Sport Tanks and the Shangri-La

what would a KV-2 "literally a cut-down naval 6-incher" gun be? calibre 6?

Yep. Caliber 6 is anything over 139mm, and Caliber 5 and 6 have special rules to keep them from being instant wins- starting with the fact they're two-piece ammo by default and need to get fixed cartridges as an upgrade.
 
Inserted tally
Adhoc vote count started by 7734 on Jul 30, 2020 at 12:43 AM, finished with 78 posts and 34 votes.
 
Chapter 1, Part 2: Tumble, tumble, tumble
Grumbling to yourself, you headed back to the girls' dorm popping open your waistcoat along the way. The fall heat was real, and trudging in you drew nothing but stares. Probably because you were sweating like a pig, since your plan for today had been to just wear a soft t-shirt under your uniform instead of a bra because you weren't that far unpacked yet. Getting back to your room and stripping down in front of the air conditioner and box fan at full blast felt absolutely heavenly.

Homework though? Homework was terrible. You didn't get sent here because school was easy, you got sent here because you were honestly a bit of a fuckup. Math homework was hell, literature- on a typewriter no less since neither you nor Leki, your roommate, had a computer- was best described as torment, and the sweet solace of history only slowed things down for a few minutes until science was clobbering you over the head.

Looking at your near-mute roommate, you shared a nod. The only thing to cure this solace was muffins. Changing out of the slacks and special stuff, you decided that it would be absolutely fine to head down to the bakery in a sports bra, hoody, and sweats. Fuck it, and especially math homework. Once you were there, a blueberry muffin and a cup of tea were waiting, along with a nice couch and a blanket. You weren't kidding when you said the female dorms were amazingly comfortable to live in! Still, as you curled around your drink, and Leki curled around you, you smiled.

"You know we're gonna have to start wearing pants for this at some point, right?" Leki deigned to say after both of you had finished your muffins. "What with the guys."

You shushed her. "I plan on going there, not bringing them here. No boys allowed!"

"Fair enough." She said, smirking.

/-/-/-



Waking up in the morning, you signed lightly, before falling out of bed gracelessly. You'd had the sense to grab your new uniform parts yesterday from the school commissary, and as you pulled on the new shirt and the oddball hat everyone in the dorm stopped to stare at you. Like it as not, you were special now. Different.

Dare you even say elite?

It was no matter as you chugged through the school day, side-cocked square top of your hat defying all expectation and reality. After the last class let out with a roar and people went to find clubs to join, you just marched down to the Tank Tent, ready to start your new job as Captain. When you got there, though, there were a passel of seniors- identifiable by their bright green hat accents and general disdain- hard at work, with one of them wearing a mirror copy of your dumbass hat. Noticing you, he walked up smartly, sticking out his hand.

"Lars Janowski, at your service."

"Celeste Ageneterre." you said as you tried to loosen up. "How are we looking?"

"Get over here to the office and I'll start explaining." He said, leading you to a card table, filing cabinet, and old laptop. "Right now, we've got five old Renault Ft-17s, a selection of weapons, a ludicrous amount of fuel we're going to go through like vodka at a bachelor party, ammo for said weapons, and nine spare power packs. All the ATF paperwork's been filed, stamps paid, et cettera. The issue right now is people."

"We need crew, don't we." You said, voice dry.

"An Ft-17 takes a two-man crew, so we need another nine people, plus maintenance crew of… eh call it thirty; thirty-nine total. The idiot horndogs we'll get can be fobbed off on maintenance until they shape up or drop out, the rest we'll put with you in the tanks. Which leads us to our next big question- coaches."

Opening up the series of dossiers on the card table- it wasn't your desk yet, honestly- and looking them over, you found a mess of pictures and information.

"I'll give you a few minutes to look them over." Janowski said, walking off. "MERIDITH! WE'RE GETTING RECRUITS IN THIRTY! GET THE CHAIRS OUT!"

Digging in, you got to reading. Most of the information was dry and clinical- last place of employment, excerpts of resumes and letters of recommendation, old logos and brag patches and things you couldn't make heads or tails of… but then there were the portraits. Those caught in your mind.

The first was a young woman, dark, frizzy hair raked back in a stiff bun with a cigarette hanging out of her lips and a light smirk over a dark blue jacket in long cut. Angelique Cerdan, the daughter of a pair of pied-noir, graduated the Universitie d'Toulon, spent three years as a member of the South France team, but couldn't get into the National Team and instead going into coaching. Her letter promised a spirit of fire and elan, and her resume made her out to be a large proponent of light units, independent actions, and maneuverer doctrine. Equally importantly, she'd also serve as one of the school's French teachers, giving you a class you'd probably ace provided you didn't screw up your tank-work badly.

Next up was her opposite in almost every way. Short, with sandy-auburn hair and a devilish smirk, August Becker was a German from the highlands with a reasonable track record. Graduated out of Vienna Polytechnic, two years as a driver on the tracked rally circuit and eight in an amateur team in Dresden to good successes. Short stint in the Czech Republic as a substitute driver for the Brno team, and he got into coaching shortly after to absolutely no success with their older Soviet tank parks. His letters were energetic, with a more tempered air and marvelous determination, which combined with his resume suggested a focus on teamwork-based operations, battlefield tactics and deception, and a firm understanding of the mechanics of your tank. Also, like Cerdan, he would likely serve as a language teacher to your GPA's relief.

Following that was a bit more of a mystery choice, hailing originally from Ukraine of all places. Yekatarina Dryagina was probably the most successful tanker on her own merits here, spending two years on the Ukrainian National Team in an unlisted position, before moving down into coaching and back up into a couple of private teams. Still, over fourteen years in the job, there was a solid record buried in there even if there wasn't an attached educational listing. Also unlike the other bios, there was no pictures, or even descriptions. Janowski had included a 'probable' photo of her on the shoulders of one of the top gunners in the Ukrainian National Team from '12, but the key word was probable: her tank's ID number wasn't even noted in the bios. Her cover letter emphasized she would teach a competitive, group-focused style based around close coordination to overcome superior enemy vehicles, maneuvering in all terrains, and sound foundations for field repair and vehicle improvement.

Rounding things off were the coaches from closer to home. Luke DuBois was a member of the Midwest Tankery Confederation, and currently was a gunner for the Lima Armory Demonstration Team that was looking to get out of the tank for a few years to clean out his medical record after a failed Air-Dropped Tank System test ended up breaking both arms and his skull. Since a closed-head injury larger than a concussion was a four-year competitive benching, it made a good deal of sense. Six years with the demonstration team and a degree from Ohio State (in anthropology of all things) made him a solid pick, plus the invisible benefit of speaking English as his first language. Unfortunately, he'd be a coach only, so there wouldn't be any grade-boosting off him, but on the plus side he was the most well-rounded of the teachers and promised to coach according to the MTC guidebook, which had won the US National team two World Cups back in '97 and '03.

Following him was Cameron Nicols, a Newfie with a head of shaggy hair and a devil-may-care grin that screamed death and destruction. While his was the shortest record- four years in the University of Montreal and two in the Quebec Char de Combat Escardon Deux- he also had tank command for three wins to two losses in the America-Canada International, one Canadian Cup, and had been on the podium for all his years of university. While not a teacher for classes, he did promise to bring to the table a style that was focused around team strategies and tactics, timed assaults and terrain use, and most importantly in his eyes battle coordination through poor weather and enemy interference.

Once you were done reading the dossiers, you stood up with a groan, before taking the time to roll your arms a few times and walk over to the main area. Smirking, Janowski just looked at you, before pointing over at fifteen of your classmates now wearing the Tankery Team Hat.

"I got you some rookies." Janowski said, grinning. "The horndogs are washing the tanks."

Staring at the crowd, you sighed. "We have nine open slots- this is nearly double that!"

"And you'll get more tanks the more you fight." Janowski said, shrugging. "If nothing else, bringing in wins should shake loose some sponsorship, and even if you don't win a medical bench should help. Rules are three weeks off for a concussion, and there's no getting around that."

You winced. Right, medical benching. Had to account for that.

"Either way, pick a driver, and have fun." He said, grinning. "I'm gonna go see if my boyfriend's free, make sure you get those recommendations sent up the chain, and remember nobody's actually allowed to do anything until the instructor gets here."

"Right, right." You said, trying to smile. Going over to the crowd of rookies, you tried to smile, failed, and sighed before plopping down in a chair. "Anyone who wants to be a driver, right side of the tent. Everyone else, left."

That got you six drivers. Good? Maybe? Hell, you were clueless here! Either way, you had to pick one of them! Oh hell why did you ever agree this might be a good idea!?

-/-/-/-/-/

VOTES

(Plan voting is allowed for this one due to the second vote item)

Is your driver a boy or a girl?
[] Boy
[] Girl

Vote for coaches; choose up to 3. GM will choose from top 2 with consideration from discussion.
[] Angelique Cerdan (FR)
[] August Becker (DE)
[] Yekatarina Dryagina (UA)
[] Luke DuBois (US)
[] Cameron Nicols (CA)
 
Math homework was hell, literature- on a typewriter no less since neither you nor Leki, your roommate, had a computer- was best described as torment,
That is horrible. I haven't used typewriter since I was a kid.
Looking at your near-mute roommate, you shared a nod. The only thing to cure this solace was muffins. Changing out of the slacks and special stuff, you decided that it would be absolutely fine to head down to the bakery in a sports bra, hoody, and sweats. Fuck it, and especially math homework. Once you were there, a blueberry muffin and a cup of tea were waiting, along with a nice couch and a blanket.
That does sound heavenly.
to clean out his medical record after a failed Air-Dropped Tank System test ended up breaking both arms and his skull.
Crazy man.
Once you were done reading the dossiers, you stood up with a groan, before taking the time to roll your arms a few times and walk over to the main area. Smirking, Janowski just looked at you, before pointing over at fifteen of your classmates now wearing the Tankery Team Hat.
That's good, actually.


[X] Plan: Drive Me Closer
-[X] Boy
-[X] August Becker (DE)
-[X] Yekatarina Dryagina (UA)
-[X] Luke DuBois (US)
 

Armory demo teams tend to be, yeah. Plus side, ambitious new wunderwaffen. Minus side, unstable new wunderwaffen.

and before anyone asks, yes, in this universe they did end up building a Ratte. Yes, it's getting a stat block someday. No, it did not end up with the originally planned 11" gun turret.
 
[X] Plan American Graffiti
-[X] Boy
-[X] Luke DuBois(US)
-[X] Cameron Nicols(CA)
-[X] Angelique Cerdan (FR)

So really focusing on teachers DuBois while yes is american and will speak English as a first language he is also familiar with US tankery and even more so with Midwest Tankery, Nicols his resume is very impressive and he too is familiar with American Tankery and finally Cerdan has the skills for our current line up and will be a language teacher.

So why does knowing US Tankery and even Midwest Tankery such a important thing to me? Just look at all these Orginazations and then realize exactly how many of them overlap each other.

And let's not even get into the whole bog big enough to swallow a ratte of what division our school belongs to much less our school but it's safe to say we're a bottom tier division for State.

Also because the school is partnered with Michigan tech that most likely means we are in the UP and where on lake Michingan so I can give a list of city names on where we can be. Now there is also good news and bad news. Good news I have actually lived in the UP so I know the area Bad News the Terrain is small mountains full of iron and Forest also it has a chance to start snowing in mid September and it snows deep. Which brings me to a small correction I have to make if it's fall and we are on the lake then it shouldn't be hot out humid as hell maybe but Lake effect should make it such that it should actually be pretty chilly. Also we are on the Easter time zone in this area but if we travel a hour west then we'll travel back in time for an hour half way there.
 
Also because the school is partnered with Michigan tech that most likely means we are in the UP and where on lake Michingan so I can give a list of city names on where we can be.

Close, but no cigar. The view was to the west over Lake Michigan, which would limit you to two or three possible peninsular areas which all have fuck and all there to actually build a school near. Nobody's building a boarding school where the only reasonable supply line is by water- even Interlochen has solid road connections to the rest of civilization.
 
[x] Yekatarina Dryagina (UA)
[x] Luke DuBois (US)
[x] Cameron Nicols (CA)
 
[X] Plan: Art of War
-[X] Girl
-[X] Angelique Cerdan (FR)
-[X] August Becker (DE)
-[X] Cameron Nicols (CA)

Angelique is a maneuver warfare proponent. Kind of important when we're driving around in tanks.

On the other hand, August Becker sounds like the kind of guy who would teach us straight out of The Art Of War. Learning to use spies and scouts and camouflage would be pretty valuable too.

Meanwhile, Cameron will teach us how to communicate and coordinate on the battlefield. For any strategy that gets our tanks out of sight of each other, that's exactly as vital as it sounds
 
[X] Boy
[X] August Becker (DE)
[X] Yekatarina Dryagina (UA)
[X] Cameron Nicols (CA)

Being a Canadian, I have to vote for the Newfie. The rest? Well we've got FT-17s which are fairly good tanks by WW1/Early Interwar standards but they'll struggle against any post-FT17 design and we're going to need to work around that. I really like the Ukranian's focus on compensating for poor materiel with teamwork, coordination and general robustness, and the German also reinforces that with focus on deception and tactics. But, really, I just want to see the newfie. I actually don't like the frenchwoman's focus on elan and independent action. I can't help but read that as, rather than making a true team of tanks all working together, covering flaws, etc. instead she's just going to teach us how to make "everyone go do your own thing" actually work which is imo contrary to the spirit of the game. And if you point out how "everyone doing their own thing" is actually kinda bad, she'll start shouting (en francais) about your insufficient elan.
 
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[X] Plan: Underdogs
-[X] Girl
-[X] Angelique Cerdan (FR)
-[X] Yekatarina Dryagina (UA)
-[X] August Becker (DE)

Edit: We are starting a new team and we need to use what we have to the most effect.....
 
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Close, but no cigar. The view was to the west over Lake Michigan, which would limit you to two or three possible peninsular areas which all have fuck and all there to actually build a school near. Nobody's building a boarding school where the only reasonable supply line is by water- even Interlochen has solid road connections to the rest of civilization.
Well then i guess what's the closest town then? or how far are we from mackinaw bridge?
 
We~ll...the problem is the school's fielding frankly obsolete light tanks, so tactics should both reflect that and the coaching we may even want to take a stab at recognizing who would have the least experience with it.

To me, that's obviously the American. Let's face it, we've got our stereotypes, and winning through Not Superior Firepower and Funding ain't it.

And from the rest, drop the French lady, ironically given the tank origin. Independent action and high performance can make an ace work to run rings around more mediocre units but IMV isn't going to win you a full light on x setup. (We also don't know if we even have an ace.)

[X] Plan Teamwork
-[X] Girl
-[X] August Becker (DE)
-[X] Yekatarina Dryagina (UA)
-[X] Cameron Nicols (CA)

That leaves obviously all of the group combat focused coaches, of whomever is probably fine in the end.
 
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