Rematch - a countryhumans story

Chapter 7 part 1: A spark that lighted hell

24th September, 2042

Nice morning in the open field. Sun shines, birds sing and a nice little wind comes across land surrounding the city.
Then a military truck arrives. Not alone - many other vehicles join in soon, starting with other trucks, quickly followed by tanks and armored transporters, ending with something, that was rather a controversial design for a weapon.
They were a little bigger than a normal car black cuboid, without anything that could've been considered a window.
All of them had a large cannon attached to the front, and that actually was the thing that made telling where this front was. These objects were barely over ground, and in small empty space between metal and ground wheels could be seen.
Anyone who knows military terminology could say that these were self propelled artillery cannons. A person that knows more and pays attention to details could tell that those were anti-tank guns. Designed for ine purpose - piercing heavy armor.
Among all these vehicles one stands off - it looks like officer car.
The one who used it stands up, in the way that all soldiers - infantry and tank crews aside - can see him. He wears grey morro uniform, as all others. What distinguishes him from others is his face. It's a famous since the Napoleonic era tricolor of blue, white and red. In the middle of the flag is a double bladed axe, symbolizing what this personification puts first among all values. He picks up a megaphone and starts talking.
(Transalation from french)
-You all know what is going to happen today. The war will rage across France again. And as the last time, it will be a brother-killing war. The French will fight the French. Many of you probably have doubts if this is the right way. I stand here, to reassure you, that it is! German domination will start to fall today, and after we reunite with east, we will strike at Spanish and reclaim our full glory! Glory to France! Death to our suppressors! - when he finished the talk, all soldiers responded with applause. When they all were finished, he pulled out a long-range grenade launcher and pointed it at the city nerbay.
-And now, to Paris! - he shouted.

Paris
Kingdom of Eastern France was standing next to the mirror, looking at her new dress and thinking how much "economic aid" could she take out of Germany with it. She giggled. He was a word power, yet he was so easy to manipulate... At least for her. FFN'S efforts to calm him down a little so he wouldn't start unwinningable war pretty much allways were ending with two of them less trusting each other. She smiled again, but quickly expression of amusement turned into terror when she has heard an explosion. She ran towards window as quickly as her shoes allowed her only to see something terrible.
Paris was on fire, and more importantly, uder attack. She saw artillery rounds falling into buildings and soldiers trying to quickly form a proper defence. She got to her wardrobe, pulled out her field uniform and dressed into it in less than 20 minutes, damaging dress in the process. But now it was a war, and her clothes were the last thing she had to care about. After she got the uniform on and got to the front line, she spoke with one of the field commanders.
-What is going on here!? - She yelled through the barage.
-The Westerners appeared and started to shoot at anything that moves! - commander responded.
-Why no one told us that they declared war on us!? - he added.
-There was no declaration of war! - white country with three lilies on its flag shouted. Second after she finished a small rocked hitted the glass wall behind them. Thank God it was made out of glass. If rocked hitted concrete, wave of fire would go right into them. But this way, explosion just went by, shattering some poor soldiers with glass shards. It was true bullet hell - even those behind cover couldn't feel safe, as broken walls they were hiding behind were quickly destroyed by enemy firepower. Those who had worse cover... Well, it took a few moments for France to realize that the thing that was lying close to her leg was human head with skin ripped of around 15 bullets in it. She looked at it, now in fear. Even the civil war wasn't this brutal. She had to lead these people now. Think!
What's the biggest advantage of the enemy? Superior artillery. What's her biggest advantage? German tanks, but they're over two kilometers away from the frontline...
Fall back! This was it - if they managed to get out of here and lure fascist forces deeper into the city, where ground artillery could cause more damage than help, and activate anti air systems they could dominate Western infantry, mechanized or not. Just get to these tanks.
-Commander! - She yelled, only to realize that he has been shot in his neck. Then she had to do it by herself, as always. She pressed a button on her left arm, instantly getting connection to all her forces.
-Fall back deeper to the city! Take our artillery and anti air to motion! And get me a stable and safe connection to the german crews in there! I have a plan - French Queen announced.

~~20 minutes later~~

-Hold your fire! - National France ordered, and all suddenly went silent.
It looked like they managed to force them out of here.
-Send the reconnaissance rovers! Battalion 45 and 46, follow them! Keep your eyes open! - he commanded. The order was immediately put to action.
After some time, they reported.
-No one here, sir. If there is a trap, it's much further into the city, around it's center. But we can't scout being this far from the main force -
-Very well. Wait for us where you are. We'll reposition artillery so it could help us if there actually is any trap. We'll join you soon -

~~another 5 minutes later~~

- Still nothing - a man with binoculars said. Western France was getting frustrated at this point. They were searching every building along the way for monarchist troops, but they found nothing. Could it really be that the enemy gave up it's capital?
-Sir, battalion 12 have detected large amounts of metal in nearby car factory, but they decided to ignore it as there isn't anything wrong about it-
The same soldier reported.
- Battalion 12 is right before us, is it true? - personification asked.
- Correct, sir -
Nationalist France looked closer. On the road was an anti armor cannon surrounded by his troops. Then he focused on surroundings. Something caught his eye, and it was a smoke coming from one of buildings. It seemed like something about it was wrong, like it came out of burning mix of plastic and... Fuel? No, ordinary fuel would not make a difference in smoke that could be easily visible from this distance. That one had to be enriched with some strong chemicals. And if that was the cause, then this fuel came out of...
-Battalion 12, retreat! - he shouted at radio attached to his left arm. But it was too late.
Two large shells came directly out of buildings on left and right, hitting front and back of the self propelled artillery, causing it to spin and fall on it's side. Other things also came out of concrete cubes that once were part of prospering city - tanks. They just rolled, smashing through the buildings like they weren't there.
Some of them were just regular tanks. Other ones looked like someone took two ww1 british marks one and putted one or another. As Western France heard, the same was happening everywhere else. Instinctively, he loaded his grenade launcher and fired at closest machine. He hoped to damage it's wheels so at least in here his soldiers could make it to closest cover. But it did nothing. German war machine was closing in, unstoppable. For the very first time since the civil war, Nationalist Government of Western France truly fealt fear.