Fighting fifth: Blaquiere

[Hazzardevil]

Gantz reaches for his chest where the bullet hit reflexively, he then raises his Melta and aims again before shooting again.

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Attack:
(1d100+103)[186]
Damage:
(2d10+10)[23] E type.

[Lycan 01]

Commissar Larkson ignores the massive holes punched into the seat inches from her body. She leans out the window again, and cracks off another shot at the plasma wielding officer.

"Grenades! Frags out, kraks on the Baskilisks!" Valeria barks over the rumble of the engines and the roar of the weapons.

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Another shot at enemy officer: (1d100)[23] vs 85

Damage: (1d10+5)[13] or (1d10+5)[6] Pen 4

[DrK]

Rook curses slightly as he is unable to see the results of his shot. Hastily he fires off the last round before turning to the Sarge - "Reloading"

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Aim at any guard I can see and single shot
Attack (1d100)[18] TN 80
Damage (3d10+8)[3][5][8](24) PEN 6
- RF if neccessary (1d100)[71] damages (3d10)[4][10][10](24)

The next full round action will be reloading. Normally its 2 full but comrade reduces it to 1.

[Kiranvonstrom]

"Yes, Ma'am!" Claudia shouted, fishing into her bandolier for a frag grenade, which she promptly lobbed at the occupants of the basilisk.

"Fire in the hole!"

OOC:

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(1d100)[23] vs 41, I think.

[Hazzardevil]

Gantz aims and fires at the Basilisk again.
Symonne also shoots rather ineffectively at it as well.

Just die Traitors!

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Attack:
(1d100+103)[158]
Damage:
(1d10+10)[20] E type

[Grailkeeper]

Finally the last of the patrol guards falls. The combat is now solelly down amoungst the batteries.

The truck continues moving forward, but another blue bolt darts out towards it. The shot hits the hull and an electical cable is knocked loose whipc cracking out and dashing sparks all over the commissar. Despite it's small size it does a significant amount of harm.

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(1d100)[6] v 55 (35+10+20-20 +10)]

Damage (2d10+6)[25] pen 8

The remaining guards clearly would prefer to take out the high priority target slagging the basilisk and turn to aim at him, however a barked order from the officer shifts their aim and they try and snipe the driver of the truck. One round makes it through the door way, most of its momentum has been lessened by the impact but It's still enough to hurt

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(1d100)[32] v 25 (35-20-20+10+10+10)
(1d100)[36] v 25 (35-20-20+10+10+10)
(1d100)[13] v 25 (35-20-20+10+10+10)

damage

1(1d10+3)[8]
2(1d10+3)[7]
3

The men on the back of the swaying basilisk keep up their fire, being more selective with their fire but still miss. A krak grenade lands on the side of the basilisk and heats up the side, almost but not quite penetrating through to the vulnerable interior. The melta fires again and strips off large chunks of metal. The Giantic beast starts to turn, almost as if it knows it is mortally wounded.



The other Basilisk clearly wants to avoid the fate of its twin, it opens up again hitting hte driver of the truck through the window. The heavy slug does plenty of damage, even despite guard issue flak armour.


ooc

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35 damage done to the basilisk- its almost dead

Friendly damage

Truck is taking critical damage now- it won't be safe for much longer

Larkson 8 impact damage and 1 level of fatigue
Colber- 8 damage (7 heavy bolter, 1 from autogun)

[Hazzardevil]

I'm not wasting any more shots on you Unholy hunk of slag!

Praying to the Emperor (IE: Shouting at the top of his lungs) Gantz shoots the Chimera.
Symonne just shoots with his lasgun, though he might as well be clubbing the Basilisk for all the good he is doing.

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Attack:
(1d100+103)[123]
Damage:
(2d10+10)[17]

[Lycan 01]

Commissar Larkson convulses and shrieks as the electrical cable thrashes against her, jolting her and filling her veins with lethal currents of energy.

The wire eventually whips away, leaving the Commissar to collapse limply back into her seat.

After a moment, Valeria's eyes flutter open. She opens her mouth and tries to say something, but all that comes out are a few coughs and retches. Leaning forward, she fumbles with her gun a moment, trying to aim the bolt pistol out the window and train it on the enemy officer once again. Her hands are shaking violently from the shock her system has been through; she's forced to hold the weapon with both hands, and struggles to look down the trembling gunsights. "Frakking... heretic... bastards..." she hisses as she squeezes the trigger.

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Half action: Aim
Half action: Shoot

(1d100)[91] vs 75 (BS 35 + 10 standard + 10 aim + 30 close - 10 fatigue)

[LeSwordfish]

"Move, move, move!" Vance ordered. "Up and support!" With that he leapt to his feet, and started running as fast as he could across the grass toward the cliff edge.

[DrK]

"move he says. Run he says." Rook glowers at the sergeant as he watches the crazy man across the open grass. "I'd like to see him run with all this stuff hanging off him. Probably break him like a damned twig."

Rapidly cranking open the amo case he and Austen slam a new belt in and crank the handle 3 times to make sure the belt is seated properly.
"On your Six sarge" he yells.

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Full action with comrade support to reload the autocannon
I'll start running next turn

[Grailkeeper]

Colber sees the second basilisk bearing down on him and decides to take extreme action EVERYBODY OUT

The squad jumpout of the truck as he accelerates what's left of the vehicle directly into the enemy basilisk. There is a sickening crunch and at first it appears nothing happened. Then secondary explosions set off the ammunition in both vehicles, lifting the basilisk up and smashing it down on it's side, breaking the main gun and killing the occupants.

Behind Gantz manages to penetrate through to the fuel reserves of the first basilisk, flames srpead instantly through the vehicle immolating the crew.

Medic Tertius sees that Gants is injured and sprints to his aid. The remaining guard see what they think is re inforcements coming against them. They open fire and the medic is gunned down.

[LeSwordfish]

"Sitrep!" Vance yelled, still sprinting forward. "Dammit, squad! What's your status?"

[Lycan 01]

Commissar Larkson leaps from the truck, rolls, and sprawls herself prone. After the vehicles explode, she rises to a crouching position, and puts her left hand to her earpiece while her right hand levels her bolt pistol with the enemy. "Objectives neutralized, multiple casualties, 4 hostiles with autoguns and a plasma!" she barks over the comm.

Valeria takes a moment to draw a bead on the enemy officer, and fire a bolt through his heretical hide.

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Half action: aim
Half action: shoot

Attack: (1d100)[5] vs 75
Damage: (1d10+5)[15] or (1d10+5)[9] Pen 4

"Correction!" Valeria barks with a grin. "No plasma!"

[DrK]

As the plume of flames erupts over the sandy berm Rook is up and running as only his training Seargeant would be proud. Legs pumping and hefting the massive cannon its going to be a long run...

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Unless things come over the berm I'm going to be full running for at least 5 rounds to cover the 100 odd metres.

[Grailkeeper]

The commissar ducks beneath the flailing electrical cable and rolls out of the truck. Coming out of her roll she finishes in a perfect firing position and puts a bolt between the eyes of the enemy officer, just as she finishes her report.

"Correction!, No plasma!"

Trooper Gantz follows up with a grenade which finishes off the remaining guards.



The battle for Cabra Point was costly and inefficent, but it was successful.

[Hazzardevil]

Gantz pulls out a frag grenade and in a panick throws a frag grenade at the two nearby soldiers.

Symonne continues to hide in cover like the coward he is.

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Attack: (1d100+48)[56] Does not include size or range, only BS
Damage: (2d10+2)[10]

[DrK]

As the gunfire dies down Rook races to the top of the berm he throws himself down. Autocannon at the ready before grinning wildly at the scene beneath.

"Orders Sarge? Where we off to next?" He slides down the bank towards the burning ruins casually lighting a lho stick on the burning wreckage of the basilisk.

[LeSwordfish]

Vance cursed softly and looked around at the carnage. He'd lost good men under his command before, but the deaths of Colber, Tertius, and their comrades... nearly half the squad, dead in one minor action.

He didn't respond to Rook's request, instead hitting his comm-bead. "Command? Mission successful. Major casualties. Requesting orders."

Commissar. He thought. If you have anything nice to say, now is the time for it.

[Lycan 01]

Commissar Larkson rises to her feet, and surveys the scene, changing out the magazine on her bolt pistol as she does so. Half the squad dead. Bad luck, or a tactical blunder? A tactical blunder she had a hand in? Perhaps not entirely. Terius and Colber's deaths were their own fault. The medic ran into an open field of fire, trying to assist a wounded comrade. The operator gave his life voluntarily to accomplish the mission. Both of them were deserving of commendation, alive or dead...

Pity most of the bodies were in the truck. Due to the explosion and intensity of the fire, they can't even recover their tags...

Valeria holsters her bolt pistol. "Into Your Hands I commend these souls, brave soldiers of the Imperium who gave their lives in service of the Throne..." she whispers quietly, bowing her head and folding her hands over her chest in the sign of the aquila.

She lowers her hands. The left one is shaking. No doubt a result of the electrocution. She clenches it into a fist and folds it behind her back, assuming a stiff posture; never let them see a weakness.

"Consolidate and regroup," she calls out, her voice slightly hoarse. "We're not out of the woods yet. Someone check Medic Tertius. Who's wounded? Sergeant, if I may have a word with you," she says with a 'come hither' gesture of her right hand, before turning to stride over towards the fallen enemy officer.

A plasma pistol is an ancient relic. Tainted or not, it cannot be left in the field. Even if she can't use it, Command would greatly appreciate the recovery of such ancient technology, if not for cleansing, then to keep it out of enemy hands...

[Grailkeeper]

***Some time Later***
OOC

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If you want to do something before this put it in a time split.

Lamp packs stab in through the dark

NIGHT

The remanants of Lt Telion's squad move in. A number of friendly faces are missing.

We came double time- when we couldn't raise you on the Vox we assumed what ever happened to first squad happened to you. Target neutralised?

[LeSwordfish]

"Target neutralised. We lost some men and our vox-unit. I gave the order to sit tight."

"Damn, Telion, am i glad to see you. This has not been the best of days."

[DrK]

Rook and Austen sat near the burning Basilisk. Lho sticks kit off the still red hot chassis. Glancing at the other arriving squad he staggers into a semblance of attention. His face stained from the powder burns from the exhaust chamber of the autocannon.

As the sarge talks important stuff he glances around for the other squad heavy. If he is there sidling up and nodding casually. How has it been for you. Walk in the park here.. The words spoken quietly away from the commisar.

[Grailkeeper]

The other heavy gunner Cassius Jocasta lights a lho stick Tough enough. Still though- know what they say -if you can't take a joke, you should never have joined the guard. - Reckon it's up to Col Vassar and the lads to do their job now. Looks like them above now.

The heavy sound of C-94 engines slowly builds and the rest of the regiment starts to pass over head in their equestrels. the Lt's second- Gaisu Gulliman waves at the passing aircraft but they don't see you.

Let's hope the bastards are grateful.

Lt Telion speaks with the sgt.

I've seen better myself. We were under pretty heavy fire when we got your message- what exactly happened to first squad?

[DrK]

I've seen better myself. We were under pretty heavy fire when we got your message- what exactly happened to first squad?

Rook looks about and leans down a bit motioning to Cassius to lean in as he feigns lighting another lho stick. "Some sort of xeno. Not sure buddy." He glances darkly at the commissar. "She didn't say much. Shot one of the boys right through head she did. A cold one. Just watch out fer xenos buddy. Keep 'em at more than hours length."

[Lycan 01]

Commissar Larkson will retrieve the plasma pistol from the enemy officer, if it is still intact, and also retrieves the Medic's dog-tags before moving to rejoin the Sergeant and the newly arrived squad. She says nothing, and there's a rather obvious scowl on her face. It seems she's not happy with the way this turned out, though who or what that unhappiness is directed towards is unclear...

[Hazzardevil]

Gantz climbs out of the ridge he had hidden behind, reloading his melta and shot gun, relfecting on the battle.

He hadn't done anything wrong, fired lasers into a tank and lobbed a grenade, he'd done what he could and nothing else. And he certainly wasn't on the recieving end of the Commissars Bolt Pistol, that's a plus isn't it?

[Grailkeeper]

Right Said the LT, We have our orders- Move out.

Both squads move out in total silence- the troopers are particularly wary- watching every step to avoid breaking twigs and shotguns readied for anything that might flit through the tree line. Eventually after what was probably minutes but felt like hours you move through the trees to a road.

The signs have been taken down, clearly as a pre-invasion precaution, but it's not hard to figure out which direction Blanchardston lies. It's where the explosions are coming from. You walk in the directions of the flames and sirens.

The journey takes about 4 hours, if you still had the truck things would have been much easier. By the time you reach the town the sun has fully risen. It is very small in size by most standards- probably around 3klicks squared in size. The outskirts seem in normal enough condition if abandoned, the closer you get to the star port the heavier the destruction gets. You start to come across a number of burned out vehicles and a mounting number of bodies- both friendly and enemy. A number of blue bodies can be seen on the rooves of the buildings- skybirds whose drop went even worse than yours. You can hear the odd snap of gunfire but by and large the fighting appears over

Taken from Sweetmans "History of the Talassarian Guard (37th ed.)
Entrance to the starport- note the tower was the scene of the fiercest ground resistance

Inside you see that most of the wreckage has been cleared from the landing platform. A large number of blue tarpaulins cover bodies lined up at the side. A tent has been erected and a number of weary 'birds line up for a meal served by an equally weary combat chef.

The LT stops Ok- Reload and chow down- I'm off to have a word with the Col. Vassar is clearly a presence- berating all those around him. He has yet to remove his trademark red helmet (an astartes honorific permitted to few guardsman) even though it marks him as a target for snipers. You over hear him swearing at the LT and it does not sound pleasant.

Commissar Karnarvon approaches Commissar Larkson

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Did you come across any of the infested? If so please tell me you dealt with it... discretely. Otherwise this day is even more fugged than it was already

The LT returns. Col's not happy. Guess cos things took longer than expected somebody somewhere got a warning off. Ground forces were waiting. He reckons theres a counter-attack due. Making things worse- our re-inforcements haven't made it with the re-supply. Guess only Talassarians know how to fly in these storms. Second Squad- finish off that chow. Col Wants you to trawl the city. Find some enemies and find out from them what their strength is in the area, failing that find civvies who might know. I'm going to try and rustle up some replacements for our losses.

[DrK]

Rook stands around heading over to the resupply tent and getting another fresh belt of ammo. Standing around he leans over and begins to ask "Hey Buddy, any ideas of what we are up to next?"

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Are we allowed to make some requisition tests as we try and acquire some gear?

[Grailkeeper]

The man at the resupply tent says You are off to get some intel, I am doling out ammo till they let me get some sleep or die. Whichever comes first.

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The main landers haven't arrived yet- they will after this mission and then you can work on acquistions.

[Lycan 01]

Commissar Larkson nods to Commissar Karnarvon; saluting him would only make him an even more temping target for snipers. She then scowls at his inquiry.

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"The sole survivor of First Squad was infected. I put him down, but not before he began to talk about a 'daemon' attacking his squad. The men got spooked, so I explained to them it was not a daemon, but an filthy Xenos that was easy to kill. I figured it'd be better if they knew what they were fighting, rather than jumping at shadows and liable to get us all killed. I was vague, and told them nothing that would contradict the Primer. I also told them how to spot infection, in case I was slain or, Emperor-forbid, infected myself. I apologize if I overstepped my bounds, but I felt the sharing of such information on a need-to-know basis was required to ensure both the success of our mission, and to ensure no taint returned back to their ranks."