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You are Richter Von Tracht, the best person at talking on the continent.

Officially you were many things, but as of late you hadn’t felt too great about those things- especially as your confidence in carrying out the associated duties had faltered. Would you still do your best to be a good Coordinator, a good Lieutenant? There wasn’t a choice on that matter, but it was impossible to not feel dread as of late.

The most recent thing occupying your attention with your first day back was ensuring that your retinue got some rest, overworked as she seemed in your absence, and getting your damaged eye fixed. The particulars of were fuzzy to you- something about muscles and skulls and whatever, but the eye part itself wasn’t damaged. Just its ability to turn, which…didn’t actually make things much better. After failing to sway the local hospital to give you the short but specialized surgery, you had gone to New Jorgenstohn, a Netillian colonial town under your guardianship, to seek aid from its mayor. He had advised a possible course of action in smuggling yourself across the border and seeking treatment in Twaryi, whose medical practitioners were much more open to negotiation and not so in lock step with politics of Netilland’s Defense Party.

As much as a holiday down in Twaryi, where there was a bounty on your head (not nearly as large as it should have been from what you remembered ) might have been exciting, you made the choice to exhaust your safer options in procuring further vision recovery treatment before resorting to desperation. One such option being attempting to return on the favor gained with the High Protector- the so-called King of Ellowie, Wladysaw XI Von Katski. His life had been potentially saved from an assassin’s bullet by the intervention of your fair retinue. Much as that was Anya’s deed and not your own, you had brought her to the Lagenachtfest party, she was your retinue, and she would want the King to help you…all there was left was for the High Protector to see it as such.

Even though you had just left Anya in a cottage to rest, you doubted that the esteemed “ruler” would care as much if you did not arrive accompanied by her. After an escorted drive back from New Jorgenstohn, you left your escort detail at camp to go to the cottage alone. It inhabited a relatively safe area- and you would rather involve as few people as possible. Risking ambush in order to avoid more repellent rumors upon being witnessed carrying Anya out of the house, even in your present state of ever fearful mind, still seemed worth it. Maybe it was because it was Anya. Maybe it was because of the alcohol. Chemical intoxication was able to form a mildly effective barrier against the new fear, at least- even if you could be certain it restored none of the fighting skill you’d lost.

>Company info being dumped as reminders

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Indeed, while fighting should have been your focus considering recent increase in hostile activity by the easterners…you’d be lying if you said you were in any shape to enter combat once more. Not that you were like to have a choice, come the time. The only way you’d get better again anyways was to take the plunge at some point. At the very least, things were being handled while you were…doing this. Krause was in command of the armor, Captain Kelwin was at least nominally in charge despite lack of experience, and a small outpost was being dug in on the large hill called Grabarz Hill- in light of both the battle there and en-masse infiltration attempts.

You pulled up beside the place Yva, and Hilda before her, now resided in. Von Metzeler’s inexplicable fraternizing with the soulbinder had resulted in her placement here rather than in the UGZ where she was one put. You knocked on the door…and received no quick answer.

Yva finally came after several minutes of waiting. No wonder Anya simply barged in. “…I’m here to pick her up…” you told the bespectacled woman at the door to the cottage.

Yva squinted at you like you were a senile old man, forgetting where he was, her arms firmly crossed. “You only dropped her off little more than an hour past. I’ve never known mere minutes of rest to speed the way to a healthy recovery.”

“…I am running out of options I thought plentiful…so I need her back…” Yva moved out of your way as you went into the cottage. Passive, for a soulbinder, but then, you could hardly complain that she wasn’t demanding anything. Well, besides distracting your second in command, in the past.

You went to the room where Anya was sleeping and didn’t bother knocking or anything before entering- you knew you’d only see exactly what you saw before, and indeed that was how she was. Fast asleep, the covers up to her chin, as peaceful as you’d ever seen her face be. “…Anya, it’s time to wake up…” you poked her nose, then her cheek. “…Come on…” A pair of feather-light slaps on the same cheek.

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“Her sleep is a sorcerous one,” Yva told you from behind as you fruitlessly tried to rouse Anya, tempted to use an option you knew was reliable, but that was reserved for Maddalyn. “Little will stir her for, perhaps two hours, now. She can be awoken once more, if you wish, but considering that you just left he here…” You were undecided on that, as you sat Anya up after putting her boots back on, thanking your past self that you didn’t need to re-dress her further. “What options require you to take her back?” Yva asked further.

“…I am going to meet with the King, Wladysaw XI…High Protector of Ellowie…”

“Ellowie has not had a king for some time now.” Yva muttered, “You are going to bring her before royalty with tangled hair and a dirty uniform?”

“…Well…” That wasn’t a very generous way to put it, “I’m sure he won’t mind…”

“If you don’t want her to find out I won’t wake her. If you are still strangely hesitant to brush her hair, I will do it for you.”

You doubted rather much Anya would care much whether or not she was groomed. She hadn’t been willing to get sleep in the first place, much less keep herself looking prim and proper, but she wasn’t exactly up to vote on that anyways. The more important part was that, really- whether to get her up or let her sleep out this stint on your way to Perlowieza where Wladysaw made his royal residence.

>You were seeing the king, you supposed. It wouldn’t be appropriate to leave her looking rumpled…especially when you were going to ask for something important.
>Anya had to be brushed, yes, but you sure as hell weren’t going to do it. You were pretty sure she smelled some. Let Yva do it. (No input on styling)
>Anya didn’t respect the King, and to be honest, neither did you. No time to waste on niceties such as proper grooming.
>Other?
And
>Wake Anya up here
>Let her sleep and carry her until she wakes up again

>Small Outpost currently being built on Hill 33

Past Threads are collected here: https://pastebin.com/UagT0hnh
Twitter for announcements and various horseshit is @scheissfunker

>>3914047
>>Anya had to be brushed, yes, but you sure as hell weren’t going to do it. You were pretty sure she smelled some. Let Yva do it. (No input on styling)
>Let her sleep and carry her until she wakes up again

>>3914047
>>>Anya had to be brushed, yes, but you sure as hell weren’t going to do it. You were pretty sure she smelled some. Let Yva do it. (No input on styling)
>>Let her sleep and carry her until she wakes up again

>>3914047
>Anya had to be brushed, yes, but you sure as hell weren’t going to do it. You were pretty sure she smelled some. Let Yva do it. (No input on styling)
>Wait two fucking hours until she wakes up, it's not the end of the world.

>>3914116
Actually I agree with this. Just put a timeskip if need be or we can go settle something else first.

>>3914116
>>3914142
Waiting about.

>>3914069
Carry luggage.

Writing.

>>3914177
Also Yva can clean her up a bit since we're waiting anyway.

“…Eh. I can wait…” you backed off, “…I can ask another favor..? Nothing of the sort of…you know…but…her uniform needs to be washed too…bathed perhaps…”
“Am I a maidservant now?” Yva asked, clearly not having any intention of doing this “favor.”

“…Fine…I’ll take her clothes…but if you could get them off her…” Only two pairs of a Retinue uniform were provided, and while it had been some time since Anya had been shot, a blood soaked uniform was more often disposed of than cleaned. Chances were that until a replacement was ordered, Anya’s uniform jacket at least was the only one she had. Even if you also wanted to avoid the possibility that Anya had trapped her tent and belongings.

Yva was a bit more complacent with this- she wordlessly left, and then came back, not even bothering to hide her power as she chose to float the whole lot through the air and dump the pile of folded dusty clothes on the table. All of them. As well as what had been hidden in them- concealed blades, a miniature automatic, two different grenades- the pile was surprising in scope. However…

“…This is…all of her clothes…” you noted as you picked up the stack. “…All of them.”

“Yes?” Yva sounded like she wanted you to hurry up and leave- which you did, in haste.

-----

Naturally, you weren’t going to be washing Anya’s clothes yourself. Not when you could have it don it for you in New Jorgenstohn. Yva had emptied the pockets and holsters and other such things- but you noticed one thing that you hadn’t expected. The silver hair pins, from back in Langenachtfest. Were they sentimental or did she think them another weapon like the knives that they shared concealment with?

Time was taken to listen. Not just to the few winter birds and ravens, but rumors around the town. The mayor had had a reason to be concerned and to want a permanent garrison- the people of New Jorgenstohn, though now more numerous, were much warier. They had always been somewhat on edge due to being close to the border on top of the ever present possibility of insurgents bothering them, but a particularly active and numerous enemy was so much more visible, and so much more to be feared. You could sympathize- the fear inside yourself had flared up worse when you felt in direct danger, even just the possibility of it- suspicious noises and the like. Not long ago it would have been fit to petrify you.

The conversation you overheard (as it was right next to the place you were sitting, while steadily draining the alcohol you acquired) even brought up the idea of emigrating to another colonial town- something Mayor Gespie surely did not want.

“…Why to another colony?” you broke into the conversation.

“We have to be at a colony. That’s our deal with the party.” One of the three men talking with one another readily explained. “Debts? Frozen, if not canceled. If we didn’t have nothin’? Didn’t matter. New life, new opportunity- but if we don’t stick in the colonies, we get thrown in a work camp to work off the debt to the state.”

“Thinking of doing that rather’n getting shot, honestly.” Another man in a wide brimmed hat said.

“…You won’t get shot…” you tried to be reassuring, “…We’re here to protect you. My unit and the 1st Company.”

“You’re camped a bit far away, though.” The third man pointed out.

“We’ve…a lot to defend…” you said. The truth, but it didn’t seem a very bright one to these locals.

“Anyways,” the first citizen said, quieter, “You hear about the Ellowian Gold? The reserve the old government had? Well, I hear it wasn’t really found. That it got lost, and it’s still out there, hidden. Somewhere between…”

You sensed this topic was more fancy than fact, as compelling as hidden gold might have been. Frankly, you already had a decent share of gold back at home. Soon enough, the person the trio was waiting for joined them and they walked off, leaving you to only wait a short bit for the laundry back. Your laundry, too- your journey hadn’t exactly left you clean, and having restarted proper hygiene gave back some sorely needed energy.

-----

Waiting for Anya to finish sleeping practically guaranteed you’d not only not be taking a train back from Perlowieza, but that you’d likely take the last train out of Kamienisty that day- it would be worth it, though. Not being here right next morning wouldn’t be the end of the world. The company was left in decent hands- hands likely better than yours at the moment, anyways.

You waited silently in the other room for an hour past arriving- Yva wasn’t interested in conversation, and you began to miss even Emma. Where had she gone? When would she come back? Anya came out of her bedroom, looking freshly brushed, only somewhat refreshed, and not very happy for it. She didn’t have her jacket on either- it had been too long since you last saw her middle.

“Why the hell’d I wake up naked?” Anya immediately demanded, sauntering over and starting to pack all her items back where they’d come from.

Anya didn’t know what soulbinders, presence, or any of such nonsense was. That meant you had to be creative. “…You were more drunk than you thought, and fell over. Yva was the one who took your clothes, and I went to get them washed…”

“Oh.” Anya relaxed some. Was she worried about something? “Whatever, then. Thanks. Or something.”

“She also brushed your hair…”

Anya touched an inquisitive hand to her fluffy blonde head and stroked from her scalp to the end of a lock. “Huh. Why?”

“…I’m taking you with me to see the King, Wladysaw XI.”

Anya’s eyes narrowed. “Why?”

“So he can send me to somebody to fix my eye…and I think he likes you more than if just I went to ask…” Anya continued to glare at you. “…It’s only because I don’t think he’ll help otherwise…”

“Fine.” Anya said, hollowly. “Whatever. Let’s just get it over with.”

-----

Anya elected to sleep more on the train- long enough that you noticed that she breathed funny when she slept sitting up. Maybe because of that deep slash across her nose. The sun had well set once you did pull into Perlowieza- and were promptly told that this had been the final trip today. Again. It wouldn’t be impossible to get back on the rails, but night was when the armored patrol cars went up and down the line, not any passenger trains.

Perlowieza’s night scene was something you were already acquainted with, but you didn’t have the goal of getting into an ill-advised drunken scamper this time around. No, your destination was the palace- and with your companion, you would have an audience. Anya would certainly force it, if you didn’t.

“The hell’re those letters?” Anya pointed out the Zhantao inspired establishment you’d actually been to.

“…characters from an alphabet far to the west…”

“Oh, like in the movie.” Anya nodded to herself. “Why’s it here?”

You recounted the interesting tale of how the monarchy had, long ago, harbored some families from the far off region, and said families had gradually integrated into the general populace. Even if they’d been bred thin enough at this point that they could be mistaken for a Dhegyar. The castle loomed closer as you both went up the hill that supported it, its pale walls dyed yellow and purple with evening light and city lamps creeping up the hill and down from the sky. Red jacketed gendarmes met you at the gates, and it didn’t take long to get an escort inside- not with Anya in tow, though she had become no happier to be here once you had arrived in the castle’s shadow proper.

”Welcome, to Castle Perlowieza,” a retainer your age in a silver trimmed black suit greeted you and Anya as the pair of gendarmes opened the doors to the main hall for you, “Miss Nowicki wished to have a meeting with his Majesty? He is dining with his cousin, the Duchess of Diameniglica. If Miss Nowicki would wish it, he would invite her as well. Have either of you eaten tonight? Though I can guarantee that tonight’s supper is quite a show, compared to what you might have on the street.”

>You were famished. So was Anya. Why not? Combining business with sustenance was never a bad thing.
>That was fine- you could wait for them to finish. You’d rather have the king by himself, if you had the choice, and not distracted.
>Miss Nowicki and Lady Von Katski had bad history together- could you perhaps not intrude, by letting Anya at the king while you entertained the Duchess? It would keep her out of the way, at least.
>Other?

>>3914651
>>That was fine- you could wait for them to finish. You’d rather have the king by himself, if you had the choice, and not distracted.
Politely excuse ourselves and find something to eat first.

>>3914651
>>Miss Nowicki and Lady Von Katski had bad history together- could you perhaps not intrude, by letting Anya at the king while you entertained the Duchess? It would keep her out of the way, at least.

>>3914651
>That was fine- you could wait for them to finish. You’d rather have the king by himself, if you had the choice, and not distracted.

Now for the really dumb part. While looking through the archives to gather reference pictures for a really bad idea I had involving styrene plastic, I noticed the model in the OP image for thread #1 shows the as yet unseen M/32 with a singular transmission access pannel on the glacis, then, later at Maddy's introduction in thread #6 and in subsequent scenes afterward you consistently drew M/32s with two slightly smaller hatches side-by-side instead. Are the double hatches a feature of the Von Blum modded vehicles or are they just a slight design tweak you added in before it's proper introduction?

>>3914651
>Miss Nowicki and Lady Von Katski had bad history together- could you perhaps not intrude, by letting Anya at the king while you entertained the Duchess? It would keep her out of the way, at least.

>>3914791
>Are the double hatches a feature of the Von Blum modded vehicles or are they just a slight design tweak you added in before it's proper introduction?

The latter. I've made changes to some models over time- as I've been going over a few models now even I've been making some changes The T-8 and T-15, partially for look and partially as I think/learn more about vehicle design, and partially when I actually measure stuff out to be proper relative to each other. Another change as I actually consider interiors and people having to be next to them or appear turned out and the like are hatches and such- if the m/32 pops up soon an easy difference to note would be the turret hatches.

If you want I can just post the turnarounds of the model, later tonight. Probably a better reference than piecing together stray shots.

>>3914934
> I can just post the turnarounds of the model, later tonight.
That would be swell, boss

>>3914717
Switching to
>That was fine- you could wait for them to finish. You’d rather have the king by himself, if you had the choice, and not distracted.
So as to break the tie. >>3914934

>>3915042
Don't worry about it too much, I'll be at the theater the next few hours anyways. Last set of shows today and tomorrow.
Not that that should influence decision one way or the other.

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Alright back.
Also tired, will see if I can get another out tonight.

>>3914712
>>3914791
>>3915042
I don't want to talk to people with busted noses.

>>3914808
But I do.

Writing.

Also the turnaround I said I'd give. It's a low detail model, as one can see, and I use another reference sheet to place the finer stuff. I once had a higher detail model with texturing- but I lost it and have yet to make a replacement.

>>3915857
Thanks tanq, that should do nicley

“…We’ll be fine out here.” You decided.

“You’ll be fine out here,” Anya corrected, “I wanna eat something before I friggin’ die.”

“…I doubt the duchess would be pleased to see you.”

“Who?” You blinked at Anya’s question, unsure if she was joking or not, so she repeated, “Am I supposed to know who that is?”

“The woman whose nose you broke at the Langenachtfest party...” you said in a quiet voice, hoping to avoid having the eager attendant listen in.

“Oh. Whatever, If she hasn’t gotten over that she’s a stupid bitch anyways. Hey, fancy pants,” Anya spoke up to the attendant, “I’m gonna accept that invitation. Do you have, uh, eel?”

“…Anya-“

“Stay out here if you want, I’m the guest of honor, I was the one asked.” Anya poked you back with her other arm not in a sling, “Don’t gimme that face, it won’t take that long.”

Your intent on not attending was exactly to avoid Anya meeting with the duchess, but she already had her mind set on it, so your chances of convincing her otherwise were practically nonexistent- especially if food was involved. You were left in the dust with your escorting gendarmes, the nervous crimson jacketed pair relaxing some as you waited in silence that grew less comforting for you than them.

“…So…how is being in the gendarmes..?” if you were the one starting conversation in your state things were truly in a bad state.

“Pays well.” One gendarme said, blunt and honest.

“Pays at all,” the other gendarme was less comfortable with the question and hooked their finger under their collar, “At least we’re working with our people instead of…wait, you’re not a Netillian, are you?”

Your uniform and jacket combination set you quite apart, you thought, but you indulged anyways. “I am of the Archduchy of Strossvald, as is my family.”

“What does it matter, if he’s one or not?” the more casual gendarme said, “Not like it’s a secret the Netillians think the Gendarmes are second rate. We are second rate. Wouldn’t let us be around otherwise.”

“C’mon, nobody wants to hear that,” the less certain Gendarme objected only slightly.

“Everybody knows it’s true. Right up to the top. If you were the king, would you rather live in exile in Vynmark, lapping up whatever favors you can get, or be in a palace like how it used to be? Not a hard choice. You know it, I know it, only saying it ‘cause of this guy.” He pointed to you.

“…Anyways,” the uncomfortable gendarme dropped that subject like a wet rag, “Why didn’t you go with that girl you came in with?

“…I’m not hungry,” you lied, “I’m only here for business.”

So you waited for said business, as it grew dark outside, and the lights inside the palace were turned on, sparkling glass crystal reflecting stars over the hall that danced in shadow and light alike.

-----

“Good evening, good sir Richter Von Tracht!” you were shaken from a near doze in a waiting room by the sound of Wladysaw’s voice, as he clapped his hands together before greeting you. He had his chin-length brown hair combed back, and like at the party was dressed well but in an understated fashion for one assuming to be royalty, in simple blacks with a blue vest under his coat. As you stood, you noted that Anya was not accompanying him. “A shame you did not join us for dinner! Your retinue has been harboring quite an appetite. A wonder that she is so slim yet such a gourmand!”

“…I’ve never known her to not be physically active…”

“She was not expected this evening, but my, I am not unhappy for it, either. She was looking fair and well-dressed enough that, perhaps, you both expected a meeting where I did not..?” Wladysaw put his long fingers together, his many rings (the most extravagant part of his apparel) clinking together. “Lady Nowicki stated that you wanted for a favor. I cannot help but notice a tragedy has befallen your left eye. Complicated surgical procedures are mixed in with the petty politics of the Defense Party, it would not be impossible, though, for you to return home for treatment. Yet you would wish to remain close at hand for your men, hm?”

You nodded slowly. “That…is the case. May I ask this favor of you..?”

“Hm. You see,” you already didn’t like the lack of immediate acquesience as Wladysaw drummed his fingers together. “I have already returned a favor once, no? Greasing the wheels for your procurement of military materiel, obstructing my dear cousin from any overt vengeance towards fair Lady Nowicki, so I must respectfully ask, if I were to do you further favors, what precisely is in it for me?”

You breathed out slowly. “…a favor in exchange for a favor, then…”

“Indeed. So.” Wladysaw cleared his throat, “I would be quite willing to arrange matters for you, though cutting through party politics is no simple feat even for me. However, I would ask for any of a few favors in return. This is acceptable?”

“…I would hear said favors…” you said warily.

“Good.” Wladysaw smiled a grin lacking in the innocence you’d seen from the rather buffoonish man before. “Fair Lady Nowicki. So dressed to impress, so fit and able. Yet she is brutal, admirable in some places, but now when my cousin is subjected to it. You see, there is a reason I am the eleventh of my name, and why the tenth does not sit the throne. Even so shamefully cast out from our rightful place, the Von Katski family has had disagreements…so I prefer to keep relations between I and my relatives peaceful. Lady Nowicki has not been helpful in this, but to be fair, neither has my fair cousin. So. I would ask that you allow me…perhaps a week of Lady Nowicki’s time. To smooth matters, and perhaps know her better. You would have to talk her into it, I am aware. Unless you truly are engaged as some rumors tell?”

You ignored the latter part. “…You wish to court her..?” Good luck with that, you thought cockily.

The King chuckled to himself. “Aha. No. It is not that she would be a bad mate, but that she lacks for status. A monarch must be coupled with another of noble standing. Surely you understand, being a noble yourself, and of the blood of Netilland as well, no less. Elevated by the Archduchy, but I am sure we can agree it was deserving before, no?” What was he even talking about? “An unofficial coupling would not be amiss to some in my position, but, such would be a terrible scandal. No, I assure you, you have nothing to fear from her being near me. Alternatively, if you cannot stand Lady Nowicki being away from your side, Sir Von Tracht, I believe we know of other mutual acquaintances…” His expression went cool and dark. “You are a friend of the Minister of the People, whom I hosted some time back. The Defense Party may deny it, a great many commanders deny it, but I believe we both know that the Republic of Ellowie’s vaunted army is far from destroyed. They are a direct threat to my position. If you have anything I might wish to know, then, that may be quite a fair trade…” His expression shifted bright again. “If you so wish, of course. We all have our secrets to keep, hm?”

>Leaving Anya by herself for a week wouldn’t be any harm. It was your eye, after all. She would understand.
>You do have something he could know. Maybe not something harmful to the Republic. Perhaps a half truth. Maybe a truth that would not have time to be hurt to be revealed? (What?)
>Why not just an open favor? Just anything but either of those suggestions. You’d pay him back later.
>Decline. You’d find some other way, thank you. (Extremely unlikely)
>Other?

>>3916513
>>You do have something he could know. Maybe not something harmful to the Republic. Perhaps a half truth. Maybe a truth that would not have time to be hurt to be revealed?
Just say guerilla activities from Sosaldt may be increasing in the future.

>>3916606
Supporting. Maybe add how they're supplying arms and contacts to the NLF but no need to mention any big plans

>>3916513
>Leaving Anya by herself for a week wouldn’t be any harm. It was your eye, after all. She would understand.
Give her time to heal.

>>3916606
Supporting, also let's keep from telling anya the first favor he asked

>>3916513
I have a feeling if we leave Anya here for any length of time then somebody is going to get killed when the Duchess tries to enact a poorly thought out revenge scheme.

>You do have something he could know. Maybe not something harmful to the Republic. Perhaps a half truth. Maybe a truth that would not have time to be hurt to be revealed? (What?)

Truth: The Ellowian Army does still exist and likely the impetus behind the NLF attacks. We have seen materials with the old Ellowian symbol being used by NLF depots captured.
(All this hopefully does is confirm his suspicions from a "neutral" third party source.)

Lie: They are coordinating and being supported by the Twaryians in an attempt to destabilize Netillian control on this side. He should anticipate bolder Twaryian incursions to coincide with NLF attacks.
(I think that's more or less our plan to escalate tensions regardless of whether the Twaryians would or not otherwise.)

>>3916513
Shit I just reread that and:
>Other?
Did he just imply that the Von Trachts were originally NETILLIAN before they were ennobled by the Archduke? Where the fuck is he getting that information?

>>3917019
The Von Trachts ARE actually Netillian in origin; it's been mentioned a few times before.

>>3917027
Well hot damn. Also I'm worried the King who we believe to be an ineffectual fop knows this much about Richter.

>>3917014
This is good, but I don't think we should try to tell him the Twaryians and Ellowians are working together for sure. I think it would be better to frame it as something that believe to be happening based on a deduction on our half. Maybe add in that Signy seemed to think the NLF were a threat, and worried for our safety. I also think that before we give him any information, we make him agree to something extra, like keeping Anya for less time, just in case he decides our info isn't worth it. We are kinda putting Signy out there a bit, but hopefully this doesn't come back to bite her.

Happy Veteran's Day/Armistice Day/My Grandfather's Birthday. I'll just presume the federal holiday in burgerland is because of the third. He was almost a veteran- but Korea ended just before he shipped out and in Vietnam he was working for McDonell-Douglas.

>>3916606
>>3916815
Vague implications of support for underground movements.

>>3916877
Don't tell Anya there was any deal.

>>3917014
Elaboration on vague implications- and the Twaryians are totally behind it too.
>>3917466
Not that you know that. Also keep open for haggling.

>>3916875
Enforced vacation.

Writing now.

“…I have heard of a few things…” you deigned to trade information with the king- though not too much. It wouldn’t do to harm the interests of your allies too much- and it certainly wouldn’t do to sell them out. There was a careful balance to strike here between satisfaction and not telling too much. Or adding too much false or out of the realm of plausible deniability were it to be discovered false. “I have dealt recently with both guerillas and the Twaryians alike. It’s difficult to say for certain, but what I have seen is much more than anything Sig…the Minister of the People told me…” You cleared your throat, as Wladysaw continued to bore holes in you with sharp blue eyes. “…To put it simply, the Ellowian army certainly still exists, and is the impetus behind insurgent attacks…the National Liberation Front, at least.”

“Ah yes. I heard tell of your unit helping in suppressing the uprising in the time before the Minister’s visit.” Wladysaw nodded to himself.

There still hadn’t been any word on how much that had been appreciated by the NLF, you thought with an internal sigh. Hopefully you weren’t covering for an ally that had disowned you. “…I know this from seeing materiel marked with the Republic of Ellowie’s arms. Not old stock, either…considering that any still in the country would have been rebranded quite some time ago…”

“And you said the Twaryians were involved?”

“…Possibly. I don’t have proper proof, but…the Minister of the People was concerned for my safety, and warned of further NLF attacks quite soon. She certainly said of them being threatening enough. The Twaryians have steadily been making bolder border raids as well…I would not doubt they would coincide with insurgent operations in little time. Not a difficult conclusion to come to given the knowledge at hand…”

“Interesting.” Though Wladysaw’s expression was turning towards that statement being made in not much good faith- of concern. “Advanced warning of what could or may happen is all well and good…but did your homely friend say anything of location? Or did you witness such? It is difficult to move pieces on a board if the opponent is hiding them, after all.”

“…The only place could be the Funnel, no? The large pass that leads right to Sosaldt…and where there is a noticeable entry to both Netillian occupied and Twaryian occupied territory…”

“More specific than that. Ah, but I suppose there is a limit to what can be found out from rumor and observation, hm.” Wladysaw backed off, no longer so close, and toyed with the rings on a hand. “I do appreciate the confirmation, sir Von Tracht. There are matters that the Party is so needlessly cagey with. I do believe I know several professionals who could help with optical surgery as you so require. However…much as information is appreciated, there is little I can do further with what you have presented, even with my Gendarmes, or with presenting it to allies. You would not mind if we waited to see how this panned out before calling this a deal, yes? To be clear, you absolutely will have your treatment. If I do not have it arranged by tomorrow, why, I will place my crown upon your head instead. Though if the profit is not proportional to this favor, well,” the king’s rings clinked together. “It would not be unfair to ask for the weights to be evened, I hope?”

You nodded. Short, simple, yes, yes, no need to dally on that. After telling all that, no matter what was said about it being immaterial, surely it was worth enough that in the case of any “unbalance” the method to redress it would be a minor affair.

“Ah, good to hear.” The king smiled more broadly than before. “Was that all you wished to attend for? I understand that it has gotten somewhat late. The trains do not run at these hours, and patrols…well, I hear they carry some risk. If you do not mind me being your host for some time longer, then I would gladly oblige. Sherry? Wine? Brandy? Perhaps other diversion?”

>You’d be perfectly fine taking a little “risk.” Especially if it meant you could be done with this man. (Take a rail patrol back or get a driver)
>There was nothing for it, you supposed. You’d accept the kind offer of hospitality. (And do what? Or even just refuse any social offers and try to be up for the first train out)
>You had another appointment to get to, surprisingly enough- even this late at night. (Who says you want to avoid the night? There may be other people you wish to meet. Such as the NLF. Not that you’d say you were planning such.)
>Other?

Me brain not work so good, going to try and rest it off so my writing flow is existent.

>>3918153
>>There was nothing for it, you supposed. You’d accept the kind offer of hospitality. (And do what? Or even just refuse any social offers and try to be up for the first train out)
Wladyslaw doesn't sound as much of a fop as he initially seems so maybe try to make some conversation with him as a fellow aristocrat? Find out what interests he has, how has it been since the return from exile etc. Better cultivating a relationship with him beyond being Anya's commander than dealing with the Kommissariat, and also who knows if the Republican invasion will go all to plan.

>>3918153
>>There was nothing for it, you supposed. You’d accept the kind offer of hospitality. (And do what? Or even just refuse any social offers and try to be up for the first train out)
Go find Anya and have something to drink then retire for the night.

>>3918153
>>There was nothing for it, you supposed. You’d accept the kind offer of hospitality.
Have a drink to increase our alcoholism skill and try to pick the brain of the king if possible. He actually seems like a smart guy and the Ellowian monarchists could be a useful faction to have connections to in the upcoming conflict. If we spun it right I could theoretically see the monarchists and the NLF coming to an agreement, since they both probably have more to gain from an independent and unified Ellowie than they do from fighting each other...

Sleep and still be tired.

>>3918183
>>3918198
>>3918472
I don't have a problem I have a hobby. Anyways how's the weather lately?

Writing.

“…It is rather late to be going out,” you agreed, “Though I would prefer not to impose if it would cause an imbalance…”

Wladysaw laughed to himself, keeping his fingers near his mouth as though to cover his noise of amusement. “Oh, oh no, be not worried about that, it is my pleasure. Unless anybody were to, say, antagonize my cousin, but I am sure you would wish to have Lady Nowicki near us again, yes?”

A plain nod. “…Of course. I think we would both be interested in what your wine cellar might offer.”

“Yes, Lady Nowicki turned out to be more fond of the sweet wines, it turns out, though the sherry I prefer has potency and flavor… do either of you smoke, perchance?” you shook your head at Wladysaw’s question. “No? Zeeland cigars do have such a flavor to them. Impossible not to pick up a taste for them if you are even adjacent to Vynmark’s high society. The vapors are distasteful to the unacquainted, though, I understand. The North Parlor, then. Come!”

-----

Wladysaw regaled you with the history of the North Parlor’s contents as you both arrived. “Perlowieza is a lovely town, but it was a mere holiday home in the good old days. When the founders of the Republic grew dissatisfied with merely sharing power, they took the old palace and made it the house of rule for an elected official. Imagine, the nerve! The spite! So with it was lost to our family so much beautiful art and artifacts, graciously restored by the Party,” Wladysaw let Anya, then you in, holding the door himself, and followed you, closing the door behind.

“This place is pretty stuffed,” Anya let her eyes travel from one end of the room to the other, packed with paintings, portraits, display cases with labelling and uniforms and outfits on mannequins. A bronze statue of Wladysaw II, styled The Great, was mounted upon a horse in a commanding pose, a full beard upon his metal face, crown atop his head and cape flowing behind him as a hand was turned down to the observer.

“Ah ha, yes, quite so. If only these were in the Royal Palace at Wlasavia, or rather, if I were there as well, rather than the Twaryians. Alas, that is a dream for the future.”

A set of armchairs occupied the space in the center, around a broad and squat tea table. Anya kicked her boots up on it as she sat down, despite your best attempt at a glare, she thumbed her nose at you. “…So you are a patron of the arts, I take it?” you asked Wladysaw, thinking it interesting now to pick his brain. He had caught you off guard- was he not as much a fop as he let on? “What does the King of Ellowie do for his hobbies?”

“Parties,” Anya said for you. “Mingling,” she said in a near derisive voice. “Doing what he’s doing now.”

Wladysaw frowned slightly. “Do you not like parties, Lady Nowicki? You were cut quite a swathe at my Langenachtfest gathering. I would near say you are more suited than many socialites.”

“…She is a mercenary,” you explained, “She is used to rowdier company…perhaps rowdier social gatherings…”

“Competition? Understandable, but so many are afraid of a loss of prestige.” The king smirked and twisted one of his many rings on a finger, “There are however, more illicit gatherings, sometimes in places quite ignoble, by those with such tastes…you could well be invited to such an event if you wish, Lady Nowicki, such things that are usually only found out at parties. Dueling, melee, gambling on such, with high stakes indeed. Not for the faint of heart. Some of the Kommissariat even participate, though I choose to keep my dalliances in the realm of contest. I will be the first to admit that some secretive activities of the nobility are kept in the dark for quite clear reasons beyond modern notions of avoiding bloody contests in favor of battle with padded sticks. I would presume some underground dueling is not unfamiliar to you, given your scar?”

Anya’s brows raised. “This?” She ran her finger along the scar that divided her face in two, “Nah, I got this in a battle. Duels, though huh…to the death?”
“Oh ho, not often, but possibly. Mind you, I thought it would be best to start by watching rather than competing, but you are quite an energetic soul, aren’t you? Enough talk of the underworld tonight, though,” Wladysaw crossed a leg over the other, his black leather boots squeaking. “Again, all you need do is ask, and it is easier to explain at the events in question rather than here. Here,” he spread his arms out, “There is no shortage of conversation subjects suitable for any audience.”

A signal you took advantage of to change the subject. “…Indeed. Would you tell us about your return to the throne? How has it been?”
“Mhm, that…” Wladysaw trailed off, and the door opened, a male servant appearing and bowing.

“You and your guests’ evening refreshments, your majesty.” He and a following attendant placed crystal glasses and a selection of drinks- followed by a tray of small, varied chocolates and candied and spiced fruits.

“Very good. I shall send for if more are needed.” Wladysaw followed the servants out with his eyes, then sighed and shrugged to himself. “The Party does so spoil me, do they not? Ah, be careful with that one, Lady Nowicki, that is a mystery bonbon. A Vynmark fancy, you see. The appeal is in what you might get in that ball of caramel.”

“Then I’ll find out,” Anya declared, popping it in her mouth.

“Daring,” the king said appreciatively.

“…some sorta sweet-sour fruit thing?” Anya never knew how to place things that she wasn’t familiar with.

“Pickled tart-plums, sweetened heavily with honey and syrup.”

“I thought you said was inside was a mystery?” Anya reached in her mouth and pulled out a piece of fruit. Judge above. Could she stop herself from doing that in front of royalty? “Unless it’s not a mystery at all and you’re playing some sorta game.”

“Indeed I am, Lady Nowicki. I prefer to not indulge in the Vynmark tomfoolery of putting things like fermented fish or pepper oil within what is meant to be a pleasant thing. What good is engineering a surprise if you cannot make it a nice one?” He popped the top off a sherry bottle and poured a few fingers into a faceted glass. “Halmeggian sherry, another breed entirely from classic Emrean. There won’t be any new bottles out for some time, either. You have heard of the recent happenings in Halmeggia, of course.”

“…Halmeggia?” you asked, blanking. “…Where is that again?”

Wladysaw frowned, then poured a glass for you. “No frets, not all men have a solid grip upon geography, especially a small and oft peaceful place like Halmeggia. To the west of the Reich, often protected under their shadow. Does that ring any bells? It was ruled over by a constitutional monarchy, a group rose to oust them…some comradery is felt by me, despite not knowing any of them personally. The whole of their family was slaughtered, save for the princess and prince…one of whom is now queen. A bachelorette, at that. I am not ashamed to admit that I would set my sights upon her. Did you know? Halmeggia’s royal family, the Halm-Aurics, have golden eyes. Not like how some describe mere brown eyes, but truly golden, resplendent and radiant. Those eyes are passed down the progeny. Fascinating, no?” He drank some of his sherry. “In any event, they made quite good wine and spirits. Halmeggia, not the royal family itself.”

“Golden eyes?” Anya had been squinting ever since that was brought up, and she grabbed at the bottle of sweet sparkling wine to help herself, but you grabbed it back for fear she’d just slurp straight from the bottle. After a brief tussle where it was established quickly that you wished to be a gentleman, she grouchily acquiesced. “Golden eyes don’t make a lick of sense. Sounds like a fairy tale.”

“I am well assured it is true. No shortage of experts of the human eye, as well as mystics, seek for the eyes of that family. Now they have grown more rare than this sherry will be. As far as plausibility, far to the west, you would have people who hardly believe the hue of the hair of the mountainfolk, mind you.”
“Mossheads pop up enough to believe it. Ain’t nobody walking around with golden eyes ‘cept these people, right?”

“It is hardly the strangest tale about them.” Wladysaw gestured with his crystal glass, swirling dark deep-red sherry. “Their ancestor hundreds of years past was said to be a sorceress. That is the stuff of fairy tales.”

If only you could agree with that, you thought with a solemn swig of brandy. You needed more- the fear was doing its best to creep back in, and you had emptied your reserve before.

“Ah, but I fled from Sir Von Tracht’s question! I did not mean to be rude,” Wladysaw tilted his glass towards you, “To be true, I did not personally mind my exile so much. I had no shortage of willing hosts, but I admit, I have grown to quite like these circumstances restored to my person. I believe I am a simple man, Sir Von Tracht, Lady Nowicki. I wish to have my fun parties, my family’s things in their rightful place, my extravagant tastes entertained and a lovely woman to be my faithful companion. I would also like to not be dead. More difficult in the past than one would think. Such is why Lady Nowicki is one of my most favorite people at present. Ah, speaking of, Lady Nowicki? The box by the sherry. Inside it is a gift, if you do not wish to be decorated by myself. No, it is not the medal.”

Anya paused in a drink, and got up to reach for the velvet covered box. She opened it while standing, and blinked. “…’S not that they’re not pretty, but, my ears aren’t pierced.”

“Look more closely,” Wladysaw encouraged, “They are ear cuffs. You needn’t worry about piercings. I took the liberty of looking at your ears, to be sure.”

“Psh.” Anya touched a hand to her right ear while looking skyward, which had been cleft partially in twain long ago and had a deeper chunk taken out than her face. “Guess that means I don’t have to worry much about them ripping out.”

“Gold with engraving, an antique of one of Wladysaw IV’s mistresses. I thought that with the glamour you strutted in, I would present something that matched it. Not to compete with your…friend? Acquaintance? A mere gesture.”

“Well, thanks, I guess.” Anya said rather offhandedly for being given gold earrings. Maybe it was an act so unknown she didn’t understand it as being more than some sort of payment for services rendered.

“As I was speaking in regards to the restoration of the throne,” Wladysaw did not show any offense at Anya’s lack of proper appreciation, “I do quite appreciate the Party’s consideration, even if my refusal would likely have resulted in one of my dear family attempting to claim that title with reward as a bonus. A very comfortable life in exchange for being the pretty face of a conquering enemy. Delightful. I have no doubt history will look upon me kindly, but that is then, and this is now.” He measured a few more fingers of sherry out slowly. “For now, all is good enough. The future, so much less certain. I could not be blamed for merely wanting to at least maintain for having ascended. Ah, speaking of ascent,” he raised his glass, “A toast to Lady Maddalyn Von Blum, fair wife to our guest, and her health. An illustrious name you have bound yourself to, good man.”

“Prosit,” you said with no hesitation.

“Psh.” Anya emptied her glass roughly. “Sure, whatever.”

“Lady Nowicki told me of your actual romance during our meal. I do hope you are not offended overly so by rumors, but there are few men who do not enjoy gossip, and the courts and high class are themselves particularly infatuated with drama- what an enticing drama the forbidden affair of a nobleman and his common servant in war is, is it not? The truth simply does not tell the best story at times…as Lady Nowicki noted in regard to the Halm-Aurics.”

“Hey, what’s in this one?” Anya pointed to a “mystery” bonbon.

“Salted caramel.”

The sweet vanished into Anya’s mouth no sooner. “Y’know, I was expecting you t’ screw with me for that one,” Anya said after a few chews.

“A good surprise, no?” the king smirked ever so slightly, leaning back in his chair, drumming clinking fingers against glass. “Not to hurry things, but should you grow weary, no worries. Rooms have already been made for each of you. Individual rooms. You will not be disturbed if you wish.”

>Speak more? (On what?)
>Merely retire.
>Perhaps hint at any…dissatisfaction with the Party? Perhaps Ellowian independence could benefit the good High Protector too…
>Other?

>>3918887
>Speak more? (Since we're on the topic of our courtship we could always ask him about his own pursuits. Finding love at his station must be hard when your family isn't arranging it for you.)

>>3918943
I support this. We should also mentioned the rumored Ellowian Gold Stash. It sounded ridiculous, so perhaps play it off jokingly. We're not hurting for gold, but in the off chance that there is hidden gold out there, better to know than not.

>>3918943
>>3918944
Supporting

>>3918887
>Perhaps hint at any…dissatisfaction with the Party? Perhaps Ellowian independence could benefit the good High Protector too…
The party has been pretty stingy for us at the border, do they offer more support for the High Protector? No knowing who could be listening here, so much better to only prompt the King to voice his opinion then directly ask for it.

>>3918887
>Speak more?
There is likely an Ellowian underground in Twaryi as well. What does the king think of the perspectives of Netilland supporting them, as Twaryi does with the NLF?

As an aside, if the Ellowian republicans and monarchists unite and manage to win, it will surely lead to political infighting right afterwards. Yet it looks to me like Wladyslaw is interested in safety, comfort and prestige, but not actual power. I wonder if he would agree to make future Ellowie a very constitutional monarchy and be just a figurehead? then it's possible Ellowie will manage to stay united.

>>3918887
>>Speak more
The Party does seem to be keeping him quite comfortable, but surely he would prefer to be the king of an independent Ellowie if given the opportunity? If only to strengthen the security of his status, if he doesn't desire true power. After all, these days it's so easy for former friends to suddenly turn into enemies, and vice-versa. Has he ever given any thought to any such contingency plans?

>>3918943
supporting

One forever later.
>>3918943
>>3918964
>>3919406
What client?
I cannot tell you it's confidential.
Aw c'mon why not?
No I can't. Anyway-

>>3918944
How's your gold life?

>>3919092
Ellowian underground in Twaryi, and support of them.

>>3919083
Do you feel supported?

>>3919159
And what if you were King instead of High Protector?

Writing.

Perhaps you had found an unexpected potential ally in the High Protector. Perhaps then, you thought idly as your fingers closed around a glass of brandy again, it would be best to converse longer into the night? Even if Anya was starting to look restless. She hadn’t drunk much more- rather unlike earlier times she’d been around both you and an excess of liquor.

“…On romance and drama,” you wandered back to the subject after a gulp of golden, rich stuff that was labeled like a few bottles could buy an automobile. “My betrothal was arranged by my family. Such is the way of nobility, after all. It must be difficult for you as family head, to not have those matters arranged for you. Are you having trouble finding…love?”

Anya snorted, and Wladysaw laughed to himself as well. “My my, what a suggestion you are making. As though you wish to render aid. Fear not, I am merely selective. I do browse so many parties and gatherings to do more than entertain myself and hear the sound of my own voice. I am just much more subtle than my cousin.”

“A Ribbon with an itch’d be more subtle,” Anya said scathingly. You thanked your lucky stars that the expression on Wladysaw’s face signaled he didn’t understand what she was referring to, entirely. “Least it’s not hard to hear that much.”

“…Yes, rumor is hardly kind to my cousin, but I would like it remembered that, in spite of her flaws, she is my family.” The King said defensively, and as an ever so slight warning. Anya rolled her eyes. “What about you, Lady Nowicki?” Still a lady, apparently. “You are of the right age to be married. Have you been on the lookout?”

“Nah.”

“Why not?”

Anya closed her eyes and leaned back in her armchair, one arm tucked as best she could into the other to have crossed arms while one was in a sling, her legs apart. “Stuck on somebody, I guess.”

“Oh?” Wladysaw leaned forward, “Who is the lucky man?”

“He’s dead.”

“Oh.”

“Yeah.”

“My condolences, then,” the King of Ellowie sat straight again.

“It’s no big deal.” Anya said that, but her posture was still plenty chilly. Maybe you could think of a subject with some levity.

“…I’ve heard the hunt is on for the Ellowian Republic’s gold reserve…” you mused into your drink. “A treasure hunt is always fun…isn’t it..?”

“Hm. Well, that treasure hunt would be brief indeed, for I would wager it has already been found.” Wladysaw said, “If the Twaryians did not intercept it, it has been taken out of the country. A fantasy for those not apprised of facts that narrow down the possibilities quite a bit.”

“Awful sure still, aren’t you. So what’re the facts?” Anya asked from beneath a tilted cap.

“Two trains were spotted from the air departing from the capital once the famed Ellowian Republican Air Force terrorized the skies less. It wasn’t known what was in them at the time, but one was found to be captured by a Twarian scout element that derailed it, and the other was found empty at where the current border with Sosaldt is. Officials interrogated later indeed said, the contents of the now empty capital vault had been moved out by train…Neither party that might own the gold now has any reason to shout about it to the world, of course, and to many men, if the conclusion to the tale was never announced, perhaps there was no conclusion, hm?”

“Sorta want to know where it is now, you put it like that.” Anya replied to all that shortly. “’Course, even if it’s already in somebody’s hands, don’t mean it can’t be taken right back away again.”

“What a daring heist that would be.”

“Nabbing it’d be feeling worth more than the pile of metal itself,” Anya was beginning to entertain herself with her own idea, from how she focused her eyes on some invisible thing in front of her. “…Damn, now I wanna know just to see how hard it’d be…”

Very hard. Probably. You took the chance to interject. “…I know some of the Revolutionary League and the National Liberation Front…but not of the insurgency active in Twaryian territory. The…I forget what they are called…”

“Yes, the Eastern Resistance Army.” The King finished another glass of brandy. “Ah, this does sit quite nicely after a meal. Good and mellow. As I was saying, the Twaryians do indeed tangle with insurgents as well. It may sound ironic coming from myself, but Ellowie was never a people easily cowed. The NLF once caused trouble over there as well…but I have heard little of that. The Twaryians do not readily share news of their predicaments, after all. I did advise a political move, that the Eastern Resistance Army might be able to resist the east better by coming here and supporting the regime and the party, but for whatever reason, they seem averse to doing that.”

“They want to kick ass, not kiss it.” Anya summed up. “No ‘fense.”

“None taken, Lady Nowicki, none whatsoever. It was only an offer for them, not an obligation.”

You met Anya’s eyes in a glance- an opportunity to follow that up was present. Had she started thinking the same thing you had? Or perhaps she was trying to be less obvious about it than you were about to be. Well, there wouldn’t be a better time and place than here and now, and if it didn’t go so well- it was only a thought experiment, right? You’d feel things out a little more first.

“…Considering the restrictions in the border zone, attempting even mild reaching out across the border must not have been easy. Does the party…lend sufficient aid to you, considering your duties..?” you asked innocently, steadily. With a few more gulps of steadying alcohol after.

The king cocked an eyebrow. “Naturally they lend what is deemed sufficient, but I doubt it is any secret that the most they want to give is the least that they can. Hardly unusual, to be true.”

“…Say that changed,” you suggested dangerously, “Say that the Party…deservingly…relinquished the state to you entirely, to administer with its resources rather than being overseer for the Party. Would you say that would be better or worse for you..?” You reinforced your point as Wladysaw’s eyes narrowed. “…Unlikely I know…but in these changing times, where friends and enemies seem to be changing at a glance…like how Twaryi and Netilland did and changed right back…is it not good to be prepared for whatever may come? Especially the…pleasant surprises..?”

Wladysaw’s mouth crooked upward ever so slightly, and he shook his head. “Sir Von Tracht, do you think the Party would have dared to put a man in my position whom they would fear might have ambitions of independence, delusions of grandeur? There is no reason to be so cagey. You are a man of the Archduchy, and a friend of my savior no less. However, look at it this way. Imagine a man in a maze has found a box with something good in it, just large enough to carry in his arms- heavy enough to need both of them. A pack of goblins then set upon him, but they dare not strike him, for fear that the man will drop the chest upon the ground and break what is inside, for they want that thing too, but they could not lift the box. Now, the man spies a ledge, that he cannot quite reach- up that ledge, freedom from the maze, perhaps some thing better than he is carrying. Perhaps, if he puts the chest down, he can stand atop it to reach the ledge and pull himself up it…but when he puts down that box, if it turns out that it was not tall enough for him to stand upon to escape…I am sure I need not tell this parable any longer.”

“So you’re sayin’ that guy’d like a bigger box, or a shorter ledge, but there’s somethin’ you didn’t mention,” Anya pointed at Wladysaw, tipping her cap back with her other hand, “How tall the guy is.”

“…Do you like taller men..?” you mumbled to yourself.

“Shaddup.” Anya said without looking, “It’s important, isn’t it? Guy’s too short, after all, and he won’t even think of tryin’ to reach it, or jump it, or nothing.”

“Well well, then, Lady Nowicki,” Wladysaw kept his eyes on her with that same wry quarter-smirk, “How tall do you think he is?”

Anya squinted at the King, and held her tongue a moment. “Dunno yet.”

“Quite generous, Lady Nowicki.”

“Whatever. I’m tired. C’mon, Richter.” Anya stood up, “Time for bed.”

“…Excuse me..?”

“We both get our own rooms, right?” Anya said, “But I wake up earlier than you. If you go to sleep later’n me we’ll miss the first morning train out. I ain’t takin’ more’n one day off, get it? So you’re hitting the sack.”

“…Really now…” You thought that implicit command to go to bed to be something possibly denied just out of smartass spite.

“You’re hitting the sack,” Anya said drily, as she lashed out with a claw and dragged you to face level by your collar, “or I’m knocking your lights out myself. C’mon.”

“It seems,” Wladysaw said, leaning back into his chair fully, “That I am bidding you both good night, then. Pleasant dreams to you both. I’ll find you a good doctor within the week, Sir Von Tracht.”

-----

It made you feel a bit guilty, to have a warm, soft bed and access to a bath after a night of drinks with the king. While everybody else was out in the cold. If progress was continuing at a good rate on the underground stations, then that wouldn’t necessarily be for long, at least. It was only the smallest comfort that this was ultimately for the sake of not making yourself a burden, while aiding in your mission from the Archduchy as well. Socializing certainly wasn’t as frightening a prospect as battle- well, obviously.

You wouldn’t grow any more accustomed to it if you put it off forever, though.

A good night’s sleep with only the hint of whispering inside your head was abruptly punctuated by your back and head hitting the carpeted floor.

“Agpth!” you coughed, “Wha?”

“Six sharp! Time to go! Anya complained, “Hurry up!”

Judge above, it was still dark outside, you thought groggily as Anya only let you go so you could get your uniform back on. The King wasn’t even bid good morning or farewell. No time in Anya’s schedule for that. The whole train ride back Anya was twitchy. She kept glancing out the window, despite any advice to take the chance to rest more. A chance you didn’t take either, though, to be entirely fair.

Something was clearly happening when the train pulled into Kamienisty- everybody was ordered off, and told there was a general alert. A short query told you why- a reported incursion near the town of New Houdeberg, at the edge of your assigned sector. A call had gone for 5th Battalion’s 1st Company to respond, with their armor contingent- to support the 2nd Company in repelling any potential attack, and both had deployed- more information to come when available.

Right when you got back, huh. Before, even. First thing in the morning. Though if this attack followed the trend of escalation…would you need to intervene? There was precious little intelligence, and time spent waiting for more could be time that could have been spent better acting.

>Probably an overreaction. New Houdeberg was out of your sector, anyways, and your unit would be in a supporting role. You could focus on getting back to base.
>You had to get to your unit as soon as possible. Find any transportation you can to get over to the area and take command.
>There was no reason not to think this would be a serious and large scale attack- and you needed the weight of numbers. Call for help from somebody…(Who? And how much?)
>Other?

>>3920893
>>You had to get to your unit as soon as possible. Find any transportation you can to get over to the area and take command.

>>3920893
>>You had to get to your unit as soon as possible. Find any transportation you can to get over to the area and take command.
We have to go into combat again sooner or later anyway

>>3920893
>You had to get to your unit as soon as possible. Find any transportation you can to get over to the area and take command.

>>3920893
>Probably an overreaction. New Houdeberg was out of your sector, anyways, and your unit would be in a supporting role. You could focus on getting back to base.
Everything's fine, we need to chill for now

>>3920896
>>3921009
>>3921307
A prompt return.

>>3921312
Everything's fine.

Writing.

“So we’re going, right?” Anya demanded of you just after you’d made your decision.

A reassuring four-second pull on a newly acquired bottle of brandy. Getting a flask would have to wait, at this pace. “…Of course we are.”

Motorcycle of car couriers could be a pain in rear to get at times, but one such time was not when you announced you were going to take command of the field. Well, “courier.” The actual driver was kicked out of his wagon and Anya took the wheel before you could say anything. You hoped that her one handed driving to the place where deployment was happening was better than driving away from the hospital. A futile effort, because she drove even more dangerously- though the haste this time was at least understandable.

What was this feeling? As the car shook over plowed road scattered with gravel, and you spotted formations ahead. Was this…dread? You thumbed your bottle of brandy again- was your buzz fading, or were you going to have to drug yourself further? A ring was already beginning to develop in your ears, a low whine like a mortar shell on eternal descent. Shivers- though it was cold, wasn’t it? That was normal…

You arrived east-southeast of New Houdeberg by several kilometers, along the road. Two tanks were visible along with what appeared to be a single Netillian platoon on the edge of a short rise in the irregular terrain, rippled in places despite the variation seeming insignificant on a map- the off white of the mercenary armor next to the blue of one of your own tanks. As you came closer, you saw that it was the X-80; the tank equipped with a low velocity support gun, and a variety of shells- including High Explosive Plastic shot, which if you recalled what you were told, would now or very soon be entering full production. The exact mechanics of its function slipped the mind, but you did remember it to have a certain effect upon armor. Perhaps that was why it had been deployed now. As far as you knew, not a single one of the special shots had yet been tested against an enemy.

“Morning, commander,” Junior Lieutenant Krause noticed you driving up alongside, and called out to you, “Perfect timing.” He noticed your shuddering and how tight you kept your limbs immediately. “Are you feeling alright?”

“…No, er, no…” Damn it all. “I’ll be fine. Give me…give me a report.”

“Don’t know much yet,” Krause said, flicking his eyes back towards the colonial town. “Doesn’t sound like much a fuss yet. We were asked to hold back and cover 2nd Company’s contingent as they investigate. Scouts were saying they saw armor and troops, and there’s been audio contact, but we haven’t actually seen anything yet. The audio was small, too. Not more than one or two. The other people haven’t seen what the scouts reported either.”

Hard to believe. The terrain might have been uneven with a few copses of trees giving some places to hide, but any formation with a vehicle would be hard pressed to keep moving and remain hidden, especially with the purported noisiness of Twaryian vehicles. “Heard that 2nd Company was going to request a gyro from the UGZ-07,” Krause followed up.

“A gyro?” Anya blurted out, saving you from asking.

“An autogyro. It’s like…a plane, but it can go very slow. It has a propeller-thing on top.” Krause formed his hand into a mock plane shape and illustrated with steady movement. “Some new ones were assigned after the uprising. They’ve been used in Netilland for monitoring riots, I’ve heard. Easier to get our hands on because they’re attached to closer units.”

An eye in the sky would most certainly help you find the intrusion, but only were it actually flying.

“Well, they’re not gonna fight you now if they can help it,” Anya said from the driver’s side, not deigning to get out. “Near, what, over a hundred fifty guys, two tanks? If you haven’t found ‘em they can’t be bigger than what we’ve got. They don’t like those odds, remember when we talked about that?”

“No, I don’t think they’ll seek us out,” Krause kept eyes out, “But if we have such a numerical advantage, I was thinking we could catch them. Perhaps take prisoners.”

“Eh.” Anya sighed, “Sounds boring. What’re you all shook up for, Richter? We’ve got the edge, didn’t you hear? Is it that bad?” You replied with a drink of brandy. “Sheesh. Anyways, if there’s not a lot of people around and we don’t know where to get them anyways, what’s keeping us? Leave a tank here for whatever little thing is actually here if you think they’re ballsy enough to dash for it when we leave, and we head back.”

“I wouldn’t have thought you to pass up a scrap,” Krause mused to himself.

“I’ve got a bad feeling.” Anya said, “If they were looking around, why are they still screwing around in our turf? Why risk being caught at all?”

“…You think it’s a diversion..?” you guessed.

“Or they’re trying to waste our time.”

>You didn’t bring out tanks for nothing. Keep what you had here and make an effort to catch the trespassers. Everywhere else was likely safe enough without what was here. (Alternatively, leave a single tank/part of the infantry)
>Chasing one’s own tail was entertaining for a dog, but not you. Pull your troops and tanks back, 2nd company had this handled. Best to keep a stern defensive posture in your own area of responsibility, just in case.
>If this was a diversion, maybe it was time for a diversion of your own. Organize a raid. (With what target/area?)
>Other?

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>>3921869
I think we should radio HQ and tell them to be on the lookout in case a larger raid is going to try to push towards Jorgenstown or Hill 33, and then we should raid south and then west with some of our contingent to scout behind that forest to see if they're trying to lure us into an ambush behind it. If we don't see anything backing up those trees, we can sandwich the small contingent annoying Houdeberg, and assume that they're launching a raid elsewhere. If we encounter a big force waiting back there, we can just bounce out like the Twaryians have been doing.

>>3921869
Does 2nd Company have any anti-armor or support weapons? How bad would we leave them in the lurch against armor if we weren't here?

Don't they usually raid at night?
I'm thinking this is the Twaryians testing Richters reaction specifically, they've already tried to nab him once so they must think he's special.

So either we start acting one way at the beginning of this week (defensively stay put or impulsively raid them) then mix it up if they continue their provocation to keep them off balance.

Part of me wants to raid them back but there doesn't look like there is any good targets close by besides the big obvious one at Dymny or go into their territory just to cut off the most direct route the raiders would take to retreat.

(Alternatively, leave a single tank/part of the infantry)
They have plenty of groundhumpers, leave the X-80 for support at most

>Chasing one’s own tail was entertaining for a dog, but not you. Pull your troops and tanks back, 2nd company had this handled. Best to keep a stern defensive posture in your own area of responsibility, just in case.
Any combat with Richter at the wheel needs his crew at the bare minimum. He can't even speak right or sit in a tank to direct from.

>>3921925
>Does 2nd Company have any anti-armor or support weapons? How bad would we leave them in the lurch against armor if we weren't here?

They possess anti tank rifles of Netillian make. How effective they are against Twaryian equipment remains to be seen.

>Don't they usually raid at night?

Not necessarily usually insofar as to mark a preference to operate in the dark, and more that they don't shirk from darkness. All of the larger battles occurred during daylight. Incursions happen whenever both day and night.

>>3921941
>as to mark a preference
A heavy preference, that is. As Anya has said, she describes them "liking" "poking around" in the dark.

>>3921869
If it's a diversion, I wonder who they wanted to distract - us or the 2nd Company? The law of narrative economy says it's us
As to what could be their actual target, I would wager on either our HQ, or Kamienisty / the governor's manor, attacking between UGZ-09 and the HQ.

>Radio to HQ to be on their guard
>Launch a raid with our tanks and trucks (if any) towards SE of hill 22, because that's THE place to hide artillery.

>>3921869
>>Chasing one’s own tail was entertaining for a dog, but not you. Pull your troops and tanks back, 2nd company had this handled. Best to keep a stern defensive posture in your own area of responsibility, just in case.
Check with the guys building the outpost on Hill 33 if they can see any enemy movement. Plus put HQ on alert.

>>3921869
>>You didn’t bring out tanks for nothing. Keep what you had here and make an effort to catch the trespassers.
Conduct a rapid sweep of the area then return to base as quickly as possible, minimizing the time we spend dealing with the incursion. That will let the Twaryians know they can't just distract us indefinitely with minor disturbances.

>>3921869
>>Chasing one’s own tail was entertaining for a dog, but not you. Pull your troops and tanks back, 2nd company had this handled. Best to keep a stern defensive posture in your own area of responsibility, just in case.
If it's potentially just infantry in the area 2nd Company should be able to handle them.

>>3921918
>>3921965
Counter raid!

>>3922486
Sweep up locally.

>>3921925
>>3922151
>>3922629
Play it safe- withdraw assets.

Alrighty then, getting on it.

>>3922924
By the way tanq what's the scale for the local map?

>>3923017
Square kilometer per square, I try to always have it marked somewhere.

It's a pretty wide area- but such is the rules of the Border Zone, not too many allowed in meaning a lot of ground to cover.

It was certainly a diversion, you thought, but for who? You? It felt out of character for the Twaryians locally to suddenly poke around New Houdeberg, when there had been several significant scale conflicts directly in your region. Or was this representative of a general increase in activity all along the border? You doubted that. If the Twaryians weren’t for whatever reason interested in your sector…in you, even, they would have tried this earlier after their initial feeling out. Perhaps it was vain to assume that you were the focus, but after having near been abducted, you couldn’t help but feel that you were wanted for some reason. What were the other potential targets? The towns? Kamienisty’s railhead? Certainly not the UGZs, as those were well stationed with troops even without accounting for outside threat. Your base of operations, maybe?

For now though it was best to keep safe, by your measure. Or were you just trying to avoid a fight? No, you thought with another gulp of alcohol, well, sort of, but no, a fight was inevitable, but as you were…you wanted to enter it with the best odds possible. Which meant concentrating your forces and expecting an incursion in your sector, rather than chasing shadows helping another unit that didn’t even need your help.

“…We’re taking our people back,” you decided, “…No more chasing our tails around here. If this is a diversion, I want…all our people together…Krause, I want you to call headquarters…tell them to be prepared for an attack, and have them contact the outpost I had set up…see if whomever is there has seen anything from the height…”
“I’ll tell you right when they get back to me,” Krause said. “If you don’t mind rousing Lieutenant Borscholm, Sergeant.”

Anya went off wordlessly, leaving you in the car. By the time everybody was moving back, Krause had gotten the first reports from headquarters- All three remaining platoons were forming a defensive triangle around the headquarters, while the watch posted with a field telephone on the hill told of what their scouts saw- Twaryian counterparts keeping an eye out from sparse woods, left unengaged and disappearing when the scouts exposed themselves. Such was Border Zone etiquette, in a fashion- being officially at peace, one wasn’t supposed to shoot their rival in anger on sight, not unless there was to be a serious scuffle. Rather, one was supposed to give a chase and apprehend them unless it could be assumed that the group was large enough to be looking for a real fight. Perhaps the Twaryians took advantage of this assumption- the outpost people only reported pairs of easterners wandering about, never enough to be constituted an actual threat.

Your assembled returning unit passed through 4th platoon on the way back, their commander notably absent, presumably tasked with manning a tank instead, should the time come. In spite of your swift return, or maybe, because of it…no attack was forthcoming, even after half an hour of further defensive posturing, ears perked to the wind and eyes wrenched open. Did you make the right decision, you thought, doubting yourself. The brandy bottle was almost half empty now, but you still had the shakes. This was killing you. Where were the Twaryians? In frustration, you requested scouting parties sent out…and they reported back something utterly bizarre.

“You won’t believe this,” a staff officer back at the headquarters said, “But…just at the border, south of Grabarz Hill…there’s an armor platoon, the same type as the captured armor, four tanks- and two platoons roughly of infantry. They’re…I’m sorry, this sounds ludicrous, but they’re in a parade formation, just, standing.”

“…Just standing…” you repeated.

“Yes. Not entrenched.”

“…Are they flying a truce flag..?”

“No.”

>Was this meant to mock you? This was no game. Remind them of that- send the mortars forward to bombard them.
>Maybe the enemy commander was playing at some sort of romantic proper battle, like in older times. If that was the case, and this a large scale duel, maybe you would oblige them. (Take who and what along?)
>Let them stand there, then. Either it was a ridiculous distraction or a taunt, and you’d pay attention to neither. Remain in position.
>Other?

>>3923201
>>Let them stand there, then. Either it was a ridiculous distraction or a taunt, and you’d pay attention to neither. Remain in position.

>>3923201
>>Let them stand there, then. Either it was a ridiculous distraction or a taunt, and you’d pay attention to neither. Remain in position.

>>3923201
>>Let them stand there, then. Either it was a ridiculous distraction or a taunt, and you’d pay attention to neither. Remain in position.

>>3923238
>>3923325
>>3923463
Let 'em stand around in the cold. They seem comfortable.

Writing.

So be it, then, you thought with bafflement giving way to dim acceptance. They could stand around like fools for all you cared. It was either a distraction, or a taunt, and you didn’t feel like giving any attention to either. All remained in position, as you said- there weren’t prompts from any of the staff officers to do otherwise, either. Why go and have a fight for the sake of it, they must have thought, with no real objective other than to do battle against a rather strong for? It wasn’t the ideal battle you were waiting for, so it could be left well alone.

Updates were sent, regardless, that you received from the headquarters command tent, whose equipment was such that an underground replacement of suitable size would take some time to make. Close to the motor pool- if you were going to go out, it would be inside the protective shell of armor. With no skill at shooting a gun and terrible apprehension of being shot at, the best you could do…was try to not be a burden on your crew.

Another hour passed, with no news. The same Twaryians just standing out there, loitering. Your troops standing ready, digging deeper with time. The crews getting restless as they wondered whether they should warm up the engines just in case. Your brandy gradually decreasing in quantity. There was absolutely no way that the Twaryians of all people knew about your new weakness. This waiting tactic probably was meant to irritate you rather than drain your supply of steadying liquor- you would have to find some more at this rate, or possibly resign yourself to staying out of the line of battle entirely without something to steel your nerves.

A surprisingly quiet buzzing noise brought you out, and you saw what must have been one of the told-about autogyros puttering slowly above. It hadn’t been asked for, yet here it was. Let more people play this waiting game, then.

Another hour of naught but idleness. Krause came in and voiced the concerns of the armor officers- having the men waiting all day for an enemy looking less and less likely to attack en masse, especially with the Autogyro now patrolling back and forth, would tire them out and dull their awareness. Indeed, reports from up and down the report suggested nothing else was happening. To the north, the Twaryians roaming about earlier had been chased out, though 2nd company failed to catch anybody- no casualties or damage was taken either, on the bright side. You were inclined to agree that keeping everybody on alert was less and less justified, though it made you think, what was all of this for? The Twaryians didn’t lose anything from this just being an empty ploy, but they gained nothing either- and Anya noted that Twaryians hated the odds being against them. Was there a real infiltration occurring? Were the Twaryians giving as much time as they could to trying to provoke you? Or, was this some bizarre test by your opposite commander?

“Message from 12th Armored Cavalry Battalion, first company.” An aide came and announced to you, “Captain Edelschwert. Says he’s heard word of a Twaryian formation in need of destruction- says it is time for some vengeance, and he’s on his way with nine vehicles.” After the destruction of one platoon, and part of the armored car section, you picked your brain, that was…his whole command? “Proposed either you link up with him with your own vehicles…or keep out of the way.”

>Good luck to the Captain, then. You weren’t going to stick your neck out on this one, but hell if you were going to keep somebody else from charging in.
>With the Blue Knights the odds were overwhelming. Could you turn that offer down? Get the tanks running and move to rendezvous. (How many of them, which ones, commanders if less than maximum?)
>Get on the radio. You had to convince the captain to not go through with this arbitrary pursuit, even if you had to block him yourself should he not listen. (How?)
>Other?

>>3923765
Part of me wants to just mortar them. Probably wouldn't do any damage but it would suitably get the message across of "fuck off, we're full."

>Other?
Let Edelschwert spring the trap alone but get our tanks up and moving and intercept behind the Twaryians on parade and confront either the secret ambush hiding near the bait or cut off their retreat if they really are just out in the open for some kind of weird ass duel.

It costs 1 fuel for two tanks right? Let's spend 2 fuel for X-50, X-5, Eakova and the X-80 plus 3rd and 1st platoon.

Get the mortars lined up for Edelschwert if they are in range too.

Maybe we can radio 2nd Battalion and warn them shit is about to go down if we need either back up or a chance to raid further? Who's in charge over there anyway?

tanq is there a way to radio the autogyro so we know what he can see?

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>>3923785
Shit my bad
X-51* as well

>>3923765
>>Good luck to the Captain, then. You weren’t going to stick your neck out on this one, but hell if you were going to keep somebody else from charging in.
Whether the Twaryians have some deadly ambush in place or this is some diplomatic ploy to allow them to claim that we were the aggressors I don't see any reason for us to risk taking blame for whatever goes wrong. Plus if Edelshwert's forces get fucked up again he'll certainly try to blame us again if we get involved. I'd say to send him a radio message warning him not to attack just to cover our own asses in case he tries to blame us for not helping.

>>3923765
Supporting >>3923785
If we play this right we could make Edelschwert our ally.
Also warn him on the radio that we suspect it's a trap. This is unlikely to dissuade him but it'll cover our ass.

>>3923785
Supporting. Get the mortars to open up on their infantry and maybe we can make it a pure tank fight.
Also contact 2nd Company and see if they're willing to perform a counter-raid or feint into Twaryian territory; maybe that should draw potential ambushers or reinforcements away from us. Also definitely warn Edelschwert of any potential ambush or fake retreat.

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>>3923909

>>3923785
>>3923765
This, radio Edelschwert and let him know. Time to smash some Twaryians.

>>3923785
Other thoughts I considered:

Is that autogyro in the air friendly for sure? Could it be Twaryian? If it is then we won't be able to surprise them so we want to make sure it's on our side first.

The area where the parade is happening is probably already lined up by Twaryian mortars so Ed is going to have a bad time. May want to tell him this.

>>3924206
I think both us and the Blue Knight's vehicles should be pretty resistant to any shrapnel unless a bomb lands directly on top of a vehicle. Plus he doesn't seem to have any infantry with him so it shouldn't really be that bad.

>>3923785
>>3923816
>>3923909
>>3923950
Take advantage of the situation. Prepare an anvil. Get your artillery support in order, and get 2nd (Company) aware of the situation.

Also watch out for rain Ed Mag.

>>3923804
This'll go wrong and you're not gonna get involved with something that goes wrong.

I should have clarified a few things so I'll not quite call yet in case of adjustment. I woke up late being my excuse.

>>3923785
>It costs 1 fuel for two tanks right?
One fuel per vehicle sortied- though the support being called north was granted on condition of having your fuel reimbursed- the reserves are still at 7 units. I looked back to see why there'd be the assumption of 1 per 2 sortied- and it was on the subject of using RP to buy emergency fuel reserves.

But in any case, it's 1-1 fuel for vehicle deployed. Current arrangement would mean 4 fuel expenditure- which is a fair bit more a commitment than 2 after all. Not that more fuel is impossible to perhaps arrange some favors for if your attention is not demanded at the time.

>Who's in charge (of 2nd company) over there anyway?
It hasn't been particularly important yet. They'll be identified next update.

>is there a way to radio the autogyro so we know what he can see?
Netilland's ground to air coordination like most countries in setting isn't stellar to say the least, but asking an observation craft what it sees is simple enough, after a little red tape in getting them to talk to you rather than whoever they're jabbering to now.

>>3924206
>Is that autogyro in the air friendly for sure? Could it be Twaryian? If it is then we won't be able to surprise them so we want to make sure it's on our side first.

Richter would assume so- he certainly hasn't heard of Twaryians using these odd vehicles, but then, he also didn't know what an autogyro was either. Whether or not he once did and it fell out of his head can't be said for sure.

That said the Netillian Cross would plastered on it in the case of it being friendly so that may as well be telling enough with a good look.

>>3924240
>I think both us and the Blue Knight's vehicles should be pretty resistant to any shrapnel unless a bomb lands directly on top of a vehicle.

For mortars, yes, this is the case. Normally, the Armored Cavalry actually do have an infantry component that either ride on the vehicles or (in better times) in trucks, but they appear to have not been brought.

I won't quite start writing yet in case there are changes in plan due to the fuel situation in particular.

>>3924584
Just to check what's the composition of the Blue Knight's remaining force? How many of those nine are tanks?

>>3924604
>Just to check what's the composition of the Blue Knight's remaining force? How many of those nine are tanks?

You aren't normally privy to the precise composition of other units off-handedly; less a matter of actual restrictions and more a case of it not being that important most of the time. So the types aren't precisely known to you, however, because of general proximity and, well, seeing them, you know the balance is five tanks to four armored cars. All have cannon- no only-machine-gun-carriers here.

>>3924654
Yeah in that case I'd say stick to sending out four tanks then. Obviously it's a lot of fuel but with Richter in his current state and the Blue Knights mixed performance so far better to have a bunch of experienced commanders around especially if Gerovic is aiming for us.

These Twaryians definitely aren't made of cardboard, right?

Alright then, probably let it sit for way too long, but best to be sure and fridays tend to be slow and I'm a lazy cunt but I'll be updating now, with view to maintaining the original deal, plus details.

I didn't actually ask which platoon was going to sniff around the woods for ambushers but I think it can be assumed to be 1st platoon, they're already warmed up anyways.

“…” You paused and briefly considered letting Edelschert learn some humility, but, he didn’t seem overtly offensive when he considered that he might have been wrong about your retinue’s responsibility for casualties. Perhaps, you could make him an useful ally, rather than potentially leave him to be an utterly lacking in utility dead body. A plan began to gather together…you needed a map. “…Get me a map…” as one was fetched, you considered whether or not this required particularly closely coordinated cooperation. Once it was placed before you, you continued. “…Tell the Captain we’ll help him. I want the mortar section getting in range of the enemy gathering, and 1st company…to…” you trailed your fingers along the vague regions where woodland became more dense. “…1st company to follow this…ugh. Get Lieutenant Borscholm, my tank commanders…all here. Tell Captain Edelschwert that we’ll be on our way shortly, and…I want to ask a favor from 2nd company for us helping out…I want to be on their net while you get the others…”
-----

The commander of the 5th Battalion’s 2nd Company, one Captain Nihlm, was rather surprised to hear of a request for his troops to go across the border, chasing after what had already been deemed lost. Even more awkward was specifying the request was a diversion. To put it bluntly, his reply at first was that he got nothing for it. He became more amenable with your assurance that you were sure that he had nothing to fear so long as he evaded battle like you advised, though that might have been because of a promise to reimburse any disaster as appropriate. A debt you were certain would never come about. The Twaryian commander, who had to be Gerovic considering the use of armor, may have been thus far inscrutable, but there was no way he was some madman attempting a double-deception to lure a diversion attack somewhere else entirely into an ambush. The arrangement was sealed with a vague promise to “help out” further down the line. Annoying, but necessary, and you doubted that the “favor” would exactly be arduous considering the easy nature of the mission you had for 2nd company.

The autogyro was also asked after. Apparently, it would be in the air for another twenty minutes at best, and the request to have it do some flyovers was granted, but by your timetable it wouldn’t have much time left once you started moving to spot anything more. Its frequency was given to you, at least- the codes were army standard, so no complexities there. Its call sign was Cirrus One, the craft, a two-man Aeronautika Ryggrad Observation and Spotting Gyroplane. Maybe in the past any of those words might have meant something. Faintly, you could recall that the Jordguden Ryggrad were the mountains south of Naukland…perhaps it was a design from there?

Edelschwert would have to be delayed some for everything to line up, but it wasn’t as though the Twaryians were heading anywhere in a hurry. Patience could be easily bought with the promise of your help after all. The Captain would understand the need for a plan and preparation of at least a minimal sort, you were sure. A correct assumption- he also, upon being told you would aid him, shared his plan of battle. Shared back to him was yours, a return of favor and tactical boon for you both to not be completely trying to use each other.

In the small time between arranging 2nd company’s intervention and having your officers to be involved in this gathered, you scribbled out your vague plan on the map. Thoughts flowed much more easily looking at the abstract, and with you already getting antsy thinking about a fight…how times had changed. For this you had deemed it necessary to involve all your available armor officers, Junior Lieutenant Krause, your retinue, Anya, and newly hired mercenary Eakova.

“…Lieutenant Borscholm will take his men south, and secure these woods against a flank or ambush, while we use it for cover to move against the enemy…here…” you pointed the place out on the map, “…Meanwhile, Captain Edelschwert will be approaching from the north, on the road and railway, moving around Grabarz Hill…Hill 33…”

“What are our bounding pairs?” Eakova suddenly asked.

“…Bounding pairs..?”

“Er,” Krause coughed, “We have always conformed to Battle Line tactic. Maximization of firepower on contact backed up by cover from supporting elements.”

“Nah.” Eakova shook her head, “Hey, creampuff.”

“Call me that again and I’ll whack you in front of everybody here, shitty mug.” Anya snarled back.

“Eat shit. You were with the Hogs, right? You know what I’m talking about? Pair with me and we can have the other two be the cover pair.

Anya flicked her eyes over to you, then Krause. “Hey, Stache. Are you gonna be able to look after Fairy Boy?”

Krause blinked at Anya. “I’m surprised you’re surrendering a position at his side.”

“Shut up. Yes or no?”

“You have nothing to worry about, Creampuff.”

Anya leapt up and planted her foot in Krause’s chest hard enough to knock him and his chair completely over before sitting back down, her fists still clenched tight. The back of Krause’s chair had broken on falling- he was forced to sit on a glorified stool now.

Enough goofing around, you wanted to say, but the more brevity the better at this point. “…Eakova will be using her tank, Anya and I will utilize the X-51 and X-50 respectively…Junior Lieutenant Krause will take the X-80…Er, you were…Toon boss?”

“Junior Lieutenant.” Eakova answered.

“…Yes. Could you tell us how this bounding pairs works..?” It felt like yet another thing you should have known, but fell right out of your head. Surrounded by people who at least knew something of your current condition, it would be irresponsible to pretend that you knew everything.

“One half of the toon goes forward to a place, the other stays back and covers their movement. You have less on a line in initial contact, but it means you’re never in a situation where everybody has to stop and find the guys shootin’ at ‘em if they’re caught off guard. Might even mean you get first shot instead of them,” Eakova explained briefly. “It’s how I’m used to doing things. Ain’t no battle line when you’re doing merc work in the badlands. Most of the time, ‘least.”

You’d have wondered what the exceptions to the rule were. “…We could do that, I suppose, if you and Anya could lead the way…” You cleared your throat in an attempt to buy time for your brain’s list of things to think on to catch up. “…Anyways…getting back to the plan. 1st platoon will secure our flank ahead of us. If Lieutenant Borscholm encounters significant trouble, we’ll divert over there…but ideally, we want to avoid fighting until Captain Edelschwert starts the fighting from his side. We’ll want to be quick after that…the mortars will begin firing immediately before his attack, and considering how the last battle of his unit against Twaryian armor went…even with numerical superiority, they won’t last long unless we hit right after they start…are there any questions..?”

“Yeah.” Anya immediately leaned forward and put her finger on the map. “What if I’m Gerovic and my guys see us coming this way, so I stop playing with myself here, and move up here to fight you?”

“Then Edelschwert still comes from the north and hits them in the rear.” Krause said, “Then they’re in a worse position than they’d be otherwise.”

“Maybe. But do we want to be the first ones shot at? Also, what if 1st platoon goes here and finds something nasty? Like another armor toon? What are we doing if there’s more than we think?”

“…Well, what would you do..?” you asked, but Anya shook her head.

“No, I’m asking you.” It didn’t seem like a defensive statement- she looked like she had ideas, but maybe she was just seeing how yours aligned. A test of how well your tactical acumen had held up, maybe? It was true that you didn’t feel nearly as confident about such…but maybe that was legitimately your nerves instead of something you lost?

A pass over by the autogyro would at least give you some potential warning, but the terrain was forested- with the prevalence of evergreens locally, it wasn’t guaranteed even aerial scouts would find anything. However, the theoretical was what was being presented currently, not a guarantee, anyways.

>Then you’d fight and dispatch them before moving on. Words haughtier than you felt…but you had dependable allies, did you not?
>You’d hate to have to demand it of 1st platoon, but it was needed of them. They’d have to do their best to occupy the enemy until you had dealt with the tanks.
>You’d be forced to draw back, and advise Edelschwert to do the same. The only reason you were doing this at all was an unfair advantage on your part, after all…
>Other?

>>3926192
>Then you’d fight and dispatch them before moving on. Words haughtier than you felt…but you had dependable allies, did you not?

>>3926192
>>Then you’d fight and dispatch them before moving on. Words haughtier than you felt…but you had dependable allies, did you not?
Our infantry definitely can't take on armour

>>3926192
>Then you’d fight and dispatch them before moving on. Words haughtier than you felt…but you had dependable allies, did you not?

>>3926192
>Then you’d fight and dispatch them before moving on. Words haughtier than you felt…but you had dependable allies, did you not?

>>3926192
>Then you’d fight and dispatch them before moving on. Words haughtier than you felt…but you had dependable allies, did you not?
We probably won't get a better chance at this without spending some serious pull plus the uncertainty of a future raid.

We know where a (hopefully) significant portion of his forces are just sitting, we have another whole friendly battalion to the north causing trouble and all previous experience has shown that the Twaryians tend to pull out when the odds aren't in their favor.
If they have enough to counter this we won't have to worry about more trouble at that point because it will be the start of another War.

>>3926211
>>3926217
>>3926229
>>3926311
>>3926333
Quite certain on dependability. Especially since you don't have much choice how you are.

Update soon.

The answer felt refreshingly obvious. “…Then we’ll dispatch them before moving on. Our infantry doesn’t have proper anti-armor assets, after all…” rationalizing made the haughtiness easier. Assuming you could just deal with them and move on wasn’t something so easy to believe anymore.

Anya straightened back and put her hand on a hip. “Good.”

An idea had been to pull back and wait for an ideal fight, but frankly, a more ideal fight wouldn’t come. With 2nd company causing trouble on your behalf, the enemy being dangled in front of your nose for once, and any further escalation likely leading to a battle large enough to precipitate actual war, this was your best chance to wipe out a significant portion of Gerovic’s command, no matter what strange game he was playing. Yes, a war between Twaryi and Netilland may have been a possible end goal of the mischief you were trying to cause, but…not yet, apparently. Else the Major would not have commanded you to eliminate Gerovic. Either his acceleration of events was too quick for even the Intelligence Office to compensate for, or he was too erratic to predict or try to control. In any case, destroying one of his platoons would at least hamper his ability to send his armor out to cause trouble, and thus hopefully calm down matters for long enough for the Intelligence Office to gather information and plant spies to give you a fix on his location- and thereafter destroy the threat he posed for good.

There were no further questions afterwards. Just a reiteration of roles, confirmation of who was going where, and you were all out once more. Lieutenant Borscholm to his platoon, and the rest of you to the now-warming up tanks. The feeling of the commander’s seat felt alien- like a place from childhood abandoned for years, before returning to the same place and seeing it changed completely, even if the change was just the height it was viewed from and the knowledge of places to compare it to. An odd mix of discomfort and fascination…yet you could not compel yourself to open the cupola to turn out. It felt so, so much better to be encased in steel, your comrades close by.

You emptied the entire brandy bottle into your mouth.

-----

Eakova’s tank was louder than your others by a fair margin, you noted from inside your turret, the hatch closed tight. Hopefully that wouldn’t expose you too soon. First platoon was already distant, and your “bound group” composed of you and Krause kept behind the pair of commanders from the wild south, Anya’s former employer (and perhaps, in a way, family) coming to visit her again. Whenever they would stop, you would advance to their position, cover them as they went forward, and such went on for the advance.

>roll is for observation, DC 40 roll under

Rolled 61 (1d100)

>>3926737

>>3926741
This is for us or the Twaryians?

>>3926747
For the gyro.

Cirrus One’s report after flying over the ground wasn’t exactly heartening. The trees were too thick in many places- and the open places hadn’t revealed much. Not even a report of whether or not there were tread tracks. Maybe it was nothing after all, but…at the very least, it was confirmed that nothing was in the open ready to spring a trap or arrive as sudden reinforcement. Twaryian black stuck out like a sore thumb on the snow, and you’d not heard nor seen them adjust to a more subtle color.

It would be much more reassuring if you could speak with 1st platoon. Field telephones were not carried by platoons, especially not on a raid where there was a trail that would lead an enemy right to a platoon’s rear even if they did have one. You’d have to trust Lieutenant Borscholm’s ability, which…you knew rather little of, as well as not knowing much of his disposition besides an inoffensive and quiet personality. He had done well in the operation where a pack of Revolutionary League insurgents had been captured, but you couldn’t be sure how much of that was him and how much was Anya.

“Coordinator, are you nearly in position? The Armored Cav are chomping at the bit down there.” the hilltop outpost relayed to you, their geographical prominence blocking easy traffic to Edelschwert himself.

“…Yeah, yeah, about.” You coughed roughly, “He can go ahead anytime. Pop…pop the signal off for the mortars.”

“Hold on.” The outpost replied quickly, “Hold on, something’s happening. Half the guys with the tanks just broke off. They’re heading up northwest, towards the woods. At double time.”
Damn. There must have been eyes watching for you, but not enough to be obvious. Did that mean there weren’t people to resist first company’s movement into there, or were reinforcements being deployed to back up what was already there? The mortars were on standby. Perhaps you should adjust targets?

>Keep things as planned. The mortars had to disrupt things for when Edelschwert advanced and he gave the signal, they couldn’t change targets no matter the circumstances.
>Try and keep the enemy contingent breaking off from moving further. Have the mortars try and pin them down with a guess at their path of advance.
>Keep mortars on standby to support 1st Company for when they encountered trouble. Edelschwert would have to do without, given the development.
>Other?
Also-
>Urge 1st Company forward with a prearranged signal to double time it. You bet on the woods not being firmly manned.
>Have 1st Company break off movement. Keep them close where you could directly support each other.
>No change in movement or orders.
>Other? (Complex commands are unavailable unless you or somebody else gets over there)

>>3926805
>>Try and keep the enemy contingent breaking off from moving further. Have the mortars try and pin them down with a guess at their path of advance.
>Urge 1st Company forward with a prearranged signal to double time it. You bet on the woods not being firmly manned.

>>3926805
So wait, Parade group is now 2 tanks plus 1 company of infantry?

In what universe does that beat 4 tanks and 4 motor cars without one helluva trap set up?
The only thing I can think of is Gerovic somehow has a way to call down Arty or sir support.

And just in case there is such a thing:
>Other? (Complex commands are unavailable unless you or somebody else gets over there)
Lets use that mobility of his, have Edelschwert head around and strike Parade group on the other side away from us as opposed to where he was originally gonna go. His call when to strike but I suggest either now in the confusion or wait until we hit contacts and have him strike them if they move the rest to support their boys against us.

>Keep mortars on standby to support 1st Company for when they encountered trouble. Edelschwert would have to do without, given the development.
They are just gonna miss if they try and predict the path. Better they are free for when we find the woods are actually manned and static positions of the enemy are clearer.
>Urge 1st Company forward with a prearranged signal to double time it. You bet on the woods not being firmly manned.

>>3927111
To clarify:
Wedge his speedy units to hit the reinforcements. While they are on the move. Even if it's just a hit and run I'm banking on them being faster than the two tanks keeping time with the groundhumpers.

>>3926805
>Keep things as planned. The mortars had to disrupt things for when Edelschwert advanced and he gave the signal, they couldn’t change targets no matter the circumstances.
>Urge 1st Company forward with a prearranged signal to double time it. You bet on the woods not being firmly manned.
Mortars going to be pretty useless firimg into the woods when the gyro can't spot anything and our infantry has no radios. Too much risk of friendly fire as well.

BTW Tanq as >>3927111 has also asked, is it half the infantry and tanks which have broken off or just infantry only?

Unexpected falling over and dying. Unfortunately it'll also be some longer before I get to updates either, so apologies.

>>3927225
>>3927111
Half of the "guys with the tanks", they meant the infantry not the vehicles themselves. In summary, a group appearing to be two platoons infantry and four tanks had one platoon split off while the others remained in place. Apologies for the unclear wording.

>>3927472
No problem, the vote's even right now anyway for the first part.

>>3927472
Ah, good to know
In that case I'll switch my vote to
>Keep things as planned. The mortars had to disrupt things for when Edelschwert advanced and he gave the signal, they couldn’t change targets no matter the circumstances.

There's still plenty of infantry for him to deal with then, mortars should help even that out.
Also means if they are only splitting one platoon off then there is probably armor in those woods, maybe they are unsupported.

>>3927505
It's
>>3927111

Raids done. Now to actually update.

>>3926859
Coordinate operations to quickly capture the ground while delaying the enemy.

>>3927163
>>3927505
Make 1st Company work for their salt. The focus of support remains the 12th.

Writing.

“…Just…listen to Edelschwert…this is fine…” you coughed out. In your head where liquor and fear weren’t meshing together to form a mushy mouthed moron, you thought this the best logical step. Edelschwert’s formation would be the spearhead and hammer of this battle coming up, and they would need all the help they could get. You would have to gamble on 1st Company being closer to the flank position than the Twaryians coming up. Whoever arrived second would receive a nasty surprise- hopefully there wasn’t a nasty surprise already waiting for you.

Meanwhile, Lieutenant Borscholm had to be signaled to charge. With no radio in his platoon, you’d have to send the message the old fashioned way- with a colored flare pistol. For simplicity’s sake, it had simply been green for “accelerate” and red for “pull back,” so you checked for a red shell, before shakily opening the top cupola hatch. Unwilling to do more than stick the barrel of the gun out the top, you were briefly thankful a flare didn’t have to be aimed as you pulled the trigger and felt the now alien sensation of recoil.

“Getaehur heddeut, kommandehrr,” Jorgen chastised beside you. “Kannsee sheite sittin’ onayerass.”

“…Sorry…” you said, head hazy, but every time your head drew near the surface, you felt anxious. If you weren’t likely drunk, you’d have fled from it altogether. When you looked despairingly at Jorgen like a child afraid of dipping his toes in water, he sighed and rubbed his face with a heavy gloved hand.
You listened to the report of 1st platoon disappearing into the forest rather than looking yourself, and quickly afterwards, you heard the mortars firing off far away- Edelschwert announcing the beginning of an attack by blinding the enemy with smoke. For the best, probably- the advantages of larger guns and thicker armor were less the closer the engagement became. The irregular ground would hopefully provide the approach more cover- at least, time for you to arrive upon the other flank before too much damage was suffered.

As a another bound was looking to finally get you in view of the enemy, and the source of the billowing white smoke blowing from far off, you heard gunfire to the south. 1st platoon smacking headlong into their opponents, you would presume. No longer raw recruits after a solid month in the border zone and equipped with Stormtrooper spec assault squad and armor, as well as new machine guns and a platoon munitions caster, you were willing to bet they were far better equipped than their Twaryian opponents. If their tenacity was equal…remained to be seen. It would be Lieutenant Borscholm’s first test against a spirited opponent, certainly- you hoped he would not disappoint.

>Need two rolls of 1d100- one for 1st Platoon, and one for the tank battle beginning.
>1st Platoon will have a bonus of 25 (entirely from equipment, as well as a -1 casualties taken due to Stormtroopers)- quite hefty, as both the enemy and the 1st are regular experience, canceling each other’s bonuses out for practical purposes.
>The Blue Knights are seeking to close a distance rather than necessarily give decisive battle- a defeating roll will result in outmaneuvering rather than direct casualties, though such is not necessarily the same vice versa, as degrees of failure will give opportunities for the Twaryians to attack- not good for much of the lightly armored friendly contingent. Blue Knights get +10 to roll from smoke cover, and +10 to maneuvering rolls from Captain Edelschwert’s trait of Raider Commander, for +20.
Degrees of success/failure are based on differences of 10- rounded down.

Keep passing out trying to write late at night- not great, since those are my most efficient writing hours.

Rolled 82 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>3928497

Rolled 62 + 25 (1d100 + 25)

>>3928497

>>3928522
Welp, wrong modifier. Just subtract 5 pls.

Rolled 40, 48 = 88 (2d100)

>>3928512
>>3928522
Alright then, rolling their opposition, then.

Rolled 7, 4 = 11 (2d10)

>>3928526
And rolling casualty rate. Winner has it reduced by how much they won by (6, in this case, plus another reduction for Stormtroopers in cqc)

The thumping of immediate munitions caster fire told you that Borscholm had gotten the initiative- as did the following buzzing of machine guns. Whose they were, you didn’t know. More information that direly needed to be replaced, but you had a feeling you had nothing to worry about. Especially since the munitions caster was keeping a steady rate of fire up.

Closing the gap between your armor and the Twaryians, you noticed something off. It appeared, from your position on the rough flank, Captain Edelschwert had managed to bounce forward and come much closer than the rest of the formation with three of his vehicles, the others lagging behind, but not too far. However, the Twaryians had responded to this by pulling back, surrendering ground. Had they been spooked by the numbers facing them? Your tanks were certainly faster than theirs could be going in reverse, you thought, not daring to get a closer look with binoculars, since you’d have to poke out for that- you had had the current information relayed to you by your forward bound element.

If Edelschwert was pushing them back, you no longer could count on cleanly encountering the flank. You’d either have to get on line with Edelschwert and settle for frontal battle, or…

“Boss, if 1st toon is taking on who’s in the trees,” Anya spoke up over the platoon network, “We can cut through those woods to try and get on their flank, since they’re backing up so much that our original advance isn’t gonna find their flank no more.”

>So be it. Charge through the forest. A face to face fight wasn’t the scenario you’d played out in your head.
>If Edelschwert was drawn too far forward, his weaker vehicles would be vulnerable. Get on line with his people and continue the pressure.
>You weren’t about to be lured any further into Twaryian territory than you planned. Advise Edelschwert to either hold or pull back, and switch focus to destroying the Twaryians that were fighting 1st platoon now. Wiping them out would be a decent victory.
>Other?

>>3928548
>Ask Edelschwert to hold while we're killing off whoever's in the forest. There's no better revenge than killing a man's subordinates while he's trying to retreat, this will shame him forever. And if he returns to help them, we'll flank him.

>>3928548
>>So be it. Charge through the forest. A face to face fight wasn’t the scenario you’d played out in your head.
Our tanks armour is inferior to them so let's try not to hit them face on.

>>3928548
>So be it. Charge through the forest. A face to face fight wasn’t the scenario you’d played out in your head.

>>3928548
>So be it. Charge through the forest. A face to face fight wasn’t the scenario you’d played out in your head.
I'm still worried Gerovic has surprise artillery and we need to close the gap.
Also we'll let Ed worry about his own tonks. As long as Dio isn't in charge

>>3928548
>>So be it. Charge through the forest. A face to face fight wasn’t the scenario you’d played out in your head.

>>3928555
Hold off.

>>3928558
>>3928561
>>3928594
>>3928601
Take advantage of the fighting to cut through the forest. Imagine if things weren't going your way.

Writing.

No time to put it in your own words. “…Lead the way,” you said right back, approval implicit. Then, to your crew. “Keep on the X-51’s tail…we’re moving through the forests to reach the flank.”

“Through the fighting?” Hans asked over the intercom.

“…Yes.” You didn’t want to think about it. The proximity of gunfire was already unnerving, and you would be passing through it…You were distracted by the desire to hold somebody close. Your fiancée, maybe even Anya again, though you could still smell Maddalyn’s perfume in her scarf, while Anya…smelled like cordite and sweat. There was already enough of those in the tank that you buried your nose in your scarf and tried to forget where you were and what you were doing for but an instant.

The tank spun to the right and you felt every dip and rise as the engine’s parts spun and whirred behind you, Malachi putting the tank well through its paces. It slid down and slipped up, but you could at least peek through the cupola’s vision blocks and see that you were moving swiftly, the other pair about thirty meters front from you and about to hit the trees.

A storm of rings and bangs battered out from the front of the tank, and you jumped, before unwillingly tucking yourself into a ball, despite yourself.

“It’s alright, commander, it’s alright!” Stein put a hand on your shoulder, “Keep it together!”

Easy for him to say…easy for him to say…you refused to loosen yourself, as even though bullets were not clanging off the armor, there were still explosions, surprising losses in traction sending you sprawling, and so, so many more rifle shots than you thought, all so much louder than you remembered, the sound of each from outside a needle in your senses.

“Geddepan lehk rehnd!” Jorgen shouted at you, trying to tug you up by your collar, “Wehr blehnd!” The Yaegir’s powerful grip was too much for your feeble scrambling to resist, but your eyes remained shut. No, you couldn’t look! Somebody might see you! Hurt you!” Yet that overwhelming sense, after the shock of it slamming into you, felt like it wasn’t penetrating as deeply as it should have…the brandy, perhaps. You deigned to open your eyes, and look around the cupola, though no chance of poking out, and you saw…chaos.

No, not chaos all around. Your men of 1st company, running forth, from behind. In front, and to the flanks, the Twaryians were scattering, despite you not lingering to fire upon them. Armor charging through their lines on top of whatever advantage 1st company had was ripping their cohesion apart, as individuals both lingered and fled in the face of what must have looked a collapse in the lines.

Your terror faded with the gunfire as you outpaced the fleeing Twaryians and were in front of them, but still in loose trees. Easier now to “keep a lookout,” you did your best to do so with your heart pounding in your ears and your forehead, until a report came from the front.

“There they are!” Eakova’s voice sounded off, “…Fifteen hundred meters.”

“Their flanks are wide open,” Krause said soon after, “We’re pretty far off for a good shot.”

“We can get closer,” Anya urged, “They’re shut up in there and we’re past their screen. We can get closer and get better shots right on their sides.”

“What about Captain Edelschwert?” Krause asked, “They’re well past the smoke, and the Twaryians look to be slowing down to engage…”

“If we start missing them here we might tip them off and lose our angle. The Captain wouldn’t be getting up in their faces if he didn’t know the risk.” Anya was obviously biting back the urge to simply say fuck ‘em.

>Issue the order to engage at long range. The shots weren’t the best, and the X-80 would suffer the most, but it was flank shots, and Edelschwert needed the support.
>Order to close the distance and get certain shots. You’d only have the advantage of surprise for a short time, and you needed to capitalize on it.
>Other?

>>3928745
>>Order to close the distance and get certain shots. You’d only have the advantage of surprise for a short time, and you needed to capitalize on it.

>>3928745
>Order to close the distance and get certain shots. You’d only have the advantage of surprise for a short time, and you needed to capitalize on it.

>>3928745
>>Order to close the distance and get certain shots. You’d only have the advantage of surprise for a short time, and you needed to capitalize on it.

>>3928745
>>Order to close the distance and get certain shots. You’d only have the advantage of surprise for a short time, and you needed to capitalize on it.

>>3928752
>>3928756
>>3928761
>>3928810
The only shots I want are good ones. So no jello.
Writing.

“…Get closer…” you did your best to not sound timid and afraid, to match the seeming imperturbability of those who stood around you. No more words came out, despite any desire to say anything impressive or valorous. After a moment, the formation began to move again at speed, after a brief affirmative. You couldn’t remember how close was ideal- you trusted your compatriots to stop when they were confident.

You focused instead on peering about, watching for an ambush, a trap. Was there one? Or was this relative boldness unexpected? No, if there was a trap, the flanking route would have been left completely open. What you had was, for once, a welcome windfall of fortune.

Cannon fire began to ripple in front of your platoon, and you flinched despite yourself, before peering through the forward vision block, squinting, to try and see how Edelschwert’s battle was unfolding. The closer they got, you knew, the more the odds would even up, but they had been quite uneven in the first place. What would happen if none of his vehicles’ weapons were strong enough to pierce the Twaryian armor?

>As you advance for the ideal opening volley, Edelschwert’s vehicles move in to do their utmost to take vengeance. The Twaryians have ceased pulling back, finally forced to engage rather than turn round. Give a 1d100, first come first serve, to determine your allies’ fortune. Odds are -20 due to inadequate weapons and armor…save one. Edelschwert’s seat of command, an Ellowian medium, perhaps the only equal of his opponents.

Rolled 74 (1d100)

>>3928897

Rolled 11 (1d100)

>>3928911
Not a bad roll, really.

>>3928914
Even better with that

It was utterly inexplicable.

The only other action you’d heard them partaking in, they had embarrassed themselves. Yet here, the Blue Knights were not being slaughtered, but had managed to exploit the terrain to avoid destruction. It spurred your curiosity enough to barely pull over the cupola…and view with your binoculars what was happening. From what it looked like, Edelschwert’s command tank, much sturdier looking than the rest, which were quite small tanks with puny armament, its frontal hull a wedge shape- you recognized it, not the name, which you had forgotten, but from your memories here, it was the same type of tank as the Ashes had gathered round for shelter. Here, it was commanded by their enemy- perhaps fighting an enemy, though, that it would have originally anyways.

The Twaryians must have thought it a priority target for how it was showered with fire, but it stood stalwart, its armor repelling what was shot for it, and at the same time providing cover for its compatriots dashing about. A single Netillian-make tank, low slung with no turret and with a hull like a beetle’s shell, shot from ground so low you could barely see it poking up. Edelschwert had made himself the most obvious and threatening target, drew the enemy’s fire- and even though his tank was having as much success against the eastern armor as they were having against him, you noticed that two of the tanks were not firing so much, or appeared to be attempting to move, only to pivot, or grind in place.

Opportunistic shots and dodging and weaving in the low terrain, combined with Edelschwert continuing to absorb punishment the whole time, completely captured the Twaryian’s attention. A silent prayer of thanks to the Judge above, for deeming you virtuous enough to let the pieces fall into place this way in spite of how pathetic you felt.
Without your bidding, the tank stopped, and the turret began to turn. The gun levelled, then stopped. A moment of silence- some respect for you still, somehow, as the order to fire was awaited.

>Roll 2 sets of 2d100, DC roll under 85, for your platoon firing upon the vulnerable flank. Damage will depend on how much lower the roll is than DC.

Rolled 20, 3 = 23 (2d100)

>>3928945

Rolled 80, 4 = 84 (2d100)

>>3928945

>>3928954
>>3928957
Get fucked, Gerovic.

>>3928957
Oof

“…Left to right…” you muttered into the radio, referring to matching your formation’s guns against the targets. “…Fire when ready…”
Stein must have heard you even without the intercom, as no sooner had that suggestion left your lips than the tank rocked back with the blast of the cannon, the brass of the shell clanked down to the bottom of the tank, and you watched a glowing shot sail into the distance, followed by several more in sequence, like a meteor shower burning over the midday snow.

A pair of plumes of black smoke and flame, followed by a distant, massive, POOWH that echoed over the hills, streaking trails of smoking debris flying into the air over the targets. After a moment to compose yourself, you warily looked again, and saw…two enemy tanks reduced to smoldering wrecks, a third struck in the hull and smoking, its crew bailing out. The fourth seemed to have been struck by a shaped charge from Krause’s tank, from the ruin of its drive sprocket. A moment later, it became the sole subject of several vehicles’ spite, and despite it seeming intact, it appeared, its turret had been jammed and its vision jammed by the fire of automatic small cannon. In an instant, your platoon had practically eliminated in full an enemy platoon.

Pure elation. Relief. Maybe one shouldn’t have counted their chickens before they hatched, but you couldn’t help but feel like you’d clawed your way up from an edge. You wanted to stare at those burning vehicles forever, were it not for a call from Edelschwert ringing in your headset.

“Excellent work, Coordinator.” A pleasant change in tone since yesterday. “There is still Twaryian infantry that was mixed in with the armor, hugging the defilades. I have the mind to follow up and crush them utterly. Proper payment in full would hardly be equivalent, I would say.”

Ah, right. The remaining platoon, that had likely retreated with the tanks they had stood with. To tell the truth, they were not the main threat. The Twaryians did have anti-tank assets, though, you knew- would it be worth the risk to make the victory here crushing rather than merely indisputable? Despite two of the foes’ tanks exploding, two more would be merely knocked out- repairable, able to be extracted since they were on the Twaryian side of the border. Finishing off the enemy could also mean significant prisoners, which had evaded you thus far. Even better, ones with relation to your adversary, Captain Gerovic, if it wasn’t too greedy to hope he was here in the first place. A bounty worth risking the intervention of Twaryian reinforcements, surely on their way (or perhaps, perilously close) with how matters had escalated.

Then again, you thought, maybe it was best to leave things as they were. As fabulous a victory as was before your fingertips- maybe too much of one would cause panic. This was not a war, despite appearances. There was a reason, before recently, actions were tit for tat, following a rule of equivalency. Would it be incorrect to wreak too much ruin?

>This was a good enough bloody nose. Order everybody to pull back.
>You could show some mercy, but it would be worth it to take advantage of your superiority in the field- perhaps execute some recon to scout out targets?
>You were hardly finished yet. Cleanse the field. Make this a blow so shocking the Twaryians would dare not mess with you again.
>Other?

>>3929027
>>You could show some mercy, but it would be worth it to take advantage of your superiority in the field- perhaps execute some recon to scout out targets?
Let Krause and our tank destroy the knocked out armour and get Anya and Eakova to do some recon.

>>3929044
Also take back control of the mortars and get them to pound the infantry. No need for anyone to get close.

>>3929027
>>You were hardly finished yet. Cleanse the field. Make this a blow so shocking the Twaryians would dare not mess with you again.

>>3929027
Supporting these >>3929044 >>3929054. Might have been nice to haul one of these disabled tanks back over border but the odds of us doing that before any anti-tank-capable reinforcement arrives seems quite unlikely

>>3929027
>You were hardly finished yet. Cleanse the field. Make this a blow so shocking the Twaryians would dare not mess with you again.
We ARE trying to provoke a war.

>>3929027
>>You could show some mercy, but it would be worth it to take advantage of your superiority in the field- perhaps execute some recon to scout out targets?
Just to check how are we gonna transport prisoners back across if we do capture them?

>>3929205
>Just to check how are we gonna transport prisoners back across if we do capture them?

However you think you can. Though to be more helpful, two of Edelschwert's armored cars are designed to carry up to four passengers inside. Any more than that and it's either creative solutions or the old fashioned way.

>>3929027
>You were hardly finished yet. Cleanse the field. Make this a blow so shocking the Twaryians would dare not mess with you again.

>>3929219
Are we able to get Cirrus One to do the scouting instead? If we can then I'll switch to >You were hardly finished yet. Cleanse the field. Make this a blow so shocking the Twaryians would dare not mess with you again.

>>3929254
Aircraft aren't really supposed to stray over the border. Most keep a decent ways away save for short little jaunts barely over the line (such as what they did) that are practically in and out for fear of getting burned out of the air by justified ground fire, or worse, potentially having fighters sent after them.
Could you have them do it? If they could be convinced to perform something so dangerous, perhaps, but autogyros are by design rather slow aircraft, so they couldn't be blamed for, well, not wanting to get shot up. There's also the fact that an aircraft being brought down is evidence of a blatant treaty violation concerning not sending aircraft over the border (technically the raids are absolutely legal, for purposes of "pursuing insurgents and criminals, as much as it has been flagrantly misinterpreted, skirmishes are still less offensive to politics than an aircraft sent from a higher up commander) It would be a different story if it were your side of the border.

>>3929027
>You could show some mercy, but it would be worth it to take advantage of your superiority in the field- perhaps execute some recon to scout out targets?
>>3929120
>We ARE trying to provoke a war.
>While we still have a rabbit for a commander
Sasuga anon-sama

>>3929288
Are they able to increase their altitude? They should be able to see like major bases and other fixed concentrations even from our side.

>>3929297
If not nvm then stick to the original plan

>>3929297
That sort of thing is most likely already recorded by other intelligence and observation much more suited to it than a low flying autogyro. Getting access to such is another matter- though probably not hard and more a matter of not having much justifiable use for such at your level of authority.

>>3929294
Presumably if a full-on war kicks off between Twaryi and Netilland we would be pulled out rather than fighting for Netilland on the front lines for some reason. The real question is whether the IO wants a full on war to break out so soon, but they haven't told us what they do or don't want anyway so fuck it. The remains of the Ellowian army seem to be pretty far along in their preparations to retake their country so no time like the present to begin round two of that three-way clusterfuck I suppose.

>>3929027
>>You could show some mercy, but it would be worth it to take advantage of your superiority in the field- perhaps execute some recon to scout out targets?

The reason we are going after Gerovic is that he is advancing the countdown to war too quickly. If we wipe them out then we'll be doing his job for him and giving the Twaryians more excuse to launch punitive raids. Take the time to grab important looking prisoners like some of the tank crews, scout out the terrain properly if we have to come raiding this way again and properly destroy the remaining tanks.

If Ed wants to scatter the infantry he can but destroying them would take too long and we shouldn't stay on this side of the line in daylight much longer. I'd imagine they'd have already called in for backup from other sectors like we did with the Blue Knights and 2nd Battalion.

Raids end.
>>3929044
>>3929078
>>3929205
>>3929294
>>3929654
You've had your fun, though since you're here, may as well see where the picnic spots are. Shoot up what's left and keep mobile, though.

>>3929066
>>3929120
>>3929247
Rip and tear!

Writing in a bit.

“…I would say…leave them be.” You said to Edelschwert, knowing you had no command over his actions, so you appealed to his logic. “We’ve won. They’ll be coming with reinforcements…best to step out while we’ve…just won with a four-five-six…”

“Pardon? A four five six?”

“…Never mind.” You dismissed your gambling metaphor, “I do not intend to overstay my welcome…Since we have the good fortune to have not lost any vehicles, I intend…only to stay long enough to ensure the destruction…of enemy materiel…and do some scouting…”

“Much as I would finish them, I understand. I will send a portion of my force to aid in the retreat of your infantry, then.” Edelschwert said, “I will remain with my main force to cover your retreat.”

“…That is very generous of you…I will also try and have the mortars keep the remaining infantry pinned…so keep clear. Thank you…” Then, you changed to the platoon network. “…Krause…you and I will keep shooting at the tanks…until they’re all aflame or rubble. Anya, take…take Eakova, and see what you can find while we’re here to the east, to get next time…avoid battle…please.”

“I’ll be fine. Worry about yourself,” was Anya’s curt answer. You followed her and Eakova’s tanks as they proceeded back east, the region closer to your own area of influence.

The finishing of the enemy tanks was done quickly, though they required multiple shots before each was finally properly aflame. A watchful eye was kept south- and you could certainly hear noisy Twaryian tanks far off. Lingering much longer was a poor idea. The splashing of mortars in the snow and the wrecked hulls gouting fire and smoke were good enough to leave as is. The barrage would cease as you left, and you’d leave the enemy to lick their wounds. Not only because you didn’t want to deal with reinforcements- you were also wary of perpetrating too grandiose a victory. As much as you undeniably still thirsted for glory, even as you only with great difficulty emerged from your armored hiding place, you knew that Gerovic had been planning something here. It was entirely possible that wiping out everything you encountered had somehow been in his plans, perhaps, to present you as a threat that justified to his superiors a disproportionate use of force to forge across the border and destroy you- a potentially massive incident that would cause the destabilization the Intelligence Office was wary of having just yet. No, you still had to restrain yourself, for now. Not that you were fighting fit at all, let alone for a desperate defense against what would be a huge attack. The 12th lost a platoon, Gerovic lost a platoon. Equivalent exchange.

Rolled 2 (1d6)

As you doubled back once more, looking right to the pinned infantry and smoldering vehicles, and left to scattered infantry sent running from both 1st platoon’s solid blocking of them followed by armor frightening them away while they were fragile. Somewhere beyond, Anya and Eakova. One a mercenary, not somebody you felt particular concern for beyond obligation, the other…hopefully they didn’t run into trouble.

>1-2-Minor Target
>3-4-Major Target
>5-Nothing important
>6-Trouble

“We found a supply dump. Not a big one.” Anya’s voice crackled with interference, “Leaving it alone for now. Not much a target.”

Well, it was something, you thought, as you proceeded past Edelschwert’s tanks.

“I want to look more.” Anya said further, “I feel like I just need to wander a bit further. I’ll be fine.”

>Tug on Anya’s leash. You’d already won a battle, you didn’t need to get even more out of it.
>Allow it. She had the sense to withdraw when she felt it unsafe. Could you not trust her senses? (Get one more recon roll.)
>Accept and partake in some recon yourself. Risky, but you felt lucky. (Get two more recon rolls)
>Other?
Found targets will be marked after all recon is done.

>>3930160
>>Tug on Anya’s leash. You’d already won a battle, you didn’t need to get even more out of it.

>>3930160
>Allow it. She had the sense to withdraw when she felt it unsafe. Could you not trust her senses? (Get one more recon roll.)
But only one.

>>3930160
>>Allow it. She had the sense to withdraw when she felt it unsafe. Could you not trust her senses? (Get one more recon roll.)

>>3930160
>>Allow it. She had the sense to withdraw when she felt it unsafe. Could you not trust her senses? (Get one more recon roll.)
She can probably hear the incoming tanks as well.

>>3930160
>Allow it.
What could possibly go wrong?

>>3930160
>>Tug on Anya’s leash. You’d already won a battle, you didn’t need to get even more out of it.

I'll get to writing as soon as I get back from a couple errands. And stuffing my face.

>>3930173
>>3930608
Give that ribbon around her neck a yank, what's the worst that could happen?

>>3930174
>>3930179
>>3930181
>>3930196
I would like something better than a pile of crap as a mark on a map, please.

In that case, I'll just roll for the result right now. Same set as last time.

Rolled 3 (1d6)

>>3930684
Ahem.

>>3930685
Noice!

>>3930685
Dab on them

Not enough coffee this morning, seems. Apologies again, update soon.

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“…Only for a bit longer,” you allowed, reluctantly. Anya had the good sense to withdraw when she felt it unsafe, yes, yet, she also had it in her to disregard her own health. Her dominant arm hanging in a sling attested to that. Yet could you really hold her back anyways? “…The first sign of danger, come on back…Everyone else is going back.”

“I’ll be running silent until we return.” Anya said, her rarely broken clipped tone over the radio ever an unusual departure from her usual manner of speaking.

So it was. As Anya and Eakova maintained radio silence on their continued reconnaissance, you passed by 1st Platoon as they returned over the border, some prisoners in tow. Lieutenant Borscholm, short with a wide, round face and ears that splayed out making his head as broad as it was tall, ran up beside the tank as you approached, and bent down, hands on his knees, panting clouds into the winter air. He looked dirty and scuffled- he had been getting around a fair bit, from the looks of it.

>Lieutenant Borscholm has gained the trait “Aggressive Leader”- Aggressive Leaders have a bonus to rolls when assaulting or otherwise in offensive posture.

“Casualties, sir,” Borscholm called up as you peered over the cupola. “Four of em. They’re hurt pretty bad, but they’ll live. Wish you could have seen us. We kicked their butts!” Borscholm, in spite of his exertion, was beaming. With the sole major victory of last week belonging to him and now this, it was understandable that he was riding high. “Caught prisoners too, though, you’ll want to look at them, sir. They’re not what I’d have expected.”

Still too close to the border to bother playing the game and leaving to look yourself, you elected instead to gruffly say, “…How so…say what’s strange…”

Borscholm’s expression dimmed, but he told anyways. “Well, you know how Twaryians speak, well, Twaryian?”

“…Caelussian…”

“Yeah that. Well, these guys weren’t speaking that. They talk in New Nauk.”

Borscholm was still playing this game of wanting you to keep guessing or finish his thoughts for him, and you weren’t in the mood. “…Get to the point…”

“Well, I’m not sure, since they’ve clammed up, but I think these guys are Ellowians, sir. Don’t know if they’re conscripts or Revolutionary League, but, they were talking, and in the sorta accent that Wielzci and his people got, and none of them were speaking in east babble.”

Intriguing, if true. You wondered briefly if perhaps Gerovic was more willing to use these people for…whatever plan he had, in the way he did, because of who they were?

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You kept your tanks close to the border, in a dip in the land where they could be in a hull down position, and allowed yourself to sit back, and loosen ever muscle in your body one by one that had tensed spring tight. Another battle- who could know how much danger you had been in, but the tension your nerves were under was feeling less alien- more like something you could grow to force aside, to not forget or ignore, but at least…be functional with.

>The candle flickers. The dark has not consumed it. A small light, but a steady one, burns just bright enough that a draft does not snuff it.
What slowly put you less at ease was the time Anya was away. It had been an hour since she left, you noted as you peered at a watch, your headset off as your crew quietly chattered over the intercom, a watch still kept over the area until everybody was back. How much longer would she be? How much more time until you lost patience and had to go in after her?

The answer turned out to be, another half hour, when the other two tanks in the platoon suddenly appeared once more and with a radio report.

“We found something important,” Anya said, “In a village about seven clicks south of the border, on the side of Hill…Thirty. There’s a motor pool. Real well hidden. Couldn’t hope to see it from the air. Looked like a bunch of trucks and gear, but there were spaces and tread tracks, make it look like it might be a place where Gerovic keeps his tanks. Probably big enough for half a company, if not the whole deal, now that we reduced it by a toon. We kept good and far away. It was well guarded. Didn’t go in and try to do any damage, probably wouldn’t have worked out, and worse, they might have been motivated to move it somewhere else, quickly.”

A much more important thing than a mere supply depot, but as Anya said, it was transient. Should the motor pool described suddenly seem vulnerable, it could be more stiffly guarded, or worse, moved somewhere else entirely. Information well worth an hour and a half of worry. You’d never burned away from somewhere as fast as that border though when the platoon was formed once again.

-----

The five prisoners, sadly, had no men who appeared to be officers from any devices on their uniforms. Part of you longed to have had one of the crews or commanders of the tanks, for how you now wondered if they were truly Twaryian as well. Battalion command would find them interesting prisoners nevertheless, unless you thought of some other purpose for them. The achievement of destroying an enemy armored platoon should at least get you some decent pull for resources. At least worth the largest fuel investment you’d have been able to make in the week.

It was just past midday as the tanks returned to camp, and the defensive ring around the camp was tightened again by the re-arrival of 1st platoon. Edelschwert had returned to his base north past Kamienisty, and 2nd Company had long gone back over the border, retreating at the first sign of armor. Perhaps not as helpful as you’d like, but all you’d asked them to do, after all. The demand for a favor would surely be not long in coming.

The mood in camp was tense, but celebratory never the less, as in spite of the anticipation of any reprisals, inappropriate as they would be in your opinion, there was chatter over a clear victory won. The crews were certainly glad. For the first time in months, they’d gone tank to tank, and unquestionably came out triumphant. A reaffirmation of Archduchy superiority. Among those who hailed from there, at least.
Free from immediate thorns in your side, you pondered what to do now.

>Tighten defenses for the rest of the day. There was enough fighting for now- it would be for the best to focus on digging holes deep enough to weather the mortar fire that would certainly be coming to annoy you tonight.
>The iron was still hot. Plan another border raid. (With what objective?)
>Keep up wide ranging patrols. The Twaryians would be fools to attack in their current weakened state anyways. Or maybe you could bait a raid on their part to defeat…
>Other?
Also-
>Keep the prisoners, or turn them in to HQ for RP?
And-
>If not doing anything in particular for further unit operations, write in anything you want to do or take care of, talk to, about what, et cetera.

>>3931160
>>Tighten defenses for the rest of the day. There was enough fighting for now- it would be for the best to focus on digging holes deep enough to weather the mortar fire that would certainly be coming to annoy you tonight.
The Twaryian side is definitely going to be on high alert for a while so time to ease off a bit, though I would say a future raid on that supply depot would seem like a good choice to boost Richter's confidence more.
>Keep the prisoners, or turn them in to HQ for RP?
Maybe get Wielzci to interrogate them first then turn them in afterwards.
>If not doing anything in particular for further unit operations, write in anything you want to do or take care of, talk to, about what, et cetera.
Was thinking since Richter is regaining his combat abilities through practice, perhaps he could regain his lost knowledge through studying perhaps? Go acquire some books about tactics or geography and start from the beginning.
Besides that right now it's just waiting for the King's reply on that doctor.

>>3931181
Also maybe do some practice shooting, gotten get those hunting skills back ad well

>>3931160
>>Tighten defenses for the rest of the day. There was enough fighting for now- it would be for the best to focus on digging holes deep enough to weather the mortar fire that would certainly be coming to annoy you tonight.
No shit the iron is hot, we've burnt up half our fuel with it. Need it for emergencies and reprisals.
>Prisoners
As anon suggested have Wielzci talk to them first. It'd be nice to talk to one who has seen Gerovic, how he operates, what tanks he deploys and whether that prisoner knew they were being used as bait. ((Probably to judge how Richter acts.))
>write in anything you want to do or take care of, talk to, about what, et cetera.
Study and hunting. Too bad Hilda isn't here right now, Richter would be quite actually smothered by her. Wrapped up safe in her freakishly man like arms, ah to dream...

>>3931217
>Too bad Hilda isn't here right now
>“There was talk of a mercenary sniper being the reason behind infiltration pairs vanishing. They had their hands full trying to find perhaps the same poking around behind the lines. Talk even went around of a ghost.
She might be closer than we think

>>3931181
supporting

>>3931303
Probably old news from when she used to go out and get lost on some tree for a night.

>>3931160
>Tighten defenses for the rest of the day. There was enough fighting for now- it would be for the best to focus on digging holes deep enough to weather the mortar fire that would certainly be coming to annoy you tonight.
Honestly, I want to raid that supply dump. But fortifying against artillery seems more important.
>Keep the prisoners
>Send a team to scout the forest with the supply depot (on our side of the border). This looks like both the main infiltration route and the premier place for artillery observers. Find the best places for enemy FOs/snipers and map them for our mortars. Maybe mine them. Set booby traps on trails.

Anons, as a general idea I suggest we pour the equipment and experience primarily into the Ellowian platoon, because once Ellowie rises up, the rest will become our enemies.

>>3931567
Not so sure about that, heck we probably have to discuss with our superiors at some point what exactly is Strossvald's stance on the matter.

>>3931829
I want Ellowie to rise again and no superior will stop me.

Campaign done. Will write in some time, just have to switch gears.

>>3931181
>>3931188
>>3931217
>>3931486
>>3931407
Tighten up the defense, Have Wielzci interrogate, read a book. Go hunting maybe? Probably dangerous at the moment. Fantasize about being held by Hilda's crispy fried arms.
Wait for doctor's appointment.
And get people checking out the way to the supply dump for multiple reasons.

>>3932999
Well we don't have to exactly go out and find some animal to shoot, some time spent on the range would work too.

The safest option would be best after the damage you caused, regardless of the motivation behind you being allowed to do what you did…which you couldn’t help but suspect. There was little other explanation for it besides overconfidence and poor communication between enemy assets, which could have been plausible were it not for that they stood in the open as though to provoke you for such an extended time, and that their ranks were filled with people whom you felt the Twaryians would not grieve too much over losing. Was it to test what you’d do? Was it to make you overconfident? Perhaps to try and drive you to overachieve and cause an uproar among the Twaryian higher ups because of the destruction wrought? There was definitely something.

All the more reason to be conservative. Save for a small team tasked with scouting out the woods along the border and a potential path to the supply dump that was discovered, who would also search for observation and sniping positions. It would have been nice to bury mines along foot paths, but in spite of the rural selection of Midland Rangers, mines, tank traps, and similar mass static defenses were banned from the border zone by the Treaty of Perlowieza. Not that this stopped insurgents from somehow getting and using them. Nothing too aggressive or decisive, you’d be holding back for at least a bit now, but steps to ensure that digging in would be safer than merely sitting in a hole. The last thing you wanted was for forward observers or snipers to start getting more aggressive in getting beads on your people.

You couldn’t just sit around until you got a missive from the High Protector about that surgeon he’d promised you, though. Something had to be done about the gaps in your knowledge and your complete inability to shoot straight. Some lingering sense of pride about the latter made its loss even more offensive, but brooding about it wouldn’t make you get it back. Practice, however, would. Not now, but at some point- hunting, or going to the range for a solid day or dozen. Ridiculous as it might have sounded to be arranging holidays with Gerovic over the border, you had to seize on any opportunity to recover what was lost, now. The enemy would not generously give you time to get ready for them again, especially not if it somehow got to them what your status was like.

What you could do while loitering about in a hole or behind an embankment, was read. Recollect knowledge that fled to the aether, floated up beyond the sky and into what lay beyond.
When it came to military texts, you remembered the contents of…some. A few titles inexplicably escaped you, while others felt like that had particularly egregious gaps. Those gaps would have to be filled the only way you knew how- reenacting the original way the information had been put in your head in the first place.

It would be best to start with what was the very beginning for most required reading for officers- at least, reading that if not known near back to front would earn many a sneer from Strossvald’s highborn. It wasn’t difficult to know back to front, either, being relatively brief for a collated three-volume military treatise, condensing down to only slightly smaller than a paperback novelette. Said literature was On the Southern Campaigns and Deployment and Utilization of Troops There and In Practices Elsewhere. Translated from Old Nauk, of course. The text’s extremely literal title was a sign of its age, from the days of Nauk Imperial, but ironically, two hundred thirty eight years after Sversk the Conqueror landed and…how did you actually forget the detail there? Alas, it was obvious even forgetting such. You did recall that Southern Campaigns was written by a Nauk Imperial general, rather than an emperor, the prince of a province whose name was Varrik Av Helgoshallos (Helgo’s Hallos, you remembered a stern instructor correcting once). His reason for embarking upon the “Southern Campaign”…also escaped you, but besides that account, the asides on tactics, logistics, and dispositions, a general variety of instructions on proper warfighting, even in an age of antiquity, were valuable insights even in modern times. More complex texts could come later, especially as more than a few, you recalled, referred back to this original, one of the few complete transcripts that survived both the decay and ultimate crumbling of Nauk Imperial. They would call back both as a reference to a perceived authority upon the matter, in praise, but also, you recalled vaguely, to criticize, some to even elevate themselves above the ancient tactician and strategist.

It was also one of the few books you had brought with you, for its portability. You hadn’t had much excuse to re-read it…until now. You’d near forgotten you even brought it until you thought of it specifically.

“Hey.” Anya’s voice, her stiffer tone from over the radio relaxed and familiarly spoken out her nose again, came from above the covered embankment you sat against. You’d run out of alcohol, and being under the open sky felt unnerving. “What’cha reading?” She squatted down and tilted up the book, unwilling to wait for you to just say it. “Oh, that rag. Baby’s first, huh.”

Of all the people to criticize your reading on tactics you didn’t expect this short, slim little woman. “…I’ve forgotten…a lot…this is the only way to…get it back…” Being interrupted totally brought you out of the flow of reading. The difficulty in focusing even extended to reading, as you found yourself having to go back and re-read sections after some distraction gave you a disproportionate shock. Were you better? Well, yes, but, you still felt far from steady, without some form of reinforcement.

“Too bad you didn’t forget how to be a moron, huh,” Anya made a mocking smirk.

“…Tch…” you returned to Varrik’s writing on his handling of a rebellious governor’s refusal to come to battle and be dealt with. The translator had taken liberties- you probably preferred it that way so the story of it all was more flowery.

“Shouldn’t you be reading Von Skarnhorst instead?” Anya asked, deigning not to just mock you and leave.

“Who?”

“Fuck off. No way you go to some fancy army school and not know who Skarnhorst is.”

“…I told you…” you insisted, “…I’ve forgotten…”

“So you go back to Helgoshallos?”

“…Hallos…” you corrected.

“Whatever.” Anya rolled her eyes. “You could at least read Van Zeekliffe.”

“…I could…but I wouldn’t have…expected you to be-“

“Learned on this?” Anya finished for you, “Well, yeah. Hell made me learn them. And everyone who led anything higher than a toon had to know ‘em too. Got extra pay as motivation t’ read it themselves, too. Well, to read it and know it. Not ‘zactly a bunch of big books for sale in the middle of Sosaldt, course, so people had to share.”

That made sense. Heller Von Tracht, in spite of his roughness and general shirking of proper conduct, was no less an educated officer and graduate of the Archduke Roland II Army Academy (named after the first Archduke, of course). Though you wondered at what age she had been made to read texts usually issued during an academy course- or perhaps, forced upon her. Anya didn’t exactly strike you as a childhood savant, after all.

“…Are the scouts back yet..?” you changed the subject. “…And the has Lieu….Lieutenant Wielzci…spoken with the prisoners…prisoners yet..?”

“Still out. And no. He’s letting them stew a bit. Gave ‘em beer and water, no food. You gonna go talk to ‘em? Not that we’ve got any grog left for you. Asked around. Anyways.” Anya prodded at the book you held again, “You want to be left with the dusty old book, or you gonna go tell Wielzci to get a move on.”

>You didn’t want Anya bothering you right now. Ask if she’s written out the after action reports yet. And filed them. And reviewed them. Then find somebody else to chat with. (Who? About what?)
>The interrogation sounded like a good thing to attend anyways, regardless of your composure. You’d rather hear it from their lips anyways, and you might have some questions of your own you wanted to ensure were asked.
>Discussion of theorists and histories was never something you were averse to. Wielczi could be trusted to do his job without your help- but if there were people willing to talk on this subject… (Who, if not the person already present? Particular subjects if a preference is there?)
>Other?

>>3933296
>Discussion of theorists and histories was never something you were averse to. Wielczi could be trusted to do his job without your help- but if there were people willing to talk on this subject…
Why not Anya since she's here. Let's ask her which work of writing in particular she considers the most useful for a tank commander.

>>3933296
>>Discussion of theorists and histories was never something you were averse to. Wielczi could be trusted to do his job without your help- but if there were people willing to talk on this subject… (Who, if not the person already present? Particular subjects if a preference is there?)
Talk to Anya as >>3933349 has mentioned as well as Krause, since he's the only remaining guy that would remember all the academy readings.

>>3933349
>>3933296
Anya's pretty smart, why not.

>>3933349
>>3933358
Supporting

Well hopefully after today I'm not tired in the morning anymore.

>>3933344
Listen to Revolutionaries. Despite that they're cronies of a conquering nation. Maybe that was the revolution all along. Maybe the real revolution was the friends we made along the way.

>>3933349
>>3933358
>>3933363
>>3933411
Talk about nerd stuff like books. And bring in another guy so you stop feeding rumors.

Writing. After eating.

“…Well…Lieutenant Wielzci can do his work…just fine without me…” you started off.

“God, we need to get you a drink.” Anya muttered, her patience for your manner of speech clearly running on fumes.

“…I mean…there’s…another thing we know works…” You thought that an innocent suggestion.

Anya looked skyward, then returned a critical glare to you. “I’m not a friggin’ stuffed animal, you know. How about I get ‘Stache and you can squeeze him instead?”

Damn. Here you thought she’d go along with it just so you would speak better. Then again, you wouldn’t object to Krause’s presence, either. A fellow graduate of the academy, and the only other one here, at that. Who better to speak theory with, as you did have shared experience, that could potentially jog other memories over time. “…You wouldn’t mind…getting Junior Lieu…Lieutenant Krause, would you..?”

Anya squinted at you, raising her arm not in a sling (she would move her good arm sometimes at first by mistake only to remind herself why it was in a sling) to her head and rubbing her hair, before grinning a toothy smirk made at your expense. “I was joking, you know.”

God damn it. “…No, I-“

“I’ll be riiiight back.”

Anya slipped off faster than you could summon up a proper objection, so you returned to Varrik in the best huff a Von Tracht could muster. Where were you? Ah. The recalcitrance of the provincial governor of Alyswen, which was…somewhere around Vynmark? You forgot. In any case, Varrik described forcing his foe to come to him rather than skirting about the countryside trying to rouse allies by besieging the capital of the province- though he anticipated this failing to work. Digging in for a long siege would give the rebellious governor the time he desired and do nothing to his army, so Varrik hatched a scheme…to surreptitiously replace his besieging forces with-

“Hey, Lieutenant,” Krause broke your concentration as he stepped from the front and squatted down to your level. “The pastry that shan’t be named came over and said you wanted to give me a cuddle. I couldn’t have guessed you felt that was about me, but what would your fiancée think?” Krause wasn’t nearly good enough at keeping a straight face through that line of tripe, and with a coughing clearing of his throat, he tightened back up. “So, guess you wanted to talk, instead. She’ll be right here, she’s just,” Krause made a disgruntled sideways glance, “Bet she’s raiding my stash.”

“So what if I was?” Anya came from the flank, holding a scuffed up wine bottle by its neck. “I’m requisitioning your stash for administrative purposes, see? Hey, dummy, catch.” Anya tossed the bottle, which turned end over end. You scrambled to grab it out of the air, dropping Southern Campaigns into the snow in the process. “You’re welcome.” She sat down, crossing her legs over one another.

“…” You didn’t summon the energy for a thank you, and instead yanked at the stopper, before touching the end to your lips and turning it upwards.

“Hey, you gonna get a cup so we can share that?” Krause grabbed the bottle and turned it back down.

“…This is vinegar,” you complained, dully, the acrid taste sticking to your throat.

“It is not,” Krause said defensively as he pulled the bottle out of your hands, “You just lack for taste.” He ran his finger around the rim of the bottle and grimaced. “Did you backwash into this, commander? Judge above, it’s yours now.”

“…Your late Langenachtfest gift is duly appreciated…” you said bitterly as you took the bottle back and reluctantly drank more out of it. And more. “…I wanted to talk with…with you…is that too much..?”

Krause shrugged. “’Course not, but I always figured you only liked talking with women. I’m willing to piggyback off of Anya, if need be. What do you want to discuss?”

You held up the book you kept being thrown off actually reading. “…You remember this..?”

“Of course.”

“…I’ve forgotten quite a lot…of things I knew, about…about history…tactics, and such, because of…you know…so…I thought I’d…get reacquainted…” You pointed the book towards Anya. “…She doesn’t think much of…of Varrik, though…”

“Really?” Krause gave Anya a questioning look, “Why is that? His principles are tactically sound even to this day, despite that in his day men fought with spear, sword, and bow.”

“It’s not what he says, it’s how he says it,” Anya explained, “I don’t need to think highly of him when he’s already doing plenty of that himself. He’ll be talking fine, then right in the middle, he’ll pull his pants down and start givin’ himself some’a,” Anya put three of her fingers in her mouth and started suggestively and noisily gagging herself on them.

“…That’s disgusting…” you tried to look away.

“Isn’t it?” Anya made like you were agreeing with her judgment of an ancient man’s character. “That with a few more words, is all over that old autobiography posing as a manual.”

“…That wasn’t what I…never mind…”

“What text do you prefer, Anya?” Krause asked, “That doesn’t prompt you to make unladylike metaphors.”

“You’re certainly the expert of bein’ ladylike,” Anya grumbled, wiping her fingers on her trousers, “…Skarnhorst, I’d say. ‘s what everybody says, really. He rambles, argues with himself the whole damn ten volumes, and it’s pretty clear why his ball and chain found ‘em hidden in a chest. They’re also the best damn books anybody wrote about tactics an’ strategy.”

“I would have thought you were more a fan of the more eccentric theorists,” Krause said, “Skarnhorst, for his rambling, is considered standard and classic. A man who wrote during the rise of the Grossreich and could accurately formulate theory based on plenty an example from that turbulent time, the world respects his writings for a good reason. What about Jean-Phillipe Debon?”

Anya scoffed at that. “Almost as bad as Varrik. What you’d expect from an Emrean, really. Whole region’s in a constant state of being sucked up their own asses, from how he and others like him write.”

“…Who is Debon..?” you asked.

“…Richter, you…” Krause cleared his throat again and sagged, “…Anybody who talked to you said you would never shut up about Jean-Phillipe Debon.”

“…Really?”

“Well, not I can see why you’ve got such a hard on for fag books,” Anya reached out and batted at Southern Campaigns again.

“Debon was an outspoken theorist on tank tactics,” Krause told you, “I never really read much of him. Not required, and it isn’t like I got my best marks in theory, anyways. His book, Chevaliers du Nouveau Siècle, speaks of how early armor was misused in the Emrean Liberation, how its power wasn’t properly exploited-“

“And how his ideas totally would have saved the day. Not written with a chip on his shoulder at all, nope, not at all.”

Krause chuckled to himself nervously, “I heard back in the day, you’d get quite an earful from Von Tracht here if you said something to that effect. Especially because Debon’s rival was whom was properly required reading, and what Strossvald’s implementation of armor in its battle line tactics were…”

“You heard?” Anya inquired, “What do you mean? Weren’t you two friends then, or what?”

“No, not really,” Krause shook his head, “I only ever met our dear commander after the academy graduation. Come to think of it, I mean, don’t take this the wrong way, Richter, but you were a bit of a recluse, I hear. I don’t think I met anybody who said they were friends with you, never saw you going out to any place with people, anything like that.”

“…Hmph…” You considered what to say to that, and ended with little.

“What, had his nose in books all day?” Anya asked.

“Sort of. His class marks except for some histories and theory were…well…Commander, how would you describe them?” Krause showed some mercy, “I heard plenty of ruder terms.”

“…Average." You gave the wording you liked better. "Perfectly fine…”

Anya didn’t seem to find much to mock there, surprisingly. “Eh. Who cares. Not like you need to know everything anyways. Skarnhorst’s got a whole chapter explaining why you don’t need to know how a wagon wheel’s made to understand how to be good at war, after all.” She had nothing to say about your lack of social interaction either.

“…What would you say…is the best book…for a tank commander to re…read, anyways..?” you asked Anya- you already guessed Krause would favor the traditional- Anya’s criticism was of an unclear sort.

“What, like, specifically?” Anya didn’t think long, “Debon. The only one I really paid attention to, really. Laentz talks like tanks an’ trucks are just guys who move on things besides their legs, or like artillery guns that don’t need a buncha ox or horse. Laentz was all the face-between-his-legs, without any of the smart ideas Debon had. I’d say to read Hell’s book, but…” Anya turned pensive, “…He never really finished that. Or really did much other than say maybe he was writing one. Or would.”

“The Reich, I would think, would have the most cutting edge theories, wouldn’t they?” Krause proposed with a rub of his chin, “But I suppose you’d be hard pressed to find that literature here. So perhaps one or the other of the Emreans. As the fluffy thing said, there’s no shortage of theories that transcend their times. I’d call Laentz conservative, not lacking in smart ideas, but, I’m not familiar enough with his rival to know much about his writing by comparison. Though I do remember both being, well, self-serving.”

“Was thinkin’, actually,” Anya was looking about, standing for a moment and peering about to the south “…Instead of you reading, you try playing wargames. Maybe get more of the guys in on it. It’s not the real thing, but I figure, you learn more from doing, yeah?”

As much as it was a valid thing to just read all you could, you probably didn’t have time to just read everything. Especially not with how things were developing lately…

>Who knows if you’d ever be in a battle line again at this rate. Maybe it’d be best to stick with the more radical theorist.
>Going back to basics seemed more sound, and it’d be for the best to be on the same field as other officers of Strossvald again. Stick with Laentz.
>Wargames sounded like a more productive tack than reading. Especially with how your focus felt so fragile- not because of any fear of letters.
>Other?

>>3934620
>>Who knows if you’d ever be in a battle line again at this rate. Maybe it’d be best to stick with the more radical theorist.

>>3934620
>Wargames sounded like a more productive tack than reading. Especially with how your focus felt so fragile- not because of any fear of letters.
Let's develop our own theory and become famous.
Make sure to involve Anya and/or Eakova, so that we interact with Hell's tactics as well.

>>3934620
>>Wargames sounded like a more productive tack than reading. Especially with how your focus felt so fragile- not because of any fear of letters.

>>3934620
>Who knows if you’d ever be in a battle line again at this rate. Maybe it’d be best to stick with the more radical theorist.
Oh yes, now is the time to focus on concentrating the potential academic gravity on our weaknesses, encircle our issues and starve out the amnesia as it were.

If anything should convince Richter of trying more out of the box schemes is that time in Todesfelsen with the tank charge out of the crater and surrounding the fleeing Death Heads produced excellent results.

I also legitimately miss him framing all personal difficulties through the lens of his hyper military autism.

>>3934620
>>Who knows if you’d ever be in a battle line again at this rate. Maybe it’d be best to stick with the more radical theorist.

>>3934620
>>Who knows if you’d ever be in a battle line again at this rate. Maybe it’d be best to stick with the more radical theorist.
Makes sense given all our experiences besides Valsten hasn't been in a battle line.and Richter seems to have been a fan.
>>3934675
Yeah I also kinda miss Richter going off on random info dumps in front of the crew

>>3934698
Also maybe while both Anya and Krause are here we should also discuss Gerovic a bit and his motivations behind this most recent battle.

>>3934620
>>Who knows if you’d ever be in a battle line again at this rate. Maybe it’d be best to stick with the more radical theorist.
Let's save the wargaming for when Metzeler and the rest of the Hogs arrive.

>>3934620
>>Who knows if you’d ever be in a battle line again at this rate. Maybe it’d be best to stick with the more radical theorist.

>>3934620
>Wargames sounded like a more productive tack than reading. Especially with how your focus felt so fragile- not because of any fear of letters.
I do think that the battle line will never return though, no matter which direction the story goes. I wonder how many times the phrase "battle line" has been said in this quest so far.

>>3934774
I remember it being talked about early on during the Valsten arc, after that it was brought up again is Sosaldt when talking about armor operations.

I figure it'll be brought up more if we ever operate with the regular Strossvald forces again.

>>3934774
>>3934778
Basically IIRC the High Command knows it has flaws but uses it because it requires a lower amount of tanks which saves money and also ensures that tank commanders are more or less exclusively from the nobility. Though with a potential world war on the horizon things could honestly shift pretty fast

>>3934778
I'm pretty sure it was established way back during the academy tests, and I'm definitely sure it was brought up before in this arc, even beside this thread. I think it might have even been mentioned in passing in luftpanzer

>>3934788
I figured they preferred the battleline tactic since it limited offensive operations, to smaller area's at a slower pace, minimizing risk at the cost of flexibility. That way they dont spook the other nations and get dogpiled when infamy gets to high.

>>3934790
It's also Strossvalds primary armored doctrine.

>>3934620
>Who knows if you’d ever be in a battle line again at this rate. Maybe it’d be best to stick with the more radical theorist.

>>3934675
>I also legitimately miss him framing all personal difficulties through the lens of his hyper military autism.

"Personal difficulties"

>>3934661
>>3934675
>>3934694
>>3934698
>>3934705
>>3934744
>>3935685
Decide upon radical theory like you're sixty years too early for your time, but maybe you'll make it in time for tubular theory. Now all that's left is to find a copy of the damn thing...a translation, that is.


>>3934663
>>3934671
>>3934774
Play with paper soldiers. Hey, it's not recreation if it's an exercise in miniature.

Writing soon. Not that I haven't already slept all day like a hibernating animal.

Thought was given to the suggestion of playing wargames, but ultimately, you wanted to save that for when Von Metzeler returned, in several days, supposedly. For now you would study- and the choice you made was clear, given that with all your time in the field, you’d only been part of a Battle Line in combat for hours, if that. The conventional never appeared to apply to you, and who could say if you’d ever be in a battle line again at this rate.

“…I would study the more radical theorist…Debon..?”

Krause shrugged and sighed. “Your roots are at least maintained. Though, Debon was an Emrean theorist, and outspoken, unlike Laentz. I’d presume translations of his work aren’t the easiest thing to get a hold of in a short time.”

“Depends on who you talk to. There’s a place that makes plenty of commentated translations,” Anya said, “The Grossreich. They latched onto Debon’s ideas right off, from how the commentary of the one I read put it. We’re speakin’ their language, after all. Even if Netillians’ve got a stick up their ass about the Reich like a lot a’ people, I bet our friend the Weasel King can get a shiny new book.”

“Friend?” Krause inquired coyly, “Did you seduce a king, you crafty vixen?”

“Shut up.” Anya only gave that poke a pair of oft repeated words, albeit with variations in the amount of curses in between the base pair. “It’ll take a bit of time anyways, though. Not like we’re gonna go on a shopping trip right now. Any reason you don’t want to try games yet?”

“…I would wait on that…until Von Metzeler…and the other portion of the Iron Hogs comes…”

“Oh, Judge Above send me right to hell, there’s more of them,” Anya cursed and collapsed down onto her back, sprawling out in the snow. “…I mean, I figured, it’s never just one that’s sent out, but I thought I could hope. Who’s the other person? Only person worse than that splotchy faced skank is…“

“…Illger…” you said.

“…Never mind, he’s not that bad. I half thought you’d say Vangheiss.” Anya heaved herself back up again, still annoyed. “He’ll bitch and moan through any game you play with him, you know. That fucker’s got the worst luck at the worst times, with dice too.”

“Yet he’s still alive?” Krause asked, a man who himself had suffered a fair bit of bad luck at a bad time, but had managed to come out of it intact…after some intervention.

“’Cause even with his bad luck, he’s out of his damn mind. It’s why he’s called the Cockroach. He’ll get in the worst shit and get out by the skin of his teeth. In the old days, people couldn’t stop betting on if he was gonna kick the bucket. ‘Course, Hell thought enough of him that he managed to snipe back plenty ‘a money after a job.”

“What a rare sight,” Krause pointed at Anya’s face, “I think that’s a genuine smile on you, isn’t it?”

Rolled 22, 9 = 31 (2d100)

Anya set her lips straight again. “Whatever. Fine, we’re holding off ‘til Grumpus and the Cockroach come around, unless you’re forgetting anybody else?” You shook your head slowly. “Alright then.” She shifted in place, turned her feet back and forth. “Do you wanna…” she said thoughtfully, before her eyes turned to her arm again, and she poked herself curiously, cringing. “Damnit. Never mind. I’m goin’.” Anya stood up, turning, and walked away.

“Hm.” Krause watcher her leave, “So you said Rondo was the same as you right now? The way you talk?”

“…I think…he was better…” you thought back, “…Maybe. I’m not sure how this works…”

“Whatever the case is,” Krause said, still squatting on his haunches, “Since we’re back here, and we can trust Captain Kelwin with holding the fort without us babysitting him, we can relax a bit. In the camp, of course. You want to talk about that book there? Help you refresh your memory?”

You frowned, and returned your eyes to Southern Campaigns. “…Maybe when I’ve read it through…It’s hard for me to concentrate…to talk and read without…just losing where I was…”

“No problem.” Krause stood up as well, “Make sure you keep down when the easterners try and give us some hail again. Oh, and, about Kelwin. I don’t think you’ve talked with him since you got back, but he’s getting antsy. He’s been around for about a month, now. Fluffy let him come along on a couple things, but I think he wants to handle something on his own soon. Just a thought.”
One more time, you looked up from the book. “…You speak with Captain Kelwin..?”

“Heh.” Krause found that funny for some reason, “Without Rondo to tease about his taste in bookish, demure women and you keeping Signy all to yourself after I didn’t get my hooks in her, you selfish, greedy dog, I have to speak to somebody. Kelwin’s more willing than most to sit and listen to people he doesn’t know, is all.”

“…I see…”

“Later, commander.” Krause said, backing up a few steps before gradually turning around and leaving you be.

-----

>Mortars, then Scout Team results.

Rolled 3 (1d4)

>>3935942
Aaand who they're aiming for.

You heard the far off impact of mortars when evening came and the sun was nearly set- far enough away to not force you to jump for cover…not that you didn’t nearly do it anyways from realizing what it was. A report came to you soon after, that a mortar strike had struck near Third Platoon’s position. It was much closer on target than the usual inaccurate harassment, and several of the platoon’s men had been wounded. However, a half day of entrenchment had kept any of them from being too vulnerable, and ultimately, nobody was hurt badly enough to take them off of duty. It was a foreboding sign, though. Before today, no mortar strikes had even been close, and today the headquarters was screened from all directions by the four primary platoons. If the Twaryians could have come closer…

The scout team, meanwhile, had fantastic results. They had found several trails while avoiding detection at the same time, and set up a few perfectly legal (if nasty) foot traps, concealed shallow pits with wooden stakes set at the bottom. A man whose foot or leg had been pierced couldn’t very well infiltrate. On the way back, they had found out where an infiltration team had hidden a mortar and shells for it by following a subtle trail- these were appropriated, naturally, even if Twaryian mortars were a different caliber, so resupply for more than the few rounds found would be difficult.
>Twaryian 55mm pack mortar added to assets

Somehow, you managed to drift to sleep under the covered embankment you were reading beneath, only awoken to get you in a proper trench again, dirty and cramped as it was, and sharing that same space with four other men. At least the tank resting over top, as well as the covering hung over, would keep the snow well out, but you partially understood why Anya still refused to sleep in a hole rather than risking being shelled. At the very least, the tunnels were well into development, in spite of the hard ground. An enclosed place to rest would soon be completed and floored- perhaps even walled and ceilinged soon after. The work to make your headquarters semi-permanent might well be undone by a single order to transfer your location, but, that seemed unlikely for now, after being left in the same place for a full month.

-----

The tenth of January greeted you with no fanfare but the warbling of ravens, who had come by for breakfast. Some staff officer had decided to show some compassion to the large black ruffled things, big as falcons, and it had apparently only taken a couple of days for news to spread among the birds that handouts were given here. News to you, but not news to your crew.

“Gaethallouer!” Malachi shouted as he swatted at a raven that had hopped up and started snapping at his goggles. You’d seen Malachi move and fight quickly, but the black bird was somehow quicker, and hopped just out of reach each time, squawking. A fresh coat of snow had fallen, and the morning of the crews was occupied with spades and brooms, and making sure the tanks hadn’t frozen solid in the night. You weren’t obligated to aid in this, considering what else you had to do, but you found yourself unoccupied nevertheless, more noticeably since you were specifically waiting for a missive from Wladysaw for the surgery you eagerly awaited, reminded each moment by the dark wall where half of your vision should have been. Time that led you to fret more with each moment. What if he couldn’t help? What if, somehow, you hadn’t endeared yourself enough, and he had decided that he needed more before you were worth helping, using the pressure of your desperation for treatment to squeeze more out of you?

Nothing could be concluded on before you were contacted, though- and because of that, you needed to get on with something in the meantime. Anything.

>There hadn’t been a peep from the NLF in a while. Maybe you should try and get back in with them? (And discuss what?)
>After the successful operation yesterday, you were likely in Captain Edelschwert’s good graces. Visiting him would be a good move. (And do what?)
>If there was a lull in action, you should see about getting some marksmanship back in your system. Head off to the training range at the railhead for some training. (Bring anybody else?)
>The Twaryians had given you room to breathe, but you couldn’t let them have the same. Plan an operation. (Describe what sort- and also, what forces to take, and whether it’s something to leave to Kelwin, or to take on yourself.
>Other?