I'm not much of a tank driver. At all. This scenario was probably only my 3rd time in one. Nevertheless, I've come to look forward to Sunday's events, and I was definatitely looking forward to being involved in a purely tank battle.
The second frame was a lot more successful for me than the first... but that's a boring story. Here's what happened to me on the first frame today.
Rooks split into 2 groups. Ghosth led the main group, while Caveman led the 2nd group - composed of just Cave, Downtown, Mino and myself. It was the objective of this second group to flank the Knit tanks.
While the main group headed south, our group made for a more SE heading, hoping to get in behind the Knits and catch them off guard. We climbed a hill and observed the valley from a long ridgeline - where we expected the fighting to take place. We didn't see much of anything.
Two of our guys were in M16's, using that vehicle's speed to act as scouts. Finally they made contact, coordinates were shouted out, and Cave ordered us to begin moving... east, just below the ridgeline so as not to be spotted as we jockeyed for a flanking position.
By this time the main groups met, and the battle had commenced. Kill messages began to flow quickly up the text buffer.
Cave found a good spot from which to dig in. We were east of the main groups, lined up abreast on the ridge, hull down. The stealth, the suspense... man I was drinking this up. We were finally about to engage.
But... I ran into a bit of difficulty. Coming to a stop, I realized that I didn't have a clear LOS to the fight. I would need to inch up closer. Instead of throwing it into first gear immediately, I had started the engine while in neutral. Backwards I crept... and crept...
I was now picking up some serious momentum. Frantically I tried to get the gears to respond... cut the engine... No dice. What was once a beautiful formation (We were JUST NOW about to open fire!) was rapidly turning into indestinguishable dots on my screen, as I careened backwards full tilt down the hill.
Ok... Just a gentle turn and I can slow this thing... I'll nudge it horizontal then slow myself by steering to the side, then back right up the hill. Seemed like a good idea. One slight sideways motion on my stick, my treads dig in, and I find myself in a flat out uncntrolled roll. Bouncing and flipping down the hillside, I come to a stop inverted at the bottom. I can only imagine what that looked like to the guys I was with.
I've got a lot to learn about these tanks.
Heck of alotta fun tho... and I'd do another one of these inna second. <S> to Ghosth, Redwing and alla the guys who were there.
