Faction A Spicy Situation

[Aperion]

Objective Two: Dust in the Wind
Tags: Garrion Der Rædwulf , R'ayne Asara

​

The battle had begun. The Bacta Brigade, the ones in the rear, would have to march forward to the frontline. And worst yet - Aperion could feel a dark presence nearing the mine. "Doc, Dace, with me", his calm voice seemed almost stoic.

"We're really gonna do this, huh? Bloody hell...", Dace, the pilot, would rather just enter a starship and start blasting and manoeuvering, Aperion was sure, but Doc's healing abilities were too special. Unless...

"Ignore that, Dace. You will leave Doc with Shield and present yourself to The General as a pilot. There is a Sith nearby. You will tell him to lock into my position, and when the Sith is seen, to bombard the area I'm in."

"The 'area you're in'? So... tell him to bomb you?", Dace looked exhasperated.

"Yes."

"Ape. You're fucking bonkers, mate", but Aperion couldn't hear his comrade. He threw his robes over Dace, and rapidly shapeshifted into a Silver, smooth-skinned Colicoid, almost a replica of his comrade Shield. The lightsaber seemed to enter his skin, stored inside his own body. As fast as he transformed, Aperion curls into a ball, rolling his way to the general location of the malign presence he suddenly felt. His metal-like skin would reflect the sunlight and assure General Garrion Der Rædwulf would know his exact position - there weren't many metal balls in Kessel, Aperion feared.

"Right. Now with getting you to Shield", Dace said, gently pressing his Kaduul partner's head and running to his Colicoid comrade.

-

When the silver ball rolled out of the mine, both Shield and Eater, still waiting for the enemy to advance, realised rather fast: well, it was Aperion. "Iz that how I look?", Shield asked Eater, his voice rather disappointed.

Minus the silver? Pretty much.

Eater, with me, Aperion thought. He was already accustommed to think rather than merely talk to Eater. It was faster, too. Such was the strength of communication through telepathy: it was almost instantaneous, and secure. Eater waited for the silver ball to reach her. Suddenly, moments before the ball runs her over, it suddenly unfurls and grabs her, curling up again and making his way to the dark presence. Shield is left with the high-pitched screech Eater made.

There is a dark presence nearby, Eater.

And what in the universe are you gonna do?

I am going to kill it. And you are going to help me.

Oh, dear...

The presence is near, Aperion can feel it. Suddenly, the ball stops, dead rebel corpses in front of it, the burning scent of lightsaber-deformed flesh. The ball stops, and Aperion shapeshifts into his humanoid self once again. In front of him, more than dozens of meters away, were R'ayne Asara and his soldiers. It was time, Aperion thought, his lightsaber suddenly getting out of his left palm. He holds it with strength, turning the blade on and adopting the classic position of Soresu. He only had to stall her before the bombing. This was going to be interesting.

-

After leaving Doc with Shield, Dace enters Garrion Der Rædwulf 's barrack. Forcefully saluting the General -a mock salute, sarcastic even, rather than a real one-, the Pilot says, with a serious face.

" 'General', there's a Sith or... something like that near the mines. Ape and Eater went to stall them. He wants you to locate him, the Sith around him and... and bomb the hell out of his position", Dace said, and before the General could even protest, he added firmly, as if it mattered: "Those are his orders. His body reflects as much light as any polished metal. Do it"​

 

[Garrion Der Rædwulf]

GENERAL GARRION
OBJECTIVE II

CURRENT MISSION: Stall the enemy advance, and make them bleed for every inch.

---

After a bout of AT-AT fire hit the exterior defenses of the mine, Garrion was surprised. He hadn't expected such a reckless advance.
"Well, if they keep moving forward, that walker's bound to ground itself. No need to waste resources on Retaliation." He murmured, mentally taking note that the walkers must be getting awfully close to the edges of the minefield, had they not already begun to detonate some. He was too busy to check, instead concerning himself with:

"Everyone alright?" When he was met with a collective "Yes", he carried on as if nothing had happened. "Well, at least they're wasting time on us and not our instillations. Turbolaser cannons are to maintain fire on the enemy AT-AT walkers. Keep their attention as long as we can, it'll buy us time for the next artillery salvo." He paused, drumming his fingers on the holotable. "In fact... should they begin crossing the minefield, commence active use of the RPS-6's. Target the walker's necks, that should help us bring down one or two. Maybe a few more, if we get lucky." He mused.

Fortunately, the enemy was going to find itself walking into a roadblock, one that could buy Garrion the time they needed to unleash proper retaliation if the stars aligned. Of course, Jonyna was responsible for managing allied armor... and Garrion hoped she'd use the window he'd give her wisely.

"I want a message relayed to our scouts, Unit 12." With that, one of the Lieutenants took to the heliograph.

"Pass along message to Unit 13..." Which, Unit 13 promptly relayed to Unit 12: "Make probing strike on the enemy forwarding camp, coordinates...Retreat after strike, draw away enemy attention."
Unit 12 took to their speederbikes soon after relaying an affirmation of receiving the order, making their way away from the battlefield and towards one of the initial landing sites. Which, if collected intelligence thus far was correct about, appeared to be the operating base. If the Scouts could draw away even a small chunk, reinforcements for the walker assault could be delayed.

Not long after coordinating the probe strike, Garrion was approached by Dace. It took him a second to process the words, before nodding. "Thank you. Your commander is certainly brave, if nothing else, is he not?" He jested, though... was worried that even for a shapeshifter like Aperion that a direct missile strike might be his undoing. Then again, his ally likely had a plan to avoid certain death.

"Relay to the artillery that they are to attack... One moment..." Garrion had to squint, as he looked over a the ridge above for the reflection of silver skin. Annoyingly, the misty rain of the gathering storm continued intensifying, albeit slowly. To make things worse, it had begun to pick up the scattered dust from bombardments and walker blasts. This combination made it difficult to fully discern his ally's location before eventually managing to identify him via a combination of thermal and isolating where he couldn't be from where he could, according to projections.
"There, coordinates-... Oh my, that's... one of ours." Garrion acknowledged... knowing they had likely already been slain by this supposed Sith, lamenting that there was nothing he could do. Yet... they needed to press on.

"Their sacrifice will not be in vain. Target the following coordinates, yet do not fire until I give you the order:" He finished, returning to the task at hand. There would be time to honor the fallen after the battle.

The missile launchers received the command, with one launcher slowly rotating towards the cliffs, preparing to fire a salvo once confirmation for a strike had been given.

Garrion focused his attention back towards his comrade's position, awaiting affirmation for a strike as he continued to fight against his lack visibility.

ACTION SUMMARY:

• Garrion orders the ground forces to continue drawing on the attention of the walkers
• The ground forces prepare to use rocket launchers in the event the walkers get close enough to be targeted directly
• A small scouting unit moves away from the battle via speederbike, preparing a small distracting strike on the Imperial forwarding base to draw attention away and (possibly) delay reinforcements
• The weather continues to be an annoyance
• One of the missile launchers is readied to fire on Aperion 's position once the order is given.

TAGS: [Open], Aperion Jonyna Si Ronhar Tane Kalit D'wari Octavia Renn Lothar Braeyek R'ayne Asara

 

[Aldus Kragg]

Location: Bridge, MIN Halberd
Objective: I — Kessel Run
Allies: John Mahporeem John Mahporeem | Captain Charles Captain Charles | Felix Yorwell Felix Yorwell Jyote Veyr​

The void above Kessel was thick with the distant glare of the system's yellow sun and the heavy, industrial shadows of the fleet. Integrated directly into the outer defensive screen of Captain Charles's First Scouting Squadron, the newly commissioned VT-50 Obliterator-class assault ship held a stationary, predatory position on the perimeter of the task force. While the larger Vengeance-class cruisers maintained the primary defensive line, the Obliterator sat as an aggressive, forward-deployed scout, its systems dialed into the squadron's defensive ring.

Inside the command bridge, Aldus stood at the central plinth with his hands clasped behind his back, his midnight-charcoal dress uniform clean against the low glow of the terminals. He slowly turned his family's signet ring, his analytical gaze tracking the empty space ahead. Behind him, the bridge was a hive of quiet discipline.

The calm of the sector shattered in an instant. The Caragachi fleet under Commodore Yorwell burst into the system, their massive, purple hulls tearing out of hyperspace and immediately firing up a forty-kilometer radius gravity-well suppression field. The sudden, violent shifting of space-time metrics registered instantly across the Halberd's terminals, forcing the entire sector into a closed, cage-match arena where micro-jumps were completely off the board.

Moments later, the tactical network on the Halberd's bridge updated with the latest command data routed directly from the Collateral Star. The transmission packet carried the strict, methodically organized search protocols issued by the flagship's flight controller, Jyote Veyr . Her directives were explicit: Imperial squadrons were to maintain a loose, seemingly aimless reconnaissance sweep, moving into position around the suspected stealth contacts without converging or triggering an early engagement.

Aldus tracked the incoming markers as the Collateral Star's TIE Striders and Vultures shifted their positions across his display. He recognized the calculated restraint in Veyr's positioning; she was subtly tightening a noose around the hidden Rebel Star Liberator while projecting the illusion of an ordinary patrol sweep to keep the enemy from blinking.

"Control's vectors are precise," Aldus noted, his analytical gaze resting on the screen as he turned his family's signet ring. "She is masking the trap behind standard naval caution. Ensure our propulsion grids remain completely synchronized with the flagship's tracking movement."

Zoro Igala's Rebel stealth cruisers were running dark, hiding beneath heavy cloaking screens to lock down their ambush. However, the Halberd was built precisely to outmatch this level of tactical interference. Utilizing the ship's advanced processor core and sensing software, Aldus's bridge was perfectly insulated against the electronic noise. The system actively filtered out the ghost signatures, coordinating its data-feed with the flagship's magnetic pings to track the faint distortion trails left by the hidden Star Liberators and add this real-time scan data to the overall Imperial grid.

Aldus stared at the faint digital vector painting onto his console, his expression entirely cool and unbothered. He didn't know how confident these rebels were, but he knew how to handle their deception. He stepped up to the command console and issued a precise, measured directive to his crew.

"Coordinate our flight vectors directly with Captain Charles's screening units," Aldus ordered smoothly, his tone carrying the calm drawl of an aristocrat. "Ensign Sarn, suppress our active target-acquisition arrays to match the screen plane. Hold all weapons tight as per Control's directives. We will not converge or compromise the flagship's hunting geometry. Calibrate the variable-payload launchers for high-intensity proton torpedoes, and toggle the plasma turrets to rapid-fire convergence vectors. We'll continue to ride the blind spots in their search patterns until the Admiral commands the strike."

 

[Orinn Darge]

Unit: Rampart Platoon, MSOC "Valkyrie"
Location: Operational Cordon, External Trenches of the Kessel Spice Mines
Commmander: Captain Orrin Darge (Rampart 1)
Tag: Ronhar Tane R'ayne Asara Octavia Renn Lothar Braeyek KV-027 Dayna Rhyss​

The interior of the Lambda B-TIE Dropships were unbroken chambers of high-velocity vibration. Red operations lighting bathed the twenty-four Special Missions Troopers of Rampart Platoon as the gunships bucked against the violent anti-air flak bursts tearing through Kessel's yellow, toxic sky.

Captain Orrin Darge stood locked to the forward cockpit bulkhead. His scuffed battleship-gray duraplast and field-green armor plates were sealed tight, his helmet's polarized visor translating an intense, chaotic web of data streamed down from the company's permanent base ship, the MIN Tempest.

This was no isolated, asymmetric skirmish. It was a massive, synchronized combined-arms offensive to break the Wild Space Rebellion's premier logistics node.

"Rampart 1, we are clear of the naval blockade," the pilot called out over the intercom, banking the ship hard over a jagged ridge. "Touchdown at the forward LZ in thirty seconds!"

The moment the ventral doors slammed open, the oppressive stench of sulfur, dust, and raw unrefined spice rolled into the troop bay. Out on the plains, the ground literally shook. To the left, the titanic, armored form of Sergeant Lothar Braeyek 's AT-AT was grinding methodically through the broken landscape, its chin-mounted heavy laser cannons delivering thunderous salvos that battered the rebel trenches into clouds of flying stone and fire.

Directly ahead, Captain Ronhar Tane 's formidable armored column, a rolling vanguard of heavy walkers and modular artillery, was pressing deep into the "Red Zone," utilizing their shield generators to absorb the heavy rebel counter-barrage.

"Rampart, double-time down the ramps! Hit the defilades!" Orrin ordered, his voice carrying absolute, pragmatic command authority as his boots hit the salt-bleached gravel.

The Special Missions Troopers fanned out in an automated, rapid wedge file. They weren't here to act as a front-line anvil; they were here to be a surgical scalpel assisting the heavy armor vanguard.

Orrin dropped behind the armored track of an idling personnel carrier, immediately switching his tactical console to integrate with the division's localized networks. Thanks to the real-time data packets forwarded directly from Captain Octavia Renn 's Special Intelligence division, the blind spots of the rebel layout were laid bare on his HUD. SPECINT had already cross-referenced the enemy's transmission patterns with the local topography. Even better, a targeted reconnaissance ping from SpecInt Agents KV-027 and Dayna Rhyss flashed a hard orange bracket on his display, confirming they had just utilized an Otherplasma sniper rifle to locate and neutralize a pair of concealed rebel missile launchers anchoring the northern ridge.

"The eyes in the sky gave us a seam," Orrin barked over the secure platoon channel. "Rampart 2, get the heavy weapons up!"

Sergeant Major Hamish Horvath signaled the crews of Hammer Squad. Working in close coordination with Braeyek's advancing AT-AT, the machine gun teams mounted their M-120F "Harrower" Heavy Repeaters behind portable energy shields. The gunners unleashed controlled, alternating bursts over the low parapets, maintaining a steady discipline to chip away at the rebel fortification lines and suppress the anti-tank crews attempting to line up a shot on the advancing armor flanks.

Beside the heavy repeaters, the squad's ordnance teams aggressively went to work. The grenadiers adjusted the cylinders of their M-19 "Hammerstrike" Micro-Grenade Launchers. Slaving their targeting optics directly to the telemetry Renn's intelligence officers were actively broadcasting, they lobbed a precise arc of high-explosive ordnance over the outer mine ramparts. The explosive canisters detonated in rapid succession, shattering the sandbagged nests of a rebel squad that had been trying to guide remote, improvised explosives toward the armor's lower leg joints.

Simultaneously, a two-man anti-armor team hoisted the heavy M-31A "Firestorm" Multi-Purpose Missile Launcher. Locking onto the magnetic signature of a fortified rebel bunker anchoring the center of the defensive wall, the loader slammed the backing home before the gunner pulled the trigger. With a deafening roar, the heavy missile spiraled out of the tube, slamming directly into the bunker's observation slit to cave in the concrete and silence its crossfire.

The seasoned special operators of Rampart Platoon integrated flawlessly into the combined assault, carving vital pockets of air for the mainline forces to exploit and keeping the pressure of of the larger friendly targets beside them.

Orrin raised his carbine, his visor tracking the dark silhouette of the canyon where Lady R'ayne Asara and her midnight-armored Drakonis Order were currently tearing through the remaining rebel infantry with cold, lethal efficiency. The Sith Lady was carving a literal blood-trail straight toward the claustrophobic depths of the central spice shafts. He was more than familiar with her particular brand of lethality, and as always found himself glad she was on his side.

He keyed his transmitter, opening a multi-channel link to the advancing commanders.

"Captain Tane, Sergeant Braeyek—this is Rampart 1. We have established a support-by-fire baseline on your right flank. The rebel missile batteries on the ridge are dark, and our ordnance teams are actively suppressing the trench pockets threatening your lower chassis. The road to the primary gate is opening up. We move when you move.

Lady Asara, we are checking our fire on the western defile to clear your ingress path. Rampart Platoon is set to pivot in behind you. The moment your line infantry breaches the inner blast doors, my Special Missions Troopers are ready to dive in. Let's break this hive!."​

 

[Lothar Braeyek]

Objective II

The Rebel garrison had dug in well. Fresh intelligence from Captain Octavia Renn had confirmed some of the rebel positions, along with concealed anti-armour positions and fortified trench lines protecting the approach to the mine complex. Further reports indicated that Captain Ronhar Tane 's armoured column was pressing toward the primary gate, while Orinn Darge 's Rampart Platoon had established a support-by-fire position on the right flank. The Rebel missile batteries on the ridge had been neutralised, giving the Imperial walkers a little more breathing room.

Lothar Braeyek studied the trench network through the viewport, noting the emplacements scattered across the ridgeline.
"Rather ugly, aren't they, Keeve?"

His gunner adjusted the targeting scope.
"Quite, sir."

"And I should hate to get any closer than necessary." Keeve gave a knowing glance. "Harassing fire?"

"Precisely."

The AT-AT slowed, keeping well beyond the worst of the Rebel guns.
"Range?"

"Six hundred." Keeve said flatly

Lothar smiled.
"Hmmph.. Comfortable...Give them a little encouragement, Mr Keeve."

The cannons thundered, red bolts tearing into the defensive line.

Lothar sighed softly, pinching the bridge of his nose as he keyed the transmitter.
"Rampart 1, Braeyek here. Message received. Good work on those missile batteries. Keeve and I are quite fond of having our legs.."

Another barrage thundered across the battlefield, Rebel fire retaliating the Imperial guns almost immediately.
"Keep your guns working and we'll keep theirs occupied. Once Tane's column opens the gate, we'll drive the enemy from there."

He released the transmitter bringing his own walker to a halt while the second Shadow AT-AT remained alongside.
"Braeyek out."

The walkers settled into their positions, continuing their measured bombardment of the Rebel trenches as laser fire traded across the battlefield in a marvellous yet haunting glow. "Stubborn fellow, this Rebel General Garrion Der Rædwulf Lothar remarked dryly. "Though I suppose stubbornness is rather the natural state of a Rebel."

Keeve gave a quiet chuckle.

 

[Gress D'ran]

Objective II:
Dust In the Wind​

Unit Comp:

Spoiler

Hydra Command Company:

• x1 Sphinx Siege/Command Walkers
  • Cerberus
• x1 Stone Lion Superheavy Artillery Walker
  • Kraken
• x5 Nexu Indirect Fire Walker
  • Fury
  • Thunderbolt II
  • Cobra King II
  • Blood and Guts II
  • In The Mood V
• X3 Birdcatcher AA APC

Firestorm" Walker Company

• Vehicles:
  • x6 Thundercat Mark III Heavy Assault Walkers
    • Solo II
    • Large And In Charge
    • Big Cat
    • Showstopper
    • Noble Intentions
    • Jenny
  • x7 Tiger Medium Assault Walkers
    • Undertaker II
    • Frankly My Dear
    • Strutter II
    • Winds of Change
    • Red Six
    • Fires of Coruscant
    • Streets of Fire
  • x10 Bobcat Light Walker
• "Thunderstorm" Assault Company
  • Vehicles:
    • x2 Tiger Command Walkers
      • Appetite for Destruction
      • Diver Down
    • x5 Wildcat Mark II Heavy Tanks
      • Black Sabbath
      • Scorpion
      • AC/DC
      • Manowar
      • Rainbow
    • x3 Lynx APCs
      • Party Wagon
      • Mystery Machine
      • Double Decker
    • x5 Cougar Medium Tanks
      • Rebel Yell
      • White Wedding
      • Weird Science
      • Big Gun
      • Heavy Hitter
    • x7 Puma IFVs
      • Run and Gun
      • Live and Learn
      • Shades of Glory
      • Ride The Wind
      • Guns and Roses
      • Fire and Ice
      • Guns of Liberty
    • x3 Squads of Marines
      • "Tsunami"
      • "Twister"
      • "Volcano"
• Marine Equipment
  • Wolf Armor
  • GAAB Claw Heavy Blaster
  • GABB Talon II Blaster Rifle
  • GAMR Spot Sniper Blaster
  • GABC Boar Heavy Blaster Cannon
  • GALMG Beak Light Blaster Cannon
  • GAGL Snarl Grenade Launcher
  • Rex Handaxe
  • GARD-15 Raven Scout Droid
  • GAHP Roundhouse Pistol
  • GAB Fang Machine Pistol
  • ML-04E-GA Rocket Launcher
  • Null Grenades
  • GASG Roar Grenades
  • EMP Grenades
  • Wolverine Tac Tool

"Helldiver" Marines Company:

• Equipment:
  • GAMA Starwolf Armor
  • Jaguar Combat Uniform
  • GAAB Claw Heavy Blaster
  • GABB Talon II Blaster Rifle
  • GAMR Spot Sniper Blaster
  • M.I. Shatter Rifle
  • GABC Boar Heavy Blaster Cannon
  • GALMG Beak Light Blaster Cannon
  • GAGL Snarl Grenade Launcher
  • Rex Handaxe
  • GARD-15 Raven Scout Droid
  • GAHP Roundhouse Pistol
  • GAB Fang Machine Pistol
  • ML-04E-GA Rocket Launcher
  • Null Grenades
  • GASG Roar Grenades
  • EMP Grenades
  • Wolverine Tac Tool
• Hidden in the mountain:
  • "Grim Reaper" Air Support Squadron
    • x10 Tornado II Fighter/Bombers
    • x10 Condor Heavy Starfighters
  • "Midnight Train" Support Platoon
    • Equipment
      • x2 GADS Roc Drop Ship
        • Mercy
        • Innocence
      • x2 Ziio LAATs
        • Thunderbird
        • Prettybird
      • x3 Skyviper Airspeeders
        • Thunderbolt
        • Dragonforce
        • Turbo
      • x4 GASB Cheetah Scout Speeder
        • Barry
        • Wally
        • Bart
        • Jay
      • x5 Racyon Scout Walkers
      • x2 Stag Construction Vehicles
      • x10 Tabby Trucks

Tag: Ronhar Tane Lothar Braeyek Octavia Renn Orinn Darge R'ayne Asara Dayna Rhyss KV-027
Friendly Tag: Ysennia Lee Garrion Der Rædwulf Aperion Kalit D'wari
​

Far enough.

That's what Gress decided.

"Open Hellfire."

It was a command he had given a few times in training, but never on the battlefield. Never needed to. It was a command that Gress had said with a boom in his voice, that meant one thing.

The Hellstompers were in the fight now.

So far, they'd kept themselves hidden. Garrion's forces were tasked with holding the initial line. The rain created by the jedi master was picking up, and now was the time to act. They couldn't wait for the Stormpiercers to deploy.

The first thing that came was the lurch of The Sphinx and Stone Lion. Two massive walkers, twice the size of an AT-AT, poking their chassis over the ridge of the mountains.

And then came the ion blasts.

The two walkers, purpose built around it, fired a pair of ion blasts from their spinal cannons that had been ripped off of ships that would dwarf the battlefield itself. Aimed at the shield walkers, the ion blasts sang across the battlefield like an bell.

Then came the storm.

Every vehicle in the Hellstompers was equipped with a mortar. All at once, they started raining down Thunderbolt rounds, on top of the heavy shield walkers. They could protect the infantry and light walkers no longer.

Then came the counter barrage. The Nexus poked over the rigdge and opened fire with their main guns, guns that would normally be mounted as main batteries on a star destroyer, on the imperial front line. Even if it didn't direct hit enemy walkers, the area of effect would stun any advance.

Then the birds came.

Out of the mountains, Ten Tornado IIs soared out of a hidden hanger, almost immediately buzzing KV-027 and Dayna Rhyss 's position with a burst of chainlaser fire.

Nothing could hide with the Ravens in the air.

Then everything opened up. Cougar Tanks and Tigers opened up with direct fire mass drivers at Lothar Braeyek , while Pumas and Bobcats opened up on the infantry with laser fire and autocannon rounds.

The Thundercats and Wildcats finally made themselves known, composite beam lasers all converging on the shield walkers as best they could.

Gress intended to make the imperial front line hell on earth.

 

[Jonyna Si]

TAGS: Ronhar Tane Lothar Braeyek Octavia Renn Orinn Darge R'ayne Asara Dayna Rhyss KV-027
Friends: Garrion Der Rædwulf Aperion Kalit D'wari Ysennia Lee​

Jonyna sat, focusing. The twisting of the storm came.

Outside, the rain suddenly picked up. It went from a drizzle, to a downburst in less than a second.

Then the roar. The clouds above twisting from cumulus, to Cumulonibmus in less than five minutes. As the mortars rained down, the rain came too. Torrential rain, turning the sand under the imperials to a slurry of mud, before suddenly, a wall cloud formed on their back line.

The cloud came down to touch the earth. A swirling vortex, winds whipping to a hundred and fifty miles an hour, as the tornado ran through the rear formation of the imperial lines.

 

[Ronhar Tane]

CAPTAIN RONHAR TANE, TK-3301
KESSEL
OBJECTIVE II: YOUR SPICE IS MY SPICE

The Mahporeenian advance was not without difficulty.

As the armada plodded its way toward the entrenched positions of the rebels, a series of explosions began ripping through the front lines, as several TIE Walkers and All Terrain Armored Assault Walkers were either blasted to smithereens or toppled over after receiving critical damage to their walker legs. The cause of the explosions were immediately clear, though by the time the Imperial Remnant realized what was going on it was too late.

The advancing armor had stumbled into a minefield!

Almost instantaneously, the Mahporeenian advance halted as the next course of action was decided upon. Should the walkers continue forward and risk taking further casualties, or should the lighter elements of the army fall back and leave the heavy walkers unguarded against aerial threats and infantry?

Ultimately, the latter action was taken.

The remaining TIE Walkers and All Terrain Armored Assault Walkers began backing away for the safety of the All Terrain Shield Generators as the All Terrain Armored Assault Walkers, Shadow AT-ATs and All Terrain Advanced Armored Transports inched forward, unsure if the rebels had buried even larger mines that could damage them. The All Terrain Advanced Armored Transports began to turn to their sides, so that their
NZ HP2 Heavy Turbolasers and NZ IEPC.4700 Ionized Electromagnetic Plasma cannon 'Damocles' would have a clear line of fire, and moments later, the Mahporeenian walkers began shooting, aiming to obliterate the rebel defenses before the advance could resume. Their main targets were the missile batteries and anti-air vehicles, and massive blasts of turbolaser and plasma cannon fire rained down upon the defends, sending huge columns of dirt and rock flying into the air from each impact.

Farther back, the All Terrain Modular Artillery Platforms began adding their weight of fire to the battle, firing oversized Flechette rounds at the defenders, though their targets weren't the infantry but rather the minefield that was protecting them. Each round contained hundreds of Flechettes, and each Flechette contained enough power to penetrate the rocky soil and detonate any mine that they hit. Dozens of explosions began popping off as the Flechettes hit the ground in front of the walkers, and it was only a matter of time before the minefield was cleared.

Then, the bulk of the rebel forces opened up on the Imperial Remnant. Rockets began streaking toward the walkers, which were intercepted by their NZ ARD-1 Mono Type Point Defense System Turrets. Starfighters began strafing the Mahporeenian's position, only to be intercepted by a single squadron of QIE/FNs, which immediately gave chase to prevent them from attacking again. Turbolaser, ion cannon and mortar fire began raining down atop the shield walkers, which started faltering under the weight of the bombardment, their shields flickering in and out of existence with each subsequent hit. Sooner or later they were fail entirely, but would they hold long enough for the Mahporeenain artillery to clear the minefield in front of them? Once they were done, they could engage in counter battery fire, but that would take some time. Worse still was the fact that two gigantic walkers had appeared out of nowhere and were causing havoc for the Imperials.

Yet, with the missile batteries under fire and the anti-air vehicles engaged, the battle was not lost yet.

Dozens of Imperial U-Wings began descending upon the The Sphinx and Stone Lion, with several of them being blown apart in mid air from the fire coming from the walkers. Yet, the flak cannons and laser cannons were not enough to stop them from approaching the walkers, and the gunships began circling around them as they started firing at each weapon system that the walkers had installed. Their real goal, however, was not the destruction of the walkers but rather their capture, as once the enemy anti-air had been silenced, the gunships would be able to land troops atop the very walkers themselves in an attempt to take control of the machines away from the rebels.

Perhaps most distressing of all, however, was the massive tornado that had spawned behind the Imperial line. It seemingly materialized in seconds, and started to carve a path of death and destruction...only to stop in it tracks as an outside force began to affect it. Junkyard Knights of Mahporeem had sensed that the tornado was not a natural phenomenon, and had been summoned by the Force. The moment they had felt this, those who were being held in reserve reached out through the force themselves as they began battling Jonyna Si for control of the tornado, with the intent of dispersing it. Zavik Maltheris lead the effort as other Junkyard Knights joined it, but it was not a battle that would be easily won.

As all this was going on, the Von Strauss-class Cargo Ship began scrambling additional assets to send to the battle, putting together a few repulsorlift vehicles to aid the Mahporeenian forces, though they would take quite some time to actually reach the crux of the fighting. The infantry and armor that were already engaged responded in kind, and the battle began to intensify even further...

TAGS:
Orinn Darge
R'ayne Asara
Lothar Braeyek
Gress D'ran
Garrion Der Rædwulf
Aperion
Kalit D'wari
Octavia Renn
KV-027
Jyote Veyr
Zavik Maltheris

 

[Ysennia Lee]

Enemies: Ronhar Tane Lothar Braeyek Octavia Renn Orinn Darge R'ayne Asara Dayna Rhyss KV-027

Friendly Tag: Gress D'ran Garrion Der Rædwulf Aperion Kalit D'wari
​

When Ysennia got the call from Gress, she knew for a fact that she couldn't miss this chance to smack some imp skulls together. She knew very well of her compliment along with the toys granted to her by Si Tech and the WSR. She was excited to see all of it in action. Her men were waiting in the trenches while she stood in her Stone Lion which would be her command post. Knowing her compliment, she knew fully well that she had to play auxiliary to Gress's heavy assault. Her battalion was more mobile after all, so she observed the battle on her holomap. The Hellstompers were beginning their assault. As always, D'ran was looking to cover as much ground as possible with creeping armor, heavy fire power, and drones. Lots of drones.

The sounds of battle echoed outside of Ysennia's walker. The crew were at work maintaining the many systems and suites onboard As Ysennia stood like a statue with the exception of the odd blink and chin rub. Shots were being traded between WSR and Imperial forces. It seemed as though this would be a battle between heavy armor first. It would have to do. Made perfect sense. Shake up the defenders with heavy bombardment before calling in your lighter forces to mop up the stragglers.

Ysennia had already ordered Lance Company and their heavy walkers to counter fire the incoming AT-AT's. 3 Tiger walkers and 4 Nexus would begin by firing upon the AT-AAT's hoping to cause some sort of disruption. Meanwhile, Ysennia had her 8 Cougar Tanks and 8 Thundercat walkers push up with 4 Lynx APC's along with their infantry compliment, each platoon 18 strong laying fire down on the infantry line to support Gress's advance.

The battle had opened and it looked like the Imps were preparing for a maneuver to end the battle quickly. U-Wings were making for the command post. A good plan, their rear didn't plan a defense. Ysennia thought quickly and called in 2 Ziio gunships. They would not land to meet the commandoes that would touch their walkers, rather harass them along with the defenses on the stone lions. Ysennia didn't hold her breath. Instead she waited. The defenses on the stone lions could hold them off until she made her next move.

​

​

 

[Zoro Igala]

Wild Space Rebellion Fleet, The Dawn of Hope
Tag: John Mahporeem Felix Yorwell Captain Charles Aldus Kragg Jyote Veyr
Friends: Binn Toskros​

Fleet Comp:

Spoiler

• Stealthed in System:
  • x2 Rebellion III Class Star Liberator | Stealth Ambushers
    • Rogue Thunder
      • 15 Starfighter Squadrons
        • x3 Thunderstorm II Y-wing Squadrons
        • x2 "Predator" Heavy B-wing Squadrons
        • x4 LionX Starfighter Squadrons
        • x2 Hurricane Tactical Bomber Squadron
        • x3 "Typhoon" K-wing Missile Attack Fighters
        • x1 Nightfury Scout X-wing Class
    • Heavy Metal
      • 15 Starfighter Squadrons
        • x3 Thunderstorm II Y-wing Squadrons
        • x2 "Predator" Heavy B-wing Squadrons
        • x4 LionX Starfighter Squadrons
        • x2 Hurricane Tactical Bomber Squadron
        • x3 "Typhoon" K-wing Missile Attack Fighters
        • x1 Ziio LAAT Squadron
  • x4 Ambush Class Frigates | Stealth Interdiction Carriers
    • White Wolf
      • x2 "Predator" Heavy B-wing Squadron
      • x2 LionX Fighter Squadrons
      • x2 Thunderstorm II Y-Wing Squadrons
    • Grand Finale
      • x2 "Predator" Heavy B-wing Squadron
      • x2 LionX Fighter Squadrons
      • x2 Thunderstorm II Y-Wing Squadrons
    • Shining Eagle
      • x2 "Predator" Heavy B-wing Squadron
      • x2 LionX Fighter Squadrons
      • x2 Thunderstorm II Y-Wing Squadrons
    • Raptor
      • x2 "Predator" Heavy B-wing Squadron
      • x2 LionX Fighter Squadrons
      • x2 Thunderstorm II Y-Wing Squadrons

Objective One:
Beartrap​

"Sir, they're moving torwards Rogue Thunder. You think they-"

"With a ship that big as their flagship? Most certainly."

Zoro knew better than to rely on entirely stealth. To keep the advantage, they'd need to keep themselves ready.

"Tell Heavy Metal to launch fighters. Have the Ambushes launch as well, and keep the B-wings focused on hitting those-"

"Sir, incoming message from the Confederate Commander. They want to help us."

Zoro took pause at that.

"We could certainly use the help. Comm laser them, tell them to focus on the screens, draw their fire. We'll widdle down the flapship."

Zoro shifted his focus. That damned eyesore would be easy to get distracted by. No, stick to tactics.

"Belay previous orders. We're shifting focus. Engineering, get us around the back of that Battlecruiser. We'll launch bombers to hit it from the other side, where their fighters aren't focused. They've committed their screens, we need to hit it while they're distracted. Tell Rogue Thunder to shift position, and bring those enemy fighters with them."

"Aye sir!"

"This is Rebel Flagship Heavy Metal, to Condederacy Flagship Tsolgusk, focus on enemy screens. We'll push forward an-"

Zoro droned out the rest. He watched instead.

K-wings, B-wings, and Y-wings launching from the hanger bay, now open to space. They needed more.

First the K-wings, heading right for the right flank of the Star, doing exactly what they had done on Vulgwinur. Broke into flights of three, using their jammers to take our any MDTs and immediate Point Defense Guns, then launching the horde. 18432 Thunderbolt Shield Leech Munitions streaked through space towards the right flank of the Star, before the K-wings broke off, and in came the Hurricanes behind them.

Bombers pushed forward, flanked by Y-wings as they pushed forward to bombard the ship's points of connection to the rear most Venator with proton bombs and heavy armor piercing bombs.

Then finally, the B-wings. Turbolaser fire, aimed at point defense guns from afar, then heavy CHOMP rockets aimed at the superstructure of the engines.

"Open fire!"

Finally, the word came. Heavy Metal's ion cannons and Hammer turbolaser batteries aimed at the engines of the Star opened up, as well as their composite beam cannons firing one massive beam, opening up on the superstructure with a beam dragging across the rear of the ship.

Fleet Actions:

Spoiler

Rogue Thunder pushes further away from the Star, holding fire for the moment.
Heavy Metal launches full bomber compliment, ending a full missile barrage from it's K-wings towards the opposite side of the Star from the Rogue Thunder
Heavy Metal follows up with a bomber attack, Y-wings and Hurricanes dropping bombs on structural connection points, focusing on detatching the rear Venator from the superstructure.
B-wings focus fire on the engines, hoping to disable them.
Finally, the Heavy Metal focuses fire on the rear of the ship, with ion batteries, medium turbolasers, and composite beam lasers.

 

[Captain Charles]

The Battle Begins
TAGS: Aldus Kragg | Binn Toskros ​

Charles’s Ship:

• Stryker II | Imperial V Class Star Destroyer

Charles | The Bridge | Stryker II | Around Kessel:
Ferrin relayed the message from the Star’s Bridge Officer. One Star Liberator had been detected. There were new orders as well. The Stryker II was to engage the twelve CFW heavy frigates. Luckily, they were the only ships that were visible for the moment, even better that four of them had already broken off from the main formation.

“Lucan, get us away from the Star.” he ordered. “We are going to draw those frigates to the extreme left flank. Less ships for the Star to deal with.” he added, glancing at the tactical displays.

“Aye sir.” Lucan replied.

Malren was already preparing firing solutions. Distance management would be key. If he could keep the enemy at arms length the fight would be his. He also didn’t launch his fighters. His pilots were skilled, extremely so, but throwing them at heavy frigates would be extremely reckless and wasteful.

Another message came in.

[Fleet leader, this is Commodore Felix Yorwell of the Fifth Fleet of the Caragachi Commonwealth. I suspect our fleets complement each other well, but we need to fully understand each other’s capabilities to succeed. I have at my disposal a fleet carrier, two heavy cruisers, an interdictor, and a troop transport reserved for planetfall.]

“Good to have you Commodore Yorwell.” he replied. “Captain Charles of First Scouting Squadron, though it is just the flagship at the moment. I have been tasked with engaging the CFW frigates. Currently I am drawing them to the extreme left. Your heavy cruisers would be most effective supporting the Collateral Star against whatever decloaks. Keep your interdictor active. We need nothing leaving this system.”

He cut the channel.

“Ferrin, tell the rest of the squadron to jump here as soon as they are done with resupply.” he said. “Tell them everything we know so far.” Ferrin gave a thumbs up from his station. He didn’t look up. He was already sending it.

He looked out the viewport. Kragg’s Obliterator remained in formation, the two ships moving together towards the far left of the engagement zone. He was grateful, at least the fight would now be a two vs eight (or more). Tapping his personal display he sent a message to the Obliterator’s bridge.

“Kragg, prepare for an insane battle. Try to keep up.”

It was part friendly banter and serious message. Two vs eight were serious odds and Kragg may have not been informed of the Stryker II’s unusually high agility.

“We are ready to fire sir.” said Malren. “We decided to start by taking shots at that Star Liberator with the main battery.”

“Sounds good,” he replied. One of the HP-X’s best qualities was the fact that it had an extreme effective range. “Though be ready to switch targets quickly once those CFW frigates start following us.”

“Aye sir.” Malren replied from his station, sending messages to all the main battery crews. The main batteries opened fire. The DPT-1 secondaries and point defenses were tracking the frigates.

Just then the tactical displays lit up, swarms of red fighters streamed towards the Star. The Star Liberator had also opened fire on the rear of the Collateral Star. It seemed like Zonill had his hands full. He would have to trust that the Admiral had a plan to get out his situation.

He made sure that no fighters were chasing the Stryker II. None were. It seemed they had made enough distance before they were launched, a distance that was only increasing.

He turned his attention back to the CFW frigates. It seemed they had noticed him. Now all they had to do was follow.

 

[John Mahporeem]

FLEET ADMIRAL VORIN ZONILL
MIN COLLATERAL STAR
OBJECTIVE I: KESSEL, RUN!

"Sir, reinforcements have arrived are requesting orders!", Captain Sellferr called out to Zonill as additional Mahporeenian assets began arriving.

First to answer was Captain Charles , followed closely behind by Commodore Felix Yorwell . As soon as both men and their fleet's had arrived, they had asked for targeting data from the Collateral Star, which gladly shared what it could with them. By this point, the vessel's magnetic targeting system had identified a second rebel flagship some distance away from them, and even if it hadn't, the veritable armada of ships that it was sending toward the Star would have given its position away anyway. Besides that, sensors had picked additional enemy ships warping in, though their signatures did not match ships belonging to the Resistance but rather the Confederacy of Independent Worlds. It seemed that the rebels had some business partners after all, but no amount of ships would be able to save them from what was to come.

"Solid copy Commodore Felix Yorwell ", Sellferr replied as the rest of his transmissions came through. "We're patching you into the Mahporeem Battle Net now, all information is being rerouted to your command bridge. Orders to follow shortly, standby", Sellferr concluded as he switched his comms back to Captain Charles 's frequency: "Captain, prepare to sortie your vessel and forces momentarily. Additional reinforcements are en route to your location", he said as he turned back to Zonill, alarm visible in his eyes.

"Sir, the rebels are sending a frightening amount of fighters at us".

"So it would seem, Captain. It appears that the rebels are content to sacrifice one of their flagships for the chance to do some serious damage to us. How noble all their deaths will be", Zonill quipped sarcastically as he prepared to give his orders. "Attention all Mahporeenian naval forces, your orders are as follows."

" Captain Charles , you are ordered to engage the forces of Binn Toskros and destroy them. Prevent them from linking up with either of the rebel flagships, and do not allow them to support the rebel forces by any means necessary. Reinforcements are available for you to use as you see fit. Good luck Captain, you're going to need it."

"Commodore Felix Yorwell , your orders are to intercept the incoming wave of rebel fighters and to simultaneously launch a counterattack on the second rebel flagship. Begin sortieing your fighters toward the incoming enemy units and move your capital ships into a defensive formation. Once the initial enemy line is broken, you are free to begin moving your forces forward to engage the enemy capital ships."

"Sir!", Captain Sellferr interrupted, "We've got additional friendlies dropping onto our location. They belong to Admiral Aldus Kragg ".

"Excellent, open a channel to them immediately."

Sellferr did so, and Zonill relayed some additional orders.

"Admiral Aldus Kragg , you are ordered to support Captain Charles in preventing the Confederate forces from assisting either rebel flagship. You are free to engage at your convenience. Prevent the enemy forces from rendering aid to either vessel at all costs. We are going to destroy those flagships regardless of what the rebels think they can throw at us. Over and out."

With his orders given, Zonill's next concern were the incoming enemy fighters. They were quite numerous, and if the rebels were using the same tactics as last time, he could expect them to try and jam the Missile Deactivation Transmitters and point defense laser cannons littering the hull of the Collateral Star. Luckily, the ship was not without its own countermeasures to prevent this: such as the NZ Thanatos ECM/A Suite, which would be targeting the jamming pods of the enemy starfighters, the ships's coating of Stray Kaleidoscopic Polymer, which would make it much more difficult for the missiles to find their mark, and the various Dornean Software Systems that had been installed to enhance coordination between the ship's sensors, gunnery grew and operating system. And speaking of guns, or point defense lasers, the Collateral Star boasted a whopping 1,920 of them, arrayed in quad mounts all over nearly every conceivable inch of the ship.

When the K-Wings opened up with their missiles, the Collateral Star responded in kind. Some missiles were shot out and destroyed, some were jammed by the electronic warfare suite, and some missed the Star entirely due to the Stray Kaleidoscopic Polymer. Yet, not all of the missiles could be avoided, and the Collateral Star shook as explosion after explosion rocked the ship from front to back. The rebel's attack had taken down a good portion of the shield, and had they followed up with capital ship fire, the Collateral Star might have found itself in serious trouble. But the enemy capital ships were still on the opposite sides of the battlefield, and the rebels had expended all of their heavy munitions into this single attack. Worse, they had left one ship completely devoid of any fighter cover and the other ship to deal with hundreds of Mahporeenian fighters all by itself.

The counter attack had begun!

The PGEM/Droid Fighter-Bomber MK Is and TIE/AN Annihilators began bombarding the Rogue Thunder with everything that they had: 280 bomb bays firing at the same time as 460 droid fighters moved in to back them up, firing at any flak turrets and missile pods that the Rogue Thunder might have possessed. 20 Lambda-class YT-1760 Annihilators moved in to support them in these efforts, specifically aiming for the point defense cannons as the Hyper-Jammers began jamming efforts of their own.

The other ship, the Heavy Metal, abandoned any pretense of stealth and starting firing at the Collateral Star, though the angle at which they were firing instead ended up targeting the ships belonging to Felix Yorwell . Zonill, for his part, continued to hold his fire, as his ship's computers continued gathering targeting date and attack vectors for his weapons. Not that he would have fired anywhere had he had all the information that he needed. His immediate goal was to dispatch the rebel fighters still lingering about, and once he did so, he and Commodore Felix Yorwell would take the fight directly to the enemy and destroy them once and for all!

​

Spoiler: Zonill's "Fleet"

• MIN Collateral Star
  • 10 squadrons of PGEM/Droid Fighter-Bomber MK Is
  • 10 squadrons of TIE/D Vultures
  • 10 squadrons of TIE Striders
  • 5 squadrons of Tri-Wing TIE Droids
  • 5 squadrons of TIE/AN Annihilators
  • 5 squadrons of Lambda-class YT-1760 Annihilators
  • 5 squadrons of Hyper-Jammers

Spoiler: Actions

• Zonill relays his orders to his subordinates
• The MIN Collateral Star takes a beating from the rebel missile spam but manages to survive albeit with greatly depleted shields
• 720 starfighters and bombers begin attacking the Rogue Thunder
• Zonill takes fire from the Heavy Metal which misses most of its attack due to the extreme distance between them
• Zonill continues gathering targeting date against his enemy

TAGS:
Zoro Igala
Binn Toskros
Captain Charles
Felix Yorwell
Aldus Kragg
OPEN

 

[R'ayne Asara]

objective II: your spice is my spice

weapon: draconic scourge
outfit:X™
tag(s) Friendly: Ronhar Tane ... Orinn Darge ... Lothar Braeyek ... Dayna Rhyss ... KV-027
tag(s): Aperion ... Rebels

The sight of him stopping in the midst of the slaughter drew an amused smile across my lips. There was something almost endearing in the arrogance of it; the little metal sphere becoming flesh, drawing its lightsaber, and settling into the disciplined shell of Soresu as though posture alone could bargain with the inevitable.

Around us, the air still carried the coppery reek of opened bodies and the bitter scent of lightsaber-scorched flesh, while the Force whispered of something darker gathering beneath the surface.

I regarded this apparition for a long moment, my smile widening as I felt the fragile certainty behind his stance.

He did not intend to defeat me.

He intended to delay me.

How charming.

He had mistaken the shadow of the coming storm for the storm itself, and I could almost hear the distant machinery of his plan turning beneath the scorched ground. I turned away from him just enough to address the warriors of the Drakonis Order standing behind me, their armored forms silent beneath the gloom.

“Now, pay attention,” I said, the amusement still curling around my voice. “I am going to show you how to deal with annoying little pests who fancy themselves as little metal balls.”

A low, wicked laugh escaped me as I ignited my own blade, its corrupted light bleeding across the field like a wound opening in reality.

Then I faced Aperion once more.

“You may begin, little pest.”

The Force gathered around me, vast and patient, and for one terrible instant the battlefield seemed to become very small.

He had come expecting to stall a Sith Lord.

Instead, he had volunteered to discover precisely how long a creature could remain intact while standing in my path.​

 

[Garrion Der Rædwulf]

GENERAL GARRION
OBJECTIVE II

PRIOR MISSION: Stall the enemy advance, and make them bleed for every inch [SUCCESS]
CURRENT MISSION: Retaliate

---

It came as a surprise, though, it was to be expected that they'd eventually be targeted... and explained why the AT-AT's hadn't targeted them in the first place. The missile launchers had been brought down. Not entirely destroyed, but effectively neutralized for the moment.

Rapidly it seemed the situation was turning against them. Garrion had a million thoughts running through his mind. What were his allies waiting for? Was it time to retreat? He wasn't going to sit there and let his men be bombarded into total destruction.

He'd attempted to retaliate, though the advanced defense systems of the walkers proved capable of shooting down the occasional volleys from rocket launchers within the trenches. These were the systems he'd recalled studying while drafting up his plans... and they'd proven just how fast they could react. Useful information, but if Garrion couldn't remedy the situation, it seemed all for naught.

"Come on... let's show our hand already..." He muttered.

That was... until aid had finally arrived. Succeeding in stalling the enemy advance and dealing some decent casualties to the enemy light walkers & infantry, he'd given the allied armor its window of opportunity. The general's jaw dropped as he witnessed the metal behemoths make their entrance, their cast shadows alone quite the sight.

"Of course they neglect to mention that to me..." He added with sarcasm, though he couldn't stifle the slight grin forming on his face.

But, intimidation was not their only purpose.

Combined with their firepower, the newfound presence of Resistance aircraft, and their use of Thunderbolt rounds, and the prior damage already dealt to them via allied bombardment... the opportunity to deal some real damage to the walkers was open now that the shields were down... yet Garrion didn't have the means. Not directly.

The additional presence of allied armor on the flanks would also improve morale, as, given Unit 12's prior excursion, it seemed any reinforcements from the forwarding base would've already been led away, meaning the Imperials would need to rely on additional landings for resupply.
The presence of a tornado was both frightening yet also... oddly reassuring. Garrion assumed it was likely the doing of Jonyna Si , even though his knowledge of 'space wizards' was rather lacking.
At the very least, it had the positive effect of drawing away the dust from the air... though it also darkened the sky, blotting out the few pockets of light left over the battlefield and rending the continued use of heliographs useless for its duration.

Still, Garrion needed to plan, and fast. His first priority: Moralizing his men once more.

"Our allies have bought us time, but we MUST hold, and HOLD we will! Hold so that we might endure until the time is right! This line does not falter so long as we have air in our lungs! TO ARMS!"

What manifested afterwards was a collective echoing cry, able to be heard even over the sounds of artillery and thrusters of starfighters overhead, providing the motivation necessary to keep formation despite mounting pressure.
Garrion by no means intended a counterattack, that'd be suicide. Instead, he opted to simply... retaliate. And retaliate he would.

"We need the engineers on the ridge, now. Those missile launchers must be operable as soon as possible."
Turning to his right, he saw his Jawa friend. He knew his decision to invite the tinkerer with him was soon to pay off.
" Kalit D'wari , I'm placing you in charge of them. You're our best mechanic. Now hurry!"
He had remarkable faith that the Jawa and engineers would be capable of restoring the missile launchers... however, he knew they couldn't do it undeterred.

"TURBOLASERS! CEASE FIRE! REDIRECT TO TARGETING THE ENEMY STARFIGHTERS!" If the enemy was going to drive off their air support... why not do the same? Either way they'd be targeted by Resistance pilots or the forces on the ground, committing to attacking one now risked being eliminated by the other.
And of course, should they attempt to target the launchers once again, they'd be forced to contend with both.

Glancing over to the The Sphinx and Stone Lion, Garrion quickly took notice that the enemy was attempting to land men atop the very walkers themselves. He wouldn't allow this if he held any say in the matter.
"I want every sharpshooter we have focusing on our walkers! If you see one of those bucket heads landing, you fire! Take craft if you can and save our pilots the hassle!"

Still, even with this... Even if they succeeded in driving off the enemy with these minute steps, the walkers were still the primary threat. And Garrion needed a means of dealing with them.

It was then that... it came to him. In a rather odd, almost... insignificant way. One of the AT-AT walkers blasts had made an impact near the elevated portions of the mine, sending rubble crashing down.
He couldn't believe what he was thinking.

"Sir, even if get our artillery up again, the enemy armor is too thick. We'll need to combine our strength if we wish to pierce it."

Garrion squinted, looking at the walker farthest to his right. It wasn't too far from where Unit 13 was still stationed... still in hiding. It was far too small of a unit to be noticed, given it was only a handful of men meant to relay commands. Yet of course, they still had their equipment, the same as every other unit.

"Who says we need pierce their armor?" He proposed, a slight smirk forming as he turned towards the Lieutenant.

The younger officer's eyes widened.

"I suppose I'm taking a page out of the rebel book, as it were. Relay a message to Unit 13, and tell them to prep their explosive charges on the ridge concealing their position. I believe they should then be able to cause a rock slide from a safe distance. That should be enough to send one tumbling down, and with it..." He trailed off.

Glancing back to the Lieutenant, he noticed the obvious shock. "Think I've gone mad, have you?"

"No sir, I'm just- surprised. But, we can't relay anything to them, our heliographs are down until that storm lets up."

Garrion thought for a moment. "Then I suppose we'll just have to improvise." Before approaching one of the entrances to the mines and taking a floor floodlight. Bringing it outside. He placed it where the heliograph should be. "Tell them to move as quickly as they can, we don't have much time."

Not long after, the order was signaled. Unit 13 did as instructed, quickly laying their explosive charges on the edge of the ridge, before taking to their bikes and speeding off. Once a fair distance away... they detonated them.

The result? Nothing much. It wasn't as if they intended to collapse in the entire geographic feature. Yet, it didn't need to be.
The rock slide would come down, leading some larger parts of the ridge to fall with them, impacting the sides of the AT-AT which'd been just close enough for it to work.

Thunk.

The strike tipped the war machine off balance as it fought against gravity to stay on all four legs... leaning dangerously close towards its neighbor.

"...Timber."

ACTION SUMMARY:

• Garrion helps re-moralize the defense
• Garrion sends the engineers & Kalit D'wari to fix the missile launchers
• The turbolasers within the trenches begin firing on the enemy interceptors, as a means of forcing them between a rock and a hard place (either having to choose between destroying the pilots they're chasing or attack the turbolasers, being destroyed by the other if they do), or to break off. This is also done to prevent any strikes against the engineers.
• Garrion orders the sharpshooters to begin firing at those landing on The Sphinx and Stone Lion, as well as their landing craft.
• With the heliographs being rendered useless for the duration of the storm, Garrion improvises by using floodlights.
• Unit 13 is ordered to cause a rock slide by detonating their explosive charges, the debris causing an AT-AT to be knocked off balance, potentially setting up for a domino chain (which would end upon encountering the first walker positioned sideways)

TAGS [OPEN]
Allies: Gress D'ran Aperion Kalit D'wari Ysennia Lee
Enemies: Ronhar Tane R'ayne Asara Lothar Braeyek

 

[Orinn Darge]

Unit: MSOC "Valkyrie"
Location: Shifting Trenches, Edge of the "Red Zone" Minefield — Kessel Spice Mines
Commander: Captain Orrin Darge (Rampart 1)
Objectives: Suppression, Forward Observation, Support-by-Fire
Tags: Ronhar Tane R'ayne Asara Octavia Renn Lothar Braeyek KV-027 Dayna Rhyss Gress D'ran Garrion Der Rædwulf Kalit D'wari ​

The light, misty rain falling over Kessel's salt-bleached gravel was vaporized instantly by the blinding heat of the Rebel counter-offensive.
Down in the shale, the defense had turned the open plain into a shattering wall of fire. Heavy Rebel shells from the mountain artillery pounded methodically into Captain Ronhar Tane 's column, forcing his All Terrain Shield Generators to absorb staggering kinetic stress. Across the two-kilometer "Red Zone," overlapping 3HX3 timer mines erupted beneath the advancing vanguard, while a swarm of rigged mouse droids darted through the sandbags, their detonators hunting for walker chassis joints and optical arrays.

Rampart Platoon was caught right in the throat of the shifting frontline, the concussion of the blasts rattling through their teeth. But they didn't freeze inside the craters.

"All units, break into squad-level elements and fan out!" Captain Orrin Darge's voice slammed across the secure platoon channel, cutting through the thunder of the artillery. "The armor column is drawing heavy fire. Work the seams and identify enemy hardpoints. We need to break up their defensive coordination!"

Instead of charging the minefields blindly, the platoon seamlessly split into their independent, specialized sections to bleed the weight off the Remnant's heavy vanguard.

High on a jagged basalt outcrop, Hammer Squad's anti-armor teams went hot. A two-man crew hoisted the heavy, cold-rolled launch tube of an M-31A "Firestorm" Multi-Purpose Missile Launcher. Slaving their optics to the telemetry pushed down by Captain Octavia Renn 's intelligence web, the gunner painted a pulsing target bracket onto one of Gress D'ran 's, entrenched Thundercat Walkers.

WHOOSH.

With a violent roar and a massive backblast that scorched the black stone behind the launcher team, the hyper-velocity missile spiraled out of the tube, tearing across the flats on a direct, smoking trajectory locked straight onto the Nexu's primary weapon housing.

Below the outcrop, a wall of plasma erupted as Rampart's heavy machine gunners dropped down and redeployed their portable energy barriers. The gun teams unleashed furious alternating bursts from their heavy repeaters, the powerful red bolts ripping across the low parapets to suppress General Garrion Der Rædwulf 's dug-in infantry lines. Interspersed between the cyclic hail of bolts, the rapid, rhythmic thump-thump-thump of the M-19 "Hammerstrike" Micro-Grenade Launcher teams sent accurate arcs of high-explosive fragmentation rounds looping over the trenches. Having been programmed in air-burst mode, the explosives detonated well above the dirt, specifically targeting Kalit D'wari 's rushing mouse droids; a handful of the leading mechanized mines were caught and detonated early in flying showers of sparks and scrap, though the rest of the erratic drone wave continued its low-profile charge across the wider battlefield.

With the heavy support teams laying down their fierce, deadly suppression, Orrin unhooked his G-12 Assault Blaster Carbine, and switched his focus to leading the elite light infantry assaulters of Archer Squad in a battle charge himself.

"Archer, on me! We're punching into that western defile!" Orrin ordered, lunging into the copper haze.

Sprinting through the dust and rock in staggered, high-speed fireteams, and under heavy fire from the entrenched defenders, the assault teams used the low-visibility smoke and misty rain to quickly exploit the temporary gap their cohorts had carved in the fray, but the every meter through the meat-grinder was paid for with blood. The moment Archer Squad pushed into the open, the dug-in Rebel defenders unleashed a devastating, coordinated crossfire of high-velocity slugthrower rounds and heavy blaster fire. Rampart's lead fireteam was slammed instantly; one Special Missions Trooper went down hard as a heavy round pierced his chest plate, and another was violently thrown into the salt-shale as shrapnel shredded his thigh armor. They lost critical momentum as the remaining raiders had to literally drag their wounded into the freezing mud behind jagged rocks just to survive the advance. Under a punishing wall of incoming fire their portable shields were ripped to pieces. Upon reaching a permiter barricade, the breachers desperately scrambled to the durasteel wall, manually slapping localized detonation charges against the reinforced barricade. They took cover and clacked off the detonators, and the steel buckled in a concussive, deafening flash. The men of the assaulter squads immediately began to flood into the breach, spilling into a the trench line as they mentally prepared themselves for the desperate close-quarters battle against the waiting Rebel enclave in their attempt to claw out a foothold in the defile.

From his position in the center of the formation, Captain Darge slid knee-first behind a captured dugout, his smoking G-12 raised as Siren Squad's combat medics moved in behind him to start managing the high-threat casualty stabilization for the several wounded line troopers who seemed able to be triaged. Up on the ridge flank, and being overseen by Sgt Major Horvath, Specter Squad's forward observers immediately deployed their laser designators, capturing a perfect panoramic line-of-sight on the hidden artillery nests deeper in the mountains.

Darge keyed his long-range transmitter, patching a direct, high-priority status update straight into Captain Tane's armored command net.

"Captain Tane, Rampart 1. SITREP." Orrin transmitted, his vocoder projecting clear over the rumbling engine blocks. "We have breached the western perimeter wall, but have taken casulties. We are pressing the western flank of the trench-line. Hammer Squad is actively engaging the most immediate anti-armor hazards targeting your column. I think we've bought you some space on your right boundary -BREAK - Rampart 2 has also established a forward observation post overlooking rebel artillery batteries. We are tagging enemy positions and streaming the data back across the wide net. My boys have laser designators active on multiple firing nests. Standing by to relay fire missions for your heavy guns. We'll help you walk the payloads straight onto their fething heads. Be advised, we have eyes on multiple possible counter-battery detection units. Rampart out."

 

[Octavia Renn]

Your Spice Is My Spice

Issued Equipment • NZ/ BP-25 Light Blaster Pistol 'Silex' : HNDA-Mk III/T : Stuncuffs
Interaction{s} • Open

The Captain stood in the threshold of the command center, hands clasped behind her back as she stared across the distant horizon. The battlefield Intel continued to replay through her mind with the cold precision of a tactical display; Rebel fighters making low strafing runs against Imperial infantry, their laserfire cutting swathes through them while pockets of Rebel artillery suddenly emerged from concealed positions to hammer the Imperial advance.

Yet the situation was not entirely unfavorable.

Several bunker raids had succeeded, enemy artillery nests had been destroyed, prisoners were being processed, and Imperial formations had continued to seize ground despite the resistance. Progress, however costly, was still progress.

One detail remained conspicuously absent from every report, the mines.

No reconnaissance team had impregnated them, no prisoner had provided useful information, and every attempt to map the suspected minefields had yielded nothing but uncertainty. Captain Renn narrowed her eyes toward the horizon. Whatever was waiting out there, she suspected the battle was about to become considerably heavier.

Behind her, the command center suddenly went dark. The hum of generators, tactical displays, communications equipment, and overhead illumination vanished simultaneously, plunging the entrance into an abrupt silence. She remained perfectly still for several seconds, instinctively scanning the horizon as though expecting the darkness itself to reveal an enemy.

Then, without warning, the lights snapped back to life.

Displays flickered, consoles rebooted, and the familiar mechanical drone of the command center returned as if nothing had happened. Captain Renn slowly turned toward the entrance, her expression hardening. “That can’t be good.”​

 

[Kalit D'wari]

Objective II
( TAGS ): OPEN
Allies: Garrion Der Rædwulf Aperion Ysennia Lee Gress D'ran

The order came down fast — get the missile launchers back online, now — and Kalit D'wari was already moving along the engineers who he worked with side by side.

Overhead, things were terrific, explosions and dead men everywhere, and Kalit caught the flashes out of the corner of his lens just in time to see two of his mouse droids disable and scrap mid-charge. He felt disappointed, hours of work, gone in a blink but there wasn't time to mourn scrap metal, kalit didnt even believe in droid rights he just is disappointed at losing credits. The rest of the little swarm made a bit of progress through smoke regardless, low and erratic enough that the enemy couldn't track them all.

He shoved his own grief aside and dove into the launcher housing instead, popping the access panel with a twist of his fusion cutter and ripping out a scorched relay quicker than the other engineers.

"Feed coil's fried. Give me the spare," he squeaked, translator droid scrambling to keep pace. An engineer slapped a replacement into his gloved hand. Kalit waved hands to the approaching engineers, then pointing towards damaged launchers, hit by snipers or bombed. The engineers would begin work later

A stray round cracked off the barricade and Kalit ducked his head hard into his shoulders, hands still working the connection on instinct seat it, seal it, checking the charge light. It flashed.

"Clear! It's hot!" He scrambled back

Through the haze he spotted the last of his mouse droids still weaving toward the walkers, dodging fire that had already claimed its siblings. Kalit allowed himself half a second to hope it made it — then grabbed his tools and was already moving toward the second launcher. Kalit contacted some artilerry operators through a comlink, then continued running to each one with separate engineer squads trying to fix whatever isn't beyond repair. His jawaese engineering skills worked perfectly in this situation, so he just continued doing what he does best.

 

[KV-027]

Location: Wild Space Rebellion Kessel Mines Outer Perimeter - Kessel
Thread Objective: Your Spice Is My Spice
Mission Objective:

• Provide sniper overwatch for the ground assault.
• Locate enemy positions and high-value targets.
  
  • Opportunistically eliminate enemy positions and high-value targets.
• Standby for further assignment.

Allies: R'ayne Asara Ronhar Tane Octavia Renn Dayna Rhyss Orinn Darge Lothar Braeyek
Enemies: Gress D'ran Ysennia Lee Aperion Garrion Der Rædwulf Kalit D'wari

The rain intensified without warning, going from a steady drizzle to a hammering downburst that lashed the landscape in sheets of silver. KV-027 re-tuned her rifle’s ballistic parameters with practiced efficiency. With the weapon’s Otherplasma bolts’ air resistance-nullifying vacuum sheath and hypervelocity speed, she only had to make minute adjustments before reacquiring her shot, even with the raging winds.

A beat passed. Dayna glanced at the rifle again. That damn thing. "If we get back to Mahporeem after this, you're letting me fire that." Her smirk widened. "That's an order."

Dayna returned her attention to the distant launchers and watched the position through magnification. "Permission granted, KV." Her voice lost its teasing edge. "Take the shot."

“Yes, Agent Rhyss.” KV-027 replied, simultaneously acknowledging her superior’s order to let her fire the weapon once they got back to Mahporeem, and her approval. Then, she fired. In that, a mental command passed from shooter to weapon, and the Penumbra Neutralizer silently unleashed a hazy, purple-black streak of barely perceptible anti-light at blistering hypervelocity, the Otherplasma bolt traversing the three kilometers of distance from sniper to missile launcher in a heartbeat.

KV-027 gaze snapped skyward then, her ears twitching at the sudden, earsplitting roar of fast-approaching ion jet engines. Time fractured in her Ghost Link-supercharged awareness, stuttering her perception into slow, deliberate frames as her eyes honed in on the source of the noise.

Ten starfighters, approaching her position and fast!

She immediately recognized the craft as Tornado IIs, which she knew from long hours of prolonged threat familiarization training she had completed as part of her induction into the Politorate. Chainlasers. At their current speed and trajectory, they could rake her position in a matter of seconds.

In that, there was no time to question why the rebels thought it a prudent use of resources to commit ten small craft for one sniper team.

“Bombers incoming!” KV-027 called out.

Her left hand released the Penumbra Neutralizer's forend as her right hand palmed the stock, swinging the weapon onto her back in a single fluid motion. Her left foot pivoted while her right foot drove into the rain-slicked stone. The bounding systems in her boots hummed to life, repulsorlift emitters charging with a resonant thrum that she felt through the soles of her feet. The Ghost Link translated intent into action, and with only moments to spare, she jumped.

The boots discharged in a controlled explosion of repulsor energy, launching her from the ridge with the force of a compressed spring. Rain lashed her face as she arced upward and laterally, the world tilting and inverting around her. Below, the chainlasers found her previous position and turned it into an explosion of molten slag in a single, brutal pass.

The Eleleth system on her spine engaged mid-flight, repulsorlifts flaring with a sharp, breathy hiss. The burst of thrust added another twenty meters of horizontal separation, driving her sideways and upward in a shallow, accelerating arc that carried her clear of the Tornado IIs' immediate kill zone.

At the same time, KV-027 called her bodysuit’s stealth systems to life with a thought. The concealment device cascaded over her form in a shimmer of refracted light, bending the rain and darkness around her silhouette until she was little more than a distortion in the storm. The thermoguard kicked in at the same time, bleeding her body heat into the surrounding air at a matched rate to render her invisible to infrared sensors. The Blue Witch and the mirror system activated as well, concealing her electronic and life form signature from prying sensors.

Angling her trajectory towards a cluster of jagged rock formations, KV-027 alighted on the rain-slicked outcrop, her bodysuit’s repulsorlifts cushioning the impact. Then, without breaking her stride, she took five quick steps, before sliding into cover behind a vertical slab of stone. She looked up then, her copper eyes fixed to the sky and the starfighters flying overhead through the sheeting rain.

KV-027 released a breath that she had not realized she was holding. Her sensor receiver pinged suddenly, at which point her HUD pulsed a warning, alerting her to active scanners locked in on her position. She looked up, and caught sight of what had likely spotted her. There were Raven drones flying overhead, pinging various positions in an attempt to pick her out through her stealth systems.

Her gaze widened with sudden realization, and she opened an encrypted channel.

“Captain Renn, This is SpecInt Asset KV-027. SITREP. OPFOR has numerous Raven UAVs flying overhead, spotting for artillery and air units. Advise all friendly units to turn on sensor warning receivers and commit any available point-defense weapons to anti-drone fire missions.” She switched channels then, her attention shifting to a more immediate priority. “Agent Rhyss, status report?” Her voice came steady over the line, but a quiet urgency pulsed her chest as she watched the drones circle overhead like patient predators in the storm's dark heart!

Spoiler: Loadout

• Penumbra Veil
  
  • Arms
    
    • FAE/M-02 Energized Forearm Vibroblade Mk. II - L Forearm
  • Energy Shield
    
    • Phase III “Force Avenger” Energy Shield
• Penumbra Neutralizer
  
  • Ammunition
    
    • Compressed Otherplasma Canister (6)
  • Attachments
    
    • 1-100x FAE/S-08 Electro-Scope
    • Silencer
• Model 216 "Big Game Hunter"
  
  • Ammunition
    
    • Metallic Slug (32)
• ISI/ISD-01 Supplicant-Series Service Droid - Surveillance Variant
• Ion Slicer Vibroknife
• FAE/MDE-01-S1 Semiautonomous Seeker Thermal Explosive (6)
• Infrared Smoke Grenade (2)
• VKA-7J “Hurricane” Combat Stimulant (8)
• BWE Healing Capsules (4)
• BWE Soldier Survival Solution (2)

 

[Lothar Braeyek]

The impact came without warning. A section of the ridge collapsed against the two Shadow AT-ATs, sending tonnes of rock crashing around their legs. Lothar's walker lurched violently, its footing giving way beneath it.

"Hydraulics! Get her clear Keeve, Now!"

Keeve worked the controls as Lothar forced the walker's systems to compensate. The great actuators strained, shifting the legs one after another and dragging the AT-AT away from the collapsing ridge.

Beside them, the second walker was less fortunate. Its footing failed completely, and the enormous machine tipped onto its side with a thunderous crash. Lothar watched it fall, his expression hardening.

"tut~tut.. hmmph, What a regrettable loss.. this Rebel General is becoming a tiresome fellow". Garrion Der Rædwulf

His own walker finally found solid ground. Lothar brought her to a halt at a respectable distance from the ridge, well beyond the worst of the Rebel defences. Laser fire continued to streak across the battlefield, ricocheting harmlessly from the AT-AT's heavy armour as both sides dotted the landscape.

Through his magnifier, Lothar watched the damaged missile batteries being hurriedly repaired. Elsewhere, Captain Ronhar Tane s armoured column continued pressing toward the primary gate, while Orinn Darge s Rampart Platoon maintained pressure along the western flank. Other allies R'ayne Asara , Octavia Renn , Dayna Rhyss working behind the scenes as well.

"Mr. Keeve. Bring me two All Terrain Armored Assault Walkers onto our flanks. Have them concentrate on those trenches to keep their heads down, we shall not make the same mistake."

The smaller walkers moved into position, their weapons raking the Rebel firing lines.
"And ours sir?"

"Lets take a look shall we?" Lothar watched the damaged missile batteries through his magnifier, noting the engineers Kalit D'wari working frantically beneath their protective cover. Lothar glanced toward the fallen walker. He thought for a moment then snapped back into reality
"There, Concentrate on those Missile Batteries. I want them finished before their engineers get them operational."

He brought the AT-AT's guns onto the ridge and opened fire. It's cannons thundered from a safe stretch, as heavy red bolts crossed the distance towards the Missile positions. The AT-AAWs worked the trenches from either flank. "We will make them reconsider their lovely hospitality.."

 

[Garrion Der Rædwulf]

General Garrion
Objective II

Prior Missions:
- Stall the enemy advance [SUCCESS]
- Retaliate [T.B.D.]

Current Mission: Hold the line.

---

The breach came as a surprise, not because the possibility of one was impossible (it had prior been imminently expected), but rather the fact that a force had broken off into squadrons and managed to strike into the Western perimeter.

Garrion gave the order to fall back, copying the holotable's data onto a datacard before completely wiping it, should the enemy force them back any further. He had no intentions of letting the enemy know what they knew.
With enemy forces flooding into the outermost trench, and soon to go further, Garrion's men had fled back to the command command center and positions near the mine's entrance, with some smaller squadrons also moving behind friendly armor for cover.

The old general did as he'd promised, taking up one of the A280C blasters which he'd deliberately left out. "We can't fall back now, it's too early..." Garrion thought to himself, as he positioned himself behind one of the durasteel walls, resting the barrel of his rifle on the rim of it as he peeked through to the enemy side. There, he laid eyes on one of Orinn Darge 's men, noticing they were handling explosive charges and making their way towards the light armor.

Putting two and two together, Garrion immediately called out the following order: "KEEP THEM SUPPRESSED! DON'T LET THEM HIT OUR ARMOR!"

With that, the E-Webs (which were stationed behind either sandbags or small durasteel walls) turned their attention towards keeping those closest to the armor pinned down. Those stationed near the E-Web gunners would fire on anyone attempting to target the main gunners, in an effort to keep them collectively pinned.

Deciding it best to be in control of whether or not his enemy would be moving, and as a convenient means of disorienting them, Garrion slowly retrieved a thermal detonator from the table, silently signaling several of his men to do the same. "Set it for 18 seconds." He'd signal, with the same message being telephoned to the rest of the defense.

"HOLD FIRE!" Garrion ordered. "HOLD. FIRE." He repeated.

What came next was an abrupt, collective ceasefire from the rebels as they crouched down behind their barricades and fortifications. Their detonators were primed at slightly different times, each off by a second longer than the last. The detonator pings were just inaudible enough that they couldn't quite be heard over the nearby explosions.
This was done intentionally, either to confuse the enemy into hesitation, or tempt them to seize what appeared to be a moment of opportunity by rushing. Either way, it'd play into their hand.

"Nine... ten... eleven..." Garrion counted in his head

Garrion waited for the enemy to return fire, or for the sounds of dirt crushed beneath the boots of those brave enough to charge.

Regardless if it'd come or not, as his detonator reached 13 seconds, he threw it, the small orb making its way over and into the enemy trench, leaving an intentionally opportunity window for escape. The rest of the defense collectively threw theirs in succession from Garrion.

"FIRE AT WILL!" Garrion ordered, mounting his rifle on the Durasteel wall once more as he began rapidly firing on the enemy position regardless of accuracy, the rest of the defense following suit.

Every man capable of carrying slugthrower or blaster was now firing on the trenches occupied by the enemy. A virtual wall of death.
With seconds to act, those detonators weren't going to wait for the Imperials to decide on their next course of action.
Stay put, or move forward, either outcome had been engineered for their destruction.

Orinn Darge