We’re halfway through THC’s second play-by-comment Combat Mission marathon. Having eliminated the majority of the Pod mechanized infantry units occupying Strupnic, the Comment Commanders are about to take on a much more formidable enemy force. The odds of a purloined T-72, two TOW Mutts, a TOW team, and an assortment of mortarmen, grenadiers and LAW toters, stopping around thirty MBTs aren’t great, but if the ambushers fail it won’t be from lack of courage, belief, or effort.

Zen sharpshooter Otto Pinkas is an incorrigible optimist, but the sight of seven T-62s rolling towards Strupnic from the east drives a sliver of ice into his breast. The Pod caravan seems to be expecting trouble. Disappointingly, every hatch is closed, every TC safe inside a dome of steel.

Ivan, the MT-LB commander, and Yuri, the MT-LB driver, fall out during this sixty second slice of action. Ivan wants an opportunity to riddle a skedaddling TOW Mutt with his turret-mounted 7.62mm Pulemyot Kalashnikova MG. Yuri wants to put a Zendoran highway embankment between himself and possible immolation.