It’s one month after D-Day and the Allied liberation of Europe is in full-swing. British Cromwell tanks and American Shermans are on their way to Berlin – standing in their way are a dwindling, but powerful, number of German Panzers. World of Tanks: Roll Out follows the crews of a British Cromwell and a German Panzer as they head towards their fateful encounter – who’ll live, who’ll die?
It’s a Garth Ennis war comic which means it’s sheer class! Seriously, Ennis’ war comics are easily his best work and he’s in his element in World of Tanks. Supposedly it’s based on a popular online game (which I’ve never heard of, let alone played!) though you don’t need to know anything about that to appreciate this book; Ennis writes a quality WW2 tank story that wouldn’t be out of place in either War Stories or Battlefields.
If, like me, your knowledge of WW2 tanks is nonexistent, you’ll learn enough here to enjoy the story. Specifically, that the German Panzers had the most deadly cannons and toughest armour but were overweight and cumbersome and kept breaking down as a result. Their size also meant fewer numbers as production took longer. In contrast, British Cromwells had shittier cannons that couldn’t even penetrate the Panzers’ armour, had even shittier armour themselves, but were smaller and lighter so had speed and more could be made and transported to the front – the numbers of Allied tanks increased significantly with the influx of American Shermans joining the fight.
The story follows the British crew of an unusually zippy Cromwell as they hunt down the retreating Germans. I really liked that Ennis wrote both sides humanely so that we didn’t get a stereotypically evil Nazi officer representing the Germans (though there are a few of those here) but an honourable man fed up with Hitler’s madness and only concerned with getting his men back to their families. I won’t say I was rooting for the Germans but Karl was unexpectedly likeable.
You get a strong idea of both sides’ day-to-day problems. For the Brits, the overall weakness of their equipment and the fact that many were youthful civilians playing soldiers going up against superior German military experience; for the Germans, it was decreasing resources – fewer tanks, fewer soldiers, who were being replaced by poorly trained Hitler Youth – but mostly the RAF’s air dominance which meant they were constantly being bombed.
The characters are affable and distinct and their dialogue is convincingly real. And the fact that you get to know and surprisingly care about both sides makes the final confrontation between the two in a bombed-out French village all the more tense and gripping. I especially liked how the Brits learn about what the Germans were doing to Canadian soldiers and that changed the way their final battle played out. It’s just a very skilfully-constructed narrative – it’s good to see that when he wants to, Ennis can still write at the highest level.
Joining Ennis are frequent collaborators Carlos Ezquerra and PJ Holden. I always enjoy seeing the legendary Ezquerra’s art and I’m pleased it’s as good as it’s ever been – dude’s still got it! PJ Holden’s art is good too though I feel like he’s done better work elsewhere, like in Battlefields.
I had a blast (yukyuk!) with World of Tanks: Roll Out and any fan of Garth Ennis’ war comics will too.
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