Feet First

Colonel Valentin Zeigler stood around the tactical hologram display and gazed down at the map before him. The newly founded 21st Dindrenzi Assault regiment, or “The Red Heads" as they had come to be known, had been tasked with capturing the Aquan/ Terquai science facility located on the planet bellow, the same facility was represented before him in 3D on the display. Around the table stood his regiments officers each one standing to attention as he prepped to address them and give them their orders for the coming fight. “Alright gentlemen here is how we are going to do this” Zeigler began. 

The Battlefield

The Shuttle Yard and Science building

The landing pad and bunkers

 “Lieutenant Cannon your heavy armour will take the centre, you are to focus fire on the heaviest and hardest Aquan tanks you can find.”

“Sergeants Myers and Dawson your Medium tanks are to concrete on Aquan medium and light armour. Light tanks should be your priority as their weapons are their best bet against our drop infantry”

“Corporals Walker and Moody your orders are to secure the two primary objectives located in the science buildings and Aquan shuttle yard,  decide amongst yourselves who will be taking which on.”

“The Infantry will be under my direct command and will be deployed when and where I decide they need to go. Myer’s, Dawson I want you to direct your support tanks to zero in as many drop markers as they can. They are to focus on the markers closest to enemy units”

“Do you all understand your orders?” 

"Sir yes sir" came the reply

"Good, any questions?"

"Sir what about the 2 secondary objectives" said Corporal Walker gesturing at 2 blue icons indicted the secondary objectives.

"We ignore them, our focus is Aqaun tech and data stores which are located in the shuttle yard and science buildings"

Seeing that there were no more questions Zeigler continued

"Alright you all know your orders and your jobs, this is our first mission together and i dont know you all personally yet  but i have read your files. I know that you aren't all followers of the Church of Dramos Angel but those of you who are should pray for success tomorrow, we will need all the luck we can get. Dismissed."

As the officers filed out of the briefing room Zeigler returned his gaze to the holo display, tomorrow would be tough but it was what his men were trained for, come what may tomorrow his regiment would be prepared. 

The dawn mist had just burned off and early morning light was streaming through the buildings of Aqaun Remote Science facility 089 when the 21st moved in. The Aquan units had already taken up positions in the north half of the facility and waited for the Dindrenzi units to reach extreme range for their weapons. 

Lieutenant Davis Cannon gazed at the tactual command display in the cockpit of his Kratos heavy battle tank.  Colonel Zeigler had given him command until the Colonel made planetfall with the rest of the infantry and from where he sat everything was going nicely, the light tanks had taken the primary objective in the shuttle yard and the 2nd squad was preparing to taken the other primary objective in the science building. His own heavy tank squadron had taken up positions staring down the Aqaun heavy army and was flanked by the medium tank squadrons.

With a silent command the quite of the facility was suddenly and violently broken as Dindrenzi and Aquan guns opened up, the thunderous roar of the Dindrenzi railguns matched by the high pitch whine of Aquan beam weapons drowned out all other sound. In his cockpit Cannon heard very little of this but was thrown from his chair about 5 minutes into the engagement as he was reviewing the damage done in the opening shots. Climbing back into his chair he demanded a status report from his crew, then noticed the the ruins of the other Kratos tank in his squadron next to his own vehicle. The pair of Aquan heavies had opened fire and obliterated the tank before it could do anything.

In the command vehicle of his squadron Sargent Dawson felt the shock waves of the heavy tanks death but paid it no heed. His own squadron was engaged in a long range duel with an Aquan medium squadron, trying to distract the tanks from the Circe support tank that was attempted to zero in a sykdrop beacon located in front of the two Aquan medium tank squadrons. As his own vehicle was rocked by enemy fire the operator of the Circe came over the comms.

"Sir, we have success beacon zeroed in"

"Great work operator" Switching channels he addressed Zielger

"Sir we have a beacon zeroed"

"I see it Sargent, deploying now" 

Sargent Dawsons tanks draw the attention of the Aquan vehicle as the Circe support tanks zeroes in a sky drop beacon

As one of the Aquan squadrons moved past the beacon Dawson murmured a silent prayer for the Colonel, he didn't envy his chosen method of deployment at all.

On the right flank Corporal Walker gunned his vehicle forward as his squad followed. He had chosen to  drive for the science facility objective allowing Moody the relatively easy job of holding the shuttle yard objective, a job which Moody was very relived to have landed. Myer's squadron had spotted Aquan troops in the building where the objective was located, which would make taking the objective a bit more interesting. There were also reports of Aquan light tanks in the area at the start of the engagement but they had suddenly turned toward the centre of the Aquan lines and sped away leaving the Aquan troops in the building vulnerable. As his vehicle rounded the coroner he could see the Aquan troops in the windows. Grinning he order his squadron to open fire. In a blaze of close range kinetic weaponry the Harvester Coil guns mounted on the front of the Leto light tank squadron opened up and shredded the wall the Aquan's were hiding behind. The firing lasted a full 10 seconds, when it was done the dust settled on the fleeing form of the last tattered remnants of the Aquan troops. As his Squadron moved up to claim the objective Walker cast a glance upwards as an object came hurtling towards the battlefield.

Before Walker's Squadron open fire

After the squadron open fire

High above the planet the troop ship "The Arrogance of the Gods" held low orbit. The ship was assigned to the 21st to transport them for duration of the mission, it also had the vital task of deploying Colonel Ziegler's drop infantry. As Walker was moving his squadron forward to take the objective in the science building Dawson's Circe was zeroing in one of the 4 skydrop beacons deployed over the battlefield. As Aquan troops fell to Walker's guns the targeting computers of the Arrogance received the updated targeting data from the Circe. This was fed into Ziegler's command HUD at the same time Dawson informed him of the Circe's success. As soon as he had learned of this Ziegler gave the go ahead to deploy his own drop pod with orders for 3 others to follow him shortly after.  The magnetic clamps released the pod, the bay doors opened and the thrusters of the pod roared silently into life as the pod began its furious decent onto the Planet bellow. As it broke the atmosphere there was a loud boom and the pod began shaking violently. Before it impacted upon the planet's  surface brake rockets burned into life arresting the decent of the pod as it slammed into the ground. Out of the pod came Colonel Ziegler and the rest of his platoon who immediately opened up with anti tank weaponry on a squadron of Aquan medium tanks close by, destroying the support tank and damaging one of the medium tanks. As they were running forward to one of the buildings behind the remains of tanks they targeted a line of Aquan light tanks came from behind and opened fire killing 10 of Ziegler's 20 men. As the platoon went to ground Zeigler opened comms to  the Arrogance.

"Deploy second platoon on my location now!" 

Ziegler and his platoon arrives

A counter attack by Aquan light armour cuts down half of Zieglers platoon

As Ziegler's drop troops made their presence felt Lieutenant Cannon was trying to regain control of the centre. A pair of Aquan defence turrets had sky dropped in front of his tank and damaged it and now there was word of a Terquai gunship heading his way. Myers was trying to bring his squadron in to intercept but things were looking grim. A series of explosion rocked his tank and glancing up he saw the gunship zooming towards him. Before he could issue an order the gunship  zoomed over his tank, pivoted and hammered the rear of his tank, which promptly exploded killing Cannon and his crew. 

The situation deteriorates for Lieutenant Cannon

Upon seeing Cannon's fiery end Sargent Myers direct his Squads Close Quarters weaponry against the Aquan turrets behind them ripping them apart in a shower of shrapnel. He then ordered his squadron back to where the gunship destroyed the last Kratos tank and ordered the CQB  weapons against the gunship which was also shot down. This completed he held his squadron back as his Circe zeroed in more sky drop beacons.

Sargent Myers clears the centre

The Church of Dramos Angel would portray the Dindrenzi drop infantry as fiery angels of vengeance and death, here to bring retribution to the federation's enemies, and if a unbiased observer were to see the decent of the 3 other Dindrenzi drop pods that day then they may well buy the Church's portrayal. The 3 pods all landed somewhere near where Ziegler's pod had landed. 2 of platoon's advanced to support Zieglers and their combined fire alongside that of Dawson's medium tanks cut down all the Aquan light tanks, not just the ones who had fired upon Ziegler's platoon but another one that had sped up to support the first squadron. The final pod landed behind the last Aquan medium tank squadron, the first having been finished off by Ziegler's platoon. The 2nd Aquan medium tank squadron met the same fate as the first as the Dindrenzi troops targeted its rear armour and obliterated the squadron with anti armour fire. 

With the destruction of their light and medium units and the loss of the centre and right flank the Aquan's withdrew to the left flank and eventually from the battlefield altogether. Having claimed both primary objectives and inflicted serve casualties on the Aquan's Ziegler was able to signal success back to sector command. As his units were securing the rest of the facility and recovering their dead he received a coded message that simply read.

"Good job, collate all capture tech and data and hold until we arrive."

A few days later as Ziegler was reviewing the facilities defences in the command building 3 men walked into room escorted by some of his men.

'Sir" began one of his men "These men are from sector command, they requested to speak with you"

"Very well, you are dismissed"

As his men left Ziegler addressed the new comers

"You are here for the capture tech and information" 

"Indeed we are, do you have it ready to go"

"I do"

Ziegler handed the hard drive over and gave them directions to where the tech was stored. As two of the turned to leave the last one addressed Ziegler.

"Your efforts here are appreciated Colonel, know that people in Sector command have taken note. Keep up the good work"

Long after they had left and as his regiment was preparing to depart the planet Ziegler mulled over the conversation i his head. He had seen the pin on the lapel of one of his "guests", it was RSN. He had no idea what the RSN wanted with with Aquan research and tech but he knew that it didn't bode will for the Aquans, in a similar way earning the attention  of the RSN didn't necessarily bode well for him.  

So there you have it, my lasted narrative battle report. Hopefully you enjoyed it. Just a wee note on Dindrenzi in planetfall, they are a excellent race to play and the drop pods are a joy to use. Their tanks are very quick and manoeuvrable and overall the race is really fun to play. Expect tactics posts for them in early next year. Unitl next time.
Rex