[Gekkan Senshadou battle report] Chihatan vs. Kuromorimine [Kuromorimine]

Line up

Chihatan: 4 x Type 97 Chi-Ha, 5 x Type 97 Chi-Ha Shinhoto, 1 x Type 95 Ha-Go

Kuromorimine: 1 x Tiger I, 2 x Tiger II, 4 x Panther, 2 x Jagdpanzer IV/L70, 1 x Panzer III J

Overview

Whichever school that drew Kuromorimine for their first round would probably blame something for their bad luck, but not Chihatan: they responded that news with three enthusiastic cheers of “banzai”. Going up against a team with a nine-year winning streak in National Tournament is tough, but to a school specializes in Japanese tanks like Chihatan, there is nothing their daring and aggressive tactics couldn’t break (or so they say). Chihatan used to be able to get to top 4 with their all-out assaults, but nowadays they were usually knocked out on the first round. Nevertheless many people are still interested in seeing how far this once proud and powerful team could go in this year’s tournament.

Kuromorimine’s line up was mainly Panthers backed up with Tigers and Jagdpanzer IVs. Because Chihatan wouldn’t bring anything too heavy, Kuromorimine had decided that they would skip heavier vehicles such as Jagdtigers because the amount of maintenance needed would not justify their presence on the field. When the match began, Kuromorimine with their speed advantage quickly seized the caldera at the center of the stage and set up their defense. When Chihatan found out that their opponent had cornered themselves in one spot, there was only one course of action: charge it.

With heavier firepower, better tactics and the high ground, Kuromorimine’s tanks opened fire at 1500m mark from their positions behind rocks and boulders of the caldera. Chihatan’s tanks, massively outgunned and could not move fast enough, were being picked off one by one, and yet they still pressed on with their attack: in order to have a fighting chance against Kuromorimine’s tanks, Chihatan’s Japanese tanks had to get into close range and hit them on the side. While Chihatan was struggling, Kuromorimine was having a field day: not only were their opponent trudging up a hill, they were also doing that in straight lines, which saved Kuromorimine’s gunners a lot of time on reacquiring targets. Even though in the end a few of Chihatan’s tanks made it to Kuromorimine’s line, they were picked off in no time.

The first match of Chihatan ended up becoming Kuromorimine’s one-sided slaughter. Most of Chihatan’s crew looked disheartened and confused by this result, trying to figure out why their tradition didn’t work this time. All except one. Standing in a solemn posture atop her tank glaring at Kuromorimine’s line, Chihatan’s next captain Kinuyo Nishi showed no shock or disappointment, but rather looked like she was thinking about something. What is she pondering? How would she lead next year’s Chihatan team? Only time can tell.

Comment

The stage looked like Mount Suribachi on Iwo Jima, just significantly greener.