The Commander's Dilemma and The Cowardly Gunner

A Story by ManiacalLust

A short experimental story based on my imagination from a MMORPG/FPS game that i have taken a fond liking to. World of Tanks. Constructive criticism is welcomed.

It was hot, fantastically hot inside here compared to the cold freezing tundra of the outside. Enclosed in the hard, secure and thick steel around me. I'll be safe, i'll just need to think harder. I just need to remember my training. What should i do? What must i do to decide if my men lives or not...

Stabsfeldwebel Kurt gripped the steel handlebar next to him to steady himself. Opening his eyes and screamed orders to his crew. "Gefreiter Juzn, order 4 PanzerIV's to take the long route and flank them!"

His radio operator Juzn nodded curtly and quickly radioed in the order to the battalion.

"Feldwebel Wulf, get up and look down your scope." Kurt ordered his gunner. Beads of sweat trickling down the sides of his face as he looked into his commander's periscope again. "Range 1800 Meters! Wind 18 to 25KM/h west to east!" he barked the coordinates to his gunner.

The young Feldwebel Wulf got up in his seat and peered down his Turmzielfernrohr-TZF-9b gun sight optics. Calculating his commanders estimates and coordinates while he adjusted his aim. His trembling hand quickly adjusted the gun and sights onto the target 1.8 Kilometers away while shells rained down around the tank. "T-Target. T-34... 3 Meters wide... 1 and a Half Str-Strichs. Wind.. A quarter of a strich l-left." He pulled away from the scope and looked to his right at his loader. Getting the curt nod and thumbs up from him to show that the gun is fully loaded. He looked through the scope one again. "8.8cm Loaded! Firing!" He squeezed the trigger and the gun kicked back violently.

The 8.8cm PzGr 39/43 APCBC-HE shell flew true, a bold of light streaking towards the hulled down Russian T-34 tank through the blizzard of the Russian-German forest. Connecting with the turret armor straight on. Penetrating the gun mantlet completely and into the tank itself, causing a large explosion that could be seen from far away as the shell also blew up the ammo rack within.

That caused an sudden uproar from the crew itself, it was their first official tank kill before Kurt raised his palm and curled it into a fist. That was a sign that the crew should be quiet and keep their focus. He barked orders for another target.