Half an hour later I saw more torches approach the village.

“I bet those guys are searching for their friends.” (J)

“We might as well take them down with artillery. Howitzer fire, coming right on top of their heads.” I started plotting the artillery strike.

The targeting circle was way too large to hope that the enemy will be killed before they have an opportunity to warn the others.

One thing is when they can bring more people here, and the other is if they make everybody concentrate their forces in the capital and shut themselves there.

The latter one would be a disaster.

Basilisk are an option but they lack the power of 152mm guns.

Then I remembered that there are a bunch of uncalled callsigns.

“Flapper, this is Beril-Main. Do you read me? Over.”

“Flapper’s here. Reading you loud and clear. How can we be of assistance?” (F)

“What are you armed with?”

“Koalitsiya-SV. Self-propelled gun. Can we be of use?” (F)

“I could use some precise fire. Can you provide some?”

“Loading Krasnopol’.” (F)

“We need a very precise bombardment on a group of moving targets.” I marked the group.

For some time Flapper was not responding.

“The calculations are complete. Correct for 30s of movement. Over.” (F)

“Are you sure you will hit…?”

“I will eat my helmet, if we miss. Waiting for the order.” I doubted it will happen. Still, I picked a good point, where even a shell should not damage the village further.

When the enemy group was where I needed them, I said: “Fire.”

“ ‘Boom’ Shell’s out!” Jester used the designator at the enemies.

33 seconds later the enemy group disappeared in a flash.

BOOM

“Impact.” (F)

“Good work. Send one more there.”

30s later another shell hit the same place.

BOOM

“Thanks for the package.” The thermal scope showed nothing. The enemies were hit by the first shell but it wouldn’t hurt sending another one.

“You’re welcome. Call us, if you need anything.” (F)

“A coffee, please?”

“One coffee, coming right now! Boom~!” We giggled, and stopped the communication.

“Start the engine, we’re moving when ready.”

“Any idea where?” (O)

“A kuda nelegkaya poshlet!” [Wherever the destiny sends us!]

---

We returned to the place where we turned on the road. I have a vague understanding of what the local geography looks like, and now we must make a good use of it.

“Let’s follow the road.”

“Understood, Commander.” Old man drove the tank.

On our way we saw a group of people lying on the side of the road. All of them were killed.

“Stop.”

The tank slowed down by the bodies.

I hesitated to open the hatch, and started with scanning the surroundings through the machine gun’s scope.

One side of the road was clear. I turned the mount to the other side.

“Group of contacts.” There were a bunch of heat signs lying behind a small hill.

“Targets at 9 o’clock. Range 50. Load HE, and wait.”

“Loading HE.” (J)

‘Whuuuu-ch-whuu’

The contacts did not move.

“Azimuth 273. Range 50, in grass. Aim at the top of the hill.”

“Wait one.” Jester looked through the optics, until he confirmed the location.

“Ready.” He grabbed the turret controls, and waited for the order.

“Fire at will.”

‘ZZZZZZZZZ’

The turret rapidly turned, and the gun aimed.

“SHOOTING!” (J)

I pushed my head away from the optics, before I get a bump.

BOOM

The hill exploded, and I fired several heavy machine gun shots afterwards.

“Let’s paint a rifle on the barrel.” (J)

“Have you shot something important?”

“Come on! Can I have any way of telling I’m a good gunner?!” (J)

“No. Turret at 0. Forward.”

Jester howled that it isn’t fair, and the tank continued moving.

---

As the sunset started, we started to search for a suitable spot for the camp. Everything around us is covered in tall grass, and the ‘goblins’ may attack. All of their attacks were based around ambushes and sneaking, so we have to take extra caution during the sleep. Up to the point of doubling the amount of people on guard.

When we drove on top of a hill, I saw a light ahead.

It was a group of mounted people. They saw us too, and started galloping away.