>4944454
>Advise against that. He has a good covering position- both of you do. Remain in place.
See if the mortars can't lob some shots into that warehouse
>>
>>4944476
Forward! What have you to fear from this rabble, and whatever scrap heap they have set against you?

>>4944464
>>4944558
>>4944683
Stay on the high ground- the terrain works for you up here, rather than against you, should you move.

Writing.
>>
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“No, don’t, Four-Three,” you said, “We’ve both got good positions to cover the surroundings, don’t we? We’ll stay in place and watch and shoot.”

“Maybe, but,” Little Von Rotehof sounded doubtful, “I don’t know. I feel we shouldn’t let them delay us for too long. Their resistance hasn’t been as strong as they can put up…we may not do well by keeping cautious.”

“We’re making decent pace,” Planckner interjected.

“That storehouse, though,” you said while Planckner’s attention was had, “Can we drop some shells on it?”

“Negative. We don’t know what’s in it, and we may want it.”

Conversely, it was plenty possible that what was in there was something you really wouldn’t want right now, but the Ellowian planes had decided not to bomb it or anywhere close. If Planckner didn’t agree with your proposed use of his assets, there was little you could do anyways. To the south of the storage yard’s entrance, smoke shells from the mortars dropped, creating a concealing cloud, while around you Republic troops continued forward, and the enemy on the water tower ahead had failed to rise up again after Hausen had emptied an entire drum of the bow gun in suppressive and direct fire.

“They ran a gun off from the front gatehouse of the storage yard,” First Platoon Lieutenant Erykia reported, “It should be safe for you to move, Four-Five.”

“We’re moving up,” you said, “Mal, take us around front of this. I want us peeking over into the storage yard.” There seemed to be elevation enough for that, just at the edge of where the hill sloped down, and then further down. As you moved forward, you heard a few bursts of grenades and gunshots in the building that there had been enemies in close by- one of 2nd platoon’s squads was busy clearing it out, and when you had moved all the way forward, they were well finished. Ahead of the front of the tank were a series of squat compounds with pumps- where groundwater was pulled up from below. Water storage was a common sight where a town’s population outgrew plain wells, if there was an offering from the earth close enough. Some towns’ economies were solely from water wealth, and thankfully for the locals, these pumps were exposed and had poor cover. Nobody would be hiding in them, having to be blown out.

From the distance, there was a very throaty, deep series of booms. Far off artillery? This was larger than anything you recalled hearing, save for railway artillery…

“Sundersschirm’s cruiser hat,” Planckner said, “We’re out of range. Probably.” You didn’t like that particular probably. You’d never been shelled by a cruiser, even a disembodied piece of one somehow finding itself on land, and you’d like to keep it that way.

“You’re sure?”

“Enough. There’s more important going on elsewhere.”
>>
“I’d beg to differ,” Von Rotehof jested, “We’ve driven off or eliminated the enemy shooting at us to the north by the coke furnace complex. What is next?”

“Second Platoon and Four-Five have a position to give overwatch over that storage yard. You do have a view, right, Second Platoon?”

“Affirmative. Once we get established and clean up, should only be a moment.”

“Hurry,” Planckner said, “First Platoon is going to send people to clear it out right away. No sight on that vehicle, still?” A round of various negatives. “We’re going to have to flush it out at some point. We can’t expect more of the big guns, and our grey jacket’s saying that things in the air here are…” Another whooshing zoom as a pair of planes danced overhead, just under another set. Equally skilled pilots, and from the horizon, you saw the dreadful sight of aerial reinforcements- you sorely hoped not more bombers, though from the other direction, a hopeful glance yielded further Ellowian commitment, as well, even if it seemed to only be about four more on each side. “They’re distracted.” Planckner finally said of the pilots, “We’re not gonna sit around and wait. There’s only one enemy vehicle. No matter what it is, we have two tanks. We can come at it from two directions, and I don’t see how it can deal with that. Four-Three, Four-Five, cook up something for when we take this storehouse, First Platoon, see if you can spot that pile of junk so we can take it out and roll over the rest.”

“I’m going forward,” Von Rotehof announced, “Not too far. When that smoke clears, I’ll have first sight.”

If he wanted to. Though, you wondered if Von Rotehof should be cocky about a duel of reactions to the smoke fading…

In the relative quiet, you tried to keep an ear out- you thought, perhaps, you heard the enemy vehicle moving backwards, but it might as well have been your imagination with the planes whirring overhead- they kept you from listening closely, or with a clear head. Every close buzz sent your eyes upward, half expecting to be greeted with the sight of a bomb.

None came, but as the infantry went around the wall, things happened very quickly.
>>
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As the breaching squad of first platoon made their way around the wall to the gatehouse, they were fired upon. The remaining infantry from the water tower exposed themselves doing this- and you were quick to react.

“Gunner! Infantry below the left water tower, give them the coaxial!”

By the time Schafer had ripped into them, other infantry had also fired as well and quickly wiped them out, but your allies breaching were still under heavy fire- and pinned in and around the gatehouse by both enemy small arms and what sounded like the crack and burst of 2.5 cm cannon fire- a small gun, but a precise one, and deadly at this close range with fragmenting shot.

“Four-Five!” Erykia called to you, “I need a hole in this wall, the front is a hell hole. Can you knock it down with your tank? Mortars, I need your help at these coordinates…”
You certainly could, theoretically. It was a brick wall, not a particularly thick one, and if you rolled down the hill at speed you could very likely bash right through. Would that be the best decision, though?

>Easy enough. Charge down and through, and into the storage yard. Who knew, maybe you could find an angle on the enemy vehicle better within, or through?
>Too risky. Offer to open a way with the cannon- with the help of the friendly 2.5cms, it should be simple to batter a hole in.
>You’ll help directly. Get Von Rotehof to back you up in directly supporting the threatened infantry- this was clearly an enemy concentration to be destroyed quickly, and that might force the enemy vehicle’s hand…
>Other?
>>
>>4945166
>Too risky. Offer to open a way with the cannon- with the help of the friendly 2.5cms, it should be simple to batter a hole in.
Lob a HE shell or two into it
>>
>>4945166
>You’ll help directly. Get Von Rotehof to back you up in directly supporting the threatened infantry- this was clearly an enemy concentration to be destroyed quickly, and that might force the enemy vehicle’s hand…
Request our AT guns' help in breeching a hole for first platoon, then head dead west into that smoke and get stuck in
>>
>>4945166
>Too risky. Offer to open a way with the cannon- with the help of the friendly 2.5cms, it should be simple to batter a hole in.
Have Jorgen load either load HE, or a demolition charge if we have one.

Have Schafer aim low, or short of the wall, we don't want to risk a dud or fuse failure due to potently poor construction, bad impact angle, fuse issues or "excessive" fragmentation on the far side of the wall if we can avoid it since we don't know what is on the otherside. If only we had some form of HESH(HEP) or HEAT round.

The fact that the ground should increase the pressure of the overpressure by reflecting it; causing slightly more not withstanding.

It may also be prudent to have Jorgen ready with AP, or the "special" shell depending on what we see.
>>
>>4945166
>Too risky. Offer to open a way with the cannon- with the help of the friendly 2.5cms, it should be simple to batter a hole in.
>>
>>4945256
>It may also be prudent to have Jorgen ready with AP, or the "special" shell depending on what we see.
There are likely still civies in this town and our own infantry don't have trenches to protect them from the effects like those panzergrenadiers had last time. I would highly advise against readying it here.
Hellfires should be saved for certain death emergencies like shooting angry demons or fighting an entire armoured column alone, immobile, in a gas attack at nighttime.
>>
>>4945310
I would at least like to have both tanks crews to be able to account for everyone on our return to the platoon, at a minimum; so having that ace tanker show up may very well present problems, especially if we don't have sufficient direct infantry support to either bog them down or overwhelm them without a sacrificial play needing to be made by one of the tank crews.
>>
>>4945166
>>Easy enough. Charge down and through, and into the storage yard. Who knew, maybe you could find an angle on the enemy vehicle better within, or through?
Hit it right where that corner is.

If the enemy can anticipate exactly where we're busting through a brick wall then nowhere is safe.
>>
>>4945230
Get yourself over to the party.

>>4945457
As they say- Oh Yeah!

>>4945170
>>4945256
>>4945292
Batter down the wall with your guns. You are not moving from this chair.

Updating!
>>
“That’s too risky,” you said to Erykia, “I’ll blow a hole in the wall instead in case a nasty surprise is waiting. I’ll need the anti-tank guns to help me. Keep your people back.”

“Roger that.”

You flicked back to the tank intercom, and eyed the brick wall section that seemed a safe place to make a breach. Presumably, once you fired, if one shot didn’t knock it down then the other cannons would join in. It almost certainly would take more than one shot- the 4.7 centimeter cannon was powerful firing high velocity armor piercing shot against armor, but there were certainly much more capable high explosive shells to be found.

“Gunner,” you said, “I need the wall to this compound knocked down a good thirty meters or so to the side of where our infantry are waiting. They need a dynamic entry. Give it high explosive.”

“Got it, Lieutenant.”

The turret made a small adjustment, mostly down, and the shell went out and blew away a solid chunk of the bottom of the brick wall in a cloud of dust- the rest of the bricks would collapse under, combined with the greater concentration of force, but unfortunately, one wasn’t quite enough, though the support of the 2.5 centimeter guns from beside gave their best effort, even if they only could knock out a brick at a time at best.

“Another one. Jorgen, load armor piercing after this.” You had a feeling that you’d be fighting the enemy vehicle next- if it didn’t…well, it’d be naked of support. The possibility of not even fighting it would be there.
>>
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The next shell knocked apart the wall, then the rest crumbled quickly, then slowly, and the Republic infantry were there no sooner to begin streaming in, as the dust had not even settled yet. A lack of gunfire responding to them told that the storage yard must have been rather empty. It would have been hard to defend, but-

Your eyes caught wisps of steam and smoke moving over the wall, but what had left them was no longer under them- your gaze snapped to the end of the wall, to the watch house at the yard’s northeast corner, and you saw a dark shape moving forth to greet you.

When you brought your binoculars to your eyes, you tried to puzzle out what you could see with a glimpse. It had a large gun- something like that on a T-15, perhaps 7.5 centimeters- nothing to laugh at. There was a canvas roof fluttering over an open topped turret. Yet, you couldn’t tell if you were truly seeing all of the tank, or even most of it, as it lurched around the corner. No time for deep thought. Only time for a command…

>Turn the turret and fire. Let them shoot you if they wished. They couldn’t hurt you, and you could take your time lining up a hit.
>Take evasive action, roll down the hill and behind the wall. You had some clues as to what this was and where it was now, after all.
>Try to rush a shot- turn the turret and the tank, try to strike first before your enemy could line up a sure shot (Much lower chance of hitting).
>Other?

Sorry for delay, this was supposed to be out like four hours ago,
>>
>>4946305
>Turn the turret and fire. Let them shoot you if they wished. They couldn’t hurt you, and you could take your time lining up a hit.
>>
>>4946305
>Turn the turret and fire. Let them shoot you if they wished. They couldn’t hurt you, and you could take your time lining up a hit.

Ask for priority fire support from the mortars, since it has an open top turret a lucky shell or two may be able to take out the crew or at least fuck up their aim
>>
>>4946305
>From Thread #71
If this is the ace.
His current vehicle is probably an Ellowian model of heavy tank destroyer. A P5-21E, quick, lightly armored save for its turret and upper hull plate, armed with a 7.5 centimeter high velocity cannon.

>Take evasive action, roll down the hill and behind the wall. You had some clues as to what this was and where it was now, after all.
we should find a better position and get the infantry / Mortars / AT to smoke it out, Von Rotehof may be able to prevent it's escape to the west side town since it probably only has side armor that HE may be able to go through.


I think having the AT Section move up with the infantry currently clearing the Large compound to the North West should help, since it has weak side armor, an open top, and if we're lucky is limited to only a coaxial MG.
>>
>>4946339
Also if we have to shoot it from the front aim for the lower plate, if we can prevent it from moving the Infantry should be able to make short work of it, since it's speed and armor are what makes it so strong since it can reposition quickly.
>>
>>4946305
>Take evasive action, roll down the hill and behind the wall. You had some clues as to what this was and where it was now, after all.
>>
>>4946339
I'll support this. I can't remember any Net tanks that looked like that.
>Other?
Go a little further than what might be anticipated, if I were him I'd try and shoot through the brick wall for a lucky hit.
>>
>>4946339
Supported. We know that our armor can eat shells like a brick but there is no guarantee we won't sustain mechanical damage. Don't take the engagement the other tanker wants and trying to close in is a much smarter use of our elite crew.

Also what the fuck is this new Captcha shit.
>>
>>4946305
>>Take evasive action, roll down the hill and behind the wall. You had some clues as to what this was and where it was now, after all.
Whatever it really is, a big looking gun and a canvas roof on the turret combine to hint it may in fact be a VERY big gun stuffed into that turret.
>>
>>4946305
>>Take evasive action, roll down the hill and behind the wall. You had some clues as to what this was and where it was now, after all.
>>
>>4946307
>>4946316
Give them a little so and so.

>>4946339
>>4946347
>>4946373
>>4946438
>>4946464
>>4946591
Nope out and down.

Update on the way.

>>4946339
>If this is the ace.
To make this easy on you all, while it isn't a tank Richter recognizes, he has seen a P5-21E before. This is not one, and its color scheme is not Netillian.
>>
“Mal! Foreward, now! Evade! Into the storage yard!” Before you were even finished relaying your order, the tank was already lurching forward, sending you sprawling inside the turret as the transmission and engine both whined from the sudden stress your driver put the vehicle under, and the tank tilted down and jerked back up as it half slid, half raced down the shallow hill.

It was barely enough. The cannon across from you boomed, and a whizzing crack snapped past where the m/32 had been only a moment before. Your tank had the watchhouse between it and this new enemy before they could line up a second shot, and it didn’t slow down as the tank knocked through the brick wall, rattling the hull with chunks of debris and spewing dust all up and over.

“A little further,” you said as you ventured back up over top to make sure you weren’t rolling straight into something worse, “I don’t want them trying something like shooting us through a wall.” You were close enough that this flimsy brick wall would be no protection against its cannon’s armor piercing shells. A group of…they must have been fuel storage tanks, were in front of you. They were better than nothing, and would have to do, you thought as you switched to the company radio channel. “This is Four-Five. I’ve spotted the enemy vehicle, a tank with a large cannon, open topped turret, unknown type, north and outside of the storage yard compound. I want to have priority on mortar support- the turret lacks an armored roof, and it’s particularly vulnerable to that sort of attack, as well as infantry attack, if they can get around to it.”

Planckner responded quickly. “Do you have a location that we can shoot the mortars at right away?”
>>
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“It’s on the move,” Ulfey reported, “My people could see it from on top of the hill. Looks like Four-Five’s really on their shit list, they didn’t stick around to try and blast us.”

“We’re still busy in and around the place,” Erykia said on his part, “That picture of this place from above shows there’s nothing for cover to approach the north, that isn’t awful risky.”

“I’ve neutralized the small cannon near the coke furnace facility,” Von Rotehof reported right after, “If we’ve already taken two of them and you are fighting one presently, there is a good chance that they’re soon going to be out of anti-tank assets besides this tank, yes? I can move forward and help trap it.”

“It might come after you next, or stay focused on Four-Five…” Planckner thought aloud, “Four-Five, what do you think? Our current priority is the destruction of that vehicle.”

You were being asked? Well. There were a few ways you could immediately think of…

>You and Von Rotehof made two tanks- if you both approached forwar, eventually it would either come out one way or be beset from two sides, and the other one of you could take it from the side with no cannon…
>Bash through the wall again. Maybe there was no safe place for the infantry with the walls up, but if you charged through and kept going, maybe you could take the tank from both flanks, with the infantry, from an unexpected direction?
>Try and force it to come to you, still. It might constitute a delay, but all that was needed was for a few infantrymen to confirm its position and guide mortar fire onto it. That would force it to either fight you or flee- it couldn’t wait for you to fall into its hands.
>Other?

Unplanned nap precluded updating much earlier
>>
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>>4947036
>Other?
Have the mortars hit the other side of the wall, it doesn't matter where as long they can put rounds on the enemy side of the wall. I think the enemy tank is going to get antsy, and its going to smash through that wall north wall to face us head on. That's why we head around the side, and as its busting through swing around and hit it point blank. If it doesn't bust through the wall and sits around getting mortared, just wait for Von Rotehof and hit it from both sides.
>>
>>4947036
I'll support this >>4947117
>>
>>4947117
+1, basically as long as he can't sit there taking his time to aim as we close in
>>
>>4947117
This works for me. Just make sure to tell the infantry near the north wall to anticipate any dynamic entries.
>>
>>4947117
+1
Combinded firepower.
I like that.
>>
>>4947117
>>4947123
>>4947145
>>4947153
>>4947500
Blast away with mortars and creep in.
Update coming.
>>
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Rolled 73 (1d100)

“We know they’re on the other side of this storage yard,” you said, “Even if we aren’t sure exactly where, that thing has an open topped turret. Raining down mortar fire will eventually either damage it badly or force it to move. Have the mortars shell the ground to the north of the compound, about in the middle. Four-Three and I will move to either side of this yard and wait for them to get tired of it, and they’ll be rolling into our advantage, or onto either side. They might try and bust through the north wall, so anybody inside the storage yard should be careful.”

“Not much time then,” Planckner observed sternly, “Mortars, hear that? Do it on the double. Four-Three, how soon can you get to the other side of the compound?”

“There is naught in my way!” Von Rotehof declared, “Immediately!”

Saying there was nothing in the way was an overstatement, judging from the rifle and machine gun fire still being exchanged, but soon after this exchange, 1st platoon reported the last of three reported anti-tank guns being destroyed. Exempting an unlikely fourth, Von Rotehof’s only match would be this enemy tank.

To the rear, the mortars began to fire, and you listened for their impact as you guided your tank back out of the storage yard, to the flank once more. The mortars were indeed firing relatively blindly- but you could hope to get lucky, couldn’t you?

>Rolling for mortar attack, DC roll under 25- degrees of success by 10.
>>
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“Here it comes!” Von Rotehof announced, “I see it. Four-Five, are you sure it was open topped? That turret appears enclosed to me.”

“Yes, I’m sure.” Could you be, though, you thought with a flash of doubt. Maybe it was merely a canvas covering disguising an enclosed turret? Something was strange.

“No matter. They’re outmatched, no matter the details. Move, Four-Five! I am making myself an impossible target!”

What Von Rotehof meant by making himself an impossible target, you couldn’t fathom.

-----

“Damn,” Stevan Von Rotehof motioned to his loader, “Warn, pass me the Nebelina, they’re getting right in our faces, and I want a sack over this particular face.”

“Aye, sir,” the man reached into a box bolted to the wall and yanked out a stick grenade with a bulky head, wrapped in tape and wire.

No sooner had the grenade been handed off than Von Rotehof yanked off the cap, ignited the fuse, slotted it into a stick, and whipped it forward an impressive distance. An artist’s canvas was the world, and he painted a cloud between him and this foe that sought to ruin him. He only had three Nebelinas left in his bag of tricks, accumulated from captured Valstener equipment- he’d have to make them count.

-----

If Von Rotehof was charging forward, you doubted you could sway him, and there would be no better time to make your attack. The question was, though, where to go about it…
>No need to make it complicated. Roll up and past the watch house- it should be a solid shot into the enemy’s rear.

>Roll around and through the walls again. That would ensure you were facing front, at least.
>Other?
>>
>>4947716
>Roll around and through the walls again. That would ensure you were facing front, at least.
I suspect there's another vehicle.
>>
>>4947716
>Roll around and through the walls again. That would ensure you were facing front, at least.

Yeah right he knows there's two of us rushing him and he's staying put? Has to be something else their sleeves.
>>
>>4947716
>Roll around and through the walls again. That would ensure you were facing front, at least.

FUCK, there's two!
It's too late to warn off Rote, best case we appear behind both of them and get into an awful knife fight.
>>
>>4947720
>>4947724
>>4947734
>>4947771
You really hate walls, don't you? One would think you'd have a fondness for flat surfaces.

Update on the way.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

What was going on? The scouts had only reported one vehicle, and they seemed confident. Was there two? There was only one way to find out now- this was looking to turn into a close-range brawl, and there was nothing to do but to dive in, and see if both you and Von Rotehof would come out of this in one piece.

“Driver, take us to the other side, through these walls,” you declared. To move around would present your side- your front armor, for what good it was at this close range, would have its strongest face towards whatever was waiting for you. “Gunner, Radioman, be ready to throw all we’ve got.”

“Nothing good’s ever come after hearing that…” Hausen sighed as the tank surged forward again, clanking as Malachi beat the engine and transmission into following the will of the crew.

With another crash and rocking of the tank, you pushed through the brick wall once more, stray pieces bouncing and rolling off the armor, and just as you came out the other side…

>D2 for a glancing blow or a direct hit
>>
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An ear wrenching shearing sound, KEEEEENNGGGGGG, scored along the side of the turret, followed by a bizarre sound of metal warping, twisting- your teeth chattered and the ringing of the metal went up through your prosthesis, and it felt like, into your very bones, but the m/32 was unharmed by the impact- and the mystical protection, hopefully, was not so terribly exerted.
> Armor of Fate- 2/5

“Gunner, return fire!” You said, your shout made a rattled stammer by the strike, and you looked again at what this foe was. Two tanks was what you expected, as you saw Von Rotehof slipping by ahead, but…it was not.

There was the gun and turret you saw before, but on only one tank. It was a clumsy, oafish looking machine, long and bulky, with a turret at each end of the tank like a beast with two heads. The half presented to you looked like it had been stitched onto the other like a crude chimera that was passed off as a cryptid, only this was no corpse nor fiction. The barrel of the war machine wisped smoke and steam- and it was surely making ready to land another shot on you.

Schafer was already lining up his shot- all you had to do was tell him where his shot would be best placed…

>Through the hull- try and skewer this abomination in one blow, though a sure kill is not certain…
>Strike the turret, the gun- you would suffer no further indignity from this ugly heap of scrap.
>Von Rotehof was in peril- you, on the other hand, could weather this damage. Aim for the second turret.
>Other?
>>
>>4947944
>Through the hull- try and skewer this abomination in one blow, though a sure kill is not certain…

What the hell, I wasn't expecting this abomination that's for sure.
Well now that we know where it is time to get the mortars to hit it or 1st Platoon to close on it
>>
>>4947944
>>Through the hull- try and skewer this abomination in one blow, though a sure kill is not certain…
It's can't have very much armor if it still manages to move despite being such a lumbering pile of shit.
>>
>>4947944
>Other?
Use our reload skill to hit both turrets, if this thing is as annoying as I think its going to be they probably bolted an ass load of armor onto its hull too.
>>
>>4947989
+1
Make our cannon an autocannon.
>>
>>4947944
>Armor of Fate- 2/5
Hmmm, Armor is getting low.
I wonder if we got any of those Soul Pellets left to feed or dear M/32...
If not we should be able to get more from that Canned Shadow, been a while since we opened that fucker up so there should be plenty.
>>
>>4947944
This >>4947989 seems the safest bet
>>4948029
We opened him up pretty recently but there wasn't anything new inside the can, as I recall.
>>
>>4947944
That tank is a retarded abomination whoever made that deserves the kiss of the m/32 instead of the crew.

>>4947989
If we can do this with two shots then I support this.
If we can't then I'd vote for a hull shot.
>>
>>4947944
>Von Rotehof was in peril- you, on the other hand, could weather this damage. Aim for the second turret.
>>
>>4947959
>>4947973
In one end and out the other. Spit it with a shell.

>>4947989
>>4947992
>>4948179
>>4948305
Give them the old one two. A hook to the jaw then a donkey punch.

>>4948375
Save the Chain Gang!

Updating.
>>
>Ace Loader Skill Used

“Jorgen!” You shouted in the tank, “I need two rounds, rapid!” You knew he could do it when needed- and you needed it now more than ever. “Schafer, One in each turret, as fast as you can!”

Schafer said nothing- you had no reason to believe he didn’t hear you as the turret slewed, you only had to hope that this enemy wouldn’t drill another shot in your tank- or one into Von Rotehof. There was no reason to doubt a man who had shot down a plane just earlier, though.

With a billowing cloud of dust all about the tank and a knock backwards in the turret as the recoil mechanism threw itself back with a sharp clank, your loader had replaced the hot shell inside and let the other rattle to the floor before the tank even rolled back forward- with a clanging like the ringing of a bell, you saw your enemy’s gun, trained upon you, bashed roughly to the side like a fist breaking a jaw, and from the angle the turret was at, it would not be aiming at you again. Schafer was justly confident in the truth of his shot, and the turret was already moving to take a shot at the rear turret- a poor angle, but at these close ranges, your gunner had the precision of a dustlands deadeye. With the same motion of the tank back and forth as before, and another cloud of dust, a yelping crunch of metal, the enemy was struck again. Again, as Von Rotehof slowed and fired his own shot.

“Once more, through the hull,” you said, teeth still tight against each other, “Finish it off.”

Another shell, through the hull, and a further shot by Von Rotehof. Your comrade put one more shell in after you, and you paused only to review the stricken foe. The tank poured out steam and dust settled about it like snow, but it was not aflame- a few stray crew flopped out and struggled to drag themselves around the vehicle, searching for cover as the Republic Infantry from within the storage yard managed to clamber over the walls and swarm over the vehicle- there was no fight for them to finish as a few climbed up top and looked in, rifles ready, but they felt no need to fire into the vehicle from what they saw, evidently.

“Enemy vehicle destroyed,” you finally reported to the company channel, “How is it going elsewhere?”

“They’re pulling back,” Planckner said, “That tank was their best hope. I’m not surprised. If I were them I wouldn’t stick around any longer with no cannons and two tanks coming up on me.”

“Should we chase them down?” Von Rotehof asked, “Our tanks are still plenty ready.”

“…Nah,” Planckner said, “We should let them run off. We’ll secure the town and take care of our wounded and prisoners. Then I’ll tell the Battalion that we’ve got this place, and we’ll dig in. Stay on your toes- don’t think a sniper won’t notice you letting your guard down. Keep an eye out for the planes- they’re still around.”

You were well aware of that.
>>
-----
There was one more unexpected firefight- with a jumpy set of militia who didn’t get the message that the fight here was over, but it ended without you or those who you were helping being called in. After that, you and Little Von Rotehof were assigned to watch the flats to the north for any counterattack, whilst most of Planckner’s two platoons wrapped up the aftermath of the fight here. With the remaining organized enemy having fled, the Netillian aircraft withdrew as well, but you doubted they were finished for the day. Bringing up the possibility of more harassing strikes prompted mixed responses.

“No worries. We’ll just have Baldy shoot them down again, yeah?” Hausen said over the intercom.

“More Lucky ‘n anythin’ else. Hope I never have t’ do that again,” Schafer said while he smoked a cigarrete in the tank- you didn’t like the smell in your tank, but he had deserved a break. “Not as bad as th’ three days at least. Only reason I don’ think a Kallean’s about to spring out of the shadows and climb in my ass in these times, is ‘cause there’s already one right at th’ feet.”

“Least you don’t have to smell him.”

“Hey,” you snapped, “Stop that.”

“I didn’t mean nothing by it,” Hausen said defensively.

“…” You looked out over the land and the sky with your binoculars- a few planes were going back and forth in the distance, at least, the ones close enough to be concerned about. “The skies have not calmed to recognize our win here.”

“Don’ like how exposed this place is,” Schafer said, “Could use some trees. Or, anythin’.”

“Anything can see us, but even I can see far from down here,” Hausen said, “Lieutenant, have you heard anything about if there might be a counterattack? Just because it’s a bad idea doesn’t mean it can’t happen.”
“Planckner thought it wouldn’t happen,” you told your crew, “Not unless we abandoned this place. If they want to have a fight anywhere they’d save what they could, and not throw it away in counterattacks unless it was an important piece of defense. Not here.”

“That tank seemed like a lot to have as part of an unimportant defense.”

“The people who owned it, commanded it, were locals,” you said, “That’s what Planckner said the prisoners said, at least.” The surviving crew included “one of” the commanders, according to the ones still conscious, but they had been wounded in a way that had struck the artery of the thigh, and it was doubtful if they’d pull through. This was a volunteer effort, though not a defiance of orders, from what was initially gathered. “Say, what was the three days?”

“Don’ got time for that right now,” Schafer said.

“Yae wanna tellet, I caen gun,” Jorgen offered.

“I don’ trust nobody behind the trigger but me. No ‘fense.” Though nobody was going to claim that was unjust today.
>>
“Fine, I’ll tell it, then, not like there’s anybody knocking right now,” Hausen said, “I can’t remember much of it, though. It was chaos for, you know, three straight days. Not over any important place or things or anything, the Kalleans and us just happened to find each other in some Judge forsaken place so we fought each other until we had to retreat to back up a place of actual importance. It’s hard to remember how bad it was, everything just smashes into another, and you think you remember it right until somebody else tells it different. Sometimes I’ve asked somebody, only to hear them say it happened in a completely different place.”

All that truly told you was that it wasn’t something to ask about at present, as it’d spoil everybody’s focus even more, despite there being no enemy in sight.

Yet, there being no foe in sight, after your win, made you want to toss away your attention elsewhere for a bit. “What’s Kallec like, anyways?”

“Touched-in-the-head Republicans with inferiority complexes pretending to be the great revival of the Vitelian Empire, with a shot of Cathedra zeal mixed in,” Hausen said with disdain, “They’ve managed to pull themselves up by their bootstraps well enough, but they’d rather take things than ask.”

“I’d think the Vitelians would want to claim the great revival,” you mused.

“Everybody there would. That whole western part of the continent used to be the Vitelian Empire, after the Nauk withered away. The Paellans reach back that far for sure, though they’ve got plenty of the far west in them too.”

You forgot much of what you knew about the current state of affairs, but you wanted to be sure of what you did know. “The Vitelian Empire was broken up by the Dhegyars, right?”

“Right. After the land maelstrom broke them up in the middle of a bad time for them, things got worse, civil wars between princes and such, and once the west opened again, the Dhegyar horde came out of nowhere and finished them off.” Then, from what you remembered, the Dhegyars conquered up to Emre, before being defeated by Emrean kings, but also, overextension and infighting between their princes and the Khagan led to their empire breaking apart, about seven hundred years ago or so. “A few of the countries around there now broke away from Vitelia really recently, though. The Gilicians, they call themselves the Temple State, even nuttier Cathedrans than the Kalleans, they broke off only a few years after the Emrean War, and Lindiva, only a few years before the turn of the century. Kallec is probably the strongest, after the Revolutionaries, now. From what I’ve heard, that war we fought barely hurt ‘em at all.”

“Better Republicans than Revolutionaries,” you offered, “We’re fighting alongside them now, aren’t we?”
>>
“They had a different idea than these folks do,” Schafer let himself be distracted enough to mention, “Hard t’ lay it all out, but they’re about the same as bluebells an’ roses. They’re both flowers, but you’d never take one for the other. The way I hear, they’re real top heavy, when it comes to government, but that didn’ come up when shootin’ ‘em. Ain’t like the Archduchy is. Ain’t like it ‘cause it don’t got a bunch of aristocrats what think they’re too good for common decency, either…Hey, what’s that thing? Comin’ towards us.”

“That?” You looked through your binoculars at the object, “That’s an autogyro. A Netillian aircraft. They’re for scouting and observation, they aren’t very dangerous on their own. The spinning wing on top of it lets it go particularly slowly in the air, it might as well be floating.”

“Y’don’t want me to shoot this one down too, do you?”

To be fair, an autogyro was a much easier theoretical target than the light bomber Schafer had shot down earlier. “If you think you can hit it.”

“It’s just a bit too high.”

“If it gets close, we can use the pintle gun,” Hausen said, “You said that it’s a spotter craft, though? I don’t like the sound of that.”

“Me either,” you agreed, though an autogyro in a place where there was plenty of Ellowian fighters was unusual- it was not an air combatant whatsoever, and another plane would make short work of it. “I’ll tell Von Rotehof and we can see if we can get behind or under something.”

The request was relayed- and accepted readily enough. Your own aerial scouts, and the movement of other units in and around the battalion, had informed Planckner that any counterattack or bombardment (besides token harassment) of your new position was unlikely. Not with what was going on to the north- a fierce tank battle had ensued around the airfield objective and on the road from it to the city of Sundersschirm, and that was drawing the particular attention of aircraft and artillery both. Well, good luck to the people involved in that…though you wondered if that was also where the Crown-Taker was, as well…

>Talk to anybody or do anything to the side while at this town?
Just in case you want to pass the time or find anything out before moving on to the next thing. Not that I have the time to make this a run-on update right now anyways
>>
>>4949192
>Talk to anybody or do anything to the side while at this town?
Talk to Schafer once more about the three days, specifically, the unaccountable nature and try to work in Richter and the crew's similar experiences in the mountains of East Valsten. I'm hoping we can use that as a primer to help open up Schafer to the possibilites of whatever "less than natural" phenomena we encounter next, without telling him anything explicit.
As a second, lower priority suggestion I'd also like to turn out and have a quick inspection of the impact to the m/32B's turret. The turret managed to turn immediately afterwards, so I'm sure it's doing fine mechanically, I'd just like to double check for anything "unexpected" which is totally not just an excuse to go observe the Armour of Fate again or anything.
>>
>>4949192
>Talk to anybody or do anything to the side while at this town?

Inspect both our and the horrid abortion double turret "tank". Was this thing built this way or stapled two tanks together?

Even if we don't anticipate a counter attack mention to Planckner if it's viable to recover any broken anti tank guns and place them in areas so they might appear as live and dangerous. Maybe if the gyro sees them from a distance it will be enough to encourage them not to attack if it looks too dangerous.
>>
>>4949192
Any codebooks/plans or any scraps of intel that could be found from inspecting the tank?
>>
>>4949192
Talk to Von Rotehof about his smoke grenades or whatever they were. I don't know if Richter would have seen it to know, maybe he could infer from the cloud of smoke they left over after the fight and ask Von Rotehof what they were. If that Net tank ace does show up, having the smoke to use for cover might be a lifesaver. Whatever we could do to make it worth his while give up even one, I would consider to be a fair trade.
>>
>>4949192
>Talk to anybody or do anything to the side while at this town?
The prisoners: Who are they and why have they chosen to fight?
>>
>>4949309
Spooky things about three days. Spooky things about the thing you ride in.

>>4949319
Look at the Horrid Abortion Tank, official name. See how you can utilize busted materiel.

>>4949397
Comb for information- any that shows itself.

>>4949522
Bum a bundle- they seem fun.

>>4949783
See if you can find another woman to threaten your fiancee with.

Writing! After I eat.
>>
>>4949905
>See if you can find another woman to threaten your fiancee with.
Another female character will be introduced with probably some good art.
God dammit tanq. Why give us all these waifus that we can't have?!
>>
>>4950039
>can't have?!
Are you sure?
>>
>>4950039
>we can't have?!
enitrely up to the players
>>
>>4950063
>>4950075
Are you thinking of NTRing Maddy, you scoundrels? Cease!
>>
>>4950080
Anya needs crew members for "her" "new" tank too, don't forget.
>>
>>4950081
Wonder if we could call her over, we could use a third tank here
>>
>>4950081
Anya has show she has no problem "acquiring" children without any help from us.
>>4950084
Depends, having Anya here might be safer for us, however, alternatively, having a third unique tank among us could make her stick out as a target for the trophy hunter.
>>
>>4950087
Children tend not to do so well as loaders for large caliber guns, especially unassisted, in cramped and frequently shifting environments like the insides of a tank, they would be far better suited to the radio operator / bow gunner position.

Also considering the gun being put on it, it would probably be better used in a non direct fire role as an ad hoc SPG (assuming it manages to retain somewhat respectable elevation), used to destroy hardpoints and Yeet HE at Infantry in the open. Otherwise kept well away from tanks and AT since the modifications probably won't focus on reinforcing existing armor or be able to adjust to the extra weight very well.
>>
>>4950039
Women don't just disappear after you get married, Anon.
Have some self control.
>>
You gave Plankner some suggestions on what to do with the captured enemy materiel- particularly the anti-tank guns. The 2.5 centimeter cannons had mostly been battered when Von Rotehof had fired on them, though one had been captured by infantry, but the beaten ones could still be useful- if scouts saw them from a distance, they wouldn’t necessarily know they weren’t functional.
The idea gave you thought for what else you could disguise, though you’d need a place with more resources. Von Rotehof appreciated the idea when you told him.

“I thought about a time when another Sosaldtian mercenary disguised their tank as something more threatening than it really was,” you said, “It looked convincing enough even though it wasn’t even metal.”

“Mm! You don’t need much to fool the eye if you work off of assumption,” Von Rotehof pointed to your tank, “I imagine most of our enemies assume your tank and mine are identical, but they are anything but. I thought that you were screwed when that two headed tank hit you, but you can barely tell when you look at your tank now.”

The hit had sounded damaging, even if it hadn’t pierced the crew compartment, or struck at an angle to risk such, when you had inspected your turret afterwards, there was but a thick line like a scar, inappropriate to the sound made and the munition that caused it. When the m/32’s steel shell had been ripped open before, you recalled that the odd layer of gold beneath the steel, housing some sort of…creature, had pulled the outer layer back over itself. Perhaps this damage was superficial enough that it managed to accomplish such rather quickly?

“How did you manage to avoid being fired upon?” You asked Little Von Rotehof, “You were approaching them for longer, and they certainly knew you were coming for them.”

“Oh, let me show you. I like keeping it a secret if I can…because I want to save these, since I can’t get more any time soon, but,” You walked over to his tank and Von Rotehof rummaged about in the turret before appearing again with a few incredibly ugly looking devices, and what seemed to be a half-hollowed stick. “Grenades,” Von Rotehof explained, “Valstener smoke grenades on this one, to be specific, of all sorts. Plain white, signal smoke, it’s quite a beautiful explosion, really. Smoke Candles take some time to deploy, but the Valsteners use burning chemicals and explosive charges to scatter dense smoke quickly. Bundling them increases the effect immensely, you could practically hide our tank platoon in the cloud made. This other type is plain grenade heads, but it’ll fuck what it hits.”

“They look quite heavy,” you observed.
>>
“They are, they are,” Von Rotehof nodded, “That’s why I have the Scoop,” he held the stick up, “It adds leverage to the throw so you can hurl these things further. If I could, I’d try and find some way to shoot them off, but I haven’t had the chance to work with that safely now. Maybe if I sawed a rifle in half and used a rifle grenade adaptor…”

“I thought you were an artist, not an inventor.”

“Well, I’m not,” Little Von Rotehof frowned, “The Valsteners made these grenades, I just tied them all together.”

“Can I have one?” You asked, “I feel like I’ll need one. Like you say, the smoke candles are slow to deploy.”

“Hmmmmm,” Von Rotehof’s frown deepened and twisted, “Mmmhhhh…”

“I’ll trade you something for one.”

Von Rotehof squinted at you skeptically. “There’s something you think you’ll need to hide from in a hurry? The only thing I can think of might be that tank hunter…you’re not thinking of seeking that bastard out, are you?”

“I like to be prepared,” you said, though the Intelligence Office may very well have been setting up a planned meeting. Partially as per request.

Von Rotehof put the equipment away, still making noises of contemplation. “Shit, I can’t think of anything right now,” he said, “Make me an offer at some point. I need a lady model. I need to mix up my sketches sometimes.”
>Decide what you’ll try and trade. It ought to be something good.

“I’ll get back to you, then,” you said, “Can you try not to use those all up in the meantime?”

“Unless somebody offers to buy them for more.”

You waved, and left back to your tank not far off. You wanted to speak with your crew more- particularly those who had been in the Silver Lances some time. The description of the “Three Days” felt odd- and you wondered if it was similar to some of your own odder experiences. It would make explaining a few things or potential happenings much easier if you could lean back on familiar mysteries.

“What’d you go over for,” Schafer asked when you got back in the turret.

“Stevan Von Rotehof made some toys I’m interested in taking off his hands, if I can. Smoke grenades, ones that explode instead of just burning like the smoke candles.” Though they were called candles, of course, they were canisters- their name just referred to their slow acting nature. “I wanted to ask you and Hausen something else about the Three Days, though.”

“Ask Hausen, then. I’m on watch.”

“Alright.” You looked down in the hull, then around- Hausen was stretched outside against the side of the tank opposite from where you’d entered. “Hausen,” you addressed him, and he turned his head, “I wanted to talk about something,” you slid down the other side of the tank and stood next to the radio operator.

“Reconsider your noncommittal opinion?”
>>
“What?" You furrowed your brow, "No, it’s about the Three Days. Schafer doesn’t want to chat right now.”

“Bald old grouch. He needs to see his dog again, I bet. And his wife, though you won’t make him say that.” Hausen glanced back off south, towards the town. “Alright. The Three Days. What about them?”

“Everybody has a different account, and it’s difficult to recall how it went exactly, yes?” You led up, “Kallec has mountains and mountainfolk, how far into Paelli was this? Was it close to the Maelstrom?”

“Mossheads aren’t magic, Lieutenant, they just have fat assed girls,” Hausen said, “It was pretty close to the Iceforth, sure. Closer than you ought to be for too long, but plenty of people live that close anyways. You hear about funny things, but it’s hard to be sure when the same things don’t happen elsewhere.”

“I think I might have had something similar happen once,” you said, “I was passing through East Valsten once, through a mountain range. A sort where a fog comes down and the locals don’t travel the pass. They get lost. When my people and I went through anyways, we…encountered strange things.”

“Strange things like what?”

“Well, it was a normal mountain pass, and we were chasing people, but somehow, we ended up ahead of them. Far ahead of them, and there wasn’t a way we could have passed them normally. Also, a giant living stone ate one of our trucks.”

“A giant-“ Hausen stopped himself, “I don’t know anything about huge crabs, but there was a fog that whole time. The Kalleans knew how to use it to their benefit, too. The Paellans in the area got chopped to pieces in it, even though it was their own ground. Like they were lost in their own country.”

“That sounds exactly like the mountains!” You said with excitement, “But these are places so far apart from each other, aren’t they?”

“That why your tank is so strange? Going through those mountains?” Huasen asked with an eyebrow raised.

“Well, no.” You lost your momentum, “That’s a longer story.”

“Eh, it was a vain hope anyways,” Hausen shrugged, “I hardly noticed weird things, besides, you know, the little stuff. The chills, sometimes shadows, but half the time those turned out to be Kalleans. Most people would tell you that it was just a big confusing shit-festival of a battle, and I agree. Anything else ain’t recalled much. That’s stuff you tell whores hoping that they’ll let you spend the night with them for free because you cast a spell on them, you know?”
>>
In other words, half-fiction campfire tales. Perhaps like that time you and your crew before Hausen and Schafr had gotten you doped on a bizarre mountainfolk drug before making a raid across the border with inexplicable goals, unfulfilled.

“If you say so,” you shrugged, “It seems like it could be strange stuff that’s actually real. Speaking of,” you stepped off, “I’m going to look at that strange tank. I’ll be back- Schafer is in charge until then.”

The bizarre double-turret tank remained where it had been knocked out, and though the bodies had been taken out, wrapped in cloth and taken by the prisoners to rows elsewhere, that didn’t mean the tank was clean. Getting near it, there was a pungent, metallic scent of blood. You knew what you did to people- but you didn’t often have to see the aftermath.

When you climbed over the open top turret, you saw that, besides the spray of crimson over the back part of half the turret, it was surprisingly intact. The cannon was just fine, but also, quite familiar. Thinking back…this was the cannon to a T-15 tank. When you’d first encountered them, the armor-piercing ammunition had been scarce, but that had surely changed, from what you saw in the ready rack, and below. The telltale black caps of armor piercing shell were all over- this powerful gun was nothing to gamble with any longer.

The half with the open top and the larger gun had another strange quirk- you looked below, into the tank, and saw a curiosity- there was no seats below. This rear, or front, or whatever section, was like a fortification stuck onto the back of another tank, and surely encumbering it a great deal in the process. However, the weight might not have been terribly much- the armor, from what you could tell from the hole in the hull, was actually not very thick at all. Von Rotehof’s gun may have been capable of piercing it, even, and when you looked at where he had shot the vehicle, that had been the case. This had been a medium vehicle at most, transformed into some approximation of a land battleship by a mad engineer.

The other end of the tank was much more normal, the cannon appearing to be some sort of 4 centimeter gun or around that size, with three positions for crew crammed in the turret, and a place for a driver, with requisite instruments. A tank that seemed about as capable as an NfK-7t or an early m/32, were it not for the strange (if powerful) addition in the rear, that made it long and unwieldly.
>>
The insides, when cleared of its former crew, had already been inspected, and when you asked after what had been found, there was somewhat a surprise- there had been no codebook found, no frequency guide, not even maps. There had been a preemptive and deliberate deletion of anything. Planckner had been baffled- what was lacking were things necessary for even an attempt at a prolonged operation, as the lack of certain communication at this low level would preclude any help coming. The prisoners had been double checked for hiding them anywhere, but half of them hadn’t even known about the lack of documents.

It gave you cause to go speak with the prisoners yourself- even if they’d already been questioned on what you were curious of. If you were to fight more of this enemy, you wanted to know what their cause might be- the Netillians defended their country and obeyed their overlords, was the same true of an independent city-state with little further reason to align itself with Netilland’s Defense Party for the long term?

Though the fuel storage had been emptied and moved elsewhere, the warehouse had not been emptied of a great deal of supplies, including that of medical supplies, much of it labeled as of Netillian origin. Particularly, a fortuitous supply of dried plasma was deployed by company medics as soon as it was found, resuscitating some prisoners as well as wounded allies, in particular, one of the enemy commanders, as identified by one of their own, who had been thought beyond help because of an arterial wound to the thigh.

It wasn’t particularly surprising to find they were a woman- though Planckner’s earlier déjà vu nearly gave you that expectation, unpleasant as it was to think about increasing the amount of women’s’ blood you’d shed, regardless of if they were a dangerous foe as this one had been. She was not quite lucid considering the blood loss, however, and you recalled when Anya had slept for days on end after she had nearly bled every drop she could give, once. This woman was awake, for now, but you chose to find one of the other prisoners first, who wore a maroon coverall spotted with various stains. He was a man your age, with a bandages wrapped around his arm and leg on one side, hair cropped short with a long jaw and a cigarette in his lip, with a glaze in the eye of a dosage of morphine.

“Damn,” he said as you stepped up and squatted before him, “I wasn’t expecting blues, but I sure as hell wasn’t expecting them to have half-mask weirdos. What even are you?”

A better response than you would have had if you didn’t have that mask on, quite honestly. “I am a Lieutenant Richter Von Tracht, of the Silver Lances Panzer Division, aiding in the operations of the Republic of Mittelsosalia’s Mechanized Regiment. What are you? One of the Twice-Damned I’ve heard of?”
>>
“Not anybody you’d have heard of, but sure.” The cigarette fell out of the man’s mouth, but he didn’t seem to notice. “Which of the blue tanks were you? The one with the nut throwing fireworks or the one we almost peeled like a can?”

“The latter one,” you answered, “Almost was not good enough in this case,” you couldn’t help saying, even if a sure hit would not have availed them either.

“Not good enough for Skadi. Guess she got what she wanted either way.”

“Her?” You gestured in the direction of the female commander you’d heard of, even if you hadn’t had a good look yet.

“Nah. That’s Inga, her twin sister, but they don’t look so alike no more, on account of a shell going right into her chest and blowing her all over the back of the turret. Heh heh.”

Sosaldtian mercenaries had unusual perspectives on human life, but that made you frown and lean forward. That statement was…unhinged. “You didn’t like her?”

“Huh? Course I did. Wasn’t ugly or nothing. Just funny to see somebody get turned into meat right beside you. We turned plenty of people to meat. Heh heh. It wouldn’t be fair to be upset, would it, mister Judge?”

You blinked at that, paused, but let it drop. There wasn’t anything to say to that whatsoever. “You were always in that strange tank?”

“It used to be two. Skadi and Ingfrida, nasty pair. Then the Spear got taken out, and the Works turned this out on Skadi’s ask. Was always a bit nutty. Her and the top gearhead.” The morphine was not having a good effect on the man’s coherence. “Nutty to come here. What else could we do, though? You don’t leave your people just ‘cause they’re nutty, do you.”

“Why were you here, anyways?” You asked, “This town didn’t seem that important to fight over.”

“They were born here and they wanted to fight. What else is there to it?” the man thought, “Well, guess they wanted to keep the northerners from taking their stuff back, there was tell of some unit that went wild through places. Expected the same from anybody following the green jackets. Why wouldn’t you, after all. Once you’ve turned somebody to paste, are you gonna feel bad about anything else?”
>>
An accusation that you let slide off of you. “That’s it? You came here on your own, with those other people? You weren’t ordered to?”

“Nope. Orders were to stay back. We didn’t want to do that. Had enough of pulling back, staying back, not when the homes are on the line. We thought we had a pretty good chance. We had air support, we had the Gemini, even if the fucker broke down halfway here so we were late. Then one of you shot the bomber out of the sky and the sheepdogs chased off the rest, and you had two more tanks than we figured could be spared. Even still…we almost got you, didn’t we? I thought it was close, anyways. Funny how there’s not much a mistake needed, for her to be sprayed all over, and not you, huh? Heh.”

“I suppose so,” you said, flexing your fingers, feeling the replacement contraptions click ahead of your stumps. Maybe you’d already been killed, in a way. If only that was how it worked. You looked over to the woman who was apparently called Ingfrida- the name sounded like a Nauklander one.

“You thinking of chatting with her? Heh heh,” the man chortled, “You won’t get nothin’. What’re you gonna say, Sorry for killing your sister? Wasting your time. Our fight’s done and so are we. Let her be.”

>What was there to be sorry about? Were they sorry that they tried to kill you? He said himself the fight was over. You can do what you want.
>That sounded like a good opening. It was better than nothing, wasn’t it?
>Actually, maybe there wasn’t anything else to get from these people. You’d found out what you wanted and needed nothing more.
>Other?
>>
>>4950377
>Actually, maybe there wasn’t anything else to get from these people. You’d found out what you wanted and needed nothing more.
>>
>>4950377
>>Actually, maybe there wasn’t anything else to get from these people. You’d found out what you wanted and needed nothing more.
>>
>>4950377
>Actually, maybe there wasn’t anything else to get from these people. You’d found out what you wanted and needed nothing more
>>
>>4950377
>Other?
Yes I agree the HA tank was nuttier than a peanut shell filled with walnuts. Do they have anything else up ahead that's just as crazy?

otherwise
>Actually, maybe there wasn’t anything else to get from these people. You’d found out what you wanted and needed nothing more.
>>
>>4950377
>>Actually, maybe there wasn’t anything else to get from these people. You’d found out what you wanted and needed nothing more.
Leave the poor girl alone.
>Decide what you’ll try and trade. It ought to be something good.
>“Make me an offer at some point. I need a lady model. I need to mix up my sketches sometimes.”
We are a bit lacking in attractive females at the moment, and I'm not sure Von Rotehof would want to draw a prostitute or a muscle-bound tomboy. It is a bit of a longshot, and maybe not a good idea at all, could backfire horribly even, but the Duchess Von Katski could be willing to model a portrait at Richter's request. Everyone would have to survive that long, and the whole possession business can't have boiled over, but its the most enticing offer I can think of.
>>
>>4950377
>Actually, maybe there wasn’t anything else to get from these people. You’d found out what you wanted and needed nothing more.
We could maybe get Alina to pose for Stevan.
>>
Excuse me but for some reason suptg threads 1-10 got wiped
>>
>>4950954
They weren't even archived in the first place.
You can find them on archived.moe or in the huge document here: https://drive.google.com/file/d/0B29vjUh6mh99QUNLdC1JdG1mR0k/view?usp=sharing
>>
>>4950393
>>4950402
>>4950492
>>4950683
>>4950828
Maybe killing somebody's twin sister is a good reason to give said person some space for a bit.

>>4950585
Hey what else you got waiting.

>>4950683
How do you feel about the long game?
>I'm not sure Von Rotehof would want to draw a muscle-bound tomboy
Yeah who'd want to do that. To be fair Anya is much more slim than bulky in build

>>4950828
Promise a sister in-absentia.

Updating.

>>4950954
As >>4950959 says, the threads are on archived.moe or the ebook pdf. As to why they're not on suptg, there's not really a good reason. They just aren't. However, they're not long threads either.
>>
>>4951143
You could repost the important posts and have that archived.
>>
>>4951242
I maybe missing something, but whats wrong with the archive.moe links or the PDF?
>>
>>4951298
They're not on either add free, or accessible on the go, not both; so it's a slight inconvenience if anything.
>>
A glance back at the prisoner talking to you, then the woman- for all of his present instability, he was absolutely correct. No matter the impersonality of this conflict between the lot of you, you were still their enemy. There was no need to antagonize them further after winning- you’d found out most of what you needed. Best to leave them alone. Though there was one thing you wanted to know before doing your best to salvage magnanimity.

“So,” you said to the prisoner before you now, “Do you have anything like that double tank up ahead? Or anything worse?”

He grinned at you with a malicious flash of teeth. “That’s something you’ll have to find out, half-face.”

What else could you have expected? Maybe he didn’t even know. He wasn’t given any thanks for what he’d given- you simply turned about slowly and left. What were you going to do, beat the information out of him? You’d already done violence enough on these people. If you were going to find anything out, it wouldn’t be from them.

Thoughts of war and prisoners and death were driven from your mind when you got back to your tank, and reminded yourself of Von Rotehof’s deal. A model, huh? Well…you couldn’t think of many people locally. Some random prostitute wouldn’t do. Would he want Anya as a model if you found her again? Maybe not. Maybe if he were you, but oddly, many people found your retinue ugly, annoying, or frequently, both. However, the same couldn’t be said of opinions about your retinue’s sister- you’d done her enough favors to ask for this, hadn’t you?

Or…or. You had an idea that must have appealed to Von Rotehof’s stated ambitious dream of a debut even better. The Duchess of Diamenglicia, Kamilia Von Katski- currently under a more friendly influence. You could ask Emma to do this easily enough, but all that required as the willingness of Stevan to take a deal that would be rather far in the future, easily after the end of this war- and how long would that take? Could either of you say for sure you’d see the end? You certainly intended to, and Little Von Rotehof was an optimistic sort himself, but you were asking him for one of the very tools he must have intended to place his bets of survival upon, for such a distant promise…it required consideration.

>Closer to home was better. You might be able to find Alina within a week- and only just behind your own lines.
>Von Rotehof had his fantasy of a glorious debut- could you honestly give him better than the Duchess? It was a long way away, but what were you doing if not counting on victory?
>Other?

-----
>>
Everything had gone to hell in a shockingly short time.

Kampt had expected his rise to power- not…this. This sequence of events that was looking more and more like the downfall of the Netillian Military State- and himself along with it. He wouldn’t give up so easily, though- there was still hope. All he had to do was defeat his enemies in detail. The Republicans rising in Netilland again under that wretch, the former President of the Assembly, could wait- they were still weak, disorganized, and only gaining ground for lack of effective opposition. Once Mittelsosalia and Ellowie were halted, or at least blunted, to the south, there would be time to turn the efforts of the nation inward. The allied Republics couldn’t sustain their offensive- there were clues that, even now, they were faltering, running out of steam. The King’s Rebellion failed to make significant gains for want of resources, only spared through those ignorant Twaryians not making a move against him- for whatever reason. All that was needed was time. Even now, the losses could be replaced, and Netilland’s industrial might and manpower reserves would remain strong even after her present enemies would be reduced to sustaining themselves upon scraps. The major advances were where the perfidious Archduchy had joined its elite “mercenaries” with the enemies’ own armor, driving down the Northway road, while the broad front that the bulk of the Ellowian army occupied moved relatively slowly upwards by comparison, lacking the armored forces that might give them haste.

So, Kampt could afford a proportional solution. He had already decided ahead of time- he would break the tip of the spear at Sundersschirm. If he could prove to its ruling council that they could hold out easily, and not be isolated, content to break the enemy upon their fortresses and urban blight, he would have his much-needed delay. He would surely be savior- and ruler- of the nation. Not a bad promotion from a mere divisional kommissar, though even now he swayed an army, far above his technical station, with the help of his friends and puppets.

So then- it was almost time. Enough planes, enough armor, two of his most precious divisions, though reduced badly in the initial days, had been replenished with fresh troops and new equipment. They would strike at the spearhead’s weak points, at the Mittelsosalian and mercenary armor, and then, they would crush the ever so gallant Silver Lances. Kampt allowed himself to be seduced by this vision- Lord Protector of the Netillians, Breaker of the Lance.

Victory was in reach, surely. He moved to grasp it…

-----
>>
A few idle hours passed- planes went back and forth, as did autogyros, and a scout vehicle was driven off by a pair of long distance hopeful shots from both you and your platoon partner, but no serious counterattack was made. Yet, in the middle of the day, a loud droning told you of a…significant amount of air power coming from behind.

All it took was a look to the sky to see just how much- at descending altitudes, you must have seen at least two dozen planes, if not three dozen, flying north.

“Von Rotehof!” you called over to the other tank, and you pointed to the sky.

“Judge above,” Von Rotehof called back, “That’s a hell of a lot more than before. What’s going on? Hell, I’ll ask.”

You went into your turret’s insides, and made sure that you were on the company net, as well, to listen in.

“This is Four-Three, What’s going on, Actual?” Von Rotehof asked, “Are we expecting something?”

“I just found out myself,” Planckner responded, “It’s not to do with us, but it might have to do with you. Battalion’s just told me to send off whatever tanks I have with me to a rally east. There’s a hell of a mess going on to the northeast, and they’re readying all the help they can get. I don’t envy you two. They’re saying there’s a full Netillian armored counteroffensive hitting the guys attacking in the direction of the airfield, and that’s apparently not the only place. They really don’t want us to have this. At least they don’t seem to have enough stuff to hit here as well.”

The Netillians would have certainly preferred to strike everywhere at once, you were sure, but perhaps their great retreat left them starved of the forces necessary. Even still, they were making a large counteroffensive, to stop operations to cut off Sundersschirm. Would a defeat here halt the Republics’ offensive once more? For how long? The details were too wide in scope to ponder without reaching into the imagination rather than fact. Your part would just have to be to hurry, and fight as best as you could…

…At least you weren’t in the thick of whatever mess there was right now.

>On to the rally point, then. You were called for, and you would answer. (Maintain this perspective- The Tail End)
>If only you were on your way. You were already there. In the shit. (Perspective Shift- The Republic’s Test- Battle of Fort Dornenkrone)
>You were already in a mess- but at least not as much a mess as the people on the other side of the city. (Perspective Shift- Griffon Flight)
>>
>>4951705
>On to the rally point, then. You were called for, and you would answer. (Maintain this perspective- The Tail End)
>>
>>4951705
>On to the rally point, then. You were called for, and you would answer. (Maintain this perspective- The Tail End)
Griffon is tempting, but if we're getting thrown into the same grinder I choose Richter.
>>
>>4951800
Oops also for Von Rotenhof's model

>Other
Make it a two for one deal, if we get through this he can sketch the Duchess as well
>>
>>4951705
>>On to the rally point, then. You were called for, and you would answer. (Maintain this perspective- The Tail End)

Tally ho!
>>
>>4951705
>If only you were on your way. You were already there. In the shit. (Perspective Shift- The Republic’s Test- Battle of Fort Dornenkrone)
>>4951808
Two for one should do it. A little now, a lot later.
>>
>>4951705
Are we joining up with Vehlors and Big von Rotenhof, or is it just still the both of us?
>>
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They couldn't know. Could they?
>>
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>>4951702
>Von Rotehof had his fantasy of a glorious debut- could you honestly give him better than the Duchess? It was a long way away, but what were you doing if not counting on victory?
>>4951705
>On to the rally point, then. You were called for, and you would answer. (Maintain this perspective- The Tail End)
>>4951874
They know everything
>>
>>4951702
>Closer to home was better. You might be able to find Alina within a week- and only just behind your own lines.
>>4951705
>If only you were on your way. You were already there. In the shit. (Perspective Shift- The Republic’s Test- Battle of Fort Dornenkrone)
Hoping we can pull some shit with whatever Republicans we get to help Richter out when he arrives on the scene.
>>
>>4951702
>Closer to home was better. You might be able to find Alina within a week- and only just behind your own lines.
>>
>>4951705
>On to the rally point, then. You were called for, and you would answer. (Maintain this perspective- The Tail End)
>>
I'll be calling and updating tomorrow- my weekend hath started.

>>4951857
>Are we joining up with Vehlors and Big von Rotenhof, or is it just still the both of us?
Unfortunately for you, there has not been enough time for those two's tanks to be tuned up and returned to the front. Though you might be lucky enough to find allies going in. Possibly. I'm sure you'll be fine.
>>
>>4951705
>On to the rally point, then. You were called for, and you would answer. (Maintain this perspective- The Tail End)
The planeshooter is coming!
>Other
Make it a two for one deal, if we get through this he can sketch the Duchess as well
Por que no dos?
>>
>>4952180
Not sure whether that's unlucky or lucky for them
At least it means if the worst happens their parents aren't losing both sons...
>>
>>4951702
>>Closer to home was better. You might be able to find Alina within a week- and only just behind your own lines.
The Duchess's situation doesn't sound too stable to me - who knows what condition she'll be in by the time we actually get to her? Emma might have stopped possessing her by then, or the two could have melded together into some new persona, or gone insane together. Either way I don't feel comfortable making promises so far in the future about it.

>>4951705
>>You were already in a mess- but at least not as much a mess as the people on the other side of the city. (Perspective Shift- Griffon Flight)
>>
>>4951705
>>On to the rally point, then. You were called for, and you would answer. (Maintain this perspective- The Tail End)
Hopefully the smelly republican's get defaulted low rolls and Reinhold's cocky smirk gets wiped away
>>
>>4951705
>You were already in a mess- but at least not as much a mess as the people on the other side of the city. (Perspective Shift- Griffon Flight)
>>
>>4952180
>Tomorrow
>>
We consider von Katski as Little Rot's model for her prestige and beauty and whatnot, basically as a promise for later. Why not suggest Maddy?
>>
Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>4951769
>>4951800
>>4951822
>>4951965
>>4952030
>>4952211
>>4952853
The Latecomer.

>>4951853
>>4952007
In the thick.

>>4952651
>>4953636
Owl Fucker.

>>4951808
>>4951853
>>4952211
Both! Are you nothing if not generous?

>>4951965
A promise of a distant debut.

>>4952027
>>4952007
>>4952651
Some might say more humble, but perhaps not more homely?

On the way now. Rolling off between Alina and Both, 1 for former, 2 for latter.

>>4953691
weh

>>4953764
Why not indeed, veal pounder.
>>
>>4954006
>Why not indeed, veal pounder.
Just curious, is Maddy aware about what people call Richter regarding this?
>>
>>4954171
>is Maddy aware about what people call Richter regarding this?
As far as the specific name Veal Pounder? Probably not. In regards to a supposed preference towards more "youthful" women? Well, she's expressed her insecurities regarding her appearance before.
>>
“Alright then,” you told Planckner, “Just give us our heading and we’ll be off as soon as we can.”

He did, but had a last mentioning. “Don’t be gone too long. I’d rather have two tanks around as much as I can.”

“We’ll see,” Von Rotehof said with a lighthearted lilt, “Maybe those Netillian planes will still give you plenty of elbow room.”

From the sound of things, you wouldn’t be going into much a fun time, coming up. Von Rotehof must have known that as well as you did…so you felt it prudent to return some of the hope for the future, as the tanks started up again and you went over to his tank to speak with him.

“Von Rotehof,” you said to him, as he was standing on the ground inspecting his tank as the heat of engine on the hull made frost and stray snow fade away from the dusted blue.

“Still so formal, Von Tracht?” Little Von Rotehof returned, only pivoting his head.

“My loader has a less formal name, if you want.”

“Yeah, I’ve heard,” Von Rotehof grimaced, then shrugged. “What is it?”

“I wanted to complete that deal with you,” you said, “For one of your smoke charges. If you’re alright with it being a future investment.”

“Oh?” Von Rotehof turned around fully to face you in a stumble, “Really? That was faster than I thought. What’s the investment?”

“You wanted a model to draw, yes?” You repeated his earlier request, “I know two who would be happy to pose for you.” As long as it meant naught more than sitting still, rather than disrobing. “One is actually rather close to us, when we have a reprieve from fighting, the other is somebody quite significant, actually. The first is the sister of my retinue, she’s working as a medical assistant in the rear lines, and the other is an Ellowian noble, the cousin of the King himself, the Duchess of Diamenglicia, Kamilia Von Katski.”

Little Von Rotehof tilted his head. “I knew about the King from his rebellion, but a cousin? How is she?”

A terrible and cruel degenerate. “The Duchess of Diamenglicia is a well-known socialite. Quite beautiful.” Admittedly. “She’s appreciative of the arts, I think. Wouldn’t that be a good debut for you, if we make it out of all this?”

You had expected Von Rotehof to be overjoyed, but he actually seemed…somewhat nervous. “Damn,” he said, crossing his arms, “I don’t know what to say. I’ll have to make it through this, if you can really guarantee that. I’d have been fine with the other girl you said, really. You’ll have to make it through this too, huh?”

“So it’s a deal?” You pressed.

“Oh, sure, sure,” Von Rotehof regained balance, “Hey, whoever’s close, pass me a Nebelina for Von Tracht!” He looked back to you, “So this sister, will she pose nude?”

“Uh,” you choked, “I don’t know. You’ll have to ask her.”
>>
“Don’t get the wrong idea,” Von Rotehof said defensively to that reaction, “A person isn’t a still life. If I wanted to vary things with portraits alone I’d just draw you a few dozen more times. I wouldn’t ask for anything they wouldn’t be alright with, but I’m to properly respect a model’s potential, aren’t I?”

“…Sure,” you said with a frown, not understanding what he was going on about in particular. The possibility was only left open because Alina was not particularly close to you- you couldn’t rightly demand something in her place. “Anyways…”

Von Rotehof received a heavy looking bundled charge from one of his crew, and he handed it to you. It was heavy. “Be careful with it,” he advised, holding a warning hand up, “Just because it’s a bundle of smokes doesn’t mean it doesn’t have force. Make sure you hurl it good and far away. Really put your arm into hurling it, you don’t want to be close to this when it goes off, especially if you don’t have the throwing stick. It’ll shroud you in but a moment though.” You tossed it in place, and he snapped, “Hey, I said be careful! Seriously, part of how it works is that the fuses are more sensitive. If you drop it too hard, it might go off prematurely…”

That was well enough to tighten your grip on it, both with fleshy and mechanical fingers.
>x1 Nebelina Bundled Smoke Charge obtained- addition to x4 Smoke Candles

When you returned to your tank, you did your best to warn your crew about the grenade, and find a safe place to store it for ready use- and spared but a single thought towards whether Anya would appreciate your offering of her sister to another man before you forced yourself into the zone- whatever might be demanded of you once you reached the rally point, you’d have to be well ready for.

-----

The rally point was a ghost town-a tiny, empty village, how long it had been abandoned or why was unclear, for certain, nobody had lived there for years, but there were more recent occupants in the form of a few clutches of vagrants or refugees, as well as the new presence of a smattering of Silver Lances tanks, standing out amongst them that of your company commander Lieutenant Colonel Von Silbertau. Not every tank was of your company, from the markings, but Von Silbertau must have been placed in charge of this gathering nevertheless.

“Is this all we have?” He said while looking around, after some more time had been allowed for further arrivals. You’d been near the end of the incoming packs- fifteen tanks had arrived, including the Lieutenant Colonel’s and his escort. Nine of the plain type with 3.7 cm cannons, five with 5 cm cannons, and your own. “Damn. We don’t have any more time to wait for stragglers, this’ll have to do. Listen here.”
>>
He had the officers seated before him under cover of an old half-collapsed barrack of a sort, on the ground, and you had to squint to see where he pointed on the map he had. “This is the situation. Netillian armored forces have located the joint between ours and Republic forces in multiple places in the operation and managed to break through these places in our line. They’ll threaten the rear and possibly isolate our armor again if we don’t halt their advance and reconstitute our line. They’ve brought up radio signal disruption devices like before, as well, so our long range communications with the front are as good as gone for now. We won’t be able to count on getting them back during the critical time, so you’ll just have to be good as you can. As for the locations,” He pointed further on the map, “Aerial reconnaissance and our reconnaissance allotted to us has told us that we should be able to reach these defensive strong points before their advance units do. Whether you’ll be able to prepare defenses won’t be certain. Our pioneers aren’t in place to lay down mines, so don’t expect them to make your job easier. They’re already working on the fallbacks for if we don’t manage this on our side. We’ll need you to rush up there, command will try and send reinforcements, but don’t expect them quickly. We need to hold for at least a little bit- don’t retreat too readily, or the others on the line will be flanked.”

Von Silbertau pointed to the defensible locations- a pair of hills, a village, and a lead mine. “These hills are the center of this defensive line,” he stated, circling them with a baton, “It is imperative that we hold here. Beyond that, this mine on the east will protect that flank. However, it itself has an open flank, but we don’t have the means to extend our defensive line beyond that. Which is why, besides from these defensive points, I have another task that must be completed by volunteers. It will be dangerous, uncertain, and I can’t promise any support whatsoever, but it might bring us back from the brink.”
>>
Von Silbertau pointed further up another map- to an Imperial era fortress. “This is Fort Dornenkrone. Our people captured it this morning, and it was the base of operations for the Republic Armored element of the assault on the airfields ahead, but they were pushed back, and we’ve lost contact with the 1st Republic Armored Battalion’s first and second companies. I need a pair of volunteers to try and make their way to this position and find those Republic tanks. They’re not the best vehicles, but if we can reestablish contact and at least make sure they’ve still got cohesion, then we can reinitiate attacks from multiple sides before the Netillians break through all the way. Our first battalion has a couple of companies coming up from emergency repairs, and command wants to make sure to put it in the right place. If our flank is gone, we’ll have to cancel the counteroffensive.”

The Lieutenant Colonel took a breath, and put his hands behind his back. “Preliminary reports leaking back just now indicate that the Netillian units engaged have been recently resupplied, reinforced, and equipped with new vehicles. Don’t underestimate them- there’s already tank types we haven’t seen in mass before. Tanks with armament equivalent in power to our own m/32 five centimeter cannon types, and heavy breakthrough armor resilient to our own weaponry from the front. The Ellowian air force will be doing what they can, but they’re overstretched as it is. You’ll have to fight as hard as you can for as long as you can. For the volunteers ranging out, you’ll be provided with Mittelsosalian flags to use as aerial indicators, so you won’t come under friendly fire. For what it’s worth, enemy air support has been focused on more northern elements, so you at least shouldn’t have to worry much about that.”

Von Silbertau scanned the officers before him, seeming to search amongst the assembled Lances for something. “So, that’s all we have much time for. We’ll be leaving immediately, both defenders and the volunteers. So, who will do it? If nobody volunteers, myself and my escort will go, and I’ll leave command of the central defense to the senior officer there.”

>Volunteer to link up with the Republic Armor. Hell, it wasn’t any worse than things you’d done before, was it?
>Take part in the defense- your tank was one of the more powerful and durable ones among the collection here. You’d be needed to hold the line.
>Other things?
>>
>>4954318
>Volunteer to link up with the Republic Armor. Hell, it wasn’t any worse than things you’d done before, was it?

Having the Kommandant rallying them will be a hell of a boost to our 'old' unit, especially if they're close to breaking.
>>
>>4954329
Also almost counterintuitively, being able to maneuver around and outflank the Nets is in many ways less risky than holding the line and getting shot by a whole bunch of medium and heavy armor charging at us head on, even with the support of the other Lances.
>>
>>4954318
>Volunteer to link up with the Republic Armor. Hell, it wasn’t any worse than things you’d done before, was it?
>>
>>4954318
>>Volunteer to link up with the Republic Armor. Hell, it wasn’t any worse than things you’d done before, was it?
The Lances seem like they have really gone through the wringer. I wonder how many people that played that Blackjack 2 game a while ago are holding a dead mans pay.
>>
>>4954318
>Volunteer to link up with the Republic Armor. Hell, it wasn’t any worse than things you’d done before, was it?

Better to be on the move. Plus I really don't want a repeat night with the Hellfire shell.
>>
>>4954318
>>Take part in the defense- your tank was one of the more powerful and durable ones among the collection here. You’d be needed to hold the line.
As cool as it would be all of this volunteering is going to get us killed one of these days, and we have too much to live for for that. I think we need to cool it down a bit with the heroics and start making more of an effort to act like we want to survive the war as much as we do.
>>
>>4954318
>Volunteer to link up with the Republic Armor. Hell, it wasn’t any worse than things you’d done before, was it?
>>
>>4954318
>Volunteer to link up with the Republic Armor. Hell, it wasn’t any worse than things you’d done before, was it?
It doesn't count as surviving the war if we don't come as close to death as possible. It's the only way to truly break the Von Tracht curse.
>>
>>4954318
>Volunteer to link up with the Republic Armor. Hell, it wasn’t any worse than things you’d done before, was it?

Kommandant 2 electric boogaloo.
>>
>>4954329
>>4954397
>>4954529
>>4954543
>>4954876
>>4955003
>>4955017
Off you go again, never tied down.

>>4954783
But isn't it better to hold back sometimes?

Update will come tomorrow, today ended up being a sleep-catch-up day.
>>
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Update will be coming tomorrow actually, sorry, I just want to be real sure I have what I need so we can do this at a pace of more than one a day, is all.

In the meantime, what I've shamelessly put time into that I probably should have put into maps.
Reich tanks are in progress.
As is naval action.
>>
>>4957232
Classic Anya, not a uniform in the world she can't bare her stomach in.
>>
Your hand raised without even thinking about it. “I volunteer, sir,” you announced loudly.

Those who turned to look didn’t seem surprised- it might have brought a smirk on your face, if the situation weren’t so dire.

“I do as well, then,” Von Rotehof raised his hand immediately after.

“Very well then,” Von Silbertau said with a curt nod, “You two, come and speak with me a moment. Everybody else, get your tanks ready. We’re leaving as soon as I’m done with Von Tracht and Von Rotehof, here.” As the other officers went back to their vehicles, Von Silbertau gave you an odd look. “You enjoy an adventure, don’t you?”

“I am here, am I not?”

“And I have come to appreciate that.” He turned his head to the other volunteer, “I don’t know you very well,” Von Silbertau said to Little Von Rotehof, “But I know your brother. You come from a good pedigree.”
“Thank you, sir,” Von Rotehof saluted.

“Despite the risk, considering the chaos of the front,” Von Silbertau went to a table where folded pieces of cloth lay, “As long as you are clever and don’t make yourselves appetizing targets, since you will not be occupying ground the enemy wants, and have no attachment to any they might contest you for, I believe you both should be able to flow through the lines. This is no suicide mission- your goal is to find our allies and make sure they’re holding, not to die gloriously. You’ve the rest of your life to do that. This day, you live. Understood?”

“Yes, sir.” Both you and Von Rotehof said.

“Good,” Von Silbertau handed you both folded flags- they were red and blue, with a four pointed star visible even though the flag’s design was not whole while folded. “This is the flag of the Republic of Mittelsosalia. Put it over the backs of your turrets and keep it stuck down. The Ellowians are going to be very busy today, and it’s hard enough to tell friend from foe far up in the sky, no need to become a casualty by wandering through contested territory. Take the map there, as well. I’ve marked out the quickest route that should minimalize enemy engagements while offering you some measure of protection.” The Lieutenant Colonel saluted, then pointed away, “Now, go! This battle might be decided by mere fortuitous moments, and we can spare none for our enemies if we can help it.”

-----
>>
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The flag of Mittelsosalia had been spread over the backs of you and Von Rotehof’s turrets, fixed in place with enough cable and clamps to surely prevent them from fluttering off no matter what might happen. Avoiding aerial strikes was quite motivating- even if your gunner was he who would defy the wrath of the skies.

The Republic’s banner was reminiscent of an earlier design you’d seen as part of the uniforms- red on the top, and blue on the bottom, but there had been the addition of a large, four pointed white star in the center, surrounded by a thin golden halo, with four more smaller four pointed stars splayed out from the center in a horizontal fashion. The symbology escaped you utterly, and you couldn’t think of whom to ask about it. Von Rotehof seemed far from a vexillologist, though perhaps he might be a vexillolographer. For now, what mattered was that it would deter Ellowians from dropping bombs on you, and hopefully, the Netillians’ attention would be drawn elsewhere to the point that your detour wouldn’t be interrupted by their own aircraft.

“We have our bearings, Four-Three?” you asked Von Rotehof. “My tank is ready to do.”

“Mine too, Four-Five,” Von Rotehof replied, “You’ll lead the way? I’m not the best at land navigation.”

You were excellent at land navigation. Your shooting skills may have been turned to ashes and flung away, but nothing could make you forget the language the land spoke, how it always told you where you were. You’d been in the woods and about long enough that you might not be lost even without a map. “Of course. Follow my lead.”
>>
Rolled 2, 2, 1 = 5 (3d3)

The red, dusty ground had been covered by a powdering of snow. Wherever treads churned the surface, the red and brown came back, but a thin white blanket persevered now over the land. You were reminded of the bleaching the Iron Hogs had applied to their tanks in the winter climes- would both sides begin to utilize that soon? The Netillian elite were well equipped in regards to camouflage…yet, this snow was too new for such a rapid change in appearance, for anybody.

“We’re starting at bearing seventy to try and avoid any of a potential main thrust,” you said, “We’ll be shifting north on my mark.” You heard the sound of engines snarling and spitting, and Von Silbertau was already on his way, accompanying his limited force to what would be the defensive line south, a delay for the rear line to prepare for the worst. “Let’s go,” you said, “I just hope that these Republic troops will be glad to see the Kommandant.” If worst came to worst, your link-up might have to become an effort to tie what was left back together…

>Rolling a 3d3 for your route. 1 is hills, 2 is extended village, and 3 is a battleground.
Then, for each place in the route, I need a set of 2d6, save for a battleground, where 3d6 are needed. The roll results are accordingly-
>1-Enemy Reconnaissance force
>2-Enemy Medium Armor Presence
>3-Enemy Heavy Armor Presence
>4- Stray Foe
>5- Ongoing Skirmish (Enemy and Friendly presence)
>6-Friendly Stragglers
>>
Rolled 5, 4 = 9 (2d6)

>>4958391
>>
Rolled 1, 4 = 5 (2d6)

>>4958391
>>
Rolled 2, 5 = 7 (2d6)

>>4958391
>>
>>4958394
>>4958409
>>4958425
Alright then, updates will be on the way once I get back from work.
You got relatively lucky really.
>>
>>4958432
Would have liked a 6 or two but thank fuck we didn't roll any 3s.
>>
>>4958439
I was spooked about rolling two threes. That would not have been fun to deal with. Or very fun if they all bunched up for the spooky shell
>>
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A keen eye was kept as best you could for any enemies as you and Von Rotehof rolled along- it took only ten minutes for an Ellowian fighter to swoop low over you, only to presumably see your flags and swinging back upwards. Curious how a threat could be reassuring, you thought, as you told your crew that you weren’t under attack, yet.

“If only we could talk to them,” Hausen lamented, “But the long range is already getting messed with by those Netillian devices, and we’re not even close to where we need to get to.”

“They wouldn’t talk to anybody but their ground coordinators anyways,” Schafer said.

“I’m sure at least one of us could do a decent Ellowian impression.”

Two of the crew most certainly would not be able to. They wouldn’t even be able to do an impression of a Strossvalder.

One of the landmarks that you needed to turn at was coming up in the distance- a series of scattered villages that formed into a chain of sorts, leading up from a road you were to roughly follow in direction. These were not uncommon in Sosaldt- they were the beginnings of what might become city-states as villages and towns banded together for protection against brigandry, though from what you’d heard, Sundersschirm had maintained a stable territory for some time, so perhaps this series’ formation was different. What was significant for you and Von Rotehof, though, was that it provided cover over a stretch of flat and open ground where you wouldn’t be so readily spotted and targeted. It would also provide cover for the enemy, if they were here, but you had not set out with an intention to capture these territories for yourself.

Though, from the sounds ringing out quite clearly, this particular piece of land was yet to be claimed for sure…

“Cannon fire, Four-Five,” Von Rotehof said, “Somebody’s still fighting over here, because it’s sure as hell not shooting at us. Something’s shooting back, too. Maybe we can help them.”
Maybe you could. On the other hand, maybe that would be foolish. Your mission wasn’t to rescue stray forces, and whoever this group was, they were far from where the Republic elements you were to contact were. You had no idea how strong the forces you might encounter would be, or what they were equipped with, and you’d be entering this fight, for what? To fail your vital mission?

Yet. These might be vital allies. Perhaps an effort to rescue them could result in greater chances of success?

>Maybe you could make a better decision if you had better eyes. Move north and see what’s happening.
>There was no time. Try and make your way north as best you can, as quickly as you can. This skirmish would serve as an important distraction.
>Could you leave behind your allies when you were here and able? You could move into a position to reinforce and counterattack. Surely any stragglers from friendly forces would do much more the longer they were combat capable?
>Other?
>>
>>4959343
>>There was no time. Try and make your way north as best you can, as quickly as you can. This skirmish would serve as an important distraction.
>>
>>4959343
>Could you leave behind your allies when you were here and able? You could move into a position to reinforce and counterattack. Surely any stragglers from friendly forces would do much more the longer they were combat capable?
>>
>>4959343
>>There was no time. Try and make your way north as best you can, as quickly as you can. This skirmish would serve as an important distraction.
>>
>>4959343
>Maybe you could make a better decision if you had better eyes. Move north and see what’s happening.
We going north anyways yes?
>>
>>4959343
>>Maybe you could make a better decision if you had better eyes. Move north and see what’s happening.

Might as well take a peek. It's cold but if the Republic forces aren't strong enough then we use them. If they are, or the fight is even it might be worth helping them either to join with us or go help Von Silbertau.
>>
>>4959343
>>Could you leave behind your allies when you were here and able? You could move into a position to reinforce and counterattack. Surely any stragglers from friendly forces would do much more the longer they were combat capable?
This is using meta-knowledge but the enemy here should be just a stray foe so it shouldn't be too much trouble to deal with. Better to gain some allies and build up our strength while we can.
>>
>>4959343
>Maybe you could make a better decision if you had better eyes. Move north and see what’s happening.
Make a single pass, shoot anything in Netillian green
>>
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>>4959343
>>4959568
I think making use of the element of surprise to at least try to inflict casualties on the Nets could work, staying and collecting the people here would be a gamble though. The houses should be safe enough to move around, the Republicans should at least be occupying any Net infantry in them at least. Using those as cover, I think we can sneak around the side to get a shot at whatever is with the cannon, which I assume to be in that open space by the cluster of villages, as sitting at distance with armor facing the houses would best suit an armored vehicle fighting infantry that might have AT weapons. From there we can pop smoke and keep heading north, maybe keeping that line of villages close to dip into for cover, maybe staying away from them if they look unfriendly.
>>
>>4959343
>Could you leave behind your allies when you were here and able? You could move into a position to reinforce and counterattack. Surely any stragglers from friendly forces would do much more the longer they were combat capable?
>>
>>4959343
>Could you leave behind your allies when you were here and able? You could move into a position to reinforce and counterattack. Surely any stragglers from friendly forces would do much more the longer they were combat capable?
Kill that stray as fast as possible, use Schafer's and Jorgen's skills if need be
>>
>>4959563
>>4959917
Going to give things a bit before calling this to clarify, a roll of "Ongoing Skirmish" has default Netillian forces skirmishing with friendlies, it isn't just the other roll against friendly forces, the other roll is added on. You can reasonably assume there's more than one thing, in case that changes anything.
>>
>>4959343
>Could you leave behind your allies when you were here and able? You could move into a position to reinforce and counterattack. Surely any stragglers from friendly forces would do much more the longer they were combat capable?
The more men the more punching power.
>>
>>4959976
Do the spotty brown patches on the map represent elevation or rough terrain?
>>
>>4959976
So for Skirmish and for Stray whatever we face can be anything from the first three rolls?
>>
>>4960274
They're nothing in particular- elevation changes, I've decided, are denoted by a darker tone outline. It's just texture, really.
>>4960280
>So for Skirmish and for Stray whatever we face can be anything from the first three rolls?
Potentially, since the main thrust of things is that the skirmish is balanced out by friendly presence, though I'm not so cruel as to put a full-force heavy platoon just because there's a few jokers popping shots at it. I think what's around is reasonable, at least.

Anyways,

>>4959350
>>4959465
Keep on keeping on.

>>4959523
>>4959556
>>4959568
>>4959655
Take a peek. See what you see. Maybe shoot something.

>>4959353
>>4959563
>>4959876
>>4959917
>>4960020
You must add more brownshirts to your chocolate collection!

Update in progress.
>>
>>4960374
>You must add more brownshirts to your chocolate collection!
Of all the names you could have given them you chose brownshirts. Really?!
>>
>>4960473
>>
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>>4960484
The leader of the blackshirts is telling me to leave with the circus so I shall go and join them.
>>
“We can help them,” you agreed with Von Rotehof, “And we will. Let’s move out. Northwards, we can catch them unawares if we’re fast enough.”

Every man you could gather to you was a greater chance of success in your mission, even if this particular action was not a part of it. Besides, you could surely beat a couple of Netillian tanks, could you not, with Von Rotehof with you? It was far from a delusion of invincibility. Though, the enemy was rumored to have newer, better equipment now- was basing your assumptions off past victories folly?

Von Rotehof certainly didn’t think so. “That’s what I’m talking about! Let’s not let the Netillians forget who they’re fighting against!”

Your tanks rumbled forth, and you guided your driver and your partner to the landmarks you sought to engage from- a set of southern cottages would provide good enough cover for both your approach and initiation. You’d move from within the space between the houses, while your platoon partner moved around the edge. The distance between you both wouldn’t be far, but you’d be too dispersed to get in each other’s way or be an easy, concentrated target.

“From the sound of it,” you noted the repeated cannon and small arms fire, “They’ll be on the other side of these buildings, within cannon range. With all the noise they shouldn’t know we’re coming.”

“Tell me when you’re almost out,” Von Rotehof said as he shifted direction away from you, “We should pop out at exactly the same time so our first rounds count that much more. I’ll have to try for the closest one- my gun doesn’t pack as much a punch as yours.”

The 3.7 centimeter cannon was indeed not the most effective weapon against the main medium threat encountered, the NfK-7t, or its turretless ancestor. Yet, it was good enough against the more numerous lighter vehicles. What would you encounter, you thought, as your driver weaved between cottages that were clearly not empty, even if they were devoid of enemy combatants. What were they fighting, as well? You could hope that some of the cannon fire was going out rather than in, but there was no intelligence on what was meant to be here, let alone what may have moved in. There wasn’t supposed to be any fighting going on here now in the first place.

“I’m about to make it through,” you radioed Von Rotehof, “Let’s see what we’re dealing with.”
>>
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As it turned out, the enemy was…substantial. Unsurprising, but you had expected the friendly forces to have them more on the ropes. A germinating pillar of black smoke was the only indication you saw of any non-Netillian presence, though weapons still sounded out.

A quick survey of the scene- the Netillians were spread out, a group of three tanks over some distance, fanned out to get multiple angles of fire on different sections of village, flat ground allowing excellent views all around. Two of the tanks were…unknown. They looked like NfK-7ts, from their hulls, but they were ever so slightly different, and their turrets were clearly from m/28-31 models stuck in place of their old even boxier turrets.

Between the chimeras was a more familiar, but unwelcome sight. The Ellowian model of tank with a new Netillian turret, the same type that Edelschwert had been crewing, though this example had much different markings from but a glance. Yet, you knew how durable Edelschwert’s tank had been even against your own firepower- there was little chance you could easily pierce its protection, and no chance whatsoever Von Rotehof could, at least from the front angle.

Yet, there was a fourth set of tread marks on the ground beyond, faintly visible but for a keen eye’s blinking upon it, heading off to the east somewhere. What was that, and where was it now?

“Are you ready, Four-Five?” Von Rotehof prompted you. “I don’t recognize any of these, but they’re getting a cannon shot no matter what they are.”

>Hold fire- you needed your element of surprise to get you a better angle, even if it meant revealing your presence to the enemy or delaying your intervention.
>Open fire on the other NfK-7t type. Isolating the best tank would at least confer a numerical advantage for you.
>Fire at the greatest threat- which the center tank clearly was.
>Other?
>>
>>4960500
You can't stay with the Twaryians anyways, you're a heretic.
Though the Archduchy Retinue uniform is black as well.
>>
>>4960507
>>Fire at the greatest threat- which the center tank clearly was.
>>
>>4960507
>Fire at the greatest threat- which the center tank clearly was.
>have Von Rotehof flank left while we move straight in and distract the others.
Also clown honk.
>>
>>4960507
>Fire at the greatest threat- which the center tank clearly was.

If it's just infantry to rescue here what the heck are we going to do with them? Falling back to friendly lines seems like suicide and riding on top all the way seems pretty risky especially when we run into more armour.

>>4960510
Too bad the Lances don't have something like T-14/15s right now. Feels bad for all our comrades with the 3.7s.
>>
>>4960507
>Fire at the greatest threat- which the center tank clearly was.
>>
>>4960507
Seconding this >>4960527 honk
>>
>>4960507
>Fire at the greatest threat- which the center tank clearly was.
>>
>>4960507
>>Open fire on the other NfK-7t type. Isolating the best tank would at least confer a numerical advantage for you.
We won't be able to flank the big tank if it still has backup covering it.
>>
>>4960511
>>4960527
>>4960528
>>4960532
>>4960537
>>4960558
Shoot the big one.
Horn honking optional.

>>4960570
Shave things down some.

Update soon.
>>
“Fire and move,” you said, “Get a flank on them. I’ll engage from my position and keep their attention on me.”

“Don’t sit too long.”

“Hopefully,” you said, before switching to the intercom. “Gunner, target straight ahead, the big one. Three hundred meters, about.”

“I’ve got th’ range jus’ fine.” From your position of never looking down the gun scope, it was easy to forget that the optics of your tank were special, as well. “I remember that thing. Going t’ be a hard one.” An armor piercing shell clunked into place and the breach was closed with a throaty clank.

It would be, and not only that, but its gun seemed capable of piercing your tank’s armor and running through to the sorcerous layer beneath. It’d be a mistake to underestimate it- but at this range, your gunner couldn’t be as precise as you’d been in your battle with Edelschwert with this same model of vehicle. There was little chance of penetrating with a direct strike on the armor, especially with the angle you were at, though maybe you could disable a piece of the enemy that was less well protected…

>Aim for where on the enemy tank?
Also, roll a d100 for Von Rotehof’s shot, DC roll under 70.
>>
Rolled 26 (1d100)

>>4960665
>>Aim for where on the enemy tank?
Try to disable the turret ring like the Nets were attempting throughout the entire town defence.
>>
>>4960673
Alright then.
Hard shot but you've got a good gunner. Give me up to 3 sets of 1d100, averaged, DC roll under 45.
>>
Rolled 50 (1d100)

>>4960711
>>
Rolled 59 (1d100)

>>4960711
>>
Rolled 87 (1d100)

>>4960711
>>
Well that's how most of the Nets attempts went to be fair. Hopefully we don't have to experience what they had to when we shot back too.
>>
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>Roll Average-65-Miss
>Von Rotehof’s attack- 26- Hit

“Aim for the turret ring,” you said, recalling the Netillians’ attempt to circumvent your own superior armor, “Fire at will!”

“On the way,” Schafer said gruffly, and the tank rocked back, a billow of smoke blowing all about. At the same time, Von Rotehof fired his own shot- the telltale metallic puncturing sound came from the closest tank, but not from your target, which instead gave off an echoing clang.

“Damn,” you swore as you looked through your binoculars and saw a light and dark scuff appear on the enemy’s armor, just above the seam of the turret and the hull, where the shell had struck and shattered. “Try again, a little further down.”

“I know, let me focus,” Schafer muttered, and you shut yourself up as you looked to the left to see Von Rotehof circling about, while the tank he struck was reversing to angle its armor better, its turret still- presumably damaged, as it didn’t move and the gun sagged.

Only a glance afforded to that, as the enemy ahead of you was turning their attention back towards you.

“Hurry,” you urged quietly, forgetting yourself, as both tanks’ guns were swiveling closer and closer to a deadly angle, and you shrank back into the cupola to avoid their wrath.

>Fire again. Quickly. (Use Ace Loader to fire before the enemy)
>You can weather a round, they might not even hit you. Don’t push your crew- let them focus. (Will require initiative rolloff, but bonus to hit)
>Retreat back behind cover. No need to make yourself a target when you can hide, though that might expose Von Rotehof…
>Other?

Have to leave for work now, but will get right back on it once back, it's a short day today. An hour less.

>>4960733
Don't worry, one can reasonably assume they don't have a Hellfire shell. Though your tank protects you against such anyways.
>>
>>4960747
>You can weather a round, they might not even hit you. Don’t push your crew- let them focus. (Will require initiative rolloff, but bonus to hit)

Damn, von Rotenhof didn't manage to kill his (though he at least disabled it)?I totally wouldn't want to be in the blocking force's shoes right now.
>>
>>4960747
>>You can weather a round, they might not even hit you. Don’t push your crew- let them focus. (Will require initiative rolloff, but bonus to hit)
Might as well, and I don't want to blow Ace loader on another miss.
>>
>>4960747
>>You can weather a round, they might not even hit you. Don’t push your crew- let them focus. (Will require initiative rolloff, but bonus to hit)
>>
>>4960747
>You can weather a round, they might not even hit you. Don’t push your crew- let them focus. (Will require initiative rolloff, but bonus to hit)
>>
>>4960747
>You can weather a round, they might not even hit you. Don’t push your crew- let them focus. (Will require initiative rolloff, but bonus to hit)

Good on Von Rotehof for both flanking and getting the damaged tank in the way of the others shots possibly.
>>
>>4960759
>>4960764
>>4960780
>>4960793
>>4960859
>>4961041
You have the armor of fate, what have you to fear?
Well, plenty, if it runs out. But you know how to feed it, yes?
Writing.
>>
Rolled 45, 69 = 114 (2d100)

>>4961249
Oh, actually, I need a roll before I write. 1d100, first come first serve, higher better. These other 2 are for your enemies, the NfK and the NKE respectively.
>>
Rolled 20 (1d100)

>>4961259
Demiphantom guide my dice!
>>
>>4961271
That's what you get for turning your back on the Judge.
>>
>>4961271
Demiphantom doesn't like you it seems.
>>
Rolled 61, 38 = 99 (2d100)

The crew wasn’t pressed- whether they had the same faith in your armor that you did was questionable, Schafer and Hausen hadn’t even a clue besides that there was clearly more to your tank than met the eye, but from the reaction of your enemies, they’d have no choice but to rely on the m/32’s armor. The NKE-1, with its different Netilland make turret and larger gun, was particularly quick to react. As though it caught the scent of better prey than whatever it had been hunting, and forgot all about the other quarry. A boon for them- most certainly not for you.

You ducked into the turret, and tried not to bother your gunner- neither did the rest of the crew, as a deathly silence was only broken by a swift rush of whistling wind outside…

>Rolling Enemy Shots, DC roll under 80 and 20 respectively.
>>
WHAMCK.

A sound of the tank being rung like a great bell as the NKE-1’s shot bashed into the turret’s front plate, and again, the feeling of being forced back but a little, before hurling the force the other direction. Yet also, an uneasy dread. A feeling not yours permeated the tank- something was off, and whatever creature was within the steel was letting you all know. It was hungry.
>Armor of Fate- 0/5

“On the way,” Schafer said with a deep breath after dust and bits stopped swaying and clinking about in the tank. You hoped that the dreadful feeling wouldn’t spoil his concentration…

>Roll up to 3 sets of 1d100, roll under 50, but this time, it’s best of 3
>>
>>4961697
Is the NKE-1 our friend or has he left?
>>
Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>4961709
>>
Rolled 37 (1d100)

>>4961709
>>
>>4961713
>>4961715
Oh *now* the good rolls come in, could have used those before they actually fired back
>>
>>4961710
Considering it just shot you, I don't think it can be called a friend except under very particular circumstances.
If you mean if it's somebody you know, no, the markings on it are of a different unit.
>>
Rolled 40 (1d100)

>>4961709
>>
>>4961719
That's what I meant. Thank you!
>>
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>Roll-15-Success of three degrees

The tank shook again, as its own cannon fired in reply, but this time the glowing mark of the armor piercing shell snapped true, and a shower of sparks shooting from between the enemy’s turret and hull promised of a significant hit.

“Got it,” Schafer sighed, “We ought t’ move.”

He was right- the NKE-1 had already scored a shot on you, and if the crew hadn’t been wounded, even though the tank was damaged, it very well might still have been able to fire on you. Yet, there was still one enemy remaining that had avoided either you or Von Rotehof’s attacks- with your ally rolling up the flank, was it time yet to pull back? You certainly didn’t want to risk another hit to your own armor with this gnawing air about you- as though the machine was not so subtly demanding to be sated.

>Make a snap shot for the last tank before withdrawing. (Use Ace Loader charge)
>Pull back into the easy cover of the buildings- before the enemy can get their bearings again.
>Roll forward. You could maneuver away from a second shot towards you by the NKE while still distracting the enemy to the front.
>Other?
>>
>>4961775
>Roll forward. You could maneuver away from a second shot towards you by the NKE while still distracting the enemy to the front. (use Ace Loader charge)
>>
>>4961775
>>Pull back into the easy cover of the buildings- before the enemy can get their bearings again.

There's still those 4th tread markings that might indicate another tank, best case it's just an APC but if we go forward it might put us in their sights.
>>
>>4961785
Supporting
>>
>>4961775
>>Pull back into the easy cover of the buildings- before the enemy can get their bearings again.
Gee willickers, I hope nobody ate all the earth cores while they were locked up in the vault, it looks like we might need some of those soon.
>>
>>4961775
>Pull back into the easy cover of the buildings- before the enemy can get their bearings again.

Make sure to radio von Rotenhof though, he might not be paying attention to his six right now
>>
>>4961785
>>4961790
Forward
>>4961789
>>4961820
>>4961827
Backward

And then go forward and back, then put one foot forward.

Updates will take a pause for some time after this one, I have a dental appointment soon and there's a scheduled power cut so I'll probably only call votes and continue after both of those.
>>
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“Right away,” you agreed, “Driver, take us back behind these buildings.”

The gears shifted into place with heavy clunks, and the m/32 lurched once, then twice, as Malachi put cottages between you and the enemy as swiftly as he could. A rushed shot attempted to reach you from the rightmost NfK-7t, but it whizzed by with no effect on you, blasting a piece out of the corner of a nearby hut and sending stone splinters bouncing all about.

The intercom was switched for the platoon radio channel. “Four-Three,” you said quickly, “I’ve pulled back into cover. The heavier tank is probably robbed of its weaponry, watch out for that last tank.” The enemy, despite being less combat capable than you now, still had more tanks in total. “Watch out to the east, there’s a trail of something going that way.”

“It goes further,” Von Rotehof said, “I’ll handle this last one. Watch the other way! There’s surely one more somewhere.”

A reasonable conclusion, you thought as you allowed yourself back out of the turret to look around once more. Were the allied troops you came to rescue making a move, or retreating? It was impossible to tell right now, and perhaps might be until you either quit of this place or managed to drive away the enemy. The latter still seemed unlikely- you and Von Rotehof’s weaponry were not striking true enough on these Netillian tanks, as you were forced to try and remove their ability to harm rather than destroy them.

With no enemy shooting at you, you were able to get a moment to plan your tactics. Only a moment, though- Von Rotehof was still fighting, and the battlefield was not known well enough to be sure of every element…

>Move to another position to continue the engagement. You had to re enter the fight as soon as you could. (Where to?)
>Try and reach the allied positions and make contact. You needed to find out who and what they were- and how they might be able to help.
>Align yourself east and lay in wait- if another enemy was there, you wanted to get the first shot at it. Or at least keep them from surprising your rear.
>Other?
Also, give me a roll for Von Rotehof’s shot- a single roll under DC 70.
>>
Rolled 35 (1d100)

>>4961895
>Align yourself east and lay in wait- if another enemy was there, you wanted to get the first shot at it. Or at least keep them from surprising your rear.
>Try and reach the allied positions and make contact. You needed to find out who and what they were- and how they might be able to help.
Enemy is in that direction.
>>
>>4961895
>Try and reach the allied positions and make contact. You needed to find out who and what they were- and how they might be able to help.
>>
>>4961249
>you know how to feed it, yes?
Ah yes, of course, I'm sure Maddy left an instruction manual for it somewhere around here, just need to...find it...
>>
>>4961895
>Align yourself east and lay in wait- if another enemy was there, you wanted to get the first shot at it. Or at least keep them from surprising your rear.
>>
>>4961895
>Align yourself east and lay in wait- if another enemy was there, you wanted to get the first shot at it. Or at least keep them from surprising your rear.
>>
>>4961895
>>Try and reach the allied positions and make contact. You needed to find out who and what they were- and how they might be able to help.
>>
>>4961895
>Align yourself east and lay in wait- if another enemy was there, you wanted to get the first shot at it. Or at least keep them from surprising your rear.

>You certainly didn’t want to risk another hit to your own armor with this gnawing air about you- as though the machine was not so subtly demanding to be sated.
Sure hope its not trying to feed on the crew.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d2)

>>4961905
>>4961948
>>4962243
Make contact. Perhaps while getting yourself into a good position.

>>4961981
>>4962073
>>4962429
Position solely to attack the enemy. You can make contact after this is over.

Coin flip to decide then updating.
>>
A cannon shot rang out.

“Got him!” Von Rotehof announced over the radio, “That tough bastard’s not going to move any longer. It’s as good as knocked out. This other bugger can chase me all he likes, he won’t stop me from finishing the platoon.”

Despite his inferior armament, Von Rotehof sounded confident. He was a Silver Lance- perhaps the confidence was well placed. His daring had certainly rewarded him thus far. Yet, how much better might he be doing against an enemy with inferior vehicles?

“I have the flank,” you said, “I’m going to see if I can find our allies near these buildings. Maybe they’ll come out if I get close.” With that, you flicked the headset switch to the intercom, “Driver, turn us around. I want us going to the right side of the cluster of buildings to the east-northeast, I want a view of what might be coming from that direction.” The tread marks seemed suspect enough that there was little question that something was over there. You’d strike two birds with one stone by making your new position next to that of potential friendlies. “Go as fast as you can.”

Given such encouragement, your driver ceased to care for any of the crew’s comfort. All of you were thrown about as the tank was violently repositioned, and you were well on your way to your goal by the time you had reassembled yourselves.

“Fucking mosshead,” Hausen swore, “Would a warning be too much?”

“Get ready for enemy presence as we come up,” you said, “I think there’s at least one vehicle on the other side here.”

“What kind,” Schafer asked, “If it seems light, the bow gun will rip it up.”

“I don’t know. We’ll see.” The bow gun could still be useful with the proper angling- disrupting enemy aim was worth some ammunition wastage.
>>
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“Take us by that building there,” you said as you took a look around your new position. Ahead, you saw through binoculars further tread trails- fresh looking. Among the din of the scuffle to the west, you heard something moving to the north, but couldn’t be sure what. You’d have presumed a friendly, only…the tread tracks from the east led in the direction of the sound.

A flip of the switch again. “Watch out, Four-Three, something’s coming from the east. Do you copy?”

“I copy.”

That would be enough, then, as you shouted towards the buildings. “Is anybody there?!” You looked about for anybody who might have peeked at your arrival, “I’m with the Mittelsosalian Army!” Not technically true, but the Silver Lances were contracted to either them or the Ellowians, and this was easier. “I’m here to help!”

There wasn’t an immediate response- maybe you’d have to investigate yourself? Though there were new developments in the fight you and Von Rotehof now had in your hands…

>Get out and leave the crew on watch- you’d have to sift around yourself, but your tank still had to be in the fight.
>The threat from the northeast had to be identified- and destroyed. Keep going and try to deal with it.
>Assume an ambush position, and in the tank- you’d need a quick reaction and a first strike before you’d dare distract yourself from the current fight.
>Other?
>>
>>4962639
>Assume an ambush position, and in the tank- you’d need a quick reaction and a first strike before you’d dare distract yourself from the current fight.
>>
>>4962639
>>The threat from the northeast had to be identified- and destroyed. Keep going and try to deal with it.
>>
>>4962639
>>The threat from the northeast had to be identified- and destroyed. Keep going and try to deal with it.
>>
>>4962639
>The threat from the northeast had to be identified- and destroyed. Keep going and try to deal with it.
>>
>>4962640
Lay in wait. Let your prey come.

>>4962646
>>4962653
>>4962664
Move out. Duel the barbarian Netillian.
Not you, you're not a barbarian Netillian. You're four or five levels of Strossvald mutt down from being a Netillian, a taint upon the pure bloodlines of the archduchy such as even the traitor bloodline your mother came from. But you heard enough of that from some people at the academy.

Writing.
>>
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No time to wait for whoever was here to decide to reply, and no reason to linger. There was another enemy to the east, and you had to take care of them- before they became Von Rotehof’s problem. You said you had his flank, and you meant it.

“Driver, forward,” you commanded, “Take us around these buildings and north. We’re looking for the enemy before we finish finding any friendlies.” As the tank rolled forward, the transmission light for the platoon network radio flashed, and you quickly flicked over to it. “Four-Three?”

“Whatever you’re planning, Four-Five, be quick, things are manageable, but hectic.”

“I’m working on it. Out.”

More chatter would have been a bad idea, as you began to hear the sound of the individual Netillian vehicle as you ventured north- a rumbling somewhat familiar, and as the m/32 rolled up to the edge of the north village where the tread marks ahead terminated, you caught but a glimpse of the enemy, in Netillian green, a blocky shape like the one you had matched yourself against.

“Another one,” you said over the intercom, “An NKE-1 just like the one we just traded shots with.”

Another one?” Hausen echoed you, “I hope these things aren’t just all over the place now.”

“We’re coming up behind it,” Schafer was less concerned, “It’s not nearly as tough anywhere but th' front, surely. Get th' mosshead to hurry us up behind.”

If you let it go on its merry way, yes, you would surely have a shot at its vulnerable rear. It was also heading for Von Rotehof, though, who was already plenty entangled by his own admission. This close, it had been luck that you hadn’t been noticed- or perhaps you had been, in the same flash of mutual visibility you’d spotted this NKE-1 in. Either way, perhaps it would be best if you forced it to recognize you…and prevent it from disrupting your partner’s plenty difficult fight.

>Rush around and fire the cannon. Force this foe to recognize your presence- or suffer the consequences.
>You wouldn’t be a match in a head to head duel. Trail the tank- get a shot on its rear when you can.
>Shadow the tank- get good and close. Maybe you and your crew could accomplish something that might have been idiotic were it not for a lack of infantry to prevent it…
>Other?
>>
>>4962779
>Shadow the tank- get good and close. Maybe you and your crew could accomplish something that might have been idiotic were it not for a lack of infantry to prevent it…
Because why the fuck not.
>>
>>4962779

>You wouldn’t be a match in a head to head duel. Trail the tank- get a shot on its rear when you can.

Get Mal to gun forward and use Schafers autohit and Ace Loader to put two AP rounds into the engine block.
>>
>>4962799
Although on second thought I change it to this:
>>4962809
>>
>>4962779
>You wouldn’t be a match in a head to head duel. Trail the tank- get a shot on its rear when you can.
>>
>>4962779
>Shadow the tank- get good and close. Maybe you and your crew could accomplish something that might have been idiotic were it not for a lack of infantry to prevent it…
>>
>>4962779
>You wouldn’t be a match in a head to head duel. Trail the tank- get a shot on its rear when you can.

We don't have Anya's fighting ability or her curves and abs to pull off taking over a tank.
>>
>>4962779
>You wouldn’t be a match in a head to head duel. Trail the tank- get a shot on its rear when you can.
>>
>>4963064
Malachi alone can probably rip the turret hatch open. Are you a man? Where's the fire in your belly?
>>
>>4962779
>>4963164
>You wouldn’t be a match in a head to head duel. Trail the tank- get a shot on its rear when you can.
Im all for jumbo cojones mischief and whatnot, but this whole thing is a diversion yes? We are supposed to clear this area of Nets, absorb the brownies pronto and haul ass towards our objective
>>
>>4962779
>>You wouldn’t be a match in a head to head duel. Trail the tank- get a shot on its rear when you can.
>>
>>4962809
>>4962866
>>4962922
>>4963064
>>4963075
>>4963181
>>4963300
Go for the point blank one-two, to the rear.

>>4962968
I want your tank.

Update on its way.

>>4963064
Apparently you don't need much curvature to pull it off.
>>
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Rolled 96 (1d100)

“You heard the gunner, Mal,” you said over the intercom, “Chase him down. As soon as we can, we need two rounds, right away, into its rear.” You’d be quite close, if the enemy stopped moving. Sure shots- but not much time to make them before this enemy intervened in Von Rotehof’s fight.

The tank surged forth- but the NKE-1 was faster than you might have expected for something that resisted your fire so readily. Perhaps the enemy thought the same for you tank, or the other Silver Lances for your m/32. There was much that made your tank special, and you had to hope it would all be enough in the coming moments.

As the rear of the enemy tank came into view, and your own tank closed quite close- close enough that only a novice could miss, and your ace gunner could place a shell anywhere he wished, everything seemed to happen at once. For a moment, you were in a hurricane of sound, a fanfare to the feeling of the tank rolling back once, then before it was even finished, kicking back once more, a terrific cloud of dust, gun smoke, and steam shrouding everything around for but a frozen moment.

>Roll 3 sets of 1d100 for initiative, in the order of You, Von Rotehof, and a new sound from the south respectively, higher better. Enemy initiative is being rolled now.
>>
Rolled 91 (1d100)

>>4963391
Really???
>>
Rolled 60 (1d100)

>>4963391
waaaaaaaaa
>>
Rolled 36 (1d100)

>>4963391
>>
Rolled 64, 63, 7 = 134 (3d100)

>>4963392
>>4963394
>>4963395
1- NKE 2- You 3- Von Rotehof 4- Hidden One.

Alright then, these next three rolls are in the order of firing then, save for yourself. DC Roll Under 65, 50, and 30.
>>
File: linkupop_9.png (2.18 MB, 2000x1323)
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Rolled 42 (1d100)

When the whirlwind about your senses calmed, you tried to shake your head and grasp the world again. Up in front, the NKE-1 was aflame- it had been struck multiple times, and you saw the crew scrambling out and fleeing with all haste, but a cloud of smoke in front told that it had fired…

“Four-Three?” You requested shakily over the radio.

“We’re hit,” came a coughing reply, “Don’t know how bad, but we’re-“ A loud crunch of metal that you could hear even from where you were. “What the hell is- what’s going on? Something just hit us from behind…”

It sounded like Von Rotehof no longer had control of the situation, though he was at least still alive. The NKE-1 was finished- there could only be, by your reckoning, one able enemy that could put up more of a fight, and you urged your driver forward to take care of it.

“Forward! Quickly!” you shouted, “We have to help now!

As the tank moved forward, you heard something from down south, as well- another vehicle? Not a Netillian one. It had waited until now to intervene, and you had no radio contact with it. Whatever it was, or what they were, you had to wish them luck, as small arms fire erupted from the buildings north of the unknown again.

Once you got around the NKE into a firing position, you saw what had happened. A tangled tumble of armor was what Von Rotehof was a part of now, rifle and machine gun fire buttoning the Netillian tanks, preventing easy escape. You had to appreciate them protecting Von Rotehof, as a deep gouge across the turret face buckling it told that his m/32 was no longer combat capable, a tangle of tread on one side and a tilt from the other Netillian tank shoving underneath rendering any attempt at using the bow gun pointless. His tank was a mess, like every other piece of armor in the pile up.

“Enemy sighted,” Schafer said, as the turret adjusted, and you looked yourself to the last Netillian tank. It had changed its position, and was slewing its turret- to the south, you realized, as it settled.

“Fire at will, hurry!” You said as you realized that it might not have known the threat you posed- and settled on what might have been the first thing it spotted.

>Roll Initiative again- 2 sets of 1d100, one for you, one for the other. This post’s roll for the enemy.
>>
Rolled 50 (1d100)

>>4963421
>>
Rolled 15 (1d100)

>>4963421
>>
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This time, you fired before the enemy- but, you felt, only just. With a terrific, sharp cracking explosion and a distant THWACK, your cannon scored a hit upon the enemy’s flank armor that immediately set it billowing smoke. Unprompted, your gunner sent another shell into it, and there was no further action from the vehicle.

A fervent look to your sides, behind you, all over. Was it over? Judge Above, what a damned mess, and you were still not even close to your objective…

“I think…” Von Rotehof’s voice crackled, “I think they’re running off, they’ve left their armor and dragged some of themselves away and out. What’s left of them, if they can.”

“Are you alright?” you asked.

“No,” Stevan Von Rotehof groaned, “Well. That shot didn’t hurt us very badly, but when I think that tank rammed into us from behind…that may have broken a few things. I don’t know, I feel like hell…”

“Just stay safe and wait there,” you said, “I think we won this one.”

“It certainly doesn’t feel like it,” Von Rotehof said wearily, “We’ll pick ourselves up here. Those are Republic troops over there, aren’t they? We’ll be fine. You need to hurry. My tank’s wrecked, even worse than it was before. I think it’ll be a while before we meet back up again…sorry.”

From what you could see, wrecked was about right. Incapable of moving or using its main armament, Von Rotehof’s m/32 may as well have been a metal box with a machine gun. A static emplacement, facing the wrong way.

>He was right, there wasn’t time to pick everything back up. Head north immediately.
>Head over to Von Rotehof’s position and ensure he’s alright. He could say he was fine, but you needed to inspect both him and what you’d defeated.
>Go to the Republic Troops- you would need their help, and you needed to find out what you could from them.
>Other?
>>
>>4963435
>>Other
So couple of things
Go to the Republic Troops- you would need their help, and you needed to find out what you could from them.
Especially the tankers, if they're part of the 1st. Get the Republic frequencies and the infantry to grab Stefan out (as well as the general sitrep)

Also see if the Nets left their own codebooks behind in their haste to run away, if we can monitor their own radio chatter we might be able to compensate somewhat in slipping through the lines
>>
>>4963435
I'll support this >>4963442
>>
>>4963442
This
>>
>>4963435
>>4963442
This by the Judge, we need all the help we can get at this rate. Running off now will probably just ensure we fail that much faster. Staying positive though, at least everyone important is still alive. It probably goes without saying, but we are going to have to tighten our belts a bit, because today just got twice as hard.
>>
>>4963459
We are definitely avoiding the rest of the encounters as much as we can I'd say.
>>4963442
*codebooks/maps, any intel really
>>
>>4963442
This works, especially talk with the Republican tanker. Maybe we can draft them into joining our journey, especially if they were part of the Fort attack.
>>
>>4963442
>>4963447
>>4963449
>>4963459
>>4963465
>>4963694
Quite a to do list, but you've control of the field now, so why not?
Writing.
>>
“Watch over yourselves,” you said to Von Rotehof, “We’ll hurry our allies over to you, but I can’t go off right away. Going by myself would be crazy, I need to see how I can ensure the mission’s success.” Or else Von Rotehof would have been wounded for nothing. Any protests wouldn’t be heard- you switched to the tank intercom and sighed. “Good work, crew. Take us back around, I want to talk to the people we just saved from the Netillians.” For information on their situation, and for all the help from them you could get- you’d need it, with your capability slashed in half. “Hausen, if we manage to find any code books or something we can salvage of their communications, can you listen in on the Netillian comms?”

“I can, for the short range,” Hausen said, “But their long range interference devices might just be deafening them as well. We’ve pushed back and taken prisoners and all since our first encounter with those, and I’m thinking that if we could get around the disruption devices, somebody would have found out how by now. I’ll do my best.”

“Short range communications should be enough,” you said, not expecting any grand revelations, “I’d rather avoid any battles from here on out, if I can, and listening in on enemy communications would help, wouldn’t it?”

The Republic troops dared to venture out from cover as you meandered towards them, feeling safe enough to lean back in the cupola for now. They didn’t appear to be of the 1st Mechanized- they lacked the helmets and the generally better equipment, instead wearing floppy caps and, a funny sight to see on the front these days, quite new looking uniforms, deeper brown and much less sodden with dust than the typical Republic trooper, let alone those of the unit you had been with, and were now being sent after a part of. There was a tank with them, which you’d have thought would be indicative of the 1st as well, but the markings were different as well- an auxiliary, perhaps? One would think the Republic’s available armor assets would be concentrated…

The tank itself was nothing to be impressed by- some sort of modified or off-brand variant of T-8, a small Twaryian (or rather, perhaps, Caelussian) design of tank with little in the way of armor or powerful weaponry, mostly valued for being cheap and simple, though this at least looked better than the completely square models you recalled in the past both in Sosaldt as well as sometimes in Ellowie, though even the Twaryians seemed to have recognized the diminutive vehicle’s obsolescence. The tank before you had a better designed hatch and cupola to actually allow the turret crew proper visibility, and had both a cannon and machine gun in the turret rather than being either or, an upgrade made feasible through the turret being made larger than you recalled.
>>
When you passed nearby and the tank came to a careful, steady halt, the Republic troops looked at you with a flattering sort of awe that, while appreciated by your ego, revealed that they must have been only newly sent into battle. This was not a good first fight for green troops at all.

“Hello,” you said to the lot, about two dozen or so, guessing by those still in the buildings and those outside, not counting the singular tank, likely crewed only by two men, one of whom leaned tiredly out the top. “I am Lieutenant Richter Von Tracht of the Silver Lances Reserve Armor Battalion, Fourth Company, Second platoon. My comrade Lieutenant Stevan Von Rotehof is over in that blue tank over there, like mine,” you pointed to the pile of wrecked tanks, “I’d appreciate it if some people went over to help him and his crew.”

Immediately, a few of the soldiers bucked up to go and do as you asked. You didn’t even have to mention that, once upon a time, you were the Kommandant. What respect they had, of an unexpected sort indeed.

“…So, are you all from the 1st Mechanized Regiment?” you asked the Republic troops, though you already knew the answer, even more so from the confused glances they returned, “What were you doing here?”

“No, we’re from the 6th Infantry Division, 2nd Battalion,” one of them said, a fresh faced man armed with a junky looking rifle, who deigned to speak for the others. Whether he was an officer or NCO was unclear. “Our platoon was assigned to hold this town. We weren’t expecting to be in combat- this was supposed to be the second line. Our job was only to keep this place safe for the road and for supplies.”

That had evidently not gone as planned at all. “What about you, in the tank?”

The person flopped out over the tank rolled over, and straightened up, a somewhat heavyset young man with a round nose and a pudgy chin and black hair cropped close to his head. He couldn’t have been older than twenty. “Me? Oh, me.”

Yes, you. “Are you part of the 6th Infantry Division?”

“No, uh, no,” he turned his body further to you, “I was part of the Security Battalion. We’re supposed to police towns and keep enemy vehicle that wander through the lines from raiding, well, I mean, anybody who comes through. Rear line security. My platoon went up, we were only supposed to keep the Smelter and Iron Mine up north from any stray enemies, after the 1st Mechanized and you all rolled through. Only, then the radios stopped working, and when we got there, the Netillians were there. My platoon leader and another one of us…well, were lost, and I came back with another one of ours. He got hit, bad. So I’m all that’s left.” His eyes went down, and his voice took a low, morose tone, “So I’m all that’s left. I don’t know where the rest of the company is, we were pretty spread out.”

“What’s your name and rank?” you asked. He hadn’t said them by default.
>>
“Oh. Uh. Sergeant Beckel, Lieutenant. My driver is Corporal Jutte.”

“Sergeant Beckel, then,” you said, looking at his tank, then him, “Are you able to fight still? I think I heard you during that battle just now.”

“I took a shot at that tank over there,” Beckel pointed to the second NKE-1, now merely smoldering, the heavy damage and engine fire sputtering out instead of overtaking the vehicle, “The other guy who came down here with me, Sergeant Farben, his gun couldn’t pierce their armor, just like our platoon leader and the other one. I had to hide until I was sure I wouldn’t just get killed the same way, because our guns didn’t work on their armor.”

“I’m going to need your help,” you said, “Maybe of the infantry too. I have an important mission to find the 1st Mechanized Regiment’s companies north of here and tell them to hold their position. Can I count on your help?”

None of the Republic troops nor Beckel looked enthusiastic to take that request.

“No offense,” another infantryman than the self-appointed leader said, “We were hoping you’d have an order to retreat, not to advance. We can’t hold this place against more tanks, not even if the planes come here to help. We were screwed before you came around, hard.”

“You can if you want,” you said, “I have to keep going, until I find the 1st Mechanized, or I can report that there’s nothing left of them and that the worst has come to worst. I’d like your help if I can have it, to save the front, but if not, I have to go on anyways.”
>>
The way you framed it, you’d be shocked if any refused, in spite of the resistance to not retreating. As Beckel himself said right after.

“Uh, I mean, we can’t let you just go off alone. You saved us.”

“Good to know,” you said, “I have some more things to inspect here, but I need to go as soon as possible. We’ll exchange radio frequencies so we can work together, but I’m going to see if I can’t find anything in these enemy tanks. Take some time to regain your composure. I’ll round up what I need.”

They weren’t the most reliable looking bunch, Beckel included. They’d had a bad first battle, and there was little confidence in them, you could tell, that they could possibly face this enemy again and win. Indeed, Beckel’s tank was inadequate at best for the demands that lay ahead of you, and the infantrymen appeared to lack any transport whatsoever, let alone fast ones. Would they be better than nothing, at least?

>Beckel and his tank would be vital, but naught else. You needed to keep fast and loose.
>Take along Beckel and as many infantry can be carried on your tanks. When you said you needed help, you needed as much as possible.
>These particular troops shouldn’t be on the front line, let alone on a high risk mission. You’d be safer by yourself, and these people needed to be sent back, as they clearly wished to be.
>Other?

Also-
>Roll 1d3 to see what you find. 1 is nothing valuable, 2 is platoon level frequency, 3 is company level. Only the last would be spectacularly helpful to you, honestly, but there’s a chance 2 would give you something to work with.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d3)

>>4963814
>These particular troops shouldn’t be on the front line, let alone on a high risk mission. You’d be safer by yourself, and these people needed to be sent back, as they clearly wished to be.

Get them to update von Silbertau if they can
>>
>>4963814
>Beckel and his tank would be vital, but naught else. You needed to keep fast and loose.

If there is anyone further up the line they risk being flanked, or encircled if we don't have someone here, as much as they don't want to be we risk getting caught up in a very, very bad situation when things go south, and if they're still here when we get back we may well bring them with us.
>>
>>4963814
>Beckel and his tank would be vital, but naught else. You needed to keep fast and loose
>>
>>4963814
>Beckel and his tank would be vital, but naught else. You needed to keep fast and loose

Urgh what a waste of time and resources this skirmish ending up being though we saved these guys. Just have to trust in our crew and hope for some luck for the rest of this trip
>>
>>4963814
I'll support this >>4963832
Take Beckel with us and have the infantry stay dug in and look after Von Rotehof, in case the enemy attempt another breakthrough
>Other?
Suggest they try and reposition what is left of the scuttled tanks into ambush/roadblocking positions.
>>
>>4963814
>>Beckel and his tank would be vital, but naught else. You needed to keep fast and loose.
Even if we don't use him to fight, having another pair of eyes to watch our backs will be vital.
>>
>>4963814
>Beckel and his tank would be vital, but naught else. You needed to keep fast and loose.
>>
>>4963814
>>Beckel and his tank would be vital, but naught else. You needed to keep fast and loose.
>>
>>4963821
These folks need to go back.

>>4963832
>>4963845
>>4963846
>>4963848
>>4963853
>>4963897
>>4964071
Only Beck.

Alrighty then. Writing.
>>
As you thought on what to take, you and your crew scrounged through the Netillian tanks- unfortunately, there was little of any value.

“They didn’t have much time,” Hausen said as he paged through a few sheafs of paper, “But they didn’t leave anything easy, or they flung it somewhere we haven’t looked. Hate to say it, Lieutenant, but this won’t be useful.”

“Hm,” you frowned, “It was worth a try.”

“Naetnaff taeme tae paeckthrae rocks,” Jorgen said as he kicked a piece of junk across the snow, “Laesgo aelreddy.”

The prospect of listening in on enemy communications was a bust, then. Oh well. It’d just mean things were at the expected level of misfortune rather than the Judge giving you a blessing. Jorgen was right, you weren’t here to salvage every bit of potentially useful debris you could find. If something good didn’t jump out, it was time to head to the next place.

If only there was any towing equipment, you thought as you looked over the tanks, maybe they could be used as roadblocks. However, the only thing suitable would be your own tank, and potentially Beckel’s, with the aid of much effort- and you needed both tanks for other purposes at the moment.

“Sergeant,” you addressed Beckel when you returned, “You’re coming with me. The rest of you, try to hold here, look after my fellow officer and his crew, and try to send word south when you can. Command needs to know that you’re here, and they can send help.”

Nobody was happy about that, but too bad. Beckel sighed, and said something downwards, and his tank started up again. You both probably had the fuel needed to get to the objective- but if they didn’t have any there, you might be in trouble should you have to return.

“Checking communications,” you said, “Sergeant, you’re now…hm, your name should be fine.”

“I can call you by yours then?” Beckel replied, “Oh, and, I hear you loud and clear. Besides the interference.” It still buzzed, even this close, and if you got too far away from each other it would be as bad as if you were attempting long range communications.

“Call me Four-Five over the radio,” you said. No need for your fame to be recognized, especially if you didn’t know where the tank hunter Crown-Taker might be, until whenever the IO was ready to put him into your hands. “Let’s start going. We’ll talk more on the way.”

-----
>>
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“Tell me about this town we’re coming up on,” you said to Beckel as you looked at the map waving in your hand, held below the turret, “You were just there, right? Are there civilians around?”

“Not that I know of. It was told, uh, that we’d be attacking, and I came in after the fighting was all done anyways. Everybody from before us was gone. It was really quiet.”
“And what were you attacked by?”

“I didn’t see too well, sorry.”

Probably the enemies you had dispatched earlier, but there could well be more. Why wouldn’t there be, in a strategically significant location as you were coming up on? “So where was your platoon when you were engaged?”

“The north of the center, near the smelter,” Beckel said, “They came from the north, and fast, and they seemed to know where we were before we saw them. We didn’t stand a chance.”

“Well, you’ll be fine this time,” you said, not feeling like you were being much reassurance, “We’re just trying to move north to friendly forces, not fight everything on the way.” You looked down at the map again, then at the terrain coming up. The hill where an iron mine and surrounding town was situated was easily visible- a lonely hill among much flatland, before the land’s buckling increased further north. It would provide a commanding view of the surroundings- a useful place to try and establish yourself first to try and make your way safer. Yet, you wondered, wouldn’t the enemy be there? Even if they weren’t, being up there might make you visible to the surrounding area, as well. Maybe it’d be better to move around the hill and use it as cover? Or perhaps to not even close with it at all…

>Avoid the hill entirely. Try to stick near the road, and use buildings and villages to keep yourself out of sight.
>Move around to the west of the hill. Any threats would be readily spotted, and you’d be able to move through plenty of cover.
>Get on top of the hill- if there were enemies there, you could deal with them. There couldn’t be that many, and you’d get a view of whatever else was around, surely.
>Move around the east side of the hill. It would hide you from the view of the towns, and you could sprint north from past it, where any enemies were unlikely to be concentrated.
>Other?
>>
>>4964443
>>Move around the east side of the hill. It would hide you from the view of the towns, and you could sprint north from past it, where any enemies were unlikely to be concentrated.
>>
>>4964443
>Move around the east side of the hill. It would hide you from the view of the towns, and you could sprint north from past it, where any enemies were unlikely to be concentrated.

Looking at the track marks they seem to be largely sticking to the roads so I don't think A is a good idea
>>
>>4964443
>Move around the east side of the hill. It would hide you from the view of the towns, and you could sprint north from past it, where any enemies were unlikely to be concentrated.
>>
>>4964443
>Move around the east side of the hill. It would hide you from the view of the towns, and you could sprint north from past it, where any enemies were unlikely to be concentrated.
>>
>>4964443
Going on the hill at best will give us a great view of the tanks coming to kill us, and A route seems like a great way to get spotted and ran down in the open.
>Move around the east side of the hill. It would hide you from the view of the towns, and you could sprint north from past it, where any enemies were unlikely to be concentrated.
Pray to the judge that the enemy tanks aren't on the hill, then pray again that when we are spotted in the open they miss.
>>
>>4964443
>>Move around the east side of the hill. It would hide you from the view of the towns, and you could sprint north from past it, where any enemies were unlikely to be concentrated.
>>
>>4964451
>>4964453
>>4964463
>>4964465
>>4964503
>>4965190
The far east, I see.
Updating.
>>
>>4965459
Not related to our current situation but I've noticed for the campaign so far we haven't met any friendly Ellowian armour, did they all get deployed elsewhere on the line?
>>
>>4965468
>I've noticed for the campaign so far we haven't met any friendly Ellowian armour, did they all get deployed elsewhere on the line?
There's very little of it left to go around, frankly. When Alpha Two was drawn up after the quick realization that a two front war for the present Ellowie was going to be hopeless, much of what could be moved was forced to abandon their heavy equipment, and the Ellowian Armored Corps was largely involved in the delaying actions required to make Alpha Two possible, rather than being evacuated themselves. The heavy equipment wasn't just the armor of course, but significant mobile logistics and transportation and artillery. Part of why the advance centers around the mechanized portions of the front is such a lack of equipment over the broad Ellowian manned front- it is, after all, far larger than the Republic Army itself, but doesn't have the heavy equipment necessary to make effective assaults, only such to maintain a decent defense and containment, which Ellowians are experienced at conducting in particular.
>>
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Before you were even close, you swayed to the east- to travel around the hill on which the iron mine and its surrounding town were situated upon. It was more important to keep the land working for your survival than it was to try and know everything. You had to keep low- and out of potential sight. Even if something was on the hill itself, it would at least remain between you and them, rather than potentially everybody in the area.

Even if the likely amount of “everyone” there might be grew lower and lower as you approached. Nothing moved- there were sounds of battle all around, but where you were, the towns where you were headed, it was eerily still. Not the sort of stillness of true lifelessness like you’d encountered long ago- there was no buzzing in the skin, the nerves. There was something here, and if they were not acting…perhaps they knew you were coming.

You shared this sense with Beckel, and perhaps that wasn’t a good idea. He went quiet himself- you might have only succeeded in frightening him rather than putting him in a proper state of alert. He would remain a valuable set of eyes and ears, but you hoped that his lack of experience and uncertainty wouldn’t put the both of you in danger.

The hill was approached, swung around- you pored over the rubble and struck buildings, looking for anything that might betray something hiding within, but you saw nothing. Yet, there felt like something should be there. If the Netillians remained present in this area, surely they’d have somebody watching from that hill. With the skies contested, it was a rare certain view from above in their possession.

More than halfway around the hill, while the mining complex in all of its idle industrial intrigue came more into view, a noisy looking building that was making not a sound now, Beckel finally spoke up again.

“Four-Five?” his voice crackled, “I think I saw something. From the town on the hill.”

“Something?” You said back quickly, “Where?” You turned around in the cupola and scanned the town. “I don’t see anything.”

“Something moved, I saw it go between the buildings. It was bigger than a man.”

Well, it wasn’t a mythological creature. “What did it look like? A tank?”

“I don’t know,” Beckel confessed, “I didn’t see it well enough. I think it’s following us.”

Yet not exposing itself. Did that mean it didn’t want to provoke a response, or that it simply didn’t want a fight yet?

>Leave Beckel to cover your rear. If it was following you, then it’d be best to have an eye kept on it, whatever it was.
>Keep going forward, the both of you. A delay would be your enemy, best to hurry.
>Double back and hunt down whatever was in the town. Nothing could be tolerated to be stalking you, potentially ambushing you, especially from behind.
>Other?
>>
>>4965547
>Keep going forward, the both of you. A delay would be your enemy, best to hurry.

If it wants to follow us it needs to get out of concealment first
>>
>>4965547
>>Keep going forward, the both of you. A delay would be your enemy, best to hurry.
>>
>>4965547
>>Keep going forward, the both of you. A delay would be your enemy, best to hurry.
If it's not attacking us already it's probably just a recon force left on the hill that isn't strong enough to fight by itself. Our best bet is to be far away from here by the time they can call up a reaction force.
>>
>>4965547
>Keep going forward, the both of you. A delay would be your enemy, best to hurry.
Schnell
>>
>>4965547
>Keep going forward, the both of you. A delay would be your enemy, best to hurry.
Can we throw some of our smoke grenades as we go? I don't know if they would create a big enough cloud to obscure us as we go, but its better than nothing right?
>>
>>4965571
If he stays on the hill I don't think it really matters and he can always go around by taking the roads
>>
>>4965577
I am worried he is getting some friends ready around the storage area for us, so keeping his eyes off us might do some good. That area he is in looks pretty rough too, so while its probably easy to hide in I bet its a bitch to move through, giving us time to keep moving.
>>
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>>4965547
>Double back and hunt down whatever was in the town. Nothing could be tolerated to be stalking you, potentially ambushing you, especially from behind.
Call this one a last minute long shot, but almost every set of tracks leads to a main road and then disappears, meaning if there's still armour here, it's using the roads to conceal it's movement.
Also, those republic tanks were both disabled facing the north east, right where we're presently headed. I get the impression whatever is on that hill is planning to flush us out from behind and towards whatever ambushing force took the main road north east
Counterintuitively, I think we might be safer doubling back, taking this unknown element out and cutting across the backs of the buildings clustered in the center of the map to avoid the main roads.
>>
>Double back and hunt down whatever was in the town. Nothing could be tolerated to be stalking you, potentially ambushing you, especially from behind.
>>4965649
Supporting this, if only because we know the Nets still have short range radio and if it's following us to warn what's ahead then that'd be catashtophic.
>>
>>4965554
>>4965556
>>4965561
>>4965562
>>4965571
Forward march. And litter.

>>4965649
>>4965748
Go back and show them who's boss.

Update soon.
>>
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“He can watch us if he wants,” you declared, “He’ll have to leave his hiding place to follow us. Keep moving forward.”

It wasn’t actually an easy decision to make. On one hand, delaying yourself by cleaning out that hill was unwise with your limited time, and it was practically guaranteed that there were other Netillian forces that would lend a hand if you forced a fight. Yet, also, what if you were merely leaving it to attack you from behind when the actual fight started? You still had short range radio, which meant the Netillians certainly did. What if what was on the hill gave advance warning of your approach and an ambush was being concocted for you just ahead?

In that case, you decided, the best thing would be to try and hurry before they could prepare it. To keep your rear clear, however, you hurled a pair of smoke candles backwards. Their delayed deployment of fog would matter little if shells weren’t flying yet.
>x2 Smoke Candles used, x2 Smoke Candles remaining

Behind you was a cloud of smoke, now- it’d be quite difficult to be attacked from the rear, from a distance at least, now. Some small reassurance.

“What if something’s ahead, though?” Beckel asked nervously when you informed him of the intent of your throws, “Or at the Smelter?”

“Then we won’t have to deal with them at the same time as the back,” you said, “The storehouses give good enough cover from the flank. We’ll-“

As you drove around the storehouses, you were cut off by a whistling scream then a whack against your tank’s glacis plate- the sound of ringing steel afterwards and the lack of any further noise or chaos told you that your tank was unharmed, save for the shock it gave you, but an immediate search with your binoculars told you the source.

“Ahead, north, in the village!” You announced, before switching to the intercom, “Gunner, north, in the village. Armor piercing.”

As a shell was loaded into place, you looked closer at the target, and recognized it readily. One of the newer models of Netillian armored car- the same type as you’d encountered while impersonating Sleepwalker with the Intelligence Office’s strike force of condemned fighters. A light vehicle, thinly armored, equipped with an array of what you'd seen to be strange munitions casters on the roof of a turret that carried what was probably a 3.7cm gun. Yet, there was only one- was it thinking of picking a fight with an enemy it couldn’t even harm?

>Keep moving, and keep Beckel behind you. An enemy that couldn’t harm you wouldn’t stop you.
>Move back and around the storehouse. Going forward further would be folly- change your route. (To where?)
>Stop and return fire. Clear your path before you continue.
>Other?
>>
>>4966485
>Keep moving, and keep Beckel behind you. An enemy that couldn’t harm you wouldn’t stop you.
>Return fire with the 13mm MG
We can do it on the move, I would think.
>>
>>4966485
>Stop and return fire. Then continue moving and keep Beckel behind you.

Concerned about the total lack of infantry observed at all. A single person with a antitank charge coming from Storage would fuck us up.
>>
>>4966496
This, also swing out further east after we fire before looping back once we pass the town
>>
>>4966493
+1
>>
>>4966485
>Keep moving, and keep Beckel behind you. An enemy that couldn’t harm you wouldn’t stop you.
Button it up with the bow gun and coax
>>
>>4966485
>>Keep moving, and keep Beckel behind you. An enemy that couldn’t harm you wouldn’t stop you.
Make sure Beckel watches the rear and is ready to shoot anything that pops out of the smoke. They're probably trying to sneak another car behind us while the one to the front distracts.
>>
>>4966485
>>Stop and return fire. Clear your path before you continue.
After this watch left when we we clear the storage, there is probably another car there or a tank waiting to get a shot in our side.
>>
>>4966485
>>Stop and return fire. Clear your path before you continue.

DO NOT continue past the storage. This distraction in the front would be perfect for a flank shot if we kept going straight while aimed at the car.

We can plow back through the smoke and up the road to surprise whoever is following behind.
>>
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>>4966485
That car can't pen us from the front, yet there it is, at our front. It's nothing but bait to lure us forward into an open kill zone. There's likely something waiting around the north east wall of the Smelter that can pen us.
>Move back and around the storehouse. Going forward further would be folly- change your route. (To where?)
Direct Beckel to get behind us and keep watching the smoke.
Turn and give the car a plastering with the bow gun, if that doesn't disable it or convince it to retreat, try and hit it with AP.
Once the car's dispatched, enter the smoke and cross across the gap between the mine and the storage buildings. I'd like to make a run to the Y shaped cluster of buildings 400m west of the mine, but failing that, getting around the outside of the wall surrounding the mine is enough for now.
>>
>>4966812
I thought my monitor had crapped out opening that image lmao
>>
>>4966485
>Stop and return fire. Clear your path before you continue.
>>
>>4966493
>>4966511
>>4966518
>>4966547
Keep moving, no stopping, for nothing!

>>4966496
>>4966507
>>4966554
>>4966720
>>4966948
Stop and shoot back. You won't tolerate somebody shooting at you, even impotently. Also there may be flanks to be concerned with.

>>4966812
Double back, go around- the tour of the town will find less danger. The intricacy of the plan is appreciated.

Update coming. I know they've been one a day instead of two a day, but the past two days were pretty busy and tiring in particular. I'll see if I can't do more tonight.
>>
“Driver, halt, and turn the hull north. Hausen, fire on that car with the bow gun,” you said, “That sort of car is lightly armored.” You hadn’t actually seen it in Ellowie with the Netillians, but really, it was easier to imply that, especially at this time. The tank leaned forward as the brakes brought it to a slippery stop on the thin snow, and a small adjustment had to be made as the winter ground refused to cooperate readily in spite of its loose hold on the dust.

“He won’t know what hit him,” Hausen said. As unwieldy as the 13mm bow gun could be, it was a terror against light vehicles and infantry alike- to face the m/32 from the front was unwise for anything save a tank. The cannon was unnecessary for this foe- the heavy machine gun would shred it with even greater ease as it poured far more shots out in the same amount of time.

Yet, as you watched your target, the instant you began to react, the tubes on its turret flashed in succession, and a billowing burst of smoke grenades mid-air and bouncing upon the ground shrouded the target and everything around it.
>>
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“Damn!” Hausen swore, but he tried to fire with the bow gun anyways. Most likely impotently- the smoke was so thick and quick that even you didn’t recall where the armored car had been despite looking at it only a moment before. Tracer rounds glowed in the smoke and vanished beyond, yet there was no sound of striking metal or any anticipation that you had done any damage besides forcing the car to reposition.

Even then, that may have been something that was planned for. Something was beyond your sight, past the storehouses you and Beckel took cover behind. This car wouldn’t be pointlessly engaging you if it wasn’t to delay. Whatever was coming, the more you idled, the closer it got. For now at least you weren’t placing your vulnerable flank to whatever this unknown enemy might be- even more vulnerable now, with the Armor of Fate made weak with hunger.

“What’s going on?” Beckel complained, “Where are they? We’re exposed!” The junior tank commander’s voice was strained with uncertainty threatening to develop into panic.
“Face south and watch behind us,” you ordered, “We’re fine for now. We just have to keep ourselves from being outmaneuvered.”

That had already happened, though, you thought as you failed to fight away dread yourself. There were enemy vehicles both in front, behind, and by deduction, to your flank, as well. The only comfort was that these evasive tactics couldn’t signify a significant enemy presence- no fight had been expected here, and the enemy was sparse as you were, the battles here already fought, or so those on the fronts had thought. You had to do something.

>Go back, through your own smoke towards the iron mine. You were exposed here, but you might be able to remove the threat to your rear by retreating.
>If the enemy gave you smoke, that was quite kind of them. Hurl your own smoke, and then more- make yourself a cloudy path forward.
>Weave through the storehouses- take up better defensive positions. This would be a fight and there was no helping it.
>Other?
>>
>>4967822
I would have just used the cannon on it overkill or not but okay

>Go back, through your own smoke towards the iron mine. You were exposed here, but you might be able to remove the threat to your rear by retreating.

Need to defeat them in detail
>>
>>4967822
Whatever's here is surely on it's way to the storage building, let's pull back to the mine to gain some cover and elevation for when they get arrive.
>Go back, through your own smoke towards the iron mine. You were exposed here, but you might be able to remove the threat to your rear by retreating.
>>
>>4967822
>>If the enemy gave you smoke, that was quite kind of them. Hurl your own smoke, and then more- make yourself a cloudy path forward.
We don't need to fight these guys, we just need to blow past them. Surely they have no reason to be so dead-set on annihilating us that they would abandon these valuable positions and chase us down recklessly despite being outgunned. Once we make it through here we're gone, but the longer we stay around here the more time we give them to outmaneuver us and bring in reinforcements, and we can't afford a drawn out battle against every Netillian unit in the area.
>>
>>4967822
>>If the enemy gave you smoke, that was quite kind of them. Hurl your own smoke, and then more- make yourself a cloudy path forward.
>>
>>4967822
>>If the enemy gave you smoke, that was quite kind of them. Hurl your own smoke, and then more- make yourself a cloudy path forward.
>>
>>4967822
>>If the enemy gave you smoke, that was quite kind of them. Hurl your own smoke, and then more- make yourself a cloudy path forward.
As long as it works, it should be a good plan. The cars seem pretty skittish so I'm not too worried about the one behind us charging through the smoke. Let's just hope the NKE coming at us from the side isn't too close.
>>
>>4967822
>If the enemy gave you smoke, that was quite kind of them. Hurl your own smoke, and then more- make yourself a cloudy path forward.
It risks enemies firing after us but we need the initiative back.
>>
>>4967872
>>4967892
Head back through the cloud. Towards the depths- no, not into them. You're in deep enough already.

>>4967908
>>4967957
>>4967960
>>4967968
>>4968261
Go forth, into the stinking gas. But actually, it's more like to the side. It might not smell that bad, but really do not breathe the smoke from a smoke grenade.

Updating.
>>
At first glance, you were trapped- stuck on one side of the storehouses and forced to wait until whatever was coming to get you rolled up to kill both you and Beckel, should it prove too powerful for either of you alongside the armored cars that refused to let you attack them. Yet, looking at the smoke cloud ahead and behind gave you an idea- an idea you thought might be good enough to work, though it would take some time…and all the obscuring materiel you’d managed to gather.

“Sergeant!” you said over the radio, “Cover our rear, but prepare to roll backwards. I’m going to make us a way forward. Keep up with me as we go.”

“Er, roger.”

With that, you pulled the trigger pin off of a smoke candle- in a few moments, it would start burning, and you hurled it beyond the storage house you hid behind. It took a minute, but a great plume of smoke eventually spread out from the white burning shell, and you felt confident enough to drive your tank forward and throw another.
Malachi muttered something over the intercom, something that didn’t sound too glad, and when you asked for a repeat of it as you prepared the second smoke candle, Jorgen gave you something resembling a translation.

“Maeven’ t’slae. Taeken tae lang.”

“Not much I can do about that,” you said with a huff as you pitched the smoke candle forth. You found yourself missing the X-80’s ability to deploy smoke so readily- couldn’t the army be convinced to develop a smoke charge for you cannon, you idly wondered as you waited and darted your eyes about. The smoke candles were a bit heftier than the warhead of a 4.7 centimeter shell, but munitions caster shells were actually smaller than the 4.7 in diameter. Surely something could be done…though maybe a larger gun might be the answer instead.
>-2 Smoke Candles- Out of Smoke Candles
>>
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As the smoke pooled out and you began to move forth again, a panicked cry from Beckel crackled in your headset.

“Four-Five! Behind! One of the cars!”

A flash of surprise, then a burn of frustration. “Then shoot it!

“Ah, uh.”

You jerked yourself around in the turret to try and look backwards- you couldn’t see where the armored car Beckel claimed to see was, but you did see the turret of the T-8 under Beckel’s command turn, and adjust its cannon- the T-8 only had a crew of two, and the commander also had the responsibility of loading the gun, aiming, and firing. An amount of responsibilities you couldn’t think of handling yourself in the heat of battle, especially as you were now, and a man such as Beckel did not inspire confidence even without that hurdle. He would have had an advantage upon the armored car having to approach him before it could fire- but that counted for little now. There was no time to order the turret turned around, even if you knew where to shoot. All you could do was hope Beckel could make it- and if he didn’t, to get yourself out of there, quickly.

>Roll a 1d100 for initiative, and another for the shot. Initiative is higher-beats, and the shot DC is roll under 60.
>>
Rolled 51 (1d100)

>>4968609
>>
Rolled 24 (1d100)

>>4968609
>>
Rolled 88, 32 = 120 (2d100)

Alright then. He's not doing so bad for himself, considering what he is.
So how about what he's up against?
Initiative is same rules. DC is roll under 75.
>>
>>4968628
RIP Beckel
>>
He didn’t fire in time. You didn’t see the shell, but you saw its impact. The T-8’s thin armor was no protection, and this was at close range. The shell went in one side of the tank, and blew out the other in a spray of metal and a terrible ripping sound.

Shit.” You hissed to yourself. Shit. Shit!

“Calm down!” Schafer brought you back to the ground.

Yes, yes. Right. Something had to be done. Now. First, you had to survive. To make it.

>Turn the tank and turret around. He got Beckel, now he’d try and get you- but no. You’d get him.
>Throw the Nebelina behind you and move forward. You couldn’t stop, but you could keep that armored car from striking your rear armor.
>Throw the Nebelina to the side and keep going. The turret could turn backwards to anticipate the pursuer.
>Other?

Map situation is unchanged from the last post.
>>
>>4968638
>>Throw the Nebelina behind you and move forward. You couldn’t stop, but you could keep that armored car from striking your rear armor.

Prepare for the car in front trying to do the same
>>
>>4968638
>Reverse and ram the car and prepare to shoot the car in front.
>>
>>4968638
>Other?
Throw the Nebelina in front of us and drive through the smoke, have the turret turned to the left and just keep on going .
>>
>>4968638
>Turn the tank and turret around. He got Beckel, now he’d try and get you- but no. You’d get him.
We owe it to Beckel to at least try to rescue him.
>>
>>4968673
He's dead anon
>>
>>4968638
>Throw the Nebelina to the side and keep going. The turret could turn backwards to anticipate the pursuer.
Turn the turret to 9 o'clock. Plug the gap in the smoke curtain with the Nebelina and maneuver straight eastward behind Beckel's tank to break up the car's line of sight. That should force it out of cover if it really wants the shot.
Once we're behind Beckel's tank, turn the hull back northwest, put the tank in reverse and ready the bow gun in anticipation of the other armoured car. If one was bold enough to attack two tanks through smoke, the other will be coming.
This way we've got a gun either direction. If the armoured car from the mine tries to make a run up behind Beckel's tank to our rear, we drop back.
>>
>>4968638
>Keep going. The turret could turn backwards to anticipate the pursuer.
I wouldn't use the nebelina yet; we don't know for sure there's an enemy to our left and the whole point of the nebelina is that it's instant so better to save it. The main goal is to get out of here as fast as possible; the turret watching our rear and the 13mm watching forward should be enough to ward off the attackers until we can get in cover.
>>
>>4968709
I like this supporting, we know that the other car is coming. And beyond them probably a worse threat from the west.
>>
>>4968660
Toss it all behind.

>>4968662
??????? (You absolutely cannot do this)

>>4968670
Grenade front, turret left. Move on.

>>4968673
Prepare to finish that fight, yourself.

>>4968709
>>4968995
Complete the cloud and try to make it north. Have a gun in each direction.

>>4968950
The nebelina is saved for later- especially considering you left your source behind.

Well, this is sort of a tangle, but I think I can make it work. Writing.
>>
...One moment, I misread something.

Oh well, there won't be much to fix.
>>
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Alright, alright. There was a way out of this, you saw as you looked around and tried to see where gaps could be closed and walls could be built. First, you thumbed the Nebelina- Von Rotehof’s construction, a heavy bundle of smoke grenades on a handle, apparently meant to be thrown with the aid of a stick, but you didn’t have that. You had no choice but to throw out your back on this, to get it as far away as you could down the line. Second…something else had to be put behind you. It was callous, but you had no choice in order to complete this mission. Beckel’s stricken tank could be placed between you and the other armored car behind you while another maneuver would allow you to cover yourself when you shifted north.. With the turret faced to the left, you’d have done about all you could to cover the enemy’s angles of attacks on you, for the first part.

Your plans were relayed to your crew, and one thing happened after another. With a shout to bolster yourself, you flung the Nebelina as far as you could- much shorter than you had hoped, and you ducked back into the turret as it bounced along, breaking off pieces of itself before it all blew apart in a colorful mess of smoke. It was an incredibly flamboyant thundercloud, as other grenades and unseen explosives popped off even after the multihued mist enveloped all around you with shocking rapidity. It might have enveloped you had Malachi not immediately pushed the m/32 eastwards, as fast as it could be goaded, Schafer’s movement of the turret to the left shifting you about against the cupola.

The armored car to the south was still hesitant- soon after you were even able to spot it, you guided Malachi into a route that would block it, and you adjusted even as it tried to move to prevent your evasion. It was a small delay- but important. It gave just a bit of time where you weren’t being shot at. If it wanted to attack you, it would have to depart its own cover.
It was a vulnerable few moments, turning the tank to face southwards, but once it was faced, Hausen launched off a warning barrage of 13mm fire- the car was plenty frightened off, and pulled back. That just left…

A sound to the north.

“Schafer, target’s going to be on the tank’s right, right off the smoke,” you reported. “He’ll want our flank or our rear.”

“I’m ready. Let me focus.”

After the stunt with the plane, you closed your mouth tight, watched, and waited.
>>
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>Elite Gunner-Knight Fighter- Point Blank battle has top initiative and instant hit

Before the armored car was even visible, Schafer turned the turret some, then a bit more. “Don’t stop moving,” he told Malachi over the intercom, “…” The m/32 went slower in reverse, compared to its forward acceleration. It did have multiple reverse gears, and you weren’t actually certain of how much of that was the work of your old gunner’s sister, but Malachi knew this tank in ways you didn’t. What mattered was that, as you progressed, it became clear that the other car was waiting for you, anticipating you- perhaps ignorant of how vulnerable you were making yourself, with the smoke in between the two of you.

As soon as the shape of the armored car became distinct, its turret still in the process of adjusting to ambush you, the tank rocked sideways with the cannon’s recoil. The shell ran the lightly armored vehicle through, and there was a pop of flame from within and behind as the explosive charge in the armor piercing shell went off somewhere inside the engine, presumably. The car didn’t respond further, like a fighter who had been slugged in the jaw.

Schafer breathed a sigh of relief, though you assumed this had actually been an easy shot for him, so confident was he during the moments before.

For but a moment, you were not under direct threat. Hausen kept the southern enemy subdued, in hiding, letting it know he was watching it every few moments with the spitting of a few more rounds of the bow gun.

…Though. Things seemed fine now, but there was still the unaccounted for other threat, one you didn’t even know anything about, besides that it was surely coming for you. Ideally, you’d never find out any more about it before leaving northwards. It was time to complete your escape- or at least, begin to. Loitering here any longer was foolish. Beckel was silent, and you feared the worst for the volunteer. It felt terrible to abandon him- but you could not stay.

>Immerse yourself in the smoke wall. Follow it out to the northeast of it- to escape.
>Go south again. Finish the other foe you could see. You could maneuver in peace without the other quick enemy.
>Turn and charge north as quickly as you could, anything approaching from the east be damned. You had to be quit of this place.
>Other?

Sorry about that, but I've rectified the mistake in positioning.
>>
>>4969291
How would the first option work? Aren't we at the edge of the smoke wall?
>>
>>4969291
>Turn and charge north as quickly as you could, anything approaching from the east be damned. You had to be quit of this place.
Load AP, keep the turret at 9 o'clock for anything coming down that main road and let's skedaddle
>>
>>4969293
>How would the first option work? Aren't we at the edge of the smoke wall?
It'd basically be going along the north edge. Unless you want to don your masks and dive right into it to hide yourself completely.
>>
>>4969305
Thanks.

>>4969291
>Turn and charge north as quickly as you could, anything approaching from the east be damned. You had to be quit of this place.

Get Mal to take whatever evavise action he thinks is necessary
>>
>>4969291
>>Turn and charge north as quickly as you could, anything approaching from the east be damned. You had to be quit of this place.
>>4969295
Would a Bertholite shell not be better than AP on the move? I assume to we would be shooting on the move if we shoot at all, which would be tough without even considering what kind of armor it has to go through. The Bertholite shell only has to hit near the target and it could buy precious seconds as the enemy crew has to put on gas masks.
>>
>>4969291
>Turn and charge north as quickly as you could, anything approaching from the east be damned. You had to be quit of this place.

Sorry Beckel.
>>
>>4969354
I get where you're coming from, but bearing in mind there's a lot of smoke around already, I think the Netillians may well have been masked from the beginning, considering that armoured car was comfortable popping smoke on it's own position and waiting for us.
I had thought of switching my vote to HE after I posted, as a halfway house in case we needed a throwaway shot upon emerging from concealment. If tanq will allow it, I'll switch my vote from loading AP to HE.
No need to stop and fire, and it should still rattle one of those armoured cars sufficiently if it lands close.
>>
>>4969354
>>4969383
Sounds reasonable to me, I'll vote for HE too then. Maybe we could even hit a house or something to kick up some dust and rubble if we miss.
>>
>>4969291
>>Turn and charge north as quickly as you could, anything approaching from the east be damned. You had to be quit of this place.
>>
Days off begin late.
>>4969295
>>4969306
>>4969354
>>4969372
>>4969393
>>4969593
Get the hell out of this place. You don't even know what it's called.
Writing.
>>
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“Load high explosive and turn us around,” you said, “Mal, get us north and out of here as quickly as you can…” you looked north, “There’s a defilade we can follow further. We can lose the enemy in there, or at least have cover as we keep going.” Further north, the terrain became hillier- you wouldn’t have to suffer the open for overly long. “Let’s go.” The last part was a reflex, but an unneeded one- your driver was already shifting the tank about as you said it. “Turn the turret to the tank’s left.” Something might be coming, and though you didn’t plan on fighting anything further if you could help it, you had to be prepared.

The high explosive shell might have seemed odd- but it was necessary to avoid a pitched battle. If what was coming was even something like an NKE-1, you’d be outmatched at present. If it was something bigger…your only hope would be to try and disrupt its attack on you, rather than trying your luck damaging the enemy tank itself.

A steady eye was kept to the east, as the end of the road began to appear in the village you passed by- as you went through the center…you saw what was coming.

The tank was nothing you had ever seen before. Big, bulky, most reminiscent of the self-propelled guns you’d encountered before in this war, but with a turret atop a hull that had been laden with more metal than it might have had before. The machine was ponderous, and it moved with a deliberate force reflective of its size. Like an ornament atop its turret was a single set of the same simple munitions casters that the armored cars had. You had no name for this creature, besides an invulnerable enemy from where you were now.

It was moving, as well- and you must have surprised one another, as you saw the other commander outside of the turret himself, watching you dart between two sides of the village. He immediately dropped into the turret, and the tank began the process of halting, but you had time- Netillian tanks, you recalled from your time in Netilland, tended to use two-crew turrets. The commander had the responsibility of aiming and firing as well.

“Gunner!” you said, “Fire at the ground between us and that tank. I want a cloud of dust.” It would last only a moment, but a moment was all you needed. The ground was a target impossible to miss.

“On the way.”

As the cannon flashed, a shower of dust, snow, and smoke burst from the ground a good fifty meters away, and you ducked into the turret to avoid anything whipping up from that. The Netillian tank wasn’t visible for but a moment- and you hoped it was enough.
>>
Only a few seconds turned out to be needed- by the time you saw the Netillian tank again, its turret was traversing to try and catch you, and right when it might have had you, the m/32 slipped past the other side of the village. A cautionary look back told you that the other armored car was not on your tail yet- you could flee now.

“Alright,” you breathed shallowly, “Driver, take us north-northeast. That’s where the map says there’s a depression.” A dry creek, perhaps, it didn’t matter what it was, but it led north and it kept you out of easy reach of anybody coming from behind.

You let yourself relax a little while you were down in the defilade. Let yourself think about how now, you were alone. Had that been your fault?

“Lieutenant?” Hausen’s voice prompted over the intercom, “You keeping an eye out? We’ve only got you for it now.”

“Yes. I know.” Rather bitterly said.

“Hey. The mission, Lieutenant. You can mope about not being perfect once we’re done.”

“…” It wasn’t as easy as that, but it did convince you to keep your head on a swivel, again. The Netillians were on the offensive, but they seemed scattered, lacking a certain coordination. You could be surprised by an enemy that expected you as little as you anticipated them, and it would be dangerous down here where your visibility was stifled by the same thing that protected you.

The compass was your only guide northwards for some time, until you allowed the tank up and out again to see if anybody followed you- none had. Perhaps a stray tank was not seen as worth wasting time with, not in exposed terrain, and especially not with the occasional flights of Ellowian planes above. They were reassuring for you- and surely the opposite for the Netillians, as you hadn’t seen any Netillian planes since the time Schafer had shot one down. The Ellowian Air Forces were doing good work, then- even more so as they didn’t bomb you, because of the red and blue upon the turret.
>>
The final landmark before Fort Dornenkrone was in sight some time before, but as you closed, you heard a development taking place.

“There’s fighting going on up the hills,” you said, looking towards a great, broad hill with two major heights upon it. “I can’t see what’s going on up there.” There was cannon and gun fire on both sides- a tank battle like the ones you’d just been in, assuredly.

“There’s a road that goes around it to the east, through that town in the little hollow,” Hausen mentioned, “That road leads to the fort, right? Just have the mosshead keep going around. We can avoid another fight.”

“Wouldn’ sae nae t’one, heh,” Jorgen said, with little counterpoint.

“They’re distracting th’ enemy for sure,” Schafer said lowly, “There’s many fights left t’ be had.”

“Strrrahngerm mehnni.” Malachi sniffed. He rarely spoke with the two other crew members that weren’t Jorgen- even that small statement said something of his opinion. If you helped the Republic forces on this hill, there’d be more for the coming fighting. Yet, could you risk having the very message you carried be delayed? Even if you passed it down the line, could you trust anybody besides yourself to deliver what needed to be conveyed? Perhaps the best thing these Republic troops in combat could do for you was to ensure your safe passage through being a distraction for the enemy…

>Avoid another fight. You had already been delayed enough, and it was more important for you to arrive with the plans of your superiors than it was to fight.
>Intervene in the hill battle. If the Netillians won too many victories, after all, would it matter if your mission was a success or not?
>Other?
>>
>>4970479
>>Avoid another fight. You had already been delayed enough, and it was more important for you to arrive with the plans of your superiors than it was to fight.
There's more people than the ones on that hill fighting and dying today.
And those darn Nets are rolling to damn high lately, we might not even make it off that hill, and then what?
>>
>>4970479
>>Avoid another fight. You had already been delayed enough, and it was more important for you to arrive with the plans of your superiors than it was to fight.

If we can rally what's left maybe we can reorganise the defence and swing back or get them to withdraw to us
>>
>>4970479
>Avoid another fight. You had already been delayed enough, and it was more important for you to arrive with the plans of your superiors than it was to fight.
>>
>>4970479
>Avoid another fight. You had already been delayed enough, and it was more important for you to arrive with the plans of your superiors than it was to fight.
Beckel gave his life to get us through, better not make it in vain
>>
>>4970479
>>Avoid another fight. You had already been delayed enough, and it was more important for you to arrive with the plans of your superiors than it was to fight.
>>
>>4970479
>>Avoid another fight. You had already been delayed enough, and it was more important for you to arrive with the plans of your superiors than it was to fight.
>>
>>4970510
>>4970516
>>4970537
>>4970538
>>4970566
>>4970690
Keep moving- you're not about to pick a fight all by your lonesome. The Republic fight here will help them elsewhere, no matter the outcome.

Writing.
>>
>>4970697
How long has it been since we set off roughly?
>>
“We’ll weave around the fighting, then,” you decided, “Driver, adjust course to the east. Keep on the far side of all the fighting up there- we’ll break north and reach Fort…” you checked the map again, “Dornenkrone. If there’s still fighting here, that must mean friendly forces are still at the fort.” That would be where they were centered, but to say they were assuredly still there was but an attempt to assert that this mission would end in success. Couldn’t this merely be the Netillians mopping up the last remnants? No, you had more faith in the 1st Mechanized than that, both in your history and what they were now. That fighting continued here was a sign that the Fort had not fallen- that the Netillians were forced to pick at the flanks and try and break in where they could with dispersed forces. Though, you couldn’t say what you expected once you actually reached your destination…

The tank swung wide of the road, and you went all but around the great hill in a sweeping arc, the fighting continuing as you did so. Little was said, besides the tank being pushed as fast as it could, and a warning from Malachi about your fuel. Unless there was resupply at your destination, it was unlikely you could make it back, if you had to continue combat maneuvers. You wouldn’t be rendered immobile, but if you came back, you probably would. That was fine- all you had to do was make sure the Republic was still there, and that they stayed, perhaps even counterattacked. The Netillians were about to receive a counterblow, but they needed to remain off balance.

They were still there for sure, you thought as, having made your way around the hill, the fighting seemed to quiet from atop the hills. Still, you couldn’t see who had won. Almost there.

-----

Fort Dornenkrone was an old Imperial fort, a hundred years old or so, build in the shape of a star of brick and earth, with outposts jutting out from between the points, and left to the dust when the Grossreich abandoned the east only a couple of generations after Alexander had conquered them, following the success of the Archduke’s Rebellion. It was obsolete as a defense- you forgot most of why but it was too old to be useful, that is, anywhere but a place like Sosaldt. Even then, you imagined the relative peace of Sundersschirm kept it from seeing much action. That much was evidenced as you got closer to the hill the fort was situated upon- its surrounding outposts further out were half-crumbled, and grown over with newer construction in the form of little villages. To call Fort Dornenkrone a fort was practically a formality- it was more a sprawling town than anything, were it not for the old fort’s sudden recall into action as of but a few days ago.
>>
To your relief, it wasn’t crawling over with Netillians- but all around, there was the smoking wreckage and blasted earth of battle. Obstacles hastily erected had been crushed and blown apart, while others had tangled up vehicles. Netillian vehicles and Republic armor alike were scattered about one another, a push and pull visible through their dispersal. At first, it was hard to tell just who had won- the carnage was indicative of a fight that would have ruined either force.

As you went forward, the Republic found you rather than the other way around- a few recognizable Mechanized Infantry with their black helmets waved you down, and jogged over when you ordered a halt. They looked weary, on edge.

“The hell are you doing here?” one asked, “You’re a lucky dog. Only twenty minutes ago this place was going all to hell.”

“I’m here to talk to the commander of the forces here,” you said quickly, “I have an important directive to relay from the Silver Lances down to the south.”

“Hope it’s a retreat,” one of the troopers said to another dryly.

“It is not,” you disappointed immediately, “Reinforcements and a counterattack are on the way. This place needs to be held, and if possible, the 1st Mechanized elements here are to counterattack. The Netillians are vulnerable.”

All three men sighed, and one of them did so while squinting at you like you were out of your mind. “In the southeast thorn,” the squinting one said as he turned his head away, pointing at one of the sub-structures of the main fort, a diamond shaped structure that may as well have been its own smaller fort, “That’s where the battalion commander is right now, and his staff. The wounded are over near there, and what artillery support we’ve got is at the south outpost on that hill,” he pointed, “But they’re out of ammo. The last of it got spent fending off the last attack. The person in field command is some guy called Blind.”

“Blind?” you asked, “Captain, Major, or..?”

“Doesn’t have a rank. Some auxiliary, I think, but the last four people who were in charge either bit it or got wounded, and Blind was going real good work for an auxiliary, so the unit commander put ‘im in charge. He should be over at the west point of the fort, outside it. Don’t know how much we got left, but Blind’s a tanker, so he’s in charge of what tanks we got left. We’ve needed all we can get. If you’re sticking around, you’ll probably have to talk to him.”

“…Is he actually blind?” you asked.

“Don’t think so, he just wears a piece of cloth over his eyes for some reason. Stuff over the rest of his face too.”

Curious. “Alright. Thank you.”

“Don’t mention it,” the same trooper said, “Well. Shit. If we’re staying here, better finish up my will…”

-----
>>
Von Silbertau’s request had included a handwritten note from him, and the seal of the Reserve Battalion Commander- Colonel Jagdmeister was not a noble, but his position gave him his own seal regardless. It added to the weight of the message you carried, that you weren’t some fool who was just saying what he thought a superior intended.

The battalion commander sighed much like the troops outside had, and ordered couriers sent out to inform the rest of the unit- to prepare, because another attack was anticipated, and though the Mechanized would hold- they’d only reasonably do so with the knowledge that help was coming, that they weren’t being made to die in place.

“I just hope that your people really are on their way as we speak,” the battalion commander said with a dreary tone, “Where I came from, this sort of thing might be lied about to buy time.”
“I can swear upon my honor that the Silver Lances are attacking as we speak,” you declared confidently with your back straight and your chest out. It had been a good two hours since you had departed- surely, in that amount of time, the reserves Von Silbertau had mentioned had arrived, and were doing work, or at least readying to do it, as the rest of the forces around reacted to the developing situation.

“Then,” your good honor was quickly seized upon, “We’ll need your help. You came in a tank, yes? My field commander is out on the west side of this fort, assembling all we have left and getting ready to deploy. He’ll appreciate another tank. His name’s Blind, acting commander of 1st Tank Company of the Republic Mechanized. At least, what’s left of it, and other units bundled into it.”

“I’ve heard,” you said with a salute, somewhat disappointed you weren’t placed in direct command, “I’m on my way.” If you didn’t end up feeling confidence in this Blind, whoever they were, you figured you could reveal your history as Kommandant and take command…though with what you were now, maybe that wouldn’t be anything but an action taken out of sheer ego…

-----

The assembled armor was arranged in a way that, while surveyable, was still in fighting position. It made it hard to count it all at a glance, but it was a necessity if it was going to be redeployed with any rapidity. Ammunition was scattered all about, being passed around and into vehicles in an odd silence- a resigned posture that more fighting was on the way, even though some of these people must have just been through the hardest fight of their lives.

When you asked where Blind was, you were readily directed to a strange looking tank- some medium-small sized light looking cruiser, with a boxy, open turret and an…infantry anti-tank gun? It looked like some mummer of what you remembered the Ellowian model tank destroyer was, only downsized. It reeked of gunsmoke and was covered in dust, and heat radiated off its back still, but there wasn’t a scratch on it.
>>
Blind himself was…short. Very short. He only came up just about to the chin, if that. Perhaps one of the shortest men you’d ever met- was he still a boy, perhaps? A few tufts of blond hair poked out from under his Republic cap and the cloths wrapped around him, and his scarf was so high only a small space of his face was visible at all. He wore a shawl on his shoulders, halfway between an article of warmth and one of protection, from the dark leather pauldrons sewn in.

You called for him and saluted, trying not to look down at the man. “Herr Blind,” you said, “I am Lieutenant Von Tracht. Your battalion commander sent me to aid you in the defense, and potential counterattack. I offer my services as an officer, temporarily.”

Blind stared at you, with an invisible expression only hinted at in silence. “Sure.” His voice was forced down some pitches. Maybe he suffered from an unflatteringly high voice. “What do you have, one of those Archduchy tanks?”

“An m/32B,” you said proudly, “It can take on near anything.”

“We’ll see about that.”

“Yours?” you asked, gesturing to Blind’s own seat of battle beyond him.

“Dunno. I scrounged it up.”

As Blind gave that dismissive explanation of his tank, somebody popped up from in the turret. It was…a little girl? Barely in her teens, wavy, puffy blonde hair cascaded from her head, and she was the only person around who had any gladness in her face. Perhaps too much- she looked like she was buoyed by a joy of a child younger than her in a park.

It was a little disconcerting how she looked at you, and clambered out of the tank.

Blind noticed you staring, and shrugged. “We need all we can get here. I picked her up and now she won’t leave me alone no matter how many times I tell her to get lost.”
“Oooh,” the girl strode up to you with quick little steps, eyes wide, “Who’s this guy with the mask, Blind?”

“Some guy from our allies,” Blind said dismissively, “He’s here to die with us, or, maybe, he’ll be just enough for us to pull through. Command just said we’re sticking here as long as we can.”
>>
“Can I talk to him?” the girl asked brightly, “I want to ask about his cool mask.”

Flattering. For once somebody thought it was cool, even if it was a child.

“Whatever,” Blind said, “Don’t take too long. I dunno when the green jackets are coming back, but when the scouts report it, they’ll be hot on their heels.”

“Mmm!” the girl clapped her hands, and you felt oddly…compelled, to look into her eyes directly, like somebody had pushed your chin over. “Why do you wear a mask, mister..?”

“Richter. Von Tracht.” The girl nodded enthusiastically at your name, expecting a continuation. “I lost a fight, and half of my face has a bad scar.” You weren’t ready to deal with…this. “Are you sure you shouldn’t be somewhere safe? Who are you?”

“I’m Pact,” she said, “I was looking for a masked guy myself. Have you seen any?”

Presumably she wasn’t referring to your driver. Or Blind. “There’s a lot of those around here.”

“I thought your name was Patryzia,” Blind said in confusion.

“I can have more’n one name, can’t I?” Pact asked with a pout, and Blind shook his head.

That name sounded familiar. “I met an old man looking for his granddaughter,” you said, “He said her name was Patryzia. Are you looking for him?”

“No,” Pact said with a tilt of her head, “No big masked man, huh? I guess I thought you might have seen him…”

…Curious. Was there something more to this? Was it worth further consideration? Not unless you thought of it right away…there was much preparation needed and no time to do it.

>Ask about or handle anything in the time you have? (Not land or position related- the map comes later. Refrain from asking about anything a map would answer.)
>Other?
Also-
>Roll 5 sets of 1d6 to decide your forces. Your own tank and Blind’s tank are default. The rest are decided now.
>1-Light Tank
>2- Light Tank Pair
>3- Medium Tank
>4- Medium Tank Pair
>5-Heavy (Relatively) Tank
>6-Re-Roll Twice
>>
Rolled 5 (1d6)

>>4970911
>Ask about or handle anything in the time you have?
Find a fighting hole to dig in, find out from obviously-not-Anya what's happened here since the offensive started, what the Nets have been throwing at them

My bad, fixed the roll
>>
Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>4970911
>>
Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>4970911
How is it that we cant even recognize our own retinue
>>
>>4970924
Oh yea, see if we can scrounge up some fuel, and whatever arms depot they have for obscurants. Especially if they WP mixed in.
>>
Rolled 6 (1d6)

>>4970911
>Ask about or handle anything in the time you have?
Ask about the level of training the men have and how everyone fared in the last attack.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>4970932
First re-roll.
>>
Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>4970932
And second re-roll.
>>
>>4970924
>How is it that we cant even recognize our own retinue
You can. If you'd like to, beyond meta-knowledge. You'd just have to say what'd be particularly recognizable, even in such a concealing disguise.
>>
>>4970941
Short, blond, trying to hide her face (obviously not a mosshead) and deliberately lowering her voice. Maybe a sudden connection of the dots with the letter? After all she got a tank and an AT gun. We also know from the Ashes that Anya is protective of kids
>>
>>4970911
I for one want to participate in the illusion that this is simply Blind for as long as we can. Even if Richter pieces the clues together without player help.

>Ask about or handle anything in the time you have?
What others have said, smokes if they got em, fuel, ammo, hell even grenades if we anticipate infantry.

>Other?
Against my better goddamn judgement politely ask: this potential wizard spawn why she thought we might have seen her target, I mean, friend. And if we helped her out if she could help us in exchange find some replacement pearls for our Fiancé's necklace that was tragically broken. We only want the shiniest ones, straight from the ground oysters.
>>
Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>4970911
I believe one more roll was called for
>>
7 tanks + 2 command tanks is a pretty diminished company indeed, but it could've been worse. 2 Light Tank, 4 medium tanks, 1 heavy tank, our tank and her tank. Could divide it up into 2 platoons of 2x2 sections I suppose? Us and the heavy tank + 2 medium tanks, and 2 medium + 2 light tanks together leaving Anya to command the company.
>>
>>4970911
I'll support this >>4970957
>>
>>4970911
Maybe a big GASMASKED man, hmm?
>What's the heaviest guns they have? If we have to deal with NfKs, we'll need them.
>>
>>4970957
I'll support trying to prod the potential wizard like this. Worst comes to worst we act weird towards a child and it'll be funny.

Otherwise, the other potential formation I can see for our reduced company is a 2 tank section + 2 3 tank 'platoons' + Anya's command tank. The light tanks obviously should be in the 2 tank section together. Perhaps 1 heavy tank and 2 medium tanks per 'platoon'?
>>
>>4971039
>>4970996

This is me by the by.
>>
>>4970957
Seconding talking to the girl more. In addition to those questions it would be natural to ask if she knows the old guy looking for her since they must have some connection, and if not then who she belongs to.

Also I think we should at least slyly let Anya know we know who she is, since it would mean we can work together better without her having to work as hard to keep up the facade. I assume the only reason she has for continuing to hide her identity from us is that she wants to remain in command of this force, and she knows that if she were found out we would automatically assume command since it wouldn't be proper for us to take orders from our own retinue. I think it would be enough to teasingly let "Herr Blind" know that although we've certainly never met him before, we can tell he must be an excellent tank commander and we're honored to serve under him.
>>
>>4970914
5, Heavy
>>4970923
3, Medium
>>4970924
1, Light
>>4970932
>>4970933
>>4970935
1,4, Light, Medium Pair
>>4970989
3, Medium

So, a heavy tank, four mediums, and two lights, on top of the aforementioned two. Well, it's not much to work with, but it'll have to do. Unless something can be found amongst the remains of battle...

>>4970914
Find out what's happened. Dig a hole.

>>4970926
Scrounge up whatever can be offered.

>>4970932
Ask about the people here- how they've done, how they've been expected to do.

>>4970957
>>4971002
>>4971039
>>4971177
Act strangely to a child in front of a woman you're rather sure you know now, even if you'll allow her to keep up the fiction. Which, I'm presuming from the votes at this point, it is realized, but allowed. She was like this before you got here, after all- she's not hiding from you.

Update going.
>>
“Why would you think I’d have seen him?” The little girl called Pact was suspect- and you realized, you knew what she was talking about. The odd feeling coming from her, the way you were moved seemingly against your will, the strange name…why would she have called herself Pact instead of Patryzia to you? There was little doubt that she was…a Soulbinder. Just your luck.
Yet, perhaps something lucky for true, if you could convince her to do you a favor. How hard could it be? She was a child.

“You look like you did,” Pact said like everybody should have known.

…Well, later. “I’ll try and remember,” you said, “Let me alone with Blind for a bit, I’ll tell you later if I remember.”

“’Kay!” Pact span around in a twirl and stepped back towards the tank from which she came.

Blind watched Pact go longer than you- just long enough for you to get a glimpse at the side of his head.

…There was a familiar notch in his ear…No, it couldn’t be. The blonde hair, the diminutive height, come to think of it, the gun in that strange tank was a 4.7cm gun, just like the letter from headquarters had said she’d claimed, and the protectiveness over a child, just like the Ashes. Yet who else could it be?

Yet after the initial feeling of being taken aback…if she wanted to continue this illusion, you’d allow it. She wasn’t hiding from you.

“What, there something on my pants?”

That voice was definitely hers, now that you suspected it. She couldn’t help but talk through her nose, even though she was assuming a different accent from her normal one- an inexplicably accurate Strosstadt accent.

“No, I just wanted to ask a few things,” you said, “You’re in charge, and I’ve heard you’re well suited for the task. But, we don’t have much time to get ready, do we?”

“We have some time,” Blind said, “But no, not much. Keep it quick.”

“How are you for fuel? Smoke munitions? Anything like that.”

“Bad,” Blind said barely after you finished asking, “The fuel depot got hit and burned in an air attack on the first strike. We’ve had to use most of our good stuff fending off attacks too. Maybe there’s a few things left, but I wouldn’t count on it. We’re short on ammo, too. We’ve got about one good fight left in us before we’re scraping the bottom of the barrel for shit to even shoot out of the guns. The artillery south’s out of everything too. There’ve been planes flying over, though. Ellowian ones. They’ve helped out when they passed.”

That was a small bit of fortune among a load of bad luck. “That’s not what I hoped to hear.”

“If bullshitting would get me more tanks, then I’d be doing it.”

“Maybe I was hoping for a fine woman to spring out of nowhere when I arrived.”
>>
A pause. “Too bad, don’t have any of those here either.” No change in tone or voice. “Unless the pepperheads feel generous. Quit with the jokes.”

“How bad has it been?” you asked, though you could presume that the situation was dire if Anya was in such a mood, even disguised. When battle loomed, she had a habit of becoming deadly serious. “What do we have left, here?”

“The first attack was the worst, right after they smashed into us up north of here,” Blind said, “The regiment got dealt a sucker punch and drew back here. I got in on the latter half of that. Then there was a second go, but the Ellowian Air Force was able to fight off their planes and help us out, even if we don’t got a way to tell them what to bomb. That ended just a bit ago, but they got close to wiping us out, and I bet they know it. Everybody knows another one’s coming.” She pointed to the assembled armor in turn. “I don’t know all their names. We’ve got a T-15, that blocky, big one there. A couple of NfK-4s, the little ones. Two fuckin’…Emrean things, I don’t know what.” All of the vehicles you remembered being part of the Death Heads’ motor pool. Were they from that far back, or were they newly captured, you wondered. Two vehicles definitely were, the last Blind pointed to. “Those are a couple of Netillian ones, not the Fours, I think they’re…Sevens. Sure.” She looked back to you through the thin cloth covering her eyes, her scar. “You didn’t bring more’n one tank, did you? You didn’t come alone?

“I had a partner, and a Republic Volunteer I met along the way,” you said lowly, looking down, “My platoon partner, Lieutenant Von Rotehof, his tank was hit several times, and he and his crew were wounded. The other, a Sergeant Beckel. His tank was knocked out south of here helping me get here. So…yes. My tank is the only one.”

Blind paused again, stared, shifted from one foot to the other, like she was contemplating something and hesitating. “…Okay,” she said, “We’ll have to make do, then.”

You hadn’t noticed that your shoulders had slumped. That wouldn’t do- you tried to straighten them again as you continued your queries. “So how have the men here done? The tankers particularly.”

“They’ve got to drive around junk, but they aim well and they follow orders,” Blind said, “I’d say they’re as good as the Netillians, at least, and they’ve fought them off three times. They’ll hold. I think they’re better than they let on, but sitting here on the defense, you’re not too flexible. I’m thinking of going and facing the enemy someplace besides where they expect us- then the guys here could be used better instead of dying in place.”
>>
It sounded like she had an alternative plan- though you couldn’t say for sure if what you had left would be capable of taking on what the Netillians had, unless they were just as badly bruised as the Republic Mechanized was. Let alone what might be waiting. If the rest of the Netillian attack force heading for you was anything like you had to fight through, there’d be an incredible amount of trouble.

“I’ve encountered some Netillian armor on my way here,” you said, “I want to know if it’s similar to anything you’ve had to fight, because if it is, we’ll need the biggest guns we can get.”

“We’ve already needed them,” Blind said, nodding towards her own tank, “That gun can take on the most common ones, and so can the T-15’s gun.” When you first had to fight T-15s, their armor piercing ammunition was rare. That had changed since. “There’s a few that are Ellowian or something that we had to disable the treads of, and then shell the shit out of them with our artillery. There’s another kind bigger than either, too, that ate everything we could throw at it from the tanks. Same deal. We shot the tracks out and let the aircraft handle it. Keeping them from moving works good enough if we’ve got a place to fall back to or move around. My own tank can shoot far enough, that a flank shot on most things takes care of them. That’s how I’ve managed with my Dust Devil.”
>Current Tanks- x1 T-15, x2 NfK-4t, x2 Volcan Custom, x2 NfK-7t, x1 m/32B, x1 AdLAS-B-Custom “Dust Devil”

A small relief that Anya wasn’t hurling herself into harm’s way as recklessly as usual, considering this “Dust Devil” appeared agile and fierce of weaponry, but lacking in heavy plating.

“So to be blunt about it,” Blind concluded, “I don’t know the names of what they’ve got, but they’ve got the advantage in a head on slug fest.”

“We’ll at least have the advantage of cover,” you said, looking over the land, “There’s no shortage of it.”
>>
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“If they use their own wrecks as cover, that might not turn out so well. Still, we’ve already got the deep holes dug here. All I’m kickin’ over is,” Blind paced out away from the fort some, “If we’d be better off heading out and trying to hit them where they don’t expect it, even if it means we leave the mechanized troops here without tanks. They’ve got anti-tank rifles, but all their anti-tank cannon are too messed up to use, after the last two fights. Besides that, we’ve got some time. There’s plenty of tanks that were knocked out or damaged that might not be as bad off, and we’ve got the spare crew to man them. We can also try and restore our defenses. We’ve got fighting holes all over that just need to be dug out and have their fields of fire cleared. Guess it depends on what ends up bein’ done…Would be nice if we had mines.”

>You have three time slots to prepare for attack with. They can be allocated to recovery, fortification, or an alternative plausible task. Each fortification slot allows placement of a fighting position for a tank platoon that gives effective cover from all angles, and each recovery slot use allows another roll of a d6 to potentially get more armor with. However, the d6 roll has a minus 1 modifier- if you roll a 1, you get nothing, though a 6 still allows for two rerolls.
Also-
>Digging in here and waiting for the enemy was the best bet. They’d tried to break this place twice and failed- clearly something was going right by sticking to the defense.
>Encourage Blind to move out and hit the enemy attack force away from the fort, before they’re ready. If you were facing an enemy superior to you in number and equipment, a conventional battle wouldn’t be in your favor.
>Other?
>>
After you had decided what to do along with Blind, you excused yourself to speak to the little girl she had accompanying her- she was tempted away from her tank, where the rest of Anya’s crew was. They were surly looking men- you wondered if part of the reason she disguised herself was to avoid attracting their attention, or if they knew as well. They didn’t look familiar, but you had heard that the Iron Hogs were in this war in some fashion. It would make sense if she went to them for some aid, wouldn’t it.

“Hi again!” Pact said to you, sliding off the tank’s hull as you came close, “Did you remember anything?”

You gestured to the side for some discretion, but you were already being subtly drawn, pulled away, a good ten meters from anybody else. Not far enough for the girl’s shrill, loud voice to not be heard, but maybe she was capable of some quiet.

“A masked man, right?” you asked, “Is he a large fellow?”

“Veerrrrryy big,” Pact nodded excitedly, “With one of the glasses in his mask broken. But y’know who he is, don’t you? You know Poltergeist, the Storyteller, the Specter. It’s faint now, but his mark’s on you.” She tilted her head when you drew back, “What’s wrong? I’m from the west, you know. There’s nothin’ to worry about.”
>>
On the contrary. Yet, you had to consider if this runty thing could help you in the coming battle- not in a fight, but in restoring your ability to protect yourself and your crew. “If I help you, will you help me?” you asked, “I’ve been looking for some pearls.” Just the pearls by themselves were suspect, you realized, and added, “My fiancée has a necklace that’s lost some stones. If you could give me a few of the shiniest pearls you might have, or find, then that’d be a fair trade?”

Pact’s smile went wide and toothy in a way you really didn’t like seeing on somebody so young- but Soulbinders couldn’t disguise their age, right? “Hee hee! You want a trade? You know what you’re asking for, right? You smell like an artifact’s been breathing on you. The Specter knows you, so he must be letting you have it…but my pearls are mine. If you wanna trade, then I wanna trade, not a favor. ‘Cause, you know,” Pact’s eyes went narrow and looked south, “Somebody did somethin’ weird some time ago and woke up a Sleeper. They don’t just wake up on their own…somethin’ has to stir them. I had to talk to them a while to make them calm down, and he was in a baaaaad mood. So somebody’s got somethin’, and maybe you do…” Her mouth closed and her broad smile returned from predatory to childish, “Or maybe you don’t! But don’t think that just ‘cause I’m small I’ll just give away my things for free.”

>Make a deal with this odd child for Radiant Pearls?
>On second thought, no. Maddalyn told you not to make deals with Soulbinders, and maybe it was time to follow her advice here.
>Other?
>>
>>4972245
Do the blue numbers on the map represent elevation?
>>
>>4972245
Anyway for the time being my vote:

>3 slots to recovery
>Encourage Blind to move out and hit the enemy attack force away from the fort, before they’re ready. If you were facing an enemy superior to you in number and equipment, a conventional battle wouldn’t be in your favor.

>Make a deal with this odd child for Radiant Pearls?
I assume she's talking about Richter firing off the Hellfire shell, so trading the last one for Pearls seems like a fair deal considering the can of worms it seems to open whenever it's used
>>
>>4972245
Allocate 2 time slots to recovery and the remaining 1 to fortification.
>Encourage Blind to move out and hit the enemy attack force away from the fort, before they’re ready. If you were facing an enemy superior to you in number and equipment, a conventional battle wouldn’t be in your favor.
Never discount the value of opening an unexpected second front
>>4972247
>On second thought, no. Maddalyn told you not to make deals with Soulbinders, and maybe it was time to follow her advice here.
I'm loath to risk giving up a core to this child if she's seeking Poltergeist, in all likelihood, maliciously. After all, he's not somebody so easily found, should he choose to hide himself and from Richter's perspective he has an outwardly hostile relationship with even the more sedentary Soulbinders lately. He took a risk coming to help with Bertram while Yva was so close and there's still a lot of information he's keeping that I'd like him alive to share with us. Lest we unwittingly give away a proverbial knife to stick in his back here.
I'm also concerned about this child Soulbinder's potential marking and enthralment of Anya, the longer the two continue to interact, if it hasn't begun so already. I think whatever extra power we can do our part in keeping out of her hands, the better, until Anya is in a more convenient place to turn her loose again.
In lieu of our current lack of arcane artefacts to trade and her apparent disinterest in taking favours, unless somebody can think of an alternative to the core we can offer her here and now, I don't see a safe alternative to backing out on this deal.
First, we crash a plane with no survivors. Now this.
>“A masked man, right?” you asked, “Is he a large fellow?”

What's the next step of his master plan?
>>
>>4972245
>3 slots to recovery
>Encourage Blind to move out and hit the enemy attack force away from the fort, before they’re ready. If you were facing an enemy superior to you in number and equipment, a conventional battle wouldn’t be in your favor.
>>4972247
>On second thought, no. Maddalyn told you not to make deals with Soulbinders, and maybe it was time to follow her advice here.
>>
>>4972247
>3 slots to recovery
>Encourage Blind to move out and hit the enemy attack force away from the fort, before they’re ready. If you were facing an enemy superior to you in number and equipment, a conventional battle wouldn’t be in your favor
>Make a deal with this odd child for Radiant Pearls?
How about information about the enemy oversees?
>>
>>4972245
>>Other?
Instead of attacking the enemy before they're ready, what if Anya and we keep our tanks in reserve until the enemy engages the rest of our tanks in battle, and then we maneuver around the sides of the hill and make hit-and-run attacks at the enemy flanks while they're distracted in the fight? There's enough cover here that I think we should be able to dart in and out without exposing ourselves too much, and hitting their flanks might be the only way to take out those heavier Net tanks.
>>4972247
>>Make a deal with this odd child for Radiant Pearls?
She seems to want the hellfire shell, and I would say it would be a fair trade for refreshing our armor since the shell seems really risky to use anyway. The problem is I'm afraid letting her have it would reveal that it was made by Maddy, which could get her in trouble. Right now Pact seems to think Poltergeist gave it to us.

Maybe we could offer to promise not to use it if she gives us the pearls? After all, being able to refresh our armor will make it much less likely that we'll need to use it. I know she wants to trade something for something, but if she doesn't give us the pearls then there's no telling if we might end up needing to use the shell, which apparently would be a big pain in the ass for her. So she can choose if she wants to take the risk or be safe and hand over the pearls. But one way or another we do need to keep ourselves safe.
>>
>>4972245
Ask Manya first if there is a certainty of Ellowian air support. Will they be able to pick out friend from for if we Sally out?

>1 fortification
>2 alternative plausible task
I doubt we're getting the devils roll 3 times.
My plan is we've got the spare crew and the real ticker is getting the wrecks mobile again right? We should spend 1 slots in digging some holes (these don't have to be perfect fighting works, it might be better to spread the love especially if we can get lots of functioning turret tanks) and 2 dragging any heavy/mediums with the most powerful guns back to the Fort have working turrets. They don't have to move if we prepared spaces for them, and Netillian guns might actually have the power to pierce their own front armor.

If we have the spare people we might as both increase our defensive power while also using this to lure in the Netillian so we hit them in the flank while they are preoccupied with the "salvaged and functioning" armor in the front.

It might be cruel not to give these turrets proper defenses but they don't have to hold for long, and their own frontal armor plus the elevation should give them some protection while we circle around.

>Make a deal with this odd child for Radiant Pearls?
Trade hellfire shell for pearls. Start with five negotiate to a final offer of three.
Tell her we traded this shell with a strange man with a Caelussian accent that wanted to know more about Poltergeist. He had a beret and was probably an overseas wizard.
The jig is up, we can't use the shell out in daylight here in the open and I'd rather Richter not die due to a shit roll.
I hate losing the one protection against magical Bullshit, but we KNOW the value of the Armor of God.
Does anybody really think we won't get hit either in this battle or the coming ones?
>>
>>4972245
>2 to Recovery, 1 to fortification.
>Encourage Blind to move out and hit the enemy attack force away from the fort, before they’re ready. If you were facing an enemy superior to you in number and equipment, a conventional battle wouldn’t be in your favor.

>>4972247
>On second thought, no. Maddalyn told you not to make deals with Soulbinders, and maybe it was time to follow her advice here.
This is 100% my own gamer tism speaking right now but I don't want to give up our Hellfire Shell to this unknown element. We can get Pearls...well not anywhere, but they seem to be far more common than our one of a kind mega death weapon, and while pearls are far more useful to us at the present moment, I'm gonna risk not using what we got so we still have access to it in the future. Yes, I know full well that's the same mindset that led us to lose half our face and half a hand. But god damn it, if our uncle could tank it up in normal ass equipment for years and not get blasted to hell, there's no reason Richter can't either. We just need to play it safe and smart.
Put your faith in our dear M/32, boys.
Not as a weird mutant vehicle, but as a tank that has seen us through time and time again.

All that said...I honestly wouldn't mind trying to turn this unknown element into a known element.
We might not be able to give her the Hellfire Shells, and I doubt she'll give us pearls for anything less, but maybe giving her some information about Poltergeist might help us build repore? Maybe we'd get some useful information in return or maybe some favor in general, as much as that tends to do for those who have it.
>>
Normally now would be about the time I'd call a vote and start updating, but I'll be off for today, so I'll call things tomorrow.

>>4972251
They are, yes.

>>4972328
>How about information about the enemy oversees?
One must be more specific! Especially considering that you don't have very much whatsoever.
>>
>>4972784
Then I have nothing.
>>
>>4972245
>Encourage Blind to move out and hit the enemy attack force away from the fort, before they’re ready. If you were facing an enemy superior to you in number and equipment, a conventional battle wouldn’t be in your favor.
So would Blind's attack mean moving with all our armor to attack a part of the Nets in a whole other area, then returning to mop up the ones who made it to the fort? If so we should just salvage tanks. If Blind can make do with just the lights and mediums and give the Nets a bloody nose in the field, the m32 and the T15 might really benefit from some entrenched positions. They could pin the enemy down while the more mobile force led by Blind returns and pulls a Magnus to sweep them from the sides.
So 3 recovery if Blind's plan is an all in attack, 2 Recovery, 1 fortification if we are leaving some tanks behind.
>On second thought, no. Maddalyn told you not to make deals with Soulbinders, and maybe it was time to follow her advice here.
For all we know handing over the Hellfire shell is like handing in a written confession to the Wizard police, I don't trust like that. And this could be a soulbinder puppeting some girl's body or stealing her face or something, not someone I would want to give a magic superweapon too anyway.
>>
Forgot to mention earlier but might as well before I leave for work,
>>4972685
>but maybe giving her some information about Poltergeist might help us build repore
Any information trades should be specific- largely because I don't know what you'd rather keep secret or not, unless you want to put it to vote later.
>>
>>4973032
>Any information trades should be specific
Info on how we first meet Poltergeist, a general overview of our encounters including being taken away to another world in our sleep and him just showing up to deliver our wife to us while in a train. No details about exactly why he's interested in us, maybe mention a door he wants us to open but keep any info on the demiphantom and its current location under wraps. And also keep how involved Maddalyn is with all this under wraps too.
As far as Pact is concerned Poltergeist showed up one day after Richter saved his wife from a dangerous situation involving some manner of monsters Richter knows nothing about. He's been bothering us for better or worse ever since, from showing up to challenge hostile wizards, to somehow let us see our wife before we went off one last time, to being dragged into another world to talk to him in our sleep. Richter should pretend he has no idea why Poltergeist mettle with him so much, beyond some mentions about opening a door when the time is right. He has also at this point encountered all manner of spooky scary shit, like other spirits and other wizards like herself, but nobody wants to tell him shit about anything besides how dangerous Poltergeist is.
>>
Well I fucked over my sleep schedule and woke up incredibly late today, so that's par for the course. I'll try and update when I get home today, and we can handle rolls and stuff for now.

>>4972264
>>4972327
>>4972328
>>4972974
3 on Recovery

>>4972309
>>4972685
>>4972974
2 Recovery, 1 Fort.

>>4972489
Coy stuff involving creating bunkers. Very fun, but people would like to be more mobile, it seems.

>>4972974
>So would Blind's attack mean moving with all our armor to attack a part of the Nets in a whole other area, then returning to mop up the ones who made it to the fort?
More or less, this is the case.

>>4972264
>>4972489
Make a deal, trade away your deadliest weapon. The armor is more valuable to you.

>>4972328
>>4973799
>>4972685
Make an exchange of information for goods- little girls like gossip, don't they? Having a runt wife makes it awkward when you're around actual children, hopefully the crew didn't see this.

>>4972485
Make something that somewhat sounds like an ultimatum to make a sorceress give you valuables.

>>4972309
>>4972327
>>4972685
>>4972974
Absolutely do not hand over that Hellker Shellter.

And I'm pretty sure everybody wants to leave the fort and engage in battle against the enemy in a surprise counterattack. So that'll be neat! Neat in a way that you hope to survive, at least.
Update will probably happen real late tonight, at least, and likely tomorrow considering, but I like to have hope for myself regarding keeping to something of deadlines.
...I was expecting having to end the thread before we went into this battle, but the board's slow enough that I think we'll manage to make it.

A funny thing, as well. I hope nobody's forgotten that Maddalyn knows the m/32B Serial Number 010 far better than anybody else, considering the interest in its special capabilities. There's a few things it can't do without her or somebody similarly abled in presence manipulation. Not a spoiler but it hasn't been brought up in a while.

Anyways, then. While we're waiting (for me), give me 3 sets of 1d6, same rules as before.

>>4972309
>What's the next step of his master plan?
Calling the Strossvald Intelligence Office, clearly. Good thing you didn't lose your thumbs.
>>
Rolled 1 (1d6)

>>4974204
>>
Rolled 5 (1d6)

>>4974204
>>
Rolled 6 (1d6)

>>4974204
>>
Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>4974266
#1
>>
Rolled 4 (1d6)

>>4974266
#2(#2)
>>
>>4974222
>>4974232
>>4974266
>>4974268
>>4974270

>yfw it's Ellowian vs Netillian equipment but the sides are reversed

Well having another platoon of mediums is nothing to sniff at.
>>
The child’s implied offer of trade was no easy thing to decide upon quickly, especially since you had little time to dawdle as it stood. Yet, it was a matter of your survival, wasn’t it? You had to consider trying to get more vital essence for your machine to consume, in order to fuel its special protection.

Would she want the Hellfire shell? That probably counted as an “artifact,” and you sure as hell weren’t giving up your tank. Though the Hellfire shell had incredible destructive power, it might have been too dangerous, even the time you used it last. You hadn’t found out quite what the collateral damage was, and there were surely questions being asked even now, for such a strange event as turning the enemy into so much as dust and shadows, the only escape being the chaos of war quickly transporting you elsewhere. You’d gladly trade it away to strengthen your armor once more…

…Only, that Hellfire shell wasn’t something you’d simply found lying around. It had been created- by the effort of the Von Blums and their secret soulbinder, most likely, with the direct aid of Maddalyn. It was possible that this innocent looking girl would seek to find out how this object came to be- and end up at your fiancée. You doubted that whatever powers this girl answered to (she stated the west, but who said a soulbinder could not deceive?) took kindly to mucking about with the unknown and mighty. No, you’d have to try and offer something else, for the sake of safety of the future. What good was your Armor of Fate if you lost everything that you intended to return to?

“How about…” you tried to frame it in a way an adolescent girl would find interesting. You’d had Emma around enough, and this Pact was much more immature than your ghost acquaintance, but they liked gossip all the same, didn’t they? “…a secret? I’ll tell you a secret in exchange for some shiny pearls.”

“Oooh, I love secrets,” Pact squealed, “But I don’t think you know any I want to hear!”

“Want to bet a pearl on that, then?”

If I think I like it.”

“Alright. Deal.” Though, at the same time, you didn’t want to reveal too much. Poltergeist, strange and irritating as he chose to be, had come to your aid on multiple occasions. Sticking a knife in the back of somebody who was more inclined to be your ally than not felt…improper. You’d already spent your favor with him, though- you couldn’t call him to your rescue, not anymore.
>>
So Pact wouldn’t get to know about the Demiphantom, but there was another thing… “He showed up out of nowhere one day, and I don’t know what he wants, or why. He’s helped me out a few times, against strange monsters, and things I once couldn’t explain, and still can’t fully. He’s talked about wanting to open a door…or something. Sometimes, when I sleep, I talk to Poltergeist in my dreams. We go to this strange place that he called…er, the Navel, I think. Or between here and there.”

Pact let a smirk creep across her face. “You haven’t been to the Navel, silly. Nobody goes there and comes back.”

“Between, though.”

Pact shook her head. “No, I think you’re making up a story. Old Man Storyteller likes to make them up too, I wonder if he told you this one? I’m not giving anything for that!”

There was a singsong lilt to her tone, but there was also a glint in Pact’s eye that made you feel sore indeed. Just the right hint of insincerity in what she said, that smudge of smugness.
That little brat, you thought as you grit your teeth, she just had you say something for nothing. Oh well, she didn’t get much, and she wouldn’t get anything else from you.

“One more thing,” you said, “How long have you been around her?”

“You mean him?” Pact tilted her head towards Anya, “So you know each other? You oughta thank me. She was hurt badly.”

A hiss escaped from the sides of your mouth. “Don’t stay around her too long. I know what your sort does to people if they linger at their side for long enough.”

“Awww, but we’re having fun!” Pact whined in a shrill squirm, “I’m not tricking her. You shouldn’t be so greedy with your friends.” She winked and twirled in place, “I’ll see you ‘round, mister.”
You sent her off with a glare and an irritated flick of your hand, before going back to Anya again. Blind. Blind would be easier on the radio, at least. There was much to do…

-----
>>
When you and Blind had finalized your plan of what you’d do, you had decided you didn’t need to restore any fortifications or make any new ones- because the battle wouldn’t take place at the Fort, anyways. You’d sally out, and try to strike at the new Netillian offensive before they were prepared, where they wouldn’t be ready for a fight.

“Plus,” Blind had said, “We won’t have to sit through an artillery barrage. They have nasty stuff. A rocket or something nearly turned me into crispy chunks the last attack.”

…In that open topped gun carrier, you agreed inside yourself, that you’d rather she be somewhere else.

So what time you had before you’d be forced to go with what you had was spent picking through the wreckage and knocked out tanks for what was salvageable. It turned out, a surprising amount was not as badly damaged as first assumed, or was even completely undamaged, abandoned by crew for one reason or another, making incorrect conclusions in the heat and confusion of battle.

The tally was four tanks that could be considered “medium.” Two NfK-7ts, of Republic paint, older models than the new ones you’d encountered recently, and two of what one of the Republic crewmen called an “AdG-Volcan-Custom,” which was some odd Emrean import design mixed with Naukland pieces, such as the turret. It was inferior to the NfK-7t in terms of armor, but was quicker, its size more an indication of its power over terrain rather than resistance to shot.
>x2 NfK-7t and x2 AdG-Volcan Custom acquired

This brought the totals for your scrappy force up to two full platoons of medium tanks, one of each type, in addition to the heavy T-15, the pair of light NfK-4ts, and you and Anya’s tanks. Your numbers could respectably be called a company again.

“So,” you said as you surveyed the reassembled armor, “About that air support. Will they be able to tell us apart once we’re out there, you think?”

“They’ve done alright so far,” Blind said dismissively, “That flag’ll help you out plenty. It’s what we’ve been doing if we’re too mixed up, but ours are just red flags, not the whole thing.”

Duly noted. “I certainly hope they’ll fly by.”
>>
“So will the half-branches, if they do,” Blind said. Some slur related to the other term "rape-sons" and "rape spawn" presumably. “If we stick them in place long enough, they’ll be a target for sure. That’s why I want to hit them while they’re out there in the open. So,” she pointed vaguely to a map spread out, “We won’t know exactly where we’ll run into them, but we’ll want to take them by surprise, and in two groups. If we try and match them one on one, that makes winning too uncertain. I want winning to be as sure as we can make it. So, we’re dividing ourselves into two groups. One of us lures them by taking out their forward recon elements. Or, we switch places after that, depending on who finds their forward element first. Then, that group holds off a little bit until the other hits them on the flank. As long as we make sure to stay mobile so we’re not defeated in detail, we should at least be able to hurt them bad enough that they fall back again. The worst thing to happen would be if Netillian planes come and shoot the hell out of one of us, but,” Blind straightened up and put her hands on her hips, “That’s something we’ll have to trust to the flyboys. So. What do you want in your group? I’d prefer to be faster, which means I want the light guys and the Emrean bastard-childs, but if you got another plan I’ll hear it. Even if you don’t want to head the other group.”

>Your available forces need to be divided into two groups for the operation. Pick what you want to allocate to each group, the main force and the flanking force.
>The vehicles available are x1 m/32B(You), x1 ADLAS Custom Dust Devil (Blind), x1 T-15 (Hevay), x2 NfK-4t (Light tanks), x4 NfK-7t, x4 AdG-Volcan Custom
>Though the intent is that you head one force and Blind the other, you can put yourselves in the same group and put another commander in charge of the other if you wish.
>>
>>4975470
Main Force:
1x m/32B
1x T-15
4x NfK-7t

Flank Force:
1x Dust Devil
x4 AdG Volcan-Custom
2x NfK-4t
>>
>>4975470
>>4975478
This will do. We could mix and match some to even out the capabilities, but keeping a heavy/light distinction is helpful as long as we make sure to play to the strengths of either formation. The presence of airpower creates an interesting dynamic too. Taking out the tracks on something could kill it sure as any hit to the body if its a sitting duck when the planes come around.
Also advise Blind on the armored cars that we encountered having smoke countermeasures, they can get slippery if you don't take them out fast.
>>
I'm tempted to go back and offer Pact the shell in exchange for a couple pearls. I have a feeling we're going to need them very soon.
>>
>>4975470
I'm on board with these two >>4975478 >>4975502
>>
>>4975470
>>4975502
>>4975478
Supporting these two.
One question. Do we have artillery support?
>>
>>4975470
Can we drag along the equivalent of the Forward Air Controller just so we can talk to flyboys
>>
>>4975952
and also like to add infantry.
Can't attack with only tank. Infantry is also needed.
>>
>>4975478
>>4975502
>>4975751
>>4975952
>>4975966
>>4976394
Alrighty then, let's get this going.

>>4975952
>One question. Do we have artillery support?
As stated, the artillery support ran out of ammunition. Tough luck.

>>4975966
Also previously mentioned, there isn't a forward air controller team here. Though they're not that uncommon, they're present on expected fronts- and one simply hasn't been transported here with the other things going on.
>>
>>4976407
>As stated, the artillery support ran out of ammunition. Tough luck.
I had read it, but still hoped there was still a possibility to call some longer range batteries in. (I know the Republic has jack shit in that department, but maybe auxiliaries and the Ellowians.)
>>
“I’ll trust the quicker ones to you then,” you said, forgetting your place for a moment, and imagining Blind’s eyebrow raising at your presumption, “I mean. I’ll take the heavier vehicles. Your own tank doesn’t seem well suited to being a wall.”

“No, it isn’t,” Blind agreed.

“Watch out for those new Netillian armored cars, though,” you said, “Have you encountered them? They have some manner of rapidly deployed smoke launching that conceals them in an instant. They’re very slippery.” Considering Anya’s devoted adoration of the munitions caster, you were surprised that her tank wasn’t bearing a set torn off from a foe.

“I’ve seen. They don’t like to stick to a fight if they can help it, but,” Blind muttered an annoyed expletive, “We’ll have to nail them down if this is going to work. Won’t be much of a surprise flank attack if they can report what’s coming easy.”

“…And you’re sure there’s no way we can get the aircraft to strike when and where we want?” you asked next, hopefully.

“They’ll only talk to their own, and we’ve got none of them here.” Blind said with a sullen growl, “They’d make things a lot easier if they coordinated with us, but they’ve got their pride, or something. Maybe they just don’t want to show the rest of us their fancy radios. They spot targets well enough, though, and as long as they don’t get to the Fort, we win. Think of it that way. If we disable them near the fort, we don’t have nowhere to run to.”

Another look around the tanks, and you noticed a lack of something. “Will we have any infantry cover?” you asked.

“Only a bit,” Blind answered, “Some of it’s already up front. Our scouts and pickets. The command here doesn’t like my plan much, doesn’t want to risk making the fort weak. I can swing the tanks, but ripping away the troops is too much. I can get the spare crews and volunteers, and that’s not giving us much. Forty to fifty guys at most, total, but it’s gonna have to do. Can’t get the trucks either, so they’ll have to ride.”

The artillery support out of ammunition, making a preemptive attack against a stronger enemy, with but the scraps of a proper assault force. There might have been something in the academy training that was being offended, if you remembered it, but you had to remember that your Retinue was far from brainless, even if she was headstrong. Perhaps the Netillians were as battered or worse than your forces- and a victory a good distance from here would throw a wrench into whatever their plans were.

Besides, Von Silbertau had ordered that you request an assault, if possible. You knew nothing of what was happening anywhere else, but if the plan was to attack, then it had to be done with whatever you had.
>>
A trooper came running, breathless, to you and Blind. “Blind,” he wheezed, “Our people up front say they’re seeing some probing by their recon. They’re comin’.”

“Outta time, then,” Blind said, with a pointing finger to you, “Round up your people and let’s get going. We’ll hit them early, then, you try and draw their main force to the place I showed you on the map. You can get there, yeah?”

“Of course I can,” you said, with confidence warranted. “As long as they cooperate with the direction of attack.”

“Get in their way in the right place and they’ll come right to you,” Blind said, “Whatever guy is in charge of them, they’re bullish. It’s worked out for them, he’s managed to operate in a way where I ended up in charge, but he doesn’t seem to notice when he’s being distracted or baited. Just hold out and he’ll try and crush you with raw strength.”

Suddenly you were less reassured. “Do be quick on the flank, then.”

“Be quick yourself,” Blind gestured firmly, “That ground’s got to be taken before they get there. Get your tank riders and get going!”

-----

The details of the plan had been discussed, shortly. Though this was ostensibly a surprise attack, half of it involved your section of the group seizing forward terrain and getting in the Netillian attack’s way. If they went around you, they’d allow you and Blind to fight them on ground unfavorable to them, but Blind was certain you’d be attacked instead. Which surely meant that the attacking force would be quite strong, to be confident of rolling you over.

Well, let them try. This wouldn’t be the first time you’d foiled a Netillian armored attack.

Blind went ahead of you- your whole force couldn’t be spotted at once, else the game would be up. It’d be her force’s job to pick up your friendly forward elements, and to dispatch the enemy reconnaissance in order to begin the work of drawing in the enemy. Ironically, Blind’s objective was to blind the enemy herself, at least operationally. Only to a limited degree, however, as the enemy still had to find you in order to be drawn into the trap.

A boost in spirits came when a trio of Ellowian fighters buzzed ahead and pressed further north. Who could say what would take place in the sky in the battle to come, but at least your allies were still present up there.
>>
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The planned delay in movements ticked by, and you went forward after, towards your objective. Where you and your force would hold. Then men riding on your tanks were a motley assortment, ununiform in both equipment and armament- a screen more than anything, already beaten down by battle and carrying little more than rifles. The fighting would be done by tanks here, unless these men were extraordinarily unlucky.

There was enemy screens ahead, around and in the terrain you claimed, but they were weak and gave way on the slightest imposition of your force. Scattered remnants of other confused battles- perhaps ones you’d even passed through, or by. None of them mechanized, merely lost men on foot, low to the ground and made meek by all of what flew and rolled near.

The place was reached- early, and the air still. Here was where you’d make your stand- hopefully not a last one. A wary eye was kept to the sky- though your position was a commanding one, it lacked for cover, and both the Ellowian and Netillian planes would have an easy time spotting prey.

The terrain around here was particularly stony in places- boulders and heaps of jagged stone that you couldn’t particularly explain, besides perhaps being former mines or rolled from some ancient river, maybe even quarry junk piles from another time. However, they did constitute poor terrain to try and traverse. A track could easily be thrown on the many substantially sized stones.

>Place your available forces how you wish. They are lined up on the map- but you can shift these positions. However, they do need to be on or around the two hills they are on presently.
Also-
>Roll three sets of 1d100 to see how the other operation goes, DCs being 65, 55, and 45 roll under. The first is for attacking enemy reconnaissance, the second is advancing beyond, and the third will be how quickly they reach your position once the enemy arrives. Degrees of success apply, but if a roll is successful, the DCs for the next rolls are made easier by a degree of ten.
>>
Rolled 27 (1d100)

>>4976507
I'd like to fire on them from the top of the hills as they approach, but when they close, we should try to retreat behind the hill and engage from the reverse slope. Hopefully the shorter range will allow our 37mm cannons better performance. Mobility/Mission kills should be the priority when feasible. This is not their objective afterall and anything left here is not assaulting the fortress and left to fend for itself against ground attackers.

Our infantry should try to prepare fighting positions on the opposite slope of hostile approach. Their really no good to us hanging out front and being picked off and better off screening for us when we head down into the reverse slope.

In a rush so cant really visualize my intent on the map, sorry.
>>
Rolled 95 (1d100)

>>4976507
Judge guide my Dice.
>>
>>4976553
Oh god damn it!
>>
Rolled 1 (1d100)

>>4976507
Us, the T15, and a medium on the right hill(4), and the rest on the left hill(5). Infantry should try to dig in on each hill and keep their heads down.
>>
>>4976553
>>4976620
What did the Judge mean by this?
>>
>>4976620
I guess I should also clarify, the positioning of the tanks is to try to lure a stronger attack to the left side of the formation, which is the closer side to our flanking attack, giving the enemy less time to react.
>>
>>4976545
>>4976620
Supporting these, fighting from the reserve slope will be key with our lighter armour in general
>>
>>4976507
I'd like the tanks on hill 4 to reverse back down to the base of the rear slope and wait, while the m/32B takes up a position among the rocks north of the hill.
Once the Netillians are in sight they'll have no cover, lest they try and huddle their entire force around hill 8, and then they lose all initiative of movement. I suspect they will want to take the path of least resistance to the fort, which presently lies between hills 8 and 5, where Blind's forces are waiting. Of course, we don't want them doing going there.
So, if we leave the tanks on hill 5 as they are to contest the gap southwards, with hill 4 seemingly unoccupied, we offer them an alternate route to the fort that they can rush for, one that should keep their attention and armour to the east. When they crest the hill our tanks will be waiting to gut them from beneath.
Tanks on hill 5 will have to hold until the Netillians have committed to crossing hill 4, at which point they likewise can drop back down the rear slope.
As for why I want Richter in the rocks to begin with, these rocks and hills have my crabby sense tingling. If there's a chance we can encourage them into the fray by drawing Netillian fire upon them in the hopes it might cause some disruption, I want to try it. Worst case scenario if my suspicion turns out to be a dud, he can just move back behind the hill.
Have the infantry stay on the rear slopes and wait for the action to come close, as >>4976545 says.
>>
>>4976620
support.
>>
>>4976868
And also support this.
>>
>>4976545
>>4976553
>>4976620
>>4976759
>>4976868
>>4976950
And so this all begins. Updating.
>>
Your force was spread over two hills- between sections of stone piles, one of which you made your own fighting position, though you didn’t stray too close after an unseen stone rocked your tank such that it felt it might tip over. It was enough that you exited the tank to guide the m/32 any further, while inspecting the stones to make sure they weren’t moving- you hadn’t seen Living Stones that large since your time in the mist of the mountains, but the possibility gave you pause for thought. Obstacles moving on their own, and potentially obstructing the enemy- or you. Thankfully, unless these were particularly sleepy living stones, all of these rocks appeared to be mere mineral and no animal.

With no quick long range communications available to you, all you could do was arrange the tanks and the troops to be ready for the enemy’s coming- if they arrived where they were meant to. Considering that you weren’t supposed to be here, there wasn’t a logical reason why the Netillians wouldn’t go here, down the path of least resistance, ostensibly to deal with a stray weak enemy on their way to their objective. The lack of effective communications meant that any number of developments could be occurring though, and you wouldn’t know, until it was potentially too late.

As the tanks assumed their places and the infantrymen (many of them in tanker clothing, begrudgingly made to fight outside their former mounts) dug into the snow and pebbly earth, a motorcycle courier reached you- one of the few avenues of carrying messages over a distance available in the shadow of the Netillian radio disruptors, aside from wired cable. Their news was simple- the attacking Netillian force’s advance recon had been encountered and quickly handled, though this had been before you’d even arrived at this location. Given the planned timeline, Blind…Anya, and the force she led, should be pressing through the chaotic field of battle to reach the flank of this plain in time to attack the side of the force coming for you.

From the dust and sound ahead, a force that was soon to arrive.

-----
>>
Things had started out well, but Anya should have expected things to turn to shit as quickly as they did, when a shell had landed among her group of tanks and kicked up dirt and snow all over.

“Blind,” the leader of the medium platoon to her right said urgently over the short range, barely comprehensible for how crappy the sets were, “A few tanks just came up, over to the ten o’clock. Two or three.”

Where the hell had they come from? They just had to come up here when she absolutely had to be in a hurry, didn’t they. There wasn’t time for this!

“Keep going!” Anya almost let her façade slip with a crack of her voice before she forced her pitch down again, “Keep going, the light section and I will handle this.”

A shell screamed by and slammed into the light tank directly to her left, and it cracked apart with a flash of heat, pieces of debris bouncing off the metal of her own tank and a stabbing pain sprouting from her cheek, her forehead, and her shoulder.

“Driver, halt! Don’t just gawk at getting blown up, damn it!” She shouted at her gunner, “Kill them!” Back on the radio. “Belay that. Take this enemy out first, right now!”

-----

Sounds of battle were everywhere, even surprisingly close to the south, but there was no prelude to the enemy that came for you. The foe you expected. Their formation was tight, relaxed, but ready for a fight. They kicked up substantial dust and mist- there must have been at least a company coming.

“What do you see?” you asked Schafer, whose gun scope probably could see further than your binoculars.

“Looks like three platoons of armor,” he answered, “There’s things behind them.”

“Probably panzergrenadier,” Hausen guessed.

Netillian Mechanized troops could be an incredible amount of trouble. “Mechanized Guard?” you asked warily.

“We’ll see.”
>>
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Rolled 4, 3 = 7 (2d6)

You and the northern contingent of your tanks were poised atop the little rise in the terrain, barely able to be called a hill, in clear view of the enemy coming. The southern section, meanwhile, hid themselves on the downwards slope of their own hill. The hope was that, in a rush to attack you and keep moving, to bowl you over, the enemy would come both directly at you and try to move southeast over that hill- and expose themselves to a close ranged ambush. The hills were too shallow to hope for anything but lucky shots at their vulnerable belly armor, but they would be at a disadvantage having to fire down so close nevertheless. Combined with the flanking force coming- failure by your Retinue felt impossible- the enemy would find themselves in a terrible position, quickly.

As the enemy drew closer, your gunner confirmed that the rearguard of this attack force was trucks, rather than armored personnel carriers. A small blessing. Mechanized Guard might have been able to turn the tide against you, with the help of their special equipment.

The challenge would be putting up your particular part of this fight. To your left was a T-15; a tank you’d commanded before, but now, it was stronger, being well loaded with armor piercing shot, and from a brief inspection, layered with extra applique armor to its front, which must have made it a durable target indeed.

Part of you wondered if it was possible for that T-15 to be the same one you so briefly commanded, coming back to aid you. The same tank with a roomy interior that you’d sprawled upon the floor of with Maddalyn before you held each other close and locked onto one another’s lips. If only she were here…

…Yet that same time, she had been shot in that same battle she’d deigned to participate in with you.

A droning sound shook you from the last idle thoughts you spared yourself before the enemy would be straying close enough for you to fire at one another. Aircraft- north and south. This wouldn’t only be your battleground…

>Rolling 2d6 for air superiority- the first for Allied, the second for Enemy, though the Ellowians get +1 to their roll. A side having 2 more than their opponent means that the opportunity for ground attack comes up- though that can be intercepted if superiority is lost the next round.
>>
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The aircraft from the north and south slamming into one another above was a distraction- for a time. Until you noticed, with a few planes falling out of the sky or fleeing, streaking smoke, that the Ellowian planes- the ones from the south- had gotten the upper hand. Good- you needed every advantage you could get.
>The Ellowian fighters have seized an opportunity- a ground attack strike is possible next turn

As the planes above turned your fortunes one way, the enemy advanced, in a fashion you’d dare to call relaxed. As though you were no real threat. Though from the composition of the enemy, it was possible that they were justified in that attitude- there were three of the enemy heavy tanks you’d felt no choice but to flee from, and two platoons of three of the new NfK-7t models and one NKE-3 each. Half of the enemy outclassed even your tank- perhaps the enemy’s heavies outclassed the T-15, but you didn’t know that for sure yet. Perhaps you were fortunate enough to hold one advantage.

“Enemy’s closing to range,” Schafer reported, “What’s the command.”

From what you saw, the enemy wasn’t stopping- not yet. They either wanted to get closer, or were worried about halting to fire with the situation above as it was.

>Have your line on the north hill open fire at combat range. Even if you were unlikely to knock out the better-armored tanks at this distance, you could stand a chance of immobilizing them- almost as good as striking them directly.
>Draw back behind the hill- you had no advantage at long range this time.
>Hold off on shooting- until you can get surer shots from a range your guns would be more likely to pierce their armor with.
>Other?
>>
>>4977420
>Have your line on the north hill open fire at combat range. Even if you were unlikely to knock out the better-armored tanks at this distance, you could stand a chance of immobilizing them- almost as good as striking them directly.
>>
>>4977420
>Have your line on the north hill open fire at combat range. Even if you were unlikely to knock out the better-armored tanks at this distance, you could stand a chance of immobilizing them- almost as good as striking them directly.
Immobilized armor is great target practice for the planes.
>>
>>4977420
>Have your line on the north hill open fire at combat range. Even if you were unlikely to knock out the better-armored tanks at this distance, you could stand a chance of immobilizing them- almost as good as striking them directly.
>>
>>4977420
>Have your line on the north hill open fire at combat range. Even if you were unlikely to knock out the better-armored tanks at this distance, you could stand a chance of immobilizing them- almost as good as striking them directly.
>>
After what Anya told us earlier I've got a feeling that those "panzergrenadier" in the back are carrying rocket artillery I regret having ever mentioned the idea of using rocket artillery to skirt the border zone's firepower restrictions, this is probably my fault. We should have all available eyes on the lookout and be prepared to shift positions at the first sight of a fireball.
>>
Rolled 6, 5 = 11 (2d6)

>>4977423
>>4977441
>>4977461
>>4977462
Start firing as soon as you can.
Alright, then. I'm gonna need three rolls, and your general targets, though I'm going to presume you want to immobilize the heavies as a priority, though anything within four tiles is a fair game for long shots.
DC is going to be roll under 30 for you, 20 for the T-15, and 15 for the last medium. Different gun sizes over range after all, and not easy targets!
Also going to roll for air superiority status too, former is Ellowian and has a +1. If air superiority shifts to Netillian then there's a chance they'll be intercepted.
>>
>>4977518
Rolls being 1d100 each, in case it wasn't clear.
>>
Rolled 10 (1d100)

>>4977518
>>4977525
Ok ok ok.
The Judge got me this time I swear.
Also lets go Ellowian Air Superiority!
>>
Rolled 42 (1d100)

>>4977518
>>
Rolled 29 (1d100)

>>4977518
Looks like the Ellowians really rule the skies.
>>
>>4977518
I'm going to marry an Ellowian pilot.
>>
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>>4977633
I hope she's even half as beautiful as Ritcher's wife
>>
“Northern platoon,” you said over the radio, “Fire at will, aim to disable the treads of the heavy vehicles to the direct west.” You knew it’d be a hard shot for most- the tanks were far away, and their armor would undoubtedly resist your shells- but their treads were plenty breakable, and judging from what was happening above, being unable to move would be far more harmful to the enemy than not, soon enough. “Schafer,” you said next over the intercom, “The leftmost heavy, immobilize it.”

“Roger,” he replied, and the turret made its small adjustments, the gun changed elevation. “Firing.” With a plume of dust, the tank rocked backwards and the shell went out on its way, a glowing star soaring out, soon followed by a pair of others.

Yours found the most success- you watched the shell smack into the right tread of your target, and the tracks flopped out like so much dead fish, leaving the heavy tank wobbling from side to side to stop without its flank turned. The other hits were less successful. The T-15’s heavier shell threw up a column of snow, but it struck behind the enemy formation, and the NfK-7t’s own more accurate shot bounced off the sturdy armor of the enemy like a clod of dirt had been flicked at it rather than a steel shot.

“Same as before,” you said, “Keep trying to take out their treads.” Two more of those heavy tanks left- they were slower, but implacable, and if they reached your position you didn’t know how you’d deal with them.
>>
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From the south, you saw more Ellowian fighters surge forward to duel more foes in the sky, but following them, at a lower altitude, were a trio of twin-engine aircraft. You recognized them as Ellowian light bombers- also used for reconnaissance, but their payload suggested they were not here to do any scouting. So much the better.

The Netillians seemed aware of the coming strikes, and they didn’t stop yet- a mobile tank would be far more difficult to hit, even if it was a slower moving one. Yet, as the next shell rang with the sound of being loaded and you watched the enemy begin performing evasive maneuvers where they could, you heard a terribly distorted buzzing voice on the company net, switched to in order to ensure the southern elements stayed hidden, for now.

“…Here? Sorry----Late, had to----coming, keep----”

You couldn’t hear her too well, and her attempts to disguise her voice were better over a radio set that was being actively disrupted, but you caught enough to know that Anya had arrived. Earlier than expected, despite claiming to have been delayed.

Maybe this would work out after all, you thought, though you couldn’t spot your reinforcements yet.

“Fire!”

>Roll 3 sets of 1d100 again for your tanks. This time, the DCs are roll under 35, 30, and 25. The aircraft will attempt to dispatch any tanks immobilized after this round of firing- or attempt to hit them with much reduced odds if they’re still mobile.
Also-
>Maintain your positions? Or have any of your command (Not Blind or the other group) move or shift places?

>>4977633
Well, Wrath Leader is single, I suppose.
>>
Rolled 71 (1d100)

>>4977674
Bless my Dice!
LET'S ROCK!
>>
>>4977675
DAMN IT!

>>4977674
Oh and have the Richter stay put for one round longer while the others fall back a hex.
>>
Rolled 18 (1d100)

>>4977674
Have everyone on our hill roll back a bit, no need to eat 6 tanks shots.
>>
Rolled 25 (1d100)

>>4977674
>>
Rolled 6, 2 = 8 (2d6)

It's looking like I'll be short on time to put out another update before I have to go to work, so the exact maneuver won't be called yet, but in the meantime, it's time to decide air superiority for next turn.
>>
>>4977727
>Netillian """air force"""
>>
Can we just...say we got air support for the rest of the encounter? How are the Netillians even still in the sky?
>>
Now that I think on it, do we want to send the tanks on the other hill up? We don't want the left formation wheeling around on Anya's group.
>>
>>4977727
Judge bless the Ellowian air force.
>>
>>4977784
That would be smart, yeah. Have them move up slightly and take long shots like we've been doing to slow em down.
>>
>>4977674
I'll agree with >>4977784 on that, bring the southern group up to the hilltop and have them join in. With Anya showing up earlier than anticipated and the Netillians approaching more slowly and spread out we can't wait and bet on them rushing the "gap" on hill 5 any more.
Assuming they can hear us, comms, etc..
>>
>>4977784
Supporting this as well, we should try to crush the leftmost platoon in one blow with Anya's help.

Also tanq are the NKEs supposed to be Ones or Threes? They look more like the former to me.
>>
>>4977674
Too late to roll :(.
>Have our three southern tanks also start engaging.
>>
Alright update's coming now, I had it pretty much done last night but I was tired enough that I wanted to review it.
>>4978226
>Also tanq are the NKEs supposed to be Ones or Threes? They look more like the former to me.
They're what one would call NKE-1s, but with new Netillian make turrets and increased firepower. NKE isn't really a hard and fast classification, it's just a reference to appropriated Ellowian equipment, but that classification system ran into the problem of the system of increasing the number designation to indicate a significant development to a model, and this current one is something the Ellowians never really produced- so it's the result of two significant model changes to the NKE-1, and really shouldn't be called NKE anymore at all.
Or I forgot to make it 4. Your pick.
>>
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Rolled 1, 5 = 6 (2d6)

The next round of cannon fire went out- and though your own shot splattered against armor rather than severing track, your allies aimed better this time, and all of the heavy Netillian tanks were made immobile. A favor to the planes now rapidly descending, dark shapes under their wings and fuselages almost dragging them down to the ground.

The earth shook as the bombs struck on and about the immobilized heavy armor- you didn’t keep your eyes on them to be sure that they were finished. It seemed impossible that the Netillian equipment was able to fight after such an attack, and even if it was, the crews would have to be out of their minds to linger for another air strike.

Yet, even with their strongest element defeated, the enemy was far from finished.

“Pull back!” you said over the radio, “Northern group, pull back to the rear of the hill. South group, advance. Engage the enemies before you- the other group’s arrived.”
>>
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All you could give between trying your best to piece together the changing battle was quick barks of commands to try and adapt to a developing situation you didn’t have the full picture of. For your part, you barely managed to get your driver moving backwards and down the other face of the hill before hasty shots from the enemy whistled about, none of them hitting but still feeling like they very well might have, had you acted differently in only that moment.

A glimpse upward told that the Ellowians were nowhere near finished with their intervention here, either, as the ground attack planes whose bombs had shaken the ground were only the first wave- an identical set of aircraft was approaching whilst their fighter escorts appeared to utterly dominate the skies.
Something shifted in an instant, though. Just as Ellowian reinforcements to the ground attackers had arrived, Netillian fighters melted into the scuffle, and a few broke off to dive down towards your air support, even as they themselves were pursued by Ellowians- whose dominance was suddenly questioned.
>Rolling 1d4 to check for disruption of ground attack- anything more than one reduces the amount of the three air strikes on targets.

Two platoons of the motorized infantry were weaving between the firefights still- if they got close before this was resolved, you might have to retreat- or hope that the Ellowian air presence would save you again.

The cannon fire and sound of aircraft continued even as you reversed back down the slope to avoid further counterattack- hurried reports gave you a foggy picture of what was happening, but anything from Anya’s group was still fuzzy- besides that it was on its way.

>Roll two sets of 3d100 for the units firing right now- first set for the south group, second for the southwest currently engaging. DCs for firing at the front of NfK-7tRs are Roll Under 25, flank shots are Roll Under 70.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d4)

>>4978687
The d4, ahem.
Since the targets are rather mobile, air attack disrupts their own attacks rather than destroying them, unless they're made immobile.
>>
Rolled 39, 63, 85 = 187 (3d100)

>>4978687
>>
Rolled 43, 72, 9 = 124 (3d100)

>>4978687
Demiphantom guide my dice!
>>
Rolled 44, 16, 44 = 104 (3d100)

Sucks the Netz were able to make such a strong comeback after getting the piss beat outta them, but I guess that's the way it goes.
>>
>>4978687
Do we have any comms to the infantry or are they left to their own devices here?
>>
Rolled 16 (1d100)

Alright then, sole enemy attack from the NKE- roll under 80.

>>4978700
>Sucks the Netz were able to make such a strong comeback after getting the piss beat outta them, but I guess that's the way it goes.
The Netillians were known for their ability to absorb losses in both men and materiel and to keep going- in spite of being belligerent. Coming back after getting beaten badly is just something they seem to do well, for a myriad of reasons.

>>4978701
>Do we have any comms to the infantry or are they left to their own devices here?
Unfortunately, you lack easy communications with them. They're barely even equipped for battle, but you in particular do happen to be in easy shouting range of them.
>>
>>4978711
Oof, someone is getting thrashed
>>
>>4978711
>you in particular do happen to be in easy shouting range of them.
Alright. I suggest while we've got the chance to turn out, let's tell them to get their asses off the hill before it becomes a slugging match and go north into the rocks. Hopefully they can spook their panzergrenadiers off.
>>
>>4978687
Well this is quickly escalating on Richter side. I say we have two options, either park ourselves with the other heavy tank/infantry by the rocks and try and hold out/shoot the underbelly as they creat the hill at speed.
or
Drive right back up the slope and try and time our pass through them without giving them a chance to fire and try and drift behind them to shoot from the front or swing our turret behind us as we jump over for parting shots.
If we try to keep back pedalling we will have 4 angry Net tanks pointed at us.
We're we able to collect any spare smoke during the recovery phases at the Fort?
>>
>>4978717
I'd say we stay put.
It'd be a gamble whether we could pass between them at all without colliding, and even if we turn the turret preemptively, we probably won't get an accurate kill shot while we're moving.
By running we'd be giving up a advantageous defensive position to them and encouraging them to turn back around to hit us once they have it, which makes Anya's as-yet-unnoticed run at their backs futile.
We don't have to kill all 4 tanks ourselves, we just need to keep their attention until Anya can get behind them and rake out their engines.
>>
>>4978717
>park ourselves with the other heavy tank/infantry by the rocks and try and hold out/shoot the underbelly as they creat the hill at speed.
This sounds like a good idea so long as the Netz don't gain air supremacy.
>>
>>4978717
>Were we able to collect any spare smoke during the recovery phases at the Fort?
No, but the T-15's newer, broader armament does include smoke rounds.
Anyways, update is on the way, with notes on what to try and do.
>>
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Rolled 2, 5 = 7 (2d6)

Though you couldn’t see what was going on in front of you over the hill, you did hear the trucks moving forward- the enemy motorized troops weren’t waiting for their tanks to deal with you. No doubt the troops would be dismounting soon- and swarming over you, buttoning you in your tank, possibly bombarding you with munitions casters or anti-tank rifles, sneaking in the stones to try and lob explosives at you however they could.

“You over there!” you called to the infantrymen, only a short distance away after you went on the down-slope of the hill, “Move north, to those stones! Enemy infantry are approaching!”

There was but a nod and call of acknowledgment before the roughly dozen men kicked themselves from their fighting holes and scrambled on behind you, up to the stony terrain north of the hill, just as the trucks seemed to be going around…and the tanks, too. You’d been hoping that in the rush to get you, the enemy would simply go over the hill, but what had happened thus far must have made them wary. They were going around now.

Yet. That wasn’t a bad thing. That delayed their attack on you, so that Blind could get closer to their flanks, their rear. Wherever Anya was, she was surely close, and ready to intervene. The trap was closed.

So long as the Netillian Air Force didn’t make a return. You’d really appreciate the Ellowians swooping in again, in fact, but the enemy was all around, and your eyes followed your ears in too many directions.

>Going to need another set of d100s- a set of three for the southwest, a singular one for the hill tank firing, and a set of two for Blind and her cohort. The first three have a DC of roll under 20, the single, a DC roll under 30, and for Blind, a DC roll under of 60 for her and for the other tank, a roll under of 40.
Also,
>Turn your attention north. The infantry would need their help against so many enemies.
>Advance forward. If the enemy wasn’t going over the hill, maybe you could surprise them.
>Draw back further. You needed distance now.
>Other?
>>
Rolled 63, 25, 79 = 167 (3d100)

>>4978797
>Turn your attention north. The infantry would need their help against so many enemies.
>>
Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>4978797
Damn it!
Looks like we lost air support. God, don't let this be a turn for the worst!
>Turn your attention north. The infantry would need their help against so many enemies.
>>
Rolled 21, 38 = 59 (2d100)

>>4978797
>>Turn your attention north. The infantry would need their help against so many enemies.
>>
>>4978817
Also, in the event the Netillian airforce wants to drop some presents, the safest play might be to charge towards the Net tanks. I assume that could be happening next turn, so do we want to smoke towards the middle of the hill and get our tanks massed for a charge? I wouldn't worry about having to fit past them, the size of each tank and the hex scale should mean there is plenty of space to drive between them.
>>
Rolled 78, 27 = 105 (2d100)

Time for you to hope for interception potential!
>>4978804
>>4978809
>>4978817
>>4978830
Face north, get ready for close combat.

First we'll get the enemy's two shots (no initiative since none of the rolls would have damaged), DC 90 for the NKE and DC 50 for the NfK. Then we'll do the D6s.
>>
Rolled 6, 3 = 9 (2d6)

Now, if the Ellowians retake air superiority, they can make a 1d4 to try and intercept air attack. They still get a +1, even to the interception, should they succeed at beating the enemy by 2 in this.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d4)

>>4978842
How lucky.
>>
>>4978842
Netillians fucking suck, god damn. We should've been a pilot instead of a tanker; our job would have been so much easier.
>>
>>4978854
The one time we played as a pilot instead, RNG fucked us into oblivion from what I remember.
The grass isn't really greener on the other side buddy, it just looks that way.
>>
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Rolled 3, 2 = 5 (2d6)

“You on the hill!” Blind’s radio was much more clear now, speaking after the latest round of cannon fire. “Two of them’re gone, big one and normal one.”

“Roger,” you said, trying not to be grim about good news, but it was hard to tell the situation from where you were. Yet, if the skies were still yours, you saw all you needed to.

As though some spiteful devil heard your hopes, you looked to the north, and saw a group of Netillian attack planes come flying from the north- single engine, but no less heavily armed than their Ellowian rivals.

“Driver, face north,” you said over the intercom, “Our infantry will need our help for sure. Gunner, Bow Gun, rain all you can down on anything Netillian coming from the north in those rocks!”

It would mean exposing yourself to the tanks coming, but…you had to have faith in your allies, in order to help them at all.

As the tank moved, you watched the shapes of Netillian planes coming, anticipating that they’d swing for you again, but they didn’t. Instead, a few Ellowian fighters defeated or outmaneuvered their opponents, and chased after the ground attackers heading for your battlefield. Suddenly forced to evade enemy fighters, two of the foes broke off…and left one.

It dived down on something you couldn’t see, machine guns and cannons blazing, before pulling back up as an Ellowian fighter finally came down to chase it off.

“Did that hit anybody?” You asked quickly over the company radio, though there was already a lot happening on it as it stood.

“No.” Came the immediate response from Blind, “Focus on yourself.”

Somehow you doubted that, but she was right, there was an enemy in front of you…many, as it turned out. Yet you were reinforced by the T-15, rolling up beside you as small arms fire began to be exchanged between your squad and the advancing Netillian troops. There might have been fewer of you, but for now, you were far more heavily armed, even with the NfK creeping about the hill, likely hesitant, now.

Some good news as well, as the bow gun began to rattle and clank away- your southern forces, though battered, announced that the enemy seemed to be retreating, infantry and all. Perhaps the foe had decided they were beaten…maybe you should let them go and draw back?

>Roll 2 sets of 1d100 for your tanks firing- DC 50 roll under for both.
Then-
>Roll 2 sets of 1d100 for you and the T-15’s support of your infantry- and one more for the infantry themselves. If both you and the T-15 manage to beat a DC of 70 rolling under, the odds will be even for the infantry combat.
Also, though Blind is in command, you can suggest-
>Let the enemy slip away. They couldn't make another attack after losing this much, surely.
>Press forward while the advantage might be there- make this battle a rout.
>Other?
>>
>>4978854
>We should've been a pilot instead of a tanker
If you were Reinhold then you're both!
>>
Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>4978935
>Press forward while the advantage might be there- make this battle a rout.
>>
Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>4978935
>Other
Harry their retreat, maybe focus on killing the last NKE but don't chase them too far.
>>
Rolled 84 (1d100)

>>4978935
Oh god Oh god Oh god!
>Press forward while the advantage might be there- make this battle a rout.
>>
Rolled 24 (1d100)

>>4978935
>Press forward
>>
>>4978935
>>4978942
This. Make sure at least to clear out our hill, but I don't want to chase down the remaining southern forces on open terrain. Maybe try to hit their tracks from a distance.
>>
>>4978935
>>4978953
>>4978942
Yeah, this is the smarter choice honestly.
>>
Rolled 93, 57 = 150 (2d100)

>>4978940
>>4978962
Be aggressive- push forth.

>>4978942
>>4978970
>>4978972
A conservative harassment- let them go, but when a rear is in your direction you can't help but molest it.

Alright then, update on the way. Also, the results of the infantry battle- the T-15 managed to do well enough to knock a dice off, but the enemy still has a +25 advantage. Your people first, them after, higher better.
>>
>>4979039
Close, but looks like our boys pulled it out.
>>
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The enemy infantry did not spare you their wrath as your tank began to fire upon them, the T-15 contributing as well with its impressive weight of fire, relatively. These were no mechanized guards, but they were well trained and well equipped- you were forced inside your tank by accurate fire, and munitions casters belched constantly. It was all your troops could do, you saw, to survive.

Yet. The fire waned, and though your own infantry were unable to do more than huddle, and you, more than watch, the T-15 in particularly landed a few devastating hits, and the machine gun and munitions caster fire disappeared- then, the small arms fire quieted. You hadn’t seen the Netillians retreat behind the wisps of smoke they left, but gone they were- leaving your infantry battered, almost all of those standing appearing wounded, but alive, in this brief and fierce firefight.

More cannon fire- yet, then, less. The balance of power in the skies above returned- what was happening now?

“Blind, Four-Five,” one of the commanders from the south group reported- the last one with a tank now. “They’re pulling back.”

“Don’t get cocky,” Blind said, in a wearier pitch that wasn’t putting as much effort into sounding masculine, “Keep them running, but don’t chase them.”

“I concur,” you said, “If they’re beaten now, we don’t need to beat them more. Send them on their way.”

“Roger that.”

Though, the Netillians kept their fangs out even as they drew back. From the north came the report that the final northern tank had been dispatched as both Blind’s group and the T-15 converged from all sides, and the crew abandoned the vehicle, but the motorized infantry were allowed to flee northwards. As much as you’d have liked to have claimed the entirety of the southern contingent for your Retinue as well, the NKE to the south had inflicted much damage- the troops were respectful, fearful of its might, and gave it a wide berth. It, and another NfK, managed to pull back with the remainder of the attacking infantry in their trucks. The air battle didn’t end with the Netillian withdrawal, but their air forces did not linger once their charges left- and with no enemy to fight, the Ellowian pilots backed off too.

It wasn’t much a win, but it did feel like you’d triumphed.
>>
The scope of damage became more apparent once you’d gotten all the elements back together. In their operations before this particular fight, Blind’s group had lost their pair of light tanks against an unexpected Netillian attack, but had fended them off in a rush to aid you. Something you were grateful for- if your retinue hadn’t been as fast as she’d been, you might not have made it, considering that nearly a third of your force, almost all of your armored contingent guarding the south hill, had been destroyed by the Netillian attack. Another medium had been lost in that same region of the conflict, bringing your armored losses up to five.

There was no reason to stay here- a major enemy attack had been repelled before it had even reached its goal, but Blind was reluctant to leave.

“Just go,” she said, sounding exhausted, “I don’t want t’leave my tank here. We have to do some fixes and patches, and we’ll follow after.”

Blind might have been in charge of this group, but no Republic officer was allowed to command a Silver Lance- you ordered your tank to go over to Blind’s, stranded in the middle of the plain, where it turned out, it had had its treads ripped up by aerial cannon fire and a light bomb, whose crater was not far from the tank itself. Its external systems had also been ripped up- though the armor was intact, and the dents and splatters of bullets across its armor showed where even its light protection had kept its crew…relatively safe.

Blind’s tank, what she’d called the Dust Devil, stood by itself out in the snow, the Netillian heavy tanks knocked out close by. You recognized you’re retinue as you approached- her disguise had gone to pieces in this battle. Her hair was a mess, the blindfold had been discarded somewhere, and the jacket had left her shoulders, revealing a steel plate much like the one she’d worn before a long time past- one that showed some fresh punishment.

Your retinue was as beaten as her attempt to conceal her identity. Half of her face was slick with blood both newly bled as well as old and sticky, and a tear in her shoulder painted her left arm almost as deep, dark red.

Before the tank even stopped, you were out of the turret and stumbling across the snow towards her with the tank’s medical kit, that you didn’t even recall picking up- something she noticed right away, as she had been watching your approach sideways.

“I thought I told you ta-“ she closed her mouth and grimaced, her green, sharp eyes glancing upwards. “Fine, whatever.” She gestured with her unwounded arm, her left arm slack at her side, “Hey, idiots, keep working on that. I need to talk with this guy a bit.”
>>
“Wait,” you said, turning back to your tank, where a few of your crew poked their heads out in curiosity, “You guys, help them get their tank fixed. We’re not leaving anybody behind!” You expected to not need to repeat yourself, and went back to Blind…no, Anya. She was unmasked now, and only somebody actually blind would assume she was male any longer, even though her chest was kept bound beneath an armor plate. “You’re hurt,” you said.

“I’ve had worse.”

“You always say that,” you said irritably, popping open the kit and withdrawing a clean rag and sulfa powder, as well as distilled water. “Sit down, at least.”

“Do it standing up,” Anya said firmly, but she let you daub at her face so you could find the source of the blood.

“Is this from the air attack?” you asked, “I thought you said-“

“You know why I said that,” Anya said, “The one in my arm’s from that, but most of this is from before.”

“Judge Above,” you sighed as you inspected her arm and saw that a bullet had smashed through it and gouged into the armor plate behind, “You should have mentioned this first.”

“Pisses me off. I think it’s-grrggh!” She snarled and gasped as you moved her arm accidentally, “It’s broken, dipshit!”

“Sorry, sorry,” you said hurriedly, “We need to get you back to the medics. Are you hiding any other wounds?”

“I’ve got this itch on my ass that won’t go away.”

“…” You weren’t about to offer to scratch it.

“That’s you, retard,” Anya said with a huff, “…Shit, this is all starting to really fucking hurt…”

“There’s morphine in here,” you said, popping out a single ampoule, “…There. It should feel better, but you need to let me-“

“Out of the way,” Hausen barged by you and took the medical kit out of your hands, “You,” he said to Anya, “You’re heavily wounded and under the influence of morphine. The Lieutenant’s going to be taking over command.”

“No,” you pushed Hausen away as Anya’s eyes flashed with enough heat to melt iron, “It’s alright. Leave us be for a bit.”

Hausen glared. “We can’t stay long. Even if we’ve beaten away the main attack, there’s still unaccounted enemies all over the place. The mission’s done. It won’t have been for any good if we’re caught out here.”

“I know,” you said, “But you’re my crew. You follow my orders. Help the other crew until I order otherwise.”

“…” Hausen shook his head, “Won’t get in your way, then.”

It’s not like that, you almost said, but you kept your mouth shut.
>>
For a moment, you and Anya stood silent, both looking the same direction, over the smoking wreckage of the battlefield. Snow and dust and mist still settling, planes still buzzing about, gun and cannon fire echoing in the distance.

“Was hoping to go longer than this,” Anya said finally, “But it’s right back to the hospital. Back out of it all. When there’s plenty more war to go.”

“This won’t be the last battle by far,” you said, with a weight of both a bizarre promise, and a pessimistic warning.

“No, I mean,” Anya grunted with a twitch of pain, and she clutched weakly at her arm, bound tightly in gauze and put in a sling. She was wrapped up in enough that there was no more in the kit. “…It’s a weird thing, shooting at people you were friends with only a little while ago. I don’t give a shit about the Republic, not about Ellowie, not about Netilland. Those are just flags.”

“Is this the best place to discuss this?” you asked, “We can go back, and-“

“Nah. We talk here. There’s no place better for it.”

“Fine then.”

“This is where it’s real, Richter,” Anya said, pointing to the knocked out tanks, some burning, some merely still, “I don’t care about what kings or countries or republics or whoever the hell is who are getting from this. All there is for me in this is friends and enemies. Except when I look around, for once, my enemies aren’t just the people on the other side. My friends are the ones I’m shooting at too, just possibly. I try to tell myself that they’re all someplace else, but…” Anya let herself bend her legs, and squatted down, then sat back heavily, “There’s a lot I have to take care of. A lotta people I need t’ look after, and I keep getting myself stuck in places where I can’t do that. No matter how much stronger I get, I keep having to leave everybody, when they need my help.”

“…” You looked at her, then sat beside her, and didn’t say anything. “If you needed to rest, there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“No, just needed to spit it all out. On somebody I can stand telling it to.” Anya’s tone was bitter and fierce, but her eyes were tired. “Sorry to be a pain in the ass.” A rare apology. One that you didn’t even think was warranted. “How’d Blind do, then,” She asked, sounding defeated despite the fact that you’d won, “None of that posturing like before. The masks are off, right?”

Hers was. Yours wasn’t- not yet. It was getting a little stifling now, though.

>?
Also-
>Stay here. Help fix Anya’s tank. She’d worked hard for it, after all.
>Urge that you did have to leave. But promise Anya that you’d find her something better. Something well-suited to her. (Like What?)
>Other?
>>
>>4979114
>You did well. Very well, considering the Netillians seem to be throwing the entire sink at us with all their fancy toys.

>Urge that you did have to leave. But promise Anya that you’d find her something better. Something well-suited to her.

We'll see what we can loot of the Nets if we win. Can't promise another tank, but who knows what we can find.
>>
>>4979114
>You saved our asses here.
>Stay here. Help fix Anya’s tank. She’d worked hard for it, after all.
>>
>>4979114
>We just won a tank battle with a 3 to 1 casualty ration and they had heavier tanks then us. I think without air support it would have been a 2 to 1. I also lost men in combat and lost more of myself then I expected. Not every battle I had was "Glorious". Most battles are just a shitshow where we try to position ourselves to throw our shit better at the enemy than they can throw at us.

>Stay here. Help fix Anya’s tank. She’d worked hard for it, after all.
We can asses the situation better when we are here.
>>
>>4979114
>>Stay here. Help fix Anya’s tank. She’d worked hard for it, after all.
See if we can get a picket up and try to quickly assess which of the knocked out tanks can quickly be patched together again and attempt to haul them back?
>>
Man I wish we had an autogyro just to look around...
>>
>>4979110
>It wasn’t much a win, but it did feel like you’d triumphed.
Every second breath, is a victory.
Every single step, another win for me!

>>4979114
>That was a pretty great show on Anya's part. Ok plan that turned out great thanks to all the work she specifically put in. Hell would be proud, or maybe not. It's not like we knew him. But Richter sure should be.
>Urge that you did have to leave. But promise Anya that you’d find her something better. Something well-suited to her. (We're bound to get something nice from the Nets. Maybe even one of the big fuckers or something light and fast like she seems to enjoy)
>>
>>4979114
>?
Combine >>4979128 and >>4979120 's answers
>Stay here. Help fix Anya’s tank. She’d worked hard for it, after all.
I'd like to promise Anya one of those 3.7cm armoured cars or maybe that SPG from the southern pocket where we lost Beckel, but while we could rip out the 3.7cm for friendly model I don't know how long we could expect to feed the casters or the big gun before ammo runs out.
Let the cat keep it's mouse.
>>
>>4979128
Then should be than btw.
Casualty ratio not ration. We don't support cannibalism here.
>>
>>4979114
>>4979128
This is good. Also ask if Blind was someone she knew.
>Urge that you did have to leave. But promise Anya that you’d find her something better. Something well-suited to her.
Lots of crazy stuff out there, maybe we can find another tank stitched together? Probably not, but there is still more like that out there.
>>
>>4979114
>?
It was a good plan for a good victory. The Republic needed a leader like you now. Because that's what you are, a leader.

But falling into this lust for battle cannot be reconciled with protecting your friends. A protector keeps the fighting away, a warrior brings it wherever they go. You can only choose one.

>Urge that you did have to leave. But promise Anya that you’d find her something better. Something well-suited to her. (Like What?)
Something that doesn't have a goddamn open topped turret, so almost anything.
>Other?
While we do have to go, get the other crews to loot as much as they can, tow anything that can be reused, especially Netillian tanks.
>>
Rolled 2 (1d2)

>>4979120
>>4979178
>>4979220
>>4979458
Get the hell out of here. We can get you something better, I promise.

>>4979124
>>4979128
>>4979145
>>4979179
Linger here. Try to fix things as best you can. What fiercer enemy was going to come to interrupt you?

Along with the various sentiments, and all. Though, this has to be rolled off for. 1, you leave it, 2, you keep it.
>>
You thought a bit, took your hand to the dusty white half-mask on your face, and slipped it away. The blackened flesh on your face was numb, but you liked to imagine it felt good to let it breathe. “We did win, did we not? We entered this tank battle against enemies with superior equipment, superior numbers, and we hurt them far more than they hurt us. They surrendered the field to us despite all their fancy toys, and I think we won, maybe even survived at all, because of you. It might not feel like glory, but I’ve been in enough fights to know that we did well here, even if it feels like we made mistakes.” You glanced over at Anya, “I know you’ve fought enough to know that, too. I think…that Heller would be proud of what you’re capable of.” That last part was added with hesitation- you had been asked for honesty, and she took anything regarding that last subject very seriously. It wasn’t something to mention as passing praise.

“I hope so,” Anya said, leaning to the side to keep her bloody, broken arm still. It had looked terrible, even with morphine dulling the pain, but your retinue suffered it stoically. “I’m using what he built. If I wasted it, I’d feel like shit.” She tilted her head towards the tank, “My gunner, my driver, my loader. All Hogs. I had them make that for me from pieces of junk I found. I can’t just leave it here after what they’ve gone through for me, yknow.”

That explained much- though that must have meant Pact was an earlier addition. “Don’t worry,” you said, though you were immediately reconsidering as you said it, “We’ll stay here a while. We have to salvage what we can. The war’s not over yet, and the Republic needs all it can get. I’ll make sure you keep your tank.” Even if its open topped trait had been what had gotten your Retinue wounded in the first place, its speed had ensured she was here at all.

…She hadn’t been wounded before you appeared. Again.

“My tank is mine,” Anya said, “Even if I’m too busted to use it for a while. We might be fighting and dying for the Republic, but that’s only secondary.”

“You’ve worked hard enough to earn it for sure.” Legally speaking, she was correct. The Silver Lance and the Archduchy gave her a right to this seized materiel. Though you had no doubt some requisitioner would fight as hard as they could for it. “You know,” you said, “You might be dismissive of fighting for a country, but it is what serves the people.”
>>
Such was the intent, at least. Despite what was spoken of Strossvald, the first Archduke’s rebellion was conducted with and for the common people, and the Confederation Accords of the Archduchy enshrined the rights of the people, since the discord between them and their rulers had been part of what made the territories weak, and these divisions were exploited by the Reich. From then on, the Nobility were the stewards of society. “The Republic needs good leadership. People that can fight and win its battles. Leaders like you. But, I don’t think you can find a balance between loving to fight and protecting your friends. A warrior is drawn to conflict. If you’re friends with other warriors, and have no loyalties but to people, then eventually you will have to fight them, won’t you? You’ll be forced to choose.”

“I see what you’re sayin’, but, I don’t agree,” Anya said, “You don’t need to be a fighter to get stuck in a fight. You have to fight, to even keep what you love. If you can’t fight for somethin’, the moment somebody wants to take it away, you lose it. It’s no choice at all.” She closed her eyes, “You’ve fought against your friends. Did you have to kill ‘em? No, and you didn’t. It can be done. It’s what I’ve gotta do. It’s just…hard. It’s hard t’ be strong enough to fight everybody and win, but I have to try. To be strong enough for everybody, and so long as I’ve got a tank and my friends, I think I can be.”

You put your arm around her waist and pulled her closer, unconsciously. “You’re allowed to let other people fight for you.”

“You’re one t’ talk,” Anya said faintly, “Goin’ off all by yourself again, like you keep doin’…”

There wasn’t anything to say to that. You let the wind blow around both of you for another few minutes, before Anya cleared her throat.

“I appreciate it, but I think I can still walk around. I’m not dying yet.”

“Not yet you aren’t,” you agreed, and you helped her stand up, “Neither am I.”

Anya was walked back to her tank and her crew, where a couple of your men had begun helping to clear away the obstacles preventing the treads from being repaired, and the exhaust system from being patched over. Other Republic tankers had come by too, to see what was going on. A show was made of conveying Blind’s will- though her blindfold had been discarded.
>>
“Who was Blind, anyways,” you asked after the troops were given the directive to pry up anything not nailed down, to grab what they could while setting up a defensive perimeter, “Somebody you knew?”

“Nah,” Anya said, “I got the idea from your driver, the mosshead, actually. The goggles I had got broken, and they didn’t cover up my scar, so I had to put something over my face I could still see through. I had a whole story made up about being sensitive to light or somethin’, but turns out people weren’t askin’ too many questions. Couldn’t do anything about my height, but even a runt’s tall in a tank. Besides that, I just had to smash my tits under a plate.” She paused. “How long did it take to figure out?”

“Not long,” you said. “Only a minute.”

Anya blinked, then thought, and seemed to realize something with a start. “…Was it when you looked at my ass?”

“I did no such thing,” you said, “That would have been after I deduced it, obviously.”

“You totally did. I don’t actually care, I’m just messin’ with ya.” Anya gave you a sharp spank, and you nearly jumped out of your boots. “Now get busy. I’m too fucked up to help with anything right now, so you’ve gotta do it.”

For some reason, you were sorely tempted to return that gesture. Reflexively, even, but you just rubbed your behind and trudged off as Jorgen made a comment to one of the Hogs and both starting cackling. At least somebody shared his off sense of place for humor.

Halfway between Anya’s tank and yours, though, you felt the familiar, strange tugging sensation at your shoulders. You turned ninety degrees, and faced that strange girl that Anya had picked up again.

“I knew it,” she giggled, “You’re reaaaally friendly. That’s nice. It’s good to have friends like that. Are you gonna marry her?”

“…” You wouldn’t fall for that trick again. “What do you want?”

“No, what do you want, silly,” Pact said, tittering with a smile on her face, “…. The bone in her upper arm is shattered. It’ll take her a long time to get better. Months. I can help her heal, if you want? Maybe it turns out to not be so bad. Maybe it’ll only take a week for her to get better. You can stay together. Isn’t that what she wants?”

You refused to answer, and stared at Pact with flinty eyes- she responded by pouting.

“Such a scary look, mister. I’m only trying to be nice. If you don’t want me to, I’ll leave her alone, but I can’t do anything for free.”

>Make a deal with Pact to heal your Retinue? This will not be something mere cheap talk will pay for, though… (What to offer?)
>It was better for Anya to be out of the fight. She wouldn’t be in a way any longer- and she’d be far away from this wretched little brat. You’d have to refuse. Pact could go back to her grandfather if she wanted to pester somebody further.
>Other?
>>
>>4979858
>It was better for Anya to be out of the fight. She wouldn’t be in a way any longer- and she’d be far away from this wretched little brat. You’d have to refuse. Pact could go back to her grandfather if she wanted to pester somebody further.
>>
>>4979858
>Make a deal with Pact to heal your Retinue? This will not be something mere cheap talk will pay for, though… (What to offer?)
What a generous offer, we trade something of value to us, and she gets to continue to ride about the wasteland as before. The way I see it she's stuck out here with a bullet in her babysitter, trying to talk us up to get her ride back and a hefty bonus on top. Tell her what, she patches Anya up, and we get her a new ride to tag along with. Kommandants honor.

I see this go a couple of ways, we talk to the Hogs in Anya's tank, see if they know any mercenaries we can hire out to babysit. The Republic is already paying them, and we are the Kommandant, it could work out. We could find a regular army unit and try to throw our weight around there to get them to watch her while Anya gets better, then she can return to her regular arrangements. Or, she can ride with us, and she will behave or we will drive her back to her grandfather and leave her there.
>>
>>4979858
>Other
Anyone else still want to do the Hellfire shell for pearls? Still viable...

Otherwise the offer of a ride is worth a shot. Especially if we mention she'd get to poke the artifact thats been, well, breathing on us as long as she stays.

We gotta hide the shell though.

Let me clarify I'd much rather she leave and never come back but if it can heal Anya it'd be worth it.
>>
>>4979858
>>Make a deal with Pact to heal your Retinue? This will not be something mere cheap talk will pay for, though… (What to offer?)
She heals Anya and she gets to hang out with us, and our magical tank and listen to our stories of Hummel. Atleast I think that what its name.

I'd really like to be more involved with the secret society of magic users desu.
>>
>>4979858
>It was better for Anya to be out of the fight. She wouldn’t be in a way any longer- and she’d be far away from this wretched little brat. You’d have to refuse. Pact could go back to her grandfather if she wanted to pester somebody further.
DON'T. MAKE. DEALS. WITH. SOULBINDERS.
Ya'll treat her like she's still a stupid kid. Can a stupid kid be a soulbinder? Unlikely.
>>
>>4980041
This, really. We already saw in our first conversation how she managed to get free info out of Richter while playing dumb.
>>
>>4979887
+1
>>
>>4979858
>It was better for Anya to be out of the fight. She wouldn’t be in a way any longer- and she’d be far away from this wretched little brat. You’d have to refuse. Pact could go back to her grandfather if she wanted to pester somebody further.
I honestly wouldn't mind keeping her around, but it's for the best she fuck off.
>>
>>4979858
>>Make a deal with Pact to heal your Retinue? This will not be something mere cheap talk will pay for, though… (What to offer?)
Offer the little girl some candies?

Im good either option. I just imagine it'd be a funny conversation to offer her some candies while inviting her into the tank.
>>
>>4979858
>It was better for Anya to be out of the fight. She wouldn’t be in a way any longer- and she’d be far away from this wretched little brat. You’d have to refuse. Pact could go back to her grandfather if she wanted to pester somebody further.
>>4980224
The candy Richter is carrying at the moment are basically roofies, anon. You absolutely do want him to give those to a child, wizard or otherwise.
>>
>>4980270
absolutely do NOT want him to give those to a child, wizard or otherwise.*
sweet jesus
>>
>>4980273
You mean anyone really, unless Richter is trying to do his best Zohl impression...
>>
>>4980270
I'm well aware of what they are
>>
Can we al least remember to mention the Soul Binder in the next letter home please.
>>
>>4980280
Richter won't survive in prison, he's too pretty.
>>
>>4979858
>>It was better for Anya to be out of the fight. She wouldn’t be in a way any longer- and she’d be far away from this wretched little brat. You’d have to refuse. Pact could go back to her grandfather if she wanted to pester somebody further.
Yeah, I'm pretty sure Anya wouldn't actually want to be secretly healed by magic without her knowledge, I'm pretty sure we don't actually want Anya to be running around on the front lines trying to get herself killed any more than she already has, and I know we definitely don't want to make deals with soulbinders if it isn't a life or death situation. This kid must think we're some sort of lovestruck idiot and would blindly offer to do absolutely anything to help our beloved regardless of the stakes at hand.

Which we are, to be fair. But she's got the wrong girl.
>>
>>4979858
>>Make a deal with Pact to heal your Retinue? This will not be something mere cheap talk will pay for, though… (What to offer?)
I think everyone is forgetting an important part of this situation. This is a soulbinder. We have her attention, and for whatever reason, she wants to make a deal with us.

Anya doesn't know any of the soulbinder stuff because Richter chose to never tell her. And since Anya is likely never going to pass Pact along unless it's into an orphanage or something, and since Pact will likely never do that...

She has us by the balls. She knows Anya is important to us, now. She had a sense for it before but now it's certain.

And we know how Anya is like. Even with a shattered arm, she'd still be putting herself in danger. We saw her do it even when brutalized in the last arc. With Pact still by her side and the chaotic state of the war right now, how long until Pact uses Anya's bullheadedness to put her into even more danger?

If we're going to negotiate at all, we need to keep all of this in mind. Pact has us by the balls, Richter just hasn't connected the dots yet. The unstated threats of a soulbinder should be something he's well aware of.

This isn't like Maddy or Hilda where sending them home is something for us to decide. Anya's independence streak and whatever infuence this soulbinder might have is making this situation entirely different.

What's Anya's life worth, if everything goes to shit very very soon?
>>
>>4980540
It's not quite that hopeless since we have the Poltergeist, and the demiphantom in hand for now, that could be used as a stick if she won't fuck off when we ask her to.
>>
>>4979858
>>It was better for Anya to be out of the fight. She wouldn’t be in a way any longer- and she’d be far away from this wretched little brat. You’d have to refuse. Pact could go back to her grandfather if she wanted to pester somebody further.
>>
>>4980540
I'm confused, can you explain in what way she "has us by the balls"? It's not even clear that we have anything that she wants. The one time we tried telling her something about Poltergeist she didn't even believe us, and we don't even really know anything about him beyond that. It's not like he gave us his family history, home address, and contact information. I wouldn't know what to tell her even if she were offering something that we really wanted.
>>
>>4980638
I think the implication was that she would use Anya's emotional attachment against us. Or as a reason to go with her back with her. We really don't want that, and we're not really the person to spill the beans on soul binders since that may well implicate us and those around us But then again it cuts both ways, if something does happen to Anya her leverage evaporates.
>>
Loathe as I am to interrupt or hurry a discussion, we are rather low on the board- and this vote will be the last of the thread, so as a heads up, I'm calling the vote in about an hour.

>>4980287
>Can we al least remember to mention the Soul Binder in the next letter home please.

So long as if, in said situation, you accept the consequences you should expect from explaining the full context- of Maddalyn becoming extremely angry with you.
>>
>>4980672
Well it's not like "we" invited her along, and it was only intended to provide a heads up since we / they will potently be facing tighter scrutiny over their actions, especially since there is definitely more than one operative of the various factions creeping around.
>>
>>4979866
>>4980041
>>4980200
>>4980270
>>4980511
>>4980583
Go away, kid, nobody here is your tour guide.

>>4979887
>>4979941
>>4979955
>>4980163
I need you to heal that arm, I have plans for it.

>>4980224
Pull what is referred to as a "gamer move." Presuming "fine either way" is a passive? In any case, though.

Writing.
>>
You stared through Pact’s wide, bright eyes, trying to will her to disappear, but her offer was sorely tempting. It wasn’t anything for your benefit, it wasn’t an offer to give you a capability you could, however carefully, do without. This was for your Retinue’s health and happiness. A simple decision made all that much more difficult.

Yet, even if you refused, would that even work? Pact had clearly taken an interest in you, as soulbinders infuriatingly tended to do, and she had found a weak point. Anya. The common assumption prevailed, but even if it wasn’t what was assumed, were she more evilly inclined, she had to know you could be coerced through Anya. With that in mind, would it be that terrible to agree to a simple deal? In exchange for speeding Anya’s recovery to a healthy fighting fit shape, you would take the burden of transporting her through the wastes on yourself? It was probably what she’d try to do anyways, and perhaps you could get something from her if you kept her close, rather than at the arm’s length she had been before. Not that she’d be allowed near the Hellfire shell, perhaps she shouldn’t even be allowed in the tank…

No. If you were truly doing this for Anya’s health, it was better to not give Pact any excuse to remain near her. Let her come after you directly if she was so curious- Anya wouldn’t be happy about it at all, but she would be safe recuperating. Would she try to continue fighting despite her shattered arm? At some point, yes, but even she wasn’t so stubborn as to insist on going back into the fight immediately, surely. She had continued serving before after taking a wound in the arm, but this one was so much worse. There was a little time, at least- your retinue had sounded depressed, and submissive to the harsh reality of her situation. An unusual thing, and something you hated to see…but she was strong. She would get better, and she wouldn’t want you to make a sacrifice like this for her sake anyways.

“No deal,” you said, “If you want to pester anybody further, go back to your grandfather. Next time I see him I’ll be sure to tell him you’re misbehaving.”

“Heeeee.” Pact grinned merrily, “I don’t have to do what you say just ‘cause you’re an adult, but if you don’t want a trade, that’s okay. I’ll see you around, mister.”

She skipped off, and you had the sinking feeling that refusing her hadn’t really done anything, not that you could have rightly expected it to, but at the very least, she didn’t have you in her grip.
Or, if she stayed with Anya anyways…as tight a grip…
>>
If only Soulbinders weren’t such bizarre sorts to have about when you wanted them- you’d have appreciated it if Poltergeist came around to take that brat back to whatever school she was skipping out on, in her jaunt about the wasteland wars. Maybe if you stuffed her with enough of those blackflower candies she'd fall asleep for a month and she'd never trouble you again.

“Kommandaer!” Jorgen called, “Quaet flaerten’ waet laettle gerls an’ haelpas!”

“Yes, yes…” you muttered as you shook your head and moved back towards the Dust Devil. For a moment, that little girl had been more threatening than anything Netilland could throw at you, but proper perspective returned as you helped organize the Republic force into reassembling and recovery.

Despite the suspense of keeping security in what was ostensibly enemy lines, and a few inconclusive investigations by enemy fighters in between Ellowian fighters and attack planes moving about above, you were undisturbed save for some scout teams screened away by your infantry. A few firefights started- often ended quickly as a tank came to reinforce your dismounts, but no second offensive or counterattack touched you properly. By the time you were ready to return to Fort Dornenkrone…the enemy hadn’t been seen in two whole hours. Instead, the most recent contact was a pair of armored cars- Strossvalder model reconnaissance vehicles.

They didn’t bring news- they didn’t even stay around. They simply drove on past.

…Well. You’d done what you’d been ordered. Though as you searched the sky for aircraft either friendly or enemy once again, you didn’t know at the time that your part in this battle would be over.

-----

Sundersschirm was in a familiar chaos, for these trying times. The common folk were perturbed with the usual peace of the city now intruded upon by the sounds of distant artillery and aircraft flying overhead. Damage had been wrought from above, all over- but the work of the Netillians had hardened vital structures against attack. Those that suffered most were the poor whom clung to existence in any nook that might house them- most of the Twice Damned’s new recruits had the grisly task of cleaning up after a bomb or shell dropped, or more often, a few dozen of them. There wasn’t enough shelter for everybody- most tried their best merely to secure sustenance for the coming days, and there wasn’t enough of that either. Rationing centers had been set up, and riots broke out soon after.
>>
It was an endless rain of shit upon the head of Uhlens, the head of the Twice-Damned who guarded and served Sundersschirm, and a member of the Council who ruled over the city, some elected, some appointed, all able to counter one another. He had said himself, in the first days of the war when the Netillians and the other Northern Lords went down to face the Ellowians and the upstart, arrogant Republic of Mittelsosalia, that the city ought to commit their troops at the start, to crush the foe when their allies were at their strongest.

The Council had disagreed. Said that the commitment would prove too costly. They had been validated by the Republics’ victories- though if Uhlens had been allowed to move down in force, such a thing might not have happened. So the Council brayed that the Netillians could smash the enemy as they charged up-Uhlens was made to pull all he could back. The only people allowed to muster a sturdy defense were local militias, and individual low ranking officers defying orders. The thought to defy the Council had crossed Uhlen’s mind-but to what end? He would be sacked from his position, and his loyal officers likely imprisoned for fear of a coup. So, the Twice-Damned were held back once again, as the oh-so-excellent Netillians would surely triumph, and Sinner’s Shade would suffer naught at the end of it, her might intact- and perhaps, her influence over her neighbors able to expand, with their own strength all in tatters thanks to Mittelsosalia. Yet after all that, the Netillians had failed to prevent the city’s encirclement. All signs indicated they weren’t planning to stick around, either.

Sundersschirm was alone.

It had been but two days, but the Republics had already sent an emissary- an important man, whose arrival had been heralded by a short ceasefire. Unusual quiet filled the city, as an insufferable dandy man stepped into the halls of the Council. He wore a puffy white silk shirt under a long coat of glittering, rattling gold scale atop extravagant mink fur, and every digit on his hands menaced with a bejeweled ring. He dressed to impress- but Uhlens felt smoldering spite for him. Lord Wossehn was famed throughout Sosaldt for his thrift and wealth, even before he became one of the founding pillars of the Republic of Mittelsosalia, but the Councilman of the Twice-Damned saw in him the puffed up pretenders who cared about naught but keeping their bank accounts intact. If Uhlens couldn’t stand in the way of the enemy in the field- he’d be damned if he’d allow this tosser to woo the Council with honeyed words. The Twice-Damned wouldn’t simply be traded over to some new master waltzing in without a fight, with no battle even permitted.
>>
“The self-proclaimed Lord Wossehn, of Wossehnalia,” Uhlens growled, his relatively modest Twice-Damned uniform standing in opposition and contempt to Wossehn’s wealthy wear, “We expected your puffed up courtesan, the Minister of the People, not her moneylender.”

“You are in an unideal circumstance to offer such gibery, hm?” The fancy fop’s jangling tunic tinkled with every step he took, “I have come because the Minister of the People knows that her Minister of Economy, peerless yours-truly, is unsurpassed in dealmaking. I am here to bargain a mutually beneficial partnership for the future, to replace this ever so thriftless conflict. We both have so much to gain, don’t we? Make an assembly of your Council, I am sure that a concord of harmonious profit can ensue with incredible haste.”

Uhlens frowned deeply in response, bottomless furrows appearing in his forehead and in the corners of his mouth. “You assume much. Say that you trap us here longer than our reserves can grant. How many can you kill through starvation, through want of water, before you can still claim to be so benevolent? Or will you back away and fight this out like proper men?”

“Let us not dilly-dally with braggadocious bravado, good sir,” Wossehn said with a shake of his head and an amused throwing of his hands, “You assume you have weeks, months, but I know that you have days. Days until your own people unseat you from power to take our offering of peace for want of bread. Does a parley not seem so much more preferable? Our terms are most generous. Netilland wished for you to be a subject at best, a roadblock at worst. The Republic offers a place amongst peers, a place at a feast with incredible economic potential. Or is this merely about refusing to claim defeat?”

“You can prove nothing.”

“I cannot?” Wossehn smiled, “You believe so? Would you care to be proven terrifically false, with but the mention of a few innocent numbers? I am not a politician nor a general, sir. I am an economist and an investor, a businessman. I cannot make a crowd spellbound with rhetoric nor command a host in battle, but I can send my investigators to report upon the prices of food, I can wryly observe black market traffic and costs of transportation caused by the Netillians restricting the roads and rails for military use. On the way here, I spotted a most contentious public gathering protesting the lack of certain goods on the market, only two days since you were cut from the rest of the world. I would not be one of the continent’s wealthiest men if I insisted that two and two equaled twelve.”
>>
Uhlens pursed his lips, clenched his hands behind his back, and considered a retort. He found nothing that would make him look good. The rest of the Council had tied his hands in regards to effectively combating the military threat this ponce now spoke for, and now, he could only preserve his Twice Damned by preventing them from fighting at all. He glowered silently, impotently.

“Mittelsosalia can wait as long as she likes,” Wossehn made the finishing blow with affable edge, “You are the one wanting for more time. Every moment that passes, you have less to offer, a feebler position to stand with. So why do we not attend to this sensibly, and advance to negotiations whilst your finest dress is still intact, and you can still stand straight and proud?”

“…Very well,” the Councilman snapped out, and turned around. He’d have wanted a fight- but he wouldn’t be given a fair one. A good fight was impossible, thanks to his colleagues. The last hope had been a bluff, when it came down to it. A desperate one. He wanted a battle- not a suicide, and Wossehn knew it. “I will call the Council, and we will hear the Republic’s proposal.”

-----
>>
The Battle of Sundersschirm would mark the end of the campaign in Sosaldt- and the beginning of the battle in Netilland. With the Netillian relief forces forced to withdraw, naught could stop the alliance of Republics from encircling the fortress city of Sundersschirm, and putting it to siege. A siege that it held far too many civilians for, with far too few supplies. After only a few days, the negotiation of a ceasefire was completed, and Sundersschirm agreed to cooperate with Mittelsosalia, entering the Republic as one of the many new territories it had incorporated in the advance towards Netilland. Unable to halt the relentless advance of Ellowie and Mittelsosalia, the powerful yet utterly uncoordinated forces of Netilland’s Military Regime would be further fractured by the rise of Republican sympathizers within their nation, both of irregular forces and dissidents in the military. The Northern Sosaldt Campaign wrought a sizable toll in death and destruction- but the occupied territories were quickly made useful, and their own resources used to reinvigorate the young Republic’s military and economy, both badly battered by the preparation and the war itself. The forces of the North would be turned on their former benefactors- whilst the Republic’s own troops would garrison the lands they left.

The Silver Lances armored division of the Archduchy had taken no small amount of damage for their efforts and their place in the thick of the advance. After-action reports revealed that materiel losses were such that what remained of the Reserve Battalion would have to be merged into the Panzer Regiment’s two battalions- all around, the division would be forced to hold for a time and wait for reinforcement and replenishment. After Sundersschirm’s surrender, the Silver Lances would be garrisoned in the city for a full week, as what could be assembled and rushed to them was sent on its way- even though much more than a week would be required to repair the damage, and the war was not even over yet.

As Mittelsosalia rose, Netilland crumbled in upon itself, and Ellowie marched onward, the Twaryians did not stand idle, but turned their attention southwards- eager to expand their empire once more, against a country ill-prepared to resist them…let alone with the illicit support of a greater enemy across the sea

-----

That'll be all for this thread, thanks all for playing, reading, whatever. 43 days though, sheesh. I'll probably need a good bit of time off.
I'll see how busy September is, but it'll probably be at least 3 weeks before I start the next thread. In the meantime, I'll try and answer any questions or comments any of you've got. If the thread doesn't fall off right away, I'll be posting the Reich tanks I said I'd post, and if I don't make it, I'll put it on my twitter. I'll just put it up there anyways.
>>
>>4980861
Who's got the largest and heaviest bomber force on the continent? Naukland?
>>
>>4980861
Thanks for running tanq. Next thread, the Lances marching through Netilland?
With the Twaryians invading Vynmark I guess Richter's plan to avoid another campaign for now might not come true, whether it be serving with the Lances or not.

>>4980888
Seconding this question, also just want to ask if Twaryi and the Caelussians seeking to expand west is a new thing or just the first time in a long while.
>>
>>4980861
Thanks for the run bossman!

>Questions
Does Kaiser Henrik have an heir in the event of his death or is it voted in Holy Roman Empire style?
>>
>>4980861
With the Archduke currently indisposed, does Strossvald have any de facto Prime Minister/Chancellor in charge of the government, or are all the Ministries just doing their own thing like von Stropfe is
>>
>>4980946
Also how did von Silbertau and the rest of the Lances defence go? Obviously they succeeded in holding the line but hopefully they weren't too mauled in the process.
>>
>>4980861
Thanks for the run, a month and a half of updates is nothing to sniff at!
>>
>>4980861
Thanks for running!
>>
>>4980861
When possible, can we get a map update for this stage of the campaign?
>>
File: Spoiler Image (202 KB, 466x323)
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I just checked, Luftpanzer was 3 years ago. Anyone else feeling old yet?

>>4980861
Thanks for the thread. Do you have a sketch of that particular model of machine gun currently mounted in the pintle on Richter's m/32B that I could see?
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>>4980861
Tanks for running Tanq!
(pun intended)
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>>4980888
>Who's got the largest and heaviest bomber force on the continent? Naukland?
It would be a close match between Naukland and the Reich, though Naukland's bomber corps has a greater proportion of heavier planes because of the long range maritime patrol aircraft and flying boats. With the Reich's large swathes of territory and close proximity to its rivals, it does not need long range bombers as much, though it certainly keeps its options properly forceful.

>>4980946
>With the Twaryians invading Vynmark I guess Richter's plan to avoid another campaign for now might not come true, whether it be serving with the Lances or not.
The Twaryians and Vynmark aren't particularly part of the Archduchy's interests- there's plenty brewing close to home with Almizea.
>also just want to ask if Twaryi and the Caelussians seeking to expand west is a new thing or just the first time in a long while.
Ever since the Twaryians became numerous enough to become a proper ethnic group they've been seen as invasive pests, who at first were merely oddballs that bred and migrated awfully quickly back in the time of the Reich's domination of Sosalia and the occupation of Twaryian lands by the Ellowian kings, but back then, the Caelussian Federation did not exist, though the states that would become it did. As of the eastern Maelstroms opening up and the sudden appearance of such a great power as Caelus, Twaryi became much more a part of Caelus's interests in expanding their influence beyond their own continent.

>>4980952
>Does Kaiser Henrik have an heir in the event of his death or is it voted in Holy Roman Empire style?
Though the Protectorates have their own Electors in the Reichstag, the Kaisers have always been of Von Zeissenburg, descended from Alexander, who was the Grand Prince of Zeissenburg before he became a conqueror.
Oftentimes an heir has ever been secure. However, the chaos of the Emrean War and the turmoil in the Reich at its end resulted in Kaiser Henrik being the sole claimant to any throne, other pretenders forced to give up any claim. Kaiser Henrik is also, however, unmarried, and though he is young, it still is no small cause of nervousness. Reich gossipmongers would say that the Kaiser intends to marry the Crown Princess, now Queen of Halmeggia, but no action has been taken upon that.
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>>4980967
>With the Archduke currently indisposed, does Strossvald have any de facto Prime Minister/Chancellor in charge of the government, or are all the Ministries just doing their own thing like von Stropfe is
Officially, the Capital ministries must answer to the Archduke for approval of near anything- the Territorial Lords are largely autonomous though subject to the Confederation Accords of the Archduchy, but for the Capital, the Archduke's refusal to do his duties is...disruptive, and troublesome. Von Stropfe is technically not allowed to do what he is doing at all, but one might say he doesn't feel like he has a choice. His experience and history can allow for some breaches of procedure, though. As long as the Territorial Lords don't notice.

>>4981063
>Also how did von Silbertau and the rest of the Lances defence go? Obviously they succeeded in holding the line but hopefully they weren't too mauled in the process.
That is to be found out next threat! Though they did have a harder fight than you did for certain.

>>4981207
>When possible, can we get a map update for this stage of the campaign?
Sure, I can do that for next thread, though I may have to be reminded if I don't have it right off.

>>4981234
>Do you have a sketch of that particular model of machine gun currently mounted in the pintle on Richter's m/32B that I could see?
To be quite honest, I don't actually have one. I never actually finished the full spread of Netillian weaponry, including their new model machine gun, which is what I believe to be mounted. Sorry. Maybe I'll have it in the future, though.
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>>4981353
>The Twaryians and Vynmark aren't particularly part of the Archduchy's interests- there's plenty brewing close to home with Almizea.

Speaking of Almizea, is Strossvald's territorial expansion over the years merely opportunistic land-grabbing if the right moment presents itself, or is there some kind of coherent 'Greater Strossvald' vision that the Archdukes have wanted to achieve?
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>>4981364
>Speaking of Almizea, is Strossvald's territorial expansion over the years merely opportunistic land-grabbing if the right moment presents itself, or is there some kind of coherent 'Greater Strossvald' vision that the Archdukes have wanted to achieve?
The Archduchy's history is that of a disparate smattering of small realms, whose power over one another had little constant, many dating back to governates established as far in the past as the Nauk Imperial, and others whose influence over their territories was a changing of hands from families favored by the Grossreich's occupation, who were of course ousted after the Duke's Rebellion. Strossvald's enemies would frame all of their conquests as mere opportunism, but Strossvald has only rarely initiated wars of aggression in its history, more often coming to the support of some movement or minority or another, framing itself as a defender of wronged cultures, before subsuming it into its land as a territory under the "proper leadership" of higher born.

There is no such thing as a Greater Strossvald, not even one that the Archduchy might claim, since the Archduchy's claims are not racial or cultural, but ones of restoration to a "proper order"...under their banner, of course. Some might theorize that the obsession over who has the right over a place and people and whom must have the responsibility over it is an attempt to pick up the pulverized fragments of the cultures ground down under the Grossreich- and reconstruct them, as many familial claims must be reconstructed from seemingly thin air, or newly justified through heroic or generous action. Many outside the country might scoff at this, but the Archduchy's nobility would insist that they overthrew the more decadent and cruel highborn, who abused their status as stewards to the people.

To summarize, the Archduchy's view is of the creation- restoration, even- of the ideal state of mankind, at its loftiest claims. Which is how its frames its interventions, even if these have given them the unflattering image of merely desiring to be the second coming of the Reich over Sosalia. Those who have had their lands taken would indeed call it opportunism and greed, but any from the Archduchy following the words of their country would, maybe defensively, say that everything is better with them in charge anyways. After all, though the society of the Archduchy is stratified on first impression, the concessions the Accords made to the common folk in return for their aid in throwing off the Reich are such that social mobility is far from impossible- even if old nobility would snort at the new blood of the court, as it were- though not as much as at those who refuse to assimilate into the ways of the nobility and merely become nouveau rich.
>>
Have you tried sprocket QM? Would be cool to see some of the quest tank designs in action
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>>4981709
I've seen Sprocket, but I'm electing to wait until it's less in early access before giving it a shot. I wouldn't be surprised if most of my designs didn't work as advertised in it, though, considering the lack of mind I give to internals.
>>
>>4981709
Hadn't heard of Sprocket until you mentioned it. It does look cool, I might even consider paying the gaben toll for it myself.



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