Color key:

• [Panel numbers are in red.]
• Editorial comments are in green.
• Japanese kana/kanji text is in purple (viewing this requires that your browser has Japanese fonts installed, or you can activate Shodouka(©) to convert it to images for you).
• Romanized Japanese text is in blue italics.
• The translated English text is in the default color (usually black).

[Panel 1]

German soldiers march into battle against a black and starless sky.

４時 暗闇の中を 歩兵が 動き始めた。
4-ji kurayami no naka o hohei ga ugoki hajimeta.
  At 4 o'clock, the infantrymen started moving in the dark.

SFX:
トボトボ
Tobotobo
  (trudging)

[Panel 2]

German soldiers hit the deck as Russian shells impact at close range.  Carius observes the action from outside the commander's cupola.

虎も ゆっくり位置に つく。
Tora mo yukkuri ichi ni tsuku.
  The Tigers also take up their positions slowly.

エンジン音を ききつけて、ロシア軍が さぐりを 入れてくる。
Enjin on o kikitsukete, Roshia-gun ga saguri o irete kuru.
  The Russian troops catch the sound of the engines, and come to put out feelers.

SFX:
クワッ  ズーン
Kuwa        zu-n
  (sound of shooting)

例の若い少尉が カリウスのチームだ
Rei no wakai shoui ga Kariusu no chiimu da
  The young lieutenant you know of is in Carius's team.

[Panel 3]

Carius is pictured in the foreground looking through field binoculars.  From his viewpoint we then see the remains of a farmhouse ruin.

[Panel 4]

Carius intently examines his watch and counts down the final seconds to battle.

「５時マデ３秒  ２  １」
"5-ji made 3-byou  2  1"
  "3 seconds to 5 o'clock, 2, 1..."

[Panel 5]

Carius and Kerscher open fire.  Wow, what a display!!

「ウテ」
"Ute"
  "Shoot."

SFX:
カッ  パウッ
Ka        pau
  (sounds of shells being fired)

[Panel 6]

A huge blast fills the pre-dawn sky.

地獄が はじまった。
Jigoku ga hajimatta.
  All hell broke loose.

SFX:
ドーーン
Do--n
  (sound of explosion)

[Panel 7]

A horizontal view illustrates the trajectory of the German shell -- the point of ricochet and the point of explosion over a farmhouse ruin.

前方を 撃って、跳弾させ 空中で 炸裂させる射撃法
Zempou o utte, choudansase kuuchuu de sakuretsu saseru shageki-hou
  Shooting forward, their shooting method makes a shell ricochet and explode in the air.

５０ｍ
 50 meters  [arrow indicating distance between the point the shell ricochets off the ground, and the point at which it explodes]

[Panel 8]

Shell casings fly as Carius and crew frantically load and shoot the cannon.

室内灯なんか、とっくに こわれたままだ。
Shitsunai-tou nanka, tokku ni kowareta mama da.
  Things like the interior light were broken long ago.

手さぐりで 装填する
Te-saguri de souten suru
  He loads (the cannon) by groping.

「そのまま連射！！ いそげ」
"Sono mama rensha!!  Isoge"
  "(Continue) rapid fire as it is!!  Hurry."

[Panel 9]

Muzzle flashes emanate from the Russian positions in the farmhouse ruin.

SFX:
ピカ  ピカ  ピカ  ピカ
Pika     pika     pika     pika
  (sound of PAKs firing)

[Panel 10]

A PAK shell explodes directly over Carius's exposed head outside the commander's cupola.  Hopefully, his eyes will return to their sockets after he recovers from the shock.

SFX:
ギュン
Gyun
  (sound of a shell from a PAK exploding)

「ＰＡＫだ」
"PAK da"
  "It's the PAKs."

[Panel 11]

Exploding Russian shells surround Carius's Tiger as he burns rubber trying to escape the barrage.

SFX:
ズバッ
Zuba
  (sound of shooting)

SFX:
ググ  ギャギャ
Gugu    gyagya
  (sounds of the tank moving)

「射線を かわせ！！」
"Shasen o kawase!!"
  "Avoid their firing line!!"

[Panel 12]

Carius's Tiger takes two direct hits.

SFX:
ギィィィーン  クワッ
Giiii-n                 kuwa
  (sounds of shells hitting the tank)

「イテっ」
"Ite"
  "Ouch."

[Panel 13]

In the distance, we see shells from the Tiger tanks exploding in the air over the ruins occupied by the Russians.  Nearby, shells from the PAKs detonate.

キャタピラを やられたら、おしまいだ。
Kyatapira o yararetara, oshimai da.
  If the caterpillar (track) gets damaged, it will be the end.

さいわい闇のせいで ＰＡＫの狙いが 高い。
Saiwai yami no sei de PAK no nerai ga takai.
  Luckily, due to the darkness, the PAKs' aim is high.

２００ｍの距離で、力づくの射撃戦に なった。
200m no kyori de, chikarazuku no shageki-sen ni natta.
  At a distance of 200 meters, it became a vigorous shooting match.

SFX:
ギュン  ドバ  ズーン  ピカ
Gyun        doba    zu-n         pika
  (sounds of explosion and shooting)

[Panel 14]

Two German infantrymen lie prone on the ground.  One holds a pair of field binoculars.

歩兵は 闇の中で 待機する。
Hohei wa yami no naka de taiki suru.
  The infantrymen wait for orders in the dark.

アメリカ映画のように、戦車のカゲに かくれたりは しない。
Amerika-eiga no you ni, sensha no kage ni kakuretari wa shinai.
  Unlike in American movies, they don't hide behind the tanks.

• Go to Page 5.6

• Back to Otto Carius English Translation Page