Girls und panzer: Carolus rex the emperor of steel

In the designated clearing, both forces aligned face to face, creating an atmosphere charged with tension and mutual respect. The commanders and their respective crews exchanged formal greetings, fully aware of the magnitude of the clash that was about to begin.

I extended my hand toward Kebiko as a gesture of friendship between allied academies.

Erik: Let's fight well, sister.

Kebiko observed Erik's extended hand for a brief moment before flashing a confident smile. She firmly accepted the handshake, showing both respect and the determination of a commander who had no intention of yielding easily.

Kebiko: Heh, I expected nothing less from you. Let's fight well, brother.

The students of Viking Fisheries reacted with a mix of surprise and pride. For them, this battle was not just another match, but a duel of honor between warriors of the same heritage. Some smiled with excitement, while others nodded respectfully toward Erik and his crew.

—Come on, girls, let's show them what we're made of!—one of the crew members shouted enthusiastically, igniting the spirit of her comrades.

The atmosphere shifted for a moment. From the prior tension, it transformed into a feeling of warrior camaraderie—an unspoken understanding that, regardless of the outcome, both teams would share the glory of a hard-fought battle.

General POV

The flags of both academies waved proudly as the teams dispersed toward their designated positions. The combat zone—a mix of strategic hills, treacherous swamps, and dense forests—provided an ideal battleground for the maneuver warfare and ambush tactics in which both academies specialized.

From the stands and observation areas, cameras projected detailed images of the battle onto giant screens, allowing the audience to follow every move with precision. The tension in the air was palpable.

—PANZER VOR!—the announcer exclaimed, officially marking the start of the battle.

Aerial shots showed the rapid dispersion of both teams, each executing their strategy with discipline and coordination.

In the spectator zone, excitement was evident on the faces of students from various academies. Jatkosota, Pravda, and St. Gloriana watched intently, analyzing every tactic deployed by their ally, Carolus Rex. However, they were not the only ones. Kuromorimine and Ooarai were also present, their attention divided not only by the battle but also by the visible tension between Maho and Miho.

Maho stood with her arms crossed, her expression serious and unreadable as her eyes followed every move on the battlefield. Beside her, Miho tried to maintain composure, but the discomfort in her posture made it clear that the situation was more personal for her than she wanted to admit. Her change of academy was still a sensitive topic, and simply sharing the same space with her older sister reignited that silent pressure.

Despite this, the battle demanded everyone's attention. What was about to happen would not only determine the victory of one team but also serve as a test between two similar doctrines—where only the best execution of strategy would define the winner.

Erik's Centurion climbed the highest hill, accompanied by a few Strv m/38 as escorts, while the squads of Astrid, Freya, and Gudrun moved to different locations, hiding and even going so far as to smear their tanks with mud and attach grass to improve camouflage.

Erik knew that Viking Fisheries would most likely do the exact same thing, so he used the newly manufactured BT-42s as bait, forcing Viking Fisheries out of their hiding spots with constant harassment while occasionally sending in certain light tanks.

Erik: I underestimated how stubborn they are.

Remembering what the wiki stated—that no matter what happens, they would follow their strategy to the letter—he decided to use the same tactic that Katyusha had supposedly used against them.

Through his binoculars, Erik observed that, even as Viking Fisheries tanks fell, they clung to their ambush strategy despite the fact that Carolus Rex was employing the same tactics.

Erik: It doesn't matter anymore. Destroy everything. Have the BT-42s pull back.

To win, sometimes you have to give up a little ground to advance further.

The BT-42s withdrew from the area, and then something happened that no one had expected—

FIIUUUUUU BOOOM

Explosions echoed across the battlefield as the fight reached its most critical point. Erik's strategy had worked perfectly—Viking Fisheries, forced to abandon their ambush positions, was now exposed to Carolus Rex's counterattack.

From the stands, the audience watched in awe at the unprecedented tactical display. The use of the BT-42s as improvised artillery had been an unexpected twist, completely shattering the expectations of those who thought Carolus Rex would rely on a direct offensive.

Darjeeling, who normally maintained her composure in any situation, lowered her teacup in surprise.

Darjeeling: They're using them as artillery?!

The students of St. Gloriana exchanged astonished looks. Orange Pekoe, wide-eyed, murmured:

Pekoe: That's not something you see every day…

Meanwhile, in the Pravda section, Katyusha stood on Nonna's shoulders, pointing at the screen with a mix of shock and excitement.

Katyusha: Hey, hey! We have artillery too! Why don't we do something like that?

Nonna, with her usual calm demeanor, replied without taking her eyes off the screen:

Nonna: Это не просто случайный непрямой огонь. Их расчёты должны быть предельно точными (This is not just random indirect fire. Their calculations must be extremely precise.)

Klara, standing beside her, nodded.

Klara: Это риск, но это работает для них. (It's a risk, but it's working for them.)

In Kuromorimine's section, Maho Nishizumi frowned—not in displeasure, but in deep analysis.

Maho: They're not just using indirect fire… they're forcing their enemy to break formation.

Schwarz and the rest of Kuromorimine's officers exchanged glances, realizing the tactical depth of what they were witnessing.

But the tension was even greater in Ooarai's section. Miho Nishizumi watched the screen with a mix of pride and nervousness. Deep down, she knew that facing Erik in this tournament would be no easy feat.

Saori, her mouth slightly open, pointed at the screen.

Saori: He's really terrifying when he fights seriously!

Hana, always serene, nodded.

Hana: It's a well-executed strategy. He's not fighting head-on; he's using every element of the terrain and his team's composition to his advantage.

Yukari, visibly excited, pulled out a notebook and started taking frantic notes.

Yukari: This is incredible! First, he uses harassment tactics to force the enemy to move, and then he punishes them with improvised artillery fire! This is something that has never been seen in Sensha-dō!

In Saunders, Kay watched with a big grin.

Kay: Haha! That's one hell of a way to fight! I like that aggressive style!

Beside her, Alisa crossed her arms, watching with a worried expression.

Meanwhile, in Anzio, Anchovy had dropped her plate of pasta in shock at Erik's strategy.

Anchovy: Mamma mia! We could do something like that with our self-propelled guns too!

Pepperoni and Carpaccio looked at her, but neither of them knew if that was even possible for their team.

All the academies knew that Carolus Rex used long-range attacks, but they greatly underestimated the distance and were now surprised by the scene unfolding before them. At first glance, one would have thought that Erik would grow desperate and adopt a formation to advance, but instead, he ordered the BT-42s to aim upwards, along with other medium tanks, to function as artillery.

Kuromorimine and Ooarai also watched the scene attentively. Although both academies had studied Carolus Rex's tactics, they had rarely witnessed their deployment in an environment so similar to their own. Maho Nishizumi frowned, recognizing the level of discipline and execution in Erik's strategy.

On the battlefield, Carolus Rex's forces showed no mercy. Light tanks hunted down Viking Fisheries' stragglers as if they were mice trapped in a maze with no escape. The Strv m/38s served as harassers, while the T-34-85s acted as the lethal claw that finished off any resistance.

Gudrun: Take that!!! —she shouted with excitement as her T-34-85 took down another S.35 and a Pz III Ausf J.

POV Erik

After some time hunting, I spotted the flagship tank, the NbFz.

Erik: Tank, distance 2,150 meters.

I mentioned this to the gunner while entering the tank and closing the hatch.

Yrsa: Got it in my sights. —she replied sleepily, chewing on some gum.

I gave the order to immobilize it through the radio and climbed back out of the hatch to observe the situation. I saw several Strv m/38s surrounding it, but that NbFz was incredibly elusive. The Centurions decided to cut off its escape routes and began ramming it while the lighter tanks destroyed its tracks.

Freya: All set, commander!! —she announced over the radio.Yrsa: Ready to fire. —her finger hovered over the trigger.Erik: Fire!!!

The sound of the Centurion's shot echoed through the air. The armor-piercing shell flew across the battlefield and struck its target with surgical precision, hitting the rear of the NbFz. Within seconds, the flagship tank was out of combat.

Back on the battlefield, the climactic moment arrived when Erik's Centurion fired at Viking Fisheries' NbFz.

The armor-piercing shell soared across the field and embedded itself in the rear of the enemy flagship tank, leaving it disabled.

There was a brief silence in the stands until the announcer proclaimed:

Announcer: Viking Fisheries has lost its flagship tank! Victory for Carolus Rex!

The Carolus Rex section erupted in cheers, while murmurs and discussions filled the rest of the academies as they processed what they had just witnessed.

In the Kuromorimine section, Maho closed her eyes for a moment before crossing her arms.

Maho: Miho.

Her younger sister looked at her attentively.

Maho: If you want to win this tournament… you will have to face that.

Miho swallowed hard. She knew Maho was right. And deep down, she wondered what it would be like to face Erik in battle.

Meanwhile, in the Jatkosota section, the Finnish academy members observed the battle's conclusion. Unlike other academies that reacted with shock or excitement, most of the Jatkosota girls remained silent, calmly analyzing every move Carolus Rex had made.

Mika, always with her kantele in hand, plucked a few notes while smiling mysteriously.

Mika: Hmm… interesting. Very interesting.

Mikko, arms crossed, frowned slightly.

Mikko: What are you talking about? What they did isn't something we couldn't do with our BT-42s.

Mika tilted her head and glanced at her sideways.

Mika: Maybe, but tell me, Mikko… could you make those calculations in the middle of combat? With that level of precision?

Mikko opened her mouth to respond but fell silent. She knew that aiming with indirect fire was incredibly difficult, and what Carolus Rex had done wasn't just luck.

Aki, wearing a serious expression, spoke up.

Aki: They didn't just improvise. They knew exactly what they were doing. The BT-42s aren't the most effective as artillery, but they achieved the psychological effect they needed: forcing Viking Fisheries to move.

Mika chuckled softly and started playing another melody.

Mika: Exactly. It doesn't matter if the shells hit or not. What matters is making the enemy believe they will.

Her crew looked at her curiously as Mika adjusted her cap with a carefree air.

Mika: Erik is an interesting man… —she mused in her usual enigmatic tone—. It'll be fun to see how his journey in this tournament unfolds.

The Jatkosota members nodded without saying another word. In their minds, they were already strategizing how they might face Carolus Rex if their paths crossed.

When the battle ended and white flags waved over Viking Fisheries' disabled tanks, the tournament presenter approached Erik for a brief interview. With a professional smile, she held up the microphone and looked at the camera before speaking.

Announcer: What an impressive battle! —she exclaimed enthusiastically—. Carolus Rex has demonstrated exceptional mastery of long-range combat. Captain Lindsworm, one question many must be asking right now: how is it possible for your gunners to land such precise long-range shots?

I calmly crossed my arms and proceeded to explain.

Erik: We place targets at specific distances, and our gunners and commanders must accurately calculate the provided range, training them to estimate distances without relying too much on the rangefinder. Sometimes, effective vision is unavailable due to terrain, weather, or battlefield smoke. That's why we train until our calculations are precise even without electronic aids.

I mainly say this because in War Thunder, I had to adapt to estimating distances by eye since the rangefinder took too long to calculate. So, I would just elevate the gun to the distance I thought was correct and fire. After a long time of training, I got to the point where I could destroy tanks from extremely long distances, which helped me win many matches.

General POV

In the Ooarai section, the student council president, Anzu Kadotani, listened to Erik's words with a thoughtful expression.

Anzu: Hmm… that sounds useful. —she murmured while chewing on a dried sweet potato.

Momo Kawashima, her assistant, frowned as she took mental notes.

Momo: If we trained that way, we could improve our long-range shooting accuracy… —she muttered.

Yuzu Koyama, the council's third member, tilted her head curiously.

Yuzu: Although we don't have tanks designed for long-range combat like Carolus Rex's…

Anzu: But we could adapt the technique. —she said with a sly smile—. I wonder if Nishizumi will consider this idea…

The girls from Ooarai exchanged glances. They weren't the only ones considering the possibility. In the stands, several academies appeared deep in thought, reflecting on whether they could integrate similar training into their own strategies.

This is only the beginning of the climb to the top.