Location: Nystao
Engaging:
Kelsie Sylvan
Allies:
Primarch Drek'ma
The Noghri of Honoghr proved themselves immediately to be a fiercer threat than a majority of the weakling races encountered by the Major. Despite their relatively diminutive size, their distinct musculature blended into a substantial strength and agility not often found outside of genetically engineered war-beasts and combatants. It seemed as well that they possessed a numerical superiority within the confines of the major residential center, though the continuous rain of drop pods and vessels from above meant that the tides would change sooner rather than later in that regard. The Crusade had taken many worlds, ripped away their inhabitants, and reforged them into homes for their own kind... there was little doubt that bodies were available to spare in excess of what had
ever lived on Honoghr.
Osam ducked a mere instant before a projectile slammed into a space where his head had once lingered. An expeditious glance at his side revealed that a number of his own kind had not been so lucky, and the pierced and melted forms of other Sraelvun were quickly evident. There was an undeniable odor which had been brought forth by this bloodshed, an intoxicating aroma that demanded to be indulged, but which promised swift retribution should it be embraced. The cooked kindred often meant delightful and luxurious meats, but now was not the time for trivial matters of consumption.
The group of drones had been forced to advance in order to make headway into Nystao, but they had encountered severe resistance in the process. All the way to the city, they had been harried from behind hastily constructed barricades, each sally managing to claim at least a few lives. Where once a hundred Sraelvun had proudly advanced, now there were far less. Incidentally, however, the addition of more pods in the area meant that the forces of the defenders had needed to convene at other points of conflict. Resistance was still naturally fierce, but at least it had lessened somewhat in the presence of additional assault vectors.
Finally, the group... three squads at most had made it to the first major structure, and a subsequent barrage by a pair of remaining Grenadiers had granted them entry into more secure lodgings. Clearing the building would take far too much time, and so Osam settled for detonating a number of stairways, forcing any Noghri warriors above them to jump several stories downwards or crawl through debris in order to reach their position. The Major had little difficulty convincing his single co-Major to acquiesce to this order, and even less difficulty when twelve seconds after it had been given, he disappeared into a blur of flash-evaporated fog.
The force of the meat breaking its fleshy casing at such high velocity was enough to toss several bystanders, including Osam to the ground. He didn't bother immediately standing up again, instead choosing to allow what had just occurred to process. Slowly, methodically -- if such a thing were possible for Sraelvun -- he noted the projectile mark in the wall, still singed where the anti-matter round had nicked it on entry. The sniper had not needed to fire twice, which meant they were particularly capable either due to natural ability and training or else equipment, and it also meant they could be seen from the position of the evaporated Major.
Risking a glance, Osam rolled just within view of the projectile, scanning for something roughly indicative of a sniper's nest, and his eyes settled with a surprising degree of rapidness on his target.
"Marksmen. Target highest structure. Sniper." He barked, seizing command of the remaining squads with a shriek of authority. Sraelvun were simple-minded and defaulted rather quickly to obedience as opposed to bickering over commandment... it had not been difficult in the past to assert dominance over his kindred, and it was not difficult now.
The difficulty came in keeping enough of them alive throughout the campaign for it to matter.