So yeah, here's yet another awesome picture from awesome  Tokaido. A pic i've been wanting for a while, of my sona with a tank. She tuned up the idea a little bit, and the result is simply stunning.
I'm huge fan of Sabaton, and the title is from one of their songs, from which i had some of the inspiration for his backstory.

And yeah, that's one bigass tank right there :D

---

Sturma, most commonly just Sturm, lived his childhood just as normally as any drataksian child could. From the beginning he had one thing he wanted. To be soldier, to be able to protect everything important to him, his home, his family, his friends. Even if this meant to serve the tyrant king. The time he spent alone, he spent most of it reading history, of past wars and battles, ancient tactics and such.

Once old enough, he entered his service. As he passed his basic training, he entered drataksian armored forces, training himself to become tank commander. He was talented, not too smart, but his common sense compensated for that usually. Much to his own surprise, he found himself climbing higher on command chain, finding himself from the position of leutenant sooner than anyone had expected. He became liked and trusted person among other soldiers. He was easy to approach and talk to. He was not from noble families or born soldiers like most officers were, which made them proud and usually quite arrogant, hard to approach for normal soldiers.

The first time modern drataksian army had to prepare for war on their own soil, Sturm was promoted to captain, and was ordered under the direct command of silver scale general, commander of drataksian 1st armored division. He was only below Golden wing general Furia in commmand chain.

Though most of Drataksian planet was warm throughout year, there were areas that had low temperatures and harsh winter time of the year. Invading enemy knew that the winter would prevent drataksians from using their air superiority, which would give Sidras's, the invaders enough time to create themselves foothold, and when summer would come, their motherbase would be ready, and the real war could begin.
Drataks military command knew that if Sidras would get their foothold up in the north, the war could prolong who knows how long. Air forces couldn't be used, but that went for Sidras too. They chose to send strong armored force to intercept sidras's plans. Silver scale general named Sturm to lead the attack. Their plan was to advance into the city, which Sidras's main force approached, let the enemy enter the city, and destroy them there. Furia, would've never accepted this kinda plan, but she wasn't there at the time. King however, accepted this. Sturm asked if people had been told about this, and if city was evacuated. He was dumbstruck, hearing that evacuating people would slow down their progress, and that if enemy would see this, they would know something was wrong. The people of the city were necessary sacrifice for their victory.

Sturm lead his forces to the north, where rough snowstorms raged. Even satellites couldn't survey their movement there. They had to trust scouts in those enviroments. He was still uncertain of the plan, it would mean civillian slaughter, which was against everything he had trained for. Once the city was in their sight, he ordered his troops to stop. He wondered if he could take his troops through the city, and engage enemy outside city. One of his scouts told him that enemy was closing in, that they wouldn't have enough time for that. Sturm wasn't still willing to sacrifice all those civillian lives, and while looking at his maps, he found something. There was large mountains around that area, and looking at his maps he found narrow, knowingly dangerous mountain pass, leading through mountains. He estimated that using that route, small fighting group could reach enemy, surprise them, and stall their progress till the main force could get through the city. It would remarkably weaken the battle power of their forces, but if it worked, it would save thousands of civillian lives. Sturm made his decision.

He gathered small unit of volunteers, and himself began leading them through the dangerous mountain pass. Slowly but carefully he lead his tanks through, many times walking himself ahead of them, to find safe route. It seemed impossible at times, but they finally reached the end of the pass, just in time as their enemy's troops passed them. Sturm gave order to attack, and his unit attacked their enemy from behind, causing massive damages, and creating chaos among the enemy, who didn't even realize where the attack was coming, making it feel like they were fighting against ghosts. Small group advanced deeper, between the enemy forces, destroying everything they got in their sights. It bought them enough time, and as the enemies were trying to reorganize, drataksian main battle force got through the city, and now that sidras's had turned to face off Sturm's tanks, they were attacked by the main force. Pincher move destroyed Sidras's advancing forces completely, forcing them to retreat from drataks for the time.

Though at the city they were cheered at and called heros, Sturm was charged at court-martial for acting against orders of his higher ups, which, in their eyes, had cost them more tanks than were estimated. To them, people of the city would've been smaller sacrifice than the tanks that were destroyed, even if it was quite small number compared to what they had destroyed. They wanted to lower his rank, but this time Furia was present, and chose to take him and the 1st division under her direct command, which prevented silver scale general to do what he wanted.

War wasn't over, however. Sidras made several attempts to gain hold of drataksian soil, but was forced back time after time. Under Furia's command served Sturm's "ghost division", like their enemies had named them after their first attack, as they had came out of nowhere, like ghosts. Thanks to that, and the destruction they had caused then, and later during war, Sturm was himself nicknamed as "ghost commander" and "blood red commander" by the Sidras. Hearing that their division was against them, was already enough to create suspicions among enemy ranks. At the end of the war, he was feared and respected commander even among enemy ranks. They did their share in that war, and much more.

After war ended, Furia presented that Sturm should be promoted and reward for his efforts and achievements during war. King, along with silver scale general however declined this idea, saying he was too rebel to be promoted any more, and that rewarding him would just encourage him to go further. This, however was corrected few years later, as Shala began the rebellion, killing the king, and taking the crown. Silver scale general wanted to use his tanks to usurp the revolution, but Sturm chose to ally with Furia and new queen. He was finally rewarded for his deeds, and was promoted to be the new silver scale general.

Along his new title, he gained more responsibility, as Shala gave under his command newly formed Drataksian 1st corps. Still, his nickname "Ghost" stayed, and his men that served under his command during war still proudly presented themselves as members of Ghost division.

---

Art ©  Tokaido
Character & story © Me