Koala Forest Academy (コアラの森学園) is one of the minor schools in Girls und Panzer.
Background[]
Behavior & Policy[]
In general, the students are open and friendly, and though it may not seem like it, their carefree and leisurely nature is simply their own way of getting things done. It seems that their first priority when meeting new people is to befriend them and stand as equals. Koala students are also known to have barbecue parties for absolutely no reason, which tends to create many friends from Saunders due to their friendliness and openness. As legendary as their barbecue parties are, they are more famous for their Australian-style curry, with three different variants each day. They include everything from the ever-popular crab and white squid, to leftovers from ten days ago —but when someone breaks out the Vegemite it tends to scare non-Koala Forest students.
Due to lack of any traditional seniority hierarchy, it is not uncommon to see students of different grades being close friends, which can confuse first year students new to the concept. In fact, the only reason the Captain and Vice-Captain positions seem to exist is for team coordination, rather than command hierarchy, as all tankers come to the discussion as equals, and are encouraged to come up with their own plans and maneuvers.
Materiel[]
Their main force consists of the Matilda II Infantry Tank, the M3 Light Tank, the M3 Medium Tank, and various other vehicles such as the domestic AC.I Sentinel and the very rare AC.III Thunderbolt, a tank armed with a 25-pounder gun. It is not known how practical, or even usable the Thunderbolt is, and its rare appearance on the field seems to suggest that Koala Forest is struggling to keep it running, most likely due to its unique prototype nature.
They also have some experience with various Italian tanks, but those have all been sold cheaply to Anzio.
Tactics[]
Koala's students, like Anzio's, are extremely skilled in a desert environment.
Their default tactic is a fast charge (like a cavalry charge). Together with their high morale, this tactic can often prevail against inferior, equal, or even slightly superior opponents, even if it is only rarely successful against significantly stronger opponants. However, if this predominant tactic doesn't work, their morale can quickly falter, which typically results in their defeat —though it must be noted that they are incredibly tenacious, and such a collapse of morale usually only happens against incredibly strong opponents, and even then only during the later stages of an attrition battle.
When they are not charging the enemy, they are usually putting a wild new tactic into play, as they are very willing to try new things. It seems that these plans either succeed or fail dramatically.
School ship[]
Koala Forest's sensha-dō uniform.
Koala School ship
Koala Forest's school ship design is based on the Invincible-class aircraft carrier. Koala Forest bought its school ship from St. Gloriana.
Uniform[]
Schoolgirl[]
Their schoolgirl uniform is currently unknown.
Senshado[]
Their senshado uniform consists in a khaki jacket, khaki shorts, a brown leather Sam Browne belt with a pouch, wool high socks, and black high boots.
Background[]
Koala Forest Academy is based in the city of Tottori, in the prefecture of the same name, which is famous for sand dunes very similar to Australia's. The school has a very good relationship with St. Gloriana that started when they bought their school ship from them. That said, there have been rumors that Koala Forest is currently attempting to create closer formal ties with Saunders, with the intention of moving away from British-manufactured vehicles and replacing them with American ones.
63ʳᵈ National High School Sensha-dō Tournament[]
Against Viking Fisheries[]
- Main article: Viking Fisheries High School vs. Koala Forest Academy
Koala participated in the 63rd National High School Senshado Tournament and faced Viking Fisheries High School as their first opponent. Their force was composed of two AC.I Sentinels, two Matildas, two M3 Grants and four M3 Stuarts. However, despite advantages in materiel and morale, several tactical mistakes allowed Viking Fisheries to outsmart them and claim the victory. They were eliminated in the first round.
41st Winter Continuous Track Cup[]
Against Chi-ha-tan[]
Main article: Chi-Ha-Tan Academy vs. Koala Forest Academy
Koala participated in the 41st Winter Continuous Track Cup and faced Chihatan Academy as their first opponent. Their force was composed of at least three AC.I Sentinels. The match occured in a desert environment, their forté, and they assumed that Chihatan would, as usual, charge with reckless abandon. They prepared accordingly to annihilate that charge, but due to Chihatan's newly improved tactics, their assumption was mistaken and they were destroyed. They were eliminated in the first round.
Members[]
Koala Forest Academy has two known students of note.
Koala[]
An actual koala, Phascolarctos cinereus, is the overall commander of Koala Forest Academy's senshado team.
Wallaby[]
- Main article: Wallaby
The vice-commander of Koala Forest Academy's senshado team. She commands an AC.I Sentinel.
Platypus[]
- Main article: Platypus
The gunner of Wallaby's AC.I Sentinel.
Vehicles Operated[]
Tanks[]
- Infantry Tank Mk.II Matilda
- M3 Grant
- M3 Stuart
- Australian Cruiser Tank Mk.I "Sentinel" (AC.I Sentinel)
- Australian Cruiser Tank Mk.III "Thunderbolt" (AC.III Thunderbolt)
Trivia[]
- Koala Forest's logo consists of a koala head, with a Commonwealth Star at each side and five eucalyptus leaves below, atop a blue shield bordered red and white.
- The koala head and their name is a reference to the koala, an animal that lives only in Australia and has become, with the kangaroo, a symbol of both the continent and the nation.
- The Stars are a reference to the Commonwealth Star, a seven-pointed star symbolizing the Federation of Australia which came into force on January 1, 1901 (the six points of the star represent the six original states of the Commonwealth of Australia, while the seventh point represents the territories and any other future states of Australia) and is one of the distinguishing features of the Australian flag.
- The leaves are a reference to the eucalyptus, a native plant from Australia that dominates around 95% of Australian forests.
- The colors used in the logo (red, white, and blue) are a reference to the Australian flag.
- Their nearly non-existent hierarchy may be a reference to the origins of Australia and the 1788 establishment of a penal colony on the continent.
- Their uniforms are partially inspired by the uniforms of the Australian and New Zealand Army Corps (ANZAC) used during both world wars.
- The fact that St. Gloriana sold a school ship to Koala Forest is a nod to the 1981 Defence White Paper detailing the United Kingdom's hope to both reduce defense expenditure (due to the early 1980s recession) and support her NATO allies. The Royal Navy intended to sell HMS Invincible to Australia under the name HMAS Australia, but the the ship was requisitioned in 1982 after the Falklands War started. The sale was effectively cancelled in July 1983.
- The article on their tournament match in Gekkan Senshado magazine mentions that their AC.III Thunderbolt was not available that day. Presumably it was awaiting repairs.
- This the first and only school to have an animal as overall commander. In practice, the real commander is Wallaby, but as a symbol of the strong conservationist values of the school, the Koala stands as honorary commander while Wallaby pretends to translate the orders from the Koala.
| Schools in Girls und Panzer ☰ | ||
|---|---|---|
| Schools in The Anime Series | Anzio High School ♦ Kuromorimine Girls Academy ♦ Ooarai Girls Academy ♦ Pravda Girls High School ♦ Saunders University High School ♦ St. Gloriana Girls College | |
| Schools in Der Film | Chi-Ha-Tan Academy ♦ Jatkosota High School ♦ All-Stars University Team | |
| Schools in Das Finale | BC Freedom Academy | |
| Schools in The Mangas | Bellwall Academy ♦ Bonple High School ♦ Gilbert High School ♦ Maginot Girls' College ♦ Tategoto High School ♦ Tatenashi High School ♦ West Kureoji Grona High School | |
| Schools in Supplemental Material | Blue Division High School ♦ Count High School ♦ Gregor High School ♦ Koala Forest Academy ♦ Maple High School ♦ Viggen High School ♦ Viking Fisheries High School ♦ Waffle Academy ♦ Yogurt Academy | |