|
Post by Lieutenant Kei-teh Kintaru on Jul 22, 2005 15:40:40 GMT -5
A thunderous explosion occurred ahead of us. I witnessed clouds of smoke and billows of fire rocket towards the sky. Staff Sergeant Lourde stood but a few meters away from the destruction as his weapons systems recycled, filling more rounds into the necessary chambers. The mighty raptor stood triumphantly above its prise. A message flickered across my console screen: msg:\>Alpha-4 reports hostile destroyed.Suddenly, the very ground around Wedge was illuminated by a white blinding light. It concentrated solely on him for a second. Before we knew it, the entire lance was covered in a luminous spot. Above us flew metallic birds that would signal our deaths. Aerotech fighter planes circled above us, watching from above. The sound of emergency klaxons sounded as the birds flew beyond our sight. My radar systems blared warning screeches, indicating a large number of explosives falling from the sky. A new message flickered across my screen: msg:\>Alfa lance: spred out an rush 2wards this nav poin The message was obviously written furiously as Captain Maxwell’s mighty Legionnaire mech darted forward at maximum speed. We formed a straight line as we charged across the large forest area, smashing trees and the like into tiny splinters. My heart jumped into my throat as coherent booms of life extinguishing explosions erupted behind us. The Aerotech fighters began a near suicidal dive bombing manoeuvre. The position we were standing only moments ago tore up and high into the sky as high pressure and extreme heat caused them to burst into flames. But it didn’t stop there. As we charged forwards, the Aerotech fighteres pulled up and flew above us, draining their explosive supplies from themselves. The jets rocketed inches above our heads as the sound of explosions grew closer and closer. The bombs exploded inches away from us, but no direct hits were made and minimal damage was taken due to the speed we were all travailing. The mighty birds of death rocketed towards the city and eventually out of our sights. I managed to get a glance at the city we were running towards. I nearly jumped into my seat at the sight of the horror. Sky scrappers were engulfed in mighty fires. Laser and ballistic fire shot upward into the black blanket that was the night. Mechs roamed the streets, fireing in all directions. It was an ungodly sight. As we continued our charge, roughly 30 arches of golden light fired from the city, one after the other. If I didn’t know what they were, I would have called them beautiful. Before I could message everyone as to what they were, the Captain took the initiative to message everyone the bad news:msg:\> artillery! kep goin!!!111 the message stuttered, another example of how hard it was to type while a mech was in full motion.
Seconds before we advanced, inch by inch, the land behind us roared in anger as the artillary shells, fired from the city, decimated the area behind us. We were all inches away from death, ever millisecond counted. Fire engulfed my mech temporally as I charged without anything else on my mind. I thanked god it wasn’t a direct hit. I charged out of the flames, as did many of my comrades, with minor damage. Just as I had stepped out of the fire ball of death, I was engulfed in yet another. Once again I charged through the flames, sustaining very little damage. However, my mech had slowly began to over heat. Just as I ran out of the flames, which licked across my mech like satanic tongues wanting to taste my life, the thunderous explosions stopped, and my mech began to cool down slowly.
Then I was suddenly filled with tremendous fear. How was the MASH ambulance fairing in all of this?! I frantically slapped my key board, bringing several of my cameras online. Through my rear camera, I saw the now charred ambulance racing behind me like an ember escaping from the fire. It slightly glowed red hot before fading like a dieing fire. The ambulance resembled a spitting ember from a log fire, shooting itself from the inferno before fading out into a small black piece of carbon. I sent a direct message to the armoured vehicle. msg:\> alfa 2 -2- alfa 5. r u ok? msg:\> we are a’ok!I was relieved beyond recognition. The MASH was tough… but I didn’t realise it was THIS tough.
I soon began to theorise. Those Aerotech fighters must have called in the artillary strike… god knows what else they have called in?! The klaxons still blared strongly as we closed in on the nav point that was splashed across our screens. Our presences HAD to be known by now?! So much for the stealth approach...
Within a few seconds we had reach the outer perimeter of the once mighty Puerto Valacia. Flames bleched high into the sky, as did weapon rounds… as did my stomach as I saw a large amount of battle mechs steadily attacking in a mixed flurry of death. They clearly out numbered us. They clearly out gunned us. They had the buildings as cover. They had Aerotech fighters to back them up. They had artillery to rain down upon us from the heavens. It was such a mess, it was hard to tell who were the enemy… and who were the friendly forces. God didn’t seem like he wanted to fight on our side. However… if we pulled together… we WOULD be victorious. Although… deep down I knew it was going to take a lot more than just high hopes and instincts. High hopes and instincts… they had gotten us this far… … I muttered as I throttled up, dived in, took aim and fired into the growing mass of mechs… [ - Soundtrack - ]
|
|
|
Post by Gen Miyamoto on Jul 22, 2005 16:46:57 GMT -5
Bravo lance emerged quietly from the dense wall of vegitation that had concealed thier arrival. As the horrizon expanded, the curtain of darkness was drawn back and the night sky revealed boundless grassy plains. Radar signals began to pile up with a near constant tweet of the computer.
The rebels had amassed a fair sized force considering thier resources. The had some grounded VTOLS, hover and wheeled vehicals, and a mech waiting.
I recieved a transmission from the Archer mech standing 400 meters out, "This is Sergent Caplan of the Black Rats. Peytre and some of the slower mech's went ahead of us into Almeria. We're to catch up with them immediatly. Is your lance ready to move out?"
"Undoubtedly." I replied
Without another word the sergent braught his mech about and took off. Vehicals and Vtol's followed suit, powering up and rushing in the same direction.
"Bravo lance, set throttle to 90 and follow that Archer."
|
|
|
Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Jul 22, 2005 17:11:13 GMT -5
To hell with radio silence..."Alpha Lance! Spread out, and engage at will! If it reads as hostile, wipe it off the map! Our objective is to liberate this city - let's make sure we do what we came here to do!"I slammed my Legionnaire into a full run, heading straight for the first 'Mech I saw - a 25-ton Commando assaulting a ragtag brigade of civilians that had holed up behind a pile of wrecked vehicles. Two Condor light tanks swept in from the main battle to intercept me as I closed to firing range, their SRM volleys slamming into my Legionnaire's thick hide. I brought the Rotary AC/5 to bear on the closer of the two tanks, shredding the vehicle to pieces as hundreds of rounds of armor-piercing, depleted-uranium slugs tore their way through its paper-thin armor. The second Condor met its end as I trampled it beneath my 'Mech's gargantuan feet, leaving behind a smoldering pile of crushed components which were quickly immolated in a hellish explosion, as what was left of the Condor's ammunition exploded in a dazzling pyrotechnic display.
A VTOL, of a gunship configuration I wasn't immediately able to identify, banked sharply from behind a building, letting fly with a full barrage of SRM, MRM, and LRM rounds, most of which flew wide, grazed off my armor, or were absorbed by the 'Mech's incredibly tough chassis. Another blast of my Rotary AC/5 fire slapped the aircraft from the sky, sending it spiraling out of control to explode violently on the street below.
The Commando was still fixated on the civilians, either oblivious to my presence, or simply not caring. Whatever its motivation, I decided to introduce myself. As the scout 'Mech opened fire on the entrenched rebels, a hail of supersonic tracer rounds tore into its back. It whirled around to face me, and was met with a mean left hook to its head as my Legionnaire's left fist connected with its ferrosteel hide. It staggered backward, crashing into a building, and I charged toward it, slashing its center torso with my battle claws repeatedly as it frantically fired its woefully inadequate weapons at me. Backpedaling wildly, knocking over lamp-posts, HPG communications booths, and barricades, it tried desperately to get out of range of my Legionnaire's powerful blows. But that was not to be. I plowed forward, extending a manipulator, and took hold of the Commando's left arm, turning my 'Mech sharply to the right as I did so. The sudden change in direction and velocity threw the smaller 'Mech off-balance, and it toppled over, its arm being torn from its socket as a combined 80 tons of shearing force was applied to it. I now had a very interesting melee weapon in my BattleMech's hand - I was confident I could put it to good use.
I barreled forward once again, as the Commando dragged itself to its feet, and brought the full force of my Legionnaire's Rotary AC/5 to bear on the Valashan 'Mech's 'head.' The crippling impacts tore armor away, blasted off components, and generally made the pilot's life miserable as he fought to right his machine. As I closed to within melee distance of the Commando, I drew my Legionnaire's left hand into a fist, raised as high as the actuators would allow. My TAG gear isolated the cockpit of the hapless Commando, and guided the fist down in a lightning-fast, devastating blow that instantly crushed its head, and the unfortunate pilot within. The 'Mech staggered backward, rocked unsteadily, and then crashed to the ground, defeated. I let out an exclamation of shock and delight. The Legionnaire was, indeed, proving its worth.Who's next?![ - Soundtrack - ]
|
|
Nicholas Schuster
Regular
DECEASED
"Blakists are like a virus. And WE are the cure."
Posts: 139
|
Post by Nicholas Schuster on Jul 22, 2005 17:26:10 GMT -5
My Shadow Cat accellerated to its fullest throttle setting, pounding across the rolling meadows of Valasha as we closed with the military base. This assault was going to be horribly violent and probably overwhelming...I couldn't imagine the sheer amount of firepower we were going to encounter. I was admittedly terrified, although I didn't let on about it.
There was no time for fear right now - nor time for emotion of any sort. The only things I needed to be focused on were the mission objectives themselves, and their successful outcome. My eyes drifted toward the emergency release handle of my ejection system. I hoped beyond all hope that I wouldn't have need of it...
|
|
|
Post by MechWarrior Aisa Thastus on Jul 22, 2005 18:14:06 GMT -5
"Stravag!" I exclaimed as the honorless dog piloting the UrbanMech unleashed a hail of autocannon fire into my Mad Cat MK-II's rear armor. I whipped my 90-ton assault 'Mech around to face the worthless Inner Sphere scout, and unleashed an Alpha strike into the center of its squat torso. The combined force of LRM, laser, and Gauss Rifle fire impacting its squat frame sent the lesser 'Mech toppling backward. As it struggled to its feet, I fired my Jump Jets, sailing through the air, and landing with force atop the UrbanMech. The incredible weight of my Mad Cat slammed the scout back to the ground, crushing it into a mangled mess barely recognizable as the BattleMech it once was.
A second UrbanMech made its presence known, in the same dezgra fashion, and I turned to face it. As my weapons locked onto its primitive chassis, my comm unit crackled to life.
"Mercenary unit: You are in violation of Valashan territory. You are ordered to withdraw from Puerto Valacia at once, stand down, and surrender to the planetary militia. If you cooperate fully, your life will be spared."
Clearly, the pilot of the UrbanMech was deranged. I let out an incredulous laugh, and punched the comm unit over to the public channel.
"You make a brave noise, freebirth. I like that. You must be a superlative warrior. I extend you this offer: defeat me in a Trial of Grievance, and I will honor your demands without further incident."
There was a lengthy pause, no doubt as the loyalist's puny brain attempted to process my request. It was clear that the toad had no clue what I was talking about.
I smirked.
"We don't make deals with renegades. Stand down immediately."
"I am afraid I cannot do that, dezgra. May you die well."
The pilot was instantly crushed by a twin set of supersonic gauss slugs, fired from the rifles I had trained on his cockpit the entire time.
Fool.
My talons were sharp tonight.
|
|
|
Post by Dr. Jessica Saturina on Jul 22, 2005 21:11:25 GMT -5
As soon as the air strike began, I ordered Reeve's to punch it and punch it hard. He took the MIT to its maximum speed of 86 km/h. We were strapped in our seats as the vehicle bobbed and weaved around the ground hits. At times speeding through blazing flames of fire. The unit could take it. He was a seasoned battle driver and he was proving his worth.
Finally arriving at the city, the scene there horrific. The battle scared city with its towering buildings burning bright against the night sky. Giant mechs everywhere, the battle raging all over the city. Unfortunate civilians caught on the streets when the battle must have started. Captain Maxwell had just disposed of a Commando Mech firing on some hidden civilians. He turned to fight another one. I shouted orders to Reeves.
"Over there Reeves. Over by those civilians hiding behind that wreckage. They look like they need medical help. Take us over there, and when we come to a stop, open the side drop door to let out the Longinus Battle Armor team and my other three medics. You stay in the MIT, in case we need a quick get away."
Yes, Dr. Saturina. I will not leave the unit unless you tell me to.
The extremely large vehicle came to a stop by the civilians. Not knowing if they had seen a hospital on wheels before, when I jumped out of the unit I grabbed my medical supply bags, showing the red cross emblem on the front, so they would know we were coming to help.
The three Longinus Battle Armor team that was assigned to me disembarked from the vehicle. One followed me to the civilians as did the other members of my medic team. The other two Longinus stationed themselves on each side of the unit.
My medic team and myself got over to the civilians with no trouble. There was a man laying on the ground I went to him first. I ordered the rest of my team to spread out and treat the worst wounds first. My patient had a head wound. He was unconscious. I brought out the Eligus, and scanned him. The read out was some head trauma but no concussion. The wound on his head was not real bad. I cleaned the wound, and put a medipatch on it. The man woke up as I was attending to him. He was a little disoriented but in full possession of his faculties. I moved to the next patient. Most of them were just bruised, with superficial cuts. We attended to them the best we could right there, but now they needed to get to a shelter. They were sitting ducks out here. I spied some other civilians looking out from what appeared to be an underground bomb shelter of some kind. I contemplated the distance between where we were and where we had to get them. It was not going to be an easy task. I hit my com.
Archangel Alpha 5, I need cover to get these civilians to the shelter across from where we are in this wreckage they are hiding in, can any unit help me?
|
|
|
Post by Gen Miyamoto on Jul 22, 2005 21:40:53 GMT -5
Our lance rumbled swiftly down the streets of Almeria, striding over wrecked tanks and scorched barricades. The rebels had made short work of the loyalist occupation. The streets were crowding with the disquieted masses, roused from a hundred years of subjugation. A police Vtol flew in our lead clearing the streets of people, allowing us to hurry through safely.
As my mech rounded the corner of a dense city block I found a stumpy urban mech scampering out of the city limits.
A transmission came across the public comms, "This is Peytre Alexeev. Glad you all could make it so quickly. We must head to the airbase immediately, your friends have been found out. I really can't thank you enough for your help.'
"Roger that Alexeev. You heard the man, Bravo lance, Alpha team is already in it. Let's dig in and take it to them."
|
|
|
Post by Captain Benjamin Maxwell on Jul 22, 2005 21:44:22 GMT -5
"...Archangel, I need cover to get these civilians to the shelter across from where we are in this wreckage they are hiding in, can any unit help me?"
I was only several blocks away from the Doctor's location, and everyone else was looking pretty tied up. I jerked my 'Mech around, and started making my way back toward the MIT23.
"Alpha-1 to Archangel - I'm inbound. What's your status?"
Doctor Saturina's voice cut across the comm, nearly drowned out by the deafening noise of the battle taking place behind her.
"I've got multiple casualties here - nothing major so far - but they're not going to last long with this madness exploding around them! There's a hardened structure across the street from here, but we've got no way to get to it safely! Can you run interference?
"I'll do my best, Archangel. Get your people ready to move. As soon as I arrive, I'm going to become the center of attention"
|
|
|
Post by Dr. Jessica Saturina on Jul 22, 2005 22:17:46 GMT -5
"I'll do my best, Archangel. Get your people ready to move. As soon as I arrive, I'm going to become the center of attention"
Yes Sir, we will be ready to run, just let us know when to go. I'll also be watching.
Copy that Archangel
"Ok Team get your patients ready to move. The longinus will provide ground cover, and Captain Maxwell will cover us from the big guys and air strikes. When he says, we have to move and move fast. I don't want one single person left behind does everyone understand? "
Everyone agreed in unison. I called Adams over to help me with the patient that had the head wound, I didn't trust him to run the distance without falling down. I had Adams get on the other side of the guy. We would half carry him, to keep him from falling. We were all standing ready for Ben's OK.
Archangel ready to go at your signal Sir.
|
|
|
Post by Gen Miyamoto on Jul 23, 2005 0:04:00 GMT -5
We were coming up on two kilometers from Tierra Verde, and looking through the green-tinted zoom window, I could barely make out the shapes of mechs and tiny vehicals. They were formed in a large block in front of the complex. We would be there briefly, I had better setup the gameplan.
"Bravo lance, here goes. Form Line-abreast on me. When we hit the line of engagement, I want Bravo-5 and 3 to break and circle to the rear at 30. We're gonna devide those bastards and smash 'em. Bravo 4, hold at 300 out. 2 and 6, we're going in, let's mix it up."
|
|
MechWarrior Alex Thorn
Regular
LEGIONNAIRES
"I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat." - Winston Churchill
Posts: 176
|
Post by MechWarrior Alex Thorn on Jul 23, 2005 0:21:45 GMT -5
"Bravo lance, here goes. Form Line-abreast on me. When we hit the line of engagement, I want Bravo-5 and 3 to break and circle to the rear at 30. We're gonna devide those bastards and smash 'em. Bravo 4, hold at 300 out. 2 and 6, we're going in, let's mix it up."
"Roger that Bravo-1. I like takin 'Mechs from behind. It's their weakest point."
I throttled my 'Mech to match that of the others.
Here we go.
|
|
|
Post by Lance Commander Marcus Taylor on Jul 23, 2005 0:43:34 GMT -5
Bravo lance, here goes. Form Line-abreast on me. When we hit the line of engagement, I want Bravo-5 and 3 to break and circle to the rear at 30. We're gonna devide those bastards and smash 'em. Bravo 4, hold at 300 out. 2 and 6, we're going in, let's mix it up.
Roger that Bravo-1. This is Bravo-3, faling to formation in a line abreast formation.
My mech throttled up and fell into my assigned position. I already liked this new guy's method of thinking. Charge in, but force the enemy to split up to deal with us or perish in a blaze of glory.
There's still something amiss here...
I put it off to pre-battle qualms that are common to even the most battle hardened soldier. From the high ranking officers down to the lowly grunts on the ground. It was the commonality of the warrior.
In some bizarre off kilter way, I'm sure even the clanners have some sort of feeling of fear.
Loss of honor...
|
|
|
Post by Gen Miyamoto on Jul 23, 2005 2:42:17 GMT -5
The lance formed into possition and we all watched as our opposition grew closer and larger by the second. I felt my deepest insides tighten into a knot and my breathing started picking up. Responding to our formation the other seperatist elements widened and organized themselves around us. On our left and right were battle groups of mixed wheel/hover harrasment vehicals. Above and behind us the Vtols buzzed in flight, careful to let the mechs be in range before them. On the wings lumbered mighty Mylodon mechs, each escorted by ferocious Thor support-artillery vehicals.
Relentlessly, almost suicidaly we urged ourselves forward. Our unrelenting approach finally bringing us within a kilometer of thier guns. The LRMs trickled off, not even giving the time for signifigant lock, they flew well over our advancing lance. "Steady" I said over the comms, while retaliation missles flew back.
The 800 mark was signified by hails of AC/2 rounds and PPC charges. Which were met in kind by our ranks. Vehicals on both sides halting to be consumed by electric blue fire or burst in crimson spheres. I corrected for an errant PPC round that had impacted my left torso, and ignored pitiful sounds of low calibur rounds clinking weakly into my armor. "Steady"
Now just 600 meters out from the row of scorpions and turrets I had designated the line of engagement. As we crossed into range the horizon became illuminated by the unified firing of 14 Ac/5's. The wave of munitions struck our line like a sheet of rain, clattering and ricotcheing. Large Laser and Gauss fire was sparatically continuing between our armies, with me catching the scorch of a large laser square on the center torso. "Steady"
The hiss of SRMs greeted us at 400 meters out, mostly slamming into the legs of our mechs. The enemy blinked first, ordering its hover craft to advance in battle groups and sending its Vtols into a wide bank around to our flanks.
"Break!" I screamed, and the anxious pilots of Bravo quickly began thier tasks. Bravo-3 kicked down his speed, swept soft left with the Bushwacker and immediatly laid waste to a patch of four scorpions, while Bravo-5 correspondingly rounded his Uziel to the right and sent some hypersonic love to a Locust's center torso, leveling it. 2 and 6 closed up tight on me while Schuster throttled down the shadow cat and assumed a clear line of sight on the oncoming mechs.
As the lance fractured and the defenders' attentions fragmented, I braught my sights across a pack of four scorpions and leaned in on them with my Rotary Ac/5. The deafening report of its ratteling fire filled my ears as I quickly hosed the vehicals with rounds. Once the war machines had been replaced with firey wreckage I turned my attentions to a passing Locust. It's concern with tanks rather than me allowed me to quickly approach it from the side and slash its leg out from underneath it. My triple-strength-myomer enabled arm allowed me to send the limb catapaulting into the distance as the mech collapsed helplessly to the ground, to be devoured by the dog-like hovers of the battlefield. I quickly showered SRMs down on a passing Galleon with little effect other than a good scare.
I was immersed in hell, dancing wildly in the pale moon's light, with the devil that haunts all warriors.
|
|
|
Post by MechWarrior Josef on Jul 23, 2005 7:42:32 GMT -5
Break!
I formed up tight on Miyamoto, as did Holms. It felt suiciadal, just charging straight up the middle of enemy lines. Such is the life of a mercenary... I thought to myself.
I quickly tossed the thoughts out of my mind. The battle would need my full concentration, and, a little bit of luck. I fired my Medium lasers into the enemy lines. They impacted on a Commando 'Mech, leaving nothing more than a scratch. It returned fire. The SRMs tore through the sky, thorough smoke a few already disabled Battlemechs. quickly strafed to the right to dodge the SRMs. I returned fire again, the lasers streaking across the sky.
Sweat poured down my face as the battle raged on.
This was going to be a tough fight.
|
|
Nicholas Schuster
Regular
DECEASED
"Blakists are like a virus. And WE are the cure."
Posts: 139
|
Post by Nicholas Schuster on Jul 23, 2005 13:04:45 GMT -5
As Commander Miyamoto veered into his attack vector, I throttled to half speed as I acquired track on my first victims: a trio of Bulldog tanks in a triangular formation that were pounding away at me with all the ballistic fury they could muster. I unlocked my weapons, and leveled the Shadow Cat's gauss rifle on the lead assailant. A thunderous, sonic boom ripped from the weapon as the slug exited the chamber, coring across the battlefield, leaving an atmospheric sine wave in its wake. The round tore through the tank's front armor, leaving a gaping hole into which I unloaded a flight of SRM-6 and ER Medium Laser fury. An orange blossom of fire consumed the tank, leaving a smoking hulk behind.
The remaining two Bulldogs split up, moving in opposite directions as they tried to divide my attention. I fired a gauss round at the rightmost tank, and then turned my attention toward the left one. It fired furiously at me, each impact causing my Mech to buck and shudder. I let fly an SRM volley, which flew wide and plowed into the ground.
My cockpit jolted violently to the left as a round struck it from near point-blank range. I quickly wheeled to the right, and found myself face-to-face with the other Bulldog, which had snuck around to the right while I was engaged. The crafy bastard thought he could get away with it. My foot crushing his main turret down to the tank's transmission thought differently.
Having eliminated yet another ground-pounder, I re-located the last of the trio, and Alpha struck it into its base components. My gun ports smoked as I checked in with Commander Miyamoto.
"Bravo-4 to Bravo-1...three Bulldog assets eliminated. You doing ok?"
|
|