Panzer Commander Quest #3

File: map_ogelexercise_4.png (583KB, 1000x1000px) Image search: [Google]

583KB, 1000x1000px

You begin your trek up the hill, avoiding entering the town of Ogel. Urban environments are the worst enemy of armor; far too many hiding places to use against warriors whose primary weakness was their inability to observe the environment around them without forsaking their invincibility. In such close quarters, in an armor engagement, the winner would be decided by reaction time and luck; factors you would rather not depend on against a foe as purportedly talented in individual combat as 1st Company. Your successful ambush, which theoretically could not have gone better, would not be replicated against an enemy who knew you were coming.

“Von Tracht,” you hear the impulsive Von Reitberg contact you over the platoon network, “I saw something moving in the town.”

Von Reitberg, while quick when he wanted to be, was also exceedingly irrational if his blood was up. As far as you were concerned, what he saw could have been mere shadows, which manifested to him as a foe to conquer.

>”It’s probably nothing. Let’s keep going.”
>Move into the town to see if there is an enemy, and engage them
>Split the platoon to cover your rear
>Other options may be presented

>In case it isn't clear, you are at the edge of the town, around B4's upper half.

>>534617
>split platoon to cover rear

>>534617
>Split the platoon to cover your rear

>>534617
>Split Platoon to cover rear

>>534617
>Split the platoon to cover your rear

>>534617
>Split the platoon to cover your rear

Leave one tank in cover to delay the enemy should they come that way.

Rip quest (again). QM have you considered running on Anonkun? Might get better turn out there and people will get alerts when you post.

Apologies for the extremely extended wait. Sleep was necessary.
-------------------------------

“Von Reitberg, Von Gehrit, remain here and watch the town for the enemy. Report to me immediately if you can confirm their presence. Von Hertzel, come with me.” You split your platoon to cover your flanks. The remaining contingent’s flanks were covered; with you going up the hill to their east, it would be unlikely for any enemy to surprise them from that direction.

“I will pursue any enemies I find!” Reitberg baosts confidently back.

“Do not move!” you snap, “Our enemy is not a herd of sheep, so easily bent by forceful action.”

Reitberg then, at least, kept any more foolhardy thoughts to himself with a deflated affirmative.

You are wary as you move to where the enemy was last sighted, yet despite the sound of engines and the crunching of gravel echoing around the hills, you spot nothing. Your objective turns up dishearteningly lacking in any foes to fight.

With a start you notice a lone tank creep around the hill, just within cannon range, loitering just an instant before retreating back around the hill.
An update from your radio operator supposes inconclusive action down south, as Von Cassel is reluctant to share details either by virtue of being occupied with other matters, not making progress, or in the worst case scenario, refusing to report a reversal in fortunes in fear of wounding his pride.

You have confirmed an enemy sighting (around C7 on the map, a klick away), however, with regular updates of no contact from the rest of your platoon in the valley.

>Chase down the lone enemy!

>Call the Platoon to your position

>Go back to your platoon and seize the objective


>>536933
It's fine so long as replies come in eventually. I'm sure anybody who follows me is maddeningly patient anyways, not that that reflects well on me.

>>537431
It would've been good to know where are we and the rest of the platoon.

>>537431
>Call the Platoon to your position

Brief them and keep watch for flankers.

>>537431
>call platoon in

>>537431
>Go for the objective from two sides. If there's an ambush, one of the groups will notice it early.

That lone tank just stinks of a trap or a diversion. But it means the enemy platoon, if it's waiting near the objective, has one tank less.

File: map_ogelexercise_cutout_1.jpg (236KB, 875x505px) Image search: [Google]

236KB, 875x505px

>>537444

>>537527
Thanks. Then my vote changes to
>Call the platoon in, then go for the objective.

The objective is the western bridge, right?

>>537527
an dafter we call the boys in, plan a pincer move, flank them around the hill. He may have radioed out, but we can pin him down and take him out.

>>537530
The bridge below the town, yes.

The big black brick that crosses the river considering that my cartography at the time of the map making was far from legible

>>537541
Leave him alone. If he's not there to defend the objective - sucks to be him. We're not graded by frag.

>>537563
but he can get hull down and pound us or outflank. better to make sure of our position than be caught out.

>>537545
Can we "destroy" the various roads and bridges

>>537573
He doesn't have enough range to threaten us from a hull-down on that hill. And after we capture the objective, anything he does is moot anyway.

>>537573
Ah, and also he stinks of a bait leading us into an ambush.

>>537584
Not enough range? What kind of tank does he have? Nothing says he cant outflank us. A threat is a threat, we need to compensate for it.

>>537588
Our tanks' effective range is about one map square (1km). An I'd rather have him come to us that venture into an unseen terrain where an ambush may lie.

>>537545
>>537579
As in could we perhaps intentionally block off roads to defend or attack a location like this town

>>537604
You don't have proper demolitions for that sort of action. 25mm explosive shots simple don't have the power to destroy these stone bridges capable of supporting your tanks' weight. Even the sundering charges meant to render a tank inoperable after capture, while simulated in this exercise, wouldn't be enough to make a bridge or road unusable. You could theoretically push detritus into the road, but that wouldn't be the best use of your time.

>>537610
Thanks, also how old is our character 16 to 18 right

File: map_ogelexercise_cutout_2.jpg (191KB, 1000x374px) Image search: [Google]

191KB, 1000x374px

It was time to stop having Reitberg chase shadows. Thankfully, the looting of your conquered enemy for maps made it so your platoon could at least tell where each part of it was.
“We’re taking the bridge.” You command your platoon to converge on the objective, “1st Company has had the initiative for too long. We’ll see how mighty they are when they have to react to their match. Come to our posi-”

Almost immediately the net erupts into chaos. “A platoon! A whole platoon in the town!” Reitberg cries out. “We broke through, they couldn’t move fast enough to hit us.”
The sound of shrieking marker shots indicated that it wasn’t for lack of trying. The enemy must have been close and active for Reitberg to dive straight into the town instead of rendezvousing with you as ordered. Either that or his judgment was extremely questionable but you preferred to err on the side of optimism.

It appears your assembly location will be at an unplanned place. Your driver, Malachi, churns the earth with the tank and whisks your half of the platoon down the hill. A quick glance back around reveals the lone tank you left behind beating a hasty pursuit; its shots fall short and far too lacking in precision to strike your armor. A call for your attention keeps you from watching for if the enemy to your rear has any partners; Reitberg’s tank spins across the main road in a manner you’ve never seen before, knocking over a fence lengthwise with the side of his tank. Gehrit, who split to take a different road for whatever reason, approaches from your right and turns to join you. Training flares twirl about the buildings, a stray rocket nosing around a roof and showering you with sparks, forcing you to retreat into the cramped cupola.

Your loaned RO relays from Hans that the enemy communications have flown into a panic, or at least what could be construed as panic from the elite first company. A vicious assault has also begun to your south; a critical point has manifested.

Before you can think of your next action, an enemy m/28 bursts into the road, passing far too quickly to get a shot off.

“I’ve got the next one! Next one!” Stein shouts, making small adjustments as the tank bounces about on the road.

>Stop the tank so accurate fire can be put down for the next tank
>loop around to try and catch the pursuers from behind
>take some other action

>charging out into the intersection and blocking the enemy advance is not an option. Considering collision between two fast moving armors would probably result in severe injury to both crews, purposeful blockading of an unaware participant is banned.

>>537636

Von Tracht is 20 years old, which is typical for the cadets as they have some level of education beforehand, often in history and law. You'll have to ask the crew members their age when they're less preoccupied.

>>537765
>stop and prepare an ambush in the road laying down cannon fire along with turret fire (we do have a turret, right?)

>>537765
>Stop the tank so accurate fire can be put down for the next tank
Hmm hmm. Been awhile

>>537765
>Stop the tank so accurate fire can be put down for the next tank

With a sharp, curt command, you bring the three tanks with you to a halt. Whatever enemy unlucky enough to cross next would be subjected to an enfilade of fire, impossible to avoid.

Surely enough, the sound of tracks comes down the corner, but also to your right. You see the shadow of a tank crawling up, threatening your flank. Whether they were expecting you there or not, you could not tell. It advanced quickly enough for it to be either way.

There was not enough time to relay orders. Either your crew would do it or the reaction to the oncoming enemy would be delayed, thrown to chance whether they or you would act first.

>turn about the tank and ready to fire on the flanker
>maximize fire against the next tank coming down the path

>For either option, roll 3 d100. The first roll is you, the next two are your platoon.
>The post whose roll is taken will be decided by a d-whatever so you might not be fucked if the first roll sucks.

Rolled 63, 8, 19 = 90 (3d100)

>>537888
>turn about the tank and ready to fire on the flanker

Rolled 74, 7, 24 = 105 (3d100)

>>537888
Turn and face the threat

Rolled 29 + 1 (1d100 + 1)

As the enemy rolls into the street before your platoon, both Gehrit and Hertzel’s vehicles fire into its broadside, both of their shots striking true against the steel as the flares are crushed between the treads and scatter colored sparks about the ground.

You hastily warn Stein about the oncoming enemy, and the corner of it emerges. Anxiety mounts as you watch the flare rocket round soar towards the enemy…only to glance upward off of the mudguard; not close enough to the hull to be counted as a knockout shot. Stein swears, and moves to ready another shot, when the barrel of the opposing tank glows and a shining star erupts from its aperture.

The rocket flits over the hull of your tank and into Hertzel’s tank. A referee throws a flag, counting a knockout. The enemy attempts to retreat, but Stein’s second shot bounces off the front of the enemy’s hull; a successful hit by any measure. Stein begins a series of apologies, but you silence him.

“The battle is not over yet.” You direct him to continue his gunnery work.

Suddenly Reitberg’s voice chirps over the net.

“I got them!” His voice forces you to loosen the headphones from your ears, “Two of them, all of them! They stopped for some reason, and I got around them, and-“

You interrupt him, with an order to link back up. Whether or not his headstrongness was ultimately destructive or not was yet to be seen; what mattered was that your efforts demolished all but one of the enemy platoon in this town; assuming that indeed they were all in the town. It seemed unlikely that two at once would be here if Cassel was as occupied as he said.

Your Radio Operator reports that Cassel has been overwhelmed. An attack on the bridge, which stands before you to your south, should be anticipated.

Each company contained four platoons. You eliminated one on the hill, and supposedly saw one on your side of the river, with two on the other.

The lone tank had to have been part of the contingent on the river. Surely Cassel would not have been defeated by one mere tank platoon, be it part of First Company or not?

>Align defense to the south to take on an attack from the south
>Spread defense to the south and to the east
>Attack to the east to overwhelm the lesser enemy
>Attack to the south to try and take advantage of any post skirmish confusion

>>538235
>Spread defense to the south and to the east

>>538235
2 tanks south with the third keeping an eyeeast but ready to assist south

In what seemed like mere moments, your position had flown from a hope of victory into inevitable defeat. Your understrength platoon had little hope of defeating the remaining enemy head on, but you’d be damned if you weren’t going to fight on anyhow.

“Gehrit, with me.” You organize the defense of your hard won bridge with the scraps of your platoon, “Hertzel, watch the east and report immediately if you see anything. Be ready to move back south again when the enemy comes.”

Your platoon moves out, and you inhale deeply, awaiting the last stand. The nature of the exercise cheapened the drama of a final battle somewhat, but in recollection you supposed it was better than being in a real life example.

Each minute felt as an hour, but all you or your eastward observer ever spotted where shadows and probes, never sticking around to force an engagement.
Stein prods you suddenly. “Hey, boss,” he mutters, “Malachi wanted to suggest something.”

“Well, spit it out then.” You say impatiently, stressed by the atmosphere of inaction.

“ I’ll tell you. If he tells you he’ll have to repeat every world. Old Nauk accent and all. Anyhow, he said that his people have a saying. Even the mighty lion of the mountains is felled by an adder in the grass.”

“This is hardly the time for parables.”

“No, you see,” Stein coughs, “We’ve got two full platoons coming at us, right? Each of these tanks, plus the tanks we have, have the demolition charges, right? We can hide a lot better than these metal boxes…”

>Not an option. We are tankers, not bandits. Men of high birth do not cower in the shadows and the brush.
>I approve of this suggestion. Take the simulated charges and hide in the area.
>I have a better idea/addendum. (Write In)

File: post-113731-1252958095.jpg (36KB, 575x359px) Image search: [Google]

36KB, 575x359px

>>538921

>>538921
Take the simulated charges and hide in the area.

If we could score a mobility kill with a satchel trap somehow on the lead tank it would help us immensely

>>538921
WE WILL NOT HIDE IN METAL BAWXES!

Leave a driver and a gun-layer in every tank. Have them Put up a token resistance then feign retreat. The rest set up a satchel charge ambush aiming to block the bridge with a destroyed tank.

>>539075
Supporting