I watched the bridge that we crossed earlier tonight carefully. The Engineers had created a small system of trenches and foxholes facing the bridge and we shoved around 26 ponies inside the fortifications and waited. Hazel was screwing with the Maxim, along with the two others we set as the gun crew, Amber and Sparky were set up in a foxhole on the other side of the trench line, while me and Grapevine were stuck with watch duty while everypony else was eating, sleeping or preparing. I slid down into the hole with a sigh, Grape calmly spooning soup in her mouth, looked to me and said, "Still thinking about Scotch?"

I looked back at her. "Yeah, It just, happened, you know? Couldn't even react until it was all said and done." She nodded and looked out towards the trees again. "I wish I could've saved him, done something different, maybe he'd still be here If-"

A explosion caused me to shoot straight up. Yelling almost immediately followed along with gunfire. I glanced out of the foxhole to see a pair of Zebra T-34s, along with loads of Zebra soldiers, unleashing hell on our defensive line. I raised my rifle and fired shots into the mass of Zebra infantry, watching as they went down one by one. Grapevine yanked me down when a T-34 started to move it's turret towards us. "WE NEED TO GET TO THE TRENCHES!" She yelled. I nodded and checking that the T-34's cannon was pointed elsewhere, we dashed into the relatively safe trench.

We moved along the trench as other Airborne pelted the enemy with bullets and came across Railspike and Sparky. Railspike was yelling into the radio on the back of poor Shortwave, the radio pony. "WE GOT T-34s! I DON'T GIVE A DAMN IF THE TERTIARY DEFENSES ARE UP OR NOT, WE ARE NOT STAYING HERE!" He paused before continuing. "TELL THE COLONEL TO GET THOSE DAMN A.T. GUNS SET UP OR WE'RE FUCKED!" He placed the radio back on Shortwave's back and looked to us. "Sparky set some explosives in front of the bridge. When I give the order, set the explosives off and we'll fall back to the secondary defenses." I nodded as Railspike started to spread the order around the line. I poked out of the trench once more to fire at the oncoming Zebras. I ducked down as the position was strafed by MG fire from the lead T-34, an airborne trooper clutching his eye and screaming in agony got my attention. Grapevine rushed over to him and started to apply gauze over his wound, trying to calm the poor soldier down. I checked the bridge to see the T-34s approaching where the explosives were planted. I gave an evil grin as pushed the plunger on the detonator and completely destroy the tanks. A cheer rang out through our ranks as the Zebra infantry began to retreat.

Railspike's voice raised over the cheer. "Alright everypony, fall back to the secondary defensive line! This position can't hold if they bring more tanks into the mix! Gather all the weapons and ammo you can and fall back!" We didn't need to be told twice, Hazel started to wheel the Maxim back as the other troopers with her brought the ammo belts, Grapevine helped the wounded pony onto her shoulders and motioned me to help. I got on the other side and we half-lifted half-dragged him to the town hall so he could get treated better.

As we moved through the town, I saw the engineers and other Airborne setting up rubble and sandbag barricades in the road to slow down the enemy advance. When we got to the Town Hall, I saw both of our salvaged AT guns facing the main road on elevated positions. Three Maxim MGs were set up in windows watching the center road. 'Those Zebras are gonna have a hell of a time trying to take this position' I thought. Inside the town hall, members of Bravo company were moving about, transporting supplies, ammo, weapons and even radio equipment through out the atrium. One soldier, noticing the poor bastard we were carrying motioned to a side room that was marked with a large red cross. We dragged the soldier inside and placed him on a bed while another medic saw to his wounds. He looked at us, nodded, and went back to his new patient. We left and started to head back to where our platoon was when Krieg ran into me.

"Krieg, the hell are you doing back here?" He started to say something before being cut off by another T-34 turning onto the street we were on. We immediately started to head back to town hall as the AT guns punched holes into the tanks turret and side armor. The tank started to belch flame and smoke from any opening as we hid behind a wall of sandbags in the courtyard.

Krieg looked back at us. "The Zebras beat back 1st platoon and 2nd platoon is starting to fall back, the company is going to hold our ground here and wait for them to fall back, or until reinforcements arrive."

I nodded. Hopefully Charlie Company made contact with command. If they didn't, we would be overrun eventually. I pushed that thought away and focused instead on the street in front of us. A handful of Zebra soldiers had made their way down the road, but other Airborne and the MGs had pinned them down. A second T-34 was attempting to push it's comrade out of it's way, but the occasional shot from our AT guns forced it to duck back. I raised my rifle and joined the cacophony of shots, keeping the zebras pinned down. As I ducked down to reload, another rumbling made itself known. A glance down the road me and Grapevine came from confirmed my fears, another T-34 was making it's way towards us! One AT gun turned to face the opposing tank, but MG and rifle fire strafed the crew. Two soldiers dropping down while the other two were able to dive into cover. A bazooka shot flew from an upper story of the Town Hall and struck the turret, the gun slumped forward and fire began to spew from the new hole in it's side. We began to cheer until a massive horde of Zebras charged forward, yelling out a mighty war cry. We responded with massive volumes of fire, cutting down a good amount of them before they launched into our front lines.
It was something out of battles of ages passed. Men striking at each other with the butts of guns and their bayonets. Knives and wood met flesh and bone. Men cried out in agony as they were stabbed or beaten down. The Zebra charge crushed what few Airborne they encountered, but our lines were jagged, and most of our fighting force were inside the Town Hall. As the zebras struck the last trooper down, the Maxims tore them apart, bodies falling left and right as the rest of the 10th tore into them with rifle fire. The zebras began to retreat, when a sixth T-34 turned the corner. It promptly destroyed one of our gun nests with a blast of it's main gun. The tanks turret began to rotate to a new target when it exploded. At first we were confused. Who the hell took out the T-34? When we witnessed more zebra soldiers beginning to either run towards us with weapons on the ground and hands in the air did we see what caused the tank to detonate. An Equestrian Sherman tank pushed the blackend corpse of tank aside making its way to the other street still full of zebras. After that tank came more. After the Third tank passed, we saw halftracks filled with infantry drive pass, one with a red cross on the side broke off and parked in the square as a Sherman with more antennae then the others parked next to the halftrack. An older looking stallion poked his head out and locked eyes with me. "Colonel Tough Treads of the 5th Equestrian Armored Division, were may I find your commanding officer?"

I pointed inside the Town Hall. "Colonel Golden Oak is inside the CP Sir!" The Colonel nodded and climbed down from his tank, making his way inside the battered building. As we watched him pass a wave of relief passed over me. We had been reinforced and our first mission was a complete success. I smiled, wondering what other missions awaited us in the future. I had no idea what was in store for us, but at this point, I knew we would come through in the end.

Author's Note

The 10th is successful in their mission! Once again I have to apologize with how long this is taking but life and my own mind like to plot against me when it comes to writing this story. The next chapter will be on it's way soon... hopefully...

As always I would appreciate any and all comments, but please be polite. Until next time!