Panzerpferde, The Armored Fists of the Reich

>you are Bright Sky
>you are a unicorn mare enrolled in the Reich Military Academy
>more specifically, in it's experimental wing
>ever since you first became a student/recruit at the school, you've been taught how to operate all of the next generation weaponry that will seen be seeing combat
>among these are the new machine guns, pistols, and artillery
>however, there is one which you are only now being taught about
>the tanks, or panzers, as some call them
>to be honest, you can't wait to become a commander of one the new tanks
>but alas, you have to take special classes before you can even touch one of the things
>in fact, that's where you are right now
>the professor at the front of your room paces, asking review questions
>"Now, who can tell me the biggest advantage of the tank?"
>a pony at the front of the room raises her hoof
>"Yes, Glow?"
>>"The biggest advantage of the tank is it's mobility!"
>the professor smiles
>"Correct! Now, can you tell me WHY that's such an advantage?"
>the mare's face drops
>"I, uhhhh..."
>you sigh and raise your hoof
>"Yes, Bright; why is mobility important?"
"Mobility is important because it allows us to more easily encircle the enemy and cut them off from supplies and reinforcements."
>"Excellent!"
>the professor throws a piece of candy to you
>you halfheartedly catch it
>you swear that this professor must have taught foals before, given how he rewards correct answers
>you begin to space out as the class drags on
>don't worry Bright, finals are only a week away

>you are Golden Archer, a unicorn mare
>and you're loving your time at the Reich Military Academy!
>you enrolled in the gunnery section of the experimental wing of the academy
>you've gotten to shoot machine guns, disassemble and assemble different weapons, shoot pistols, and shoot more machine guns
>unfortunately, there is a lot of reading involved too...
>like Schulleiter Red Ink says, ponies cannot be trusted with these weapons if they don't know them inside and out
>but no worries, that will be over soon, seeing as finals are just a week away!
>you've not yet had a bad grade, so you're not particularly worried
>still, you want to make sure that you get to become a tank operator
>the only thing better than being allowed to work with all these cool guns is the ability to serve Lord Manos
>you know just as well as anyone else in the academy that the tanks are the future of warfare
>their ability to hit the Royalists hard and fast is what will win this war, you're sure of it
>unfortunately, you have not yet even been allowed to get close to one of the tanks, let alone climb inside one
>no, that has to wait until you meet the requirements to become a tank operator
>the requirements being that you pass all the classes necessary to be 'proficient' in the use of all of the Reich's other advanced weapons
>including the new Talon artillery
>boy, those things sure are loud
>you personally hope that you're assigned to one of the newer tanks equipped with a variant of that gun
>but you'll have to wait
>you have a final to ace

>you are Steady Wheel, a pegasus stallion
>like many other advanced-level students at the Academy, you are enrolled in the 'experimental' programs
>of course, this means working with all of the new weapons the Reich has to offer
>but, you are only really interested in one
>the tank
>and of course that's the one thing you haven't been allowed to work with yet
>you grew up in Vanhoover, son to a pair of wealthy merchants [spoiler](Oy Vey)[/spoiler] who wanted you to carry on the family business
>this included learning how to pilot nearly every kind of vessel in existence
>when you first heard of Lord Manos, you were skeptical, like most ponies were at first you imagine
>but as time passed, and you heard more about him, the more you realized that the old system had to die
>Equestria cannot be entrusted to a single family (one of which nearly destroyed the land)
>you of course kept these thoughts away from your parent
>but a confrontation ultimately came when the war began
>and they insisted you enlist in the Royal Navy
>it was at this point that you 100% made up your mind,
>and defected to the Reich
>it was shortly after you arrived that you first witnessed the glorious metal machines
>you rushed to the academy shortly afterwards to enlist
>when you had presented your records of academic history to the Academy, they questioned why you didn't want to enroll in the new maritime classes
>you merely insisted upon the experimental courses
>you can imagine that they would have denied your request if your transcript wasn't as good as it was
>but that's all in the past
>what matters is now and the future
>the future of the Reich
>the future you hope to help build
>now, you naturally decided to take the prerequisite classes needed in order to become a driver of one of the machines
>surely it cant be much different from a boat
>right?

>you are Sugar Bee, an earthpony mare
>you are an Apple
>yeah, what are the odds of that, right?
>anyway, you are enrolled in the experimental wing of the Reich Military Academy
>now whenever you tell anyone who you are, they always wonder how you ended up where you are
>it all started back when you lived on a....
>just take a guess as to where you lived, seriously
>a farm, what a shocker
>anyway, you were a beekeeper back on the farm, hence your cutie mark: a bee buzzing above a pile of sugar
>however, you also had an unusual hobby
>you liked to build gadgets
>everything you built was intended to help make the workload easier on the farm
>unfortunately, most just saw your creations as wastes of time and resources
>even your brother, Cider Guzzler
>last you heard, he left the farm and joined the Royal Navy
>but that was after you left
>you left the farm because you knew that the Reich would better appreciate your abilities
>plus, it helped that Lord Manos proved himself to be a much better leader than the princesses
>anyway, you didn't have much of an academic record, so you presented a few of your creations to the academy staff
>you were expecting them to laugh at you just like your family
>but instead, they were intrigued by what they saw
>particularly the device you made to put bees to sleep to make honey extraction easier
>you almost cried when they decided to admit you into the experimental wing, where, as they said, "your gifts would be best put to use."
>after a few weeks, you understood what they meant
>you have been taking classes on the mechanical upkeep of all of these new weapons the Reich is making
>including the new tanks
>these are by far the trickiest, because they have a complicated power sourse
>an 'internal combustion engine'
>still, you didn't have much difficulty getting used to the technology, and you are now planning on becoming a 'loader' on one of these tanks after you graduate, given that they also serve as the tank's mechanic

>you are Bright Sky
>and finals are finally here!
>if you pass, you'll be made a Lieutenant
>after that, all you have to do is a few weeks of tank training with a crew
>after that, graduation
>as you sit in your room, you can feel the tension in the air
>clearly, you're one of the few that is ready for this
>as the professor walks around handing out the test packets, you can tell that he too senses this tension
>"Remember, complete sentences on the short answer portion."
>he finally hands you your packet
>you waste no time in writing your name at the top before reading the first few questions
>the first half of the packet asks leadership questions
>the second half features a topographic map and gives you several scenarios, and asks what you should do in each one
>you smile
>this is going to be a piece of cake
>you get to work filling out the answers for the first half

>you are Golden Archer
>and you're busy taking your final
>the packet mainly asks questions about tank weaponry, but also has questions about squad-based machine guns and artillery
>easy stuff
>you shouldn't have any trouble acing this

>you are Steady Wheel
>your final asks a lot of weird questions
>for example: 'What do you do if you come across another friendly tank at a 4-way intersection?'
>oh well, you suppose it's to help avoid unnecessary accidents

>you are Sugar Bee
>and your final is unique
>for your final, you are instructed to fix a damaged engine
>you weren't told what was wrong with it, so you have to figure that out
>as you sit at the table with the engine, you look up at the clock
>you have two hours to do this
>you take a deep breath and begin to examine the different components

>you are Bright Sky
>and today is the day!
>today is the day that the results from the finals are returned
>also, if you've passed,
>it's the day you're assigned your new rank and command
>you hurry from your dorm down to the main lobby of the academy, where dozens of other ponies are already gathered
>on a large bulletin board, all of the results are pinned
>of course, all the ponies are crowded around the board, trying to find their results
>you grumble before moving pushing your way through the crowd
>after a bit, you're at the front
>you begin to scan your eyes across the different sheets of paper
>you just need to find yours, and then you can get out of the way
>just gotta keep looking....
>there it is!
>you quickly snatch the paper from the board before retreating back to the rear of the crowd
>alright, now let's see how you did
>hmm, A in maths, A+ in writing
>those don't matter, and you know it
>A- in tank commanding 101
>WHAT?
>and A-?!
>'Overall very good tactician, but needs work on pony skills' (stand-in for 'people skills')
>What? How could your professor think that you need work on skills?
>anyway, you passed, and that's all that matters
>you read the bottom of the page
>'any ponies who passed tank commanding 101 with a B+ or higher are to report to the assembly grounds by 11:00'
>you look up at the clock
>10:35
>oh buck
>you run out the front doors of the academy and race towards the grounds located all the way on the other end of the city
>may Manos help you get there on time

>you are Sugar Bee
>and you passed your final!
>it sure is a good thing that you still wake up at the crack of dawn every morning, like back on the farm
>because your test results said that anyone who passed tank mechanics 101 had to report to the assembly grounds by 11:00
>anyway, so you were the first pony to show up
>the officers leading what you guess will be a ceremony were surprised to find that a pony had arrived before they did
>but their surprise quickly vanished when you mentioned your family name
>it's odd
>back in Equestria, most ponies looked down upon Apples
>here though, everyone seems to respect the family's love of the land
>and their, uhh..
>fertility
>ANYWAY, as more and more students arrive to the grounds, it becomes clear that it's not just mechanics gathering
>it's students from all the tank crew classes
>commanders, gunners, drivers, and loaders/mechanics (you)
>all organized into their respective groups
>as the clock hits 11:00, what appears to be the head officer opens her mouth to speak
>"You are gathered here today, to-"
>>"Sorry I'm late!"
>a bright orange pony runs onto the field
>the mare has a cutie mark depicting a bright sun against a clear sky
>she is quick to join the group of tank commanders
>you smirk to yourself
>you do not envy whoever gets assigned to her tank

>you are Bright Sky
>and you made it to the grounds just as the officer began speaking
>now, she starts over
>"As I was saying.."
>she looks at you
>"You are gathered here today because you have passed your exams."
>she looks over the different groups assembled
>"You ponies shall have the distinction of being the first official class of dedicated tank crewponies, or panzerpferde, to graduate from these hallowed halls."
>she looks over to the other officials gathered to her side
>"But no one would know this better than your own Schulleiter, Red Ink."
>you and your fellow students applaud as he steps up to the podium

>you are Red Ink
>and today is a big day
"Now, I'm sure that many of you are beginning to catch onto the fact that this is your graduation ceremony."
>you can tell that the ponies are full of questions, but they remain silent
"I'm also sure that you are wondering why you aren't at the same ceremony as every other student in the academy."
>you continue
"The answer is simple, you are not normal students. You are the elite of this academy."
>you point your hoof off in the direction of the students
"And soon you will be the elite of our army, of our very society!"
>you continue to hold your hoof out
"You ponies have earned this! THEY however,"
>you change the direction of your hoof towards Canterlot
"They believe that blood is law, not hard work!"
>you draw your hoof in and slam it against the wooden podium
"You will show them the error of their ways!"
>you feel like you are about to start choking up
"You will being honor to the Reich, and earn your places in Valhalla!"
>you take a few moments to collect yourself before extending your hoof out
"I believe in you, I always have. Sieg Heil!"
>the field echoes with the cries of the students
>"Heil!"

>you are Steady Wheel
>you really enjoyed Schulleiter Red Ink's speech
>but alas, good things can never last long
>immediately afterwards, you and your fellow drivers were each given a number, and ordered to report to the respective tank garages with the same numbers
>your number was 14 out of maybe 80 or so
>you were quick to leave the assembly grounds after that
>you have a new life ahead of you
>luckily, the garages aren't far from the grounds, so it didn't take you long to get there
>the overall 'tank grounds' (as everyone calls them) take up a great deal of space
>the garages alone take up a huge amount of land, there are nearly 100 of them, after all
>it reminds you of how you used to be in a youth group, and how every year the entire organization would gather together at a camp, where hundreds of tents would be pitched to accommodate nearly 1000 colts and fillies
>all of these garages grouped tightly together remind you of those seas of tents from your youth
>opposite the garages is a large flat dirt field, where you guess the tanks do their exercises
>you begin to walk along the first row of garages
"Lets, see... 12, 13...."
>there it is!
"14."
>the garage is basically a large cubic rectangle, with a big overhead door taking up most of the front face
>to the left of the large door is a much smaller, normal door.
>you walk up and turn the handle before opening the smaller door
>you slowly take your first steps into your new life

>you are Golden Archer
>you were the first to show up to your garage
>Garage #14, to be specific
>when you first showed up, you took a few minutes to just bask in the glory of the building
>the overall layout is very simple
>the garage is a two-story building
>the first floor is dedicated entirely to what will encompass yours and your fellow crewmate's jobs
>most of the first floor is a simple garage floor, minus the various toolboxes and tables scattered around
>at the center of the room is, of course, A FREAKING TANK
>of the maybe 10 minutes you've been here, about 7 of those minutes have been spent practically drooling at the machine
>the first thing you noticed is that the tank is not at all like the ones you've seen
>in fact, you've never seen this kind before, it's significantly smaller than the newer ones you've been seeing
>yet it's bigger than the first model
"Ohhh, this is so cool!"
>you were quick to make mental notes on the gun mounted in the turret
>it looks like a big machine gun
"Ooohhh boy, we're going to have so much fun with this thing!"
>suddenly, you hear the garage door shut behind you
>you turn to see a bright orange mare standing there
>wait a second...
>it's the same mare that was late to the assembly earlier!
>she was standing with the tank commanders, which you guess makes her your boss now
>you raise your hoof to your forehead
"Greetings, commander!"
>you then look back at the tank
"Pretty cool, huh?"

>another pony walks in behind the mare
>this one is a navy blue stallion
>the orange mare speaks
>"Sorry I'm late, I was talking with... uhhhhh.."
>she looks back at the stallion
>>"Steady Wheel, ma'am."
>"Right, I was talking with Steady Wheel here."
>Steady adds on
>>"Yeah, I was 'this' close to walking in, but then she stopped me to ask me a few questions first."
>the orange mare then turns back to you
>she begins talking as she walks closer to the tank
>"Please excuse me, my name is Bright Sky. I am the commander of this new team."
>you nod
"I gathered that."
>the mare observes the tank and answers your original question
>"Yes, it is indeed.... cool."
>you can imagine that she's also noticing how it seems to be a new model
>>>"Sorry I'm late, ya'll."
>now there's a light brown mare walking through the door
>the commander looks at the newcomer
>"Alright, now that we're all here, let's get introductions out of the way."
>she holds her chin high
>"I am Bright Sky, I am your commander."
>you roll your eyes at her display before chiming in
"Golden Archer. I'm a gunner."
>the stallion speaks
>>"Steady Wheel, driver."
>finally, the brown mare declares
>>>"The names Sugar Bee. I'm your loader."
>Bright smiles
>"I'm happy to meet all of you; I'm sure that we're going to do great things together for our beloved Reich."

>you are Sugar Bee
>and it looks like you were the last to arrive
>that's a shame, you were hoping to inspect the tank without anyone else there
>oh well, it's always nice to meet new ponies
>except for your commander
>the one who was late to the assembly
>yeah... you definitely jinxed yourself there
>"I'm happy to meet all of you; I'm sure that we're going to do great things together for out beloved Reich."
>well, at least she seems like a nice pony
>you've never had difficulty working with ponies in the past, she shouldn't be any different
>you look up at the tank in the center of the room
>oh wow, it's a new model
>you'll really have to inspect it, seeing as it's different from what you were trained to repair
"Well, I don't know about ya'll, but I think we should address the elephant, err, tank in the room before anything."
>Steady is quick to back you up
>>"Hear hear. I'm sure we're all eager to hop inside."
>a new voice speaks from behind you
>>>"I'm sure you all are."
>you all turn towards the door
>a mare with a black mane is standing there
>she's wearing one of those fancy scientist coats
>>>"Please forgive me if I interrupted anything, but I'm sure you've all noticed that your tank is different from all the others."
>Bright is quick to reply
>"Indeed, it is."
>the scientist continues
>>>"I'm Rubellite Riveter, I'm with the R&D department. I work on tanks."

>you are Rubellite Riveter
>it looks like you got to the garage right after the crew did
>anyway, you decide not to waste any time in making clear why you're there
"I am here to brief you on this vehicle."
>the orange mare walks up to you
>you're guessing she's the commander
>"What is there to brief us on, Ms. Riveter?"
>you smile at the mare
"All kinds of things! Follow me."
>you walk passed the mare and up to the tank
>you climb on it and seat yourself on the turret
"This is a new design which we call the 'Luchs'. It is a fast reconnaissance / exploitation vehicle. It's main purpose is to either scout in close proximity to the enemy, or quickly take advantage of a gap in the enemy line using it's lightning speed."
>you pat the metal roof of the turret
"That's the bare bones description of it."
>you look back down at the group
"But there's so much more to tell you."
>you scooch over to the front of the turret and tap your hoof against the barrel of the gun
"This is a brand new weapon, it's a two-centimeter autocannon, meaning that it fires shells in a manner similar to our machine guns."
>you continue
"I won't bore you with every detail, of course."
>you stand and walk to the back of the tank, where you stand above the engine
"This vehicle is equipped with a brand new, high power engine which will allow this little devil to zip around at 60 km/h with ease."
>you hop down from the tank and turn your attention to the roadwheels
"The suspension system on this puppy is the most advanced in the Reich, such is needed seeing how fast this thing goes."
>you turn back towards the crew
"Now, the interior is unfortunately a little more cramped than a normal tank, but you'll all still fit comfortably."
>you try to think of other things to say
>but you're pretty sure you've covered all the basics
"Alright! That's all! Everything else you should have already learned at the academy."
>you walk back over to the door
"Have fun!"
>with that, you leave them

>you are Bright Sky
>after that Riveter mare left, you and your crew made yourselves familiar with the garage
>the first floor is all dedicated to the garage, of course
>the second floor, however, is completely different
>your living quarters are on the second floor, consisting of four bedrooms, a kitchen, a dining room, and a lounge
>you were impressed, to say the least
>back at the academy, you had to share a bunk-bed, and eat in a cafeteria
>it's a shame you're only going to be here for however long training takes
>at the moment, Sugar Bee and Steady Wheel are familiarizing themselves with the tank
>when they're done, you and Archer will go down and do the same
>for the moment however, you are both relaxing on a large sofa in the lounge
>"So Bright, what's your story?"
>you open your eyes and look over at the mare
"There's not much to tell, really."
>you look up at the ceiling and try to think of things to say
"I was born and raised in Canterlot, daughter to two of the most prominent weather ponies there."
>your wings flex instinctively as you think about your parents
>your parents... how long has it been since you've heard from them?
>when you heard that the Guard was beginning to round up Manos supporters, you sent them a letter telling them to leave the city
>they never responded...
>"Oooh, cool! Are they still prominent weather ponies?"
>you flinch slightly
>you don't even think about what you say next
"I hope so."

>you are Sugar Bee
>you and Steady are familiarizing yourselves with the tank
>and you must say: it's a lot simpler than you imagined it would be
>first and foremost, the new engine is glorious
>you can't speak for it's performance, of course, but it's engineering is beautiful
>simple, easy to find parts have replaced many of the complex ones found on the older engines
>heck, someone with half your training could take care of the upkeep of this machine
>speaking of machine
>the tank itself is marvelously designed
>sure, there's less armor than the other tanks, but your speed should be your biggest defense
>unfortunately, it is pretty cramped in here, moving around will be difficult
>on the flip side, you have enough room to do your job once you're in your position
>speaking of positions
>your main position as mechanic means you're sitting near the engine most of the time
>however, you won't have any difficulty switching to your loader role, as the turret is right in front of you
>what's even better is that despite there being a gunner, loader, and commander, there should only ever be two ponies at the turret at any given time, saving space
>when you're not engaging an enemy, Bright can poke her head through the cupola to keep an eye out while Archer stays at his post
>and when you ARE engaging, and you need to be the loader, Bright can sit next to Steady and use a nifty little periscope to see what's outside
>overall, it's a very effective design in terms of crew usage
>Steady seems to agree
>"This is amazing! It has a WHEEL!"
>you chuckle and look at him
>he's sitting in the driver's seat, turning the mechanism side to side
"If this thing is as fast as that mare said, it must be needed to maintain control."
>gosh, you can't wait to hear this engine purr

>you are Steady Wheel
>this thing IS amazing!
>aside from the wheel, the tank also has more gears than the other tanks
>definitely for the higher speeds
>plus, your seat feels like it has springs underneath it
>you're guessing this is meant to act like a shock system for when you hit bumps at high speed
>when you feel you've thoroughly inspected your quarter of the tank, you call back to Sugar
"Alright, I'm ready to head upstairs whenever you are."
>Sugar responds
>"I'm all set too."
>you wait for her to climb out the top of the turret before you do the same
"Well, that sure was fu-"
>you stop when you see that you and Sugar aren't alone
>a stallion wearing an officer's uniform is standing on the floor, as if waiting for you to come out
>the collar tabs show that he is a captain
>you and Sugar salute him once you climb down from the machine
>he waves his hoof at you
>>"Oh, no need for that. The name's White Chalk, I'm here to talk with your group for a bit."
>White Chalk
>ok good, at first you thought his cutie mark was supposed to be just a white line
>Sugar speaks up before you can
>"Well sure thing captain! Just follow us, everyone else is upstairs."
>you and she lead the captain over to and up the stairs."
"Heads up you two; we've got a visitor."
>you walk into the lounge, where you find Bright and Archer, seemingly waiting for you
>you take a seat in one of the open chairs
>Sugar and the captain follow suit
>>>"Sorry to disturb you on your first day, but there are a few things you should know about training."

>you are White Chalk
>you don't really know how to put this lightly, soooo.....
"You won't be training with everyone else."
>the orange mare who you guess is the commander is fast to respond
>"What do you mean 'won't be training with everyone else'?
>you hold your hooves up
"What I mean is that you're tank is meant to serve an entirely new role. We don't have any material with which to train you."
>you continue
"You already know the basics of driving the thing, but it's up to you to come up with new tactics for such a vehicle."
>the blue stallion leans forward in his chair
>>"Well, any tactics we make will have to be centered around the tank's speed."
>you nod
"Exactly; you need to keep thinking of this kind of stuff and test it out for yourselves."
>you lean back
"And once you feel that you've discovered a working set of tactics, you will send us your results so that we can start training ponies with what you've discovered."
>when you get no further questions, you stand from your chair and place your cap upon your head
"Alright, I believe that you all know what is expected of you. You will have full access to all of our training fields and the grounds surrounding the Reich."
>you decide to elaborate upon that last part
"The fact that your tank is intended to cover large amounts of ground means that you'll probably need more room to train than our fields offer."
>you begin to walk back to the stairs leading down to the garage
"If you have any questions... just contact R&D I guess."
>with that, you leave the ponies to discuss what you've just told them

>you are Golden Archer
>and today is the first day of training with the tank
>after that White Chalk pony told you what the deal was, you all decided to just relax for the rest of the night
>of course, you and Bright went down to the garage for an hour or so to check out the tank
>and you have to say...
>you LOVE your station as gunner
>the turret is decently sized, yet it has a small gun
>leaving you with plenty of space to be comfortable
>well, there is one thing that bothers you
>of course, Bright stands behind you when she is looking out of the cupola
>when she was testing out her station within the turret, you couldn't help but notice that every time you turned your head, you were greeted by Bright's crotch
>you can imagine that if you were one of THOSE ponies, you wouldn't have minded so much
>but you have a significant other serving as a footpony in the Black Hands
>he's currently in Vanhoover, with Lord Manos
>you'll have to remember to write him at some point today if you get the chance
>but that's not important right now
>what's important is that you're all climbing into the tank together
>as you get comfortable at your station, Bright climbs down through the cupola and takes her place behind you
>you lean forward and peer through your sights
>the garage door had already been opened, so what you see is the training field opposite what you like to call Garage Avenue
>the field is occupied by dozens of tanks doing maneuvers and moving together like a herd of metal beasts
>Bright seems to have noticed this as well
>"Alright, it looks like we're going outside the city for our first day."
>she looks back at Sugar
>"Start it up, Miss Bee."
>Sugar seems annoyed by how she was addressed, but does as requested
>with the flick of a switch, the engine roars to life
>the tank begins to vibrate slightly
>kind of like a massage chair
"Ooohh yeah, this is gonna be good."
>Bright looks forward to Steady
>"Take us out."

>you are Bright Sky
>as the engine of your tank drones behind you, you take in a deep breath before giving the order
"Take us out."
>as you lift yourself up and stick you head through the cupola, you can hear Steady call back to you
>"Jawohl, Kommandant!"
>you hear him put the tank into gear
>then the tank lurches as you begin to move
>backwards...
>WHAT?
>you turn your head to look behind you
>indeed, the back wall of the garage is getting closer to you, rather than farther away
"STEADY YOU IDIOT, WE'RE GOING THE WRONG WAY!"
>but it's too little too late
>BAM
>the back of the tank slams into the wall before stopping
>the impact caused your head to fly back, bashing against the side of the cupola in the process
"OW! Son of a-"
>"Sorry! Uhhhhh, let's try this!"
>you look down into the cramped space within the tank
"No you fool, take your ti-"
>before you could finish, the tank lurches forward at a speed you are NOT comfortable with
>you stick your head back out of the tank
>the walls of the garage are gone
>you look back to find that you've already sped away from the building
>and are now about to crash you way onto the training field opposite your garage
>for the love of Manos...
"LEFT, LEFT!"

>you are Steady Wheel
>and holy crap, you have no idea what is happening
>one second, you're slamming into a wall
>the next, you're about to crash out onto the training field where all the other tanks are doing maneuvers
>Bright is yelling orders to you, but you barely register her voice as you try to focus on your driving
>"LEFT, LEFT!"
>you crank the wheel as hard as you can while at the same time slamming on the brakes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4H91Z5yAiUA [Embed]
>you clench your eyes shut and hope for the best
"AAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!!"
>you can feel that you're drifting across the dirt road
>and then....
>it stops
>you pop one eye open and look out of your vision port
>you've stopped
"Oh thank Manos.."
>Bright yells down at you
>"Try it again, but SLOW this time."
>you roll your eyes
>that mare needs to learn to be a little nicer
>you look out of your vision port once more
>before you is the road which will take you to the city square
>from there, all you need to do is drive up to the front gates and boom, you're out of the city
>you slowly ease your hoof onto the gas pedal
>slowly but surely, the tank begins to rumble forward
"Alright, now we've got it."

>you are Bright Sky
>and everything has gone smoothly ever since the initial panic
>your tank is currently cruising down the main street of the city
>you can imagine that it's an odd sight to behold for the average citizen of the Reich
>a tank just driving passed the everyday businesses and workers
>you've certainly had a lot of ponies stop what they were doing to watch you drive by
>some of the younger ones, the foals in particular, wave up at you
>you simply smile and wave back
>when you return your gaze forward, you see that you are quickly approaching the front gates of the Reich
>ever since this city was liberated by Lord Manos, actual gates were built at the entrance to the city, similar to the ones in Canterlot
>as you get very close to the massive doors, Steady stops the tank
>you look up at the towers flanking the doors, where the watchponies are eyeing you
>you yell up to them
"Good morning! Would you mind letting us through?"
>one of the ponies yells back down to you
>"Why do you need to leave the city?"
"We're taking this thing on a trial run outside the city walls."
>the pony begins talking with her colleague
>you can't make out what they're saying over the noise of your engine
>finally, the pony pulls the large lever in her tower
>slowly, the giant gates open outwards
"Thank you!"
>with that, Bright resumes driving forward, and out of the city

>you are Sugar Bee
>you haven't had much to do so far
>the engine in this new tank runs smooth as butter
>no mechanical issues whatsoever thus far
>"OOH SWEET!"
>you turn to look at Archer
>he's holding a metal box
>"They gave us live ammo!"
>oh boy

>you are Golden Archer
>you feel like bouncing in place
>you can't believe that you're going to have a chance to fire this cool looking gun already
>"Calm down Archer, we're going to test our speed before anything else."
>gosh, why does Bright have to be such a party pooper?
"Oooh alright."

>you are Steady Wheel
>and you're getting the hang of this really fast
>the Luchs actually handles very well
>the steering wheel is actually very comfortable to drive with
>of course, you're still going slow
>"Alright Steady, let's speed it up a bit."
>finally, Bright says something you agree with
>you lick your lips as you change gears and apply more pressure to the gas pedal
>the pitch of the engine increases rapidly as your speed jumps up drastically
>the increase in speed pushes you back into your chair
"Heeeeere we go!"

>you are Golden Archer
>well, Bright said that you can't test the gun...
>but that doesn't mean you can't try out the turret rotation!
>the mechanism is about as obvious as it can be: a big red crank wheel
>fortunately for you, Bright is moving down to sit next to Steady
>meaning that you can do this without being yelled at
"Alright, let's give it a whirl."
>you begin you turn the wheel
>you feel the small platform your seat is on begin to spin in place smoothly
>you take a quick look through your sights
>surely enough, you're now looking to the side of the tank, rather than straight ahead
"Coooool."
>"Having fun up there, Gold?"
>Sugar Bee is sitting next to her engine, looking bored
"Don't have much to do at your post?"
>Sugar shakes her head
>"They make the darn things too good now! Before too long, they won't even need engineponies anymore."
>you look at the gun in your turret before looking back at her
"Weeell, you're also our loader..."
>you pat the small seat next to yours
>she smiles before climbing up onto the small platform and taking a seat
"Alright; so, in order to turn the turret, you just have to turn this.."

>you are Bright Sky
>you are inspecting the periscope located next to Steady
>apparently, when you are under attack, you are to use this instead of the cupola
>personally, you can't imagine that scenario ever becoming a reality
>by now, you are certain that the reputation garnered by The Reich's panzerwaffen would send any royalist running at the mere appearance of one
>you read the results of their use in at Ponyville and Vanhoover
>not a single one has yet to be lost in battle, yet alone successfully attacked
>you suddenly feel a tap on your shoulder
>you pull your face away from the periscope and look over at Steady
>on his face is a smile which you can only describe as goofy
>his forelegs are crossed behind his head as he leans back in his chair
>it is only now that you notice that he's using his hind legs to control the steering wheel
>"Pretty cool, huh?"
>you don't pay his words any mind
>you instead quickly lean over and grab hold of the wheel
"Steady! Are you a madpony? We're not out here to have fun!"
>the stallion huffs before dropping his legs back to the floor and leaning forward, swatting your hooves away as he resumes his normal driving position
>"You know Bright, YOU could learn to have a little fun. I mean, take a look,"
>he gestures to the open vision port in front of you
>"We're in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by vast open grounds."
>he suddenly smirks
>"Besides, don't think of it as 'having fun'. Think of it as.... testing the tank's versatility."
>you cock a brow at the stallion
>"What? I mean, what if we're in a situation where I am unable to use my forehooves?"
>you roll your eyes
"Whatever."
>as you return your gaze forward, you spot something through your vision port
>a lone tree
>you take a moment to look back at Archer before turning your attention to Steady once more
"Stop the tank, we have another test to do."

>you are Golden Archer
>suddenly, you are thrown off balance as the tank suddenly brakes and stops
"Woah, be careful Steady, I almost fell!"
>Bright turns and looks back at you
>"Oh, I think you'll forgive him."
>she then smiles at you
>"Ready your weapon, Archer."
>you eyes widen, and you throw your hoof up to your forehead in a salute
"Yes ma'am!"
>you excitedly reach down to the floor and flip open one of the many metal boxes there
>inside are several very large ammunition clips
"Cooooool!"
>you grab one of the clips and snap it into place before giving the bolt a strong yank
>it makes that 'cha-ching' sound that you've learned to love from your basic training with machine guns
"Oohhhhhohohohohoh..."

>you are Steady Wheel
>you are trying desperately not to burst out laughing as you and Bright watch Archer work with her new toys
>you lean over and whisper into Bright's ear
"And I'M having too much fun?"
>Bright opts to ignore you, and begins speaking once more to Archer
>"Your target is that lone tree in front of us, about 75 meters out."
>Archer is grinning like a madpony
>>"You got it."

>you are Golden Archer
>oooh, you are so excited!
>you peer through your sights
>sure enough, there's a tree in front of your tank
>you bite your lip and grab hold of gun's grip, and adjust it to aim at the tree
"Ready to fire!"
>you hear Bright's reply
>"You may fire when ready."
>psh, as if she had to say...
>you wrap your hoof around the trigger
"Here goes nothing!"
>you pull back on the mechanism
>nothing...

>you are Bright Sky
>you can tell something's wrong when Archer's goofy grin vanishes
>"Huh?"
>she pulls her face from her sights and looks down at her weapon
>you shake your head dismally
"Great..."
>Archer is inspecting her weapon with a now frustrated look on her face
>"This can't be happening! Not on our first r-.. Nevermind!"
>she looks over at you with a sheepish smile
>"Safety was on."
>oh for the love of...
>you gesture towards the tree before addressing Archer
"Archer, if you don't mind; we don't have all day here."
>the mare tilts her head
>"Don't we?"
>you can feel your face flush slightly
>she's questioning you!
"As a matter of fact,"
>damn, she has a point; you're not in any kind of rush
"Just shoot the tree..."
>you huff and turn away from the gunner, who chuckles as she once more focuses on her target

>you are still Bright Sky
>before Archer can pull the trigger, you suddenly turn and call out to her
"Wait!"
>the mare pulls her face away from the sights, clearly annoyed at the delay you've created
"Before you fire, we're going to dismount so we can observe your firing better."
>she seems content with your reason for the pause, and makes room for Sugar to squeeze passed her
>next to you, Steady opens the hatch in front of him and unhooks himself from his seat before pushing himself out of the tank
>you allow Sugar to move to the front of the tank and get herself out before you turn back to Archer
"when you hear me give the order, you unload on that tree."
>the mare gives you an 'of course' kind of smirk and nods
>you turn and crawl through the hatchway, the cold of the Frozen North greeting you
>the combined body heat of your crew kept the tank sufficiently warm, but you just know it's going to be hot once you eventually drive in anything other than freezing conditions
>as you stand on the front of your metal steed, you survey your surroundings
>nothingness
>a pure and simple lack of substance which is rare to find, but not here
>in fact, the only thing breaking the flatness of the barren tundra is the tree which has miraculously managed to grow in such conditions
>it's a shame that you're about to deny it's hard-earned existence in this wasteland
>but the progress of the Reich is greater than any tree in all of Equestria

>you are STILL Bright Sky
>as you satisfy yourself with your surveillance of the grounds about you, you snap your head to the two ponies standing to your left
>Steady seems ready to collapse in on himself against the harsh cold of the North
>he's clearly still accustomed to the warmer conditions of Vanhoover
>Sugar, however, seems unfazed by the nipping cold
>you can imagine that she's worked in much worse conditions
>with an 'umph', you jump down from the tank and join them
>the snow beneath your hooves crunches loudly as you turn and face the tree
>you lean your head to the left, towards Sugar
"What are you expecting, Sugar?"
>the Apple mare shrugs
>"If there's anything that living on a farm teaches you, it's to never expect anything to go right."
>you sneer a bit at her apparent lack of confidence
"Well I for one have high hopes."
>you steel a look of confidence on your face as you shout out to Archer
"You may fire when ready, Archer!"
>you hear Steady and Sugar stop breathing to your left
>and for a few moments, the only noise in the world is the howling of the uncontested wind against the bodies which intrude within it's domicile
>BOOM
>CRACK
>a sudden flash forces you to squint your eyes, but you can still see what happened
>half of the tree has just vanished in an explosion of wooden chunks and chips
>BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM
>it's hard to describe the carnage
>the sounds and sight of this tree's death
>the cracking, the shredding, the tearing
>in a matter of mere seconds, this once mighty tree groans in submission before falling onto its side with a mighty crash

>you are Steady Wheel
>as the tank opens fire on the tree, you can't help but throw your hooves over your ears
>such a loud weapon..
>before your very eyes, the tree vanishes momentarily in a cloud of splinters
>you shield your eyes as a few of the wooden chips bounce harmlessly off of your fur
>when you once more look at the tree, it is in a sad state
>it looks as though several dozen beavers have taken to it
>the trunk has been reduced to a mere few inches in width, the rest of its mass being scattered about it
>as the rumbling of the weapon slowly dissipates across the frozen terrain, you finally allow the awe of the situation to set in
>with a low groan, what remains of the tree's trunk snaps and collapses in on itself, the rest of the tree falling to the ground with a loud thud
>an impressive first test, no doubt
"Oh wow."
>you really couldn't think of anything better to say

>you are Sugar Bee
>as the tree collapses to the ground, you frown
>this is too much
>you can't even begin to imagine what such a weapon would do to a living creature
>but you are impressed nontheless
>apparently so is Steady
>"Oh wow."
>next to you, you can hear the pride in Bright's voice as she speaks
>>"'Oh wow' indeed. It works!"
>you decide that now is the time to voice your concerns
"Yeah, a little too well I think."

>you are Bright Sky
>you have just now begun to celebrate the successful test of the cannon, and already you have a neigh-sayer
>"Yeah, a little too well I think."
>you snap your head towards Sugar
>perhaps she's just saying that it's a powerful weapon?
"Heh, yeah, it is a strong gun; but that what Lord Manos needs."
>the mechanic shakes her head
>"No. This is wrong. Something like this should never be used on living creatures."
>you now turn your entire body to face the mare
>to be honest, you're beginning to feel a little frustrated with the Apple
"Why in the name of Manos would you join an experimental tank program if you weren't prepared for this kind of work?"
>before Sugar can answer, Steady adds,
>>"Besides, it's not like this weapon is going to be used on ponies who deserve to live."
>okay, that might be a tad harsh, but you decide to say nothing
>Sugar turns her head towards Steady
>"How could you say something like that? Manos wants to make life better for ALL ponies, not just his followers."
>oh dear
>Steady snorts
>>"And how are we to make this better life while the Princesses and their brain-dead followers still fight against us?"
>oh no, you've made a split in your crew...
>you must stop this
"Guys, guys, you need to stop arguing right now."
>the two ponies look at you, clearly frustrated with each other and with you
"We are a team, and we have better things to do than bicker over such unimportant things."

>you are Golden Archer
>for the last minute or so, you've just been sitting within your turret, in awe
>it was incredible, the destruction you had brought upon that poor tree
>you take a few moments to recall the feeling of firing the cannon
>the noise was loud, but not deafening, you imagine that you'd still be able to hear a pony next to you if they were yelling
>at first, you fired only one shot
>you allowed the ring from that one shot to fill the tank before you unloaded the rest of the clip on full automatic
>it was at that point you lost sight of the tree among the cloud of it's own splinters
>you exhale the breath you didn't realize you were holding as your mind returns to the present
>you look above yourself and stand, extending your hooves towards the latch for the cupola roof
>as you unlatch the hatch and push up, you can hear Bright outside
>it sounds like she's yelling, but for what reason?
>"And we have better things to do than bicker over such unimportant things."
>oh, they're arguing about something
>as you pull yourself out from the tank, you mumble to yourself
"Well, then they won't mind my interrupting. Like she said, we have better things to do."
>you jump down from the metal beast and make your way over to the group
>the three stop whatever conversation they were having as you approach
>welp, might as well say something
"Woah! That was some test, right?"
>Bright's face remains neutral, while Steady grins and Sugar scowls
>the stallion is first to respond
>>"Heck yeah that was 'some test'! Good shooting Archer."
>you feel your face redden slightly at the driver's compliment
>you absent-mindedly kick the snow beneath your hooves lightly
"Ohh, well it's kind of hard to miss a stationary target.."

>you are Steady Wheel
>you scoff at Archer's humbleness
"Nonsense! You've never fired this thing before, and you landed every shot. That's worthy of praise in my book."
>it is only now that you notice the light tint of red on her face
>huh, she must be flushed from the sudden cold of exiting the tank
>suddenly, Bright begins to walk back towards the vehicle
>"Look, you two might be fine chatting it up out here, but I believe that we have places to be."
>you raise your brow slightly as you begin to follow the mare
"Are you sure about that, Bright?"
>without stopping, your commander turns her head to look back at you
"I mean, we've pretty much been given a blank check in terms of our time table for training with this thing."
>she opens her mouth, surely getting ready to counter your claims
>but you continue before she can speak
"AND, the way that I see it, and I'm sure I'm not alone here, is that we can go anywhere, and do whatever we want, at any time, as long as we're learning how to operate this vehicle."
>the command pony stops and turns to face you
>"I think you're forgetting your place, Steady. Don't forget that I'm in charge here."
>to your surprise, you hear Sugar speak up from behind you
>>"I'm with Steady on this. That officer told us that we're not training with the other tankists; so why would we adhere to their schedule? We can make our own schedule."
>and now Archer joins in
>>>"Yeah, I agree. Besides, we can find more stuff to blow up if we keep exploring like we have today."

>you are Bright Sky
>this is not good
>your crew is actively teaming up against you to overrule a decision you've made
>this can't be happening, you're in charge here
>and you need to reestablish control over your crew
"I don't like the way you guys are talking; it sounds almost like mutiny to me."
>Sugar rolls her eyes at you
>the nerve...
>"It ain't mutiny, we're just saying you need to lighten up."
>lighten up?
>LIGHTEN UP?
>does this silly farmpony not understand the responsibility that she has?
>the responsibility that YOU have?
>you take a deep breath as you contemplate your options
>you could outright refuse their demands
>but that would create dissent
>and as you learned in your classes, dissent is the one thing you don't want between a crew and a commander
>your only other option is to go along with their demands
>you scowl at the thought
>you grew up in the capital of Equestria, Canterlot
>you grew up among important families of ponies and the nobility
>granted, their loyalty to the Princesses was and still is foolish,
>but you learned much from the environment
>things that the kinds of ponies that make up your crew could never learn, given where they come from
>and now, you're going to have to bend to their will...
"Fine. Steady, where are we going?"

>you are Steady Wheel
>while you did have a few ideas on other places to go, you ultimately decided that your team wasn't going to be able to top the awesomeness that was the test fire
>as such, you put forward the proposal that you wrap up for the day and head back to the Reich
>this caused a big stink with Bright
>"WHAT? But that's what I said we were doing earlier!"
>you had given the mare a half-smirk
"Ahh Bright, but it's not your decisions we question, it's your attitude."
>that didn't seem to lessen the anger apparent on her features, so you elaborated
"You can't expect ponies to do things 'just because'."
>"BUT I'M THE COMMANDER!"
>it was at this point that you scrunched your muzzle
"And this is a TEAM, not a monarchy. Do you think we are like the princesses?"
>the unicorn eyed you for a few moments silently before huffing and walking back to the tank
>but enough reminiscing, back to the present
>you are in your rightful spot: the driver's seat
>and you're demonstrating some mad skills behind the wheel
>every now and then, you crank the wheel in one direction or the other, drifting the vehicle slightly
>this brings forth cheering from Archer and laughter from Sugar
>but nothing from Bright
>at least at first
>after a few drifts, you swear that you can see the makings of a smile on her face as the rear of the vehicle swings to and fro
>well good, maybe she's starting to see that fun CAN be had while working
"You know Bright, I DO respect your decisions."
>the mare turns her head towards you
"It's just that... well, the way you've been addressing us..."
>she tilts her head, now clearly curious
"You seem to think that we're fools who need a strong hand for direction, that's how I'll put it."
>"What do you mean, Steady?"
"Well, the way you talk makes me think that you assume that you're the only one here who's qualified at their job."
>she purses her lips
>"That is NOT tr-"
"AND you seem to think that it's only your voice that matters. This is not the case, Bright. We've all the same qualifications in our fields as you do in yours."
>you gesture to the two ponies behind you
"Our team is like a machine, every piece must work together; and if just ONE fails, the whole thing fails."
>yeah, that about sums up your feelings
>you lean back in your chair as you keep on driving
>a few minutes pass before you hear Bright chuckle light next to you
>"You know, YOU should have taken the commander classes instead, with wisdom like that."
>you smile at the compliment
"Don't flatter me, you know for a fact that it takes a lot more than wisdom to command a tank, I could never manage it."
>alright, let's see how SHE handles compliments
>you look over at the mare
>she's observing your driving
>"And I could never be a driver. I mean, just watching how much coordination you need between your hind and forehooves is enough to tell me that."
>you laugh a bit as you become aware of just how in-sync your hoof movements are
"Yeah, I guess.."
>you look back at Archer, who's sitting with her head back, seemingly asleep
"How about it Archer, could you be a tank commander if you wanted?"
>the brightly colored mare jerks forward, a strand of drool dripping from her mouth as she does so
>>"Wha- huh?"
>you roll your eyes
"I asked if you could ever manage Bright's job."
>the gunner snorts
>>"Yeah, as if. That job is so BOOORING! Plus, I would have no clue what to do."
>content with her answer, you look back at Bright and raise your eyebrows
"See? The parts of our team are vital, yet not interchangeable, so we HAVE to work together."