Tank Duel

“AP rounds, load AP rounds you morons, they are attacking us!”

Azem order came too late. Before his crew could load up armor-piercing shells leading tank of Ghost battalion fired its guided rocket. It hit straight in the turret, penetrated it and made real mess inside.

“Enemy tank, bearing 1-9, AP shell, sound readiness!”

“Shell ready SIR!”

“Fire!...load up new one!”

“Shell ready!”

“Fire!”
Ghost battalion suddenly appeared through the smoke curtain. Even though only 5 tanks have managed to pass through the mud and join the attack result was extreme: Albanian tanks started to pull back.

“Enemy infantry sir, bearing 1-4, RPG!!!”

“Deploy smoke!”

“Smoke deployed sir!”

“Full left, slow speed. Cock machinegun! Sound when ready!”

“Machinegun ready sir!”

“Target, enemy infantry, bearing 1-2 to 1-4, full burst. Fire when ready!”

As the machinegun was suppressing enemy infantry hiding behind the small hill and loading up their RPG-s Major Grozni lighted his cigarette, first from the morning. It was real rare occasion to see him spend entire morning without smokes, he was truly busy. Voice cried out loud from the radio:

“Sir, captain Boskovic here, we’ve been hit, our tank has been hit, dammit!”

“Calm down captain, report damage!”

“Sir, left side of the body has been hit, it has penetrated inside. Driver is wounded, my left arm is hit and my gunner is bleeding!”

“Pull back immediately. I repeat, pull back immediately. We will cover you from the front. Deploy smoke to the left and move back double time.”

“Yes sir, Boskovic out!”

“Sir, I see helicopter coming in!”

“Helicopter?!Where?”

“Straight ahead sir, coming in very low!”

“What about enemy tanks?”

“They have retreated sir, all of them. We have just finished sweeping enemy infantry, they re running away as well.”

“I see it. Yeah, helicopter for sure, not ours that for sure too. Damn, if that helicopter has ATGM-s we are toasted.”

“What are we going to do sir?”

“You watch that road to the right. I will deal with this!”

Major had two options at his disposal. The first one was to try to bring down the helicopter with 12.7mm machinegun on the top. Second one was to pull back and hope that radar service got boogey in their screens.

“Tank platoon, listen up! We have enemy helicopter flying in. I am ordering the entire platoon to head fast to the woods behind. I repeat, head to the woods immediately! I will distract him with command tank. Sound off clearance!”

As the tank crews reported back their acknowledgment of the order red lights started to blink in Major’s tank.

“Master alert sir, master alert! We have been locked on!”

“Prepare countermeasures!”

“Yes sir!”

Major has managed to climb up and mount the machinegun. His experience reminded him that when tank gets locked on it’s a matter of second before rocket starts flying towards it. He hoped that enemy helicopter crew is newbie one, that he’s got at least some 10 to 15 seconds to spray some fire on it until tank platoon gets to safety. As he started fire he knew he is too inaccurate to do any kind of damage. Even though 12.7 mm is heavy round he has never fired machinegun on the air target. In the corner of his eye tank platoon was already reaching up the forest.

“Full speed ahead!”

“Yes sir!”

Tank has started the movement and he went down in the interior. It’s up to the God’s will now.

“Move to the forest on the right, full speed, step on it!”

“Yes sir, right away.”

He has seen flame and smoke on the left side of the helicopter. Rocket was moving towards them.

“Start the countermeasures!”

“Yes sir!”

Turret immediately moved to face incoming projectile. Smoke canisters went all around. Major saw his gunner praying in silence with eyes closed. Immediately, like born-in reaction, he has slapped him on the back of the head and yelled:

“Watch the instruments, God is busy you fool!”

He couldn’t hear response. A pressure built up and they felt blackout in a second. Rocket has hit couple of meters from the tank, only fragments have hit the side of it.

“Alright, we are alive. Move this damn tank to the forest Pajko, what a hell you are waiting for?”

“Sir, our engine went out.”

“Engine what!?”

“Engine is dead sir”

Major pulled out and looked on the back. A thick black smoke was pouring out of it. Heat and blast has managed to penetrate rails and damage it. Small flame started blazing away from the back. Another decision to be made.

“Abandon tank. Get out of this can, helicopter will make another turn any second now. Take your weapons and get out.”

“What about self-destruction, shall I press the button?”

“Are you crazy or something? If that helicopter fails to destroy it we will repair the tank, if possible. Now get out and run to the forest as fast as you can!”