12. Dead Lock

FIST THE artillery pieces were moved forward- as ten of them suddenly appeared and fired in unison a few Aztec tanks fired back angry retorts- from the other side of the hill appeared infantry- they charged down the hill, preceded by grenades which dented already bruised Aztec tanks- as they closed on the tanks Aztec machine guns mowed down those who got too close, whilst the rest dived and began throwing their stock of the grenades downwards.
The artillery stopped, silenced by the volleys from the tanks, most of their crews had fled, and a few had charged downwards- throwing grenades at the tanks. As the Aztec machine guns continued their incessant roar more artillery pieces, and more riflemen appeared- The Aztec tank commander gave the order- the retreat was sounded. Battered and bruised- but not beaten- 11 Aztec tanks limped back- leaving behind a trail of German bodies.
Montezuama faced a problem. To allow Alpine troops at the front line would increase the speed at which his tanks could travel- and also reduce the number of tank losses that he was suffering. The problem with this course of action was that it would drastically increase the number of human casualties he would suffer- he also risked large numbers of prisoners being taken. However- it was clear a change needed to be made. The 15th, 16th, and 17th tank divisions had taken heavy casualties, and the 17th tank division had even been forced to retreat. His right flank was in danger of being turned (with the horrible possibility of the alliance being able to use his own rail network against him).  He decided that he would let alpine troops forward- after all- once he was past this pocket of resistance his tanks would have mastery of the field.
Gandhi looked at the maps- his army was in position and could begin a counter-offensive. Recently the German troops on their left flank had been having great success- turning back the Aztec offensive- however the elite units in the center were not really being slowed down much at all. Recent reports had indicated that the Aztecs were now using close infantry support- if that was true it represented a danger and a possibility, the Indian regiments now had a chance to inflict some very high casualties- but Gandhi wondered- on whose side?
Fritz Gunnheld Shaka had been one of those who first witnessed the encroachment by the Aztecs. He had been the leader of  an explorer unit, and whilst he had played no part in the battle he was awed by the capabilities of these machines. The allied attempts at mimicking the technology had been laughable. There had been no ways of powering the machines except steam (no scientists had yet solved the mysteries of how the machines functioned). The steam tank had seemed like a good idea, it was an unusually hot day as the first crew made their way into the tank. Unfortunately The engineers had given little thought to cooling, and the first team were literally “boiled alive”. The second design provided more ventilation but even in this device the bulky engine overheated within seconds of moving. One engineer suggested they use horses, so desperate were the engineers by this stage they gave the idea a go, with predictably useless results.
The best that the engineers came up with were stationary turrets, they were capable of withstanding fire, and much thought was put into ventilation and cooling. An external steam powered unit was set up to pump air into the room. From this turret artillery commanders were able to aim more precisely, and take their time.
Leaders of various units, although disappointed at not having some functioning tanks after the money they had invested (the engineers had wanted for nothing) were nonetheless pleased to have another weapon for their arsenal, this and the development of the mortar promised to slow the Aztec advance.
Fritz was particularly delighted with the mortar, it would allow them to set up much better ambushes since they could now attack outside of line-of-sight’s. Fritz had been given charge of the new technologies in a new special unit. They had been set the task of slowing the Aztecs elite units (the fact that these armor units were progressing much faster and with much more ease had not escaped the allies- they had been dubbed Aztec elite units).
Now Fritz waited. The Aztec tanks had been seen approaching, now with the accompanying alpine troops who always maintained a wide front to detect ambushes.
The approach of the riflemen was met by a volley of machine gun fire. The Aztec alpine troops quickly organised themselves in a line to meet this new threat. Attacks like these were becoming ever more frequent as the desperate allies tried to stop them before they reached the plains, foolish allies, nothing could stop them, they were the best, they were the elite.
The riflemen had hit the floor, their approach whilst brave was predictable, foolish, finally vulnerable, the alpine troops would stop the grenades from reaching the tanks. Suddenly a volley of artillery sounded.
Rham was leader of the elite Aztec tank and alpine troop units. For the first time in this campaign a wave of nausea swept over him. The alpine troops had been drawn one way, away from the tanks, and that had left the artillery to get them. Individually they were vulnerable and now he had a decision to make, engage the artillery at range or get in close. There really was no option, getting in close would make better use of his tanks mobility and allow him to finish these artillery off quickly. As the tanks approached riflemen emerged from the head of the valley. They outflanked both the alpine troops and the tanks, his forces had been split in two!! The allied riflemen engaging the alpine troops meanwhile were making use of the cover to withdraw slowly, not dealing out casualties but not taking many either (riflemen would always take casualties from the rapid fire of alpine troop machine guns). If he was to turn to face the new batch of riflemen then he could be sure the first rifle group would turn on him though. He had to withdraw the troops slowly to a position they could take both sides on.
The Aztec tanks meanwhile, upon reaching the summit of the hill had found curious machines awaiting them, they looked like tanks but were fixed into the ground. They fired artillery rounds, and they were damned hard to destroy. One sat there smoking, a testament to the destructive power of a barrage of Aztec rounds, however a tank also sat smoking, a testament to the destructive power of Allied rounds. Slowly the Aztecs were prevailing, their mobility paying off, but if there were more of these things....
Rham counted the flashes, there were only 8 turrets, 7 turrets now.. but why so many explosions now. Rham saw some explosions in the distance.... mortars, the Allies were using mortars, but if they were using mortars...
On the left flank of the alpine troops a cluster of explosions erupted. Fritz had walked up the Aztec approach several times, and worked out where he would have put his troops if he were the Aztecs, then he had concealed his mortars, and tested to make sure they could fire there. As it was the troops had arranged themselves slightly to the right of where he had predicted, but the result was the same, into the void riflemen charged, and alpine troops who thought today’s battle was won saw the faces of their enemy, some of whom, it seemed, barely concealed a mocking smile.
Alpine troop unit 3, one of the elite units charged into the fray. Rham had called for reinforcement as soon as he had seen the turrets, and by virtue of their excellent rail network troops had arrived not much later, however, in the short time it had take for them to reach the battle much had happened. The Aztec troops had not broken but had taken horrendous casualties and been forced to retreat, Aztec tanks had defeated the last of the turrets, but only 6 tanks of the original 20 were left, and Rham had seen little point in pitting them against the riflemen’s grenades.
Meanwhile the riflemen had been reinforced, and kept driving the Aztecs back.
Alpine troop unit 3’s commander ceded command to Rham, and watched with horror as his troops were thrown into the gritty battle. It was the type of battle commanders dreaded, a phyrric victory, or a sad defeat, the only effect victory or defeat would have is on troops morale.
Fritz watched as his troops hounded his enemy, and at whilst he marveled at the solidity of the Aztec position he felt pride in these troops, his troops.
There was a weakness in the line, several riflemen’s grenades had landed close to each other blasting a hole in the Aztec defense as some dazed Aztecs momentarily lost co-ordination. Johan lost no time, he flung himself forward, and into the gap, more by luck than any skill evading the bullets seeking him. The other riflemen were providing covering fire, as Johan turned to call his comrade over he saw him being jerked back violently. Johan’s comrade did not even have time to scream.
Johan’s eyes watered, but then the tears burned, anger seethed up in him. His vision clouded, and his body quivered with rage, a vein throbbed, harder, harder, he felt like he was going to explode. Picking up his rifle he charged, firing with accuracy he never knew he had he hit an Aztec gunner between the eyes, he dived onto the dead gunner, rolled, now piloting a machine gun.  Everyone except him was moving in slow motion, an Aztec aimed, but he could see the gun aimed for above his head, he dived down, at the same time bringing up his gun. The recoil in the Aztec soldiers gun caused the bullets to go stray whilst Johan suffered no problem.  Johan’s momentum carried him head first into another soldier. Johan would have nightmares of this encounter now later but now anger burned in his eyes and the Aztec soldier, for the first time in his life, knew fear.
Minutes later it was over, part of the Aztec line had collapsed, allowing the numerically superior riflemen to collect some Aztec machine guns, and wreak havoc upon the enemy, the Aztecs had fallen back in disarray, an occasional mortar blast hindering their retreat.
If the Aztec commanders had expected Montezuama to be angry they would have been surprised. Montezuama calmly studied the maps in front of him. Elite units had been pushed back, nearly destroyed, his enemy had created new units that posed new problems. Rapt in thought Montezuama ignored the presence of his advisors. A rethink was needed.
Elizabeth had at first almost enjoyed being held prisoner. The pressure was off her, and she could relax in the comfort of her surroundings. Now however Elizabeth was not happy- she wanted to be back with her subjects, back to lead them to glory, as the days past Elizabeth wanted freedom more and more, freedom from this luxury. The Chinese had realized that if one day they needed Elizabeth then it would be best to have her ‘on side’- hence the luxury. Now that day had come..... The logic was irrefutable, Aztec units were approaching ex-English cities, they would be lost if the citizens could not be incited to pick up arms. There was only one woman who could inspire these people, their long absent leader- Elizabeth was back.
Lenin meanwhile had watched the destruction of his empire. He had a large military force in Moscow- and for that reason, and in the knowledge that he would not dare attack, Indian units had held back, now they needed his leadership. Lenin regained control of many of his cities, and his thoughts were directed towards the Aztecs, who had launched this campaign because of him- only he knew that, and only he knew who Montezuama was after... but buried deep within his mind a little voice looked towards Foreign empires and seemed to whisper “revenge”....
Gandhi knew it was a risk- give those cities to Lenin and he may never see them again- but, its citizens would fight ferociously for Lenin, and that would slow the Aztec advance, meanwhile it would give him time to prepare more experimental units- this “flame-thrower” looked suitably savage...

PREVIOUS(11. Prodigal Returns) | NEXT(13. The End) |
INTRO | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 |