| Spoiler warning! This Wiki contains detailed information regarding the Girls und Panzer universe. Proceed with Caution! |
The Ooarai - Chi-Ha-Tan vs. St. Gloriana - Pravda battle is a friendly exhibition match between the alliance of Ooarai Girls High School and Chi-Ha-Tan Academy and that of Pravda Girls High School and St. Gloriana Girls High School that occurs at the beginning of the movie Girls und Panzer der Film.
Synopsis
The original deployments of the match are unknown. However, shortly into the battle, the Ooarai/Chi-Ha-Tan Compound Team have managed to isolate and surround the St. Gloriana/Pravda flag tank: a Churchill, along with its escort of three Matilda IIs. A separate Ooarai/Chi-Ha-Tan detachment holds off attacks by Pravda vehicles attempting to reinforce St. Gloriana, whilst St. Gloriana's detached force of Crusaders is temporarily too far away to provide assistance.
Offensive Deployment
Having surrounded the isolated St. Gloriana force, the main bulk of the Ooarai/Chi-Ha-Tan forces move into firing range and bombard the entrenched tanks. Hana Isuzu immobilises one Matilda with a well-placed shot. A second Matilda is immobilised by Chi-Ha-Tan Tank Number Two, which sends the Chi-Ha-Tan Sensha-dō members into wild celebrations.
Having hyped themselves up, the Chi-Ha-Tan girls elect to initiate their school's signature manoeuvre, namely a reckless - almost suicidal - frontal charge. Abandoning their firing positions, the Chi-Ha-Tan tanks crest the ridge and rush headlong at the St. Gloriana tanks, much to the surprise of all the other participants.
Chi-Ha-Tan charges in
Without missing a beat, Assam levels her sights onto the approaching tanks, and the St. Gloriana barrage blows the attack to smithereens. All but one of the exposed tanks is knocked out: Only Nishi's vehicle manages to evade the enemy shots. No St. Gloriana tanks are lost, and the Ooarai/Chi-Ha-Tan force not only loses half of its vehicles, but has its lines of fire obstructed by the wrecked Chi-Ha tanks.
At this point, the defensive detachment is on the retreat, and St. Gloriana reinforcements, in the form of Mk. VI Crusader cruiser tanks, come rushing in from the other direction, threatening to catch the remaining Ooarai/Chi-Ha-Tan forces in a pincer. Having missed the chance at taking out the flag tank, Miho Nishizumi orders a retreat to the city.
Defensive Deployment
Whilst the main Ooarai/Chi-Ha-Tan forces attempt to take out the St. Gloriana flag tank, Mallard Team and Leopon Team, backed up by two Chi-Ha-Tan vehicles, hold defensive positions behind a ridge. Holding off a fierce assault by St. Gloriana's allies. They estimate that they can hold the line for a further five minutes.
Pravda is here!
However, hearing the developments of the offensive action, specifically the Chi-Ha-Tan mass charge, the two Chi-Ha-Tan tanks immediately resolve to make a likewise charge. The first Chi-Ha-Tan tank to abandon its defensive position is almost immediately knocked out. The second tank, commanded by the bespectacled freshman Fukuda, prepares to follow, but is stopped when Mallard Team use their tank to obstruct the path. Roughly pushing the Chi-Ha-Tan tank in front of them, the remaining two Ooarai tanks hurriedly retreat to avoid being overrun.
Behind them appear St. Gloriana's allies; tanks from Pravda Girls High School. Commanded by Katyusha, the Pravda vehicles rush to the aid of the embattled flag tank. On the verge of being surrounded by the St. Gloriana/Pravda Compound Team, Ooarai pull out with the remaining Chi-Ha-Tan tanks.
Diversionary Tactics
Heading into an urban environment, Ooarai vehicles begin splitting off from the pack, repeating the tactics they used to scatter Kuromorimine forces in the Sensha-dō tournament finals match. However, the St. Gloriana/Pravda tanks stubbornly refuse to follow, and send their entire force chasing only after Anglerfish Team, who are acting as the flag tank for the Ooarai/Chi-Ha-Tan Compound Team.
Whilst Katyusha stays close on the tail of the Panzer IV, Darjeeling hangs back, and the more nimble cruiser tanks sweep around the front to cut them off. Miho sends her remaining escorts on ahead. The Char B1 bis at the vanguard rams the lightweight Crusader out of the way. Anglerfish Team peels off on its own, and St. Gloriana/Pravda forces wheel around and follow, ignoring the other Ooarai teams.
Heavy Tank Killer
Rabbit Team, hidden inside an alleyway, gains permission to attack the rear of the enemy file. Anglerfish Team drives past, as do the pursuing forces. Rabbit Team pulls out right in front of the last tank, an IS-2 commanded by Nonna. Positioning the M3 Lee underneath the gun arc of the larger tank to prevent return fire, Rabbit Team engage the heavy tank at point blank range.
The "Heavy Tank Killer" in trouble
However, the powerful IS-2 proves to be a formidable opponent. The front plate is too thick for the M3's weapons to penetrate. By accelerating and then quickly braking, Nonna's tank pushes the lighter M3 Lee away. Before they can return to close range, the IS-2's gun is depressed, pinning the Ooarai vehicle on the end of the barrel.
Struggling and panicking, Rabbit Team are all but lost. Yet at the last moment, Saki Maruyama taps Azusa Sawa on the shoulder. The members of her team look up, eager to hear whatever she has to say. Unfortunately, Saki merely points out a pretty butterfly that was flying just outside the window, and the IS-2 subsequently knocks out the M3 Lee.
OY Line Ambush
Battle at point OY12
With all the tanks from the St. Gloriana/Pravda Compound Team still chasing Anglerfish Team, the other Ooarai/Chi-Ha-Tan tanks rendezvous at point OY12 and set up a kill zone in front of an open parking lot. Anglerfish Team drives through, and the pursuing Pravda tanks are promptly bombarded from three directions.
With the pursuit stalled, St. Gloriana/Pravda lose sight of Anglerfish Team. The Pravda Vice-Commanders, Nonna and Klara, discuss where she went. Katyusha, refusing to go around the defensive line, orders the heavily armoured IS-2 to the fore, and Pravda use it as a shield to push through the maelstrom of fire.
The Pravda vanguard is closing the range, so Ooarai decide to fall back. Nishi's radio breaks down, so she doesn't get the order. Duck Team attempt to relay it to her through their tank's turret hatch, but the noise of the battle obscures their meaning. Through some poor lip-reading, Nishi hears the message "We're charging in!" and without hesitation performs the special Chi-Ha-Tan suicide charge.
Seeing her commanding officer drive right up into the face of the enemy (and be swiftly destroyed), Fukuda once again attempts to follow her example, but is again stopped, this time by Duck Team. As Nonna immobilises the Tiger (P), the remaining Ooarai tanks pull back and scatter.
Obsession with Speed
Crusader platoon on the hunt
Darjeeling sends the four Crusader tanks around the Ooarai blockade to find Anglerfish Team. Commanded by Rosehip, the platoon soon tracks down the Panzer IV and begins pursuing it. A 180 degree drift by the Panzer IV allows it to immobilise the first of the Crusaders, whilst blocking the path of the others. Anglerfish Team then circles round through an adjacent street and takes out another Crusader as it reverses back the way it came.
The remaining two cruiser tanks rejoin the chase, and line up for a shot at the Panzer IV. Just as they fire, the Ooarai flag tank hits the brakes, and the Crusader tanks miss. They inadvertently drive past the suddenly stationary Panzer IV, themselves braking only in time to stop stationary in front of the Panzer IV's cannon. A third Crusader is thus immobilised. Rosehip, commander of the last tank, sees the writing on the wall and opts to run away.
Turnaround
With the OY line broken, St. Gloriana/Pravda tanks split up to chase down the various different Ooarai groups. Katyusha, Nonna and Klara move to back up Rosehip against Anglerfish Team. Klara is determined not to let Miho get away, but amidst the high speed pursuit her tank loses traction on a hard turn, skidding a colliding with a shop. Rosehip, following behind, also loses control and spins out, the cruiser tank also skidding into the same shop and colliding with Klara's T-34/85. The Crusader's fuel tank explodes, burying both tanks under a pile of rubble.
Leopon Team immobilised
Nonna drives up a different route and comes at the Panzer IV from the front, whilst Katyusha closes in from behind. Mako Reizei turns off to avoid getting sandwiched, and drives up to the shrine. Once at the top, Anglerfish Team drive down using the pedestrian staircase. Although Nonna advises her to go around, Katyusha insists that they follow, so the Pravda tanks make the same route, although somewhat less graciously.
Napoli Turn
Hippo Team and Turtle Team are chased along the beach by a T-34/76. Despite having the advantage in numbers, the Ooarai tanks are at a disadvantage, as both the StuG III and the Hetzer have their guns fixed in a forwards position and cannot return fire.
Hippo Team decide to use a move that they learnt whilst battling Carpaccio in the battle against Anzio Girls High School. They spin their tank completely around whilst on the move, switching into reverse drive and becoming able to shoot backwards. However, they miss their shot, and the T-34/76 drives around their side and knocks them out.
Duck-Dono Masterclass
Duck Team has Fukuda follow them into a no-fire zone. Behind them, the Matilda commander, Rukuriri, curses their sly, underhanded tactics, but nonetheless keeps up the chase. Driving all around the shopping complex, the Ooarai and Chi-Ha-Tan tanks both manage to slip away.
I won't fall for that twice!
Re-entering the combat area, Rukuriri notices an alarm going off at a parking lot she recognises. She drives her tank inside to investigate. The garage in front of her is empty, and Duck Team's Type 89B comes into view on the elevator behind the Matilda.
At this point, Rukuriri whirls around, revealing that she has anticipated the ambush and has her turret aimed at the Type 89B. Whilst Rukuriri is gloating her victory, however, Fukuda appears on a second elevator, and hits the Matilda from the side. Duck Team applauds Fukuda's first successful use of guerrilla tactics.
The Morals Committee Super Attack
Anteater Team, running away from a T-34/76, head towards a bridge. Here, Turtle Team and Mallard Team have been waiting, ready to perform the "Morals Committee Super Attack". The Char B1 bis has its rear drive wheels propped up on the Hetzer's hull, allowing it to aim almost straight down.
As the Chi-Nu leads the T-34/76 under the bridge, Mallard Team are able to fire down upon it from above, eliminating the threat. The three Ooarai tanks then proceed onwards to locate the Churchill.
A 'Trusty' Ally
KV-2 opens fire
As the Ooarai/Chi-Ha-Tan tanks all regroup and chase the Churchill, Darjeeling takes the tank down to the waterfront, where Katyusha insists that a trusty ally is waiting. Sure enough, as the St. Gloriana flag tank approaches, a KV-2 drives out of the water and fires upon the Ooarai tanks.
The shots from the KV-2, whilst they level the entire waterfront, all miss their intended targets. As the KV-2 turns its huge turret to track the fast-moving targets, it overbalances on the uneven rocks and tips over, immobilising itself.
First Kill
Whilst Ooarai are still chasing the Churchill across the sand, the Pravda tanks take an adjacent route, and land a direct hit on Anteater Team, taking them out. Momo Kawashima, desperate for her first kill, fires at the Churchill but misses. The Churchill drives up the side of the embankment. As Mallard Team attempts to follow, the Pravda tanks position themselves on redoubts on each flank and take out the Char B1 bis.
A close range engagement
Whilst the Pravda vehicles are reloading, Anglerfish Team rushes up to engage the Churchill. The other Ooarai/Chi-Ha-Tan vehicles try to follow, but only Turtle Team makes it up the steep incline. Anglerfish Team engages the Churchill at close range, using the St. Gloriana vehicle as cover from the other two Pravda tanks.
Momo Kawashima, aiming for the Churchill, fires wide and high. At that exact moment, Rosehip, having gotten her tank mobile again, jumps over a hill to join the battle. The stray shot from the Hetzer hits the Crusader in midair, taking it out.
Whilst the IS-2 turns around to deal with the Hetzer, both the Churchill and the Panzer IV ascend adjacent staircases into an aquarium complex. The Panzer IV arrives at the top first, and Anglerfish Team fire upon the St. Gloriana flag tank. However, Katyusha drives her tank in the way, sacrificing her own vehicle to shield Darjeeling. The Churchill returns fire, and knocks out the Panzer IV, ending the match.
Trivia
- The match contains multiple references to the Ooarai Girls High School vs St.Gloriana Girls High School practice match:
- The ambush at the OY line is a direct reference to Ooarai's initial kill-zone tactic; using Anglerfish Team to lure enemy targets into a kill-zone. In the original practice match, the inexperienced Ooarai teams blew their cover by opening fire on Anglerfish Team.
- Rukuriri was ambushed in the same parking lot by Duck Team, using the same trick to attack the rear of the Matilda. While Rukuriri was prepared for the Type 89B in this case, she wasn't expecting Fukuda.
- Klara and Rosehip crash into the same shop that was hit by a Matilda whilst losing control on that corner. In the previous match, the Matilda was able to extricate itself and rejoin the chase, whilst in the film, the detonation of the Crusader's external fuel tank buries the T-34/85 under the rubble.
- Rosehip's surprise reappearance at the end of the match is a mirror of Turtle Team, who lost a track early in the practice match, but conducted repairs and dramatically re-entered the battle, only to be quickly knocked out without making any significant contribution.
- The Morals Committee Super Attack may be reference to the Ooarai Girls High School vs Pravda Girls High School match, where Midoriko Sono accuses the Pravda girls of breaking school regulations by deploying their IS-2.
- The role of the KV-2 is identical to it's missive in the Ooarai Girls High School vs Pravda Girls High School match - Protecting the flag tank. In both cases, the KV-2 is proved to not be as "trusty" as Katyusha claims.
