“20 minutes, final checks. make sure the ammo is ready, we gonna need it, is the 30mm live?” The tanks commander asked if he clicked the channels and lights on the SPG control panels where hot and ready to go. Gun pressure, power, aux power, comms, auto turret, the electronic warfare lights showing green and the 155mm auto loader was ready to go. Easily the most modern base vehicles of their group but worryingly the largest and heaviest by 20 some or more tons. The 8m barrel rose slowly confirming the test and slew side to side confirming the motors were operational.

“Nord, Xena, Soup you know what to do, and keep the pop tarts safe, I want a snack after this.” The Commander said but laughed at the end, the luxury of their own microwave was worth every joke they got, hot meals were a luxury that few crews had. 

“Got it, gonna be a bitch to clear the tracks out, ready, we were ready last night.” The powerfully built main battery loader called out and shook her head. She and rest had been working hard on getting IronHide operational and combat ready, she was a heavy hitter but also heavy on maintenance and mechanically complicated. 

“Come on Tina, you know il be crawling under.” The much smaller driver climbed into their seat, the heavy hatch open but ready to close once they got closer making the armoured compartment a sealed space behind a small glass block and screens.

“Hurry up, we be late to the party” Xena called out to the main Gunner as they boarded and the engines rumbled gently to make sure the vehicles systems were fully powered and primed for when they drove off the ramp. “50%, we have full pressure soon” Nord replied from up front over the intercom as other vehicles were being made ready. “Tags clear, guns hot and ready for load.” The Canadian answered to the group as they pulled all the safety tags they had set for transit and the lights blinked red signaling the gun was live. 

“Copy, seal up, ready for roll off.” The commander radioed a few minutes later as they waited engines ticking over, hatches down and guns ready for the coming landing. 

The daylight hit the front of the armour as the doors began to creak open from dark metal to the view of a beach front, the flash of fire, burning and smoke rising. The battlefield was in front and the sounds hit them, radio channels were wild with activity and this was one of multiple units landing today. “GO. GO. GO.” On the third Iron Hide lurched forward and its almost 70 tons hit the ramps with a jolt and pushed the ramp deep into the sand as it powered up and out into the maelstrom, the armour pinged and rounds bounced off the barrel. “Copy. Fire at will.” Replying to the group's radio circuit and swinging to the side, crushing aside an abandoned beach furniture to gain more room to turn the barrels long length about. 

The rattle of the 30mm auto cannon was started as they let loose on the closest target before they could turn the main gun, and elevate into firing positions. “Prepare for direct fire, the idiots landed us into a hot one, 3 shells, into the pill box, 270 degrees.” The order is quickly actioned as the gun swing and 3 155mm rounds soon slammed into a solid looking pillbox sending concrete and other materials flying as one shell found its mark diving deep through the slit and blasting it apart from the inside. 

“Orders from command, gun at point Delta confirmed, prepare, 3 round simultaneous burst.” The order was quickly followed and the gun swung to the present planned target elevating before 3 rounds fired in under 5 seconds, a magic of maths and applied algebra the shells fell on the target at same time. 

The smell of burnt cordite was strong as the automated loader fired the rounds off on command of the gun laying computers that calculated, fused and calibrated the angles to drop within half a second or less. Hits were still hitting the large body of the self propelled gun and there only was so much 30mm they had. 

“This is Iron Hide, we are taking fire, we are safe for small arms but suppression would help.” The cool Polish commander did not break his calm but he was genuinely worried, the others might be able to take an anti tank hit but the big gun was lighter armoured. Shrapnel, small arms but heavier stuff would penetrate the hull, even with additional hedgehog protection kit. “Keep it to burst, we cannot just go out and reload the 30 Mike Mike.”

“Aye sir, what kinda fools out us in first wave? Ready to fire on command, 5 rounds He rapid.” The Canadians' cool tones came across the internal circuit as they rotated to angle their hull against bullets and better deflect that hit the hill flat on. “Good job Nord, keep us on an angle, 160, keep us 30 degrees to that.”

“Copy, keep your heads, wait for a larger target, let the tanks take the smaller stuff. Keep to standard HE, Save the specials.” The Polish commander decided they only had so many 155mm shells aboard. The crew were doing what they needed to do, he trusted his crew to work on their initiative and own minds. 

“Smoke firing. Direction only.” Came the call as one of the sole discharges fired and laid a wall of choking grey between them and the fire point that was engaging them, it was too close for the 155 so the 30mm bursts rattled from the upper mount sending plunging fire into the enemy dug in positions. 

“Too close, we get off this beach as fast as we can once they clear a path.” The Polish commander grumbled, he was not in a great spot and hardly designed for this. They had to be careful to get off being so heavy, once they hit solid ground and more room to move they could do their thing.