by Carlo Zen
“And the others? How long do you think it’ll take for them to meet us?”
“The guns and infantry are supposed to be coming behind us, but…I’m afraid I don’t know the details.”
“Ah, but just knowing they’re on their way makes me feel better.”
“Oh, I have one other related report. We ran into Lieutenant Colonel Uger from the General Staff, whom we met during our reassignment, and he gave us a message for you.”
Oh? Tanya’s face shifts in curiosity. What kind of message would Colonel Uger go out of his way to leave with Captain Ahrens?
“And the contents?”
“They’re dispatching a wave of reinforcements to the Kampfgruppe.”
“As long as he’s not just saying that.”
Regardless of what she says, feeling slightly guilty, she knows that Uger is a specialist of integrity. She doesn’t want to expect too much, but she figures it’s all right to hope.
“Anyhow, what’s our status?”
“What you see is what you get, Captain Ahrens.”
“You mean…?”
“That’s right.” Tanya nods. “It’s bad. Everything’s in terrible disarray. I’ll let Major Weiss fill you in on the rest. Get the details from him.”
Both officers acknowledge their orders. Tanya has complete faith in the two of them. Their personalities and tastes may be hawkish, but she has no qualms about their abilities.
“What are you going to do, Colonel?”
“Oversee the fortification of our position here with Lieutenant Serebryakov. It’s a pain that these guys in the east know nothing but trench warfare, and we have to think about what to do when the chain of command falls apart.”
As Captain Ahrens watched Lieutenant Colonel von Degurechaff leave with her adjutant, he commented with a wry smile. “She’s worried about the chain of command falling apart?”
Of course, he couldn’t deny the possibility, but… While it did make sense that the Imperial Army, which employed decapitation tactics, would be wary of falling prey to those exact tactics…
“The colonel worries so much.”
“According to the colonel, though, we’d probably be categorized as idiots who let our guard down too much, right, Captain Ahrens?”
“What do you mean?”
His blank stare was met with Major Weiss’s dead-serious expression.
“During a fighting retreat we participated in before you arrived, we ended up defending a strongpoint. There, we saw the senior officer of a friendly unit get blown up along with his whole HQ.”
“…That’s awful. It’s like they’re playing games with us.”
To get turned into a punching bag… It couldn’t have been a very fun time. Weiss nodded at Ahrens’s quiet comment.
“We’re not in a position to pick and choose. The colonel’s policy of doing our best no matter the circumstances is a roundabout way to avoiding trouble as much as possible.”
“Yeah. Let’s do what we can.”
“That’s the spirit.”
As they nodded, they both sighed.
“Even grumbling is a pretty rough time in this unit. It’d be different if we at least had a few cigarettes.”
“Oof, Captain Ahrens, you have no idea how much I envy you.”
“Why’s that?” But he realized almost immediately. “Oh, you’re not allowed to smoke.”
“Yeah.” Weiss nodded. “Under the colonel, smoking’s prohibited. Our lungs won’t last otherwise. In the past, orb performance was the greatest limiting factor. No one used to fly so high.”
Major Weiss was an aerial mage. A job where if he burned out his lungs, it would come back to bite him. It wasn’t as if smoking got you any points before the war, but nowadays, unless an aerial mage was a truly serious believer in nicotine, cigarettes were a luxury they went without.
“The progress of technology is remarkable. The armored units have seen similar developments. Our main guns used to be peashooters!” Ahrens laughed, and Weiss seemed to agree wholeheartedly.
“I recently saw something similar. I heard today that unless rookies can aim for the tank treads, there’s no hope of even delaying the enemy.”
“But surely you and the colonel are different. You’re probably sick of destroying Federation tanks by now!”
“No, just fed up with how tough their armor is. Even for the vets of the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion, punching through the defense of their main battle tanks is a feat.”
It didn’t used to be so hard to destroy tanks. Ahrens had heard it was a given that even if it took a bit of time, just about any aerial mage could defeat enemy armored vehicles.
“There are only a few types left that we can pop as easily as opening a can.”
“Really?”
“Yeah,” Weiss replied, his face grim. “Aerial mages can perform some anti-tank combat, but our hands are pretty full with our main tasks… Anyhow, we’ve been chatting for a while now. Let’s get you up to speed.”
“Yep, thanks.”
APRIL 24, UNIFIED YEAR 1927, EASTERN FRONT, KAMPFGRUPPE’S TEMPORARY POST
Ordering everyone to stay alert, pointing out lapses in care, and taking every possible precaution to keep operations safe. It’s only natural to do that as a commander, but making sure it filters down into the whole organization is difficult.
The task is hardest in the relief that comes once the dust settles and warm food is served. This is the moment the tension drains from everyone’s shoulders. It’s hard for soldiers not to feel like they’ve finally reached safety in the rear.
It cannot be overstated that in these moments, not a speck of battlefield tension remained in most of the Imperial Army units.
The troops were convinced that they’d succeeded in their retreat. Mistakes that stem from truth are the most insidious. This small victory relaxed the Imperial Army too much.
The alarm announcing the approach of a large Federation force only began to ring after the enemies were already quite close. Still, if the enemy is coming, everyone already knows what to do.
The troops dozing with their knapsacks as pillows are slapped awake, and it takes only an instant for them to leap to their stations.
“Enemy attack! Enemy attack!”
“All units to your posts!”
The duty officer races around yelling, and the troops whose light sleep has been cut short curse without restraint as they leap to their places in preestablished harmony.
“Obstructing our sleep? Fuck! Someday I’ll sue them for being a public nuisance!”
Tanya is no exception. She heads for Kampfgruppe HQ, barking loud protests the whole way. The moment she reaches her command post, she knows what she needs to do.
“Status report!”
“It’s a division at least, ma’am. Enemy attack.”
“Shit, we’re not even finished constructing our position yet! Don’t people from the Federation know the etiquette for visiting someone?!”
The imperial fortifications are still incomplete. It sounds better if you say They’re currently making every effort to finish it, but the truth is that they may or may not have managed to dig some spider holes—that’s the level of progress we’re talking about.
And that’s not all because when it rains, it pours. We’re suffering a rampant shortage of light machine guns on the eastern front. Neither the freezing winter nor the muddy spring has been kind to the standard-issue LMGs crafted for us in the home country.
The density of fire from the frontline units here is terribly low compared to what imperial forces were putting out on the western lines.
Under the circumstances, we can’t expect the strongpoint to pin or stop the enemy completely, even if there are trenches. It’s only natural that the commander of the defense would want to make up for the lacking firepower of the infantry by working the armored troops and aerial mages extra hard.
“Colonel, it’s the command post.”
“Patch me through.”
The onl
y saving grace is that the chain of command is still functioning. Tanya can see clear benefits from unified command at the division level as a member of the organization.
“Aid the defense? Understood. The Salamander Kampfgruppe would like to provide support with armored troops and fly strike missions with aerial mages. Do we have your approval?”
This is the negotiation stage of the briefing that needs to happen before everyone can get to work.
“This is CP. The left wing of defense line two is in the most critical condition. Can you shore them up?”
“We can, but it’ll mean having the aerial mages stick around there.”
“I realize it’s a lot to ask, but please provide as much support as you can. I’d also like to request that you pull a company of aerial mages to use as reserves once the situation stabilizes.”
It’s not that she doesn’t see what the CP is trying to do, but no commander is thrilled to get a proposal like that. Everyone wants to have reserves nearby.
“Salamander 01 to CP. I’m fine heading over there as backup, but it’s unclear whether we’ll have the extra troops, so I can’t guarantee you any reserves.”
“…Well, just if you can, then.”
“I can’t offer you something from nothing.”
“…Understood.”
Luckily, the other side gives in, and the issue is neatly resolved. We don’t even have much to spare, so I appreciate being able to conserve even a little.
It’s the same reason there’s a big difference between pushing the system to its limits and keeping some slight redundancy to ensure its overall health.
Now, then. Tanya puts down the receiver and, upon turning around, begins assembling sortie orders.
If there’s any conversation more obnoxious than the one I just had, it’ll be this next one. Tanya shifts her gaze to her tankman.
“It’s probably only the 203rd Aerial Mage Battalion that will attempt to attack, so, Captain Ahrens, your armor will be supporting the defense.”
“Colonel?! We can head out there, too!”
It’s the answer she expected. To be fair, anyone who doesn’t have that attitude probably isn’t cut out to be an armored officer.
“I need the tanks on defense.”
“But, ma’am!”
“Denied! Fire at the enemy and draw them in! If we don’t leave a strike force inside the strongpoint, we won’t be able to keep them in check!”
Ahrens makes his argument only for Tanya to flatly refuse it. A subordinate’s assertiveness mustn’t be praised unless the timing is right.
He learned how to fight tank battles on the eastern front; she needs him to understand and accept.
“…Yes, ma’am.”
“Good.” Tanya nods and then turns her gaze on her old hands. These guys can do any mission. They’re reliable enough that she can leave this job up to them.
Time for war—she’s about to grin when she notices Ahrens looking like he wants to mention something. Well, a superior officer’s job is to listen to what their subordinates have to say.
“Captain, if you have something, go ahead and say it.”
“Are you planning to sortie at full strength from the start? We don’t currently have a complete picture of the enemy force’s strength. I think scouting should maybe be priority…”
“Yes, that’s right. The enemy unit’s size is unclear, Captain Ahrens.” As she adjusts her hat on her head with a boff, she nods with a wry smile. “If we don’t know, we just have to go find out.”
“So you’re taking the entire battalion out for recon-in-force?”
“It’s more of a search-and-destroy mission, but yes. Because,” she continues bitterly, “we expect at minimum for there to be an artillery division.”
“You mean divisional artillery?”
The way Ahrens’s face twists up into a You’ve-got-to-be-kidding look as he repeats what she said is not entirely unreasonable. The threat that a division of artillery poses is in another dimension compared to divisional artillery.
“Unfortunately, it’s not a misunderstanding.” Tanya continues, “I can see you wishing you misheard, but what we’re facing isn’t comparable to divisional artillery. Be ready for a whole division’s worth.”
Boof—she gives him a punch in the stomach.
Later, Tanya will remember this moment bitterly and be glad that she said to prepare for the worst.
Not long after the mage unit sorties and begins their search, they pick up a large amount of communications. The signals should give a strong indication of where the enemy artillery unit is located, but they’re encoded. Even so, specific repetitions are enough to get an indirect confirmation.
With a quick “Let’s go!” Tanya leads her battalion in a beeline for the determined location…only to be confronted with the unfortunate reality that her predictions were correct.
Apparently, no expectations are more likely to be dead-on than the ones you wish were off. Setting aside whether it’s statistically significant, Tanya is forced to see that her worst fears are quite reliable.
“Sheesh, I’m jealous. What beefy artillery support!”
What she’s looking at in the distance as she comments quietly is the Federation position—and what a magnificently arranged artillery position it is. She can’t help but hate how even the corps artillery battery is lined up in such an orderly way. A bombardment from that alone could be enough to annihilate our forces.
“Prepare for anti-artillery combat. This is officially an assault mission now.”
A single order brings three formations to instantly appear, ready to strike. Their flight path will allow them to hit the enemy’s position with an air-to-ground attack. Once they’re in place, all that’s left is the easy job of nailing the flammable shells on the ground with a few explosion formulas.
If we don’t hit them hard enough… Tanya ventures to shout in a condescending tone. “Troops, we’re gonna show them the kind of flying attack aerial mages are capable of! Now let’s go!”
“03 to 01, there’s an enemy mage unit!”
Tanya responds to her adjutant’s warning with a grin—because of course there are enemy mages. It has always been natural that aerial mages provide air support for artillery. Whenever you see artillery, the first thing you do is go hunting for mages.
“Engage them! Take ’em apart!”
“I’m detecting a company of enemy troops, and it’s headed this way!”
“Ha, is that all?”
It happens as she’s murmuring what a small number that is to support a division of artillery—the far-off battery suddenly begins to fire.
This is the exact moment that I notice the elevation on the guns is weirdly high…
“The enemy artillery is aiming at us!”
At the shrieked warning, Tanya looks back to the artillery instinctively and notices the cannons are aiming awfully high.
Well, isn’t that just luxurious as hell!
They’ve got anti-aircraft cannons mixed into their artillery position!
“I doubt they’ll…” …hit us. She’s about to grin wryly when she realizes: If we’re up against curtain fire from anti-aircraft guns…they’ve probably already finished firing solutions for this airspace!
“Break! Increase altitude!”
The reason she gives the sudden warning is that she trusts her gut. You should always pay attention whenever you have a bad feeling about something.
Immediately after she has the unit veer off their strike path, the shells that burst below eerily scatter shrapnel where the mages just were moments ago.
“Timed fuses? Tsk, they’re certainly prepared.”
And on top of that, at the moment we break our formation to evade, the enemy mage company swoops in on us!
“Enemy mages charging!”
“Three rounds of explosion formulas! All companies open fire!”
Even if we outnumber them and surely aren’t at a disadvantage in terms of training, it
’s not great that they’ve caught us off-balance. And considering how well the enemy troops seem to be cooperating, I’m hard-pressed to say I feel great about our current situation.
Tanya, a good person, has trouble understanding why the badder the guys, the more friends they have. Evil always comes in gangs.
“CP to Salamander 01—it’s urgent!”
“This is Salamander 01—currently engaged. Shit, these guys don’t let up!”
She casts an explosion formula on the heads of the charging enemy mages and dodges an optical sniping formula.
“CP, what’s your urgent request?!”
“We’ve spotted another enemy battery! It’s a rocket-launcher unit! They’re setting up in the opposite direction of your current heading, and if they open fire, our position will be completely suppressed! Take it out as soon as you can!”
Charging into one artillery division is bad enough, but now there’s another one? Even if your philosophy is that more is better, the Federation’s idea of “more” is astonishing.
“Don’t be ridiculous! We’re in the middle of taking out one position right now!”
“If we’re under a blanket of rocket fire, the armored units won’t be able to do a thing. Colonel, please.”
“CP, this is Salamander 01…send the details.”
Swallowing the expletives is a challenge. But Tanya asks for the details out of her sense of duty. It has to get done…
“Major Weiss! You heard them! We’re splitting the unit in two.”
“They’re asking an awful lot, huh? We’ll do all we can!”
“I’ll leave a company with you! Stay here and keep bullying these guys! I don’t expect anything more than harassment! Feel free to go nuts, but don’t overextend yourselves!”
“Understood!”
“The rest of you, follow me. We’re going hunting for self-propelled rocket launchers. Prepare for a search-and-destroy mission. It’s a damn busy day, but make sure you get your jobs done!”
APRIL 26, UNIFIED YEAR 1927, EASTERN FRONT, FOLLOWING THE START OF THE FEDERATION’S SECOND OFFENSIVE
Enemies, enemies, enemies. Wave after wave of them as far as the eye can see. It’s a surge of pressure no less terrible than anything seen on the Rhine front.