Tank Lord: The Iron Beast

Panzer Competition

"That's because I have the necessary people and skill within the standard for the next operation," said Richard as he stared at the person who asked before. 

"That's..." said the tanker before.

"Isn't that like you see us unworthy as part of your battlegroup isn't it?" said another tanker as he joined the conversation.

Hearing that tanker the people around Richard were agitated thinking they were mocked or underestimated by Richard which made most of them furious and few of them manage to push Richard a bit but this was blocked by Rommel as he defuses the situation.

"Well you people calm down for a moment, maybe Richard was a bit too direct about it and maybe he didn't mean it like that," said Rommel as he raises both of his hands on half of them.

"Yeah, maybe he was a bit direct about it but he meant well and has reasons for it," said Dieter as he also joins in.

"True even though he talks kinda rough but each of his words meant something," said Rommel as he turns his head to Richard a bit.

Richard who glanced at Rommel was a bit unsure what Rommel meant by that but that look on his face looks like someone mocking him a bit with some phrase of praise and compliment which caused his brows to get raised a bit as he smirked a bit.

"Isn't that true, Richard?" said Rommel as he continues.

"...ehm, eh yeah that's correct Rommel..." said Richard as he coughed a bit clearing his throat.

Looking at Richard all of them went silent once more but the next word that comes out of his mouth was so shocking or suprised which could make a single drop of sweat could be heard easily in the large garage as they still looking at him,

"Why not do a friendly competition... does anyone interested to join?" said Richard as looks at every one of them as he raised both of his hands "I mean since everyone was quite eager to join up my team shouldn't it be fair to do a small competition." as he continues.

Most of them were quite confused about how to proceed as they stared, glance, and even turned their heads to their companion beside them a few of them even raised their hands still eager to test their skill against Richard's crew.

"I won't be part of it but let Rommel and Dieter do it," says Richard as he sighed.

Rommel and Dieter who are still separating Richard from the other were a bit surprised as they stopped for a moment then turned theirs around looking at Richard but the person who was being stared at turns his head away avoiding their gaze before turn back then smirked at Rommel which made him a bit angry but it turned shortly into a bit of smile as he notices that Richard acknowledged his skill and Dieters.

"Well for a lousy leader that almost caused a ruckus, you are quite a handful you know," said Rommel as he glanced at Richard.

"Well I noticed that... so don't let me down, I'll pay for the drink if we have time to get a drink," said Richard while glancing at Rommel.

"I may be like this but at the very least let I'm quite good enough to blow your mind away, Richard," said Rommel.

"Yeah, I noticed that..." said Richard as he smiled at the end.

Not saying any more words Rommel makes his gut pose as he was thrilled by the challenge set up by Richard, Dieter who is quite nervous could only get staggered as he wasn't expecting to be chosen for such a challenge.

"Dieter don't be like that... let's win this competition, buddy," said Rommel as he grabbed Dieter's shoulder. 

"Ah, yes... yeah," said Dieter as he was being comforted by Rommel.

"Alright buddy let's get inside our panzer shall we," said Rommel as he pulled Dieter to their designated panzer.

After a moment Rommel said that he went silent before remembering their panzer's track was broken and no repair has been started yet, He then turns around before noticing other panzers are still good enough for such a small exercise.

"Whose owns that panzer?" said Rommel as he points to other panzers.

"Those... are his" pointing the tanker on his right side.

"Those are mine... I'm not sure I could win so just take them." said the tanker who own it.

"Okay, we're taking that thank you," said Rommel as he walks over to him and gave his hand.

"Sure, no problem." as he shakes Rommel's hand.

After being given just recently repaired panzer Rommel and Dieter walked together to their designated panzer as the people near them quickly gave away to them and amongst the crowd who believed to win the competition they could win also walk to their designated panzer and win the competition as they become part of Richard's group.

"As for the competition, it will be about speed, how quick you reload and unload the shell, and you unaffected by the gravity within your panzer as it moves from one field to another," said Richard as he looks at the te people who wished to join in the competition.

"Okay everyone let's move to the training yard, first we will test how they move and their maneuverability in such simple small indented terrain," said Richard as he walks outside through the front garage.

After Richard and the crowd already moved away and into the open the panzer followed suit as they moved to the training area, the commander who just recently comes out from the next building next to where Richard just walk out from as he was also a bit surprised when he turned his head around in which second the Panzer just passed by.

The commander was surprised as he turns his head to the Panzer before he was curious about Richard's intention as he told his vice commander to have a small talk with Richard, where the vice commander has a little run closer to Richard as the crowd stopped and standing on the side of the training area.

"Richard, what happens? are you trying to do something crazy?" whispered the vice commander after he gets close to Richard's ear.

Richard who didn't notice the Vice commander's approach turned his head around then looked at him in surprise before noticing the commander in far away, after a bit composed he turned back to the vice commander and answered the question.

"About that... I, no we are having a small competition the people around me were doubting the reason why I didn't accept them," said Richard as he looked at the vice commander.

"Why not accept them wouldn't it be a waste to not let them join." said the vice commander as he thought it would be more profitable.

"Just because having numbers is good, doesn't mean that it would win the war by the long run there would be a time when skill more matters than just numbers," said Richard as he turns his eye to the panzer moving.

"... but does it has to be like that, can't you just train them?" said the vice commander as he still persuading him more.

"It's because I don't have time for it... no, we don't have any luxury to that," said Richard turn his head to the field.

"If you said so." said the Vice commander as he said unconvincingly then also turn his head to the field.

The commander who is feeling the vice commander didn't return from his task got him wondering what happens as he slowly walks closer to the crowd before he got invested in it and told his bodyguard to find him a chair in which they ran around and quickly return to give him a chair in which he sat down on it but the place where he sat was a bit higher than the crowd along with the building behind him and his bodyguard for easier view.

Richard previously said to Rommel and the challenger that they would be using blank shell just to make sure how fast they are reloading and are they don't cheat saying they are a fast reloader, Richard noticed on of the panzer were fired very fast while being slow-moving and time to time it stopped like there is something wrong with the driver or the engine as that panzer moved to the side then some comes out from the engine.

"Well that's a bit unexpected... well tell them they have a good hand but their equipment reliability could upset the balance during the battle." said the commander from the back of the crowd with a small voice.

"Should we tell high command of this and try to procure more part?" whispered the advisor who is beside him.

'Um... no, there seems to be something odd with that panzer." said the commander as he looks at the side of the panzer as he smiles noticing it.

After closer inspection from afar the Crew of such crew comes out from the panzer but a bit surprising he carries a repair kit on his waist and walks to the engine compartment and has a look inside it which caused the smoke to puff out in clouds before it fades slowly, when it already cleared the crew then pulled a wrench and something like prong from the repair kit in which he slowly fixed but after few moments the engine roared once more as he quickly put the tool back to the repair kit then quickly run back to the panzer then closed the hatch as it slowly moves forward once more.

"Well, that's was something different," murmured Richard.

Richard who was watching on the sideline was a bit surprised by such an unexpected turn of events the crew was adept in repairing the engine and also knows what needs to be done as he has a quick hand, the panzer moved perfectly fine with no problem with the engine... well other than its engine roaring much louder than perhaps the person in question only done a momentary repair in the field as he was also expecting it to breakdown later and buying more time for him and his team.

A minute later another shot was fired as the sound rang through the field, some of the tankers were surprised by the sound as they still looking at the broken and now-fixed panzer as they even screeched in surprise because of it. The commander who was sitting behind them could only laugh witnessing the tanker who acted funny before few of them notice and turn their head around finding out the source of the sound but they were in for surprise as it was the commander were laughing in which caused them to turn around hurriedly and quickly saluted him.

The others who heard the ruckus turn around their head and also quickly saluted at the commander who motioned them to stand down at first they were a bit confused but they turned around back and looked at the field while now feeling nervous since the commander was behind them watching together with them. Richard on the other hand noticed the commander would be watching but it was a good compromise since he could show them that their use was not with him but with the other commander who he knew is better in leading them as this was the main reason he would not let them join him at any cost.

One of the panzers fired a shot of it at the same time he turns his turret faster since he also reloads the shell of the panzer as the crew was quick reloading it into the g*n then fire once more probably the quickest of the group but Richard knew the person in question were are. The panzer turned around quite fast as one of the track were given a break and move forward a bit faster than the other as it slowly manages to get close just behind Rommel's Panzer.

Richard was a bit surprised but he stayed calm looking at the field as the crowd beside him were cheering at them a few of them even tried making a bet about who will win the competition, the vice commander who was beside Richard was intrigued by it that he wants to bet but as he does that he looked at Richard for a moment before asking a question.

"Want to bet?" said the vice commander as he looked at him.

"Not sure, I'd rather not bet at anything," said Richard as he pouted he put his finger on his chin.

 "... Okay, then I'll choose your crew Richard." said the vice commander as he quickly grabs a paper for Richard's crew.

Richard who heard knew that the vice commander was overestimating his crew a bit since he did mention that his crew would win, the vice commander was already drunk expecting a victory as suddenly both of the track was broken causing both of the two panzers to crash at each other. the two panzers then have their engine start to smoke up in which caused the crew to get out as fast as they could In which they opened the engine compartment and have a look inside it.

Unnoticed by the crew of both panzers another panzer overtook the position of the both as it waltzes past them as they were surprised and turns around to look at it in which they quickly repair the damaged part of their panzer but due to the speed of panzers were slow they could give a chase to it.

The crowd who are on the side were surprised as they never expect such a scene to happen before their very eyes at first they were dumbfounded now they are in frenzy knowing they could lose their money in an instance, shout and cheers were heard as they didn't want to lose their money because of their wrong bet this also made the vice commander go crazed in which made Richard a bit dumbfounded by it as he snickered before looking back at the Panzer.

The panzer who is on the first spot was moving through the field with ease before it started to felt resistant by taking to the hill in which the other panzer followed suit and moving up and due to the indentation were much bigger than the training field most of the panzer started to slow down their pace except Rommel panzer who manage to catch up to the first the panzer as it's engine roar much louder than before as it started moves a bit faster.

Even though every panzer crew worked up to make sure their panzer win the race but something expected to happen as the panzer previously in the first place started to begin stalling and its engine stopped as it just reached the peak of the hill which surprised the crowd was exhilarated by the event in front of their eyes with disbelief of it

Rommel's panzer manages to get near it but instead of going through the side, he chooses to move the tank behind that panzer before and crashed it as he can even though it is a risky move he knew it is necessary to do it to save the crew inside the broken down panzer and the area of the crash was the rear side of the panzer causing the hull to get dented in.

"Hey, let's go help him out." says one of the tankers as he runs to them.

"Yeah." said the other tanker and followed suit.

"Agh. my money?!! it's all gone... never mind better help them out." said the vice commander as he runs to them.

Richard who was in disbelief broke out from the stun as he quickly runs to the panzer where Rommel is as he is feeling worried about him even though he sees his worth in the next campaign but he was the only friend who accepted him no matter how odd he is during his past life as all the memories he has with him started to surge back to his mind.

The Commander who was sitting down on his chair also stands as he quickly ordered his bodyguard to help out as he shouts out at them, not wanting to lose it and future achievement he is now feeling frustrated because of it. The crowd of tankers runs at the panzer as it slowly drifting back and tilting to the side but luckily some nearby panzer arrived slightly crashed itself into the panzer but with lesser impact than Rommel just did before it started to push itself forward together with Rommel's panzer.

The panzer crew who were previously saved by Rommel quickly comes out from their panzer after opening the hatch one of them was quite fast and grabbed a repair kit and some torch if needed and upon arriving at Rommel's panzer they both quickly opened the hatch on where Dieter is at and founding him to be unconscious due to the previous impact.

Rommel on the other hand he was put in a worse position as the hatch was locked deep inside the hull with the condition being dented and pushed in at the same time after pulling out Dieter the other crew goes inside the hatch and have a look inside the panzer, not something he was prepared the front side of the hatch was pressed to Rommel's body. and after closer inspection, he must weld it from the inside and he must do it fast. 

"Rommel, hey buddy are you still awake?" said the tanker.

"... agh... eh, yeah I guess so. I still felt some pain from my waist and legs," said Rommel as he gasped and trying to find his breath.

"I gonna get you out of there, so stay calm okay." said the tanker calmly as he put his hand on Rommel's shoulder then grasp it tightly for a moment.